Physique Progression

Notes

• After roughly 16-20 weeks of being in a surplus, your body gets "tired" of processing all that food. You start becoming slightly insulin resistant, meaning your body becomes more likely to store extra calories as fat rather than muscle. The tail end of a long bulk is usually where the "dirty" weight gain happens.

Phase 1 (Feb - May 2026)

• Goal: 0.5 lb/week gain
• Target: 155 lbs (15%) -> 168 lbs (~17-18%)

Phase 2 (June - July 2026)

• Goal: maintenance / slight deficit
• Target
  • Drop water/bloat weight for summer
  • Reset insulin sensitivity, prime body to build muscle again

Phase 3 (August - December 2026)

• Goal: 0.5 lb/week gain
• Target: 166 lb (~16-17%) -> 180 lb (~20%)

Phase 4 (Jan - March 2027)

• Goal: Cut from 180 lbs (20%) -> 162 (13%)

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Evaluate and continue another cycle if needed

Phase 5 (Apr - Dec 2027)

• Goal: 0.5 lb/week gain
• Target: 162 (13%) -> 185 (17-18%)

Phase 6 (Jan - Apr 2028)

• Cut from 185 lb (17%) -> 170 lb (13%)