Hypertrophy and Weight Gain

Training Discussion
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Hi All,

I was hoping some more experienced lifters could help me understand something about hypertrophy cycles and weight gain.

I am 41yrs old 6’1 and 220 lbs with a 33-34 inch waist. (When I started lifting two years ago I weighed 180.) I am happy with my weight but am aware of my continuing need to develop more musculature in order to convert this muscle mass to higher strength gains.

So when I next do a hypertrophy cycle–say 8 week–should I shoot to maintain a moderate caloric excess over these two months of the cycle (say 400-500calories/day), gain 8-10 lbs, and then during my following 3-4 month strength phase run a very slow caloric deficit (300-400 cals/day) to bring my weight back down from the 230 range to the 215-220 range?

How do elite competing lifters like Drs Baraki and Feigenbaum do this? Do they cycle their weight up and down by 5-10lbs in this way over the course of the year? Gaining some weight right after a meet and running hypertrophy cycle then
gradually losing that weight as they move closer to next competition? Or do they run hypertrophy at caloric maintenance, and if so then how can they continue to build muscle?

Thanks in advance.

PS. Apologies if this is posted in wrong section (under Training and not Nutrition or Programming.) I couldn’t decide where it best belonged.

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The below linked article isn’t a BBM product, but it tracks well with Jordan’s TBAB advice and it has a lot of nifty graphics and stuff that help convey his ideas.

IMO, one of the most important messages it conveys though, is that your choices in your nutrition strategies for muscle hypertrophy are a series of trade-offs. 1. Level of effort and control necessary to achieve different levels of results.
2. Maintaining a level of leanness while still trying gain to some degree vs bulk/cut cycling.How to Bulk Up Without Getting Fat — The Skinny Guys Guide To Bulking

Austin specifically has said that he generally just tries to maintain weight, and sometimes will pack on some extra food at the end of the day if the scale says he’ll be underweight tomorrow (he usually loses ~3# overnight). He also says that when he travels he pretty much inevitably loses weight.

As internet fitness personalities, and for their own personal desires, they express that they prefer to not gain more weight to get stronger, and Jordan is “chasing former glory” after some time pursuing things like crossfit and strengthlifting meets.

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Huh, someone on BBM’s Facebook just linked this relevant forum post by Feigenbaum

https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/forums/nutrition-q-a-with-dr-jordan-feigenbaum/41641-is-trying-to-get-to-12-as-a-vegetarian-going-to-be-a-reasonable-goal-for-me

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Very difficult to gain more than 1kg of muscle every two months, under the best circumstances. Gain slowly.

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