IFBB professional bodybuilder Gunter Schleikamp has extensive experience in building big muscles. He is 1.88 meters tall and is a top professional bodybuilder. When he participated in the Mr. Olympia competition in 2000, he weighed 130 kilograms and during the rest period, he weighed 144 kilograms. Gunter has a La-2 exercise machine at his home in California and a dog named Shakespeare who follows his movements every day to practice this knowledge.
IFBB professional bodybuilder Gunter Schleikamp
Gunter's wife, Carmen, prepares low-fat snacks and turkey, tuna and beef sandwiches for him. Gunter recalled his early experience of participating in bodybuilding competitions and his unique diet plan, and said with emotion: "Many people go to the gym to train hard in order to make their muscles grow bigger. I didn't know much about it when I was 16 years old in Germany. Knowledge about nutrition. Now, I attribute 60% to 70% of my success to nutrition, and I’m still learning.”
Gunter believes that good nutrition is more important than training. He told us that the most important thing in building big muscles is to eat some type of protein every half hour to three hours. Because the body can store carbohydrates and fats, but protein is different. In this way, the body will receive a continuous supply of amino acids and thus remain in an anabolic state. This is a favorable environment for muscle growth.
Gunter also said: "Some people think they can get results by eating 4 times a day, but I am very concerned about training results, so I decided to increase the nutrition to the highest level in order to get the best results. This is not enough, especially for a person This is especially true for a professional bodybuilder." The California immigrant eats 6 to 7 meals a day, which adds up to 4,500 to 5,000 calories. But the more he eats, the leaner he becomes and the more muscle he gains. His views on fat are also very different from before.
Fat phobia
Fat phobia
Gunter has been an advocate of low-fat diets in the past, but now his views have changed. “I tortured myself for years,” he said. “I would eat chicken and rice, and then more chicken and rice, until the sight of them made me sick!” Not only was it boring, it was ineffective.
"I was afraid of fat, so I ended up eating too much rice," he said. "I ate a lot. Although I gained weight, a lot of it was fat and I looked soft." He said: " Now I eat more red meat and sardines, and I eat peanut butter, and I end up looking fuller and stronger. If I eat more fat, I eat less carbs, and the results really surprise me: I I have become leaner and my muscles have become clearer. I think whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, you should eat some red meat, but only lean meat.”
What is it about red meat that helps the body build bigger muscles? "There is such a substance," Gunter said. "Maybe it's creatine, maybe it's an amino acid. Arnold Schwarzenegger is my idol in bodybuilding. He Eat a lot of beef. I thought I should have listened to him in the first place!"
More protein
More protein
Gunter's protein intake is much higher than the standard 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. "I don't think that's enough," he said. "I think that's just enough to maintain the muscle you already have. Over the years, I've noticed that bodybuilders eat much more protein than most nutritionists recommend. Much. Look at those top bodybuilders.Mobilizers, whether professional or amateur, you will find that they eat more than the recommended amount. ”
How much protein can the body use? "I tell beginners who train hard that to build big muscles, they need to eat 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. In other words, a 180-pound athlete would eat 270 grams of protein per day. And divide it into 6-7 meals. The harder you train, the more protein you need. Therefore, bodybuilders who train hard and want to grow muscles need to eat more than those who want to lose weight and maintain existing muscles. of protein."
"Now I even think I should be eating more, like 2 grams or even 2.5 grams per pound of body weight," Gunter said. "I guess this may sound weird, but I tested it for certain chemicals in my urine. "So far, everything is normal. It shows that I'm utilizing the protein, my muscles are utilizing it, and I'm growing in size." But it's important to note that any extra intake, whether it's protein or other nutrients. If the energy exceeds the required range, it will be converted into fat.
Supplement plenty of water
The power of water
Gunter disagrees with the ancient adage to drink 8 glasses of water a day, and believes that you should drink at least 2 to 3 times this amount. "The bigger you are, the more water you need to drink, because a high-protein diet itself requires a lot of water."
In addition, carbohydrates, the main energy material for high-intensity training, also require a large amount of water to produce glycogen, which is the main energy material for muscles during weight-bearing training. Gunter also points out that the difference between protein and carbohydrates is that protein builds muscle, while carbohydrates provide energy for muscles.
In other words, the amino acids formed by protein breakdown are the raw materials for building new muscle tissue, and carbohydrates provide energy for this process. The higher the glycogen content in the muscles, the plumper and rounder the muscles appear. In fact, bodybuilders often eat a lot of carbohydrates three days before a competition to promote water entry into the muscles, thereby making the muscles look larger.
The wonderful uses of carbohydrates
The wonderful uses of carbohydrates
Gunter has a simple estimate of the carbs you need for muscle growth: "Start with 2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. If you get bigger and look good, keep going. See how it feels. If you feel tired and weak, increase your intake to 2.5 grams per pound of body weight per day. If your metabolic rate is high but your body is still thin, increase to 3 grams per pound of body weight per day." For this method, a 180-pound person should start training with 360 grams of carbohydrates per day and gradually increase to 450 to 540 grams.
Gunter also pays close attention to the balance between protein and calories. "If you're already getting enough energy from carbs and fat, it's still important to increase your protein intake and spread it out over six or seven meals. But be careful, eating too many carbs can cause Makes you gain more fat, not muscle."
Cookies
Horrible cookies
Although Gunter has always insisted on eating natural food, he sometimes eats junk food. He said: "Actually, my favorite food now is oatmeal...oatmeal raisin cookies. My favorite food in the past was carrot cake, and then cheesecake." Why is he like this? Gunter can explain: "I only eat natural foods for two days, such as potatoes, rice and oats to provide carbohydrates, and egg whites, protein powder, chicken and meat to provide me with the amino acids I need. On the third day I will eat a big Cake or adding some cookies to whole foods makes it easier for me to stick to a healthy diet. "Many people wonder why I eat so few carbs, maybe because of too much sugar," he said.Helped me. ”