What max bodyfat % should you bulk to?

[Mike_Rojas]

What is a good rule of thumb for bulking? I think I'm about 15% right now. It sure is easier to build muscle and fat together, I'm just not sure how far I should take it.

 

[IronLion]

well I would say 15 is about the point where you will start to sacrifice flexability and a little explosiveness, some may disagree though. Really it depends on your long term goals. BTW judging by your recent pics you looked like you were 12-13 percent.

 

[sk*]

I think it depends on your goals. I have gone as high as 20s before, but it became too hard to even breath for me. I'm gonna stay under 15% from now on.

I notice that if I am under 8% than I become very fast in sports, and lose speed around 12%.

-sk

 

[spatts]

I used to try to stay at 15%, but I realized I was really bad at it.

18% is doable for me though...

 

[Debaser]

15-16% IMO.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks for the replies. As far as my goals - I would like to be 250 with 10-12% bodyfat and strength to match. This morning I weighed in at 211 - my height is 5 foot 11.5 inches.

 

[casualbb]

I guess that depends on where you're comfortable "sitting," ie your setpoint. If you're a guy who can, without thinking, maintain at 8-10%, then I'd say you'd generally want to be leaner because to get lean won't require effort to the point that you lose muscle.

But if you're naturally pudgy, I'd shift the range higher because you'll more muscle with the fat when cutting at low BF ranges. So it's basically related to how much your body likes fat and won't let go of it when cutting.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks casual

 

[ffknight84]

well I would say 15 is about the point where you will start to sacrifice flexability and a little explosiveness, some may disagree though. Really it depends on your long term goals. BTW judging by your recent pics you looked like you were 12-13 percent.

id def have to agree with this, since ive dropped weight my explosive exercises have gone through the roof. power cleans, my previous max was 205, i easily rep it now...

 

[Deleted member 33117]

I'm beginning to think one should try to stay as lean as possible when bulking. Honestly, what is to be gained by eating junk food that contributes to fat gain and not muscle gains, or just by eating so many calories that you are gaining a ibs of fat a week. Does gaining bodyfat really contribute to gaining lbm that much? Why not try to stay under 10% year round?

 

[Mike_Rojas]

I'm beginning to think one should try to stay as lean as possible when bulking. Honestly, what is to be gained by eating junk food that contributes to fat gain and not muscle gains, or just by eating so many calories that you are gaining a ibs of fat a week. Does gaining bodyfat really contribute to gaining lbm that much? Why not try to stay under 10% year round?

That's a nice theory, but I just don't know if it's possible. You need an excess of calories to build muscle. Even so called "clean" calories can be stored as fat.

I'd like to hear some input from other members on this.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Earlier this year I put on 12 ibs total, got stronger and lost a little body fat, and an inch off of my waist in a period of about 4 months. I ate alot, but kept it very clean, ate very low carbs for the most part, ate carbs for half a day every 4th day and did cardio. Theory? I think not. I would love to replicate those same results again. It might take longer than 4 months since I'm a little bigger and am leaner now, but going to try anyway.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Earlier this year I put on 12 ibs total, got stronger and lost a little body fat, and an inch off of my waist in a period of about 4 months. I ate alot, but kept it very clean, ate very low carbs for the most part, ate carbs for half a day every 4th day and did cardio. Theory? I think not. I would love to replicate those same results again. It might take longer than 4 months since I'm a little bigger and am leaner now, but going to try anyway.

That's great. Did that have something to do with Finaplix??

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Hmmmmm.... don't know, I almost never juice without tren in the stack. I mean, why would I do something so silly? Maybe you could try some tren and do a clean bulk.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Hmmmmm.... don't know, I almost never juice without tren in the stack. I mean, why would I do something so silly? Maybe you could try some tren and do a clean bulk.

I know nothing about juicing and never claimed to know anything about it. I just noticed your username and assumed it was some kind of anabolic substance that might account for some of your gains.

I've never heard of someone bulking by limiting carbs. When I limit carbs that much I lose overall bodyweight. I'm curious what type of foods you ate.

 

[JG1]

All I know is after 3 months of hardcore dieting and cardio EVERY day, I'm never going above single digit BF again...ever. Still have another 4 weeks of dieitng (7% right now), and then I'm going to follow SwoleCats "SwoledUp" bulking program.

These 12 weeks have been work, and I don't want to go threw this again...lol

 

[IronLion]

Mike the only way to do a "clean" bulk is to use aas.

 

[gonelifting]

All I know is after 3 months of hardcore dieting and cardio EVERY day, I'm never going above single digit BF again...ever. Still have another 4 weeks of dieitng (7% right now), and then I'm going to follow SwoleCats "SwoledUp" bulking program.

These 12 weeks have been work, and I don't want to go threw this again...lol

Been watching your progress, Your doing great. After 4 weeks you`ll be really low but Can you maintain that?
I know you said single digits, but your 7% and who knows where you`ll be in 4 weeks. I`ve read people on this board saying it`s VERY hard to maintain at that low a bf%. Also even if they do, it`s not fun.
Any thoughts on your ultimate goal of bf%?

 

[JG1]

Been watching your progress, Your doing great. After 4 weeks you`ll be really low but Can you maintain that?
I know you said single digits, but your 7% and who knows where you`ll be in 4 weeks. I`ve read people on this board saying it`s VERY hard to maintain at that low a bf%. Also even if they do, it`s not fun.
Any thoughts on your ultimate goal of bf%?

Thanks bro, i appreciate it.

I believe I will be able to maintain this. As you know, I'm on SwoleGenix so I know exactly what to eat and when to eat it, and how much cardio I need to do to lose BF. Swole also told me how to maintain my new low BF% threw diet and cardio and I think it will work great. I'm hoping to drop 2 more % in the next month, then I'll probably do the S-Up program and won't let myself get higher then 8-9%. I'm going to alternate the two programs from here on out.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Mike, I eat alot of meat, alot of raw green veggies (mostly romain and broccoli), Natural peanut butter is ok on days you don't mind a few more carbs. The average jar only has 56 grams of digestable carbs in it, but 226 g of fat, 112 g of protien and about 2600 cals. You can get alot of zero carb cals in the form of beef. 3 ibs of steak has a ton of complete protien and testosterone boosting fats.

 

[casualbb]

The problem is, the conditions that lend to muscle anabolism also lend to fat anabolism. When you eat a bunch of protein and calories, worked muscles will soak up some of it, but it's like dumping water on a paper tower -- some will get through to make the floor wet pretty much always. Some fat gain is inevitable.

 

[Deleted member 33117]

Under many cercumstances yes, but it doesn't always have to be that way. Certainly it is possible, although difficult, to find a balance where one can make reasonable gains in lbm without gaining bf, or actually losing some, it is just far more difficult and requires more willpower.