Skinny fat guy looking to increase muscle mass.

sr_1995
sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
Hello everyone I am male 22 yrs old, 170 cm, 65 kg, Body fat% is 14.6. I am on a calorie deficit diet for past 2 months. Lost 3 kgs in those 2 months. Should I wait for my body fat % to drop to 10% or start bulking? Right now my arms are skinny but there is some amount of fat in stomach area. If I go for cutting till 10% BF% how can I increase muscle mass?

Thanks for positive feedback.

Replies

  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    Also my schedule is 6 days a week, each day separate body part exercise.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    Hey, man! So, a couple of things here....

    1. Dudes generally start a bulk when they are around 12%. That is the general rule of thumb. The reason being, you will gain some body fat. Most folks seem to be unprepared for that gain. But, that is a quote unquote 'dirty bulk'.

    2. How do you feel at 14.6%? That is the real question.

    3. You could maybe start a lean bulk. What is that? A lean bulk is where you are like 150-200 calories above your maintenance!

    4. What is your training program? Are you following a program now? You mention "6 days a week" but what does that mean? And, how is your recovery? How long have you been training? You mention that you have been in a caloric deficit for two months....but for how long have you been training?

  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    1. I am not looking for dirty bulk though.
    2. I am feeling pretty good right now, just the fact that when I go shirtless my stomach fat makes me want to decrease it more. Also arms are pretty skinny so on one hand I want to increase muscle mass is forearms and biceps but also want to decrease stomach fat. Although after researching around the internet I found out that trying to increase muscles with decreasing fat will be more time consuming.
    3. I also came to a similar conclusion and was looking around for meals to increase daily calorie intake. Will try to apply this in coming week. Just today when I was doing exercise I checked my weight and now I am at 64.6 kg lol.
    4. Training program right now is different body parts like chest exercise on 1 day then different body part on next like biceps or triceps.
  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    Hey, man! So, a couple of things here....

    1. Dudes generally start a bulk when they are around 12%. That is the general rule of thumb. The reason being, you will gain some body fat. Most folks seem to be unprepared for that gain. But, that is a quote unquote 'dirty bulk'.

    2. How do you feel at 14.6%? That is the real question.

    3. You could maybe start a lean bulk. What is that? A lean bulk is where you are like 150-200 calories above your maintenance!

    4. What is your training program? Are you following a program now? You mention "6 days a week" but what does that mean? And, how is your recovery? How long have you been training? You mention that you have been in a caloric deficit for two months....but for how long have you been training?

    I saw your reply in 1 of my another query forum in which I was asking about Stronglifts 5x5 program.
    What do you think if I follow that program will it be more beneficial in muscle growth?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    Also my schedule is 6 days a week, each day separate body part exercise.

    Is that appropriate for your lifting experience? (How many years seriously training?)

    Whatever your calories or weight loss/gain/maintenance goals muscle building starts with your training.....
  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    Also my schedule is 6 days a week, each day separate body part exercise.

    Is that appropriate for your lifting experience? (How many years seriously training?)

    Whatever your calories or weight loss/gain/maintenance goals muscle building starts with your training.....

    I have started going to gym for the last 3 months if thats what you are asking. And lifting once a week squats, bench press, barbell rows and OH press.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    Also my schedule is 6 days a week, each day separate body part exercise.

    Is that appropriate for your lifting experience? (How many years seriously training?)

    Whatever your calories or weight loss/gain/maintenance goals muscle building starts with your training.....

    I have started going to gym for the last 3 months if thats what you are asking. And lifting once a week squats, bench press, barbell rows and OH press.

    Then a 6 day body part split isn't at all optimal for you - as a beginner you would do much better hitting each muscle group three times a week (with a predominance of compound lifts and minimal accessory isolation lifts) with a recovery day in between.
    At 22, male and new to lifting you have the potential for the most rapid and dramatic progress you will ever have in your remaining lifetime - don't waste that potential with a poor routine.
  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    Also my schedule is 6 days a week, each day separate body part exercise.

    Is that appropriate for your lifting experience? (How many years seriously training?)

    Whatever your calories or weight loss/gain/maintenance goals muscle building starts with your training.....

    I have started going to gym for the last 3 months if thats what you are asking. And lifting once a week squats, bench press, barbell rows and OH press.

    Then a 6 day body part split isn't at all optimal for you - as a beginner you would do much better hitting each muscle group three times a week (with a predominance of compound lifts and minimal accessory isolation lifts) with a recovery day in between.
    At 22, male and new to lifting you have the potential for the most rapid and dramatic progress you will ever have in your remaining lifetime - don't waste that potential with a poor routine.

    Thanks for that inspiring para, and yeah I am trying to start Stronglifts 5x5 program from next week onwards. I also made another discussion thread to discuss about it in fitness and exercise forum.
  • emilyvictoria7
    emilyvictoria7 Posts: 102 Member
    Not even remotely male, however 23yo female also new to lifting and I actually ended up starting with a personal trainer - nothing fancy or frequent, just meeting with a PT once a week for about an hour to get down a basic routine to start building the muscle groups. Turns out my running 4x a week has left me with an imbalance in my right hip that my left knee is compensating for, which was why my squats weren't firing right when I had been doing it on my own. Add this to a few other issues - bad form led to the wrong muscle groups being targeted in my lat pull down, and in my deadlifts.

    If you can afford it, I'd honestly suggest meeting with someone even just for a few weeks to get the basic movements down properly. My plan currently is to meet with the PT for 8 weeks, get the basics, maybe a few more weeks, then move on to a structured training plan (like Stronglifts 5x5).

    Good luck!!
  • emilyvictoria7
    emilyvictoria7 Posts: 102 Member
    Let me add that my PT is an osteopathy student who does PT in her free time to earn some extra cash so she works at a reduced rate, out of a private gym. So I can learn with her for cheap and workout at the gym I'm at without paying for their wickedly expensive PT sessions there!
  • mreichard
    mreichard Posts: 235 Member
    sr_1995 wrote: »
    Hello everyone I am male 22 yrs old, 170 cm, 65 kg, Body fat% is 14.6. I am on a calorie deficit diet for past 2 months. Lost 3 kgs in those 2 months. Should I wait for my body fat % to drop to 10% or start bulking? Right now my arms are skinny but there is some amount of fat in stomach area. If I go for cutting till 10% BF% how can I increase muscle mass?

    Thanks for positive feedback.

    What's that BF % based on (i.e. calipers, DEXA scan)?
  • sr_1995
    sr_1995 Posts: 32 Member
    mreichard wrote: »

    What's that BF % based on (i.e. calipers, DEXA scan)?

    I used online calculator for BF% and it uses US Navy seal method for calculating it.
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