Bulking: Pls help me set my goals! P-l-e-a-s-e! :) [Forum Archive]

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Bulking: Pls help me set my goals! P-l-e-a-s-e! :)

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Posted by: Big G

OK... I'm starting my first ever bulk in 6-8 weeks (I'm excited!). I know it's a way off yet, but people are already asking me what I hope to acheive. The problem is, I'm not sure what is possible and what is an unrealistic expectation/goal. If you'd be kind enough offer me some advice I would be very, very grateful.

I'm an accountant, so I'm nerdy about numbers (Forgive me!). As such, I've set myself the goal of one day weighing over 200lb and having my bodyfat at around 10%. Nice round numbers, huh? Anyway...

At the moment I'm at around 11% bodyfat (having dropped from 19% over the past 3½ months) and plan to be 8-9% by April. I currently weigh 172lb (Down 22lb), but in April I'll probably be more like 160-165lb. That's not much weight for someone 6'2" tall, I know. I'm kind-of thin. Not herion-addict skinny, but athletic looking. Well proportioned. Muscular(ish), but lean.

So... here's the thing...

(1)

How big can I get? What is realistic?

I'm going to be eating right, not drinking alcohol, sleeping 7-8 hours and bustin' ass at the gym 3-4 days a week. I'm going to tear my muscles up, reduce cardio (or eliminate it - I need advice on that too) and I'm going to eat, eat, eeaatt! I've made friends with several big guys at the gym and I know already that they'll be a great help to me in the months to come. Advice/Form etc... I'm in good hands (I think!).

(2)

Can I realistically plan on bulking for 6months wthout getting overly fat? Or maybe even through the end of the year?

I don't want to get fat, but I know some fat is going to come. That's why I cut so lean before getting started. I'd kill myself if I got to 20%bf (well... you know what I mean). If anything shakes/wiggles on my body when I brush my teeth or use a hammer I can't stand it. That shit is disgusting. It bugs the hell out of me. I'd have to cut calories and start running again if it got like that.

(3)

Could I possibly get to 200lb and 10%bf by spring next year? I'm guessing "No!" but anyway...

If I bulk from Apr'07 through December then cut again Jan'08-April is there any chance that I'll get anywhere near my goal? I understand I'd probably have to be 220lb in December so that I could lose 20lb Jan-Apr so that I'm left at 200lb at the end. This all sounds like a lot to me, but I've lost 22lb fairly quickly and, if fat falls off that fast, how fast can muscle arrive?

Like I said, this is my first bulk. I'm excited, but I'm naive about these things. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
G.

Posted by: Rhyno

just some quick calculations
youl be 165 in April 07
you want to be 200 in April 08
You will need to gain at least 35 pounds of muscle but youl have to also gain some fat to do that.

Lets say you are right and approximate that youl need to go up to 220.
that means youl have to gain 55 pound in a year.

That equals adding about a pound of body weight a week and your askin for 70% of that to be muscle each and every week for the duration, including the Cut at the end.

I am no profesional but i do not think that is an obtainable goal, naturally anyway.

I am not sure how much you can grow on a bulk,
but why not start out with a little smaller goals, that way when you make that weight or exceed those goals it would give you more motivation than bombing out on a bigger goal.

I do wish you Good Luck.

What do others think?

Posted by: Big G

I did say...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big G

I'm guessing "No!" but anyway...

FYI... I posted this same questions here because no-one had replied in this forum.

Posted by: Rhyno

Yeah i saw that. I was just helping to explain why you might not be able to do it.

I was wondering why no one was replying

Thanks for the link, i am interested in bulking myself and have the same worries about gaining to much fat on the bulk. And like you i do not know really what i can expect in the way of muscle growth.

Posted by: Big G

From what I gather it's going to be a long, slow, ride.

Posted by: BulkMeUp

A slow lean bulk would be the best to gain and stay relatively lean at the same time. Aim for .25-.5lb per week. But there will be some fat gain no matter how careful you are with your diet and training. How much? depends on various factors like your diet, training, age, level of daily activity...etc.. So you will have to initially go by trail and error to find what works for you and how your body responds.

I've tried the '1lb/week and then cut to reveal the muscle' recommendation but personally i gain too much fat and on a cut i loose to much lbm. Not worth the effort to me.

So if you are looking to put on ~40lbs, it will take ~2years of steady dieting and training.

Posted by: ABCs

Quote:

Originally Posted by BulkMeUp

A slow lean bulk would be the best to gain and stay relatively lean at the same time. Aim for .25-.5lb per week. But there will be some fat gain no matter how careful you are with your diet and training. How much? depends on various factors like your diet, training, age, level of daily activity...etc.. So you will have to initially go by trail and error to find what works for you and how your body responds.

I've tried the '1lb/week and then cut to reveal the muscle' recommendation but personally i gain too much fat and on a cut i loose to much lbm. Not worth the effort to me.

So if you are looking to put on ~40lbs, it will take ~2years of steady dieting and training.

Good advice. One question, how above my daily recommended intake would I need to do a lean bulk? I still have awhile to go on a cut, but I am getting my bulk in order now. Thanks for any help.

Posted by: BulkMeUp

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABCs

Good advice. One question, how above my daily recommended intake would I need to do a lean bulk? I still have awhile to go on a cut, but I am getting my bulk in order now. Thanks for any help.

I calc my requirements based on my current lbm (no need to feed the fat). In which case I'm currently doing 1.7g protein per lbm (or 1.3 complete protein per lbm) + fats ~25-28% + carbs (to make up the rest of the cals). Personally I am able to gain ~.5lb/week @~20x lbm.

If you want to keep the calc simpler, you could go with bodyweight. 15x is good for maintaining. If you dont gain in a couple of weeks, increase by ~200cals (or 10% whichever is lesser) and check progress for a couple of weeks. If you are gaining, stay with it.

Posted by: Big G

20lb/yr. That'd be completely awesome! I might just have to plan on flying back to England to attend my 2009 college reunion!

Also, thx for input re calorie intake. I'll definitely follow your advice.

Man, I'm looking forward to upping the calories. 2tblsp of peanut butter on my 2pcs-of-toast breakfast (instead of one tblsp, split between 'em) is gonna be just g-r-e-a-t!

Having said all that, my one tblsp breakfast has brought me my abs though. They're there, clear as day. There are only four, but it's the first time I've ever seen 'em. And I'm not stopping this cut until I'm one lean MF! 6'2" and 160(ish)lb sounds f*&^ing light to me, but it looks like that's where I'll be when I'm done. People are already telling me that 170lb is too light, but I don't care. There's still excess fat there and I know it. I don't need it, so I'm just gonna get rid of it. As long as I keep the LBM I'm good to go.

I love all this. I've never eaten so much food in my life and I'm getting lighter and lighter every week.

THANKS!! BIG HUGE THANKS to everyone on here who's offered advice. Pat yourselves on the back!

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