help/discussion on bulking and cutting

[ketms]

Hello all,

I am looking for some advice and opinions on building muscle. Do you have an easier time building muscle at a higher bf% or lower? Does the rate of adding lean mass increase at a higher or lower bf?

Any experience/opinions/advice is welcome here. I am looking for help in my 'quest'. I am 20yrs old, 6'1 195@ about 20%bf. Im hoping for advice on whether to continue on a bulk or cut down first. 20% is obviously high but I would like to gain 30lbs lean mass over the next couple years and want to to do this as efficiently and fast as possible (as everyone does lol). Ive been lifting for the past 4 years but only truely serious this past year. Id like to aviod discussion on any AAS/prohormones for this thread

thanks and again, any advice/opnions are welcome

:006:

 

[rrm]

keep goin at it. Easier to gain now than when your older.

 

[B5150]

Your body has a natural set point for it's body fat. As you force your body below it's set point it is fighting to keep fat and will sacrifice LBM if you allow it. It is best to be at or above your set point to gain LBM. It can be done at or below your set point but this usually requires a lot of experience with your nutrition and or drugs and steroids.

Yes, it is easier to gain LBM with a surplus of body fat or a less lean condition. But obesity is not a prerequisite for LBM. 20% bf could easily be reduced to 16% while easily gaining several lbs of lbm.

Bulking up does not necessarily mean fattening up and is not advisable for long term lifestyle and health issues.

 

[BoyFromAus]

Your body has a natural set point for it's body fat. As you force your body below it's set point it is fighting to keep fat and will sacrifice LBM if you allow it. It is best to be at or above your set point to gain LBM. It can be done at or below your set point but this usually requires a lot of experience with your nutrition and or drugs and steroids.

Yes, it is easier to gain LBM with a surplus of body fat or a less lean condition. But obesity is not a prerequisite for LBM. 20% bf could easily be reduced to 16% while easily gaining several lbs of lbm.

Bulking up does not necessarily mean fattening up and is not advisable for long term lifestyle and health issues.

Oh, that's new to me.
Multiple times i've heard the opposite.
I heard that when body fat is lower, less estrogen is produced and testosterone isn't as suppressed (meaning greater bf % suppresses production of test). Anyone else heard this?

 

[KgTomCat]

Oh, that's new to me.
Multiple times i've heard the opposite.
I heard that when body fat is lower, less estrogen is produced and testosterone isn't as suppressed (meaning greater bf % suppresses production of test). Anyone else heard this?

I've heard both. Coming from a psychological point of view, being obese will have a greater impact on having low test levels, there are sooo many factors that go into it though, how you react to certain problems or situations, how society and your friends act or treat you, your genetics, lifestyle....it goes on forever. Or being obese could give you more test, only from the hard work and motivation of exercise you will be doing, but everyone is different

 

[fitnessgoal]

Your body has a natural set point for it's body fat. As you force your body below it's set point it is fighting to keep fat and will sacrifice LBM if you allow it. It is best to be at or above your set point to gain LBM. It can be done at or below your set point but this usually requires a lot of experience with your nutrition and or drugs and steroids.

Yes, it is easier to gain LBM with a surplus of body fat or a less lean condition. But obesity is not a prerequisite for LBM. 20% bf could easily be reduced to 16% while easily gaining several lbs of lbm.

Bulking up does not necessarily mean fattening up and is not advisable for long term lifestyle and health issues.

Ive heard and agree to this.

 

[KgTomCat]

Ive heard and agree to this.

explain
:wave2:

 

[B5150]

The fact of the matter is that naturally you would be lucky if you could gain 1 to 2 lbs of LBM per week. So a 200lb person whose maintenance intake is 2000 calories a day (14000 week) eats 4000 calories a day (28000 week) he has added 14000 calories a week. 2lbs of LBM a week will only require 7000 additional caloires per week. IOW only a 1000 calories a day surplus.

The more you over eat does not produce more muscle growth. It is rate limited. The only exception may be on heavy handed uses of steroid and even that is rate limited at one point or an other.

Someone who is at or below there setpoint of BF will struggle very hard to gain LBM while retaining that same leaness. A fat guy of 20% bf has no need to continue to over eat. His size or girth is nothing more that fat.

 

[KgTomCat]

whoa, no I misread that, I totally agree with it B5150, I thought fitnessgoal said he didnt agree with it. forgive me

 

[ketms]

Your body has a natural set point for it's body fat. As you force your body below it's set point it is fighting to keep fat and will sacrifice LBM if you allow it. It is best to be at or above your set point to gain LBM. It can be done at or below your set point but this usually requires a lot of experience with your nutrition and or drugs and steroids.

This def makes sense and I would assume a good estimate of that point is where you are without following an incredibly strict diet? I know I have always been between 15-20% so my point probably falls within that range, correct?

Yes, it is easier to gain LBM with a surplus of body fat or a less lean condition. But obesity is not a prerequisite for LBM. 20% bf could easily be reduced to 16% while easily gaining several lbs of lbm

I feel this is a possibility as well. Any suggestions on diet? my bmr is 1873, so i need about 3000 daily for maintenence. I am also down to about 185 and 17% now (assuming lbm is same)


thanks guys and again, any input is welcome. I am very interested in learning from everyone