First show: 6 months out critique/help please!

[ColinWeng]

I'm competing in my first natural amateur show in April 2011, which makes it just above 6 months out. I finished the first part of my lean bulk that lasted around 17 weeks, gaining around 10 lbs of muscle with a 1.5g/lb protein diet, 3000 calories and on 10g of creatine a day. I'm currently cutting with 1.5g/lb protein diet, 2000 calories and off creatine. I'm planning on cutting until halloween (one month). I'll be bulking again after the cut for around two months and for the final 16 weeks I'll be slowly cutting until contest.

As this is my first show and my lack of experience, what do you guys recommend? Am I doing it right? What body parts am I lagging? Any information on pre-contest will help. All my pictures can be found on my bodyspace and any other information I can provide if needed. Thanks!

[Agostage]

It's tough to tell w/o leg shots - however I think most here would recommend skipping that second 'bulking' phase and starting your diet earlier than 16 weeks out. I know you probably think you're starting pretty lean, and you do look decently lean, but EVERYONE underestimates how much they need to lose the first time, usually the second time and sometimes their third time. You don't need to be putting on fat right before you start dieting down. It'll be of negligible benefit.

[Withoutreason]

I think you should recomp or clean bulk, this way you'll have no problem getting in condition

[apinian]

I'm competing in my first natural amateur show in April 2011, which makes it just above 6 months out. I finished the first part of my lean bulk that lasted around 17 weeks, gaining around 10 lbs of muscle with a 1.5g/lb protein diet, 3000 calories and on 10g of creatine a day. I'm currently cutting with 1.5g/lb protein diet, 2000 calories and off creatine. I'm planning on cutting until halloween (one month). I'll be bulking again after the cut for around two months and for the final 16 weeks I'll be slowly cutting until contest.

As this is my first show and my lack of experience, what do you guys recommend? Am I doing it right? What body parts am I lagging? Any information on pre-contest will help. All my pictures can be found on my bodyspace and any other information I can provide if needed. Thanks!


if I were you I would continue to clean bulk for another 4 months, assuming you dont gain any fat, you could start the cut about 6 weeks out at that condition

[ColinWeng]

It's tough to tell w/o leg shots - however I think most here would recommend skipping that second 'bulking' phase and starting your diet earlier than 16 weeks out. I know you probably think you're starting pretty lean, and you do look decently lean, but EVERYONE underestimates how much they need to lose the first time, usually the second time and sometimes their third time. You don't need to be putting on fat right before you start dieting down. It'll be of negligible benefit.
I'll get some leg/full body shots later today. Don't plan on cutting this early though. Maybe bulk now and cut 20 weeks out?


I think you should recomp or clean bulk, this way you'll have no problem getting in condition
recomp?


if I were you I would continue to clean bulk for another 4 months, assuming you dont gain any fat, you could start the cut about 6 weeks out at that condition
The reason why I'm cutting now is for halloween, but if you think bulking now is a lot more beneficial then I can do that.

[Agostage]

I'll get some leg/full body shots later today. Don't plan on cutting this early though. Maybe bulk now and cut 20 weeks out?


Yeah I think that sounds more reasonable - you'll want plenty of time to make mistakes etc. Sometimes life throws crap on your prep too - so it's good to be ready way early.

[bwelch1985]

if I were you I would continue to clean bulk for another 4 months, assuming you dont gain any fat, you could start the cut about 6 weeks out at that condition

wow. no.

i think you've got the right idea. finish this cut through October, maintain that bodyweight until January, then start prepping for the show.

you won't make any substantial LBM gains in two months whether you get fat or not...it's much more important that you are LEAN when you start prep. don't bulk.

i would finish the cut then slowly up calories (particularly carbohydrates) until January. this can be done w/out gaining any fat, but you have to do it slowly and intelligently. if weight begins to climb, throw in a cardio session or back off the cals a bit.

keep creatine in whether cutting or bulking.

[bigsd67]

Few things...did you really gain 10 lbs in 17 weeks naturally?? That's pretty impossible unassisted unless this is the first time you've ever really tried to lift and gain weight.

Second, I think you're confusing cutting with losing body fat. If you just took your cals down to 2800 you can lose fat SLOWLY and when you stall cut a couple hundred more cals and so on. Then you can add cardio in so your cals won't get too low.

In my opinion cutting 1,000 cals all at once will make you lose too much too fast and then when you stall and your metabolism catches up, you won't have very many calories to cut. A SLOW cut means that you can keep your calories high, but still lose body fat. Just slower.

[ColinWeng]

wow. no.

i think you've got the right idea. finish this cut through October, maintain that bodyweight until January, then start prepping for the show.

you won't make any substantial LBM gains in two months whether you get fat or not...it's much more important that you are LEAN when you start prep. don't bulk.

i would finish the cut then slowly up calories (particularly carbohydrates) until January. this can be done w/out gaining any fat, but you have to do it slowly and intelligently. if weight begins to climb, throw in a cardio session or back off the cals a bit.

keep creatine in whether cutting or bulking.
So that means my original plan was fine. I'll finish the cut for October then "bulk". I won't be "bulking" in the terms of what most people think of "bulking". I eat clean all year round at 1.5g protein/lb body weight so my bodyfat rarely fluctuates unless I have a huge cheat day (which I had a few days ago). If my bodyfat starts to rise, I'll notice and cut down on the calories, but I'll maintain a 3000-3500 calorie intake until the end of December when I'll start my contest prep (gives me 16 weeks).

In the case of creatine, I was thinking I should cycle off it since I read something about the effectiveness wearing off once the body adapts to the change in creatine levels. I was planning on starting it up again after the cut. And how many weeks out from the show should I cut creatine use?


Few things...did you really gain 10 lbs in 17 weeks naturally?? That's pretty impossible unassisted unless this is the first time you've ever really tried to lift and gain weight.

Second, I think you're confusing cutting with losing body fat. If you just took your cals down to 2800 you can lose fat SLOWLY and when you stall cut a couple hundred more cals and so on. Then you can add cardio in so your cals won't get too low.

In my opinion cutting 1,000 cals all at once will make you lose too much too fast and then when you stall and your metabolism catches up, you won't have very many calories to cut. A SLOW cut means that you can keep your calories high, but still lose body fat. Just slower.
Yea I did, but it was my first time actually trying to put on mass. Oh and good point on the stalling. For now, I'll stick with the 2000 calories since it's only for a month. But for the actual contest prep after the slow bulk/maintenance, I'll make sure to cut cals slowly and then throw in the cardio. Thanks!

[bwelch1985]

just keep the creatine consistent at 5g/day....there's no benefit in cycling off ESPECIALLY near your show. keep it going all the way through.

[bigsd67]

So that means my original plan was fine. I'll finish the cut for October then "bulk". I won't be "bulking" in the terms of what most people think of "bulking". I eat clean all year round at 1.5g protein/lb body weight so my bodyfat rarely fluctuates unless I have a huge cheat day (which I had a few days ago). If my bodyfat starts to rise, I'll notice and cut down on the calories, but I'll maintain a 3000-3500 calorie intake until the end of December when I'll start my contest prep (gives me 16 weeks).

In the case of creatine, I was thinking I should cycle off it since I read something about the effectiveness wearing off once the body adapts to the change in creatine levels. I was planning on starting it up again after the cut. And how many weeks out from the show should I cut creatine use?


Yea I did, but it was my first time actually trying to put on mass. Oh and good point on the stalling. For now, I'll stick with the 2000 calories since it's only for a month. But for the actual contest prep after the slow bulk/maintenance, I'll make sure to cut cals slowly and then throw in the cardio. Thanks!

Interesting...why would you cut that harshly for a month out of curiosity?

[ColinWeng]

Just noticed 1+2+4 does not equal 6. Looks like I won't be cutting first unless a contest prep of less than 4 months is OK.


Interesting...why would you cut that harshly for a month out of curiosity?
Had a cheat day that went bad a few days ago so I was hoping to cut up for Halloween.


just keep the creatine consistent at 5g/day....there's no benefit in cycling off ESPECIALLY near your show. keep it going all the way through.
Alright man sounds good!

[ChrisSierra]

find a contest prep coach. otherwise you will regret it

[AustrianOakJr]

My plan is pretty similar for a contest I am eying in the May/June range. Im cutting about 10-15 lbs in a pretty steep calorie deficit, then doing some recomp work around maintenance cals through the holidays. Then I will start the core dieting phase in January-June. You are quite a bit leaner than I am, so you could probably get away with less diet time, but being your first contest you should definitely count in some wiggle room for set backs and delays. You could continue your plan and pick a later show if necessary though.

[Withoutreason]

I'll get some leg/full body shots later today. Don't plan on cutting this early though. Maybe bulk now and cut 20 weeks out?


recomp?


The reason why I'm cutting now is for halloween, but if you think bulking now is a lot more beneficial then I can do that.

It's where you gain muscle and lose fat at a slow rate by eating at maintenance

Basically you'll stay the same weight but be at a lower bf%