If so, what was your caloric balance like? [ie how much of a deficit/surplus?], what type of lifts did you do?

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I just DL'd it... interesting stuff so far... thank you.

Also read over the intermittent fasting (IF) threads here. I think Pillowpants successfully recomped on this plan.

If you are in average shape or worse I would recommend eating as close to maintenance. Combo that with all the right food choices and a solid plan of attack in the gym (based on phenotype, experience, level of fitness) and you can recomp easily.

When I came back from an extended tour backpacking down under I was in brutal shape. In the three months since I have essentially recomped to slightly above my previous form.

Anecdotes aside, I have always felt that most athletes can recomp with caloric balance in the range of eucaloric to modestly hypercaloric (no more than 250/day), whereas extreme measures like IF/UD2 are more suited for extreme athletes at or near peak fitness.

I've done recomps successfully... Both on myself, and on clients.

For short term recomps... I push myself to the limit for 12 weeks...taking 1 week of at the end of this for active rest.

Calories are @ maintenance on non-training days...

On training days, calories are consumed @ maintenance + an allotment to cover calories expended by weight-training.

I factor Weight-training in... but not kcals expended during cardio.

So i guess you could say that it's slightly hypocaloric on training days (w/ specific reference to cardio's caloric expenditure).


On long-term recomps... Training and diet is structured in phases.

This is to circumvent stagnation/acclimation.

Training, primarily, is intense.

The intensity progresses in a linear method from phase to phase... Then it's dropped for a deload.

Diet is maintenance + re-feeds.

Calorie cycling may or may not be instituted.

Everything depends on the individual.

For me personally, I have a high tolerance for stress... so my phases changes less.

The duration of each is longer.

I've started a recomp this week... It'll be 12 weeks.. Followed by a deload..and then a 10-week contest prep phase.

-CNS

Im an endo-meso and sucessfully recomped. I would do 2 weeks of hypocal ketosis with HIIT and 2 weeks of full body routine with (3/day week) with cutting carbs after noon, bout 1000 cal surplus on training days, and maintnence on recovery days. Every saturday night I would binge drink, and eat like shit every sunday. Supps were multi, GTE, BCAA's, lots of protien, and ECA stack.

Went from 5'10 220lbs high bf to 180lbs at around 14% bf in less then 5 months. I went from a chubby kid to people asking me why I would use steroids...(never did)Had that linebacker look to me.
I attribute this to very good genetics
Measurments went up quick, strength through the roof. Then I got hurt and now im a fat kid again.

Hate to be a pimp, but you can go here and see all kinds of recomps happening:

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54

IA

I should mention that I did this by paying attn to IA on his board. Very good advice.

How long did you use the E/C/A?

Lost fat and gained muscle at the same time YOU BET! I was younger and didn't have as much muscle and was training twice per day (45 min workouts) not to failure, 5 days per week with at least 6 hrs between workouts. Best gains I've ever made. Unfortunately, I lost all my data from that time, most disappointing now I keep multiple backups.

On the other hand more recently (~1-1.5 yrs ago) I wasn't tracking my diet perfectly, as a result my bulking wasn't going great because I was having a hard time eating enough for my new weight. I worked through my training regimen and felt very disappointed as I got off the scale because I had not gained weight for over a month. I took measurements anyways, and damn!!! I was happy lost 1/2 inch around waste and put on size everywhere else.

Similar thing was accruing the last few weeks by eating close to maintenances cals and taking ephedrine, lost a smudge around waste and gained a bit on my arms but arm size is currently my goal.

As for lifts, deadlifts, squats, rows, chins, bench have always been present - with a strong emphasis on the first two.

Now as far as losing weight and gaining muscle... I can't say I have.

A proper bulk will leave you with a lower %bf and more total muscle mass even if your total fat mass increases. I think conceptualizing and seeking a "recomp" is actually deleterious.

I would run it for 3 weeks then some benadryl for a week for a little beta-2 upregulation

U.D. 2.0


With and without drugs.

Works.

This type of scheme is awesome and can work wonders for anyone but can be hard on the mind. Another less drastic approach that can work well involves higher carbs/calories around workouts and low calories the rest of the time.

Actually I found it quite easy. The mind quits well before the body does.