# Precontest slowing metabolism



## juggernaut (May 28, 2008)

I'm in the best shape I have ever been in, four weeks out from my next contest. My metabolism is starting to slow down, and I'm not pooping as much. Sorry for being gross, but its the telltale sign for me. I'm also getting a little weaker, as I noticed this today. 
I completed a refeed from being on a low carb diet yesterday and haven't still gotten back to "regularity". 

How can I stop this or at least minimize it. Supps? diet? I'm open to anything-I really need help because my physique has never looked this incredible.


----------



## Built (May 28, 2008)

A little tiny bit of T3 would help if you can get your hands on some. We're talking 5-10 mcg here, not much. 

If you're talking "legal", there's not a ton you can do other than just fight cortisol. 

What is your diet and training like, outside of your refeed?


----------



## juggernaut (May 29, 2008)

diet and training are dialed in. I am a victim of this every year-it's pissing me off because I look the best I have ever looked in precontest condition so early out. 
I cant use t3, drug tested. 
Any ideas for supps to fight cortisol? Cissus? 11oxo? 6 oxo?


----------



## Built (May 29, 2008)

Vitamin C comes to mind.
Kindly describe your diet and your training?


----------



## juggernaut (May 29, 2008)

I'm carb cycling...diet will be posted later. 
Training: 

QUADS AND CALVES

Squat            6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)        Leg Press        
Leg Ext            3 sets     (10,8,8)            Front Squat        
Hack Squat         3 sets     (12,10,10)        Db sumo squat        
Step Lunge        2 sets     (10,10)            walk lunge        
Calf            4 sets     (12,10,8,8)        Calf            


CHEST AND TRICEPS
                      Reps

In Db            6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)        Flat Db Press        
Mid Bar Press        4 sets     (10,8,8,8)        Mid Bar Press        
Chest Dips        3 sets     (10,10,10)        Inc  Fly        
Rope Press        4 sets    (12,10,8,8)        Tri Press        
Tri Bar Ext        3    (10,10,10)        Tricep Dips     



BACK AND HAMS

Bent over row        6 sets     (12, 12,8,6,6,6)        Lat pull palms facing    
Lat Over        4 sets     (10, 8, 8, 8)        Deads (you pick)            
1 arm Row         3 sets     (10,10,10)        T bar row    
Leg Curl `        4 sets     (12,10,8,8)        Leg Curl        
Stiff Leg Db        3 sets    (10,10,10)        High Leg Press-single


SHOUDLERS AND BICEPS

Db press        6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)        Side lateral        
Shrug             4 sets     (10,8,8,8)        Push Press        
Side lateral        3 sets     (10,10,10)        Front Raise        
Barbell Curl        4 sets    (12,10,8,8)        In Db Curl        
Seated Db        3 sets     (10,8,8)            Cable Curl

QUADS AND CALVES

Leg Ext            6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)                
Leg Press        3 sets     (10,8,8)                
Front Squat         3 sets     (12,10,10)                
Duck Walk        2 sets     (10,10)                    
Calf            4 sets     (12,10,8,8)                    


CHEST AND TRICEPS
                      Reps

Flat Db                6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)                
Convr Inc Press            4 sets     (10,8,8,8)                
Push Up (Alt)            3 sets     (10,10,10)                
French Press            4 sets    (10,8,8)                
Bench Dips w/weight        3 sets (10,10,10)             



BACK AND HAMS

Wide Grip Chins            6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)            
Pullover                4 sets     (10,8,8,8)                    
1 arm Row             3 sets     (10,10,10)            
High Leg Press `            4 sets     (12,10,8,8)                
Stiff Leg Db            3 sets      (10,10,10)        


SHOUDLERS AND BICEPS

Reverse Smith press            6 sets     (12,12,8,6,6,6)                
Shoulder Press on incline        3 sets     (10,10,10)                
Lateral Raise                4 sets     (10,8,8,8)                
Preacher Curl                4 sets    (12,10,8,8)                
AltDB Curl                 3 sets (10,8,8)             
21s                     2 sets


I realize this looks kind of confusing, but I have made great gains on this. I do a rotation three times, changing it up after the third rotation.


----------



## tucker01 (May 29, 2008)

Designer Supps. Lean Extreme is meant to help with Cortisol


----------



## juggernaut (May 29, 2008)

day 1
Immediately upon waking BCAAs.

Meal 2
3/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 eggs
1 tsp psyllium husk powder
5g fish oil


HIIT
 pwo drink-1 scoop whey, BCAAs

Meal 3
chicken breast and gigantic salad with romaine, tomatoes, cukes and olive oil and vinegar

meal 4
skirt steak with salad see above
5g fish oil
meal 5
serving of meat/fish with grilled vegs
1 tsp psyllium husk powder

meal 6
casein, 3 tbsp peanut butter, and cottage cheese mixed in drink with sugar free chocolate sauce

bed-ZMA

I drink 1.5 gallons a day of water

My diet doesnt really change, just the carb ratio (protein remains a constant 220-250g): 

It follows this:

40g off training day,  50g  on smaller bodypart days, 90g leg day, every five days I take in 190g healthy carb refeed. 

This is my trainers' advice. He's never been wrong about this stuff, and he tells me not to worry, as more carbs will be introduced every monday at a rate of 10g weekly. I take his word as gospel when it comes to this.


----------



## juggernaut (May 29, 2008)

IainDaniel said:


> Designer Supps. Lean Extreme is meant to help with Cortisol


need to see if it is accepted in the federation; they allow 60x0, so I would assume they accept this too


----------



## Built (May 29, 2008)

That's ridiculously high reps for this close to contest, especially for a natty. Have you competed before?

Also, what macros does your diet turn into - grams of protein, carb and fat, total calories?


----------



## thewicked (May 29, 2008)

Built said:


> That's ridiculously high reps for this close to contest, especially for a natty. Have you competed before?
> 
> Also, what macros does your diet turn into - grams of protein, carb and fat, total calories?



i was thinking the same thing.. WAY too much work this close to contest. You'll end up smoking your entire structure out instead of that bit of fat you need. Maybe you're holding a little more water than  you think?


----------



## juggernaut (May 29, 2008)

Built said:


> That's ridiculously high reps for this close to contest, especially for a natty. Have you competed before?
> 
> Also, what macros does your diet turn into - grams of protein, carb and fat, total calories?


I've always trained this way, with varying reps and exercises. It works.

Ive competed several times before and came in third in my last two shows. I made a huge leap this year in what I look like and I feel like I could really beat what I did last time quite easily. 

I dont understand your question about my macros-I thought I posted them.


----------



## Built (May 29, 2008)

Your total calories, and grams of protein, carb and fat.


----------



## Built (May 29, 2008)

juggernaut said:


> I've always trained this way, with varying reps and exercises. It works.
> 
> Ive competed several times before and came in third in my last two shows. I made a huge leap this year in what I look like and I feel like I could really beat what I did last time quite easily.
> 
> I dont understand your question about my macros-I thought I posted them.



You are four weeks out from a bodybuilding contest, you are lean as hell and you're training - on reduced carbs - with a high rep range bodypart split.

You say it works - but you're weak and your metabolism is tanking. 

Is that what you think of as "it works"?

Assisted bodybuilders cut like this. 

They CAN!

They're injecting their endocrine system. They're the ones who typically do two hours of cardio a day at the same time. I hope to GOD you aren't doing this part too... 

You will come in hard and dense if you switch over to low-rep heavy work and HIIT. "High reps for cutting" may work for some, but it hardly means it's optimal. Genetic freaks and assisted athletes can get away with a LOT of sub-optimal training. The rest of the humans need strategy. 

Read this, it might help:
TESTOSTERONE NATION


----------



## juggernaut (May 30, 2008)

Built said:


> You are four weeks out from a bodybuilding contest, you are lean as hell and you're training - on reduced carbs - with a high rep range bodypart split.
> 
> You say it works - but you're weak and your metabolism is tanking.
> 
> ...



Here's an update:
I talked to my trainer yesterday, and he made some mods. Lower rep work as you prescribed, my diet stays the same and I get an additional day of rest. WOOHOO!!!
Cardio is three days HIIT (I'm a huge fan of HIIIT), 3 days of 25 min steady state at 60% HR. 
Hopefully, this will get me out of the funk. 

As for supplementation, any recommendations?


----------



## juggernaut (May 30, 2008)

Also, I always watched my carbs, I work well with it I never really go over 200g a day on my off season.


----------



## ZECH (May 30, 2008)

Love to see some pics!


----------



## juggernaut (May 30, 2008)

will do at the end of my contest. I have a wife that is a professional photographer.


----------



## juggernaut (May 30, 2008)

hey dg-

that sig, still think old Ronnie knew what was in store?


----------



## Built (May 30, 2008)

juggernaut said:


> Here's an update:
> I talked to my trainer yesterday, and he made some mods. Lower rep work as you prescribed, my diet stays the same and I get an additional day of rest. WOOHOO!!!
> Cardio is three days HIIT (I'm a huge fan of HIIIT), 3 days of 25 min steady state at 60% HR.
> Hopefully, this will get me out of the funk.
> ...



Well that's WONDERFUL!

Okay. Supps.

Try 200mcg Selenium to support thyroid, and fish oil - I take 10g daily - for too many reasons to list. Iodine may help a bit, I don't know enough about orals but I'm fiddling with transdermal application at the moment, which strikes me as safer. Vitamin C will help fight cortisol.

You may also consider looking into something that will bind up SHBG. I'm looking at a supp made by nni's sponsor - Designer Supplements that claims to do just this. 

This close to contest, your testosterone and T3 are tanking. If activate does what it purports to, it might help free up a little more of both of these hormones, since SHBG binds free testosterone, and free testosterone is required for the conversion of T4 to the active T3. Unbind some testosterone, and your T3 conversion might be slightly enhanced. Note that neither of these is likely to be profound but it should be legal within your Federation (check).

Good luck!


----------



## ZECH (May 31, 2008)

juggernaut said:


> hey dg-
> 
> that sig, still think old Ronnie knew what was in store?



I dunno, the world is a totally different place than it was 25 yrs ago. But I bet if he was alive, he would have a positive influence on it.


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

amen to that. I loved when he didnt take shit from Libya


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

Built said:


> Well that's WONDERFUL!
> 
> Okay. Supps.
> 
> ...


thanks Built.

I'm not going to follow that last part, although i do agree that my test is in the toilet. Going to think about getting more saturated fats. It just doesnt make sense for me to do that, especially since I worked my ass off this year. 
Anyway, I cant wait until the day after, going to eat the house down.


----------



## FishOrCutBait (Jun 1, 2008)

kill em dude.


----------



## Built (Jun 1, 2008)

What doesn't make sense to do? I'm confused at your last post.


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

sorry it doesnt make sense to mess with my test if there's a slight possibility that it may look like i did something "illegal".


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

FishOrCutBait said:


> kill em dude.


I'm a wrecking ball going to town bitch!!!


----------



## musclemilk40 (Jun 1, 2008)

*Dude,*

Dude,

welcome to bodybuilding, you ain't gonna poop like you usually do.  Your on limited calories, your body going into a catabolic state.  Relax, i would add some more fiberous carbs (dark green stemmed veggies only) and see what happens.  

Your energy is going to tank, thats what makes bodybuilding so ironic, you look awesome but you can't lift shit, sounds like your doing it right to me. Add some ephederine and caffeine and youll be fine bro !


----------



## goob (Jun 1, 2008)

juggernaut said:


> I'm a wrecking ball going to town bitch!!!


 
What, big, round,un-co-ordinated and on a leash?


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

musclemilk40 said:


> Dude,
> 
> welcome to bodybuilding, you ain't gonna poop like you usually do.  Your on limited calories, your body going into a catabolic state.  Relax, i would add some more fiberous carbs (dark green stemmed veggies only) and see what happens.
> 
> Your energy is going to tank, thats what makes bodybuilding so ironic, you look awesome but you can't lift shit, sounds like your doing it right to me. Add some ephederine and caffeine and youll be fine bro !


I know-Its my fourth contest, I always slow down but this year I cant believe how good I look. I dont want to fuck up. 

I cant do an ECA stack because they test for that too.



I will say after the adjustments, things are back to normal, I'm ahem...regular and the pysllium husk is working.


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 1, 2008)

goob said:


> What, big, round,un-co-ordinated and on a leash?


exactly.


----------



## Built (Jun 1, 2008)

There's nothing in that stuff that will raise your test above the high end of normal - but I understand your reticence. My feeling would be to check with the federation and check to see if that particular herb is allowed - and get it in writing. Or wait until after the show and do some experimenting ie take a blood test, try the supp and take another blood test to check free testosterone. 

Best of luck!


----------



## juggernaut (Jun 5, 2008)

after a few days, things are back to humming along nicely. I am still dropping weight, the reps are getting a bit tougher, and I am a bit drained. That's alright. IF I can come in looking like I do now, only dry-I think first, at least in my div is quite possible.
After my contest and a few days of eating like a human being-PIZZAAAAAA!!!!! I will plan my next contest and possibly get back to the drawing board of messing with some supps.


----------

