Biggest mistakes, typically the carb depleting/loading phase at the end as well as water issues.
A lot of guys say 10-14 days out may look pretty good and then shoot themselves in the foot with their last wk preparations...the most common mistake is the carb-up and then end up spilling over...a lot of unexperienced guys would probably be better off not going too drastic with water and carb manipulation at the end...this is of course assuming they are already in shape in the first place.
As for mistakes made with AAS, the biggest one is the use of test during a pre-contest diet. A lot of guys, not all but a lot, need to pull test out of the equation a few wks before a show...the last few wks of test usage should be a fast acting ester such as prop, then 2-3wks before the show, no more test. Yes, running test until show time will keep you fuller, but it keeps a lot of guys from looking as tight and sharp as they could otherwise. Like I mentioned, this does not applie to everyone, some guys can get away with it and it can actually benefit them...but like we always talk about, drugs affect everyone a little differently. On a side note about the test, a lot of people will argue that test should never be removed from a cycle, even a contest cycle, things like libido and energy levels etc will be brought up. But in a true contest diet, these things are not a concern at the end stage...if you've truly dieted down, it doesn't matter how much test you take, your libido and energy levels will be shot test or no test.
Diuretics: the biggest mistake here is simply having no clue as to what you are doing...going off of stuff like "this guy at my gyms said do this, and he won a show, so I'll do it." What usually ends up happening is that you take way too much, cut you r water too much, you end up cramping up on stage or even passing out.
