How do you measure your progress?

jamaicanlady · February 2015

When bulking, how do you know you're building muscle as opposed to just gaining fat?

And do you have to be making PRs to build muscle?

I ask because even though I'm increasing the weights (or sometimes just the reps) weekly I've lifted heavier before than what I'm lifting right now. For example I was DLing 170 lbs late last year but stopped working out for 2 months because of an illness and when I came back I dropped the weight way down and am trying to build back up. So am I building any new muscle? Does it make sense to continue my bulk?

boyds01 · February 2015

as long as you're lifting weights multiple times a week, you're going to gain both muscle and fat while bulking. the ratio of the two depends somewhat on how much you're eating over your TDEE.

3laine75 · February 2015

If you're getting enough volume in your workout and you're in surplus then you should definitely be building muscle.

I use a tape measure for progress (I'm just too miserable to shell out for accurate bf testing). I'm 5 lb up with no gain in the waist (yet!) which is good enough for me.

nicoleromine · February 2015

To keep track of body fat %, I use measurements and an excel spreadsheet. This article includes some excel formulas to calculate BF%: http://strengthunbound.com/measure-body-fat-easily-accurately-home/

I use the DOD, modified YMCA for females, and the Covert Bailey formulas, and then average them out for my BF%. On top of that, I log my daily weigh-ins and weekly averages. When I compare those numbers to my estimated BF%, I can keep a good handle on my gainz.

I find it easier to stay on the bulking path if I track data rather than listening to my crazy emotions and bloated stomach.

Unknown · February 2015

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Chieflrg · February 2015

jamaicanlady wrote: »

When bulking, how do you know you're building muscle as opposed to just gaining fat?

And do you have to be making PRs to build muscle?

I ask because even though I'm increasing the weights (or sometimes just the reps) weekly I've lifted heavier before than what I'm lifting right now. For example I was DLing 170 lbs late last year but stopped working out for 2 months because of an illness and when I came back I dropped the weight way down and am trying to build back up. So am I building any new muscle? Does it make sense to continue my bulk?

You don't have to make PR's to acquire more muscle. Most people that are bulking strictly for muscle aren't as strong as if they worked a hybrid program with strength training mixed into the work.
If you are lifting weights while eating at a surplus, you most definitely are gaining new muscle.
Continue your bulk as long as you want, that's personal preference for how much muscle you want to gain and as well as how much fat to cut afterwards if you chose to.
Glad to hear you got back at it after being sick. My illness, I have to do that for months as well.

*I measure my muscle growth by tape measure.

elfman5150 · February 2015

I measure progress by how much my lifts are improving. If I notice that I'm able to lift more and more weight each time I workout a specific body part, then I know I'm at least gaining some muscle. Also, I had a guy ask me "are you bulking?" followed by "you're looking stronger" so that's some nice external assurance.

Overall, if you're getting stronger, keep it up.

ndj1979 · February 2015

the scale, my lifts, and taking measurements about every four weeks...

Unknown · February 2015

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JoRocka · February 2015

1.) Scale
2.) tape measure
3.) clothes
4.) lifts

jamaicanlady · February 2015

Thanks for all replies.

@boyds01 - With that reasoning though, it would mean that even if I don't increase my weights and I lift the same every week, I'd be building muscle once I'm in a surplus. That doesn't sound right to me though.

@3laine75 - I think I'm getting enough volume and I am eating in a surplus so hopefully there is some muscle gain there. That's incredible that you were able to gain 5 lbs but no change in waist size. After 4 weeks I had gained a lb and no change in waist and I felt pretty good about that. But then at the end of the 5th week I don't know what happened, (maybe carb overload) but I gained like a 1/2 inch in my waist (!), which is one of the reasons I'm freaking out and questioning my progress. (Plus, between you and I, I don't exactly meet the "criteria" for bulking. Shh, don't tell anyone.)

To all saying to measure/monitor body fat, what am I looking for exactly? Should I be monitoring that it's not increasing above a certain rate for example? And what rate would that be?

@MrM27 - that's what I'm afraid of! If I'm not increasing muscle and I'm gaining, then I must be increasing fat only then <sob!!!>

@Chieflrg - this may sound weird but I'm not super concerned with getting strong currently, unless of course it means more muscle. Don't get me wrong, I like being strong (or rather stronger than before) but twice I've gotten comments where the persons were fascinated with how much I could lift but felt like I didn't have the muscle to show for it. And honestly, I felt bad about it. I want to LOOK like I lift too you know? So right now I'm following a program where the first exercise or two is compound with reps of 6, followed by exercises in the 8-12 rep range.

And how do you measure muscle growth by tape measure? I mean, if my hips increase (I'm trying to build bigger glutes), it could mean I'm gaining fat there and not necessarily muscle right?

@elfman5150, @JoRocka and @ndj1979, my lifts ARE improving weekly, but then they were improving while I ate in a deficit too so not sure if it counts or not.

Sorry for the millions of questions guys. I'm just really trying to understand this bulking process, and ensure I'm doing it right.

Chieflrg · February 2015

And how do you measure muscle growth by tape measure? I mean, if my hips increase (I'm trying to build bigger glutes), it could mean I'm gaining fat there and not necessarily muscle right?

Sounds like your doing more of the hybrid variety mixing in strength and hypertrophy. I noticed more and more people switching to that recently here and BB.com.

When you ask how do I measure, I answered that literally. I'm only concerned with chest, arms, legs currently. At my body fat range (11-15%), I'm pretty much lean muscle I highly doubt I'm carrying any fat that would change the tape measure. I would like to add I also use progress pics.

Unknown · February 2015

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3laine75 · February 2015

Hey, I don't meet the criteria either but eff it! (35ish% first bulk (with great results) and I'm around 28 on this one)

Your 1/2" gain could just be water/bloat with the increase in carbs. Enjoy the rest of your bulk

Edit: I don't use the measurements to limit myself but to see the difference once the whole bulk/cut is completed. I'm a bit unusual in that I bulked up then cut back down to less than I was at the start (and will probably have to again) so I had two points at the same weight that I could compare. My limiting factor is a weight goal - I'm going to head on up to 150 lb then cut.

Springfield1970 · February 2015

Yes, watch out for the glycogen and water bloat, takes a couple of days to subside. You may want to have the same amounts of carbs per day to stop yourself freaking out, or just learn that the body is like a tide with the old water weight. Muscle recovery whacks it in as well. That's why graphing and plotting is important on your first bulk.

I bulked successfully by just hitting every muscle group for an hour three times per week, 3 sets until I failed on each lift, many compounds as poss, a minute between sets. I kind of made it up, but made sure I was lifting heavier each time if I could. Luckily I have a good memory and bank of exercises to draw from. I've followed several programmes and have a feel for the most efficient exercises for me.

How do you measure your progress?

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