Misc Lean Bulking Crew Part IV: Results or Excuses, You Can't Have Both

[GarthVader]

Training was getting stale, I was losing motivation to lift. I started road cycling and that's been a lot of fun. Was lifting like 2-3x per week but not really getting much done, just maintaining. Started Sheiko last week randomly to try and break out of this staleness and it's been working so far.

Too much real life.

[kahri]

planing to lean bulk for 1.5-2 years straight, i hope this thread won't die like it usually does (i did lurk before)
still figuring my maintenance calories though like 3rd week, but i believe a surplus of 200-300 is somewhere between 2800-3000

[Reko1993]

Been lean bulking for a while now. Feels good not getting hideously fat in 2 weeks

[GarthVader]

Been lean bulking for a while now. Feels good not getting hideously fat in 2 weeks

I am hideously fat.

[boosteddatsun]

What's up gents? Been a super long time since I checked in.

Cliffs version:

Didn't fail pharmacy school yet (2.5 more years to go)
Last semester had 4-5 tests every week and only in gym 2-3x a week
Somehow maintained 233lbs am weight and maybe only slightly fatter
But lots of injuries crept up from studying / sitting so long daily
Have neck issues from head tilted to watch teacher too long / arm propped up on desk writing
Hip issue originally that led to knee issue from working around it (and now somehow I have a serious ankle mobility issue which doesn't help the knee problem)
Still working around these and trying to grow
Getting old

What's been up with all you oldtimers? Better be some gains in here.

[GarthVader]

What's up gents? Been a super long time since I checked in.

Cliffs version:

Didn't fail pharmacy school yet (2.5 more years to go)
Last semester had 4-5 tests every week and only in gym 2-3x a week
Somehow maintained 233lbs am weight and maybe only slightly fatter
But lots of injuries crept up from studying / sitting so long daily
Have neck issues from head tilted to watch teacher too long / arm propped up on desk writing
Hip issue originally that led to knee issue from working around it (and now somehow I have a serious ankle mobility issue which doesn't help the knee problem)
Still working around these and trying to grow
Getting old

What's been up with all you oldtimers? Better be some gains in here.

Been a while since anyone has checked in.

For me, my workouts have been so inconsistent. I don't have a goal to keep me on track.

[boosteddatsun]

Make a goal? Try training for something different (fun). The only time I've ever not wanted to be in the gym in 10 years was last semester when I cortisol was sky high / adrenal fatigue from lack of sleep / studying all the time. You stressed bruh?

[Pungiish]

Hit 225 bench for 5 reps finally feels like i am moving some weight hehe.

Still binge occasionally and i cannot get rid of it. It's either i strictly count calories or i binge

[boosteddatsun]

Hit 225 bench for 5 reps finally feels like i am moving some weight hehe.

Still binge occasionally and i cannot get rid of it. It's either i strictly count calories or i binge

Just binge all the time? Problem solved.

[MikeWines]

What up boys? In grad school at the moment, might get a PhD at some point, might not. Still lifting 2-3x weekly and piecing together my program as I go. Ran smolov last semester and ended up adding 30lbs to my squat in about 6 weeks but jacked up my hip and knee (contralaterally). Lifting what I can now and working around my knee. Hit 315 - 3x10 in snatch grip RDLs the other day so strength isn't too bad atm.

O and I still write as well: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/ar...more-gym-hacks

[nads786]

I've stayed under 14-15% BF now for like 3-4 years after being probably 20+ for most of my life. My body actually seems reluctant to move out of the 12-13% range, gonna see how much I can push calories up when I start gaintaining.

What factors do you think contributed to that? I remember your old journal where you got strong as fuk, but you never did any cardio right? You just had a super strict diet.

[boosteddatsun]

I feel like his metabolism probably went up over time from muscle accrual and maybe some lifestyle changes...and then BAM 12-14% without trying. If not pushing food and just eating whatever, i tend to stay 13-15% range.

[BabyOilBrah]

What factors do you think contributed to that? I remember your old journal where you got strong as fuk, but you never did any cardio right? You just had a super strict diet.

Has to do with acquiring mass for sure, but mostly just my eating style now and not yoloing out like before. You are correct I never used to do any cardio, and I still do minimal in winter (I hate machines) but do a decent amount when the weather permits outside. When I hit all my stronger numbers I was a lot heavier. All those numbers were hit at 220+ bodyweight. I now never really go above 200.

I'm also way busier now (career/school) so fitness isn't a top priority as it used to be.

[nads786]

Has to do with acquiring mass for sure, but mostly just my eating style now and not yoloing out like before. You are correct I never used to do any cardio, and I still do minimal in winter (I hate machines) but do a decent amount when the weather permits outside. When I hit all my stronger numbers I was a lot heavier. All those numbers were hit at 220+ bodyweight. I now never really go above 200.

I'm also way busier now (career/school) so fitness isn't a top priority as it used to be.

I hear you dude. I weigh 165lb now at 5"10. I'm so much leaner now then at 185 but my lifts are just not as strong anymore especially the bench.

[GarthVader]

Make a goal? Try training for something different (fun). The only time I've ever not wanted to be in the gym in 10 years was last semester when I cortisol was sky high / adrenal fatigue from lack of sleep / studying all the time. You stressed bruh?

Could be some stressors playing a factor but mostly I think it's lack of direction. Just need to figure out what I want to achieve so I can stay focused on it.

[GarthVader]

What up boys? In grad school at the moment, might get a PhD at some point, might not. Still lifting 2-3x weekly and piecing together my program as I go. Ran smolov last semester and ended up adding 30lbs to my squat in about 6 weeks but jacked up my hip and knee (contralaterally). Lifting what I can now and working around my knee. Hit 315 - 3x10 in snatch grip RDLs the other day so strength isn't too bad atm.

O and I still write as well: https://www.muscleandstrength.com/ar...more-gym-hacks

Good chit Mike. As always.

[Gxp23]

Strong thread revival.

[chapz]

wtf is wrong wit me
seem to gain v minimal weight and strength on 3200-3300 cals a day, only weigh like 174 with a very sedentary life outside lifting...

[Pungiish]

wtf is wrong wit me
seem to gain v minimal weight and strength on 3200-3300 cals a day, only weigh like 174 with a very sedentary life outside lifting...

You have the best metabolism ever? Lol

[fafaedras]

Strong thread revival.

Both this and the SCC seemed to spring back to life at the ~same time

[beepjeep]

im getting puffier but not fat yet

[boosteddatsun]

wtf is wrong wit me
seem to gain v minimal weight and strength on 3200-3300 cals a day, only weigh like 174 with a very sedentary life outside lifting...

I had massive sleep apnea. Would result in an inability to get beyond 230lbs, a maintenance of ~4200 for 220 IIRC, and easy shredz.

Now almost a year later before bulking I was holding 232 in the morning on ~3200 cals.

[nathangreen]

I had massive sleep apnea. Would result in an inability to get beyond 230lbs, a maintenance of ~4200 for 220 IIRC, and easy shredz.

Now almost a year later before bulking I was holding 232 in the morning on ~3200 cals.

Are you on CPAP now or anything? Were you having symptoms?

[boosteddatsun]

Are you on CPAP now or anything? Were you having symptoms?

Yep, on a CPAP. Best thing that ever happened to me.

Symptoms were (for me) being tired literally day in and day out for years. Naps daily, but didn't help much. Ultra loud snoring, like wake the dead loud. I thought it was so loud it was waking me up, but turns out I was choking / not breathing. GF noticed I would go long periods of no breathing during sleep and brought it to my attention. It all came to a breaking point when I was in danger of failing the semester and couldn't remember anything no matter how long I studied, and I graduated undergrad with a 3.7gpa (science degree) barely trying for the most part.

Other signs / symptoms:

insane metabolism (it's dropped ~1500cals/day in the year since I got on CPAP)
insanely sweaty at night, every night
impossible to drive long distances
insane tolerance to stims--i.e. even with stim breaks, I could dose close to 2g caffeine daily and still pass out. Or take modafinil or ******** and fall asleep. Interestingly enough, I can still pass out on modafinil. Turns out (according to doc) that I happen to have narcolepsy to some degree too?
Not really sign / symptom, but commonly a 17" neck or larger makes one prone to sleep apnea. Mine was 19 (it's now 19.5).

Got the sleep study done, I was having at most 1 breath per 30secs, with the majority of that time spent trying to breathe. I didn't know it, but according to the sleep study I was waking up on average 150 times per hour.

My machine records apnea events, and the most it's been lately is 2 per hour. Usually it's around 1 per hour. The difference is incredible. I also put 13lbs on without even trying the month I got my CPAP. Best thing I ever did for life quality. Srs.

[Prednisone666]

Oh sheeeeeeiiit waddup LBC

Still lifting, not tracking anything or trying to gain or lose. Started doing pullups 4x/week, 2x heavy on pull days and then 2x with bodyweight after lower body days. Back gains have been had. Traps are growing for the first time in my life too.

[GarthVader]

Oh sheeeeeeiiit waddup LBC

Still lifting, not tracking anything or trying to gain or lose. Started doing pullups 4x/week, 2x heavy on pull days and then 2x with bodyweight after lower body days. Back gains have been had. Traps are growing for the first time in my life too.

I'm pretty much the same at the moment without all the pull ups.

[PeteJonesHTX]

Damn, I'm late. In on thread. Been lean bulking for a month, weight keeps going up, then back down. So hard to find the sweet spot calorically. Dirty bulks are easy, this not so much.

I had massive sleep apnea. Would result in an inability to get beyond 230lbs, a maintenance of ~4200 for 220 IIRC, and easy shredz.

Now almost a year later before bulking I was holding 232 in the morning on ~3200 cals.

I recently had a sleep study done, luckily don't have sleep apnea, just a mild sleep disorder - something to do with minor obstruction of my airways :/

[boosteddatsun]

Damn, I'm late. In on thread. Been lean bulking for a month, weight keeps going up, then back down. So hard to find the sweet spot calorically. Dirty bulks are easy, this not so much.




I recently had a sleep study done, luckily don't have sleep apnea, just a mild sleep disorder - something to do with minor obstruction of my airways :/

Sleeping on side will probably help your situation if it's just a minor obstruction. Or losing weight...LOL

All workouts changed to maximum pump. Still keeping in regular rep ranges, just shortened rest periods by a minute and adjusted weight so going for more constant tension / feel in target muscles. Focus on eccentrics as well, and added in quite a bit of machine work. Never really used any of these in my overall training, just as supplemental to the main stuff I did. We'll see how it goes.

243lbs in am, we still lean bulkin bruhs?

[chapz]

got damn i swear legit lean bulking is impossible as a natty.
i must be up from like 9% to 13% in 2 months, look like an absolute tank in a t shirt with the extra fat I am holding but abs are waaaay gone and my face is getting fatter.
Also when do you guys weigh yourself just out of interest

[Reko1993]

Oh sheeeeeeiiit waddup LBC

Still lifting, not tracking anything or trying to gain or lose. Started doing pullups 4x/week, 2x heavy on pull days and then 2x with bodyweight after lower body days. Back gains have been had. Traps are growing for the first time in my life too.

Same, no cutting or bulking for me. Just lifting and eating relatively clean. I got out of the matrix