Hey all, so basically im 22 years old 5’10 153lbs body weight. I have spent years doing 4-5 month bulks then cutting very hard cause I felt fat. My last bulk I got up to 183lbs bodyweight and gained 26lbs in 4-5 months and took my bench from 160 for 5 and ohp 120 for 5 to a 185 for 5 bench and 135 for 5 ohp as well as a 305 for 5 deadlift then I starved myself and cut to 140lbs. Now im 153lbs and have no idea what to do. I do starting strength with chin-ups and curls added in and very much need advice about how to bulk. Do I dirty bulk for 8-9 months get very strong then cut? Or do a slow lean bulk? I want to be jacked and I believe im okay with higher bodyfat. But I need to really commit to it and stop giving a damn. I have people from starting strength telling me to get my squat to 405 by this time next year and bodyweight to 220lbs and others saying gain 1-2lbs a month for like two years. Which do I do? I want to get jacked very bad and have literally never missed a workout for 2.5 years.
NewyLifty,
Thanks for the post and for joining the forum. Happy to have you.
Regarding training, I would not recommend continuing Starting Strength, as there are better options available for increasing strength and muscle mass. The program you are doing is very specialized (single rep range, handful of exercises), not dosed appropriately (no autoregulation, single set of deadlifts each week), has no conditioning, and uses an untenable progression model (humans don’t get reliably stronger every 48 hours novice or otherwise. It ebbs and flows). Would recommend our beginner program or similar, assuming you’re new to training. Training for 2.5 years makes me think you might not be, though if you’re unfamiliar with barbell training, a beginner program is reasonable.
Ironically, most of the people in that organization telling you to squat 405 “in a year” have likely never squatted the weight themselves, despite the enthusiasm. If the program gets people into lifting, that’s cool, but there are better ways to train.
Regarding weight management, a dirty and/or rapid bulk is almost never advised. 0/10 would not recommend. It would be unlikely to rapidly improve your strength or size to any impressive level…see the people who are recommending you to do this for proof. Instead, slow and steady would be the move over a longer period of time. A few pounds a month would be reasonable.
I would not “stop giving a damn.” If you want to be strong and jacked, there are no shortcuts. Slow and steady wins the race. Would recommend an autoregulated program with significant variation in movement and rep schemes, that also includes conditioning, and is something you enjoy.