T Nation

The Plan of Attack, Comp in May

Bodybuilding
#1

I need to make a plan of attack!

Some of you may know I wanted to do a comp last May. For several reasons I wussed out. In the weeks after that I felt pretty bad about that decision and myself in general. I told myself I would get on it for May 2014.

My head is on a little tighter so I think I am in a better place to do this. :wink:

SO over the summer I did not bad, I am weighing in at 136 consistently and am a little leaner than when I began my bulk last fall where I was weighing in around 130 ish.

What I am having a hard time deciding is if I should try a bulk again now until Jan same as last year OR if I should get a little leaner say 8 weeks dieting and then do an 8 week bulk and then begin comp diet in Jan. Doesnt seem like a very long bulk.

My legs need work most I think as I have a broad back and they are still tiny, shoulders still need workā€¦rear deltsā€¦I am guessing glutes and hams tho they have come along ways which is great.

Thoughts on the right path?

#2

I think that knowing that youā€™re going to be doing a show relatively soon, ā€œbulkingā€ is never a good idea. You wonā€™t find many experienced competitors who do that for a good reason. I DO think that you can definitely relax a bit if itā€™s going to help you focus on bringing up weak points in the time you have left pre-diet though. The amount of additional foods you need to fuel harder, more frequent workouts as well as support potential new muslce tissue isnā€™t as much as a lot of people think.

My adivce: a good leg spec program, higher nutrients on leg days, and keep everything else where it is albeit with an eye on how far away from ā€˜leanā€™ you may possibly get.

Looking forward to following along.

S

#3

Thank you!
Sounds good and simple :slight_smile:

One of my issues last year is I went from no structure with diet (besides protein count) and eating LOTS of food (as long as the scale didnt jump to fastā€¦so some days I would eat almost 5000 cals! most days were 2500) to very structured and low cals and it really threw me. I began to obsess over everything I ate and if I was cheating and how hungry I was and on and on.

This year I want to keep a healthy attitude towards food and slowly move the diet along if that makes sense. (I dont want to make the mistake of under estimating my maintenance again) It cant go from black to white.

#4

Good luck! My initial thought is that it is hard for folks to give advice if they donā€™t know where you are at right now in regards to prep. Do you have current photos? What are you going to be competing in?

My above questions where general. I am the wrong person to offer advice about bodybuilding, but I would like to know where you are at and what your goals are anyway. Iā€™m sure others who can offer relevant advice could use the status report as well :slight_smile:

ā€“Me

#5

Are you planning on hiring a coach for the prep, or do this on your own/via informal coaching here on T Nation?

#6

kravi~ true speak lol. I have a log in PW. My old log also there, with last years stuff, and was called one plate two plate three plate four. There are pics in there.

The comp would be for figure.

I am 5ā€™4 weigh 136 and prob around 23% BF

Eyedentist~ I will go as far as Jan by myself. I was getting help last year and will most likely see if that person will again come that time. This time tho I will provide more accurate numbers! You learnā€¦ :slight_smile: