Can someone please explain bodybuilding diet cycles to me?
I’m 5’7 in height and weigh 72kg or 158 pounds. I want to start bodybuilding. I am trying to figure out a diet. I want a shredded look. Bodybuilders seem to switch between bulking and shredding phases. Which phase do you do and when. Do bodybuilders bulk in winter and shred in summer or bulk all year round and shred when they fancy a change in look or shred a few months in the year because its not realistic to keep up a shredded diet and look for long periods?
Thanks in advance
In my opinion, there’s no point in doing bodybuilding (with the bulk/shred phases) unless you want to compete.
The shredding is done pre-competition, usually about 20 weeks prior to competition. Otherwise, there are periods of building.
What exactly is it you want to achieve? For people who don’t compete, there really is no point in doing the bulk/shred cycles. In fact, it’s actually quite unhealthy for you.
October 11th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
My daughters violin teacher is doing the power x 90 program and he is getting rock hard and HOT!
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October 11th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
This is a great question!
This really depends on your goals alone. There is not specific method to this. It sounds like you may be starting out pretty lean anyway. A workout routine like Body For life would help you to bulk while leaning out and you wouldn’t have to follow a cutting diet unless you eat horribly and really what matters is eating clean. For instance, no boxed, processed or prepacakged foods. The reason this workout routine may work is because it keeps your heart rate up, incorporates all the muscle groups and involves running.
Supplements are going to play a big part in whatever you are looking to do as well.
A good protein powder, muli-vitamin, and an amino acid complex will serve you in either direction.
To bulk you may want to take an N.O. supp. This increases the blood flow/nutrients to your muscle groups and makes you feel that "pump" to get going.
To cut there are countless other fat burning supps to take and because there truly are so so so many I suggest you plug in the effects you are looking for and begin your own search.
DONT forget water. ;0)
Anyway, point being.. you can do both or one at a time. Usually people bulk first and cut last. They always do this eating 5-6 small meals a day. Some do a ratio diet… ex. 40/30/30 percentages of protein to carbs and fat. Those amounts are also adjusted to your goals.
The best thing you can do is join bodybuilding.com and start reading away. AWESOME site and the BEST prices on supps.
Good luck with your goals AND congrats for wanting to take care of your health and body.
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October 11th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
In my opinion, there’s no point in doing bodybuilding (with the bulk/shred phases) unless you want to compete.
The shredding is done pre-competition, usually about 20 weeks prior to competition. Otherwise, there are periods of building.
What exactly is it you want to achieve? For people who don’t compete, there really is no point in doing the bulk/shred cycles. In fact, it’s actually quite unhealthy for you.
References :
October 11th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
yeah the competition look is way too unnatural and hard to keep anyway. when bodybuilders are at competition, they are actually are at their unhealthiest because they have to dehydrate themselves to get to that look of striations and complete vascularity. the reason some bbs can keep their low bodyfat % for a long time is because they are either on anabolic steroids or they bulk up slowly(1 lb per week) which prevents fat accumulation. during the bulk season, if you are really looking to compete months-1/2 year bulking before competition, bbs lift for mass, low reps heavy weight(some might even stay at the high rep range because they are strong-ronnie coleman) and eat in surplus to gain weight. muscle or fat they want to accumulate as much muscle as possible before they cut. then when cutting comes, maybe a month or 1 1/2 months before competition, they cut by supersetting exercises and cutting rest in between. inplementing more cardio and/or cutting calorie intake. then maybe a week before competiotn theyll cut carbs almost completely and days before comp. theyll carb load to fill up the muscle with glycogen. days before they reduce sodium and water intake start using fake tanning products. and during competition day theyll use something like pro-tan and oil up and pump up the muscle with a small workout before goin gon stage. thats basically it. if you arent really doing competition but getting ready for it then i would do everything very slowly to prevent easy muscle loss or fat gain. +1lb per week when gaining muscle, -1 lb per week when cutting. never cut so severly that you lose more then two lbs per week or else youll end up losing all that hard earned muscle and end up right where you started. bodybuilders can cut in large amounts and still be able to preserve muscle mass because they or on the juice which prevents easy muscle loss.
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