Inside The Mind By Milos “The Mind” Sarcev: Peaking Multiple Times
Inside The Mind
By Milos “The Mind” Sarcev
Presented by JYM Supplement Science
Peaking Multiple Times
Q: Are most competitors able to peak seven days later for back-to-back contests, or do most people need more time than that for their bodies to reset from the carb-loading and dehydration?
A: I disagree with this modern idea that competitors can’t peak repeatedly because their bodies can’t handle it. I remember in 1991 I competed in a contest every weekend for eight weeks in a row, traveling to eight different countries all over Europe. Most of us on that tour held our condition. You have guys like Chris Cormier who competed in 72 pro shows, or Dexter who did over 80 and looked great every time. What is peaking? Peaking is taking someone who has already gotten rid of the body fat and is very lean, and manipulating glycogen, sodium and water. That’s all there is to it! Each person responds a bit differently. I remember working with Dennis Wolf in 2007. I loaded him up on 3,600 grams of carbs for the New York Pro, and he was flat. A week later we went to 4,000 for the Keystone Classic and he won, but I sensed he still could have been fuller. For the Mr. Olympia, it took 5,000 grams in two and half days to fill him up. You can’t just follow the same formula for everyone, or even the same one for the same person all the time. But unless someone has done something drastic with dehydration and diuretics, there is no reason he or she can’t peak multiple times in a row.
Virtual Coaching
Q: What are the challenges to helping an athlete peak when you have to do it via FaceTime rather than physically being at the contest with them?
A: In 2011, I moved back to Europe for seven years, so I grew accustomed to coaching clients through technology like FaceTime and Skype rather than in person. It works very well as long as the conditions are consistent: same time of day in the same place, same lighting. I always preferred video over photos. You see more in videos, and people tend to filter photos to look better. Another advantage to video is that I can see how the athlete looks in between poses, not just when hitting the pose. If they are relaxing their midsection or forgetting to keep the legs tensed, that would be a serious problem on stage. I saw Blessing doing that several times during his posing routine back at the New York Pro. I do prefer to be able to look at clients in person, but with FaceTime it’s enough to make any needed adjustments.
Working With Other Athletes
Q: Some clients have issues with their coach also working with another athlete who they will be competing against. Supposedly that was one of the main reasons Nick Walker and Matt Jansen no longer work together. Do you ever get that reaction from your clients, and how do you handle it? Right now I know you already will have Logan Franklin and Neil Currey in the Classic Physique Olympia.
A: Back when I owned Koloseum Gym, there were times when there would be as many as five guys preparing for the Mr. Olympia being coached and trained there with me, and it was pure camaraderie. Remember, I helped Nasser El Sonbaty beat me! I always felt that we should all work hard and support each other, and let the best man win. Even recently when I had Samson and Regan in the same shows, I did everything in my power to make them their best and try to beat each other. All the top coaches like Chris Aceto, Chad Nicholls, George Farah and Hany Rambod have had multiple clients in the same contest. I’m a coach and I want the best for everyone. If someone complains about it, I point to the door and say I guess we can’t be on the same team.
Periodization for Bodybuilders
Q: When prepping an athlete for a high-level show, do you periodize their training to peak them properly, and if so, do you have guidelines?
A: I firmly believe that if training a certain way makes you look a certain way, you need to keep doing that type of training to maintain that look. For many decades, bodybuilders would train heavy in the off-season to build size, then go lighter and do more reps as they prepared for contests. The goal was to get leaner and more defined, but that’s a factor of cardio and diet. Without the stimulation of the heavy weights, they lost size. Periodization is a scientific approach to weight training with phases that vary things like the loads, reps and rest periods with the end goal of having the highest possible lift in Olympic lifting or powerlifting. It simply does not seem to apply as well for hypertrophy training as practiced by bodybuilders. Did men like Ronnie, Dorian and Kevin Levrone have complicated periodization phases in their training? No. They trained hard and heavy all the time. Even today, the top men like Big Ramy, Nick Walker, Hadi Choopan and Hunter Labrada go all-out when they train for a contest, because they know the heavy weights that put the muscle there will keep the muscle as they get shredded. People like things that sound scientific and give you specific guidelines to follow. But bodybuilders aren’t served best by periodization. For example, say you are supposed to start a “deload” phase, but you’re feeling fantastic and looking great. Why would you cut back on the weights and intensity at that point? Periodization is perfect for weightlifting, but doesn’t work anywhere near as well for bodybuilders seeking hypertrophy.
Choosing Protein Supplements
Q: I’m trying to follow your daily protein recommendations of 2 grams of protein per pound of lean bodyweight, and wonder what type of protein supplements do you suggest?
A: I am a big proponent of whey isolate and Micellar Casein protein supplements like Pro JYM because they rapidly increase amino acid concentrations AND keep them elevated as long as possible. This also helps keep hunger in check when dieting for peak condition.
For more information:
http://jymsupplementscience.com/
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