View Full Version : Mass Cycle... Length???
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 12:52 am
I am starting my mass gaining phase Nov 1st, I got my diet plan, my supps and I am ready to go just waiting on this stupid work thing to be over so I can be focused and not have to worry about finding adequate facilities and food while on travel.......
BUt my question is how long would you bulk for??? I was thinking 9 weeks...
That would be 2 cycles of test followed by the suggested cycle of Mstak which doest work for me anyway but I will give it a try... Maybe with all that food some benefit will sneak in from mstak, personally I dont think flavones work on me........ tried em a few times
Anyway... How long of a bulk would you do..... I dont know if 9 weeks is too long, or too short or what..? My ultimate goal is about 2inches in my arms and some inches around everywhere else... Prolly 25lbs or so... I dont think thats realistic for one mass cycle... But how long of a mass phase would you guys do before you switched it up back to normal eating and maintenance....???
I dont know bro i think a bulk should last at least 5 months...that way you can put on some quality mass over that time instead of rushing 25 pounds in 9 weeks...just my opinion tho..
simpleguy
10-13-07, 1:02 am
what do you mean by ''normal eating and maintenance''? if you consider yourself a bodybuilder, you either bulk or cut, and that's what is 'normal' for us... usually bulking for big mass takes much longer, but probably you'll see a difference after these 9 weeks...
I am starting my mass gaining phase Nov 1st, I got my diet plan, my supps and I am ready to go just waiting on this stupid work thing to be over so I can be focused and not have to worry about finding adequate facilities and food while on travel.......
BUt my question is how long would you bulk for??? I was thinking 9 weeks...
That would be 2 cycles of test followed by the suggested cycle of Mstak which doest work for me anyway but I will give it a try... Maybe with all that food some benefit will sneak in from mstak, personally I dont think flavones work on me........ tried em a few times
Anyway... How long of a bulk would you do..... I dont know if 9 weeks is too long, or too short or what..? My ultimate goal is about 2inches in my arms and some inches around everywhere else... Prolly 25lbs or so... I dont think thats realistic for one mass cycle... But how long of a mass phase would you guys do before you switched it up back to normal eating and maintenance....???
I don't even know where to start with this one.
I'll guess with the M-Stak. If it doesn't work for you, don't use it. I myself am VERY efficient at making use of what I take in, so I don't need it either. Solid product, but if your going to be pissing your money away, why bother?
As for length... that depends on how long it takes for you to reach your goals. Unless you have a competition I would "bulk" until you think you have gained the quality weight on that you want to, then concern yourself with losing the additional bodyfat you gained.
As for the 2 inches on your arms, I think you will be sorely disappointed. I have never met anyone who did this in 9 weeks. Maybe you can add 2 inches of fat, but I doubt you will make muscle gains like that.
Set some realistic goals. Think about short, middle, and long term goals that you can REALISTICALLY accomplish. We all want you to succeed, but not be disappointed.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 1:06 am
haha I am not a bodybuilder though I am a skater/breakdancer, I am not looking to bulk and cut all the time LOL, I have just been slowly over the years putting on size.... went from 115 to 150 over the last 5 years, all muscle... Most people think I weigh about 165 becuase its all proportioned right... BUt I am trying to put on anouther 25 or so..... Not rushing it though... 9 weeks was just a guess..... 5 months eh??? I could try that... that would be Nov-April....... hmmmmm yea that might work....
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 1:09 am
Yea good point, Maybe I wont mess with Mstak anymore... I tend to get the most out of Stak2 and NitroG..... Never really respond to creatin or flavones.....
Oh that 2 inches is not a 9 week goal..... Thats a long term goal I am working towards... I am just wondering how long you guys usualy bulk for before you stop trying to put on mass and do your cutting..?? Might not get that 2 inches for anouther 2 years... thats just a long term goal
simpleguy
10-13-07, 1:13 am
hey bro, I don't mean to be 'the smart guy' here, still I believe that after 42 days on test that m-stak would help maintain those gains, wouldn't wanna see you dissapointed about that... ok, so I think if you do this thing good for 9 weeks (by that I mean also eating tons of good food) you'll definitely see results, test and m-stak are good stuff
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 1:18 am
Yea I think my food plan is good, I am using a modified version of one of G-deisils mass gaining diets.... Yea it might do something... I can try it again.... I am not against trying it, I was going to do it just cuase it was suggested on the stack..... I am going for that new test /stak2 stak becuase I know stak2 works for me... its about the only supp that does, and I am hoping on Test being anouther one that works well..... diet should be fine though since it was created by one of the main guys here a few years ago, I saved it... And I know my workouts are good becuase I am always sore...haha
SolidTongan
10-13-07, 2:45 am
I say just keep goin' through the bulkin' phase until you hit a plateau...where you aren't growin' anymore than switch it up. If you're still makin' the gains, why switch it up? After you hit that plateau, your body will be shocked by the new routine you're hittin' it with and will be forced to get stronger, leaner...wutever you plan to cycle with after your mass phase.
I usually "bulk" up to 15-18% bodyfat, then "cut back down to 6-9% bodyfat depending on how easy it is to lose weight. Each time you do it, I find it becomes easier. You learn your body and what works for you.
Giant Killer
10-13-07, 8:45 am
I like bulking for a solid 6 months before doing anything resembling maintenance or dieting. For me, in the 6-9 month time frame I start to get diminishing returns.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 10:14 am
After talking with you guys I am thinking that I will bulk all the way until the spring or later before I start maintaining and trying to loose any body fat I have acquired. Unless of course around then I am having a growth spurt of some sort then I will keep going. After that I will completely Flip my workout and slow the eating down a bit
Didn't realize you guys bulked for such long periods of time.. Well unless I hit my 25 real quick or something then I will go for an extra 5lbs or so and then try to maintain it by slowly cutting back the food weekly.
I have already been thinking of ways to work in all my meals around my martial arts and work and training in other sports I am in.. WInter is a slower season for activity for me thats why I figured it was a good time to try to bulk. We get too much snow to do much of anything other then snowboarding or indoor activities.
My only issue is trying to figure out how to keep the weight on while trying to drop the body fat, but thats a long time down the road, so I wont think about that now. I know stiff mentioned bodyfat percentages but I am not sure how to take measurments of that. I know that if I grab skin I really cant grab skin, its all muscle, my arms, chest and stomach are solid as a rock. So I am guessing I am a low % body fat.
Looks like you figured out what you want to do. In the meantime, keep looking around on this forum for bulking tips and tricks. When you start to get closer to time to cut take another look around for info on that. My advice is to check out what the pros do for a cut. You may not be interested in competing, but nobody knows how to lose fat and not muscle than they do.
As for measuring bodyfat. I use both the skin fold caliper method and the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method (using the good old tanita scale). This gives me a good general idea. I am not a bodybuilder, but you are more anabolic in a certain bodyfat zone and I try to stay in it. Find someone at your gym who knows how to use skin fold calipers and ask for some help, or you could do as I did and ask your doctor. It becomes easier with experience. If you have any further questions regarding this, or you want better clarification, feel free to pm me.
ThirdEye
10-13-07, 10:41 am
At your weight, you are in prime condition for a bulk. Bein a dancer/skater i assume your pretty lean. So now you can build your base and then some...
9 weeks in my eyes isnt a bulk, its a phase. You are'nt gettin ready for any comps in the near future, so just concentrate on eating big and adjusting your training accordingly.
Consistency, dedication and patience are the name of the game. Set your goals, no matter how distant they may seem, you will get there...in time. It takes a good while to pack on 'quality' mass, and it can be a slow process with the odd negative thrown in (plateaus, injury and of course keeping the same food down), but what makes you is how you overcome them and what you learn along the way.
Get onto the DIET sections of this site. Get on the TRAINING sections of this site. Look at the journeys and see if any can relate to you and get an idea of what your up against. Still up for it? Then your good to go and will get help from all along the way. This is the best place to learn and reach your full potential.
ironshaolin
10-13-07, 11:57 am
2 inches of pure muscle onto your arms, drug free I think would take anywhere from 1 1/2 years to 2 years. Thats steady bulking. If you want that kind of size, I say don't cut unless you think you've gained too much fat, then just cut out some carbs here and there until your fat goes to a normal level. Then keep bulking. Just keep doing that until you reach the next level.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 12:00 pm
Oh yea for sure, I have been reading the Animal site for many many years now, I always pick up good info..... My bench has went from 90lbs to over 250lbs in the last few years, which is not bad for someone weighing in at 150lbs I always hit platuas and then look for new workout ideas on this site or come up with crazy stuff to try..... This is a good site, I am not in the forum Much but I have been lately reading recipies and such, trying to come up with good stuff to eat beyond the normal ideals.......
I am starting out with the diet I found of one of the guys on here, and plan on adjusting it accordingly, but I think it should be sufficient to start, since it seems like waaaay to much food.... haha Should be good for at least a month or so before i have to add more to it.... I actually posted it here in this forum... http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=11384 if you want to check out what i am eating to start with..... seems to have lots of real gains in it....
Yea my dad is actually a doctor, maybe I can get him to take some body fat measurements before November when I start my bulk.... That way I can get an accurate assessment and compare it later with my measurements of sizes and such.....
Your dad is a great resource then, use it. Good luck.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 3:33 pm
Haha he just tells me I am crazy when he see's stuff I am eating... And that a normal person doesnt need that kind of protien intake....LOL
Haha he just tells me I am crazy when he see's stuff I am eating... And that a normal person doesnt need that kind of protien intake....LOL
Just remember you aren't normal, you're ANIMAL!
stumblin54
10-13-07, 4:02 pm
Currently on a permanent bulk. When I stop gaining, I eat more than the days before. Nothing pisses me off more than that fuckin' scale not moving more than it moved every previous week. On my way to 250, where are you?...
Stumblin
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 4:06 pm
haha I am only at 150... BUt puttin up 250 on bench and I can curl over 100 on a straight bar ....... Been liftin since like 2000 started out at like 115lbs It's a slow process.... BUt this winter I am planning on a serious bulk which I have never done before......
Yea I will try your method if I dont gain one week, just eat loads more... Just hoping not to put on too much fat..... becuase then you have the dilema of getting rid of the fat without killing your new muscles....
stumblin54
10-13-07, 5:37 pm
That dilemma is called dieting down, and if you think you're alone on that ride open your eyes and look around. Gain some fat, gain more muscle, get serious, and get big...and a word of advice, nobody gives a shit how much you can curl. Stick with heavy compounds and you'll be good.
Stumblin
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 6:25 pm
haha I give a shit how much I can curl and bench and military press... Becuase the more I can put up on all lifts the more output and power I have for my other activities I do..... ;) Dont really care much if other people dont care how much I lift..... I am all about performance... Thats why I am going up in weight a bit, I am platueing at the weight I am at... I think I need a few inches all around to give me the ability to perform heavier lifts.....
BeastFromMiddleEast
10-13-07, 8:15 pm
BUt my question is how long would you bulk for??? I was thinking 9 weeks...
Anyway... How long of a bulk would you do..... I dont know if 9 weeks is too long, or too short or what..? My ultimate goal is about 2inches in my arms and some inches around everywhere else... Prolly 25lbs or so... I dont think thats realistic for one mass cycle... But how long of a mass phase would you guys do before you switched it up back to normal eating and maintenance....???
9 weeks will not be long enough for your goals.
I would go with 6 months for the amount of LEAN mass you are hoping to gain.
Good luck with your goals.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 8:45 pm
Yep Beast, I have decided I will go from nov 1st till May 1st.....
Unless I get where i need to be before that time.... :)
Thanks for the response....
saint of the gym
10-13-07, 8:51 pm
Some people bulk for 1,2, or even 3 years before they get the results they look for. I say that because if you are making gains in a bulk... you WILL want to continue. Im bulking from Oct 1st till about April 20th. Then cutting down for the summer and maybe do a show to 2. Gota see how my bulk goes. Eat, Eat, Eat... .and mstak will work. I gained 5 lbs on my first cycle and starting my 2nd monday. Good luck, keep us posted.
Dead(Lift)
10-13-07, 9:34 pm
Actually-some of you guys saying 2 inches in less than a year is impossible/very very hard- I gained 1 inch on my arms in 3 months. This was my first real bulk and I was eating like crazy. On my day I took in the most calories I had about 7-8 hamburgers within a 4-6 hour period. Grilled, so they were good right? Anyways, what I'm saying is, if you work hard and train smart, I think you can see an extra 2 inches on your arms in -1 year.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 9:35 pm
hmmm yea thats the same amount of time I am bulking then I plan on doing the same thing.... Cutting off whatever fat I gained for the summer months of skating..... Then I guess in the fall I will see where I stand and if I need to bulk hard again or just eat a little heavier an get stronger but not bigger necisarily.... I dont have to worry about the stage luckily since I just go to the gym cuase well its fun... Been doing it for many long years now and its one of the few things I look forward too....
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 9:36 pm
hahaha thats a lot of hamburgers.... You eat 7-8 rolls with those too???
Dead(Lift)
10-13-07, 9:43 pm
hahaha thats a lot of hamburgers.... You eat 7-8 rolls with those too???
Lol, no.
Also how old are you, your height and other measurements(chest,arms,thigh,calf). And just for the hell of it, hows your squat and deadlift doing?
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 10:31 pm
Well On squats and deads I really never go too heavy, more so do like 20 reps.... My last set of squats is like 300lbs at like 15 reps.... Deads I really dont get heavier then 2 plates on each side...
I am 28, 5'10" 150lbs
Havn't measured myself in awhile but last I checked:
Arm's just under 14'
Calves were like 14'
Not sure on Thigh... but they arent huge.. Just normal for my size and solid
I dont even know how to measure chest, I tried and I always get different measurements so I gave up, I just look in the mirror and hope it looks bigger...
Dead(Lift)
10-13-07, 10:38 pm
28? Hearin you were a skater I was expecting in the teens. Those are some good numbers, especially the 300X15 on squat. Deadlift is a...sorry THE best massbuilder exercise. And IMO the best exercise.
But anyways, if you bulk crazy I'm certain you can gain 1-2 inches on your arms in under a year. Just hang around here and read and you'll pick up alot of information.
My stats are:
14 yrs old, 5' 10'' 165 lbs
13 3/4 arms, 43 chest, 22 thighs, 14 1/5 calves. I put up 190 bench, 235 squat ATG, and 330-340 deadlift.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 10:48 pm
Yea I never go to crazy on deadlift, cuase it never feels like i am doing them right and I dont want an unnecessary injury becuase I am doing them wrong, so I usually keep it moderate weight and go slow... Yea legs are strong becuase i do alot of leg press stacking the weights till my whole leg is shaking like it wants to fall off..... I am convinced it helps with my skating, my freinds just think I am retarted,LOL
Yea 28, been skating for 14 years or so.... Yea I am trying to get my arms over 15 something... just under 16 maybe.... that would be ideal for my hight and body structure.... People say they look huge now and they really arnt that huge so 2 more inches should be more then adequate and allow me to get higher weights on my lifts... My numbers on lifts are pretty good becuase I have been consistant in the gym since 2000 not missing more then a week or 2 a year at most.... BUt I do need to ramp up my diet if I want more gains... I am definatly at a peek for my weight....
5'10 165, thats a pretty good size, I am looking to get about 10lbs heavier then that or so....
Dead(Lift)
10-13-07, 10:53 pm
Yea I never go to crazy on deadlift, cuase it never feels like i am doing them right and I dont want an unnecessary injury becuase I am doing them wrong, so I usually keep it moderate weight and go slow... Yea legs are strong becuase i do alot of leg press stacking the weights till my whole leg is shaking like it wants to fall off..... I am convinced it helps with my skating, my freinds just think I am retarted,LOL
Yea 28, been skating for 14 years or so.... Yea I am trying to get my arms over 15 something... just under 16 maybe.... that would be ideal for my hight and body structure.... People say they look huge now and they really arnt that huge so 2 more inches should be more then adequate and allow me to get higher weights on my lifts... My numbers on lifts are pretty good becuase I have been consistant in the gym since 2000 not missing more then a week or 2 a year at most.... BUt I do need to ramp up my diet if I want more gains... I am definatly at a peek for my weight....
5'10 165, thats a pretty good size, I am looking to get about 10lbs heavier then that or so....
I used to skate but couldn't do more than an ollie so called it quits... lol
Uhm, for your deadlift problem - look up videos or video yourself doing deadlifts and post it on here and we'll help you. And training legs for strength power will help. If you train fast-twitch and slow-twitch(mainly fast-twitch) you can get faster and jump higher. Therefore more feet on your ollies, longer manuals, ect. ect. I hate recover weeks too, always feels like i get weaker.
And 175 is a good weight. Be sure to eat alot. I'm shootin for 200 to hopefully help with football
you could also post a thread to record your workouts and goals. it always helps.
Eyes0cket
10-13-07, 11:59 pm
I dont think so much that I do them wrong, as much as it doesnt feel right, its a strange movement... haha and I dont lift with anyone so I wouldnt be able to video tape it, the gym was was in on the airforce base near me closed and I am starting at this new gym this week but I hear there is never anyone there, its kind of baren all the time.... WHich is good becuase I dont have any jackasses talking and picking up chicks while i am trying to get on equipment... I cant lift in those big gyms filled with idiots and new years resolution people... Angers me.... I have all that i can do to not take my headphones off and kick one of them in the teeth when I see them hitting on some chick for 30 min wasting my time as I have to structure my workout around getting a piece of equipment they are using doing the rest of my workout while i wait.... grrrrrr
I havnt had a lifting buddy in like 4 years since college, everyone is flipping lazy and if they do start working out they quit within a month becuase they are worthless and saw the movie 300 or something and decided that week they wanted to be buff but then realized they might actually have to put in some quality workout time..... bloody hell people annoy me... Not that they could lift 250lbs off my chest if I needed help anyway... thats why I always just go a bit lighter then my full load and do 4 counts or find the biggest guy there and get him to spot my last set at a bit heavier weight then I can manage....
Eyes0cket
10-14-07, 12:03 am
hmmm yea I could post a log of my workouts and food intakes... I might do that.... I know I should prolly take a before and after photo of some sort... Maybe I will post up a log once a week or something... I am not big on logging how much I do on each lift though.... Wasts to much time when I am in the gym.... I like just puttin on my headphones and going ballz to the wall for 45 min till I cant walk no more
Eyes0cket
10-28-07, 6:55 pm
haha oh man I started my 6 month mass cycle yestaurday... Damn.. I couldnt even fit all that food down my throat so I am guessing its enough food... Got done with my workout yestaurday and had my shake and a few other things and my stomach like wouldnt fit anymore haha it was like stretched out like if I touched it, it would just blow up..... Damn...
One wierd thing though, I have felt really tired all day on the second day of my mass cycle and I would think I should have more energy but I just keep feeling like sleeping....LOL
saint of the gym
10-29-07, 1:32 pm
I got really really tired my first week of my bulk. I was thinking it was due to my food intake and higher protein. But i am throwin down my carbs like crazy... My energy is really high right now, and Im getting crazy strength gains as well. Keep us posted man.
Eyes0cket
12-05-07, 10:38 pm
Progress.......
Weight: +12lbs
Arms: +1inch
Chest: +2inch
Calves: + .75 inch
waist: + 1/2 inch
Big Jimmer
12-07-07, 12:14 pm
i was 165 at 5 10 when i started in 2005 i put on 30 pounds in a few monthes. you will see a lot of gains your first bulk. i usually bulk from aug to april. i try my hardest to gain 2 lbs a week. when you stop gaining weight up the calories 500 a day or so. with my labor intensive job and fast metabolism i was up to a pretty clean 7400 cal a day last time. march 2005 i was 165 april this year i was 241. i ride bmx and have alot of skater friends your update looks promising. l8r
stumblin54
12-07-07, 4:07 pm
Progress.......
Weight: +12lbs
Arms: +1inch
Chest: +2inch
Calves: + .75 inch
waist: + 1/2 inch
Soundin' good over there man. Keep pushin' harder every day.
Stumblin