At what percent bodyfat did you start your bulk?
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Aaron_K123
Posts: 7,122 Member
Hi all-
So I am currently working hard to cut the fat from my body that I unfortunately let build up over the last three years. I've dropped from an estimated 27% bf to an estimated 18% bf and am starting to look much better. I eventually want to switch to a bulk because, although not scrawny, I could stand to have a bit more muscle than I have. I am currently 6' tall and 170 pounds at 18% bf.
My plan was to drop down to about 10-12% bf at around 155-160 pounds before I started my bulk. I am already lifting for the purpose of training my body to get used to the movements but keeping a calorie deficit for now to continue my fat loss.
This is what I look like currently
So my question is more of a poll. At what point in terms of your % bodyfat (or appearance) did you start to bulk? Is there a benefit to having higher bodyfat when you start the bulk or does it make more sense to start at low bodyfat ~10% so you can really notice any fat gains and keep a handle on your progress? I imagine it comes down to personal preference but I'm curious about your opinions.
Thanks
I've read the following http://strengthunbound.com/bulking-complete-guide-for-beginners/ (thanks MrM) and found that helpful but wanted to hear peoples opinions
So I am currently working hard to cut the fat from my body that I unfortunately let build up over the last three years. I've dropped from an estimated 27% bf to an estimated 18% bf and am starting to look much better. I eventually want to switch to a bulk because, although not scrawny, I could stand to have a bit more muscle than I have. I am currently 6' tall and 170 pounds at 18% bf.
My plan was to drop down to about 10-12% bf at around 155-160 pounds before I started my bulk. I am already lifting for the purpose of training my body to get used to the movements but keeping a calorie deficit for now to continue my fat loss.
This is what I look like currently
So my question is more of a poll. At what point in terms of your % bodyfat (or appearance) did you start to bulk? Is there a benefit to having higher bodyfat when you start the bulk or does it make more sense to start at low bodyfat ~10% so you can really notice any fat gains and keep a handle on your progress? I imagine it comes down to personal preference but I'm curious about your opinions.
Thanks
I've read the following http://strengthunbound.com/bulking-complete-guide-for-beginners/ (thanks MrM) and found that helpful but wanted to hear peoples opinions
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I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."0 -
around 10 i start eating a surplus. usually coincides with hockey season starting.0
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I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That weight for me doesn't come off unless im doing more weights. Lean muscle gets the last few percent off.0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Cal deficit definitely sucks for trying to go up in weight.0 -
When I joined MFP I was in the same position you are now. I wasted a year trying to bin the fat. I should have just built up muscle and actually enjoyed food and the process rather than going through months of hunger and unnecessary HIIT. Still, it was interesting to see the effect - I got skinny and lost a lot of muscle mass as well as fat.
Since then, I've been focusing on building mass and eating moderately over my TDEE. I weigh the same as I did 2 years ago but look the right way round.
And I get to enjoy food. Had a doughnut, packet of crisps and a bakewell slice earlier. 0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Cal deficit definitely sucks for trying to go up in weight.
It sucked! I felt like I was in the endless stall loop near the end of it. /face wall. Lol. Then, bulking it's food and lifting heaven!0 -
After 18 months at a deficit, 33%-25% BF, I said screw it and now I'm bulking. Looking for some strength gains and a well stoked metabolism. Hopefully a cut will be easier afterwards. So far I haven't even any weight, but bf has reduced slightly.0
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I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Cal deficit definitely sucks for trying to go up in weight.
It sucked! I felt like I was in the endless stall loop near the end of it. /face wall. Lol. Then, bulking it's food and lifting heaven!
I am at that right now. Not much is going up if any. Too much fat to bulk quite yet though. Soon...0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Yeah I am excited to experience that. Recently I realized that the only time in my life ive lifted weights to strength train were times I got concerned about my fitness and was therefore also at caloric deficit to lose weight.
Don't think ive ever weight lifted at surplus, certainly not intentionally. Id say my strength gains have plataeued at my current deficit.0 -
I started around 17% or so. For women, I think it's generally recommended below 20%, not sure about guys but probably considerably lower.
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/should-i-build-muscle-or-lose-fat-first/
"The fatter you are and the higher your body fat percentage gets, the worse your calorie partitioning gets and the more likely your body is to start storing excess calories as fat instead of muscle."
Yeah I think 17% for women is going to be like 10-12% for men which is what I was aiming for. I'm definately looking slimmer in my torso but I still have fat to lose on my belly/love-handle area and thighs.
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Cal deficit definitely sucks for trying to go up in weight.
It sucked! I felt like I was in the endless stall loop near the end of it. /face wall. Lol. Then, bulking it's food and lifting heaven!
Same! Lift big, eat big.0 -
Yeah, most of this makes a lot of sense. Sometimes the voices in my head tell me otherwise though, like just:
Keep eating. Forever. I want to consume the whole earth and everything living on its fetid surface.0 -
That's my worst area for fat loss. Ma genetics hates meeee. To be fair, I lifted for 9 months through my cut and then when I surplused..Holy cow! Off topic but the strength gains are so incredible. I'm like "neve want to cut again. ... ever! " lol.
Cal deficit definitely sucks for trying to go up in weight.
It sucked! I felt like I was in the endless stall loop near the end of it. /face wall. Lol. Then, bulking it's food and lifting heaven!
I am at that right now. Not much is going up if any. Too much fat to bulk quite yet though. Soon...
I know those feels. Soon:drinker:0 -
Hi Aaron,
Firstly let me say awesome job on your progress so far! You're right and it can largely come down to personal preference. When I lost weight, I preferred to cut down to about 12-14% and then attempted to bulk a little bit, but there is an argument to starting to bulk while you still have some fat on your body. I'll try and list my opinions on both.
Bulking once lower percent body fat: Again this was my preference. Not because I knew anything, but once you are low body fat it is much easier to see muscle forming quicker and your body toning. However, as you bulk, you will gain small amounts of fat, that is unavoidable as you enter a calorie surplus which is bulking, which then leads to a cutting again. (no matter what you'll kind of have this cycle of bulking and cutting).
Bulking with a slightly higher (but still healthy) % body fat: The pros to bulking with a bit more fat on your bones is something I wish would have been told me when I was younger. As you put on muscle and gain muscle mass, your weight may not change, it may go down and it may go up, BUT, fat mass will decrease. This being because all that muscle you've been working so hard to get on your body needs energy and fat cells are nothing but stored energy waiting to be called up and used.
This is my opinion on the case, there is plenty of literature out there to make a case for either. Personally, I can tell you that I am currently bulking (after letting life get in the way of my routines can gaining a bit too much), and am about to start a cutting routine that will ultimately show off the muscle I gained.
A research article you may find interesting http://jap.physiology.org/content/81/6/2445. I'd advise taking anything you read in Men's health, or fad magazines and publications like that with a grain of salt. When in doubt, or curiosity hits, google scholar, and search the actual research for what science is finding.0 -
Well right now my weight and fat loss have been linear and I believe based on my bodyfat estimates that I have maintained my lean muscle. Since I'm maintaining a steady loss I see no reason not to continue for now but yeah if I plateau or my loss slows to a crawl i figure that will be my queue to switch to a bulk even if I haven't hit my "goal" of 10-12%. I'm not totally fixated on that, its just something I'm aiming for.
My loss has been smooth and linear though for now.0 -
If your primary goal is strength, then you would probably want to eat at maintenance or bulk no matter what your current BF% is. However, it seems like your primary goal is appearance. Like a couple have mentioned, I would definitely get below 15% before thinking about it. Maybe start reversing around 12%. You should still drop a bit more fat while reversing up.
I have only reversed/bulked for a couple of months out of my 2+ years of getting in shape. It was pretty glorious.0 -
I did a cut first, I wasn't over weight by much, maybe 15-18%bf but I looked pathetic. I did a 20% deficit and lifted the whole time. I figure I was between 10-12%bf (profile pic) when I decided to bulk a month ago. When I hit 15%bf I will cut again.0
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Curious, do you spend the majority of time in maintenance mode?If your primary goal is strength, then you would probably want to eat at maintenance or bulk no matter what your current BF% is. However, it seems like your primary goal is appearance. Like a couple have mentioned, I would definitely get below 15% before thinking about it. Maybe start reversing around 12%. You should still drop a bit more fat while reversing up.
I have only reversed/bulked for a couple of months out of my 2+ years of getting in shape. It was pretty glorious.0
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