Should I Bulk Or Cut First?
When anyone starts lifting weights, their main goal is building muscle. It sounds obvious, because it is. But free weights can and should be used to help you lose fat too, when used in conjunction with a proper diet. This is where things get tricky, and one of the things I hear most often from trainees is the question “Should I bulk or cut first?”. Let’s take a look at some scenarios and work out what the right approach is.
Since this question is related to your initial body fat levels, and you should choose the approach based solely on that number. Click here to download the Body Fat calculator so you know which approach you should take.
Skinny Fat Trainees: Should You Bulk Or Cut?
The most obvious case is for those who are skinny. If you’ve not done any weight training before, or are still growing, bulking is the only option for you. If you aren’t training weights already and your body fat percentage is under 10%, start bulking immediately. Get in the gym, lift free weights, lift heavy, eat and sleep. Job done.
But this category is normally just kids who are starting out lifting weights. Guys in their 20′s and 30′s who are skinny are – most of the time – skinny-fat. You’ve probably seen this sort of guy on the beach before – rounded, sunken shoulders, no chest, but a pudgy little belly sticking out all the same.
The skinny fat trainee is likely to have never picked up a barbell before and could really benefit from adding muscle to his frame. But he’s also carrying a gut that needs to go away. The standard advice is to go for a bulk first, to pack on muscle. But actually, the skinny fat trainee can do both. Check out your body fat; you’ll probably find yourself in the 12-15% body fat range, which is ideal for building muscle on the frame. In this “magic window” you can do both – bulk up AND lose fat at the same time. Here’s how:
- Start lifting barbells. Check this article here if you aren’t training with free weights already
- Fix your diet. Work out your calorie maintenance requirements. Eat 20% more than this on the days you train, and 20% less on days you rest
- Rinse and repeat
Intermediate/Experienced Trainees: Should You Bulk Or Cut?
So, you already lift weights. If you’re reading this section then realize I define lifting weights as squatting, deadlifting and pressing things over your head. If you only use the barbell for curls and benching, you need to check this article out and decide if you still count as intermediate or above (hint, unless you squat you’re a novice). If you don’t, rejoice! Being a novice at squatting and deadlifting means you can pack on a ton of muscle in no time.
So let’s assume you are actively lifting weights, and have reached at least a 1x bodyweight squat. Should you bulk or cut? Reach for the body fat calculator…
If You Are Under 10% Body Fat
Congratulations! You’ll have easily visible abs and probably look pretty damn good already. You want to bulk up and add on additional muscles, but make sure you’re not getting fat at the same time! You should check out the article “The 7 Fundamental Questions for a One Pound Muscle Mass Gain” and understand the exact number of calories your body needs to gain each additional pound of muscle. Aim to add 0.5-1lb of muscle PER WEEK by consuming enough additional calories POST WORKOUT to support that growth.
If you try and grow quicker than 1lb per week you’ll be getting fat. Don’t bulk like crazy otherwise you will need to go on a cut afterwards.
If You Are 10-15% Body Fat
You’re in the “Goldilocks Zone” – where it’s just right for gaining muscle AND losing fat at the same time. In this body fat range your insulin sensitivity is “just right” and allows simultaneous bulking and cutting. You need to fix your diet – through calorie and macronutrient cycling – so that you’re losing fat on your rest days and gaining muscle post workout on the training days. It sounds complex, but really you should follow the simple advice:
- Fix your diet. Work out your calorie maintenance requirements. Eat 20% more than this on the days you train, and 20% less on days you rest
If You Are 15% Body Fat OR Higher
You need to get on a cutting program. Sure, you can still build muscle if you’re overweight already, but don’t you want to see the results of your hard work? You’ve been putting in the effort at the gym, but all people can see is your belly in the mirror. Sort out your diet and get down to the “Goldilocks Zone” as quickly as possible.
The mistake many people make is believing that your body will only do one OR the other. Bulk OR Cut. But it won’t. Set up the diet properly and you can gain a small amount of muscle whilst losing your body fat. Calorie and Macronutrient cycling is perfect for this – in conjunction with Intermittent Fasting – and allows you to chop back at your body fat levels whilst maintaining strength and gaining muscle. Here’s how:
- Fix your diet. Work out your calorie maintenance requirements
- Eat 30% deficit on your rest days, and AT MAINTENANCE on your training days
- Avoid carbohydrates on rest days
- Be sure to train with intensity – make sure at least some of the reps you’re doing are >85% of your maximum
- Keep protein consumption sky high (>1g per lb of bodyweight)
Conclusions
Most people go about bulking and cutting cycles without proper thought about the consequences. Usually there’s a big bulk in the Fall followed by a cut in the Winter or Spring. But this is just to tie in with the beach season so they have a 6 pack and can show off “them gunz”. Realize that gaining and losing weight requires a nuanced approach, a careful plan for what to eat and when to eat it, and some damn hard training in the gym.
Hopefully this post has given you something to think about – and you can know make a decision about whether to bulk or cut based on real world facts (body fat levels) rather than the time of the year.
Do you agree with this advice? If not, tell me how you go about it in the comment section below:
