The off season is for bulking up – but how can you make the most out of your time?

When someone typically thinks about the off season in sports – they think relaxation.  A time to pull back a little and enjoy some extra free time. Of course you never completely stop training – but the season is over. Things calm down a bit.

This is not the case for bodybuilding. The off season is a time of vigorous training in order to prepare for a new and improved physique the next time competitions start rolling around.

So how can you effectively transition from on season to off season? How can you avoid from slipping up? Once you go into the off season with a hard trained mindset – you’re already half way ready to take on your winter training schedule. Let’s take a look at a few other key areas where people often make off season mistakes – and how to remedy them.

Don’t Avoid Cardio

One huge mistake that many bodybuilders fall victim to is actively choosing to avoid cardio during the off season. Why? They are trying to avoid losing size. While this may be true for extensive cardio workouts – this doesn’t make it something to be completely feared.

But adding in a 30 minute cardio workout to your routine will not make you lose size – actually it will help bulk up size. Expelling that energy will sky rocket your appetite, making it easier for you to consume all of the mass amounts of healthy food you need to take in daily. On top of that, you will be bulking up your cardiovascular system – which is vital to heavy lifting. You might be strong enough to push through those last few challenging reps – but if you’re out of breath you won’t be able to make your way through it.

Keep this in mind: TOO much cardio will cause you to lose size. So don’t over do it.
.

Always Set a Goal

We see this time and time again. An athlete performs on the stage and then shows up the next year looking exactly the same. Why? Because they didn’t change anything during their off season workouts. Sure, this may work fine for genetic wonders like Phil Heath – but for the majority of us, we have to stay vigilant.

Immediately after the season ends you should start to plan out what mistakes you made the past year and what areas didn’t reach their potential. The next step is to find out why. The best way to do this is to talk to the judges right after competition. These are the guys who ultimately decide your fate so if you can get some input from then it can do wonders.

Take this criticism and your own personal experience from the year and apply it into a new and improved training routine. Figure out exactly what you expect, how you expect to get it, and set deadlines so you don’t slip up.

Don’t Slip on the Healthy Foods

Okay so the season is over. You’ve worked hard. You’ve pulled through the pressure and the stress. Of course the first thing you want to do is let go for a moment. Eat that one meal that you know is terrible for your diet. That’s okay. It’s fine to treat yourself once in a while – especially after a long and challenging season.

But unhealthy eating is a slippery slope. One indulgence is fine but if it turns into two, then four, then eight other indulgences – you’re starting to get lazy with your diet. The off season is a time to bulk up, which means eating a lot more calories. But that doesn’t mean to fill yourself with calorie dense junk food. Keep it clean. Remember the off season isn’t really off – so keep your diet strong and healthy.
.

Don’t Forget to Rest

While some people slip in the off season, other people have the opposite problem – they over train. We talked about this earlier in the week. You need to give your muscles ample time to rest – between 48 and 72 hours. You also need to get enough sleep so that your body can maintain an optimal performance while pushing yourself so hard.

It’s okay to be gung-ho during the off season – just be smart and make sure to do everything you can to maximize your gains. Yes, that includes resting sometimes.

If you make sure to keep on yourself in these important areas then you are well on your way towards bulking up and improving for your next big show. By the time the summer arrives you should be a meaner, leaner, and bigger athlete than you were last year. No more of the same – this time you mean business.

Tell us what your favorite off season strategies are in our comments section or through our social media – you can follow us on Twitter or Facebook and give us a shout out.