Cut or Bulk first? Advice please!! :) HELP!!

[X-Zit]

Hey, I've been working out for a bit now.
And I'm on the animalpak training workout #3 (http://www.animalpak.com/html/articl...on=training%0A if your interested).


Anyhow so its going pretty well. I think I can push a lot more then I think though. Esspecially with the bis. I underestimate my stregth...

But I've been having a really hard time debating to wheter bulk up, or cut down.

I think I'm going to bulk up first--my pecs need some definition, arms need to be bigger, muscle size needs to be showen off. (I'll take a pic when I can)




A few questions though.
Is it easy to lose weight after you've bulked up? How would I go about losing this weight after bulking is done? Would I just do the whole light weight high reps thing?
And run/jog for 10-15min or so? (or other cardio excersize?)


My concern is that once I bulk up I'll look like some fat fool and it will be hard for me to lose weight after the bulking is done to the weight I wanna be at.



I'm 21 @ 6' 3" right now.
Weight is 190-200. Always been fluctuating (I've seemed to hit a platue of weight loss).
Frame is big boned, its easy for me to gain muscle mass, and fast.
I'm already a pretty muscular dude--but I need to get the muscles larger, show em' off, esspecially the pecs and the bis. My chest is almost ****ing flat--yet I can push a good amount doing the dumbell press (I can't do the 45lb bar--****s my shoulders up, I'm double jointed in my shoudlers).
But my pecs just haven't formed at all, I'm gaining stregth--but no size...maybe I'm growing impatient??
I dunno............


If I where to bulk I'd probally bulk to 220-230, which would be easy for me.
And if I where to cut, I dunno what I'd cut to. My bmi/fat % right now is about 23% or so...if I bulk, once agian I'm concerned about becoming to fat. I was fat as **** in highschool (fat mass of course) I lose that weight.
I weighed 220-230 in highschool at 15/16/17 (not good) and cut myself down to 200 over about 5 months or so (was gaining muscle mass as well--doing weight training, but I cut out a lot of the fat). Now I've been done with highschool for 3 years now, and like I said I'm at about 190-200lbs. I've gained muscle size, and stregth (expect size on the pecs...)



But anyhow--I'm really confused...

So--
Should I bulk first? Or cut first?
Advice PLEASE!


HELP!



thanks a bunch,
pz

[RenegadeRows]

My advice to you is to read, find out whats best for you.

I would recommend lifting and doing cardio 3-4 times a week while maintaining a strict diet. The goal for all is gain lean muscle and lose fat. I do not see a need for you to 'bulk up' quite yet. Once you get your bodyfat % down, then you can work on building muscle mass. IMO that is. Hope this helps

[X-Zit]

Ya ^^ thx, defintly helps.
However the issue is that I've done hella reading on cutting, and bulking, and thus I'm confused where to start for my body type.

But ya--like you said, cut, then bulk would work best.
Becuase I want to get my body fat % down before I raise it up when I bulk...



pz

[manboobs]

6'3 and only weighing 190-200 doesn't seem like you would really look fat at all with your height. I would focus on cutting first as well, I would try and do more high intensity cardio like sprints with short rests through my personal experience and research this seems to be the easiest way to cut and lose fat. With your pecs when your benching you want to be sure to keep your elbows out to the side, I know a lot of people with underdeveloped chests that bench and bring their close to their body on the descent, this focuses more on triceps and not nearly as much on chest. And while your bulking I would go for either upperbody/lower body splits or full body workouts to get more compound movements in and get your metabolism up even higher during and after workouts.

[mongoslate]

I agree with manboobs there is no need to to bulk up , exspecially when you are a beginner. At 6'3 and 190-200lbs I can't see you looking fat. With a bdf% at 23 that's 46lbs of unwanted mass you already have. Here is my advice. Start jogging until you are able to sprint no more than three days a week. Hit the weights 4 to 5 days a week. I don't know why people think lifting light weights for high reps the key to cutting up. That's not true the only way you will be able to effectively burn body fat is a clean and strick diet, plain an simple. As for your chest problem get your self someone who is alot more advanced than yorself as a training partner and have him show you the proper form and technique to benching with d-bells. A good training partner is crucial to maximum development. They can help you get those extra reps, and the motivation you get when someone thats stronger than you is pushing weight you only wish you can push. I personally would clean up my eating first then get me a reliable training partner, and put together a routine that would best fit my schdule.

[X-Zit]

sounds good--all sounds really good.

So what sort of cardio would you guys recommend?
I've been doing a sprint sorta thing.
I get on the tred mill--run for 3-5min, then walk, then run agian for a total of 10-15min.

Thats probally not nearly enough though....


advice on cardio? What cardio I should do?

My knees are double jointed--and its hard after a while for me to run, the impact on my knees gets really overbearing...
Think the bike is good? Or stepper? Alternatives you guys like?




pz

[RenegadeRows]

If you have bad knees I recommend either of the two you mentioned: bike preferbly. Also, you don't need to move your legs to get a good cardio workout : try a punching bag if you have access to one. If not, try shadowboxing (boxing an invisible opponent). Jump rope, too.

IMO, it is not good to do cardio right after or right before you lift. Maybe a brief 10 minutes before for a warmup. I would seperate it by at least 6 hours (morning, night) or seperate days though.

Work yourself up: try 15 mins, then 20, etc. Progression and increased intensity is where you will see your advances. Hope this helps.

[Richy5000]

boxing cant be aby better for ur knees than jogging.. especially using jump rope.. alot of shock on ur kness..

but yues.. if u can put up with it.. do boxing for ur cardio.. i do and love it.. only cardio i look forward too..

[X-Zit]

Ya defintly I'll be doing the bike probally.
I'll start at 15min or so.
I'll probally do cardio on my off days when I'm not weight lifting.
May seem sorta weird at first--showing up to the gym for 15min just to do the bike---but so be it. :P



pz