Former Bodybuilder Gone Physique - Need Input

[ironserenity]

Hi Folks,

Well, many of you will disown me right out the gate when you find out that I began competing in Men's Physique. Not because I want to hide the legs, but because I wanted a bit of a healthier lifestyle, plus I knew I had the look.

I decided one week out from the Sacramento Bodybuilding Championships on 11/2 that I wanted to do Physique. I walked on having no idea what I was doing and qualified for nationals. The next week, I decided to do the Boise national qualifier and took 1st place and 2nd overall (qualified for nationals again).

My question to y'all is this. Take a look at my pics, I think I look pretty good, but not as tight as I used to be. This is due in part to the fact that I have been natural for about 2 years. My test levels are low and I still am recovering, however I am noticing a trend in physique with the fellas getting a bit bigger. I was considering running var and/or Primo to try and bring out some of my weaker points (upper chest and lower abs) but I am concerned about shutting down hard after I have worked so hard to keep what I have while natural.

What would you suggest? I worry about shutting down over something as weak as var and even primo.

I think I look good, but the guy who took overall was bigger, leaner and more bodybuilder looking. I think we are seeing a bit of a paradigm shift in Men's Physique, but that's another story.

please Help! FYI I am the one in the middle in the top three photo. Then you can see the guy who beat me out in the overall, bigger and tighter. The last shot is a photo shoot after the contest.

 

[Ocean cool]

Your nipples look big. Lol.

U sure u been natural for 2 years?

 

[ironserenity]

Positive, You have no idea how strict I am year round. Actually 1 year, 8 months. I lied.

 

[ironserenity]

Third attachment that didn't attach.

 

[Kizzlen]

I think you have a good look. I'm a national level physique competitor. I think you could be significantly harder. You need to be running test, I'm hoping that you are but you didn't mention test when you said Primo/Var. I don't think you need Primo at all. Var is good for pre-contest but has no place in the offseason, personally I think it's the only oral you need. If your prone to MPB then anything but Tbol and Var is a mistake. Physique guys need full thick heads of hair so they can do fo hawks and shit.........lol, I'd suggest trying to bring up you're tri's a bit, and adding some fullness to your chest. Your posing looks uncomfortable, you blew away you're competition here but that's not saying much. Hire a good prep coach that knows physique and BBing. Dont fuck around with these physique trainer muppets, and work your way to nationals, you have the look. PM me if you want to talk about it more.

 

[ironserenity]

Hey Kizzlen - I will PM you.

My tris are actually massive proportionally, it is what the head judge in sac also commented on. I have large lower lats and large tris which I have to hide.

I came in as flat as I could to this show in fear of being too big, so it definitely softened me.. I was dry, but still soft if that makes sense.

 

[Kizzlen]

I'd need to see more pics, but in you're photoshoot you're chest looks fantastic, but onstage its incredibly flat. Which given your structure looks bad. If it was nice and full, you'd of made that tiny waist look even smaller. Lots of guys new to physique go flat in fear of filling up too much, it's a weird trend. That and none of them come in dry. I came in bodybuilder dry and full as fuck at my last show and placed 2nd in one of the largest qualifiers in the south.

 

[ironserenity]

Bro - it's the same ol same ol, you always look better 1-2 days after a show... if I had a penny for every time that happened. What have we learned here today, class lol

 

[ironserenity]

FYI this is how dry I was for the sac show 5 days out. I carbed up and blew it there.

 

[Ocean cool]

U look good for a natural. Are u on HGH or any other peps?

 

[Ocean cool]

BTW, whats your calorie intake and cardio like?

Being natural, u got to be careful because u can easily look flat or/and loose muscle. But in the pic u look great.

 

[ironserenity]

Calories are around 3kish. I carb cycle, so tends to stay in that area but fluctuates. Carb cycling has been the best thing I've ever done.

If I look at less than 2500 kcals I wither away to nothing.

 

[heavyhitter]

You could possibly cap out your delts a little more and it wouldn't hurt to be a little tighter. But i dont think you would want to come in much bigger

 

[MightyJohn]

OP I used to compete in BB as well and was planning on doin MPD...if You aren't winning shows hands down, I quit back to BB it is

 

[ironserenity]

Thanks for the kind words MightyJohn, PM me some pics, let's chat and see if I can help you decide.

Seeing more and more guys coming out of BB. It's kind of nice to see some health awareness.

 

[GreenEarth]

2nd photo in your first post...the one with 4 guys total in it. The two dudes on the ends look like they shouldn't be there haha.

I think a lot of what you have to work on is learning what to do to look your 'best' on show day.

 

[kinglewy]

If thats how you look when test levels are low and you've been natty for 2 years than I am speechless. A lot of guys would need a decent amount of gear to look the way you do natural (myself included).

I say put the pedal down and be a bb'r, you obviously have the natural genetics for it.

 

[ironserenity]

Kinglewy,

Wish it was that easy... My wife isn't a fan of "Big Tom," she likes more of "Medium Tom." lol. I also don't know if there is a future for me in BB as I don't have a desire to be a mass monster, and being a super shredded light-heavy just doesn't get you much exposure, where as being a bigger, shredded physique guy might get you a bit more...
Nonetheless, we all do this for fun, if you make a bit of money, sure, that's a by-product.

I appreciate the kind words.

Anyone have any insight as to my original question regarding what to run in my case? I can't run any test, I bloat to high heaven. Ostarine??

 

[SABAGOY]

You look great! Any pictures from when you were bodybuilding?

 

[Ashop]

Calories are around 3kish. I carb cycle, so tends to stay in that area but fluctuates. Carb cycling has been the best thing I've ever done.

If I look at less than 2500 kcals I wither away to nothing.

From the pics I seen you look like your doing something right and headed in the right direction.