I just started bulking (currently 5’7 140 lbs and 10% bodyfat or possible below). From the research I did, I figured it was possible to keep my bodyfat near the level it is at now, if I just eat slightly over maintenance and eat cleanly.
I have taken creatine in the past, and it did work well for me, but at that time I had high bodyfat so this issue didn’t come up. I want to take creatine but I also don’t want my abs to be gone right away from the increased water retention.
But if I would be putting on more muscle in a shorter period of time at the expense of losing some definition though, that also might be worth it, rather than bulking inneficiently just because I am too scared to gain bodyfat back.
I am not an ectomorph/hardgainer, if anything I am endo/meso. I basically put on/lose everythign pretty easily. I put on fat very easily, but I also can lose it easily. I also put on muscle relatively easily.
What do you guys think?
Yes, it is probably pointless for you to bulk without creatine, of course it’s probably pointless for you with it too.
[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
Yes, it is probably pointless for you to bulk without creatine, of course it’s probably pointless for you with it too.[/quote]
why is that?
Creatine is a small percentage of gains, insignificant in your case to be honest. I dont see what it matters weather you are bulking cleanly or not, to be taking it. Increase your calories significantly and you will gain.
[quote]Typhoon wrote:
Creatine is a small percentage of gains, insignificant in your case to be honest. I dont see what it matters weather you are bulking cleanly or not, to be taking it. Increase your calories significantly and you will gain. [/quote]
I figured that by increasing my muscle stamina, I can crank out an extra rep or two than normal, and also lift slightly more, which would get me more muscle?
I don’t know if this is a serious post, but if so, taking creatine will not make any visual difference to your “hawt abz”.
[quote]forlife wrote:
I don’t know if this is a serious post, but if so, taking creatine will not make any visual difference to your “hawt abz”.[/quote]
It’s very serious? I know that creatine increases water retention, which sounds like it would kill your definition. But if it’s not as substantial as I think than it’s probably just worth it for me to take it and get the workout boost/stamina. I have taken creatine in the past but it was when I had high bodyfat and was “dirty” bulking, and I definately noticed an increase in muscle endurance when I was taking it vs. when I stopped taking it.
Use creatine pyruvate, less water retention, not so effective though…
[quote]shoobey wrote:
forlife wrote:
I don’t know if this is a serious post, but if so, taking creatine will not make any visual difference to your “hawt abz”.
It’s very serious? I know that creatine increases water retention, which sounds like it would kill your definition. But if it’s not as substantial as I think than it’s probably just worth it for me to take it and get the workout boost/stamina. I have taken creatine in the past but it was when I had high bodyfat and was “dirty” bulking, and I definately noticed an increase in muscle endurance when I was taking it vs. when I stopped taking it.[/quote]
Like I said, creatine won’t noticeably affect your definition. It slightly affects the size of your muscles through water retention, but it’s not going to give you a “workout boost/stamina”. For that, you should try Spike or (if cutting) HOT-ROX Extreme.
[quote]Hellfish wrote:
Use creatine pyruvate, less water retention, not so effective though…[/quote]
You do realize you are promoting a pointless train of thought, right? Creatine retains water in THE MUSCLES, not in your skin or fat cells. This supp has been around FOREVER! How do people not know what it does, and doesn’t do?
[quote]forlife wrote:
shoobey wrote:
forlife wrote:
I don’t know if this is a serious post, but if so, taking creatine will not make any visual difference to your “hawt abz”.
It’s very serious? I know that creatine increases water retention, which sounds like it would kill your definition. But if it’s not as substantial as I think than it’s probably just worth it for me to take it and get the workout boost/stamina. I have taken creatine in the past but it was when I had high bodyfat and was “dirty” bulking, and I definately noticed an increase in muscle endurance when I was taking it vs. when I stopped taking it.
Like I said, creatine won’t noticeably affect your definition. [/quote]
All I needed to hear 
. When I used it in the past though, I noticed a definate difference in muscle stamina once I started supplementing it, and then I lost that endurance when I stopped taking it. I didn’t mean an energy boost like how a red bull gives you, but during a lift I can clearly feel more muscle stamina and endurance.
Just take the fucking creatine. Within a few days of coming off it your water retention will return to normal.
Plus is so damn cheap.
Just make sure youre actually eating something too.
[quote]cueball wrote:
Hellfish wrote:
Use creatine pyruvate, less water retention, not so effective though…
You do realize you are promoting a pointless train of thought, right? Creatine retains water in THE MUSCLES, not in your skin or fat cells. This supp has been around FOREVER! How do people not know what it does, and doesn’t do?[/quote]
When people have entire libraries at their finger tips yet continue to think as if they have learned nothing, the end is near.
What’s your diet look like.
[quote]Therizza wrote:
What’s your diet look like. [/quote]
just switched to bulking from cutting the beginning of this week. At this point I am just “winging it” as far as calories go and doing a clean bulk, but eating a little above maintenance to see how my body responds to clean bulking since I’ve never done it. But I plan to just clean bulk and play with the calorie levels until I figure out how much I need to eat to put on muscle w/o putting on fat.
I’m not sure if I am eating enough right now for bulking especically since I decided to do a clean bulk, but I figure i’d rather put in the time now and do trial and error and find the right amount for me, then just start eating 3000 calories a day or whatever from day 1 and just sticking to that indefinately, and possibly winding up with excess fat gain if I am eating too much without realizing it.
I also plan to throw in some cardio once I figure out what calorie level I need to do, seems too tricky to try to figure out the calories while I am also doing cardio, since that is going to mess with how much I will need to eat as well.
creatine’s good stuff, but it’s such an incredibly minor factor compared to your diet and training. Nothing is “impossible” if you don’t have it.
[quote]shoobey wrote:
Therizza wrote:
What’s your diet look like.
just switched to bulking from cutting the beginning of this week. At this point I am just “winging it” as far as calories go and doing a clean bulk, but eating a little above maintenance to see how my body responds to clean bulking since I’ve never done it. But I plan to just clean bulk and play with the calorie levels until I figure out how much I need to eat to put on muscle w/o putting on fat.
I’m not sure if I am eating enough right now for bulking especically since I decided to do a clean bulk, but I figure i’d rather put in the time now and do trial and error and find the right amount for me, then just start eating 3000 calories a day or whatever from day 1 and just sticking to that indefinately, and possibly winding up with excess fat gain if I am eating too much without realizing it.
I also plan to throw in some cardio once I figure out what calorie level I need to do, seems too tricky to try to figure out the calories while I am also doing cardio, since that is going to mess with how much I will need to eat as well.[/quote]
How the heck do you know what is “just above maintenance” if you are not tracking your calories?
[quote]GusBus07 wrote:
shoobey wrote:
Therizza wrote:
What’s your diet look like.
just switched to bulking from cutting the beginning of this week. At this point I am just “winging it” as far as calories go and doing a clean bulk, but eating a little above maintenance to see how my body responds to clean bulking since I’ve never done it. But I plan to just clean bulk and play with the calorie levels until I figure out how much I need to eat to put on muscle w/o putting on fat.
I’m not sure if I am eating enough right now for bulking especically since I decided to do a clean bulk, but I figure i’d rather put in the time now and do trial and error and find the right amount for me, then just start eating 3000 calories a day or whatever from day 1 and just sticking to that indefinately, and possibly winding up with excess fat gain if I am eating too much without realizing it.
I also plan to throw in some cardio once I figure out what calorie level I need to do, seems too tricky to try to figure out the calories while I am also doing cardio, since that is going to mess with how much I will need to eat as well.
How the heck do you know what is “just above maintenance” if you are not tracking your calories?[/quote]
common sense and also knowing how much I need to eat based on previous experience?
I sense a “no-bulk” coming.
