So, I’ve been bulking for the last 6 months. Did some of Mike Mejia’s stuff, some of Waterbury’s stuff, and put on about 25 lbs (I’m at about 180-190 lbs now). Some of it is muscle but there’s also quite a bit of fat I added.
I’ve never been a big guy (and I’m still not) but I’ve always had larger pecs than most guys. This whole bulking thing has made it worse, though, and while my shoulders are a bit bigger, my pecs have gotten fatter, rather than muscley. It really f***s with me when it’s visible through a shirt. Sort of dulls the effect of good arms and shoulder.
I’m not real sure what to do about this.
Do I cut?
Do I work on the pecs more to make them more muscled?
Do I keep bulking to increase the size of my shoulders/arms?
I’m sure plenty of you guys know of or have had/do have this problem. What should I do? It really bothers me and I would damn appreciate some respectful advice.
I have the same problem whenever I gain weight. I’ve put on 30lbs in two years, and I hate the fat under my nipples. I swear it’s gyno, and it may be somewhat, but when I do get lean, it pretty much goes away. But I tend to always carry fat in my lower pecs.
So I guess it’s a matter of how comfortable you are with it. If it bothers you or shows through clothing and it affects you, then go ahead and do what you need to get leaner and get rid of it.
Don’t get caught up in the “keep bulking” fad that has been going on with the forum posters as of late. You can “bulk” slowly over time and add a few pounds each year, rather than trying to put on a bunch of weight in a shorter period of time. Or you can focus on many other things rather than just bulking (general health and fitness, strength, athleticism, etc.).
Thanks for the thoughtful reply, NateDogg. Listen, man, a lot of body builders have big pecs. It’s just that they’re muscled and, for lack of a better word, tight. Can’t one turn flabby pecs into strong/hard ones? If so, how? Has anyone written a program for this? This seems like a really common problem.
I do hear what you’re saying about the steady/slow bulk and yeh, I feel that. You are right on that one. That will be how I continue on in the future, rather than trying to do it quickly.
[quote]HailMary wrote:
Can’t one turn flabby pecs into strong/hard ones? If so, how? Has anyone written a program for this? This seems like a really common problem.[/quote]
I also have this problem, and the simple fact is, the fat needs cutting.
Having started out as a 140lb streak of pss at 16%bf, I am now a 205lb streak of pss with 18%bf and a nice set of jugs. So time to cut the lard and then I can put some more muscle on.
I would suggest that you also need to cut some lard, but it depends on your goals and whether you are happy with your cleavage?
Yeah, I have the same “fatty nipples” y’all are talking about. I’m hoping once I start cutting in a month or so, they’ll bugger off. I definately have muscle underneath, but right now I just look like I have a couple of dumpy pecs.
But I also agree with the previous poster who said be proud! Hell, you’re bulking, which means you’re big. Big is good.
Anyhow, it seems like all my fat goes to my pecs and my love handles. But I’m not starring in any underwear ads anytime soon so I’m not too worried.
My pecs grow out of propotion to my other muscles (even benching just 3-5 sets per week) and carry some fat as well. Even when I’m quite lean I hold fat in that nipple-to-armpit area. I’ve never know what I could do about it either because I’ve still had the effect in the past even with a 29" waist.
I get the same thing. I try to make a conscious effort to not let my lower chest grow. I think a lot of it depends on the insertion point of the chest. My friend’s basically goes up into his armpit and makes it look less “tittyish” than mine. Haha.
I have this issue as well but I have realised that although there is definately some fat there, the biggest problem for me from an appearance point of view is my posture. My posture is shit and my shoulders roll forward considerably.
If this is part of the problem for you, you will find that correcting your posture, and actively thinking about getting your shoulders into a better position will help. It wont fix the fat, but it helps from an appearance aspect.
I have the same problem, when I bulk one of the first places where I gain fat are my lower pecs. And as my bodyfat percentage continues to rise, it looks worse.
Therefore I try to bulk slowly and when it starts to look bad I cut. I don’t see any other solution to this problem than keeping the bodyfat percentage in check.
Oh yes i forgot to mention, i went to see a Plastic surgeon for a check up just to make sure it wasnt gyno… and it wasnt. No lumpy deposit. Just FAT… ugh haha no more excuses Just got to keep away from the cakes:)
The last thing you want to do unless you are competeing is “cut”.
I think they are several better ways to combat excess fat, which I consider to be above 15%, unless you are a strength athelte which then the ideal bodyfat % is 12-18%… or so the Russians say.
I left the army at 190lbs @ 6’. Now I weigh a little over 250. I compete several times a year in olympic and Pl meets, and at that time I focus on makeing a certain weightclass where I can be competitive. But in general I do two things to keep my bodyfat under control:
Everytime I gain 10lbs I try to hold that weight for a month until I add more calories. This has worked well for me. I can notice a difference in bodycomposition after holding a weight for one month.
When I feel like I have gotten some excess fat I simply cut carbs for two or three weeks. But I do not start subtracting calories, as I still want to gain more weight.
The ideal bodyfat percentage for me is about 10%. Anything lower than that and I do not get good strength gains. I think this is true for anyone who is not on drugs. I have read several articles on how to bulk cleanly, but the bottom line is you have to get stronger to increase muscle size… and the average guy wont get much stronger at a bodyfat% of 8.
From 10% bodyfat to 8% is about a 15% strength difference for me. And I held at 7-9% bodyfat for several months on several times and made little to no progress strength wise. Now if i were to add drugs this would have been no problem.
So, in short, I dont think a “cut” is the answear, just cut the carbs a little.
I agree with Viking. Even a few days on low or no carbs will help lean out those trouble spots, especially if you haven’t had the weight on for long. Don’t automatically assume a cut is the right thing to do. Take a week and up your protein and fat intake to make up for the lost carbs and you’ll see a big difference. After that slowly progress back into your regular diet and you’ll be fine.
