Clear things up for me (cutting/bulking)

[rusmuscle]

I never really cut before, because I don't think I have enough muscles to cut with. I went from 162 lb to 181 lb in the past 3 month.. (i think im still not ready)

I heard just a few days ago that "you shouldn't bulk with 20 % body fat"
Why is that?

i am currently 21% bodyfat. My stats at the beginning (3 month ago) were 162 lb with 23% bf, and now I am 181 lb with 21% bf.

Should I cut untill say 10-15% bf fat, and then start bulking again? And is the point to keep my bodyfat same while bulking? I never really cared for bodyfat, I just ate and lifted.. i guess I did something right.

Thanks Fellas

- RusMuscle

[man in black]

Are you competitive? If so, someone else can answer your question.

I'm not, I'll bulk and cut to look the way I want to look. I don't keep track of actual BF%. It's how I look in the mirror and how my jeans fit. One person's 10% may be easily attainable, and he'll look great. To another person, 10% is bloated and soft.

Jeff

[Arbalest]

Well, generally its not that great of an idea. Getting even fatter is never any fun, and when it does come to cut time, you have a LOT more dieting and cardio to lose that bodyfat.

Another way to look at it is if you cut down to 10% you KNOW what you're working with, and what you need to work on. Like a lot of guys sport 18" arms but they're sitting at 20%+ bodyfat, when in reality they're probably 16" or less when they're cut.


Just a couple thoughts.

[rusmuscle]

btw.. 21% bf is what a scale reads. I hear those are inacurate. People tell me i'm around 15%. But at least I have something to go by.

[Arbalest]

Well, if you want to cut down, then go have someone with some calipers test you. Those are accurate.


You say those *scales* are inaccurate? Yes, thats true, but they are inaccurate UP and DOWN. You could be 25%+ bf and it could tell you 12%.

I was hovering at 8% one time, and it said i was 19%, then the next day it said 2%. Yeah, inaccurate is an understatement.

[rusmuscle]

Well, if you want to cut down, then go have someone with some calipers test you. Those are accurate.


You say those *scales* are inaccurate? Yes, thats true, but they are inaccurate UP and DOWN. You could be 25%+ bf and it could tell you 12%.

I was hovering at 8% one time, and it said i was 19%, then the next day it said 2%. Yeah, inaccurate is an understatement.

The ones i got were around $80, the reading never goes over or less then 1%.
May be i will get some calipers myself.

man in black, im like you i dont compete, and don't plan too.

[ransom.holland]

Age old question. Here is your answer..... BOTH.

By eating the proper foods, and zig-zagging your calorie intact you'll grow both up in weight yet also decrease your bodyfat. No, this doesn't happen at the same time.

ZIG- 10-15% of BMR x activity for 2 days
ZAG- BMR x activity for 3 - 4 days.

[Thumperz]

Age old question. Here is your answer..... BOTH.

By eating the proper foods, and zig-zagging your calorie intact you'll grow both up in weight yet also decrease your bodyfat. No, this doesn't happen at the same time.

ZIG- 10-15% of BMR x activity for 2 days
ZAG- BMR x activity for 3 - 4 days.

Just to clarify for myself....say a BMR was 2000 kcals.

Your saying do 1700-1800 for two days while working out and then say my 2000 kcals times my 1.55 activity for 3-4 days before switching back?

[ransom.holland]

Just to clarify for myself....say a BMR was 2000 kcals.

Your saying do 1700-1800 for two days while working out and then say my 2000 kcals times my 1.55 activity for 3-4 days before switching back?

Lets say your BMR is 2000, then you multiply this by your activity example: 2000 X 1.55= 3100 which is the cals you need to survive and keep the weight that your in according to the activity level your at, now minus 15% and you have 2635 cals. So your burning more then your consuming, but wait. Your body will reconize this and lower its metabolic rate to match. That is why you zig- zag.

[karmazon]

Well, if you want to cut down, then go have someone with some calipers test you. Those are accurate.


No they're not. The most accurate way to measure body fat is the water submerging method, and that's not even that accurate.