Bulking and Cutting advice

[MarsAttacks]

Hello everyone.

 

Just wondering if you guys had any basic advice for bulking and cutting. I've heard so many different opinions on this topic;

 

- Bulking only works for the first 2 weeks... after that you are just adding fat.

- You have to really bulk up (close to 5000 cals a day)in order to put on any respectable amount of muscle over a short period. You cannot gain significant muscle without significant fat.

- Bulking is not necessary and actually more harmful over the long run...

 

How much bodyfat should a natural bb'er allow during a bulk before cutting back on the calories?

 

I have never really followed a bulk or cut phase per say. I have done 'conservative' versions of both however. Just looking for opinions.

 

Cheers

[xjohanx]

For guys there is really no need to be above 12% bodyfat at the end of a bulking phase. Two digits is fat to me so I stay below 10% always.

Bulking to some means adding anything from 500-1500 kcal to their maintenance level which is stupid according to me. A more apropriate amount would be 100-200 kcal. You can def gain significant muscle without gaining much fat at all, I've gained muscle mass while loosing fat mass and even though it's hard it's far from impossible. A well planned diet and a well planned training routine can change your body composition for the better both while cutting and bulking.

I think you're better off staying at the "conservative versions" for many reasons, one being that adding fat often means an increase in fat cells and those cells won't dissapear. It's harder for the body to burn fat from 10 half full fat cells then it is to burn fat from 5 full ones.