# Important tips for my 1st bulk?



## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

Alright guys, I'm going to be moving into bulking soon although my overall knowledge of bulking isn't very large.

I'm currently 12 stone with around 14-15% BF. I'll be bulking for around 5 months and was looking at trying to increase my weight up to around 13.5 - 14 while really trying to not put a large amount of flab around the stomach, would this be too much weight (fat) for that amount of time..?

Please post some important tips from your own knowledge that I need to stick by when bulking (supplements, diet, increased cardio? etc)

Thanks guys!


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## Proteincarb (Oct 12, 2010)

I was around same stats as you when i started my bulk 7 months ago, was 12 stone now nearly 15 stone and still pretty lean cant see abs but this is the point of bulking if i feel i am getting a belly i just do like 10 minutes cardio tops.


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## Mr_Morocco (May 28, 2011)

Peanut Butter.


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

killah said:


> I was around same stats as you when i started my bulk 7 months ago, was 12 stone now nearly 15 stone and still pretty lean cant see abs but this is the point of bulking if i feel i am getting a belly i just do like 10 minutes cardio tops.


Ah okay, are you still bulking? Do you think that most of the 3 stone you've put on is "bulk" instead of the majority of it being actual increased muscle.. Have you noticed a performance increase when lift etc now that you've bulked (bulking)?


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## Proteincarb (Oct 12, 2010)

Yes massive increase in strength from when i first started i use to struggle with doing dumbbell bench press like lifting 20kg lol now i have worked up to doing 45kg for 5 reps. I find that when i have had allot of cals that day i lift allot more and energy is allot better than if i just had protein before workout. as an ectomorph i find if i have something like ice cream like an hour before gym really helps me, but its just down to trial and error i think everyone is different.

Still bulking wanna put on as much muscle as i can and being cut that wont happen.


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

Yea that's good! I'm just looking to increase my size from september to january and then look to slightly cut down from march onwards. Because i've never bulked before I want to make sure that I don't do silly things that would either not make it beneficial in a certain way or just pack on a load of fat.


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## Jux (Jul 23, 2008)

Yeah don't get fat.

Mistake I made right there. Don't take all these magazine articles as gospel like eating a large pizza with loads of oil and chicken on it because it's not going to work out in the long run.

It's generally a lots easier to put weight on than lose it and maintain/build muscle mass.


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2011)

Afghan said:


> Peanut Butter.


good advice


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

peanut butter with what, how much and why? ha


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2011)

DanMac said:


> peanut butter with what, how much and why? ha


its jut a reference to get plenty of healthy essential fats - omega 3's 6's etc

my advice would be dont go overboard on carbs if possible. high protein with either higher fats or higher carbs unless you have a fast metabolism when you'd probably need high everything!


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

That sounds good, I thought that one large part of bulking was the amount of carbs you intake daily? How do you know what amount you need to be hitting to bulk but not be a chubster?


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## Guest (Jul 24, 2011)

DanMac said:


> That sounds good, I thought that one large part of bulking was the amount of carbs you intake daily? How do you know what amount you need to be hitting to bulk but not be a chubster?


you'll need to workout your cal intake (not mandatory, i dont most of the time) but it does help. just up your maintenance cals by 500 for a few weeks and if youre not gaining enough keep increasing.

a basic macro intake is 40/40/20 so 40% of cals from protein and anthoer 40 from carbs and 20% from fat.

a simple (not accurate) formula to work out maintenance cals is bodyweight in lbs x 16


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## treb92 (Jun 10, 2008)

ricky23 said:


> you'll need to workout your cal intake (not mandatory, i dont most of the time) but it does help. just up your maintenance cals by 500 for a few weeks and if youre not gaining enough keep increasing.
> 
> a basic macro intake is 40/40/20 so 40% of cals from protein and anthoer 40 from carbs and 20% from fat.
> 
> a simple (not accurate) formula to work out maintenance cals is bodyweight in lbs x 16


Do what he said increase by 500kcal a week. Dont listen to all the you need 5000 calories a day bollox youll end up fat like i did.


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## barsnack (Mar 12, 2011)

no problem with eating a pizza or fast food here or there, but just try and eat as much good clean food as possible, as when your bulks over and its cutting time, you'll have less to do...make sure more than anything to keep protein high regardless and hit them marcos, nuts are antoehr food i highly recommend with peanut butter (alomonds for me) as full of vitamins and high calories...drink plenty of water too


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks guys for the advice I'll increase my cals by 500 per week when I start bulking, I've never really hit the needed cals amount since I've actually been training but from now and until I bulk I've started to hit around 2500 Mark. I'll then increase by 500 every week from that cal amount.

Although how will I know when I'm intaking too much cals.. What would be the quickest signs, fat around the stomach?


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

DanMac said:


> Alright guys, I'm going to be moving into bulking soon although my overall knowledge of bulking isn't very large.
> 
> I'm currently 12 stone with around 14-15% BF. I'll be bulking for around 5 months and was looking at trying to increase my weight up to around 13.5 - 14 while really trying to not put a large amount of flab around the stomach, would this be too much weight (fat) for that amount of time..?
> 
> ...


IF your diet is spot on aswell as training + sleep....u can gain 2lb of lean muscle in 1 month do ur looking at 10lb in ur 5 month bulk.


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## Lycan Prince (Jul 4, 2011)

you need to eat, eat, eat. As with most things in bodybuilding diet is the most important thing. get your diet right and it will happen


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

Cheers Janik, has anyone come across a good thread or site that contains daily diet advice?


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

DanMac said:


> Thanks guys for the advice I'll increase my cals by 500 per week when I start bulking, I've never really hit the needed cals amount since I've actually been training but from now and until I bulk I've started to hit around 2500 Mark. I'll then increase by 500 every week from that cal amount.
> 
> Although how will I know when I'm intaking too much cals.. What would be the quickest signs, fat around the stomach?


bloat is normally the first sign of possible fat gain


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

DanMac said:


> Cheers Janik, has anyone come across a good thread or site that contains daily diet advice?


what do you want to know? we might be able to help with some specific diet advice


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## JANIKvonD (Jul 7, 2011)

DanMac said:


> Cheers Janik, has anyone come across a good thread or site that contains daily diet advice?


read some stickies on the diet section


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

JPaycheck Tips:

1) Eat quality food, pasta, rice and potato for carbs. Protein should be from chicken, eggs, steak, pork, shakes. Fats from Cocout oil/evoo/eggs/peanut butter

2) Still do cardio a few times a week

3) Don't start with a stupid amount of calories per day, just increase them and as your body grows keep increasing

4) Schedule cheat meals

5) Train hard and heavy for no longer than an hour (weights)

6) If you start getting fat, cut calories

7) Stick with it!


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## Mr.Hench (Oct 4, 2009)

dont chase a scale weight, youll end up fat and at your current bf you need to be extra careful. increase reps or weight etc on lifts and judge your body comp.using the mirror. drink plenty plenty of water. eat quality foods.


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

ricky23 said:


> what do you want to know? we might be able to help with some specific diet advice


Just simply things really, when bulking is it benifical to intake a high amount of carbs after my workout (6pm finish) and then dinner for example..? Although I wouldn't do that now to make sure I stay lean.

Also what would be the absolute maximum cal intake per day I should be at after increasing 500 every other week, I'm 19, 12 stone and 5 ft 10.

What's the need for the increased water intake when bulking?

Thanks lads I appreciate your advice


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

ricky23 said:


> what do you want to know? we might be able to help with some specific diet advice


Just simple things really, when bulking is it benifical to intake a high amount of carbs after my workout (6pm finish) and then dinner for example..? Although I wouldn't do that now to make sure I stay lean.

Also what would be the absolute maximum cal intake per day I should be at after increasing 500 every other week, I'm 12 stone and 5 ft 10.

What's the need for the increased water intake when bulking?

Thanks lads I appreciate your advice


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

DanMac said:


> Just simply things really, when bulking is it benifical to intake a high amount of carbs after my workout (6pm finish) and then dinner for example..? Although I wouldn't do that now to make sure I stay lean.
> 
> Also what would be the absolute maximum cal intake per day I should be at after increasing 500 every other week, I'm 12 stone and 5 ft 10.
> 
> ...


I personally don't bother with when I take in macros. Aslong as I get them in.

How old are you?

I would increase cals by 100 cals a week. Your bulking for 5 months, over 10 weeks thats a 1000 calories. It will allow a steady growth and minimul fat gain. But start at 500 cals over maintenance.


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

DanMac said:


> Just simply things really, when bulking is it benifical to intake a high amount of carbs after my workout (6pm finish) and then dinner for example..? Although I wouldn't do that now to make sure I stay lean.
> 
> Also what would be the absolute maximum cal intake per day I should be at after increasing 500 every other week, I'm 12 stone and 5 ft 10.
> 
> ...


pwo carbs aren't essential. bayman put me onto it but i have a study to prove that whey itself causes insulin activity (40g or above). its not bad either i wouldnt take in more than 60g but it depends on bodyweight. for glycogen replenishment your pwo meal is fine and other meals throughout the day (your glycogen wont be that depleted after a workout especially if you have enough carbs throughout the day)

as long as you get your macros in it wont matter much.

you dont have to increase 500 every other week only if you stop gaining. like jpaycheck said start with 500 above maintenance and take it from there - if weight gain stops increase.

water for obvious health benefits etc


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

That sounds good, concerning the weight gain of muslce I'm guessing that 2 pounds per month is a good aim as Janik has said.. Although I've heard from a lad who was bulking in my gym that 2 pounds per week is the maximum... That makes 6 pounds more than me each month, that surely must be just flab.


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## treb92 (Jun 10, 2008)

Mr.Hench said:


> *dont chase a scale weight, youll end up fat* and at your current bf you need to be extra careful. increase reps or weight etc on lifts and judge your body comp.using the mirror. drink plenty plenty of water. eat quality foods.


This. I dont thay myself ended up fat without realising even. Mirrors are you mates.


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## IrishRaver (Feb 4, 2010)

Get used to eating like a mo'fo.

It's great 

but it's summer...no bulk for me


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

DanMac said:


> That sounds good, concerning the weight gain of muslce I'm guessing that 2 pounds per month is a good aim as Janik has said.. Although I've heard from a lad who was bulking in my gym that 2 pounds per week is the maximum... That makes 6 pounds more than me each month, that surely must be just flab.


2 pounds per week = 8lbs per month = 96lbs in a year....HA!

Point and case.


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

JPaycheck said:


> 2 pounds per week = 8lbs per month = 96lbs in a year....HA!
> 
> Point and case.


Thats just short of 7 stone btw!


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

I know it's absolute bollocks! Lol thought it was, glad to see you're back paycheck yours and everyones advice is helping man.

I asked a little earlier but what's the max cals per day I should be not going over for my bulk although reducing me becoming a chubster..

19 years old

5 ft 10

12 stone


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## The Ultimate Warrior (Dec 20, 2010)

DanMac said:


> I know it's absolute bollocks! Lol thought it was, glad to see you're back paycheck yours and everyones advice is helping man.


Cheers buddy appreciate it.


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## DanMac (Dec 18, 2010)

I've currently upped my daily calories from 2,000 (not eating enough) to 2,700 pre-bulk due to holiday in 3 weeks. Although I'm looking into having around 3,700 per day on bulk and 3,000 on my rest days.

How many carbs do you think is enough per day? I'm currently on around 260g..


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