5' 7", 139lbs, 16.2% BF. Should I do a slow cut?

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  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    You have very little muscle, I'd bulk.

    If he bulks, he will just add more fat and instead of skinny fat, he will be plain old fat. Cut first then lean bulk.

    But it is obvious that you still need to at least maintain the muscle you have. Therefore you need to only do weight training and limited cardio. You need a very slight calorie deficit. This should be a very slow cut. Then after 8 weeks, post pictures and maybe we can go into bulk mode.

    Not if he doesn't go overboard on his surplus. He's not even 140lbs. that's small and while yes a higher fat % than usual, he's in a no man's land. A cut is going to be too tedious trying to avoid losing what little muscle mass is there. There's a case either way, my opinion is definitely a bulk, easier to slow bulk than slow cut in his situation.
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    He may need to experiment. Possibility you could be right. I am more concerned with extra fat being obvious on a small frame. But becoming all gangly and skinny is a risk too.

    This is why it is so important not to end up skinny fat. It creates such a dilemma.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    I'm in favour of OP doing what gets him the fastest into a place where he can bulk and cut with reasonable speed. If he bulks, he will have a long cut ahead of him at some point, if he cuts for a couple months he could be down at 13% and then bulk for a few, then cut to 12, and be in a good place for medium length bulls and shorter cuts. That's the placed I'd like the be in personally, but OP, if you go for muscle first, that's cool too.
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    I'm in favour of OP doing what gets him the fastest into a place where he can bulk and cut with reasonable speed. If he bulks, he will have a long cut ahead of him at some point, if he cuts for a couple months he could be down at 13% and then bulk for a few, then cut to 12, and be in a good place for medium length bulls and shorter cuts. That's the placed I'd like the be in personally, but OP, if you go for muscle first, that's cool too.

    I agree with your assessment. It is much faster to cut then clean bulk. It would be frustrating to just start bulking too eagerly and then get fat. To get more gratification and more motivation from progress, cut then bulk is better.

    Bulking first would work but take much longer for visual improvements. To the OP, think, Bruce Lee not Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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