Ladies: What "disappears" for you in the off-season?

[fitlover]

Pertaining to definition, mainly...I know it's unrealistic to maintain a stage-ready physique year-round, and even if it was, you wouldn't make very good off-season gains! I'm just wondering how things played out for all of you that came off stage.

Also, do any of you stay pretty lean all the time? Like within 5 lbs. of your contest weight? I know some ladies that kept a visible 6-pack and maintained with an already fairly ripped appearance...sometimes it would only take them 2-3 days to prepare for a photoshoot (take Jelena Abbou, for example).

[iKoniConSciencE]

I was pretty lean (15-16%ish) before bulking. Then, I bulked for the first time and went up to 18%, which completely freaked me out. After my contests, I plan to add more muscle mass, but I will do it differently this time and try to maintain the same body fat percentage the whole way through. (Last time, I gained 10 pounds - 6.5 of them were muscle, the rest were fat.)

For this contest, I'm looking at dropping 10 pounds from where I started... maybe even as much as 15. I'd like to stay within 5-10 pounds next time; we'll see what happens.

Nothing "disappeared" when I bulked except my abs The weird thing was, I still saw vague lines of where I used to have good definition, except it was oddly covered by a thin layer of pudge which made me look "thick". I plan to never lose them again, either *LOL*

What about you?

[fitlover]

Well I'm doing my first competition next year, actually. I'm maintaining right now WITH abs, so that's nice. When I put on some mass after the summer I'll most likely be missing them for a little bit...but I at least I know that I can maintain at a lower bf % than a lot of other girls I know of.

For a contest I know I wouldn't have to drop much weight, since I'm already pretty "lightweight" ATM. Just curious to know how other ladies get along off-season.

[kimm4]

Pertaining to definition, mainly...I know it's unrealistic to maintain a stage-ready physique year-round, and even if it was, you wouldn't make very good off-season gains! I'm just wondering how things played out for all of you that came off stage.

Also, do any of you stay pretty lean all the time? Like within 5 lbs. of your contest weight? I know some ladies that kept a visible 6-pack and maintained with an already fairly ripped appearance...sometimes it would only take them 2-3 days to prepare for a photoshoot (take Jelena Abbou, for example).

Staying 5 lbs above comp weight is pretty much unheard of. More like 10-15 lbs above comp weight would be considered keeping lean.

[iKoniConSciencE]

Well I'm doing my first competition next year, actually. I'm maintaining right now WITH abs, so that's nice. When I put on some mass after the summer I'll most likely be missing them for a little bit...but I at least I know that I can maintain at a lower bf % than a lot of other girls I know of.

For a contest I know I wouldn't have to drop much weight, since I'm already pretty "lightweight" ATM. Just curious to know how other ladies get along off-season.

Cool!

I'm sure you know it's not entirely about weight, though. Most contest body fat levels (really, for bodybuilding or even figure, you should be 11% or less on stage... and this is why, as Kim said, staying within 5 pounds of contest weight is almost unheard of) are almost impossible to maintain otherwise and shouldn't be attempted. When I first thought about entering a competition (and pre-bulk, I was 125 pounds which is at the top of the lightweight class in most contests here), I thought, "OH GOODIE!! I can be the same weight I am now but with muscles and still make lightweight!!" I, too, maintained with abs but I lacked muscle size in other places. I don't know if you have the same problem. Good job on maintaining with abs, though -- your diet must be very clean

It all depends on how much body fat you have to lose and how much muscle you want to gain. Do you plan on doing bodybuilding? Figure? Bikini? Fitness? Or what?

[fitlover]

Staying 5 lbs above comp weight is pretty much unheard of. More like 10-15 lbs above comp weight would be considered keeping lean.

Well that's why I was curious, because a few people I know of mentioned staying within 5-10 lbs. *shrug*

Cool!

I'm sure you know it's not entirely about weight, though. Most contest body fat levels (really, for bodybuilding or even figure, you should be 11% or less on stage... and this is why, as Kim said, staying within 5 pounds of contest weight is almost unheard of) are almost impossible to maintain otherwise and shouldn't be attempted. When I first thought about entering a competition (and pre-bulk, I was 125 pounds which is at the top of the lightweight class in most contests here), I thought, "OH GOODIE!! I can be the same weight I am now but with muscles and still make lightweight!!" I, too, maintained with abs but I lacked muscle size in other places. I don't know if you have the same problem. Good job on maintaining with abs, though -- your diet must be very clean

It all depends on how much body fat you have to lose and how much muscle you want to gain. Do you plan on doing bodybuilding? Figure? Bikini? Fitness? Or what?

Oh of course! Muscle weighs much more than fat, so it's definitely more about bf % than actual weight.

I have a pretty evened out physique, though I want to add a little more muscle to my legs. But by next year that should all be taken care of. And yes, my diet is really very clean .

I'm not muscular enough for bodybuilding (and not super interested in it), too defined/muscular for bikini, and I'm not very good at acrobatics or anything, so I'm aiming for figure.

[iKoniConSciencE]

You'll do great in figure!

[fitlover]

You'll do great in figure!

Thanks hun!