+ 2 Ideal Starting Point Before Bulking
Hey all, looking for a little discussion here on the topic of having a targeted body fat % point before trying to bulk
Some basis for this discussion (because I'm going to apply it to myself, we will go off what I am dealing with)
- Trained individuals (Been strength training for 8 years)
- Have experience tracking macros and weighing food
and most importantly
THIS SHOULD SPECIFICALLY BE ABOUT ADDING MUSCLE NATURALLY
We know that gear improves nutrient partitioning slightly and makes you more likely to put on muscle than fat when in a caloric surplus. That's why they're so great, right? So why yes I'm at 16% now and could bulk from here if I wanted to get on gear again in the typical "bulk and cut" formula that bodybuilders have used for years, but I'm 23 and for the sake of the forum rules let's go about this in the proper way for naturals.
Here's my opinion from what I have learned from reputable sources and natural athletes, as well as personal experience.
Why would I waste time endlessly bulking and putting on a higher ratio of fat to muscle when I could cut down and improve this ratio if I was to start at 10-12%? It just makes more work when I want to cut in the future.
At the same time, I tend to double take on this thinking because I love getting stronger and am primarily a powerlifter (I just want to look good like a Dan Green, etc) so the thought of losing strength just to cut is hard to swallow sometimes, even if it's an investment in the future.
Would love to hear some points of view on this:
- Personal experience either way (again naturally)
- The best way to cut down from 16%-10% without losing that hard earned muscle put on over years
- Time frame for dieting
- Diet breaks
- Cyclical bulking seems to be a great strategy (shoutout Makwa) but what about cyclical cutting to combat this problem?
- What would you consider too fat when bulking naturally
-etc etc etc
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This holds true whether you are trying to bulk with a cycle or naturally. The lower BF you start with the easier it is going to be to gain muscle.
https://www.eroids.com/forum/general/general-talk/scientific-proof-lower...
You also need to be keenly aware of hyperplasia if you are going to bulk. What happens here is the body creates additional fat cells to accommodate all of those excess cals if you are bulking for an extended time. Now it will actually be easier to gain fat in the future because you have created new fat cells in your body. Fat cells don't go away, they only shrink when we lose weight, the cells themselves will always be there. This makes it harder to loose weight also.
Think of it this way, if your body has really never been above 12% BF and now you are bulking and your new BF is 16-17%. You have created alot of new fat cells in your body now that aren't going to go away. It is going to be much easier to hit 16% BF now since the fat cells are already there now just waiting to fill up with your excess cals. This is why I don't let myself get above 14% at any time (that is just my personal number that I strive to stay below) and another reason why cyclic bulking makes so much sense. You are bulking but you are not going to create additional fat cells which will make your efforts much harder in future bulks and cuts. I like to start my bulk as lean as possible (10% or less) and bulk up to my set limit (14%) and then do a mini cut and repeat back up to 14%. This reboots your nutrient partitioning making your next round of excess cals go into more lean mass building and you aren't stuck with unwanted fat cells.
AnonNice read thanks mate
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