Precontest Cardio & Resistance Training Frequency Poll?

[Ivan25]

What is the cardio and resistance training frequency during precontest prep?

Here's the issue with me... I am now 30-weeks of consistent prepping.. I have lost less than a pound per week.. I started at 182, now I'm at 162.... Strength is not significantly lower than starting point.. However, I am finding that getting to the bone ripped is super hard for me... My opinion is that there may not be such thing as a peak... But instead, just being so darn lean and lean "enough" to win at a show.. But we may never be completely as lean as "we want to be."

It's gettin tough you guys... I had a nice little indulgence for thanksgiving, I went from 160-162 to 166-168... Several questions I have.. Seems like the body is so primed to store fat but burning it is hard.. I'm talking when you reach that set-point... So I looked back at my notes from the past 30 plus weeks.. I found that I got down to 156 and skinfolds were at all-time low after doing 8-days of cardio straight!!!

I rested 2-3 days after... Got back to 162... I think the key is to hit high points and induce adaptation through consistency... I'm not like super strict dieting, but I'm definitely eating very healthy and respectably lean.. I want to maintain my body fat level low so when I'm ready to get it super low, I won't have that far to go... Well, as of today, I am planning on doing 10-days of cardio straight... It seems that my weight training sessions are more to maintain muscle and RMR than to build.. It's almost impossible to build at this caloric deficit and maintance level... It is in a very very slow fashion I believe..

But again, I believe I've reached a point where I am not at a point where strength gain is important... Rather, getting as lean as possible is, while maintaining my muscle mass as much as possible... It is hard, but I really believe that with time, I will see the light... I know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.. But isn't stripping away body fat kind of a matter of consistency over time???

[MattyH7688]

u sound like u torture urself..

[Captain Sagara]

Just do your cardio,for me cardio is not that important anyway,i just hit the cardio 2 times a day at a slow pace and let my diet do the trick,when preping...

[Cytrainer913]

I rested 2-3 days after... Got back to 162... I think the key is to hit high points and induce adaptation through consistency... I'm not like super strict dieting, but I'm definitely eating very healthy and respectably lean.. I want to maintain my body fat level low so when I'm ready to get it super low, I won't have that far to go... Well, as of today, I am planning on doing 10-days of cardio straight... It seems that my weight training sessions are more to maintain muscle and RMR than to build.. It's almost impossible to build at this caloric deficit and maintance level... It is in a very very slow fashion I believe..

Y would you possibly be in a calorie deficit and if you are that's just too strict, and should be dropping weight week after week, and this is not healthy for such a prolonged period of time. why would you not want to add good muscle w/o a lot of excess bodyfat. The body really needs to be in a place where the cals are at least at or just above maintenance. This is where you are letting this whole thing take over your life, which is not a good thing, there needs to be more balance here.

[Lando33]

Y would you possibly be in a calorie deficit and if you are that's just too strict, and should be dropping weight week after week, and this is not healthy for such a prolonged period of time. why would you not want to add good muscle w/o a lot of excess bodyfat. The body really needs to be in a place where the cals are at least at or just above maintenance. This is where you are letting this whole thing take over your life, which is not a good thing, there needs to be more balance here.

thank you! There is the truth, folks!

[Jrich54338]

Craig nipped that in the butt

[VenomXL]

I think you should diet for another 30 weeks and let us know how that turns out.

[Jrich54338]

I think you should diet for another 30 weeks and let us know how that turns out.

haha i just spit my water

[Agostage]

Man Ivan, you're something else. Please don't take this negatively but after following your posts for a while you seem a bit obsessive compulsive. I know that most bodybuilders have that trait during contest prep but you gotta be able to turn it off sometimes. Don't get yourself sick or develop a disorder. You're a good guy, I'd hate to see you hit a wall or something. Seriously.

[MattyH7688]

haha i just spit my water

LOL x2

[Jrich54338]

Ivan start eating my man and grow, cut is great but if you dont have the muscle that looks good when cut, well your just gonna look like one of those emo kids. EAT UP

[madman911]

Ivan, do you track your macros? What is your approach to manipulating macros when you hit a fat loss plateau?

I only ask because you seem to point to cardio as being the 'make or break' for getting as lean as you want to get and I'd argue that you're barking up the wrong tree. Diet > Cardio.

Doing extended bouts of cardio will reduce your weight, but, as you observed, once you rest, you will gain a fair bit of it back. Cardio does deplete glycogen, so after 8-10 days of straight cardio and caloric restriction, you will be depleted. Once you rest, you'll gain several lbs back... which seems to cause you to freak out. I agree that you need a break from prepping for a while... just to save your sanity.

[Ivan25]

Today I feel great.. And I am not in a caloric deficit most of the time.. I am mainly around maintance.. And if I am in caloric deficit, it is 100-300 cal's below maintance.. Don't worry fellas, when I turn pro, will the posts that yall posted matter? Muscle mass growth????? Nonsense.. Form follows function.. I am enjoying my off-season right now.. I had one of my best cardio workouts this morning.. And this on the 7th day of doing cardio... I'm still lifting big weights, b/c it's about power and muscle quality and function.. Not this nonsense of slow heavy lifting bodybuilding genre...

I am training the way I love and enjoy.. Functional and Athletically... Took a pilates class this week and am going back into olympic style lifts and workouts... If I'm OCD then I'm in a good place...End of story.. And on top of this, I will turn pro and do what I enjoy... Thanks for all the support from those who actually cared.. For those who didn't..... Thanks for the motivation... Maybe if you read my forum sig's you might learn something... I will be getting my Master's in Ex. Phys this new year.. WHOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Great way to kick off the new year...

Ivan

[Agostage]

Sounds like you've made up your mind on all fronts. I wish you well Which card are you going for? Or is it all of them

[Ivan25]

Sounds like you've made up your mind on all fronts. I wish you well Which card are you going for? Or is it all of them

What exactly do you mean by that "Made up mind on all fronts?" I presume it's a good comment, considering you've respected my point of view before, unlike others... I feel like Parisa on the Real world Sydney, all the roommates think she's in the wrong, but most of us watching don't... Kind of like on here...

Anyhow, I just enjoy exercise, period... Bodybuilding is like a little reward to me.. but it's not what really motivates me... My motivation is multi-factorial... I do love the science behind bodybuilding though.. That's real cool...

For those who hate, you should go read some of my article's on this site bruh.. I think you know who "YOU" are... lol.... I really don't know what I'm talking about... lol...

[Agostage]

What exactly do you mean by that "Made up mind on all fronts?" I presume it's a good comment, considering you've respected my point of view before, unlike others... I feel like Parisa on the Real world Sydney, all the roommates think she's in the wrong, but most of us watching don't... Kind of like on here...

Yup, it was a good comment. Sometimes I get into vague mode and don't make sense, that's my badd.

[Ivan25]

Yup, it was a good comment. Sometimes I get into vague mode and don't make sense, that's my badd.

I feel you man.. I appreciate the love bro.. You know it's funny how "they" think I'm OCD.. but I just read Tommy's thread (SPORTO), and not a bad thing, but he posted a reply that said "I've gotta see what my bodyweight does in the next few days." This was pertaining to ramping up cal's...

In Dr. K's articles isn't it said that contests on won in the off-season? Yeah exactly... Also, I don't need to grow bigger.. I'm in a good place size-wise.. Last thing I need is big and stupid muscle.. I want my muscle to function and move with purpose, not just sit there and look good for a 5-minute showing at a bb show.. Not to mention, WOMEN perfer leaner ripped physique's over bulky ones...Read Men's Health, and yes, this last statement was pulled from a research study... HA!!!!!!!!!!

I guess this is why I've been meeting more girls during precontest prep.. well now, I no longer have off-season in the traditional sense.. I can and will stay lean year round and for the rest of my life.. Why??? b/c it's about being healthy and CARDIOVASCULARLY fit as well... And I like being super fit and healthy...

[Ivan25]

For those who didn't read my forum sig's, here is a preview of the kind of training that inspires me.. I am working to get as fast as this guy... It's insane.. Oh by the way, he is 170 and can deadlift ~500... Perfect example of FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION, debunking the traditional views of bodybuilding..
This is how I train as a NATURAL---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD3uicAYtdw

500 lb deadlift video---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95D7lj-A6tA

[Agostage]

I feel you man.. I appreciate the love bro.. You know it's funny how "they" think I'm OCD.. but I just read Tommy's thread (SPORTO), and not a bad thing, but he posted a reply that said "I've gotta see what my bodyweight does in the next few days." This was pertaining to ramping up cal's...

In Dr. K's articles isn't it said that contests on won in the off-season? Yeah exactly... Also, I don't need to grow bigger.. I'm in a good place size-wise.. Last thing I need is big and stupid muscle.. I want my muscle to function and move with purpose, not just sit there and look good for a 5-minute showing at a bb show.. Not to mention, WOMEN perfer leaner ripped physique's over bulky ones...Read Men's Health, and yes, this last statement was pulled from a research study... HA!!!!!!!!!!

I guess this is why I've been meeting more girls during precontest prep.. well now, I no longer have off-season in the traditional sense.. I can and will stay lean year round and for the rest of my life.. Why??? b/c it's about being healthy and CARDIOVASCULARLY fit as well... And I like being super fit and healthy...

This may be true, but those girls are not contest judges Building a physique for contest or for the ladies ? It's easy for me, I have a lady and she still thought I was hot at 22% b.f. , of course she's blind! j/k

[Captain Sagara]

I feel you man.. I appreciate the love bro.. You know it's funny how "they" think I'm OCD.. but I just read Tommy's thread (SPORTO), and not a bad thing, but he posted a reply that said "I've gotta see what my bodyweight does in the next few days." This was pertaining to ramping up cal's...

In Dr. K's articles isn't it said that contests on won in the off-season? Yeah exactly... Also, I don't need to grow bigger.. I'm in a good place size-wise.. Last thing I need is big and stupid muscle.. I want my muscle to function and move with purpose, not just sit there and look good for a 5-minute showing at a bb show.. Not to mention, WOMEN perfer leaner ripped physique's over bulky ones...Read Men's Health, and yes, this last statement was pulled from a research study... HA!!!!!!!!!!

I guess this is why I've been meeting more girls during precontest prep.. well now, I no longer have off-season in the traditional sense.. I can and will stay lean year round and for the rest of my life.. Why??? b/c it's about being healthy and CARDIOVASCULARLY fit as well... And I like being super fit and healthy...

Not to bash but at the same time you'll cutting yourself extremely short on muscle gains,good luck being 160lbs the rest of your life...

[Cytrainer913]

I am all about form follows function, and i doubt you will get big enough to where it becomes an issue to where you can move and still be agile. By staying natural, you should be able to put on some more lean muscle gains and from there it's almost impossible for you to be that big where it impedes your daily life, comon DUDE!

If you ever looked at my journals and see what I have come up with in my varied style of training(S**** training), you might learn something form them as well.

I have still been able to play soccer and softball with plenty of mobility, and run a 4.5 40 yd sprint, and under 6 sec in the 50 yd dash with my kids that i test, as I am a PE teacher of middle school kids. I will be back soon as well as i am recovering from a freak injury where both of my patella tendons snapped playing softball, with no explanation form the docs, just a freak thing.

I have squatted 500 for a couple of reps, deadlifted 500 lbs, partial deadlifted 585 for sets of 5, so I consider that pretty mobile and not too big to where and i cant do anything. YOu are talking about people on the other side of the that use the AAS to get big, those guys are so big that they get winded going up one flight of stairs.


Joe talks about contests being won in the offseason yes, but not by staying at a bodyfat % that is too low for your bodytype. you know at least 8% for the ectos and maybe near 12% for the endos! There has to be room for some but not to be on a fitness cover everyday of the year.

[MattyH7688]

This may be true, but those girls are not contest judges Building a physique for contest or for the ladies ? It's easy for me, I have a lady and she still thought I was hot at 22% b.f. , of course she's blind! j/k

hahaha.. damn i need to find some non-shallow girls in my life.. they see my pics of me with abs on facebook and want that now.. wtf! how do u explain to a girl u r trying to bulk

I am all about form follows function, and i doubt you will get big enough to where it becomes an issue to where you can move and still be agile. By staying natural, you should be able to put on some more lean muscle gains and from there it's almost impossible for you to be that big where it impedes your daily life, comon DUDE!

If you ever looked at my journals and see what I have come up with in my varied style of training(S**** training), you might learn something form them as well.

I have still been able to play soccer and softball with plenty of mobility, and run a 4.5 40 yd sprint, and under 6 sec in the 50 yd dash with my kids that i test, as I am a PE teacher of middle school kids. I will be back soon as well as i am recovering from a freak injury where both of my patella tendons snapped playing softball, with no explanation form the docs, just a freak thing.

I have squatted 500 for a couple of reps, deadlifted 500 lbs, partial deadlifted 585 for sets of 5, so I consider that pretty mobile and not too big to where and i cant do anything. YOu are talking about people on the other side of the that use the AAS to get big, those guys are so big that they get winded going up one flight of stairs.


Joe talks about contests being won in the offseason yes, but not by staying at a bodyfat % that is too low for your bodytype. you know at least 8% for the ectos and maybe near 12% for the endos! There has to be room for some but not to be on a fitness cover everyday of the year.

i dunno if this matters much but when i dont worry about my bodyfat at all(still eat clean but not strict to much) i have the best gains of my life

im repping 315x5 on bench and squatted 405x5 tuesday... im not worried about being 9-10% bf year round.. im eating a ton and not caring if i get to fat, within reason and my gains have been absolutely ridiculous.. same thing happened last year

[Cytrainer913]

hahaha.. damn i need to find some non-shallow girls in my life.. they see my pics of me with abs on facebook and want that now.. wtf! how do u explain to a girl u r trying to bulk


i dunno if this matters much but when i dont worry about my bodyfat at all(still eat clean but not strict to much) i have the best gains of my life

im repping 315x5 on bench and squatted 405x5 tuesday... im not worried about being 9-10% bf year round.. im eating a ton and not caring if i get to fat, within reason and my gains have been absolutely ridiculous.. same thing happened last year

Because over time you might get some ridiculous gains in terms of strength and muscle but in the long run a lot of that extra muscle will end up leaving when you diet back down for a show, trust me, this is what happens when you get too fat you know above that 15-17% number!

[MattyH7688]

Because over time you might get some ridiculous gains in terms of strength and muscle but in the long run a lot of that extra muscle will end up leaving when you diet back down for a show, trust me, this is what happens when you get too fat you know above that 15-17% number!

natural

i know what u mean(slowly creeping to that 15-17% range so adding more cardio in and lowering carbs a tiny bit).. im dieting for 18-20 weeks slowly next show.. last time i did 10 weeks of crash diet basically and my strength was ok until about 4 weeks out then it plummeted

[Cytrainer913]

natural

i know what u mean(slowly creeping to that 15-17% range so adding more cardio in and lowering carbs a tiny bit).. im dieting for 18-20 weeks slowly next show.. last time i did 10 weeks of crash diet basically and my strength was ok until about 4 weeks out then it plummeted

Maybe even 22-24 weeks can really help and make the process as slow as possible to retain more muscle, it really does help the natural keep more on his/her frame.

[MattyH7688]

Maybe even 22-24 weeks can really help and make the process as slow as possible to retain more muscle, it really does help the natural keep more on his/her frame.

yea.. i think next week im gonna start cleaning up my diet (though it has been pretty clean so far).. maybe start some carb cycling to get me back on track.. i didnt want to be to restricted for christmas cuz i know i will most likely cheat on my diet, even if its a lil bit.. right after xmas put me at about 20 weeks out

[VenomXL]

I really don't know what I'm talking about... lol...

Quoted For Truth

[Ivan25]

Not to bash but at the same time you'll cutting yourself extremely short on muscle gains,good luck being 160lbs the rest of your life...

And benching 315 @ 160... And having a very healthy body weight and not struggling with body weight when I get older... Yep, You hit it on the head brother.

[Ivan25]

I am all about form follows function, and i doubt you will get big enough to where it becomes an issue to where you can move and still be agile. By staying natural, you should be able to put on some more lean muscle gains and from there it's almost impossible for you to be that big where it impedes your daily life, comon DUDE!

If you ever looked at my journals and see what I have come up with in my varied style of training(S**** training), you might learn something form them as well.

I have still been able to play soccer and softball with plenty of mobility, and run a 4.5 40 yd sprint, and under 6 sec in the 50 yd dash with my kids that i test, as I am a PE teacher of middle school kids. I will be back soon as well as i am recovering from a freak injury where both of my patella tendons snapped playing softball, with no explanation form the docs, just a freak thing.

I have squatted 500 for a couple of reps, deadlifted 500 lbs, partial deadlifted 585 for sets of 5, so I consider that pretty mobile and not too big to where and i cant do anything. YOu are talking about people on the other side of the that use the AAS to get big, those guys are so big that they get winded going up one flight of stairs.


Joe talks about contests being won in the offseason yes, but not by staying at a bodyfat % that is too low for your bodytype. you know at least 8% for the ectos and maybe near 12% for the endos! There has to be room for some but not to be on a fitness cover everyday of the year.

I was 7-9% from 19-23... Then I got started "Bodybuilding" type periodization.. Got up to 182 @ ~13-14% body fat.. Probably higher... Thanks to the knuckleheads with no damn sense, it was a "learning experience for me." But I know a person can be 7-8% and healthy.. I'm an ecto-meso FYI...

[Ivan25]

Quoted For Truth

You shouldv'e watched these 2 videos...

This is how I train as a NATURAL---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD3uicAYtdw

500 lb deadlift video---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95D7lj-A6tA