Advice on When to Bulk?

JJS1979

Hi all...been seriously lifting (4 days per week) for 18 months and have lost almost 40lbs. I have not done a specific test but based on my stomach and love handles I am probably still about 16-17% BF (6FT, 183lbs).

I have read that to start bulking its better to be around 10-12% BF so that when you start to bulk you will put on less body fat and your nutrient partitioning will be much more efficient.

Any advice would be great. Thanks for your help.

ndj1979

JJS1979 wrote: »

Hi all...been seriously lifting (4 days per week) for 18 months and have lost almost 40lbs. I have not done a specific test but based on my stomach and love handles I am probably still about 16-17% BF (6FT, 183lbs).

I have read that to start bulking its better to be around 10-12% BF so that when you start to bulk you will put on less body fat and your nutrient partitioning will be much more efficient.

Any advice would be great. Thanks for your help.

keep cutting until you get to sub 15%.

You could decrease your deficit to 250 calories per day - .5 pound week per loss - and keep lifting heavy to minimize additional muscle loss and keep losing fat...

JJS1979

ndj1979 wrote: »

JJS1979 wrote: »

Hi all...been seriously lifting (4 days per week) for 18 months and have lost almost 40lbs. I have not done a specific test but based on my stomach and love handles I am probably still about 16-17% BF (6FT, 183lbs).

I have read that to start bulking its better to be around 10-12% BF so that when you start to bulk you will put on less body fat and your nutrient partitioning will be much more efficient.

Any advice would be great. Thanks for your help.

keep cutting until you get to sub 15%.

You could decrease your deficit to 250 calories per day - .5 pound week per loss - and keep lifting heavy to minimize additional muscle loss and keep losing fat...

This is helpful. In terms of the lifting I am trying to mix higher volume days with heavier days, in the cutting phase would you be more likely to have more heavier lifting days as opposed to volume days?

ndj1979

JJS1979 wrote: »

ndj1979 wrote: »

JJS1979 wrote: »

Hi all...been seriously lifting (4 days per week) for 18 months and have lost almost 40lbs. I have not done a specific test but based on my stomach and love handles I am probably still about 16-17% BF (6FT, 183lbs).

I have read that to start bulking its better to be around 10-12% BF so that when you start to bulk you will put on less body fat and your nutrient partitioning will be much more efficient.

Any advice would be great. Thanks for your help.

keep cutting until you get to sub 15%.

You could decrease your deficit to 250 calories per day - .5 pound week per loss - and keep lifting heavy to minimize additional muscle loss and keep losing fat...

This is helpful. In terms of the lifting I am trying to mix higher volume days with heavier days, in the cutting phase would you be more likely to have more heavier lifting days as opposed to volume days?

depends on the program you are running...I have read that mixing hypertrophy with strength based training is the way to go when bulking and cutting. I personally run the PHUL program (Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower) and love that routine...

are you currently running a strucutred program or did you design on your own?

JJS1979

I hit each bodypart 2X per week ( I bench 2X, Squat on 1 leg day and Deads on the other leg day) For the bench i will have a high rep 12-15 and a moderate rep day of 6-8. Squats and deads I will rotate, Squats will be volume and deads will be moderate and then the next week reverse it.

ndj1979

is this something that you came up on your own or is it part of a structured program like Wendlers, PHUL, stronglifts, etc..?

JJS1979

It was something I came up with after doing a little research, its not a set protocol.