Bulk/Cut Cycles to Stay Lean Year Round

What’s your thoughts about this? i.e bulking for 8-12 weeks, followed by a mini cut of 3-4 weeks, to shred some unwanted bf% and then back to bulking. Also, if you’d do this, the bulk would be the normal 250-500 cals above maint, but how would be the cut? Would you prefer an agressive cut to make actual progress in those small 3-4 weeks of cut, or a rather large deficit?

This has been a topic of discussion for years on literally every board involving weight lifting. The general consensus seems to be that this is a bad idea. Most people are go one of two ways IMO.

  1. Be ok being a little fat and really work on gaining weight over the course of years. cut after appreciable mass and strength has been built and then keep a lid on the fat gains. I did this as a teenager, and I do regret putting on all that excess fat. I wouldn’t suggest this to anyone unless they had the genetics to play pro ball or total elite or something like that and wanted to get there ASAP.

  2. Watch your diet year round, make small changes when you stop seeing progress, only cut if you need to for a show, a meet, or if you are unhappy with your physique after you have at least built some muscle.

If you have to cut after 12 weeks of gaining you are seriously fucking up.

[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
This has been a topic of discussion for years on literally every board involving weight lifting. The general consensus seems to be that this is a bad idea. Most people are go one of two ways IMO.

  1. Be ok being a little fat and really work on gaining weight over the course of years. cut after appreciable mass and strength has been built and then keep a lid on the fat gains. I did this as a teenager, and I do regret putting on all that excess fat. I wouldn’t suggest this to anyone unless they had the genetics to play pro ball or total elite or something like that and wanted to get there ASAP.

  2. Watch your diet year round, make small changes when you stop seeing progress, only cut if you need to for a show, a meet, or if you are unhappy with your physique after you have at least built some muscle.

If you have to cut after 12 weeks of gaining you are seriously fucking up.[/quote]

If youre eating 500 cals above maintenance you really shouldnt be putting on much if any fat