Which came first, the cut or the bulk?

Bulk and then cut. Haven't met a bodybuilder that hasn't gone that route.

Probably the only rule of bro-science that's correct.

Edit: There is a method to this madness, though. Often while cutting you'll lose muscle along with fat. It'd be much easier to bulk up your muscle mass and then cut, rather than losing the muscle you do have while cutting first and starting from scratch.

Now that I've looked through your photos, don't worry about getting fatter. I definitely vote for bulk.

Another argument in defense of the bulk:

Increase muscle mass indisputably raises metabolic rate. After enough gains, you burn more just sitting and blinking than before. Sounds like an exaggeration, but your body really does become a fat-burning machine (or more closely resembles one) after you substantially gain muscle mass.

After bulking, your body will be more efficient at burning calories, depending on the period of time. Cutting will have more of an effect because of this. Also, the decreased metabolism that cutting brings won't be as much of an issue post gains.

As to getting fatter, no way in hell does bulking make you "fatter", unless you're intake is causing a surplus of calories. The scale may go up, but you are getting leaner, not gaining more fat in proportion to your body weight.

As to getting fatter, no way in hell does bulking make you "fatter", unless you're intake is causing a surplus of calories. The scale may go up, but you are getting leaner, not gaining more fat in proportion to your body weight.

That's just it, though - when people bulk, they do get fatter because they eat a surplus all the time. You can, of course, calorie cycle but that decreases the speed of bulk.

Interesting article here: http://ectomorphworkout.org/nutrition/bulking-up-to-gain-muscle-when-it-causes-a-permanent-increase-in-fat-cells/

Relevant although entirely the author's opinion.

Looking at your pics ...Bulk then cut

Another argument in defense of the bulk:

Increase muscle mass indisputably raises metabolic rate. After enough gains, you burn more just sitting and blinking than before. Sounds like an exaggeration, but your body really does become a fat-burning machine (or more closely resembles one) after you substantially gain muscle mass.

After bulking, your body will be more efficient at burning calories, depending on the period of time. Cutting will have more of an effect because of this. Also, the decreased metabolism that cutting brings won't be as much of an issue post gains.

As to getting fatter, no way in hell does bulking make you "fatter", unless you're intake is causing a surplus of calories. The scale may go up, but you are getting leaner, not gaining more fat in proportion to your body weight.

I've never seen someone bulk that didnt get fat. By definition, bulking is the process of eating at a surplus. So, yes, you get bigger and fatter. That's the point. When you cut later, you strip the fat, and hopefully keep the teeny tiny muscle that you gained while bulking.

What exactly is your definition of fatter? Fatter for me means gaining more fat in comparison to the amount of lean body mass.
You're gaining fat, sure but you're increasing muscle. It's all about the proportions.

I've been bulking, and have yet to see my body fat percentage go up, even with an 10 pound weight gain. Am I doing it wrong? I hardly think so. Getting fat is having a higher body fat percentage.

I'd recommend eating above maintenance, with the bulk of those calories coming from protein. It's usually recommended to have your protein after your workout, even though I've found timing doesn't matter at all as long as you're meeting your macros. I guess it's the psychological boost.

So, you think you've gained 10 lbs of muscle?

No. Muscle, water weight, and fat. My hair has also grown a bit and I was wearing a heavy winter coat. I also jumped when I got on the scale, makes me a bit heavier as well.

you re in the range of up to 20% body fat to best benefit from bulking as a woman and if you want to gain muscle and size its the time to do it as you obviously wont gain muscle if you re cutting and will just waste a couple of months doing so...

Big oooops , you re a bloke !!! you need to be below 17% to best benefit from bulking muscle gain !

Getting fat is having a higher body fat percentage.

Which most people do when bulking. I think it's quite rare for someone to maintain an exact bodyfat% while gaining significant weight.

If this happened, people would cut once, and then bulk forever.

I would avoid it. Bulking means the scale will go up. I don't care where it's from, I avoid it.

Maybe cutting first would be easier on the brain.

I'm an old school dinosaur and no one seems to prescribe to my way of thinking anymore, but I always go for a bulk before a cut. I see so many people say they are cutting and I look at them and I'm like, "cutting what???"

It should be noted that I also like to eat tons and tons of pizza and like to lift heavy as hell, so "bulking" is generally my excuse to eat like a crazy man, get fat as all hell, and hit PRs. By default setting is bulk, even when my fat *kitten* should definitely be cutting.

Getting fat is having a higher body fat percentage.

Which most people do when bulking. I think it's quite rare for someone to maintain an exact bodyfat% while gaining significant weight.

If this happened, people would cut once, and then bulk forever.

I suppose it's rare, but no where near impossible.



Two month's into bulking, pre-cut. The bodyfat % was maintained, if I'm not mistaken. Doing lean gains, not that I think it's the answer to bulking without turning into a whale (as you all insist will happen) I'm bulking as well and haven't seen much of a fat gain if any.

And don't worry, I have full permission to post. I'm making bacon this morning.

Edit: not to go off-topic, but maybe OP should try lean gains. I'm not one for IF since I feel like I'm going to die if I don't eat for two hours, but it's worked for the bf as well as a few others I know of that have given it a go.

Lol this is pretty convincing commercial. I'm going to go make my man try this now.