Why do people bulk and cut all the time? For example person A bulks for 8 months and cut for 4 months then repeat the cycle. While person B bulks 12 months. Wouldn't person B gain more mass compared to person A? Also, i heard from my uncle(who is a bodybuilder) that each time after a cut your muscles become more dense and full. Is that suppose to be true or just a myth?
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Bulking and Cutting?
- Thread starter RandomBear
- Start date
thebrick
Super Moderator - RIP
- Oct 28, 2012
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Hey RandomBear, good question.
Obviously people bulk because this put them in the most anabolic state. The challenge is to gain as much muscle as possible without gaining a lot of fat. On the other side, its much harder to gain a lot of muscle with restricted calories in an effort to stay cut. My opinion is that people that are constantly bulking and cutting may need to clean up their diet a bit. I have seen some overdue it on the bulking in the quest for muscle and they end up too fat. You CAN gain muscle without piling on the fat. Your diet is key.
As far as muscle density and fullness, its been my experience that is something that comes from long-term training and with time. I call it muscle maturity. Then, when you do drop body fat, the muscle development really shows.
Obviously people bulk because this put them in the most anabolic state. The challenge is to gain as much muscle as possible without gaining a lot of fat. On the other side, its much harder to gain a lot of muscle with restricted calories in an effort to stay cut. My opinion is that people that are constantly bulking and cutting may need to clean up their diet a bit. I have seen some overdue it on the bulking in the quest for muscle and they end up too fat. You CAN gain muscle without piling on the fat. Your diet is key.
As far as muscle density and fullness, its been my experience that is something that comes from long-term training and with time. I call it muscle maturity. Then, when you do drop body fat, the muscle development really shows.
Enigmatic707
AnaSCI VET
- Feb 7, 2013
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chicken_hawk
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- Feb 2, 2013
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The brick had a great answer, but since I just like to talk I will add my 2cc's for what it's worth. In answer to your question with all else being equal the guy who bulks for 12 months may have gained more muscle, but bber A very well may look bigger. BBing is smoke and mirrors so a lean 180lb guy often looks bigger than his 215lb counterpart.
On the flip side of things, rotating bulking and cutting can be a very could thing. Long periods of bulking lead to large amounts of fat which require long diets to get rid of and hence muscle loss. If the person actually wants to look like a bber that is. Keep in mind too, that the body does not want to change, it will fight you in both directions...bulking or cutting. Ask a bber when they grew the most and they will always tell you it was after the cut, why? Cuz there body was fighting losing weight and then for a short few weeks everything was in place physiologically to gain weight. The same way that when you first start cutting you lose weight for about three weeks and then your body fights you.
Truly the best approach may be carb cycling, I personally don't have the discipline, but I do cut 2 weeks out of every 8 and I will tell you that I always make the best gains after that cutting period.
Sorry for rambling.
Hawk
PS study the hormone Leptin and you will broaden your knowledge far and above your peers.
tri-terror
Registered User
- Oct 31, 2012
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So the issue is that it's hard to gain a lot of muscle on a calorie restricted diet. It can be done, much better gains can be had with the governor set a little higher.
The problem is that people "bulk" for too long. I think 12 months is too much. You don't have to do a contest diet, but when you start to look soft or lose your abs it's time to "cut" for a couple weeks or more.
The other thing is that a true bodybuilder should NEVER get above 10% IMO. I'm guilty of getting too damn sloppy every year so far. No more. You are much more anabolic and it is much harder to gain fat when you are single digits.
People also neglect simple things that can keep some of the fat off. Morning cardio a few days a week like Dante preaches really goes a long way. Plus it keeps you hungrier!
The problem is that people "bulk" for too long. I think 12 months is too much. You don't have to do a contest diet, but when you start to look soft or lose your abs it's time to "cut" for a couple weeks or more.
The other thing is that a true bodybuilder should NEVER get above 10% IMO. I'm guilty of getting too damn sloppy every year so far. No more. You are much more anabolic and it is much harder to gain fat when you are single digits.
People also neglect simple things that can keep some of the fat off. Morning cardio a few days a week like Dante preaches really goes a long way. Plus it keeps you hungrier!
AtomAnt
AnaSCI VET
Some great answers already, chicken-hawk, in the off season(like now) I have similar approach. We use carb/kcal cycling and cut on a cruise period, so my cruises might be a little longer than most running DC just because we like to strip some of the fat.
There comes a point where the increase in fat has negative physiological effects, like insulin resistance, poor cardiovascular health, among others and the higher bodyfat is no longer any benefit in terms of gaining mass...there is a point of diminishing returns.
If your goal is to put on size, keep on adding and adding until you reach a point where fat accumulation is outside of your comfort zone and then cut back a few weeks to tighten up. You have to find the medium that allows you to not get too plump while still adding muscle as fast as you can.
There comes a point where the increase in fat has negative physiological effects, like insulin resistance, poor cardiovascular health, among others and the higher bodyfat is no longer any benefit in terms of gaining mass...there is a point of diminishing returns.
If your goal is to put on size, keep on adding and adding until you reach a point where fat accumulation is outside of your comfort zone and then cut back a few weeks to tighten up. You have to find the medium that allows you to not get too plump while still adding muscle as fast as you can.
Great knowledge from all the above. If you don't understand any part random just ask cause some terminology can be confusing..thanks guys..I learn too in this old noggin.
Thunder46
AnaSCI VET
Some great anwsers, I myself no longer bulk but reverse diet which is adding calories back in this link explains it a little better Reverse Dieting After a Contest to Stay Lean and Grow | Team Gorman
Bulking has it's place- in a younger trainers quest for reaching size/strength goals. Did a few of those in my 20's to very early 30's. Not for me anymore.
It can be great for breaking plateaus and getting confident handling some heavy iron. In my opinion after 30-35 there is no reason to ever get sloppy at all.So much easier gauging gains when fairly lean . Feel better look better and healthier. I've been as heavy as 320 (oink) and felt like hell. Was very strong at that bulked wt but looked and felt like something we flush.. T
It can be great for breaking plateaus and getting confident handling some heavy iron. In my opinion after 30-35 there is no reason to ever get sloppy at all.So much easier gauging gains when fairly lean . Feel better look better and healthier. I've been as heavy as 320 (oink) and felt like hell. Was very strong at that bulked wt but looked and felt like something we flush.. T
AtomAnt
AnaSCI VET
One thing about any bulk, IMO, is that when fat gain outstips musclular gains, you've reach a point where you need to cut back on what you are eating or up the cardio. It's when people don't realize how much fat they are truly gaining that things start to get sloppy. If you are keeping tabs of food intake and monitoring progress, then there is no need to turn into a little (or big) piggie.
Ironically, this is coming from the guy who's goal is be 200lbs at 5'2"...lol