Bulking or Cutting, Whats Harder?

[quote]PGA200X wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Or…are you kidding? Gaining is the hardest. Just look at all of the skinny BackStreet Boy wannabe’s who can’t even bench over 250lbs because their primary concern is whether their abs show on a 150lbs frame.

The majority of the people in the gym are not “bulking” nor are they serious. The majority are simply out of shape weekend warriors who will look exactly the same 2 years from now as they do today.

The best was yesterday. These 3 guys were doing leg scissors for 10 minutes (literally) followed by seizure type jumping rope while one was going the smallest movement swiss ball crunches I have ever seen. Quite comical and sad at the same time.[/quote]

I saw two guys last night, both using benches right next to each other as if they were training “together”, press the bar alone for sets. No weights. Neither of them looked to be much under maybe 170lbs so they weren’t exactly so weak that this was all they could press. After an intense few sets on the bench (I am not sure how many they actually did), it was time for some triceps extensions!

That meant putting the pin on the very first plate stacked on the machine like you see old women do in the gym. Obviously, they didn’t want to get “too big”.

I have never seen such ridiculous pussy-itis in gyms before. I HATE that this has become popular to this degree that it pulls in wimps like this who actually think they are “training”.

[quote]Professor X wrote:

I saw two guys last night, both using benches right next to each other as if they were training “together”, press the bar alone for sets. No weights. Neither of them looked to be much under maybe 170lbs so they were exactly so weak that thios was all they could press. After an intense few sets on the bench (I am not sure how many they actually did), it was time for some triceps extensions!

That meant putting the pin on the very first plate stacked on the machine like you see old women do in the gym. Obviously, they didn’t want to get “too big”.

I have never seen such ridiculous pussy-itis in gyms before. I HATE that this has become popular to this degree that it pulls in wimps like this who actually think they are “training”.[/quote]

I guess you held yourself back from eating them?

bulking is by far the hardest. Eating 5k cals for serious bulking is a pain in the ass for us skinny guys. I can maintain at 4k cals w/ some light cardio, need more food to contemplate serious size gains.

Cutting is easy, just drop some carbs, and add 3 more sprint sessions.

Which option would be harder for 3 months:

A. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat.

B. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat light. Crave icecream, cookies, popcorn or whatever. Spend whole next day resisting the urge to chow.

[quote]kellyc wrote:
Which option would be harder for 3 months:

A. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat.

B. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat light. Crave icecream, cookies, popcorn or whatever. Spend whole next day resisting the urge to chow.[/quote]

It isn’t about 3 months. Most New Year’s Resolution makers can last 3 months in the gym doing exactly what you listed. They will also drop out soon afterwards. Bodybuilding is a LIFESTYLE that very few can even uphold for years at a time because they either lack the determination or the innate motivation to work that hard. Shit, you can get most obese people to actually train for a good 3 months before they give up. I sure as hell wouldn’t use that as a guideline for what is “easy”.

Statistically, more than half of the people in this thread won’t even be bodybuilding seriously in ten years.

I won’t even get into the thought that goes into eating 6-8 times a day when gaining that takes a lot more focus and planning than simply “come home and eat” as you put it.

You sound like a newbie. Welcome to the gym.

I think bulking is easier, because I’m good at eating =D. I think both require a lot of control. When you bulk you don’t want to eat “bad” food (chocolate, ice-cream, etc.), you really want to eat a lot of “good” food (lean meats, vegetables, fruits), this way when you cut all you have to worry about is portion and you’re not as tempted to eat junk food.

Right now, I’m attempting somewhat of a “lean bulk”, I’m at 10% bf, Chugging a protein shake after every meal (+32g prot), and putting in an hour and a half in the gym 3-4 days a week (real heavy). I’m going to see where it goes. Maybe I’ll post some numbers and suggest the routine I’m on, when I’m finished with it.

For me it’s definitly cutting.I love food and it’s a psycological nightmare for me to get rid of my cheat meals.Bulking is fun,I love lifting and I don’t feel deprived of my fave. foods.Now in saying that,the biggest I’ve ever been on a bulking cycle is 235 at a height of 6’1 using MAG-10 a couple of summers ago,and I was carrying a high BF,so I’ve really never gotten HUGE muscles like several others on this site when they posted their pics in that pic thread.

I’m new to the site…but I think this is an interesting debate so I thought I’d drop in my thoughts…

I’m actually a competitive bodybuilder who has been competing for about 4 years now. I’m currently training for a show right now in the end of April.

I believe it has a lot to do with an individual’s background. For example, I don’t think there are too many ectos out there who feel that cutting is more difficult than bulking, and vice versa for endos. I personally started off as an endo and have since added some meso qualities to my physique. I find it’s more difficult to cut than to bulk…but that’s pertaining to myself. My body composition is sensitive to carbs, so cutting for me is a long, and challenging process. Especially, when I’m in a competition cycle…

I tend to put on mass easily (or at least easier than it is to strip off the fat). Some of that mass is muscle and some of it is fat…but if I begin training to get “big”, it’s easier than training to get “shredded”…And if we’re talking about LBM, then I believe that’s a simultaneous cutting/bulking cycle that requires a great deal of attention to detail

Bango

[quote]Ren wrote:
bulking is by far the hardest. Eating 5k cals for serious bulking is a pain in the ass for us skinny guys. I can maintain at 4k cals w/ some light cardio, need more food to contemplate serious size gains.

Cutting is easy, just drop some carbs, and add 3 more sprint sessions. [/quote]

No offense, but I hate you and every other skinny bastard out there. I gain fat so easy I actually started getting too heavy while I was in the Marines running five miles a day and doing 20 mile hikes.

I don’t like cutting purely from a pschological point of view. The lifts in the gym don’t go up, I’m hungry and pissed off. I’m thinking “I lift to get stronger, and I’m not eating enough to get stronger”. Mumble, mumble, curse, rage, etc.

Bulking comes much more naturally for me. Eating good meals, getting stronger, buying new shirts. Everything is as it should be, and there is peace in the world.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
PGA200X wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Or…are you kidding? Gaining is the hardest. Just look at all of the skinny BackStreet Boy wannabe’s who can’t even bench over 250lbs because their primary concern is whether their abs show on a 150lbs frame.

The majority of the people in the gym are not “bulking” nor are they serious. The majority are simply out of shape weekend warriors who will look exactly the same 2 years from now as they do today.

The best was yesterday. These 3 guys were doing leg scissors for 10 minutes (literally) followed by seizure type jumping rope while one was going the smallest movement swiss ball crunches I have ever seen. Quite comical and sad at the same time.

I saw two guys last night, both using benches right next to each other as if they were training “together”, press the bar alone for sets. No weights. Neither of them looked to be much under maybe 170lbs so they weren’t exactly so weak that this was all they could press. After an intense few sets on the bench (I am not sure how many they actually did), it was time for some triceps extensions!

That meant putting the pin on the very first plate stacked on the machine like you see old women do in the gym. Obviously, they didn’t want to get “too big”.

I have never seen such ridiculous pussy-itis in gyms before. I HATE that this has become popular to this degree that it pulls in wimps like this who actually think they are “training”.[/quote]

That’s terrible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen seen anything that bad. Even at LA fitness over the summer.

I’ve gained a good amount of muscle (for my standards) and strength over the years, but the few times I tried to lose fat were the hardest, even if the fat came off relatively faster than the muscle was put on.

Losing fat, for me, is definitley harder and takes more dicipline.

I get fat easily with over 3200, mostly clean, calories and have seen guys much smaller than me need over 3500-4000 to gain slowly.

I wish I had the “problem” all the scrawny people I know complain about. Lifting consistantly and eating a lot is easy and enjoyable.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
kellyc wrote:
Are you kidding? Cutting is the hardest. Just look at all the fatties in the gym. They spend their whole life in the bulking phase. The cutting is just too daunting to even attempt.

Or…are you kidding? Gaining is the hardest. Just look at all of the skinny BackStreet Boy wannabe’s who can’t even bench over 250lbs because their primary concern is whether their abs show on a 150lbs frame.

The majority of the people in the gym are not “bulking” nor are they serious. The majority are simply out of shape weekend warriors who will look exactly the same 2 years from now as they do today.[/quote]

True. It’s all indivdual anyhow but you certainly can’t go by what’s ‘harder’ by using people who don’t care to change or at least not enough to do something about it as a benchmark.

I don’t know… but I think I’m going to find out this spring. I hereby dub myself fatman as I have reached my bulking goal of 230 lbs.

I think it starts out easy and gets progressively more difficult. Perhaps the degree of difficulty depends on your body type.

My take, simple cutting, fairly easy. Extreme cutting, not as easy. Bulking, a lot of time and work to gain LBM, but if you enjoy it, not as much discipline needed.

It depends on how you look at it.I put on muscle pretty easily,so it’s not that hard for me to bulk.However,it can take FOREVER to build quality mass.So it depends on what you mean.Bulking can be easy,but it can also be hard because it can take a good amount of time to add quality mass.I think cutting is the hardest part.Not cutting calories,but sometimes losing the strength when you cut calories and that sucks because I love to workout hard in the gym.I think both of their downsides.

[quote]Lift4Life wrote:
I think bulking is easier, because I’m good at eating =D. I think both require a lot of control. When you bulk you don’t want to eat “bad” food (chocolate, ice-cream, etc.), you really want to eat a lot of “good” food (lean meats, vegetables, fruits), this way when you cut all you have to worry about is portion and you’re not as tempted to eat junk food.

Right now, I’m attempting somewhat of a “lean bulk”, I’m at 10% bf, Chugging a protein shake after every meal (+32g prot), and putting in an hour and a half in the gym 3-4 days a week (real heavy). I’m going to see where it goes. Maybe I’ll post some numbers and suggest the routine I’m on, when I’m finished with it.[/quote]

how much does eating clean over maintenance really matter

ive found that eating whatever i want, as long as i eat a balance diet, is far better than trying to eat clean

[quote]elliot007 wrote:
Lift4Life wrote:
I think bulking is easier, because I’m good at eating =D. I think both require a lot of control. When you bulk you don’t want to eat “bad” food (chocolate, ice-cream, etc.), you really want to eat a lot of “good” food (lean meats, vegetables, fruits), this way when you cut all you have to worry about is portion and you’re not as tempted to eat junk food.

Right now, I’m attempting somewhat of a “lean bulk”, I’m at 10% bf, Chugging a protein shake after every meal (+32g prot), and putting in an hour and a half in the gym 3-4 days a week (real heavy). I’m going to see where it goes. Maybe I’ll post some numbers and suggest the routine I’m on, when I’m finished with it.

how much does eating clean over maintenance really matter

ive found that eating whatever i want, as long as i eat a balance diet, is far better than trying to eat clean[/quote]

I noticed a big difference when I started eating cleaner, with the same amount of calories when I was gaining too much fat with during my bulk.

I think it’s a very individual thing. Some people can get away with eating crappier food, less food, more food…

[quote]Professor X wrote:
kellyc wrote:
Which option would be harder for 3 months:

A. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat.

B. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat light. Crave icecream, cookies, popcorn or whatever. Spend whole next day resisting the urge to chow.

It isn’t about 3 months. Most New Year’s Resolution makers can last 3 months in the gym doing exactly what you listed. They will also drop out soon afterwards. Bodybuilding is a LIFESTYLE that very few can even uphold for years at a time because they either lack the determination or the innate motivation to work that hard. Shit, you can get most obese people to actually train for a good 3 months before they give up. I sure as hell wouldn’t use that as a guideline for what is “easy”.

Statistically, more than half of the people in this thread won’t even be bodybuilding seriously in ten years.

I won’t even get into the thought that goes into eating 6-8 times a day when gaining that takes a lot more focus and planning than simply “come home and eat” as you put it.

You sound like a newbie. Welcome to the gym.[/quote]

Your a bad judge. I’m 41. Got my first weight set at 11 yrs old. Trained in gyms from 18 to 36. Now I have a hard core home gym. I get up at 4:30 everymorning (5:30 on weekends) so I can get my training in without interferring with my family life.

[quote]kellyc wrote:
Professor X wrote:
kellyc wrote:
Which option would be harder for 3 months:

A. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat.

B. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat light. Crave icecream, cookies, popcorn or whatever. Spend whole next day resisting the urge to chow.

It isn’t about 3 months. Most New Year’s Resolution makers can last 3 months in the gym doing exactly what you listed. They will also drop out soon afterwards. Bodybuilding is a LIFESTYLE that very few can even uphold for years at a time because they either lack the determination or the innate motivation to work that hard. Shit, you can get most obese people to actually train for a good 3 months before they give up. I sure as hell wouldn’t use that as a guideline for what is “easy”.

Statistically, more than half of the people in this thread won’t even be bodybuilding seriously in ten years.

I won’t even get into the thought that goes into eating 6-8 times a day when gaining that takes a lot more focus and planning than simply “come home and eat” as you put it.

You sound like a newbie. Welcome to the gym.

Your a bad judge. I’m 41. Got my first weight set at 11 yrs old. Trained in gyms from 18 to 36. Now I have a hard core home gym. I get up at 4:30 everymorning (5:30 on weekends) so I can get my training in without interferring with my family life.
[/quote]

I’m happy for you. side note: “you’re”
It doesn’t change the fact that very few people train for years on end. Everyone who I trained with in college has quit by now. Out of the hundreds of people logging into this forum, how many do you think are truly serious and will be knocking out reps 5 or 6 years from now? That is why I consider gaining harder, not because lifting isn’t enjoyable, but because the consiatancy and discipline it takes to make significant progress is something very few people have. Anyone can work hard for 3 months and then give up. Losing body fat is generally a short process in comparison. No one diets for 15 years straight.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
kellyc wrote:
Professor X wrote:
kellyc wrote:
Which option would be harder for 3 months:

A. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat.

B. Go to gym, pump iron. Go home and eat light. Crave icecream, cookies, popcorn or whatever. Spend whole next day resisting the urge to chow.

It isn’t about 3 months. Most New Year’s Resolution makers can last 3 months in the gym doing exactly what you listed. They will also drop out soon afterwards. Bodybuilding is a LIFESTYLE that very few can even uphold for years at a time because they either lack the determination or the innate motivation to work that hard. Shit, you can get most obese people to actually train for a good 3 months before they give up. I sure as hell wouldn’t use that as a guideline for what is “easy”.

Statistically, more than half of the people in this thread won’t even be bodybuilding seriously in ten years.

I won’t even get into the thought that goes into eating 6-8 times a day when gaining that takes a lot more focus and planning than simply “come home and eat” as you put it.

You sound like a newbie. Welcome to the gym.

Your a bad judge. I’m 41. Got my first weight set at 11 yrs old. Trained in gyms from 18 to 36. Now I have a hard core home gym. I get up at 4:30 everymorning (5:30 on weekends) so I can get my training in without interferring with my family life.

I’m happy for you. side note: “you’re”
It doesn’t change the fact that very few people train for years on end. Everyone who I trained with in college has quit by now. Out of the hundreds of people logging into this forum, how many do you think are truly serious and will be knocking out reps 5 or 6 years from now? That is why I consider gaining harder, not because lifting isn’t enjoyable, but because the consiatancy and discipline it takes to make significant progress is something very few people have. Anyone can work hard for 3 months and then give up. Losing body fat is generally a short process in comparison. No one diets for 15 years straight.[/quote]

Sure they do. Over and over again. The same people that don’t have the discipline to train properly don’t have the discipline to get and stay lean either. Besides, as we know losing weight and losing fat while keeping hard-earned muscle are entirely different ball games. The latter requires the same discipline in training as bulking does. Just a different approach to eating. Otherwise, you may get ‘lean’ (if you don’t get skinny-fat) but the end result won’t look very good.