Off-season condition and growing lean

[Matt Porter]

Well,

Let me first say that right after a show is the EASIEST time to get very fat and watery, very watery and minimize fat, or gain lean, dry muscle steadily.....

Usually every Bodybuilder -- be it advanced or novice will have their 'fun in the sun' for a week, 2 weeks, a month post contest before getting on a religious , well-planned off-season protocol.

Less motivated people want to "live a little" and not worry about Bodybuilding post contest -- which is fine. But when you attack the off-season with precision right ou t the gates.......you will thank yourself after you go the other direction and "live a little."

The beauty and joy of working with a amateur competitor who did exceptionally well his first time out --- then has extreme motivation to follow a plan to the T -- post contest and avoid all the bullshit indulgences and rebounding effects that hinder health in regard to kidneys, BP, and electrolyte balance.

Here is my guy 7 weeks POST SHOW --- when most are fat, watery, or both ---nope, this guy just follows the damn plan to the T and its paying off.....

48 years young and more motivated than 25 year olds I work with....

[Evan Centopani]

I always felt that it was pretty difficult to get fat in the 2-3 months following a show. Maybe it's because of insulin sensitivity being so sharp? But then again, I never really go NUTS with crappy food. But I always found that I can get away with eating a greater quantity and eating things I normally wouldn't without getting fat if it was in the 8 or so weeks after a show.

[ultraflexed]

How much did he gain since the last contest

[B-Neva]

I always felt that it was pretty difficult to get fat in the 2-3 months following a show. Maybe it's because of insulin sensitivity being so sharp? But then again, I never really go NUTS with crappy food. But I always found that I can get away with eating a greater quantity and eating things I normally wouldn't without getting fat if it was in the 8 or so weeks after a show.

Wouldn't that be just because your body is so depleted? I know some guys when they are dieting they might be on lower carbs to get to a certain point, but once they reach X level of leanness they start upping their carbs while still losing weight (or at least maintaining) until showtime. I assume it's the same kind of thing post show, you're depleted from dieting for so long and introducing food (without going crazy), filling out and I'm sure your metabolism gets a boost from eating more food too.

[Matt Porter]

I always felt that it was pretty difficult to get fat in the 2-3 months following a show. Maybe it's because of insulin sensitivity being so sharp? But then again, I never really go NUTS with crappy food. But I always found that I can get away with eating a greater quantity and eating things I normally wouldn't without getting fat if it was in the 8 or so weeks after a show.

Evan,

I have seen everyone's 'grace period' or lenience of high calorie eating vary among individuals and of course as time goes on and the individuals body changes through time.

For the naturally leaner, and more active individuals -- they have much more room for 'error' per se post show as they never needed excessive cardio, extreme carb deprivation etc...they come off of a show in extremely lean condition and they are all of the things you could guess --- insulin sensitive to muscles first ---> then fat cells second. They can eat a combo of clean and junk for 3-4 weeks while being WATERY, but not 'fat' as their skin folds are still thin.

The less fortunate -- huskier guys who have built up (but shrunken) fat cells from prior years of faulty "bulking" schemes or simply from bad metabolic genetics will be VERY prone to hoard fat post show as a Priority....these guys need to be SPOT ON with clean food choices --- no junk binges like the leaner counter-parts.

Problem is --- the damn naturally husky guys go through HELL to get in shape and have very poor mental control and toughness post show and eat SHIT most of the time and within 2 weeks -- you see them and wonder if they competed a few weeks ago?


-Matt

[Matt Porter]

Wouldn't that be just because your body is so depleted? I know some guys when they are dieting they might be on lower carbs to get to a certain point, but once they reach X level of leanness they start upping their carbs while still losing weight (or at least maintaining) until showtime. I assume it's the same kind of thing post show, you're depleted from dieting for so long and introducing food (without going crazy), filling out and I'm sure your metabolism gets a boost from eating more food too.

Dont get me wrong --- you can eat TONS of food post show --- but 95% of the time most people wont JUST eat clean sources they dieted on. They will eat cheat meals nightly or a few times a day or what have you....

Yes you have been depleted -- but repletion HAPPENS FAST --- people get the extreme rebounds from water and sodium and diuretic manipulation --- not so much carb restriction...

You can replenish glycogen rather fast then its onto some muscle growth and then fat cells will start getting fed.......

-Matt

[Brutal Master]

MP, for lean bulking, what is the usual low dose drug protocol that is most efficient for steady gains, but low water n fat gains

[Matt Porter]

MP, for lean bulking, what is the usual low dose drug protocol that is most efficient for steady gains, but low water n fat gains

After a show -- you should either-

A) run an aggressive pct of Aromasin @ 25 mg/day
HCG in 3 bolus amounts of 1000iu
Sodium d-aspartate at 6g a day
Low dose cialis at 5-10 mg
7,8 benzoflavone as anti-depressant and GABAergic stimulation to the testes.

B) Cruise on low dose testosterone 200-300mg/week and G at 2 units.....

You can make great gains while cruising and also into PCT coming off a stringent contest diet --- however you will want to ease back into the dose and not go gung ho crazy just because you read "so and so" does it from an internet discussion board.

-Matt

[B-Neva]

MP, for lean bulking, what is the usual low dose drug protocol that is most efficient for steady gains, but low water n fat gains

I would say keep your test dose at 300 to 400mg year round now

[Matt Porter]

MP, for lean bulking, what is the usual low dose drug protocol that is most efficient for steady gains, but low water n fat gains

Just an FYI --- the gentleman above 7 weeks post show is only on his medically prescribed TRT (200/week) and I have sponsored him with AndroSeries products and he is currently just on TRT and Andro and staying lean and mean right now before we increase food intake slowly.....

-Matt

[Chode Logan]

I intend on using this method.


Matt I have a semi-related question for you....I am planning my first comp in the summer of 2013 sometime, but the tricky thing is the show I am really concerned with is in November, and I will just be doing a show beforehand to test the waters and practice, and learn my body. Do you fee I am best to do the 1st trial run show 16-20 weeks before, and treat the second one as a separate prep, or try to make it closer to the show and either hold condition. As of now I was thinking of having them split by about 8 weeks and catch a mini rebound and then have 4 weeks or so to sharpen back up, stay lean the whole way but give myself a 4 week period to grow a bit post-show.


I am a bit lost on which approach to take.

[eroc613]

Best I have ever looked in the offseason was keeping cardio ( but less amount) and upping the amounts of same exact foods (post contest). 6 months later I was in decent shape. Buying into the whole bulking up past a certain BF% is pretty dumb...Yes I've been dumb

[Matt Porter]

I intend on using this method.


Matt I have a semi-related question for you....I am planning my first comp in the summer of 2013 sometime, but the tricky thing is the show I am really concerned with is in November, and I will just be doing a show beforehand to test the waters and practice, and learn my body. Do you fee I am best to do the 1st trial run show 16-20 weeks before, and treat the second one as a separate prep, or try to make it closer to the show and either hold condition. As of now I was thinking of having them split by about 8 weeks and catch a mini rebound and then have 4 weeks or so to sharpen back up, stay lean the whole way but give myself a 4 week period to grow a bit post-show.


I am a bit lost on which approach to take.

I competed 5 times in 2009

July7th, July 14th -----> Sept 12th, Oct 10th ----->Nov 11th

I had around an 8 week gap from from July to September...

What I did ---

Did the silly "grow into the show idea" and raised carbs and did a double split routine etc,,,,, for 4-5 weeks , then brought myself into the show "fuller" and heavier.....also tried a new carb load method etc....

I was in shape, but should not have done that method to be honest --- next month for October got right back down to my basics and came in 100% and also for the November show.

This is why I coach people -- because I have competed SEVERAL times and have done the mistakes for you and learned from them.

My advice is to STAY THE COURSE and suck it up --- you can ALWAYS BEEN LEANER --- remember that , trust me.

-Matt

[Matt Porter]

Best I have ever looked in the offseason was keeping cardio ( but less amount) and upping the amounts of same exact foods (post contest). 6 months later I was in decent shape. Buying into the whole bulking up past a certain BF% is pretty dumb...Yes I've been dumb

Smart man.

-matt

[Chode Logan]

I competed 5 times in 2009

July7th, July 14th -----> Sept 12th, Oct 10th ----->Nov 11th

I had around an 8 week gap from from July to September...

What I did ---

Did the silly "grow into the show idea" and raised carbs and did a double split routine etc,,,,, for 4-5 weeks , then brought myself into the show "fuller" and heavier.....also tried a new carb load method etc....

I was in shape, but should not have done that method to be honest --- next month for October got right back down to my basics and came in 100% and also for the November show.

This is why I coach people -- because I have competed SEVERAL times and have done the mistakes for you and learned from them.

My advice is to STAY THE COURSE and suck it up --- you can ALWAYS BEEN LEANER --- remember that , trust me.

-Matt

Awesome advice man. So you think it's better to make them closer together and just rock it out? Only reason I thought about the longer gap was to maybe make any adjustments if I butcher my first run. I have confidence that won't happen though.


I appreciate it, if I could afford a prep coach I'd let you know!