Bulk and cut help
Babsvii
Posts: 177 Member
I have been eating at a surplus for over 6 weeks now... have put on 3lbs since i started (not sure how much of this is muscle or fat) but i dont feel like i have really gained much fat really, my muscles do look larger, i havent been measuring at all just using the mirror and scale to see how much weight i have gained... Im not eating too much over just about 300-400 calories more then i was when i was maintaining. My question is when should i start to cut?... i would guess that im somewhere around 17% BF.. but i have this small layer of fat on my abs that i want GONE... i would be ok with the amount of muscles i have now if i could just get rid of the belly fat.
I have to admit i am enjoying waiting more and my muscles have been looking fab... but those damn abs... sigh, they get me so down it seems like nothing i do makes then appear... i know people say abs are made in the kitchen but seriously i eat really healthy... i workout my abs 1-2 times a week doing over 300 ab workouts. I use to do it 3 times a week but found it didnt really do much for me. maybe if i could cut a little more fat whatever i have under there will show up better? or do i just keep bulking and hope my abs grow more before i cut?
Also when i do decide to cut do i still continue my lifting? or do i do strictly cardio? i love lifting and dont like cardio much but i will do it if its necessary LOL .... any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I have to admit i am enjoying waiting more and my muscles have been looking fab... but those damn abs... sigh, they get me so down it seems like nothing i do makes then appear... i know people say abs are made in the kitchen but seriously i eat really healthy... i workout my abs 1-2 times a week doing over 300 ab workouts. I use to do it 3 times a week but found it didnt really do much for me. maybe if i could cut a little more fat whatever i have under there will show up better? or do i just keep bulking and hope my abs grow more before i cut?
Also when i do decide to cut do i still continue my lifting? or do i do strictly cardio? i love lifting and dont like cardio much but i will do it if its necessary LOL .... any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Its a bit of a personal thing, but I would not get any higher than 25%. What direct abs work are you doing? if you are doing 300 reps that is not going to really build them. Also, the segmentation you see with six packs has a large dependency on genetics as well as muscle development and lower body fat.
6 weeks is a really short bulk - you would not have really done much in that time. The most women can gain, under ideal circumstances (one of which is being new to lifting) is 1lb a month, and that is all over.0 -
If you are ok with only adding one pound of muscles you can cut now........I would not bulk for less than 3 months....6 months is better.0
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It's up to you, but I would expect the potential for more noticeable results if you were to bulk for a longer duration. You just can't gain much at all in 6 weeks.0
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Its a bit of a personal thing, but I would not get any higher than 25%. What direct abs work are you doing? if you are doing 300 reps that is not going to really build them. Also, the segmentation you see with six packs has a large dependency on genetics as well as muscle development and lower body fat.
6 weeks is a really short bulk - you would not have really done much in that time. The most women can gain, under ideal circumstances (one of which is being new to lifting) is 1lb a month, and that is all over.
For ab workouts i am doing the p90x Ab ripper 1-2 times a week... i was doing it 3 times a week but didnt find it was helping much and read somewhere that 1-2 times a week is better as it gives them time to heal... I also agree with you on the genetics part... i have seen people who workout much less and for a shorter time then me and have built better abs... sigh, i just might be one of those people who cannot get abs. I have been doing this for over a year i would think that i would have a little more defined abs then i do but i don't...
I really like the way my body is now (besides the lack of abs), im not looking to gain mass amounts of muscle just want some nice definition. I agree i should probably bulk for a little while longer maybe until the end of April... i would prefer to lose the fat by the time the weather is nice so that im not flabby at the lake.
any suggestions on what i could do differently for abs?0 -
If I recall correctly, you work out at home?0
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yes P90x is my go to workout... i am on my 5th round... closest gym to me is 2.5 hours away! LOL i have free weights and a bar with weights.... thats basically all i have oh and a bench. I also add deadlifts to my legs and back day lifting 150lbs doing that.0
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Also when i do decide to cut do i still continue my lifting? or do i do strictly cardio? i love lifting and dont like cardio much but i will do it if its necessary LOL .... any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I don't think anyone addressed this part so I wanted to say that when you do decide to cut, definitely keep up with the lifting! It will help you hang on to the LBM you gained. 0 -
Bumping as I was going to come up with some suggestions for ab work. Will hopefully get back tomorrow.0
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