Starting my first bulk, need some tips.

[BeBuff]

Starting my first bulk today, have been working out for 9 months, also been eating over maintance for 6 months (Not been serious enough and added to much fat) then i did 3 months with more serious diet to cut down from 20 body fat to 14-15 bodyfat., im 16 years old, weight 168 pounds, 5"7 with 14 bodyfat. Just decided to go for my dream and my dream body and take food and training to the next level, my goal is to get big, here is my diet:

Will aim for 0.5 pounds a week.

------ Breakfast: -------
100 grams of oatmeal
Whey protein shake
skim milk 4 cups
omega-3
888 calories - 58g Protein - 100g carbs - 18g fat.

-------- Lunch: --------
217g potatoes
150g chicken
omega-3
20g almonds
466 kcal - 44G protein - 38g carbs - 13G fat.

----Dinner/Preworkout: ----
170g tuna in water
120g banana
15g almonds
omega-3
66g oatmeal
636 calories - 61g protein - 72g carbs - 15g fat.

---- After training: ----
Whey protein shake
Apple.
200 kcal - 24G protein - 16g carbs - 1g fat.

--- Between Meals: -------
125g salmon
217g potatoes
20g almonds
omega-3
583 calories - 28g protein - 37g carbs - 30g fat.

----- Before bed: -----
100g cottage cheese
25g almonds
250 ml milk.
253 calories - 18g Protein - 2g carbs - 17g fat.

Total: around 3100 kcal - protein 235g - 252g carbs - 100g fat.



Supplements:
Opti-men (Multi)
Fish oil
100% Whey Gold Standard
Beef protein MuscleMed
Creatine

Im used to to 4 days splits.. but im confused, whats the best?

So i got some questions:

Does this look ok?
What workout program should i do, my goal is to get big and look good.
Anything i should add?

Hope this dosent look too bad :P

[BeBuff]

Anyone?

[MM11]

Actually for a 16 year old this looks pretty good to me. Your still figuring your body out. I like the macros a lot.

My only recommendations are to slowly increase calories and be consistent every day. Don't eat 5000 cals one day and complain about not gaining muscle. Also dont forget after you put some muscle on to increase calories to make up for the new muscle your body has.

Good luck. Bust your ass and you'll do great!

[lamonster14]

Looks good to me. I wish i cared as much as you do when i was your age. Make sure you lift big too, get your squats and deadlifts in. And sleep as well, you grow in the kitchen and in bed

[BeBuff]

Thanks guys for quick answers, could anyone give me a good workout routine? based on building mass and size.

Anyway repped you guys.

[MM11]

For mass /size look into GVT or German Volume Training. Or I would prefer DC training.

Training for mass and size is not the same as training for strength. You will get stronger ( just as you will gain some mass strength training) just remember your focus is on mass. Good form learn it young!!!
Make sure your work out includes squats dead lift and bench. I also am a big fan of Olympic lifts but for mass it's not the best.
Use good form, avoid injury, and follow your diet consistently. DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP!!
Keep leaning you will never know too much. Your results will be equal to the work you put in. Gym kitchen and sleep.

You got this!

[lamonster14]

Hit the nail on the head, at your age you will grow like a weed. I would make sure that my workouts revolve around compound movements and a large amount of stress on the posterior chain. Dont fall in love with isolation movements, theyre great and all aesthetically but you want mass and size. Shock your central nervous system and let your young hormones work for you.....and not to be redundant but SLEEP!

[BeBuff]

Is my bodyfat to high to start a bulk? 15 bf, also starting westside for skinny bastards next week, is that a good routine?

[MM11]

Is my bodyfat to high to start a bulk? 15 bf, also starting westside for skinny bastards next week, is that a good routine?

Yes great routine.

Bulk/ cut is up to your goals. Many will say you should be low then bulk, if your goal is to play linebacker well that's not a good idea. The truth is muscle is grown when there is a surplus of calories and fat is lost when the body does not consume enough calories it turns to fat ( and other things) as an energy source.

That being said you dont need to get Fat on a bulk.

If your goal is strength you should be eating in a surplus. How big of a surplus is up to how much fat your willing to gain.

You have the right mindset and I praise you for leaning. Most your age are not as clever.

[Jiigzz]

Is my bodyfat to high to start a bulk? 15 bf, also starting westside for skinny bastards next week, is that a good routine?

Awesome routine. You know its good if ZiR Red advocates for it.

More importantly, your food plan is looking very good and great attention to detail, makes my life easier. A couple of things though, remember that a good diet doesn't skip on the basics for general health and well-being, although you may look good aestetically, you want your insides to be happy as well. I dont see alot of non-starchy vegetables, definitly increase your vegtable intake. I did take note that you take a multi vitamin however it is far more preferable that you get the vitamins in their food form as a large dose of vitamins may cause them to fight each other to be absorbed etc.

I am going to plug these values into Food Works 2009 and determine if you are missing on any minerals or things not covered by the supplement and ill see if I can screen print the results for you and post them here.

I'll do it tomorrow though when im in the lab, cbf'd now. Other than that, this appears to be a well-thought out diet. Props.

[ThunderHumper]

Dam i wish i started like this at 16 instead of 18. Jst dont overbulk by eating too much like the majority of first time bulks go. Weight doesnt mean muscle, so try tkstay at your 0.5 lbs per week

[BeBuff]

Okey guys, this is what i will , cut trought summer, get my bodyfat down to 10 bodyfat, then when i got my bodyfat down i start a long clean bulk using a 4 day split, but i got some questions:

Do i need to eat maintance before i start my bulk again after cutting.?
How long should i bulk?
Should i try to keep bodyfat under 15%?
How many lbs should i gain per week without gaining to much fat.
How many lbs should i max gain per bulk.

[lamonster14]

I would not worry about numbers so much per week just stay consistent , listen to your body dont set goals in terms of weight if you get to 190 but look better at 180 who cares how much you weigh, ya know. Aesthetically what appears better is not always heavier.

[BeBuff]

This is how i look after 9 months training, what you guys think my bodyfat is? will i end up looking to skinny if i keep cutting down? or could i look decent:
No flex:


Flex:


My goal is to be at atleast 180 pounds with 10 bodyfat when im 18 (2 and half year left.)

Anyway is this an ok progress for 9 months?, when i started my bulk i was skinny fat (Still look at my self like skinny fat)

[BeBuff]

Bump

[jbonez]

Dude you're 16, if you expect to look like the guys on here right now, you're crazy. You have a good diet, and good workout ethic, thats way more than most at your age. I knew someone that had similar bicep genes, they bunch at the top of your arm. While you're young, do hammer curls or hammer preacher or hammer standing barbell (whichever of those you have the resources to do), in order to elongate the muscle. Besides that, your chest shape is coming in.

I don't see any before pictures, so i don't know how you expect us to tell your how your progress is going...

You want to gain 10 pounds in 2 and a half years? You're 1,000 calories over your recommended. Keep working out and dieting like this and I think you'll be way ahead of where you think you will. Although your diet is nice, you are very young and probably have the metabolism of a rat (Assuming they have fast metabolisms, i don't know s*** about rats). If you can eat more healthy things throughout the day, it can't hurt. You have a while to go man but you are mad young.

Keep it up, work out SMART, don't hurt yourself, and you'll be fine.

[BeBuff]

Dude you're 16, if you expect to look like the guys on here right now, you're crazy. You have a good diet, and good workout ethic, thats way more than most at your age. I knew someone that had similar bicep genes, they bunch at the top of your arm. While you're young, do hammer curls or hammer preacher or hammer standing barbell (whichever of those you have the resources to do), in order to elongate the muscle. Besides that, your chest shape is coming in.

I don't see any before pictures, so i don't know how you expect us to tell your how your progress is going...

You want to gain 10 pounds in 2 and a half years? You're 1,000 calories over your recommended. Keep working out and dieting like this and I think you'll be way ahead of where you think you will. Although your diet is nice, you are very young and probably have the metabolism of a rat (Assuming they have fast metabolisms, i don't know s*** about rats). If you can eat more healthy things throughout the day, it can't hurt. You have a while to go man but you are mad young.

Keep it up, work out SMART, don't hurt yourself, and you'll be fine.

Thanks bro, repped, any idea what my bodyfat is around?

[jbonez]

10-13% would be my guess

[BeBuff]

You guys think i should cut a little more? or start bulking now. i dont got much definition in arms, shoulder etc..

[BeBuff]

Bump

[jbonez]

You guys think i should cut a little more? or start bulking now. i dont got much definition in arms, shoulder etc..

Dude, what do you want your body to look like? How would we know what you want to look like. If you want to gain size, bulk. If you want to look more ripped, then cut. I personally think you are pretty damn small and you don't have much muscle on you, if you chose to cut, then you wouldn't have much that would pop out, you haven't really built much muscle yet. You would end up losing a good amount of muscle at that age, and basically starting over unless you did everything right.

You have to find out what you want and do that. I personally would bulk for like the next 4 years haha while your metabolism is awesome and you won't gain a gut while eating 4k calories. Gain massive muscles and then start bulking healthy/cutting/bulking healthy/cutting/etc...

[HoldtheRope76]

eat.more.food

[benmayro]

dude, i was in your situation... im 17 chrch out my log and pm with any questions

[BeBuff]

Two days into my bulk today, feeling great, bulking up to 180 pound (Is that an ok weight to hit to look decent after cut?)

Trying to keep my fat low, if i see that i have not added much fat at 180 pounds, then i keep going on.

I aim for 2 pounds a month, also using a 4 day split looking like this:

Day1: Chest/Biceps
day2: Leg/calves
Day3: Rest day, but doing abs and forearms
day4: Back
day5: Shoulders/Tricpes

[Jiigzz]

Two days into my bulk today, feeling great, bulking up to 180 pound (Is that an ok weight to hit to look decent after cut?)

Don't be so concerned with numbers as noone can really advise you on what weight to aim for. That is up to you depending on your goals. 2 pounds a month is rather a low target for a bulk though.

[ThunderHumper]

2 lbs a month is a very lean bulk. At least u wont have to cut very muchif at all later lol

[Swordfish II]

Thanks guys for quick answers, could anyone give me a good workout routine? based on building mass and size.

Anyway repped you guys.

Gotta say it is impressive seeing someone so young with a fully mapped out nutrition plan, and with dedication. DC is a good suggestion, maybe also look into 5/3/1 Boring But Big

[Swordfish II]

I would say 17ish. Around 11-12 most people will see some abs (usually the top 4)

[jbonez]

Two days into my bulk today, feeling great, bulking up to 180 pound (Is that an ok weight to hit to look decent after cut?)

Trying to keep my fat low, if i see that i have not added much fat at 180 pounds, then i keep going on.

I aim for 2 pounds a month, also using a 4 day split looking like this:

Day1: Chest/Biceps
day2: Leg/calves
Day3: Rest day, but doing abs and forearms
day4: Back
day5: Shoulders/Tricpes

I hate two things about your workout. First, putting shoulders and triceps right before chest is the stupidest thing possible. When you go to do chest, every other main muscle needed will fail. You will not be able to get up 1/2 the weight you should be because your tris and shoulders already gave out from being worked so hard the day before. Second, why would you work forearms on day 3 and not with biceps? They got hit so hard on bicep day, why are you killing them again 48 hours later?

[Jiigzz]

I hate two things about your workout. First, putting shoulders and triceps right before chest is the stupidest thing possible. When you go to do chest, every other main muscle needed will fail. You will not be able to get up 1/2 the weight you should be because your tris and shoulders already gave out from being worked so hard the day before. Second, why would you work forearms on day 3 and not with biceps? They got hit so hard on bicep day, why are you killing them again 48 hours later?

Its a 5 day workout plan. There are seven days in a week.. ergo, for two days after shoulders and triceps he is resting (or so it would seem) before he hits chest. Also, forearms dont nessersairly get killed in bicep day, unless you add in exercises that will (e.g. hammer curls). Forearm specific exercises deatcivate the biceps (to an extent) to allow the brachioradialis (forearm muscle) to become more activated. Im not saying that you need a whole day for these exercises, however just relying on curls to build them is not a good way to go about it.

However, if you rotate your plan every 5 days (e.g. no set days off) then definiatly reconsider where you place triceps and shoulders. As jbones said, you wont be able to do half what you could than if your muscles were rested adequatly.

[BeBuff]

What would be a decent weight for a 5"7 to look like he is build.

[Jiigzz]

What would be a decent weight for a 5"7 to look like he is build.

Like I said, don't worry about numbers so much. This changes from person to person. I could throw in a number, but how would we know for sure?

[jbonez]

He put in rest day for Day 3, seems only logical that he would've put rest day for 6 & 7 as well if they were rest days. Just the way I saw it..

[BeBuff]

I got a really soft look, you guys think that if i bulk that i can add more mass to my chest..etc, and get a harder look then a saggy and soft look, like my chest is very saggy and small.

[Jim2542]

Is my bodyfat to high to start a bulk? 15 bf, also starting westside for skinny bastards next week, is that a good routine?

Joe D is one of the best. I really enjoyed WS4SB when I played football in high school.

[mathewchaff]

very good wish i cared that much at that age ha

[jfedina90]

Subbed

[uvawahoowa]

I got a really soft look, you guys think that if i bulk that i can add more mass to my chest..etc, and get a harder look then a saggy and soft look, like my chest is very saggy and small.

Soft = fat. Small= lack of muscle. You can bulk at 15% and be successful, but personally I wouldn't be comfortable getting that high in bf.

[blaketime91]

dude start bulking..especially your chest and shoulders. Cut & tone your abs & legs. Also, a little color wouldn't hurt haha.