Natural Bodybuilding Q&A Thread Submission

Here's a little question and answer that took place on Getbig.com forums.

maxkane69 
Questions:
1-how often a bodypart has to be trained by a natural bodybuilder?

2-how many set and repetition for each bodypart are requaired by a natural bodybuilder?

3-how many protein,carbs,fat and calorie are requaired by a natural bodybuilder for gaining mass(offseason)?

4-how many protein,carbs,fat and calorie are requaired by a natural bodybuilder for definition(contest phase)?

5-how much cardio is requaired by natural bodybuilder in contest in offseason and contest phase?

6-how many meals are requaired in a day by natural bodybuilder in offseason phase and contest phase?

7-are supplements needed by a natural bodybuilder?

8-if you answer yes,please tell me what supplement do you raccomend and what dosage?
Thank you in advance for your answer Mr. Pat Banya!

 My Response:
1.  I train everything once a week.  It's in my workout routine which can be found here: http://www.cutandjacked.com/patbanya-interview

2.  3-4 sets, 10-12 repetitions have always provided excellent results for me.  Since we're talking hypertrophy, you don't want to go too low.  Use my tips as a guide, and experiment with sets and reps and find what works for you.

3.  Double your pre-contest contest intake at the minimum.  If you don't compete and have never been on a pre-contest diet, try to increase your diet by 500 calorie increments.  Divide the proteins and carbs into equal gram portions (round it to 60grams since 62.5 is a funny number); try to eat 100 extra calories with each meal you are consuming.

4.  Approximately half of your off season intake.  Protein is more important than carbs if you want to come in shredded, and still maintain as much muscle mass as possible.  I have had best success with a 2:1 protein to carb ratio.  I consume 2grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Experiment, but I still still think 1.5grams is minimum if you go on a low carb diet.

5.  I don't do any cardio in either phases.  I try to stick to a very clean diet year round.  Depending on your body type and metabolism, you might not either.  The only times I have incorporated cardio is when I needed to make my weight class for a contest.

6.  The number of meals depends on your overall intake and appetite.  For instance, if you're consuming 3000 calories, split it evenly over the course of each meal.  Try to eat more carbs earlier in the day, and less at night if you want to stay leaner.

7.  Depending on what your goals and caloric requirements are, and how you intend to consume them, yes.

8.  I suggest supplements that provide calories, and are derived from food.  The supplements I like to use are:  Whey protein, protein bars, meal replacement powders/ bars, and multivitamins.  Those should provide everything you need allow you to consume more or less of certain macro and micro nutrients.