Bulking and Shredding?

[manTOman]

I know the basic principal for this but I'm just wondering what's the cycle and for how long you do one and then the other. I know the diet is different in that you cut calorie intake during shredding to a minimum. Is that correct? Do workouts remain the same or are they different for the two phases? Just looking for basic principles and better understanding of it.

 

Thanks!

[Juan Vancouver]

Bulking and shredding is seen now as a pretty inefficient way to have an optimum physique. The dangers are too big with the constant oscillation between cadaverous and bloated. Most bodybuilders now are opting for constantly building lean muscle. Sometimes, even on this regime, there are periods in which calories are cut and well as liquids to achieve a competition cut.

 

Exercising regimes and nutrition are incredibly different for bulking and shredding.

 

There is no accepted norm of how long the cycles should be, but shredding tends to be shorter than bulking because shredding is the hardest to maintain.

 

You'd be better off reading the endless material about this already on the net. I doubt anyone here could have the time to give you a concise or useful insight into this.

 

Leaner muscle is where's at. Bigger muscle burns fat faster and has fewer health risks. If you make proper exercise and correct diet a way of living it has greater chances to impact your life in a positive way.

 

Wishing you the fittest, healthiest You that you can achieve!

[Juan Vancouver]

A good example of lean bulking is the picture that Alec Andrews just posted. He says he just went through bulking , but if you look at that picture it's pretty much lean muscle. Sure, after his cutting phase, he will be nothing but wiry muscle but the oscillation is not that huge nor unhealthy.

 

Remember when people would oscillate from 25% body fat back to 7%? From really fucking fat, to really fucking ripped.

 

So glad those days are over.

[nynakedtop]

My trainer/coach is ALL about periodization.... he designs programs for me that are based on a series of very intentional variations in both how muscles are worked, at what intensity, and at what volume. Combined with the right attitude towards food, and a healthy amount of sleep, he (who has absolutely credibility in this old guy's book) insists this this view towards fitness is the most effective and most long-lasting approach to take.