Muscle Gain Forum

I've been stuck in that in-between phase for a while. I'm not lean enough to look really defined, but I'm not big enough to look full either. Every time I think about cutting, I feel like I'll end up looking smaller. If I bulk, I'm worried I'll just add more fluff.
If you've been in this spot before, what worked better for you—a proper cut first or a slow lean bulk?

I was in that exact spot last year. I decided to do a slow lean bulk and after about 6 months I finally started looking like I actually lifted.

I'd get lean first. Once you can actually see some definition, it's way easier mentally to commit to a bulk.

Honestly, it depends on your body fat. If you're already fairly lean, I'd eat in a small surplus. If you're carrying more fat than you'd like, I'd cut first. Either way, don't bounce back and forth every few weeks.

I made the mistake of cutting too hard. Ended up looking skinny instead of lean.

The biggest thing that helped me was sticking with one goal for more than a month. I kept changing plans and got nowhere.

If your strength is still going up, I'd probably stay around maintenance or a slight surplus. Building muscle takes time, and most people quit before they really see the changes.

Been there, man. It's frustrating, but that's where consistency really matters. Keep training hard and trust the process.

I'd stop worrying about the scale so much and focus on progress pictures every few weeks. Sometimes you're making changes that the mirror hides day to day.