I'm now three months into my first attempted bulk.

I've gone up biceps wise from 11.5" to 13.2" and I've gone up from 62kgs to 74.9kgs

I stupidly only started doing other measurements 5 weeks ago but here's the improvements there:-

12.5" > 13.25" bicep
33.5" > 36" waist
34" > 34" stomach
36" > 37.5" chest
45" > 46.5" shoulders
22.5" > 23.5" thigh

On to the pics - three months ago pics on the left, today on the right.

http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/fronttense.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/fronttense24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/front.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/front24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/backtense.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/backtense24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/back.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/back24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/side.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/side24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/legside.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/legside24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/legfront.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/legfront24apr.jpg
http://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/flex19mar.jpghttp://www.evaporated.co.uk/images/js/flex24apr.jpg

I'm beginning to see some changes now, especially in my traps, but my deltoids still seem to be lagging behind.

Am I gaining too much BF do you reckon? Going by the scales I'm up about 3-4% since starting.

Thanks for any opinions, as anything you guys say helps me keep at it!

Pete

Looks like you've made some great progress there Pete! :claphigh:

There's obviously a lot of muscle you've put on, and if I were you I'd look at cutting to lose some of the fat you've picked up along the way and show off your hard work. Get yourself nice and ripped for the summer.

Keep it up. :tu:

Cool, thanks a lot man. You really think I've gained enough that I won't lose a lot if I cut? I was going to keep bulking at least about 2-4 more weeks then cut for the summer. I've never done a cut before though so don't know how long it'll take before i see some results i.e. how late I can leave it to get ripped for the summer.

I was going to ask what your lift schedule looks like, and also how much you are eating on days that you lift?

I can tell that you are putting on mass, and I know your bodytype might have a hard time putting on mass, but I think you could do some tweaking to get even larger gains in the upcoming months.

Here's my routine:-

Monday - Back and Bicep

Chins 3 sets to failure
Rows 12 reps, 3 sets
Deadlifts 12 reps, 3 sets
Bicep Curls 12 reps, 3 sets
Triceps press 12 reps, 3 sets

Wednesday - Legs and abs

Squats 12 reps, 3 sets
Crunches 20 reps, 4 sets
Reverse Crunches 20 reps, 4 sets

Friday - Chest, shoulders and triceps

Military press 12 reps, 3 sets
Side Laterals 12 reps, 3 sets
Bench press 12 reps, 3 sets
Dumbbell Flyes 12 reps, 3 sets
Bench press with palms facing in 12 reps, 3 sets

On days I'm lifting here's a rundown of what I usually eat:-

Breakfast: Jordan's Muesli Fruit & Nut and sliced banana
Post workout: Gainer shake after workout (1x cup whole milk
3/4 cup Quaker Oats
2 tbsp whipping cream
1x banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
3x scoops of Reflex Instant Mass)
Lunch: Potatoes and lamb/turnip/carrot stew
Dinner: Macaroni and cheese/potatoes or Chicken in a mushroom sauce with potatoes and carrots.
Supper: Gainer shake

I think your routine needs some optimising.

Less of the isolation stuff and more compounds.

Leave out the curls/isolation presses, ab work. Incorporate RDL/SLDL, leg press.

Pullup as well as chin up.

Seated cable row, and bent over rows.

Rear flyes, dips.

Leave the gainers out and have proper food whenever possible.

How many calories are you taking in?

How is your form...you really need to work the muscles involved, really getting them to contract.

Nice work but I would "clean" up the bulk some. 2.5" on your waist is a little much. How many calories above maint?

reanimated - The problems with the exercises you've listed is that I've only got dumbells, which limits what I can do somewhat. I can't afford a gym membership and there's no point getting one now as I'm leaving home in 4 months to go to university.

I think my form is good, I concentrate on the muscles being used and try and avoid any cheating by using my legs/back etc. I'm probably around the 3500-3700 calorie mark on exercise days and about 3000-3200 on non exercise days.

So basically about 500-800 calories above maintenance overall. My bulk has been pretty clean, I'm not eating anything other than clean foods (potatoes, chicken, lamb, beef, milk, cheese).

I really can't decide though, I just still don't feel remotely bulked up. I have put on some muscle and some fat but I'm not where I want to be.

Do you think I should continue with bulking or start cutting?

Am I gaining too much BF do you reckon? Going by the scales I'm up about 3-4% since starting.
honestly, yes.

I really can't decide though, I just still don't feel remotely bulked up. I have put on some muscle and some fat but I'm not where I want to be.

Do you think I should continue with bulking or start cutting?

Neither, drop back to maintenance cals and improve your musculature (ie keep lifting).

I'd take another look at your diet....too much reliance on gainer shakes.

Not enough veggies in your diet....you have to watch carrots due to sugar content.

mushroom sauce (what's in it...did you account for it?)

almost 10lbs per month....that's too quick IMO.

I thought I had to be eating above maintenance calories to put on muscle mass?

Mushroom sauce was homemade, fried off the mushrooms with some chalots in oil and added a little cream.

I thought I had to be eating above maintenance calories to put on muscle mass?

To maximize muscle hypertrophy sure. But you can still gain muscle at maintenance or below.....it just takes longer.

It's up to you, if you enjoy piles of cardio, then accept the fat gain and eat above. It's just that it look like you moved up in weight a little too fast and your not making as much muscular gain as you could be. The fat appears to be creeping up too fast.

Don't get me wrong, you filled out significantly, enough to be noticeable and congrats for wanting to get bigger and improve your muscularity. You may want to ease back and let your body use some of those fat stores to improve your musculature. Hard heavy weights is the order of the day with progression (trying to add more weight to the bar than the last time). This is where logs become an invaluable resource.

:)

Mushroom sauce was homemade, fried off the mushrooms with some chalots in oil and added a little cream.

so long as you account for the oil and the cream....okay.

Hi -- Glad to see your dedication.

Two firm suggestions:
1) Stop doing chins to failure as your first set. You don't want to fatigue your muscles that early. Focus on warm-up in your first sets, not burn out.

2) Many fewer reps, more weight.
Focus on 4-6 rep range for 2-3 sets.
Eventually you'll want to get to 3-4 sets with that range, but first let your muscles (and your mind) get used to the higher weight.

Someone else already mentioned compound moves, which is also a good suggestions.

Minor suggestions:
I didn't see if you are doing skull crushers or dips, but these are important exercises in my book for getting a good shape to your tricep.

Becareful doing both but do them.

When I've been unable to get a gym, I've used two (very sturdy) chairs for "bench" dips, and put a dumbell in my lap to add weight.

Hope this is helpful. Also, I might drop a few calories until you have more weight to work with

Thanks MGB :) I really appreciate the detailed reply.

Do you reckon I should drop some of the isolation exercises or are the rest alright other than adding dips?

I'm looking into getting hold of some more weight and going heavy, lower reps and more sets.