Few Precontest Q's

[flankster]

Hey, Im getting ready for my second show and I just have a few questions for "Knowledgeable/Experienced" Bodybuilders. I have a good base and know a bit about weight lifting/nutrition/etc but admit I have much to learn as I get older.

Q's:

I was reading somewhere on the Supersite to "Never Ever to work your obliques by holding dumbells/cables, and bending over( Standing holding a dumbell, bending over sideways) because doing this builds muscle, thus making your waist bigger which is NOT what you want for bodybuilding (Ruin X shape).... Any Truth to this? and If so how can you (Or Shoudl you even) hit your obliques to not enlarge this section of your body?

Should you be so concerned about counting macronutritients and etc (Carbs, Pros, Fats, Sodium, Calories), or just eat a healthy clean diet, low in carbs and put in your work (Cardio, weights) and let your body do the work. I think counting and worrying about (C,P,S,C,S) is just added stress and doesnt even matter if your eating a clean diet. For my last show I didnt count any, but I find myself so worried right now that I am thinking I should, but think its just stressing me out.

And last one, Eccentrics? Would that be a good way to help shed some fat off, or would it just wear down my muscles for my daily workout. I believe its more for severely over weight people?

Any Advice?

[zmcdole]

First off I don't ever work my obliques because since I have stopped my waist has appeared to be a little bit smaller. However, if you have a structurally small waist then it probably doesn't matter and it would be ok to work them. Just my opinion.

Macros/calorie counting is a must. You can get in good shape and have nice little six pack going if you do what you mentioned. However, you will never get stage lean with that approach. You should be counting so that you can make calculated changes to your diet when the fatloss stalls or when you know that you need a refeed, or when you wanna deplete and carb up for peak week. In my mind it is absolutely necessary to count to the gram for every macro. There will be a few that will come on here and argue about that and say it's not necessary. Chances are they have never competed or have never gotten stage lean (lines in a$$). Good luck.

[Whomper107]

I wouldn't worry too much about the obliques issue. If you feel like working them, go for it. I doubt anyone is going to add significant amounts of size to their waist that way, and once you are lean enough it certainly won't look any larger.

Macros/calorie counting is a must. You can get in good shape and have nice little six pack going if you do what you mentioned. However, you will never get stage lean with that approach. You should be counting so that you can make calculated changes to your diet when the fatloss stalls or when you know that you need a refeed, or when you wanna deplete and carb up for peak week. In my mind it is absolutely necessary to count to the gram for every macro. There will be a few that will come on here and argue about that and say it's not necessary. Chances are they have never competed or have never gotten stage lean (lines in a$$). Good luck.

I definitely agree on this point. Clean does NOT equal lean, that is a very common mistake among beginners. You would really benefit from gaining an understanding of why we truly lose weight (a caloric deficit sustained over a period of time), and from that making appropriate food choices to create a deficit by looking at their macronutrient content. The only reason 'clean' foods may have made you leaner is because they are more filling, causing you to eat fewer calories and create a caloric deficit. They do not have some magic property which makes the calories in them exempt from being stored as fat, nor do 'dirty' foods have such a property that makes them more prone to be stored as fat.

Here is a great article by a member here (Quelly) regarding the subject:
http://www.3dmusclejourney.com/2010-01qa.php

[flankster]

Thanks, I'm going to hold off on the obliques until I research it a bit more. Even if it only makes your waist an inch bigger, that still takes away from your V shape.

[zcholla]

Bodybuilders should train their whole bodies. We are not called Leg builders or Arm builders, or six-packers. A true Bodybuilder will train his entire body. The core is a very essential part of the body and will help in many different areas. I hit my obliques exactly like i hit my abs. If your doing abs every other day it is pointless. They are just like other muscles in your body, they dont need to be worked any more frequently. six-packs and side serratus shots come from diet.

[Flex500]

Hey, Im getting ready for my second show and I just have a few questions for "Knowledgeable/Experienced" Bodybuilders. I have a good base and know a bit about weight lifting/nutrition/etc but admit I have much to learn as I get older.

Q's:

I was reading somewhere on the Supersite to "Never Ever to work your obliques by holding dumbells/cables, and bending over( Standing holding a dumbell, bending over sideways) because doing this builds muscle, thus making your waist bigger which is NOT what you want for bodybuilding (Ruin X shape).... Any Truth to this? and If so how can you (Or Shoudl you even) hit your obliques to not enlarge this section of your body?

Should you be so concerned about counting macronutritients and etc (Carbs, Pros, Fats, Sodium, Calories), or just eat a healthy clean diet, low in carbs and put in your work (Cardio, weights) and let your body do the work. I think counting and worrying about (C,P,S,C,S) is just added stress and doesnt even matter if your eating a clean diet. For my last show I didnt count any, but I find myself so worried right now that I am thinking I should, but think its just stressing me out.

And last one, Eccentrics? Would that be a good way to help shed some fat off, or would it just wear down my muscles for my daily workout. I believe its more for severely over weight people?

Any Advice?

I wouldn't worry about the oblique issue...

As far as the other you won't have to lose your mind counting all the time if you get a set diet and just eat that same thing everyday. Then there is no question. I don't think about my intake everyday because i eat the same thing everyday. it is actually completely stress free that way.

[zmcdole]

I wouldn't worry about the oblique issue...

As far as the other you won't have to lose your mind counting all the time if you get a set diet and just eat that same thing everyday. Then there is no question. I don't think about my intake everyday because i eat the same thing everyday. it is actually completely stress free that way.

THis is very true^^^^^. I like to change it up though so I end up counting a lot. However, if you can handle eating the same thing day in and day out do it.

[Flex500]

THis is very true^^^^^. I like to change it up though so I end up counting a lot. However, if you can handle eating the same thing day in and day out do it.

very good point some go crazy eating the same thing everyday. but when my diet starts I get to eat such a good amount of food and so many different kinds it doesn't bother me.

[Quelly]

not training your obliques will probably result in a nearly immeasurable difference in waist circumfrence....what it is more likely to accomplish is limiting your core strength and thus reducing the amount of weight you use on heavy compound lifts that build up your quads, hamstrings, shoulders, lats and chest...thus making your x frame and v taper worse

[flankster]

not training your obliques will probably result in a nearly immeasurable difference in waist circumfrence....what it is more likely to accomplish is limiting your core strength and thus reducing the amount of weight you use on heavy compound lifts that build up your quads, hamstrings, shoulders, lats and chest...thus making your x frame and v taper worse

Yeah, i kinda enjoyed working obliques, but I had just stumbled across an article on the BodySpace that said to Never work them. I didn't think it would make a big difference, but from what people are saying it seems its fine to train them.