How much will I benefit from a clean bulk?

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  • NRBreit
    NRBreit Posts: 319 Member
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    I agree with the others. You will likely need to be closer to 3,000 cals. I have similar height/weight stats and have done 2 bulks - 165>180 (15 weeks) and 170>186 (20 weeks) both on 3,000 - 3,200 cals. Good luck and have fun with it. If you're anything like me, you will likely gain 5+ pounds right off the bat once you start eating and loading up the glycogen. Gains will slow after that.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
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    I'm 6'3 and started at 160 too. My first bulk I gained a 1lb / week for the first 3 months. Weight gained progressively slowed after that. I got up to 180 and then cut back to 173.

    I'd suggest doing the belly fat pinch every morning along with a weigh in. You want your belly fat to grow, but very slightly. That way you're getting all the muscle out of your bulk, while gaining as little fat as possible.

    Once you get up to 16% BF, do a cut down to 10%. Optimal gains happen when you're about 10% BF.

    It's a spectacular journey. Have fun with it!
  • DeadliftAddict
    DeadliftAddict Posts: 746 Member
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    You can benefit a lot. You will need to give it the proper time it takes to clean bulk. I hope you mean clean bulk in that you are going to be pushing for 1/2 pound to maybe a pound of weight gain a week. Give it a solid eight months during the fall and winter months and you will be just fine. Lift some heavy weight, rest and grow. Plus doing it during that time will allow you to not have to worry about cutting during the "eat everything" holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Start your summer cut during the spring and you should be good. Make sure to make adjustments along the way. Good luck.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    I'm 6'3 and started at 160 too. My first bulk I gained a 1lb / week for the first 3 months. Weight gained progressively slowed after that. I got up to 180 and then cut back to 173.

    I'd suggest doing the belly fat pinch every morning along with a weigh in. You want your belly fat to grow, but very slightly. That way you're getting all the muscle out of your bulk, while gaining as little fat as possible.

    Once you get up to 16% BF, do a cut down to 10%. Optimal gains happen when you're about 10% BF.

    It's a spectacular journey. Have fun with it!

    Thanks man! To ask you a question, how much did you eat daily in order to make those gains? In all honesty I may just be bulking all the way into the holidays since I'm starting right when summer starts anyways hahha.

    I'm not paying too much attention to the scale anymore, since some days I'll wake up at 161.6 or as high as 165. I still routinely check though and plan on recording my weight weekly on saturday mornings.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    You can benefit a lot. You will need to give it the proper time it takes to clean bulk. I hope you mean clean bulk in that you are going to be pushing for 1/2 pound to maybe a pound of weight gain a week. Give it a solid eight months during the fall and winter months and you will be just fine. Lift some heavy weight, rest and grow. Plus doing it during that time will allow you to not have to worry about cutting during the "eat everything" holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Start your summer cut during the spring and you should be good. Make sure to make adjustments along the way. Good luck.

    Thanks for the support! Yes exactly, you can look at my diary, and there are lots of whole foods and proteins, yogurts, fruits and veggies, and some extra goodies to actually start getting into a decent surplus :)

    Yeah basically I figured since I'm starting during the prime "cutting" season, I might as well just ride it out all the way till the end of the year!!!
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
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    Great thread here and I'm soaking it up. 47 yrs old and two weeks into my first bulk. I put on 3.8lbs the first two weeks and was starting to think of cutting back calories. After reading through this I may actually up my calories another 150 or so. I realize I'm over paranoid on lean bulking focus. Going hard three days a week at my progressive weight lifting plan and it's hard to stay ahead of the hunger curve the day after, even with the extra calories.. Good luck OP!
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    http://www.muscleforlife.com/the-best-way-to-gain-muscle-not-fat/

    You may find the above article of interest.

    If I were you, I'd spend the next 4 years concentrating on gaining muscle. You are in the sweet spot due to your age. From that point on, you can spend time going back and forth between bulking and cutting.

    However, being practical, I realize you want the abs of steel to attract the sun bunnies, so can't blame you if you want to work hard to keep them.

    Good Luck,
    TC
  • trojan_bb
    trojan_bb Posts: 699 Member
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    You shouldn't be "clean bulking".

    If I was you I'd be eating 3500-4000 Calories till you felt too fat. Cut then repeat. Then in a year maybe think about slow bulking methods
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Great thread here and I'm soaking it up. 47 yrs old and two weeks into my first bulk. I put on 3.8lbs the first two weeks and was starting to think of cutting back calories. After reading through this I may actually up my calories another 150 or so. I realize I'm over paranoid on lean bulking focus. Going hard three days a week at my progressive weight lifting plan and it's hard to stay ahead of the hunger curve the day after, even with the extra calories.. Good luck OP!

    I put on 3 - 4 pounds pretty quickly . . . then added another 3 -4 pounds pretty damn quickly . . . then added a few more . . . then stalled and upped calories . . . then couldn't add to save my life . . . then life made it hard to keep diet in my top 3 priorities and I am working to at least get enough calories and treading water. The beginning is easy; the middle is tougher; I'm not sure I know enough to speak to the tail-end of a bulk, but I'm having trouble getting there!

    I think bulking is harder than cutting. It takes more consistent dedication. It takes more focus. It's a tougher battle for me than just getting enough protein and staying in a calorie deficit. It is an interesting experience (as Waldo has pointed out) for someone whose previous experience is all about losing fat. And as older guys we're really pushing the rock up the hill!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    9%
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    In your case op you're probably better off with a more aggressive bulk, especially if you don't have any reason to stay particularly lean.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    Checking in again.

    I've been continuing to eat consistently and even over the 2850 mark at times if I'm feeling extra hungry.

    I have a question though… Do you think 3 day splits like my ICF 5x5 program are enough work?

    It seems to me like eating in a surplus and only going to the gym 3 days a week is going to be a recipe for disaster in regards to my waistline :(

    Don't get me wrong, I plan on sticking to the program and pushing myself, but would it hurt to add 1-2 days of accessory work or isolation exercises for arms, shoulders, or abs? Maybe swimming for an hour on my off days?
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    Once again checking in with you all. I've found the perfect program for me which incorporates the amount of time I want to spend in the gym also with the intensity I'm looking for. It's more hypertrophy based and I hope to make great gains.

    I don't know if this is allowed, but I want to check in routinely maybe once every few weeks to a month and tell you how its working out for me.

    Here is a d-bag bro pic of me after my upper bod split day!

    2Fo10cUl.jpg

    I'm realizing I need to eat a lot just in order to recover since my program is so demanding! Mentally it's a great way to eat in a surplus knowing that it will be going straight to them muscles :)
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
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    Looking good man. Keep it up. Keep posting updates also. It's inspiring to see others progress towards their goals. I'm starting the 4th week of my first bulk. At the end of this cycle I'd count it as success if I end up looking like you look right now.
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
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    You're 6'2, you're a male, and you're a teen. 2,500 is not bulking calories for you. They're most likely cutting calories.
    I eat 2,500, I'm female, I'm 5'2".

    You're TALL, MALE, and YOUNG, with already some muscle. You should be eating at least 3,000 cals to gain anything.
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
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    Your weight -will- shoot up at first, but the gain will be much, much slower afterwards.
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    Your weight -will- shoot up at first, but the gain will be much, much slower afterwards.

    Thanks, those posts were from a while ago when I said I was only going to eat at that number.

    I'm hitting almost 3000 calories a day now. :)
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
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    Your weight -will- shoot up at first, but the gain will be much, much slower afterwards.

    Thanks, those posts were from a while ago when I said I was only going to eat at that number.

    I'm hitting almost 3000 calories a day now. :)

    That's great! Don't be afraid to gain some fat. The first few years is when you'll gain most of your muscle, so take advantage of it! Muscle gain really tapers off and slows to a crawl after a few years. Bulk until you can't stand bulking anymore, basically. Lol.

    I have a few male friends who are really into lifting. They're around your height, and they're soooo afraid to sacrifice their 'abs' for bigger muscles. They're eating 2,500-2,800 cals a day, lifting like crazy, but not gaining. It's easier to cut down that it is to build muscle, in my opinion. You always have to keep adding more and more calories the more you gain muscle. On the upside, that means ice cream, oreos, and giant burritos. :P
  • white_rushin
    white_rushin Posts: 43
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    Your weight -will- shoot up at first, but the gain will be much, much slower afterwards.

    Thanks, those posts were from a while ago when I said I was only going to eat at that number.

    I'm hitting almost 3000 calories a day now. :)

    That's great! Don't be afraid to gain some fat. The first few years is when you'll gain most of your muscle, so take advantage of it! Muscle gain really tapers off and slows to a crawl after a few years. Bulk until you can't stand bulking anymore, basically. Lol.

    I have a few male friends who are really into lifting. They're around your height, and they're soooo afraid to sacrifice their 'abs' for bigger muscles. They're eating 2,500-2,800 cals a day, lifting like crazy, but not gaining. It's easier to cut down that it is to build muscle, in my opinion. You always have to keep adding more and more calories the more you gain muscle. On the upside, that means ice cream, oreos, and giant burritos. :P

    Honestly its a bit daunting at times, but the way I think of it is, I don't have some greek god physique right now and a little bit more fat on my belly isn't going to be that big of a deal compared to the strength and mass gains I'll hopefully be getting! Eating in a surplus also gives me motivation to bust my *kitten* in the gym to make sure not all of it turns to fat! LOL

    Yeah ice cream and delicious treats sounds especially awesome over summer :)
  • Fujiberry
    Fujiberry Posts: 400 Member
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    Your weight -will- shoot up at first, but the gain will be much, much slower afterwards.

    Thanks, those posts were from a while ago when I said I was only going to eat at that number.

    I'm hitting almost 3000 calories a day now. :)

    That's great! Don't be afraid to gain some fat. The first few years is when you'll gain most of your muscle, so take advantage of it! Muscle gain really tapers off and slows to a crawl after a few years. Bulk until you can't stand bulking anymore, basically. Lol.

    I have a few male friends who are really into lifting. They're around your height, and they're soooo afraid to sacrifice their 'abs' for bigger muscles. They're eating 2,500-2,800 cals a day, lifting like crazy, but not gaining. It's easier to cut down that it is to build muscle, in my opinion. You always have to keep adding more and more calories the more you gain muscle. On the upside, that means ice cream, oreos, and giant burritos. :P

    Honestly its a bit daunting at times, but the way I think of it is, I don't have some greek god physique right now and a little bit more fat on my belly isn't going to be that big of a deal compared to the strength and mass gains I'll hopefully be getting! Eating in a surplus also gives me motivation to bust my *kitten* in the gym to make sure not all of it turns to fat! LOL

    Yeah ice cream and delicious treats sounds especially awesome over summer :)

    Great attitude. :) Just enjoy it! You'll get addicted once you see your strength shoot up with more food in you. I went from squatting 185 to 230 lbs. in less than a month by upping my food intake.

    The strongest and biggest guys at the gym I go to don't have cut abs. They're gigantic though. Saw a guy deadlifting with 5 plates on either side today. Also saw another guy squatting 450 a few weeks ago.

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