Bulk, Cut, or Recomp?

[michael]

Here's a sanity check for folks who want to be < 15% body fat based on BMI.

BMI 20-24
Land of GOMAD

Bulk

BMI 25-29
Land of Strong and Lean

Recomp

BMI 30-34
Land of Strong and Fluffy

Cut

[TimK]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

[michael]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

I think it's accurate.

[Manveer]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

I think it's accurate.

Surely, you’re joking. Or trolling.

[TimK]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

I think it's accurate.

Even if it was (which I don't agree with, certainly not for well trained people), the people who are interested in getting to sub 15% bodyfat are really, by and large, interested in looking a certain way... so, just look in a mirror.

[Cody]

Quick, someone tell the Rock his BMI is 31, time to cut!!!




Shit, Jesse Norris is 29-32 BMI! Dan Green is 33 in this picture!!!




Fuck, my BMI is 30, I'm so damn fluffy!!!! Better cutttttt!

[cwd]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

I think it's accurate.

But we've just had this discussion in a couple other threads. Consensus is that BMI is very inaccurate for muscular people.

Your rule says that at 5'10", I should bulk at 167, cut at 209, and recomp anywhere in between.

That's not a terrible rule of thumb for casuals like me who hate to weigh their food, but I think it disagrees with what all the BBer/diet coaches say is optimal.

[mgil]

in4pics

@TimK is also a great example of what a strong tall dude should look like. #beefcake

[PatrickDB]

Why on earth would you attempt to make this decision using BMI?

quoting for emphasis

[broseph]

in4pics

@TimK is also a great example of what a strong tall dude should look like. #beefcake

Shirtless pics! Shirtless pics! Shirtless pics!

side note: @Cody lookin' gooooooood

[michael]

@Cody I thought natural was implied. Drugs change things.

[michael]

Consensus is that BMI is very inaccurate for muscular people.

I don't agree. It is shifted one category.

Normal -> Underweight
Overweight -> Normal
Obese -> Overweight
Super Obese -> Obese

Unless you take drugs. Then you can carry an abnormal amount of muscle.

[mgil]

Consensus is that BMI is very inaccurate for muscular people.

I don't agree. It is shifted one category.

Normal -> Underweight
Overweight -> Normal
Obese -> Overweight
Super Obese -> Obese

Unless you take drugs. Then you can carry an abnormal amount of muscle.

I don’t think that is generally true.

[TimK]

in4pics

@TimK is also a great example of what a strong tall dude should look like. #beefcake

LOL, I'm flattered, but Cody is a better example than me. I'm fatter, shorter, and less muscular than him. But still, BMI classifies me as "obese" which is ridiculous, and if I cut down to a BMI of 29 I'd be closer to 10% than 15%.

[michael]

But still, BMI classifies me as "obese" which is ridiculous, and if I cut down to a BMI of 29 I'd be closer to 10% than 15%.

I said it was shifted.

You would be overweight not obese because of your muscle.

[TimK]

But still, BMI classifies me as "obese" which is ridiculous, and if I cut down to a BMI of 29 I'd be closer to 10% than 15%.

I said it was shifted.

You would be overweight not obese because of your muscle.

Well your post implies that BMI 29 = 15% bodyfat, which is still way off.

And do you think Cody is overweight? Even if he gained 10 lbs of fat, I don't think you could say that.

It's just a really dumb way to approach this. Look in the mirror. If you have decent muscle mass but you're too fat, cut. If you are just small and weak and soft, bulk until you have some decent muscle mass and then cut. If you're really fat and lacking muscle, you're probably a novice and you should cut while doing LP and reap the amazing benefits of your unique physiological state, gaining muscle while loosing fat at the same time.

[michael]

And do you think Cody is overweight? Even if he gained 10 lbs of fat, I don't think you could say that.

No. I think he's about 15% body fat, which is normal.

[mgil]

Here’s a dude around 290lbs at 6’. BMI is 39.3

Just an example...



(Hint: it’s @Cody and @Manveer’s bastard love child)

[Cody]

@Cody I thought natural was implied. Drugs change things.

Actually, I achieved my "fluffy" physique with female levels of test. In my 30s. Only lifting 2x a week.

Norris competed in the IPF and was tested to high hell and back, never popped for steroids. If you'd like, I can pull up loads of examples from USAPL/IPF that prove this "drugz" claim is bunk.

[Cody]

And do you think Cody is overweight? Even if he gained 10 lbs of fat, I don't think you could say that.

No. I think he's about 15% body fat, which is normal.

In the 2 pictures I've posted, calipers place me at 12-14%. BMI is a shit metric for assessing individuals. It was derived to study large populations. You'd understand why an individual should NEVER use BMI if you grasped statistics.