r/Fitness•
Goodwin-

~8 months progress, bickering on whether to bulk or cut

Hi r/Fitness. I've been reading a boatload of comments here (and on other websites) the last few months, mostly looking for helpful tips and ways to improve myself.

I've been working out approximately 8 months now, doing a bit of both weightlifting and cardio. I've never followed a strict diet and workout scheme. The real change was that I quit eating nonsense food like chips and chocolate all the time, along with drinking coke and switching to milk in the morning and water the rest of the day. Now I'm eating more healthy and moderately (not counting calories, although I plan on doing that), and at dinner I eat whatever my mom has cooked.

My question here is, would it be best for me to bulk up or start cutting? This is how I look after approximately 8 months working out -- both lifting weights and doing cardio: http://imgur.com/5remz http://imgur.com/N38or

I don't have a before pic, unfortunately. Back then, I though I'd never keep at it. Now I'm actually enjoying myself.

So would it be wiser for me to bulk or cut? I would like to have both my muscles visible and keeping my athleticism. Getting 'bodybuilder big' isn't that much of a goal for me.

Thanks!

Posted Dec 30, 2012, 3:46 PM UTC

723
captainhendrix•

BULK

44
Chanz•

I'd recommend the same but if you continue to not count calories a bulk might add more fat than you would like. I would say bulk but get serious about counting calories. Your body is a perfect candidate for leangains where you gain significantly less body fat while bulking as I assume that's what you want.

2
Goodwin-OP•

Where can I find a leangains workout program and fitting diet?

1
hereticmoox•

r/leangains. Just check the sidebar for the FAQs, macro calculator and starting guide.

1
Goodwin-OP•

Thanks. :)

1
[deleted]•

Lean gains is great from what I've seen. I haven't tried it myself.

But I'd say you can really well by simply eating tons of chicken each day and filling all of your snack space with vegetables.

1

Bulk, and remember, abs on a skinny guy are like tits on a fat chick.

16
quest88•

??

-1
thetjs1•

Tits on a fat chicken are nothing special, just like abs on a skinny guy

10
Liquid_Gold•

But it would yield more meat for me to consume, I think that's pretty special for my goals.

4
not_even_lifting•

Depends on you goals ofcourse, but right now you aren't even 'model-big'. If I would be you I would (clean)bulk for a year.

10
Points_To_You•

What's your height, weight, age?

2
Goodwin-OP•

6'2" (1.90m) 194 lbs (~87kg) Age is 20 (turning 21 January 1st)

1
not_even_lifting•

You don't look 87kg, big legs? Are you still getting taller btw?

7
Goodwin-OP•

big legs?

No, don't think so. I'm also not getting any taller.

Doc said I have 'heavy bones' though, guess that explains the weight. I actually weighed 216lbs (98kg) before I started working out.

2
not_even_lifting•

You would look more athletic with a more V-shaped upper body. Bigger lats would give you that v-shape (do pullups, rows etc for bigger lats).

2
[deleted]•

Slow bulk. 10% surplus. Maybe some periodic mini cuts two or three times a year if you want to stay leanish. DO IT.

2
alldathings•

You should bulk. Even with 30 more lbs of muscle on you people wont consider you bodybuilder huge.

Plus bulking is fun, especially if youre doing cardio and get to eat the most monstrous meals known to man and make all the fatties jealous.

2
brandoninpdx•

30lbs of muscle? He couldn't gain 30lbs of muscle naturally if his life depended on it. But yes bulk, I would say bulk at a rate of 4 lbs per month.

2
hereticmoox•

You could do both with leangains. Looks like you're at a pretty low BF%, it would be a pretty good option. I found that doing the cut/bulk thing wasn't doing it for me since I had problems eating clean during a bulk, so I always got pretty fat, then lost muscle cutting it back. Leangains with a recomp diet (0/+20) is way easier to maintain.

1
Goodwin-OP•

Thanks for the advice, will look into it.

1
PERMABULK•

What's your stats? Squat, bench, deadlift?

1