Achieving an extremely dry yet simultaneously three-dimensional and full physique is the ultimate balancing act in elite sports. In the FST-7 Tip of the Week, Hany Rambod, the legendary 24-time Olympia-winning coach, discusses a crucial physiological dilemma every serious athlete faces during cutting or competition prep: managing a “flat” physique and protecting your muscle volume.
When you drastically reduce your carbohydrate and calorie intake to target stubborn fat reserves, muscle glycogen becomes depleted. Your muscles lose their physiological tension and start to look flat or “flat.” Hany Rambod warns that one or two days of “going flat” is physiologically acceptable, but you must absolutely avoid staying in this depleted state for a full week or two.
The Danger of Staying Flat for Too Long
If you stay physiologically flat for too long, you risk permanent volume loss that you cannot immediately recover from. The coveted muscle pump during your workouts disappears, and the lost muscle fullness often only returns days after your deadline or competition, after you have had to consume large amounts of calories and carbohydrates (like pizzas and burgers). You must monitor your volume status very closely.
On the other hand, it is biologically impossible to stay fully “full” all the time. If you keep your glycogen stores constantly overloaded, your body will continue to burn circulating glucose and stored glycogen as the primary fuel. This blocks fat burning and prevents you from efficiently tapping into the deeper, stubborn body fat reserves.
The secret lies in physiological balance: you want to get your athletes or yourself as lean and dry as possible, without the muscle volume permanently collapsing.
The Evogen Hyperhydration Strategy for Low Carbohydrates
To perfectly manage this biochemical balance, Hany Rambod developed a specific supplement strategy. By introducing the right nitric oxide boosters and cell volumizers, he enables his FST-7 athletes to operate at an extremely low carbohydrate level (to burn deep fat) while the muscle cells still physiologically appear full, round, and three-dimensional:
- Pre-Workout Nitric Oxide Optimization: Depending on the athlete’s stimulant tolerance, Rambod uses a strategic combination of Evogen EVP 3D (the stimulant-free, pure pump and focus formula) and the powerful Evogen EVP Xtreme N.O.. These formulas maximize nitric oxide production, which dilates blood vessels and ensures blood flow to the working muscles, even without the presence of carbohydrates.
- Extreme Cell Hydration with Liquid Glycerol: The absolute key factor in this strategy is adding Evogen EVP AQ. This advanced liquid formula contains pure liquid glycerol. Glycerol increases the osmotic pressure in the bloodstream and draws massive amounts of water through the cell wall, deep into the muscle cells. This form of hyperhydration compensates for the lack of muscle glycogen, allowing you to maintain that impressive 3D look and deep muscle pump while fat burning is in full swing.
Related reading
- FST-7 Pump Tip: Why you should combine Electrolytes with Glycerol
- Discipline & motivation for constant progress and preventing plateaus
- Proteins: Not a hype, but a physiological must for muscle preservation
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