Lean Bulking?

a_vettestingray

Have any of you tried it? It seems much easier mentally and physically than an extended bulk cycle. Since I feel like I need to eat more to truely progress on SL...and Thanksgiving is coming up, I figured I would give it a go. I plan to eat 300 over TDEE, which will put me at 2150 - for two weeks. Then cut to 300 under TDEE for two weeks.

Has anyone had success with this?

Any tips for a bulk? I'm still a newbie.

iron_jj

What exactly do you expect from a 2 week 'bulk'?
Strength gains? You might get a PR or two, that's what happened on my 'unintended 4 week bulk'. I broke my squat plataeu at 185 and finally progressed and have ever since. Slow but steady. But that's about it.
Or muscles? You won't be getting any gains in two weeks though.

a_vettestingray

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/bulking-for-natural-bodybuilders.html

I am hoping to cycle calorie surpluses and deficits to gain lean body mass while minimizing fat gain, as well as increase my stength.

Seems way less intimidating than a longer bulk cycle. Especially when I have such a hard time cutting.

iron_jj

Personally, not a fan of 2 week cycles.
For me it is nowhere near enough to see satisfying results. Anywhere from 8-12 week makes sense to me. I'm not doing 5x5 anymore though. (currently following a 4 day split, eating 300-400 calories above maintenance). As a woman it is really hard to put on mass anyway, we simply do not have the testosterone levels of a man. In 2 weeks I personally do not notice any difference, except for like I said some progress in the numbers I can lift. Fat gains can be minimized during a longer bulk, keep your diet clean (no dirty bulk! ) but they can't be avoided. If you want to grow some muscles, you will have to get used to gaining fat with it.

tameko2

I think 2 weeks is too short too - maybe its ok for SOME men, who are physiologically and genetically advantaged, but I doubt it would work for most women, without steroids or a super high genetic advantage and possibly a higher than normal testosterone balance?

are you already eating maintenance cals and are you sure they are correct? 1750 sounds awfully low for someone lifting 3x a week unless you're very small or otherwise very inactive.

tameko2

PS - rather than 2 week bulk and cuts, you might try carb cycling instead. Higher cal and higher carb on lift days, lower cal and lower carb on off days, target your carbs around your lifting (eat most of them post work out)

a_vettestingray

are you already eating maintenance cals and are you sure they are correct? 1750 sounds awfully low for someone lifting 3x a week unless you're very small or otherwise very inactive.

I have my maintenance set at 1850. I only lift 3x a week...sometimes walk the dog. At work, I am extremely sedentary, as I am strapped to a chair for 8 to 12 hours. Then I go home and vegetate since I am mentally burned out. I have been eating at 1850 for a month and have maintained my weight, so I am working off that number. I was cycling calories, but not really carb cycling. I didn't like to cycle calories depending on the day b/c it is easy to aim for the same number everyday for me.

Thanks for the thoughts.

tameko2

are you already eating maintenance cals and are you sure they are correct? 1750 sounds awfully low for someone lifting 3x a week unless you're very small or otherwise very inactive.

I have my maintenance set at 1850. I only lift 3x a week...sometimes walk the dog. At work, I am extremely sedentary, as I am strapped to a chair for 8 to 12 hours. Then I go home and vegetate since I am mentally burned out. I have been eating at 1850 for a month and have maintained my weight, so I am working off that number. I was cycling calories, but not really carb cycling. I didn't like to cycle calories depending on the day b/c it is easy to aim for the same number everyday for me.

Thanks for the thoughts.

yeah I also hate cycling calories for that very reason - and for me exercise is an appetite suppressant so I tend to be WAY hungrier on off days. How long have you been lifting? eating at maintenance you should see SOME gains no matter what. So I'd just stick with it until you hit some stalls and then I would add 300 cals only on lifting days and try that for a while (so a very small slow bulk) - longer than 2 weeks though, like 4-6, and just see what happens.

There's really no magic plan that works for everyone. You just have to try things.

Martucha123

Not a big fan of 2 week cycles. What if you try long bulk but with small kcal surplus, fe 150 not 300?

iorahkwano

I am trying the bulking & cutting thing too!

I was maintaining on anywhere between 1500-2000 calories.
My TDEE is supposedly anywhere from 2500-2800.
So I increased my cals to 2200ish to be safe (People tend to underestimate calories anyway).

Since Dec 11th, I've been eating 2200 and doing Strong Lifts. I cut out almost all cardio. I am planning to do this until I feel strong or "muscly" enough that I can enter the cutting phase. I just finished week 6.

So far:
- the scale only went up 3lbs (which is normal when I eat more)
- I gained 1.5" on waist, 0.5" on belly & 0.5" on hips. (Also normal)
- my body fat percentage is 19%

So bulking hasn't really changed that much so far other than the amount of weight I can lift. I'm probably getting bigger arms or legs but I didn't measure them pre-bulking.