Rather than start a new thread i was wondering if i could post here.

I'm rather new to this field , 28 years of age (hope it's not too late to start). Height is 1.68m and weight is 70.5 kg , basically the dreaded skinnyfat body (used to be 81kg before i started working out in May).

Question is , what is good bodybuilding program for beginners if one is going for a good build ?

After dicking around with my exercises i've finally settled on doing Starting Strength (the pull up/chin up version). While i feel (subjective) like i'm gaining strength due to the constant weight increase , i'm not noticing any changes on my body.

Is it alright to do SS on a cut ? Or do i need to bulk in order to do this program ? Also , is there a better program for beginners looking for aesthetics or should i stick with SS till i reach a total stall ?

Wanna get the opinion of the veteran posters here, i kinda understand now that more volume == more mass , while lower reps like SS or 5x5 are good for strength.

What are your opinions on Upper / Lower splits. I'm thinking of something like the below :


upper body (3 x 8-12)
flat bench press
incline flies
shoulder press
dumbell lateral raises
pullups
bent over rows
triceps extensions
bicep curls

lower body (3 x 8-12)
squats
deadlifts
leg extensions
leg curls
calves raises

The schedule would be something like this (i like weekends for gym)

Sat - Upper
Sun - Lower
Monday - rest (should i put cardio ? I'm skinnyfat)
Tues - Upper
Wed - Lower
Thurs - rest
Fri - rest

Critiques are very much appreciated.

Is this true ? From the Tanita machine i have 21% BF. I was thinking of doing a bulk first but if this is true then might as well cut as much as possible.