Skip La Cour - Mass Machine Bodybuilding (Training, Nutrition, Mindset, & Lifestyle)

[skiplacour]

It doesn't matter how long it takes you to get there as long as you eventually get there - Morning Connection Podcast #44 (31 minutes)

Take charge of your feelings, thoughts, and emotions instead of waiting for outside in influences to do it for you.

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour

[Webbie93]

Hi Webbie93.

Congratulations, big guy. It looks like you have put in a lot of thought and effort into what you are doing. You are far, far ahead of most 19 year olds. From what I've witnessed from people in the past, you will eventually succeed in figuring this all out in a matter of time. Keep on keepin' on.

I can also tell by how much thought that has gone into your questions, you've already read all the different views on these matters from many different people. Am I correct?

And, by that I mean things like surplus, maintenance level, what is the optimal macronutrient requirements (especially like protein and carbs strategies you are implementing and thoughts you are going through), the whole lean vs. gaining fat on your way to building muscle, etc.

You've read it all . . . and now you've come up with this path that you are on. Correct?

If you have specific questions about exactly what you are doing, I can be a lot more helpful to you--instead of just being one more source of debate.

For example: I am eating this much protein. People tell me I don't need that much. What do you think?

I want to stay at 10% body fat and still build muscle, is that possible?

I was "bulking" . . . I was on a "cut" . . . "much bigger muscle" . . . those things that you referenced mean specific things to YOU but I have no idea what they mean.

Everyone has different standards and perspectives. I would need to know about your specific conditions. For example: How long were you on this bulk? 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, or 2 years? How long were on on your cut? Hell, how long have you been even at this whole bodybuilding and training thing? LOL

I apologize if that complicates things in your mind but that's what I would need to even begin to give you advice that goes beyond what you already know or could just read from anyone giving wide generalities on the internet.

I can tell you this right now though: Don't be afraid of carbs.

Train Hard. Think Big.

Thanks Skip you nailed it I have done a lot of research and have fully committed myself to this. It means a lot for someone like you to recognize that thanks! I made the commitment to lifting last January. I cut for like the first 4 months on a poor starvation like carb restricted diet and went as low as 143 at 10 % body fat. Then I bulked up over the summer to 153 and maintained till about 6 weeks ago when I started this bulk. I just weighed in at 162 but my body fat has gone up to around 14 %. I'm trying to be at 170-175 for mid December and be no higher then 15 % body fat. Is that possible with the path I'm on that I described earlier? It means a lot to have your reassurance with the whole carb thing thanks a lot.

[skiplacour]

Thanks Skip you nailed it I have done a lot of research and have fully committed myself to this. It means a lot for someone like you to recognize that thanks! I made the commitment to lifting last January. I cut for like the first 4 months on a poor starvation like carb restricted diet and went as low as 143 at 10 % body fat. Then I bulked up over the summer to 153 and maintained till about 6 weeks ago when I started this bulk. I just weighed in at 162 but my body fat has gone up to around 14 %. I'm trying to be at 170-175 for mid December and be no higher then 15 % body fat. Is that possible with the path I'm on that I described earlier? It means a lot to have your reassurance with the whole carb thing thanks a lot.

Well, YOU did the work so far, Webbie93. YOU did what most people aren't willing to do . . so you earned the praise.

Just remember that, in the big scheme of things, 9 months isn't a whole lot of time invested. This time next year your level of understanding and the physical RESULTS you produce will expand exponentially if you keep focused and driving hard.

Here are my thoughts on "bulking" and cutting":

The Benefits and Drawbacks of "Bulking" and "Cutting"

Benefits

1. Simply going on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program initiates and solidifies the extremely important process of GOAL-SETTING.

2. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll create an ultimate goal for your bodybuilding and training efforts. Creating a long-term vision is extremely important to your success.

3. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll set up a time frame and deadline that you expect to reach that ultimate goal you’ve set. Time frames and deadlines are extremely important ingredients to creating success in all areas of your life.

4. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll be able to track, monitor, and access just how effectively and efficiently you are working toward that ultimate goal at any point during the journey.

5. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll break that ultimate goal into daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

6. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll be able to track, monitor, and assess just how effectively and efficiently you are working toward your goal on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis by the mere fact that you have daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

7. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you'll be forced to set up monthly, weekly, daily, and even hourly ACTION STEPS to reach your ultimate goal. Personal accountability is extremely important to creating success in any area of your life.

8. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you will know exactly if you executing your ACTION STEPS and doing what you must do monthly, weekly, daily, and even hourly basis. You won't even be the slightest bit surprised when the deadline you’ve set arrives if you have succeed or failed. You knew how you were doing at almost every stage of the "game."

9. You can look at the "bulking" and "cutting" process as a challenging "game" and you have control if you win or lose and/or celebrate or get tougher on yourself simply by setting up your bodybuilding and training journey with this process.

10. Simply by having a longer-term goal that is established with a "bulking" and "cutting" program--along with daily, weekly, and monthly goals--you are forced to THINK about the process many times throughout the day every single day. You will certainly think about the process much more often than those people who have not. The more you simply THINK about any area of your life, the more of chance you’ll give yourself to turn your goals into reality.

11. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you will focus a lot more on your EATING HABITS which is an extremely important component of the bodybuilding and training process that is not understood, appreciated, and executed nearly as much as it should be by the vast majority of people who are striving to improve their physiques.

12. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you will naturally train harder in the gym during your "bulking" phase and with more focus because you have set the ambitious goal to pack-on MUSCLE. Too many people merely show up to the gym on a consistent basis and mistakenly confuse activity with accomplishment. Packing-on more muscle should be the number one reason why you train with weights—regardless if you are bulking or cutting.

13. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you take a closer look at yourself in the mirror to see if you are truly getting RESULTS: And that means quality muscle during the "bulking" phase and the absence of body fat during the cutting phase. All of the "activity" in the world doesn't matter much if you aren't getting the RESULTS you are after.

14. By putting yourself on a structured "bulking" and "cutting" program, you will gain invaluable practical experience and knowledge for what it takes to train and eat to build muscle and lose body fat. The practical experience and experience that you learned about the bodybuilding process you'll will keep with you FOREVER. And, you'll be fortified with the power to make better decisions based real, practical experience and knowledge--rather than your own created theories as to what will and will not work or relying on the opinions of other people.

15. The chances of you not eating enough food to support your weight training and to stimulate muscle repair, recovery, and growth are far less likely when you are on a structured “bulking” program.

Drawbacks

1. The 20 pounds of mass that a person gains during their three-month "bulking" phase (for example) and the 15 pounds they lose during their three-month "cutting" phase equates to a net gain of five pounds over the combined six-month time period. Let's assume every ounce of those five pounds are rock-solid, high-quality muscle mass. If a person learned how to train and eat effectively, efficiently, consistently, and with the right mindset, the chances are great that they could have achieved that five-pound muscle gain within that six-month period of time without going to the extremes of "bulking" and then "cutting."

2. If a person continually "bulks" and "cuts" to make quality muscle gains, that person may never learn or experience what's needed to do make improvements with his everyday regular, daily habits and mindset. Experts consider the word DIET to be a bad "four letter word" because it is a somewhat extreme way to reach your physique goals done over a rather shorter period of time rather than a normal, daily series of regular lifestyle habits.

3. Many people have a very loose definition of the word "bulking." As long as these people are consuming "a lot" of calories and gaining weight on the scale, they consider themselves "bulking" successfully.

4. Many people who are "bulking" mistake sheer "size" with quality muscle mass. They are certainly not the same.

5. Many people who are "bulking" mistake the "extra weight on the scale" with quality muscle mass. They are certainly not the same.

6. Many people who are "bulking" have no idea how many calories they are eating every day, how much protein they eat and the percentage of protein in their diet, how many carbohydrates they eat and the percentage of carbohydrates in their diet, the difference between the different types of carbohydrates and what they do for their bodies, how much fat they eat and the percentage of fat in their diet, or have a predetermined number of meals scheduled to eaten a specific times. Instead, they just eat "a lot" of food.

7. Because many people who are "bulking" haven't figured out the specifics of the eating plan or follow through in a structured manner, they never learn what they do correctly or incorrectly during the process.

8. Many people who go on a "bulking" eating plan use the occasion to eat whatever they want and as much as they want. "This is okay to eat because I'm bulking!" is their excuse for their lack of planning and discipline.

9. Many people who select "bulking" and "cutting" training programs don't understand how weight training to build muscle or lose body fat really works. There is no training program that is specifically designed to "build muscle." Why? They ALL do! The ONLY purpose for weight training is to overload the targeted muscle with more weight and/or repetitions forcing that muscle group to adapt by building more muscle. (Training for performance sports might be one exception)

Whether you or not you are trying to lose body fat, you absolutely must train to build muscle. Your DIET (and cardiovascular training to some degree) is what's going to help you lose body fat. "Heavier" or "lighter" weight lifted during your workout is NOT going to make a significant difference in your body fat levels. "More" or "fewer" exercises and sets during your workout is NOT going to make a significant difference in your body fat levels. "More" or "fewer" repetitions performed during every set is NOT going to make a significant difference in your body fat levels. And, "more" or "less" time you spend resting in between sets is NOT going to make a significant difference in your body fat levels either. Again, your DIET (and cardiovascular training to some degree) is what's going to help you lose body fat.

10. When it's time to "cut", many people have no established set of markers with the specific detalis of their eating plan to start cutting from. They just go on a random diet cleaning up the junk food and making calorie reduction estimates.

11. Because many people who go on "cutting" diets don't know how to do so correctly, they end up losing too much of the hard-earned muscle they gained during the "bulking" process.

12. When you go on a "bulking" and "cutting" program, you are forced to either buy two sets of clothing--or wearing ill-fitting clothing during that entire time period.

Train Hard. Think Big.


Click here to order
Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition
right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[skiplacour]

Is what you are doing right now the highest and best use of your time? - Morning Connection Podcast #45 (44 minutes)

Take charge of your feelings, thoughts, and emotions instead of waiting for outside in influences to do it for you.

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour





Click here to order Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[henderjb]

Skip, Thank you for the morning podcast & encouraging us to dream & not just to dream, but to set those dreams as goals & turn them into reality.

I heard in the podcast this morning that you are attending the Olympia. I have a dream, a goal to step foot on the Olympia stage as a Physique competitor. My target date is 2016! This isn't just dream, but a goal that I believe I can make reality just like earning my IFBB pro card which was once a dream, a goal, that has since been accomplished.

I have begun visualizing my dream, just as you have advised us to do.


BB.com will be providing web coverage of the Olympia which is a great opportunity to help anyone who has the dream of competing on the Olympia stage, or any competitive stage visualize the dream.
http://streaming.bodybuilding.com/20...Nqg28.********

I will also be watching your thread (as always) for Olympia photos, etc to help visualize my future Olympia appearance.

Your morning podcast the other day regarding how we use other's accomplishments was also great advice. With so much social media out there, you can get a great look into the lives/experiences of others to help you step into their shoes & visualize your goals. For instance, I have been following the ******** pages of the Physique Olympia competitors & following along in their journey to the Olympia.

On a final note, after earning IFBB pro status, I felt a sense of wandering & unrest not having a long-term goal & not sure where to go. Once I set my sights on the Olympia stage as a future goal & began defining the steps to get there, I have a new sense of excitement, motivation, & determination to reach that goal which impacts the overall happiness of my life.

Thanks & enjoy the trip to the Olympia!

[skiplacour]

BRAND NEW PODCAST!

Podcast #63 - September 25, 2013

Your Message Board Questions Answered - Bulking and Cutting (Webbie93's Question Answered in More Detail)

Click Here to listen and/or download this week's podcast.

43 minutes

Send me your FEEDBACK about this episode at skip@massmachinenutrition.com




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[skiplacour]

How to actually follow through and execute all the information you are bombarded with - Morning Connection Podcast #46 (36 minutes)

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour





Click here to order Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[skiplacour]

Anticipating change - Morning Connection Podcast #47 (26 minutes)

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour





Click here to order Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[seanboyd6968]

OK Skip, I creatine is no stranger to me. It has been a part of my supplement regime for a long time. I was reading an article the other day about a different form of creatine called Creatinol O-Phosphate (COP). I did a little reading about it and have a couple concerns. I'd like to get your take on it.

First thing was that in order for our bodies to metabolize creatine monohydrate it has to be taken with a lot of sugar. Is this true?

Secondly, it seems that COP is becoming popular as the newest and best creatine form to take. From my research it appears that it is a synthetic form developed for treatment of cardiac conditions. What is your opinion of COP being used as a nutritional supplement for improving gains?

Thanks,
Sean

[skiplacour]

OK Skip, I creatine is no stranger to me. It has been a part of my supplement regime for a long time. I was reading an article the other day about a different form of creatine called Creatinol O-Phosphate (COP). I did a little reading about it and have a couple concerns. I'd like to get your take on it.

First thing was that in order for our bodies to metabolize creatine monohydrate it has to be taken with a lot of sugar. Is this true?

Secondly, it seems that COP is becoming popular as the newest and best creatine form to take. From my research it appears that it is a synthetic form developed for treatment of cardiac conditions. What is your opinion of COP being used as a nutritional supplement for improving gains?

Thanks,
Sean

Hi Sean.

Creatine Monohydrate has proven itself over and over again for the last 20 years. In an industry where supplements come and go all the time because the don't prove their worth, straight creatine monohydrate has stuck around. It's stuck around when all the others have come and gone for a real, tangible, concrete reason . . . be it WORKS. Its track record speaks for itself. If it could be used effectively by the body only when "a lot of sugar" was added, it wouldn't still be around.

Another thing about this supplement industry is when something works as effectively and sells as well as creatine monohydrate, companies want to take it to "the next level" with new patented and trademarked versions of it. If they are successful, that company stands to earn millions of dollars simply adding to an already successful product. Most of the marketing has been done for them for years.

There have been many patented and trademarked versions of creatine monohydrate that have come out over the years claiming to be a better version. Is this latest version going to live up to its promises where the others haven't? We will see by what the actual users have to say.

[skiplacour]

Life lessons from the Olympia Weekend (working “hard” and attracting people in your life) – Morning Connection Podcast #48 (43 minutes)

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour





Click here to order Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[skiplacour]

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[skiplacour]

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[branner]

Hi Skip, In your opinion what do you think is the biggest factor to consider if someone wanted to compete in natural bodybuilding?

[navbali]

Hi Skip
Do you recommend stacking multivitamin with pre workout or you will prefer them at different time while you are on cutting phase??

[skiplacour]

Find a way for EVERY skill, talent, and experience that you've accumulated to serve you today (both good and bad) - Morning Connection Podcast #49 (43 minutes)

I appreciate your comments below and your social media likes, shares, and retweets to spread the good word!

Have a great day.

Click here to listen to this podcast.

--Skip La Cour





Click here to order Skip La Cour's Mass Machine Nutrition right here on Bodybuilding.com today.

[trikunz]

Skip,
Often we hear about your impressive bodybuilding career, and what your doing now with your life and your company. But my question comes down to the foundation on which you started. As a young person starting out what inspired you to become the person you are and what continues to inspire you today.

[skiplacour]

Hi Skip, In your opinion what do you think is the biggest factor to consider if someone wanted to compete in natural bodybuilding?

Hi branner.

Not everyone who enters a contest has the same goal or standards for what they expect from their efforts. Some people want to win the whole darn show and work extremely hard to make that happen while others are just happy to compete. Because of this, you'll see many different levels of physical development on stage from the local shows all the way up to a national level shows. Sometimes the difference between first place and 10th place is gigantic--but each person might be happy with their showing depending on the goals and standards.

That being said, I believe the factors that will determine a person's success in a natural contest are:

1. What EXACTLY does a person want from their efforts? The person who know this form the day the start training has the best chance on reaching their goals.

2. How hard and how long are is that person willing to work to reach their goals?

3. How high are the standards that person has for themselves for training and dieting?

Are you the person who wants to compete in a natural bodybuilding contest someday?

The first question I would ask YOU is what is holding you back from just going for it? If I know that, I can address your concerns specifically.

The biggest challenge I've seen most people who contemplate entering a natural contest "someday" is that they are waiting until they "know enough" or are "big enough" before they even set a date to enter their first show.

You need to understand this right now:

You are never going to know enough--because that's an ongoing process and you can never know enough. You'll be waiting forever.

You are never going to be big enough--because that's an ongoing process and you can always be bigger. You'll be waiting forever.

You just need to set a date. That DEADLINE will force you to step up and learn everything you can--and execute 100% on all the strategies you already know. That DEADLINE will force you to do everything you can to get as big as you can as soon as you can--and execute 100% on all the strategies you already know to make that happen.

You have to have the COURAGE to set a date.

You have to have the FAITH that you will step up and give everything you can day in and day out to be the best you can be on that date you've set.

If you don't, you'll be waiting forever. I've seen this countless times over the years.

Great question.

Train Hard. Think Big.

[skiplacour]

Hi Skip
Do you recommend stacking multivitamin with pre workout or you will prefer them at different time while you are on cutting phase??

Hi navbali.

I recommend you take your multivitamin at a different time that your pre-workout all the time--whether you are bulking, cutting, or maintaining.

Train Hard. Think Big.

[CBRob]

Skip, I know you played basketball as a kid. You ever pull off a dunk?

[skiplacour]

Skip,
Often we hear about your impressive bodybuilding career, and what your doing now with your life and your company. But my question comes down to the foundation on which you started. As a young person starting out what inspired you to become the person you are and what continues to inspire you today.

That's an excellent question, trikunz.

And, it is a question I have been continually trying to figure out myself. LOL

As I look back, I now realize that there where many, many different factors throughout my entire life that created the "perfect storm" (so to speak) and created the champion competitive bodybuilder in the past and consistent, driven, and passionate coach I am today.

Ironically, most of them occurred long before I even started lifting weights.

I'll let you in a "little secret":

Most people who are extremely driven have had at least one or two events that have happened in their lives that caused them some level of emotional "pain" and trauma--and their "success" is simply their way of neutralizing that pain and angst they have inside.

The more I learn about myself and the deeper I dig, the more I realize how true this is in my situation as well.

I'm writing a book right now that I am CERTAIN many of us who are addicted to the bodybuilding and training lifestyle and the controlled emotional structure it provides can relate to. I believe that it will help thousands of people around the world. As you can probably tell, I am extremely passionate about this project.

And, I have to be honest. I paid an extremely high price in terms of the overall quality of my life to achieve my "success".

The book is titled "Confessions of a Recovering Bodybuilder" My PAIN Is Your GAIN".



All of those mental and emotional factors that led to my success in bodybuilding are pretty involved and I'll need to explain them in great detail for you to understand.

I would say that one of the more tangible factors is that I quit all the security I had in my "regular" job and had no other choice IN MY MIND but to step up and provide tremendous value to others on a large, global scale--or I would go broke. I "burned the boats" as the saying goes. With that kind of self-imposed pressure, I was FORCED to find a way to use all of my physical, mental, and emotional abilities and talents--and keep finding ways to take them to higher and higher levels--in order to provide value to others.

Great question, trikunz!

Train Hard. Think Big.

[skiplacour]

Skip, I know you played basketball as a kid. You ever pull off a dunk?

I never did in a game, CBRob.

You need to remember something though. Back when I was growing up, dunking was illegal in a game. They called it the "Lew Alcindor" (Kareen Abdul-Jabbar) rule because he would dominate and dunk all the time when he played at UCLA. High school followed college rules.

I was 5' 10" in high school--and nowadays, it is very, very common for a guy that tall to dunk.

It was NOT in my day.

So, I didn't growing dreaming about dunking in a game with the crowd going cray like kids do now. That mindset would have had me working toward it every day sine I was 9 years old. That's how powerful the brain is.

Train Hard. Think Big.

[skiplacour]

I'm not going to let you forget the goals you set for 2013. . . .



9-29-13

We begin Week #40 of 2013

Sound off MASS MACHINES!

What's one MAJOR thing you WILL accomplish this week that has been lingering--and you know you absolutely MUST get it done? It can be either inside or outside of the gym.

Commit to finally getting it done right here.

I will ask you this every single week in 2013 and do whatever I can to help you follow through. That's my commitment to YOU.


Click here and SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss out on over
24 years of experience and insight in emails, blogs, and videos.

[Amoney1986]

Hey skip my question for the contest is why is it important to follow the advice of one mentor over many or a few. At what point can you begin tweaking or using a blend of stratagies to achieve your desired results?

[skiplacour]

Hey skip my question for the contest is why is it important to follow the advice of one mentor over many or a few. At what point can you begin tweaking or using a blend of stratagies to achieve your desired results?

Hi Amoney1986.

Eventually, you may or may not have to tweak strategies.

For most people who aren't at the level they want to be, they have no real experience or insight to make intelligent decisions--only guesses based on their theories that aren't based on anything real.

A GOOD mentor or coach has gone through the same thought process and has already learned from the mistakes he has made in the past--and the ones those with less experience are about to make. As they say, there's no sense in "reinventing thew wheel". Why would you want to make the same mistakes over again when you don't have to?

It does take a person to put a lot of trust in their mentor.

You can learn--and actually experience--what you mentor is teaching you only if you follow what he outlines for you exactly how he outlines it.

All the strategies work together. If you take one mentor's dieting advice but not his last week advice, you don't have two good plans...you now have two plans that weren't meant to fit together oftentimes.

Train Hard. Think Big.

[henderjb]

I will begin email marketing of my new e-book, "Five Weeks to POSITIVE Results!"
This is not my favorite part of the process, but what's the use of having an e-book if you don't market it?!
http://www.joyhenderson.blogspot.com/

I'm not going to let you forget the goals you set for 2013. . . .

Sound off MASS MACHINES![/size][/b]

What's one MAJOR thing you WILL accomplish this week that has been lingering--and you know you absolutely MUST get it done? It can be either inside or outside of the gym.

Commit to finally getting it done right here.

[Shandwerker]

Skip-

Can you explain your range of motion on lunges, please?

My form is as follows:
1. I make sure that I step far enough out with my front foot (i.e. putting enough distance between my two feet) so that my forward knee never moves farther forward than my toes, to prevent stress on the knee.
2. I lower my back knee as deep as I can, without touching the floor; this enables me to stretch my front quadricep as fully as possible, while also stretching my hip flexor.
3. I keep my abs tight and my back straight with relaxed shoulders.

I ask because while I love lunges, i'm starting to feel some soreness in my knees, and I wonder if my range of motion is engendering that soreness.

Many thanks,
Scott

[branner]

Hi branner.

Not everyone who enters a contest has the same goal or standards for what they expect from their efforts. Some people want to win the whole darn show and work extremely hard to make that happen while others are just happy to compete. Because of this, you'll see many different levels of physical development on stage from the local shows all the way up to a national level shows. Sometimes the difference between first place and 10th place is gigantic--but each person might be happy with their showing depending on the goals and standards.

That being said, I believe the factors that will determine a person's success in a natural contest are:

1. What EXACTLY does a person want from their efforts? The person who know this form the day the start training has the best chance on reaching their goals.

2. How hard and how long are is that person willing to work to reach their goals?

3. How high are the standards that person has for themselves for training and dieting?

Are you the person who wants to compete in a natural bodybuilding contest someday?

The first question I would ask YOU is what is holding you back from just going for it? If I know that, I can address your concerns specifically.

The biggest challenge I've seen most people who contemplate entering a natural contest "someday" is that they are waiting until they "know enough" or are "big enough" before they even set a date to enter their first show.

You need to understand this right now:

You are never going to know enough--because that's an ongoing process and you can never know enough. You'll be waiting forever.

You are never going to be big enough--because that's an ongoing process and you can always be bigger. You'll be waiting forever.

You just need to set a date. That DEADLINE will force you to step up and learn everything you can--and execute 100% on all the strategies you already know. That DEADLINE will force you to do everything you can to get as big as you can as soon as you can--and execute 100% on all the strategies you already know to make that happen.

You have to have the COURAGE to set a date.

You have to have the FAITH that you will step up and give everything you can day in and day out to be the best you can be on that date you've set.

If you don't, you'll be waiting forever. I've seen this countless times over the years.

Great question.

Train Hard. Think Big.

Thanks for the quick reply Skip, I really appreciate it.

To answer your question, yes it was me I was referring to. Ive juggled the idea back and forth in my head for a few years and I'm 100% sure now its what I wanna do. I'm from Ireland and theres only 2 bodybuilding competitions that I know of in the country for the whole year. One is this weekend and the other 2 weeks later. Neither of these competitions are tested so theres a lot of unnatural athletes. This doesn't bother me at all because I would be doing this completely for myself. Having said that, I wouldn't compete unless I felt I deserved to be there.

The biggest reason holding me back is my fear of not getting lean enough. I know competing against unnatural athletes naturally that I probably wont be the biggest, but I'd like to be one of the most conditioned and use that to my advantage. The lowest I've got my body fat is around 10% and I know thats no where near good enough. This year is too late to compete over here, so I've set my sites for the Mr.Ireland next year on the 6th Oct. I'm currently 6 weeks into a 12 week cutting phase, to see if I can get into the single digit body fat levels. If I can then I know I can definitely do it again next year for a competition. Do you think this is a good strategy?

Thanks!

[skiplacour]

Thanks for the quick reply Skip, I really appreciate it.

To answer your question, yes it was me I was referring to. Ive juggled the idea back and forth in my head for a few years and I'm 100% sure now its what I wanna do. I'm from Ireland and theres only 2 bodybuilding competitions that I know of in the country for the whole year. One is this weekend and the other 2 weeks later. Neither of these competitions are tested so theres a lot of unnatural athletes. This doesn't bother me at all because I would be doing this completely for myself. Having said that, I wouldn't compete unless I felt I deserved to be there.

The biggest reason holding me back is my fear of not getting lean enough. I know competing against unnatural athletes naturally that I probably wont be the biggest, but I'd like to be one of the most conditioned and use that to my advantage. The lowest I've got my body fat is around 10% and I know thats no where near good enough. This year is too late to compete over here, so I've set my sites for the Mr.Ireland next year on the 6th Oct. I'm currently 6 weeks into a 12 week cutting phase, to see if I can get into the single digit body fat levels. If I can then I know I can definitely do it again next year for a competition. Do you think this is a good strategy?

Thanks!

Hi branner.

If you look around at the natural bodybuilding contests these days, getting shredded . . . really lean . . . is not all that uncommon. Many times, you'll see the top two or three competitors with striated glutes and outstanding conditioning.

I think the limiting belief that natural bodybuilders can't get shredded has pretty much been demolished (although that was the case when I was getting striated glutes almost 20 years ago).

The challenge is keeping as much muscle as possible while dieting and appearing full on stage.

Compensating for a lack of size with awesome conditioning is an awesome strategy for you. Hell, outstanding conditioning is a great strategy for EVERYONE because the more conditioned you are, the bigger illusion of size you create on stage.

I think there is a lot more to get lean for a contest then you might think right now. It's not necessarily simple--but it is certainly not all that complex. Get some help from someone who can explain the process in great detail and is someone you can relate to him. (Check out my ULTIMATE Contest Preparation audio course by clicking here).

There's also a contest prep blog that you can get the link to at the top of the page for some solid, free information.

Feel free to ask me any questions you might have along the way, branner.

Train Hard. Think Big.

[skiplacour]

Skip-

Can you explain your range of motion on lunges, please?

My form is as follows:
1. I make sure that I step far enough out with my front foot (i.e. putting enough distance between my two feet) so that my forward knee never moves farther forward than my toes, to prevent stress on the knee.
2. I lower my back knee as deep as I can, without touching the floor; this enables me to stretch my front quadricep as fully as possible, while also stretching my hip flexor.
3. I keep my abs tight and my back straight with relaxed shoulders.

I ask because while I love lunges, i'm starting to feel some soreness in my knees, and I wonder if my range of motion is engendering that soreness.

Many thanks,
Scott

It seems like you are doing everything right, Scott.

The only thing I can think of that might relieve the stress in your knees is focusing on that back leg more than anything else . . . dropping that knee . . . and really feeling the back hamstring working--rather that the front leg (and knee) stretching forward. It may seem like a little thing but it might make a huge difference.

Feel free to post a short video clip of you doing the exercise and I can be more helpful by actually watching you perform the lunges.

Train Hard. Think Big.