50 contest prep decision making 2

Lesson Overview • The “Digging” phase of prep • Decisions Tree for Stalls • FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 1: Calories • FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 2: Energy Expenditure • FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 3: Fat Lo

Contest Prep Decision Making

UNIVERSITY

Lesson Overview

• The “Digging” phase of prep

• Decisions Tree for Stalls

• FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 1: Calories

• FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 2: Energy Expenditure

• FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 3: Fat Loss Agents

• MUSCLE HOLD ACTION STEP 1: Training

• MUSCLE HOLD ACTION STEP 2: PEDs

• FATIGUE ACTION STEP 1: Taper and Diet Break

• FATIGUE ACTION STEP 2: Refeed

The “Digging” Phase

Through the initial prep set up you should have made the easy fat loss occur

The Digging phase is where we go from lean to skinned out stage

ready

This is also where you will face the largest mental and physical

challenges in a contest prep

This final phase is where we go from lean to stage level conditioned

Side effects of contest prep can become increased in this phase from low energy availability and fatigue increasing

When we run into the first stall out in fat loss, we will have decisions to make to keep progressing

Decision Making

The mental aspect of prep can drive you to make emotional based

decisions

A hasty decision can lead to too large of a calorie drop, excessive cardio, too high of training volume, too high of PED usage

This can further stall progression and make prep very hard from hunger increasing, crashing training performance, poor sleep, stress to further compound

We must stay objective and take-out emotion

Use your objective data to make decisions and have a second eye on you

to give you some unbiased opinions

The decision can be complex and more than just revolve around

decreasing food and increasing cardio

You must factor in an athlete's mental state, recovery tools, long term adherence

Contest Prep Decision Tree

Adherence high >7-14 days

Vi s ually l ook l eaner and decrease i n scale and/or caliper s ites?

Determine if variable is masking progress and stick to plan OR You should Implement

an ACTION STEP

Fa t Loss Stall

Is Ca lorie i ntake high enough

a nd expenditure l ow enough

to a l low for for further deficit?

Fa t l oss within range of

0.5-1.5% wei ght l oss per

week?

Other fa ctors involved

bl urri ng fat loss?

Di gestion Intact PED cha nges Mens trual cycl e Food Volume

i ncrease/decrease Poor Sl eep Stres s

Wa ter retention from tra i ning

Cha nge i n fluids Cha nge i n daily routine Cha nge i n check in ti me

of da y

No change to plan, address adherence

MUSCLE HOLD

ACTION STEP 1

Cons ider adjusting

tra i ning volume

down

No change to

plan

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 2

i ncreasing energy expenditure if

ca l orie intake is low a nd further decrease goes below minimum

ta rgets and current cardio is not

hi ghly fatiguing

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 1

decrease kcal when food is

hi gh enough to do so and hunger is managed

FATIGUE ACTION STEP 1

If ti me permits

ta ke a 1-week

di et break a nd del oad/taper

Do you not

ha ve ti me?

YES

NO

YES

NO YES

YES

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 3

i mpl ementation of Fat Loss

Agents

NO

NO

MUSCLE HOLD ACTION STEP 2

Increase AAS for gym performance retention

Move to a FAT LOSS

ACTION STEP (Di gging

NOT to be s ustained long

term)

NO

FATIGUE ACTION

STEP 2

2 da y Refeed,

rea ssess s tall Are

you s ti ll stalled?

Is physical or mental fatigue

a n i ssue?

NO

YES

YES

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 1: CALORIES

General Rules:

Make one change at a time

Changes made should be reactive not proactive after initial set up

Calorie adjustment after initial set up:

Option 1 : 10% decrease in total kcal intake (2000kcal diet = 200kcal

reduction)

Option 2: Calorie adjustment based on goal weight loss target

EX: need a 0.5lb weight loss per week = ~1700 kcal per week decrease =

~240kcal decrease per day

Assess next week and adjust accordingly

Remember you can always add food back in, but you can’t go back in time and take food away

Which macros to adjust?

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 1: CALORIES

Adjusting Macronutrients

CARBOHYDRATES

• In Contest prep an increase in training volume and cardio means an increase in glucose utilization, but also fatty acid oxidation

• Upholding training performance is of utmost importance and glucose is main substrate

• Uphold pre, intra and post workout carbohydrates for as long as possible to fuel performance and recovery

• Decrease carbs if: Carbs > 1g/lb and Fat is <0.3g/lb

FATS

• However, look at fats as well High carb or high fat can be just as effective in fat loss as one another So, preference and gym performance should be weighed into the decision of carb or fat reduction

• Lowering fats may further increase hunger, which should be noted Later stages of prep going to trace fats for short durations is acceptable, to favor carbohydrates

• Decrease fats if: Carbs<1g/lb and Fat is >0.7g/lb

PROTEIN

• Last macro to adjust

• Stay within 1-1.5g/lb of body weight, in a deficit protein needs will be higher than in a holding or push phase

• Decrease protein if: Pro >1.3g/lb, Carbs<1g/lb, fat <0.3g/lb

• Key Strategy later stage of prep:

• If a calorie adjustment doesn’t need to be made but performance is poor lower protein to 1g/lb and add those calories back in as carbohydrate

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 2: ENERGY

EXPENDITURE

Body will adapt over contest prep by becoming more efficient in movement and you become a lighter body weight

Goal is to increase total daily expenditure and generate least fatigue possible 1 s t and

2 nd consider time efficiency

ACTION 1: Baseline moderate intensity cardio is in place; increase step count 2-4 steps per day

ACTION 2: Step count is maxed, and time is an issue; increase moderate intensity cardio duration 10-15 minutes per session or add 1-2 sessions total cardio per week

ACTION 3: Step/NEAT Activity can be transitioned to moderate intensity cardio if needed

Ideally total moderate intensity sessions won’t exceed number of weight training days and time spent weight training

For some individuals steps alone won’t generate enough calorie expenditure and high moderate cardio levels will be needed to progress in fat loss

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 3: FAT LOSS AGENTS

• You Do NOT need all components

• You Do NOT implement all agents at same item and top dosage

• Get the MOST from the LEAST

Items in place at start of prep hypothetically:

• Anabolic Androgenic Steroids: Beta 2 receptor sensitivity and density

• Anabolic (test/primo) and Anticatabolic Compound (trenbolone)

• Growth Hormone: increased FFA mobilization

• PPAR Agonist (Telmisartan, ARB): gene regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism

• Glucose Disposal Agent (Metformin and Berberine): CHO absorption blocking and increased glucose partitioning

Items on hand to implement:

• Beta 2 Agonist (Clenbuterol): increased adipose lipolysis

• Alpha-2 Antagonist (Yohimbine HCl): blockade of anti-lipolytic agents

• Catecholamines (caffeine): Increase BMR, norepinephrine

• Thyroid Hormone (Cytomel T3): Increased BMR

FAT LOSS ACTION STEP 3: FAT LOSS AGENTS

Based on Physiology/hormone changes:

Thyroid Hormone (Cytomel T3):

• Lab work at mid prep and base dosing on labs

• Start at 15-25mcg per day as starting point

Based on Fat loss needs:

*Can implement one at a time or all at lowest starting dose

Beta 2 Agonist (Clenbuterol):

Start at 20mcg per day titrate up every 3-7 days based on needs to 80mcg per day

Alpha-2 Antagonist (Yohimbine HCl):

Start at 2.5mg per day and titrate up every day to 0.2mg/kg of body

weight

Catecholamines (caffeine):

Start at 100mg and increase to 200-300mg per day

MUSCLE HOLD ACTION STEP 1: Training

Adjustment

Contest prep is an inevitable rise in fatigue and decreased recovery ability

Autoregulate load/reps/volume just like in any other phase

This is no excuse to wuss out when times get tough

You will be fighting to uphold load and reps at some point on prep

Strategy 1:

Low set volume per session as needed to maintain performance

Remove cardio heavy metabolic work (super sets, high reps)

Remove set extenders (rest pause, failure forced reps)

Strategy 2:

Split training session volume into more frequent sessions to shorten the session

Push Pull Off Legs OFF into Push Pull delt/arm legs off

Or

Push Pull legs Off into upper lower off

Strategy 3:

Switch exercises to fewer fatiguing movements that require less stabilization

Start of Prep: Deadlift Mid Prep: Machine Good morning End Prep: back extension

MUSCLE HOLD ACTION STEP 2: PED

Adjustment

This is a last resort option and unlikely needed

Muscle maintenance takes very little AAS need, training is main tool Potential during later phase of contest prep (last 4-6 weeks)

Fast acting orals later stage of prep can be deployed

**Start with one option ONLY, move up as needed for advancement

Phase Dependent Compound Deployment:

Oxandrolone (last 4-8 weeks): Start 20mg

Oral Stanozolol (last 4-6 weeks): Start 25mg

Halotestin (last 2-3 weeks only): Start 20mg

Yes, there are other compounds, these fit within our safe use

framework

2020 Olympia Prep PED Progression

FATIGUE ACTION STEP 1:

DELOAD/TAPER AND DIET BREAK

DIET BREAK PROTCOL (7-14 DAYS)

• Raise calories to maintenance level (20-30% kcal increase)

• Increase kcal via carbohydrates

• Maintain protein and fat intake same

• Same food sources used in prep

TAPER/DELOAD PROTOCOL

• Reduce the number of work sets in ½

• Exercise selection is the same

• Use same Loads 1 RIR

• Cardio remains the same unless reported high fatigue during

FATIGUE ACTION STEP 2:

REFEED 24-72 hour

REFEED PROTOCOL

• 24–72-hour duration back-to-back days

• Raise calories to maintenance level (20-30% kcal increase)

• Increase kcal via carbohydrates

• Maintain or reduce protein and fat intake, replace kcal reduction with carbohydrate

• Same food sources

TRAINING AND CARDIO

Remains the same

If leg fatigue is high, consider only steps

Summary

The “Digging” Phase of prep will require mental and physical tenacity

to push to stage level conditioning

We must keep a logical thought process using intuition, logic, empirical and scientific evidence to guide our decisions

Filter out rash emotional decisions when digging for contest shape

We have a variety of tools to use in a ”digging” phase but nothing will trump creating a calorie deficit via food reduction and energy

expenditure

Do NOT allow drugs to mask hard work, they are only aids, NOT

crutches

Get the MOST from the LEAST