What to do?

[luchinii]

I've been cutting/working out for a year now. I started just long distance running and have lost a lot of muscle i guess. I have Andy Whitfield's physique from spartacus as a goal.

I started doing starting strength in february but didnt follow it all the way. I kept running and was cutting calories and didnt gain much strenth (went from benching 20 to 40-50). About 6 months ago I started doing calisthenics and gained good strength because of that.

Now I wanna put calisthenics aside for a few months and focus on Starting Strength again.

I'm still trying to cut the last bit of belly fat/ Having hard time to stick to 2000 kcals to cut and im eating at around 22-2700 kcals which is too much I know this.

My question is, how much longer should I cut, or should I already start bulking? Im scared to start bulking since Ive never been this close to having a six pack. I have a nice 4 pack coming through when I flex. I know SS should be while bulking. What do you guys say?

[luchinii]

Few more

[vismal]

Your physique is a little unique. You have large arms compared to your chest and I assume back. When I see you arms I think this guy just needs to cut a bit and he'll be shredded. When I see your midsection I think this guy needs to bulk up before he'll look good shredded. I guess if I was you I would bulk up and really try to blast my chest, back, abs, and legs (if they are lacking which I'm only assuming due to lack of pics). Still do arm work, but it can be minimal in comparison because you have genetically gifted arms. After you catch the rest of your body up to them I would focus on dropping the rest of your fat. Just my opinion but I think if you cut now your going to look like a very skinny runner type that happens to have massive arms.

[luchinii]

Your physique is a little unique. You have large arms compared to your chest and I assume back. When I see you arms I think this guy just needs to cut a bit and he'll be shredded. When I see your midsection I think this guy needs to bulk up before he'll look good shredded. I guess if I was you I would bulk up and really try to blast my chest, back, abs, and legs (if they are lacking which I'm only assuming due to lack of pics). Still do arm work, but it can be minimal in comparison because you have genetically gifted arms. After you catch the rest of your body up to them I would focus on dropping the rest of your fat. Just my opinion but I think if you cut now your going to look like a very skinny runner type that happens to have massive arms.

I actually never saw my arms as big, but thanks i have always had pretty big legs, they're pretty strong. I only squat 80 kilos 5x3 though. My upper body definitely is small I know this, my hips are wider than my chest. I am sure I have about 1-2kgs tops belly fat left. How do I go about bulking IF I would?

[vismal]

Try and gain no more than 2 lbs a month. Basically eat around 300 calories over maintenance per day. At this rate of gain you will minimize fat gain. People who advise a lb a week bulking generally gain more fat then need be.

[luchinii]

I think I prefer eating at maintenaince til after next summer. First burn of the last bit of belly fat. Bump for other opinions too. Just too scared to gain fat again.

[vismal]

I think I prefer eating at maintenaince til after next summer. First burn of the last bit of belly fat. Bump for other opinions too. Just too scared to gain fat again.

This fear is not grounded in reality. Do the math. You eat 250 calories a day over maintenance for 3 months. That's roughly 22500 total. 3500 calories = 1 lb. So That works out to a little over 6 lbs over 3 months. Even if it was all fat it would be barely noticeable and you can cut off 6 lbs in 3 weeks. If you lift weights it won't come close to being all fat. You will gain an insignificant amount of fat and gain muscle. If you eat at maintenance on the other hand you will spin your wheels until summer making either tiny muscle gains or tiny fat losses. You have to get over this fear if you ever want to look anything like the guy you listed as your goal physique. You have a lot of size left to gain. To put it in perspective I weigh 30 lbs more than you in my avi picture at roughly the same height. If you want to start the bulk leaner then you could cut weight a little longer. I just don't think you will look very good at much lower body fat. Even if you choose that route you will still eventually have to bulk and that means gaining some weight (and some fat). You don't gain muscle without a little bit of fat along the way. That's why you do bulk/cut cycles. It boils down to calories. Muscle must be built from an excess of energy and fat is lost through a negative energy balance. You can't build muscle out of thin air just the same as you can't lose fat without a deficit present.

[luchinii]

This fear is not grounded in reality. Do the math. You eat 250 calories a day over maintenance for 3 months. That's roughly 22500 total. 3500 calories = 1 lb. So That works out to a little over 6 lbs over 3 months. Even if it was all fat it would be barely noticeable and you can cut off 6 lbs in 3 weeks. If you lift weights it won't come close to being all fat. You will gain an insignificant amount of fat and gain muscle. If you eat at maintenance on the other hand you will spin your wheels until summer making either tiny muscle gains or tiny fat losses. You have to get over this fear if you ever want to look anything like the guy you listed as your goal physique. You have a lot of size left to gain. To put it in perspective I weigh 30 lbs more than you in my avi picture at roughly the same height. If you want to start the bulk leaner then you could cut weight a little longer. I just don't think you will look very good at much lower body fat. Even if you choose that route you will still eventually have to bulk and that means gaining some weight (and some fat). You don't gain muscle without a little bit of fat along the way. That's why you do bulk/cut cycles. It boils down to calories. Muscle must be built from an excess of energy and fat is lost through a negative energy balance. You can't build muscle out of thin air just the same as you can't lose fat without a deficit present.

Okay, you've convinced me :P I ''guess''/online calculated my maintenance at 2500, I will workout SS 3x per week and for the rest I'm not very active. I will eat 2800/3000 kcals for 3-4 months and then I hope i'll be able to cut it off before the summer. I'll bulk 16 weeks till the end of march and then have 2 months to cut it off?

[luchinii]

I will actually bulk til march 9th, 14 weeks from now. I'll plan on gaining 7kgs by then, and then cut. I'll eat around 3000 kcals!

[vismal]

I will actually bulk til march 9th, 14 weeks from now. I'll plan on gaining 7kgs by then, and then cut. I'll eat around 3000 kcals!

7kg is too much. Try and gain no more than 1kg a month to keep the fat off.

[luchinii]

7kg is too much. Try and gain no more than 1kg a month to keep the fat off.

Okay thanks man. Great transformation btw. Amazing job