Can't tell if love handles or muscle....cut or bulk time?

[egon10psi]

So I was up to like 196 on a dirty bulk...decided to start over again and go down to 185 (picture)....figured I was lean enough to stat bulking SLOWLY/CLEAN again so I increased my macros. But there more I look at the picture the more I think I should have maybe cut down another 5lbs or so first. But now I am 2 weeks into my slow bulk and don't want to start over again...

Advice?

At 185 CURRENT except now I am closer to 186

[LezPaulEpiphone]

Definitely keep bulking then cut down just before summer if you wish. I wouldn't start cutting again now because you're lean enough to bulk easily. Just make sure you leave yourself enough time to be shredded for summer!

Awesome physique btw

[vikingquest4]

I feel like it depends on your goals.. shooting to be real lean for a spring break trip? if so keep cutting to 180 and re-assess. if you're looking to summer then I'd definitely bulk for a while because you're pretty lean still.

[Oriainarama]

what height are you?
You could have dropped a bit more bodyfat and looked great but you can easily bulk from where you are now and then cut in time for summer!

[ScottishColin]

definitely don't have love handles.

What are your lifts like?

[egon10psi]

Thanks guys...I am 6'1.

Kinda upside down right now as I am coming off a back injury and neglected my legs for this first few years like a bro...but fixing that now.

Bench 305
Overhead Press 215
Squat is low at 300lbs
I still am not able to dead

I am going on a spring break trip but I figured if I am bulking slowly enough I can still maintain some abs without have to cut for it and then just cut real slow for summer.

[Oriainarama]

Thanks guys...I am 6'1.

Kinda upside down right now as I am coming off a back injury and neglected my legs for this first few years like a bro...but fixing that now.

Bench 305
Overhead Press 215
Squat is low at 300lbs
I still am not able to dead

I am going on a spring break trip but I figured if I am bulking slowly enough I can still maintain some abs without have to cut for it and then just cut real slow for summer.

was just wondering your height as you have similar proportions to me, same age and same weight (my avatar is 2 months old i've put on about another 10 pounds) thought you might be same height,
very surprised you are taller than me as you look a bit bigger than me, although its probably due to the fact you have a bit less bodyfat than me.

[Marcusb92]

I've got that same thing as you man. I've been bulking for over a year now and due to working my obliques for quite some time once the fat started to build up it sat mostly around that area and due to thicker obliques it gives the impression of love handles.

That's just me though, you may have the same thing.

[egon10psi]

yeah I cant really tell if its muscle or fat...I can't really squeeze it but it does stick out more than normal I think...

Also to ORIAN I get that a lot...its because my legs are not proportionate to my upper body yet...if they were I would be closer to 200lbs.


Better Angle

[egon10psi]

I wonder if there is an exercise I am doing that is over developing them..I have been reading but can't seem to find anything.

[egon10psi]

anyone else care to critique? Thank you for any and all advice.

[Oriainarama]

my legs are fairly out of proportion as well, haven't been able to train them since tore ligaments in my knee in August, luckily they have a naturally decent size due to football(soccer) for years.

in regards to obliques, there is muscle there, of course there is a layer of fat on top of it but nothing major. would disappear quickly i'd say if you were to cut below 10% then would be left with well defined obliques and good adonis belt.

[Parmezans]

I have to say, you have my goal sustainable physique.
Nice medium-average BF% (for a recreational BBer), good proportions.
You don't have love handles, surely there's fat, but it's all good.
Don't obsess over it. You do have strong obliques, but many people
love that and strive for it. I even asked my girlfriend of 2 years (she's picky)
if she likes your physique, she said that she wouldn't change a thing.
So yeah... Don't worry, but my recommendation would be not to hit
the obliques directly at all anymore. You asked if there's an exercise that you
might be doing to develop them. If you post your routine we may be able to
locate it.

[egon10psi]

Well I have routine ADD..

From last July until December while on my dirty bulk I was doing Starting Strength...I liked it and made descent gains but I just need the gym in my life more than 3 days a week...also developed a gut with my dirty bulk...so for the passed month I worked my bf percentage back down while doing this..

Chest/Tri (Flat Bench, Incline dumbbells, Cable/Machine Flys, Tri Extensions, Dips)
Back/Bi ( Weighted WG Pullups, Romanian Deads, Single Arm Rows, Machine Rows, Barbell Curl, Decline Curl)
Legs ( Squat, Leg Press, Leg Curl, Leg Extensions, Calves)
Shoulders ( Overhead Press, Seated dumbbell press, Lateral raises, shrugs)


But now I want to go to a routine where I can hit everything 2x a week.
I am currently looking for a Legs, Push, Pull, Off, Repeat Routine or maybe try PHAT.


Thank you guys for the comments...I am kinda upset lately that I am not where I want to be after 2 years but then again I guess I have not given it 100 percent with my diet. I am definitely far from my goal of 200-205 with 10 percent body fat. This lean bulk is taking a lot of learning with nutrition and diet and what macros work for me.

[phamster]

Thanks guys...I am 6'1.

Kinda upside down right now as I am coming off a back injury and neglected my legs for this first few years like a bro...but fixing that now.

Bench 305
Overhead Press 215
Squat is low at 300lbs
I still am not able to dead

I am going on a spring break trip but I figured if I am bulking slowly enough I can still maintain some abs without have to cut for it and then just cut real slow for summer.

I like how you're honest with those numbers, theres always a lot of liars on these forums who add like 100 pounds to their lifts. but anyways, i'd say clean bulk for another month or so and cut to be ready for summer baby.

[egon10psi]

Really only another month? I thought about going up to 193 or so before cut..so I would need another 6 to 8 weeks or so to that properly.

[OkashiiKen]

You got a good physique going - until you mentioned you havent been able to properly work your legs I wouldve guessed you were a good bit heavier with all that upper body mass. I what you should do next depends on your goals - if you want to stay lean all year round (8-10% bf) then I'd cut, if you don't mind being 14-15% then keep slow bulking till you hit your target weight. Btw, what do you want you bf to be by summer? That'll help determine how long you can bulk for before you need to start a slow cut.

[MaudeMoo]

Might be some fat on the obliques. Not too much though

[brayzie]

^x2

[egon10psi]

My ultimate goal for this year would be to get up to around 193/195 and cut back to 183/5 keeping 2 to 3 lbs of muscle by May...I know that might be far fetched. I would like to be around 10 percent for summer. I have no idea what I am at in that picture bf wise.

My all time goal would be around 205lbs body weight and 10 percent body fat before I am 30. I still have a lot of muscle mass that I can gain on my legs.

[noeld932]

Looked well man! Looks like there's just a small bit of fat over the muscle but not much at all!

[Kratistos]

what you should do depends on how ripped you want to get and by when.

[egon10psi]

what you should do depends on how ripped you want to get and by when.

Yeah like I said...goal would be like 185/188 10 percent BF by end of May.

[kenethleclair]

just clean bulk..up the weight you lift and make muscle while cutting bf...your 6 pack wants to show but needs that layer of bf off it..add 10 lb muscle n take off 10 lb fat..

[egon10psi]

just clean bulk..up the weight you lift and make muscle while cutting bf...your 6 pack wants to show but needs that layer of bf off it..add 10 lb muscle n take off 10 lb fat..

I don't believe this is possible. I don't believe you can gain muscle while in a calorie deficit and losing fat. I may be wrong but all my research says I am right.

[Kratistos]

Should probably allow about 10lb fat loss from where you are in that pic to ensure hitting that goal and I doubt anyone can really put on more than about 0.5 lbs per week natty/lean. So I'd bulk at that rate until 10-12 weeks before you want to be lean and then cut at about 1 lb per week - doing a slower cut will help you keep the muscle and strength and even continue gaining, albeit, not as fast as when bulking.

[egon10psi]

Should probably allow about 10lb fat loss from where you are in that pic to ensure hitting that goal and I doubt anyone can really put on more than about 0.5 lbs per week natty/lean. So I'd bulk at that rate until 10-12 weeks before you want to be lean and then cut at about 1 lb per week - doing a slower cut will help you keep the muscle and strength and even continue gaining, albeit, not as fast as when bulking.

So you are saying in the pic I posted I would need to be around 175 to be 10 percent body fat?

And that if I want to keep bulking I should shoot for around 190lbs over the next 3 month then slowly cut back to 180?

[JonWilliam]

Nice physique! I would say bulk.

[egon10psi]

Nice physique! I would say bulk.

Alright cool, thank you sir.

[egon10psi]

Karitistos I wish you would have explained more of what you meant?

Do you really think I would have to be 10lbs lighter in the above pic to hit 10 percent????