Natural bodybuilding - how to?

[cannibal.horse]

This will be controversial.

I've been lifting for 3 years, the last two on and off due to other commitments. My stats are 200/140/240 at 100kg 6' 15-17% running 5/3/1 x3 a week with the triumvirate assistance template.

I actually have an interest in natural bodybuilding. Whilst I'm not interested in getting up on stage I'd like to cut my bodyfat down to 10% and bring up my upper body.

As not to throw out the baby with the bathwater I'm looking to do 5/3/1 x4 weekly with the bodybuilder assistance template. Dietwise I plan to use a IIFYM approach with a moderate calorie deficit and some cardio where I can fit it in.

Is this an effective approach? Are there other approaches? Or would there be minimal difference between this and what I'm doing now?

Thanks.

[Tom Narvaez]

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[FatButWeak]

Harsh words from Tom (as usual ) but he's right. It would be one thing if you wanted to compete, but if you don't want to compete and just look better naked, start by building as much muscular strnegth and mass as you can (and by the way, unless your lifts are in kilos you are nowhere near strong enough to be talking about bodybuilding) until you can see a muscular body underneath the fluff. Then find a workable, liveable dietary lifestyle that allows you to slowly lose bodyfat (2-4 pounds per month is pretty liveable) while continuing to build strength and muscular size. Tom's recommendation about IF is probably as good as any (although I have no experience with it).

This is, frankly, what many of us are trying to do as a lifestyle - get big and strong using the principles of SS (and TM & 5/3/1 or other intermediate programming), then dial in the bodyfat to a number that suits our aesthetic or competition (PL, OL, MA, strongman, whatever)

[IndividualThoughtPatterns]

I really doubt OP is interested in your opinion about this particular matter.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

"I actually have an interest in natural bodybuilding. Whilst I'm not interested in getting up on stage"

These cannot be true at the same time. That's like saying I have in interest in golf but I don't want to play, how should I train for it?

[Alyion]

As above, unless you wish to compete you do really need to 'bodybuild' per se, bodybuilding competitions (esp natural) are typically about proportion/leaness and a 'balanced' look. If you want to look better naked and bring up areas just dial in the diet and focus on the groups you want to bring up.

Plus i'd imagine most competing natural take drugs too.

[forgeforth]

Not everyone who is interested in bodybuilding wants to compete. By the sounds of it, this guy wants to build a physique at single digit body fat levels. This is essentially bodybuilding and it is natural without the assistance of drugs. Many people bodybuild to look good and most of them never step foot near a stage.

I don't have much advice for the OP, but your strategy will probably require nutritional cycling to build muscle or reduce body fat. I think your approach is fine. IMO, if you have exhausted novice progression, it'll be best for you focus on either building muscle or cutting fat. I'd recommend guidelines set out by Lyle McDonald in that your "bulks" shouldn't bring you to high body fat levels, meaning you should probably reduce your body fat first. And "high body fat" in the BB world is much different from high body fat for the rest of us, so you should probably prepare yourself accordingly.

I think what prevents a lot of people from "bodybuilding" is they are never lean enough to be considered bodybuilders. This will require a lot of dieting and other odd practices. I have no interest in bodybuilding, but the most important thing for you is to pursue what makes you happy. There are about 92,000 people teaching bodybuilding on youtube. You could start there for ideas.

[Carlos Daniel]

Were I to take this path, I'd do leangains, no question.

[blowdpanis]

This will be controversial.

I've been lifting for 3 years, the last two on and off due to other commitments. My stats are 200/140/240 at 100kg 6' 15-17% running 5/3/1 x3 a week with the triumvirate assistance template.

I actually have an interest in natural bodybuilding. Whilst I'm not interested in getting up on stage I'd like to cut my bodyfat down to 10% and bring up my upper body.

As not to throw out the baby with the bathwater I'm looking to do 5/3/1 x4 weekly with the bodybuilder assistance template. Dietwise I plan to use a IIFYM approach with a moderate calorie deficit and some cardio where I can fit it in.

Is this an effective approach? Are there other approaches? Or would there be minimal difference between this and what I'm doing now?

Thanks.

I'd say the biggest difference between bodybuilding and "strength training" for the natural:

* Keeping bodyfat at possibly lower levels, i.e. increased attention to diet
* More direct work for show muscles (e.g. direct arm work, calf work, any lagging bodyparts)

You may also want to push up strength in rep ranges besides just 5's. A good routine for the above off the top of my head would be something like DC Training.

[Carlos Daniel]

I'd say the biggest difference between bodybuilding and "strength training" for the natural:

* Keeping bodyfat at possibly lower levels, i.e. increased attention to diet
* More direct work for show muscles (e.g. direct arm work, calf work, any lagging bodyparts)

You may also want to push up strength in rep ranges besides just 5's. A good routine for the above off the top of my head would be something like DC Training.

I did DC training for two months and I gotta say I was a little disappointed. Your other comments seem about right but I don't know if cannibal.horse already covers those bodyparts with his assistance exercises.