preventing muscle loss while doing excess cardio

Mitch_310

Mitch_310

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Hello everyone. Just asking for a bit of advice.

I'm a competitive swimmer in college. Over the past few years I started getting into lifting and bodybuilding and have built a decently impressive physique for myself. Season is underway, and I'm looking for some advice on how to maintain my current muscle mass over the course of these next 3 months.

here are some stats about myself: 5'9
weight: ~168-172 (fluctuates depending on carbs, water, time of day, etc)
bf: 7-8%? (idk you guys can be the judge of that)

been training since I was 11. But haven't started taking the gainz seriously until about 2 years ago.

my practice schedule goes like this: Mon: 6-8:30am (lift and swim), 4-6pm swim, tues: 4-6pm swim, wed: same as monday, thursday: 4-6pm swim, friday: same as wed and monday.

Diet: eating around 4k calories everyday, I don't have the time to track any other macros besides protein. Getting in around 200-220 grams daily

supps: creatine, pre, whey protein, casein, b vitamin, BCAAS(used pre workout and during workout)

my goal training wise is to maintain my current strength in the weight room. I'm also a bit of a try hard and usually try to get in a lift in on my own outside of swimming or I stay after our weight session to hit some more weight training.

this is what I have so far. Any other suggestions diet, supp, or training wise? would love to hear suggestions from guys who have cut hard and retained their muscle mass.

thanks
also, here is what I look like currently
 

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Mitch_310

Mitch_310

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also forgot to add. I train on saturdays as well or compete. The practice goes from 8-11am lift + swim. Meets usually last around 3-5hrs, just sprint swimming though so no worries on heavy training there
 
Smont

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It's gonna come down to calories, if your loosing weight eat more. Your slim but carrying all muscle from what I can see . Just eat accordingly
 
StatePlan1425

StatePlan1425

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Agree with calories as the main factor. Since you’re a (potentially) tested athlete, obviously be careful on what “sups” you take. Your list looks good. Just be mindful of what’s in your pre. I would potentially add HMB to to your mix.
 
Smont

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Agree with calories as the main factor. Since you’re a (potentially) tested athlete, obviously be careful on what “sups” you take. Your list looks good. Just be mindful of what’s in your pre. I would potentially add HMB to to your mix.
Why would he have to worry about his supplements? You think he's on something???
 
StatePlan1425

StatePlan1425

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Why would he have to worry about his supplements? You think he's on something???
Not at all. Many pre workouts have stimulates that are banned by the NCAA. Just hate seeing athletes getting dinged for OTC stuff.

For the record I am Pro PED. But rules are rules: you either follow them or get crafty ;-)
 
Mitch_310

Mitch_310

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yeah I get my pre workout from walmart lol. It's called NOSblast, I know caffeine is banned by the NCAA. But you have to take a ton of it for it to show up on a test. I'm not on any PED's.
 

Ulfhednar

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Check out HMB or if money aint a issue FA HMB.
 
StatePlan1425

StatePlan1425

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yeah I get my pre workout from walmart lol. It's called NOSblast, I know caffeine is banned by the NCAA. But you have to take a ton of it for it to show up on a test. I'm not on any PED's.
I believe you are fine then. According to the label, 2 scoops is 300 mg of caffeine. For perspective, you get 330 mg and 415 mg from a Grande or Venti respectively from Starbucks.
 
3clipseGT

3clipseGT

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The recommendations as far as calories is spot on as that is going to be the biggest aspect you want to control. If you are losing weight up the calories etc.

Another thing id recommend is, if you can, switch out BCAAs for EAAs. Other than that everything looks good.
 

bboyflash

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FORMER uni soccer player here,
Was in same situation over a decade ago
Keep your protein high 45-50% , try bumping 250g of protein and maintain your lifts and you should be good

��
 
HIT4ME

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You are in impressive shape and probably have great genetics just to be handling that workload. As others have said, keep the calories high, protein high. Maybe go to 300 grams even. Where you are is fine, I am not saying it is necessary, but experiment between that and 300 and see if it helps at all.

I would also remember that competitive swimming isn't really cardio - it is at times maybe, but when you are swimming flat out that intensity is anaerobic and will actually require muscle strength.

I would also keep the lifting to the minimum point of volume you need. Train hard and brief is almost always my mantra. Given your level of activity...going 100% in the weight room may not even be necessary. You want to be making improvements every workout if you can, or like you said, at least maintaining.

Also, remember that once you have built muscle, even if you lose it, it comes back easier the second time and after. So you may not have as much to fear as you think.

Finally, don't try to do so much you break down. You have an impressive workload and it seems to work, so it is your judgement that I would rely on, but the last thing you want is to get hurt lifting weights during your swimming season.
 

bigsmall

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Agree with calories as the main factor. Since you’re a (potentially) tested athlete, obviously be careful on what “sups” you take. Your list looks good. Just be mindful of what’s in your pre. I would potentially add HMB to to your mix.
What would you recommend for a daily HMB dose (3000mg)?
 
StatePlan1425

StatePlan1425

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What would you recommend for a daily HMB dose (3000mg)?
I would say for this athlete at 77kg/170lbs, 3 grams will be sufficient and this is the amount used in most of the published studies. Plus, since he’s a college athlete money is probably tight ;-)

For larger athletes (90+kg) you may want to increase this to 3.5 to 4 grams. Or, if you’re Uncle Danes you mega dose at least 6 grams (love you Bro!)
 

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