Is Bulking Necessary?

[Legion Kreinak]

Or, don't live with any fat, gain the same muscle but at a slower pace, and build everything equally, and then just shrug and say "Told ya' so".

 

[gmanlax7]

I'll bulk , you do your thing, lets check back in a year. I woulda said the same thing at 15 though, i was benching 4 times a week.

 

[Legion Kreinak]

Yeah, I'm benching 2/3 depending on if I decide to stay with my fullbody routine, come October. Otherwise I'll go split and train it 2 times a week. I do my research, and I also have common sense. Yes, you're right about optimal size gain, but I also don't want to get huge. I just want maybe the slightest size increase, so it's noticeable if you see before/after pictures, and then just get my BF% down so I look good. I don't care about being that strong, because even though I fight alot (whether it's actually a fight at school, or just sparring) I believe it all to be in the technique.

 

[JOKER47]

My take on the bulking vs non-bulking is this:

While I believe it IS possible to not put on extra fat and still gain quality muscle, the diet, amount of cardio, intensity/quality of ones workouts and the knowledge of how ones body works and responds to different stimuli, would be immense.
In other words, your diet would ABSOLUTELY have to PERFECT. Your workouts would HAVE to be PERFECT for your body type. You would also HAVE to know EXACTLY how your body will respond to different workouts, sets, reps, TUT, etc...

Most of us are still always learning about all of these things, and do not have close to perfection in any of them. (Some may be better than others.) One could spend literally YEARS trying to find the perfect answer to all of them, and still never find it.

It's much easier and, in many cases, more effective both in the short and long term, to live with the excess fat for the short term to gain the muscle, then cut the fat.

No one is telling you are wrong. But many of the guys in here have years of experience doing this. I am sure that all of us wanted the same thing at one time during our lifting "career". If you notice, the vets have all come to the same conclusion. And I don't think I will argue with Bouncers, Needsizes ans others physiques. They speak for themselves.

Just my .02,
Joker

 

[gettinlarger]

Or, don't live with any fat, gain the same muscle but at a slower pace, and build everything equally, and then just shrug and say "Told ya' so".

Not gonna happen bro. You could do it your way, but the muscle would come soooooo slowly. Food is the most anabolic thing out there. Which means, it makes you grow.

 

[louden_swain]

Bulking is necessary!! Like getinlarger said. . . eating is anabolic. If you fail to do so. . .you will ultimately be dissapointed with your gains.

 

[t3c]

People are giving you advice and you are so close minded. I have a friend that is just like you, he said he doesn't want to get fat so he restricts his calories so much...and hes weak and too skinny.

 

[scruples]

i've said it before -- why are you so reluctant to take the advice from so many experienced people (not that i am one of them, but i've learned a shitload from hanging out on this board, MOSTLY w/my mouth shut)??

the reason you're gonna gain some fat is because you NEED to be in caloric excess to gain weight... some of that weight will be fat, no doubt... but some of it will also be muscle -- and if your diet/training are in place then more will be muscle than fat... once you feel you're strong/big enough THEN cut down the body fat w/a caloric deficit -- just do it right though, otherwise you'll end up losing too much muscle...

i also don't know why you have this theme in your posts, "oh, i don't wanna get 'too' strong," or, "i don't wanna get 'too' big"... then why are you bothering anyway?!? it makes no sense...

 

[mlomker]

I heard that if you don't eat more than you burn, then you don't gain as much muscle. Now I realize, that has to be the biggest bunch of bullshit I've heard yet. Just because you don't eat as much doesn't mean you don't get muscle. As long as you have adequate protein, you're fine.

This is where you're mistaken. It takes calories for your body to build muscle. If you aren't eating enough food then your body won't have the components to build the muscle. To use an analogy, you are trying to build a house without enough lumber...good luck.

The reason lifters eat excessive calories is to maximize their muscle gain. Why lift hard if it doesn't do anything other than make you sore? There are scores of people in my gym that work out 3-4x week around me....they are staying small because their diet isn't right.

It sounds like that is the kind of body that are looking for, so maybe you are doing the right thing. Just don't be under the impression that guys like B-Fold could become a monster by using your dietary routine.

 

[bishonen]

i've said it before -- why are you so reluctant to take the advice from so many experienced people (not that i am one of them, but i've learned a shitload from hanging out on this board, MOSTLY w/my mouth shut)??

Ditto.

What's the point of asking for help and advice, if you're just going to ignore it when it's given to you?

Everybody here is helpful as can be, and very knowledgeable of what they speak. It's in your best interest to listen to what's being said, Legion.