A Focussed Offseason
Well, the "offseason" has begun. To many this means lower intensity in the gym, a vacation from cardio until next contest season, and relaxing the diet after a grueling pre-contest campaign. I just finished reading Skip LaCour’s "Top Ten Secrets of the Drug Free Champions", and once again it feels like we’re on the same wavelength. After seemingly increasing my musculature during my 28 week "diet" of 2007, I decided to employ the same successful strategies to my offseason program, albeit with some important adjustments.
In the gym my focus will be to always include those exercises that I feel are the most difficult, thereby the most beneficial. Three key movements for me that I shied away from during contest prep were squats, deadlifts, and flat bench dumbell presses. These will now be the anchors to those workouts. In the past once the contest was over, so was my cardio. This year I will continue with 30 minutes before breakfast Monday through Friday. I feel great after I do it, built a cardio room complete with a bamboo floor in my house that I love to use, and realize that I have an average metabolism, so in order to stay lean it is a necessity for me.
The biggest focus of my offseason program will be to "diet" with as much discipline during this time period as before a show. This means keeping daily caloric intake high, but with an emphasis on quality foods to build muscle. I’ve always kept protein high year round, and that will stay the same at 350 grams over seven meals. I’ll also eat 15 grams of good fats at every meal (almonds, flaxseed oil, and peanut oil). This helped me last year to increase my testosterone levels, which had fallen to below accepted ranges, probably due to years of low fat dieting. Lastly, I will consume 400-450 grams of complex carbohydrates (exept post workout [simple carbs]) spread evenly throughout the day.
After a contest, my motivation is always sky high to make the improvements I feel are needed to take me to the next level. Right now I feel like I’m in an anabolic window of opportunity, finally giving my body what it needs to put on muscle. In the past week I’ve put on 10 lbs. and still feel very lean, so I’m very excited to see what this year has in store for me with my continued discovery about how my body works.
July 24, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Nice to read that you’re coming back at the weights with a vengance.