Welcome back to the Self-Selecting Podcast! In Episode 22, we delve into the challenges and misconceptions surrounding contest preparation. Many athletes believe extreme measures are necessary to achieve peak conditioning, but this episode explores how to navigate prep without relying on excessive calorie deficits, high volumes of cardio, or performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

In this episode, we cover: - My personal journey in contest prep and achieving stage-ready conditioning - Common misconceptions about the need for extreme measures - How to effectively plan your prep timeline - The impact of proper planning on minimizing the need for PEDs - The role of diet breaks and managing metabolic health

Timestamps:

- [00:00] - Introduction and welcome to Episode 22

- [01:35] - Introduction to today's topic: why athletes use drugs to compensate in contest prep

- [02:29] - Personal contest prep experience: achieving significant fat loss without extreme measures

- [03:52] - Avoiding unnecessary extremes in contest prep

- [06:02] - How getting lean actually works and why extremes are unnecessary

- [07:02] - Common misconceptions among competitors about achieving stage lean

- [08:03] - Issues with competitors failing to nail their conditioning

- [09:06] - Misattributing failures in prep to "body stopped responding"

- [10:11] - Planning from the beginning to avoid surprises and stalls in prep

- [12:18] - Calculating the rate of fat loss needed for contest prep

- [13:27] - Importance of planning for diet breaks and being ready ahead of schedule

- [15:50] - Avoiding excessive deficits and the pitfalls of extreme dieting

- [16:26] - Simple math for planning prep and ensuring a realistic timeline

- [18:08] - The importance of setting up a conversation with your coach about your timeline

- [19:21] - Adjusting plans based on weekly progress and scale fluctuations

- [20:38] - Athlete's responsibility to advocate for themselves and communicate with their coach

- [22:47] - Avoiding hormonal and physiological debt post-show

- [23:09] - The dangers of prolonged extreme deficits and PED use

- [24:34] - Importance of a proper timeline and avoiding reliance on PEDs

- [25:20] - Understanding what PEDs can and cannot do in contest prep

- [27:11] - Why anabolic steroids are not the solution for achieving leanness in prep

- [28:40] - The best time to use anabolic steroids for muscle building

- [29:16] - The worst time to use anabolic steroids: during contest prep

- [30:28] - Decision tree: determining if you need to lose fat or build muscle

- [32:17] - Risks and misconceptions about using Anavar in contest prep

- [34:01] - A client's experience with inappropriate drug use in prep

- [36:28] - Planning for a season and considering long-term implications of drug use

- [38:11] - The importance of saving anabolic use for when it is most effective

- [39:55] - Restoring hormonal health post-prep before considering further drug use

- [41:14] - Spending time in a state that promotes hormone regulation and growth

- [42:26] - Long-term planning for muscle building and competitive success

- [43:12] - Misuse of diuretics and SARMs in contest prep

- [45:23] - Addressing myths about SARMs and their role in contest prep

- [47:09] - Final thoughts on effective contest prep without extremes

- [47:55] - Encouragement to leave feedback and stay tuned for the next episode

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