Which to do first- cut, or bulk?

GaiusScaevolus · 2013-07-23T22:05:55+00:00

Unless you're pushing obese, Bulk. Muscles are useful and impressive. Skinny guy abs are like fat chick boobs, they don't actually count.

TheGoodBro · 2013-07-23T23:55:13+00:00

It is possible to do both at the same time, even in elite athletes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21558571 "In conclusion, data from this study suggest that athletes who want to gain LBM and increase 1RM strength during a WL period combined with strength training should aim for a weekly BW loss of 0.7%."

However, you need to be careful with how much you restrict yourself. Chronic energy deficits are associated with higher body fat percentages in athletes as well.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10731010 "These data suggest that within-day energy deficits (measured by frequency and/or magnitude of deficit) are associated with higher body fat percentage in both anaerobic and aerobic elite athletes, possibly from an adaptive reduction in the REE. These data should discourage athletes from following restrained or delayed eating patterns to achieve a desired body composition."

Simply focus on eating better and getting plenty of protein as a beginner. Focus on your training and mirror progress as well. Don't watch the scale, it can be misleading. Use a tape measure if you want to monitor short term progress. Those few half inches lost/gained here and there are hard to see in the mirror but seeing it with the tape measure can be really motivating and encouraging to keep going. Don't eat when you crave a snack, eat whenever you're hungry. There is a very real difference between hunger and cravings and once you figure that out you can eat ad libitum while gaining muscle mass and losing body fat for a long time.

Also don't do butt loads of cardio

TRPsubmitter · 2013-07-23T23:00:57+00:00

You cannot bulk and cut at the same time unless you are just beginning lifting and get those initial effects. In that case, a fat guy who has NEVER worked out will shed like 40 lbs while gaining muscle in a single summer. But he will eventually plateau as you can't sustain that.

Remember, to grow, you must eat more calories then you burn. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat. That's the bottom line.

I would recommend you give some info on your height/weight. My guess is that since you're posting here, you are not that jacked and can definitely pack on some pounds (which will include fat of course). Then, you can start a "diet" after 6 months and shed some of the fat.

For me, I'm 6 foot tall and 200 lbs. I have huge shoulders and chest and am not ripped. In fact, I have a smooth belly! But I'm consistently one of the strongest guys in the gym as I focus on powerlifting. Simply the shape of my body attracts girls and I like my body as it works for me. However, I used to be very overweight, so for me, I'm always going to be huge/wide (either a good huge [buff] or bad huge [fat]; never going to be skinny).

So, if you're starting out kinda fat and already have a huge frame, a more "bulk" style could work for you. On the other hand, I would never recommend a 5'7" guy who starts at 160 lbs and is already "skinny-ripped" to become like me; in that case, it would be good to just slightly bulk 10-20 lbs and maintain that six pack you already got. For guys like me, gaining muscle and strength is super easy while cutting is hard. For others, getting that summer six pack is no problem, but they're not that strong.

toysjoe · 2013-07-23T23:04:12+00:00

Obviously bulk, otherwise you've nothing to cut.

jngshin · 2013-07-23T23:41:54+00:00

Bulk but not past 20%. High body fat promotes test conversion to estrogen. oscillating between 15-20% is good imo.

[deleted] · 2013-07-23T22:39:08+00:00

I am going an unpopular opinion, but I say cut. Bitches love ripped dudes. This changes if you are really skinny-fat.

JusticeCakes · 2013-07-24T04:15:37+00:00

I recommend cut first. Don't try to do both, you'll end up just spinning your wheels. A skinny guy with no muscles is better than a chubby guy with muscles because lower bodyfat will make you more attractive due to facial features being more defined. It's just better from an aesthetics stand point and you'll feel better about yourself. Obviously neither choice is ideal, but you have to take a long view approach to all of this (think years). Also, knowing that you can diet will be beneficial. You don't want to fat fuck yourself and not having the discipline to go into diet mode or diet incorrectly and waste your gains.

I've hovered around 18-23% body fat most of my adult life. Being 13-14% body fat at 166lbs (height of 5'9") feels heeps better than when I was ~23% body fat at 200lbs. I'm not near my goal, but from my personal experience you should lean out first.

akara1001 · 2013-07-24T05:19:20+00:00

Bulk then cut. If you are skinny and just cut, you might be strong, but you won't really look it. Put on the size first, then cut. You will be strong and look strong.

thereisnosuchthing · 2013-07-24T07:15:00+00:00

uh, go work out?

bulk unless you're fat, there's no point to trying to get skinny in order to try and get big unless you have such a BF% ratio that you can't see your muscles because they are being obscured by fat, in which case, you can cut.

[deleted] · 2013-07-24T07:54:42+00:00

I think the No. 1 thing is to find a sport you actually like and enjoy because this is what makes you stick with it. Not the "I will look cool in year" but "I am looking forward to this training now it is so much fun".

For example if you start boxing if you like that, the training itself works mostly like cardio plus they will tell you to run to get some stamina, so it will mostly "cut". But usually it will have strength element as well and probably sooner or later they will tell you to work on your punching strength and as such "bulk".

[deleted] · 2013-07-24T16:25:23+00:00

Having been muscly with a gut, I couldn't get over my gut. If you're committed to a lifetime of fitness, cut to a lower body fat then build on that base, better for your mental being. If you've never done either, do strength training, after a while that will point you in the right direction.

DaddyMonster · 2013-07-23T22:11:44+00:00

I find it easier to add muscle while lean-ish rather than fatty. Never been completely lean/ripped (yet), but it seems my body works better without much of a belly.

kukul · 2013-07-23T23:16:22+00:00

Cutting/bulking is a myth, at least for regular, non-roiding, non-competing people. Have a good, balanced diet and you can make lean gains just as fast as while bulking.

Viaate · 2013-07-23T22:00:52+00:00

Bulk till you get a belly.

Title	Which to do first- cut, or bulk?
Author	yankeetiger
Upvotes	6
Comments	22
Date	July 23, 2013 9:40 PM UTC (13 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/TheRedPill
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/TheRedPill/comments/1iwvcc/which_to_do_first_cut_or_bulk/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/TheRedPill/which-to-do-first-cut-or-bulk.5765 https://theredarchive.com/post/5765

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