I hope you don't mind me commenting?
16 weeks is a long time to diet and train for a contest - IMHO. 12 weeks would be the longest I would consider, but (for me) 10 weeks is plenty. Everyone is different though. My mistake for the first show that I did was to diet too long, and too calorie restrictive. As such, in addition to losing fat, I lost a fair amount of muscle and ended up (in my view) flat for the show. I did win the weight class, but could have come in with more muscle and fuller looking.
Obviously, the goal for a competitive bodybuilder is to come in as lean as possible while retaining as much muscle as possible. Based on my first experience with dieting and pre-contest preparation, the next show I did I moved up a weight class, was much larger and fuller and still very ripped. Came in second in my weight class in that show.
No doubt, you learned some good lessons from your first show and I would imagine you'll be in a better position to do some things differently for your next show. But, that's how we learn.
As far as losing strength, IMO, 8 weeks out from the contest date I'd add some AD-50, and 6 weeks out add some Halo. That should help with strength as well as hardening you up - IMHO.
Erich
Quote:
Originally Posted by andyebs
well I done 16 weeks prep but wasn't very lean at start I had put on great deal of weight and been off gear for quite some time
and as diet went on I did lack with strength so weight did become lighter for same sort of reps as was before normal pyramid system
cardio was from start and increased the way through it
ie started 1 20 mins a week then ended up 5-6 30-1hr sessions
my cardio is very much done outside or garden I like circuit training and love to flip big tyre I have
to be fair id done quite well on cut but very much messed up towards end as I made things more complicated than needed to be
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