Competing: Body Building, Phyique and Fitness...

Considering competing...? Or maybe you're a competitor and require resources, tips and advice...

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Making The Choice To Start Competing!

By: Shane Giese

Have you thought about competing? Do you want to spend 12 grueling weeks working your ass off while taking in fewer calories than you burn? Would you not miss a workout or a meal for the 12 weeks prior to the contest? If you answered yes to these questions, competing is right for you!

Choosing An Organization

Once you make the choice to start competing, you then have to determine which organization(s) you are going to be a part of. Most organizations have you purchase a membership card, which usually lasts a year. Once you pay for this card, you are able to enter any of the contests that the organization is having throughout the year.

Keep in mind that these are amateur organizations and there are no cash prizes. In order to start receiving money for placing in competitions, you have to turn pro and enter the pro contests. You do so by winning a pro-qualifier or placing in the top three at a super qualifier.

When choosing which organization you want to be a part of, you should first look at what substances they allow. There are two kinds of organizations, tested and non-tested. An example of a non-tested organization would be the IFBB. This organization allows all substances because they don't test their athletes.

The tested organizations can further be broken down into two categories: those that allow prohormones and all other products that are legal, and those who don't allow any hormones altogether. An example of each would be MuscleMania and the INBF. MuscleMania allows prohormones and related products, while the INBF doesn't allow them.

In order to find out which organization is right for you, you must think about the substances you take or have taken. If you have taken prohormones or related substances, you will most likely not be able to enter into organizations that don't allow them.

The only way you would be able to do this is if the product wasn't banned by the organization at the time that you took it or if you hadn't taken the substance in 5-7 years (depending on the organization). If you have taken anabolic steroids within the last 5-7 years, your only choice would be to enter the non-tested shows.

Sometimes, people who do not use illegal substances enter into non-tested shows for more competition. If you do this and have hopes of turning pro, the chances of it happening may vary (depending on the organization), but for the most part, it is highly unlikely. I have competed in a tested bodybuilding competition and in a non-tested competition. The difference in physiques is mind blowing. The change in the athletes is like comparing Rome to the Dark Ages.

Picking A Contest

Once you have chosen your organization that you want to be a part of, you then have to choose a competition to enter. This will most likely revolve around your yearly schedule. Preparing 6-8 meals a day, weight training, cardio, and all the other activities that you have to do in order to prepare for the competition will be very time consuming.

You will want to choose a contest during a time period in which you have the most free time. If you haven't researched pre-contest dieting at this time, it would be a good time to start. Learning all the tricks and tools of the trade take many hours of research to understand. Not all articles and opinions are accurate concerning pre-contest diet.

Looking at more than one source and keeping track of what remains constant is one of the best ways to find the best and most popular methods for your quest to get a trophy at the upcoming contest. The hardest part about this is determining which strategy to follow. There are numerous types of diets, cardio, instant tan products, water shedding strategies, etc.

My advice would be to ask people you could trust and pick the methods that you think would personally work best for yourself. Also, you will need to find out what things will be mandatory to have the day of the contest. Posing trunks are essential! At my first contest, someone just rolled up their shorts instead of wearing posing trunks.

Let's just say that he was 16 years old and got beat by a 14 year old! Also, a thick tan is essential for on stage. The lights shining down on you make yourself appear much more pale than you really are. Some great tanning products include: Pro Tan, Jan Tana, and Dream Tan.

Now that you have made the decision to start competing, the hard part will be to follow the steps necessary to make yourself ready to get on stage. I would recommend reading motivation articles, renting movies such as Pumping Iron or Rocky, and getting family and friends to help you and make sure you are following your diet, etc.

The most important motivation must come from within. You must welcome the changes in your body, diet, and mind. Enjoy each progressing stage that you enter as you get nearer and nearer to your competition. Never feel sorry for yourself. If you are suffering, your opposition might be suffering twice as much. Think of it as a game. The harder you make the game, the more rewarding the finish will be.

Remember that competitive bodybuilding is not for everyone. Not everyone has the will power to do what you are doing. Prove to yourself that you can do it! Prove that you can compete in competitive bodybuilding!

Courtesy Bodybuilding.com

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Click the pictures above to view each of the IFBB videos.

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Should I Get On The Fitness Stage?
(excerpt from article)

By: Brenda Kelly

Question:
I have always wanted to get on stage to compete and now with the new NPC Figure category, I'd like to enter one of the competitions but the girls look a lot more muscular than me. Everyone tells me I should compete. Is this still a good idea? What if I don't want to get too muscular? Should I even bother?

Answer:
Yes! If you want to compete, you should! I encourage participation in competition when the desire is there. Here is some help to getting your thoughts clear.

For the practical part of the journey into a competitive look, you are going to need some help from experienced professionals. I asked questions and made decisions to bring these people into my team: choreographer (for Fitness routines), posing coach, trainer, gymnastics coach, nutritionist, costume designer and hair/make up experts. It does take a team to build a champion.

The mental part of your journey can make or break you. Pay attention. It is of great self-benefit to sit with yourself and decide on what your competition goals are. The answers to these questions become the foundation you build on for success. Avoid these common oversights I have seen or experienced in all levels of competition and use these tips to create your dream experience of a lifetime.

1. Create self-goals in both the mental as well as physical.

Physical goals are more visible so they are easier to keep track of. The tricky goals are the mental ones. Being able to control your state of mind is key to any consistent success. This is much easier said than done in the face of extreme physical challenge. There are athletes that can make dreams come true with a positive attitude. You recognize the ones that have this quality right away after you have met or seen them in action. There is an energy of light around them.

They are selfless in their devotion to remaining in this state of mind. Some people are perhaps born with this naturally. I only know, I had to focus to work mine into the shape I was happy with. I also know I continue to work and build this to my own standards each and every day. There were many lessons learned in my years of competition and now here in Hollywood, I am using these same tools for what I want to portray as an actor, model and producer. Remember, the one thing you get to control is the way you react and act in every situation. Accept the facts as they are, not as you want them or think they should be. "Grace under pressure" is surely a goal worth attaining.

2. Go into training with solid goals.

Vague goals like: "win at all costs" will not help much. We have experienced goals in ourselves or others coated in a layer of something else more positively acceptable as in "I want to motivate others" or "This is just for my own best of self," if these statements are not true desires, trying to manifest them will be a difficult time. I know good people who murmur these statements who claim to want self-gain for the good of others. What does this really mean to you? Can you identify it? You will need to dig deeper and pinpoint just what this means to you. This is not to say this positive thought process is lacking. It is just misdirected or not followed through.

3. Find out where winning falls on your personal list and why.

After all, this is competition. What if the fact you must win IS one of your true desires? This is a perfect time for you to look into why and what that represents. You may find out something about yourself you were not consciously aware of. Trust yourself. It's worth knowing everything you can about the mental "knee jerk" reactions your brain automatically sends out. It is possible to work on channeling your thoughts and reactions in a more helpful way to yourself if you know what you are dealing with fundamentally. Remember, we all arrange our houses differently so put winning where you want it in your own house of order and know the reasons why.

4. There is nothing wrong with getting better.

You will learn along the way. Even if you win. Even if you don't win. You will learn and you will be better next time. Nobody starts where they will end up. For some reason, we slip into expecting this of ourselves. I hear potential athletes and competitors tell me they want to wait until they are ready. Ready or perfect? When are you perfect? How will you learn? There is no getting over your first time. You cannot skip or go around this part. Repeat to yourself over and over: there is nothing wrong with getting better. So start already.

5. You are right to question anything new you will add to your world.

This will affect you and the way you represent and present yourself to the outer world. Pick the top ten things you wish to accomplish. Write them down on a piece of paper. Remember to choose from both the mental as well as the physical. They may or may not have anything to do with each other but it is important to isolate them in your own mind so you can meet challenges with insight and mental preparation. Go through them one by one and ask yourself why you want that particular goal. Meaning, what will reaching that goal bring into your life in a positive way?

You could just wing it and deal with the challenges as they present themselves. If this is your way, how is that working out for you? Are you able to get yourself motivated? Are you happy with your results or do you wish you had a more polished program? Why not be prepared? Try it.

6. Write down the answers to these questions and date it.

Goals have a funny way of changing along the way if not only in order of importance. For your information: this is not only normal it is a good thing!

7. Follow your hearts desire.

This is the path to your future. It starts in your mind and enters into your world. It is very difficult and sometimes impossible to do this in reverse order by starting outside, finding something and forcing it into our minds if our minds are not prepared. So you see, we really must follow our hearts desires for attaining our dreams and goals.

Take care of yourself. It's worth it.

Courtesy Bodybuilding.com

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Excellence In Execution: Perfecting The Pose.

By: David Robson

In bodybuilding competition, posing ability can often be the difference between winning or losing a closely fought battle. Nothing looks worse than someone with a great physique with an inability to show it to full advantage due to inferior posing skills.

Many a bodybuilder has lost because they had not been able to show their muscles effectively. Judges can only judge what they can see and if one, due to deficiencies in posing, is hiding certain aspects of a particular muscle group, or worse, distorting their previously flawless physique into something grotesque, they may be overlooked in favor of one who is able to convey a winning physique, and attitude.

Posing is not something that should just be practiced in the remaining weeks leading up to a show. Indeed, it has a year-round application. In addition to enhancing ones ability to impress the judges, posing between sets has been shown to be an effective way to speed muscle growth.

Hard posing following fascial stretching (stretching the protective sheath that envelopes the muscle to allow more room for the muscle to grow) will accentuate muscle hardness and separation. This can be done during a workout, between sets, and will provide further opportunity to perfect posing presentation.

The Mandatory Poses

In bodybuilding, there are eight mandatory poses:

1. Quarter Turns
2. Front Double Biceps
3. Rear Double Biceps
4. Front Lat Spread
5. Rear Lat Spread
6. Side Triceps
7. Side Chest
8. Front Abdominal & Thigh

A pose which is either optional or mandatory depending or the federation one belongs to is the most muscular. During any bodybuilding show, in the pre-judging portion, the bodybuilder will be called upon to complete the mandatory poses, often several times he or she is called back out and compared with their fellow competitors.

It is at this stage the judges will get their initial glimpse. Following the mandatories is the free posing pound where all seven compulsory poses can be incorporated into a choreographed 60-second routine. Once again, points are given here for excellence in posing ability. To excel in bodybuilding, posing should be given full attention.

One of the best ways to perfect the mandatories is to regularly practice them correctly. Another way is to watch pro-bodybuilders in action. As their career depends on perfect posing, pro-bodybuilders will display their physiques flawlessly and one should try to emulate their example. A description of the mandatories follows:

1: Quarter Turns

The quarter turns are the first series of poses a competitor will be asked to complete. They provide a good indication of overall muscle symmetry.

To begin the quarter turns, stand in a semi relaxed position. Arms should hang to the sides, with weight distributed evenly. Widen the shoulders, flare the lats and flex the thighs and abs to enhance muscularity.

The quarter turn to the right to show the left side of body comes next. As with the front semi relaxed pose, one should stand straight with feet flat on the ground. Face ahead and tense shoulders, thighs and abs slightly. Technically, when standing to the side one should not twist their body around to emphasize any aspect of the upper physique. This, however, is done quite often.

Another quarter turn to the right to display the rear musculature of the upper and lower body. Again, stand straight and widen shoulders. It is also a good idea at this point to flex the calves for maximum effect.

As with the previous quarter turns, the competitor should, when quarter turning for a third time, stand straight and look ahead this time to expose the right side of the body. Finally, quarter turn to the right and stand in the semi relaxed front pose.

2: Front Double Biceps

In order to convey biceps size and lat width, it is important that the competitor lift their elbows higher than their shoulders with this pose. The key thing to remember is to keep the shoulders down and elbows up so that lat development can be emphasised.

It is also important to pull the arms back slightly to highlight the delineation between the biceps and triceps. Bend the legs, at the knees, slightly to accentuate the quads. Remember to keep everything flexed. The best practitioners of this pose are Dexter Jackson and Lee Priest.

3: Rear Double Biceps

With this pose try to keep the back leg, which extends behind, angled out so as to convey the illusion of great width in the lower body. Flex the calves and hamstrings for full effect. As with the front double biceps, keep the elbows higher than the shoulders and spread the lats.

Do not push the backside out, keep it tucked in and tightened. Also tighten the lower back to highlight the erector muscles. With both the front and back double biceps, keep the thumbs tucked in as this looks more professional.

4: Front Lat Spread

Keep heels together with toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle. This positioning accentuates the outer thigh sweep.

Place hands on waist to decrease its width and flare out the lats to make them visible from the front. Keep the shoulders flexed and up.

5: Rear Lat Spread

Legs should be positioned as in the rear double bicep pose. Push waist in with hands and flare lats out (this pose should also show the shoulder to hip body taper).

Place hands to the front of body while keeping shoulders up and straight. Never hunch over as this can obviate much of the upper lat musculature.

6: Side Triceps

Stand to the side and press the front thigh and calve hard against the rear leg. Keep abs tight and pulled in.

Keep arm to be displayed straight and grasp the wrist of this hand with the opposite hand - to hold it in place. Press arm against torso to create an illusion of thickness. Jay Cutler performs this pose magnificently.

7: Side Chest

Position legs as you would with the side triceps pose. Take a deep breath and lift chest up and out. Grasp arm to be displayed with opposite hand. Bend arm to flex bicep.

Avoid lifting the rear shoulder up as this will reduce chest thickness. Instead, keep this shoulder down and bring arm across slightly to highlight the striations in the opposite pectoral.

A picture of Arnold demonstrating this pose shows exactly how elevated the chest needs to be to create an impression.

8: Front Abdominal & Thigh

With this pose, try to emphasize lat width and, of course, ab and thigh development. Begin by placing one leg out and flexing the thigh and calve. Place hands behind neck and bring shoulders down.

Flare lats while keeping elbows up and back. Vacuum the abs in and crunch down on the frontal rib cage, abdominal wall, intercostals, serratus anterior, and obliques while exhaling.

9: Most Muscular (Optional Or Compulsory)

As the name suggests, the most muscular pose should display maximum amounts of muscle to overwhelm the judges. All frontal muscles will be displayed as the competitor crunches each hand together, while contracting the chest, biceps and shoulders. Thighs and calves should also be flexed.

There are many variations on this standard most muscular: stand with palms on hips and push down, place one palm on hips and the other in front of the body or place both hands behind the back and pull arms forward.

The Free-Posing Round

The fr3e-posing round includes a posing display designed by the competitor to music of their choice. The idea with free-posing is to choose music and emphasize poses that will complement ones physique and natural stage presence. If one is known for overall massive muscle development, "power poses" like the most muscular might be emphasized.

Music could range from the loud thrashing strains of ACDC to upbeat techno. Smaller competitors, who perhaps are blessed with greater symmetry, could use softer music; classical or easy listening for example. A free-posing routine should include all of the compulsories, or variations of, and incorporate many optional poses such as the intercostal twitch crunch, hamstring flex or the javelin-thrower (one of Arnold's favorites).

Also, it is important to try to develop something unique that will capture the judges' eye. Many bodybuilders are known by certain signature poses: Samir Bannout with his arms and hands outstretched springs to mind. With free-posing it is also wise to perfect the transitions between each pose as a deficiency in this area will give the appearance of a sloppy routine.

Transitions are essentially all movements between any given pose and will need to be factored into the pre-judging compulsories also. Analyse the posing routines of Shawn Ray or Lee Labrada for examples of perfect transitions.

Posing For Muscle Growth & Self Assesment

Posing between sets can have a profound effect on muscle hardness and detail. In fact, entire workouts can be based around the concept of ISO-tension, where the muscle is tensed and held for a count of ten. Flexing works in much the same way, but for bodybuilding purposes the emphasis should be pose perfecting and muscle chiselling as a pre-contest strategy.

Posing in the gym also helps to one pre-asses their physique to observe any weak points, which can be addressed before stepping on stage. The great Arnold said it best:

"You can't practice posing too much. I always believed in flexing and posing whatever body parts I was training during any workout in the gym. If I trained arms, I would stop between sets and do some arm shots, studying myself in the mirror. Training legs or anything else, I would always take time to pose."
Posing this way is not vanity. It has two specific advantages. On the one hand, this constant flexing in its self is a good form of training, helping to make the muscles hard and well defined. On the other, it constantly shows you exactly how much development you have achieved or failed to achieve.

As great as your physique may appear at rest, it will primarily be judged as seen in poses. Therefore, what it looks like when you pose is the ultimate measure of your success.

That is why I always assessed my physique by seeing what I looked like posing. Did I need more cuts in the upper back? Was I getting the right tie-in between pecks and delts? There is no way to tell without examining the body in each of these important poses, and that's why I felt I could never pose enough".

Conclusion

To present oneself onstage in the best possible light, it is not only important to have a well conditioned physique. One must also present this physique to the best of their ability. Perfecting the various mandatory poses as well as the optional ones will highlight hard-won musculature and add an element of class to anyone's contest showing.

Posing in the gym will also enhance ones competitive chances. In addition to improving the ability to perform each pose, between sets posing will help to harden and chisel the muscles. Weak-point observation can also be done by posing constantly. Remember, the best physique in the show may fail to win if posing is substandard.

References:
Schwarzenegger, A.(1999).The New Encyclopaedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Fireside, NY.

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Figure Prep 101: Planning An Effective
Off-Season!

By: Alissa Carpio

Many competitors are gung-ho when it comes to pre-contest preparation, but enter the off-season, and some slack on training, nutrition, or just fail to map out a plan until it's time to diet down for that next show. I know what you might be thinking, because I used to think this myself.

"It's my off-season, so I don't want to think about food and training.
This is my time to be 'normal' again."
It seems like a logical reason to become lax in your training and a little more lenient in your nutrition, but in reality, all this does is wastes precious time. You have the greatest chance of making your best progress in your off-season, before it's time to get ready for the next show.

In this article, I will cover the importance of a fine-tuned off-season program. I will teach you how to customize your program to your goals, lifestyle, and how to get the most out of your hard work. If you're serious about moving to the next level, you need to act serious 100% of the time, not just for those 12 weeks out of the year leading up to the show.

Step 1
Getting Judges' Feedback

The first step in a productive off-season starts before your show day ends. Yes, it begins with getting tangible feedback from the judges. You probably won't want to stick around. Everyone is dead tired on show day, and you have to wait till all the awards are given out just to spend 5 minutes talking to a judge. Well, it's most definitely worth it.

There have been times when I stayed for feedback, and times when I left with none, and I have to say that all the feedback I've ever received has helped me to grow and develop into a better competitor every single time I step onstage.

Talk to 2-3 judges at the end of the show about what you can improve upon. Ask as many questions as you need to get a good understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. Be polite, thank the judge for his/her time, and move on.

Don't get offended by what they tell you. You are, after all, coming to them and asking them for criticism. This is what you want. This will help you become stronger and more competitive the next time you step on stage.

Step 2
Get In The Right Mindset

Most female competitors I know have the same problem when they enter the off-season. They freak out about every pound of fat they regain! While it's important to remain relatively lean in the off-season, it's not good physically or mentally to remain at low body fat levels for continuous periods of time. In addition, your mindset needs to change from losing fat to putting on lean muscle and improving your weak body parts.

You cannot do this effectively if you are adding in a ton of extra cardio so you don't "blow up," or you are restraining your calories so you don't gain that 1 extra pound! In the same sense, you don't want to let yourself go completely and gain 25 lbs., do no cardio, and have cheat meals every day.

Change your mentality so you are focused on lean muscle gain, and maintaining your body fat about 15 lbs. over contest weight. If your weight creeps up, let it. Everyone has a set point of body fat that their body will fight to get to. Remember that your goal and number one priority here is to make lean muscle gains. Eat clean, train hard, but forget about the fat loss!

Step 3
Formulate A Training Program

This should begin a day or two after your competition. There are many things to consider before you start listing training splits and exercises. Think about how much time you can realistically devote to training. Consider the judges' feedback and devise a split that will address your weak points, while still allowing adequate rest for recovery and growth.

Know how long you have until it's time to begin dieting again for your next competition. Get your hands on all the research material you can in regards to training and nutrition. This step is very important, even if you are working with a trainer. Educating yourself is the only way you can grow as a competitor and get to know your body.

Blindly following a plan set out by a trainer might get you the physique you want, but you still won't know any more than you did before you began competing. Question, research, educate. This is a big step in setting you apart from the competition.

Setting Goals

Once you've done the above, make a timeline and set mini-goals for yourself. Planning out your strategy a year in advance is a great idea, and not unheard of.
If you have a 6 month off-season, you can divide your training into 6-8 week periods. Review and assess at the end of each period, and make any necessary changes.

For instance, my recent off-season was focused on improving my back thickness and width. I prioritized back by training it on day one, added in new and more effective exercises, changed my rep scheme slightly, and put in an extra second day later in the week.

After 6 weeks, I reviewed my training logs and assessed my progress, making any necessary changes to keep improving, or to focus on another mini-goal.

Tracking your total volume is an important step in your program's effectiveness. Keep tabs on the total number of sets you train for each body part. Typically a normal volume workout would be 12-15 sets for large body parts, while a higher volume would be 18-22 sets. For smaller body parts, the volume can be significantly less, with 8-10 sets.

Cardio

As for cardio, I usually recommend cutting back to half of what you normally do during contest prep. I rarely do any cardio when prepping for a show, so I might do it once a week in the off-season.
Since I compete in fitness as well as figure, I count 1-2 routine practices per week as my cardio. I recommend no more than 4 sessions per week of 30-45 minutes.

Training Key Points

• Higher body fat and increased calories equal increased metabolism.
• Increased calories equals increased strength and recovery rate.
• Consider increasing your overall training volume.
• Consider training your weak part(s) twice per week.
• Don't train more than 3 body parts per workout, so you can give enough attention to each individual muscle group.
• Keep cardio to a minimum to maintain about 15 lbs. over contest weight.
• Track total training volume and increase or decrease workload based on recovery rate, energy and strength levels, and individual body part goals.
• Change your program up for variety, but keep it consistent long enough to yield solid gains.

Step 4
Planning Your Diet

Yes, it's still considered a diet, even if your goal is not fat loss. Proper nutrition is the number one way you can change the effectiveness of your training program and thus, the results you'll yield from that program.

To maintain a lean body fat and still make gains, your calories only need to be 200-300 more than they were while you were dieting.

I like to manipulate my carbohydrates primarily, and add in some dietary fats as well. My numbers change from being 150g protein/100g carbs/25g fat during the season to 150g protein/150g carbs/35g fat during the off-season. You may need to try several different plans to see what feels the best for you. Considering cheat meals is another big factor.

If you rarely cheat, you will be able to consume more calories from clean foods and still stay lean. I recommend cheating no more than 1-2 times per week, and not going crazy on those cheats. By not going crazy, I mean eating 3-4 slices of pizza instead of 8 plus breadsticks!

I highly recommend keeping alcohol limited or eliminated. It will drain your body of the nutrients it needs for muscle repair and growth. Don't waste your off-season by partying all the time. You might be training hard, but without the nutrition backing it up, you won't see your best gains - period!

Protein & Carbohydrate Types & Timing

I want to briefly address this very important aspect of diet. Nutrient timing is very important in keeping your body in a positive nitrogen balance and providing energy for your training sessions.

Protein

Be sure to choose a variety of protein sources to get a varied array of amino acid profiles. Whey isolate, soy isolate, and a casein protein should all be part of your supplementation plan. Choose a variety of whole food sources as well, including poultry, lean red meat, and fish.

Carbs

For carbohydrates, make sure you ingest good complex carbohydrates for breakfast, pre-workout, and post-workout. These will spare your muscle tissue and fuel your workouts to the optimum level. My favorite sources are oatmeal, 7-grain rice, brown & wild rice, and sweet potatoes.

Education

Educate yourself on the different types of protein and carbohydrates, as well as the optimum time to take each type. This will help you make 20-50% better gains than leaving your diet to chance or convenience.

Nutrition Key Points:

• Being attentive to your diet all the time will yield 20-50% better gains.
• Educate yourself on nutrient timing.
• Educate yourself on protein & carbohydrate types.
• Get a wide variety of proteins & carbohydrates.
• Do not rule out the importance of vegetables in the off-season.
• Keep your water intake up at 1 gallon per day.
• Use protein powders and bars to meet your nutrient requirements when necessary.
• Get at least 2/3 of your daily meals from whole food sources, rather than supplements.

Step 5
Plan Your Supplementation

Your supplements should actually decrease when you enter the off-season. You are getting more food and thus, more nutrients, vitamins and minerals, making the need to supplement not as necessary.

MultiVitamin

What I always recommend is a good multi-vitamin.
For anyone who trains hard, Universal's Animal Pak is the way to go. This supplement gives you everything you need in the optimal amounts, unlike most vitamins you buy at the grocery store.

In addition, you get amino acids, essential fatty acids, digestive enzymes, and more. It's the perfect multi for any athlete!

Protein Powders

Protein powders are also a staple of off-season supplementation. As I mentioned above, the three types you should have on hand are a whey isolate, soy isolate, and a casein blend (night time protein).

Whey Isolate

Whey isolate is important because it gives you the quick absorption rate of whey without the associated bloating and indigestions caused by many of the whey concentrates.

Soy Isolate

Soy isolate is an excellent medium-release protein, which makes it great for taking mid-day or any time. Recent research has shown that supplementing with soy has no effect in decreasing testosterone levels, even in men1.
So there is no need to worry about the false assumptions that soy isoflavones increase estrogen levels1.

Casein Protein

Finally, a slow-release protein that contains calcium caseinate or micellar caseinate, is essential.
These are best taken at night right before bed, but you can also take them at any time during the day. My favorite brands include MHP Probolic-SR and VPX Micellean.

Other Supplements

You may or may not wish to add additional supplements to your program that are not listed here. That depends on your budget and how sound your nutrition program is. Other great off-season supplements are creatine and natural hormone boosters.

Supplementation Key Points

• Thoroughly research a supplement before adding it to your program.
• Time the supplement according to when it is most effective.
• Don't fall in to the hype of a new supplement; use tried and true products that have been proven to yield results.

Step 6
Journal Everything!

Again, it may seem annoying and time-consuming, but if you want to be your best you need to put in the extra time to maximize your program. And journaling is one of the best ways to do so.

I use the Bodybuilding.com workout journal to track every single training session.

I also log in any cardio I do, note my energy and strength levels on a 1-10 scale, and keep track of the supplements I've taken that day and at what times. I use FitDay.com to track my nutrition every day.

It takes me about 15 minutes each morning to plan out my meals and supplements and time them around my training and day's activities.

These journals become invaluable references down the road. I've looked back many, many times to review my previous training programs, diets, and supplements. It helps me continue on an effective plan, or revamp and make it more efficient, if necessary.

Sample Complete Off-Season Plan

Just to give you an idea of what to plan for and how to plan it, I am providing an example of my most recent off-season program in full.

Bear in mind that this program is to give you an idea of how to structure your program and points to consider, but is not a "one size fits all" training program.

Ultimately, getting to know your own body and how best to feed and train it is what you are aiming for.

Sample Diet

0745:
1.5c Essential 10 cereal
1/2c soy milk (300)
0820-0850
Run

0900:
1/2 small bottle Gatorade (43)

0940:
1c homemade fruit salad
1 scoop Syntrax Nectar (164)

1035:
Liquid glucosamine/chondroitin
500mg calcium
500mg vitamin C

1200:
6 slices deli turkey
1/2 large WW tortilla
1/4c avocado (168)

1400:
4 oz carb control yogurt
1/4c 1% cottage cheese
1/2 oz VPX Micellean (152)

1530:
Animal M Stak

1615:
4 egg whites in olive oil
1/3c oatmeal (215)

1845:
Detour bar (160)

2045:
9 slices deli turkey
2 slices singles ff cheese (165)

2230:
1/2c 1% cottage cheese
2 tbsp milk protein isolate (123)

Totals: 36g fat, 152g carbs (32g fiber), 155g protein

Sample Training Split

Monday - Back & Traps
Tuesday - Chest & Arms
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - Legs & Calves
Friday - Shoulders & Back

*For this split, I prioritized back by training it first on day one, then again on Friday with a lighter volume workout.

Sample Workout Back & Traps - 4:50-5:40pm

Pull-ups
1 set of 6
1 set of 4
1 set of 3

Barbell Row
Bar x 15
10's x 12
10's x 12
20's x 8

1-Arm DB Row, Unsupported (R,L) (Ex. Shown Supported)
25 x 12
30 x 12
35 x 10
40 x 8

Underhand Seated Cable Row
60 x 15
70 x 12
80 x 10
80 x 10

Close-Grip Lat Pull-Down
70 x 12
70 x 10
70 x 10
90 x 8
60 x 8

DB Reverse Shrugs (Ex. Shown With Barbell)
25's x 15
35's x 10
40's x 10
50's x 8

Back - 20 sets
Traps - 4 sets

Energy - 7.5
Strength - 9.0
Duration - 50 minutes

*I track the length of workout, time I trained, total sets per body part, and energy and strength on a scale of 1-10.

Conclusion

This may seem like a lot of work to develop a plan for what is supposed to be your "down time." I won't sugar-coat it for you; it is quite a bit of work. But like contest prep itself, there are few who can sustain and endure the rigors of an extreme diet and demanding training to step on stage in near-perfect condition.

If you want to set yourself apart the next time you're in a line-up of 30+ fit and beautiful women, take the extra time to formulate your off-season plan for maximum results. Prepare for your next show now, no matter how many months it is until show day. In this highly competitive sport, fine-tuning and attention to detail set apart the amateurs from the professionals.

With competitive bodybuilding, fitness and figure, it's what you do when you're at home and in the gym that determines the final outcome on competition day. Put your all into your program and maximize your time by preparing now. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail!

About the Author

Alissa Carpio is a 6-time consecutive champion in NPC fitness and figure competition. Her 2005 placings include NPC Junior USA Fitness Tall 1st and NPC Pittsburgh Fitness Tall 1st. She is currently preparing for NPC Fitness Nationals in November, and has been since her final competition last May. Read more about Alissa's contest preparation on her site: www.alissa.net

References

B.L. Dillingham, B.L. McVeigh, J.W. Lampe, and A.M. Duncan, "Effects of Soy Isoflavone Consumption on Reproductive Hormones in Healthy Young Men," Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA

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Cutting Down & Leaning Up!

By: Nic Hale

I have only been bodybuilding for a year now and my diets have been a trial and error process. I have had very good results with some of my ideas and different cooking schemes. During the cutting phase of my diet I have transformed my body to the lean muscular look that I strive to achieve.

The Cutting Phase

The cutting phase is the most challenging diet for most people and I believe it is mostly a mental problem. Giving up those desserts, late night snacks and huge pasta dinners is hard and takes a ton of will power. Here are a couple of my tricks to help keep me motivated when I am temped to eat junk food. I keep pictures of myself when I look my best on competition day around and make sure that I see them several times a day, I think that this serves as a good self-motivator.

Another idea is to get rid of all the junk food out of the house, this is easy for me because my wife likes to eat healthy too. If you have a family to deal with that likes chips and pop, I would make them hide it from you. Another small trick is when you are hungry especially for sweets, go and brush your teeth or chew a piece of sugar free gum. I always hate to eat stuff right after I brush my teeth.

Emotional eating can become a big problem when trying to diet hard. Emotional eating is eating when you are bored, depressed or just out of habit. I have a hard time not eating when I'm bored, how many times a day do you go to the fridge and look through it just because you're bored. I know that I do it at least 5-6 times a day. I always find myself at the fridge with the door open and I don't even have a purpose to be in there, it is just a habit. Get out of the house and do something whether it is going to the gym, playing a sport, biking or jump online and go to Bodybuilding.com to check out the latest articles.

Dieting is hard and takes a ton of work! When you are dieting you have to eat more often because your meals aren't as large and this means that you will have to carry food around with you. This is what takes the most work. In order to eat quality meals while your schedule is hectic you always need to plan ahead (even if it is a week ahead). Time is everyone's worst enemy. Whether you have to go to school or work, everyone is familiar with a busy schedule. One good idea is to cook up a half dozen pieces of chicken on the weekend or when you have time.

This allows you to eat quality snacks and meals when you're on the run. I will cook up six pieces of chicken and two to three cups of rice on a Sunday afternoon when I have nothing to do. Then during the week, when I'm in class or at work I am able to eat a healthy meals throughout the day all week long. I always plan ahead and if I know that I will be gone from right after breakfast until mid afternoon I will bring food. For my mid morning snack I will bring my protein or meal replacement shake and some fruit. My lunch will usually consist of rice, a vegetable and some kind of meat, and then I will bring another small meal for my mid afternoon snack.

During the cutting phase of my diet I cut carbs down to 2g per kg body weight. When I start to cut down I am weighing 221, so for me this equals out to 200g of carbs per day. If you eat healthy and don't "waste" your carbs on simple carbs like white breads and sugars, it still ends up being a lot of food.

Fruits are the exception to the rule and should be eaten as much as your diet allows. Fruits are an ideal simple sugar that can help raise insulin levels to help "push" all the nutrients and supplements that you are taking into your cells which is a very important concept for your post workout meal. An idea of my diet during the cutting phase consists of around 200 grams of carbs and I try to get at least 200 grams of protein, I try to keep my fat down and get as many healthy fats as I can.

This is something that is completely trial and error for me. I have had good luck with this scheme but I also think that you need to be able to listen to your body. If you feel that you don't have the energy you need or are not able to think because of carb depletion you need to modify your diet accordingly. Add some fruit or nuts to help you keep your energy level up.

Example Cutting Phase Diet

Breakfast
? c (before its cooked) Old fashion oatmeal with 1/8c raisins and a dash of cinnamon ~50g carbs
1 egg + 5 egg whites ~21g pro, 5 g Fat
? grapefruit ~10g carbs

Mid morning snack
Protein shake ~ 44 g Pro
Banana ~ 28g carbs

Lunch
1 Piece of skinless boneless chicken breast ~ 35-50 g pro, ~3-6g fat
? c (cooked) brown rice ~ 23 g carbs, 5g pro, 2g fat
? c low fat cottage cheese ~ 28g pro, 6 carbs, 2g fat

Mid afternoon snack
Chef salad
1c Romaine salad 2-4 carbs

Toppings For Romaine Saled
1 Piece of skinless boneless chicken breast (chopped up) ~ 35-50 g pro, ~3-6g fat
1 hard boiled egg ~ 6g pro, 5 g fat
Tbsp sunflower seeds ~ 6g pro, 5g carbs, 16g fat
2 Tbsp Fat free zesty Italian dressing ~ 4g carbs, 0g fat

Post workout meal
Protein shake ~ 44g pro
Antioxidants 1000 mg Vit C and Vit E
Fish oil or flax seed oil
Multivitamin
1 Banana ~ 28g carbs

Dinner
1 Potato without skin ~ 35g carbs, 5g pro
Toppings For Potato
? c low fat cottage cheese ~ 28g pro, 6 carbs, 2g fat
1 Steak 8 oz ~ 50g pro, 20g fat
? c green beans ~ 3g carbs, 1 g pro

On this day I received 200g of carbs, 285g of pro, and 50 g fat. I came in where I wanted to with my carbs but my protein was a little high so in last few weeks of cutting I can cut a little protein if I need to. My fat is good and it is around 15% of my caloric intake it could stand to be a little higher but it is good enough for cutting.

I think that sodium intake doesn't matter until the week of the competition so I use hot sauces and salsa to flavor eggs and other foods but I still eat sodium in moderation.

I have dieted for two competitions back to back. I dieted for 6 weeks for my first competition and went from 7 % body fat to 4.4%. I then continued dieting for a grand total of 13 weeks and got down to 2.2% body fat. I think that from now on I will end up dieting for at least 12 weeks. You aren't supposed to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week to be safe.

I think that I lost a little more lean body mass than I wanted to but then again I am right on the line for light-heavy/heavy weight. I hope to gain 5-6 pounds of lean muscle mass by next season to be able to compete at Heavy weight, so I have a year to work hard and eat right.