Lean without bulking and cutting?

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babychris1
babychris1 Posts: 159 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Question, is it possible to get a relatively lean, athletic look without bulking and cutting continuous. Ive bulked and cut in the past and not something i enjoy.

I lift weights but the avergae "bro" says I jeed to to achieve a brad pitt in fight club kind of look. Im fairly lean already. Weigh in at 158lb at 5'7

Chris

Replies

  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Recomp. Eat at maintenance, lift weights and be very patient. You won't gain much muscle or lose much fat and it'll take a long time.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Yes of course it's possible - your body reacts to the stimulus of exercise.

    Speed of recomp depends on lots of factors including gender, age, training history, your genetic gifts and of course the quality of your training.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Yes, I'm not a fan of overly complicated bulk/cut cycles for the average person.
  • babychris1
    babychris1 Posts: 159 Member
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    Thanks dudes
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    Yes, I'm not a fan of overly complicated bulk/cut cycles for the average person.

    I'm not sure what you mean by overly complicated?
    Bulk- eat at a 250 calorie surplus, lift progressively with adequate rest, and sufficient protein
    Cut- eat at a 250-500 calorie deficit, lift progressively with adequate rest, and sufficient protein

    But yes you can, just eat at maintenance and settle in for the long run. As above stated, total muscle gained with be based off of several factors. I personally find the progress to be to slow to be worth while considering I still have a fair bit of genetic potential left to achieve
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    You'll be fine, especially if you're going for that Brad Pitt Fight Club look. He didn't really have much muscle mass, just was very low bodyfat. I've read he was around 155lbs (at 6'!) for the movie. Probably 8-10% bodyfat.
  • babychris1
    babychris1 Posts: 159 Member
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    DopeItUp wrote: »
    You'll be fine, especially if you're going for that Brad Pitt Fight Club look. He didn't really have much muscle mass, just was very low bodyfat. I've read he was around 155lbs (at 6'!) for the movie. Probably 8-10% bodyfat.

    Thanks bro. Appreciate the commemt!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Cutaway_Collar wrote: »
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    You'll be fine, especially if you're going for that Brad Pitt Fight Club look. He didn't really have much muscle mass, just was very low bodyfat. I've read he was around 155lbs (at 6'!) for the movie. Probably 8-10% bodyfat.
    Brad Pitt is 5 9 and billed to be 5 10 or 5 11.

    Hollywood guys overmarket their height all the time and spend a lot at elevatorshoes.com ;)

    But yes, Brad Pitt was best in that movie. That's the body everybody should aspire for. Have to look good in a three piece suit and not horrific like the rock or HHH from the WWE.

    To be clear, everyone should aspire for unhealthily and unrealistically low bodyfat levels?

    I would much, much rather look like The Rock than a skinny little weakling like Brad Pitt in Fight Club, personally. But to each his own.
  • babychris1
    babychris1 Posts: 159 Member
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    Each to their own
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Cutaway_Collar wrote: »
    jessef593 wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    Yes, I'm not a fan of overly complicated bulk/cut cycles for the average person.

    I'm not sure what you mean by overly complicated?
    Bulk- eat at a 250 calorie surplus, lift progressively with adequate rest, and sufficient protein
    Cut- eat at a 250-500 calorie deficit, lift progressively with adequate rest, and sufficient protein

    But yes you can, just eat at maintenance and settle in for the long run. As above stated, total muscle gained with be based off of several factors. I personally find the progress to be to slow to be worth while considering I still have a fair bit of genetic potential left to achieve
    I agree 100%

    This has been my long term strategy.

    I was recently complaining to my brother my suit pants were causing me issues as my thighs are blasting out from the squats. He asked me to squat lower weights and do more reps. Would appreciate if some broscientist peer reviews that comment?? My brother has the Brad Pitt body. He looks best in his suit. Better than I do. When we stand side to side, he looks 5 notches better. So I am compelled to follow his advice.

    OP, great thread!!

    Lowering weight and increasing reps will decrease strength gained but will not necessarily decrease the size of your legs. Hypertrophy is possible in any rep range but the traditional route to it is lower weight and more reps than you use while focusing on strength alone.

    If you want smaller legs eat less.

    I have never seen Fight Club but don't think that any physique is the one everyone should shoot for. Neither do I think that 3 piece suit wearability should be the metric by which all men should gauge their physiques.
  • babychris1
    babychris1 Posts: 159 Member
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    We diagress. Thanks for all the post which informed and advised

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