Time to Gain! Anyone running a bulk?

Hi everyone!

It's time for me to transition into yet another bulk cycle. B)

Anyone else bulking now or soon? Feel free to discuss your goals, methods used, share your progress, or even if you aren't bulking but have any questions or want to share your past results, you can do it here

As for me, this will be bulk #4. I did have a few set backs due to pregnancies and babies so not exactly where I want to be considering.

I currently transitioning from my cut. I will slowly add calories until I hit maintenance, then I will hang out there for a few weeks (probably until mid-October or so) until I start to up the calories to gain. I am going to start off slow and steady, 0.25lb per week gain then take it from there. Not sure how long this bulk will be, I will play it by ear.

Also I haven't figured out my programming 100% but it will be an upper/lower hypertrophy split similar to what I am doing now.
-3x per week lower body (very heavy glute focus, less quad)
-2x per week upper body (back and shoulder focus)

I will keep protein at about 1g per lb (estimated). The rest will fall into place. I won't track my intake, as usual, especially since I have no idea where my food scale is (we are in the process of moving) but I will be weighing daily and tracking my trends and adjusting from there.

I will still be popping into the cutting thread of course but I figure I would start a new one here so I don't bog that one down with all the gaining updates :p

Happy bulking! ;)
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Replies

  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    @sardelsa You finally start this thread just as moving back to the cutting thread 😂
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
    @sardelsa what is a bulk? I'm likely 500 cals over BMR and sitting at 1.2 g per lb protein. Working on recovery as you know. Hoping to be building again by Nov Dec.

    Would this be a bulk or do I need to live at McDonalds and toss back a bag of Lays each night. 😉
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Two weeks into my current bulk. Gaining rather quickly, but I should start slowing down soon. Then it will be a more gradual gain. Started at 175, looking to get to 195-200 by mid January. Then I’ll be on the cut 💪🏼

    Hooray welcome!! Ya I find the gains come on fast due to water weight, workouts and food volume then they even out.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    @sardelsa You finally start this thread just as moving back to the cutting thread 😂

    Haha aww don't worry I will still check up on you all there :p
  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
    @sardelsa found a TDEE calculator. Looks like I'm on a bulk since I am not allowed to lift at the moment.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    KHMcG wrote: »
    @sardelsa found a TDEE calculator. Looks like I'm on a bulk since I am not allowed to lift at the moment.

    Well if you are recovering I would eat at maintenance while you heal up vs gain. If you aren't lifting the gain will be fat, unfortunately. Up to you of course!

    Hope you feel better soon
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    https://legionathletics.com/ideal-male-body/

    https://bodywhat.com/

    Here's a few tools I've used... The first is a calculator based on your height, wrist, and ankle... It's supposed to give you your theoretical largest size in terms of weight and aesthetics... Gives you a number of helpful measurements to shoot for...

    The next is a website where you can upload a photo of yourself and with a little work, it uses AI apparently to give you several body measurements and predict your bf%...

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    Intentionally?!? :laugh:

    According to my coach, I'm in bulk season. But I'm not tracking macros, and just eating what I want. I really need to dial it in and make sure I'm at least hitting my protein...
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    @sardelsa You finally start this thread just as moving back to the cutting thread 😂

    Haha aww don't worry I will still check up on you all there :p

    Next you need to create the "Idk wtf I'm doing 🤷🏽‍♂️" thread, for people like me 😬😂
  • snuff15ee
    snuff15ee Posts: 99 Member
    I ran a clean bulk last year. It took me 13-14 months to gain 14 lbs doing about 100-200 calories above maintenance. I started at 176 and got to 190 just as the gyms were shutting down. I'm back to 173 since I started cycling 5-6 days a week; it was tough to keep up.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Not yet :'(

    One day I will get lean enough and then run a bulk.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Not yet :'(

    One day I will get lean enough and then run a bulk.

    Same.

    I am tempted to just give it a go since I feel like I’m spinning wheels trying to cut more.
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 514 Member
    Think I'm
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    It's time for me to transition into yet another bulk cycle. B)

    Anyone else bulking now or soon? Feel free to discuss your goals, methods used, share your progress, or even if you aren't bulking but have any questions or want to share your past results, you can do it here

    As for me, this will be bulk #4. I did have a few set backs due to pregnancies and babies so not exactly where I want to be considering.

    I currently transitioning from my cut. I will slowly add calories until I hit maintenance, then I will hang out there for a few weeks (probably until mid-October or so) until I start to up the calories to gain. I am going to start off slow and steady, 0.25lb per week gain then take it from there. Not sure how long this bulk will be, I will play it by ear.

    Also I haven't figured out my programming 100% but it will be an upper/lower hypertrophy split similar to what I am doing now.
    -3x per week lower body (very heavy glute focus, less quad)
    -2x per week upper body (back and shoulder focus)

    I will keep protein at about 1g per lb (estimated). The rest will fall into place. I won't track my intake, as usual, especially since I have no idea where my food scale is (we are in the process of moving) but I will be weighing daily and tracking my trends and adjusting from there.

    I will still be popping into the cutting thread of course but I figure I would start a new one here so I don't bog that one down with all the gaining updates :p

    Happy bulking! ;)

    Think I'm coming to the end of my defluff, which going on the past few weeks has been more or less maintaining so I think I will join you on the bulk train soon. Choo choo:)
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Not yet :'(

    One day I will get lean enough and then run a bulk.

    Same.

    I am tempted to just give it a go since I feel like I’m spinning wheels trying to cut more.

    Yeah, I've only been under TDEE on 18 of the last 45 days so I think I'll just lean into this upward trend. If I consider 9/1 to be my start I was at 173.3 lbs and ~11% body fat.

    What type of surplus are people planning/have experience with being most effective? I'm thinking to keep things around +100/day or so for a little less than 1 lb/month and stick to at least 1 g/lb protein.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    steveko89 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Not yet :'(

    One day I will get lean enough and then run a bulk.

    Same.

    I am tempted to just give it a go since I feel like I’m spinning wheels trying to cut more.

    Yeah, I've only been under TDEE on 18 of the last 45 days so I think I'll just lean into this upward trend. If I consider 9/1 to be my start I was at 173.3 lbs and ~11% body fat.

    What type of surplus are people planning/have experience with being most effective? I'm thinking to keep things around +100/day or so for a little less than 1 lb/month and stick to at least 1 g/lb protein.

    @steveko89 I've done 2lb per month as well as 1lb per month. I am also female so that is a factor.
    With the faster gain (2lbs per month) pros were it was easy to track and monitor progress (visual and weight wise), I didn't have to bulk as long. Cons were the really high intake to keep that surplus (for me that was hard, for others that might be a plus), also I did gain a bit more fat than I would have otherwise and it was slightly uncomfortable.

    With the slower gain (1lb per month) pros were it was nice and steady, intake wasn't too crazy and fat gain wasn't as apparent. However a con I found it too slow.. muscle growth was so minimal and it was hard to know if I was actually in a surplus or just maintaining.

    In your case if you are hesitant to bulk I would go with the smaller surplus. It's easier to deal with mentally and physically. You can always add more calories if you want later on.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,443 Member
    IPF just changed up the female powerlifting weight classes. There's a 76 kilo class now. I might actually be able to get that low. 72 kg was too low for me. So, I may be back to cutting soon. Depends on when my next meet actually is. Nothing planned yet.
  • steveko89
    steveko89 Posts: 2,216 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    steveko89 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Not yet :'(

    One day I will get lean enough and then run a bulk.

    Same.

    I am tempted to just give it a go since I feel like I’m spinning wheels trying to cut more.

    Yeah, I've only been under TDEE on 18 of the last 45 days so I think I'll just lean into this upward trend. If I consider 9/1 to be my start I was at 173.3 lbs and ~11% body fat.

    What type of surplus are people planning/have experience with being most effective? I'm thinking to keep things around +100/day or so for a little less than 1 lb/month and stick to at least 1 g/lb protein.

    @steveko89 I've done 2lb per month as well as 1lb per month. I am also female so that is a factor.
    With the faster gain (2lbs per month) pros were it was easy to track and monitor progress (visual and weight wise), I didn't have to bulk as long. Cons were the really high intake to keep that surplus (for me that was hard, for others that might be a plus), also I did gain a bit more fat than I would have otherwise and it was slightly uncomfortable.

    With the slower gain (1lb per month) pros were it was nice and steady, intake wasn't too crazy and fat gain wasn't as apparent. However a con I found it too slow.. muscle growth was so minimal and it was hard to know if I was actually in a surplus or just maintaining.

    In your case if you are hesitant to bulk I would go with the smaller surplus. It's easier to deal with mentally and physically. You can always add more calories if you want later on.

    Doing some googling, I'm already rethinking whether or not I truly have enough room to even do a lean bulk.