Slow Bulking

T

Tom Treutlein

New Member
So, O&G (R.I.P.) and aka23 (from Lyle's BodyRecomp) both slow-bulked, keeping their bodyfat gains basically nixed the entire time they added mass. Sure, it was a slower process, but they looked good at all times, and didn't have to do any phase-shifting (i.e., bulk to cut to bulk).

Who here has done that? Think it's feasible? I'm close to where I wanna be mass-wise, but it's Summer time and I'd like to lean out a bit. From there, I figure I'd be better suited bulking the rest of the way slowly (since I'm in no real rush, and stretch marks suck anyway
laugh.gif
).

What kind've weight gain should I look for when doing this? Half a pound a week? I should probably get one of those scales that monitors weight gain to the tenths of a pound, yeah? To a .2 gradient or so?

Any tips here would help. I know it's calories in vs. calories out and whatever, but I don't want to be wasting my time and it gets discouraging when you don't see things coming quick all the time.
 
Between half a pound a week and one pound a week would probably be safe. There are some prescription drugs that can help with partitioning, which may allow you to go up to 1 or 2 lbs a week without much fat gain, but it might be hard for you to get your hands on them if you don't have Parkinson's Disease.

So, for calories, you'll have to see what works for you. It may take a few weeks or even a couple months of adjustments to figure out what calorie surplus and what activity level keeps you in the 0.5 to 1 lb zone. But if you are slow bulking, you've got plenty of time anyway. I'd start with 250 over on nonworkout days and maybe 500 on workout days. Or you could do HST 3 days a week and cardio 3 days a week, keep it at 300-500 over maintenance everyday. That might keep you in the right area.

I wouldn't worry about a more precise scale - unless you are measuring the weight of all the food and water you take in as well as excrete, then it will be misleading. Just take your weight reading each day after you've woken up and used the facilities, but before you eat anything. Keep an eye on the average change from week to week - that's the most accurate picture you can get on weight change, unless you measure and weigh every little thing.
 
What Tot said...however for me...I cant seem to get it that precise...I am just to damn lazy I guess.

So what I plan on doing is trying to stay under 15% bodyfat and gain as much weight as possible when I start getting to that number I will back off.

Either way I guess its still a way of tracking things...I just hope to not go from 8% to 15 % in a month...hehe
biggrin.gif
 
My scale only shows to the gradient of a pound right now. A nicer one would show me to the 0.2 lb. gradient, so I could see those half pound gains a week. That's why I said I could use a new one, 'cause if I'm gonna bulk slowly, then I need to make sure I'm actually increasing.

My method is to weigh myself every AM (as you said), and then chart the lowest weight of the week as my 'current weight'. I try to get the low end of the range of weight to go up by my goal every week, so if my goal is 0.5 lbs., then I wanna see a 0.5 lb. gain from week to week on the low-end - get me?

Also, Totentanz, what partitioning drug are we talking about? Why couldn't I get it without having Parkinson's? How effective is it, and how is it taken, etc? How does it stop fat gain?
 
O&G is back.. so he can chime in hear sometime soon. Daxie was a proponent of it. I was (and still am) a huge supporter of it... but right now I want to cut down to at least less than 10% bodyfat, and then apply the slow-bulk diet.
 
That's my plan. I want to get to at LEAST 10% and then try and maintain that while slowly bulking.

O&G is back!? Nice! Now we just need Jules.

Colby, what kind've gain do you look for weekly? I figure I'll go for 0.5 lbs. a week - seems to be my best bet.
 
Currently I am just "maintaining" as I am happy at 185 at 9% bf. Three years ago, I started a "slow bulk." In about 18 months I went from 170 pounds at 18% bf to 185 at 9%. So I effectively gained 29 pounds of muscle and lost 14 pounds of fat. My net increase in total weight came out to just about 1 pound per month. I averaged about 250 calories over "maintenance" daily. However, as my fat decreased and my muscle mass increased, my maintenance requirements increased so I had to adjust for that.

I did not go whacko and weigh my food or keep written food logs although that is a good idea. However, I would do a mental add up after dinner and make up for any deficit by eating nuts and/or fruit. Nothing too scientific...just applying some common sense. If I went over on same days, I would try and adjust the following day. Typically I would eat 4 to 6 meals. Currently I find that 4 meals per day and a few healthy snacks keeps me where I want to be.

I won't go into specific foods or calorie counts as everybody has individual tastes and I am pretty active with horses and 'hobby' farm chores where other people may be less active and would balloon up on my specific diet.

If you have a high fat content, then perhaps a "slow cut" would be more appropriate. You just need to figure out where you are today and where you want to be at a given future date, and make some calculations.

By the way, PIZZA tonight!!!
biggrin.gif
Hot dogs for lunch!
cool.gif
Tomorrow I will adjust for my high fat content today.
sad.gif
 
i recently cut down (1st time ever) to 185 at @10% and have begun slowly bulking back trying to minimize fat gain as your considering.

im only 6 weeks in so i cant speak inteligently as to how its all going to work for me but a few things ive noticed so far...

bulking took a while to learn the cals at which i grew and how fast etc. and the same for cutting. slowly dropping the cals and limiting carbs until i got results i wanted while still having the energy to work, lift etc. slow bulk is no differant ,if anything even harder to figure out. maint. +500 is easy to say and so is 1/2lb gain a week (instead of 1lb) but the trick seems to be the SLOW part. it just takes time to see results with this narrow of an approach.

i usually gain differently during 15-10-5-negs (gain more in 10s and 5s) and couple that with starting at maint.+500 it will probably take me a few cycles to find the right mix of enough cals but not too much, cardio, summer vs winter activity etc etc. but i figure in the end ill be dialed in to what i need if thats the direction i want to go.

i am enjoying the shape i am in now but i will point out one thing that is true for most people depending on how "big" you are naturally.....when bulking you are at your largest overall and that means that 80% of the time you look/feel good; clothes filled out, people noticing size etc. but you wouldnt take your shirt off to save your life b/c you think your fat.........after cutting you spend 80% of the the time thinking it doesnt look like you lift anymore b/c despite the fact you look better you just cant tell with all those clothes on. its all psychological nonsense but that doesnt mean we dont think it.

good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top