How do those guys get so much muscle
My normal consumption is a cheat meal a day lol. But I can get fat, no problemo. I just need to be over 3500-4000 cals depending on my activity level ahah
I’ll go the TRT route at some point though when i’m older. First I’d need to do some bloodwork, which I had never done an extensive panel, soon enough when i’ll have a bit of money to spare
I wouldn’t say it’s unnatural but yeah being Arnold is unnatural. Really, I don’t think it’s as easy to lose muscle as you say
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It is if you’re enhanced. Going from training like a madman whilst on test, tren and mast to 100mg test/wk and resting and you’ll lose mass in record time.
For natty guys, atrophy tends to take a while; though deconditioning is almost instantaneous.
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We are not talking about that small amount of muscle that we have as a species, but anything over that.
I happen to have a degree in biology and paleonthology is one of my hobbies - homo sapiens is designed to store fat - that is our natural superpower. You wont see a fat lion or wolf, as they dont store fat in nature. Only animals that can store actual food on their body are the ones that hibernate, like bears. Homo sapiens is one of the rare warm blooded species that can eat for a week in advance. So basically, we eat when we can, because there might not be food for a month. Even nowdays there are some tribes left that all have bellies when hunting season is good, and they end the winter with abs because food is scarse.
Our body sees fat as a survival guarantee, but muscle we dont use, it sees as extra pounds of tissue to feed, so it tries to get rid of it as soon as possible. Neaderthals didnt survive well because they had more muscle so they needed extra 500kcal a day. Yes, it is true - a whole species went bye bye because of 500kcal a day difference.
Our body stores fat as a superpower, and it always shuts down everything not necessary, that would feed off this fat.
It wont touch the basic minimum muscle we need, but all this bodybuilding stuff we have on ourselves it just sees a a huge problem that is unnecessary, but it uses alot of our precious fat.
In normal conditions, our body will burn off un-necessary muscle first and only then - fat.
Steroids just dont let that happen, but you can still lose muscle on steroids - it just shows how strong our bodies basic insticts are.
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Very interesting stuff!
Indeed, but you’re talking about supraphysiological amounts of muscle right?
What do you mean by normal condition? Someone who’s not training?
Because (I’m natural) I’ve been going from maintenance gym training at school to 2 months of hard gym training while on a moderate deficit (6 weeks Westside, 1 week deload, 3rd week of Mountaindog right now) and I’ve lost a solid 3,5 kgs of fat and gained 1 cm on my arms (granted I had not trained them properly in 8 months due to a tendonitis)
From my understanding it depends on many things, such as
- your willpower,
- your genetics,
- your overall goals
- willingness to endure the consequences
And all those are very individual
As for bodybuilders what you said is the heathiest choice
" What is wrong with running a cycle/blast and just eating right in the first place. "
Bus as I mentioned we are not all the same and people have a tendency to opt for an easier solution. And some of them can even get away with it.
- willingness to endure the consequences
Yes.
Someone who is not training, ir someone who has muscle that is not necessary every day. Below natural level, it should be easier to maintain, but we are on a steroid forum so i kinda went with the understanding that most people here are bodybuilders and powerlifters with waaaaaay more muscle anyone would ever have living in a wild.
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Thanks, everyone for the great discussion.
EDIT OK that gif was annoying. [insert bowing to the group here.]
I have already got my before picture so as soon as I can see my abs I will post again then the cycle will start and I’ll add tape measurements it hopes of seeing any gains while maintaining my abs. Wish me luck.
On the discussion of losing gains post blasts maybe my blasts have been to small but I don’t seem to lose any measurable size ( other than body fat) when I return to TRT levels. I also can keep up with my weight and reps post blast. Maybe I am not pushing as hard as I should.
I have always determined how much weight by when I can no longer perform the exercise in perfect form for at lease 3 if not 6 reps. I worry the 1 rep at my age could break something.
Training heavy during a deficit should constitute such abnormal conditions for natties. If your body needs the muscle, it will keep it.
What I see is above 9% BF people don’t lose muscle on a diet with a reasonable deficit.
Dang, so me setting at 35% BF. My metabolism is going to go after my newly acquired muscle before attacking all that fat? Dam that sucks.
I think he ment it other way around, but i do not agree fully. The body ALWAYS burns muscle away, along with fat, and we can see that even if the person is on steroids. Just steroids gave him more muscle, so there is more to burn off, and we dont see such big of a difference.
I am yet to see a natty who can diet down lean and not lose muscle.
No you got me wrong. If you train and especially if you are on roids, you won’t lose muscle if you diet until you are very very lean.
I don’t agree. If the diet is reasonable, let’s say 16 weeks of a 500 deficit, then you won’t lose muscle, if you train.
I did lose muscle once on a diet, that was with a 1000 kcal deficit and for 40 weeks. But this problem only arises when hormonal and metabolic changes manifest and the body goes in complete self preservation mode. Same happens under 10% BF. Under 10%, you start to lose muscle along with the fat.
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I have never been on such low deficit. Lowest i go is 2000, sometimes as much as 4500.
So it is hard to tell, because also in nature, no one can calculate their calories. But it is a fact, that almost always when weight loss occurs, it is a mix of fat and muscle. Idk, maybe in such a low deficit for a while you can hold some muscle, but that is such low deficit, it does not matter to look into.
500 kcals is a too low deficit? I thought this was pretty standard diet. 300-500 kcals below maintenance?
Well technically it is ok deficit.
My problem with it is the same as lean gaining on +200kcal… You cant know how much you spend during each day - unless you sit on a chair all day for work. My life is active, so i just cant tell. It can differ 1000kcals for sure. So if i bulk i eat so much that i get a bit chubby to be sure i am on a surplus.
When dieting, i preffer to see results every day, so i aim for 4500kcal deficit and be done with my cut in 2-3 weeks no matter where i start.
I just do two 2 hour sessions of cardio + my usual stuff and be done with it.
Tehcnically, you are correct. But for me, it just doesnt work as i cant keep tracking everything so much every day to ensure -500kcals… I just make a deficit that IS a deficit no matter what i eat that day.
I just want to be able to be in this shape @ 240lbs in a few weeks at any time…otherwise i dont see the point to diet at all… but its just me, im not pushing it on anyone…
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I do it on a diet as you do it during a bulk. I eat around 2200-2400 kcals per day which means I’m in a deficit of around 500 on non training days. This ensures I’m at a deficit if 500 each abs every day, sometimes a bit more.
But if it works for you with -4500 that’s fine too. But I’d agree you lose some muscle that way.
But with -4500, you for cardio, training work and basically eat nothing?
No, my maintenance if i sit on my ass is 3500… 2 hour elyptical on maximum effort is 3000kcals, so i can burn 6000 in 2x2hours + 3500 maintenance + work… i will still eat at least 4500-5000 kcals a day. But to feel full i would probably fast and eat only at night.
Jesus now I understand but already my 15mins of cardio annoys the hell out of me 
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Looking great, man. This is inspiring, congratulations.
Dang Hank I can only dream of ever being as lean as you.
Great pics man congrats on your progress.
Thank you for sharing your advice here with us.