Written by Ron Harris
25 June 2019

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Win Your Next Bodybuilding Competition by Making Improvements in the Off-Season

 

Most competitors associate the contest-prep phase of the year with determining how well they will do in that particular competition they have selected. That makes sense on the surface, because it’s when you employ an extended strict diet and additional cardio training to strip away the body fat and chisel your physique into a ripped masterpiece. But here’s the thing. Assuming you do a proper job of that and show up shredded, it’s still the physique that was under the body fat that’s being judged against those of your fellow competitors. Is that a winning physique? What you have done in your off-season is what largely determines that. The off-season isn’t just about lifting heavy, wearing hoodies and sweatpants, and eating whatever you like. It’s a critical time for serious competitors, because that’s when you can make tangible and specific improvements that will give you a far greater chance of victory the next time you take the stage. Here’s how to make the most of your off-season.

 

Get Feedback

If you didn’t ask the judges for feedback and constructive criticism after your last contest, it’s time to get it now. Most are happy to help if you politely message them on social media or email them. If not, seek out others with a trained eye for physiques to scrutinize your contest photos. Whatever you do, don’t waste your time asking your friends, family members or significant other what they think. They are going to tell you that you look spectacular, the embodiment of physical perfection. Such gushing praise is divine for the ego, but the death knell for any chance of improvement. If you already think you look amazing as is, why bother trying to change anything? A judge or a seasoned coach will be able to look over your physique in photos or in person and tell you exactly what you need to work on. Maybe you need more lat or shoulder width, more quad sweep, better arms or calves, a thicker upper chest, hamstrings to match your quads, etc. You might just need more mass overall. Every single competitor, all the way up to the Olympia champions, has areas that could stand to be better. If you’re far from that level, you can be very sure that you have things that need work. It’s just a matter of identifying those areas, then get to work on making them better so that you come closer to complete, balanced physique.

 

Prioritize Weak Points

After an honest and informed evaluation, you should have a clear idea of which areas you don’t need to emphasize, as they are already very good; and which areas need more attention because they lag behind in development. I always tell people to hammer their weak points, while doing only enough for their strong points to maintain. Your strong points will always be good anyway. Branch Warren has always been known for his massive, tree trunk thighs. He realized early on that if he kept on the path he was on, he would never be a top pro. Branch knew his upper body needed more time and effort to catch up, so at two different points in his career he stopped training legs for a full year, and nine months the second time. That’s what it took to give his upper body a fighting chance. In the end, he won two Arnold Classic titles and was runner-up at the Mr. Olympia. You don’t necessarily have to stop training your strong points, but don’t do as much for them. Meanwhile, hit your weak points twice a week with different style workouts. Work them heavy for straight sets at one workout, then blast them with higher reps, supersets, and drop sets for the second weekly session. Work them fresh instead of after other body parts in the same workout. You will be surprised at what’s possible to accomplish in just a few months when you devote more focus on anything. Areas that haven’t improved in years will suddenly start growing again. It’s pretty damn cool!

 

Stay Fairly Lean

There are several compelling reasons to keep your body fat in check throughout the off-season. It’s healthier, and you will look much better without all that extra fluff. But more to the point, staying leaner allows you to see what’s going on with your physique. When you have a significant layer of body fat, it’s nearly impossible to tell if the gains you are making are in the form of new lean muscle tissue, or just plain old fat, like any couch potato living off chips and soda has plenty of. If you’re trying to bring up lagging arms, you need to be sure that the half-inch you have added is actual muscle, and not adipose tissue. One very useful tool is the body fat testing. Taking weekly body fat measurements along with your weight means that you can accurately record your body composition. Going from 200 pounds to 220 is worthless if your body fat also climbed from 10 to 20 percent! As bodybuilders, we are physique artists. We use weight training along with precision and nutrition to sculpt our personal masterpieces. Attempting to improve your physique while carrying too much body fat is like trying to create a classic sculpture with the marble covered in mud, in a dimly lit room wearing dark sunglasses! Maintain a clean diet and restrict your treats or cheats to the occasional splurge on a special occasion or holiday. Keep up your cardio. That way, you will be able to see your progress instead of merely hoping that you’re making gains.

 

Work on Posing

Finally, don’t wait until you’re in prep mode to work on your posing and presentation. Most competitors put that off until maybe the final four to six weeks of prep, which is a big mistake. True masters of posing practice it year-round. That’s why they can display their physiques with such power, grace and flawless poise. Most of us hate to practice posing until we are pretty lean, which is another reason to never get too out of shape! At least three times a week, you should work on your quarter-turns and mandatory poses, along with pulling an abdominal vacuum.

 

If you do these things in your off-season, I assure you that you’ve done far more to increase your chances of winning the next time you step on stage. Physique contests are won by men and women with the most complete and balanced development. The only way to have the best symmetry and proportion you are capable of is to work hard on making sure all your muscle groups are in balance with each other. With specific goals, attention to detail, and good old-fashioned hard work, you can make it happen!

 

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