How many weeks out do I look?

[Vaporize]

Decided to compete at the last minute, been dieting for 25 days and here are some pics. I want some honest opinions so I wont tell you how many weeks out I am yet, I'll save for later. I am not natural so I have a lot of water to drop (plus I eat high sodium foods to keep me sane).

[Vaporize]

[Vaporize]

[Whomper107]

Based on what I know, I would peg you at around the 4-5 week mark. But I can't say my opinion holds much weight - I know little of how fat loss rates differ for an unassisted prep, or for your body in general. Good luck man, you are looking pretty solid.

[FATHER FLEX]

Sodium is great natural or not, but do you really feel like you need to drop water. Just a thought...Judging by your body type you can be stage ready in 6 weeks, real good top 5% of bodybuilders lean we are looking at a 10 plus week job. IMO tho

[Vaporize]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

Sodium is great natural or not, but do you really feel like you need to drop water. Just a thought...Judging by your body type you can be stage ready in 6 weeks, real good top 5% of bodybuilders lean we are looking at a 10 plus week job. IMO tho

Well now you got me scared :O I'm doing two shows, one is in 4 weeks 4 days and the other is 2 weeks after that. I WANTED to peak for the first one but reality is kicking in. Any tips I might not know about to get peeled quicker? doubtful but never know...

Also if you guys have posing advice, shoot. I could use some, can always become a better poser.

[Blahzay128]

I was thinking 2-4 weeks.

I believe water is more of an issue when an athlete is not natural as the substances definitely do cause water retention that interferes w/ how dry a physique is. So in your case, I would think dropping some water in the last few days will be important.

With 4 weeks left...I think you will really dial it in and come in dry/hard/ripped. I would not stress too much....just keep up what your doing (If you are still losing weight). Throw in some extra cardio if your concerned.

[LuckyDog]

I'm with Fatherflex - to me you look @ least 6 out. Overall you will look great in 4 weeks but getting the hams and glutes to really get edgy is going to take till the second show (hopefully I'm wrong)

[dunkalicious]

4-6

need to bring up legs a bit

[TigerStealth]

Originally Posted by dunkalicious

4-6

need to bring up legs a bit

by "bring up" do you mean increase size or increase definition? I hope you mean definition because Vaporize has some great size on his legs. I would agree that his legs need more conditioning

[Vaporize]

Originally Posted by TigerStealth

by "bring up" do you mean increase size or increase definition? I hope you mean definition because Vaporize has some great size on his legs. I would agree that his legs need more conditioning

I hold most of my fat on my legs, sucks. Atleast I always have somewhat of a 6 pack year round though lol. Decent trade off I think

[rich55]

Originally Posted by LuckyDog

I'm with Fatherflex - to me you look @ least 6 out. Overall you will look great in 4 weeks but getting the hams and glutes to really get edgy is going to take till the second show (hopefully I'm wrong)

And, I agree with both Father Flex and LuckyDog. 6-8 weeks. You have definitely improved, but you gotta get PEALED! Hardening up those legs is essential.

[imccarthy]

Honestly, if you are aiming for striated glute leanness, you need at least 10 more weeks.

[TigerStealth]

maybe plan to do a show in 6-8 weeks and if your not ready just find a later show if thats possible. Also your delts are Rediculous, makes me jealous! especially because we are both 22 haha

[FATHER FLEX]

Thought its pretty obvious you loose fat fairly easy, I suggest you don't do anything too drastic. It will be a close one for sure. Its the lower body like you mention that worries. Which is why I would say 6-8 weeks, but 10 plus to really get lean.

Great physique though!

[rav2003]

You're looking good, but give it 10 weeks, you'll be peeled. As Father Flex mentioned don't do anything too drastic, you'll end up loosing more muscle than fat and you'll start looking very flat. Keep doing what you're doing (or were doing) just make small adjustments and you'll have awesome size WITH conditioning. Good luck

[Vaporize]

I wish I had 10 weeks to give it but the show is in 4 weeks and 4 days now :O However, I am also doing one 6 weeks and 4 days from here but that is the biggest one in California and would rather peak for the first one. I'll try to bring my best to both but dunno if 4.5 weeks will be enough. Only time will tell. Thanks all, the general consensus is I'm not TOO far behind which gives me more motivation yet.

[Taxguy]

He needs to bring his legs up? Ok, I think I will keep my sweats on for a couple more years.

[Frankdaddy]

Originally Posted by TigerStealth

by "bring up" do you mean increase size or increase definition? I hope you mean definition because Vaporize has some great size on his legs. I would agree that his legs need more conditioning

Not that his LEGS, his glutes and hamstrings are possibly the most noticeable. With the use of stuff if your doing them all the way up until your show then you should be able to lose 2 lbs a week while keeping muscle mass if you play the diet smart. You should be fine, especially if it will be your first show. You arent holding that much water IMO, you just arent lean enough yet. Having a solid plan within the next 2 weeks for peak week should be on your to do list or have it planned now.

[BigD34]

OP: What weight class are you attempting to enter? Novice or Open? You might not need those glutes and hams to be too ripped if you're doing a lower level show without too many seasoned competitors. If you enter the novice division I think you'll be alright for sure. Even if you enter the open division I think you'll be ok after you drop water. You might not have chiseled glutes, but I don't think too many of your competitors will either. Kick ass!

[latimus]

dont try peaking for the first one bro. u will have to suffer and thats not worth possible losing hard earned muscle and looking worse because you over due it. generall rule is that you should be ready 10 days to 2 weeks out so you can build into the show. that would only give you 2 weeks to hit peak conditioning. just go into the first show and peak for the second. by the way you have bad ass delts and thick quads. chest and traps are only things lagging. you will do fine in both shows bro

[Vaporize]

The show in 6.5 weeks out is the California state, it's a big one which is why I want to try to peak for the slightly easier one. My buddy is competing in the Cal, he took the overall at the contra last year. Here is an idea of my competition at the Cal

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/b...rowse&id=11786

I think I have a better shot placing high at the contra, I think he has a more complete physique than I do but I have a bit more thickness (~10lbs more right now and same conditioning)

[FATHER FLEX]

If you do the CC I might see ya there. Both quality shows, but the last few years they have been slipping a bit. Still quality shows bro.

[Vaporize]

Originally Posted by FATHER FLEX

If you do the CC I might see ya there. Both quality shows, but the last few years they have been slipping a bit. Still quality shows bro.

Ya looking forward to em, should be fun. You gonna compete or watch?

[FATHER FLEX]

Originally Posted by Vaporize

Ya looking forward to em, should be fun. You gonna compete or watch?

Just watching my fed would have my head if I competed elsewhere. LOL WNBF rules, might go because I have never been to the CC actually. Even though I live 10 minutes away.

[Morrison]

ok so you want to peak for the earlier & easier one, which is a good idea, to peak as soon as you can and use that as a warm-up because if you peak for the first show, and then hold that conditioning for a few more weeks, you'll be able to bring it down further and come in harder on your 2nd peak, so you'll look better the 2nd show, the better you look for the first show, warm-up shows always work good for me but in my case it's the opposite for me right now, the show I have in 10 days is the most important one and the one I care most about, and if I do well then the 2nd show 3 weeks later will be much easier, but yeah you look good but I'd have to know where you are in your diet, like what you're eating, where your carbs & fats are etc. where your cardio is, how much you've dropped already, what your skinfolds are, etc. before I could really give you a good idea of where you need to be

[Vaporize]

I want some opinions on my current diet and training/cardio. Tomorrow I'll record everything I eat but right now I'll just do the basics. My carbs I do a 5 day cycle of

Day 1: 350
day 2: 250
day 3: 200
day 4: 150
day 5: 100

REPEAT

I'm eating 2800 calories on training days and 2500 on non training.

I train 6 days a week and do 20 minute cardio immediately post workout 5 days a week. I'm also adding in 40 minute cardio in the morning with Xtend 4 days a week starting tomorrow. So far I've been dieting 3 weeks and 4 days and have went from 218 to 202. Thoughts on my gameplan?

[FATHER FLEX]

Post your fat, and protein intake to, though carbs are an important part of the nutritional picture all macronutrients need to be taken into account. I have had plenty of guys who's protein intake I have had to chop down big time, as well as fat intake. For example lipids don't require insulin to be present to be stored, and you body does this more efficiently in a calorie deprived state. Its a big game of store and release, and the correct macronutrient(not just CHO intake) intake dictates how efficiently you tap into stores at the end of the day.

[Morrison]

Originally Posted by Vaporize

I want some opinions on my current diet and training/cardio. Tomorrow I'll record everything I eat but right now I'll just do the basics. My carbs I do a 5 day cycle of

Day 1: 350
day 2: 250
day 3: 200
day 4: 150
day 5: 100

REPEAT

I'm eating 2800 calories on training days and 2500 on non training.

I train 6 days a week and do 20 minute cardio immediately post workout 5 days a week. I'm also adding in 40 minute cardio in the morning with Xtend 4 days a week starting tomorrow. So far I've been dieting 3 weeks and 4 days and have went from 218 to 202. Thoughts on my gameplan?

Your carb cycle is interesting, I personally keep the same number of carbs for the week, and track my progress once a week by skinfolds, weight, and tape measurement to see how much/how fast I'm losing, and depending on that, it gets adjusted for the next week because how do you know how many carbs is enough for you to keep losing if it constantly changes, so I stick with the same number for a week and see how I react, because I don't know how many carbs I need until I see that it stops working, and I can't tell that if I change them daily, but are you going just on your physical weight alone? I'd also take measurements & skinfolds so you know if weight you're losing is water, or if its bodyfat & if so how much, etc. that way you can track your calories & carbs better, also the 20 minutes of cardio post workout is something I don't know if I'd do because you have a 30 minute window to get your post-workout shake in, which is the most important time of the day to get it in, so are you getting your post-workout shake and then doing the cardio? or shake after cardio? I'd also maybe up your cardio a little slower, like you're only doing 20 minutes 5 times a week now, I'd go to 30 minutes 5 times next week, then maybe add 5-10 minutes to each session each week after that, instead of going from 20 minutes 5 times a week to 60 minutes 5 times a week, that's a big jump & you could probably benefit better from smaller increases to avoid early plateaus etc. but those are just my thoughts based on my own experience & training & advice from professionals but as long as you're seeing solid progress as far as losing bodyfat weekly then I'd say keep doing what you're doing until your fat burning starts to slow down, at which point you'd need to change something

[krisinstl]

lookin good i would say 6 weeks out though.

next off season, i'd hit lats and traps hard. arms and delts look great! and very narrow waist, gj