WHAT MOST PEOPLE DONT THINK ABOUT WHEN TRYING TO ADD STAGE WEIGHT AND KEYS TO FOCUS ON
A lot of people that try and add stage weight when they compete always focus on the offseason and time off from dieting to pack on muscle, which is a very key component. That’s not what I wanna focus on though.
Anyone can have great a offseason but after dieting down their stage weight doesnt go up because they miss a huge CRUCIAL component…..
Increasing stage weight isnt always tied to adding muscle, a key component of adding stage weight is tied to losing LESS muscle when dieting down. I have seen people add good stage weight from season to season by focusing on these key points:
– Dont try and lose more than 1 lb a week, 2 lbs max if you are a big dude. Most people can make improvements if they only diet off 1 lb a week. If you have to lose 2 lbs or more a week it’s tied to the next key….
– Dont get too sloppy in the offseason. Too many people get too fat and have to diet too drastic and strip off a lot of muscle.
– Dont do a shit ton of SS cardio. If you wanna lose muscle you worked hard in the offseason to build then do hours of SS cardio. Most likely if hours of cardio need to be done either diet wasnt set up right, body fat was too high from the start, or cardio was added in way too early.
– Dont try and rush the fat off. If you have 35 lbs to lose 12 weeks is going to likely kill your physique in comparison to dieting a lot longer. There’s a reason why assisted athletes only prep 12 weeks and do hours of cardio as their norm- they dont lose muscle as easy as natural athletes.
– Dont do drastic shit to get the last 10 lbs off. Muscle loss happens EASIER when you are leaner, you have less fat to use as fuel and muscle loss can happen quick (esp with SS cardio)
– Try and be ready EARLY, and up cals into the show. This is a tactic the good coaches use to get a physique that looks alive and not beat up, so IF possible be ready a few weeks early.
– If stage ready early, pull out the SS cardio. When you are stage lean you dont have fat to use as fuel (SS cardio’s primary fuel source) so if you keep it in while super lean you WILL burn up muscle fast. Common mistake I see all the time.
I know there are more I can list but you get the point. Have a GREAT offseason then work to hold onto all that new muscle to get your stage weight to go up.