When should I stop bulking?
karrysalexi
Posts: 62 Member
Hello my name is Alexi and I started bulking 3 months ago but in the past week gained 2-3lbs. I am going to post pictures of myself so I can get feedback on the bulk so far. I need everyone to be honest and tell me what weight would be optimal for me. I am five foot seven and 164lbs currently. Also tell me if I am too fat already or if I have room to grow. Current goal for weight is 216lbs. 
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I am really proud of you Alexi
I knew this was hard for you to post these!
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You should look at my post called what is bulking it should help0
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You should stop bulking now. You're goal of 216 is incredibly lofty. At your height getting to 216 will almost alway have you at overweight or obese. The amount of lbm that you can add for your body isn't likely to be anywhere near the range for your to be 216 and lean. If you continue bulking right now now until you are 216 lbs then you will 100% be obese.
Okay.0 -
It is generally recommended to switch from bulk to cut at around 15%. This is because the body tends to store/build more of what it already has. So, the higher body fat a person is, the more likely that additional weight will also be fat.0
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karrysalexi wrote: »You should stop bulking now. You're goal of 216 is incredibly lofty. At your height getting to 216 will almost alway have you at overweight or obese. The amount of lbm that you can add for your body isn't likely to be anywhere near the range for your to be 216 and lean. If you continue bulking right now now until you are 216 lbs then you will 100% be obese.
Okay.
You're right. I'm a small man and a small mans gotta be small lol.0 -
You should stop bulking now. You're goal of 216 is incredibly lofty. At your height getting to 216 will almost alway have you at overweight or obese. The amount of lbm that you can add for your body isn't likely to be anywhere near the range for your to be 216 and lean. If you continue bulking right now now until you are 216 lbs then you will 100% be obese.
Lol see? I told you! You are my height man so 216 would not be great on either of us! Doesn't mean we need to be small but we work with what we have got and whip our bodies into shape
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Okay. I understand better now. So I'll just maintain my weight now.0 -
Rather than maintain, I'd say its time for a cut to bring body fat back down to the 10-12% range. Its important here to maintain an intense, heavy lifting program with a relatively high protein intake so that muscle is maintained. Once body fat is back down, bulk again until that 15% mark. Rinse and repeat.0
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Rather than maintain, I'd say its time for a cut to bring body fat back down to the 10-12% range. Its important here to maintain an intense, heavy lifting program with a relatively high protein intake so that muscle is maintained. Once body fat is back down, bulk again until that 15% mark. Rinse and repeat.
Agreed. Make sure that workout regime had cardio and lots of weights0 -
Please take this as a humble opinion, and one that has worked for ME, for the three bulk cycles I've done in my life.
Rule 1: Never bulk past 15-16% body fat.
If you make it past that, do a mini cut during your bulk to keep in check.
Rule 2: bulk until you have to.
Your goal shouldn't be your weight. You can put on 50lbs in a week if you want to.
Personally I don't consider a bulk a proper bulk unless it's at least 8 months.
Through that time, you should look into minimal weight gain each week. Remember. You're trying to put on muscle weight, not fat.
How much muscle do you think you can realistically gain in 3 months!? Nothing noticeable.
When you cut, you'll lose all your gains if:
A) you've not made enough gains to sustain a cut
2) you've put on too much fat so your cut will take too long, or will be too demanding.
So, do a mini cut down to 13-14%, and go back to your bulk, looking at putting on about 1lbs per week.. Until you make enough gains to warrant cutting to.0 -
I learned something new as well from this! I had been recommended to go to about 15-16% body fat then switch to cutting but had not known about the term so thanks!0 -
karrysalexi wrote: »karrysalexi wrote: »You should stop bulking now. You're goal of 216 is incredibly lofty. At your height getting to 216 will almost alway have you at overweight or obese. The amount of lbm that you can add for your body isn't likely to be anywhere near the range for your to be 216 and lean. If you continue bulking right now now until you are 216 lbs then you will 100% be obese.
Okay.
You're right. I'm a small man and a small mans gotta be small lol.
You have to be reasonable, that's all, and that doesn't mean you have to be small but you will need to figure out what "big" looks like for you. 175-180 would be my guess as the highest you could get naturally while still being at a 15% BF level and you will be huge.0 -
Doesn't Martin Berkhans have a rough guide on genetic potential for LBM & weight? Something like height (in cm) minus 100 equals your weight in kg at shredded contest BF (4-5%) levels? Based on his observations of guys he's trained.
Edit: I see he's not the first guy to come up with that.0 -
not sure what program you are on but I did Kris Gethin 12 week bulk and gained 20lbs.0
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TwinkieDong wrote: »not sure what program you are on but I did Kris Gethin 12 week bulk and gained 20lbs.
I'm currently doing the Dymatize Project Mass program. Kris Gethin one looks great too.0 -
karrysalexi wrote: »TwinkieDong wrote: »not sure what program you are on but I did Kris Gethin 12 week bulk and gained 20lbs.
I'm currently doing the Dymatize Project Mass program. Kris Gethin one looks great too.
I used to be 215lbs. And it looked fine except for a somewhat unacceptable gut. My body fat was 19% at 215 but I felt healthy. I don't know. I kind of want to keep going and it is awfully easy to consume almost 4000 calories a day for me.0 -
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karrysalexi wrote: »karrysalexi wrote: »TwinkieDong wrote: »not sure what program you are on but I did Kris Gethin 12 week bulk and gained 20lbs.
I'm currently doing the Dymatize Project Mass program. Kris Gethin one looks great too.
I used to be 215lbs. And it looked fine except for a somewhat unacceptable gut. My body fat was 19% at 215 but I felt healthy. I don't know. I kind of want to keep going and it is awfully easy to consume almost 4000 calories a day for me.
At 215lbs, where did you get 19% BF from? I'd say you're close to that currently, maybe a bit higher. I would follow the instruction you've received, take a mini cut until you reach less than 13%BF, and slowly bulk to about 15-16% to put on muscle.
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You are not going to want to hear but it is so extremely unlikely that you were 19% at 215. I'm not trying to be mean or anything instead it's to help you understand what's realistic and what isn't. If you do the math that would mean you were a beast. I haven't done the math but a rough run in my head with that idea you would have been able to cut down to 10% and would be around 190 lbs. Hopefully seeing it like that helps.karrysalexi wrote: »karrysalexi wrote: »TwinkieDong wrote: »not sure what program you are on but I did Kris Gethin 12 week bulk and gained 20lbs.
I'm currently doing the Dymatize Project Mass program. Kris Gethin one looks great too.
I used to be 215lbs. And it looked fine except for a somewhat unacceptable gut. My body fat was 19% at 215 but I felt healthy. I don't know. I kind of want to keep going and it is awfully easy to consume almost 4000 calories a day for me.
You're most likely right I used a thing were you hold two handles to measure. However my family is heavy. My dad is 5 11 250 and is kind of fat. I had a stomach but felt healthy. But I'm no beast. Just a little man haha.0 -
I think I should return to 215lbs. Besides might compete in sports again and I will need that weight.0
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You look to be in the low to mid 20's for BF% right now. It is definitely time to cut. Looking at the pictures, I am not sure that you were ready to "bulk" when you started.0
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karrysalexi wrote: »I think I should return to 215lbs. Besides might compete in sports again and I will need that weight.
Bud. Do me a favor and erase this from your mind. You don't need to be heavier to play sports... You should be lean and mostly made up of muscle for optimal athletic performance. Genetically, you're not going to be healthy at 215. I would listen to EVERYONE else and erase whatever has made you believe you should be heavier, when you're already likely at 20-25%bf. I don't mean to be rude, but you're not taking any of the advice you asked for. And you're not making any logical points supporting why you would opt not to follow the advice you've been given.0 -
To the OP, this is my best friend. He is 5'7 and around 180-185 in this pic with a low BF%. Not sure of the number but probably 8-10%.
Just trying to give you a visual of what 5'7 and 185lbs shredded looks like.
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sjohnson__1 wrote: »karrysalexi wrote: »I think I should return to 215lbs. Besides might compete in sports again and I will need that weight.
Bud. Do me a favor and erase this from your mind. You don't need to be heavier to play sports... You should be lean and mostly made up of muscle for optimal athletic performance. Genetically, you're not going to be healthy at 215. I would listen to EVERYONE else and erase whatever has made you believe you should be heavier, when you're already likely at 20-25%bf. I don't mean to be rude, but you're not taking any of the advice you asked for. And you're not making any logical points supporting why you would opt not to follow the advice you've been given.
I used to play football as running back. Being lean and muscular would be bad trust me haha.0 -
karrysalexi wrote: »sjohnson__1 wrote: »karrysalexi wrote: »I think I should return to 215lbs. Besides might compete in sports again and I will need that weight.
Bud. Do me a favor and erase this from your mind. You don't need to be heavier to play sports... You should be lean and mostly made up of muscle for optimal athletic performance. Genetically, you're not going to be healthy at 215. I would listen to EVERYONE else and erase whatever has made you believe you should be heavier, when you're already likely at 20-25%bf. I don't mean to be rude, but you're not taking any of the advice you asked for. And you're not making any logical points supporting why you would opt not to follow the advice you've been given.
I used to play football as running back. Being lean and muscular would be bad trust me haha.
I should've added the trying out for football in here. Besides I am taking in what everyone else is saying. Just analyzing longevity and other factors right now based on what you guys are saying.0 -
To the OP, this is my best friend. He is 5'7 and around 180-185 in this pic with a low BF%. Not sure of the number but probably 8-10%.
Just trying to give you a visual of what 5'7 and 185lbs shredded looks like.
He looks better than I ever will and kudos to him. Is he all natural? I don't have enough money to buy anything other than Creatine or protein shakes. He looks natural though. He's shredded but I feel like he has better genetics than me.0
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