Go ahead - just wing it!
In all seriousness though… we hope you can sense our immense sarcasm in this post.
Bodybuilding is undoubtedly a peculiar sport, and every coach and competitor is going to prescribe and follow slightly different protocols in attempt to deliver a competitive package to stage.
This is FINE - because rightfully so every athlete is uniquely on their own journey and requires a slightly different plan compared to their fellow competitors.
HOWEVER… it’s important to emphasise the word “slight”.
Recognise that just because something anecdotally worked for someone else and they successfully stepped on stage “looking good”, doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to work for you.
This is especially relevant for competitors being tempted by anecdotes along the lines of prep being more enjoyable and successful if you incorporate “flexibility” and “intuition”.
While these aspects of a prep do indeed sound enticing (and can potentially work for experienced competitors), more often than not having TOO MUCH freedom will back-fire.
A prep should be intelligently planned and structured with a small degree of room for modifications and errors - it should not be entirely “free-styled”.
This reinforces why it’s important to have a reputable coach and mentors in your corner prior to embarking on a prep. Ensure to be selective with the information you expose yourself to on how to strategically, safely, and successfully conduct a competition prep so that it can be as enjoyable, healthy, and rewarding as possible!
Competitors work far too hard during their years of improvement seasons to just “go with the flow” and “leave it up to chance” during their competition seasons.
Cross reference your information and acknowledge that there are a number of overarching principles that SHOULD be followed when executing a comp prep so that you step on stage in a good headspace with a package you’re proud of.