Bodyfat and Sports Performance

Beau

Hello,

Looking for some opinions and ideas.

During the rugby off season I purposefully gained about 5kg (up from 92kg to 97kg, I'm 6ft) while increasing my lifts (165kg 3rm squat, 130kg 1rm bench and 210kg deadlift). I expected the weight to fall back during the season but I'm still hanging around 96kg. I'm worried that I'm carrying to much bodyfat and that it's effecting my game. I have a scales that says I have a bf % of 29%, pics attached so you can make your own mind up.

We're about half way through the season, is it to late to address this now or should I wait till the off season again? How would i go about sorting it now? I can tend to over think this stuff, does it really matter?

Armand Tamzarian

First off id ignore those scales. In my experience they're normally way off. A good trainer will give you a proper body fat measurement with calipers if you really want one.

As regards the rugby what position do you play? As a front row i always struggled to keep my weight up over 100kgs over the season. It usually meant eating a lot. So if you're not losing weight its because you're eating too much. Simple as.

At this stage i doubt you're doing much conditioning in your training. More match scenarios and units? Id be interest to hear how you think the extra bulk is affecting you game. Is it that you're not getting around the pitch fast enough? I would have thought it would have become pretty apparent in pre season. Has it being going on since then? If you're trying to maintain those lifts, train twice a week with contact sessions and play a match at the weekend then you're going to be pretty wrecked. What does a weeks training look like?

Mellor

You aren't 29%, but you aren't very lean either. Lets say 25% for arguments sake.

You'll perform better at 96kg and 12.5% than current condition. But whether you'll perform better at 85kg and 15% is a different story. Which is probably where you'll be if you lose fat and gain no muscle.
You should probably just try to get a bit leaner now, then bulk next break and repeat.

Beau

Hi Armand Tamzarian,
I play 7. We still do a bit of conditioning. Tuesdays would incorporate conditioning and contact match scenarios, Thursdays would be units and Sunday we have games. I did notice it in preseason but with work I've got fitter and I'm getting round ok. TBH, I'm not sure if it's effecting my game negatively, I just don't feel as sharp as I did last year - that could be due to a number of things. I get a lifting session in at least once a week, goal is at least twice. But yes, I can be wrecked! That's why I'd be reluctant to cut back on food but you're right I must just be eating to much

Mellor, sounds about right - 96kg at 12.5% would be ideal! It's just very hard to cut back mideseason. 12kg of fat is a lot to carry around and to lose. I'm not quite sure how to get there. I might track my intake with the view of cutting back during the weekdays and allow myself eat to maintenance or in a surplus for the weekends where we have matches.