I'd like to hear about people's experiences on the UD 2. My current goal is to gain lean mass and strength. Lyle says in UD 2 that the diet can be used to gain mass while remaining lean. Has anyone here used UD 2 for that purpose? If so, how did it go?
I am thinking about trying to gain on either:
1) A more typical mass gaining diet (non-GFH, using moderate caloric increases) intercut with PMSF during deload weeks, OR
2) Something along the lines of UD 2.
Anyone have any feedback on those ideas?
In case anyone is interested, I found this article by old Lyle McDonald on what I shall henceforth dub "The Middle Path" of lean muscle gain:
http://www.ironmagazine.com/article412.html
It sounds somewhat similar to my suggestion that I alternate a mild "bulk" block and more severe "cutting" block, though he feels that 2 week blocks at maintenance calories should separate the hyper- and hypo-caloric phases. He also suggests that the individual use body fat percentage as the indicator for when to switch diet goals (eg switch diet to lose fat when you hit 15% BF, and then switch diet to gain mass when you drop to 10% BF).
Still not sure what path I will take, I might be having knee surgery, so that could throw a minor wrench into things.
I've never used anything like that myself, because I really haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass lately.
I think Gqartguy has done a UD2 bulk before, with good results.
(03-09-2010 10:08 AM)ThePman Wrote: [ -> ]I think Gqartguy has done a UD2 bulk before, with good results.
I'll have to PM him about that. I think I might do something remotely similar to that approach, just severely watered down (really just cycling calories on a weekly basis). Trying to obey the KISS rule since I am probably over-thinking this.
(03-09-2010 10:08 AM)ThePman Wrote: [ -> ]I really haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass lately.
Not sure what you mean here. Is it even possible (grammatically speaking) to say that you "haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass"? This could just be an artifact of our cultural differences. I have spent most of my life living amongst the scrawny ...
(03-09-2010 10:38 AM)juarez Wrote: [ -> ] (03-09-2010 10:08 AM)ThePman Wrote: [ -> ]I think Gqartguy has done a UD2 bulk before, with good results.
I'll have to PM him about that. I think I might do something remotely similar to that approach, just severely watered down (really just cycling calories on a weekly basis). Trying to obey the KISS rule since I am probably over-thinking this.
Ive done a few rounds of it but I did it to fit in with my oly stuff. So I modified it a bit but stayed true to the rest of the setup. I love the carbup days while others hate them, but its a solid setup. The critical thing is to make sure you know your LBM beforehand, otherwise its easy to overeat on it.
Quote: (03-09-2010 10:08 AM)ThePman Wrote: [ -> ]I really haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass lately.
Not sure what you mean here. Is it even possible (grammatically speaking) to say that you "haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass"? This could just be an artifact of our cultural differences. I have spent most of my life living amongst the scrawny ...
When youre too jakt like Pman, gaining more muscle mass doesnt have the same flare as it used to.
Kyle mcdougal knows nothing abou muscle gains. He is a skinny ice dancer.
(03-09-2010 10:38 AM)juarez Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure what you mean here. Is it even possible (grammatically speaking) to say that you "haven't been all that interested in adding more muscle mass"? This could just be an artifact of our cultural differences. I have spent most of my life living amongst the scrawny ...
You have to understand that I've been lifting a long time, and have been over 220 lbs (at 5'9 with small joints) without being obese. Pudgy, yes, but not full-on fat. Even right now my resting BW only stays under 200 lbs with close attention to diet.
I'm near, if not at, that asymptote of diminishing returns for LBM. I could get more muscle, sure, but my options are either get fatter, or hit the juice, and right now I'm just not interested in either.
(03-09-2010 01:02 PM)GqArtguy Wrote: [ -> ]Ive done a few rounds of it but I did it to fit in with my oly stuff. So I modified it a bit but stayed true to the rest of the setup. I love the carbup days while others hate them, but its a solid setup. The critical thing is to make sure you know your LBM beforehand, otherwise its easy to overeat on it.
Thanks for the info, GqArtGuy.
Have you tried other methods of gaining while trying to minimize fat gain? How does UD2 stack up to other methods, and which method would you recommend as a good combination of relative simplicity and effectiveness?