Bulking & Cutting: Is it Necessary?

[@Give_Me_Rent]

This channel is a goldmine of information!

[@DrLeute]

Excellent summary for any beginner. This covers pretty much everything you need to know. Well done. Always remember: Consistency is king!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Glad to hear it! Yes, consistency is always king 💪

[@RingsOfSolace]

Bro this is literally the video I've been looking for. You are a gentleman and a scholar.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

glad to hear it 👍

[@evanhughes9576]

Top notch content! Came out shortly after I had a conversation about this with a friend.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

glad to hear it 👍

[@turninghealth365]

From one coach to another this channel is full of quality information well done! I would love to see a video on Vo2max. 'what is vo2max and how to improve it'.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

glad to hear it! Maybe a video on that topic at some point 👍

[@TheMr0450]

Beautifully laid out.. gr8 work.!!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

cheers 👍

[@AdityaKadamMechanical]

So nicely presented data. Thanks a lot buddy 😊

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

no problem 👍

[@KurokamiNajimi]

The real point of bulking is that it gives you extra energy. You build more muscle with that extra energy then you do a cut that’s shorter than the time you bulked so it ends up being a net positive if you built more muscle than you would have without the surplus. Example bulk for 6 months cut for 3. So even if you are at a high body enough body fat to maintain there’s still benefit to bulking and cutting. I didn’t understand this until Alex Leonidas randomly mentioned it in one video I have no idea which one, ironically not in any of his videos about bulking those seem to be made with the intent you already know this

[@blackmamba5593]

Hmm I guess it’s very individual. I personally feel more sluggish and lazy with higher bf and more food than during maintenance phase. The only time when you feel that flow of extra energy is when you finish 3-4 months long cut and start eating normal again.

[@KurokamiNajimi]

@@blackmamba5593 That’s because you already have enough energy relative to the intensity/stimulus of your workouts. It’s influenced by strength too not just methodology/routine, women have a bit of an advantage there I’ve heard coaches say their female clients have better recovery. If it doesn’t make sense (I didn’t get it either for a while) just think of it as the more weight you can move the more muscle fibers that got activated (granted this isn’t always necessarily more quality stimulus) hence why you’re using up more energy

[@kiddfamilyfarmllc9962]

No fluff , always appreciate your content. Thank you.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

cheers 👍

[@hunter_69_69]

Super-useful image you put at 4:09. I've always been skeptical of traditional bulking + cutting yearly cycles. Going too far in either direction, IMO, can be counter-productive. In too aggressive of a bulk, your relative lean mass begins to lag (body fat percentage goes up), and in too aggressive of a cut, your absolute lean mass begins to lag (you have less absolute body weight to be composed of lean mass). Kind of a double-whammy, IMO. I'd rather slowly gain 10 pounds over a year than gain 20 + lose 10 over two 6-month blocks.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Yes I agree, going too far in either direction is probably not ideal 👍

[@justincain2702]

I think this must be an issue of definitions. I always figured if you were gaining weight (like 10lbs over a year), you are bulking. Maintaining would be if you maintained the same weight and just lost fat.

[@hata6290]

thats extreme

[@Qlasimodos]

Great hypothesis; nevertheless, a hypothesis typically stands at the lowest tier within the evidence-based hierarchy. I appreciate how Flow maintains an objective stance on this topic and explicitly supports it. Further studies should be conducted on this subject. I hope they will, as it is a fascinating topic, especially considering many people bulk nowadays.

[@ReverseGuy]

That never works in practice. It is useless

[@Fried21]

Thais Chanel os PERFECT! Thank you always!!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

no problem 👍

[@brianbachmeier34]

We're all gonna make it brahs

[@nvmffs]

Are you talking about crypto? Because we already did !

[@microondasletal]

What many people against maingaining don't usually consider is that, when main-gaining, your nitrogen balance oscilates during the day. We say that you need a positive nitrogen balance to gain weight and a negative one to lose it. If you main-gain, you're necessarily spending about half the time in a positive one and the other half in a negative one. Main-gaining is like doing a bulk and a cut on a daily basis, but the changes are so micro that we don't usually notice them as much.

[@GodlessPhilosopher]

TLDR: If you're overweight, go into deficit. If you're skinny, go into surplus. If you're in the middle, maintain.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

sort of, I guess

[@FromTheWombTotheGrave]

Maintain if u don’t care about muscles

[@mushshrap6471]

@@FromTheWombTotheGrave Bulk if you want to get fat.

[@FromTheWombTotheGrave]

@@mushshrap6471stay small and spinning ur wheels in gym

[@jasonreimann6791]

@@mushshrap6471you need to be in a caloric surplus to add pounds to your physique which goes hand in hand with building muscle. Never have I lifted a weight and said “oh yeah, this better make my body the same or smaller”

[@mariadounaeva]

Thank you this was super informative!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

no problem 👍

[@chimes1134]

Might flight surgeon recommended your channel to me, and he was a prior body builder; great content

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

cheers 👍

[@Leo-yn5fx]

Being in between like Maintanence/small deficit you can still make great body composition while having Great performance in the gym. I think if no ones looking to be contest shredded or gallon of milk peak strong then its def the way to go! You can still be between 10-12 bf too which looks amazing tbh and sustainable if you're very active.

[@jakemaxwell2800]

Bulking is to maximise muscle growth, useful perhaps if you are a professional bodybuilder but for the average lifter, it isnt necessary in my experience and if you don't cut properly or dirty bulk then eating at maintenance will be more beneficial

[@gur262]

Hmmm. Not so sure about that. I can imagine that a hobbyist usually just sorta getting workouts in can benefit from a bulk doing dedicated 1_3 months, winter, holidays etc , to really get stronger. Out of the ordinary effort is easier for a short while.

[@peterretep4009]

For the training time aspect at around 11:30 , couldn't you interpret that differently? A beginner can build more muscle easily, so for them, sticking with maintenance will still result in good gains. Whereas for an advanced lifter, bulk/cut cycles might be needed to get decent gains.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

possibly. Although from the limited evidence we have, more advanced lifters tend to see less of a benefit from bulking vs maintenance. Although future research might help to clarify this 🤔

[@LiftingBoomer87]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 Have you considered not looking at research but the anecdotal evidence of lifters from the last 50-60+ years? Many bodybuilders have used bulking/cutting phases for years successfully. Certainly there are many, many, many more bodybuilders that have built physiques using bulking/cutting phases than recomping. Is there a reason you'd discount what actual bodybuilders actually do, in favor of looking for your answers in the limited research on the subject? Or to put it more directly, why have almost no bodybuilders used the method you have outlined here?

[@pmnt_]

@@LiftingBoomer87 a simple reason might that bodybuilders need to cut down to an unhealthy/unmaintainable low body fat percentage for competitions. staying at the low body fat required for competitions is not an option, they need to "bulk" up to over 10% to get any gains off season (which is supported by the research presented here).

[@LiftingBoomer87]

@@pmnt_ That really makes no sense. The rebound that occurs after a bodybuilder cuts down for a show happens with just a normal level of calories. You'll typically gain back 15-20 pounds right away, there is no need to bulk to get back over that 10% mark, it's just a return to normal maintenance calories Why can't we admit that the simple reason might be that the thing that bodybuilders have ACTUALLY done for years to build muscle is... actually the thing that builds muscle? This is a major issue with the entire "science based" lifting movement and its' going to keep people small and weak

[@pmnt_]

​@@LiftingBoomer87 you know what every professional bodybuilder does that does not build muscle? cut down to ridicolously low body fat levels. cutting down is a necessity for competitions and is the exact opposite of what you want to do to maximise muscle growth. and then hobbyists should copy that style although they never compete? i dont see a single contradiction between the science outlined here and what professional bodybuilders do. but sure, science is just a great conspiracy to keep people small and weak. you are onto something big. also, collected documented anectodal evidence of 50 years *is* science. we already know that it works. the question is, does everyone out there that is not competing *have to* go through cutting and bulking phaes. and the answer is no. cutting and bulking still works, but it does not seem necessary if you never want to / have to go under 10% bodyfat.

[@harryHensum]

I think it's WAY MORE tedious to "maingain" year round than to do a dedicated bulk/cut. When I'm bulking(end of Juli till end of April),I'm just making sure I get my Protein in. Eating in a surplus is a non issue with my appetite. I also like and look forward doing both. Bulking speaks for it self and with the last weeks f my cut, it feels like Christmas seeing all the new gains. I love that. I can't even imagine how annoyed I would be macromanaging my calories just SO I eat enough but not too much ALL YEAR ROUND. That sounds much more like a huge hassle to me. Anyway sorry for my bad english

[@harryHensum]

ALSO, bulking in the winter fills out my clothes and makes me look bigger. I only see benefits

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I guess that makes sense if you are tracking your calories. However, most people don't track and don't need to micromanage. Sounds like bulking and cutting suits your preferences though 👍

[@harryHensum]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 if you're not tracking. How are you maintaining a slight surplus?using a scale? That makes it even worse. You could be in a deficit for weeks without even knowing it. That's the worst way of doing things If your serious about lifting at all imo. I think you should at least bulk to a certain bf % and then maintain. But I guess everyone's different and likes doing things their way.

[@Paper-Arts]

But if you're in a calorie deficit unknowingly, you'd still be losing bodyfat, thereby improving your body composition

[@silviuvirgil12]

Bulking and cutting originates from body builders who are forced to do it by how lean they get before shows There is no data showing benefits if you're at a healthy body fat percentage. If you think there is such data please share it

[@TileBitan]

even if it were more productive, i find this bulking and cutting very mentally draining. I want to follow a very well balanced diet that gives me all the nutrients my body needs so I'm as healthy as possible to live well and long, and that is a hard task already. Managing it on two different caloric intakes and constantly adjusting and checking my weight and fat % is too much. I'd rather stay at maintenance with high protein and train. 6 months doing this and the gains are awesome, I don't need to speed run it. As for results, I gained in these 6 months 5kg/11 pounds (i was very skinny), none of it sitting on my belly. In fact I see abs now when before I didn't

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

agreed. Nice work 💪

[@GAPIntoTheGame]

If you gained weight then you are literally bulking

[@AttilaTheGreat1]

​@@GAPIntoTheGameHe has gained less than 2 pounds per month as a very skinny individual. That is not what people mean when they say BULKing i think and you know it too

[@gauss00000]

LEARN to track your calories. Totally worth it!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Definitely helpful for people to learn at some point. Although it is often not sustainable for many people long term

[@gauss00000]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 agree but long term, to manage your weight, you must learn some sort of calorie restriction or control.

[@MrBestofGaming]

How much weight gain should I aim for per week on a lean bulk?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Depends on your current body fat. Generally, I'd recommend around +1% / month

[@thelusogerman3021]

Tldr: coach greg says maingain

[@trevorstubbs4675]

I’d love to see a study on expert level lifters. What I could see happening is not being able to gain any muscle unless you’re in a significant calorie surplus

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

It's very possible. Although I think anyone will see increases in lean mass if they bulk. The real questions is - will an advanced lifter have greater NET muscle mass after bulking and cutting back down to the same bodyweight vs maintaining at a relatively healthy body fat? 🤔

[@Cookiekeks]

If I'm already spending 6x a week at the gym, I might as well get the most out of it by bulking. That's how I see it.

[@Arslan-f2r]

I'm wondering what does natural athlete do at gym 6 times a week unless it is training one muscle group a day

[@Cookiekeks]

@@Arslan-f2r It's a standard PPL split, what do you mean?

[@nvmffs]

@@Arslan-f2r On the contrary actually. One muscle group a day is not optimal at all. You need to rotate training half of your muscle groups once every 48h. Hence why 6x or even 12x a week is never too much. You just need to make sure you're sleeping, eating and destressing properly for such a regimen.

[@silviuvirgil12]

But... But, it doesn't make sense Unless you are competing in body building. That's literally where the whole bulking and cutting originates They MUST do it though, cause at competitions they are unhealthy lean. That's literally the only reason you would intentionally go up and down in weight. No actual data suggests it has any benefit for people already at a healthy body fat percentage. If you think there is any, please share it with me :)

[@Cookiekeks]

@@silviuvirgil12 You are factually incorrect. You have to bulk to make gains, and you have to cut to lose fat, every study and every possible line of reasoning would confirm that. It's literally thermodynamics. You can't build stuff out of nothing. Bulking and cutting absolutely is necessary if you want to make any gains beyond your newbie gains. Edit: Do you seriously need data for such a basic claim? You can look up any study about the topic in exercise science, you can even go ask a phyicist and he'll tell you the same, because it's such a basic principle.

[@simonh.1433]

There are some people that did undergo body recomp over several years and look drastically leaner and more muscular at the exact same bodyweight. I always thought to myself if you bulk 3 years and cut 3 years (lean tissue will be lost) could you also just maintain for 6 years and just focus on improving training performance and end up looking the same? Would be interesting to see data on this one day.

[@supertrollfaxnoprinter3329]

Lol, no, you would look drastically better than you do right now. Maybe it’s hard to accept, but cutting doesn’t cause you to lose lean mass, especially from higher bf, and bulking will allow you to gain a ton more muscle than maintaining will. Also, you don’t cut for the same time you bulk. Usually it’s 6 months bulk to 1-2 months of cutting.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

It's a good question. As a beginner, I would say that a bulk is probably going to have better results than maintenance. Although as an advanced lifter, I think body comp would look similar - assuming you are not trying to maintain a body fat that is too low

[@LiftingBoomer87]

There's a reason why almost no one does this. You may be able to find 1 person who has built their physique through long recomps for every 100 bodybuilders that use bulking/cutting phases. Ask yourself why that is

[@WillEnj0y]

I just think bulking and cutting is more fun tbh. Gives me clear objectives every few months.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

yes, I can see the appeal for more objective goals to hit

[@jonnysvirtualtour]

The graph shows much less muscle gain on maintain group but you said no difference between groups.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I wouldn't say there was any clear trend favouring either group. Sample size was also small, so any notable effects might not have been made clear. Hopefully we will have more studies comparing bulking vs maintenance for muscle growth 👍

[@xclusive2168]

Is there a study comparing maintaince and bulking for a year and see how much a difference there is

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

nope, unfortunately not. That would be a great study, but very difficult to get participants to stick with for 1 year

[@calogcaloy4698]

Bulk with 300-400 calorie surplus, cut with 300-400 calorie deficit

[@MattMcConaha]

I'm incapable of bulking anyway, so the choice is easy for me.

[@lennartvanoudekerken8024]

What do you mean you are "incapable of bulking"?

[@MattMcConaha]

@@lennartvanoudekerken8024 Are you looking for a philosophical conversation?

[@jordanterry6248]

Seems like the general point here is that clean bulking is much better than dirty bulking which aside from the gym bros is pretty intuitive and you won’t convince the gym bros anyway. I’ve put my main fitness goals about 2 and a half years out from when I started taking it seriously because a longer timeframe puts less pressure on you to make dumb decisions with training.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

yep, that's a pretty good practical take-home 👍

[@Bluntobject]

Maximum muscle potential is the key. In my 35 years a bodybuilding I think the majority of time is wasted in bulking after maximum muscle potential has been reached. These coaches that don't understand age or too much book or "fitness logic" speculation put advanced age like anyone over 40 on a bulking phase when it's highly unlikely they're going to gain more than a fraction of a pound of muscle. As far as I'm concerned it's just busy work to validate their payment as a coach for their client. An example would be this woman who has done bodybuilding competitions and fitness competitions for many years. She was roughly mid-50s and on a bulk phase instructed by her 30 something coach. In the end she didn't look much different than any other competition that she's done. The problem with this, is that it creates unneeded stress on the body, extra work, time and money dealing with eating extra calories and cardiovascular exercise to return to your original weight for the competition. I understand that people love the sport and love the busy work so fine by me. They want to carry around a giant jug of water and eat 20 small meals a day and have them asked questions about what they're doing and why. They wanted to make it seem like it's harder than it really needs to be. If you want to be efficient, and achieve similar or possibly better results, maintaining and having a slight increase in calorie intake while staying roughly around your target weight makes more sense. This results in less time on treadmills and stairmasters, trying to lose all the body fat that you gain by overeating. Bodybuilding is built on flawed logic and people wanting to sell you their wares.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I agree with much of this. I think bulking is only really necessary when recovering from a very lean state. Once you are at a relatively healthy body fat level, I don't think there is much of a benefit from bulking

[@jaassil]

Yes It is. Next question.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

🍔

[@danielcordeiro6003]

I find the video informative, but I'm a bit confused about its message. In the traditional bulking and cutting approach, the goal is to increase body weight over time after each cicle. Maintaining typically refers to keeping body fat percentage stable while gradually increasing weight. However, in the video, it seems like they are advocating for keeping weight constant, which may not align with the goals of most individuals looking to build muscle.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

depends what body fat you are at. If your body fat is higher than you would like, maintaining weight while building muscle is going to be beneficial. Although if you are already very lean, then slowly increasing bodyweight over time is probably going to be necessary to facilitate muscle growth

[@MrBestofGaming]

If I’m on a lean bulk how much weight gain should I aim for per week? And per month?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Depends on your current body fat. Generally, I'd recommend around +1% / month

[@ricardotemporalgrein4482]

How long is the time window to be considered an begginer or an advanced lifter? I've been training for 3/4 months now, and it seems that I might benefit from bulking to maximize muscle growth as a begginer. But when do someone become advanced? 1 Year or 2 plus years, 3? THANKS!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

When you are no longer able to increase reps/load every week. Check out this video for more info kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIu6kJiFea1kg6c

[@ricardotemporalgrein4482]

Thanks a lot!@@FlowHighPerformance1

[@MB97ARG]

Considering incorporating one intense cardio activity per week, such as boxing, how can I set a hypertrophy goal within this activity? In other words, how can I bulk to increase muscle mass while still engaging in boxing three times a week as an intense cardio activity, which induces fatigue and requires adequate rest time? Where would I place the hypertrophy-focused gym sessions in this scenario?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

there are two factors you mentioned: 1. to bulk, you can simply increase calorie intake more. Doing intense cardio will probably increase energy expenditure and means you probably need to up your calories 2. hypertrophy training can be performed on days you aren't boxing, or even on the same day in different sessions. You might need to be smart with exercise selection to minimise systemic fatigue

[@MB97ARG]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 Exactly, it's systemic fatigue that I would try to avoid. By having three intense cardio sessions per week, such as boxing, there are only four days left for hypertrophy training, and one of those days should be dedicated to rest. Perhaps a schedule with three days of boxing and three days of hypertrophy could be suitable, but I'm concerned it might quickly lead to fatigue.

[@gur262]

I'd keep in mind what specifically will be fatigued. I remember my shoulders being sorta done from just punching air. I often do a job involving holding lights on a stick. Fatiguing for shoulders. The only time i managed to f my shoulder had to do with that. Just like I can't do 100km on a bicycle, legday, 30 km and expect my knees to be fine with all that. So. Perhaps more hypertrophy for the back, pullups , deadlifts, less so for shoulders. Depending on how you feel.

[@InvestWithFFI]

Does surplus = 2000+ calories? I’m trying to determine what would be considered a slight surplus for me. I need something to target.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

a small surplus would be something like 100-300 calories above maintenance. But you don't need to calculate calorie intake - you can just aim for a certain rate of bodyweight increase (around 1% increase in bodyweight per month)

[@InvestWithFFI]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 thank you!

[@ahmicm23]

I was always wondering about those numbers. Like, Squat 1.5x body weight. Does that mean my weight + 0.5 of plates (lets say my weight is 100Kg, do I add 50Kg only to have 1.5x of BW, or I have to add 150Kg of plates + 100Kg my BW). Thanks!

[@Jibhead.]

1x your bodyweight will be 100kg (not your weight but the weight u lift), so you will have to squat 150 kg (weight on the bar, not including your bw) to get to 1.5x

[@ahmicm23]

@@Jibhead. oh, I get it now. I always thought that my body weight should be calculated when squating. Thank You for the answer. 🫡

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Thanks @Jibhead.

[@lonajeblaoui7696]

I am 23% procent body fat as a woman, I am 55 kg and 158cm. I have been training for six month should I bulk now to maximise muscle growth or should I maintain and hopefully build muscle with that ???

[@preranajain695]

I have the same height and weight as yours. I think as mentioned in the video, if you are okay with seeing slow but steady progress over a long period of time with slight increase in muscle and strength then maintenance is the way. If you want to maximise your muscle and strength growth sooner then you could lean bulk for a while and then cut. After you've achieved your desired body fat percentage, you could just maintain until you feel like you want more muscle or you want lesser fat

[@lonajeblaoui7696]

@@preranajain695 oh okay thank you for your answer

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

@preranajain695 perfect response

[@kamtheclam]

What about recomp for 30%+ body fat?

[@ok2853]

Cutting is probably best at that %

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

I'd usually recommend cutting at that body fat. Recomp is unlikely if you were to lose a large amount of bodyweight

[@hata6290]

question, why is the range only 5-20? i thought it was like 5-30 or 25 ;_;

[@Gingnose]

30 rep is same as 5

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

yep, it can be as high as 30-35 reps. But I usually recommend ~5-20 as a practical guide 👍

[@hata6290]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 yeah that makes sense, I just like doing hyperbolic numbers lol

[@PixelCrabs]

Getting to failure in any amount of reps is about the same. 30+ reps is just not very efficient and less than 5 means the weight might be too much and your form is gonna suffer

[@Robot-Overlord]

Why dont we treat nutrition like we do weight training? When you are working out you do progressive overload right? Why arent we doing that with food where we slowly raise protein intake as muscle grows. Doesnt even have to be a lot. Theoretically "Maintain" would be a slight increase over time not the same because unless youre at physical peak for your age you wouldnt be intaking the same nutritional load for larger and larger muscle growth.

[@anthonycarr6732]

6’0”, 155 lbs, avid runner and former one mile run athlete. Do what YOU want for YOUR fitness goals. My competition weight was 140 lbs which was excellent for middle distance. After my competition days, I bulked up 15 lbs. I enjoy jogging and lifting weights for fun now, and my body is very happy at 155. I don’t need to be running a sub 4:30 mile, so I am in maintenance mode until my fitness goals change.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

agreed. well said 👏

[@TheSoyestToEverSoy]

FOR THEE ALGORITHM!!!

[@operationsusfoods1354]

As a female with 32% body fat, I don't know if I'm in-between or what. I don't have Chin fat and not alot of fat period. 24 years old, 5"4. I'm sick of cutting, less than 50g of carbs is getting old

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

really depends on your goals. If you want to reduce body fat a little more, you could aim for a slight deficit - doesn't have to be 50g carbs.... However, if you are comfortable at your bodyweight, and health markers are good, then there are no issues with maintaining 👍

[@operationsusfoods1354]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 it's annoying that my BMR is so low at 1,383 that I have to eat less than that with low carbs.. I'm a female, so it's already stupidly strict.

[@GAPIntoTheGame]

Then eat more carbs, I dont know what cutting has to do with lack of carbohydrates

[@GAPIntoTheGame]

Then eat more carbs, I dont know what cutting has to do with lack of carbohydrates

[@operationsusfoods1354]

@GAPIntoTheGame Eating less carbs has enabled me to loose alot of fat. My body showed that. I just with there was another way honesty.

[@EvanZamir]

So Greg was right all along.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

🤷

[@EvanZamir]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 don’t scream at me! 😂

[@ICcccreg]

So lets say im 15% bf should i cut down to 10% bf then do a lean bulk?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

not necessary. You'd probably achieve better muscle muscle growth by maintaining at 15%. Although if you want to get leaner, then obviously cut 👍

[@ICcccreg]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 is this really the best approach to maximize muscle cause staying at 15% will take awhile to grow muscle right?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

substantial muscle growth will take a long-time no matter what. Yes, I think you will see equal or better growth by maintaining at 15% BF compared with cutting to 10% then bulking to 15%

[@ICcccreg]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 I'll try it out but how does one stay at that range do a slight surplus or a slight defecit cause theres no way of finding one

[@ICcccreg]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 is there a new study on this cause in one of your videos you said to maximize muscle growth bulk and cut is the best option?

[@in_to_you]

My english is bad , but all i know is that im skinny , so i eat more (also more protein) and lift heavier and heavier every 2 weeks , im i actually working something?😂😂 My all parts training mainly like this : 3 set of 10-12rm (failure) + 1 set of decreased weight to failure + 1 set after long rest to failure again with decreased weight + Another movement with the same level of training

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

sounds like a solid plan to me 💪

[@mhdskr]

why is the "healthy" body fat range that different between males and females?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Females have more 'essential fat' stores. This is thought to be a result of child bearing functions

[@nexty10]

Because everyone here is sexist, that is why.

[@dextrozqwesat9101]

I don't agree with high%fat will gain more muscle mass bc if you consider the other factors such as Hormone( more fat more convert to estrogen) , delayed muscle recovery, more inflammation stimuli, and decreased cardiovascular function they all affect muscle growth.

[@mohammadahmed6319]

It doesn’t matter what you believe, the studies back it up

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

this are all indirect mechanistic claims. From the evidence we have, people tend to gain more muscle at a higher body fat

[@dflx91]

Some of the studies seem rather weak. The conclusion seems like a good approximation, though.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

yes, we dont have much good quality evidence on this topic. Over time we should have more data to look at 👍

[@GAPIntoTheGame]

If you want to build significant muscle and are past the beginer stage, bulking and cutting is the way to go

[@Reem.H.A]

Thank you for sharing !!!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

no problem

[@HakuCell]

your videos deserve millions of views

[@Carlos_Cerda_Moya]

Thanks!

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

No problem!

[@idkanymore7995]

should u up ur protein when cutting?

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

More protein is usually better. That being said, cutting makes it more difficult to consume a high protein intake. It can probably be slightly beneficial, but probably not worth making the deficit more difficult 👍

[@justvibin338]

On the other hand, high protein meals are more satiating, no?

[@RyanGetLow]

Protein isn't too difficult to maintain on a cut. Just do your nutrition homework. I'm currently consuming 180g of protein while staying just under 2000 calories per day.🎉

[@idkanymore7995]

@@RyanGetLow whats ur height bro?, thats what i consume aswell on my cut im 177

[@idkanymore7995]

cm

[@davidgreetman3704]

Totally disagree. Movie is very slective to facts. There are two focal points that are missing here. First, cutting is a way shorter phase than bulking, which means that bulking/cutting is less mentally pressurising than maintaining. Second, it is not that easy to calculate calories that you need and be exact with your daily intake. There are many people who tried to maintain their weight and build muscles and failed because they didn't estimate it well as the online calculators are very defective. It is generally way easier to find your deficit or surplus than exact caloric demand. Third, actually, when you have a few years of gym experience, muscles built by maintaining are minuscule, because your body needs greater stimulus to make muscles grow, and one of which is caloric surplus. On the other hand, just adding strength training for beginners is enough stimulus. That's why they are able to do decent recomposition

[@zerodivided3676]

Agreed. Losing fat simply is (a lot!) easier than gaining muscle - most certainly for more experienced lifters. Therefor I find myself in a (lean!) bulk for the most of the year and never cut for more than 2 months straight. This way i'm not too worried about daily intake. Bulking and cutting is easier (and imo more effective) to maintain than maintaining ;) See what I did there :) Heck, my first bulk lasted 16 months (the movie did make this point in the summary though; that lean novices may benefit most from a B+C and I agree) and I cut away most fat in about 3 months (I'm not talking bodybuilder levels here, I went from 19 to 15).

[@lucashenriques4242]

A lot of people believe instagram so they think its possible to like bench 2 plates for reps, squat 4 plates an DL 5 plates while having lean ABS, lmao it won't happen bros, i'm sorry for those who believe in greg doucette maingain BS

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

yes, getting heavier will usually improve strength significantly

[@pedro.alcatra]

If you have a 6 pack. Go bulking until your girlfriend says you are fat. Then go cutting until 6 pack come back again

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

this is terrible advice

[@jasonreimann6791]

It should all make sense when someone says “you need to be in a caloric surplus to add pounds to your physique” You’re not gonna magically grow muscle out of thin air staying the same weight if you’ve been training and eating properly for years.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

True. But you're probably not going to add pounds to your physique in short time frames if you've been training consistently for a long time anyway

[@jasonreimann6791]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 it depends on a lot of factors. If you lost some muscle due to injury or lapse in training for any reason, or you just haven’t been training properly for hypertrophy, you can gain like 10lb of muscle in a few months with decent genetics. Happened to me this year in my 10th year of training, 15lb up since the start of October. I agree that it’s not good to get hella fat, but sometimes you just have to cram the food down, do slower eccentrics, and see what sort of muscle/fat ratio you end up gaining

[@TheBachKornett]

Gym bros just being plain dumb with their bulk-cut mindset when it's so much easier and consistent to have a small surplus or maintainance in calories instead

[@FromTheWombTotheGrave]

Small Surplus is still a bulk

[@TheBachKornett]

@@FromTheWombTotheGrave ok smartass, obviously i mean dirty bulk is stupid and people like Sam Sulek promote dirty bulking instead of lean clean bulking which is obviously not what i meant 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@hata6290]

a small surplus is a bulk

[@stonek6584]

A small surplus is a bulk

[@jasonreimann6791]

I think it really is situational. I switched from calisthenics to bodybuilding training and gained 15 lbs and barely any fat in 3 months. From 190 to 205 at 6’1”.Muscle memory probably helped, too because I have been big before and been training for 10 years. You’ll know if you have that in you, if you have been around long enough, and know what to do. I was actually up to 210 over the holidays looking bloated but now I’m in the shape of my life. I don’t think the big surplus was dumb

[@PelosiStockPortfolio]

If "main-gaining" had any advantage, professional body builders would have figured that out by now, and they would all be main-gaining

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

Bodybuilders need to cut to get into contest shape. Which mean by default the need to bulk to get back to a healthy body fat level. Most drug-free bodybuilders don't bulk to excessive levels in their off-season from what I've seen 🤔

[@PelosiStockPortfolio]

@@FlowHighPerformance1Of course they have to cut going into the contest. But if it was better to main-gain year round and then cut, they would do it to get an advantage. No one does it

[@michaelshultz8973]

On the other hand, a lot of common bodybuilding practices have been shown to be sub-optimal by recent studies. That's why we need studies in the first place - bodybuilders don't know everything.

[@KX5Kat]

Not only is it not necessary, it’s also dumb. Bulking exists because people are impatient.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

It can have some advantages in some cases. But a large surplus is usually not going to be all that productive for most people in most cases

[@Foxisfortraitors]

Measuring in kilograms is worthless to me.

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

thanks for letting us know

[@tetley6535]

you have to bulk to build muscle unless you’re overweight/obese, which will run out eventually, you HAVE to bulk, you cannot eat at maintenance and build muscle

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

The evidence would disagree

[@LiftingBoomer87]

It's not impossible to build muscle at maintenance but it's certainly super super super inefficient, and there's a reason why basically nobody does this that has built a lot of muscle mass. This is the problem with relying too much on science based lifting. If the studies you are trying to prop the idea up with are weak, don't have a good number of participants, if there aren't enough of them, and if the conclusion you are trying to draw from them directly contradicts what people anecdotally actually know to be true, then it should be a red flag

[@tetley6535]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 whats your bench

[@tetley6535]

@@FlowHighPerformance1 “the evidence” alright bro maingain for 3 years and tell me what happens

[@apocratos0174]

Just remember: theres no such thing as bulk if youre natty, you will only get fat with minuscule muscle build

[@FlowHighPerformance1]

For the most part, yes. However, beginners can probably benefit from an intentional bulk

[@Cookiekeks]

Bullshit lol. Why would you say that, watch the video.

[@Gingnose]

You seem to not understand the principle of human physiology. Doing gears wouldn't make someone's metabolism completely different, they just enhances the muscle recovery and synthesis. Look at the bodybuilder from old times, they didn't have access to gears but some of them had a huge physiques with muscle mass. Those are the ones that had enough caloric surpluses to boost the protein synthesis. Nothing like natty can't unlock this perk if you didn't use steroids. It's just a part of human physiology from ancient times. Excess calories mean more room for luxury such as protein synthesis. Simple as that. Don't make anything blame towards being natty lol

[@AlphaAutistenAlfred]

You're 100% small

[@apocratos0174]

@@AlphaAutistenAlfred Nope Im 1.9m and 127kg Try again kid Loooooool