Bulk Or Cut

Bigger Stronger Leaner Beginners
1

Well i am sitting at 189ish and i have no idea what to do, i started training almost a year ago and i was at 244lb or so of pure fat. I lost a lot of weight, all the way down to 175lb and then went back up to 190lb over the summer. Since i compete in powerlifting my weight class was 181 so i always stayed in the range so i could cut down and compete. So about 2 weeks ago i decided to cut since i think i didn’t think the point i was at would be a good beginning to a bulk. So today i sit down i realize that in the strength department i have been doing freaking great, but in the getting big department not so much. Would the cut be a waste of time, or would a bulk right now just pack on more fat.

Just to be clear my goal is to be big as fast as possible.

If i decide to bulk i would want to do it cheaply (broke student). I still live at home with parents so i have things like meats/eggs/pasta/potatoes/rice/etc available, i would need some help with the extras…

Current Diet:

breakfast: Eggs with milk

Post Workout: Shake(creatine+whey) and wheat bread
sandwich(turkey)
fish Oil

Lunch: Some form of meat (chicken, beef, fish)with some veggies and 3 boiled eggs.

Snack: peanuts or mozzarella sticks (2)

Snack: Milk+Whey Shake

Dinner: Meat+ Veggies

Before Bed: Peanut Butter (2 tsp)

If i bulked i was thinking something like this could work:

Breakfest: Eggs, Milk, 2 tsp of PB

Post workout: Protein Shake, sandwhich (turkey) 2 tsp of PB and Supps

Lunch: Big Piece of Meat, with a portion of rice(or baked potato) and veggies (maybe the 3 boiled eggs)

Snack: handfull of peanuts, mozzarella cheese and 2tsp of PB

Snack: Milk + Whey + 2tsp Of PB

Dinner: Big Meat and veggies

Before Bed: Milk + Whey + 2tsp Of PB

Does this diet suck balls or would i be good?

2

Why don’t you do some work in the higher rep ranges if you want to build more size?

3

I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.

4

[quote]matso1236 wrote:
I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.[/quote]

You can still grow on a powerlifting template, you just need to throw in some lifts in the higher rep ranges and eat more.

5

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.

You can still grow on a powerlifting template, you just need to throw in some lifts in the higher rep ranges and eat more.

[/quote]

Its basically what i am doing, i usually start with my PL lifts at the beginning of my workouts. I still deadlift, back squat and flat bench in the high percentage low rep range. I’m still hitting PR’s, difference is i now train my calves, biceps, quad size and do a lot of higher rep range stuff for tris, chest, shoulders etc…

6

[quote]matso1236 wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.

You can still grow on a powerlifting template, you just need to throw in some lifts in the higher rep ranges and eat more.

I’m doing it in reverse, i usually start with my PL lifts at the beginning of my workouts. I still deadlift, back squat and flat bench in the high percentage low rep range. I’m still hitting PR’s, difference is i now train my calves, biceps and other crap like that.[/quote]

I was talking about doing your PL lifts in higher rep ranges also. Rippetoe is a big fan of 20 rep squats for leg hypertrophy. Dante’s a big fan of 20 rep quad work also. You need the time under tension, especially for quads and calves.

7

[quote]PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.

You can still grow on a powerlifting template, you just need to throw in some lifts in the higher rep ranges and eat more.

I’m doing it in reverse, i usually start with my PL lifts at the beginning of my workouts. I still deadlift, back squat and flat bench in the high percentage low rep range. I’m still hitting PR’s, difference is i now train my calves, biceps and other crap like that.

I was talking about doing your PL lifts in higher rep ranges also. Rippetoe is a big fan of 20 rep squats for leg hypertrophy. Dante’s a big fan of 20 rep quad work also. You need the time under tension, especially for quads and calves. [/quote]

I train my back squats in the low range, i basically back squat with the posterior chain so i don’t get the benefit, i do sets of 15 in front squats for the quads though.

thanks for the advice so far, any tips on the bulking diet up top?

8

[quote]matso1236 wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
PRCalDude wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
I have changed my program and started a 5 day split to train hypertrophy, but i dont think i will grow if i maintain my weight.

You can still grow on a powerlifting template, you just need to throw in some lifts in the higher rep ranges and eat more.

I’m doing it in reverse, i usually start with my PL lifts at the beginning of my workouts. I still deadlift, back squat and flat bench in the high percentage low rep range. I’m still hitting PR’s, difference is i now train my calves, biceps and other crap like that.

I was talking about doing your PL lifts in higher rep ranges also. Rippetoe is a big fan of 20 rep squats for leg hypertrophy. Dante’s a big fan of 20 rep quad work also. You need the time under tension, especially for quads and calves.

I train my back squats in the low range, i basically back squat with the posterior chain so i don’t get the benefit, i do sets of 15 in front squats for the quads though.

thanks for the advice so far, any tips on the bulking diet up top?[/quote]

Just keep protein high and eat more calories until you’re gaining weight but not too much fat. Don’t overthink it. More calories = weight gain.

9

Since when is gaining fat a requirement or some unavoidable, unforseeable side-effect of bulking?

10

Why just eat to the extent that you grow?