Atkins Diet.........Perfect for bodybuilders??

[homonunculus]

No Cardio here!

DP and SS,

No cardio here. Haven't done it for like 6 years now. Dexter Jackson does no cardio. Neither does Darrem Charles. New Pro David Henry (he's got a forum over at muscle mayhem) also does no cardio. He's doing the Ironman in 7 days and will be (is) shredded as all hell.

I have done various version of CKD's. The dietary variations have always been synchronized with my training so that I never train a muscle group without a carb-up in between.

Diet days are zero carbs at 12 kcal / lb or less as the show approaches, protein around 2 g / lb. Carb-up days are low fat, protein about 1.5g / lb, the rest carbs to get 15 kcal / lb.

I try to get about 2-3 days of carbs in the week.

One schedule might be:
Train Mon: carbs post-workout (I train in the AM)
Tues: no carbs
Wed: like Mon.
Thurs: no carbs
Fri: no carbs
Sat: like Mon.
Sun: no carb.

I might do a 3 on / 1 off schedule with a 3 day bodypart split, carbin up only on the 3rd training day and the 1st half of the off-day.

I might do a 2 on / 1 off, carbing only post-workout on the 2nd training day.

I might do a traditional 5 day low carb/ weekend carbup CKD, training on Mon, Tues, Thurs and with a depletion workout on Sat, carbing after that. It could be with a Mon / Thurs, tues / Fri push-pull, carbin up on Fri and Sat. only.

I've attached a pic, too. I think I get pretty lean, DP, w/o cardio.

OK, DP. Your turn!!!

-Randy

 

[supersport]

L

 

[homonunculus]

Hey SS!

Thanks for the compliments!!! The no carb approach is pretty tough for some people, but I def. prefer it over cardio. I'd rather spend that time taking a nap and getting ready to train my ass off with the weights.

I usually can get ready for a show in like 8 weeks of actual, at least in terms of getting my bodyfat where it needs to be. I like to start earlier than that, so I can have an off-week from dieting (eating a low fat, at about 15kcal / lb) to reset my metabolism, as well as my mind. I think this is essential. 4 week chunks of dieting are very doable. With the frequent carb-ups, too, its really a matter of only making it through a couple tough days before you get to eat normally for a few meals at least.

(FYI, I don't really worry about whether or not I'm actually ketotic during low-carb days, although over the years, my metabolism has adjusted to the point that I can get there pretty damn quick.)

I also like to be ready a few weeks out from a show, just in case, and so I can practice my carb-up strategy. My carb-up approach has been slightly different the past few times b/c I've undercarbed in the past, am bigger than before and have added some new twists to improve it, and most lately b/c I needed to nail my timing so I could make weight as a light heavy.

-Randy

 

[younggunz88]

when i am a fat ass, and i need to get in shape i like to be in keto, when i have like only 10lbs of fat to lose then i just do ckd or low cal. but i think that ketogeic diet is the most effective

 

[dpsquat]

no cardio

not being one that likes to argue!! hehe anyway all those you mentioned were black!!! Jimmy Cannyon who will lite up henry does no cardio either but im the paleist white man on earth and for me no cardio = no results..... yess i know quadsweep at EF who also helped prep cannyon does no cardio but i cant get where i need to be but damn would love to though!!

 

[homonunculus]

Re: no cardio

not being one that likes to argue!! hehe anyway all those you mentioned were black!!! Jimmy Cannyon who will lite up henry does no cardio either but im the paleist white man on earth and for me no cardio = no results..... yess i know quadsweep at EF who also helped prep cannyon does no cardio but i cant get where i need to be but damn would love to though!!

DP,

In case you didn't notice, I'm not black, although I've been mistaken for a black man in the bedroom, if you catch my drift... LOL. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously, I'm not going to touch the race issue. Frankly, I think going the no cardio route to get super lean is simply a matter of how much pain and suffering you're willing to put up with in that department. I talk to guy at shows who whine that they had to drop their carbs to just 50g / day for 3 WHOLE DAYS IN A ROW when they did their carb-up.

As far as Dave vs. Jimmy, I don't think you've seen Dave lately. He'll be doing the Ironman next weekend. Here are some 3 weeks out pics posted on muscle mayhem:

http://www.musclemayhem.com/forum/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=59;t=7950

I attached a comparison (what the hell - its cyberspace, eh?...) of Dave vs. Jimmy (from his latest photoshoot - the pic was on his website).

-Randy

 

[steelblazin]

As a really close friend of both of these guys, lets take age in comparison.
Henry...is 28...Canyon is 36 soon 37. The only issue of condition is that Canyon has decided not to keep getting beat by the ones who have been around for a while. While Henry has competed in the National level for just 2 yrs, beating him and his best friend Tricky Jackson at both the USAs and the NAts...using no cardio. Dave just has more time on his side. Besides the no cardio issue, both of these guys have not done anything "drastic" since turning Pro, so it will be plain to see who's approach works for them better when it's showtime. For Dave Henry..I just saw him yesterday and that fool is crazy ripped and the size is still there. He claims he's at 191 and holding. He said he competed at the Nats 02 at 167...now that my friends is a BIG difference in size. Jimmy Canyon I saw a few months ago and he has no plans yet of steeping on stage soon. Looks good, but will need some overall back and calf size to catch Dave.
The race issue...well I am black, but I fail to see where that plays into bodybuilding. If you bust your ass, you bust your ass. Color has nothing to do with how you develop yourself...got any proof?

-Steel

 

[younggunz88]

the amount of effort it takes for one to get shredded is totally depended on body type.

Mesomorphs are at advantage, always muscular and low in fat.

Ectomorphs are the one that come on the board and say i cannot get big.

Endomorphs are fat and muscular like i am. its hard to get shredded for me. but not that hard to gain muslce. Note not all all the endomorphs stay fat, if they gain enough muslce their metabolism speeds up and they are able to stay lean.

so if u are endomorph then you otta hit the cardio hard along with diet, if u are a mesomorph like stan mccuay then all u need is a diet.

and the ectomorphs will still be on the board looking for info to get big (JK)