How do you do a recomp?

[Odysseus]

Normally what I do is try to add mass during the winter for about 3-4 months, and then cut for another 3-4 months. This year because of different issues altogether, I was not able to put on the kind of mass/size that I normally do. So now that I'm cutting, there isn't really much to work with. It's definitely a bit late to try to do another mass cycle. I don't compete and I do look ok for a non-competitor (compliments from random people all the time), but it just frustrates me to know that I'm capable of looking better than this.

Is it possible to do a recomp in the next month or so and add on a little bit of size while still improving on conditioning? I realize that in order to gain size I need to be in a caloric surplus and in order to cut, I would have to do the opposite. But I was wondering if I could do some kind of a recomp where I would go low carb a few days and then higher calorie/higher carb for one or two days out of the week. I've never done a recomp before so I would appreciate any guidance for this on your part. Thanks, Prae!

[Praetorian]

Its neither very efficient nor very effective to try to do both at the same time. I would really suggest forget where you are now and just shredded. Once you do this you can start to add lean mass much more efficiently because insulin sensitivity will be high and if you time your carb intake correctly you will remain hard and grow at the same time..not to mention look scary. Ever see someone about a week after a contest in the gym...full, vascular, hard etc

Also by doing this you will surpass your previous best lean mass set point and move higher.

P

[Odysseus]

Thank you, Prae. Sounds good. I was leaning towards doing that but I guess I was just a bit frustrated with not having the kind of size I expected to this time around. Although to be fair, I was playing it wayyy too safe when I was bulking. I stuck to chicken, steak and rice for the most part and every time I got just a little bit more bloated or a little bit fatter, I panicked and was afraid to keep adding. I should have thrown in whole eggs as well as pasta for extra calories.

I will follow your advice and just get shredded. I'm already relatively lean so I'll just go ahead and diet harder and hit cardio more to get even leaner. I won't even worry about the size thing anymore. You are right about people coming in looking full and vascular a week after a contest. I think this has to do with the nutrient partitioning efficiency you spoke about before? I also definitely notice a halt in gains when I try to carb up too much and too frequently. The reduction in insulin sensitivity is real.

As far as the drug aspect of it goes, I'm currently on 500mg test cyp/week. I don't plan on increasing this dose at all since all I'm really using it for at this point is to maintain muscle mass. Do you suggest I add a mild anabolic such as anavar or primobolan? Or just stick to the cyp? I am also using a very low dose of adex to control estrogen.

[Praetorian]

The test is fine...if you are going to add anything I would suggest winstrol just for cosmetic hardness but wait until you are very lean for best effect...say last 4-5 weeks.

P