Thread: First contest coming up need advice

Training is very important but with competition, diet is number 1!

Personally, I think you should cut back on the cardio. You are over 3 months away. You should not be doing cardio everyday this early. LIFT, LIFT, and LIFT.

BTW - if you actually calculate your calories correctly its 4610. Over a K of what you say you are....

Originally Posted by zac

hey guiys im new to bodybuilding but have been training for 5 years seriously, i have my first show in october and needed any advice on training, posing anything that would help me out im 21 years old weigh 222 contest weight is 198 i have 18%bf right now. The training im doin right now is pyramids 4 sets for my major multi joint lifts and tri sets for everything else im doin abs 2 times a wk and light cardio for 30 min every day. My diet is 3568 cal 182 fat 568 protein 175 CARBS lost 15 pounds so far been doin this for 4 wks im also not on anything at this time any advice from u guys would be appreciated thanks

Well you must have had A LOT of water weight to loose and eating like shit for the last few years because even at 237, I have your maintenance calories at under 3100. Now that your at 222, your maintenance would be around 2900 or so per day. I also think your macro's are way off, especially leading into a show. 182g fat and 568g protein every day? When are you going to drop the carbs? Have you ever competed before? Unless you have done it before, I'm not sure your going to get from 18%BF to 3%BF in 13-14 weeks without hurting yourself.

Also, you have a similar thread running in the Anabolic forum. No one is going to recommend any gear to you until your BF is below 13% and even then, there is no miracle shot or pill that is going to drop you from 13% to 3%.

Originally Posted by aja44

Well you must have had A LOT of water weight to loose and eating like shit for the last few years because even at 237, I have your maintenance calories at under 3100. Now that your at 222, your maintenance would be around 2900 or so per day. I also think your macro's are way off, especially leading into a show. 182g fat and 568g protein every day? When are you going to drop the carbs? Have you ever competed before? Unless you have done it before, I'm not sure your going to get from 18%BF to 3%BF in 13-14 weeks without hurting yourself.

Also, you have a similar thread running in the Anabolic forum. No one is going to recommend any gear to you until your BF is below 13% and even then, there is no miracle shot or pill that is going to drop you from 13% to 3%.

No offense, but have you ever competed? IMHO, your statement of dropping carbs when he has over 3 months to go is off. You do realize that he has over 3 months to go?

I agree with you about the gear. But posting on multiple sites to get help isn't a crime when you are looking for help

I'm really not trying to be mean but facts are facts and if he posting true info, then I think you may need to take a second look.

Originally Posted by Jodi

No offense, but have you ever competed? IMHO, your statement of dropping carbs when he has over 3 months to go is off. You do realize that he has over 3 months to go?

I agree with you about the gear. But posting on multiple sites to get help isn't a crime when you are looking for help

I'm really not trying to be mean but facts are facts and if he posting true info, then I think you may need to take a second look.

Please go back and re-read my comments. I questioned his macros on his FAT and PROTEIN. I then asked WHEN he was going to be dropping carbs.

Yes, competed years ago when I was younger and before kids. I began changing my carbs around (rice to sweet potatos and dropping carb intake in half) about 6 weeks out and then dropped most if not all carbs a few days before.

When you read his original post, he says "NOT ON ANYTHING AT THIS TIME". This to me indicates a clean bodybuilder and we would provide him with advice based on that. When he posting in the anabolic forum for what gear he can take he is going to get told info based on being "Assisted". Which could be anything from adding fat, protein and calories to more sets and compound exercises which could then hurt him down the road.

So what am I taking a second look at????

no i have never competed im going to do up days and down days for carbs wk six to wk 3 then see where im at when im 14 days out and yes i did have a post on the other forum about assis im not looking for a magic plan i was just interested in what others have ran for comp prep

Originally Posted by aja44

So what am I taking a second look at????

Your post! I just disagree with some of your comments. No harm, no foul! We all have our own opinions and ours differ.

The number one comment that caught my eye was: "when are you going to drop the carbs?" looking at that question, to me, would indicate that you are telling him he should drop the carbs now. It's all wording and perspective Got to be careful. JMHO

Originally Posted by Jodi

Your post! I just disagree with some of your comments. No harm, no foul! We all have our own opinions and ours differ.

The number one comment that caught my eye was: "when are you going to drop the carbs?" looking at that question, to me, would indicate that you are telling him he should drop the carbs now. It's all wording and perspective Got to be careful. JMHO

Thats the way I took it too. But yea I think the OP's macs are off a little

aja44, you don't know the OP's maintenance - only he can know that, by tracking.

That being said, his intake does appear to be too high for his goals. 3568 cal 182 fat 568 protein 175 CARBS - nothing wrong with dieting on high fat and protein, but with 180 lbs lean mass, at most his protein should be is 360 g, and at 2g/lb lbm even THAT'S high.

Also, his math is off:
182 grams of fat = 1638 calories
568 grams of protein = 2272 calories
175 grams of carb = 700 calories
total calories = 4610

And 222 lbs at 18% bodyfat puts the OP at 182 lbs of lean. He'll be 8% bodyfat at 198, and that's not lean enough to compete - he'll need to be below 5%, so the most he can weigh (assuming zero loss of lean mass, which is impossible without gear and difficult WITH gear) is 192 lbs. Realistically, show day will be below 190.

Originally Posted by Built

aja44, you don't know the OP's maintenance - only he can know that, by tracking.

That being said, his intake does appear to be too high for his goals. 3568 cal 182 fat 568 protein 175 CARBS - nothing wrong with dieting on high fat and protein, but with 180 lbs lean mass, at most his protein should be is 360 g, and at 2g/lb lbm even THAT'S high.

Also, his math is off:
182 grams of fat = 1638 calories
568 grams of protein = 2272 calories
175 grams of carb = 700 calories
total calories = 4610

And 222 lbs at 18% bodyfat puts the OP at 182 lbs of lean. He'll be 8% bodyfat at 198, and that's not lean enough to compete - he'll need to be below 5%, so the most he can weigh (assuming zero loss of lean mass, which is impossible without gear and difficult WITH gear) is 192 lbs. Realistically, show day will be below 190.

Hey Built,

That is not what I meant here. I would not know his Macros's without tracking, but ball park numbers for maintenance, cutting or bulking is what I was driving at.

From what I have been shown, and have read on this site, you can use the following as a guideline:

BW or LBM x 10-12 - Cutting Calories
BW or LBM x 13 - Maintenance Calories
BW or LBM x 14-16 -Bulking Calories

I have always used my BW x # to determine my total calories to strive for based on what I was doing. I would use my LBM to determine my Fat and Protein.

LBM x 1.5 - 2 = daily protein
LBM x .5 = daily fat

It is my understanding that the body can only use at max 60g of Protein per sitting. And based on his LBM, his protein intake should be around 360, so 568 is way out of wack. Same holds true for his fat intake. I'm not saying that taking in good fats is always bad, but I would think that 13-14 weeks out from a show would not be the time to take in 2x's the fat. Same thing would hold true for the added calories this close to a show. I would figure one to be out of the bulking caloric intake and running a few hundred below maintenance and adjusting weekly as both your BW and LBM change.

I absolutely do not want to debate this topic with you. You are YODA and I am just a PADAWAN when it comes to this. As I said earlier, I was not questioning his carb intake, just when he was going to be cutting them. When I competed I ran carbs (rice and potatos) until 4 weeks out and then starting cutting them down and changed over to sweet potato's and eventually a few days before the show I was eating pretty much none and sucking the water out.

Originally Posted by aja44

Hey Built,

That is not what I meant here. I would not know his Macros's without tracking, but ball park numbers for maintenance, cutting or bulking is what I was driving at.

From what I have been shown, and have read on this site, you can use the following as a guideline:

BW or LBM x 10-12 - Cutting Calories
BW or LBM x 13 - Maintenance Calories
BW or LBM x 14-16 -Bulking Calories

I have always used my BW x # to determine my total calories to strive for based on what I was doing. I would use my LBM to determine my Fat and Protein.

LBM x 1.5 - 2 = daily protein
LBM x .5 = daily fat

It is my understanding that the body can only use at max 60g of Protein per sitting. And based on his LBM, his protein intake should be around 360, so 568 is way out of wack. Same holds true for his fat intake. I'm not saying that taking in good fats is always bad, but I would think that 13-14 weeks out from a show would not be the time to take in 2x's the fat. Same thing would hold true for the added calories this close to a show. I would figure one to be out of the bulking caloric intake and running a few hundred below maintenance and adjusting weekly as both your BW and LBM change.

I absolutely do not want to debate this topic with you. You are YODA and I am just a PADAWAN when it comes to this. As I said earlier, I was not questioning his carb intake, just when he was going to be cutting them. When I competed I ran carbs (rice and potatos) until 4 weeks out and then starting cutting them down and changed over to sweet potato's and eventually a few days before the show I was eating pretty much none and sucking the water out.

Hmmmm, Now that is some research.

Originally Posted by aja44

Hey Built,

That is not what I meant here. I would not know his Macros's without tracking, but ball park numbers for maintenance, cutting or bulking is what I was driving at.

From what I have been shown, and have read on this site, you can use the following as a guideline:

BW or LBM x 10-12 - Cutting Calories
BW or LBM x 13 - Maintenance Calories
BW or LBM x 14-16 -Bulking Calories

I have always used my BW x # to determine my total calories to strive for based on what I was doing. I would use my LBM to determine my Fat and Protein.

LBM x 1.5 - 2 = daily protein
LBM x .5 = daily fat

No worries, we're on the same page. These are the same guidelines I look to.

Originally Posted by aja44

It is my understanding that the body can only use at max 60g of Protein per sitting.

I have no reason to suspect this is correct, but you may have information that suggests otherwise. Regardless, 60g of protein is a fairly substantial serving.

Originally Posted by aja44

And based on his LBM, his protein intake should be around 360, so 568 is way out of wack.

Agreed 100%

Originally Posted by aja44

Same holds true for his fat intake. I'm not saying that taking in good fats is always bad, but I would think that 13-14 weeks out from a show would not be the time to take in 2x's the fat.

Not necessarily - this really depends on his dieting protocol and his calories.

Originally Posted by aja44

Same thing would hold true for the added calories this close to a show.

Again, agreed 100%

Originally Posted by aja44

I would figure one to be out of the bulking caloric intake and running a few hundred below maintenance and adjusting weekly as both your BW and LBM change.

I absolutely do not want to debate this topic with you. You are YODA and I am just a PADAWAN when it comes to this.

Nonsense. I'm learning it too. I'm always learning.

Originally Posted by aja44

As I said earlier, I was not questioning his carb intake, just when he was going to be cutting them. When I competed I ran carbs (rice and potatos) until 4 weeks out and then starting cutting them down and changed over to sweet potato's and eventually a few days before the show I was eating pretty much none and sucking the water out.

There are a million ways to prep for contest. They all work for someone I suppose.

How did you look on contest-day? Did your peak-week work out the way it's supposed to? I'm always interested to see successful protocols.

got to get your bf% down. i had a shit diet my first contest, only city, and i won, but not the overall. i was holding water. i had good size and seperation but smooth. but thats listening to a powerlifter as to a bber.

Originally Posted by unclem

got to get your bf% down. i had a shit diet my first contest, only city, and i won, but not the overall. i was holding water. i had good size and seperation but smooth. but thats listening to a powerlifter as to a bber.

2nd that. diet is key. just make sure you take tons of water pills to release the water before you get on stage.