Bulk/cut cycle help: Glycogen swings?

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lilawolf
lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have one month left of cutting, and then I will be starting my very first bulk on September 2nd! I have been doing StrongLifts5x5 for several months now, and plan to continue that for a while longer then go to 5/3/1 or similar. My question is this: When I make the cut to bulk transition, should I expect a jump in glycogen and water despite the fact I've been lifting for quite a while? In other words is glycogen calorie level sensitive? I want to make sure that I am gaining my goal of 0.5lbs a week of REAL weight during my bulk (yes, this is half of what a man should aim for during a clean bulk).

Ladies: Stories/pics of how your bulk/cut cycles went would be awesome. A lot less info out there for us. Friend requests from fellow lifters of either gender with open diaries who comment at least occasionally very much welcomed.

If anyone is interested, I could start a group for those doing 6 week cycles starting September 2. Note that the second bulk covers Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years when we all like bulking anyway :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: Still have to hit the weights hard and keep up the protein, but work hard, play hard, and get lean and mean :tongue:

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  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Bump
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Bumpies for a friend
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Depending n your current deficit, reverse diet up to your maintenance and then move to your bulking cals, should minimize water weight gain
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Depending n your current deficit, reverse diet up to your maintenance and then move to your bulking cals, should minimize water weight gain

    How long do you suggest at maintenance? 1 week?
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
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    Move your cals up slowly. If you are in a 500 cal deficit while cutting, move your cals up 250 cals for a week, go to maintenance for a week, then up 250 cals every week until you get where you want. Therefore, it is 2 full weeks before you are starting to bulk.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    add slowly- I move everything slowly- by 1-200 calories every 2-3 weeks.

    There is no reason to rush. Moseying toward your goal is more effective than cutting right to it. (no pun intended). People are way more successful with the slow control addition/subtraction of calories in smaller increments than they are in larger chunks quickly. I'm going to be shifting off of a cut at the end of August- so I'll be right there with you.

    Probably stop my cut end of august- maintain through September and bulk starting October.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Glad I asked! I will look at my schedule and add in time for the transitions. Thank you all for your great advice!
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    How many calories do I add for a bulk? I have been at maint now for 2 months at 2,800 cal / day.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    How many calories do I add for a bulk? I have been at maint now for 2 months at 2,800 cal / day.

    A clean bulk for a man is widely considered gaining one pound a week. The optimum amount of muscle that you can gain is half a pound a week, so you double that, gaining some muscle and some fat. To gain one pound a week you should need go up 500 calories, though fat and muscle have different caloric densities so that may be a bit off and need some adjustment. Reading the above you should add ~250 a day each week until you start gaining 1lb/wk. My numbers are all half that since I don't have the testosterone levels that you do.

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