Bulk or cut? 5’10 180lbs

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Was 157lbs in June, now 180lbs. Feel fat but scared to cut cause I may lose strength. Goal is to get strong and look good.
current lifting numbers in lbs:
Bench 185 x 5 reps
Ohp 140x 5 reps
Squat 185 x 5 reps
Deadlift 225x5 reps
low back pain is cause of low lower body numbers.
 

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Send0

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Why not just eat at maintenance, and do a little bit of cardio. Recomposition instead of either bulking or cutting.

Also not to be mean, but do you have any starting pictures of you at 157lbs?

Without seeing the before pictures... If this is you after going up to 180lbs, then it looks like you put on 23lbs of fat. 🤷‍♂️
 
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Was 157lbs in June, now 180lbs. Feel fat but scared to cut cause I may lose strength. Goal is to get strong and look good.
current lifting numbers in lbs:
Bench 185 x 5 reps
Ohp 140x 5 reps
Squat 185 x 5 reps
Deadlift 225x5 reps
low back pain is cause of low lower body numbers.
Skinny pic is me in January 2024 at 150lbs body weight
 

CJ

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You're skinny and out of shape. As you train harder, you'll add muscle and more than likely lose a little bit of fluff, which is want you want.

Eat at maintenance, or ±200 calories, and you'll like the results, as long as you train hard and eat the appropriate foods.
 

Send0

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Skinny pic is me in January 2024 at 150lbs body weight
The you look like you mostly put on fat. I'm going to guess you ate an excessive amount for your needs in order to gain that weight, instead of just like 300-400 calories over maintenance.

I reiterate, eat at maintenance calories, so *some* cardio, and lift heavy weights... as heavy as you can safely lift.

Whatever you did before to get to 180lbs does not look like it was effective.
 

Bump

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You should take off your jacket so we can see your body composition a bit better. 🤣🤣
Just bustin' your balls. I'm hairy too, more so from the test.
 

Bro Bundy

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Damn bro take a weed wacker to that body before bulk or cut…. U just need to build muscle while eating more muscle building food without over eating so u can burn some fat . Do cardio lift heavy and eat healthy protein rich foods
 

BrotherIron

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Post your diet b/c it may need a lot of work.

I would agree at your body comp do NOT bulk. You need consistent time training, eating, resting and YES do cardio, in season OR off season. No reason not to do at least 20min multiple times a week when you're gaining size.
 

Trenbolonely

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I would cut if I were you. Do it very slowly though, and restart the bulk at with a much more measured approach. Don’t look at the number on the scale going up as the only metric for progress.

You need to consider: 1. Body composition 2. Strength and 3. The number on the scale to figure out if you need to add calories, or keep them the same.

If you do this right, you will go up more slowly but your composition will remain much better so you can bulk longer. Especially if natural, or not using a lot of gear, you can’t force your body to put on that much muscle mass so quickly

Idk if your back should be hurting with those numbers, it shouldn’t be an real strain on the posterior chain unless your technique has some serious holes. Maybe for this just fixing up technique with higher rep range might be helpful, unless it’s just DOMS or muscular soreness which is something you will get with basically any body part lol
 
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Was 157lbs in June, now 180lbs. Feel fat but scared to cut cause I may lose strength. Goal is to get strong and look good.
current lifting numbers in lbs:
Bench 185 x 5 reps
Ohp 140x 5 reps
Squat 185 x 5 reps
Deadlift 225x5 reps
low back pain is cause of low lower body numbers.
I don't want to be mean, I never aim for that. I do wonder how some people process information and what they actually see when looking at an image of themselves.
What you need to do is throw out everything your doing, I would suggest all that $ you spend on anabolics, supplements ECT spend on a real, good bodybuilding trainer that will get you on a training, nutrition and drug/supplement program that can start you on the correct path. Stop wasting your money and your time at the gym, you're obviously doing about everything incorrectly or your genetics are horrendous.
I've said this for years but no one seems to listen. The best investment, that can fast forward your physique a few years ahead of where you're headed, is to find and hire a bodybuilding trainer. Not the guy walking around your gym making minimum wage and cleaning machines when not training people. A experienced trainer of competitive bodybuilders. Guys spend all this $ on drugs and supplements then have no idea how to trains and eat to get the results they should out of them.
By doing this you don't have to think or do anything. Find the right guy and just do what he says. It will cut out all the mistakes your making and will continue to make until you finally realize what you are doing isn't working. Then you may research more, change things and get on the correct path but now you have wasted thousands of $ and years of your life.
Do it now and instead of asking a message board what to do ask your trainer what to do.

I no longer do this but up to about 5 years ago I still did and had been for 20 years. Both men and women. The best example I can give is one of the last kids I helped get ready for his first classic physique contest.
He contacted me 20 weeks out about, sent me pictures and his diet and training routine.
At 20 weeks out he was eating like he was a month out and if he continued that he would have had no muscle at all by the time the contest came. He was taking all kinds of drugs but had no leg development and not a very impressive upperbody. He was dieting away all the muscle he did have. We scraped everything and started over. I lowered his drugs, upped his food and changed his training especially his legs.
Long story short he finished 2cnd out of 12 and was the youngest competitor in his class. I don't do posing, his posing was horrendous otherwise he would have won. His physique was the best up there. The judges told him the same and he actually, somehow, got legs in 20 weeks.
We had a falling out, no big deal, lost touch. The next year I was looking through an NPC magazine with my girlfriend, who had met him, and I came across the NJ state championships. Saw his picture and I didn't say anything my gf said what the hell happened to him? He looked about 8 weeks out, hard to believe it was same guy who was in rock hard condition the prior year. I felt bad because the kid did have, does have good genetics and if he was in shape he could have done well.
Point is she asked "what happened to him"? He was 21 and tried to do it by himself. There is probably no 21 year old that can prep by himself and look his best in the world.
You're not competing but same idea. If you really want this, want to get the most out of what you're doing, don't just hire anyone and please don't go to a you tube guru.
I know Danny Hester is still training people. He's a good guy, not sure what he charges but Danny's been competing for so long I can't remember and is about always in great shape.
That's my advice look him up.

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I would cut if I were you. Do it very slowly though, and restart the bulk at with a much more measured approach. Don’t look at the number on the scale going up as the only metric for progress.

You need to consider: 1. Body composition 2. Strength and 3. The number on the scale to figure out if you need to add calories, or keep them the same.

If you do this right, you will go up more slowly but your composition will remain much better so you can bulk longer. Especially if natural, or not using a lot of gear, you can’t force your body to put on that much muscle mass so quickly

Idk if your back should be hurting with those numbers, it shouldn’t be an real strain on the posterior chain unless your technique has some serious holes. Maybe for this just fixing up technique with higher rep range might be helpful, unless it’s just DOMS or muscular soreness which is something you will get with basically any body part lol
Exactly what is he cutting? To "cut" assumes you are carrying enough muscle that eliminating the bf will enhance how you look.
He's not carrying any muscle.


Man, I'm sorry, but I know you want to succeed so I'm not doing you any favors by not telling you the truth. I posted a lot suggesting what to do if you are serious about this. I guarantee you if you take the advise a year from now you will have significant muscle.

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CJ

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I don't want to be mean, I never aim for that. I do wonder how some people process information and what they actually see when looking at an image of themselves.
What you need to do is throw out everything your doing, I would suggest all that $ you spend on anabolics, supplements ECT spend on a real, good bodybuilding trainer that will get you on a training, nutrition and drug/supplement program that can start you on the correct path. Stop wasting your money and your time at the gym, you're obviously doing about everything incorrectly or your genetics are horrendous.
I've said this for years but no one seems to listen. The best investment, that can fast forward your physique a few years ahead of where you're headed, is to find and hire a bodybuilding trainer. Not the guy walking around your gym making minimum wage and cleaning machines when not training people. A experienced trainer of competitive bodybuilders. Guys spend all this $ on drugs and supplements then have no idea how to trains and eat to get the results they should out of them.
By doing this you don't have to think or do anything. Find the right guy and just do what he says. It will cut out all the mistakes your making and will continue to make until you finally realize what you are doing isn't working. Then you may research more, change things and get on the correct path but now you have wasted thousands of $ and years of your life.
Do it now and instead of asking a message board what to do ask your trainer what to do.

I no longer do this but up to about 5 years ago I still did and had been for 20 years. Both men and women. The best example I can give is one of the last kids I helped get ready for his first classic physique contest.
He contacted me 20 weeks out about, sent me pictures and his diet and training routine.
At 20 weeks out he was eating like he was a month out and if he continued that he would have had no muscle at all by the time the contest came. He was taking all kinds of drugs but had no leg development and not a very impressive upperbody. He was dieting away all the muscle he did have. We scraped everything and started over. I lowered his drugs, upped his food and changed his training especially his legs.
Long story short he finished 2cnd out of 12 and was the youngest competitor in his class. I don't do posing, his posing was horrendous otherwise he would have won. His physique was the best up there. The judges told him the same and he actually, somehow, got legs in 20 weeks.
We had a falling out, no big deal, lost touch. The next year I was looking through an NPC magazine with my girlfriend, who had met him, and I came across the NJ state championships. Saw his picture and I didn't say anything my gf said what the hell happened to him? He looked about 8 weeks out, hard to believe it was same guy who was in rock hard condition the prior year. I felt bad because the kid did have, does have good genetics and if he was in shape he could have done well.
Point is she asked "what happened to him"? He was 21 and tried to do it by himself. There is probably no 21 year old that can prep by himself and look his best in the world.
You're not competing but same idea. If you really want this, want to get the most out of what you're doing, don't just hire anyone and please don't go to a you tube guru.
I know Danny Hester is still training people. He's a good guy, not sure what he charges but Danny's been competing for so long I can't remember and is about always in great shape.
That's my advice look him up.

Sent from my SM-A156U using Tapatalk

Bud, you have to start using paragraphs. Lots of older guys here, and we're not going to read that block of text.
 
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Bud, you have to start using paragraphs. Lots of older guys here, and we're not going to read that block of text.
Whatever I'm 50 years old.
I'll use paragraphs but don't call me bud I don't know you

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Bud, you have to start using paragraphs. Lots of older guys here, and we're not going to read that block of text.
I do like these boards. However, they definitely disimminate as more bad information than good.

What I don't understand is the hostility.

You suggested I use paragraphs because it would make it easier to read. I agree. But, why word it in a hostile manner?? By starting any suggestions with "BUD" the person your making the suggestion to instantly turns off and responds in hostile manner. Like I did. How could I not?

I'll use paragraphs, why don't you learn how to communicate your points in a way that people will actually listen to. Rather than instantly making them pissed off Then they don't instantly turn off making the rest of your point meaningless.

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CJ

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I do like these boards. However, they definitely disimminate as more bad information than good.

What I don't understand is the hostility.

You suggested I use paragraphs because it would make it easier to read. I agree. But, why word it in a hostile manner?? By starting any suggestions with "BUD" the person your making the suggestion to instantly turns off and responds in hostile manner. Like I did. How could I not?

I'll use paragraphs, why don't you learn how to communicate your points in a way that people will actually listen to. Rather than instantly making them pissed off Then they don't instantly turn off making the rest of your point meaningless.

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The word, "bud", hurts your feelings. Noted. 🙄
 
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The word, "bud", hurts your feelings. Noted.
Lol, I'm not trying to fight man
Just saying starting a comment to a complete stranger with BUD is confrontational and not necessary. It's the only reason that I initially reacted badly to your suggestion.

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CJ

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Lol, I'm not trying to fight man
Just saying starting a comment to a complete stranger with BUD is confrontational and not necessary. It's the only reason that I initially reacted badly to your suggestion.

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I absolutely disagree. In real life, I often call people, Bud, including complete strangers, and never once have I had a negative reaction... Until now.

Perhaps it's because you don't know me, perhaps it's because you can't garner someone's intention over text, with the lack of facial expressions.

Either way, you're mistaken. There was ZERO negative intent implied by my use of that word. Don't jump to conclusions.
 
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