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  1. #1
    Registered User melissasullivan's Avatar
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    Poor bulking phase for bikini comp. To cut Or to postpone first comp

    Hi guys!
    I've been dieting and weight training for 11 weeks. I gave myself a 5 month time frame to lose remaining baby weight and train for an INBA bikini comp but I have not gained the shape I had hoped for during the bulking stage. I watched a comp a few weeks ago and noticed many novice competitors were just slim and firm without obvious muscle so I could still compete in a bikini novice division but I would like to look strong on stage not just skinny! I'm 47kg/104pounds and body fat is still 21%. Anyone with experience please view my pics and tell me if at 9 weeks out Am I at a position to up my carbs to gain more shape or should I just get my body fat down and lean out now and hope there is a little muscle underneath?
    My cals at the moment are1400. Typical bikini diet, oats/chicken breast/sweet potato/broccoli, egg whites.
    Protein 140
    Carbs 95
    Fats 50

    Mon back shoulders
    Tues quads biceps
    Wed chest tris
    Thurs glutes hamstrings
    Friday back shoulders
    Saturday cardio
    Sunday glutes hamstrings
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  2. #2
    Do I even lift?!? megdaig's Avatar
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    Muscle is gained over months and years. You won't be able to make any improvements in just 9 weeks. At this point in prep fat loss and tightening up is the main focus. You'll need to spend a good offseason trying to gain.
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  3. #3
    Registered User oregonchick76's Avatar
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    So how long did you bulk? Women gain around 1/2 lb of muscle per month, so unless you'd already had a very solid muscle base from previous years of lifting, it's unlikely you have enough under there to be ready for a show.
    "Start where you are. It's never too late to change your life."
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    Registered User melissasullivan's Avatar
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    melissasullivan is offline
    Thank you both for responding! I feel so silly because I thought 3 months of bulking and two months of cutting would be enough. I have been seeing a trainer since 15 weeks out just once a week to check my progress and he thought I had enough time and even thought I could compete in fitness model! Sounds ridiculous now that i can see for myself how hard it is to gain! I think I will just tighten up now and see how I look later on. One other question I have is during the cutting/leaning phase, how am I to maintain my weight since I'm so light already at 104 pounds but bring my body fat down? I'm pretty sure my calories are at a deficit, I'm not eating carbs at night now but I haven't added cardio yet in the fear I'll just get skinny and waste away. The calorie deficit and weight training should get things started right? And then the final 4 weeks up cardio?

    I definitely plan on slowly upping carbs again and spending next year just bulking alone!

    Thanks
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  5. #5
    pirate ninja kitteh rockangel's Avatar
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    How tall are you??

    I would say that if you are 104 pounds and still not ready or looking tight, then you many be in danger of taking it to the point where you will be underweight.
    Personally i would never tell a novice competitor that going on the stage underweight is a good idea. If you have to go underweight to get in bikini level conditioning, its best to wait and not do the show and to spend the next year or so building muscle so that when you cut again, you will not need to be underwieght in the prep.

    Taking your body to the underweight point may cause serious issues later down the road with fat gain and loss and it just isnt worth it when you can wait a year and avoid them.

    I would suggest you take time off to build, not only will you come in better condition, you will have more time to formulate a plan and to research. Some of the questions you are asking should have been covered by your trainer BEFORE you started prep. That you are here asking the basic questions tells me that neither you nor your trainer really understand the process.

    ETA: Just looked at you pics, and at this point, if you continue to lose, you will end up looking like a stick. You currently do not have a good muscle base but you are at least pretty lean. Which is a great place to start building from.
    You really need to work on glute development as well as adding over all muscle. Bringing your shoulders, arms, back, legs and glutes will add in some nice curves and shape.
    I would say your chances of brining in competitive physique this year are very slim. Not trying to be mean, but realisticlly, the muscle base isnt there yet to support dropping any more weight. And shame on a trainer who hasnt told you this.
    Last edited by rockangel; 07-10-2014 at 09:15 PM.
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    Registered User melissasullivan's Avatar
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    melissasullivan is offline
    Thank you very much! You do not sound mean at all! I keep telling my trainer that I'm worried about my weight and that I did not understand how I was going to decrease my body fat without coming in too lean. I'm only 5"2 and I'm back to my pre pregnancy weight and I expected the scales to go up!! I've just cancelled my sessions with him! He told me his approach was different and a little unconventional! His plan was to cut carbs all together from 3 weeks out and do cardio for my last 3 weeks and after my research and hearing advice from people like yourself and others I just know this isnt the right way to do it. My goal was to look strong so I am dissapointed how he has continued to reassure me when clearly even if he's not experienced in prepping he probably should no better as a general trainer.

    Thanks a lot again for taking the time to help.
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  7. #7
    pirate ninja kitteh rockangel's Avatar
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    Well I am glad to hear that you fired him! No carbs for three weeks and adding cardio into that is a recipe for disaster in so many ways!! And no that is not normal nor the way it should be done. Unconveniental and different is fine, as long as it is based in science and reasoning and takes the clients health in mind..
    This guy does not sound good so i am glad you got out without having rebound issues.

    Right now, your BMI is at 19, so you really do not need to lose anymore weight. I would add back in calories and start working to build muscle and get your metabolism and cals up. Lift heavy and eat and i think you will see some nice results.

    Find a good lifting program, not a body part split like you have been doing. As a newbie you would do better on either a 3 day full body or an upper lower split.

    And dont worry, we are all in the same boat. Muscle building is slow and hard, but worth it. I have had to put off my own goals of competeing again because i havent had the level of muscle that I wanted to bring on stage. Im planning another building season myself.
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  8. #8
    Registered User sy2502's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by oregonchick76 View Post
    So how long did you bulk? Women gain around 1/2 lb of muscle per month, so unless you'd already had a very solid muscle base from previous years of lifting, it's unlikely you have enough under there to be ready for a show.
    I'd say 0.5lbs of pure muscle a month is very optimistic.
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  9. #9
    Registered User oregonchick76's Avatar
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    oregonchick76 is offline
    Originally Posted by sy2502 View Post
    I'd say 0.5lbs of pure muscle a month is very optimistic.
    Yes, definitely. I suppose it should read 'best case scenario', but 1/2 lb per month is still way lower than what people expect.

    Leigh Peele's website (http://www.leighpeele.com/a-realisti...-muscle-gain-2)
    lists the following 'typical' gains, which still seem generous:

    Women
    Newbie: 1-6 months of serious lifting = Roughly .75 to 1 pounds a month in muscle
    Newbie: 6-12 months = .5 pounds a month in muscle
    Intermediate: 1-2 years of lifting = 0.3-0.4 pounds a month in muscle
    Advanced: 4-plus years of lifting = 0.1- 0.2 pounds a month in muscle

    While 1/2 lb of muscle per month may be reaching, I think it's a huge wake up call to newbies expecting to gain 2-4 lbs of muscle per month.
    "Start where you are. It's never too late to change your life."
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