Honestly I think you’re about right where you wanna be for physique…shredded and full but not overly dry. I think those last pictures you posted are pretty ideal for the category, I’m not sure that I’d push much further!
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Requesting some opinions:
I’m looking to pick it up a notch. I will make the time, if it will help. Just added HOT-ROX last week. So far I’ve been doing 5 days weight training, 2-3 HIIT sessions per week, 2 days low intensity cardio. Averaging 2500 calories per days, with high carb/calorie and low carb/calorie days, a 24 hour fast every other week(I make up my calories though). I also have a refeed day on Sundays.
Does anyone have a recommendation on what I can add to tighten me up as much as possible without losing muscle? My choices would be: add more HIIT, add more cardio, an extra day of weight training, longer HIIT sessions, drop the refeed days, add an extra low carb day, or drop overall calories a bit. I really haven’t changed anything the last 2 months, except my weight training routine and added HOT-ROX.
After typing this is, it seems like I’m already doing enough, but I’m willing to do what it takes to improve…especially after the sacrifices so far. I’m less than 3 weeks away from my 1st competition and 5 weeks from my 2nd. I’ve been training for 15+ years but…this is where I least have experience in, as I’ve never been leaner than this, and the next few weeks could make me or break me.
I know there can be so many responses and everyone is different but it won’t hurt me to listen to any advice or past experiences from others.
[/quote]
Do you have a carb depletion planned for the show? If so, what is it? If not, consider one…should tighten you up nicely. I am not referring to the carb cycle. I have had success with a long, gradual depletion. Painful but very effective.
If you are still losing weight every week I wouldn’t change anything. You are looking very on point for Physique. If you were looking to enter BBing I might say drop the cals like 200 cals/day, MAYBE add in a bit of light cardio and keep everything else the same.
But it certainly seems like from these pics you could probably walk on stage right now and do very well.
Ur looking incredibly my man…congrats.
How long training and whats your favorite routine looks like?
I hope im not asking much, heheheh
see ya!
I’m with Lonnie and pwolves.
[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:
I’m with Lonnie and pwolves.[/quote]
I’m with Tim, pwolves 
[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
[quote]timmcbride00 wrote:
I’m with Lonnie and pwolves.[/quote]
I’m with Tim, pwolves ;-)[/quote]
Lol, wow Lonnie! And I was just about to ask you for some advice…haha I’ve got a few ideas for my prep I’d like your thoughts on, I’ll post in your log later this morning after I train
Looking good man, good luck!
[quote]Myosin wrote:
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
Requesting some opinions:
I’m looking to pick it up a notch. I will make the time, if it will help. Just added HOT-ROX last week. So far I’ve been doing 5 days weight training, 2-3 HIIT sessions per week, 2 days low intensity cardio. Averaging 2500 calories per days, with high carb/calorie and low carb/calorie days, a 24 hour fast every other week(I make up my calories though). I also have a refeed day on Sundays.
Does anyone have a recommendation on what I can add to tighten me up as much as possible without losing muscle? My choices would be: add more HIIT, add more cardio, an extra day of weight training, longer HIIT sessions, drop the refeed days, add an extra low carb day, or drop overall calories a bit. I really haven’t changed anything the last 2 months, except my weight training routine and added HOT-ROX.
After typing this is, it seems like I’m already doing enough, but I’m willing to do what it takes to improve…especially after the sacrifices so far. I’m less than 3 weeks away from my 1st competition and 5 weeks from my 2nd. I’ve been training for 15+ years but…this is where I least have experience in, as I’ve never been leaner than this, and the next few weeks could make me or break me.
I know there can be so many responses and everyone is different but it won’t hurt me to listen to any advice or past experiences from others.
[/quote]
Do you have a carb depletion planned for the show? If so, what is it? If not, consider one…should tighten you up nicely. I am not referring to the carb cycle. I have had success with a long, gradual depletion. Painful but very effective.
[/quote]
I do plan to do a carb depletion, just not sure what exactly. I just started looking into it. I’ve heard too much water depletion may make me hold more water, but like I said, I barely started looking into it. I just have to keep in mind I have another show 2 weeks after, where I really want to place well.
[quote]Lonnie123 wrote:
If you are still losing weight every week I wouldn’t change anything. You are looking very on point for Physique. If you were looking to enter BBing I might say drop the cals like 200 cals/day, MAYBE add in a bit of light cardio and keep everything else the same.
But it certainly seems like from these pics you could probably walk on stage right now and do very well.[/quote]
Thanks for the advice. I’m thinking the most I will do is add a bit more light cardio. Hopefully I’ll get enough from that and adding HOT-ROX. I’ll admit I was eating a bit too much sugar on my refeed days, so I’ll cut that out and replace with cleaner carbs.
[quote]robstein wrote:
Looking good man, good luck![/quote]
Thanks man!
[quote]pwolves17 wrote:
Honestly I think you’re about right where you wanna be for physique…shredded and full but not overly dry. I think those last pictures you posted are pretty ideal for the category, I’m not sure that I’d push much further![/quote]
Thanks pwolves. I looked up some pics of last years top guys and some look pretty shredded or a little bigger than me. It’s all good though, I’ll take the first show as a learning experience and tighten up what I can for the next one 2 weeks later. I can drop some weight pretty fast…if need be.
[quote]criature wrote:
Ur looking incredibly my man…congrats.
How long training and whats your favorite routine looks like?
I hope im not asking much, heheheh
see ya![/quote]
Thanks man. I’ve been training for 15 plus years, I’m 36 now. I’ve been doing more powerlifting type routines(like what you see on tnation) for the past 8 years or so. For this, I changed up to a bodybuilding type routine, pretty much 1 bodypart per week, with 1 day of power/explosive training. About 4 weeks ago I started doing my own version of John Meadows Reactive Pump routine…Not as drastic though since I’m taking in less calories than normal and not doing the supplement protocol…don’t wanna overtrain.
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
[quote]pwolves17 wrote:
Honestly I think you’re about right where you wanna be for physique…shredded and full but not overly dry. I think those last pictures you posted are pretty ideal for the category, I’m not sure that I’d push much further![/quote]
Thanks pwolves. I looked up some pics of last years top guys and some look pretty shredded or a little bigger than me. It’s all good though, I’ll take the first show as a learning experience and tighten up what I can for the next one 2 weeks later. I can drop some weight pretty fast…if need be.
[/quote]
The magic of the stage lighting, tanning and a pump will make you look really good as well.
Koing
[quote]Koing wrote:
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
[quote]pwolves17 wrote:
Honestly I think you’re about right where you wanna be for physique…shredded and full but not overly dry. I think those last pictures you posted are pretty ideal for the category, I’m not sure that I’d push much further![/quote]
Thanks pwolves. I looked up some pics of last years top guys and some look pretty shredded or a little bigger than me. It’s all good though, I’ll take the first show as a learning experience and tighten up what I can for the next one 2 weeks later. I can drop some weight pretty fast…if need be.
[/quote]
The magic of the stage lighting, tanning and a pump will make you look really good as well.
Koing[/quote]
You’re right about that Koing. And I’m sure the carb depletion and preloading will make a difference as well.
2 weeks from tomorrow, right?!
[quote]pwolves17 wrote:
2 weeks from tomorrow, right?![/quote]
Yes sir. I feel ready now!
I’m less than 2 weeks away so I need to do a little research on the 1 week process to peak. I tried this approach a year ago for a photo shoot, and also suggested presently by Lonnie.
I must have done something wrong when I tried it because, yes I did end up being pumped up pretty well for the shoot, but didn’t look as lean as I did beforehand. Seemed like I held too much water or something. I pretty much followed it to a T, if I can recall correctly. Has anyone tried this or something different?
I also have to keep in mind, I will be doing a second competition 2 weeks after that.
Looking good dude
GJ
[quote]yodaddy wrote:
You’re right about that Koing. And I’m sure the carb depletion and preloading will make a difference as well.
[/quote]
Positive!
Koing