Bulking vs keep cutting to 10%

[KingZD1]

Hello,
im 21 almost 22, been workin out for a while, also in the Army, im tryin to get opinions. Should i keep cutting to get to like 10% bodyfat to get the 6 pack or just bulk again up to like 200 lbs ish or so 2-3 months? Im 170 lbs 6'3 at the moment, about 13% bodyfat. Also going on a year long deployment so im not gonna have acccess to the most fanciest gyms but will probably have weights. Im thinking if i start bulking now for 2-3 months, ill have 8-9 months left, then cut for 3-4 months again and then ill have 5-6 months left and with that 3 months bulk again and 2-3 cut. This way by the time I get back to the states i would have went thru 2 bulking and 2 cutting sessions. Also give me programs please for workouts,my pr for when i used to bulk:
deadlift: 385,
squat: 315,
bench: 235,

My final goal is to be a solid 220-230 lbs with a 4-6 pack, thank you guys. I know this year will be good.
I generally know the diet thingy,
Cutting : 200-300 calorie deficit, 1g/lbs protein, keep carbs under 150g a day and preferably not a whole lot of fat food.
Bulking : 100-300 calorie surplus, 1g/lbs protein, high carbs about 250-350 a day.

PS: Im sorry for postin this here too but im not sure where to really post this, looking forward to tips.

[SuffolkPunch]

It's up to you what you want.

Bear in mind that if you try to get much leaner, it could cause issues with trying to gain more muscle afterwards - if you try to keep levels of definition while gaining muscle. Skinny guys with abs often stay skinny for this reason.

OTOH you don't have to "bulk to 200" - that would just entail a lot of fat gain. Keep rate of weight gain down to probably under 2lbs a month and most of it will be lean tissue.

[hardyboysare]

You should bulk IMO

To get to 10% you will be looking at going to around 160ish lbs for someone who is 6ft 3 that is a tad low IMO.

As for your bulking phase I believe bulks should be longer then your cuts, muscle growth takes a long time therefore 2 months is certainly not enough. If you are aiming for 200lbs that should take you around 10 months at a rate of around 2lbs a month (plus the extra weight gain from glycogen, water, etc). You won't be gaining 30lbs over 2-3 months on a 300 caloric surplus nor should you.

[hardyboysare]

With your lifts your not a novice more in the intermediate stage so expecting greater weight gain then 2lb a month is likely to just be fat. If it was me providing I had enough weight training equipment to continuously progress and seeing I imagine army training is bloody exhausting I would attempt to bulk for 8-10 months and then start cutting on the last 2-4 months. Then you would have spent a solid time gaining mass (hopefully muscle) and then near the end of deployment you can strip off the excess fat (which hopefully wont be much if you keep weight gain limited) so when you return you will be beach ready.

[KingZD1]

With your lifts your not a novice more in the intermediate stage so expecting greater weight gain then 2lb a month is likely to just be fat. If it was me providing I had enough weight training equipment to continuously progress and seeing I imagine army training is bloody exhausting I would attempt to bulk for 8-10 months and then start cutting on the last 2-4 months. Then you would have spent a solid time gaining mass (hopefully muscle) and then near the end of deployment you can strip off the excess fat (which hopefully wont be much if you keep weight gain limited) so when you return you will be beach ready.

Yea i decided to go bulk, i wanna get bigger, dont care for that lean skin 6 pack that much lol. I decided im gonna bulk for like 8 months ish so for most of the deployment 2-4 lbs per month and that should get me to the 195-200 again and that hopefully should be pretty Lean and if theres a bit of fat ill cut down to like 190 lbs in the last 2-3 months. All we got is dumbells for now and low 200 lbs bench lol so i just do the usual curls and other and see what happens.

[nattyjucicer420]

I would bulk and try to gain as much mass and Strength as you can til 20% bodyfat

[CommitmentRulz]

I decided im gonna bulk for like 8 months ish so for most of the deployment 2-4 lbs per month and that should get me to the 195-200

I don't think bulking is the wrong decision, however, unless you are getting extra 'chemical help', gaining 2-4 pounds a month is pretty much ensuring at least half of your weight gain will be fat.

Good luck.

[KingZD1]

I don't think bulking is the wrong decision, however, unless you are getting extra 'chemical help', gaining 2-4 pounds a month is pretty much ensuring at least half of your weight gain will be fat.

Good luck.

Welp looks like i dont have a hard time eating hard. Im 177 at the moment lol and I only started "bulking" since the 23rd or so, I been working out with dumbells because that is all they have here mainly. Im trying to eat about 2900-3000 calories since my maintenance with moderate workout is about 2600-2700 or so because I am in a southern state in the 100's temperature with high humidity and if i move even slightly lots of sweating occurs. Im trying to see how much to eat approximately because i workout everyday but cardio only occurs when playing football every 3rd day or so. I guess i should eat slightly less when not doing cardio that night.

[KingZD1]

Update 10/29/2020. 188-191 lbs. been doing bench, Overhead press,abs, bicep isolation, triceps isolation, forearms. Getting my lifting belt soon so I’ll move it up to Deadlift and squats too to get them real gains. So far a little bit of fat on the lower stomach area but nothing major. I’d say body fat about 15 at most still. Already in the desert so I got to make use of what equipment we have in the prison gyms here. Eating wise I don’t track the exact calories anymore, I eat mostly 4-5 times try to with 3 big meals. Proteins for sure 1g/1lbs or so with them protein shakes and bars and regular nutritionful diet. Haven’t done any cardio since I’m trying to get gains. Walking around and bikecycling in the 100’s sure is cardio already lol. I welcome opinions / suggestions / feedback

[Gringer]

You have made gains that's for sure but you should definitely slow down on the weight gain a little. You have gained nearly 20lbs In the space of 4 months. Stick to no more than 2lbs a months as any more than that is just excessive and it means when you have to cut later on you will need to put in extra effort.

I am guilty of doing this myself. I bulked up to 185lbs faster than I should have AND was injured with a groin injury which prevented me from training lower body.

[KingZD1]

4/30/2021 update.I went up to like 200 lbs with creatine and then I started cutting in Mid-March, and now I am at about 187-190 lbs. I feel like I didn't really get gains at all lol. Maybe its just because being tall but not sure. I been doing consistently the lifts like Bench's, Squats, and deadlifts sometimes and now switched up recently lots of dumbells, and been doing also upper body isolation. Its annoying I still dont have clear abs unless i get a pump and laying down lol. PS: I know I should get more gains on my legs as my thighs are only about 23-24 inch. My arms measured at like 15-16 so I guess thats good but should work on forearms more. For Abs I been doing lots of bodyweight exercises, everything else I have been weightlifting and doing some cardio now in cutting.
I feel like my weights didn't really go up that much, I mean I did 245 bench like months ago and then Deadlift 405 but that was ****ty form i wouldnt count it as perfect form. Squat I havent tried to go max PR other than the 315 months ago, but I been doing 4x6-7 230-240. But I am not sure if i wanna keep cutting I dont wanna go down to below 180-185, and the only fat I got is on my lower stomach slightly which is annoying. Any tips or help would be much appreciated, kind of wanna get a personal trainer and a nutritionist when i go home to reach my goals lol. Picture7 was after a chest and shoulders pump so thats why it looks lot better, **** I wish I would look like normal without a pump like them because after upper body pump I actually look somewhat good size wise.
Any tips or help would be appreciated or constructive criticism!
Thanks

[TolerantLactose]

Getting to 190lb, 10% bf would be stellar and is think you'd be more than happy with how that would actually look. 220lb, 10% is unrealistic.

[tommy4life]

Hello,
im 21 almost 22, been workin out for a while, also in the Army, im tryin to get opinions. Should i keep cutting to get to like 10% bodyfat to get the 6 pack or just bulk again up to like 200 lbs ish or so 2-3 months? Im 170 lbs 6'3 at the moment, about 13% bodyfat. Also going on a year long deployment so im not gonna have acccess to the most fanciest gyms but will probably have weights. Im thinking if i start bulking now for 2-3 months, ill have 8-9 months left, then cut for 3-4 months again and then ill have 5-6 months left and with that 3 months bulk again and 2-3 cut. This way by the time I get back to the states i would have went thru 2 bulking and 2 cutting sessions. Also give me programs please for workouts,my pr for when i used to bulk:
deadlift: 385,
squat: 315,
bench: 235,

My final goal is to be a solid 220-230 lbs with a 4-6 pack, thank you guys. I know this year will be good.
I generally know the diet thingy,
Cutting : 200-300 calorie deficit, 1g/lbs protein, keep carbs under 150g a day and preferably not a whole lot of fat food.
Bulking : 100-300 calorie surplus, 1g/lbs protein, high carbs about 250-350 a day.

PS: Im sorry for postin this here too but im not sure where to really post this, looking forward to tips.

Hey mate
I was in a very similar situation as you 10 years ago.
Same weight, height and bf%. Also about to deploy to Afghanistan for 9 months.

I spent the whole 9 months bulking and had no regrets, the gains were awesome. Just keep it slow and consistent. As I remember I gained no faster than 2 pounds month.

The program you choose will depend on how much free time you have and the gym facilities. Will it be a huge yank base or a ****ty patrol base.

Never mind...just saw the dates lol