What BF% do you get down to before you Bulk

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 08:36 AM

Title is pretty explantory. What is the BF% you try to get to before you begin your bulk? Or do you go by time of year instead of BF%??

AtTheWall · 11-09-2009, 08:39 AM

me: I am fat by most of your bf standards = 18 to 20% bf. I am bulking for muscle growth = strength increase. I will look like a pig (30 lbs over ideal) in about 2 months when I cut.

BTW: you have my ideal stats.

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 09:10 AM

really?? Huh, I am trying to cut about 8 more pounds I think, or down below 10% BF or until Thanksgiving *haha* I am not gonna cut through the holidays, that is just torture! So I will be bulking by the end of the month, and will do that until the middle of february probably. Then cut until may, and maintain through the summer. THen plan on repeating. This is my first cut/bulk cycle. I tell ya, Thermogen EFX II is awesome w/KETO!!!!

gixxer0.6g · 11-09-2009, 09:14 AM

I'm always trying to grow but I keep myself around 10-12% all year round.

lac38780 · 11-09-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gixxer0.6g

I'm always trying to grow but I keep myself around 10-12% all year round.

I think for most normal people this is the best approach. People get too caught up in the whole cutting/bulking thing. Gain weight very slowly and you will always look good and never need to "cut".

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lac38780

I think for most normal people this is the best approach. People get too caught up in the whole cutting/bulking thing. Gain weight very slowly and you will always look good and never need to "cut".

I am also trying to get my lifts up a decent amount by spring, So I think a bulk would be good for that. I do better with planned out time frames and goals. For this cut I wanted to get to about 10% BF which I should be able to do at this rate before thanksgiving. I should have started sooner, I have only been doing it for about a month, lost 12 lbs and 5% BF in that time. I could have taken it slower and not been as "strict" if I would have started about a month earlier. With the bulk it will be easier, to do with a time frame. Though I wont let myself get above 15% BF again unless I am making alot of gains and am fairly close to a good round number of weight. Would be great to be at 175 and 10% or lower bf by this coming June. Dont know if it is possible but that is my goal. Then can cut or maintain through the summer.

Vietgoboi · 11-09-2009, 09:37 AM

Similar concept to everyone above cutting/bulking from 10 - 15% (maximum) range or even less.

Here the article I recently read & currently following through by Lyle Mcdonald

Initial Body Fat and Body Composition Changes

*Dieting down from 20+ down to 10% will be a pain, better keep cutting short. IMO

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vietgoboi

Similar concept to everyone above cutting/bulking from 10 - 15% (maximum) range or even less.

Here the article I recently read & currently following through by Lyle Mcdonald

Initial Body Fat and Body Composition Changes

*Dieting down from 20+ down to 10% will be a pain, better keep cutting short. IMO

I LITERALLY just got done reading that article. very good article!

Tommy5144 · 11-09-2009, 10:15 AM

Personally I cut down to 7% bodyfat and then started my bulk...i dont expect to break 10% bodyfat

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy5144

Personally I cut down to 7% bodyfat and then started my bulk...i dont expect to break 10% bodyfat

Man, If i cut down that low, I would stay there for a while to enjoy it haha

Good job!

nath123 · 11-09-2009, 10:36 AM

Im currently cutting down from bf18% to 8% i weigh now at 166.2 between 16-18%bf im hoping i can stay around 155 at 8%.

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nath123

Im currently cutting down from bf18% to 8% i weigh now at 166.2 between 16-18%bf im hoping i can stay around 155 at 8%.

I was about 17% at 170 3 weeks ago. I think your goal is quite attainable!!! Good luck!!
I am about 11/12% now at 158.

Rodzilla · 11-09-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vietgoboi

Similar concept to everyone above cutting/bulking from 10 - 15% (maximum) range or even less.

Here the article I recently read & currently following through by Lyle Mcdonald

Initial Body Fat and Body Composition Changes

*Dieting down from 20+ down to 10% will be a pain, better keep cutting short. IMO

I was just about to go searching for this article, good thing I kept reading this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy5144

Personally I cut down to 7% bodyfat and then started my bulk...i dont expect to break 10% bodyfat

I think such specific recs would depend a lot more on set points. Some people aren't naturally as lean, and some make better gains when above single digit bf%

congrats though, 7% is crazy lean.

Ironwake · 11-09-2009, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_lou

Title is pretty explantory. What is the BF% you try to get to before you begin your bulk? Or do you go by time of year instead of BF%??

Eventually I plan on cutting down to 11-12% and bulking from there. Since I'm bulking for the first time I didn't want to cut down to 10% body fat because I didn't really have much muscle to show. Dunno what my body fat is now, it seems no matter how much weight I gain, my body fat % goes up linearly with it ( via electronic scale, but I know they are not accurate for athletic people )

I think 10-12% is a good number because at that level you can really see the change in muscle size while bulking...

Right now I'm bulking at about 1lb per week. Plan on doing it for a few more months, then cutting for spring...

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironwake

Eventually I plan on cutting down to 11-12% and bulking from there. Since I'm bulking for the first time I didn't want to cut down to 10% body fat because I didn't really have much muscle to show. Dunno what my body fat is now, it seems no matter how much weight I gain, my body fat % goes up linearly with it ( via electronic scale, but I know they are not accurate for athletic people )

I think 10-12% is a good number because at that level you can really see the change in muscle size while bulking...

Right now I'm bulking at about 1lb per week. Plan on doing it for a few more months, then cutting for spring...

I think your safe to bulk for a while judging by your pic man, nice definition!

Lashiec · 11-09-2009, 12:37 PM

I was probably 14% or something before I decided to bulk. I got down to 168 and couldn't do anything to drop it lower. I tried various things for a month and a half and stayed around 168-170 and just decided to bulk and deal with it later.

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lashiec

I was probably 14% or something before I decided to bulk. I got down to 168 and couldn't do anything to drop it lower. I tried various things for a month and a half and stayed around 168-170 and just decided to bulk and deal with it later.

I have read that cutting for 6 weeks, then eating at maintainence for a week, then clean bulking for 3 weeks is a good way to go for people who get stuck?? I dunno though, no personal experience with it. But I have also heard that switching it up can keep your body off balance and give you good results. Would be curious to hear from someone who has tried that. May have to do some forum searching.

nath123 · 11-09-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_lou

I was about 17% at 170 3 weeks ago. I think your goal is quite attainable!!! Good luck!!
I am about 11/12% now at 158.

yeah i wanna be 8% in the 150's by january 21 im aiming for 2 pounds a week fat loss for the 160's then 1lb after that each week if possible.
what did your diet look like? im eatin in university so im doing a lot of shakes+Natural PB for meals

nath123 · 11-09-2009, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar_lou

I have read that cutting for 6 weeks, then eating at maintainence for a week, then clean bulking for 3 weeks is a good way to go for people who get stuck?? I dunno though, no personal experience with it. But I have also heard that switching it up can keep your body off balance and give you good results. Would be curious to hear from someone who has tried that. May have to do some forum searching.

also carb playing can really help along with adding more cardio and SLEEP! when i stall which i know i will ill up carido to everyday 45min instead of 2x weekly from there to 2x daily. You can always reduce carbs by 50g-100g. Also getting more sleep can benefit your cut alot

jar_lou · 11-09-2009, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nath123

also carb playing can really help along with adding more cardio and SLEEP! when i stall which i know i will ill up carido to everyday 45min instead of 2x weekly from there to 2x daily. You can always reduce carbs by 50g-100g. Also getting more sleep can benefit your cut alot

Well I am doing KETO, which I think is PERFECT for cutting as someone who wants to keep muscle mass. Basically you train your body to burn fat as an energy source instead of carbs. You do this by limiting the carb intake to less than 50g a day (from what I have read that is disputed, I aim for less than 30) Then up your Fat and Protein. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around at first, more fat, why would I want to eat more fat?? But I feel GREAT on this diet. The only problem is that it can be sort of expensive. Foods are mainly Meat, Cheeses and veggies. And I couldn't possibly do this diet if I didn't have time to make food on sunday for basically the whole week. I cook up a bunch of chiken, beef and sausage and it throughout the week. 1 day a week I do eat carbs but keep it in check. I dont eat a bunch of pasta, then a pizza.

In the nutrition forum they have an entire sub-forum for keto, that is where i got alot of my info from.

BloodRaged · 11-09-2009, 01:15 PM

Thor says if you wanna bulk, bulk if you wanna cut, cut.