Bulking. ADVICE WANTED

Options
waxon81
waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok, so I weighed myself today. Have been trying my first ever 'intentional' bulk, and have been aiming to gain 1lb a week as that is what I have heard is the 'perfect' amount to gain whilst maximising muscle growth and minimising fat gain. Stupidly I only weighed myself for the first couple of weeks and as I had gained 1lb I didnt weigh again till 6weeks later (today). Well, in 8 weeks I have put on just shy of 3.5lbs, which is 0.425lbs a week average.

Now..... My question is this. Should I up my intake so I AM gaining 1lb a week.

Am I missing out on some muscle here which I could be gaining with an extra 1/2 lb a week, or am I gaining regardless, and just minimising fat further. I AM only currently focusing on maximum muscle gain, the fat will go on my cut so I dont see it as too much of an issue.

Im on a 40-40-20 macro split

My daily calories are currently 3450 per day

My protein intake is 1.5g per lb bodyweight
Fats are in the 90's (which I understand is good for testosterone production)
Carbs are at the high end of 300

So, what to do? Up my intake, or stay where im at......
«1

Replies

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Options
    Check this out & see where you fit.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html

    I personally like the slow bulk so I'd continue as is. But it's up to you depending on how long you've been training for.
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Many thanks, I will check it out later today
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Options
    The amount your gaining sounds fine, I don't think you'd be missing out on much muscle if any as there's only a certain amount you can build in a week/month anyway. If you don't mind the extra fat gain though, you could always up the calories.

    I've just recently started cutting but when I wasn't gaining as much as I'd like on a bulk, I'd just up them by around 200 and I'd start gaining again :) I gained 16lbs total in 6 months, and was aiming for around 1lb a week or just under, but no more than that.
    My macro split was 40c/25p/35f I think (I worked this out more based on minimum targets rather than %) It was 180g protein, 280g carbs, and 100g fat on 2800 net calories and 140-150lbs body weight.
  • rovernio
    rovernio Posts: 157
    Options
    man bulking sux you wil gain fat just eat your maintenance and train hard with enough protein intake
  • KyleGA
    KyleGA Posts: 309 Member
    Options
    man bulking sux you wil gain fat just eat your maintenance and train hard with enough protein intake

    ^^^ - this!
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Really?!?
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    Options
    man bulking sux you wil gain fat just eat your maintenance and train hard with enough protein intake

    I see you've eaten 390 cals this week, is that your 'maintenance'?
  • hirensthenameliftinsthegame
    hirensthenameliftinsthegame Posts: 233
    Options
    Check this out & see where you fit.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/whats-my-genetic-muscular-potential.html

    I personally like the slow bulk so I'd continue as is. But it's up to you depending on how long you've been training for.

    Chris has some pretty good advice, should definitely take that into consideration.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Options
    You will gain fat but that's what cutting is for - it also depends on how well you can cope with a deficit.
    Many people don't like bulking as they lose definition, or get a bit of a belly. They also don't like the even harder work that is getting the extra fat off afterwards. You don't have to bulk until you get fat, just until you feel uncomfortable in how you look. I bulked until I was 150lbs as my best is around 135. By 150 I was barely fitting into a lot of my clothes so it was a good time to cut.

    There have been studies on bulking/cutting cycles and how you tend to gain more muscle that way than you do by just sticking to maintenance. I can't remember sources but it might be something worth looking into and researching further. From my own experience, my lifts had stalled quite a bit when I was maintaining, started bulking and they went up really fast, especially lower body. Even if I lose a little through cutting, I'll still probably be stronger than if I carried on at maintenance judging by how I was doing at the time.
  • Nirlbou
    Nirlbou Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    I think your gains are good, keep in mind tendons and cartilage take time to catch up to newly acquired strength.
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
    Options
    Question. Are you making strength gains? If yes, you're bulking right and adding muscle, if no, you're not bulking right
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,634 Member
    Options
    Ok, so I weighed myself today. Have been trying my first ever 'intentional' bulk, and have been aiming to gain 1lb a week as that is what I have heard is the 'perfect' amount to gain whilst maximising muscle growth and minimising fat gain. Stupidly I only weighed myself for the first couple of weeks and as I had gained 1lb I didnt weigh again till 6weeks later (today). Well, in 8 weeks I have put on just shy of 3.5lbs, which is 0.425lbs a week average.

    Now..... My question is this. Should I up my intake so I AM gaining 1lb a week.

    Am I missing out on some muscle here which I could be gaining with an extra 1/2 lb a week, or am I gaining regardless, and just minimising fat further. I AM only currently focusing on maximum muscle gain, the fat will go on my cut so I dont see it as too much of an issue.

    Im on a 40-40-20 macro split

    My daily calories are currently 3450 per day

    My protein intake is 1.5g per lb bodyweight
    Fats are in the 90's (which I understand is good for testosterone production)
    Carbs are at the high end of 300

    So, what to do? Up my intake, or stay where im at......
    Your eating sounds fine. What are you doing for exercise to encourage muscle hypertrophy?


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • myth4ever
    myth4ever Posts: 372
    Options
    lift heavy
  • jsnearly
    jsnearly Posts: 61
    Options
    Eat midnight snacks/ meals to get extra pounds. keep track of your body fat percentage. If it starts going up, you are eating too much. If you are gaining weight but your body fat percentage stays the same, it's muscle. Take amino acid supplement also.
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Ninerbuff, im doing all pro's beginner's routine, it's easily found on bodybuilding.com, or within the bodybuilding group on mfp.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,634 Member
    Options
    Ninerbuff, im doing all pro's beginner's routine, it's easily found on bodybuilding.com, or within the bodybuilding group on mfp.
    Great site (I'm on there as well). Muscle takes time to put on. Even gaining a pound or two in one month is considered very very good success. Good luck.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Nyphetamine - yup, have made some great gains, especially with squats
  • waxon81
    waxon81 Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    Just read an interesting article regarding running a cycle of 2 week alternations. It stated that as the body takes up to two weeks before it starts converting the 'majority' of excess calories into fat as opposed to muscle, it is beneficial to bulk at 1000 cal excess and cut at a 500 cal deficit. Sounds better than bulking up for 3 months but need to read up on what is genuinely more beneficial. It's hard to find studies about the benefits (if any) of cut/bulks without it being about roids
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,634 Member
    Options
    Just read an interesting article regarding running a cycle of 2 week alternations. It stated that as the body takes up to two weeks before it starts converting the 'majority' of excess calories into fat as opposed to muscle, it is beneficial to bulk at 1000 cal excess and cut at a 500 cal deficit. Sounds better than bulking up for 3 months but need to read up on what is genuinely more beneficial. It's hard to find studies about the benefits (if any) of cut/bulks without it being about roids
    I can state the gaining muscle as a natural is tough. Being natural my whole life, it seems that I had to work much much harder to retain any weight while bulking compared to my juiced peers. And it flat out made it discouraging sometimes watching them lift tremendous amounts of weight while I did half of what did. However, I've kept most of my muscle without drugs while they still are juicing for fear of muscle loss.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • rovernio
    rovernio Posts: 157
    Options
    no its not my maintenance im at boxing camp so i cant log evry thing i eat bad internet connection

Categories