Bulking/Cutting

[EBA84]

I see this combination thrown around quite a bit. Why do people feel they have to first bulk before they can cut? Anyone I know personally that "bulks" is pretty much just getting fat and using the term "bulking" to justify it.

The more fat you put on, the more chance you have of losing muscle when you try to "cut". I see guys go up to 300 pounds, diet for a contest and end up weighing 2 pounds more then they did the year before. The body is only going to put on so much muscle no matter how much food you feed it. The excess calories get stored as fat no matter who you are.

If you eat clean and calories are slightly above maintenance, you will continually put on muscle with minimal fat gain. Your body will also thank you for not getting fat because it has to work a hell of a lot harder to carry all that useless bulk around. The dieting yo-yo affect is also hard on the system with weight always going up and down.

I am definitely not knocking anyone who does this. It is just my opinion. Thoughts?

[Mr. Someday]

Dead on man. I eat in a constant caloric surplus, but nothing crazy, especially with my slow ass metabolism. I keep cardio in year around and that allows me to continually add size while keeping fat gains at a minimum. Not saying I try and stay below 10% all year, but I am long since done with not looking the part year around. And having done the preps from a "fat" start....it is not a lot of fun....and it will effect the amount of muscle you are able to maintain.

[Capt_Lou]

I started to learn this pretty early on, Once I get rid of all of this fat on my body I only eat 200-300 calories above my basal.

[EBA84]

Originally Posted by tlou5831

I started to learn this pretty early on, Once I get rid of all of this fat on my body I only eat 200-300 calories above my basal.

Exactly how you want to do it. As you put on more muscle like this, your basal will increase and your calories will increase. It also takes more calories to sustain a more muscular physique.

Bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint.

[EBA84]

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

Dead on man. I eat in a constant caloric surplus, but nothing crazy, especially with my slow ass metabolism. I keep cardio in year around and that allows me to continually add size while keeping fat gains at a minimum. Not saying I try and stay below 10% all year, but I am long since done with not looking the part year around. And having done the preps from a "fat" start....it is not a lot of fun....and it will effect the amount of muscle you are able to maintain.

100% agree. Gets harder as we get older to.

[ntrllftr]

I am 15 lbs. over target contest body weight. I call it a "bulk" because it is easy to say.

[EBA84]

Originally Posted by ntrllftr

I am 15 lbs. over target contest body weight. I call it a "bulk" because it is easy to say.

I would say that is far from a bulk. lol

I am talking guys who are 30 pounds or more over contest weight.

[ntrllftr]

Originally Posted by EBA84

I would say that is far from a bulk. lol

I am talking guys who are 30 pounds or more over contest weight.

lol Yeah but I feel like a Big fat sweaty pig...

You are correct though, good post!

[Capt_Lou]

Originally Posted by EBA84

Exactly how you want to do it. As you put on more muscle like this, your basal will increase and your calories will increase. It also takes more calories to sustain a more muscular physique.

Bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint.

Great!! Right now I'm eating around 2500-2600 calories a day for this cut, no idea how I'm going to be able to stuff 3300-3400 calories in my mouth when I'm done.

[alec_braithwait]

I was always under the impression that in the bodybuilding community the term "bulking up" was more or less dead.

Gone are the days when you eat everything in sight turn into a blob and then 16 weeks out from contest start to "diet back".

I am only 176lbs but steadily gaining weight and maintaining my body fat percentage levels. I am not to worried if they go up or down over a couple if months, but if I see them rise to much I take another look at what has changed to make me add more fat.

[EBA84]

Originally Posted by alec_braithwait

I was always under the impression that in the bodybuilding community the term "bulking up" was more or less dead.

Based on the things I read on the forums and people I personally know, it is alive and well.

[alec_braithwait]

Originally Posted by EBA84

Based on the things I read on the forums and people I personally know, it is alive and well.

Using that traditional method I know I could get to 200+lbs by the end of the year, but by the time I have dieted back, I'd be lucky if I came out 5lbs ahead.

I'd rather gain just a couple of lbs a month and keep reasonable definition and then only have to loose about 15-20lbs of fat to compete

[sluge]

I'm no where near any one of ya'll levels yet. I need to hit the book stores or something. Although I have made good progress so far with the fat loss I still fear that my eating is not the best. Here's what I had so far today.

3am - 1/2 cup of oatmeat.
5:30 am 1/2 cup of lean ground beef with 1 cup of wheat rice , 1/2 cup of green beans

9:30 am 1/2 can of white tuna with 6 triscuts, 1 cup of broccli

11:30 am 1 cup of soy nuts, table spoon of peanut butter.

4:00 pm (after my workout) cup of strawberries/ fresh pineapple, protein shake.

6:00 pm I"ll be eating Ribeye steak, broc, and some efa sup's.


Today was actually a lighter eating day for me. Usually it's a little more ounces of protien.

[Joe Go]

I call it bulking and cutting. I still haven't achieved a 4-5 percent body fat level, but I don't see how I could go back to the gym and lift heavy expecting muscle gain having that low of a fat percentage without bulking up to around 10 percent. Then around showtime cut back down to 4-5 percent. That's why I consider it bulking and cutting.

Granted I've only competed in one natural bodybuilding show so maybe my view will change later on.