...does anyone bulk up for contests rather than cutting?

I met someone who said they always stay rather 'cut', so when it's time for a bodybuilding contest, they are bulking, rather than cutting, and find it much easier to do...

Just wondering if anyone here as any experience with that way of doing things. Starting to toy with the idea of actually competing in the next year or so...

thank so much,

t

I'm no BB and i don't want to be one but this are my thoughts.

To bulk you have to gain muscle & FAT so its kind of counter productive if your going in front a bunch of people who are judging you on cuts, definition and mass. With your compeition being in very lowfat and carb depleted conditions.

Its also very hard to have strength gains on a calorie deflicit.

mastover could answer your question much better.

I have never met a competitive natural bodybuilder who has placed in their competition who doesn't cut for the show. They bulk off season, and cut in the weeks leading up to the show. That doesn't mean it never happens, but I've never witnessed it. It doesn't make sense ... much of the scoring depends on how lean you are. I've seen shows where people were massively muscular but lost to someone with only moderate muscle mass who achieved an ultra low body fat.

Jeremy

It depends on where you are at before the contest date. Some have already reached their desired bulk amount and just cut up until the day of the contest. Others may have realized that they need to gain size so they bulk up until 10 days before the contest and then go on an extreme cutting program to get that shredded look. It all depends on where you are several months before the contest. More often than not competitors try to get cut and clarity and they do this several days before the contest.

I'm sure more experienced people can tell you of their experiences.

It depends on where you are at before the contest date. Some have already reached their desired bulk amount and just cut up until the day of the contest. Others may have realized that they need to gain size so they bulk up until 10 days before the contest and then go on an extreme cutting program to get that shredded look. It all depends on where you are several months before the contest. More often than not competitors try to get cut and clarity and they do this several days before the contest.

I'm sure more experienced people can tell you of their experiences.


One thing I can tell you is it takes more than "several days" to cut.

One thing I can tell you is it takes more than "several days" to cut.

Depends on how you define "several". Just kidding DD how's the back dude? :confused:



















:D

This would be an excellent thread for mastover to pop into, for some more informed input. Though I some how think that he could probably eat an entire side of beef with gravy and all the fixins' and still never get above 4%. :lol:
http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/sheepholy.gif

This would be an excellent thread for mastover to pop into, for some more informed input. Though I some how think that he could probably eat an entire side of beef with gravy and all the fixins' and still never get above 4%. :lol:
http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/sheepholy.gif


I must be losin' my mind.:eek: I could've sworn Jeremy Likeness posted here.:confused:

Anyway, the back's good Canada. Thanx for asking.:tucool:

I must be losin' my mind.:eek: I could've sworn Jeremy Likeness posted here.:confused:

Anyway, the back's good Canada. Thanx for asking.:tucool:

Double post door cough knob :lol:

I certainty can have fun with your username, ahh dude:D

Doh! Nice to hear your back is good "dude" :)

...is anyone familiar with bulking before contests, rather than cutting? I was speaking with someone who competes, who says they try to stay relatively 'cut' in the off-season and then bulk prior to competition. They find this much easier than the traditional drastic cutting which goes on.

I've never competed, but thinking next year might be a good time for comp #1. Just wondering how I should approach it, with regards to the cutting and bulking...

~thanks~

Well since my esteemed buddy Kino called me out on this one, I guess I'll have to give my 2 sense.

By staying relatively "cut" offseason means the male competitor doesn't go 10-15 lbs. beyond his competition weight. If he reaches, for example, a bodyfat level of 10%, then he has no choice but to drop it into the 3-4% range to be competitive onstage. One in a while, a competitor will "peak" at 2 weeks out. In these rare instances, they can then increase their carb and calories somewhat leading into the show, but they still must be careful especially with water and sodium manipulation and dynamics.

Individuals who are on anabolic steroids have a completely different protocol, so any conventional tactic that is employed by the natural competitor, must be thrown out the window for them. Additionally, the judging criteria at non tested shows favors a different look. When I competed as a natural in the NPC, the larger competitor was always favored over the shredded guy.

The diet is the key. It is so important, that I usually cease all training at 8 days out from the show, and at that point on, allow the nutrition during peak week to bring the physique together. Also, the enhanced guy can get away with carbing up the final 3 days or so, whereas the natural would have to do a reverse carb load.

With all that said, I've never in my 20+ years of competing, seen anyone bulk going into a show. Intentionally going from 5% bodyfat to let's say 9% bodyfat for competitive purposes would be absolutely insane.

I'm no BB and i don't want to be one but this are my thoughts.

To bulk you have to gain muscle & FAT so its kind of counter productive if your going in front a bunch of people who are judging you on cuts, definition and mass. With your compeition being in very lowfat and carb depleted conditions.

Its also very hard to have strength gains on a calorie deflicit.

mastover could answer your question much better.

Well, carb-loaded. But yeah. Mastover covered it well in the other thread.

I have never met a competitive natural bodybuilder who has placed in their competition who doesn't cut for the show. They bulk off season, and cut in the weeks leading up to the show. That doesn't mean it never happens, but I've never witnessed it. It doesn't make sense ... much of the scoring depends on how lean you are. I've seen shows where people were massively muscular but lost to someone with only moderate muscle mass who achieved an ultra low body fat.

Jeremy


I KNEW he posted here. Double post huh Canada? I didn't catch that at first.:doh:

i'm not very interested in BBers but are you saying they are carb-loaded on the stage?

...does anyone bulk up for contests rather than cutting?

I met someone who said they always stay rather 'cut', so when it's time for a bodybuilding contest, they are bulking, rather than cutting, and find it much easier to do...

Just wondering if anyone here as any experience with that way of doing things. Starting to toy with the idea of actually competing in the next year or so...

thank so much,

t

It is impossible to maintain contest condition all year.

The translation for what the individual told you is either:

a) I'm an idiot and have never placed in a show.

or

b) I get on steroids prior to deciding to do a show so I actually get bigger and leaner as the show approaches.

I must be losin' my mind.:eek: I could've sworn Jeremy Likeness posted here.:confused:

Anyway, the back's good Canada. Thanx for asking.:tucool:

It's a cross-post thread. It's here and in Weight lifting forum.

bfl_redhead, Please don't post multiple threads on the same subject ("cross-posting"). I'm merging this thread with your other thread. Thank you.

thank you for all your input...

sorry about double posting...I didn't think the first one actually showed up, for some reason, so posted again...

obviously, I was just on the wrong thread...

thanks again...

t