26/08/2022
BODYBUILDING OFFSEASON | 📖 READ
Improving ones physique between contests is arguably the top priority for any male/female bodybuilding competitor.
However, if it is not approached properly, it is easy to make little / no progress and there is nothing worse than being that competitor who wastes 6-12 months of their offseason, only to diet down for their next show and realise they made zero measurable improvements to their physique.
So, what can you do to avoid this..?
Well, firstly, you must set up a productive improvement season / growing phase:
1️⃣ Where your training must be progressive (gradual titration of either: training volume, load, quality of movement/exercise ex*****on), with back-off/deload periods incorporated where/when required.
2️⃣ Food must be progressively increased as well; alongside the training to facilitate and support the increased recovery demands and energy requirements to generate new contractile tissue.
3️⃣ Mini-cuts should be used sparingly / when necessary, to keep body composition in check throughout an extended Calorie surplus period.
4️⃣ Cardio should be used as a tool to facilitate in maintenance of general cardiovascular health as well as to promote appetite and potentiate improvements in recovery at certain points in the macrocycle (long-term training timeline).
5️⃣ Health markers should be monitored, *more so for enhanced athletes (fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, bloodwork etc).
6️⃣ PED's should be titrated up as the phase progresses / as overall body mass and training demands both increase linearly over time *if the athlete is enhanced.
Generally when someone fails to make improvements during their offseason it is often due to missing one (or more) of the points mentioned above...
Sometimes food / training volume is pushed too much (or not enough), or cardio is avoided to the athletes detriment.
Regardless the reason, the solution = better planning + more effort in regards to ex*****on from the athlete.
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