Bulk up and Cutting down cycles

Discussion in 'Health & Fitness' started by Rick, Dec 27, 2008.

  1. Rick Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    3,336
    Hi,

    I am trying to bulk up right now; I need to know if I can follow a 3 day bulk up and 3 day cutting up cycle; meaning for 3 days i work out real hard, then i maintain and work out to reduce the flab (do more cardio), continue for at least 3 weeks like this ... will it work?

    Does body function that way? has anyone tried it? I have done bulking up before (regular winter bulking up for like 3 months or so and then cutting back down for summers).

    Any suggestions?

    Rick
     
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  3. Rick Valued Senior Member

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    Oh for bulking up, I do 3k calories with working out morning (i wake up at 5), and work out in the evening (do complete body).

    I am clear about body building and protein principles etc.But suggestions would be appreciable.

    Rick
     
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  5. superstring01 Moderator

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    12,110
    No. You can't. In fact, that is the single WORST way to do anything except if you're trying to do nothing at all, in which case, you're doing exactly the right thing.

    It is categorically impossible to "gain weight" and "lose weight" at the same time. While you are trying to "gain" muscle and "lose" fat, the fact is you can not do them at the same time. While any work-out may reduce your fat content, you cannot single-mindedly chase after weight loss while trying to put on weight. One requires you to eat more than you usually need, while the other requires you to actually consume exactly-to-slightly-less than what you need.

    If you want to "bulk up" you need to work out LESS days, fewer reps but with substantially heavier weight than you think you can do. Tearing muscles and consuming a substantial amount of calories is the only way to do this.

    I'm currently "bulking up" and I work out three days a week. While no person in their right mind would ever suggest giving up cardio, you'll find that you cannot tear muscle on one day, and engage in riggorous cardio the next day. For starters you need to rest, feed and heal those muscles. Just as importantly, if you truly do a good "bulking" work out, you'll be way too sore to actually do any good cardio.

    If you do some digging, you'll inevitably come across a number of work-outs. Nobody except a physical trainer and YOU can tell you online or over the phone what is the best regiment for your goals and body type. Don't listen to the hype and don't fool yourself into believing that you'll get the results you want within EVEN the first year. You'll see progress, but you'll never "reach" your goal (most people don't) so put it out of your mind. It's a never ending process.

    My current work-out is called "Push, Pull, Leggs" because of how it works. Some people like it, some don't. It's a very popular work-out within the body building community.

    The KEY is 5x5, which means: five reps done in five sets (again, this is what is found to work the best, and what I've found works amazingly well for me). You should be pushing yourself to your limits and beyond or you'll never put much on.

    Day 1: PUSH
    Run - 5 to 10 minutes (warm up)
    Barbel Bench Press
    Dips (done properly: so get help in using the proper form)
    Standing Overhead Press
    Dumbel Rear Lateral Raises

    Day 2: PULL
    Run - 5 to 10 minutes
    Compound Deadlifts (not stiff leg, squatting, and lifting with arms and legs)
    Bent Over Row
    Pull Ups
    Curls

    Day 3: LEGS
    Run - 5 to 10 minutes
    Squats (again, done properly, you need to have perfect form or you'll do damage)
    Lunges
    Calf Lifts

    When I start to "cut" in February, I'll still do the "Push, Pull, Leg" routine, but I'll cut the weight, switch to "10x3" sets, add 10 minutes of stair climber at the end of each of my "resistance" days, and I'll add two days of pure cardio for a total of five days of work out. My cardio days will consist four exercises: Run, Skipovers, Crunches and Stair Climber.

    You should invest in a few sessions with a personal trainer.

    ~String
     
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  7. Rick Valued Senior Member

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    Ok a little background. I have had 8 pack abs with 180 lb bench press and I used to be a long distance runner (26 mi, used to run 20 miles every sunday) ... (My height is 5 6''); I have been through cycle of 4 months of bulk up and 4 months of cutting down couple of times; But I am tired, because of work I cannot focus like I used to back in college, so I am looking for a free pass.

    I also admit that 3 day is foolish to ask

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    ... but seriously, like 3 weeks of bulk up and 3 weeks of cut down would still be possible, btw, My muscle gains are amazingly easy to get ... without much fat gain (sounds weird but thats the way it is).


    Any thoughts?
    Rick
     
  8. Rick Valued Senior Member

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    3,336
    Your routine seems good; although During bulk up, I do work out too much sometimes (I do it 4days a week or more which is not good for bulk up but hey i am addicted

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    )

    Rick
     
  9. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    I just leave my "keg" alone and am happy with the way I look. I don't want to impress others with great looking body parts but only project what I really am to all...a old fart with a beer belly!

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  10. Rick Valued Senior Member

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    I don't care about my "looking" aspects too much ... well i started like that when i was in high school; but over the time, i have realized that this is a very consistent thing other than red "bullion" caffeine rush i can get ... its just what excites me the most

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    Rick
     
  11. TimeTraveler Immortalist Registered Senior Member

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    3,023

    2 table spoons of fish oil, 1000mg of alpha lipoic acid, and lots of calories are all you need to bulk up. Tuna and Rice will do (with milk).

    Fish oil helps by increasing testosterone levels, increasing the amount of protein which can get into the muscle, increasing a bunch of other stuff too.

    I gained 30lbs with minimal excercise, the stuff works almost like steroids.
    They have done studies on animals which showed similar results, muscle mass gains of as much as 20lbs or more. This happens because the fish oils omega 3 prevents the breakdown of protein for energy. 2 tablespoons is more than enough for this purpose, and for you it could be too much, so start with a tablespoon.

    Tuna and Rice make a good post workout meal. Sardines and rice is just as good, maybe better because of the omega 3s. The rest is just lifting weights.
    Just do your daily situps, pushups, and weightlifting routine.
     
  12. TimeTraveler Immortalist Registered Senior Member

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    3,023
    And try 4 week cycles instead of 3. After 4 weeks you should lose between 6-9 pounds at a rate of 2.5 pounds a week. If youlose more than 5lbs in a week then you lost more muscle than fat. (drop the caffeine when bulking, add caffeine when cutting)

    If you want to make the cutting cycle easier, bulk up as cleanly as possible, no sugar, eat boring, eat rice and fish with every day, each meal, no matter what, no exceptions.

    It's very boring, but for body building variety is bad. Buy as many cans of fish as you can, buy a big bag of rice, and only drink milk while bulking. Eat approximately 4-5 meals every day, breakfast, pre workout meal, post workout meal, and a meal before bed so that your body doesn't burn any calories or protein off in your sleep. Consume about 1000 calories per meal for about 4000 calories per day, you will gain weight.

    When you enter the cutting cycle, cut the milk out of your diet first and replace it with water, then drink more and more water and less rice so that you cut your carbs down, eventually get rid of the fish oil and rice and just eat sardines and veggies for a month.

    In the first week don't consume more than 2000 calories a day, and each week drop it by 500 calories so week two it's 1500 calories a day, week 3 it's 1000 calories a day, week 4 it's fasting every day and eating just enough to do it again the next day.

    Do not stay in the fasting state for longer than 3-5 days at a time because it will slow your metabolism, so you do this right at the tail end of the cutting period, then you enter the bulk peroid again after having dropped probably 10lbs. You bulk up 5lbs, then you drop another 10, you bulk up 5 more, and drop another 10, if you do this for 6 months to a year you'll be ripped, and thats if you are starting out of shape, if you are in shape it will take you about 3 months to get ripped.
     
  13. Sweden Registered Member

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    1
    It all depend on what you want to achieve. If you want to build a nice looking body like most people want then do like this: First start a bulk with maybe a 500kcl plus from what you burn in a day (There are calculators on the internet where you can calculate how much kcl you burn in a day, but I can't link to the one I use becouse it's in swedish).
    Just do the bulk until you think you have put on enought fat and then start the cut.

    During the cut you can use a 500 kcl minus from your basic kcl need. You should always do some cardio both on your bulk and cut, becouse it's stupid to forget the most important muscle you have (the heart). How ever on a cut you can increse your cardio to achieve the -500kcl/day.
    Be careful when you do the cut, if you feal that you're rapidly loosing strength or energy then increse your food intace.

    The basic rules of bulking and cutting is no harder than this:

    1. If you eat more than you burn in a day you will gain weight (muscles/fat)
    2. If you eat less than you burn in a day you will loose weight (muscles/fat)

    The goal of a good cut is to minimize the muscle loss and maximize the fat loss. Don't follow peoples advice when they tell you to stop eating, becouse then you will rapidly loose muscles.
    Also don't stop working out during the cut, becouse you have to tell your that it still need the muscles by using them.
     
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2009
  14. GNewcomer Registered Member

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    1
    Bulking Up at Age 58

    Been lifting for 18 months, after losing 50 lbs. Weight loss was from swimming and calorie deficit. Weights been off 3 yrs. I lift 1 hr. 15 min. 4 times/week. Each muscle group has 2+ days rest. The last 12 months I have gained 1/4 inch in the Bi/Triceps, and maybe 1 inch around my chest. I recently started a 12-10-8-6-10 (6 to fatigue) workout regime. I concentrate on chest/shoulders/back and arms (a lot-3 to 4 biceps exercise a morning). Over those 12 months I foolishly ran a calorie deficit to keep my weight in check. I do cardio several times a week, and walk 3 rounds of golf a week. Yes, I'm retired. I have now learned from this forum and speaking with others, that gaining muscle bulk and running a calorie deficit does not work. As such I will try to go 500 + calories more than I burn. I keep a daily journal of protein, fat and carb intake. I try and maintain a 40% protein-40% carbs-20%fat diet, on under 1800 cals/day. Problem is...I was told by a certified weight trainer that at my age (58), gaining bulk is next to impossible without getting additional testosterone. He also said to be happy to maintain the bulk I have. Is this true? I won't go to the testosterone extreme, so if it's not true what do I need to do? Gary.
     

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