Getting discouraged. Lean bulk or cut? What should I do?

Options
1568101135

Replies

  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Options
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    Seeing gymnasts and swimmers in the field of subjects tested is nice though....
    Because I would think they have some decent muscle packed on their body

    I've never seen a muscular swimmer or gymnast.

    I kid, I kid!

    :stuck_out_tongue::stuck_out_tongue::stuck_out_tongue:
  • __freckles__
    __freckles__ Posts: 1,238 Member
    Options
    Yeah, I guess I'll revisit the issue down the road. It seems like a lot of the advice seems geared toward people who are already much smaller than I am or people who can eat to grow. I just wish there were better advice for people coming down from a higher weight. You see all the hype advice like "do Stronglifts, you'll squat 400lbs." OK, well why can't I then? I did the same program. Why do I get weaker every week? Why does my bench max out at 185? No one ever explains stuff like this.

    I can only add that when I was bulking my lifts went up pretty much every week. During my cut, however, I stalled out and had to deload like crazy. I'm bulking again and lifts are going back up. More calories = more fuel. Cutting took a toll on my lifts and energy all around. Hopefully someone with some actual facts will chime in.

  • qbmitch
    Options
    What are you cutting to? Little muscle mass, bones, and organs. Eat at a slight caloric surplus with adequate protein and make ACTUAL strength and hypertrophy gains. Don't listen to the "recomp" advice. It's a surefire way to spin your wheels. Once you've made sizable gains, you'll actually have something to cut down to. I've been in your shoes. Trust me.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Options
    It's hard to serve to masters at the same time, so you kind of have to choose what you want to do. One one hand, it's winter time and even here in Vegas it's too cold to swim so it's a good time to work on bulking. You can try eating 500 calories above maintenance on training days and eat at maintenance or slightly below maintenance on non-training days to help manage body-fat. Train high-volume through like March 31st and then start working on a cut again.
  • JeffseekingV
    JeffseekingV Posts: 3,165 Member
    Options
    qbmitch wrote: »
    What are you cutting to? Little muscle mass, bones, and organs. Eat at a slight caloric surplus with adequate protein and make ACTUAL strength and hypertrophy gains. Don't listen to the "recomp" advice. It's a surefire way to spin your wheels. Once you've made sizable gains, you'll actually have something to cut down to. I've been in your shoes. Trust me.

    ....
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited November 2014
    Options
    qbmitch wrote: »
    What are you cutting to? Little muscle mass, bones, and organs. Eat at a slight caloric surplus with adequate protein and make ACTUAL strength and hypertrophy gains. Don't listen to the "recomp" advice. It's a surefire way to spin your wheels. Once you've made sizable gains, you'll actually have something to cut down to. I've been in your shoes. Trust me.

    OP already said he's finishing cut and will transition into a lean controlled bulk.

    Also, what does the bolded section even mean?
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Options

    Also, what does the bolded section even mean?

    It don't matter, it's all about dem gainzzz brah!!!! :D:D
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    MrM27 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    MityMax96 wrote: »

    Also, what does the bolded section even mean?

    It don't matter, it's all about dem gainzzz brah!!!! :D:D

    Pfft...do you even lift?

    Do you even squat??? :stuck_out_tongue::stuck_out_tongue::stuck_out_tongue::D

    My glutes prove that I do ;)

    And not one ounce of proof was seen on this day.

    Oh jeez...pics of my rear to be taken when I get home from work.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Options
    In for pics!
  • va_01
    va_01 Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    qbmitch wrote: »
    What are you cutting to? Little muscle mass, bones, and organs. Eat at a slight caloric surplus with adequate protein and make ACTUAL strength and hypertrophy gains. Don't listen to the "recomp" advice. It's a surefire way to spin your wheels. Once you've made sizable gains, you'll actually have something to cut down to. I've been in your shoes. Trust me.

    OP already said he's finishing cut and will transition into a lean controlled bulk.

    Also, what does the bolded section even mean?

    I'm actually still continuing on my cut though. I don't think I'm lean enough to comfortably bulk
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited November 2014
    Options
    va_01 wrote: »
    qbmitch wrote: »
    What are you cutting to? Little muscle mass, bones, and organs. Eat at a slight caloric surplus with adequate protein and make ACTUAL strength and hypertrophy gains. Don't listen to the "recomp" advice. It's a surefire way to spin your wheels. Once you've made sizable gains, you'll actually have something to cut down to. I've been in your shoes. Trust me.

    OP already said he's finishing cut and will transition into a lean controlled bulk.

    Also, what does the bolded section even mean?

    I'm actually still continuing on my cut though. I don't think I'm lean enough to comfortably bulk

    I know, my apologies. What I meant was you were continuing until you reach a desired leaniness per the first comment on the page 5.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Options
    Man when I saw this thread was 6 pages I avoided it thinking it was another argument thread. So glad I decided to check it out. :smile:
  • va_01
    va_01 Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    The gym is now becoming a place I dread. Maybe it was just a bad workout, but my lifts fell quite a bit tonight. It's hard to see so many people make so much progress yet here I am 3 years later with nothing to really show. I will continue on, and forgive me for venting. I need to cut this fat, but I feel like I'm getting weaker.

    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut? I have heard so many people make gains while cutting. Why can't I for once just make progress?
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
    Options
    va_01 wrote: »
    The gym is now becoming a place I dread. Maybe it was just a bad workout, but my lifts fell quite a bit tonight. It's hard to see so many people make so much progress yet here I am 3 years later with nothing to really show. I will continue on, and forgive me for venting. I need to cut this fat, but I feel like I'm getting weaker.

    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut? I have heard so many people make gains while cutting. Why can't I for once just make progress?

    My lifts drop a bit towards the end of my cutting. They bounce back quickly when you start your bulk.
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    usmcmp wrote: »
    va_01 wrote: »
    The gym is now becoming a place I dread. Maybe it was just a bad workout, but my lifts fell quite a bit tonight. It's hard to see so many people make so much progress yet here I am 3 years later with nothing to really show. I will continue on, and forgive me for venting. I need to cut this fat, but I feel like I'm getting weaker.

    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut? I have heard so many people make gains while cutting. Why can't I for once just make progress?

    My lifts drop a bit towards the end of my cutting. They bounce back quickly when you start your bulk.

    This exactly. Don't get discouraged, just keep at it!
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Options
    va_01 wrote: »
    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut?

    Yes of course. You are taking in less energy
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Options
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    va_01 wrote: »
    The gym is now becoming a place I dread. Maybe it was just a bad workout, but my lifts fell quite a bit tonight. It's hard to see so many people make so much progress yet here I am 3 years later with nothing to really show. I will continue on, and forgive me for venting. I need to cut this fat, but I feel like I'm getting weaker.

    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut? I have heard so many people make gains while cutting. Why can't I for once just make progress?

    My lifts drop a bit towards the end of my cutting. They bounce back quickly when you start your bulk.

    This exactly. Don't get discouraged, just keep at it!

    Yes, entirely normal. Do the best you can to keep intensity high. Are you following the programming as is or still modifying it?
  • va_01
    va_01 Posts: 176 Member
    Options
    PwrLftr82 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    va_01 wrote: »
    The gym is now becoming a place I dread. Maybe it was just a bad workout, but my lifts fell quite a bit tonight. It's hard to see so many people make so much progress yet here I am 3 years later with nothing to really show. I will continue on, and forgive me for venting. I need to cut this fat, but I feel like I'm getting weaker.

    Is it normal to be s little weaker/more tired on a cut? I have heard so many people make gains while cutting. Why can't I for once just make progress?

    My lifts drop a bit towards the end of my cutting. They bounce back quickly when you start your bulk.

    This exactly. Don't get discouraged, just keep at it!

    Yes, entirely normal. Do the best you can to keep intensity high. Are you following the programming as is or still modifying it?

    I've been following the program as I've done it. Should I switch over? Even in the middle of a cut?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Options
    Earlier in the thread, didn't you mention you were playing around with the reps and sets? Or am I making that up?