How many calories over maintenance is acceptable for good gains?

[pumpiniron]

So when i started bulkign a few months ago i started off eating 500 calories over maintenance, which was 3500. The first 4 weeks all my lifts were going up really well, for example my bench press went from 30 kilo dumbells to 35 kilo dumbells in 1 month then i plateud so i upped the calories to 3800 calories then over the next month my bench has gone up to 37.5 kilo dumbells..... ive plateud again, so i think im gonna up my calories to 4200. Thats probly alot for me as i only weigh 86 kilos but fuck me dead what can i do about it.

I wanted to do a clean bulk and only eat a little over my calorie maintenance but its just not gonna work cause gains will be shithouse, the shit part is i know guys that weigh about the same as me and eat less calories and there lifts still continue to go up. fuck my shit genetics.

p.s ive put on like 4 kilos in 2 months, i know most people say gain slowly and eat just over maintenance, so what you put on is muscle and not fat, but the str gains are minimal and shithouse that its depressing..... THOUGHTS?

 

[Bazza20]

Basically just start with a little above maintenance and stick with it for a few weeks and see what happens. When weight gain stops increase it by a couple hundred calories and repeat. If you are looking for minimal fat gain go for no more than about half a kg every two weeks. Over that and it's likely you would be putting on a fair amount of fat.

Just for a comparison I am about 95kg and I dont gain weight on 5000 calories a day. You just have to slowly increase calories to what your body needs.

 

[pumpiniron]

my lifts have come to a screeching halt tho, like i mentioned i was cutting for ages aka i was on 2200 calories at the end of my cut... then i started to bulk at 3500 calories and my bench press was going up really fast then bam massive plateu and its been going up really slowly for a month then all of a sudden its stopped alltogether.

 

[Bazza20]

my lifts have come to a screeching halt tho, like i mentioned i was cutting for ages aka i was on 2200 calories at the end of my cut... then i started to bulk at 3500 calories and my bench press was going up really fast then bam massive plateu and its been going up really slowly for a month then all of a sudden its stopped alltogether.

That's bench for ya. It's likely is not diet that is the problem. Could be your program or something else.

 

[Goosey]

Please list you weekly workout including sets and rep's please, I think Bazza is on the money.

And I do like his comment on proggressive calorie adding along with progressive weight lifting.

 

[Goosey]

All things being equal I think the bench press is one of the easier exercises to progress with and one of the hardest to stall with.

 

[spartacus]

good question and good answer from bazza.

Yes, finding the right amount of energy is quite tricky

When i was a labourer i needed 4500-5000 to put on weight.

Now, sitting on my ass most of day, i can gain weight at 3000 calories a day, although i am 95kg.

 

[pumpiniron]

That's bench for ya. It's likely is not diet that is the problem. Could be your program or something else.

How could it be the program when my bench went up like 15 kilos in just over a month? i havent changed anything..

 

[Bazza20]

How could it be the program when my bench went up like 15 kilos in just over a month? i havent changed anything..

That doesn't go on forever otherwise your bench would increase 150kg or so each year. Programs generally have to evolve to keep strength progressing.

 

[pumpiniron]

My bench routine which i do once a week is

Flat dumbell press x 3 sets 5-7 reps
Incline press x 2 sets 5-7 reps
Decline press x 2sets 5-7 reps
Skull crusher x 2 sets 5-7 reps
Single arm tricep kickbacks x 2 sets

 

[Goosey]

I'd say you could either drop two exercises or drop a set on each or both you will then see progress

 

[Darkoz]

My bench routine which i do once a week is

Flat dumbell press x 3 sets 5-7 reps
Incline press x 2 sets 5-7 reps
Decline press x 2sets 5-7 reps
Skull crusher x 2 sets 5-7 reps
Single arm tricep kickbacks x 2 sets

First thing I'd do is ditch those two
Add dips and possibly even get rid of the flat dumbell press or at the very least not do it in the same workout as incline press.

 

[walt]

Goose and darko,

5 sets for chest and 2 sets for triceps isn't much? Especially at low reps?

 

[MaxBrenner]

Calculate your ballpark ''maintainence'' calorie requirements (that include all activity factors) and start at that...track your weight and energy levels for 2 weeks then simply adjust by 10% if need be after that...

 

[Goosey]

Goose and darko,

5 sets for chest and 2 sets for triceps isn't much? Especially at low reps?

It's really difficult to give someone advice if you can't see them and talk to them, watch how hard one works out, to see the rest of the weekly template, but it is a suggestion only.

Recovery comes from the same source, regardless to whether one uses a split, full body and aerobic workout.

It's just speculation.

 

[pumpiniron]

Calculate your ballpark ''maintainence'' calorie requirements (that include all activity factors) and start at that...track your weight and energy levels for 2 weeks then simply adjust by 10% if need be after that...

I used the harris benedict formula. Is that one good?

 

[MaxBrenner]

I used the harris benedict formula. Is that one good?

The all have their set backs and none are near 100% accurate. Just use one to get yourself a ballpark figure and use that as your starting point..don't over think what formula to use.