Time to B-U-L-K UP

[Litewatenatty]

Hey everyone, I have just finished a cut and become completely addicted to bodybuilding :)
I used to be heavily into it but sort of lost interest during the last few years of college, so I am a bit smaller and weaker than I used to be. I will be posting in this thread every few days so people can keep track of my bulk and critique/ask questions about my diet and training. I am attempting a pretty clean bulk phase to avoid adding back too much of the fat I just lost over the last 10 weeks or so. Here are a few pics of me from last Friday, the start of my bulk. Weighed in at 143 lbs (so light!) bodyfat estimate around 9% i would say

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2039641&stc=1&d=1252535661

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2039651&stc=1&d=1252535850

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2039661&stc=1&d=1252535922

My current diet will be around 2500 cals on training days and 2300 cals on non-training days. I will follow this for 2 weeks (started last Friday) and re-evaluate after that. My ultimate goal is to compete next year, hopefully around September/October.

[Litewatenatty]

Here's the diet I will follow for the first 2 weeks. I've already filled out quite a bit, cant wait to see how my strength begins to improve after some much-needed calories


BULKING DIET-TRAINING DAYS

Oats and ham, 2 slices toast w/jam: 64g carbs, 32g protein, 6g fat

Yogurt, berries, 2 boiled eggs: 50g carbs, 20g protein, 14g fat

Rice with meat and veggies, fruit: 50g carbs, 30g protein, 6g fat

Sandwich, crackers: 40g carbs, 30g protein, 4g fat

20g whey shake with 1.5 tbspn sugar: 25g carbs, 20g protein, 2g fat

30g whey shake with 2 tbspn sugar: 32g carbs, 30g protein, 3g fat

Oats with cheese: 30g carbs, 8g protein, 8g fat

Veggies, peanuts: 8g carbs, 12g protein, 15g fat

Carbs: 292 x 4= 1168
Pro: 182 x 4= 728
Fat: 58 x 9= 522

Total Cals: 2468-2520


NON-TRAINING DAYS

Skip both whey shakes, add 35g protein to oats and cheese

[Litewatenatty]

I should probably post my training split as well.
Mon: Legs and Abs
Tues: Chest and Calves
Wed: Off
Thurs: Back and Biceps
Fri: Shoulders, Tris, Abs, Calves
Sat and Sun: Off

Difficult to say which bodyparts are lagging atm, but my back has always grown quickly so i imagine that it will get thicker/wider very soon. Chest has always been weak for me, so i'm focusing hard on that right now along with tri's and of course calves

[Quelly]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

[asianboy101]

Bro u got a good base to start from. Can i jus ask what u did during ur cut ie caloric intake; whether u carb cycled; cardio frequncy?

i have similar stats to u but around 12% bf and kinda stuck tryin to get below dat.
thnx :)

[Litewatenatty]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

Yeah these photos are actually what inspired me to get back on a bulk, i cant believe how thin i look from the back now! i'll be doing only mass builders that i know from experience to work for me. i've tried other exercises and programs over the years, but i'm sticking to the ones that have always worked so i'm sure i'll get quite a bit thicker over the next few months

[Litewatenatty]

Bro u got a good base to start from. Can i jus ask what u did during ur cut ie caloric intake; whether u carb cycled; cardio frequncy?

i have similar stats to u but around 12% bf and kinda stuck tryin to get below dat.
thnx :)

Calories were around 1680-1700 for the cut, i would do 3 days at around 120g carbs then a refeed day at 300g carbs and drop my protein a bit. Fat was quite low, around 45g or less each day. i hit weights 4 days a week and did low intensity cardio 3 days a week for about an hour. I also ran each friday, got up to about 6 miles per session ( i like running!) but i dont think that helps with weight loss to much cause it made me insanely hungry :) also took green tea (the real stuff not Lipton) before each workout

[asianboy101]

Calories were around 1680-1700 for the cut, i would do 3 days at around 120g carbs then a refeed day at 300g carbs and drop my protein a bit. Fat was quite low, around 45g or less each day. i hit weights 4 days a week and did low intensity cardio 3 days a week for about an hour. I also ran each friday, got up to about 6 miles per session ( i like running!) but i dont think that helps with weight loss to much cause it made me insanely hungry :) also took green tea (the real stuff not Lipton) before each workout

thx bro. that carb cycle is almost exaclty what i was gonna do for my next cut (similr to Tom Venuto's BFFM programe)

[DanTheManB]

you actually look a bit below 9%...nice job!

you have a solid base, very aesthetic and quite lean...but you really need to add some hamstring size, and back thickness....are you deadlifting?

Deadlifts aren't necc. key to adding back size. I deadlifted like it was my job and my back shrunk a TON.

However my buddy Zac has a back that's wide AND thick...looks like Venom from Spiderman!
And he hates deadlifting. Rows with real good form / squeezes seem to do wonders as well as wide grip everything....

But everyone is different! Deads and squats cant hurt!

[Blazed]

Subbed and looking forward to seeing your progress.

You have a Xmas tree on the lower back and your legs are pretty diced, I would pin you at a few % <9.

[Litewatenatty]

Well, either way, i'm definitely lean enough to get bulking! got shoulders and tri's today to finish off the first week, i've been very sore all week (feels awesome!) and my lifts have gone up tremendously since i've actually been eating plenty of carbs. my belt still fits the same, maybe a bit tighter due to more water retention from the carbs so i'm happy with that. only supps i'm using are whey protein and creatine mono, i don't want to add anything else until i know that my diet is working properly

[Quelly]

Deadlifts aren't necc. key to adding back size. I deadlifted like it was my job and my back shrunk a TON.

However my buddy Zac has a back that's wide AND thick...looks like Venom from Spiderman!
And he hates deadlifting. Rows with real good form / squeezes seem to do wonders as well as wide grip everything....

But everyone is different! Deads and squats cant hurt!

I actually agree...deadlifts are pretty good for back thickness, not great for overall back development and not at all good for width but much better for hamstring development and just overall development...I certainly think a healthy staple of barbell rows and some form of vertical pulling; lat pulldowns or chins would be needed too

[Litewatenatty]

Here's my back workout, i have two separate routines that i alternate week to week to reduce boredom and body adaptation:

Back Workout 1

Pullups-75 reps
Smith Row-4 sets
Cable Deadlift-3 sets
Hyperextensions-2 sets

Back workout 2

BB row-4 sets
one arm row-3 sets
close grip pulldown-3 sets
hyperextensions-2 sets


i dont do normal deadlifts right now because i hurt my lower back a few years ago, and i'm still being cautious until i strengthen that area quite a bit. i've concentrated on trying to get my torso parallel to the ground when doing barbell rows and that has made a world of difference for me, really takes the arms out of the movement

[Litewatenatty]

Ok so it has been a little over a week now, just had my second chest workout yesterday. I've definitely filled out, probably mostly glycogen and a little water weight though. Strength went up pretty well but i'm not sure if i've gained much weight. I weighed myself saturday morning and came in at 144, and my belt hasn't really gotten any tighter. Today is leg day, so i'm going to increase cals considerably since i was sore for 6 days after my last leg workout! Super keen to get my 2 week pics on Friday, but i may end up increasing by 200 cals a day starting Saturday if i feel like i havent made enough gains. I'll keep posting and let everyone know

[DanTheManB]

Ok so it has been a little over a week now, just had my second chest workout yesterday. I've definitely filled out, probably mostly glycogen and a little water weight though. Strength went up pretty well but i'm not sure if i've gained much weight. I weighed myself saturday morning and came in at 144, and my belt hasn't really gotten any tighter. Today is leg day, so i'm going to increase cals considerably since i was sore for 6 days after my last leg workout! Super keen to get my 2 week pics on Friday, but i may end up increasing by 200 cals a day starting Saturday if i feel like i havent made enough gains. I'll keep posting and let everyone know

Everyone says go slow increasing calories. 200 more seems WAY too slow. It makes sense and I'm not hating on it....but think of it like this...with 500 extra calories you feel stronger...so you put more weight on the bar...which in turn makes you hungrier and need even more calories...

I dunno how people work out but I went from 2,100 2 weeks out from my show to 4 k this week (3 weeks post show) and my squat went from 315 for 5 to 405 for 2 and 315 for 10!

Bodyfat still around 8% also. Vascular everywhere. Not as shredded as father flex but I don't want to stay in that condition anyway personally. I like feeling strong and I look better at 8-10%

[Litewatenatty]

I definitely here you on that, but i've been having trouble with my stomach lately since i started the bulk. i've heard that the digestive system gets used to lower calories and may take time to respond to higher calories when on a bulk. have you had this sort of problem? i dont just mean a strong fullness feeling, i mean cramps and bloat. it kinda sucks because i hate to have to rely on more calorie-dense foods (ice cream etc..) since i just got through cutting so much. i've done that before and just ended up getting puffy

[devo09]

...with 500 extra calories you feel stronger...so you put more weight on the bar...which in turn makes you hungrier and need even more calories...

hunger is an COMPLEX and largely irrelevant topic

[DanTheManB]

hunger is an COMPLEX and largely irrelevant topic

no clue what you just typed lol

[DanTheManB]

I definitely here you on that, but i've been having trouble with my stomach lately since i started the bulk. i've heard that the digestive system gets used to lower calories and may take time to respond to higher calories when on a bulk. have you had this sort of problem? i dont just mean a strong fullness feeling, i mean cramps and bloat. it kinda sucks because i hate to have to rely on more calorie-dense foods (ice cream etc..) since i just got through cutting so much. i've done that before and just ended up getting puffy

after about a week and a half of more meals that are SLIGHTLY larger + a cple big cheats and this goes away. everyone is different tho

[Litewatenatty]

cool, yea i think i'm slowly starting to get used to it. had some pop tarts after i did legs yesterday and then got some extra carbs before bed, i'll force those bastards to grow one way or another!

[Litewatenatty]

Ok so the indigestion is still getting to me pretty bad. the first two meals of the day are fine but then after the third around noon i'm just hurting. very bloated, constant trips to the bathroom, etc...I have not really changed the types of foods that i eat, just eating more of them. has anyone tried ginger to aid with this? I had a very small lunch today to see if that would help, and it did a bit but i'm still hurting right now

[Quelly]

Ok so the indigestion is still getting to me pretty bad. the first two meals of the day are fine but then after the third around noon i'm just hurting. very bloated, constant trips to the bathroom, etc...I have not really changed the types of foods that i eat, just eating more of them. has anyone tried ginger to aid with this? I had a very small lunch today to see if that would help, and it did a bit but i'm still hurting right now

youve got the intestines of a old woman right now, they actually atrophy significantly after prolonged low calorie cuts, especially if you cut out certain foods...it'll take some time

[Litewatenatty]

old woman........lovely :) well on the plus side my strength is coming back rapidly, my lower back is feeling good (i hurt it a few years ago doing squats), and i'm looking very full and vascular. got an outer lat pump today in the gym and i was looking wide as a house (albeit, a small house) and had plenty of energy to destroy my calves for a few good sets. i'm actually looking forward to leg day each week more than any other, gonna get my form down perfect on low bar squats so i can finally get some mass on my legs without compromising my back. i'll take pics on Friday, the two week mark, hopefully with the exact same lighting as before for good comparisons

[Paul_2_Oh]

I'm interested to see how this goes for you. My intestines have taken a while re-adjusting to my food intake after dieting down over 1.5+ years. Honestly, you should be good to go in a few weeks. Lots of farts? Or just cramping pain?

[ashylarryku]

subbed, hope the bulk goes well for you! i think i'm going to use the split you have going right now. i just finished up a 13 week program that was designed for mainly beginners but i think i'm ready to tackle a good week split now.

check out my journal if you'd like. support is always nice! haha, keep up the good work man

[pooey]

On the subject of bulking I've been weight training for about 6 months now and want to bulk up. I would like some advice on how to gain more muscle mass. I'm pretty new to the nutrition side of things and wanted to know how many calories/carbs/protein/fat should I be eating each day to gain more muscle?

These are my stats below:-

WEIGHT: 11st 11lb - 75 kg
HEIGHT: 5'6.4" - 1.69 m
--------------------------------------------
B.M.I - 26.3
--------------------------------------------
BODY FAT (%) - 18.6 %
BODY FAT MASS: 13.9 kg
AGE: 29 years - MALE

Any feedback much appreciated :-)

[DanTheManB]

old woman........lovely :) well on the plus side my strength is coming back rapidly, my lower back is feeling good (i hurt it a few years ago doing squats), and i'm looking very full and vascular. got an outer lat pump today in the gym and i was looking wide as a house (albeit, a small house) and had plenty of energy to destroy my calves for a few good sets. i'm actually looking forward to leg day each week more than any other, gonna get my form down perfect on low bar squats so i can finally get some mass on my legs without compromising my back. i'll take pics on Friday, the two week mark, hopefully with the exact same lighting as before for good comparisons

bwahaha @ "small house"

keep hitting it man keep slowly increasing cals...try to get some shakes...PB whey, somemilk maybe or ice cream, honey...could help! liquid calories ftw!

[DanTheManB]

I restricted calories for 6 months, got down to 164lbs on stage August 23rd and today I'm sitting at 200 lbs (avatar pic)

The first 2 weeks were my toughest transition with strength and getting used to more food

[Litewatenatty]

I'm interested to see how this goes for you. My intestines have taken a while re-adjusting to my food intake after dieting down over 1.5+ years. Honestly, you should be good to go in a few weeks. Lots of farts? Or just cramping pain?

Sort of a combo of both, with a little acid indigestion as well! always hits after lunch, so i've made my lunch a bit smaller by taking some carbs out and adding them back in at my meal before bed. carbs at night help me sleep really well too, so it's a pretty good move i think.

Weighed in at 146 even today on an empty stomach, that makes a gain of 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks! i am on creatine mono right now, so i'm sure a bit of water retention helped out with that, but i've definitely gained back some muscle as well. i'll take pics later tonight to post up

[DanTheManB]

Sort of a combo of both, with a little acid indigestion as well! always hits after lunch, so i've made my lunch a bit smaller by taking some carbs out and adding them back in at my meal before bed. carbs at night help me sleep really well too, so it's a pretty good move i think.

Weighed in at 146 even today on an empty stomach, that makes a gain of 3.5 pounds in 2 weeks! i am on creatine mono right now, so i'm sure a bit of water retention helped out with that, but i've definitely gained back some muscle as well. i'll take pics later tonight to post up

good job brother. keep it rollin

[Litewatenatty]

Ok here are my 2 week progress pics, just now got them loaded. Like i said, i'm up 3.5 lbs and feeling much stronger, filled out quite nicely:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055841&stc=1&d=1253317240

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055851&stc=1&d=1253317294

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055861&stc=1&d=1253317328

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055871&stc=1&d=1253317376

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055881&stc=1&d=1253317421

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2055891&stc=1&d=1253317454

I'm really gonna have to fix that damn smirk i always make!!

[DanTheManB]

looking good! keep it going man! nice and steady!

[Litewatenatty]

thanks man, everything is improving nicely. i said i'd re-evaluate at 2 weeks, but i dont think i need to change much since i put on quite a bit of weight. i did move traps to back day which makes that a very big workout, so i'll probably bump up cals on that day the same way i do with legs. i'll also try to get red meat on back and leg day to help with strength in the gym. wish i could just add more back thickness right away, but it takes time i suppose :D

[DanTheManB]

thanks man, everything is improving nicely. i said i'd re-evaluate at 2 weeks, but i dont think i need to change much since i put on quite a bit of weight. i did move traps to back day which makes that a very big workout, so i'll probably bump up cals on that day the same way i do with legs. i'll also try to get red meat on back and leg day to help with strength in the gym. wish i could just add more back thickness right away, but it takes time i suppose :D

Red meat, PB an almonds as much as you can afford and stomach man.

I wouldn't say you" put on quite a bit of weight"

You're adding pounds steadily so keep that up ...but try putting on 40lbs in 4 weeks. lol Thats" quite a bit of weight" ha
164 on stage-I'm at 200 or so now...different experience levels/bodies though. Not saying my way was best but its how it happened

[Litewatenatty]

40lbs!? now that's a big accomplishment! how fast did your strength come back after the show?

[DanTheManB]

40lbs!? now that's a big accomplishment! how fast did your strength come back after the show?

Took 3 weeks. My avatar pic is me on the 17th...still lean right?

I'm not at FULL strength but I'm around 95%. Squats are 405 for 2 as of last week. I think I got 4 reps in me today.

I had 4 cheats postcontest...relatively big ones ...100% clean eating other than the cheats. ....

Clean food while bulking is....a TON of food. i s hit my brains out lol

[Litewatenatty]

yea i here ya, staying with clean foods keeps me so overly full its unreal! i've finally gotten past the indigestion, you were right it just takes time. starting to fill all my shirts out quite nicely again, something i havent done for a while now. i enjoyed being cut but i really forgot how much i missed being strong and big (i'm not big yet, but getting there!)

[DanTheManB]

yea i here ya, staying with clean foods keeps me so overly full its unreal! i've finally gotten past the indigestion, you were right it just takes time. starting to fill all my shirts out quite nicely again, something i havent done for a while now. i enjoyed being cut but i really forgot how much i missed being strong and big (i'm not big yet, but getting there!)

Yeah bro! Doesn't it feel f'ing GREAT to be big(er) while being cut?!?! The looks you get when you go out is awesome!!!

Keep up what you're doing bro! If you need a cheat, cheat, otherwise CLEAN cals! And a lot of them!

BTW squats today: : 225x10, 315x8, 405x4!!! yea baby!, 365x8!!, 315x10, 275x12, 225x11

;)

[Litewatenatty]

Well i FINALLY decided to work on squat form and get back into doing them again. i hurt my lower back like 3 years ago doing them and have just shied away ever since. i went really light yesterday, practiced low bar squat and really focused on keeping my abs, back, and shoulders tight and it made a world of difference. cant believe my r-tard weights teacher in high school never took time to teach us proper form, all he did was tell us to keep going deeper! my form has been terrible ever since but now i finally got it. i'll also be starting deads this week, gonna start light with that as well to get form down but those two should make a huge difference in my physique over the next few weeks

[Quelly]

Well i FINALLY decided to work on squat form and get back into doing them again. i hurt my lower back like 3 years ago doing them and have just shied away ever since. i went really light yesterday, practiced low bar squat and really focused on keeping my abs, back, and shoulders tight and it made a world of difference. cant believe my r-tard weights teacher in high school never took time to teach us proper form, all he did was tell us to keep going deeper! my form has been terrible ever since but now i finally got it. i'll also be starting deads this week, gonna start light with that as well to get form down but those two should make a huge difference in my physique over the next few weeks

it definitely will make big changes, and smart call being cautious bro

[Litewatenatty]

it definitely will make big changes, and smart call being cautious bro

yeah i'm really excited about it, my back still gets quite tight so i'm gonna switch up my routine to keep 3 days separating back and leg workouts to prevent injury

[Litewatenatty]

been feeling really good lately and all my lifts are going up, finally got the 105's on DB press today for 5 reps, first time i've been back in the hundreds in over a year i guess. i feel like the clean bulk is going extremely well, i look quite cut in the morning still before i start holding water from all the carbs and creatine so i definitely recommend going clean whenever you are bulking unless you just cant gain weight. will start adding real weight to squats and deadlifts this coming week once i feel like my form is solid, so i may have to start increasing cals a bit to keep up with those two workouts. cant wait to get some more pics up next week for the 4 week progress, hopefully we'll start seeing some thickness in the hams/lower back!

[Litewatenatty]

up to 149 now, just had a sick leg workout. first time in YEARS i actually was able to do squats without my lower back hurting. it felt great to go low and power through without any crippling pain, and i was able to get up to 225 for 5 reps (not much yet, but quickly getting back my strength). low bar squats have saved my entire leg routine, and i was able to focus on frying my hams later on due to the lack of pain, something that used to really hurt my hamstring workouts. loving the bulk so far, up 6.5 lbs in 3.5 weeks and the waist is still looking good! i'll post more pics on friday

[Quelly]

dude that's great...food and squats...that's the way it should be!

but just maybe slow it down on rate of gain...1lb/week might be a little leaner of gains, just my opinion

[Litewatenatty]

dude that's great...food and squats...that's the way it should be!

but just maybe slow it down on rate of gain...1lb/week might be a little leaner of gains, just my opinion

yea but i'm going to be away from the gym for like 6 weeks over christmas holidays so i'm not too worried about putting on weight too quickly, i'm just taking advantage of the gym right now as long as i can! plus i'm still not as big as i used to be so i think muscle memory is still working for me. i used to weigh around 165, did 120's on dumbell press for 5 or 6 reps...so i've still got some catching up to do

[Quelly]

yea but i'm going to be away from the gym for like 6 weeks over christmas holidays so i'm not too worried about putting on weight too quickly, i'm just taking advantage of the gym right now as long as i can! plus i'm still not as big as i used to be so i think muscle memory is still working for me. i used to weigh around 165, did 120's on dumbell press for 5 or 6 reps...so i've still got some catching up to do

sounds like you got a plan bro can't wait to see you get back to where you were and beyond

[Litewatenatty]

well i did back yesterday and my lower back was really bothering me on the deadlifts. i've been working on stretching and doing light lowerback exercises for the past week since i discovered that my posture is pretty bad and thats probably the cause of most of my back pain. anyway, i just have a lot of trouble keeping my back properly arched and tensed during heavy deads so i've decided to scrap those for now until my back gets stronger and i have corrected my posture a bit. i'm very sore today and i know i still managed to get a really good workout in, so i'm hoping my back will look a bit thicker in my next set of photos than in the previous ones. strength is still going up very quickly all over, and i've had ridiculous amounts of energy in the gym. it actually feels like i'm using anabolics or something just because i'm not used to such quick increases in strength, almost like i'm a newbie again!

[Quelly]

well i did back yesterday and my lower back was really bothering me on the deadlifts. i've been working on stretching and doing light lowerback exercises for the past week since i discovered that my posture is pretty bad and thats probably the cause of most of my back pain. anyway, i just have a lot of trouble keeping my back properly arched and tensed during heavy deads so i've decided to scrap those for now until my back gets stronger and i have corrected my posture a bit. i'm very sore today and i know i still managed to get a really good workout in, so i'm hoping my back will look a bit thicker in my next set of photos than in the previous ones. strength is still going up very quickly all over, and i've had ridiculous amounts of energy in the gym. it actually feels like i'm using anabolics or something just because i'm not used to such quick increases in strength, almost like i'm a newbie again!
food is good! And excellent call on the deads...if you can't keep your arch, DONT DEADLIFT

[Litewatenatty]

yea man, food is just magical! i wish i'd started my bulk a few months ago but the cut was good i guess so i shouldn't complain. i'm just afraid that i'll get back to my old strength right around the time that i leave for oz and then i'll lose it again! i'll be doing a bunch of outdoor workouts though and an occasional gym visit so hopefully i'll still be on track by the time i start back at the gym

[Litewatenatty]

ok, here are the newest pics. these are 4 weeks into the bulk:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2082551&stc=1&d=1254522583http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2082591&stc=1&d=1254522686
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2082601&stc=1&d=1254522746
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2082611&stc=1&d=1254522802

Legs are coming up but still look terrible! pretty happy with the way things are progressing though, sucks to lose some of the cuts but it'll be worth it in the long run

[DanTheManB]

been feeling really good lately and all my lifts are going up, finally got the 105's on DB press today for 5 reps, first time i've been back in the hundreds in over a year i guess. i feel like the clean bulk is going extremely well, i look quite cut in the morning still before i start holding water from all the carbs and creatine so i definitely recommend going clean whenever you are bulking unless you just cant gain weight. will start adding real weight to squats and deadlifts this coming week once i feel like my form is solid, so i may have to start increasing cals a bit to keep up with those two workouts. cant wait to get some more pics up next week for the 4 week progress, hopefully we'll start seeing some thickness in the hams/lower back!

Get your form down before hittin 105's bro. no offense. do you get that DEEP stretch at the bottom and the contraction at the top? if not lower it 30lbs

[DanTheManB]

GREAT job with the bulk so far BTW! thickening up nice!

[Litewatenatty]

Ok so i've got some updates on the bulk. Found out through trial and error that oats and possibly gluten were responsible for my stomach problems, i've cut them out and have felt 100% better for the past 3 days. Energy is up and even though i'm disappointed (i love oats) i know that i'll have a much easier time putting on muscle and getting through my workouts. had a leg workout yesterday that would have made me puke if my stomach hadn't been right so i've already turned it into a positive. squatted 275 for 4 good reps, still not too heavy yet but i'm up about 70 lbs in 4 weeks! my recovery has never been better, i'm not even all that sore in the legs today compared to how sore i used to get, and my strength is continuing to improve very quickly. belt still fits the same as it did 2 weeks ago and my shirts are all fitting tighter, so i feel like i'm doing quite well on the bulk. i'll get some more pics up in a few days and try to get some more leg shots this time too

[DanTheManB]

Ok so i've got some updates on the bulk. Found out through trial and error that oats and possibly gluten were responsible for my stomach problems, i've cut them out and have felt 100% better for the past 3 days. Energy is up and even though i'm disappointed (i love oats) i know that i'll have a much easier time putting on muscle and getting through my workouts. had a leg workout yesterday that would have made me puke if my stomach hadn't been right so i've already turned it into a positive. squatted 275 for 4 good reps, still not too heavy yet but i'm up about 70 lbs in 4 weeks! my recovery has never been better, i'm not even all that sore in the legs today compared to how sore i used to get, and my strength is continuing to improve very quickly. belt still fits the same as it did 2 weeks ago and my shirts are all fitting tighter, so i feel like i'm doing quite well on the bulk. i'll get some more pics up in a few days and try to get some more leg shots this time too

ohh your squat is up 70lbs...i thought you meant you...was about to say ha...nice job bro! 315 right around the corner!! sucks about the gluten thing ..i may have that a lil too never checked tho. i love oats too much to cut them out

[Bnizzle163]

Just came across your log, bro. Great work in 4 weeks. Definitely adding some mass all around. Have you made any tweaks in your diet since the start of your bulk? i.e. add any cals? and if so, in the form of carbs, fats, etc??

I have the same prob right now with my lower back... I was deading until about 8 weeks out and cycled them off, tried to bring them back and my lower back is acting up on me... So, my best advice would be to play it safe and lay off them until you're 100%.

[Litewatenatty]

Just came across your log, bro. Great work in 4 weeks. Definitely adding some mass all around. Have you made any tweaks in your diet since the start of your bulk? i.e. add any cals? and if so, in the form of carbs, fats, etc??

I have the same prob right now with my lower back... I was deading until about 8 weeks out and cycled them off, tried to bring them back and my lower back is acting up on me... So, my best advice would be to play it safe and lay off them until you're 100%.

Thanks for the props man, the bulk was def long overdue. I've been adding in more carbs on some days, especially back day and leg day just because they really help with my energy. i really feel like i used to over-emphasize protein and not worry about carbs nearly enough. i've been building muscle and getting much stronger without the ridiculous amount of protein that i used to eat back in the day. the back is so much better now, but still weak enough that i dont want to risk doing deadlifts. i can do cable deadlifts on the seated row machine, its easier that way to concentrate on keeping my back arched without my hips moving back and forth and that has allowed me to start strengthening my lower back. we'll see what happens over the next few months but i feel like it wont hurt my back development or my leg development either

[DanTheManB]

Thanks for the props man, the bulk was def long overdue. I've been adding in more carbs on some days, especially back day and leg day just because they really help with my energy. i really feel like i used to over-emphasize protein and not worry about carbs nearly enough. i've been building muscle and getting much stronger without the ridiculous amount of protein that i used to eat back in the day. the back is so much better now, but still weak enough that i dont want to risk doing deadlifts. i can do cable deadlifts on the seated row machine, its easier that way to concentrate on keeping my back arched without my hips moving back and forth and that has allowed me to start strengthening my lower back. we'll see what happens over the next few months but i feel like it wont hurt my back development or my leg development either

u dont NEED deadlifts to get a thick or wide back...my friend has one of the best backs i've ever seen for a natural bber and he never DLs

[Quelly]

what would probably help you guys who have trouble with the dead and lower back issues is to really start working glute development so your back doesnt bear the whole brunt of the load and get overstrained

[Litewatenatty]

what would probably help you guys who have trouble with the dead and lower back issues is to really start working glute development so your back doesnt bear the whole brunt of the load and get overstrained


yep i agree totally. i've been working much more on glute and hamstring exercises lately to try to take strain away from my back. itll take time but i'll get there

[Bnizzle163]

I agree. I plan to give GHR's a shot here soon :D

[Litewatenatty]

Ok, here are the 6 week progress pics. i weighed in around 154 with a bit of water in me, been feeling really good in the gym still and my strength is still on the way up. i plan to go another 2 weeks or so on the bulk and then do a quick 2 week cut to drop water weight before i go to aus to see the gf again, and i figure my metabolism will be flying then so i may be able to lose some of the fat gain as well. i actually think that my calves and triceps have grown the most, a good sign since i've always had a ton of trouble with those two muscle groups. images on the left are the newest and the right are the originals again:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111411&stc=1&d=1255864744http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111421&stc=1&d=1255864785
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111431&stc=1&d=1255864886http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111441&stc=1&d=1255864922
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111451&stc=1&d=1255865013http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2111461&stc=1&d=1255865050

[DanTheManB]

great job bro!!!!! u look great! keep it up man~!!! you'll look real thick @ 180 and I know you can do at least that!

[DanTheManB]

good job on the legs too..making good improvements...very impressed brother

[RiverRock]

great job man! solid change.

[Litewatenatty]

thanks for all the replies, i've still got a lot of work to do on my back. just got a pair of straps to help me get a bit more weight so that should help out. today is leg day again, absolutely cant wait to get in the gym after work and pound them, maybe go up to 300 or more on squats for the first time in ages. i'll let you know how it goes

[Litewatenatty]

had the leg workout yesterday and wow! didnt go up in weight too much on the squats, this was the first leg workout that i've been sort of tired for but i didnt let that stop me. got up to 275 for 5 reps, then dropped straight to 225 for 5 or 6, then dropped again to 185 for 6 or 7....most pain i've ever felt in my legs and only a pump in my lower back! then did lunges supersetted with light front squats, then finished with a 3 rounds of a tri-set that went as follows: adductor machine, heavy leg curls, and a horizontal leg press machine. i had to wait about 5 minutes after before i could get on the treadmill ( i walk for 5 or 6 minutes to loosen up before i stretch) and i must say it was the best leg workout i've ever had. not sure why i wasnt able to go up again on squats but thats ok, happens to every muscle group once in a while and i still turned it into an awesome workout. i'm going to continue eating like a horse and changing up my routine a lot for the next two weeks for a final shock before i drop calories down for about 2.5 weeks before thanksgiving, so i'm sure i'll put on some quality mass and strength

[DanTheManB]

had the leg workout yesterday and wow! didnt go up in weight too much on the squats, this was the first leg workout that i've been sort of tired for but i didnt let that stop me. got up to 275 for 5 reps, then dropped straight to 225 for 5 or 6, then dropped again to 185 for 6 or 7....most pain i've ever felt in my legs and only a pump in my lower back! then did lunges supersetted with light front squats, then finished with a 3 rounds of a tri-set that went as follows: adductor machine, heavy leg curls, and a horizontal leg press machine. i had to wait about 5 minutes after before i could get on the treadmill ( i walk for 5 or 6 minutes to loosen up before i stretch) and i must say it was the best leg workout i've ever had. not sure why i wasnt able to go up again on squats but thats ok, happens to every muscle group once in a while and i still turned it into an awesome workout. i'm going to continue eating like a horse and changing up my routine a lot for the next two weeks for a final shock before i drop calories down for about 2.5 weeks before thanksgiving, so i'm sure i'll put on some quality mass and strength

way to shock it bro. dont worry about stagnating. squats are a lot of the time mental. sometimes when you think you're done you need to take two big breaths and get another rep. bust through it bro. get 275 for 8's a cple weeks in a row and 295-300 for 5 is within your reach

[Synny]

hey litewatenatty, nice progress so far man!

Im looking to lose a bit of fat from my bulk, im 15% bf atm and 190 pounds.

Ill be doing 3-4 days of low carbs around 60-70g's and 2-3 high carbs refeeds around 300g

Only thing im worried about it that i have a physical job 3 days a week, on these days should i not go so low with the carbs?

Just dont want to lose muscle, any tips from you would be appreciated

[Litewatenatty]

hey litewatenatty, nice progress so far man!

Im looking to lose a bit of fat from my bulk, im 15% bf atm and 190 pounds.

Ill be doing 3-4 days of low carbs around 60-70g's and 2-3 high carbs refeeds around 300g

Only thing im worried about it that i have a physical job 3 days a week, on these days should i not go so low with the carbs?

Just dont want to lose muscle, any tips from you would be appreciated

i think you may be a bit too low on the carbs, i stayed around 115-120 each day and had 2 refeeds at 300 or so a week, and i weigh quite a bit less than you. it worked really well for me so maybe up yours just a bit. the easiest thing to do is just come up with a pretty conservative plan for 2-3 weeks and see how your body reacts. you'll never be able to plan it out perfectly on paper anyway so just watch the mirror and keep tabs on all your lifts so you can adjust. you should lose some fat pretty quickly if youre just coming off a bulk, metabolism will by flying

[Synny]

is that fibirous carbs or starchy?

did you keep you training heavy when cutting? and then do isolation exercise?

[Litewatenatty]

is that fibirous carbs or starchy?

did you keep you training heavy when cutting? and then do isolation exercise?

i wouldnt worry too much about the type of carbs, if you keep your training heavy and intense then you'll burn right through them. yea i tried to lift heavy as much as i could, your energy will be a little zapped so your workouts wont be as long, but the first few sets should still be plenty hard