Cutting

cnbbnc
cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
Just asking out of curiosity..... If you manage to gain "x" pounds of muscle while bulking, then when cutting you wouldn't be dropping to the weight you started at because...you have to account for the new muscle mass? As an example...if a guy gained 20lbs he may only end up cutting off 15?

Just wondering if at the end of a successful bulk/cut people generally end up weighing a bit more then when they started.

Replies

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    That's correct under the assumption that they started and ended at the same body fat % and did it all properly.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    That is the idea, but it can vary from person to person of course.
    I gained about 10lbs on my bulk, then cut down about 3lbs and ended up about 7lbs higher than when I started. I don't know the difference between BF% between the start (before my bulk) and end of my cut, but all I know is I looked a lot better!
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    Not necessarily. I got to target weight, but decided dropping more fat would make me too low of a total weight for my liking. So I bulk, lose fat, get back to target weight, and have more muscle and less fat than prior at that weight.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    That is the idea, but it can vary from person to person of course.
    I gained about 10lbs on my bulk, then cut down about 3lbs and ended up about 7lbs higher than when I started. I don't know the difference between BF% between the start (before my bulk) and end of my cut, but all I know is I looked a lot better!

    Yeah...that's how I'm feeling too. Ive lost about 4 of the 10 that I gained, and feel pretty satisfied where I'm at. Really don't see where I could drop another 6, so I figured I'm just going to end up a tad bit heavier.

  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    That's correct under the assumption that they started and ended at the same body fat % and did it all properly.

    Yeah....true.....

  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    For the vast majority of natural lifters they will gain and consequently lose a similar amount as they won't have built an appreciable amount of muscle.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    For the vast majority of natural lifters they will gain and consequently lose a similar amount as they won't have built an appreciable amount of muscle.

    I'm not questioning you, but from the looks of a fair amount of people I've seen here who've had successful bulks, it just seems that the muscle gain would play into weight to some degree, even if it's minor.....



  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Yeah. I've gone from 128-148. I assume I'll be happy around 135-138. Stage lean? No. But that's not the goal.
  • pbryd
    pbryd Posts: 364 Member
    It's hard mentally to see the scales going down when you spent so long having them creep up slowly.

    I've stopped weighing during this cut, and focused on waist size and estimated bf% - I think this follows the advice (for men) to cut to 10%, bulk to 15%.

    Of course you have to use scales to gauge your weight gain during a lean bulk.
  • BHFF
    BHFF Posts: 421 Member
    OK I AM LOST!! Who are these people who are gaining weight during a cut?? Ive competed several times and I assure you, you do not gain weight on a cut. You lose weight. Depending on how heavy you started depends on how much you lose. For example IFFFB pros will bulk up to 290, to 300 lbs in the off season, they will cut down into the 260s 270s for a competition
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    BHFF wrote: »
    OK I AM LOST!! Who are these people who are gaining weight during a cut?? Ive competed several times and I assure you, you do not gain weight on a cut.

    Who said anything about gaining weight on a cut?


  • BHFF
    BHFF Posts: 421 Member
    Im confused by your question of

    "Just wondering if at the end of a successful bulk/cut people generally end up weighing a bit more then when they started".

    After a bulk you gain weight, after a cut you lose weight. Its pretty simple
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    BHFF wrote: »
    Im confused by your question of

    "Just wondering if at the end of a successful bulk/cut people generally end up weighing a bit more then when they started".

    After a bulk you gain weight, after a cut you lose weight. Its pretty simple

    She said at the end of a "bulk/cut", meaning a cycle.

    For example:
    I started at 121lbs, bulked to 131lbs.. cut to about 128lbs. So I weighed more at the end of the cycle compared to when I started. That is what she is referring to.
  • BHFF
    BHFF Posts: 421 Member
    Wow you didnt lose anything really on your cut. Good on the bulk end 10 lbs is pretty significant for your stature
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    cnbbnc wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    That is the idea, but it can vary from person to person of course.
    I gained about 10lbs on my bulk, then cut down about 3lbs and ended up about 7lbs higher than when I started. I don't know the difference between BF% between the start (before my bulk) and end of my cut, but all I know is I looked a lot better!

    Yeah...that's how I'm feeling too. Ive lost about 4 of the 10 that I gained, and feel pretty satisfied where I'm at. Really don't see where I could drop another 6, so I figured I'm just going to end up a tad bit heavier.

    NICE! Did your clothing size change at all?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    BHFF wrote: »
    Wow you didnt lose anything really on your cut. Good on the bulk end 10 lbs is pretty significant for your stature

    Yea I was really lean at the start (too lean for my liking).. so my BF% was low but so was my muscle base. After my cut I wasn't stage ready or anything but it was clear that my bulk went very well ;)
    Now I'm bulking again so we'll see where I end up.
  • BHFF
    BHFF Posts: 421 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    BHFF wrote: »
    Wow you didnt lose anything really on your cut. Good on the bulk end 10 lbs is pretty significant for your stature

    Good luck to you!! You look great
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    BHFF wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    BHFF wrote: »
    Wow you didnt lose anything really on your cut. Good on the bulk end 10 lbs is pretty significant for your stature

    Good luck to you!! You look great

    Thanks!
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    edited January 2017
    bioklutz wrote: »
    cnbbnc wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    That is the idea, but it can vary from person to person of course.
    I gained about 10lbs on my bulk, then cut down about 3lbs and ended up about 7lbs higher than when I started. I don't know the difference between BF% between the start (before my bulk) and end of my cut, but all I know is I looked a lot better!

    Yeah...that's how I'm feeling too. Ive lost about 4 of the 10 that I gained, and feel pretty satisfied where I'm at. Really don't see where I could drop another 6, so I figured I'm just going to end up a tad bit heavier.

    NICE! Did your clothing size change at all?

    Nope. Soooo....I don't quite know what to think about how my bulk went. I definitely did screw things up, but I am convinced that something positive came from it. It may not be much but for a first attempt, I'm taking it.
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    cnbbnc wrote: »
    bioklutz wrote: »
    cnbbnc wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    That is the idea, but it can vary from person to person of course.
    I gained about 10lbs on my bulk, then cut down about 3lbs and ended up about 7lbs higher than when I started. I don't know the difference between BF% between the start (before my bulk) and end of my cut, but all I know is I looked a lot better!

    Yeah...that's how I'm feeling too. Ive lost about 4 of the 10 that I gained, and feel pretty satisfied where I'm at. Really don't see where I could drop another 6, so I figured I'm just going to end up a tad bit heavier.

    NICE! Did your clothing size change at all?

    Nope. Soooo....I don't quite know what to think about how my bulk went. I definitely did screw things up, but I am convinced that something positive came from it. It may not be much but for a first attempt, I'm taking it.

    I dunno - it sounds like things went well. I have had a few screw ups myself but I don't really think it is going to hurt the end goal - gaining some muscle.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Great question...

    I too started fairly lean this time. I wrote in the Bulking Bishes thread that when I cut I have no idea of a target "weight goal". So for example I were to gain 2-3 pounds of muscle, should cut back to 2-3 pounds above where I started?

    @cnbbnc, I think I will have a scale weight goal in mind (back to my start weight) but stopping at the point where I have the look or need to make another decision on recomp or another mini bulk/cut, etc.. I think for me going back to me original start weight would have me leaner I would think if the fat loss/muscle maintain were to work out perfectly in my cut..
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Such great question! Glad to hear that you're feeling good about where you are.
  • WilsonFilson
    WilsonFilson Posts: 83 Member
    Weight, alone, is all sort of relative, right? For me, I think of cutting and bulking cycles in terms of body fat %. I cut to 10% and then bulk to 15% or 16%. Going much above that starts to cause insulin sensitivity issues.

    Just make sure on your cut you're only doing a 20-25% deficit so as to retain your muscle mass as much as possible. And don't eat below bmr.
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
    Yes, that is the goal unless they end at a lower bf%. Or did a crappy job of bulking and cut too fast where they lost more muscle than they gained.
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