12-Week Bulking Trainer Thread (Post all questions here)

[PJ1989]

Hi Derek,
I am currently on week 10 of the bulking trainer and have seen great improvement in my physique. However, being an Ectomorph my weight has fluctuated and stayed roughly the same.
I'm not too bothered about my weight as I am stronger and fit much better in my clothes nowadays.
Would it be wise of me to carry on with this program after the 12 weeks or move on to another program. If so, what programs would you recommend?

Cheers
Paul

[dumborambo]

hi derek

if MEAL says that i need to take 60 grams(3/4 cup) of oatmeal and 4 oz of chicken is it to be cooked or uncooked?

how much grams of oatmeal is equal to 60grams of cooked oatmeal?
on cooking 1 cup brown rice how much will i get?

[coolaidml]

I am having a real tough time pounding down 6 meals a day. I often feel so stuffed at night when going to bed that i hardly sleep feeling to full and bloated. Any suggestions?

I have tried eating my dinner earlier before going to bed so it has more time to digest but sometimes it still doesn't help. I drink a casein shake also right for going to bed and often feel awful chugging it down however I am committed so i do it anyway..... Am i hurting my body by feeling like this? I have struggled putting on muscle for so long and I don't want to give up but I often feel almost like throwing up at night from eating so much throughout the day.

I was thinking about getting digestive enzymes, think it would help?

[turtle2486]

Derek, man thanks SO much for this program. I intend to begin the program on Monday the 16th and this week I'm doing something that I've never done in the whole year that I've been working out so far...planning my nutrition. To that end, I need some help from you. You told a guy on this forum who was 285 lbs, 44% body fat and 27 years old the following:

[QUOTE=Beast;524332013]You could use this program and the nutrition outlined, but instead of increasing your calories as you go you would decrease as needed (I would keep protein and fat as is and decrease your carb intake).

Taking that into consideration (my stats are: 34 year old male, 40.2% body fat, 6ft 1in, 272 lbs and my long term goal is 245 lbs, 20% body fat) I have a couple of questions:

1. From the calculations on the week one Wednesday video, I determined that my calories and macros are as follows (this is all based on my lean body mass of 163 lbs since I'm so overweight & 5 meals/day):

calories = 2445
protein = 163 grams (652 calories from protein/day and 32.6g protein/meal)
fat = 81.5 grams (733.5 calories from fat/day and 16 - 17 g fat/meal)
carbs = 265 grams (1059 calories from carbs/day and 53 g carbs/meal)

BUT I also checked the nutrition forum and read about the Katch-McArdle method of calculating calories which gave me 2360 cal/day if I'm trying to lose weight. So, I took your advise and recalculated with less calories (2360 cal/day) and kept the protein and fats the same and played with the carbs and this is what I came up with:


calories = 2360
protein = 163 grams (652 calories from protein/day and 32 g protein/meal)
fat = 81.5 grams (733.5 calories from fat/day and 16 g fat/meal)
carbs = 243 grams (975 calories from carbs/day and 48 g carbs/meal)

After all that, my question is: How does that look as a starting point? I assume that after each week, I should recalculate based on whatever my weight is that week

2. I have a hard time figuring out what a realistic goal is for a certain time period. I mentioned earlier that my long term goal is to be 245 with a 20% body fat but I'd like to know what to expect from this next 12 weeks (if thats a question that you can even answer) so that I'll know what to strive for and wether I'm ahead/falling behind.

3. As an overweight person, I wonder about creatine (or the Vasocharge supplement that you recommend). Is that something I should take or should I hold off on that?

[nymyth]

Question: I am on week 10 and was wondering, do you recommend doing this workout back to back meaning a full 24 weeks, or would you incorporate something in the middle for like 4-6 weeks??

[gonzo77]

If I'm going to have a cheat meal am I suppose to starve all day untill the meal? Or eat regular and just enjoy the meal when it's time?

[ntepting]

Hey Beast! Just finished week 4 this last week, and getting ready to start up on week 5 on Monday. I uploaded some before and after pictures finally to my bodyspace profile. If you could check them out when you got some time and let me know what you think if it all, I'd super appreciate it!

I'm eating a lot and following my diet very strictly. I'm taking all the necessary supplements (hydro whey protein instead, b/c I can't drink the lactose in normal whey protein). In addition I'm taking a fat burner OxyElite Pro and Yohimbine HCI (from primaforce), as well as a Anabolic Pump: Genetic Equalizer (From USP labs).

I've increased all my weights for each week, and I really feel like I'm getting stronger. The bodyspace pics have such crappy light, they don't do my body all the justice (not saying it's a huge difference though haha). This last week during week 4 I started adding a fat burning abb intensive program that's designed to hammer away at the belly fat (just using bodyweight and a mat), and I've added that 5 days a week (in addition to the abb stuff you have outlined in the 12 week program).

Here's my weight and bf % during the weeks:

Pre-Week 1
Weight: 151.2
BF%: 13.1

After Week 1
Weight: 146.6
BF%: 12.7

After Week 2
Weight: 148.0
BF%: 12.4

After Week 3
Weight: (Forgot to Weigh in)
BF%: (forgot to Weigh in)

After Week 4
Weight: 145.2
BF%: 12.0

Even though my weight is going down, so is my BF, and I still fill my body filling out more and getting stronger. Any recommendations so far?

Also, am I on track to where I generally should be? If I wanted, could I switch to a cutting diet (cutting back on the carbs) since I'm trying to get in as tip top shape as I can by Sept 17th? Would that help reduce the bf % even more? How would I begin reducing the carbs if I started a diet like that, while increasing fats and protein to get the extra calories? Thanks! You have no idea how much of a life savor you are!

[YoMoMsB]

If I'm going to have a cheat meal am I suppose to starve all day untill the meal? Or eat regular and just enjoy the meal when it's time?

Eat regular and enjoy the cheat meal bro. Just replace one of your regular meals with the cheat meal, then when your done with it continue your day as normal and eat the rest of your remaining meals as usual.

[eswaranm]

hi derek,

i am 16 years of age and really interested in following your 12 week program.but due to time contraints,i only get to workout at home with dumbbells,barbells and a workout bench.so i was thinking how should i do the excercises that require machines?should i skip them or redo my previous excercise??

[steeve1000]

I just Finished thé first week and i lové my new training im training for 10 years and i think get back to basic Will help me

But i want to Know your opinion on thé keto diet

By the way your last name is it french im asking because im a french canadian

[igones]

Just some doubts...

How long do I have to rest between sets?
45sec+-?

How long do i have to rest between one exercise and another?
2min+-?

Thanks!!

[camcamc]

I just finished week one and I can already see improvements all around.

I just had some simple quick questions.

I'm on a really busy work week 45 hours a week to be exact.
I'm still getting in the gym 5-6 times a week but since I'm working a lot I can't really follow as strict of a diet as I like. Is it ok to replace a couple of meals with replacements or should I just eat right when I can and just take that chance of not making my calories that day..

One more thing, couple of years ago I was 185 for football but after I finished I just got fat to about 195 at my heaviest. Over the year I have been eating right and working a lot and now I'm only 145 ( well 5 extra pounds from week one already!) My question is will it be easier for me to see gains since I have already been a muscular 185 pound? I would like to get back around that.

Thanks for you help I've been following your program exactly how you have it on the paper and already seeing great gains.

[alannigz]

Hi Derek,

Im onto my 7th week and have gotten some strength increase. In my upper body workout A i beat all the numbers in week 1 except maybe close-grip bench. In week 1 I did 12 and 13 reps respectively on 50KG. However this week i did 13 reps on the 1st set with 52.5KG and somehow was only able to complete 8 reps on the second (think i lost concentration not sure ). Should this be a concern ?

[ntepting]

My question is will it be easier for me to see gains since I have already been a muscular 185 pound? I would like to get back around that.

I can't answer for Derek, but I believe I've read/heard somewhere that it is easier for people who are trying to put the weight back on because they have already been at that level of fitness before, as opposed to someone who is trying to get there for the first time. I could be wrong though. Best of luck to you!

[marcusclarkus]

Just starting week 11, everything has been going great. Definitely gaining size, getting compliments , and really cleaning up my diet a lot. Two quick questions though.

1. Should I take a week off after finishing your program before I jump into another one (either your tri phase or some 4-6 week one I pick out from a a magazine)? Or will week 12's deload be sufficent rest time?

2. I have enough self control to eat healthy, but not enough to stop my night time snacking since I'm always up late. I don't buy potato chips anymore because I can easily just sit down and eat half a bag. I using go with cold cuts sandwiches and cottage cheese with fruit but have been getting tired of them and feel like I shouldn't be having all those carbs from the bread at night. What are some healthy snacks I can eat at night?

Thanks man

[Dr Squat]

I am basically on diet solution with 6 meals of 35 P /10F atm and have 60 gram carb from sweet pottato PWO. Also like Marc I have 1/2 cup oats at breaki. I am down to sub 6% bodyfat now geting ready to compete. i am 169cm , 176lb atm.

Thought i woudl just share the the free meal works great for me. The next day I am dry and full, feel ready to attack another week and am steadily losing fat. I have 4 weeks to go to first comp and 9 to main comp. whether at the end stages i will have to switch to a clean refeed is to be seen. But soemtimes I think it takes more discipline to 'Not change" if everything is working well as us BBers tend to want to overdo things and end up doing silly stuff, haha.

Derek, a QUESTION :

AS I AM GETTING VERY LEAN, IN THE LAST 1-2 WEEKS I REALLY 'FEEL' LIKE I COULD DO A MINI CLEAN REFEED WEDNESDAYS AS I START TO GET VERY DEPLETED AND TIRED? Is this wise, or just stick it out hard as I am gettign clsoe to comp condition???

[Superstar0]

Hey, im looking to start this program this week, was wondering if there is a printable table form workout sheet available?

thanks for the workout and thanks for the help

[wc3]

Hi Derek, I just completed the 12 week bulking program and while I didn't gain any weight, I got leaner and significantly stronger, I added about 90 lbs to my squat and deadlift. My chest and arms however have stagnated. I know you recommend doing tri-phase after this routine, but I really enjoy lifting really heavy, so I was wondering could I do the Power to be Pretty routine? If yes, can I do the 3 compound lifts, squat, deadlift and bench press, on consecutive days and assistance days after? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Beast]

Hey Derek,

I am 5"5, 141lbs 11-12% bf. I work as a server 5 nights a week for 5-6hrs at a time. So instead of taking in 2600 calories a day, I bumped it up to 3000 (because of my job where I am burning calories). Do you think this is a decent amount to increase it to?

Also - the scale says I am 146lbs but I am betting a lot of that is water weight? I've been eating at 3000 calories a day about 350carb, 180 protein, and 70 fat. I am on day 7 of the program.

I plan on sticking to the bulk for 5-6 months, about how much lean muscle mass do you think is possible to put on in that timeframe?

I am a big fan of increasing calories when weight gains stalls instead of based on activity. If you are gaining weight (around 1 lb per week) then you don't need to increase calories.

Hey derek,

A couple questions

I was watching the Video you had in the kitchen on cooking meals. Those meals were only around 30 carbs? I mean those were just examples right?

And when considering some of the macronutrients from surrounding foods in a single meal, for example: the protein and fat of a bowl of quaker oats doesn't seem to ever get added into the equation, or the protein/carbs from peanut butter, is that because these are incomplete proteins? or just too little numbers to even consider?


Also one more, I find it kind of confusing, I had signed up through team scivation, and had a diet plan for goal: "muscle building" sent to me based off of the "diet solution". It was based around bulking with the diet solution. It was consistent of carbs throughout the training days and non training days only had me eat starchy carbs in the morning.. Is this effective as a daily supplement to bulking? I mean only carbs in the morning? on non training days? Should I always be eating carbs regardless of training days or non training days when trying to bulk?


Weight: 185 lbs
Body fat: 11.5%
Height: 5'11"


Thanks Derek!

-- Andy

Yes those were just examples as to what your meals (food choices) should look like. Amounts/size of food will vary by person.

I am a big believer in prioritizing your protein and fat intake above your carb intake. Protein and fat are essential nutrients, meaning these nutrients must be obtained through the diet, while carbs are not essential. So whenever I create a diet my clients I first establish their protein and fat intake and then the rest of their calories come from carbohydrates. When bulking I will raise their carbohydrate intake while leaving their protein and fat intake as is and when cutting I will decrease carbs before I remove protein and fat. I also create my diets based around food choices instead of counting every single macronutrient. For example, for protein if the person is to get 42 grams per meal they can have 6 oz. of a meat or 2 scoops of Scivation Whey. I don’t count the trace protein in carb or fat sources. For the most part people eat the same foods every day. Someone isn’t going to eat all peanut butter (which contains carbs and protein) for their fat one week and then do all oils (which have no carbs or protein), so even though they don’t count every macro their caloric intake is still constant due to using the same foods. This makes dieting much easier as you don’t have to sit and calculate every meal. You know for all meals you are to have 6 oz. meat or 2 scoops Whey protein for my protein intake. There is no sitting and thinking “well there is 7 grams of protein in my rice so I can’t eat as much chicken or if I eat oatmeal instead I have to eat less peanut butter…” You know exactly how much of eat food group (protein, carbs, and fat) you can eat without doing any calculations.

Limiting carbs to meal #1 only on off days is a good strategy to limit fat gain.

Hey Beast! Just finished week 4 this last week, and getting ready to start up on week 5 on Monday. I uploaded some before and after pictures finally to my bodyspace profile. If you could check them out when you got some time and let me know what you think if it all, I'd super appreciate it!

I'm eating a lot and following my diet very strictly. I'm taking all the necessary supplements (hydro whey protein instead, b/c I can't drink the lactose in normal whey protein). In addition I'm taking a fat burner OxyElite Pro and Yohimbine HCI (from primaforce), as well as a Anabolic Pump: Genetic Equalizer (From USP labs).

I've increased all my weights for each week, and I really feel like I'm getting stronger. The bodyspace pics have such crappy light, they don't do my body all the justice (not saying it's a huge difference though haha). This last week during week 4 I started adding a fat burning abb intensive program that's designed to hammer away at the belly fat (just using bodyweight and a mat), and I've added that 5 days a week (in addition to the abb stuff you have outlined in the 12 week program).

Here's my weight and bf % during the weeks:

Pre-Week 1
Weight: 151.2
BF%: 13.1

After Week 1
Weight: 146.6
BF%: 12.7

After Week 2
Weight: 148.0
BF%: 12.4

After Week 3
Weight: (Forgot to Weigh in)
BF%: (forgot to Weigh in)

After Week 4
Weight: 145.2
BF%: 12.0

Even though my weight is going down, so is my BF, and I still fill my body filling out more and getting stronger. Any recommendations so far?

Looks like you have room to increase your calories. As long as you are gaining strength you are doing good though.

[AGuilfoy]

Awesome! I think i'm grasping the diet hardcore.

Can I ask you one more thing? It's just about the split I was following through out the bulking series. Humor me.

What makes "this" particular program the most effective? It's just for my own stubborn self. I just mean splitting it up like it is. Im normally used to corresponding push/pull muscles on certain days than others, It seems scattered..

[Jake350]

Hi Derek, Great program! I'm on week 3 and killin the weights. never lifted this much before. Anyway I was wondering about fat burner or thermogenesis pills that help you lose weight. Should I take these while on this program? I have some bodyfat still to lose, but I don't want to inhibit muscle growth either. I started at 29% and am at 21.4 now, have lost 1.5% on this program with my eating in line. Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Superstar0]

hey, im on the second leg workout of the first week today, but my quads are still very sore after the first workout! i can only just make it up and down the stairs!

i have read lots of times before not to workout if your still sore from your last session, but what do you advice

[GWJ]

Hi Derek,
I have a question for you. Can you tell me the percentages of my 1rm for all the rep ranges? Thanks!

12-15
8-10
6-8
4-6
3
15-20

[ryan3981]

i wanna know about what is better a upper lower split or a four day split where you do day 1 chest/triceps, 2 back/biceps, 3 legs, 4 shoulders. i keep seeing that alot of people are doing the upper lower split but it just dont seem like you get to work each muscle as good.

[lestat1510]

I have a question for you derek. Ive lost 40 lbs and have 15 more pounds to go. Ive been eyeing you program for weeks nowand im curious if i should still cutand wait to bulk with your program or should i wait to i get down to target wait. What would be mor beneficial

[mandeviz]

Derek,

Unfortunately I do mot have access to the internet at all times. So I can't watch the videos provided, am I missing anything? I have printed all of the logs and everything needed but wanted to make sure I am not missing out on any key tips with this specific workout plan.

[DedicatedDad]

Derek,

Unfortunately I do mot have access to the internet at all times. So I can't watch the videos provided, am I missing anything? I have printed all of the logs and everything needed but wanted to make sure I am not missing out on any key tips with this specific workout plan.

No, I never watch videos. Just depends on if you know what the excercise is. If not, the video will help.

[sicinsane]

on off days am i suppose to eat carbs only for breakfast and cut out rest of the carbs for the rest of the day? for example i would eat 4oz cooked chicken with 56g whole wheat pasta and 1 tbsp on PB for about 3 of my meals on workout days.. so on my off day am i suppose to just eat a 4 oz chicken alone??

[hdbell]

Dereck,
I am on week 11 of your bulking trainer. I have been lifting and training for just over a year after a 15 year hiatus. I'm not inproving as much as I like, but I did drop 80 lbs last year. I have some kidney issues so my protein is limited to around 100 grams/day at the top end. How much does this restrict my gains? I have improved vastly with your routine but one question I have is what percentage of weight should be added each week? One reader posted I should go to exhaustion but that can be done withany weight I can lift. I am restricted to about 100 grams/day protein due to health conditions, how much does that hold me back from gains if any? What routine do you have after this bulker is completed? I was thinking lean and cut?

[Drewdg04]

Question about my diet. I'm 6'2 185 lbs and would like to know if you see any weak spots in my diet. This is what my meal for day 1

Breakfast-2 whole eggs, 3 egg whites 1 slice whole wheat toast (pinched a little olive oil on the bread for good measure)

Post work/meal 2- 2 scoops 100% whey protein (gold standard) 1 peanut butter jelly sandwich (wheat bread)

Meal 3- Another PP&J with wheat bread

Meal 4-Chicken Caesar salad apprx 8oz chx breast and regular caesar dressing

Meal 5- 2 scoops 100% whey protein

Meal 6- 8-10oz steak, green beans and chopped potatoes (boiled)

Thank you for any help!