I typically bulk for ~13weeks with a goal of. 5lbs/wk with BW increase of 5-8lbs. I usually cut in ~7wks losing around the same with a goal of 1lbs/wk in weight-loss. So I usually bulk up to 195-198 and cut down to around 190.
Are these cycles too short in time span or weight gain to add decent LBM? (Pre-BBM I would spend 6-9 months bulking ~25lbs then spend 5 months trying to cut it back off; both were torturous).
I’m considering a slower bulk in the .2lbs/wk so that I can run it longer with less fat accumulation. What are the pros/cons of this? My old bro-science was more aggressive bulks put on LBM faster but with more fat mass. Slower conservative bulks put on LBM slower but with less fat.
Over an extended period (say, 2 or 3 years) of time would there realistically be much difference in these two approaches, assuming I began to cut at around the same BF%/waist circumference in either scenario?
There’s nothing wrong with these cycle lengths if you’re getting good results.
Slower rate of weight gain tends to result in less LBM and Fat gain. More rapid weight gain tends to result in more LBM and Fat gain up to a point.
As far as what happens over an extended period of time, there are too many variables here to really say one way or another. I would use your personal preference to determine your desired approach.
@Jordan_Feigenbaum
Thanks for the TBAB article, great approach in there.
Question for you (so as to not start another thread): You mention above 20%BF being a “stop gaining” threshold of sorts.
32, 6’1, about 180lb and Navy method currently has me at 17.5%BF; I was less than this previously but the back injury I’m still rehab-ing disrupted plans and while I probably should have adjusted caloric intake while not working out, I didn’t want to risk losing muscle mass, but my dietary discipline seems to be tightly tied to training. Hindsight I suppose.
I haven’t been pushing workouts that hard in an effort to ameliorate old joint issues and get back into a groove where I know what I’m capable of (as well as doing an accumulation phase of sorts), as well as being limited with lower-body workouts due to the injury (only using an empty bar for squats and RDL now), but I’m getting to the point now where at least on some lifts I’ve been able to increase volume and intensity to a more consistently challenging level. Calories around 3000-3150 lately, protein about 200g/day, carbs in the ballpark of 100-150g (will increase this as training gets more intense). Weigh and track food but haven’t adhered to specific tight macros, other than a ballpark of 1-1.2g/lb of protein and at least 100g carbs.
Should I maintain calories as I keep increasing intensity? Long term goals are about 205-215 lean (I’m assuming 5-10y from now).