Do I have enough muscle mass to be decent size when I cut?

[bigoledom]

I used to be a fatty, cut all out and lost a lot of muscle, and was just skinny fat. After that i bulked up to 225 from 185, a couple of questions:
1. Do I enough mass to cut successfully?
2. Strengths/weaknesses?
3. Any Tips?
4. BF% guess to see what Im working with?
Stats as off this week:
Bench: 3x205
Squat: 245x3 (atg)
Shoulder press: 65(db's)x6
BB row: 185x5
Widegrips: 5
Now for the pics, if you need anymore angles just let me know and Ill get them.

[justin.d1]

cant really help you but i am the same height as you and am currently bulking. i was wondering how long it took you to get to your current weight.

also i would keep bulking if i were you

[bigoledom]

cant really help you but i am the same height as you and am currently bulking. i was wondering how long it took you to get to your current weight.

also i would keep bulking if i were you

Started bulking the end of july til mid-nov, then started cutting, pics are at about 218 and 6'2

[ALLNECK]

I wouldn't strictly cut or do mass. Eat healthy, and keep working out. Your body has a long way to go. Congrats on the big change though.

[bigoledom]

I wouldn't strictly cut or do mass. Eat healthy, and keep working out. Your body has a long way to go. Congrats on the big change though.

Thanks brah, started a lil bit of a cut because I felt I was gaining to much fat on the bulk.
Oh yeah other stats:
Arms 16(cold flexed)
Legs 25
Calf 17

[ezra76]

My suggestion would be to keep up protein, decrease carbs for diet. With workout add reps/exercises and target chest more (dumbell flies). Back and bi's are looking good but chest falling behind. IMO you may have a harder to develop chest as well as a propensity to put on fat in the upper body. I'm the opposite, my ass will gain 15lbs. before I show an ounce in my upper body.

[bigoledom]

My suggestion would be to keep up protein, decrease carbs for diet. With workout add reps/exercises and target chest more (dumbell flies). Back and bi's are looking good but chest falling behind. IMO you may have a harder to develop chest as well as a propensity to put on fat in the upper body. I'm the opposite, my ass will gain 15lbs. before I show an ounce in my upper body.

I feel that my chest is decent, but I guess thats why I want outside oppinions, do you say its lagging because of the pics or strength? This pictures didnt come out as well as I wanted but its a cell phone so I really dont have any other option.

[ezra76]

I'd say a little of both. My brother is of a similar build to you 6'1" 220 (last I knew). I laughed a little because without the tatoo I'd have thought it was him. He does pretty much exclusively military press and flat bench. He doesn't show a lot of size in the mid chest but a lot of mass in the outer and shoulders (front delts). I haven't worked out with him in a while but last time he was at 260 bench 205 military, 3reps.


There is nothing wrong with mixing up your workout a bit. Like keep squats (always) and go to dumbell incline and add deadlifts for like 6 weeks or so. I've always been a huge advocate of incline dumbbell. I firmly believe that having to control the weight works the chest more thoroughly than a straight bar. IMO looking at the excercises you are doing vs. where the mass is/isn't prodominitely on your body is and exact matchup. Example- no deadlifts/smaller upper back and traps, no incline press/smaller inner and upper chest. Your delts and lats look very strong and sure enough flat bench and bent rows are a mainstay of your routine. What stuck out to me is how at 225 your collarbones can still clearly be seen.

edit- Just thinking a little deeper. I suppose our bodies can tell us a lot and we just have to interpret it correctly. Yours may be telling you that you are taking on too many carbs or "overbulking" a bit as well as a routine that is getting a little disproportionate.

[giuntini11]

I used to be a fatty, cut all out and lost a lot of muscle, and was just skinny fat. After that i bulked up to 225 from 185, a couple of questions:
1. Do I enough mass to cut successfully?
2. Strengths/weaknesses?
3. Any Tips?
4. BF% guess to see what Im working with?
Stats as off this week:
Bench: 3x205
Squat: 245x3 (atg)
Shoulder press: 65(db's)x6
BB row: 185x5
Widegrips: 5
Now for the pics, if you need anymore angles just let me know and Ill get them.

your at a good size right now ...if i were you i would just lift...lift hard and lift heavy and eat clean....take in a little more than your regular calorie intake...with a good workout you will burn the excess fat and see lean muscle start to cut up your body. dont get too skinny where you have to bulk again...just workout hard

[ALLNECK]

WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T CUT. Theres a lot of good opinions in here. Use them.

[2.0Tsunami]

I'd just keep lifting/eating...pretty much just do a clean bulk.

[bigoledom]

I'd say a little of both. My brother is of a similar build to you 6'1" 220 (last I knew). I laughed a little because without the tatoo I'd have thought it was him. He does pretty much exclusively military press and flat bench. He doesn't show a lot of size in the mid chest but a lot of mass in the outer and shoulders (front delts). I haven't worked out with him in a while but last time he was at 260 bench 205 military, 3reps.


There is nothing wrong with mixing up your workout a bit. Like keep squats (always) and go to dumbell incline and add deadlifts for like 6 weeks or so. I've always been a huge advocate of incline dumbbell. I firmly believe that having to control the weight works the chest more thoroughly than a straight bar. IMO looking at the excercises you are doing vs. where the mass is/isn't prodominitely on your body is and exact matchup. Example- no deadlifts/smaller upper back and traps, no incline press/smaller inner and upper chest. Your delts and lats look very strong and sure enough flat bench and bent rows are a mainstay of your routine. What stuck out to me is how at 225 your collarbones can still clearly be seen.

edit- Just thinking a little deeper. I suppose our bodies can tell us a lot and we just have to interpret it correctly. Yours may be telling you that you are taking on too many carbs or "overbulking" a bit as well as a routine that is getting a little disproportionate.

Thanks alot brah, I switch up my benching routine every 4 weeks (Currently is flat bb/ incline db, going to incline bb, flat db) Are you also saying to add deads to my routine?

[EricG71]

I agree with everyone else. Clean bulk and keep lifting heavy.

[ezra76]

Thanks alot brah, I switch up my benching routine every 4 weeks (Currently is flat bb/ incline db, going to incline bb, flat db) Are you also saying to add deads to my routine?

I would. Obviously you'll have to space out squats and deads since both put a lot of stress on everything (joints to recovery time). IMO/experience deadlifts and squats are the 2 most important exercises for size/strength, especially when "starting out". Look for some vids on them and get comfortable with them before going up in weight. Once you are comfortable, don't be afraid to use as much as you can possibly hold in your grip without dropping. I personally used to use a grip where one hand is overhand and the other underhand.

To put it in perspective, I'm going to be starting out again myself. I can't really afford a gym membership so will pay when I go with my brother. When I have access to the gym it will be squats or deadlifts, followed by bench since he'll be there to spot.

[drpcnow]

I used to be a fatty, cut all out and lost a lot of muscle, and was just skinny fat. After that i bulked up to 225 from 185, a couple of questions:
1. Do I enough mass to cut successfully?
2. Strengths/weaknesses?
3. Any Tips?
4. BF% guess to see what Im working with?

well you have great arm size i thought if you cut very very slow it could be good so soon you could see abs,also i think bulking over what you have eventually will allow your fat to get out of control.

[brutalpl0x]

we have a similar build and im cutting , just wanna get to 10% bf for once then get bigger slowly

[SerusMournstar]

Hey man, I'm in Kent too . I say keep bulking and keep upping the lifts!

[bigoledom]

I would. Obviously you'll have to space out squats and deads since both put a lot of stress on everything (joints to recovery time). IMO/experience deadlifts and squats are the 2 most important exercises for size/strength, especially when "starting out". Look for some vids on them and get comfortable with them before going up in weight. Once you are comfortable, don't be afraid to use as much as you can possibly hold in your grip without dropping. I personally used to use a grip where one hand is overhand and the other underhand.

To put it in perspective, I'm going to be starting out again myself. I can't really afford a gym membership so will pay when I go with my brother. When I have access to the gym it will be squats or deadlifts, followed by bench since he'll be there to spot.

I have messed with deads before, never really went over 225, I guess im just afraid of jacking up my back and being out for a while. The reason me not doing them is a lot of people here said they just help the erectors(?) and overall mass can be achieved without them, but I will add them for 6 weeks to see how they go.

well you have great arm size i thought if you cut very very slow it could be good so soon you could see abs,also i think bulking over what you have eventually will allow your fat to get out of control.

I've never seen my abs before, so thats part of the reason I feel like cutting, and if I start now and lose 2 pound a week, thats like 30 pounds by summer which is when I'd like to have abs, just dont wanna be a kinny *** with them

we have a similar build and im cutting , just wanna get to 10% bf for once then get bigger slowly

Good luck to you brah

Hey man, I'm in Kent too . I say keep bulking and keep upping the lifts!

Thanks man my lifts have been going through the roof lately, but like I said, I think I was gaining too much fat, and that was kind of depressing me a lil bit.

[bigoledom]

Is the general concensus that I should cut carbs?

[bigoledom]

bump

[bigoledom]

and one last time

[southjman]

[QUOTE=bigoledom;423075701]I used to be a fatty, cut all out and lost a lot of muscle, and was just skinny fat. After that i bulked up to 225 from 185, a couple of questions:
1. Do I enough mass to cut successfully?
2. Strengths/weaknesses?
3. Any Tips?
4. BF% guess to see what Im working with?
Stats as off this week:
Bench: 3x205
Squat: 245x3 (atg)
Shoulder press: 65(db's)x6
BB row: 185x5
Widegrips: 5
Now for the pics, if you need anymore angles just let me know and Ill get them.


DON'T BULK!!! Your weight will get outta line.. Slim down while training hard.. You can build muscle.. (I admit it will be a lil harder, but that's for the best!)