Should I Bulk Up?

Training Powerlifting
21

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
Fecal McAngry wrote:
At 20% bodyfat, you are already “overbulked”:wink:

I doubt you are 20%. I had my bodyfat professionally tested by DEXA Scan (the gold standard) and I was around 10% but the Tanita said I was 17% set on athlete mode. They are crap. If you are really 20% you’d be quite smooth and probably a little soft. Are you?
[/quote]

i wouldnt say im smooth and soft. it seems like most of my fat goes to my stomach. my muscles are hard, there just not as defined as they were when i was lighter

22

[quote]redsox348984 wrote:
jsbrook wrote:
Fecal McAngry wrote:
At 20% bodyfat, you are already “overbulked”:wink:

I doubt you are 20%. I had my bodyfat professionally tested by DEXA Scan (the gold standard) and I was around 10% but the Tanita said I was 17% set on athlete mode. They are crap. If you are really 20% you’d be quite smooth and probably a little soft. Are you?

i wouldnt say im smooth and soft. it seems like most of my fat goes to my stomach. my muscles are hard, there just not as defined as they were when i was lighter[/quote]

What is your current training and diet?

23

[quote]Professor X wrote:
E-man wrote:
Professor X wrote:

Gaining 20lbs hurts your heart if done quickly? What do you base this off of?

He’ll be ignored by all the girls because he’s fat and his heart will be broken. (Cue sad music)

I think I gained close to that in two months when I first started lifting. I have trained people who added that much in muscle upon returning to lifting weights. Many bodybuilders who compete put on 20lbs or more in the few days or weeks following a contest. According to that poster, we should all be having heart problems.[/quote]

Agreed. I gained close to 40 lbs within a few months of the end of wrestling season, as I started lifting and eating seriously again but my heart didn’t seem to hurt and most if it wasn’t fat. About 20 lbs is the average weight gain following the season.

24

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
redsox348984 wrote:
jsbrook wrote:
Fecal McAngry wrote:
At 20% bodyfat, you are already “overbulked”:wink:

I doubt you are 20%. I had my bodyfat professionally tested by DEXA Scan (the gold standard) and I was around 10% but the Tanita said I was 17% set on athlete mode. They are crap. If you are really 20% you’d be quite smooth and probably a little soft. Are you?

i wouldnt say im smooth and soft. it seems like most of my fat goes to my stomach. my muscles are hard, there just not as defined as they were when i was lighter

What is your current training and diet? [/quote]

Ok for training. i am on an 8 day week to maximize recovery.

Day 1 Heavy bench
Bench Paused 5x5 up 5 pound per week
Bradford Press 3x5
Weighted Push Ups wide grip 3x10

Day 2 Heady Lower Body ME
High bar close stance 2 second pause below parellel work to 5rm
Romanian Deads 4-5x8
Dumbell Rows 5x8-10
Farmers Walks
An Ab exersise

Later in Day 2 - Arms
Ez-Bar Curls - 3x6
Seated Dumbell Curls - 3x10
Dumbell Preacher Curls - 3x15
Decline Skull Crushers - 3x6
Overhead Barbell Extension - 3x12
Press downs - 3x15

Day 3- off

Day 4 - a few 400 meter sprints

Day 5 - DE Bench
Bench with diff grips - 8x3
Front raises 3x12
Rear Delt Raise - 3x10

Day 6 - DE Lowerbody
Speed squat 7x2
Speed Pulls 7x1
Leg Press - 3x8-10
Lat Pulldown - 5x10
Plate Pinches
Calf Raise - 2-3x10

Day 7 - off

Day 8 - off or maybe do some slower sprints

ok heres my normal food on a school day.

Breakfast
8 ounce skim milk
1 potato
1 protein bar
1 banana
1 once beef jerky

Snack
1 scoops whey
1 banana

Lunch
1 package of tuna
12 once skim milk
2 bananas
1 peach
1 ounce beef jerky

Snack
big handfull of pastacio nuts
coupe ounces of cheese
few onuces of ham
1 scoop whey
1 TB flaxseed oil

Dinner
1 apple
half pound of pasta
3/4 pound of chicken
some grated cheese on pasta

Post Workout
8-16 ounces grape juice
2 scoops whey
1 can tuna
8-16 ounces skim milk
1-2 bananas

25

It looks solid. How many calories does that come to? Depending on body composition you could drop calories a little and get a little leaner but don’t actually diet. And then up them and really focus on adding muscle.

26

[quote]jsbrook wrote:
It looks solid. How many calories does that come to? Depending on body composition you could drop calories a little and get a little leaner but don’t actually diet. And then up them and really focus on adding muscle. [/quote]

i think it comes something like 4000-4500 on a normal day. i mean if i had a tough workout and im really hungry it could go up to lke 5000.

in your oppinion what would eb there different between dropping a few pounds now and getting a little leaner then bulking up and getting bigger and strong
or bulking up and getting bigger and stronger now then dropping a little fat? i just find that this would be the ideal time to try to put on some mass because it is summer and there wont be anything getting in my way of eating the way i need to. i figure the school year would be better to lose a few pounds cause if i was bulking then thered be no room in my packpack for books cause of all the food lol. its already about have food have books usually. i just figure now would be an easyer time to put on some mass with less distractions.

27

[quote]redsox348984 wrote:
jsbrook wrote:
It looks solid. How many calories does that come to? Depending on body composition you could drop calories a little and get a little leaner but don’t actually diet. And then up them and really focus on adding muscle.

i think it comes something like 4000-4500 on a normal day. i mean if i had a tough workout and im really hungry it could go up to lke 5000.

in your oppinion what would eb there different between dropping a few pounds now and getting a little leaner then bulking up and getting bigger and strong
or bulking up and getting bigger and stronger now then dropping a little fat? i just find that this would be the ideal time to try to put on some mass because it is summer and there wont be anything getting in my way of eating the way i need to. i figure the school year would be better to lose a few pounds cause if i was bulking then thered be no room in my packpack for books cause of all the food lol. its already about have food have books usually. i just figure now would be an easyer time to put on some mass with less distractions.[/quote]

That’s fine. If it’s really just some bellyfat and not the 20%, go ahead and bulk if that’s what you want to do. It wouldn’t be a bad idea.

28

[quote]Professor X wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:

dude, you can’t flex fat and your CNS can’t recruit it to lift heavy weight. Forget about “bulking up” (another phrase for “get fat to try to look big with clothes on”) just train.

That actually isn’t what bulking up means at all. I suppose the only people who would even think that way would be those who no one can tell lifts when they wear clothes. Maybe it makes you feel better to think the shoulders, chest and biceps filling out their shirts isn’t muscle.[/quote]

Don’t you think that if you’re 20%BF you’re already eating to “bulk up” and your concern should be training?
This kid is 17 y/o, 6 feet tall and is 219 @ 20%bf, I’m sorry but this guy just wants to “look” big, at that heght, weight and bf you got no shoulders, chest and biceps to fill your socks.

29

[quote]jlesk68 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:

dude, you can’t flex fat and your CNS can’t recruit it to lift heavy weight. Forget about “bulking up” (another phrase for “get fat to try to look big with clothes on”) just train.

That actually isn’t what bulking up means at all. I suppose the only people who would even think that way would be those who no one can tell lifts when they wear clothes. Maybe it makes you feel better to think the shoulders, chest and biceps filling out their shirts isn’t muscle.

Don’t you think that if you’re 20%BF you’re already eating to “bulk up” and your concern should be training?
This kid is 17 y/o, 6 feet tall and is 219 @ 20%bf, I’m sorry but this guy just wants to “look” big, at that heght, weight and bf you got no shoulders, chest and biceps to fill your socks.[/quote]

you make it sound like i dont take my training seriously and you are wrong on that. i dont care about looking big as my main concern is ho wmuch weight i can lift. you also make it osund like im a complete fat ass

30

[quote]jlesk68 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:

dude, you can’t flex fat and your CNS can’t recruit it to lift heavy weight. Forget about “bulking up” (another phrase for “get fat to try to look big with clothes on”) just train.

That actually isn’t what bulking up means at all. I suppose the only people who would even think that way would be those who no one can tell lifts when they wear clothes. Maybe it makes you feel better to think the shoulders, chest and biceps filling out their shirts isn’t muscle.

Don’t you think that if you’re 20%BF you’re already eating to “bulk up” and your concern should be training?
This kid is 17 y/o, 6 feet tall and is 219 @ 20%bf, I’m sorry but this guy just wants to “look” big, at that heght, weight and bf you got no shoulders, chest and biceps to fill your socks.[/quote]

Don’t you realize that it’s unlikley he’s anywhere close to 20% bodyfat?

31

if someone could post a picture or a link to pictures of people of varying body fats that is pretty accurate i could rpobly tell you what is closest to me

32

[quote]jlesk68 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:

dude, you can’t flex fat and your CNS can’t recruit it to lift heavy weight. Forget about “bulking up” (another phrase for “get fat to try to look big with clothes on”) just train.

That actually isn’t what bulking up means at all. I suppose the only people who would even think that way would be those who no one can tell lifts when they wear clothes. Maybe it makes you feel better to think the shoulders, chest and biceps filling out their shirts isn’t muscle.

Don’t you think that if you’re 20%BF you’re already eating to “bulk up” and your concern should be training?
This kid is 17 y/o, 6 feet tall and is 219 @ 20%bf, I’m sorry but this guy just wants to “look” big, at that heght, weight and bf you got no shoulders, chest and biceps to fill your socks.[/quote]

How is it you missed the discussion about HOW he tested his body fat? Everyone on this board should understand by now that those body fat scales don’t work. That means you are making some huge assumptions that this kid is even 20% or that he should be concerned about it.

33

I hate that word, BULK. Bulk means in the BB world to gain fat w/ muscle. A la Lee Priest. Getting rid of the fat is already hard enough, why make it so hard on yourself? Unless, you use the drugs like the pros. But that is not a healthy choice for your body; just add quality muscle, if your not gaining enough then adjust your cals.

34

[quote]redsox348984 wrote:
jsbrook wrote:
It looks solid. How many calories does that come to? Depending on body composition you could drop calories a little and get a little leaner but don’t actually diet. And then up them and really focus on adding muscle.

i think it comes something like 4000-4500 on a normal day. [/quote]

Some points
First off: diet. I did count about 4000 and 240+ grams of protein (maybe 270). There is a lot of fruit sugar in there and not really much vegetables. That’s probably fine anyway considering you are willing to gain weight.

Second, you are lifting pretty heavy weights right now. Certainly it took a couple years to build up to those numbers. With that in mind, I would jsut ask-aren’t you gaining weight pretty steadily right now? (over the last 2 years?)

Third, your routine looks solid-obviously in the mold of a Westside powerlifting routine. Were you originally interested in powerlifting? If so, you are going to add bodyweight by continuing doing what you are doing-especially considering your age. Do you want to be a powerlifter, or just big, or “all around” or what?

What I’m getting at is that you have two basic choices: 1) Train like a powerlifter and just pack on the slow and steady 5-10 pounds a year for the next 10 years, or 2) Add pure mass right now and use the powerlifts as a tool to help you accomplish this.

In any case, I think that you need more volume. If you are training 4 times per 7-8 days, take your direct arm exercises and put them into one of your off days. Also, devote 1 day completely to the upper back and include a row, a chin and a shrugging exercise, unless you have monster traps, in which case, do a row in which you pull to the shoulders, and one where you pull to the waist, and a pulldown movement. Keep these 2 workouts short and sweet-30 intense minutes. In place of running, I would use a treadmill to walk on a 12% incline at 2.6-4.2 miles/hour, or sled dragging.

How big are yor thighs measured at the mid thigh?

35

[quote]BADASS MENTALITY wrote:
I hate that word, BULK. Bulk means in the BB world to gain fat w/ muscle. A la Lee Priest. Getting rid of the fat is already hard enough, why make it so hard on yourself? Unless, you use the drugs like the pros. But that is not a healthy choice for your body; just add quality muscle, if your not gaining enough then adjust your cals.

[/quote]

Your body doesn’t simply work that way. I am glad I never fell into that mentality where I tried to avoid all fat gain. My goal when gaining is to give my body everything it needs to grow. I am not going to grow slower or risk not growing at all just so I can hold onto ab muscles if my goal is to get much larger. My goal isn’t to wear a sweater and have people not be able to tell I lift.

36

[quote]redsox348984 wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:
Professor X wrote:
jlesk68 wrote:

dude, you can’t flex fat and your CNS can’t recruit it to lift heavy weight. Forget about “bulking up” (another phrase for “get fat to try to look big with clothes on”) just train.

That actually isn’t what bulking up means at all. I suppose the only people who would even think that way would be those who no one can tell lifts when they wear clothes. Maybe it makes you feel better to think the shoulders, chest and biceps filling out their shirts isn’t muscle.

Don’t you think that if you’re 20%BF you’re already eating to “bulk up” and your concern should be training?
This kid is 17 y/o, 6 feet tall and is 219 @ 20%bf, I’m sorry but this guy just wants to “look” big, at that heght, weight and bf you got no shoulders, chest and biceps to fill your socks.

you make it sound like i dont take my training seriously and you are wrong on that. i dont care about looking big as my main concern is ho wmuch weight i can lift. you also make it osund like im a complete fat ass[/quote]

In my case, my goals are strength, with mass as being basically a tool to lift more, and also an eventual side effect of gaining strength.

With that in mind, I have always followed the general principal to bulk your weak points (more reps, more volume and perhaps doubling the frequency) and to train your stong points for low rep strength alone.

So for example, I train my chest only for heavy triples, and same with my hips and quads, but since my lockout was a weakness, I focused more volume into triceps and shoulders. Now they are getting to be strong points.

Now I have realized that my biceps and upper back are weaknesses, and so I put more volume of training into them and to get in 2 good focused sessions/week just on the upper back and 2 for my biceps and forearms and grip.

In your case, your rows and deadlift and curls are your best lifts.

Where do you stall on a max squat and bench press?

Again, this is with the goal of maximal strength in the powerlifts.

37

One other thing. Your lifts are not particularly good for your bodyweight except for curls and rows. You are talking about bulking up to around 240 but you are only benching 245. Your strength is not adequate for your bodyweight at this point. Eat. Add volume for your weak muscle groups. Add strength, and if you do this, you are going to gain weight naturally over the next 5 years.

38

[quote]mertdawg wrote:
One other thing. Your lifts are not particularly good for your bodyweight except for curls and rows. You are talking about bulking up to around 240 but you are only benching 245. Your strength is not adequate for your bodyweight at this point. Eat. Add volume for your weak muscle groups. Add strength, and if you do this, you are going to gain weight naturally over the next 5 years. [/quote]

i am gaining weight slowly right now. in the last 2 years ive actually put on alot of weight. i was 170 pounds 2 years ago. i do want to be a powerlifter. mayb e you are right and i should worry about trying to gain a bunch of pounds real quick and jsut slowly gain the weight over the years. i suppose maybe i am impatient and that is why i want to gain the weight right now and make some fast gains.

sometimes i do have my arm day seperate from my other day. you think i should have my own back day? you dont think i could add a little extra volume to my lower body days for it?

for cardio the reason i do the 400 meters sprints is cause i like to keep myself in decent running shape. i would do liks sled stuff but i do not have acess to a sled.

i use to stall maybe a month ago right off the chets then i finally figured out how to get some elg drive. and now im stuck about halfway up. in the squat im stuck right at the bottom of the lift.

well at this point my bench is probly a little higher. i finally got in moving with this 5x5 scheme and was able to get 220 for 4 sets of 5 so i assume its a bit higher than that now. bench has always been my worst lift

39

professor x whats your oppinion?? youve kinda been lurking around lets here some insight from the professor lol

40

[quote]redsox348984 wrote:
i am gaining weight slowly right now. in the last 2 years ive actually put on alot of weight. i was 170 pounds 2 years ago. i do want to be a powerlifter. mayb e you are right and i should worry about trying to gain a bunch of pounds real quick and jsut slowly gain the weight over the years. i suppose maybe i am impatient and that is why i want to gain the weight right now and make some fast gains.

you dont think i could add a little extra volume to my lower body days for it?
[/quote]

If you went from 170 to 219 in the last two years I would not change anything-just keep trying to get stronger since that is your goal anyway.

As far as upper back goes, it is important in all 3 powerlifts. Many people think they have weak lower backs and they actually have weak abs and or upper backs. Your back is already a strong point though.

I can’t tell for sure where your weak points are though. Chest shoulders and triceps? And legs? but a strong back that is making up for a lot of that in the powerlifts. You said you squat close stance and deep. If you stall right at the bottom, its probably your legs and not your back.