If you're a competive bodybuilder or just a frequent "gym rat" working to improve his/her physique, feel free to use this photographic guide as a resource to determine how far you're progressing.
I originally posted this article on http://forum.bodybuilding.com several years ago as a supplement to the book "SLICED" (by Bill Reynolds & Negrita Jayde).
In SLICED the authors objectify the states of muscularity, this article helps to clarify these states by including photographs and approximate bodyfat percentages
Carbohydrate cycling is a 6 day program that will allow your body to burn bodyfat while still retaining muscle mass. It's a technique that is described in detail in the book SLICED by Bill Reynolds and Negrita Jayde, however I will summarize it here.
Over the last 10 years I've competed, I've used this technique each time and without fail I've been able to achieve exceptional definition while retaining the muscle mass that I gained during my bulking phase.
If you're using this program to cut down for a bodybuilding competition, remember to give yourself enough time to get the results you want. Depending on your bodyfat percentage you may need 12-24 weeks to get to competition quality definition.
After reading this, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me:
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I originally posted this on forum.bodybuilding.com, however I decided to make it permanent here.
Due to the complexity of muscle tissue, it often takes years to develop quality muscle mass. The key is to be consistent and be aware of the following principles:
Bodybuilding & body shaping are built on three factors:
If you leave out any of those 3, your gains will be minimal.
Nutrition is the most important factor, and sadly most people neglect that part of it. I did for years when I started. The majority of people focus only on weight training. Although weight training is a large component of adding musculature, better than average nutrition is extremely important as well. First, we'll talk about exercise.
It's written that , “...many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
This is true when it comes to competitive bodybuilding. Changing your physique to make it better is one matter, but preparing to place yourself at the scrutiny of others (in a public setting) is another. Not only do you have to be physically ready, but you have to be mentally ready as well. A person who competes in bodybuilding has a special mind-set. It’s a mixture of pride, confidence, the desire for approval, the need for recognition and some will argue, a morbid obsession with suffering. Speaking from personal experience, I found that the hardest part about competing was not lifting weights and going to the gym 5 days per week. Going to the gym (even when I didn’t emotionally feel like it) was easy compared to the rigorous discipline that is involved when preparing for a bodybuilding contest.
Carbohydrate cycling is a 6 day program that will allow your body to burn bodyfat while still retaining muscle mass. It's a technique that is described in detail in the book 
Bodybuilding & body shaping are built on three factors:
The Mind-Set
