Do you believe in "recomp" as an intentional goal?

[tommyguns2]

I can’t get the scale to budge on tren. But it sure changes the way I look in a hurry

Agreed! IMO, under the OP's definition that would appear to be a recomp. Weight maintained, but change in your look in the mirror and how your clothes fit. I think it can be done, but for the vast majority of us, I think it's a very slow process. There's always a few freaks out there (God bless them, wish it were me) that can make amazing transformations, but can you drop 5 pounds of fat and gain 5 pounds of muscle over 9 months? Losing the fat, no problem. Gaining the muscle without AAS? Maybe, if your training is on point, and your diet is tight.

When I was natural, gaining 5 pounds of lean mass in one year was optimal.

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

Recomping is doable but it is really, really, slow, unless you are say coming off a long layoff where you have lost previously built tissue, and gained gat, it can be much faster. (obviously depending on how much muscle has been lost and how gat has been gained. That said, I almost always advise picking a direction, mostly based on what they actually look like at that time, and going all in one or the other. Ideally and most og the time that is simply let's just get them lean, not leaner than 10%, but about that, to set the best conditions for a growth phase. That ends up just working much faster and more efficiently in the end. Most people walking around are too gat to bulk. Not a lot of guys sitting at 10% are the guys asking about recomping. Its usually guys that are 20% or more or someone who is "skinny fat" Both would warrant a cut first.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

It is possible, but it’s slow as hell and there are quicker ways to get to your end goal.

Most choose recomp because they fear being too fat and fear the realization that they just aren’t carrying that much muscle to begin with. So it’s an easy decision even though IMO you’ll get to your ideal physique choosing a specific lane.

 

[qbkilla]

I know nothing about competing but I've read on forums about growing into the show. I believe this means keeping AAS lower when bulking, then jacking up dosages as calories begin to drop. Almost an inverse relationship...food high...AAS low and basic. Food goes low, more drugs and more compounds added. I'd assume this could result in recomposition for an advanced? Is this method common?

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

I know nothing about competing but I've read on forums about growing into the show. I believe this means keeping AAS lower when bulking, then jacking up dosages as calories begin to drop. Almost an inverse relationship...food high...AAS low and basic. Food goes low, more drugs and more compounds added. I'd assume this could result in recomposition for an advanced? Is this method common?

as I always say with regard to AAS, I don't know shit about fuck, that said, was this not what Levrone did? Almost came completely off for his offseason or at least a significant portion og and than ramp up, and blow up as he prepped for the Olympia. I think you have to be on the side of being a "great responder" for this to work? at least at highest of levels.

 

[bbxtreme]

as I always say with regard to AAS, I don't know shit about fuck, that said, was this not what Levrone did? Almost came completely off for his offseason or at least a significant portion og and than ramp up, and blow up as he prepped for the Olympia. I think you have to be on the side of being a "great responder" for this to work? at least at highest of levels.

I would say that he “grew into a show” was more accurate. He would come off everything and drop his eating down. So when he did go back on and ramped up calories his body was very receptive and he’d grow into a show. Opposite direction of a bulk as many did.

Someone like Jay tried to stay around a set weight range but was a different bf% in the off-season than on stage. Very little weight fluctuation. To me that’s a true recomposition.

 

[qbkilla]

as I always say with regard to AAS, I don't know shit about fuck, that said, was this not what Levrone did? Almost came completely off for his offseason or at least a significant portion og and than ramp up, and blow up as he prepped for the Olympia. I think you have to be on the side of being a "great responder" for this to work? at least at highest of levels.

I think he was one that did it I recall reading on the boards he would just chill then start working hard priority to a show, so maybe his was more muscle memory than someone going intense year round just upping dosages close to a show.

I remember years ago I saw him and his trainer todd I think was his name. This was around the time they were pushing some test pellets that you had implanted in your ass, wonder if it ever caught on lol

 

[Alan1]

I think he was one that did it I recall reading on the boards he would just chill then start working hard priority to a show, so maybe his was more muscle memory than someone going intense year round just upping dosages close to a show.

I remember years ago I saw him and his trainer todd I think was his name. This was around the time they were pushing some test pellets that you had implanted in your ass, wonder if it ever caught on lol

Yep. In his M3 video Levrone talked about not even working out once the show was over and that he only got motivated to train once it came time to start prepping. Would drop everything and do his music/band stuff, etc.

I actually just re-watched that particular clip and he's like "I'm not gonna waste my time training in the off season with a contest 6 or 7 months away. I'll eat whatever I want, I wont train, and then I'll come into the gym and bust my ass for 4 months..." L.O.L. Ridiculous genetics is an understatement.

 

[luki7788]

Even if I had genetics like Levrone, I wouldn't use his approach - first of all, because I love bodybuilding and the whole lifestyle associated with it.

Moreover, most of us are non-competitive people and want to look good all year round, not just for one day when we go on stage.