competitions

Jessicaruby
Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
right now i am looking to gain body mass so i am bulking. i am eating at a surplus and aim for 2500 calories a day(that includes my workout calories) and 200 grams of protein a day) i want to get into figure competitions so i talked to a women today at the gym who has done them. she said that i need to eat 1500 calories a day and we will just focus on eating high protein and lifting to gain muscle. and i will need to increase my cardio to 5 days a week instead of 3. now i thouht in order to gain muscle mass you need to eat at a surplus, otherwise if lifting, you will just tone the muscles you already have but will not gain new ones. am i right here? is this good advice? i think she is leaning more towards a cut to get smaller for competition time maybe? im confused

Replies

  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    You do need to eat at a surplus, unless you're new to lifting.

    To prepare for a competition though you will no doubt have to cut significantly, while maintaining as much muscle as you can, which is where I'm assuming she got the 1500 number from.
    That'll only be in the lead up to a comp though, unless you have one planned I'd just carry on bulking if that what you were planning on doing originally.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    You're right, she's wrong.
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    i think i will continue my bulk. compatition isnt for like 18 weeks........... i am just unsure of her advice. i think i want to bulk some more before i decide to cut and see where i am at
  • Ariana_75
    Ariana_75 Posts: 224
    I believe the trick is to make sure that you keep the bulk completely clean in order to continue to build muscle while dropping body fat. Then a few weeks out, start to cut....This is based on research not personal experience, but I do hope to be able to compete soon....Good luck!!
  • brokenartist
    brokenartist Posts: 52 Member
    yes, to bulk up you need surplus...and you dont want to try to really bulk while cutting, could cancel each other out.

    There are programs that will help you maintain muscle mass, sometimes gain too, while trimming fat...look for any kind of high density circuit training routines once youre ready to start toning and fat burning...muscleandstrength.com is a site i use for a lot of routines
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