Bulk, Cut, Bulk, Cut

[jimmyjones]

As the thread title states, is it possible to bulk, cut, and bulk ?

What I mean is this...

I only train on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
with the muscle groups being :
Chest-Triceps-Shoulders, Back-Biceps-Abs, Legs, respectively.
I do an hour of cardio on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays.

On the training days, I have around 3200 very clean calories (600 above maintenance)
and then on the cardio days I have 2200 calories (400 below maintenance)
and the carbs are real low on these days (below 60) but protein is still high.

Am I slowly putting on muscle on the training days and then losing fat on
the cardio days or am I just wasting my time, basically staying stagnant as
if I were on a treadmill?

My main goal is to cut while retaining mass but its happening very slowly.
Would I be better off just keeping cals low and carbs low but protein high permanently?

 

[gelatine]

My main goal is to cut while retaining mass but its happening very slowly.
Would I be better off just keeping cals low and carbs low but protein high permanently?

When you try and do both at once naturally, the only speed it happens at is slow.

 

[jimmyjones]

well i wouldnt be natural right now if i would of been sent real gear.
I am waiting on my test E from a diff sponsor now, my question is,
what I am doing, is it efficient?

 

[Ness]

Just my preference, but I dont "cut" or "bulk." I think that way of formatting a routine is old school and forms an environment for health issues. You should maintain a very lean physique while adding muscle by making small tweeks in your diet.

 

[hardheaded]

hmmmm!!!

Your not really in tune with your body are you.... your metabolism, nutrient needs, how well each work etc.. I mean if your going to try and cut and bulk at same time.. your diet needs to be consistent.. not wishy washy... there are times when my b/f % is pretty low.. I will try and add little muscle while cutting, but I do it with lifting and cardio.. here is example that works well for me

example:: CHEST
incline bench 3,4,6, 12,12
flat flyes 15,15,20,20
incline DB Press 3,6,8,12,12
cable crossover 25,25,25,25
now I do this routine to get great strength then pump chest up like balloon.. get a little of both..
I feel you can't bulk and cut with diet..not saying you arnt meaning well, but it is kind of like washing your car with muddy water..keep diet clean and consistent and use your cardio and lifting to detail your physique

 

[jimmyjones]

Ok I guess what I don't understand, is a caloric surplus NECESSARY
for the body to synthesize new worthwhile muscle or does the body make new
muscle tissue regardless, as long as your protein intake is up there?

 

[taslajrisi]

jimmy

I am sort of trying to do the same thing as you. M thru Th I do complex carbs w anabolic pump total body workout (once) then on Fri-Sun I do low carb w cardio (high protein throughout). I am liking how its going so far. I tried the anabolic diet (low carb) full blown but i like the "pump" or bulk that carbs give me too much and i get better workouts and better strength. The low carb diet does take off the fat but my workouts were not as good so im trying to do a hybrid. I like it so far.

 

[ENraged]

Ok I guess what I don't understand, is a caloric surplus NECESSARY
for the body to synthesize new worthwhile muscle or does the body make new
muscle tissue regardless, as long as your protein intake is up there?

Sounds a lot like the A B training cycle that I researched a few years back.
Week A cutting diet/cut training week B mild bulk/ Bulk training.
Never followed up on it to say if it was worth a damn or not though.

 

[jm425]

Sounds very inefficient to me. I would think that by doing things that way, you would be stagnant because your putting in a surplus of cals some of the days and then there's a defietiency in cals the other days. That being sad if your total cals are slighty over or under your maintenance then your pretty much going to be stagnant. I think it's a bad idea.

 

[jimmyjones]

I think I will stay at a 500 calorie deficit and cut down to the BF % i am
happy at. Only once im lean enough, will i increase the cals a bit to
lay down some more muscle

 

[full_belly]

MIght be biased here being a dcer, but training shouldn really change for most people whether gaining or leaning out....

IT IS ALL ABOUT diet!!! truthfully tho, i can gain mass and loose fat ONLY when im gaining back mass ive previously held...

I like your idea of lower cals on non training days, mainly manipulating carbs, keeping pro and fats constant..... this is how ive dieted for all my shows....

 

[MilitaryMuscle]

well your not bulking or cutting since your weekly calories or about maintance. So your just trying to gain muscle while staying lean, with a strategy. I think it will help you stay lean while gaining....... but you do grow at rest(off days) , something to think about

 

[jimmyjones]

well your not bulking or cutting since your weekly calories or about maintance. So your just trying to gain muscle while staying lean, with a strategy. I think it will help you stay lean while gaining....... but you do grow at rest(off days) , something to think about

Yeah thats what I was thinking...I think it would be better off to stay at one caloric value, but with a small deficit of about 300-500 and run it thru until I lean out to where I want to be. Now when your enhanced, do you still grow on a caloric deficit?

 

[jm425]

Yeah thats what I was thinking...I think it would be better off to stay at one caloric value, but with a small deficit of about 300-500 and run it thru until I lean out to where I want to be. Now when your enhanced, do you still grow on a caloric deficit?

Not really. What happens when your enhanced is that you hold onto more of your muscle while on a cal deficient diet. Cal defiecient diet meaning that you eat less than maintenance.

 

[MilitaryMuscle]

Yeah thats what I was thinking...I think it would be better off to stay at one caloric value, but with a small deficit of about 300-500 and run it thru until I lean out to where I want to be. Now when your enhanced, do you still grow on a caloric deficit?

you could do it the way you had it layed out as well, ive had great success with that.

Well im sure you can grow while on a caloric deficit when enhanced, but it all dpends on how well you respond to gear IMO. ie some grow more than others in this case or not at all......

 

[jimmyjones]

Now would it be better to have the caloric surplus on my off days (since thats when you grow) or keep it the way I have it?

 

[full_belly]

JImmy,

MIlitary muscle and I are of agreement I think!

Calorie cycling can be of great use to anyone, whether off season or dieting. The issue of gaining muscle whilst in a deficit, is largely genetic, i do believe however that anyone who is reasonably experienced with AAS and training will not add apprciable NEW lbm... prev held lbm very possibly!

If you decide to continue with calorie cycling, the fortuitous day to run the higher cals is definately training days, with the emphasis on postworkout window carbs and protein.. the rest of the day before the training, you could follow the low cal template of your low cal non training days!!

 

[MilitaryMuscle]

JImmy,

MIlitary muscle and I are of agreement I think!

Calorie cycling can be of great use to anyone, whether off season or dieting. The issue of gaining muscle whilst in a deficit, is largely genetic, i do believe however that anyone who is reasonably experienced with AAS and training will not add apprciable NEW lbm... prev held lbm very possibly!

If you decide to continue with calorie cycling, the fortuitous day to run the higher cals is definately training days, with the emphasis on postworkout window carbs and protein.. the rest of the day before the training, you could follow the low cal template of your low cal non training days!!

bingo!