Should i cut or bulk?

[276992]

2
You’ll look and feel better if you cut. I’m 5’9” also.
Here’s a pic of me at ~190 vs 170
View attachment 1312300 View attachment 1312301

You had muscle under your little bit of extra fat. The OP has a lot of work to do yet.

 

[SoCalguy1991]

You had muscle under your little bit of extra fat. The OP has a lot of work to do yet.

I gained 40 pounds following a strict diet in 40 weeks how are you saying I didn’t gain at least 15-20 pounds of muscle during that. All my workout weights went up. I do have fat but still a lot of muscle

 

[276992]

I gained 40 pounds following a strict diet in 40 weeks how are you saying I didn’t gain at least 15-20 pounds of muscle during that. All my workout weights went up. I do have fat but still a lot of muscle

My poor was the other guy had a much more muscular base. You’re doing great.

 

[Snarky_succubus]

*blink*

Um... really? Lol
Stop bullshitting.

 

[SoCalguy1991]

*blink*

Um... really? Lol
Stop bullshitting.

I don’t even know what you’re pointing out but I’m assuming you think I photoshopped this? Lol

 

[Snarky_succubus]

I don’t even know what you’re pointing out but I’m assuming you think I photoshopped this? Lol

I don’t *think*...
I’ve been using photoshop for 20+ years...
Anybody with an eye for detail and an understanding of anatomy is rolling their eyes. Hard. Even with no knowledge of photography or photo manipulation.
Lol ridiculous

 

[socalfreak]

Ok...
Well, first the obvious answer...
YOU need to decide what makes you happy with your body. Why on Earth would you ask people here what to do?
Next, it depends on what your goals are.
Are you trying to look like an athlete/model/bodybuilder..??

As far as assessing you...
Going from top to bottom:
Your traps are nonexistent.
Shoulders need a lot of work. Especially the lateral heads
Your pecs look like somebody stuck a pin in you and deflated them. Very flat/flabby looking.
*If* the picture isn't doctored, arms are uneven & need more work on your triceps.
Your thighs don't really look "huge".... Pretty average for somebody holding that much fat on their body.
And calves look like they don't get worked at all.
By your own statements,
"Strict" diet & 40 lbs added in 40 weeks.
Knowing that drug-using high-level bodybuilders have a hard time doing this, I'm calling bullshit. Buy a new scale. Yours is broken.
"At least 10-15 lbs of muscle". Myeah...
Soo...30 lbs of fat. And you want to put on another 10 lbs of muscle... Which, by your estimation, adds another 30 lbs of fat.
Putting on 60 lbs of fat & attempting to hold onto 20 lbs of muscle while cutting hard enough to get results.
Good luck. Not bloody likely.
By the way... How did you arrive at your lean muscle added estimate?
Unless you have before and after dexa scans, you have no clue what you're talking about.
P.S. We're all wondering what kind of "strict diet" adds that much fat that quickly.
Sorry if this seems harsh.
But, you asked.
Good luck to you.
I hope you reach your goals.

 

[Blkgymrat]

I’m with bkmuscledad we need new pics to compare.

 

[4todayvd]

Wow tough critics! Im interested in your fitness journey and progress keep up the good work!

 

[SoCalguy1991]

New pics. Spent the last 6 months cutting from 200 to 160. I lost about 10-15% of strength so know a bit of muscle was lost but most of it was fat and hoping to get the muscle back pretty quickly, this time on a slow bulk. I wanted to see abs but I’m not there yet and I think I’d rather get some more muscle first. What do y’all think? Keep cutting or time to bulk?

 

[rogue_sword]

View attachment 3207571 View attachment 3207581 View attachment 3207591 View attachment 3207561 New pics. Spent the last 6 months cutting from 200 to 160. I lost about 10-15% of strength so know a bit of muscle was lost but most of it was fat and hoping to get the muscle back pretty quickly, this time on a slow bulk. I wanted to see abs but I’m not there yet and I think I’d rather get some more muscle first. What do y’all think? Keep cutting or time to bulk?

First off, congrats you look fab. I think you look great without any extra muscle.

For you and all others in this thread, if you are certain you want to be bigger, and you don't have any deadline to look lean (like a wedding or a beach holiday) then in my opinion you should always bulk first.

This is the most time-efficient way of doing simply because you have to do one bulk and one cut. Depending on how much body fat you have when you start and how efficient you are with your bulk the cut won't necessarily be much longer.

As always for both bulking and cutting, keep 100pc discipline for 100pc of the result, ensure you have sufficient time to commit in advance, plan your macros and stick to them without eating any shit.

I've never posted bulking advice before but here are a few things I wish I'd known a few years ago:

• Make sure you get enough carbs especially right after a workout. Bagels are great, they might as well be a 45g "carb bar" and a great way to get to your 300g or so of carbs a day without eating uncomfortable amounts of rice etc. When I bulk I have a pretty much normal diet - I just top up the macros with bagels and chicken breast snacks every few hours. I never take shakes.
• Find a gym buddy and try to break your squat record every two weeks. Breaking that barrier is like a magic signal to grow.
• I take the same supplements as when cutting - high EPA omega 3, L Carntine, BCAAs, Creatine and a multi vit. Really for a bulk you also need something that will increase your testosterone. Your body tries to balance testosterone with estrogen so if you end up taking anything that significantly raises your testosterone, do your research and consider something to counteract the estrogen too.
• Make sure you hit all the big compound moves regularly.
• Train mostly for volume (lot of reps and supersets) but mix it up with heavy sessions that try to push a group further than they've been before. You need to force yourself to "level up" every few weeks but every session can't be like that. I won't comment more about how to train, there is loads of (conflicting) advice on that online.
• Pump hurts - push through it. If you are bulking effectively, 4-6 weeks in you will feel a painful pump from the first set.
• Stop when your weight plateaus.

I am bulking at the moment (which is why I'm dodging cameras right now) and have gone from 75kg to 95kg. At 100kg I will cut back to competition body fat for a show in November and expect to be on stage at 83-85.

 

[Complex8]

First off, congrats you look fab. I think you look great without any extra muscle.

For you and all others in this thread, if you are certain you want to be bigger, and you don't have any deadline to look lean (like a wedding or a beach holiday) then in my opinion you should always bulk first.

This is the most time-efficient way of doing simply because you have to do one bulk and one cut. Depending on how much body fat you have when you start and how efficient you are with your bulk the cut won't necessarily be much longer.

As always for both bulking and cutting, keep 100pc discipline for 100pc of the result, ensure you have sufficient time to commit in advance, plan your macros and stick to them without eating any shit.

I've never posted bulking advice before but here are a few things I wish I'd known a few years ago:

• Make sure you get enough carbs especially right after a workout. Bagels are great, they might as well be a 45g "carb bar" and a great way to get to your 300g or so of carbs a day without eating uncomfortable amounts of rice etc. When I bulk I have a pretty much normal diet - I just top up the macros with bagels and chicken breast snacks every few hours. I never take shakes.
• Find a gym buddy and try to break your squat record every two weeks. Breaking that barrier is like a magic signal to grow.
• I take the same supplements as when cutting - high EPA omega 3, L Carntine, BCAAs, Creatine and a multi vit. Really for a bulk you also need something that will increase your testosterone. Your body tries to balance testosterone with estrogen so if you end up taking anything that significantly raises your testosterone, do your research and consider something to counteract the estrogen too.
• Make sure you hit all the big compound moves regularly.
• Train mostly for volume (lot of reps and supersets) but mix it up with heavy sessions that try to push a group further than they've been before. You need to force yourself to "level up" every few weeks but every session can't be like that. I won't comment more about how to train, there is loads of (conflicting) advice on that online.
• Pump hurts - push through it. If you are bulking effectively, 4-6 weeks in you will feel a painful pump from the first set.
• Stop when your weight plateaus.

I am bulking at the moment (which is why I'm dodging cameras right now) and have gone from 75kg to 95kg. At 100kg I will cut back to competition body fat for a show in November and expect to be on stage at 83-85.

Those are great tips, brother. Thanks for that - had a similar routine myself recently with a trainer, but been tough getting back to it alone and trying to remember all the levers AND keep up the motivation. So appreciate the reminder, good motivating tips bud. Cheers.

 

[rogue_sword]

Those are great tips, brother. Thanks for that - had a similar routine myself recently with a trainer, but been tough getting back to it alone and trying to remember all the levers AND keep up the motivation. So appreciate the reminder, good motivating tips bud. Cheers.

No problem and pleased to be of help.

You've brought up something else there, that is no-one ever did this alone. A bad trainer is a waste of time and money, but a good one, a proper geek who is into their aesthetics and maybe competes in physique shows, is well worth it, even remotely. I have a great trainer & friend who is a WBFF Pro and pretty much everything I have now I a result of 3 years with him.

 

[Complex8]

I feel ya.. I recently had a bad trainer which is why I'm back to it on my own.. but plenty of trainers in the past (I'm an ex-athlete) and had 2 professional athletes and one natural body builder and I learned a great deal from them - so completely agree that hiring someone (if you can) is the way to go.. but for those of us in between at the moment, knowledge and dedication is better than skipping out for a hamburger

 

[Hangoutnaked]

View attachment 3207571 View attachment 3207581 View attachment 3207591 View attachment 3207561 New pics. Spent the last 6 months cutting from 200 to 160. I lost about 10-15% of strength so know a bit of muscle was lost but most of it was fat and hoping to get the muscle back pretty quickly, this time on a slow bulk. I wanted to see abs but I’m not there yet and I think I’d rather get some more muscle first. What do y’all think? Keep cutting or time to bulk?

Looking great, man. I'd bulk... But that was my initial comment too. ☺

 

[rachelwinders]

Keep up the good work, buddy! i have similar stats. What did you do to cut?

In oc myself, interested in meeting up? gym session or more lol

View attachment 3207571 View attachment 3207581 View attachment 3207591 View attachment 3207561 New pics. Spent the last 6 months cutting from 200 to 160. I lost about 10-15% of strength so know a bit of muscle was lost but most of it was fat and hoping to get the muscle back pretty quickly, this time on a slow bulk. I wanted to see abs but I’m not there yet and I think I’d rather get some more muscle first. What do y’all think? Keep cutting or time to bulk?