Ladies who have "bulked"

BusyRaeNOTBusty

In honor of some of the comments in this thread:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/940303-my-lady-bulking-memoir-pic-heavy

(and because I'm bored), I thought it would be cool to put together a collection of Lady bulking success stories. Bonus points if you've successfully cut afterwards.


Also please answer the following:

How much over maintenance did you eat?

How long did you bulk for?

How much weight did you gain?

What lifting program did you follow?

How much cardio, if any?

VelociMama

In for the awesomeness that is soon to follow.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I ate about 3000 calories a day. TDEE is about 2500 on average for me.

I bulked for about 4 months.

Gained 10lbs.

I started with New Rules phase 1, then moved into a higher volume "hypertrophy" upper/lower body split program. It consisted of compound moves followed by some isolation. I did that 4-5 days a week.

I did do some low to moderate intensity cardio, 2-3 times a week.


And yeah, it's been over a year and I have not successfully "cut" (due to my inability to eat and remain at a calorie deficit).

a_vettestingray

bumping, since I failed at mine :laugh:

sburde2

bump

BeccaBollons

Bump for inspiration!

meeulk

bump

astronomicals

How much over maintenance did you eat?
Whatever makes you gain 1/2 pound a week 10-20%

How long did you bulk for?
depends on your starting BF%

How much weight did you gain?
depends on how much bulk you're comfortable adding... at least half will be fat

What lifting program did you follow?
preferably a moderate to high intensity full body weight routine.. free weights or machines.. your choice.. i like free

How much cardio, if any?

maybe 60-90 minutes a week

take it or leave it.. thats decent advice

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Oh and I'll link my own blog with advice and articles to read if anyone is interested in bulking:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-475896


Although it's almost summer. Bulking is usually done in the winter. Sweaters are more forgiving than bikinis. :flowerforyou:

Jonesie1984

<

---

did a 3 month bulk/metabolic reset from oct-december.. Been cutting for almost 12 weeks.. (the end of the week).

:
How much over maintenance did you eat?
I didn't log them but probably between 2300-2800 cals/day. Currently cutting at 1800-1900 cals/daily.

How long did you bulk for? 12 weeks.

How much weight did you gain? Approximately 16#

What lifting program did you follow? No particular program. I train body sites by days and write my own programs.

How much cardio, if any? Very little.. sporatic trail running or hiking but not a set amount a week.

bcf7683

I'm finishing up my 12 week program next week. I've gained around 8~ish pounds since the start. I've been eating around 1900-2000cal/day (could've been more, but being my first bulk I was trying to minimize fat gain). Equal amounts of protein & carbs (around 150g) and about 45g of healthy fats per day.

I've been doing a program that goes through 4 week micro cycles every 3 weeks (look on bodybuilding.com at Jim Stoppani's 12 week shortcut to size). First week is 10-12 reps with rest pause on the 3rd set of each lift. Second week is 8-10 reps with rest pause. 3rd week is 6-8 reps with drop set on last set of each. 4th week is 3-5 reps with drop set.

I've increased my lifts a ridiculous amount since I started doing the micro cycles. I loved this program- I don't want to stop it... weeks 3&4 of the micro cycles make me feel like a beast

I'm starting my cut the week after next, I'll still be lifting heavy, but I'm adding in HIIT 3-4 times a week along with barbell complex workouts 2-3 times a week. I'm looking forward to a little cardio, I miss it a little (never thought I'd say that...)

I'll have my calories around 1900/day, granted that I'll probably be burning 400-500 cals/day with the routine I've described above. I never wore my HRM when I lifted, but I'll start tracking burned calories more closely again once I start cutting.

Edited to add: while doing the 12 week program, I did little to no cardio.
The lifting program splits the muscle groups

1. chest/tris/calves
2. back/bis/abs
3. shoulders/traps/calves
4. legs/abs

__RANDY__

:flowerforyou:

Janda06

<--- just ended mine! No after awesomeness yet!

How much over maintenance did you eat? about 200 over...I got my eat on for all the holidays and etc. I was around 2500cals

How long did you bulk for? 6 months

How much weight did you gain? 12lbs

What lifting program did you follow? I did this program and used Wendler 5/3/1 for the power part

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/4-day-power-muscle-burn-workout-split.html

How much cardio, if any? 2 days 60 min

I just started cutting at 2000 calories....lets see how it goes!

BinaryPulsar

I'm also here to read. I never went on an official "bulk" because I had never heard of that. But, I've always been active with my fitness and never cut my calories to a low amount, and would frequently eat at a surplus to purposely gain weight because I often felt I needed to gain weight for energy and health (my activity level and high metabolism would often require that). When I reached a ten pound gain (sometimes it would take years for that to happen), I would naturally decide that I didn't want to gain any more. I would then reduce my eating a bit and do more cardio (for about 6 months). However I have always gone back to the same basic weight. I'm glad to have learned about bulking and cutting, so I can be more intentional with it, if I find myself wanting to gain again.

Jessiebell527

Bump

kcmo2528

bump, read later

ChitownFoodie

How much over maintenance did you eat? 0 - 1,000 calories a day. I tried to consistently eat over maintenance, but there were days here any there where I couldn't hit the calories. Those were typically days when I would do cardio. My typical daily intake was 2,200-3,200 calories

How long did you bulk for? From August 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012

How much weight did you gain? 10.8lbs

What lifting program did you follow? New Rules of Lifting for Women

How much cardio, if any? I started off doing cardio on my non lifting days, but I could never hit the calorie intake I needed so I cut out cardio altogether starting in November.

By the way, at the beginnig of bulk I was at 21.2% body fat and by mid February I was at 18.9%. I didn't cut calories when bulk was over, I just ate at maintenance. Still no cardio in my life!

Isakizza

bump )

DrMAvDPhD

In for advice, bulking now :flowerforyou:

wareagle8706

bump

neandermagnon

not done a proper bulk as in deliberately eating over maintenance, but I was hitting the weights hard and not tracking what I ate, and I was at least some of the time eating over maintenance because I did put on some weight, not sure how much (wasn't measuring it) but the amount I could lift went up by a lot, and my lean body mass went up too. Before that I'd been eating at a deficit for too long (not deliberately) and I think I'd lost some lean body mass. During this time my LBM seemed to have gone from about 97lb to 101lb, though it's hard to be sure as I wasn't being that careful to measure progress, and also, I think most of it was LBM that I'd lost from being in a deficit for too long.

Since then I've been doing a slow cut and I certainly intend to do a proper bulk, as in find out exactly where my maintenance calories are and eat more than that while really hitting the weights.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Pictures ladies! I want pictures!

stines72

attempting a slow bulk as we speak. about 2 weeks in. i will report back.

Meggles63

I LOVE this thread! I just have to say, You ladies are awesome! I plan on trying a bulk this Fall/Winter, but I'm such a scaredy cat. You are totally inspiring. Keep up the good work!

Imaan2012

Need to follow this one!

Lyadeia

I hope she doesn't mind, but one of my friends on here has gone through very successful cutting and bulking cycles and I love her progress pictures. She is stephanielynn76. Go check out her blog as it is FULL of pictures from when she was first starting to lose fat until now. She also details her training and nutrition regimen.

KarenJanine

I just came out of a 'trial bulk' which I did for 5 weeks. I averaged around 2900 cals per day and gained around 5lb. I'm now cutting/maintaining through the summer to try get my BF% below 20 then aim to do a 3-4 month bulk next autumn/winter.

Wen37

bump

perfectionisntme

By the way, at the beginnig of bulk I was at 21.2% body fat and by mid February I was at 18.9%. I didn't cut calories when bulk was over, I just ate at maintenance. Still no cardio in my life!

That's what I wanted to read. I have time weights, but being on my feet all day and busy squeezing in cardio has been rough lately, so THANK YOU FOR SHARING!

michellekicks

See I'm impressed that people are eating a few hundred calories over maintenance daily and are gaining 10-16 lbs in 3-5 months in that time. That's important to note for all those freaking out about going up 3 lbs from a meal... a true gain takes much more time to accomplish.

I'm going to do my first bulk in October of this year... after the last of my 13 mile races.

mustgetmuscles1

Bumpin.