What body fat % to aim for before bulking?

[H3dgie]

Hi everyone.

I've got a few questions for everyone but first I'll give some information.

I'm 6'6 and currently 94.5 kgs, or 208lbs and around 19% body fat. A couple of years ago I weighed in at 120kgs (264lb) before I decided to get my life back together.

I dropped the weight by doing cardio and eating better. No weights.

I joined a gym over a year ago with a group of mates. While I can see more tone in my arms, and I can see I have muscle in my chest, I haven't really gotten muscular like my friends. I'm assuming this is a mixture of body type and diet since we do the same weights routine. My strength has definitely increased however.

What's more disheartening and frustrating for me, is the fact that people call me skinny (which I freaking hate), but having pockets of fat on my chest and stomach, around hips etc.

I want to now start putting on muscle and actually looking like I hit the gym regularly. I'm hoping that the extra size will tighten the skin up too.

From the research I've done, I led to believe that it would be best to cut my body fat percentage down to 10-12% before I start a bulking regime?

It is possible that this fat will stay on my body and never leave? It is very very stubborn so far.

I've just read a sticky in this forum, losing body fat for noobs I believe it was called, and I'm going to start monitoring my protein intake etc so I don't lose the muscle I have.

Since I've started this new goal, I've dropped about 3% body fat and 5kgs (11lbs).

Thanks for your help in advance, and any other suggestions you have will be greatly appreciated.

[TacticalTaco]

Story of my life. I'm 6'5 and was in the exact same spot as you. It's called " Skinny fat". It's the worst, I know. You look thin as a rail with clothes on, and as soon as they come off you look like a pile of dough.

People will tell you to bulk as a skinny fat around 19% bodyfat. Please for god sakes do not do this. You're going to fail, and you will just look fat. Change up your diet, be sure you are counting EVERYTHING you eat, including the ketchup on your chips.

Train harder. You're not training hard enough, I am 100% sure of this. Focus on contracting the muscle rather than just moving the weight around. Drop the weight, perfect your form and focus on truly hitting each muscle.

Don't quit, it seems like a long time since our body types like to spread fat around to evenly. You will lose weight if you stick to it, it's basic science. Your fat will disappear, there is no such thing as genetic magic fat that doesn't want to go because your grandpa had fat in that same spot.




Oh and stop looking at yourself in the mirror every day dreading what you look like, just picture what you're going to look like in a month, then two months, etc.

[Nosepull]

Post a picture!

Whether you want to bulk or cut is your call - both will probably improve your looks, unless you are already very lean or are very fat, neither of which sounds like the case. My gut instinct, though, is that you should go on a light cut, going 300-500 calories below maintenance. In all likelihood, cutting a bit of fat will help make your muscle gains more apparent and keep you motivated. Be prepared for this process to take a few months, though.

[Vaylor]

Ideally cut to you are 10% and then bulk to 15%:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/mus...mass-gain.html

[H3dgie]

Story of my life. I'm 6'5 and was in the exact same spot as you. It's called " Skinny fat". It's the worst, I know. You look thin as a rail with clothes on, and as soon as they come off you look like a pile of dough.

People will tell you to bulk as a skinny fat around 19% bodyfat. Please for god sakes do not do this. You're going to fail, and you will just look fat. Change up your diet, be sure you are counting EVERYTHING you eat, including the ketchup on your chips.

Cheers mate. I will have to work harder on cutting. I hit a stage of eating healthy, but not necessarily watching my calories. So right now I'm breaking even weight and body fat wise.

Train harder. You're not training hard enough, I am 100% sure of this. Focus on contracting the muscle rather than just moving the weight around. Drop the weight, perfect your form and focus on truly hitting each muscle.

I may be training wrong, I won't argue, but I'm out lifting the guys I gym with in many of the exercises. I also play alot of basketball as the Center, and there's no one in my league that can really move me around or outmuscle me unless he's a hell of a lot bigger than me. So I'm getting the strength, but not the size. Something to work on at the gym definitely.

Ideally cut to you are 10% and then bulk to 15%:

Thanks mate. I'll have a good read of that tonight.