A recomposition is suitable for people new to training (particularly overweight individuals), those returning from a long break from training (being able to experience newbie gains again), and lifters who take performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
No, recomping is maintaining weight while lowering fat and increasing muscle and shouldn't be done at the weight you're at because that weight simply isn't healthy for your frame, even if it was all muscle.
So, men in the 14-18% body fat range, and women in the 22-26% body fat range, should be able to do a successful recomp. You'll notice that the starting body fat percentage range for a recomp is larger than for a bulk or cut.
Both skinny and overweight individuals can build muscle effectively with proper training and nutrition. However, individuals with lower body fat percentages may notice muscle definition more quickly, while overweight individuals may experience visible muscle growth as they lose fat.
Recomping is fantastic for overweight and skinny-fat people.
It's difficult, but it's also effective and enjoyable. You won't feel the desperate pangs of hunger that come with cutting, nor the oppressive fullness of a long bulk.
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.
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.
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.
Add Strength Training
Working out with weights or other resistance equipment makes your muscles stronger, and that makes everyday tasks easier. The weight machines at the gym control the way you move and help keep you in the right form. But make sure they're comfortable and can support you.
You should bulk first if you are skinny fat. A 10% caloric surplus is optimal to build muscle while ensuring you don't put on a lot of excess body fat. Stay in a surplus for a minimum of 4 months and then begin a slow, gradual cut.
If they want weight loss along with muscle growth, reducing calories on rest days can help. The body still needs nutrients to aid in recovery. As long as these needs are met, calories can be lowered slightly. If the client only wants to build muscle, it may make more sense to keep calorie intake relatively the same.
So overall, although the exact minimum level of body fat required to recomp isn't entirely clear, I'd say around 15% body fat for males and at least 22% for females is a good minimum.
BMI isn't perfect
It often identifies fit, muscular people as being overweight or obese. That's because muscle is more dense than fat, and so weighs more. But muscle tissue burns blood sugar, a good thing, while fat tissue converts blood sugar into fat and stores it, a not-so-good thing.
Cutting is good for people who need to lose weight. And recomping is good for people who need simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss.
In a word – lean. Or at least, starting to look lean. Somewhere between Joe Wicks and Wolverine, maybe. At around 15 per cent body fat, men will tend to start seeing muscular shape and definition, while noticing changes in body composition and fat stores.
For most individuals, the jawline starts to show prominently at around 10-15% body fat for men and 15-20% body fat for women. However, this can vary based on genetics, muscle mass, and other factors. The double chin typically diminishes as body fat percentage decreases.
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.
And those with a higher percentage of body fat have more energy to spare and gain muscle. A higher body fat percentage also means that your body is likely more insulin resistant, a condition in which your fat cells resist taking on more calories, so the energy is diverted toward muscle.
Athletes: 14–20% Fitness enthusiasts: 21–24% Healthy average: 25–31% Dangerously high (obese): 32% and over.
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.
Cardiovascular workouts
Workouts could include anything from jogging to brisk walking to cycling, swimming or even group fitness classes. A great option is high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, alternating short bursts of intense exercise with brief recovery periods.
According to research published in the Journal of Nutrients, the recommended protein intake is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight or around 0.7-1 gram per pound. People doing body recomposition might benefit from up to a gram of protein per pound instead of 0.7-0.8 grams, though there is no definitive proof.
We recommend a moderate caloric deficit of around 200-400 calories for most people with a body recomposition goal. A study on resistance training benefits can be read here. You can check out this report for a look at protein intake and muscle growth.