I was thinking of doing an amateur bodybuilding show, but I'm drug-free and build muscle super-slowly no matter what. I am in need of going to a local bodybuilding show that I signed up for, but it's in four months and I'm looking to gain 12 pounds of muscle before then and lose about 8 pounds of fat.
I won't ever use steroids, but I'll do anything else that can help, as long as it's still not prohormones, HGH or SARMs. I gain only about half a pound of muscle a month, and I'd like to speed this up naturally. What supplements can help? I take tons of creatine but it unfortunately doesn't do enough.
I tried caffeine for heavier workouts, but workout intensity has no bearing on speed. I sleep 8-12 hours a day, and sleep quite well -- and this makes little difference. I get adequate protein, carbs and calories -- but it doesn't make a difference. I try different workouts and mostly only bodybuilding sets that focus on pump, intensity and many sets and reps -- but this yields no difference vs. any other regimen.
I don't want to show up and look "small" because people expect bodybuilders to have decent size.
How can I get as big as possible naturally within 4 months? I've heard of blood restriction and doing and workout out 50-100 sets can force excess blood to muscle which makes them get filled and huge. Also, I heard that you can take 200mg of creatine and drink five gallons of water and bloow flow restriction/pump creams that help put on size instantly. Do these help with looking bigger at least?
I'm lean and have okay size, but don't feel it's enough to be in an amateur bodybuilding contest.
I cannot back down from this. What are my options? 10-12 lbs. of muscle within four months.
I know muscle heals when not working, but I need this to be quick, like 1 day.
EDIT: I realize that 4 months is really pushing it, but I'd like to basically super-charge my progress now as best as it can possibly go until the show that's coming up. I believe there's something extra that can slightly help more than just the usual diet/macros, sleep and rest, which I have at the best.