I am an expert at off-season!! On season is a different story and where I can always learn more. But, should you have any questions on how to increase your muscle mass, gain size(see my bio), I can certainly try and help.

Stay fit! Love and God bless,

Alex

Alex - I read you bio. Congratualtions on your accompishments. Your stats are pretty impressive. I am sure that there is much that you can share with other board members. Feel free to chime in on the threads where you feel that you can add to the discussion, that is what makes the board interesting.

VA MadDog

Alex,

Checked out the Bio as well, I can always use some tips on increaseing my lean body mass, I'm one little dude!

Alex,

It would be great to hear your comments. I do know of your knowledge and great accomplishments. I think we started using BI products about the same time.

I am looking forward to you posting more.

Frank

I grunt, therefore it HURTS!

Alex where is your Bio. I would like to read it. I am in the off season now and would like to put on some fresh beef.

lifter

Alex,

I amm with Mecca. I have read your bio; very impressive. I am always looking to add size. It would be great to hear some of your ideas and methods.

Kevin

OK.  First thing first- Nutrition.

75% of bodybuilding success is based on nutrition.

Allow me to state that I can only really speak, with any degree of certainty, about what has worked for me personally, but I have been doing this a long time and can attest that the nutritional guidelines that I developed for myself are actually very similar to those bodybuilders of the '70s (Arnold, Franco, Draper, Katz, Waller, Corney, Robinson and a bevy of "legendary" Mr. Americas, Mr. Worlds and Mr. Universes, as well as, and even current top pro, Lee Priest) from the golden age of bodybuilding followed during their hey dey. 

I am of the belief that in order to get big, you must eat big.  Bodybuilding is fun.  Live life.  Enjoy food.   Contest dieting is not.  But, when you set a contest date, we all know we must tighten the screws (or our belts) on your diet.  But, watching the new found muscle appear from beneath the bodyfat as it is shed is fun.  Dieting year round will only limit the progress you can make when it comes to adding muscle.

Your main goal during your offseason gaining phase, as is mine and was theirs, is to insure that by the end of each day, you have met your daily protein goal of 1.5 gms or more of quality protein x your lean bodyweight and divided over 6-7 meals.  I said quality protein.  Beverly has been around since 1969.  You cannot tell me that the aforementioned bodybuilding legends did not use Beverly.  I have met and spoken personally with the original owner of Beverly International, Jim Heflin, who has confirmed this to be true. Ronnie Coleman, current Mr. Olympia, also uses Beverly. What does that tell you?

My point is, for quality protein - use Beverly proteins. The PER (protein efficiency rating) of Beverly is also amongst the highest on the market. Not many can eat 6-7 whole food meals per day. Thus the reason to supplement. To insure you are meeting you daily protein requirements.

As far as carbs, keep them high. Low glycemic or high glycemic. It's offseason, it don't matter!!  Take advantag eof the anabolic window and be sure ingest the largest of your carb meals within 30 minutes of training.

And don't even bother concerning yourself with fat intake.  Use heavy whipping cream in your shakes. Eat big to grow.  They taste fantastic.

Stay fit! Love and God bless,

Alex

Alex...Hey man, where's the bio?

Nevermind, I found it....

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Click on the name at left and go to public profile.

Alex,
I have to agree with what you say, however I find it hard to watch myself smooth out when I'm trying to gain lean mass.

In your best guess, what range bodyfat do you and the old timers bulk up to in the off season?
I think maybe I'm being to strict with my eating habbits and thats limiting my potential gains. I try to stay between 6-8% all year.

My bodyfat % gets as high as 15% during the offseason (which currently has lasted 3 years!!!). I would not recommend allowing it to get any higher as it then becomes increasingly difficult to shed the unwanted bodyfat without sacrificing the hard earned lean muscle once you begin dieting.

Alex

It looks like I need to loosen up some, I can't let myself get to 15% though. Maybe 9-10% but thats pushing it. About how many carbs do you consume per day?
Matt

Yeah, but had you eaten 6-7 meals a day instead of "maybe 2 or 3 meals a day" than maybe you would have acheived 20" arms. Thus, the importance of nutrition.

I do agree John that there are many contributing factors. The % a gave to nutrition was to emphasize its importance in the whole scheme of things related to bodybuilding, especially natural bodybuilding. Sergio and Bob Birdsong, as well as all the bodybuilders I peviously mentioned were...well, anything but. They could eat anything they wanted and still grow.

However, unless you are genetically gifted as many of the aforemetioned were, then I firmly beleive that to attain your goals, these three facets must be adhered to: training, nutrition, and supplementation. One without the other will not allow you to reach your goals.

Nutrition may be not 75% of the equation, again that was just for emphasis. From my experience. It may be only be 65%, maybe 50%, maybe even 33.3% of it.

My point is, one without the other will cause you to fail. Period. But without the proper nutrition to grow your muscles, no matter how much weight you lift, if you don't feed them, they won't grow. Thus, the importance of nutrition.

And if you don't believe me, Dave Draper - Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe, and the original Blond Bomber wrote recently "Should a man [ or woman, of course ] train hard and not eat right, he will slug along, his muscles will thicken, his strength will improve and he'll be better for it. Improvements, however, will not be inspiring nor will they be long lasting. Eventually, the careless diet will do him in.

If this same man [ or woman, of course ] should eat "right", he will grow more muscular with more separation and less fat. He will be stronger, more energetic and more enduring throughout his entire system. These improvements will occur sooner with less hardship, more joy, and last infinitely longer."

My point exactly. Thanks Dave!!

Oh one more thing, since I am the self proclaimed expert (sic) and thus treating this as my own personal topic page.

I wrote back n March of this year that "My bodyfat % gets as high as 15% during the offseason (which currently has lasted 3 years!!!).

Well, it is currently 3.9% at 225 lbs. Down from 265 lbs in January and who knows what % it was.

Training played a key role. Cardio played a key role. Beverly supplements (biased plug) played a key role. I'm not giving %'s here anymore. LOL. But nutrition was of paramount importance as proven by the fact that I was able to attain a lower bodyfat % than ever before yet maintain an additional 18 lbs of lean muscle in the process this time.