When do you decide to cut after bulking?

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elishazf
elishazf Posts: 332 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
So I'm new to the whole cutting and bulking thing. I used to be 190ish and got down to 149. While I was happy losing that much weight 149 at 6 feet looked pretty weird. So I started bulking. I'm now about 170 pounds and thinking about doing a cut. I was just wondering when you guys decide to stop bulking and start cutting.
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Replies

  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
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    Current thinking is that you should bulk to approx. 15% body fat and then cut down to 10-12%. Rinse and repeat. Last year I started feeling pretty sloppy after a 15 lb weight gain and my pants were getting really tight.
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
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    I'm at 12% right now. I haven't put on much fat even though I gained 20 pounds. My waist is the same as it was when I was 149 somehow haha
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    For me, I bulk until anywhere in the 15-16% range, or until I look in the mirror and think I'm fat.
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
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    I'm at 12% right now. I haven't put on much fat even though I gained 20 pounds. My waist is the same as it was when I was 149 somehow haha

    I added 2 inches to my waist in 4 months/15 lbs. I wish I were 20-something again. : )
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    When you can't stand feeling fat.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    When you can't stand feeling fat.

    This is my way too.
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm just trying to get an idea of when people cut. I don't want to cut too soon then look like super skinny

    and @NRBreit yeah I'm enjoying it while I can haha
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    You set an upper limit of body fat percentage. A person with a more favorable Partitioning Ratio can sustain the same caloric surplus as someone with a less than favorable P-Ratio and end up with more calories added to gains in lean mass than fat mass. As a result, the first person is more able to continue bulks for longer durations.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    For me, I bulk until anywhere in the 15-16% range, or until I look in the mirror and think I'm fat.

    Ummm...


    .....nah....too easy :tongue:


    OP: General rule of thumb is about 15% ish for guys, but that can vary depending on age, lifting experience and preference.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
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    12%. anything above that is too high imo if you are bodybuilding or working out to achieve a certain physique.

    Muscle gain is better in the the 8-12 range too.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    You set an upper limit of body fat percentage. A person with a more favorable Partitioning Ratio can sustain the same caloric surplus as someone with a less than favorable P-Ratio and end up with more calories added to gains in lean mass than fat mass. As a result, the first person is more able to continue bulks for longer durations.

    I think I fall into the second category. I tend to pack on (what seems to me) a fair bit of fat. But maybe, I just do that "*kitten* it, I'm bulking" and just use it as an excuse to go way overboard! Next time, I'm going to hit my caloric surplus properly and see how it goes.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    It depends on what your goals are. If you want 6 pack abs and/or to look ripped, then 15%ish as per the above advice

    if it's just for health, then look at health measures like waist size and stay within the healthy body fat percentage range

    if you're training for a specific sport then you'll need to find the body fat percentage where you perform the best, i.e. not cutting so low that you lose strength, and not carrying so much fat that it slows you down. If you're competing in a weight category, then you want to be the lowest body fat percentage that doesn't cause you to lose strength or harm your performance in any way.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
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    I usually do two - three weeks of bulking and then two weeks of shredding :D always trying to keep body fat % single digit even on bulking...
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    It depends on what your goals are. If you want 6 pack abs and/or to look ripped, then 15%ish as per the above advice

    if it's just for health, then look at health measures like waist size and stay within the healthy body fat percentage range

    if you're training for a specific sport then you'll need to find the body fat percentage where you perform the best, i.e. not cutting so low that you lose strength, and not carrying so much fat that it slows you down. If you're competing in a weight category, then you want to be the lowest body fat percentage that doesn't cause you to lose strength or harm your performance in any way.

    Quoted for wisdom!
  • elishazf
    elishazf Posts: 332 Member
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    Thanks again for all the replies! I checked my body fat % and i'm sitting at 13%. I think i'm gonna bulk a little longer since it is winter and I lose weight pretty quickly. Plus I'm pretty happy with the way I look
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
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    All so depends how you're training, I bulked at the begining of the year went beyond the fat % I was comfortable with as my gym closed I was training with a group in a Body building gym my gains were something else, had to let the six pack go!

    So really it depends how the muscle is going on, as that is the goal really, what I lost in getting fat again I've gained in overall physique, but then I've had to cut a lot longer since!!!
  • Amadbro
    Amadbro Posts: 750 Member
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    So I'm new to the whole cutting and bulking thing. I used to be 190ish and got down to 149. While I was happy losing that much weight 149 at 6 feet looked pretty weird. So I started bulking. I'm now about 170 pounds and thinking about doing a cut. I was just wondering when you guys decide to stop bulking and start cutting.

    Your 6 foot..why on earth would you cut at 170? You need to fill out your frame and stop worrying about losing your 6 pack. At 6'0 you have potential to be a monster. Who cares if you put on some fat? It's expected..it comes with bulking and if you know how to get rid of it your next cut will be so east it wont be funny. After my first cut I feel like I could piss 20 lbs...
  • jayb0ne
    jayb0ne Posts: 644 Member
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    Until I can't stand being fat any more and my belly distends outwards!
  • bvincentelp
    bvincentelp Posts: 36 Member
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    When my pants get too tight, it's time to cut.
  • BuzzardMarinePumper
    BuzzardMarinePumper Posts: 42
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    I doubt you are 12% BF% from your pics and if you don't weight in a water tank you will really never know ! There is a newer way od thinking and bulking does not have to include gainig fat you just up your protien intake and raise the intensity of your w/o and you will be amazed you will have more blood flow to the muscles and be more vascular and burn fat at the same time ! Unless you are eating 5 to 7 times a day and really serious your theory of bulking and leaning is a waist of time just live and eat healthy and remain steady with lean muscle and you will get bigger due to protein and blood flow to the muscles ! doesn't sound like you are going pro or goals of being on a stage so why put your body throught the drastic changes ?

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