Pre-contest condition?

[Swolecows]

What is the highest BF% everyone here has been able to get off 12 weeks out from a show. I am 12 weeks out and 12-14%BF, 6'1" 280. I am for the most part natural and will be doing my first cycle starting this week. I would like to hear some opinions on how hard I will have to diet/cardio to reach contest condition.
BTW I am running a Prop/Tren/Winny cycle.

 

[knucklehed]

12-14% BF is not a bad starting point. I like to start my diet 16 weeks out but I am a slow starter. This is how I view your situation.
You have approx 40lbs. total fat. You need to get that down to 10-12lbs total BF to get you near 6%.
So if you are optimistic like me, shoot for 3lbs/week for 10 weeks.
This will leave you a couple weeks to fine tune. Get your water depletion, carb loading down by experimenting a few times during the next 10 weeks.
Good luck
KnuckleHed

 

[xcelbeyond]

knucklehead laid out a good plan. If you're not responding after one week, you'll either need to reduce caloric intake or increase workload (more low-intensity cardio) - or both. Use a tape measurer placed directly over your belly button and try and "cinch it" the same amount every time. Dropping weight and not having this measurement go down is a good indicator that you're losing muscle not fat.

xcel

 

[Fathead]

My take

I am not genetically gifted to be big or to be cut I have to work my ass off for both. I'll normally top off at maybe 12% max when I don't plan to compete. I start my diet 24wks out for a show because to me somewhere in that time frame my mind is going to get me to cheat on more than one occasion so I know I'll have time to make up for it. I don't start my heavy cardio ( 2 hours a day) until 12 wks out about this time I am doing my low carb routine.

I had my bf% measured 2 wks ago and it was 8% at 252lbs but I'd say it was 9% by eye view. I plan to stay at that bf% if not less all the way til next July for the AZ states which by then I hope to be 2% ( I could only hope) to 4%.

My point is in my opinion 12wks out unless your super gifted and a super strict person I think you'd be hitting the stage at 7% maybe 8% by contest time. The reason I say that is normally if you think your 12% your probably closer to 14% and so on.

Without seeing you 12wks out is a pretty short time for a first timer to go through a hard cardio/carb restricting diet to believe your going to get super hard because it takes yrs of practice no matter what supps your using.

I also believe in cutting out all test 4wks out and I like the tren/ winny combo but I always use halo starting at 4 wks out.
T3 and Clen are also very good.

This is why a lot of guys get upset when they don't place in a show. You can't wake up one day and say oh I think I'll compete in 3 months it takes a while to plan and get the proper mindset down to do it right.

 

[Swolecows]

I have been getting my diet tight for a month now and I am doing a novice show. It would be nice to win, but my goal is to look good and have more of a learning experience. I would be happy with 6% at around 255-260. I am gaining muscle as I lose weight right now. All my lifts are up with better form and feel than before. I am not starting the tren and winny until 6 weeks out. I am stopping the test 4 weeks out. I also am using T3 and clen.

 

[crackerjack414]

t3 is an iffy drug in my opinion that realy takes a ton of tinkering with to learn how to use it correctly with your body. Some guys can just use 50mcg or 100mcg and drop tons of fat while on a cutting cycle. Me on the other hand any more than 25mcg and my muscle realy starts melting away in a hurry.
I personaly like to be ready one month out so I can do a few trial runs with my carb load and water manipulation

 

[knucklehed]

swole,
I understand what you are saying. The first show is a huge learning experience. And being 6% is pretty damn cool too.
You may find that as you get closer to your goal it gets more difficult to loose fat. Try and hold off on the t-3 and clen until you stop dropping fat w/out it. Just concentrate on fine tuning that diet. Same with cardio, start with 20 min sessions and increase as needed to keep the fat coming off. In my experience if you throw in the clen, t-3, and hours of cardio in the beginning your body will adjust somewhat and you have nothing left to turn to except more cardio and less calories. You will be glad if you have a few tricks left in the bag at 4-6 weeks out.

Best of luck to you
KnuckleHed

 

[Swolecows]

I really appreciate the advice from those who have been there multiple times. This board is where I need to be, not these other boards with the kids who stick themselves and are still 6' and 155lbs.
I took 4 weeks b/4 my contest prep to tighten up my diet and ramp up on the heavy training again, good advice on the T3, I wanted to aviod its use if I did not need to.

 

[jax26]

this is great advice. I agree with swolecows about the board as well. Although Im not as big as alot of the guys here its great to know there is a spot I can come and lactually earn about doing a show instead of how to take way more gear than I need.

 

[ShawnRay]

Good luck..

It will be the hardest but most gradifying feeling you'll ever get. Im 6 weeks out from my two back to back shows. I am way a head of schedule but, I like it like that. I will have spent 15 weeks to get ready but, I am sitting hard and tight in the 5% range right now at 198 pounds. Not nearly as huge as some of you guys but, i feel great about my condition this year. I am hoping to win one and place top three the following week. That is a realistic goal for me. As soon as someone with a scanner can get me some pics up i will post some. To all the guys competing keep your head up and focus. Take care and God Bless, SR

 

[raybravo]

swole,
I understand what you are saying. The first show is a huge learning experience. And being 6% is pretty damn cool too.
You may find that as you get closer to your goal it gets more difficult to loose fat. Try and hold off on the t-3 and clen until you stop dropping fat w/out it. Just concentrate on fine tuning that diet. Same with cardio, start with 20 min sessions and increase as needed to keep the fat coming off. In my experience if you throw in the clen, t-3, and hours of cardio in the beginning your body will adjust somewhat and you have nothing left to turn to except more cardio and less calories. You will be glad if you have a few tricks left in the bag at 4-6 weeks out.

Best of luck to you
KnuckleHed

this is a good point which many people dont realise , u got to have the extra trick u can add towards the end , i always add t3 the last 4 weeks of the phase , clen the last 2 , till then , just simple ECY , with some guggul , forskohlin and l carnitine . so bump for this post .

 

[Big A]

The most I ever seen anyone was 21% to 4% in 9 weeks. I got him on th eprogram I outlined in the Article's section.
But you have to keep in mind, that if you follow that, the rest of your life will be on stand still!

 

[Swolecows]

Great Articles, thanx.

 

[Swolecows]

Big A, my diet was actually not that far off. I am a personal trainer, so I pretty much live at the gym. I am going to start to increase my training volume as you suggested w/ light and heavy days.

Morning- 5:30 A.M.
1 cup high fiber cereal+1/2 cup milk
60g shake

low carb/high fiber muffin
1 Apple
60 g shake
workout

1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup cereal or fruit

1 chicken breast
1/2 cup peas+1/2 cup green beans

Workout-During have shake w/56gpro and 80gmaltogextrin

1 chicken breast
1/2 cup peas+1/2 cup green beans

1 chicken breast
1/2 cup peas+1/2 cup green beans

2 small low carb/high fiber protein tortillas w/ 1 tbs peanut butter
60g shake

I am 11 weeks out and will start to cut out the dairy and carbs as I get close. I am adjusting my workout volume and cardio now so I can eat for as long as possible. Any extra input would be apreciated. BTW I am 6'1" 272 at 12 % and have just started my first cycle. 500mg of a prop/phenlyprop blend per week until 2 weeks out. 6 weeks out I am running 75mg tren eod 4 weeks out I have 15 100mg/ml Zambons. I was wondering also the most effective use of these.