For those who compete - how lean do you stay in the offseason? (2 part question)

[Dancho]

I think if you keep freaking out about your bf%, you will always stay around the 195lbs range and 10 years from now you'll look back and wonder why you haven't gotten any bigger.

that would be because he did not up his dosage, not because he did not consume enough calories

 

[oreolo]

http://www.professionalmuscle.com/f...solutely-love-stuff-like-absolutely-love.html

Read the Doggcrapps first post in regards to you wanting to jump up weight classes. Intact maybe read the entire thread

 

[jackedrabbit]

I love that article, and I agree with it.

I keep cardio in the offseason - 30 min AM, and 15-20 min post workout. Last time I did this was during my rebound and I was eating 4K cals (measured out, I know this for a fact not an estimation) and I was growing while staying lean.

MY PROBLEM IS NOT STICKING TO IT. I freak out once I get watery or bloated and think OMG I'M FAT!!!...and then I cut.

According to the article, I just need to keep going. I have a great coach and on top of that I KNOW how to eat and what to eat. I also love cardio. I have all the tools in place...I'm just a bit of an OCD nut, and I switch my gears too often.

I may hold off on competing again next year and perhaps just lift heavy, get MUCH MUCH stronger and keep eating clean and go hard for at least a year and see what I can do. Pound food, hit the supplements, do cardio.

Like the article said about Henshaw, that's what I'm doing now - getting my bodyfat down to a good level and starting this journey...and sticking with it. I may need to find that middle ground - and for me, that may mean blurry abs and some little fat rolls are here to stay...until I shred up for a show.

 

[bodymax1]

offseason i dont worry about staying lean.... i mean i dont just blowup into a huge fatass but im not judged in the offseason so i dont give a fuck... if i feel im getting to fat ill tighten up the diet for a couple weeks till the abs look decent then start puttin down the carbs again... you have to be in a positive caloric state to build muscle so chances are you are going to put on some bodyfat...

that is unless you are a pro and are taking 5-10 grams of shit a week

 

[jackedrabbit]

Agreed with all.

I hit 180.4 this morning so I don't think I'll need to prime/cut further. I'll put up some updated pics tonight or tomorrow morning to get an opinion. Hooking back up with my diet coach this weekend to, to plan out my attack.

 

[BigJB]

I sincerely believe you are overthinking the "attack" thing way too much.

goals =
1 pound of red meat, one pound of chicken, 4 servings of L.B.A.s per day,

cup of rice and cup of vegetables with each meal, supplemented with e.v.o.o. or flaxseed oil for cals and extra e.f.a.s

2 cups rice for p.w.o. meal, multivitamin,

enough water and b.c.a.a.s,

do it every day for 2 years and see where you're at.

 

[jackedrabbit]

I sincerely believe you are overthinking the "attack" thing way too much.

goals =
1 pound of red meat, one pound of chicken, 4 servings of L.B.A.s per day,

cup of rice and cup of vegetables with each meal, supplemented with e.v.o.o. or flaxseed oil for cals and extra e.f.a.s

2 cups rice for p.w.o. meal, multivitamin,

enough water and b.c.a.a.s,

do it every day for 2 years and see where you're at.

How many calories?

That diet would need to be adjusted to suit my body now, and adjusted along the way. You can't just assign a static diet. Need to account for change, progression, metabolism, etc.

Maybe I took you too literally? If so, I'm sorry.

 

[jackedrabbit]

I took some pictures real quick before work today.

One is a close up using my Blackberry. Other 2 are camera.

I was 180.4 today.

 

[jackedrabbit]

^^^

Keep leaning down? Too fucking small to even consider myself a bodybuilder and I should bulk the fuck up? Let me have it guys.

 

[Ehren]

]
q) Kai Greene just finished a sentence that he started yesterday at 7:15pm

Hahaha!! DC is hilarious...

Question is: Do you want to spend your life getting big, or being big?

Bro, if you want to compete, I don't think you have a choice. Pretty much everyone said you need to bulk up further. Throw in some cardio, GH, T3 and be smart about it. Anyhow, you look very good.

This is a battle with your ego. Do you risk a few lbs of fat (that no-one notices) to be the best you can? Is it worth it? I think so.

Just DON'T let your ego limit your progress. Most things we want to achieve are about the End goal. Risk vs. Benefit. We risk health, time, shitloads of money and even frigging prison time. For the end result. If we're making all these sacrifices, risking all these things and not getting closer, as fast as possible, why are we doing it? So we can make these sacrifices endlessly? Fuck that! IMO, this applies to all goals. And this is where semi-successful people lose their shit...They are too in fear of losing what little they've built, too much to take measured risks.

Now...if you're "there" already and happy with things, great. Do as little as possible to maintain it within good range.

Whatever you do, just make a decision you'll be happy with in the END. The process sometimes sucks. Think of work...it sucks, but becoming wealthy (the end result) = great! Building a house sucks...having a house=great.

Assess the Risk: Being a little fatter for 9 months vs. Benefit: 20 keepable lbs of muscle for as long as you want to maintain it...no brainer. Good luck!!

 

[warrenpeace]

You're still lean. Bulk up. Just be smart and don't throw complete caution to the wind. You're OCD so you'll be fine

 

[jackedrabbit]

You're still lean. Bulk up. Just be smart and don't throw complete caution to the wind. You're OCD so you'll be fine

Will do, thanks.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

just go with it and bulk man...

i'm ocd just like you and freak out when my body fat gets anywhere high...i used to be a former fatty so i never want to go there again..BUT, in order to look amazing next year—you're going to have to look so-so for a couple months. bodybuilders realize this and make the sacrifice.

 

[nidal ak]

just go with bulking, mod carbs, high protein and high HEALTHY fats.
some fat around ur abs is no biggy when u bulk. just don't go up to 240lbs full of fat and when u compete you are 195lbs. its unhealthy.
try to keep your off season weight 15-20lbs more than your pro-contest.
its just a cheaper and healthier choice.
if its hard to stay lean, add some GH and a low dose of t3

 

[BigJB]

How many calories?

That diet would need to be adjusted to suit my body now, and adjusted along the way. You can't just assign a static diet. Need to account for change, progression, metabolism, etc.

Maybe I took you too literally? If so, I'm sorry.

Don't worry bout cals, just make those macros your goal. adjust the carb intake as you see fit, get plenty of healthy fat in, get your vitamins and thermogenics in, and eat like a horse. You already do the cardio. Eat smart and train hard consistently and voila

 

[tr]

For me personally - I've never been fat in my life, now in the offseason I'm 4-6 weeks out, but I've another much bigger problem - putting on muscle mass, probably since this current offseason...I'm eating my 7 meals a day with regular bodybuilding food (beef/chicken/fish/whey with rice/potatoes and olive oil, nuts) but on top of that my 8th meal of the day before bed (ussually in the middle of the night) is somwhat - junk. For example yesterday I ate big bowl of cereal with greek yogurt, today it will be tons of sushi, other times - whole chicken with potatoes or even cookies with milk. I've never thought in my life that I will do that, but only doing so I've solved my problem - I'm gaining weight and staying lean at the same time.

 

[jackedrabbit]

HAHA WHAT AN OLD THREAD!!!

I bulked up...haha. Got up to 205 in December, still lean.

 

[TNH]

yep, dead thread revival.
I clicked on the pics, and once I saw the cat with the blurred face, I started laughing. I thought the guy had reposted the pics, then I realized it was the old thread I had seen them in the first time.

 

[SugarFree]

There are 2 camps to this - guys who say bulk up and cut down when it's time, then there are guys who say bulk lean because it's less time and less fat to cut off when it's time to prep.

I do agree...to a certain point, you're just getting fatter. And that fat needs to come off.

I just don't know what an acceptable threshold is, or what mine should be. Is it normal to keep tricep striations, quad veins, and a six-pack while in the offseason? I've seen the pros - they get bloated and fat and they shred when the time comes. But they also have 200 pounds of muscle on me, so any fat on them doesn't matter because they still look like mountains!

Haaaa I just finished sending an email to my trainer about the same thing.... Same type debate. I believe the optimal range to stay between is 8-12 although I do wind up going higher (although try and limit at 15 as complete max). My trainer thinks im nuts of course and cant see what im worried about it while im at 12-13%.

There are some research studies that back this up though. And although the numbers vary slightly from each study the bottom line is the same showing that there are benefits to gaining when one is lean to start with. I think it was the University of Rochester that showed results at double the LBM gain for those under 10%. I dont know which numbers hold true but I do think the concept itself is promising and for once Ive not seen any contradictory studies about this.

 

[Cito33189]

Competed and weighed 160 I looked good but what the hell is 160.

Went on the good stuff ate like a mad man got up to 250 at one point...

Cleaned it up hopefully will be on stage at 205-210...