4 months maintenance

[TT Eric]

Hey big guy, I saw you post a few time about doing a 12 months plan: doing 4 months dieting, 4 months lean mass gaining and 4 months maintenance, just wondering if you can explain the purpose of the 4 months maintenance... maintenance for me is not gaining, not loosing, you eat just to stay as is, so far I don't see the point of doing that over having 4 more months of lean mass gain.

Thanks

Eric

[Praetorian]

My thoughts on this are...

The body doesnt gain muscle in a linear pattern nor does it gain indefinitely..after a certain time you will be fighting to add additonal ounces of muscle and your weight gains will be mostly fat if you continue down that road, The same goes for dieting...as you have recently seen. The body does not like to be on a calorie deficit passed a certain point. The stress becomes too much and the body starts to fight you more and more and now it becomes increasingly difficult to lose an extra pound of fat. This is why extra long diets are not efficient nor is taking two years off "to gain tonnes of muscle" more often than not this turns into tonnes of fat.

I have found the ideal length of time is about 16-20 weeks for dieting and for gaining. Thus after each specific endeavor I would suggest a two month break or "maintenance" period. This allows you to remove the stress of dieting or gaining, to alleviate any muscular or joint issues or chronic injuries and to give your body and CNS a much needed rest. Not to mention to enjoy the two months if after dieting of being shredded. Two months is not a long time to ease off a bit and let the body re-energize. You will find by cycling things in this manner you are constantly improving lean mass and you never get overly fat. Not to mention you will enjoy training much more and avoid injuries as well.

P

[TT Eric]

Ok I see, thanks for the explanation!! What do you do during those 2+2 months ? You still train but you keep some in the tank pretty much like when you do a deload training ?

Eric

[steve_d]

Ok I see, thanks for the explanation!! What do you do during those 2+2 months ? You still train but you keep some in the tank pretty much like when you do a deload training ?

Eric

I think the 2+2 is related more so to the diet rather than the training. Training could be similar throughout any phase whether gaining or not. At least that's how I go about things. The 2 months maintenance being either remain lean for a while, but no longer trying to lose (so basially where you are right now, remaining at about 175 for a month or 2 without striving to get to 165 or trying to get to 190 ASAP). IE - don't get completely off the diet and cardio right away - ease out for a bit and enjoy being shredded for a bit. The 2 months maintenance on the other side being stay at your heaviest for a while, but no longer adding too many calories trying to gain each and every week.

At least that's how I read it. I like this advice. Although I think one can benefit from not competing each and every year. But that benefit not coming from bulking 2 years straight - as P mentioned, the gains will not be muscle... But the benefit (at least for me) has been not having the stress of dieting each year since I tend to get really lean...During that time I might have progressed more by just taking a moderate approach to the diet / gaining approach in the offseason. My best gains have been in the years I don't compete. It could be coincidence though, because most Pros compete yearly and don't necessarily gain any better by taking another year off. Although they are just difference beings altogether!

I do also think it keeps things exciting by not having the same look day after day striving to get bigger and better 1 small step at a time. It's just human nature - we get in shape for beach season, and then let off for a bit. For me I don't care either way about beach season or not, however sometimes in a period even when not competing I might get bored of a current diet and then diet a bit strict for a month or two and get into the single digit bodyfat, then after a while decide to try to get some size. I don't have as much structure, but I do try to gain and lose from time to time just to keep things a little more exciting in and out of the gym.

[TT Eric]

I think the 2+2 is related more so to the diet rather than the training. Training could be similar throughout any phase whether gaining or not. At least that's how I go about things. The 2 months maintenance being either remain lean for a while, but no longer trying to lose (so basially where you are right now, remaining at about 175 for a month or 2 without striving to get to 165 or trying to get to 190 ASAP). IE - don't get completely off the diet and cardio right away - ease out for a bit and enjoy being shredded for a bit. The 2 months maintenance on the other side being stay at your heaviest for a while, but no longer adding too many calories trying to gain each and every week.

At least that's how I read it. I like this advice. Although I think one can benefit from not competing each and every year. But that benefit not coming from bulking 2 years straight - as P mentioned, the gains will not be muscle... But the benefit (at least for me) has been not having the stress of dieting each year since I tend to get really lean...During that time I might have progressed more by just taking a moderate approach to the diet / gaining approach in the offseason. My best gains have been in the years I don't compete. It could be coincidence though, because most Pros compete yearly and don't necessarily gain any better by taking another year off. Although they are just difference beings altogether!

I do also think it keeps things exciting by not having the same look day after day striving to get bigger and better 1 small step at a time. It's just human nature - we get in shape for beach season, and then let off for a bit. For me I don't care either way about beach season or not, however sometimes in a period even when not competing I might get bored of a current diet and then diet a bit strict for a month or two and get into the single digit bodyfat, then after a while decide to try to get some size. I don't have as much structure, but I do try to gain and lose from time to time just to keep things a little more exciting in and out of the gym.

This is what I thought (training be the same year round), but Ted said that the break is also good ''to alleviate any muscular or joint issues or chronic injuries and to give your body and CNS a much needed rest'', I figured there must be a slow down in the gym also...

Eric

[Praetorian]

What Steve said yes, and you dont need to compete each year but I would still diet just not as hardcore as a comp diet. Training for the maintenance phase for me is I lighten up a tad on things and dont do any low rep sets. I also dont train to failure on any set just stop prior to. Its a time I use to let the body rest, let any injuries heal and basically ease up and just enjoy the training experience without expectations. I also take a full week off training prior to each 2 month maintenance session...no training, no cardio just rest.

P