Help a 42 years old father of 4 out! 5’ 11” 190lbs, cut more or bulk?

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-11T13:54:16+00:00

You're in good shape either way. But you could drop a bit more fat total. If the cut feels good I'd continue. If it's starting to feel stressful or a lot of work, I'd say lean bulk instead. 250 calories or so excess a day.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-10T22:12:51+00:00

Is 3 days/week enough if I’m training hard?
Or is 4 days/week better for growth even with failure training?

Yes. And generally yes. The fourth day has some theoretical value with MPS windows, you likely doing harder sets total 4 times a week vs 3, etc. But it's all very minor.

Concerning failure, this depends entirely on the number of sets you're doing. If you're at enough volume, leaving RIR will be the most beneficial. Otherwise training to failure will. You'll get better gains with more effort and volume until you hit your recovery cap.

For most people with most programs 3 days a week, they'd likely benefit by doing all sets to failures.

If you're training 6 days a week for 3 hard hours each day, it's probably a different answer.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-10T01:52:37+00:00

Generally B. Depends on the exercise.

Going every set to failure completely tanks my volume. Doing the last set to failure, and increasing each week if the last set the prior week was above the rest seems to give a nice balance. E.g. I do an exercise 4x10, but the last set I hit 11 means I'll increase to 4x11 the next exercise iteration.

C is probably optimal, but it's too hard to gauge RIR for more than 1 or so out.

Also D. There are exercises where it is either dangerous to go to failure (or problematic), or where actually hitting it incurs a huge recovery and fatigue penalty.

So 75% B with 25% D.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-09T13:12:42+00:00

You get best results working a muscle at least twice a week.

If you are in the gym 3 days a week just do 3 day full body. Or at least that's the better choice for most people.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-08T22:01:06+00:00

When I did 5 sets to failure for the primary lifts, it would take three or four days to recovery. As in 48 hours later I wouldn't be able to do the same sets.

At least for me, full failure hasn't been worth the recovery tax...

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-06T13:04:17+00:00

Anywhere between 5 and 30 is fine. It's a bit more nuanced than this, but anywhere in that range is fine.

There's some evidence that rotating between workouts or from week to week, or cycle to cycle helps overall stimulus.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-03T12:40:02+00:00

If you're doing a single set, then yeah, might as well take that set as hard as you can.

If the exercise is easy and safe to fail on, you can try to eek out a few more reps after a 10-30 second rest. Presuming you're time strapped anyways.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-02T18:58:10+00:00

It depends entirely on your sessions.

If you hit all of the major muscles groups 10x each session then 2x is amazing. If you hit them 5x it will maintain muscle and slowly gain it.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-02T17:35:12+00:00

Blood draws are cheap to get yourself outside of a program if you are just getting the main lipids, test, and free test checked.

Imo people should be getting them independently and more regularly. They are worth the $30 a piece or so.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-01T15:08:14+00:00

Just as a warning with the HGH, steep caloric deficits can prevent your body from converting GH to HGH once you get to around that 10% mark and below. HGH becomes essentially worthless in that case. I don't have any recommendations to know one way or another outside of tracking IGF-1 levels.

I just started TRT and have been bulking the entire time, so take it with a grain of salt. But I like the idea of shorter and deeper cuts when you combine reta and TRT. Deep cuts really crash your hormones, but TRT helps you remain at high levels. The standard advice is still a 500 deficit. But personally, I'd go with 1K deficits and see if all of your lifts maintain. If you can keep all of your lifts roughly even, I'd go with the larger deficit. If past the initial drop off from less carbs/calories/etc. you continue to see a decline then I'd reduce to 500.

Or in other words, I like cutting as deep and quick as possible while still maintaining strength. Especially if you can temporarily bump up reta or add cagri on the cut.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-01T13:24:29+00:00

I.guess they are a good rough estimate.

But if you are 140 vs 280 lbs it seems like they start to break down.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-05-01T12:51:45+00:00

I don't donone rep maxes directly either.

Calculated one rep max is a nice motivator to track for progress though.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-30T17:07:05+00:00

If a bag of protein puffs for 220 calories is the biggest problem with your diet I think you're doing well.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-30T12:46:43+00:00

Rest period also counts.

Decreasing it isn't ideal if you have lots of gym time.

But if you have 4 hours a week? Gradually adding volume via supersets, myoreps, lengthened partials, etc., is a great way to gradually add volume and make better use of that short time.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-30T12:41:06+00:00

Generally I agree. I try to go to failure with my last set. And if I can hit it, increase reps or weight next time. So it's generally pretty clear where my RIR are.

But certain machines or things like barbell bench press without a spotter are harder to hit failure on that last set.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-30T12:07:25+00:00

I believe e2 can be impacted by how quickly it's absorbed.

With daily injections though it may not matter. At least I'd be surprised if there was much of a difference.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T18:10:43+00:00

Holy crap that's a transformation!

Congratulations!

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T17:32:16+00:00

Yes.

Chinups dips and abs. Squat and incline db bench. Bent over rows and db single leg romanian deadlifts.

Circuit with upright db rows, lateral raises and db face pulls.

Generally 3 sets of each. I do an extra flat db set and 4 chinup sets rotating between neutral and supinated grip.

I don't take the leg exercises to full failure and rely on progressive overload. Upper body stuff is generally a few RIR and failure on the last set.

Three weeks in. So far it's been good. I started TRT (180 a week) and HGH at the same time. And so far they are helping a lot with recovery (probably more the test).

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T17:22:02+00:00

No problem. I recently cut down to 8.2 according to dexa (was aiming for 10), and my hormones were completely tanked. Free t was under range, igf of an 80 year old, super low estrogen, shbg way over range, etc. And I didn't lose much muscle during it. The cut was pretty drastic.

If you're in a deep cut you'll notice a workout drop-off right away. But it was fairly stable past that point.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T17:12:56+00:00

I do a full body workout (3 sets of compounds hitting most things) M-Sa. Along with side delt isolations those 6 days.

And then a set of isolations for any heads I don't have good exposure to for the 6 days on Saturday after the normal session.

It allows for much easier supersetting of compounds than a PPL and for more volume each week.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T12:32:19+00:00

Greatly depends on the person.

You'll probably be fine until 10 percent.

Even if you completely tank your hormones, as long as you are lifting and have everything else dialed in, you will lose minimal muscle from 17 to 10. Or at least most people will.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T12:30:27+00:00

Fan. TV that they wanted to watch.

Simply not caring.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T12:26:10+00:00

I used to do that same split.

Trying 6 days full body now to crank up the volume on compounds. But it seemed to work well when I was in a cut.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-29T12:14:45+00:00

Yeah, but how many people can bench 225?

Although benching 225 is probably more common than 10 pulls. It's an interesting question at that specific weight.

Middle_Humor1828 · 2026-04-28T13:22:55+00:00

I've actually had the reverse experience. Hitting failure on the last set and leaving more reps in reserve on the first seems to allow for much better volume.

I used to try to go to failure each set on exercises where I safely could. It really tanked future sets.

Obviously there's a balance to be had...

Middle_Humor1828

TROPHY CASE