This article seems to be much better then most of the hogwash I see on the topic on SteemIT. While I do agree with most of your points, I would like to add that it would be better to drop your fat to the 10-12% level (cut first) then buffing up to 15-16% and redoing the cycle. If you buff up first you might get into territory where your body creates additional fat cells which do not disappear afterwards but just shrink making it harder to maintain lower fat levels later on.
For men, buffing has a lot to do with your testosterone levels and your calorie surplus, depending on your age it might be harder. If you're persistent it usually works out anyway.
The whole phase takes roughly 8 months so people should'nt give up to early.
0-2 months = The CNS (central nervous system) adapts making you lift more. You might not see any muscle growth in this period.
3-6 month = Your muscles start adapting and growing
6-8 months = Your tendons become stronger letting you increase load while also lowering risk of tendon injuries.
Thank you for your praise. I do agree that if you're a bit on the fat side you might benefit from eating at (idle) maintenance and exercising so you shed a few pounds, but that does involve tacking on an extra few months and I wanted to condense the article as much as I could so people weren't daunted by the post length.
~ Red
Cheers will follow you for more great posts :)