Bulking and BF %

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Replies

  • So, how you are doing now?
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    So, how you are doing now?

    I've just said that one post above :D
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    Like in the video, use calipers. Calipers are an accurate way to track changes in bodyfat. About every two weeks measure the same areas.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    Like in the video, use calipers. Calipers are an accurate way to track changes in bodyfat. About every two weeks measure the same areas.

    Yeah, I guess I could get a pair of those..
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    If you had doine even a small amount of research you'd know that the data you're purporting as truth is nearly impossible...

    If you wanna be like all the bros that get nowhere cuz they wanna maintain a 6 pack and do way too much cardio than go ahead...

    You aren't a perfectionist. If you were you'd do some reading rather than ask silly questions and try to argue with reality.

    Even calipers are often inaccurate. Mine say I'm 11% no matter where I measure or how big I try and make the folds... Its wrong.. Im more like 15.

    You were never 6%. Period.
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
    BUMP.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    Is the 5-6 days/week an upper/lower split? Are they compounds? Can you give me a week's worth of workouts? You might not be getting proper rest, which your muscles need for repair (read: growth) depending on the program you're following.

    Day 1 Legz : squats, leg presses or whatever you call them, leg curls, calf rises.
    Day 2 Chet's bench press, dumbbell press, inclines dbp, dumbbell flies, push ups
    Day 3 back pull ups, dead lifts, lat pull downs , rows
    Day 4 chest triceps
    Day 5 shoulders biceps
    Day 6 mix , abs and cardio
    Why are working chest twice per week yet legs and back only once? I would look into a program that has more rest days yet allows you to hit each body part more often. All pros beginners or ICF 5x5 for novice would be a good start.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    Is the 5-6 days/week an upper/lower split? Are they compounds? Can you give me a week's worth of workouts? You might not be getting proper rest, which your muscles need for repair (read: growth) depending on the program you're following.

    Day 1 Legz : squats, leg presses or whatever you call them, leg curls, calf rises.
    Day 2 Chet's bench press, dumbbell press, inclines dbp, dumbbell flies, push ups
    Day 3 back pull ups, dead lifts, lat pull downs , rows
    Day 4 chest triceps
    Day 5 shoulders biceps
    Day 6 mix , abs and cardio
    Why are working chest twice per week yet legs and back only once? I would look into a program that has more rest days yet allows you to hit each body part more often. All pros beginners or ICF 5x5 for novice would be a good start.

    I shift my routine basically when I feel I am incapable of continuing it. I work chest twice a week, because I feel the need to exercise it more. I also, try to do legs and back twice if I am able :D
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    If you had doine even a small amount of research you'd know that the data you're purporting as truth is nearly impossible...

    If you wanna be like all the bros that get nowhere cuz they wanna maintain a 6 pack and do way too much cardio than go ahead...

    You aren't a perfectionist. If you were you'd do some reading rather than ask silly questions and try to argue with reality.

    Even calipers are often inaccurate. Mine say I'm 11% no matter where I measure or how big I try and make the folds... Its wrong.. Im more like 15.

    You were never 6%. Period.

    oh we've got some haterzzzz :D
  • AverageUkDude
    AverageUkDude Posts: 371 Member
    Can we see a pic of you at 6%, personally I'm curious.

    If i was you id start a full body routine, I barely put any muscle on doing split routines, then when i shifted to a full body routine i actually started to see a difference.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    Can we see a pic of you at 6%, personally I'm curious.

    If i was you id start a full body routine, I barely put any muscle on doing split routines, then when i shifted to a full body routine i actually started to see a difference.

    I am at work just now, but if you insist I can send you a picture of myself how I look when I gained the weight, so you can make your judgements. I haven't pictured myself with 6% bf I am afraid. :/
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    Is the 5-6 days/week an upper/lower split? Are they compounds? Can you give me a week's worth of workouts? You might not be getting proper rest, which your muscles need for repair (read: growth) depending on the program you're following.

    Day 1 Legz : squats, leg presses or whatever you call them, leg curls, calf rises.
    Day 2 Chet's bench press, dumbbell press, inclines dbp, dumbbell flies, push ups
    Day 3 back pull ups, dead lifts, lat pull downs , rows
    Day 4 chest triceps
    Day 5 shoulders biceps
    Day 6 mix , abs and cardio
    Why are working chest twice per week yet legs and back only once? I would look into a program that has more rest days yet allows you to hit each body part more often. All pros beginners or ICF 5x5 for novice would be a good start.

    I shift my routine basically when I feel I am incapable of continuing it. I work chest twice a week, because I feel the need to exercise it more. I also, try to do legs and back twice if I am able :D
    Do you fee like you "need" to work chest more or is it you like working chest more? I can almost guarantee if you haven't been lifting for any significant amount of time, you don't have one bodypart you need to bring up.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    I feel like I neglected my chest with my workouts that's why I tend to have two days of chest + something else. And you're right, I haven't been lifting significant amount of time. I was focusing on cardio and less on compounds...
  • sheep_dog
    sheep_dog Posts: 82 Member
    Sorry I don't have anything to contribute besides a bump for future interest and a comment:


    For the people hating on him for his concerns, you can quit with your big **** syndrome. After working hard to reach a low body fat percentage, it is common sense and normal human psychology for him to not want to gain some body fat back even if it's an unavoidable circumstance.

    Best of luck bulking!
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    Fact is, if he has been relying on a digital scale for his BF%, it is most likely considerably off. I was at 6% BF once, about 25 yrs ago. It is near impossible to stay there for a long period. 8-10% is usually much more doable. I am betting that is where he started out at myself. But the pics would help alot.... And I too would say eat around 2-300 above your tdee and focus on compound lifts for your bulking cycle ......
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    Fact is, if he has been relying on a digital scale for his BF%, it is most likely considerably off. I was at 6% BF once, about 25 yrs ago. It is near impossible to stay there for a long period. 8-10% is usually much more doable. I am betting that is where he started out at myself. But the pics would help alot.... And I too would say eat around 2-300 above your tdee and focus on compound lifts for your bulking cycle ......

    Well, fair enough, I can't really rely on the digital scales I have. But I do see a big difference now, and then. Whereas I was hardly able to pinch much of the skin fold on my lower abdomen at the time, now I have a good 15-20mm of skin there. So my bf definitely increased.

    And for your note about nearly impossible period of time with 6% bf I can say that for that time being I was doing cardio every day, would leave gym basically wet. My diet was decent, there weren't much fluctuation in my daily consumed macros and my workout routine. Again, can't be 100% sure what was the bf as far as I was using digital scales(which showed 6%), but the skin fold was reduced to minimum.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    I used the 7 point and 9 point caliper methods. I was able to get right at 6-8mm folds on all pinch sites. That equates to around 6 - 8%BF .....most of my pinch sites were 6mm, that comes in around 6-6.3%BF.

    Normally I was in the 8-10mm range, which put me @ 8-9.5%BF ......

    I was checked frequently back then, as I was in the US Military, and was listed as Obese by the POS BMI system.
  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member

    Whereas I was hardly able to pinch much of the skin fold on my lower abdomen at the time, now I have a good 15-20mm of skin there. So my bf definitely increased.

    People gain weight differently, but my lower ab skin fold is 12mm at approx. 13% BF and 16mm at 15% BF.
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    The best way is to just go over tdee by a max of about 300 cals. Nice slow and steady bulk all the way. Minimizes the unnecessary get sloppy fat gains and gives body everything it needs for growth day in and day out.
  • trickduffin
    trickduffin Posts: 19 Member
    I know I'm a little late to your question, but I think this is a great site that answers your question, and might help others as well.

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/results.php

    The whole site is free, and filled with great honest information.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    I used the 7 point and 9 point caliper methods. I was able to get right at 6-8mm folds on all pinch sites. That equates to around 6 - 8%BF .....most of my pinch sites were 6mm, that comes in around 6-6.3%BF.

    Normally I was in the 8-10mm range, which put me @ 8-9.5%BF ......

    I was checked frequently back then, as I was in the US Military, and was listed as Obese by the POS BMI system.

    According to my stats if my skin fold is 10mm it's equal to 6% bf. So it's quite different from yours. I take in consideration my height, age and weight. ;)
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Why is there no time involve in this? You can only build muscle so fast. How long have you been bulking? What is your lifting experience? You don't need a huge surplus if you haven't been lifting over 2 years. Milk noob gains.
  • jjrichard83
    jjrichard83 Posts: 483 Member
    You don't need that much protein at all... No where close to it.

    Check out Lean Gains for the slow bulk & Brad Pilon for how much protein (Brad has the research and science to back it up).

    Those two sites will have all your answers. I do think that Martin's protein amounts are high- even the NSCA agrees that athletes need between .6 & .8 grams per LEAN lb. of bodyweight to grow muscle....

    Think about how much protein is in a lb. of meat... 60-80 grams maybe... We don't need 453 grams of protein for every Lb.

    At your low body fat, you really should be doing the lean gains approach.
  • drefaw
    drefaw Posts: 739
    I used the 7 point and 9 point caliper methods. I was able to get right at 6-8mm folds on all pinch sites. That equates to around 6 - 8%BF .....most of my pinch sites were 6mm, that comes in around 6-6.3%BF.

    Normally I was in the 8-10mm range, which put me @ 8-9.5%BF ......

    I was checked frequently back then, as I was in the US Military, and was listed as Obese by the POS BMI system.

    According to my stats if my skin fold is 10mm it's equal to 6% bf. So it's quite different from yours. I take in consideration my height, age and weight. ;)

    I understand how to measure BF%... been doing it for over 30yrs .... And I know for sure, that a digital scale (bioimpedance) will not be very accurate,and generally nor will 1 or 2 pinch sites done yourself. You are the one that seems worried about your BF%, so I figured with a little info, maybe you would get it checked correctly, so as you could know exactly what it is. A 7 or 9 point caliper check is more accurate than what you are currently relying on. Get a dexa scan or go get floated, those would be even better. And like others have said, figure out your true tdee, and go about 250-350 cals over that, and bulk slow but steady. The fat gain will be minimal then .....and the cut much easier ....And "MOST" guys I know, do good using around 1.25g of protein per lb of LEAN body mass .....and .35g of fat per lb of LBM, then the rest to mostly complex carbs ......but everyone IS different, as you have already pointed out ... Good Luck .....
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    I used the 7 point and 9 point caliper methods. I was able to get right at 6-8mm folds on all pinch sites. That equates to around 6 - 8%BF .....most of my pinch sites were 6mm, that comes in around 6-6.3%BF.

    Normally I was in the 8-10mm range, which put me @ 8-9.5%BF ......

    I was checked frequently back then, as I was in the US Military, and was listed as Obese by the POS BMI system.

    According to my stats if my skin fold is 10mm it's equal to 6% bf. So it's quite different from yours. I take in consideration my height, age and weight. ;)

    I understand how to measure BF%... been doing it for over 30yrs .... And I know for sure, that a digital scale (bioimpedance) will not be very accurate,and generally nor will 1 or 2 pinch sites done yourself. You are the one that seems worried about your BF%, so I figured with a little info, maybe you would get it checked correctly, so as you could know exactly what it is. A 7 or 9 point caliper check is more accurate than what you are currently relying on. Get a dexa scan or go get floated, those would be even better. And like others have said, figure out your true tdee, and go about 250-350 cals over that, and bulk slow but steady. The fat gain will be minimal then .....and the cut much easier ....And "MOST" guys I know, do good using around 1.25g of protein per lb of LEAN body mass .....and .35g of fat per lb of LBM, then the rest to mostly complex carbs ......but everyone IS different, as you have already pointed out ... Good Luck .....

    I am not going to argue on bf measurements with you drefaw. I believe you achieved a good condition with your stats and I hope you keep it that way :) anyway, so far I am doing just fine. My TDEE is 3000 and I am consuming 3500 cals a day. I see increase in weight, and according to my scales very little increase in bf(not really paying much attention to it). Still not doing much cardio, and therefore minimising the rest times to keep heart rate high...
  • Trainercobb
    Trainercobb Posts: 2 Member
    I'm new here, I just ran across your post. Your metabolism is obviously high and you are a hard gainer. Upping the protein is actually not a good idea. If you are at 3000cals per day you want to get 1-1.5g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight, less than 20% of daily calories from fat so about 66g and the rest from Carbs. That's right, you need carbs to build muscle. If you take in too much protein as I suspect you are, you will pass the excess or worse yet, convert it to fat and store it. You will gain some fat as you build muscle, as long as you keep to complex carbs and evenly space your meals you should be fine.

    As for weight training,you need to lift as heavy as you can in good form 3-5 sets. If you don't need a spot, you are not lifting heavy enough. Muscle responds to the amount of stress placed on it. You cannot expect the muscle to grow by simply adding calories and not changing how you work out.

    Oh and forget about cardio, it will burn calories but it will also prevent you from recovering from weight training.
  • minuz5
    minuz5 Posts: 256 Member
    I'm new here, I just ran across your post. Your metabolism is obviously high and you are a hard gainer. Upping the protein is actually not a good idea. If you are at 3000cals per day you want to get 1-1.5g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight, less than 20% of daily calories from fat so about 66g and the rest from Carbs. That's right, you need carbs to build muscle. If you take in too much protein as I suspect you are, you will pass the excess or worse yet, convert it to fat and store it. You will gain some fat as you build muscle, as long as you keep to complex carbs and evenly space your meals you should be fine.

    As for weight training,you need to lift as heavy as you can in good form 3-5 sets. If you don't need a spot, you are not lifting heavy enough. Muscle responds to the amount of stress placed on it. You cannot expect the muscle to grow by simply adding calories and not changing how you work out.

    Oh and forget about cardio, it will burn calories but it will also prevent you from recovering from weight training.

    Well, would you suggest me changing my macros which right now are 50% carbs 30 prot and 20 fats? So far it helped me to put on couple kg with little fat.
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
    I'm new here, I just ran across your post. Your metabolism is obviously high and you are a hard gainer. Upping the protein is actually not a good idea. If you are at 3000cals per day you want to get 1-1.5g of protein per pound of lean bodyweight, less than 20% of daily calories from fat so about 66g and the rest from Carbs. That's right, you need carbs to build muscle. If you take in too much protein as I suspect you are, you will pass the excess or worse yet, convert it to fat and store it. You will gain some fat as you build muscle, as long as you keep to complex carbs and evenly space your meals you should be fine.

    As for weight training,you need to lift as heavy as you can in good form 3-5 sets. If you don't need a spot, you are not lifting heavy enough. Muscle responds to the amount of stress placed on it. You cannot expect the muscle to grow by simply adding calories and not changing how you work out.

    Oh and forget about cardio, it will burn calories but it will also prevent you from recovering from weight training.
    Wouldn't be too much excess calories in general that cause fat gains? Wouldn't excess protein just be broken down into "expensive" glycogen?
  • hey man I agree completely... stay lean and gain by doing protein and low carbs. Im an exercise science major, so I know the drill. you ever hear about getting caught with your pants down...well you never know when ull be caught with ur shirt off. keep that **** tight.