Why bulking and cutting cycles?

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I've been reading a lot about bulking and cutting, bulking and cutting -- but the two best bodybuilders I know personally don't go through these cycles. They both follow the "good nutrition and hard work" pattern of steady growth. One of them was (when he was into it) HUGE - the other places 1st or 2nd in every competition he competes in.

Is there a particular reason you'd cycle between bulking and cutting? Is it just a lot more work to do it the other way? Sounds to me like a healthier way to maintain muscle when it's a part of your lifestyle.
 
once your generally satisfied with the way you look, going into a maintance stage is optimal. but while you're still trying to gain more muscle or lose more fat it is, imo, it's easier to gain muscle when fat comes with it, and easier to lose fat while im not trying to gain muscle.. its an ongoing cycle until your happy
 
when i first began lifting i "bulked" which is pretty much "adding weight just for the sake of gaining weight". i gained more fat than anything else. years later i went with just steady and consistent progress. i did gain some fat but it was under control.

when i reached my goal, i didnt have to cut down. my goal was 180lbs at 10% bodyfat and i worked my way up to that. it wasnt like i went higher and had to come down.

truthfully, i perfer to say i'm training for size rather than say i'm bulking. now i'm cutting which means i'm "losing excess bodyfat while maintaining as much strength and lean bodyweight as possible". i'm know i'm guilty of not using the correct wording. :)
 
whata the best way to loose fat in the stomach area but maintain muscle everywhere els?
 
danny12 said:
whata the best way to loose fat in the stomach area but maintain muscle everywhere els?
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I'd start a new subject on this, danny12, instead of piggbacking on this topic.

But as a brief answer: get plenty of protein and just do what you can to lose weight. There's no way to target a particular area for weight loss.
 
my friend's friend is a bodybuilder / turning into physical trainer. he recommends, even in a muscle gaining cycle, to do 20 minutes cardio AFTER weight sessions. moreover, he also recommends cardio sessions in the morning, before breakfast, and says that anything below 35 minutes cardio will not burn muscle, fat only. it is something I am going to be try, and I believe this is going to the perfect way to gain muscle without gaining fat. THEREFORE... i believe without upping your calorie intake, one should be able to use this strategy to MAINTAIN. Whatcha boys n girls think?
 
WOLVERINE said:
my friend's friend is a bodybuilder / turning into physical trainer. he recommends, even in a muscle gaining cycle, to do 20 minutes cardio AFTER weight sessions. moreover, he also recommends cardio sessions in the morning, before breakfast, and says that anything below 35 minutes cardio will not burn muscle, fat only. it is something I am going to be try, and I believe this is going to the perfect way to gain muscle without gaining fat. THEREFORE... i believe without upping your calorie intake, one should be able to use this strategy to MAINTAIN. Whatcha boys n girls think?
Click to expand...
hey all im new here, not to get off on the wrong foot and critisize but some of what your friends friend says seems to me to be a bit misleading. i agree while going on a mass building cycle you should still do cardio 3 times a week, but definately not after weight training, that is counter productive. after weight training(especially hardcore heavy lifting for bulking) your muscles are primed immediately after training for feeding. going on and doing 20 minutes of cardio is delaying the delivery of nutrients to muscles and actually then breaking down muscle for energy now that you are carb depleted after weight training. always do cardio in the morning on an empty stomach for optimal fat loss. and as far as going over 35 minutes of cardio because it will burn muscle is false. back in january i got hooked up on a program over at swolecat.com. this program is designed to cut body fat and retain muscle mass. well long story short i went from 22% bf to 14% a little over 3 months. i dont have the numbers off hand but based on my bf%'s and my weight when starting and ending i actually increased my lean body mass by 2 lbs. , all the while i was doing cardio 7 days a week for 45 mins.
 
Hi,

I am new to this site and had a few questions.... About five nyears ago I was training with an ex body building boy friend and was in great shape. Now I married (a non body builder) and I want to get back in shape... I am lost on where to start but I want to push myself tohave a bikini body again soon. I had twins in Sept.
 
WOLVERINE said:
my friend's friend is a bodybuilder / turning into physical trainer. he recommends, even in a muscle gaining cycle, to do 20 minutes cardio AFTER weight sessions. moreover, he also recommends cardio sessions in the morning, before breakfast, and says that anything below 35 minutes cardio will not burn muscle, fat only. it is something I am going to be try, and I believe this is going to the perfect way to gain muscle without gaining fat. THEREFORE... i believe without upping your calorie intake, one should be able to use this strategy to MAINTAIN. Whatcha boys n girls think?
Click to expand...

I thought you do not go into fat burning zone until 15 minutes of cardio session; at least from most literature that I've seen / read.
 
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