12/27/2023
Bulking and Cutting:
The experts and science tell us there are better ways to increase muscle mass and get leaner than bulking and cutting. Even within the world of competitive bodybuilding, it has been suggested that there are better ways to put quality lean muscle on your frame.
Slow gradual increases in muscle or decreases in fat are more sustainable and safer.
The sustainable part can be seen in anyone that goes through a bulk and cut cycle. How much of the muscle gained bulking is maintained while cutting? Studies have shown that bodybuilders, even when increasing anabolic steroid use by 40% to help offset muscle loss, while gaining significant amount of muscle on the bulk, lost much of their fat free mass in the cutting phase. If it’s not sustainable by those with the best available coaching, it’s unlikely a novice or even experienced lifter, going it alone, will achieve greater results.
As far as safety? If done properly, with the guidance of an experienced coach, the risks are minimized but you will undoubtedly experience some level of metabolic stress and reduction in resting metabolic rate. A more extreme downside might be the development of eating disorders, chronic elevated cortisol levels, or increase in exercise injury potential.
From my experiences, most recreational or non competitive lifters that do bulks and cuts simply get fatter then leaner but don’t significantly enhance their lean mass or muscle mass.
Slow and steady wins in most cases.
Lenzi, Jaqueline L.1; Teixeira, Emerson L.1; de Jesus, Guilherme1; Schoenfeld, Brad J.2; de Salles Painelli, Vitor1,3.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 35(9):p 2546-2551, September 2021.
Spendlove, J., Mitchell, L., Gifford, J. et al. Sports Med 45, 1041–1063 (2015).
KT Ganson et al 2022
Paulo Gentil et al 2017
Ashtary-Larky D, Bagheri R, Abbasnezhad A, Tinsley GM, Alipour M, Wong A. a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition. 2020
