Hey guys, I've been cutting since last year until around May 2014 (at 67 kg/147 lbs). After that I've started reverse dieting and transitioning in to a slow bulk until now. I've been adding 100 calories (carbs) when the weight gain stalls.

This is my progress so far.

67.7kg - 8 may - reverse diet begins - 1650 calories
66.9kg - 27 May - slow bulk begins - 2000 calories
70.8kg - 2 Oct - today, - 2550 calories

My macros is 2,550 calories, 287 carbs, 85 fat, 159 protein.

I took a series of pictures on April when I was still cutting (at around 70kg/154 lbs) and I compared it to the pics that I took on September (also at around 70kg/154 lbs), they both look somewhat similar and I'm quite disappointed that my body composition didn't change much despite on a bulk. The only difference that I saw are a bit on my shoulders and arms, maybe mid section.

Am I doing this correctly and how's my progress?

How are your lifts?

Military press
Dec 2013 - 27kg x 7 for 3 sets
July 2014 - 32.5 x 5 for 5 sets
Now - 40kg x 5 for 3 sets, 30kg x 10 for 5 sets

DB Bench press
Jan 2014 - 24kg x7, x7, x6
Apr 2014 - 24kg x 8 for 3 sets
Now - 30kg x 5 for 3 sets, 20kg x 10 for 5 sets

Barbell Bent over rows (Yates row)
Dec 2013 - 57kg x 11 for 3 sets
Apr 2014 - 60kg x 10 for 3 sets
Now - 67.5kg x 10 for 4 sets

Not sure if these are counted as gains

This post has been edited by gapipig: Oct 2 2014, 11:44 AM

Just going to take DB Bench Press as an example

Total Volume for DB Bench press
====================

24 x (7+7+6) = 480kg
24 x (8 x 3) = 576kg
(30 x 5 x 3) + (20 x 10 x 5) = 1450kg

I'd say you are making gains. It's good you are actually tracking calories and macros and you are well versed in controlling your metabolic rate. Kudos to you for that. However, here's the thing, unless you're introducing AAS into your body, progress will be slow. I'm not going to sugar coat it, the longer you do it, the slower it gets. The thing with bodybuilding and lifting is that it is a long term thing, not something that you could just put in a year or two and expect to look like a greek god (unless of course if you have some crazy genetics or AAS).

I'm pretty sure there's progress somewhere in terms of your physique and that you're really nitpicking at this point. Sometimes you have to cut yourself some slack.

When you're bulking, progress will not be as apparent as a cut. Of course you'll look fuller and somewhat bigger as you've got an excess of glycogen in your body but with a cut, you'll start seeing cuts and you get really excited.

My advise, keep your head down, keep doing what you've been doing and enjoy the journey. One thing I'd change though, incorporate Squats and deads in your training. I'm not going to comment much about the exercise you laid out here but expect some stick if you're not incorporating them into your program. Unless you have some sort of condition which is refraining you from doing them, I'd say make them your main lifts and judge your strength from there. After all, these are big BIG movements (multi-joint).

Since you're already good with tracking your macros, start going into training programming. Learn about periodization, optimizing your lifts and making sure everything is as efficient as it could be. Most important thing, have fun.

Firstly, thanks for the opinions and tips. Yeah, I guess I am somewhat demotivated and desperate. I actually did research on AAS lol but not going to do anything drastic yet.

You're right on this. Especially with my fat layer (around 16 or 17%), the gains wouldn't be as obvious. Unless I got a lot fatter from my bulk (what im avoiding) and people might notice when I'm fully clothed.

The reason why squat is not mentioned isn't because I don't like them, it's more of a choice/decision. I used to train legs in my P/P/L program but I dropped them cause of my body proportion. I have somewhat large quads and calves. There's a guy in my gym that does crazy heavy calf raises but his calves are not as big as mine. I've never train my calves hard too, I don't want that part to be big at all. I will definitely train my legs, once my upper body catches up.

About deadlift, I've considered doing them but I ultimately decided to instead do heavy bent over rows and other movements for my back. I did read quite a lot in the usefulness of deadlift for bodybuilding. From what my understanding, there's a risk factor vs risk for this movement. Some suggested that it's more of a strength related exercise. And a lot of people recommended to have rows and other movements as substitution.

I'll read more on periodization, thanks again!

1) Don't jump the gun on AAS, if you're going to do something, make absolutely sure you know what you're doing.
2) A lot of people will separate strength, power and hypertrophy training but they are all correlated. What I meant is, there's a place for strength work for a "bodybuilder" and there's a place for hypertrophy work for a "powerlifter". As you go more into periodization, you'd be able to see more clearly what I am trying to say.
3) Strength does not always necessarily equal hypertrophy but implemented correctly, it can be. Everyone's got some muscle group which they are weak at or freakishly strong at ( but not really shown in their physique). More often than not it's because they're not training them correctly. Proper muscle activation, full extension and full flexion ( say you're doing a curl, full flexion is when you are at the top of the curl with your pinkies pointing towards ceiling for the lack of a better explanation and full extension is where your arms are at the bottom - tricep flexed). Flex and extend corrrectly and you'd be overloading the muscle.

Thanks for the great advices.

I'm just curious about AAS that's all, don't think I'll go in to this unless I'm planning to compete seriously. Yeah, I noticed that my bent over rows are considered strong for my size as I see some buff dudes in my gym struggles to do it. But I am no where near there size.

I guess I'll have to focus more on MMC. Speaking of overloading, does adding a rep or two = progressive overload?

There is your problem. A proper bulk should have u gaining 1-2 Kgs per month.

Even on a slow bulk you shud be gaining 1KG/month for optimum progress with minimum fat gains.

Look at it in terms of Total Volume.

Total Volume(kg/lbs) = Weight lifted x Number of Sets x Number Of Reps.

Example:-

Week 1 : Exercise A - 100kg x 3 x 8 = 2400kg Total Volume
Week 2 : Exercise A - 100kg x (2 x 8 + 1 x 9) = 2500kg Total Volume

Is that Progressive Overload?

Progress is Progress, doesnt matter if it's 1kg, 1 set, 1 rep.

1kg a month? that's 12kg a year. By that logic, an offseason bodybuilder/powerlifter would have to lose 24kg if they take a break for 2 years to regroup and build on what they have. And frankly, how does one say 1kg/month is optimum with minimum fat gains? For example, if we compare a new lifter vs a seasoned veteran (>10years lifting). How is that optimum ? I'm not saying your logic is flawed but it varies from person to person. From the POV of a natural lifter, 1kg a month? not feasible. We'd all be walking balls of lard *cough* like me *cough*. AAS on the other hand, a whole different ball game.

Nonetheless, credits to you for trying to pinpoint aspects in which you can focus on to progress in your own way. However, take a step back and maybe try to refocus on another aspect that MIGHT be higher up the priority chain in terms of progress.

I'm just going to speak from the POV of a natural lifter, the weight of a person in the grand scheme of things isn't that big of a deal. Bodybuilders (since TS is lifting from the POV of a bodybuilder) are judged from their physiques built on foundations of hypertrophy which goes hand in hand with strength.

With a natural lifter, we'd be looking at it in terms of their training and diet. How much are they lifting, are they able to lift more weight over time? Are they eating enough - which comes to reverse dieting - which brings us to increasing one's metabolic capacity - which brings us to cutting on minimal amount of deficit - which brings us to preserving as much strength during a cut - which brings us to minimizing lean muscle tissue loss during the cut - which brings us to judging it from how much strength the lifter has left from the cut or continue to gain on most cases - you get the idea.

I'm going in a safe and slow rate. I've been fat (and still quite is), I don't wanna compromise that. And actually, I'm getting nearly 1kg/month. Though some months are slower while some months are faster. But I understood that gains are never linear.

Yes, that makes sense.

Now judging from OP's lifts he seems to be a begginer and very very far from a veteran. Thus my 1kg/m bulk recommendation. Yes i do agree that 1kg/m wont work for a veteran since he will end up mostly with fat gains.

Secondly, yes progress is progress, and its all good since OP is making progress. However OP is not satisfied with the
Speed of the progress thus my 1kg/m bulk recommendation. This rate should be best for a begginer since it will provide faster progress espescially on upper body lifts however with slighty more fat gains.

Conclusion, i did take into account OP's level and then I spoted the problem and gave him the solution for fastest gains while keeping fat gain at minimum since OP complained about progress SPEED.

Upper body progress tends to stall easily when someone eats at maintainance or the bulk is too slow which will give them very slow progress as in OP's case.

... when I first was reading this tread and saw your Bench Press -- I wasn't sure you are a female ... I only manage Bench Press max 10kg X 5 rep X 1 set, and my arms is already shaking carrying them ... you really put me to extreme shame ... ...

Bro, TS is a girl.

Lol wut? Damn i din not know about that. Then my advice doesnt really apply.

Anyway how u know TS is girl?

see at

<<<<< her profile

Aw damn, now I see it, the female/male pointer at the side. Never ever noticed it, probably cause never bothered to stalk anyone .

Anyway, time to crank up my knowledge by studying natural female bodybuilding particulary in terms of strength gain expectation, bulking, and cutting.

Glad you found out. Keep us posted on your progress, I'm interested to learn some tips so can coach more girls in future.

Sorry to confuse you guys, I'm actually a guy.

... ... not an issue ... guess I got back my ego ... ...