My new attitude towards Nationals 2011

[Hammerfit]

http://hammerfitbody.blogspot.com/

[Hammerfit]

Thought I would share some comments made by my mentor, IFBB pro Mike Horn. I am sharing this with you only because how humbled this made feel. As soon as I think I got this shit figured out, I adapt and move on down the road in the only direction I know, Forward.

Response from Big Mike after I told him I was taking off until Nationals next year:

Did you see how big Branch Warren was? He didn't take a year off! Did you see how big Phil Heath is this year? He dieted to compete twice last year all the way down to compete and had injuries. No Mr. Olympia ever took a year off and most have consective wins. Don Hollis said if you want to grow you have to compete! Funny thing is when all the Pros diet down - no matter how big they got in off season they always come in at the same weight when they look their best or at least 10lbs within that weight. The only secret is You have to get all the body fat off! Before you come off! Or you will not make net muscle gains. You may think if you put on 50lbs. you will come in heavier. But its not about heavier - its about round full hard muscles and tight skin. When you diet down after 50lb gain you are lucky to come in 5 lbs heavier. Its better to focus on staying tight and fuller. Look at Branch he was tight as hell! wasn't ripped but skin was tight. Deep seperation between muscle groups. You have this - just focus on keeping muscles full! And forget about weight. If you do it right you may only gain 25lbs. watch the areas between the muscles. If you start seeing seperation going away then clean up more. Eat as much clean food as possible and bring in clean carbs like sweet potatoes & oats.

When you compete if your not ripped - for any reason - then size will never matter! You can not win without conditioning at any National level. Once you perfect that then worry about puttin on muscle.

As far as competing at Powershack - good move - you got in front of 3 national judges - and 2 of them that will make calls for you when you go to nationals. I don't mean cheating just letting others know there is a guy coming from P'Cola that is bad ass. Keep you from getting overlooked. Now if you do a show where no judges can help you at next level - then yes waste of time.

Think about the size you just put on in less than a week! You look better now than on stage Sat. You can not make those gains unless you diet your ass off first! In 3 months you will not look this good unless you eat clean!! I promise you! You make more gains in the 2 weeks following your competition diet than any other time in your life! Beleive that! If you don't get better from year to year its because you let yourself go in the off season! You gain fat - you have to get it off when you diet - you stay low body fat and full as hell - you make gains - if skin isn't tight - like it is now and will be for another week in a half - then you will lose muscle when you diet next time!!

Eat Clean but eat a lot of clean - steak steak steak! Veggies - Potatoes - whole eggs - oats - fish - all plain - all cooked from home!

Peace, Mike

[axioma]

Thought I would share some comments made by my mentor, IFBB pro Mike Horn. I am sharing this with you only because how humbled this made feel. As soon as I think I got this shit figured out, I adapt and move on down the road in the only direction I know, Forward.

Response from Big Mike after I told him I was taking off until Nationals next year:

Did you see how big Branch Warren was? He didn't take a year off! Did you see how big Phil Heath is this year? He dieted to compete twice last year all the way down to compete and had injuries. No Mr. Olympia ever took a year off and most have consective wins. Don Hollis said if you want to grow you have to compete! Funny thing is when all the Pros diet down - no matter how big they got in off season they always come in at the same weight when they look their best or at least 10lbs within that weight. The only secret is You have to get all the body fat off! Before you come off! Or you will not make net muscle gains. You may think if you put on 50lbs. you will come in heavier. But its not about heavier - its about round full hard muscles and tight skin. When you diet down after 50lb gain you are lucky to come in 5 lbs heavier. Its better to focus on staying tight and fuller. Look at Branch he was tight as hell! wasn't ripped but skin was tight. Deep seperation between muscle groups. You have this - just focus on keeping muscles full! And forget about weight. If you do it right you may only gain 25lbs. watch the areas between the muscles. This is key! Loose the seperation and you better start cleaning it up!If you start seeing seperation going away then clean up more. Eat as much clean food as possible and bring in clean carbs like sweet potatoes & oats.

When you compete if your not ripped - for any reason - then size will never matter! You can not win without conditioning at any National level. Once you perfect that then worry about puttin on muscle. Agree, the dieting down for competition primes you for the REBOUND growth, that sponge like absorption of nutrients and the strength to tear down some muscle for long term growth.

As far as competing at Powershack - good move - you got in front of 3 national judges - and 2 of them that will make calls for you when you go to nationals. I don't mean cheating just letting others know there is a guy coming from P'Cola that is bad ass. Keep you from getting overlooked. Now if you do a show where no judges can help you at next level - then yes waste of time.

Think about the size you just put on in less than a week! You look better now than on stage Sat. You can not make those gains unless you diet your ass off first! In 3 months you will not look this good unless you eat clean!! I promise you! You make more gains in the 2 weeks following your competition diet than any other time in your life! Beleive that! If you don't get better from year to year its because you let yourself go in the off season! You gain fat - you have to get it off when you diet - you stay low body fat and full as hell - you make gains - if skin isn't tight - like it is now and will be for another week in a half - then you will lose muscle when you diet next time!!

Eat Clean but eat a lot of clean - steak steak steak! Veggies - Potatoes - whole eggs - oats - fish - all plain - all cooked from home!

Peace, Mike

I agree with all of this...my main concern is more about financial obligations. Just too damn expensive to compete more than a couple times.

[Hammerfit]

I agree with all of this...my main concern is more about financial obligations. Just too damn expensive to compete more than a couple times.

I agree, Im going to do Southeastern USA in Orlando, Sept 18, level 5 show, I just checked priceline, rooms are cheap! I guess its a good time of year for Disney

Positives: NPC paid, plenty of jan tana left, and it's my wife's birthday! She might not be too excited about that one!

[THEVMAN]

I agree with it as well - I competed at 176lbs at 4.8%, in the two days drive back to GA after the national I ate pizza, pancakes, protein bars, you name it. Weight when I got home 190 at 6% - so now I am getting ready for an NGA show and in two weeks back down - and with a new goal - striated glutes. There is no crying in baseball, and no off season in bodybuilding. After this show I will go off season - I used to go to 11-16% bf, and the diet down with no gains - now I am going to hold in the 6-8% range at most. Great Post Hammerfit - which I had not learned the hard way - but I agree with all you said

[esplendido]

That all sounds good...but take into consideration that nearly all the pros blew way up in the off-season on their way to the top. Once there, and at their genetic max, no need for the massive bulking because they can't add more muscle or should not, which explains the consistent weight from comp to comp. In addition, being a pro means having a fulltime bbing job, and the necessity to compete each year (as demanded by sponsors, too)

There is no real animal called a "lean bulk". There is lean weight gain, but contest weight in the end remains the same. You have to lift "heavy ass weight" to put on muscle, and you need some real bulk/mass to handle that weight. This might be unrealistic for most masters competitors. Our skin is not as pliable as it used to be and getting large in the off season can create some sagging skin issues. But younger guys have to blow up to gain real mass on their way to the top!

[Hammerfit]

That all sounds good...but take into consideration that nearly all the pros blew way up in the off-season on their way to the top. Once there, and at their genetic max, no need for the massive bulking because they can't add more muscle or should not, which explains the consistent weight from comp to comp. In addition, being a pro means having a fulltime bbing job, and the necessity to compete each year (as demanded by sponsors, too)

There is no real animal called a "lean bulk". There is lean weight gain, but contest weight in the end remains the same. You have to lift "heavy ass weight" to put on muscle, and you need some real bulk/mass to handle that weight. This might be unrealistic for most masters competitors. Our skin is not as pliable as it used to be and getting large in the off season can create some sagging skin issues. But younger guys have to blow up to gain real mass on their way to the top!

True dat...when you get over 45 you have to worry about keeping the skin tight. The biggest I have been in the last 2 years was 245 at around 12%. This past year I have not gone over 225. My next show is in 6 weeks. I'm not going to worry about getting extreme lean rather staying full and tight and then dry out at the end.

[THEVMAN]

well I would have to disagree with you (respectfully) for the Naturals - bulk just means having to lose it - SLOWLY. Or you lose the muscle with the fat. I saw Ed Nunn win his procard after a 24 lb loss in 20 weeks. Trey Brewer up to 330 each off season, and down to 260, then 245, then 235. So maybe the enhanced athletes can pull it off, but within limits. True the old guys cant - hence even little old me will stay under 8% off season - and still go heavy - but the question is really How much fat do you need to carry to grow more muscle at of course the fastest rate possible, and still lose the fat without taking all the muscle with it. It seems rather complex - and may be a matter of how enhanced you are. Nothing against enhanced, just thinking this is more of a diet question that a recovery one.