How to win a hot dog eating contest: What Joey Chestnut, former champions do to prepare

Joey Chestnut isn't a typical athlete, but he has accomplished unthinkable feats at each year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Downing 10 hot dogs in one sitting is unrealistic for the average person, let alone 60-plus in 10 minutes. Chestnut makes it look easy, winning 16 titles in 17 years at the famed Coney Island competition and eating at least 60 in each year since 2011.

He doesn't just show up and eat, though. It takes months of practice and preparation to get ready for the annual event. And while Chestnut isn't participating in the Nathan's event this year due to a sponsorship dispute, he is holding his own alternative competition, which means double the hot dog eating fun for fans on the Fourth of July.

As with any other sport, participants in eating competitions train to keep their bodies in pristine shape to perform at the highest level.

Here's what Chestnut and other former champions do to maximize their chances at leaving Coney Island with a trophy.

MORE: Why do contestants dunk their hot dogs in water?

How to win a hot dog eating contest

Winning a hot dog eating contest starts with preparation.

First and foremost, a professional eater will attempt to expand their stomach to allow for more food to be consumed in a short period of time.

Matt Stonie, who defeated Chestnut in the 2015 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, told USA Today that he drinks water until he feels that he's "going to explode" in order to expand his stomach. Not only does this give competitors an advantage, it lessens the health risks associated with the sport.

By expanding their stomachs, eaters can hold more food down without vomiting. This is a rare occurrence at the professional level considering all the preparation and training that goes into it. That being said, if one does vomit, they are disqualified from the Nathan's contest.

MORE: Why is Joey Chestnut banned from Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Conest?

Another trick is to jump up and down while eating. It may sound counterintuitive since mixing movement and eating seems like a recipe for motion sickness. But it helps food down into the stomach and keep it from traveling back up through the esophagus.

Lastly, competitive eaters stay active. Preparation is more than just expanding the stomach. Miki Sudo, who has the most women's titles in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest history, told the New York Post she walks over 22,000 miles per day.

"A lot of people might think I just have to be hungry to compete, but really I have more endurance and strength when I’m physically fit," Sudo told the New York Post. "When I’m out of shape, I get winded earlier, which doesn’t really work to my advantage."

Following these tips won't necessarily lead you to become the next Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, but it'll certainly help improve you performance in eating competitions while limiting health risks — even if it's just at your own backyard barbecue.