Summer Maintainence Blues

Nate · 07-08-2004, 02:52 PM

Hey all,

I decided to make this post in the nutrition forum, for whatever reason. I'm in a pretty big rut right now. I'm happy with my current conditioning but my training and diet are in a serious rut. I put on some muscle last winter during a mini-bulk, and in the spring i went on a cut. Now, I'm just trying to maintain, and it sucks. I don't want to go on a bulk just yet, as I want to be in shape for summer activities, but i've gotta say, maintaining is the shittiest of all the bodybuilding phases. I'm at a point now where I want summer to end so I can start eating more and give myself a goal to work toward. It's tough to do that during the summer. I'm trying to gain strength, but that isn't happening with my current diet. I've worked on form, I've worked on fine tuning; it just goes to waist when you don't eat enough to be anabolic.

Ahh well, can't wait for September. Sorry for the rant...Who's with me?

atherjen · 07-08-2004, 04:36 PM

I actually prefer maintaince. Its all about balance. I find myself more happy and less stressed during these times.
If your training is suffering, as you find, then a diet tweak could be in call.

aztecwolf · 07-08-2004, 08:55 PM

i fail to see how maintenance is the shittiest of all phases, i'm trying to buil up so i can get to a maintanence phase

JoeR. · 07-08-2004, 11:02 PM

Dude, I can see your point of view but Ive been cutting all summer. Try not eating out at all no sweets, its tough. I cant wait for maintence, so I can sneak in some serious goodies time to time without fretting!

Premo55 · 07-08-2004, 11:02 PM

Maintenance is a great phase. It means that you are satisfied with where you're at, something I'm far away from right now. Plus, you get to eat till satiated, as opposed to eating too much or too little for your tastes. The muscle comes on, too, slowly, but you do gain muscle in a maintenance phase. I wish I was in a maintenance phase.

Peace.

Nate · 07-09-2004, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atherjen

I actually prefer maintaince. Its all about balance. I find myself more happy and less stressed during these times.
If your training is suffering, as you find, then a diet tweak could be in call.

Interesting. I just find it so stale to be at this stage. I need a goal to stay motivated, and without a goal, maintenance becomes harder and harder for me. I guess I'm alone on this one. What type of diet tweak would you recommend? My diet is pretty rock solid right now. I eat 40/40/20 and I never have carbs in my last meal of the day.

**IainDaniel** · 07-09-2004, 07:51 AM

Why not consider short cycles of Bulks and Cuts maybe 2-4 weeks?

kvyd · 07-09-2004, 08:04 AM

^^^. Or why dont you go ahead with a slow bulk. Like slowly increase cals maybe too 200-250 over what you consider maintenance. And keep your carb sources slow burners. Odds are likely you wouldnt pick up much fat before school starts

Nate · 07-09-2004, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

Why not consider short cycles of Bulks and Cuts maybe 2-4 weeks?

I tried that back in May...It worked a little, I suppose, but I wasn't too happy with the results. I was going in circles. When I start my fall/winter bulk, I want to do it right.

Good advice, though. If anything, I'm going to add a few hyper - caloric days every once in a while and see if that can't spur some growth.

Premo55 · 07-09-2004, 01:31 PM

Personally I gain strength regardless of whether I'm on a cut, a bulk or maintenance, maybe I'm just weird. I guess you could give carb cycling a whirl, it's actually allowing me to gain strength/maintain LBM while on a cut, although the fat is coming off slower than usual

Peace.

LAM · 07-09-2004, 01:45 PM

increasing strength has a lot more to do with how you lift vs how many cals you eating. if not competitive PL's would constantly be moving up in weight classes, which they do not...

**Dale Mabry** · 07-09-2004, 01:49 PM

Periodization is important, you should have alternating periods of hard vs lax training. I say enjoy your summer, the days are about to get shorter and snow will be around, relax and just make sure not to completely stop training.

LAM · 07-09-2004, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Periodization is important, you should have alternating periods of hard vs lax training. I say enjoy your summer, the days are about to get shorter and snow will be around, relax and just make sure not to completely stop training.

unfortuanately most people have no idea about periodization...

I use the summer months as moderate to high-rep months (30-60 reps) to give my CNS a break from lifting heavy all year. I keep the cals moderate in the summer to stay lean before packing on some weight in the late fall.

**Dale Mabry** · 07-09-2004, 02:07 PM

I pretty much do the same, I also only go like 3 days a week rather than 4 or 5. I used to just go at it hard all year but learned quickly what this could do to my body.

Premo55 · 07-09-2004, 02:15 PM

LAM, does that mean 30-60 reps per workout?

Peace.

LAM · 07-09-2004, 02:16 PM

30-60 per set. I do a ton of drop sets

Premo55 · 07-09-2004, 02:18 PM

Wow. And how many sets do you do?
Sounds like a tough workout to me, haha, I thought it was supposed to be easier

Peace.

07-08-2004, 02:52 PM	#1
Nate Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: here Posts: 321	Summer Maintainence Blues BODYBUILDING SUPPLEMENTS High Quality Supplements For Bodybuilders and Athletes. www.ironmaglabs.com Hey all, I decided to make this post in the nutrition forum, for whatever reason. I'm in a pretty big rut right now. I'm happy with my current conditioning but my training and diet are in a serious rut. I put on some muscle last winter during a mini-bulk, and in the spring i went on a cut. Now, I'm just trying to maintain, and it sucks. I don't want to go on a bulk just yet, as I want to be in shape for summer activities, but i've gotta say, maintaining is the shittiest of all the bodybuilding phases. I'm at a point now where I want summer to end so I can start eating more and give myself a goal to work toward. It's tough to do that during the summer. I'm trying to gain strength, but that isn't happening with my current diet. I've worked on form, I've worked on fine tuning; it just goes to waist when you don't eat enough to be anabolic. Ahh well, can't wait for September. Sorry for the rant...Who's with me?
	www.projectnothing.com

07-08-2004, 04:36 PM	#2
atherjen DS Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: MS Posts: 5,757	I actually prefer maintaince. Its all about balance. I find myself more happy and less stressed during these times. If your training is suffering, as you find, then a diet tweak could be in call.
	" To dream anything you want to dream: That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do: That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits: that is the courage to succeed." NPC Southern Classic, June 3rd NPC Cajun Classic, June 10th NPC Mississippi State July 22nd

07-08-2004, 08:55 PM	#3
aztecwolf Sackin' up every day Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: san diego Posts: 1,267 Photos: 3	i fail to see how maintenance is the shittiest of all phases, i'm trying to buil up so i can get to a maintanence phase
	-Sack Up- "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?" Pink Floyd, Another Brick in the Wall

07-08-2004, 11:02 PM	#5
Premo55 Mic Murderer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 1,059	Maintenance is a great phase. It means that you are satisfied with where you're at, something I'm far away from right now. Plus, you get to eat till satiated, as opposed to eating too much or too little for your tastes. The muscle comes on, too, slowly, but you do gain muscle in a maintenance phase. I wish I was in a maintenance phase. Peace.
	T DOT O.

07-09-2004, 07:51 AM	#7
IainDaniel My Role Model Moderator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 15,027	Why not consider short cycles of Bulks and Cuts maybe 2-4 weeks?
	Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Michael Jordan

07-08-2004, 11:02 PM	#4
JoeR. Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: atl Posts: 455 Photos: 13	Dude, I can see your point of view but Ive been cutting all summer. Try not eating out at all no sweets, its tough. I cant wait for maintence, so I can sneak in some serious goodies time to time without fretting!

07-09-2004, 08:04 AM	#8
kvyd Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Nor MI Posts: 1,130	^^^. Or why dont you go ahead with a slow bulk. Like slowly increase cals maybe too 200-250 over what you consider maintenance. And keep your carb sources slow burners. Odds are likely you wouldnt pick up much fat before school starts
	Kevin "If you eat alot and workout hard and consistantly you will make good gains"

07-09-2004, 01:31 PM	#10
Premo55 Mic Murderer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 1,059	Personally I gain strength regardless of whether I'm on a cut, a bulk or maintenance, maybe I'm just weird. I guess you could give carb cycling a whirl, it's actually allowing me to gain strength/maintain LBM while on a cut, although the fat is coming off slower than usual Peace.
	T DOT O.

07-09-2004, 01:45 PM	#11
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	increasing strength has a lot more to do with how you lift vs how many cals you eating. if not competitive PL's would constantly be moving up in weight classes, which they do not...
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-09-2004, 01:49 PM	#12
Dale Mabry Moderator Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 13,734 Photos: 10	Periodization is important, you should have alternating periods of hard vs lax training. I say enjoy your summer, the days are about to get shorter and snow will be around, relax and just make sure not to completely stop training.
	If sense were common, everyone would have it. 4/2007-Current 75th Ranked most popular image 1 spot behind Prince's bulge...

07-09-2004, 02:07 PM	#14
Dale Mabry Moderator Moderator Join Date: May 2003 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 13,734 Photos: 10	I pretty much do the same, I also only go like 3 days a week rather than 4 or 5. I used to just go at it hard all year but learned quickly what this could do to my body.
	If sense were common, everyone would have it. 4/2007-Current 75th Ranked most popular image 1 spot behind Prince's bulge...

07-09-2004, 02:15 PM	#15
Premo55 Mic Murderer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 1,059	LAM, does that mean 30-60 reps per workout? Peace.
	T DOT O.

07-09-2004, 02:16 PM	#16
LAM Gym ratt/Part-time pimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 7,384 Photos: 2	30-60 per set. I do a ton of drop sets
	Dumbest statement made in the Anabolic Zone for Nov TBD ----------------------------------------------------- What you talking about Willis ?

07-09-2004, 02:18 PM	#17
Premo55 Mic Murderer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 1,059	Wow. And how many sets do you do? Sounds like a tough workout to me, haha, I thought it was supposed to be easier Peace.
	T DOT O.

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