Cutting makes bulking more efficient?

[pistol345]

Hope this is the proper place to post this. I was reading about lean bulking the other day, and I stumbled across something interesting. Some site said that if you get your bodyfat under 10% before you bulk, your body will gain a better ratio of muscle to fat. I know if you're already lean, then when you bulk you won't have as much fat as if you were bigger before bulking, duh... but that article seemed to imply that your body gets used to being lean, and makes it easier to maintain a lower bf%. Any truth to this? Thanks in advance

 

[Celorza]

Hope this is the proper place to post this. I was reading about lean bulking the other day, and I stumbled across something interesting. Some site said that if you get your bodyfat under 10% before you bulk, your body will gain a better ratio of muscle to fat. I know if you're already lean, then when you bulk you won't have as much fat as if you were bigger before bulking, duh... but that article seemed to imply that your body gets used to being lean, and makes it easier to maintain a lower bf%. Any truth to this? Thanks in advance

Your other post mentioned you want to be a BodyBuilder, so unless you have some power ambitions...Your main concern is aesthetics for now, and those are fairly achievable without much power needed. Given it is HARD and TAKES A LONG TIME too, it is just a different approach...Since you are worried about looking good, getting lean first and doing what is known as a "Lean Bulk" or mainly just "Continuous Recomping" would be ideal to keep your sanity. Some BodyBuilder aspirants have a hard time Bulking, since they are concerned about their husky look and want the beloved (dreaded IMO) "Zyzz" look.

As if scientifically a body builds more muscle if it is leaner, I would have to agree on this one...a healthier body is also a more efficient body. Could explain more of this if you want...yet...I can let others chime in on this.

 

[pistol345]

I think of bodybuilding as more of a general term for building your body the way you want it. Maybe this isn't the correct definition as most "bodybuilders" are huge as hell. I'm definitely not concerned with being super strong or anything. I definitely just wanna look good, and maybe perform a lil better on the basketball court. I'm definitely sensitive to gaining bf, cause I desire to be really lean, but I'm like 9-10% now, and I could stand to go up to like 14 or 15 tops if I had to. Last year I force fed myself garbage all day, and gained like 4% bf over like 3 months, so I think with a clean diet, I could probably do quite well at gaining muscle and keeping fat gain minimal.

 

[Jiigzz]

So you just want an aesthetic build? Working out doesnt guarantee you'll perform better, just because you look better. If you want to perform better then you need to plan a workout that targets maximises training ability; maybe HIIT training, Plyometrics etc, aerobic capacity, maximises your anaerobic threshold and things of the like. Just becausee you can pump out 200lbs on the bench doesnt translate to 100% accuracy from the 3 point line or being able to run harder for longer.

Being a Body Builder and performing better require multiple, completly different training approaches.

 

[Docmattic]

I dont know about the under 10% thing...id have to reasearch it. But you can cut before a bulk and gain a lot of lean size in the first few weeks of the bulk. In this instance the cutting phase is refered to as priming. After cutting your body is starving and ready to absorb nutrients, so when you continue to work out hard and put your body in a calory surplus it uses it very effectivly. This only works for two-3 weeks but it can be very useful if used well. I plan to do it this year.

 

[pistol345]

So you just want an aesthetic build? Working out doesnt guarantee you'll perform better, just because you look better. If you want to perform better then you need to plan a workout that targets maximises training ability; maybe HIIT training, Plyometrics etc, aerobic capacity, maximises your anaerobic threshold and things of the like. Just becausee you can pump out 200lbs on the bench doesnt translate to 100% accuracy from the 3 point line or being able to run harder for longer.

Being a Body Builder and performing better require multiple, completly different training approaches.

Agreed... and I'm well aware that bench press strength has nothing to do with 3 point accuracy. I would just like to run faster and jump higher if possible.

 

[Jiigzz]

Agreed... and I'm well aware that bench press strength has nothing to do with 3 point accuracy. I would just like to run faster and jump higher if possible.

Haha yeah, i was just using the most basic example. Plyometrics and things like box squats and jumps will work wonders for jump height

 

[pistol345]

Cool. Its weird, if I take a couple steps, I can jump like 38-39 inches off the ground, but my 40 yard dash time is like 4.9. I just can't run fast for some reason. I'm hopin gettin some swoll legs will help

 

[Jiigzz]

Cool. Its weird, if I take a couple steps, I can jump like 38-39 inches off the ground, but my 40 yard dash time is like 4.9. I just can't run fast for some reason. I'm hopin gettin some swoll legs will help

It won't, unless you train specifically for more power in the legs. Simply squatting wont=more speed.

 

[rochabp]

I may like to add that this much correlates and reminds me of the Huge Anabolic Rebound effect i get after my DNP cycles, i get massive gains in size in a short period of time.

 

[rochabp]

However i also see a side that says, if one is plain bigger they do have "leverage" and are able to push heavier weight thus greater gains.

 

[biscuits]

Yes the leaner you are the better your body is at nutrient partitioning aka nutrients to muscle instead of fat..
Although there is a certain point where being too lean is impossible to maintain and you actually lose muscle..

I have made the best muscle gains at the 11-12% bodyfat range. Too lean and its a super slow recomp, too fat and its a dirty bulk. (Although many people may do better in the 9-11% range)

 

[BLaQz]

Haha yeah, i was just using the most basic example. Plyometrics and things like box squats and jumps will work wonders for jump height

Exactly... I trained a bball player... Plyometrics box jumps were a must... Explosive movements... Squat jumps etc... All excellent for your game...

 

[BLaQz]

... & sprints, got to sprint...

 

[pistol345]

Either way, I decided to get lean before bulking. I'm like 11%bf right now, but I just started my keto diet and eca stack, so I should cut up pretty quick, then bulking soon

 

[blacklac]

I dont know about the under 10% thing...id have to reasearch it. But you can cut before a bulk and gain a lot of lean size in the first few weeks of the bulk. In this instance the cutting phase is refered to as priming. After cutting your body is starving and ready to absorb nutrients, so when you continue to work out hard and put your body in a calory surplus it uses it very effectivly. This only works for two-3 weeks but it can be very useful if used well. I plan to do it this year.

How does the transition from deficit to surplus go to achieve this? I ask cause it's supposedly a "short" window and I'd assume that doesn't really leave room for reverse dieting. Straight from 500 calorie deficit to 500 calorie surplus?

 

[loganchristop]

As I also read on many resources, when you are leaner the calorie partitioning is higher towards your muscle cell

 

[pistol345]

How does the transition from deficit to surplus go to achieve this? I ask cause it's supposedly a "short" window and I'd assume that doesn't really leave room for reverse dieting. Straight from 500 calorie deficit to 500 calorie surplus?

This is a good question, and it makes me wonder... if your body is using calories more efficiently during this period, would it be more beneficial to do like a 750 calorie surplus and enjoy the lean gains while you can? then reduce the surplus a bit when your return to normal bulking efficiency. I might try it

 

[blacklac]

This is a good question, and it makes me wonder... if your body is using calories more efficiently during this period, would it be more beneficial to do like a 750 calorie surplus and enjoy the lean gains while you can? then reduce the surplus a bit when your return to normal bulking efficiency. I might try it

Yeah, I'm still interested in the answer to these questions. I'm about to finish my cut (~2 month cut) and I'm curious how to transition.

 

[Distilled Water]

Hope this is the proper place to post this. I was reading about lean bulking the other day, and I stumbled across something interesting. Some site said that if you get your bodyfat under 10% before you bulk, your body will gain a better ratio of muscle to fat. I know if you're already lean, then when you bulk you won't have as much fat as if you were bigger before bulking, duh... but that article seemed to imply that your body gets used to being lean, and makes it easier to maintain a lower bf%. Any truth to this? Thanks in advance

It all depends, not a set cut and dry outline. It's a great time to add muscle and bodyfat. You can't go overboard like a lot of people think, "ah I'm prime for muscle so I can eat a huge surplus!" Yes, a day or two would be fine but you have to remember the body does what it needs to SURVIVE, not have boat loads of muscle with low bodyfat. You were restricting calories, the body doesn't like that so your metabolism slows. Of you're feeding it a ton of calories after a long deprivation, it's going to try and store a lot of those calories. Both as muscle and fat.

You're usually more sensitive to insulin so adding more carbs than normal is great for a few weeks but they still need to be quality carbs. You could probably bump carbs to 40-50% of calories for a few weeks but still stay at a modest surplus (250-500cals)

Easiest way to ruin your hard work is to eat too many cals post cut thinking you're gonna get huge. I ate more carbs than normal for about 4 weeks post show and feel like I added good mass & some fat. Now I'm doing a recomp for about another 4-5weeks, after this ill slowly add carbs back in for a solid lean bulk for 12 weeks or so. Hope that helps.

 

[pistol345]

It all depends, not a set cut and dry outline. It's a great time to add muscle and bodyfat. You can't go overboard like a lot of people think, "ah I'm prime for muscle so I can eat a huge surplus!" Yes, a day or two would be fine but you have to remember the body does what it needs to SURVIVE, not have boat loads of muscle with low bodyfat. You were restricting calories, the body doesn't like that so your metabolism slows. Of you're feeding it a ton of calories after a long deprivation, it's going to try and store a lot of those calories. Both as muscle and fat.

You're usually more sensitive to insulin so adding more carbs than normal is great for a few weeks but they still need to be quality carbs. You could probably bump carbs to 40-50% of calories for a few weeks but still stay at a modest surplus (250-500cals)

Easiest way to ruin your hard work is to eat too many cals post cut thinking you're gonna get huge. I ate more carbs than normal for about 4 weeks post show and feel like I added good mass & some fat. Now I'm doing a recomp for about another 4-5weeks, after this ill slowly add carbs back in for a solid lean bulk for 12 weeks or so. Hope that helps.

Awesome. Thanks for the info man!