#12: On-Season and Off-Season Differences

Q: Guy,

I read your interview in the August/September 2007 issue of Planet Muscle. You emphasize the core of your routine as lifting heavy and using multiple-joint exercises. Do you recommend use of bulking phases and cutting phases to support your gains? Or does this occur through your on-season/off-season routine? Also, do you use any type of supplements, such as Beverly International, to ensure you are getting enough protein and nutrients? And could you provide more insight into your meal routine and how you balance this with family?

Thanks in advance for answering my questions. I've been out of the gym for several years now and, at age 36, I'm looking to get back in. I want to find ways of balancing family meals with the nutrients I need to support my efforts in the gym; this is a real challenge for me. You're quite the inspiration in the way you've been able to accomplish your physique goals and create a balanced lifestyle.

...John Reynolds

A: Hi John,

I appreciate your positive feedback on the Planet Muscle article. It's good to know that people are actually reading it, and I am pleased to be able to provide you with additional insight into my training and diet here at SeriousAboutMuscle.com.

You ask a very good question about cycling bulking and cutting phases. This approach was very popular in the early years of the sport, when bodybuilders would eat everything under the sun to support their muscular gains and then start a cutting phase to get rid of the excess fat that they put on during the bulking stage. Some people still prefer this type of approach as they do not like to limit how much and what kinds of food they eat except when they want to cut up for a show. They also tend not to follow any type of aerobic exercise routine in the off-season, which further reduces their ability to burn the fat that the body is storing.

I, personally, do not follow this approach. Yes, I do bulk up in the off-season, getting up to 230 pounds, but at the same time, not allowing myself to get obese. At this weight, I am carrying a healthy amount of body fat needed to protect my joints and to provide optimum power for heavy lifting; however, my abs are still visible and I still have muscle separation throughout my body. There are no rolls of fat or other obvious signs of fat deposits. This is the weight that I feel my best at.

In the past, I had tried a bulking cycle where I gave up all aerobic activity and ate as much as I could while working out with weights six days a week. But as I broke the 240-pound mark, I noticed several disturbing trends occurring. For example, even though the food I was eating was for the most part low fat, I could not keep up with the quantity, and I was storing body fat on the surface, blurring out all muscle definition and separation. Worst of all, I started feeling very sluggish and found it an effort to run or play sports with my kids. I did not look or feel good at all, so I decided to abandon this routine.

Nowadays, I only get into a cutting phase when I am planning to compete. By keeping control of my body fat levels during the off-season, I am able to come down to a competition weight slowly in a 4- to 6-month period in order to preserve as much muscle as possible. A lot of people think bodybuilders stay in this super-ripped condition year-round, but nothing can be farther from the truth. This ripped condition is very hard on your system as your body is in a state of stress from the fat depletion. It is important not to forget that some fat is necessary for the body to function properly.

If you are not going to compete, would I recommend a cutting cycle to support muscle gains? The answer to that is a resounding "NO!" There is no benefit to muscle gains by getting shredded. Muscle gains cannot be accomplished during the cutting phase, so you are basically putting your muscle building on hold.

What I would recommend is to control your body fat levels through sensible eating habits and three aerobic sessions each week. If you know that you have been eating poorly of late and see fat deposits forming where you don't want them, increase your aerobic training to five times a week until such time as you like what you see in the mirror, and then fall back to three times a week to maximize your muscle gains. Try to eat more strictly during the weekdays and relax the diet a little (within reason) on the weekends. If you want some French fries Friday night, go for it – but don't eat like that all week long.

My diet during the work week consists generally of five meals per day, each containing a protein source (animal based), complex carbohydrate, and fruit or vegetable. I generally cook up a batch of chicken breast, pork tenderloin, top-sirloin steak, or something similar and take that to work every day. My complex-carb source at the office is most often plain oatmeal, and I throw in a banana or an apple for good measure. At home, I eat a healthy supper consisting of meat, vegetables, and complex carbs such as pasta, potatoes, or rice. I follow that up with a dairy source of protein (skim milk, yogurt) with a small amount of carbs around 8 p.m. I am in bed by 10 p.m. The trick is to eat frequent smaller meals throughout the day, and keep your food selections low in fat, sugar, and sodium.

On the issue of supplements, I am sure that a lot of companies would not want to hear me say this, but don't waste your money on them. A good-quality multivitamin with minerals and some vitamin C is all you need to add to your balanced diet in order to ensure that you are providing your body with all the necessary nutrients required to keep you healthy. I did not employ protein powders, or weight gainers, or creatine, or any other magic substance in order to build my physique. I just ate properly. People are always looking for a magic potion that will accelerate reaching their goal. What they end up with is disappointment and a lighter wallet. Why put substances in your body that you don't understand, may be of questionable value, and may even be unhealthy for you? Instead, spend your hard-earned money on good-quality food and mix that with desire and intensity – that’s the best way to get to where you want to be.

Good luck and good training!

...Guy Bourgon, Canadian Champion 2006

If you would like to ask Guy a question, please e-mail: askguy@seriousaboutmuscle.com.

SeriousAboutMuscle.com contributor Guy Bourgon is from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is the winner of the Tall class in the Classic Bodybuilding division at the 2006 CBBF National World Qualifier. Guy also competed at the 2006 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships held in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he placed fifth in the Tall class of the Classic Bodybuilding division.