Growing into contests and taking breaks in the offseason vs staying on decent doses

[tmuscle]

As I head into my first competition, I sit here wondering how much of what I weigh now was muscle gained throughout my prep that is muscle weight I've never had before. My training was restructured somewhat, diet was on point, but I didn't expect to be this heavy at such a low bodyfat percentage, given what I weighed at the start of prep. I expected to be around 5-7lbs lighter than I am now which makes me wonder.


Which brings up the question, can one who takes it relatively easy as far as doses and training goes in the offseason, blast into 16-20 week preps every year and gain just as much muscle, if not more, than if they stayed on for 80% of the year blasting and cruising, bulking and cutting?


It seems like Phil Heath grows into his shows every year and each year he is bigger and bigger and by no means is he small. Numerous other pros did this, and they weren't behind the rest by any means in terms of size. (Levrone, Cutler, Wheeler, etc). Of course these pros have top tier genetics, and some have said that they have already built the mass foundation early on, and growing into shows is easy for those guys. But then I wonder about if you can make realistic substantial gains to your competition weight each year by doing this.


The reason why I ask is because taking it easy in the offseason is the healthier option, and it would be nice to just reserve the periods for when we really need to be big and shredded to those 16-20 week preps to be walking pharmacies so to speak.


This of course goes against the grain of "bulk and cut." Why not stay moderately lean (8% with water) in the offseason on lower doses, and then blast into shows to get super shredded and built a shitload of new muscle at the same time?




For example(extreme high doses scenario for pro-level bber):

Bulker/cutter who blasts/cruises:
offseason blast:
1.5g test
20-80iu slin daily
10-15iu hgh daily
1g deca/npp or eq
50mg dbol daily

offseason cruises:
500mg test
5iu hgh daily

precontest blast:
2g test
slin rotated in/out
1g tren
drol, winny, var, etc rotated in/out
hgh



VS.

lean 8% small offseason guy:
500mg test stays on all the time
10iu hgh
slin every now and then

precontest:
same as offseason guy


Does going lower doses in the offseason allow the guy, who grows into shows, more "sensitivity" to higher doses when precontest comes around? Is the bulker/cutter throwing his health in the garbage can for no reason???

 

[chinaboy]

I don't see anything wrong with scenario 2. If you are consistent from year to year you will be able to make advances in size and weight this way. Why not? You also will be staying healthier not doing high dosages all year. Then when you do you will respond better. If you are a pro then it would be a little different as you would need to be huge year round to make money. Stay healthy.

 

[woodswise]

My trainer is a highly educated professional trainer. He and I are experimenting with something like your scenario 2: We have decided I am going to stay on AAS at the lowest dose that gives me consistent gains, instead of blasting and cruising. The idea is that so long as I am gaining and the side effects are under control, I can stay on, and avoid hormone rollercoaster of blasting and cruising or blasting and coming off. It seems to me the rollercoaster causes a significant number of side effects, whereas now I am staying on, the sides have diminished while the gains continue.

 

[tmuscle]

Why did this get moved to the beginners section.... wtf...