30 Seconds Summary
Should You Cut Before You Bulk?: How Body-Fat Levels Affect Your P-Ratio

  • The p-ratio quantifies the proportion of weight gained or lost as fat-free mass relative to total body weight change.
  • High body-fat levels are believed to induce insulin resistance, which is thought to negatively affect p-ratios, suggesting leaner individuals make leaner gains.
  • Empirical evidence challenging this view includes studies on various populations including athletes, particularly in sports where high fat-free mass is beneficial regardless of high body-fat levels.
  • Longitudinal resistance training studies show that higher baseline body-fat doesn't reliably predict poor 'lean gains', and can even show correlations with better p-ratio outcomes.
  • The idea that cutting fat before bulking will potentiate hypertrophy and improve p-ratios is not robustly supported by empirical evidence.
  • Decision to bulk or cut should be based on personal goals and preferences rather than the belief that initial lower body-fat will enhance muscle gains during subsequent bulking.
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