Bulking with Mini Cuts

__freckles__

So I'm going to be bulking for a while. Like we're talking 12 months or so (if I can stand it). I've read when people do this sometimes they break up their bulk with a month of cutting here and there just to keep fat gains at bay and also to give a mini break from bulking.

Anyone else have experience with this?

PwrLftr82

I think that a month of cutting every few months isn't going to help get you where you want to be, and will probably just hinder you. Dedicate yourself to bulking and cut when you're done.

3laine75

Google layne norton. I saw him talking about this on a video a while back but I don't have the link. I'm sure he was talking about 6 weeks bulking then a couple weeks cutting. Dude knows his nutrition and it obviously works for him as he's Hawt!

PwrLftr82

I think it might be more beneficial for men to do this than women (I agree, Layne Norton is HOT!) because men have the natural ability to increase muscle mass faster than women. The rate at which we are able to gain is already working against us, so I honestly don't think this is a great idea (for women specifically).

__freckles__

PwrLftr82 wrote: »

I think that a month of cutting every few months isn't going to help get you where you want to be, and will probably just hinder you. Dedicate yourself to bulking and cut when you're done.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about bulking for 12-16 weeks, then cutting for a month and immediately jumping right back on the bulking wagon. How would that hinder me from gaining muscle?

__freckles__

Thanks 3laine. I'll look into Lanye Norton, I've read some of his other stuff. And I'll try to look into this for females, PwrLfter, as I know it's already hard enough for us to build zee mooscles.

PwrLftr82

__freckles__ wrote: »

PwrLftr82 wrote: »

I think that a month of cutting every few months isn't going to help get you where you want to be, and will probably just hinder you. Dedicate yourself to bulking and cut when you're done.

Thanks for the advice. I was thinking about bulking for 12-16 weeks, then cutting for a month and immediately jumping right back on the bulking wagon. How would that hinder me from gaining muscle?

My experience is that it takes a little while for the body to "switch gears," and that by the time you're really into the bulk again you cut some of your gains. My advice would be to keep your bulk conservative (200-300 cals above maintenance) to minimize fat gains in the first place.

If you decide to go the bulk-cut-bulk-cut route, though, I look forward to following your progress with great interest. Would be awesome to see it work!

SilentDrapeRunners

Good question, but I agree with what's been said. It would be nice to do cutting every so often to keep fat gains at bay, but I think for most women it would be very difficult if not impossible. I know for me, making the transition from bulking to cutting is difficult and takes some time. Switching gears takes considerable time and a toll on the body/hormones. So I think if you're going to go the bulk-cut route, you have to commit to full on bulk (at least 2 lbs per month) for at least a few months if not more and then full on cut for 1-2 months. If you're doing a slow bulk I think you'll have to just commit to that until you're done. Or you could try just maintaining for a month or so if you feel like the gains are coming too quickly.