Da Bullpen
By George “Da Bull” Peterson III
To Become an Elite Bodybuilder, Consistency Is Key
“You must remain consistent in your training and nutrition day to day, and fully understand that this sport is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Q: Aside from genetics, what is the most important factor in becoming an elite bodybuilder?
A: I can sum it up in one word: consistency. You must remain consistent in your training and nutrition day to day, and fully understand that this sport is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to be patient and take your time. You must invest time in learning how your body works. If you have someone like a coach guiding you, you have to allow time for them to learn how your body works, because we don’t all respond the same way to training and nutrition variables. You will keep progressing if you train hard and also train smart. Injuries can and will put a stop to your progress. I know when we go to the gym and we’re feeling strong, we want to go balls to the wall and lift the whole gym! But like the great eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney said, we want to stimulate the muscles, not annihilate them. That’s even more critical to keep in mind during the final stages of contest prep. We are looking our best, but we are at our weakest, eating very little and doing a lot of cardio on top of the weights. It’s not the time to be striving for new PRs or even using your top off-season weights. Just work the muscle hard enough to maintain what you have while getting rid of the last bit of fat and water. Being smart like that will give you longevity in the sport. To become an elite bodybuilder takes time and patience.
Vegan Is No Recipe for Maximum Muscle
Q: Have you ever tried going vegan?
A: I have never tried the vegan diet myself, but I’ve coached a few people who were. I take my hat off to them as I do feel it’s a healthier way to live. I don’t feel it’s ideal for anyone who is looking to maximize muscle mass, such as bodybuilders.
Drop Carbs for Contest Prep
Q: How does your diet differ from off-season to contest prep?
A: The protein intake is high in both cases. The biggest change once I shift over to prep mode is my carbohydrate consumption. Because I have to come down to a specific weight that isn’t natural for me, my carbs in prep range from very low to nonexistent. I should mention that even when I go back into an off-season and start eating more carbs again, I still incorporate a moderate amount of cardio for heart and lung health. I mention that because so many guys go from doing tons of cardio to none at all, which is not wise.
Bringing Up Your Weak Points
Q: How do you suggest we bring up weak points?
A: First off, success in bodybuilding relies greatly on focusing on your weak points and giving them more time, effort and attention. I always tell people the mark of a good coach is when their priority is telling you what’s “wrong” with your physique rather than simply compliment you on your best attributes. When we as bodybuilders look in the mirror, we should always be asking, what can I do to make my physique more balanced? What body parts or aspects thereof do I need to bring up? Maybe you need a little more chest or leg development. Once we identify our flaws, we can adjust our training split to emphasize them. Maybe some guys need to train chest twice a week, or legs. Focus on your weak points, because your strong points will always be strong no matter what. Balanced physiques with no real weaknesses are the ones that tend to win. One last thing, it also makes sense to take in more calories on the days you train your weak points, and less on days you work your best body parts. For instance, I always eat a lot more on leg day as opposed to my back day.
Posing Is Part of Winning Package
Q: How much time do you devote to posing practice?
A: I practice all year, but much more when I’m getting ready for a show. I start first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for 30 minutes. I will do another 30 minutes late at night before I eat my last meal and go to sleep. On top of that, my coach Justin always has me go through a few tough rounds after my workout. It sounds excessive, but there are serious benefits. For one thing, most people don’t realize that the more you pose, the harder your physique gets, and this is beyond what you see from the diet and cardio. It’s also important because posing in a contest is much harder than it looks. During judging, you will be asked to hold poses for as long as 10 seconds or more. You’re flexing every muscle the judges and audience can see as hard as possible. Your natural inclination is to grimace and shake, but instead, we need to smile and make it look easy and effortless. That right there is how you can always tell who put the time into practicing their posing and who didn’t. It might sound silly, but when it’s close in judging, sometimes it will come down to who presents himself better. If one guy looks confident and polished in his posing and the other looks awkward, uncomfortable and exhausted, who do you think the judges will give it to? I have a bit of an advantage having come to 212 from Classic, because the Classic Physique division definitely puts more emphasis on skillful presentation. If you’re a competitor or even aspiring to be one, don’t think you only need to be concerned with your workouts, cardio and meals. Posing counts, so don’t neglect it.
Instagram @georgep_dabull
Online coaching info at http://www.dabullcoaching.com
YouTube: George Peterson
Redcon1 Stack
Upon Waking
Double Tap powder, 1 scoop
With Breakfast
GI Juice, 1 scoop
Pre-workout
Total War, Big Noise and MOAB all together, 1 scoop each
Post-workout
Breach
2 scoops
Middle of the Day
Double Tap caps, 3 capsules
Evening
Silencer, 3 capsules
Before Bed
Fade Out, 1 scoop
For more information, visit redcon1.com
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