# Contest prep: what I’ve learned



## Jin (Aug 22, 2019)

Went from 299 in March to 240 stage weight in mid August. Here’s what I’ve learned. 
*
Priorities:*
Bodybuilding is a selfish sport. Unless you’re getting paid to do it I suggest keeping the more important aspects of life ahead of your bodybuilding goals. 

Set other goals during your your prep to keep you even keeled and sane. Mine was to practice Stoic philosophy daily and to make sure I kept a daily journal of my personal failures and successes: when I failed to treat people right. When I succeeded in overcoming adversity with grace instead of frustration etc. 

*MIND>everything else
*
You create your own reality daily. Even contest prep doesn’t have to suck. I was actually enjoying veggies with vinegar and skinless chicken breast. 6 times a day. Food actually started tasting better the more strict my diet became. 
*There is no consensus on prep week protocol

*I have always found Layne Norton’s articles to be scientifically sound so I went with his prep week advice with some tweaks. 

There are are dozens of prep week protocols with nearly no agreement on sodium/potassium, carb, fat and water intake. 

You need to learn by experience. I was lucky that I came in in the condition that I did: my protocol worked for me and I will employ it next year with some minor tweaks. 
*
Water manipulation 
*
I drank at least 1.5 gallons daily. Two days before peak I drank 3 gallons and woke up seven pounds less than I’d been all year. 
233



The day before peak day I drank 1.5 gallons, finishing at 5pm. Then limited my intake to 5 8oz servings before peak the next day at 10:30am.

240



Four days later (and after a double dose of test) I hit 264




This worried me so I drank 3 gallons of water that day, pissed all night and woke up back at 253. 

PRACTICAL TIP: 

want to look good for the beach? 3 gallons of water two days before. 1.5 gallons the day before ending at 4pm. You’ll wake up lean AF. 

*
Nutrition

*Bodybuilding is mostly diet. Like it or not. 

My approach to losing 60 pounds in 5 months was to start off with a low carb, high protein, high fat diet. Then switch to nothing but veggies and chicken breast for about 6 weeks (really I needed 2-3 more weeks to get lean enough). 

Eating no carbs is easy. Eating no fat is rough. I would need 10 almonds 3x daily not to feel sick while on that diet but it definitely took the fat off. I had plenty of energy to do 80 minutes of cardio daily and 5 weekly lifting sessions. 

The final week I carb loaded about 300g daily. The night before the photos I woke up at 2am, 4am and 6am to eat sweet potatoes and chicken breast. I had two ham sandwiches at 8am. Then rice cakes and PB then a candy bar right before “stage” time.



Overall I came in dry but probably not as full as I should have been. Especially considering what I looked like 4 days after.


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## Trump (Aug 22, 2019)

Did you ever run the dnp as planned? Don’t remember you mentioning it


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## Jin (Aug 22, 2019)

Trump said:


> Did you ever run the dnp as planned? Don’t remember you mentioning it



No. Was lost in the mail. But apparently it just showed back up on tracking so I may run it in the spring time. 

I didn't use any “diet drugs”. I chewed a lot of nicotine gum and that helped a lot to ease my hunger.


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## dk8594 (Aug 22, 2019)

Thanks for the write up, Jin.  You did a great job!


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## tinymk (Aug 22, 2019)

Look great buddy! Nice post


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## Gibsonator (Aug 22, 2019)

Jin, awesome job my dude, can't wait to see the package you bring next year ( no pun intended  )


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## BRICKS (Aug 22, 2019)

Strong work brother.  Seek and I have talked about it before, it is absolutely so much more enjoyable to eat during a calorie deficit.


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## motown1002 (Aug 22, 2019)

Jin,

What a great job man.  Thank you for posting that.  Did you manage your sodium intake that last week?

You look great!


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## Straight30weight (Aug 22, 2019)

It’s amazing what you have accomplished, inspiring even. I might be the odd one out here, but I think you look amazing in that last pic. Big, full, still lean. 264 sits well on you.


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## Gadawg (Aug 22, 2019)

Serious question. Cant you die from drinking 3 gals of water in a day?


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## motown1002 (Aug 22, 2019)

Gadawg said:


> Serious question. Cant you die from drinking 3 gals of water in a day?



Don't drink it in one sitting.  lol


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## snake (Aug 22, 2019)

That's a great summary Jin. Good this time and better the next is what it's all about.


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## Long (Aug 22, 2019)

Gadawg said:


> Serious question. Cant you die from drinking 3 gals of water in a day?



The army is pretty serious about how much water you need during training as people started dropping from heat stroke and dehydration. They are also extremely serious about having x amount of a Gatorade style drink because they had someone die from drinking too much water. Or so the story goes. As it was explained to me you can flush the electrolytes from your system.


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## Trump (Aug 22, 2019)

Your not the only one, I would give my right bollock to get that look at 264lb, I think it’s the best pic. I don’t know bodybuilding though for stage just what I think looks best



Straight30weight said:


> It’s amazing what you have accomplished, inspiring even. I might be the odd one out here, but I think you look amazing in that last pic. Big, full, still lean. 264 sits well on you.


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## Gibsonator (Aug 22, 2019)

Long said:


> The army is pretty serious about how much water you need during training as people started dropping from heat stroke and dehydration. They are also extremely serious about having x amount of a Gatorade style drink because they had someone die from drinking too much water. Or so the story goes. As it was explained to me you can flush the electrolytes from your system.



this happened to me, airborne school, Ft. Benning Georgia, it was august, 100% humidity at 5 am. they were running the ever living shit out of us, i sweat so damn much i was drinking canteen after canteen of water trying to keep up with it... 12th mile of our "10 mile run" i seized up, every single muscle in my body cramped simultaneously. The pain was so much that i blacked out. Woke up in an ambulance with them cutting my clothes off sticking a thermometer up my ass. less than a degree away from being legally dead they told me.
 Doc said I had overhydrated, which desalinated my body causing the muscles to all cramp. No bueno. 
 I have no give up in me. I wouldve ran til my legs had fallen off if i had too.
 Good times, Hope you enjoyed story time kids!


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## Long (Aug 22, 2019)

Gibsonator said:


> this happened to me, airborne school, Ft. Benning Georgia, it was august, 100% humidity at 5 am. they were running the ever living shit out of us, i sweat so damn much i was drinking canteen after canteen of water trying to keep up with it... 12th mile of our "10 mile run" i seized up, every single muscle in my body cramped simultaneously. The pain was so much that i blacked out. Woke up in an ambulance with them cutting my clothes off sticking a thermometer up my ass. less than a degree away from being legally dead they told me.
> Doc said I had overhydrated, which desalinated my body causing the muscles to all cramp. No bueno.
> I have no give up in me. I wouldve ran til my legs had fallen off if i had too.
> Good times, Hope you enjoyed story time kids!



One of my drill sargents in Benning had some heat issues. I watched him drop backwards into a foxhole and pop back up screaming at everyone to back the **** off him. We were doing NBC. I was head to toe in a charcoal suit. He had his sleeves rolled and pants unbloused. Apparently once it hits it sticks with you.
The ice sheet and thermometer is only funny if it isnt you...


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## Rhino99 (Aug 22, 2019)

Jin you chiseled motherfukker.....

Great work bud, but not only that, thanks for doing the summary and providing the tips and insight.


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## simplesteve (Aug 22, 2019)

Trump said:


> Your not the only one, I would give my right bollock to get that look at 264lb, I think it’s the best pic. I don’t know bodybuilding though for stage just what I think looks best



Right! I thought he looked kind of like bautista,


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## Jin (Aug 23, 2019)

Gadawg said:


> Serious question. Cant you die from drinking 3 gals of water in a day?



You need to keep a balance with electrolytes. Himalayan pink salt has dozens. Put a pinch in every two liters of water.


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## DieYoungStrong (Aug 23, 2019)

Good stuff dude.


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## The Tater (Aug 23, 2019)

Nice write up! You look damn good, man.


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## Jada (Aug 23, 2019)

Respect jin, great job


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## DNW (Aug 23, 2019)

Thanks for the write up brotha. Itll be a good guideline for most(me included) on where to start, and adjust for their own body.

Your vascularity has improved a lot over this bulk/cut.  I'm still trying to get my vascularity there, but I think its combination of excess skin and not enough muscle to fill in, yet.  Anyways, you really killed it.


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