Psychological Barriers to Bulking

Training Bodybuilding
61

[quote]namor wrote:
this isn’t rocket science, people…[/quote]

You’re all correct in that the PHYSIOLOGICAL part of this isn’t complicated: proper nutrition, proper training, and proper rest.

Remember that the purpose of this thread is to help guys overcome the PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects that may be limiting their progress, mainly by making sure they have relatively accurate, objective information about what’s really going on with their bodies.

It’s commonly accepted that you’re going to gain some fat in order to attain any significant muscle gains. The highest ratio I’ve seen as “acceptable” is 1:1. Even if guys accept this premise, without objective info they may, like me, let themselves get “psyched” into thinking they’re getting “fat”, when in reality they’re only experiencing what they should be. The problem is they don’t really know what to expect. In my case: pants that used to fit properly are now tight in the waist; “feeling” like my gut is getting huge (I’ve really only gained a whopping 1mm on my ab skinfold measurement). I also let an instrument I knew to be inaccurate (an electronic bodyfat scale) convince me that my bodyfat was far higher than what more accurate methods (calipers) are telling me (BTW, now verified by a different type of caliper, still telling me I’m ~9-10%).

In addition to really understanding what you’re going to experience going from carb-depleted to carb-loaded and gaining a small amount of fat, guys may also be afraid of undoing the fat-loss they just achieved. Add to that constantly seeing images of super-lean guys on magazine covers, websites, etc., regardless of the fact that some have very little muscular development (i.e. Brad Pitt), and others may have a ton (Jay Cutler). Not to mention misleading articles that tell people they’re really going to technically get leaner when they add both muscle and fat (not necessarily true).

I think the most useful thing we can do is give details on what they’re going to experience in order to keep them from “panic dieting” when they gain 1mm of fat, or just plain not eating enough because the “feel” like they’re getting fat, when in reality they may be gaining a little fat, but they’re not “getting” fat.

62

[quote]nkb1964 wrote:
namor wrote:
this isn’t rocket science, people…

You’re all correct in that the PHYSIOLOGICAL part of this isn’t complicated: proper nutrition, proper training, and proper rest.

Remember that the purpose of this thread is to help guys overcome the PSYCHOLOGICAL aspects that may be limiting their progress, mainly by making sure they have relatively accurate, objective information about what’s really going on with their bodies.

It’s commonly accepted that you’re going to gain some fat in order to attain any significant muscle gains. The highest ratio I’ve seen as “acceptable” is 1:1. Even if guys accept this premise, without objective info they may, like me, let themselves get “psyched” into thinking they’re getting “fat”, when in reality they’re only experiencing what they should be. The problem is they don’t really know what to expect. In my case: pants that used to fit properly are now tight in the waist; “feeling” like my gut is getting huge (I’ve really only gained a whopping 1mm on my ab skinfold measurement). I also let an instrument I knew to be inaccurate (an electronic bodyfat scale) convince me that my bodyfat was far higher than what more accurate methods (calipers) are telling me (BTW, now verified by a different type of caliper, still telling me I’m ~9-10%).

In addition to really understanding what you’re going to experience going from carb-depleted to carb-loaded and gaining a small amount of fat, guys may also be afraid of undoing the fat-loss they just achieved. Add to that constantly seeing images of super-lean guys on magazine covers, websites, etc., regardless of the fact that some have very little muscular development (i.e. Brad Pitt), and others may have a ton (Jay Cutler). Not to mention misleading articles that tell people they’re really going to technically get leaner when they add both muscle and fat (not necessarily true).

I think the most useful thing we can do is give details on what they’re going to experience in order to keep them from “panic dieting” when they gain 1mm of fat, or just plain not eating enough because the “feel” like they’re getting fat, when in reality they may be gaining a little fat, but they’re not “getting” fat.[/quote]

No offense but this is a little ridiculous. There is no list of things to expect because you are not just like everyone else. If someone is that damned caught up in looking at magazine photos of Brad Pitt that they can’t accept gaining body weight to reach a long term goal, that is something THEY ALONE are going to have to either work through or simply accept that they will never gain any amount of muscle mass that would be considered well above average or “extreme” to the average sedentary person. There is no amount of body fat you need to expect. Ideal would be none but that is simply not reality for all people.

This is not a support group for teenagers who want to look like Boy Band substitutes.

“Hi, my name is Toby and I too am afraid to gain weight so I’ve been stuck at 152lbs for six years at a height of 6’4”."

“Hi, Toby!”

63

[quote]Professor X wrote:
seth.ewan wrote:
xb-C wrote:
being 6’0 and 170 I think you need to worry more about how much you are eating, or aren’t eating and your intensity in the gym.
if you start gaining what you think is too much fat do some form of cardio. this shit is not complicated, what happened to just going to the gym and busting ass and going home and busting ass at the dinner table?

its not complicated because youre 6’0" and 170. once you put on 50 lbs of lean mass it becomes extremely complicated.

Wait, it does? I must have missed the “magic 50lbs complication” phase. Care to go into detail why it suddenly becomes so complicated for you?[/quote]

Oh snap, I’m 6’0" 230. Phew, I gained right past complication back into simple. Sweet.