Opinions/Advice wanted...

[GaryG68]

Ok, so my last post was my Week 1 rebound update.

I was 202.6 morning of the show, 212.4 the morning after, and 217.9 one week post show. I know, and prepared myself for, the weight gain that I knew was coming. I have read about, watched videos, and listened to podcasts all dealing with PSR and what to expect. I recently purchased a new scale because the one I have wasn't giving me all the info I was seeing (but now it is, so yay?) and as of 3:45 this morning pre-leg workout, the Powlaken scale (original) has me at 212.8 where the new scale has me at 215.2. I normally "count" Sunday's weigh-in only but also weigh myself on Wednesday and Saturday to have more info to go by and might start weighing daily to get even more info and be able to see the rise and fall (if any) more accurately.


I mentioned in the rebound update that the original plan was to go up to 3300-3500cal/day starting July 31 and run that until August 28th and that I have amended that and starting this past Sunday I have dropped it to 3300cal/day, going to 3200 next week, then 3100 the week after, finally setting in at 3000 starting the week of the 28th.

I also mentioned that I have also amended the workout schedule, instead of doing 70-80% of my max starting August 4th until August 20th I, will do one more week at 70-80% and then ramp back up to 100% and if I notice any drop in strength or reps, I will go back to 70-80% for another week but after these past few workouts I do not anticipate that happening.

The goal now is keeping the BW within 210-220 and going from there, upping my carb intake and getting body fat % up a little so I can start adding quality muscle to my frame.

Still with me? ok.

There is a chance after all of doing another show, possibly more as time goes on.

Here is where I would your opinions/advice. I personally feel I could have come in 210, maybe 215 and still performed well, but as I stated before, the weight I came in at did have me looking like a Shredded Mini Wheat and I ain't complaining.

If I do wind up doing a show next year it will most likely not be until around this time of year or later, there are two shows a week apart in April but I do not think that gives me enough prep time as I need to be off everything else I was on till at least end of January, early February and then get bloodwork done. I am sticking like glue as best I can to the nutrition and have gone a little over on the calories here and there because even at the 3500 I was still hungry but I do not want to start climbing too high. I will of course play this by ear and see how it goes and I also enrolled in Renaissance Periodization's upcoming online Level 1 Nutrition Course for Coaches to learn even more than I already have.

I think instead of a 12 week prep as this show was, that I might go for a 16 week prep instead to give myself "more time."

What are your thoughts on bulking is basically where I am going with this so I apologize for the word salad.

I absolutely do not want to get above 220, 225 being the max. I busted my ass for two years to get from 255 to where I was the day of the competition and if I start climbing too high, the way my brain works, I will look at this as a complete backslide and a failure, true or not it be what it be.

I really do think if I can stay between 210-215 come showtime that I will kick ass and hopefully look as good as I did two weeks ago, or better which is the plan.

So, there you have it, now lemme have it. Am I looking at this correctly or am I being foolish, it's a free fire zone but please be constructive about it.

 

[Yano]

I'll let the smart kids answer the fancy shit. I just wanted to say I think it's fucking awesome you are lookin at doing another show and already have a solid plan in place on how you want to get there.

I'm no BB but I think a longer prep , if your body and mind can handle the stress might be good. I would think how long the prep has to be would matter more on your condition at the beginning of it more than a set length of time ? ... perhaps im off but the leaner and cleaner you start the prep , wouldnt that make the time on it shorter ?

 

[GaryG68]

I'll let the smart kids answer the fancy shit. I just wanted to say I think it's fucking awesome you are lookin at doing another show and already have a solid plan in place on how you want to get there.

I'm no BB but I think a longer prep , if your body and mind can handle the stress might be good. I would think how long the prep has to be would matter more on your condition at the beginning of it more than a set length of time ? ... perhaps im off but the leaner and cleaner you start the prep , wouldnt that make the time on it shorter ?

Thanks man.

Both my mind and body the last two weeks were put through the wringer, my body more than my mind. I was "awake", coherent, could form sentences and think but was just drained. I mean getting up to go to the bathroom at work was a chore, literally telling myself in my head "keep walking, one more step, go up the stairs, almost there" because I was just so weak.

My workouts thankfully didn't suffer since I am in the gym at like 4am but all I wanted to do was sleep and looking forward to the next meal was just excruciating. I knew doing cals that low (1700-1900 final week) was going to be rough, i just didn't realize how rough.

I agree with your conditioning comment. I started posing lessons 12 weeks out, shortly after I started my prep and my posing coach asked me when the show was and when I told him he commented on how good I looked already and how conditioned I was so yea, I might go by how I look, or I might stick to the 16 week plan, we will have to see.

As of this morning my scales have me at 214 (old scale) and 213.1 (new scale) respectively so as I stated in my post, I do not want to go any higher than 220, 225 being the absolute maximum.