It seems that having lower body fat (10-to-15% in men and 20-to-25% in women) doesn't significantly impact muscle growth rates. To put it simply, if your main goal is building muscle and strength, you're probably never “too fat” to bulk.
Unless you seriously changed how you were training it is highly unlikely you stopped gaining muscle. It is just less visible underneath the fat you have accumulated. It is a good rule of thumb to stay under 20-25% body in order to avoid long, protracted cuts.
Many researchers believe that a body fat percentage of 25% or over for men or 32% to 35% or over for women may be dangerously high.
Generally, men should aim for around 10-15% body fat before bulking, while women should target around 18-25%. Personal Goals: Consider your fitness goals. If your aim is to build muscle, transitioning to a bulk phase while maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is advisable. Key Considerations:
You'll see defined muscle, giving you that athletic edge. But getting there is a marathon, not a sprint! Experts recommend a safe, steady body fat reduction of 1-3% per month, so think of this as a journey spanning three to ten months (depending on your present weight and weight loss goal).
If you are more than 25 percent body fat, you'll do better starting with a cut first. By contrast, if you're already on the lean side and you know you want to add muscle or you don't have much muscle and you want to start lifting heavier, it would be better to start with a bulk.
25% body fat: There is almost no separation of muscles, no noticeable veins and no muscle striations. The man's waist begins to increase and he may have a little neck fat.
If you currently have a lot of fat to lose, cutting is better than bulking, because it will improve your physique and improve your health. Also, as fat loss can happen faster than muscle can be gained, cutting is easier to stay motivated for. For some people, it can be tricky to choose between cutting or bulking first.
There are other terms for this, such as build mode, but bulking is a common term for this caloric surplus. Dirty bulking is when an individual is in a caloric surplus to build muscle (build mode). However, the individual is eating foods that are carb dense, unhealthy, and ultra-processed out of convenience.
At 18 – 20%, you can still see strong ab muscles, but the six pack may not be as defined. While there's usually a small amount fat on the hips, thighs and butt, it's not very noticeable. Some women reaching for higher levels of fitness prefer this look because it retains some curves.
They measure the electrical conductivity of your body and then use that, plus a number of other pieces of information such as your weight, height and gender, to estimate how much of your body is made up of fat. Doctors recommend that women have a body fat percentage below 32% and men below 25%.
Clinically relevant "overweight" can be defined as 25 and 36% BF for men and women, respectively, and "obesity" is defined as 30 and 42% BF for men and women.
The body fat percentage needed to see your pack of abdominal muscles falls somewhere around 14 to 20% for women and 6 to 13% for men. However, the ideal body fat percentage for abs can look slightly different per person, depending on how you carry weight, where you typically store fat, and your fitness routine.
between 18.5 and 24.9 means a person is of a “normal,” or moderate, weight. between 25 and 29.9 indicates a person is overweight. above 30 indicates a person has obesity.
Always bulk if you are close to or below 8% or 17% body fat for men or women, respectively. Always cut if you are close to or above 18% or 28% body fat for men or women, respectively. If between 8-18% (men) or 17-28% (women), you can choose either, depending on how lean you want to be in 2-3 months' time.
With lower subcutaneous fat, muscle bellies look rounder, proportions become more pronounced, and overall aesthetics enhance—creating the illusion of a bigger physique.
Lean muscle is all about that shredded, sculpted look, while muscle bulk is more about sheer size and power. It's like the difference between a sleek race car and a hulking tank. Both have their advantages, so it all comes down to personal preference.
Many who struggle to gain weight may find dirty bulking attractive because it is easier to gain weight consistently. The portion size of 500 calories of a burger is vastly different from 500 calories of chicken and vegetables. Unfortunately, there are various drawbacks to a dirty bulk.
A good rule of thumb for lifters is at least 8 - 12 weeks for bulking and then you can go into your cut phase if you're happy with the results. How long does it take to cut after bulking? The cutting phase varies per person, often cuts are around 8 - 16 weeks, dependent on your goals and achievements.
Most experts think the appropriate body fat range for beginning a bulk or cut should be between 10-15% for men and 20-25% for women. This range is ideal as it provides enough energy to build muscle while allowing for visible definition. Once you hit the upper end of the range, start cutting.
Underneath 20% would be the point you would no longer be able to visually see extra fat around the hip region. To give a exact percentage would be hard as everyone is different and we all store fat differently. Somewhere between 15 and 20 % depending on the person will ensure love handles are not visible in men.
Belly fat can accumulate due to various factors including poor diet, lack of exercise, or hormonal imbalances. When bulking, it's common to gain fat along with muscle if dietary and exercise strategies aren't optimized.
In a Nutshell: Optimal Body Fat for Gains
You should aim for a body fat percentage of around 10-15% for males and 23-30% for females to maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. Staying within this range allows for the most efficient bulking without compromising strength or energy levels.
In general, skinny fat men have a body fat percentage of more than 20%, with an arm circumference of under 13 inches (or 33 cm), while skinny fat women have a body fat percentage of more than 29%, with a thigh circumference of under 20 inches (or 51 cm).
Obesity Definition and Criteria
The normal amount of body fat is between 25 and 30 percent in women and 18 and 23 percent in men. Women with more than 30 percent body fat and men with more than 25 percent body fat are considered obese.