How can you tell when it's time to stop bulking?

[bananafeet]

According to most of the experienced members here I should have NEVER bulked because I've never been lean enough to see my abs.

My pragmatic opinion would be you need a strength base. If you keep cutting prematurely and don't spend enough time at a heavier weight to build a strength base you'll always be disappointed when you cut.

To simplify this:
1. Are your compound lifts going up? (Bench, squat, deadlift etc)
2. Is your fasting glucose within range?
2. Have you stalled for several weeks despite adequate rest?

Your options here are:
1. Increase steroids
2. Increase ancillaries to improve metabolic markers
3. Reduce volume to dedicate more energy to strength gaining rep ranges on heavy compounds (bench, deadlift squat)

After you have a strength base you can do more volume work for hypertrophy. I'd say it's would be something like this (for 5 reps);
160kg squat
180kg deadlift
120-140kg bench press
100-120kg Over Head Press
120-140kg bent over rows

The ONLY way besides a dexa scan to determine if you have put on muscle is if you are capable of doing more work at a heavier weight. Like not heavy singles but sets of 5 and up.

I am only sharing my opinion because it's a bit different from the only bulk with visible abs group.

That's my two cents atleast.

 

[Biggerisbetternl]

According to most of the experienced members here I should have NEVER bulked because I've never been lean enough to see my abs.

My pragmatic opinion would be you need a strength base. If you keep cutting prematurely and don't spend enough time at a heavier weight to build a strength base you'll always be disappointed when you cut.

To simplify this:
1. Are your compound lifts going up? (Bench, squat, deadlift etc)
2. Is your fasting glucose within range?
2. Have you stalled for several weeks despite adequate rest?

Your options here are:
1. Increase steroids
2. Increase ancillaries to improve metabolic markers
3. Reduce volume to dedicate more energy to strength gaining rep ranges on heavy compounds (bench, deadlift squat)

After you have a strength base you can do more volume work for hypertrophy. I'd say it's would be something like this (for 5 reps);
160kg squat
180kg deadlift
120-140kg bench press
100-120kg Over Head Press
120-140kg bent over rows

The ONLY way besides a dexa scan to determine if you have put on muscle is if you are capable of doing more work at a heavier weight. Like not heavy singles but sets of 5 and up.

I am only sharing my opinion because it's a bit different from the only bulk with visible abs group.

That's my two cents atleast.

I agree with most of this. The mirror, tape measuring and calipers can also aid in determining bodycomp though. Neurological adaptations play a huge role in strength so it can be deceiving. Just like everything else in this sport.

 

[Oikostg]

..when you can't see your abs anymore it's time to quit.. LOL

That's what I do but usually a bit of fluff is best place to grow. 14% ish seems to be the sweet spot for me

 

[Collin_moeller]

Usually when you cant see the abs anymore for most people. Personally if i cant see my dick looking down id call it quits (after a meal doesn’t count )

 

[BuffMaltese]

You’re not alone. I’m on my first bulk after cutting from 192 to 175 in 11 weeks, then went from 175 to 192 lbs in about 50 days. Currently running 350 test, 200 primo, and 150 NPP. I planned to transition slowly into a bulk, but I completely lost my shit once the carbs hit my lips.

Now I’m not sure what to do. I feel bloated and uncomfortable, and it’s only been six weeks. Do I try to recomp, eat at maintenance for a few days, cut already, or just keep going?

 

[JG91]

I can definitely see my arms and my chest have gotten slightly bigger, definitely fuller, but the belly is back and I can barely see my abs at this point.

Anyways, I adjusted it down to 3000, and this time I am counting carbs and calories. Will hover around 3000 until March, then cut to 2000. I can fix this and I am sure there are gains underneath. Just not the amound and overall result I expected.

I am also dropping the Deca and lowering test to 350mg. I feel like I made little to no gains from the Deca, and I can't justify putting up with the excessive night drenching sweats anymore.

You’ve only been on deca for 40 days. It’s not going to have done much yet.

Did you take any photos at the start of your bulk? Best way to see what progress is fat vs muscle is visually imo.

 

[shredded.lyfe]

You definitely got fat bruh, im a strength athlete so I don't really care about being lean other than to have better leverages.

However im not a bloat lord and I reckon I could bulk sufficiently on 3000kcals at my current 91kg bodyweight (not including activity, as my activity will definitely be higher than the average bodybuilding program)

Total milligrams don't really matter to me, it's either hypertrophy or strength expression, I can get by on very little as my training does most of the work for me.

Hypertrophy compounds are your typical aromatising ones, non atomatising will be used more in expression.

Good luck and have fun cutting for twice as long as you just "bulked" (read: binged)

 

[Proud Pangolin]

11kgs in 40 days?
bro is bloatmaxxing.

after the initial water gain,
.4kgs/week weight gain is reasonable if you stay lean-ish
.6kgs/week is reasonable if you get sloppy and a bit fat

I just want to mention that this doenst have to be true for you! We are different. Take a look in Markus Ruhl, he had a EXTREM short bulk phase. If i remebered correctly only like 2months and had a very lomg diet. He was 25kg over stageweight meaning 150-160kg offseason.

Does this mean it will work for you? Probably not. He was or still is simply a genetical freak.
I just wanted mention that this is true for us average guys, not for everybody.

I have a guy, who put and puts on a ton of weight in very short time. And he also always came with the concern to me "but 0,5kg is absolute max, everything else is just fat/water bla bla"

Its very simple: are you getting fat/ bloated by holding water? No? Good, then there is no problem.
Take 3 times a week pictures , same days,hours,light, position and a good coach ir yourself should be able to tell if you are getting to fat to soon.

Also saying "you should stop when you cant see your abs anymore" isnt necessary true.

You have so many different athletes. You have colemen who stayed very lean the whole year around, you have cutler who did something im between meaning he stayed leaner to the end of his career and you have people like ruhl or Kalbach who got fat like pigs.

There isnt one right answer. Most likely you are in between and as soon as you cant see you abs anymore at all, its time for a diet.

 

[IndividualMan]

I just want to mention that this doenst have to be true for you! We are different. Take a look in Markus Ruhl, he had a EXTREM short bulk phase. If i remebered correctly only like 2months and had a very lomg diet. He was 25kg over stageweight meaning 150-160kg offseason.

Does this mean it will work for you? Probably not. He was or still is simply a genetical freak.
I just wanted mention that this is true for us average guys, not for everybody.

I have a guy, who put and puts on a ton of weight in very short time. And he also always came with the concern to me "but 0,5kg is absolute max, everything else is just fat/water bla bla"

Its very simple: are you getting fat/ bloated by holding water? No? Good, then there is no problem.
Take 3 times a week pictures , same days,hours,light, position and a good coach ir yourself should be able to tell if you are getting to fat to soon.

Also saying "you should stop when you cant see your abs anymore" isnt necessary true.

You have so many different athletes. You have colemen who stayed very lean the whole year around, you have cutler who did something im between meaning he stayed leaner to the end of his career and you have people like ruhl or Kalbach who got fat like pigs.

There isnt one right answer. Most likely you are in between and as soon as you cant see you abs anymore at all, its time for a diet.

Markus Ruehl was pinning more gear than half this forum combined and had outrageously great genetics.

You cant take the top pros and copy their approaches and for yourself unchanged as you correctly said.

I am gonna bring alcohol to this party. No I didnt buy wine, I bought water. Jesus was able to turn it into wine, that means I can do so as well. No I am not a part of the holy trinity, why are you asking?

This guy is def getting fat quicker than necessary, and storing a fuckton of water at the same time. as you said, if abs go bye bye, its time for a cut. thats the rule of thumb normies like us should use.