Cutting and Mass Cycle: How to Plan Your Year as an Athlete
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To achieve concrete and lasting results, every athlete must learn to plan their training and nutrition plan throughout the year. Training consistently isn't enough: alternating periods of bulking and cutting is the winning strategy for building muscle and, at the same time, achieving a lean, sculpted physique.
In this article, we'll look at how to best structure an annual cycle of mass and definition, avoiding common mistakes and also taking advantage of the support of the right supplements.
Mass and Definition: What They Mean and Why You Should Alternate Them
- Bulk phase: increased caloric intake and training with a focus on strength and hypertrophy to stimulate muscle growth.
- Definition phase (cut): controlled reduction of calories and greater attention to body composition, with the goal of maintaining lean mass and reducing the percentage of fat.
Alternating these two moments allows you to build muscles during bulking and enhance them during definition, obtaining a harmonious and proportionate physique.
How to Plan a Year as an Athlete
Each athlete has different times, but in general the cycle can be organized like this:
- Autumn/Winter → Mass: easier to maintain a caloric surplus and push yourself in training.
- Spring/Summer → Definition: the ideal time to arrive dry and toned for the warm season.
The duration of each phase varies between 8 and 16 weeks, depending on personal goals, body response, and starting body fat percentage.
Power supply in two phases
- Mass: controlled caloric surplus, 1.5-2g of protein per kg of weight, abundant carbohydrates and good fats for hormonal support.
- Definition: gradual calorie deficit, maintaining a high protein intake to preserve muscle mass, and attention to micronutrients.
Mass training and definition
- Mass: focus on multi-joint exercises (squat, bench press, deadlift, pull-ups), load progression, and medium-high volume.
- Definition: Maintain intensity to avoid losing strength, include targeted cardio sessions, and manage recovery to avoid compromising muscle mass.
Supplements useful for mass and definition
Supplements are not a replacement for diet, but they can make a difference.
In bulk:
- Concentrated proteins or mass gainers .
- Creatine .
- Multivitamins .
In definition:
- Protein isolate .
- Thermogenic or draining .
- Omega-3 .
- B vitamins .
Intelligently planning your bulking and cutting cycle allows you to grow consistently, reduce errors, and get the most out of your efforts.
Remember: it's not just about aesthetics, but about building a path made of nutrition, training, and targeted supplements.
Discover our selection of mass and definition supplements on Bull's Power and plan your year as an athlete!
