Bulking and Sumos

[BendtheBar]

"Sumo wrestlers had a significantly greater FFM than bodybuilders, who had a greater FFM than the untrained men."

Here is the study...

doi.wiley.com/10.1002/ajhb.1310060509

Science reveals that bodybuilders bulking for maximum muscle mass are best eating large.

[BendtheBar]

Also, another study...

http://musclemedia.com/training/abcde/v58_abc1.asp

2 weeks on, 2 weeks off is best for bulking. I'm working on a series of articles based on these studies.

[jwood]

Can not wait for them, I find the two week on, two week off bulk very interesting and an effective way to keep fat gains to a minimum.

[BendtheBar]

It's a very interesting approach, and one the body seems to benefit from the most.

Unfortunately, most natural bodybuilders who stumble upon this approach already have gained quite a bit of mass, so the eating style might not be as effective.

But then again, it looks like a solid way to attack off season training/bulking...as opposed to eating like a monster for months on end.

I would be curious for a PH cycle to try this approach on cycle, and PCT. Maybe even switch week by week.

[meagain]

Sumo wrestlers are like ewwwwwwwwwww :-X

That thong/loincloth thingy they wear must go!

[BendtheBar]

Yeah, but the Geisha likey likey. Sumos are rock stars

[jwood]

This article is really complicated I need to reread it and try to get a full understanding. I get the basics but there is a lot of stuff in it.

[BendtheBar]

It isn't exactly the briefest read. A friend of mine summarized it like this...

"It was created by a Swedish scientist/bodybuilder called Torbjorn Akerfeldt. During the bulk phase you eat 20 x BW and when cutting you eat 8 x BW.

In one of the studies he cites, some of the men put on 6lb during the bulk phase; of which 46% was muscle - and they didn't even train with weights."

He then tried it for 8 weeks and found...

"Hey Steve,

I did 4 x two week cycles (2 cuts and 2 bulks). After week 6 I had gone from 192lb with a 35 inch waist down to 190 with a 32 3/4 inch waist. I decided to do another 2 week bulk after that and went up to 198 with a 34 inch waist.

After 8 weeks I had put on 6lb and lost an inch off my waist, which I was pretty happy with. I definitely think that manipulating calories has a major effect. Also it wasn't as boring as doing a straight 12 week cut or bulk like I normally did and the licence to eat was awesome ;D"


Now, the 20 times bodyweight for bulking isn't my approach, and I wouldn't recommend that at all. It's much safer to approach bulking by look at your base lean muscle mass. So it your body is 165 pounds without fat, I would multiply that number by 25 and eat 4,125 calories.

And for cutting I would start with 15 as the multiplier.

So, eat 4,125 calories for 2 weeks, then 2,475 for 2 weeks.

Quite honestly, I really don't think an "uber" scientific approach is needed when trying this plan. Most natural lifters should shoot for 4000+ when bulking, and about 2400-2500 when cutting IMHO.

Again, these are just jumping off points. If they can't gain muscle, add 500 more calories during bulks, if they can't lose fat, drop 300 calories during cuts.

[jwood]

Thanks Muscle and Brawn, the basic idea is pretty simple, eat a lot for 2 weeks and then dont eat a lot for 2 weeks, but the article is full of scientific stuff and a lot of descriptions of hormone levels but a good read nonetheless

[BendtheBar]

NP bud.