39 offseason push phase

UNIVERSITY

Offseason
Push Phase Planning and
Decision Making


Lesson Overview
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What is the Push Phase
Initial Nutrition Set Up
Initial Cardio Set Up
Initial PED Set Up
Decision Making for Stalls
How much to adjust calories by
When to adjust protein, carbohydrates, and fats
Adjusting PEDs mid push
Sample Push phase monitoring and adjustments
When and how to end the Push Phase

The Push Phase
The Push Phase: progressively increasing muscle mass up
• Food will Progressively Increase into a Surplus
• Cardio will be set at baseline for health
• Training Stimulus will Progressively increase (more reps, load, sets)
• If Enhanced, PED usage will Progressively increase for new growth
Tools to Track:
Weekly Pictures
Waist Circumference
3 largest caliper sites
Body weight
Fasting Blood Glucose
Weekly Blood Pressure
Daily Step Count
Gym Performance
Biofeedback
Lets look at each variable set up….


Nutrition Push Phase Set Up

Nutrition
Recommendations

Carbohydrate

Weekly weight
change
novice/interme
diate

Weekly
weight
change
advanced

Energy

Protein

Fat

Gaining

10-20%
above
maintenance
kcal

1.0-1.5
g/lb/day

0.30.7g/lb
/day

1.0-3.0+
g/lb/day

0.25-0.5% per
week

0.25% per
week to
every other
week

Cutting

20-30%
below
maintenance

1.0-1.5
g/lb/day

0.30.7g/lb
/day

1.0-3.0+
g/lb/day

0.5-1.0% per
week

0.5-1.0% per
week

*During cutting phase limit reducing fat and carb below minimum recommendations

Initial transition into a push food volume increase may create an

initial larger increase in body weight gain, this should not be
adjusted for.


Cardio/NEAT Push Set Up
Offseason cardio should be in place for health benefits at minimum of 3-4 days x 20 min
moderate intensity cardio.
If a client has a very active job and reaches above 10,000 steps per day this can be a time to
remove cardio as food volumes can become excessively high to keep up with calorie
expenditure.
A very sedentary person you might need to give them a minimum step goal and cardio.
Another client might have a metabolic baseline that is low and food volume is low in turn.
This is a client we would want to drive up step count on or increase cardio. I like to limit
offseason cardio to 5-6 days x 35 min if the offseason when able.
Remember gym performance comes first in the offseason. We don’t want so much cardio it
impedes muscle gain.
For cardio modality low intensity walking will be best to drive up energy expenditure with
minimal impact on performance.

For direct cardio, moderate intensity treadmill walking or the elliptical is a good option for
low impact.
Lighter bodyweight athletes and females especially will be able to handle higher cardio
volumes and modalities with increased impact (stairmaster).


PEDs Push Set Up
Set up will be based on previous cycles and rate of progress

Implement the baseline start of the blast cycle
The initial introduction of PEDs I prefer to introduce a variable and

hold the rest constant to see a response.
So, start cycle hold diet constant and lets the PEDs drive up body
weight.
We might see more roundness and hardness, or roundness and
softness from some water retention. Hunger can be noted to increase
as well.
After this initial response we can then make diet adjustments.


Sample Set Up Push week 1
Athlete Stats:

Bber 220l bs 10% body fa t, Glute 9mm, L back 10mm, subscap 8mm, waist 34”, Arm 18”, Qua d 28”
BP: 110/70 mmHg; Fa sting BG: 82 mg/dL
Ra te of gain: 0.25-0.5% per week
Nutrition
3030 kca l

300g ca rbs , 300g protein, 70g fat
15% ca l orie surplus
Cardio

3 s ession x 20mi nutes treadmill 10% i ncline 3.0mph
Step goal: 5000 per day
Training:
Pus h
Pul l
Arms
Legs
Off

repeat
PEDS 16 week push
Tes t cypi onate 300mg/wk
Pri mobolan enanthate 300mg/wk
Na ndrolone phenyl proprionate 200mg/wk

Growth Hormone 2IU 1 hour pre training 2IU prebedtime
Metformi n 500mg with last meal
Tel misartan 20mg with meal 1
La b work: 10 weeks i nto cycl e


Push Phase Decision Tree
Ma s sing Stall

Adherence high >7-14 days

No change to plan,
address adherence

NO

YES

Sca l e weight increase within goal rate? EX: 0.25-0.5% per week?

YES

NO

NO

La rge weight i ncrease

No cha nge or a decrease

Vi s ually l ook softer a nd
ca l iper sites increasing?
YES

Wa s energy expenditure higher?
NO

Consider lower
energy surplus

YES

NO

Increase Calorie Surplus

No change to
plan

No change to
plan if back
to normal
week,
increase

calories if
not

Vi s ually l ook softer a nd caliper sites increasing?
YES

NO

Tra i ning Performance i ncreasing?

No change to
plan

Other fa ctors involved?
Di gestion Intact
PED i ncrease
Mens trual cycl e
Food Volume i ncrease
Poor Sl eep Stress
Wa ter retention from
tra i ning
NO

Vi s ually l ook
s ofter and
ca l iper sites
i ncreasing?

YES

NO
NO
YES

YES

Is recovery a n
i s sue?
YES

No change
to plan,
monitor fat
gain rate
closely

Consider lower
energy surplus

NO

Review criteria
for need of
deload and
adjust volume

1st Consider
increase in
training volume

2nd Consider increase in
PEDs if health markers in
check

No change to
plan


Adjusting Calories and Macros
General Rules:
Make one change at a time
Add food around training first
Add food to meals when hunger is highest second
Increasing Calories
No change or decrease in weight add 20% calories
Weight change is at bottom end of range add 10% calories
Weight change is at middle or top end of range, no change
Weight change is above range decrease 5-10% calories

Assess next week and adjust accordingly

Which macros to adjust?


Adjusting Protein
When should we increase protein?
Weight change is correct but gaining too much body fat, lower carbs
and increase protein.
Hunger is really high, but rate of gain is on track (post show)
When should we decrease protein?

Hunger is very low
GI bloating and flatulence

Protein should be within target of 1-1.5g/lb of Body weight, so usually
last macro to adjust.


Adjusting Carbohydrates
Primary macronutrient to adjust in surplus caveat protein and fat are
already set-in optimal ranges
Don’t lower below 1g/lb of body weight as gym performance may be
sacrificed
Advantage high CHO:
Insulin anabolism and anti catabolic
Carbs less readily stored as fat
Fuel anaerobic training
Pumps
Faster digestion and hunger increase
CHO too high:
Large food volumes
Higher appetite and hunger
Less palatable
Strict meal planning


Adjusting Fats
If fats are set within optimal ranges, adjust carbs up first
Don’t lower fats below 0.3g/lb of body weight in offseason
Advantage high fat:
Ease of Calorie Surplus (Carbs too high is unpalatable)

Slowed Digestion and Hunger (Hunger is still high despite protein
increase)
Low food volumes (trough of rice is nauseating)
Fats too High:
Low insulin levels
Lowered gym performance
Can over suppress appetite for hard gainer
Easy fat storage
Lower glycogen levels (AMPK)


Adjusting PEDs Mid Push Phase
This is a last resort option and unlikely needed
More prevalent during long duration offseason Pushes
This adjustment might be noted and accounted for during next push
phase

Make sure:
1. Nutrition Progression is happening
2. Realization of body fat increase and no further gym performance
3. All recovery variables are in check
4. Training has been progressive and no deload is needed
5. Health parameters are in check
At this point It may take more PEDs to continue to make progressions
Use a small incremental increase to see out more progress
100mg increase per week is likely all that is needed
Compound choice will be dependent on managing side effects and
advancement of level.
Example: 100mg Primobolan increase is a lot different than 100mg
testosterone increase effect wise.

Hypothetical Male Bber Push Phase Progression

Wk 0
weight
caliper
arm
quad
waist
BP
BG
rate of gain
Calories
Macros
Cardio
NEAT
Training
PEDS

Wk 1
220

9,10,8

Wk 3
224

9,10,8
18

28
34

Wk 4
225.2

9,11,9
18.25
28.25
34

wk 5
225.4

9,11,9
18.25
28.25
34.1

wk 6
225.4

9,10,9
18.25
28.25
34.1

wk 7
226.2

10,11,9
18.3
28.3
34.2

227

10,10,9
18.3
28.4
34.2

18.4
28.5
34.2

110/70

112/72
111/73
114/72
115/70
114/72
115/72
82
84
83
84
83
87

83
0.4
1.8
0.5
0.08
0
0.35
0.35
3030
3030
3030
3030
3430
3430
3430
300/300/70 300/300/70 300/300/70 300/300/70
400/300/70
400/300/70
400/300/70
3x20
3x20
3x20
3x20
3x20
3x20
3x20
5000
4900
5300
5400

8000
5200
5200
PPALO
PPALO
PPALO
PPALO
PPALO
PPALO
PPALO
tes t 300;
tes t 300;
tes t 300;
tes t 300; Pri mo tes t 300; Pri mo tes t 300; Pri mo tes t 300; Pri mo
Pri mo 300; Pri mo 300; Pri mo 300; 300; NPP 200; GH 300; NPP 200;
300; NPP 200; 300; NPP 200;
NPP 200; GH NPP 200; GH NPP 200; GH 4IU; Metformin GH 4IU;
GH 4IU;
GH 4IU;
4IU;
4IU;
4IU;
500; tel mi 20
Metformi n 500; Metformi n 500; Metformi n 500;
Metformi n Metformi n Metformi n
tel mi 20
tel mi 20
tel mi 20
500; tel mi 20 500; tel mi 20 500; tel mi 20
pics

ful l er
ful l er
s a me
ha rder
s l ight watery
ful l er look
Diet/hunger
hunger
hunger same hunger high
i ncrease
pos tworkout
s a me
l ower
i ncrease
Stregth
i ncrease
i ncrease
i ncrease
i ncrease
ma i ntain
del oad

PRS
Changes

10
NONE

9
NONE

9
8.5
6.5
Add 50g ca rbs to
pre a nd post
Steps high, hold Del oad, hold
workout meal
di et same
di et same
NONE

10


Renee Jewett’s Post Show Log Excerpt


Ending the Push Phase
Time to end the Push?
Digestion Issues?
Training Stalling?
Joint/connective tissue issues?
BP and BG elevating?
Mental Fatigue?
Holding phase needed prior to prep?

Training:
Last week of push phase run a deload
Recovery will still be high

PEDs will still be high to aid nutrient partitioning
Nutrition
Hold diet the same based on body comp for last week of push phase to aid recovery

Cardio
Can be held constant at this time
PEDS 16 week push
Last week of PED blast to transition into lower dosages
Lab work
Drawn post deload


Summary
Push phase is the progression up in muscle mass requiring progressive
food, training and PEDs
The decision process to handle stalls should be made based on
subjective and objective data to make accurate adjustments
Carbohydrates will be our primary macro for adjustment given that
protein and fats are optimal
Notes should be made of progress made for PED progression if
following blasts or within current blast
Next lets move to setting up and progressing in a Hold Phase.