Bodybuilding isn’t just a sport of aesthetics; it’s a sport of patience, self-awareness, and brutal honesty. And nothing tests these traits more than the off-season. The truth is, your off-season will either set the foundation for next-level progress or quietly sabotage your future prep.
After spending the last two years in an extended off-season, my longest yet, I’ve had time to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and the personal growth that came with it. Whether you’re a competitor, a coach, or someone simply looking to build real muscle, I want to share the lessons I learned so you can avoid the same mistakes and make the most out of your own journey.
1. I Underestimated the Mental Challenge of Not Dieting
Coming off a show, you’re used to structure, discipline, and seeing your physique dialed in. Transitioning into an off-season, where the goal shifts from being shredded to building size, sounds easy on paper. But mentally? It’s a different game.
I struggled with body image at times. Watching the definition fade while trying to embrace fullness and size gain was harder than I expected. But this process taught me to detach my self-worth from my level of leanness and start identifying with the work, not just the mirror.
2. Staying Lean in the Off-Season Matters More Than I Thought
At one point early in my off-season, I increased my calories a bit too high. Not drastically, but enough that I noticed my body fat creeping up faster than I wanted. That’s when I had to make a key adjustment.
As a bodybuilder, I’ve learned that staying relatively lean during the off-season, not shredded, but also not soft, is essential. You never know when you’ll decide to start a prep. If you're already sitting at a higher body fat, that prep becomes longer, harder, and potentially more catabolic. And that’s not the position I want to be in. Nor should you.
So I pulled calories back slightly and refocused on maintaining a leaner look, around 10–15% body fat. Not only did it make me feel and perform better, but it also kept me in a spot where I could flip the switch into prep without a brutal fat-loss phase.
The off-season isn't about eating whatever you want or constantly pushing food. It’s about bettering your physique, improving weak points, building quality tissue, and doing it in a way that sets you up for an efficient and successful prep down the line. That means being strategic, not sloppy.
3. Consistency Still Beats Complexity
At one point, I got caught up in the noise, chasing the “perfect” program, adding fancy variations, trying to outsmart progressive overload.
Eventually, I simplified everything: a few key compounds, well-structured volume, progressive overload, proper rest, and execution-focused training. I trained to grow, not just to sweat.
It reminded me, and now I remind my clients, that boring doesn’t mean ineffective. Progress comes from showing up, week after week, doing the basics better than anyone else.
4. Fatigue Management > Always Pushing Harder
I used to pride myself on never missing a session and training through everything. But I learned the hard way that sometimes backing off is the smartest move for long-term progress. Better fatigue management, deloads, structured rest days, and volume adjustments based on recovery kept me healthier, stronger, and more consistent. Growth isn’t just about how hard you can train. It’s also about how well you can recover.
5. Coaching Myself Still Has Limits
Even as a coach, I realized that I needed an outside perspective at times. When you’re deep in the grind, your emotions cloud your objectivity and small things start slipping.
I started seeking feedback from trusted coaches and mentors, and it made a difference. Not just in my physique, but in my mindset and focus. Having guidance helps you stay aligned, especially when motivation dips or doubt creeps in.
6. The Off-Season Is Where Champions Are Built
It’s a cliché, but it’s true. The off-season isn’t just “time away” from prep. It’s where you put in the real work: building tissue, improving weak points, testing your discipline without a stage date.
For me, this off-season helped me grow more than just my physique. It matured my approach, humbled my ego, and reignited my fire for what’s next.
Final Thoughts: Growth Isn’t Always Visible
We often look at transformation through the lens of aesthetics. More muscle, less fat, better symmetry, but the real transformation often happens behind the scenes: how you think, how you train, how you recover, and how you lead yourself when no one’s watching.
If you’re in your off-season, I encourage you to be honest with yourself. Are you going through the motions, or are you strategically setting the stage for future success? Mistakes will happen. I’ve made plenty. But with every one came a lesson. And with every lesson came growth.
If you’re serious about making your off-season count and want experienced guidance to avoid common pitfalls, let’s talk because the next level doesn’t just happen, it’s built.
