Growing into a competition?

[Lenny]

Do you guys think that growing into a competiton is for the select few bodybuilders? After listening the Kevin Levrone's interview with Lucian I have realize that he is part of the select few gifted bodies!

As you all know that some bodybuilders are lighter in muscle mass in the offseason and grow into more muscle mass/size leading up to the show. Is that possible for an average bodybuilder?

Obviously many factors play a role, such as, supplements, eating less in the offseason and eating more to grow into the show, training, etc. But, in reality can an average person do so....

 

[Lenny]

A good example would be Dave Pulcinella. He seems to be guy with okay genetics and a work ethic beyond about anybody! From reading some of his stuff he grows into a show, so how possible is it if you really put in the work!

 

[b-boy]

One easy way to grow into a show is stay very lean and take huge breaks from "supplements". so when you start dieting for a show you will most like increase your calories and introduce hormones and you will grow, grow, grow.

 

[CaptainDominate]

what are the benefits exactly of "growing into competition? ive always been able to add some mass, even though at times very small gains...sometimes larger but what are the benefits opposed to growing offseason then simply dieting down from there?

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

Phil commented on 'growing into' a show very recently, but i cant remember what thread it was. I think it was about kevin levrone.

What he said makes alot of sense to me. It seems most guys that grow into it, have already 'been there done that', as in they have the muscle memory, so when they hop back on gear and up the cals for a show, they can hit their previous comp weight.

Phil suggested that this is for ADVANCED guys though, and not ones that are still hoping to put on alot of size.

Hopefully i got his pt correct

 

[buselmo]

you don't "grow into a show" per se... you just grow back to where you used to be... maybe add a couple of lbs in the process due to some minor adjustments... but you can't be a light-heavy one year... get off the gear and stay lean... then next year you prep and get on the gear and suddenly find yourself as a heavyweight.
the only benefit i can find to this is thinner skin. Also, it takes longer to grow into a show than it does to diet down for a show. I've tried both way and i'm much more comfortable with dieting down for a show than growing into it.

 

[chris250]

It really depends on how you grow into the show...Some people will just get off of everything, not really train at all in the offseaon, then around 12 weeks out...Start back up on super supplements, and start training hard, eating right ,ect, ect...and boom !!! In 6-8 weeks there a bigger verison of themself and there right back to normal size...Then tighten up the diet the last 6 weeks to bring it all together...

But some guys will just not train near as hard in the offseaon, go off everything, or just do HRT doses to retain some size, then give themselfs a full 20 or 24 weeks to have a short offseaon, and then diet down the last 10 or 12 weeks...So if they compete every year, they take a good 6 months off of hard training and super supplments and grow (plus add some extra) for 10 weeks (doing super supplements) then diet down the last 10-12 weeks...this way (with being off or just doing HRT) they can stay on the whole time and grow into the show...

 

[Lenny]

you don't "grow into a show" per se... you just grow back to where you used to be... maybe add a couple of lbs in the process due to some minor adjustments... but you can't be a light-heavy one year... get off the gear and stay lean... then next year you prep and get on the gear and suddenly find yourself as a heavyweight.
the only benefit i can find to this is thinner skin. Also, it takes longer to grow into a show than it does to diet down for a show. I've tried both way and i'm much more comfortable with dieting down for a show than growing into it.

Yes...I have aleays just dieted down for a show and will prolly stick to that protocol because I know how that goes. I stay pretty lean all year around, so dieting down is not to difficult, but I just got to reading David Puc. thread again and see how he clears his system out and eats more leading up to a show and gains more up to the show, but again the process was 6 months long and I would rather do it 12 weeks as well. Thanks for the input Buselmo.

 

[Lenny]

It really depends on how you grow into the show...Some people will just get off of everything, not really train at all in the offseaon, then around 12 weeks out...Start back up on super supplements, and start training hard, eating right ,ect, ect...and boom !!! In 6-8 weeks there a bigger verison of themself and there right back to normal size...Then tighten up the diet the last 6 weeks to bring it all together...

But some guys will just not train near as hard in the offseaon, go off everything, or just do HRT doses to retain some size, then give themselfs a full 20 or 24 weeks to have a short offseaon, and then diet down the last 10 or 12 weeks...So if they compete every year, they take a good 6 months off of hard training and super supplments and grow (plus add some extra) for 10 weeks (doing super supplements) then diet down the last 10-12 weeks...this way (with being off or just doing HRT) they can stay on the whole time and grow into the show...

I just have never pushed my offseason eating to extreme, but always have trained balls to the wall with deload weeks in there. I figured if I stayed lean enough in the offseason that maybe I could make a couple adjustments and actually LEAN UP in weight so to speak with regards to bodyweight. But, again the typical 12 week plan I am on is doing fine right now and is not too difficult because I never got out of shape, I just have my days where I wonder if there is another way to do this! Thanks Chris250 for the input as well.

 

[RONJON]

Yes I believe you can grow into a show...Dave P outlined it pretty well and alot of guys here believe in staying lean and adding muscle mass coming into their show. I am trying to learn more and more about this and plan to test this theory out for myself

RJ

 

[Lenny]

Dave P. does outline it very well...I guess it is all trial and error. We learn so much about are bodies we experiment with different approaches and find the winning niche eventually, but trials of different eating/training/recovery/supplements protocols.

 

[lucian]

....

well nobody is going to want to hear this but.....it has nothing to do with the drugs. it has way more to do with diet, staying lean year round, and as you get into shape early, feeding the body instead of tearing it down to get into shape. i began my diet at a soft 205lb 12 weeks ago. im 3 weeks out, and ready with glutes for the first time in my life at 209 in the morning, and 212lb with all my meals in me by 5pm which will be the weigh ins time at the pitt. i am friends with both dave p and levrone. and i dont have the best genetics. and no im not on any gh at all which i have used in the past, no clen, non of that fat burning stuff, not doing a whole lota cardio, eating 400gr of carbs daily, 350 gr of pro, 7 meals a day,and i know a few bros are gonna say bullshit, but growing ito a show is a real thing and i do not feel like shit like when i bulk up and cut down. even arnold in the new flex magazine talks about how he would grow into a show and he continued to improve show to show. people just dont want to believe it has mre to do with dietary adjustments than drugs. the bulk to 300lb and cut to 220lb has a lot to do with drug manipulation. there are a lota guys loading up on a lot of drugs and all look like shit and dont improve year to year. so is it really a drug thing?

lucian

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Exactly

Phil commented on 'growing into' a show very recently, but i cant remember what thread it was. I think it was about kevin levrone.

What he said makes alot of sense to me. It seems most guys that grow into it, have already 'been there done that', as in they have the muscle memory, so when they hop back on gear and up the cals for a show, they can hit their previous comp weight.

Phil suggested that this is for ADVANCED guys though, and not ones that are still hoping to put on alot of size.

Hopefully i got his pt correct

This is true........do not believe that it can just "happen" IF you have not been there before.

 

[Lenny]

This is true........do not believe that it can just "happen" IF you have not been there before.

So Phil, do you think someone needs to have a true, all out offseason at least once followed by 12-16 week dieting down protocol (or even several of these) before doing so. Or are you saying if you have never been been 215 on stage before you just can't grow into it all of sudden by do so which makes sense?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

No

So Phil, do you think someone needs to have a true, all out offseason at least once followed by 12-16 week dieting down protocol (or even several of these) before doing so. Or are you saying if you have never been been 215 on stage before you just can't grow into it all of sudden by do so which makes sense?

Too many factors involved to say it is 1 or 2 things......
1. Detraining off season is one way to approach it....
2. Getting on cycle months prior to show is another way..........
3. Eating below maintenance calories off season is another way.........

 

[shawnkarbabacz]

Too many factors involved to say it is 1 or 2 things......
1. Detraining off season is one way to approach it....
2. Getting on cycle months prior to show is another way..........
3. Eating below maintenance calories off season is another way.........

Yea this does NOT seem like the way to go unless you are like he was talking about, a very advanced BB. I see how this would be good if you have already gotten to a weight that you consider perfect for yourself in competition, but if you are still trying to grow this doesnt seem like an option

 

[b-boy]

Too many factors involved to say it is 1 or 2 things......
1. Detraining off season is one way to approach it....
2. Getting on cycle months prior to show is another way..........
3. Eating below maintenance calories off season is another way.........

agree 150% also agree that this is for advanced people that have the muscle. not best for someone still trying to fill their frame out to get to the next level (national level) Dave P. already has a shit ton of muscle.

 

[chris250]

I just have never pushed my offseason eating to extreme, but always have trained balls to the wall with deload weeks in there. I figured if I stayed lean enough in the offseason that maybe I could make a couple adjustments and actually LEAN UP in weight so to speak with regards to bodyweight. But, again the typical 12 week plan I am on is doing fine right now and is not too difficult because I never got out of shape, I just have my days where I wonder if there is another way to do this! Thanks Chris250 for the input as well.

Now for me I havnt had what you could call a true offseaon for a few years now...Either I stay in decent shape, and im training pretty hard on HRT or nothing at all...Or im not even really training at all and on nothing at all..So my offseason weight is around 240lbs soft, but still with alot of the muscle i've had in the past...Now, for me to get back into shape, when I start getting in a good 6-8 meals (like im doing now again, finally) and training hardcore, all out brutal sessions in the gym (again for the past 2 weeks) I start making huge changes overnight (from workout to workout) ... With hormones added in to the equation, it just makes things easier for me to get into shape...Like Lucian said, its really about diet and training more than gear...Yes gear helps out alot, but it wont help as much unless your diet and training is in check...IMO

chris

 

[YoungNJacked]

doesnt it have to do with stimulated adrenal and thyroid output?

 

[brisk walk]

The men who have sucessfully competed this way are as follows.......Arnold, Franco, Kevin, Flavio and Phil. This approach makes the most sense to me.