Should I be bulking or cutting? Little help please.

beezerphd

I've been working out for around 11 months now and have definitely seen some muscle gains during that time, but I'm now beginning to think I've stuck and I'm just starting to get podgy again.

I'm 25, 5ft 10 and weigh about 182lb which has remained the same weight the entire time I've been working out. I've ordered fat calipers and tape measures so I can work out my BF%, but I estimate it to be somewhere in the late teens early 20's.

Here's a photo of my current progress to give you an idea of where I'm at.



I'm struggling to gain weight even with clearing 3600 calories a day on a relatively sedentary lifestyle, bar my 60 minute weight workout 5 days a week.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

HeidiMightyRawr

I wouldn't say you "need" to gain anymore right now, but I could say the same about losing. You look relatively lean still. So it's you call really, if you want more muscle / mass, then bulk for a bit longer. But if you want to get leaner and see more definition then I'd cut.

Personally, as it's coming up to winter, and you look like you could go either way, I would bulk for a little bit, and cut when it's approaching the warmer weather.

GoatBoat66

You could eat at maintenance, lift heavy, and hope for some re-composition. Or just bulk. It's winter.

ArroganceInStep

It's winter.

*

What is your current workout and what is your diet like now?

Chief_Rocka

You're around 15%, I would cut.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Personally, as it's coming up to winter, and you look like you could go either way, I would bulk for a little bit, and cut when it's approaching the warmer weather.

This. Bulking is fun. If you are having trouble gaining, first make sure you are doing a hypertrophy program (lots of volume) and eat even more.

KittieLea

No advice, but you're hot. Like Jared Leto hot.

auroranflash

Holiday cutting seems unnecessarily cruel... maybe wait until after the holidays and then cut, and just work on increasing your weight.

BTW, love your Ninja Turtles shirt in your profile pic

geekyjock76

I would cut, as well. You don't want to bulk at too high a body fat percentage. I know Lyle McDonald puts the end mark at 15% for guys - I'm a bit more lenient and recommend ending a bulk at 18%.

beezerphd

No advice, but you're hot. Like Jared Leto hot.

Haha so Bat**** crazy hot then.

I'll take it as a compliment cos he's a pretty good looking bloke for his age.

What is your current workout and what is your diet like now?

My diary is open to anyone who wishes to look at my eating habits. I lift heavy 5 days a week. Usually with a split of

Monday - Chest and Tri's
Tuesday - Back and Biceps
Wed - Shoulders
Thursday - Arms and Abs
Friday - Legs

beezerphd

Is there a possibility of doing a mini-cut at all or is that not really a feasible option?

dawson55510

Why arms twice a week mate? if training weights naturally for growth i would train weights no more than 4 days a week, rest is key for growth

beezerphd

Why arms twice a week mate? if training weights naturally for growth i would train weights no more than 4 days a week, rest is key for growth

The Monday and Tuesday arms is only really minimal work on them, so perhaps doing a couple of sets of tricep extensions after finishing my chest. I sometimes can't be bothered doing them on the Monday or Tuesday so keep the thursday free as a sort of fall back option. If I do them on Monday or Tuesday then I'll do some BJJ drills instead.

ArroganceInStep

My diary is open to anyone who wishes to look at my eating habits. I lift heavy 5 days a week. Usually with a split of

Monday - Chest and Tri's
Tuesday - Back and Biceps
Wed - Shoulders
Thursday - Arms and Abs
Friday - Legs

Maybe i did it wrong, but clicking on your profile it looks like it's locked. Also in general I find it better for a person to describe their own diet. I don't care if you ate 3 wheat thins yesterday or 5 the day before, but are you on a specific paradigm? Do you just focus on calories or do you look at macronutrients as well? How much protein and fat do you try to get in each day (and do you pull it off most days)? Etc. I ask for more specifics because, regardless of if you choose to bulk or cut, if you can't gain weight on 3600 calories I think you may want to look at what exactly it is your eating before going forward.

With respect to the workout I was more looking for a bit more specifics. What lifts are you doing? What's your current max in your main lifts for those days and what are you using for working weight? I ask about this because, especially when you decide to start bulking, having a solid hypertrophy program in place is pretty crucial. Judging by your profile pic I'll say that you're not pulling in the curl rack, so you're half way there .

I would tend to agree with Rock on this one. From what I can tell a good rule of thumb for most guys is to cut until they have very visible and defined abs, and then to bulk until they have barely visible abs. Obviously guys who don't get abs until like 5% BF or whatever this doesn't apply to, but it's a decent starting point if you don't want to worry about calipers and crap (if you do, cut to 8-10, bulk to 15 or so).

More important than that though, do you think you need to lose weight or gain? Are you happy with how you look right now? If yes, to hell with our advice and keep doing what you're doing.

ArroganceInStep

Is there a possibility of doing a mini-cut at all or is that not really a feasible option?

You can absolutely do mini cuts (same goes for bulking). There's no set time frame that this stuff has to be done in.

beezerphd

My diary is open to anyone who wishes to look at my eating habits. I lift heavy 5 days a week. Usually with a split of

Monday - Chest and Tri's
Tuesday - Back and Biceps
Wed - Shoulders
Thursday - Arms and Abs
Friday - Legs

Maybe i did it wrong, but clicking on your profile it looks like it's locked. Also in general I find it better for a person to describe their own diet. I don't care if you ate 3 wheat thins yesterday or 5 the day before, but are you on a specific paradigm? Do you just focus on calories or do you look at macronutrients as well? How much protein and fat do you try to get in each day (and do you pull it off most days)? Etc. I ask for more specifics because, regardless of if you choose to bulk or cut, if you can't gain weight on 3600 calories I think you may want to look at what exactly it is your eating before going forward.

With respect to the workout I was more looking for a bit more specifics. What lifts are you doing? What's your current max in your main lifts for those days and what are you using for working weight? I ask about this because, especially when you decide to start bulking, having a solid hypertrophy program in place is pretty crucial. Judging by your profile pic I'll say that you're not pulling in the curl rack, so you're half way there .

I would tend to agree with Rock on this one. From what I can tell a good rule of thumb for most guys is to cut until they have very visible and defined abs, and then to bulk until they have barely visible abs. Obviously guys who don't get abs until like 5% BF or whatever this doesn't apply to, but it's a decent starting point if you don't want to worry about calipers and crap (if you do, cut to 8-10, bulk to 15 or so).

More important than that though, do you think you need to lose weight or gain? Are you happy with how you look right now? If yes, to hell with our advice and keep doing what you're doing.

I aim to hit 3600 calories whilst trying to hit my Macros too. On a daily basis I'm hitting about 3600 calories, 450 carbs, 120 fat and 180 protein. I'm a nightmare for not having breakfast so usually I'm aiming to get these in later on in the day.

Chest days - Bench - 90kg barbell/3 reps/ 3 sets
Incline Bench - as above
Decline - 100kg/3 reps/3 sets superset with close grip bench with just barbell.
Incline flyes - 17.5kg/8 reps/3 sets

Back - Pullups - 3 sets/unassisted to failure then negatives to failure.
Lat Pulldowns - 3 sets/120kg/8-10 reps
Deadlifts - 3 sets/120kg/8-10 reps with a 160kg 1rm
Seated cable rows - 3 sets/45kg/10 reps

Shoulders - DB Shoulder press - 25kg each arm/ 4-6 reps/3 sets
Side and Front raises - 15kg/10 reps/3 sets alternating side and front on a weekly basis.
Upright Rows - 42.5kg/10 reps/3 sets superset of 120kg shrugs.

Legs - Squat - 160kg/8-10 reps/3 sets
Leg extensions - full stack(not sure exactly how heavy it is)/ 8 reps/3 sets/
Leg curls - 15-20kg,10 reps/3 sets
Calf raises - 160kg/8 reps/3 sets

and so on....

That's a rough breakdown of my usual workouts

SideSteel

Cut.

Sublog

Cutting.

AllTehBeers

No advice, but you're hot. Like Jared Leto hot.

This.

ArroganceInStep

I aim to hit 3600 calories whilst trying to hit my Macros too. On a daily basis I'm hitting about 3600 calories, 450 carbs, 120 fat and 180 protein. I'm a nightmare for not having breakfast so usually I'm aiming to get these in later on in the day.

Chest days - Bench - 90kg barbell/3 reps/ 3 sets
Incline Bench - as above
Decline - 100kg/3 reps/3 sets superset with close grip bench with just barbell.
Incline flyes - 17.5kg/8 reps/3 sets

Back - Pullups - 3 sets/unassisted to failure then negatives to failure.
Lat Pulldowns - 3 sets/120kg/8-10 reps
Deadlifts - 3 sets/120kg/8-10 reps with a 160kg 1rm
Seated cable rows - 3 sets/45kg/10 reps

Shoulders - DB Shoulder press - 25kg each arm/ 4-6 reps/3 sets
Side and Front raises - 15kg/10 reps/3 sets alternating side and front on a weekly basis.
Upright Rows - 42.5kg/10 reps/3 sets superset of 120kg shrugs.

Legs - Squat - 160kg/8-10 reps/3 sets
Leg extensions - full stack(not sure exactly how heavy it is)/ 8 reps/3 sets/
Leg curls - 15-20kg,10 reps/3 sets
Calf raises - 160kg/8 reps/3 sets

and so on....

That's a rough breakdown of my usual workouts

There's always going to be things to nitpick, but at the end of the day that's just mental *kitten*. Looks pretty good. Assuming you're up for it, go for the cut first, then bulk once you're leaner.

bradphil87

I run an almost identical split to yours. But I see you hit upper body 3 days in a row there. My best advice would be to do chest and tris, then throw legs day next or one of your 2 rest days, and then back and bis, after that hit a rest day. Just a suggestion, those are my two biggest upper body lift days so I try to break them up pretty good. Also (to your main question) I agree with an above poster that your probably in the 15-16% range, cutting for a bit longer would be best in my opinion. (I know it sucks lol, I've been so ready to start my bulk too and it's bulking season now) but I waiting for 12% before I start mine. But again, just a preference. Keep up the good work bro, look forward to seeing your progress eather way you decide to go!