Off-Season Bodybuilders

Training
321

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
So I guess its true, you cant bulk up without gaining fat…

Call me naive, but I still think that getting big is possible without gaining an ounce of fat, just would take longer.[/quote]

How much time do you think you have?[/quote]

Well I dont have like a deadline or anything, Im just looking to bulk up for life experience, Ive done tons of research on fat loss and training (like for specific sports) and my major is gonna be Exercise Biology or Kinesiology, the only thing I would say my knowledge is lacking is in “bulking” or heavy muscle building…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage

322

[quote]young n wrote:
damn i didnt know that these dudes were this big in the off season, i thought that during show time they dropped maybe like 30-40 lbs, but damn they look huge during the off season, they look like they have on an extra 60+ lbs [/quote]

Most do. Since the 80’s, the guys who have made the most overall progress AFTER they turned pro have almost always been the guys who got heavier in the off season to maximize any gains they made. That applies from guys like Nasser, Priest and Yates all of the way to today’s Kevin English (who gets up to 270lbs while competing in the 202 class), Kai Greene and Phil Heath.

Shawn Ray was one of those who always stayed near contest shape (supposedly)…and while his physique was pretty close to perfect, he made the LEAST overall progress after he turned pro. He pretty much held around the same level of size his entire career.

Anywhere from 40-60lbs lost to get in contest shape is normal.

323

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
So I guess its true, you cant bulk up without gaining fat…

Call me naive, but I still think that getting big is possible without gaining an ounce of fat, just would take longer.[/quote]

How much time do you think you have?[/quote]

Well I dont have like a deadline or anything, Im just looking to bulk up for life experience, Ive done tons of research on fat loss and training (like for specific sports) and my major is gonna be Exercise Biology or Kinesiology, the only thing I would say my knowledge is lacking is in “bulking” or heavy muscle building…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage
[/quote]

Your best years for overall mass gain are from around the age of 18-35. Most people will have a harder time making HUGE gains in size after that time period…which means people who think they have forever to reach their goal will be least likely to actually get there.

Your body will not respond the same 20 years from now as it does right now…and since it takes most of these guys one to two decades to get into the shape they are, why would someone think they had the luxury of “slow progress” to reach the same goal?

324

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
So I guess its true, you cant bulk up without gaining fat…

Call me naive, but I still think that getting big is possible without gaining an ounce of fat, just would take longer.[/quote]

How much time do you think you have?[/quote]

Well I dont have like a deadline or anything, Im just looking to bulk up for life experience, Ive done tons of research on fat loss and training (like for specific sports) and my major is gonna be Exercise Biology or Kinesiology, the only thing I would say my knowledge is lacking is in “bulking” or heavy muscle building…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage
[/quote]

Your best years for overall mass gain are from around the age of 18-35. Most people will have a harder time making HUGE gains in size after that time period…which means people who think they have forever to reach their goal will be least likely to actually get there. Your body will not respond the same 20 years from now as it does right now…and since it takes most of these guys one to two decades to get into the shape they are, why would someone think they had the luxury of “slow progress” to reach the same goal?[/quote]

Well my goal is to remain athletic, I train hard no matter what I do, so dedication will not be a problem. I just dont wanna have to lose an extra 40lbs of fat cuz that would take away from my athleticism… But maybe Im just dreaming up something thats not possible, I know you cant get anything you want without sacrifice, and if it came down to it, gaining 40lbs of fat is a sacrifice Im willing to make

325

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
So I guess its true, you cant bulk up without gaining fat…

Call me naive, but I still think that getting big is possible without gaining an ounce of fat, just would take longer.[/quote]

How much time do you think you have?[/quote]

Well I dont have like a deadline or anything, Im just looking to bulk up for life experience, Ive done tons of research on fat loss and training (like for specific sports) and my major is gonna be Exercise Biology or Kinesiology, the only thing I would say my knowledge is lacking is in “bulking” or heavy muscle building…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage
[/quote]

Your best years for overall mass gain are from around the age of 18-35. Most people will have a harder time making HUGE gains in size after that time period…which means people who think they have forever to reach their goal will be least likely to actually get there. Your body will not respond the same 20 years from now as it does right now…and since it takes most of these guys one to two decades to get into the shape they are, why would someone think they had the luxury of “slow progress” to reach the same goal?[/quote]

Well my goal is to remain athletic, I train hard no matter what I do, so dedication will not be a problem. I just dont wanna have to lose an extra 40lbs of fat cuz that would take away from my athleticism… But maybe Im just dreaming up something thats not possible, I know you cant get anything you want without sacrifice, and if it came down to it, gaining 40lbs of fat is a sacrifice Im willing to make[/quote]

You seem turned around on quite a few issues. You can bet that someone who is literally going from off season to contest shape in only 40lbs that they aren’t just losing FAT. The goal is NOT to gain 40lbs of fat.

But then, it amazes me this needs to be explained at all.

For instance, the first 8-12lbs lost on a diet is made of mostly what?

326

[quote]…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage
[/quote]

EDIT: Serious disadvantage. Eggs and beans are gonna become your best and worst friend on a bulk

327

350×585 24.3 KB

I have no doubt that a lot of testosterone filled men, especially on this site would relish being the size and having the physiques of some of the guys posted in this thread. However in practicality without the genetics and the religious use of steroids and the like it would be impossible to achieve and maintain such physiques.

I want to look SIMILAR to some of these guys but not to the extent of absolute huge-ness like this pic of Ronnie. The pictures in this thread are mainly inspiration to help us train in the gym with intensity, serving as motivation, even though we know deep down that most if any of us will never become that size and have those kinds of physiques. In no way does the sheer impossibility of the task really mean that it is impossible but the impracticality attached magnifies the fantasy.

What are we really talking about here? Big guys? Yes… but in TC fashion, its more than that. For every obvious or superficial image there is an interesting and possibly deeper idea. For us, the Tnation readers, those who are viewing this thread its not about being as big as Trey or Ronnie or any other mCD KFC eating power lifer.

its about striving to get big to be big and reaching out physique goals even if people say they are superficial. “That guy is a freak, why would you want to even remotely resemble that?” Im never going to be that big but that doesn’t mean I can’t look to put on big muscle.

328

Troll season 2010 has started.

Bring your own buckshot.

329

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Troll season 2010 has started.

Bring your own buckshot.

[/quote]

C’mon mods. This is out of control.

We all (the non-trolls) understand the ‘spirit’ of this thread. And that spirit is not debate the freakiness of off season, heavyweight bodybuilders or to disparage heavy wieght BB’ers looks, asthetics, lifestyle, or supplementation.

There’s discretion, and then there’s discretion. That last post by ‘gettinitdone’ doesn’t belong in this thread. It just serves to diminish the purpose of the thread. No, I take that back-- it’s an obvious and unwanted troll attempt.

If Tim’s aim is to have “TMuscle, T-Nation, etc. whatever” be more serious about bodybuilding, then this shit needs to get nipped in the bud.

There are several former T-Nationers who have migrated to a much more serious “bodybuilding” site (which I won’t name out of respect for T-Nation), where this kind of dickery isn’t tolerated. Hell, you can’t even post advice on some more serious sites without approval from staff because they don’t want any part of this trollish bullshit.

THIS is what this thread is about:

330

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
So I guess its true, you cant bulk up without gaining fat…

Call me naive, but I still think that getting big is possible without gaining an ounce of fat, just would take longer.[/quote]

How much time do you think you have?[/quote]

Well I dont have like a deadline or anything, Im just looking to bulk up for life experience, Ive done tons of research on fat loss and training (like for specific sports) and my major is gonna be Exercise Biology or Kinesiology, the only thing I would say my knowledge is lacking is in “bulking” or heavy muscle building…also Im a vegetarian, so Im already at a slight disadvantage
[/quote]

Your best years for overall mass gain are from around the age of 18-35. Most people will have a harder time making HUGE gains in size after that time period…which means people who think they have forever to reach their goal will be least likely to actually get there. Your body will not respond the same 20 years from now as it does right now…and since it takes most of these guys one to two decades to get into the shape they are, why would someone think they had the luxury of “slow progress” to reach the same goal?[/quote]

Well my goal is to remain athletic, I train hard no matter what I do, so dedication will not be a problem. I just dont wanna have to lose an extra 40lbs of fat cuz that would take away from my athleticism… But maybe Im just dreaming up something thats not possible, I know you cant get anything you want without sacrifice, and if it came down to it, gaining 40lbs of fat is a sacrifice Im willing to make[/quote]

You seem turned around on quite a few issues. You can bet that someone who is literally going from off season to contest shape in only 40lbs that they aren’t just losing FAT. The goal is NOT to gain 40lbs of fat.

But then, it amazes me this needs to be explained at all.

For instance, the first 8-12lbs lost on a diet is made of mostly what?[/quote]

Well based on my personal experiences I would have to say pure fat, but it seems as though when your as big as a bodybuilder/power lifter, your implying that that loss would be muscle. Which makes sense, everyone keeps telling me to cut out my cardio if I wanna get big.

So then if you gained a large amount of muscle, and started doing cardio, your body would eat your muscle seeing as how it is a much greater source of energy than fat… I do know that 15-20 mins of cardio should keep you in the fat burning zone and keep your muscles relatively safe from consumption by your body… but then again Im no body builder so maybe your guys systems work differently cuz of all the mass you have…

331

This is a buddy of mine - 25 yrs old, 6’1" and I believe this pic is at about 305-310lbs. He did his last show in August at roughly 255lbs.

332

[quote]mr popular wrote:
A bunch of guys standing around, being unfunctional, because that’s all they can do at that size…[/quote]

lol

333

[quote]jholla10 wrote:
This is a buddy of mine - 25 yrs old, 6’1" and I believe this pic is at about 305-310lbs. He did his last show in August at roughly 255lbs.

[/quote]

Fuck. I really hope you’re working out with him.

334

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

335

[quote]Scott M wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

[/quote]

Check his thread in the supps/nutrition forum and you wont be surprised at all.

336

And what about this gem…

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:
Maybe a little off topic, but hopefully this hasn’t been answered already.

Are test boosters considered steroids? or are they their own category?[/quote]

337

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:

[quote]Scott M wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

[/quote]

Check his thread in the supps/nutrition forum and you wont be surprised at all. [/quote]

I thought we already established that my knowledge in bodybuilding is pretty much 0… however other types of training/fitness I would consider myself quite knowledgeable…

And whats the deal bro, I said if you dont wanna deal with me thats fine, no need to go trashing me to other people tho

338

[quote]Scott M wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

[/quote]

A little over a year ago I was 6’1" and 228lbs

Now Im 195 with like 12% body fat, and Ive done many a cardio/weight training programs…

Major is Exercise Bio, but Ive only been researching this stuff for about a year

339

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Scott M wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

[/quote]

A little over a year ago I was 6’1" and 228lbs

Now Im 195 with like 12% body fat, and Ive done many a cardio/weight training programs…

Major is Exercise Bio, but Ive only been researching this stuff for about a year[/quote]

I seriously doubt you are currently an exercise major. Doesn’t that require at least first year biology?

The initial weight lost in a low carb diet is mostly glycogen depletion and water loss. During contest prep, these guys will attempt to drain every ounce of non-vital fluid from their bodies. That means the last 20lbs lost or so is by no means simply FAT LOSS. The initial weight lost is by no means simply FAT LOSS. Therefore, the idea that a bodybuilder with 40lbs to lose to get in contest shape is carrying 40lbs of fat is absolutely ridiculous and false.

Aside from freaks like Kevin Levrone, most humans on the planet have to be FAR PAST THEIR PLANNED STAGE WEIGHT in terms of development so that they can diet back down to it.

340

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

[quote]Scott M wrote:

[quote]Russaldo13 wrote:

Well based on my personal experiences
[/quote]

How much do you have?

[/quote]

A little over a year ago I was 6’1" and 228lbs

Now Im 195 with like 12% body fat, and Ive done many a cardio/weight training programs…

Major is Exercise Bio, but Ive only been researching this stuff for about a year[/quote]

I seriously doubt you are currently an exercise major. Doesn’t that require at least first year biology?

The initial weight lost in a low carb diet is mostly glycogen depletion and water loss. During contest prep, these guys will attempt to drain every ounce of non-vital fluid from their bodies. That means the last 20lbs lost or so is by no means simply FAT LOSS. The initial weight lost is by no means simply FAT LOSS. Therefore, the idea that a bodybuilder with 40lbs to lose to get in contest shape is carrying 40lbs of fat is absolutely ridiculous and false.

Aside from freaks like Kevin Levrone, most humans on the planet have to be FAR PAST THEIR PLANNED STAGE WEIGHT in terms of development so that they can diet back down to it.[/quote]

It requires 3 quarters of biology, but yea just about a year, its really annoying to want to learn about the human body, and have to take damn psych and chem and STATS (I hate math) and crap like that, just lemme into the exciting stuff already…

But ok I feel ya on the whole water thing, I actually have heard that, the dude I buy my protein and stuff from at the GNC is a competitor so he tells me all about his crazy diets and how he cuts to like insane body fat and sucks all his liquid out… Maybe im in the wrong place, it seems like most of the info on here is for people that want to compete, and I dont, so cutting for a competition will never be a problem, I just wanna build muscle and keep my cardio vascular strength at a very high level… Basically the body/athleticism of an NFL linebacker

Is this purely a competitive bodybuilding site?? Cuz I see stuff about MMA and things of that nature on here too…

But also your right on your currently point. Im in my final year of JR College and within the next month I have to decide to transfer to Exercise Bio or Kinesiology… Kin is a lot less work, but exercise bio is much more info and could do more for me