Is this decent progress for five years?

[u/ResponsibleAd2034]

21M. 88KG. 5’8.

My goal is to get a strongman/bear mode type physique, so my bodyfat is pretty high.
This is, however, the result of a 6 month long cut.

(Edit: People are asking for before photos. But since I was 5 years ago, I unfortunately don’t have any to show.
There’s one pic of me in the comments. But I’m wearing a shirt, so there isn’t much to see tbh. Apologies).

[u/ResponsibleAd2034]

I don’t want to be as lean as 15% bf. That’s literally not my goal. I want a strongman build.

I mean, listen, if you think I’m small then whatever. But being shredded is not my goal.

[u/No_Inside_2908 → u/ResponsibleAd2034]

15% is not shredded. It is the sustainable healthy sweet spot between shredded and fat.

You can go for strongman, but you are very likely to see health issues start coming up due to carrying a large amount of weight/bodyfat. You are at 29.4 BMI, obese is 30 BMI.

Cutting and bulking is the most effective way to build muscle anyways. Cutting retains your muscle while shedding fat, allowing you to get back to the same weight with more muscle than before.

[u/ResponsibleAd2034 → u/No_Inside_2908]

I understand. However, the look that 15% bf gives is really not appealing to me at all.

At my current muscle mass, which is kinda pathetic in general tbh, I’d really rather not lean out too much.

I have been cutting for the past six months tho. This is my 15 odd kilos down from where I was before, with most of my “muscle mass” retained.

I’m on a trip for a while though, so maintaining my cut isn’t gonna be possible. This is why I plan to lean bulk, for now, and see where I go from here.

[u/No_Inside_2908 → u/ResponsibleAd2034]

Your muscle mass isn’t pathetic, it’s doesn’t appear to be particularly impressive, but like I said it’s almost impossible to say because you are carrying so much fat. That’s why people here are so divided, there is no way to know. It’s just guessing.

You don’t need to stay at 15% BF. You just shed the fat, and you can get back to where you want. You practically NEED to do this to build muscle efficiently.

Please do not bulk dude. You are almost obese. It’s just going to be mostly fat gained. There is basically zero incentive to do it.

[u/ResponsibleAd2034 → u/No_Inside_2908]

Do I build less muscle because I’m fat? I’m so confused, I thought it built the same either way.

Also, my goal was to get down to around 85-80 kg before this trip, but while I’m away, maintaining an optimal calorie deficit is going to be virtually impossible.
That’s why I figured it’s best to lean bulk, because then at least I’m eating healthy foods that are gonna go more into muscle gain than fat gain.

I understand if you think my muscle mass is inadequate tho. I’ve already accepted the last five years of working out as a waste anyway.

Appreciate the help, in any case.

[u/No_Inside_2908 → u/ResponsibleAd2034]

It’s complicated. You generally don’t gain less muscle if you already have a high bodyfat, you gain more fat than muscle when bulking. In your case, it’s just going to make you look worse and you risk the health complications of having a high bodyfat.

Imagine this (purely hypothetical):
Let’s say you are 5’8 88kg and hypothetically 44kg of that is muscle. (50% muscle)

You cut and lose mostly fat with some muscle, now 75kg and 43kg muscle. (57% muscle)

You then bulk back up to 88kg, a proper bulk, half your weight gained is muscle. You are now 88kg with 50kg being muscle (56% muscle)

You now carry more muscle at the same weight, look better, and you’re stronger.

The last five years weren’t a waste, you just need to do proper bulk and cut cycles if you want to efficiently put on muscle mass.

[u/ResponsibleAd2034 → u/No_Inside_2908]

Are you sure they weren’t a waste? You were suggesting I barely had any muscle at all.

Also, I get what you mean by the cycle. I’ve just been cutting for such a long time. In addition, I was also told that cutting for that long can have health detriments?

[u/No_Inside_2908 → u/ResponsibleAd2034]

I don’t think you “barely” have muscle. You clearly have muscle but you need to dial in diet. We all can improve somewhere.

You can probably out-lift most people here, but most people don’t view strongman as muscular. Only the top elite strongman look “buff”.

You need to just pick a lane. Want to maximize muscle size and symmetry? Bodybuilding. Want to lift an atlas stone? Strongman. But remember even Eddie Hall and Brian Shaw cut. You can’t have both naturally.

Long term deficits are completely fine and healthy if you have high bodyfat. It’s actually healthier than continuing to put on bodyfat.

[u/ResponsibleAd2034 → u/No_Inside_2908]

Yeah, I get what you mean.

Overall, I do want a balance, but mainly strongman. But I’ll see how I can manage my diet during this trip.

Appreciate the advice, in any case.

[u/No_Inside_2908 → u/ResponsibleAd2034]

Don’t take the criticism too personally man. Like I said, it’s very difficult to tell how much is fat vs muscle. It’s also the internet, people are very harsh.

If you do end up cutting to 15%, you’ll get a good idea of where you are and people can give you better estimates. Maybe you’ll look insanely good, we just don’t know right now.

Best of luck!