[u_e_s_i]

What's the difference between lean bulking whilst at 7%bf, and lean bulking at 12% bf?

I've heard some ppl say that you build muscle faster doing the same thing if you're at 12% bf than if you're at 7%, allegedly because your workouts at ~12% are typically better than they are at ~7%. Is this true? I'm aware that some professionals stay at <10% year round, are they sacrificing some gains by staying quite so lean?

[Swindler]

Well even at 7% you will slap some weight and fat on pretty easy even in a lean bulk but you build muscle better at a lower bf% and once you get to like 15% your muscle building capability start to decline at least that's what I hear and I try to get as lean as possible before I do a lean bulk it's just my two cents cause even on a lean bulk I have got up to 12-15% and that is usually around the end of my cycle....

[EMPIREMIND]

Your body will metabolize and partition nutrients better when leaner. This would lead to less overall fat gain in ratio to muscle gain.