Bulking and cutting

mifow86 · May 2017

I'm slightly confused. Ive read before if you wanted to bulk up you had to lift fewer reps with a heavier weight and to cut/ tone up lift a lighter weight for more reps.

However what I've been reading recently is that it's all about nutrition. So to bulk up eat more calories and cut eat less.

So does it matter what type of weights routine you are doing or not? I'm really confused.

Thanks

psuLemon · May 2017

To gain weight - Energy Surplus
To lose weight - Energy Deficit

And honestly, you will benefit the most from a program that incorporates a variety of rep ranges, unless you have a specific goal of endurance or just get strong as well.

If you are new, than a 3x full body that is focused on the core compound lifts, will be ideal. If you have been lifting for years, than splits can come in handy.

And if you want to maintain strength gains while cutting weight, it might be better to lift big weight with lower reps.

But all of this is situations and based on goals.

Tattooedmom44 · May 2017

Not sure what your goal is, but I just finished competing. When I was bulking, my trainer increased my carbs and I was doing 4 sets of 8, lifting heavy. When I was leaning, he cut down on my carbs and I was lifting 4 sets of 15 at a lighter weight.

Ironandwine69 · May 2017

I am no expert, but I lift the same way on both cycles. I just change my diet. Sometimes will decrease the rest time between sets during cutting.

Rusty740 · May 2017

I think you might be confusing hypertrophy vs strength training based on sets and reps. Don't pay attention to that anyway. What psuLemon says above, all rep ranges are beneficial, in general while lifting heavy, do less reps, lifting light, do more reps. 3-5 sets of any exercise should be enough.

Nutrition determines if, and how much you will gain weight or not. Progressive overload determines what percent of that is muscle or fat.

justcallmeBD · May 2017

From what I've experienced, it's all about diet Bro. Increase those Carbs for Bulking. Decrease them for Cutting & add @ least 30 min Cardio.

AminBahgat · June 2017

Diet is the key

Chieflrg · June 2017

mifow86 wrote: »

I'm slightly confused. Ive read before if you wanted to bulk up you had to lift fewer reps with a heavier weight and to cut/ tone up lift a lighter weight for more reps.

However what I've been reading recently is that it's all about nutrition. So to bulk up eat more calories and cut eat less.

So does it matter what type of weights routine you are doing or not? I'm really confused.

Thanks

For hypertrophy one should do higher rep schemes with lower weights. Something like 20 reps with minimal rest in between sets is ideal

For strength one should be closer to 1RM.

Combination of both hypertrophy and strength is basically in the middle of the stress stimulas at 5 reps.

A training routine selection has more to do with your goals.

Since you're a novice, you will be able to gain both strength/muscle fairly easily initially if you create proper muscle stimulas, recovery, and adaptation.

Calories are king on a bulk and are pawns on a cut. Don't let the game play you.

se015 · June 2017

Chieflrg wrote: »

mifow86 wrote: »

I'm slightly confused. Ive read before if you wanted to bulk up you had to lift fewer reps with a heavier weight and to cut/ tone up lift a lighter weight for more reps.

However what I've been reading recently is that it's all about nutrition. So to bulk up eat more calories and cut eat less.

So does it matter what type of weights routine you are doing or not? I'm really confused.

Thanks

For hypertrophy one should do higher rep schemes with lower weights. Something like 20 reps with minimal rest in between sets is ideal

For strength one should be closer to 1RM.

Combination of both hypertrophy and strength is basically in the middle of the stress stimulas at 5 reps.

A training routine selection has more to do with your goals.

Since you're a novice, you will be able to gain both strength/muscle fairly easily initially if you create proper muscle stimulas, recovery, and adaptation.

Calories are king on a bulk and are pawns on a cut. Don't let the game play you.

I thought Hypertrophy was more like 8-12?

se015 · June 2017

Rusty740 wrote: »

I think you might be confusing hypertrophy vs strength training based on sets and reps. Don't pay attention to that anyway. What psuLemon says above, all rep ranges are beneficial, in general while lifting heavy, do less reps, lifting light, do more reps. 3-5 sets of any exercise should be enough.

Nutrition determines if, and how much you will gain weight or not. Progressive overload determines what percent of that is muscle or fat.

And this is also true, while I personally feel like I gain size from the higher reps and more strength from lower reps and higher weight, but I both in my routine.

jseams1234 · June 2017

Seth1825 wrote: »

Chieflrg wrote: »

mifow86 wrote: »

I'm slightly confused. Ive read before if you wanted to bulk up you had to lift fewer reps with a heavier weight and to cut/ tone up lift a lighter weight for more reps.

However what I've been reading recently is that it's all about nutrition. So to bulk up eat more calories and cut eat less.

So does it matter what type of weights routine you are doing or not? I'm really confused.

Thanks

For hypertrophy one should do higher rep schemes with lower weights. Something like 20 reps with minimal rest in between sets is ideal

For strength one should be closer to 1RM.

Combination of both hypertrophy and strength is basically in the middle of the stress stimulas at 5 reps.

A training routine selection has more to do with your goals.

Since you're a novice, you will be able to gain both strength/muscle fairly easily initially if you create proper muscle stimulas, recovery, and adaptation.

Calories are king on a bulk and are pawns on a cut. Don't let the game play you.

I thought Hypertrophy was more like 8-12?

It is... at 20 rep sets you would be using very light weights and would be training for endurance almost exclusively and not size (hypertrophy). Minimal rests between sets also goes with conditioning/endurance and not hypertrophic growth.

ldwatene · June 2017

The difference is mostly portions and intake. More to bulk. Less to cut. You can alter macros if you want to really drill into it but it's mostly how much you eat.

As for rep ranges that depends entirely on your goals. I'd sit around the middle to lower rep ranges for muscle growth and cutting. The main thing to remember is always loak to improve the amount of weight you lift on a bulk and at least maintain that level on a cut.

psuLemon · June 2017

Seth1825 wrote: »

Chieflrg wrote: »

mifow86 wrote: »

I'm slightly confused. Ive read before if you wanted to bulk up you had to lift fewer reps with a heavier weight and to cut/ tone up lift a lighter weight for more reps.

However what I've been reading recently is that it's all about nutrition. So to bulk up eat more calories and cut eat less.

So does it matter what type of weights routine you are doing or not? I'm really confused.

Thanks

For hypertrophy one should do higher rep schemes with lower weights. Something like 20 reps with minimal rest in between sets is ideal

For strength one should be closer to 1RM.

Combination of both hypertrophy and strength is basically in the middle of the stress stimulas at 5 reps.

A training routine selection has more to do with your goals.

Since you're a novice, you will be able to gain both strength/muscle fairly easily initially if you create proper muscle stimulas, recovery, and adaptation.

Calories are king on a bulk and are pawns on a cut. Don't let the game play you.

I thought Hypertrophy was more like 8-12?

Hypertrophy may be easier to achieve is thr 8 to 12 rep range but it can occur across a wide range of rep/set combos. Brad Schoenfeld did a study last year showing this.

Bulking and cutting

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