What is too fat for a bodybulder?

[yatyas314]

this as fat as I will get in my off season , body weight here is 270 give or take 5 lbs either direction

 

[Marvin Martian]

I've seen bigfoot, he works out at my gym and wears huge shoes.

Well - you know what they say about big shoes.... wait is that how it goes???

 

[SteveRogers]

I think the hardest thing in off season for a lot of people is separate water retention from fat.

Water retention = useful and sometimes essential
Fat = not needed

A lot of BB's looks like balonie in their Off Season but they are not fatty, it's only water.

Legitimate question. Why is holding water beneficial? I understand a Powerlifter may do it for leverage benefits, but as a bodybuilder, I've seen people (Phil and Ramy at Pittsburgh guest posing over the summer come to mind) bloated to all hell. Is there benefit to this?

 

[machomadness22]

If you are natural you are much better off staying lean seeing all abs year round

Yeah that's what I'm starting to feel like.

 

[machomadness22]

My view is visible abs and i am happy as far as the off season.I know i have gotten to heavy by the wise cracks from my wife cause she is almost to brutality honest
I think people should look closer to the mirror than by a scale to be able to determine the next 16 weeks for a show.

Red pretty much gave all the insight needed though.

Yeah I hear ya. It just sucks cause right now I'm not following any diet protocol I'm getting bigger and stronger but I clearly don't have any abs right now. I did notice for my last show illy lower ab fat was a BITCH to get rid of no matter how much cardio I did. Probably a product of not walking around as lean as I should have haha.

 

[sammy555]

Yeah I hear ya. It just sucks cause right now I'm not following any diet protocol I'm getting bigger and stronger but I clearly don't have any abs right now. I did notice for my last show illy lower ab fat was a BITCH to get rid of no matter how much cardio I did. Probably a product of not walking around as lean as I should have haha.

Lower belly fat is a basterd to get rid the first time. It's been there since you were born and your body likes it. I started too fat this time and have to accept the fact there be a little there till next year as I'm not going to kill myself trying for that last bit with winter around the corner. It melts quite easy if you start lean though which I will next year

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[jrock00123]

I like the idea of using a waist measurement threshold while lean bulking. Last year I set 33" as the max. This worked out ok, but this year I'm going to stay under 32".

The difficulty here, as someone else mentioned, is water retention. I cycle carbs, so I time my weekly waist measurement the morning after a low carb day. I also dose my AI the night before. The combination of these usually gets my bloating down to a minimum.

 

[Marvel3203]

John Meadows talks about 10-12% but unless your have funds to constantly monitor it or have someone to take skin folds the mirror is the best. If you can see abs continue on if you start to loose them try a mini cut. I currently weigh every 2 weeks during a bulk but check the mirror for progress or fat accumulation. Plus after a mini cut many believe you get somewhat of a rebound affect like with prep.

 

[sammy555]

John Meadows talks about 10-12% but unless your have funds to constantly monitor it or have someone to take skin folds the mirror is the best. If you can see abs continue on if you start to loose them try a mini cut. I currently weigh every 2 weeks during a bulk but check the mirror for progress or fat accumulation. Plus after a mini cut many believe you get somewhat of a rebound affect like with prep.

Mini cuts are great. Metabolism is racing, hunger is under control and is a nice break from eating. There is definitely a nice rebound and you're next cut so be a lot easier. Win, win. 2 weeks is enough.

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[red5150]

John Meadows talks about 10-12% but unless your have funds to constantly monitor it or have someone to take skin folds the mirror is the best. If you can see abs continue on if you start to loose them try a mini cut. I currently weigh every 2 weeks during a bulk but check the mirror for progress or fat accumulation. Plus after a mini cut many believe you get somewhat of a rebound affect like with prep.

In lieu of that weekly pics don't lie. A front double bicep and a rear double bicep in posing trunks. Every week and you can immediately tell hey your fat ,holding water , or doing ok. Pics are more brutal than the mirror.

 

[jackjack]

I think its all based on personal preference and experience. I consider myself a "powerbuilder". Size and strength are important to me. In my experience whenever I found myself sinking near or below 10% my strength and ability to move big weight goes right out the window. I'm talking massive strength loss, but I put a little bit of a power belly back on and I'm back moving mountains.

I remember back when I followed bodybuilding there was a younger fellow named Trey Brewer. He got close to 400 pounds in his off season, I'm talking bloated, just plain fucking huge. and I always thought when he came in competition shape(~240-250) he looked good. That being said I do believe he used DNP to help with the massive weight loss. Although, from what I could tell he didnt have grossly loose skin or anything.

To each his own I suppose.

 

[sammy555]

I used to be of this mindset. When i finally got real lean i decided i like the veiny cut look more though.Squats certainly suffer when you lose the power belly. So does my bench press for some reason. Everthing else i hold strength and seem to get stronger on back deep into a cut for some reason. Its good your doing your thing that makes you happy, that's all is about to me, doing what makes me happy.

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[red5150]

I think its all based on personal preference and experience. I consider myself a "powerbuilder". Size and strength are important to me. In my experience whenever I found myself sinking near or below 10% my strength and ability to move big weight goes right out the window. I'm talking massive strength loss, but I put a little bit of a power belly back on and I'm back moving mountains.

I remember back when I followed bodybuilding there was a younger fellow named Trey Brewer. He got close to 400 pounds in his off season, I'm talking bloated, just plain fucking huge. and I always thought when he came in competition shape(~240-250) he looked good. That being said I do believe he used DNP to help with the massive weight loss. Although, from what I could tell he didnt have grossly loose skin or anything.

To each his own I suppose.

Brewer actually illustrates the point of leanness over getting out of hand. You obviously haven't followed him closely.

 

[biglizard225]

I think its all based on personal preference and experience. I consider myself a "powerbuilder". Size and strength are important to me. In my experience whenever I found myself sinking near or below 10% my strength and ability to move big weight goes right out the window. I'm talking massive strength loss, but I put a little bit of a power belly back on and I'm back moving mountains.

I remember back when I followed bodybuilding there was a younger fellow named Trey Brewer. He got close to 400 pounds in his off season, I'm talking bloated, just plain fucking huge. and I always thought when he came in competition shape(~240-250) he looked good. That being said I do believe he used DNP to help with the massive weight loss. Although, from what I could tell he didnt have grossly loose skin or anything.

To each his own I suppose.

My question is why the fuck would anyone want to put he selves threw that. Look where Trey is now as well. He's sure as he'll not competing I always felt like he was gonna burn himself out and he did exactly that. That's beyond excessive to get as fat as he did.

Trey is definetly not a good example of someone you would want to immulate or even compare the average guy to. You don't have to get fat to grow. Sure the more weight you out on will make you stronger but look at all those obese guys that power lift. It's goofy but like you said each to his own.

 

[jackjack]

Brewer actually illustrates the point of leanness over getting out of hand. You obviously haven't followed him closely.

Clearly I haven't followed the man as closely as you have buddy.

Let me show you how I came to select him to show my point....
~400 pound man off season...
~240 competition weight....
160 pound difference...
After fat man become skinny competition man, I saw no loose skin...

Sorry boss, I didn't mean to upset you seeing as how closely you follow him.

and I gotta say it, you sound like a pissy little bitch the way you word things. If thats what you were shootin for you hit your mark. If not change it cuz ya sound like my girl on the rag.

 

[jackjack]

My question is why the fuck would anyone want to put he selves threw that. Look where Trey is now as well. He's sure as he'll not competing I always felt like he was gonna burn himself out and he did exactly that. That's beyond excessive to get as fat as he did.

Trey is definetly not a good example of someone you would want to immulate or even compare the average guy to. You don't have to get fat to grow. Sure the more weight you out on will make you stronger but look at all those obese guys that power lift. It's goofy but like you said each to his own.

Now this I agree with, he clearly was not healthy. And I don't think I've ever seen such a bloated moon face on a person that wasn't swollen because they had been dead for half a day. lol

 

[chubzz]

I tend to get on the sloppier side in offseason..
4 week mini diets to reset insulin sensitivity and lose some bloof truly does wonders.

 

[Marvin Martian]

I don't understand why you wouldn't care what you look like for half of the year or more. What's the point of doing this if that's the case? Even if competing you don't need to get huge and fat. It's been my experience that at most local / regional shows the winner is the leanest on stage ( I am sure everyone has an exception )
Guys that don't compete and talk about "off season" just seems kind of retarded to me. That and the under 10% bodyfat. Most need to double what they THINK their bf% is.
As was said above about Brewer - what a terrible example of a BB. That ridiculous weight fluctuation really paid off !!
I promise you that when people see a flab fat dude their first thought is NOT "wow that cat must be a badass bodybuilder" - what they think is "I hope I never look like that"

 

[Dragos]

Like others have stated, lean is the way to go. The lengths you have to go through to get rid of real fat for a contest is a bitch. Besides who wants to walk around looking chubby

 

[jayl19]

"If you don't have abs, don't call your self a fucking bodybuilder"

~~~ george farah