Should i keep doing body recomp diet or should do Bulking/Cutting cycles?

[Rvp234]

Hello everyone,

So i about a year ago i started weight lifting, At the time i was skinny fat so i started doing body recomposition diet {i ate at 300ish caloric deficit with high protien} over time i got stronger and built muscle while my body weight did increase slightly so i think i did make a positive body recomp. i was thinking maybe if i do bulking for 3 months and cutting for another 3 maybe i will see better muscle gains and reach my end goal faster than i would if i stuck with my old diet. do you think i should keep doing what i'm doing or should i change my diet and do bulking and cutting cycles??

[Mrpb]

Depends on many variables. Do you have a picture?

What is your current training program and what are your 5rm lifts?

[Rvp234]

Depends on many variables. Do you have a picture?

What is your current training program and what are your 5rm lifts?

i train 6 times a week for hypertrophy i do mainly free weight with little to no machines, i didn't calculate my rm precisely but my 5rm for the bench press is 42kg but this is currently, 2 months i ago i was training more consistently and it was more like 52 or so, i quit training in may and got back to it in 1st of august.
5rm for squats was 65kg now its 47kg

[SuffolkPunch]

Those are very low lifts. I know you said you are training for hypertrophy but getting stronger happens when your muscles get bigger - so this suggests that isn't happening in a year of training it really should have.

It sounds like there are problems with your training regime. You should be doing much better on half the number of days per week. Look at something with planned progressive overload like Fierce 5.

A major part of recomping is producing an effective training stimulus, so that should be your number #1 priority.

[Mrpb]

i train 6 times a week for hypertrophy i do mainly free weight with little to no machines, i didn't calculate my rm precisely but my 5rm for the bench press is 42kg but this is currently, 2 months i ago i was training more consistently and it was more like 52 or so, i quit training in may and got back to it in 1st of august.
5rm for squats was 65kg now its 47kg

Coming back to training means you don't need a surplus of deficit right now, unless your body fat is above ±16%, in which case you should use a deficit.

The strength numbers you're mentioning suggests you're a beginner. I suggest getting on a better program: Fierce 5 Novice routine.

[Rvp234]

Coming back to training means you don't need a surplus of deficit right now, unless your body fat is above ±16%, in which case you should use a deficit.

The strength numbers you're mentioning suggests you're a beginner. I suggest getting on a better program: Fierce 5 Novice routine.

Yeah my training age is no more than 6 or 7 months, also i forgot to add the bar weight when i calculated these rm numbers, so it should be more like 71kg for the bench press and 85kg for the squat (the bar weights about 20kg right?)

i thought about getting a better program the problem is i don't know what works for me, i hear a lot of things about choosing the right exercise for the right muscle to hit it just right and so on..., so it's a bit more confusing for me.

[Rvp234]

Those are very low lifts. I know you said you are training for hypertrophy but getting stronger happens when your muscles get bigger - so this suggests that isn't happening in a year of training it really should have.

It sounds like there are problems with your training regime. You should be doing much better on half the number of days per week. Look at something with planned progressive overload like Fierce 5.

A major part of recomping is producing an effective training stimulus, so that should be your number #1 priority.

Sorry i didn't measure the bar weight when i put together these numbers, it's more like 71kg for the BBP and 85kg for the squat. you think these are good numbers keeping in mind i trained for less than 8 months with some months off spread in between.

[Tucane]

Bar weight matters too:-)

You can still do better though. You need to focus on getting stronger and make the switch to a fullbody 3x/week or similiar kind of program. Fierce 5 as suggested by suffolkpunch is a solid one.

Take a browse through the workout programs section for Novice programs and pick one that suits you. All the proven ones have merit IMO.

[Rvp234]

Bar weight matters too:-)

You can still do better though. You need to focus on getting stronger and make the switch to a fullbody 3x/week or similiar kind of program. Fierce 5 as suggested by suffolkpunch is a solid one.

Take a browse through the workout programs section for Novice programs and pick one that suits you. All the proven ones have merit IMO.

is 3x a week enough? i feel like 6x a week can be better but is it too much??

[Tucane]

is 3x a week enough? i feel like 6x a week can be better but is it too much??

3x/week on compund exercises and adding weight to the bar progressively is enough and likely better for you. Recovering fully to be able to adapt to the workload is key. As you are a new lifter, you are unlikely to recover the same way as someone who has been lifting for years on end.

[gbullock32]

is 3x a week enough? i feel like 6x a week can be better but is it too much??

More is not better, better is better; 3 good days on a proven routine would be much better than 6 days on a poorly optimized routine.

[Mrpb]

is 3x a week enough?

Yes.

i feel like 6x a week can be better but is it too much??

Your results so far have been suboptimal, to say the least.

[Rvp234]

3x/week on compund exercises and adding weight to the bar progressively is enough and likely better for you. Recovering fully to be able to adapt to the workload is key. As you are a new lifter, you are unlikely to recover the same way as someone who has been lifting for years on end.

oh so with this routine i'll hit every muscle 3x a week right?. Also i'm curios as to why you nice people suggested to change my routine, is it just because my lifts are week considering my training age? (i feel like i'm doing okay but i'm still kinda new to this so i don't know)

[Rvp234]

Yes.


Your results so far have been suboptimal, to say the least.

If i switched to fierce 5 routine how do i know going on the right track, what should i look for in terms of results?
also in my current routine i did focus on progressive overload as each week i would increase the weight and or sets a bit, so i don't know why people pointed at my routine to change, maybe you can help me understand this.
thx

[boo99]

If i switched to fierce 5 routine how do i know going on the right track, what should i look for in terms of results?
also in my current routine i did focus on progressive overload as each week i would increase the weight and or sets a bit, so i don't know why people pointed at my routine to change, maybe you can help me understand this.
thx

Lifts going up

The guys told you to change it because your progress was sub par

The reason we say "proven routine" is it's results are very good for those who've attempted the routine correctly and consistently

[Rvp234]

keeping in mind that im eating at a slight caloric deficit for body recomp, is my progress still sub par?

[boo99]

keeping in mind that im eating at a slight caloric deficit for body recomp, is my progress still sub par?

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