First time bulker

RPaz85

I’m considering starting a bulk, first timer here. I’ve always been tracking to lose weight and I just recently reset my MFP account. I lift heavy 3-4x a week. Now I’m at my goal weight but want more definition. I’m thinking a bulk for the next few months (5lbs or so) and then a cut during the spring to look better by summer. I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, advice, etc. Please add me as well for additional support!

Chieflrg

Hi,

Glad to see you hit a goal and also lifting 3-4x per week. It would be helpful knowing some about your current training stimulus and any adjustments you plan to do.

I see you stated you're at your goal body weight, but that doesn't give a lot of useful info such as body composition.

To know if a bulk is a reasonable short term plan for you as a individual I'd like to have a better idea on how efficient you may be at bulking. Some people might be better off losing some more weight to actually achieve the response they want. Even a front and side pic may help.

RPaz85

Chieflrg wrote: »

Hi,

Glad to see you hit a goal and also lifting 3-4x per week. It would be helpful knowing some about your current training stimulus and any adjustments you plan to do.

I see you stated you're at your goal body weight, but that doesn't give a lot of useful info such as body composition.

To know if a bulk is a reasonable short term plan for you as a individual I'd like to have a better idea on how efficient you may be at bulking. Some people might be better off losing some more weight to actually achieve the response they want. Even a front and side pic may help.

Thanks for the response. I started out with SL 5x5 but kind of went on my own with a freestyle routine doing the same compound lifts but 10 reps x 3 sets plus accessory lifts and weight machine training. I plan on switching to a 5/3/1 program to build strength.

I've been on the fence about continuing to lose a few more pounds or try a recomp over the next few months. I tend to lose weight in the areas I don't want to (legs) and gain weight in the areas I don't want to (mid-section). I'm at my goal weight but want to lose the fat around my core area and gain muscles in my legs/glutes, hence the thought of a bulk/cut before summer.

I'm at around a 28% body fat % so I'm thinking I should drop that down before considering a bulk. Otherwise my plan was to do a short bulk the next few months and then long term cut (i.e. lose .5lb per week and 5/3/1 program) over the next year or so.

Chieflrg

I'm not sure what gender you are because my eyes are old, but my general guideline for a bulk is a starting point is within 9-14% in men or 19-24% in women. Can we start higher? Yes, I just wouldn't recommend it as we have to lose the fat regardless for our desired results and why not start in a more advantageous starting point?

If you start higher your efficiency to produce muscle over fat lessens greatly. In other words we expect gain more fat than muscle over the course of the bulk, if we start at a higher percentage...we expect much much less muscle and much higher body fat percentage than if we started lower.

Take it for what it's worth but 5/3/1 and Texas Method are probably the worse cookie cutter programs on average for strength or hypertrophy. Reasoning is the volume is sub par at best and the intensity's used as written are absolutely inappropriate compared to other programming. Again, this is my opinion based on data I've obtained and as well as many other respected coaches. This doesn't mean you can't achieve results, surely some people will respond decently...it's just very few and far in between.

With the info you given, I would either maintain through the holidays if you prefer to eat a tad more or keep a reasonable deficit. I would highly recommend better programming you can learn from. Something with auto regulation and proper load management.

RPaz85

Chieflrg wrote: »

I'm not sure what gender you are because my eyes are old, but my general guideline for a bulk is a starting point is within 9-14% in men or 19-24% in women. Can we start higher? Yes, I just wouldn't recommend it as we have to lose the fat regardless for our desired results and why not start in a more advantageous starting point?

If you start higher your efficiency to produce muscle over fat lessens greatly. In other words we expect gain more fat than muscle over the course of the bulk, if we start at a higher percentage...we expect much much less muscle and much higher body fat percentage than if we started lower.

Take it for what it's worth but 5/3/1 and Texas Method are probably the worse cookie cutter programs on average for strength or hypertrophy. Reasoning is the volume is sub par at best and the intensity's used as written are absolutely inappropriate compared to other programming. Again, this is my opinion based on data I've obtained and as well as many other respected coaches. This doesn't mean you can't achieve results, surely some people will respond decently...it's just very few and far in between.

With the info you given, I would either maintain through the holidays if you prefer to eat a tad more or keep a reasonable deficit. I would highly recommend better programming you can learn from. Something with auto regulation and proper load management.

I'm female, so was also thinking I should be at least a 24% before starting a bulk. I'd love to hear better programming please! I tend to start programs (SL 5x5, I've tried 5/3/1 in the past as well) but then I get bored and/or confused and end up freestyling anyway to doing lifts that I enjoy and increase the weight gradually over time.

GaryRuns

RPaz85 wrote: »

I'm female, so was also thinking I should be at least a 24% before starting a bulk. I'd love to hear better programming please! I tend to start programs (SL 5x5, I've tried 5/3/1 in the past as well) but then I get bored and/or confused and end up freestyling anyway to doing lifts that I enjoy and increase the weight gradually over time.

So many options available, and take it from someone that has spent a lot of time attempting to create his own plan, it ain't easy. Just winging it usually isn't a great idea if you have solid goals that you want to achieve.

Take a look at this thread for some great programs:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Chieflrg

RPaz85 wrote: »

Chieflrg wrote: »

I'm not sure what gender you are because my eyes are old, but my general guideline for a bulk is a starting point is within 9-14% in men or 19-24% in women. Can we start higher? Yes, I just wouldn't recommend it as we have to lose the fat regardless for our desired results and why not start in a more advantageous starting point?

If you start higher your efficiency to produce muscle over fat lessens greatly. In other words we expect gain more fat than muscle over the course of the bulk, if we start at a higher percentage...we expect much much less muscle and much higher body fat percentage than if we started lower.

Take it for what it's worth but 5/3/1 and Texas Method are probably the worse cookie cutter programs on average for strength or hypertrophy. Reasoning is the volume is sub par at best and the intensity's used as written are absolutely inappropriate compared to other programming. Again, this is my opinion based on data I've obtained and as well as many other respected coaches. This doesn't mean you can't achieve results, surely some people will respond decently...it's just very few and far in between.

With the info you given, I would either maintain through the holidays if you prefer to eat a tad more or keep a reasonable deficit. I would highly recommend better programming you can learn from. Something with auto regulation and proper load management.

I'm female, so was also thinking I should be at least a 24% before starting a bulk. I'd love to hear better programming please! I tend to start programs (SL 5x5, I've tried 5/3/1 in the past as well) but then I get bored and/or confused and end up freestyling anyway to doing lifts that I enjoy and increase the weight gradually over time.

Nothing wrong with free styling it in a sense if you are consistent logging, reading current evidence, & doing block reviews it then can be very rewarding. Actually I encourage it under those conditions if you don't have a coach to learn from. The important thing most people fail to realize you can't run a program over and over ...especially a linear program. Our bodies need more stimulus along with different kinds of stimulus.

I'm really hesitant to suggest any programming not knowing what exactly you are doing right now as far as your load management, lift selection, volume, frequency, average intensity, etc...

It's inappropriate to suggest cookie cutter programs to someone who isn't untrained without knowing more details.

That "cookie cutter program" link that floats around here is a prime example that 90% of those programs are poorly written or just inappropriate to someone who has lifting experience in general to just hop to. Hence why they are free and very outdated.

If I had to pick one program that you could at the very least learn from it would be "The Bridge". I'd hazard it has been updated at least a few times since it's release but it's still has the bare bones of lift selection, ranges of reps, with auto regulation and proper load management built in.

If you have the money I would look into a experienced coach or trainer(non-commercial) as they are well worth the money if you can weed out the ones that are hired instead of desired.

cupcakesandproteinshakes

I’d second the bridge as a good programme. I made a lot of progress on it.
If you are interested in diving deeper into programming then I’d also recommend the muscle and strength training pyramids. Two books, one on training and one in nutrition. I learned a lot about the latest evidence based training and diet principles by testing these books.