what's the ideal bf% for bulking/cutting

[boondockSAINT]

Hey guys. Didn't know where these questions belonged:

1. What bf% do you bulk to before you decide to start cutting?
2. What bf% do you cut to if not in competition (if you cut at all)?
3. Has your recent experience been of the bulk/cut routine, or is there a medium that you try to maintain?

Thanks for all responses.

[bluethunder]

It is strickly a personal decision as the same % of b/f shows up much differently on each person due to height ect... Start cutting when you and you alone feel just plain to fat and likewise bulk if you need more mass. Personally, I never really bulk as b/f is very much harder to control at my age (46). So I am happy just maintaining around my current weight of 180lbs. But I am also only 5'6". I just recently got health insurance as I am self-employed and the insurance underwriters gave me a standard rating vs. prefered (more $$) only because the height/weight charts say I am 5lbs overweight! My agent told me to diet down to 170lbs ahh!! forget it! and I am in better condition then 30 yr olds. It is my belief to try to keep b/f more or less constant no matter if it is bulking or cutting. Good luck

[6_pak]

It is strickly a personal decision as the same % of b/f shows up much differently on each person due to height ect... Start cutting when you and you alone feel just plain to fat and likewise bulk if you need more mass. Personally, I never really bulk as b/f is very much harder to control at my age (46). So I am happy just maintaining around my current weight of 180lbs. But I am also only 5'6". I just recently got health insurance as I am self-employed and the insurance underwriters gave me a standard rating vs. prefered (more $$) only because the height/weight charts say I am 5lbs overweight! My agent told me to diet down to 170lbs ahh!! forget it! and I am in better condition then 30 yr olds. It is my belief to try to keep b/f more or less constant no matter if it is bulking or cutting. Good luck

Their are some dumba$$es out their, bro. You dont have to be freakin einstein to know muscle outweighs fat. Obviously if you weigh 180 at 5'6 with low bf, your in good shape. IDIOTS!!! They used those same calculations at my hospital where i work. I was 5'11 @ 210 with 12%bf and they said i was overweight, while some fatass, who never worked out a day in his life and was nothing but fat and bones, was considered healthy. Man that pissed me off. I bitched about it and now they used a bodyfat machine.

[boondockSAINT]

I appreciate the responses. Anyone else?

[Hypertrophy]

It a personal decision like Bluethunder said. For me, I usually pick a target weight when bulking, once I acheived that weight. I will go through a 3-4 week weight maintenance, then begin to cut. I usually end up bulking around 12% then cut down to 4%.