HOW TO BULK: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GAINING SIZE
BULKING IS A TECHNIQUE USED BY BODYBUILDERS TO INCREASE MUSCLE SIZE AND STRENGTH. IT INVOLVES CONSUMING 10–20% MORE THAN YOUR DAILY CALORIE NEEDS IN ADDITION TO WEIGHT TRAINING.
“EAT MORE.” (EAT BIG OR GO HOME!)
THAT’S WHAT MOST FRESH-FACED TRAINEES HEAR WHEN THEY ASK THE BIG GUY IN THE WEIGHT ROOM HOW TO MOVE UP A COUPLE SHIRT SIZES. WHILE NOT THE MOST POETIC WAY TO EXPLAIN MUSCLE GROWTH, “EAT MORE” DOES GET TO THE CORE OF THE ISSUE — IF YOU WANT TO GET BIG YOU’VE GOT TO EAT BIGGER!.
HACKS FOR A LEAN BULK TRANSFORMATION INCREASE YOUR TRAINING VOLUME. ...
INCREASE YOUR TRAINING VOLUME.
FOCUS ON THE ECCENTRIC PHASE.
(RE: THE “ECCENTRIC PHASE” OF A STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISE IS WHEN THE MUSCLE GROUP YOU'RE WORKING OUT IS BEING LENGTHENED DESPITE EXERTING FORCE VERSUS CONCENTRIC WHERE THE WORKING MUSCLES ARE SHORTENING. TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS ARE LOWERING THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST WHEN BENCH PRESSING OR LOWERING IN A SQUAT.
DECREASE BETWEEN-SET REST INTERVALS.
TO GROW MUSCLE, EAT MORE PROTEIN. (RE: TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS IN COMBINATION WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A PERSON THAT LIFTS WEIGHTS REGULARLY OR IS TRAINING FOR A RUNNING OR CYCLING EVENT EAT A RANGE OF 1.2-1.7 GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT PER DAY, OR 0.5 TO 0.8 GRAMS PER POUND OF BODY WEIGHT.
FOCUS ON CALORIE SURPLUSES, NOT DEFICITS.
SNACK ON CASEIN BEFORE BED. (RE: CASEIN IS A SLOW-DIGESTING DAIRY PROTEIN THAT PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE AS A SUPPLEMENT. IT RELEASES AMINO ACIDS SLOWLY, SO PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE IT BEFORE BED TO HELP WITH RECOVERY AND REDUCE MUSCLE BREAKDOWN WHILE THEY SLEEP. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IT HELPS BOOST MUSCLE GROWTH, ALONG WITH A TON OF OTHER BENEFITS.
CASEIN IS A PROTEIN FOUND IN MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. IT ACCOUNTS FOR ROUGHLY 80% OF THE PROTEIN IN MILK, CHEESE, AND YOGURT. MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE IS DRY CURD COTTAGE CHEESE ~ 1 CUP CONTAINS 9.7G TOTAL CARBS, 9.7G NET CARBS, 0.4G FAT, 15G PROTEIN, AND 104 CALORIES.
TRY SUPPLEMENTING WITH CREATINE.
A PROPER BULK REQUIRES ATTENTION TO DETAIL BOTH IN THE KITCHEN AND THE WEIGHT ROOM.
CALORIES ARE KING!
TO BULK UP, YOU HAVE TO CONSUME MORE CALORIES THAN YOUR BODY BURNS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THERE’S ALMOST NO WAY TO OUTSMART THERMODYNAMICS. UNLESS YOU’RE COMPLETELY NEW TO RESISTANCE TRAINING OR HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR A VERY EXTENDED PERIOD, IT IS LARGELY IMPOSSIBLE TO ADD LEAN BODY MASS WITHOUT A CALORIC SURPLUS.
INCREASING THE SURPLUS OF CALORIES YOU CONSUME WILL RESULT IN FASTER GAINS IN BODY WEIGHT, BUT YOU’RE LIKELY TO RUN INTO DIMINISHING RETURNS WITH REGARD TO ADDITIONAL MUSCLE GAIN SPECIFICALLY. RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE IDEA THAT A MODERATE SURPLUS OF 300 – 500 EXTRA CALORIES PER DAY IS SUFFICIENT TO PUT ON “CLEAN” WEIGHT. SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY NEED A BIT MORE OR A BIT LESS, BUT IT’S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
EVEN WITH THE RIGHT SURPLUS OF CALORIES, TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR MUSCLE GAIN. THOSE NEWER TO LIFTING WEIGHTS CAN EXPECT TO PUT ON MUSCLE WEIGHT QUICKLY, BUT EVEN ATHLETES IN THEIR FIRST YEAR SHOULDN’T EXPECT TO ADD MORE THAN .5-1 POUND OF NEW TISSUE PER MONTH.
TRAINING FOR GAINS
IF CALORIES AND MACRONUTRIENTS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF MUSCLE GAIN, YOUR TRAINING IS HOW YOU PUT THOSE MATERIALS TO USE. WITHOUT THE RIGHT WORKOUT PROGRAM, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF WITH A BIG PILE OF BRICKS AND NO STRUCTURE TO SHOW FOR IT. TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HOURS IN THE GYM AND PUT ALL THOSE CALORIES TO GOOD USE, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND.
STAY OBJECTIVE:
MAKING STEADY PROGRESS WITH YOUR BODY SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND THROUGHOUT A BULKING PHASE. THIS MAY SOUND OBVIOUS, BUT IT CAN BE ALL TOO EASY TO GET WRAPPED UP IN THE DETAILS AND FORGET THE BIG PICTURE.
IF YOU’RE TRYING TO GROW YOUR LEGS AND YOUR SQUAT NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, YOU’RE GETTING A GOOD PUMP IN THE GYM, AND YOU’RE RECOVERING ADEQUATELY BETWEEN WORKOUTS, THERE’S NO NEED TO MAKE TOO MANY TWEAKS OR CHANGES TO YOUR FORM OR PROGRAM. PURSUE PERFECTION IN TECHNIQUE, SURE, BUT DON’T FIX WHAT ISN’T BROKEN.
BE TACTICAL ABOUT CARDIO:
THERE’S A PREVAILING — AND SOMEWHAT DISINGENUOUS — NARRATIVE IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY THAT LIFTING WEIGHTS AND TRAINING ARE INCOMPATIBLE, AND THAT TO GAIN WEIGHT IN THE RIGHT PLACES, YOU NEED TO SWEAR OFF THE TREADMILL OR TRACK ALTOGETHER.
LIKE ALL FITNESS MYTHS, THERE’S A NUGGET OF TRUTH IN THE CENTER. RESEARCH BACKS THE EXISTENCE OF A SO-CALLED “INTERFERENCE EFFECT,” IN WHICH MIXING BOTH MODALITIES AT THE SAME TIME CAN DAMPEN THE BODY’S METABOLIC RESPONSE TO EITHER. PERSONALLY, I DID NOT HIT CARDIO ON THE OFF SEASON. IF YOU LIKE CARDIO, DO NO MORE THAN 3 DAYS A WEEK WHEN CONCENTRATING ON BULKING.
MORE ISN’T ALWAYS MORE:
ONE OF THE MOST WELL-BACKED POSITIONS IN PHYSICAL TRAINING IS THAT MUSCLE GROWTH POSITIVELY CORRELATES WITH TRAINING VOLUME. PUT SIMPLY, CHALLENGING YOUR BODY TO DO MORE WORK IN THE GYM WILL NECESSITATE MORE MUSCLE GROWTH.
STILL, THIS IS ONLY TRUE UP TO A POINT. THERE’S ENORMOUS INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY IN TOLERANCE TO LIFTING VOLUMES, AND IT IS HARD TO FILL A CUP THAT IS ALREADY FULL. IN FACT, PILING ON EXTRA SETS WHEN YOU’RE ONLY JUST KEEPING UP WITH YOUR CURRENT WORKLOAD CAN BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND EVEN HALT MUSCLE GROWTH ALTOGETHER.
TRAINING ON A BULK AFFORDS YOU THE LUXURY OF INCREASING YOUR VOLUME TO MAKE MORE GAINS, BUT THAT ISN’T THE ONLY AVENUE TO CANNON BALL DELTS OR CARVED HAMSTRINGS INCREASING INTENSITY ON COMPOUND EXERCISES, CUTTING DOWN ON REST TIMES, OR ADDING A FEW SPECIALIZED TECHNIQUES LIKE DROP SETS OR CLUSTER WORK CAN HELP SPUR NEW GAINS WITHOUT ASKING TOO MUCH OF YOUR BODY.
PUT RECOVERY FIRST!:
WHEN YOU’RE A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS INTO YOUR FIRST (OR SECOND, OR THIRD) BULKING PHASE, IT’S EASY TO FEEL UNSTOPPABLE IN THE GYM. AN ABUNDANCE OF CALORIES, CARBOHYDRATES, AND PROTEIN TO FUEL YOUR WORKOUTS PROBABLY MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COUULD HANDLE A 500-POUND DEADLIFT WITH EASE.
REMEMBER, THOUGH, THAT YOUR TRAINING IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS YOUR RECOVERY. THE HOURS BETWEEN WHEN YOU STEP THROUGH YOUR GYM’S DOORS ARE WHEN MUSCLE IS BUILT BACK BIGGER AND STRONGER.
FOLLOWING BOUTS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING, SKELETAL MUSCLE REQUIRES BETWEEN 48 AND 72 HOURS TO BOUNCE BACK FOR ANOTHER ROUND, AND POTENTIALLY LONGER IF YOU’RE MIDDLE-AGED. TO THAT END, MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING AT LEAST ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK OFF FROM THE WEIGHTS. YOU CAN STILL HIT UP SOME ACTIVE RECOVERY OR MOBILITY WORK TO ENSURE YOUR NEXT SESSION IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST.
HOW TO BULK: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO GAINING SIZE
BULKING IS A TECHNIQUE USED BY BODYBUILDERS TO INCREASE MUSCLE SIZE AND STRENGTH. IT INVOLVES CONSUMING 10–20% MORE THAN YOUR DAILY CALORIE NEEDS IN ADDITION TO WEIGHT TRAINING.
“EAT MORE.” (EAT BIG OR GO HOME!)
THAT’S WHAT MOST FRESH-FACED TRAINEES HEAR WHEN THEY ASK THE BIG GUY IN THE WEIGHT ROOM HOW TO MOVE UP A COUPLE SHIRT SIZES. WHILE NOT THE MOST POETIC WAY TO EXPLAIN MUSCLE GROWTH, “EAT MORE” DOES GET TO THE CORE OF THE ISSUE — IF YOU WANT TO GET BIG YOU’VE GOT TO EAT BIGGER!.
HACKS FOR A LEAN BULK TRANSFORMATION INCREASE YOUR TRAINING VOLUME. ...
INCREASE YOUR TRAINING VOLUME.
FOCUS ON THE ECCENTRIC PHASE.
(RE: THE “ECCENTRIC PHASE” OF A STRENGTH TRAINING EXERCISE IS WHEN THE MUSCLE GROUP YOU'RE WORKING OUT IS BEING LENGTHENED DESPITE EXERTING FORCE VERSUS CONCENTRIC WHERE THE WORKING MUSCLES ARE SHORTENING. TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS ARE LOWERING THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST WHEN BENCH PRESSING OR LOWERING IN A SQUAT.
DECREASE BETWEEN-SET REST INTERVALS.
TO GROW MUSCLE, EAT MORE PROTEIN. (RE: TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS IN COMBINATION WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A PERSON THAT LIFTS WEIGHTS REGULARLY OR IS TRAINING FOR A RUNNING OR CYCLING EVENT EAT A RANGE OF 1.2-1.7 GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT PER DAY, OR 0.5 TO 0.8 GRAMS PER POUND OF BODY WEIGHT.
FOCUS ON CALORIE SURPLUSES, NOT DEFICITS.
SNACK ON CASEIN BEFORE BED. (RE: CASEIN IS A SLOW-DIGESTING DAIRY PROTEIN THAT PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE AS A SUPPLEMENT. IT RELEASES AMINO ACIDS SLOWLY, SO PEOPLE OFTEN TAKE IT BEFORE BED TO HELP WITH RECOVERY AND REDUCE MUSCLE BREAKDOWN WHILE THEY SLEEP. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN IT HELPS BOOST MUSCLE GROWTH, ALONG WITH A TON OF OTHER BENEFITS.
CASEIN IS A PROTEIN FOUND IN MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. IT ACCOUNTS FOR ROUGHLY 80% OF THE PROTEIN IN MILK, CHEESE, AND YOGURT. MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE IS DRY CURD COTTAGE CHEESE ~ 1 CUP CONTAINS 9.7G TOTAL CARBS, 9.7G NET CARBS, 0.4G FAT, 15G PROTEIN, AND 104 CALORIES.
TRY SUPPLEMENTING WITH CREATINE.
A PROPER BULK REQUIRES ATTENTION TO DETAIL BOTH IN THE KITCHEN AND THE WEIGHT ROOM.
CALORIES ARE KING!
TO BULK UP, YOU HAVE TO CONSUME MORE CALORIES THAN YOUR BODY BURNS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THERE’S ALMOST NO WAY TO OUTSMART THERMODYNAMICS. UNLESS YOU’RE COMPLETELY NEW TO RESISTANCE TRAINING OR HAVE BEEN AWAY FOR A VERY EXTENDED PERIOD, IT IS LARGELY IMPOSSIBLE TO ADD LEAN BODY MASS WITHOUT A CALORIC SURPLUS.
INCREASING THE SURPLUS OF CALORIES YOU CONSUME WILL RESULT IN FASTER GAINS IN BODY WEIGHT, BUT YOU’RE LIKELY TO RUN INTO DIMINISHING RETURNS WITH REGARD TO ADDITIONAL MUSCLE GAIN SPECIFICALLY. RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE IDEA THAT A MODERATE SURPLUS OF 300 – 500 EXTRA CALORIES PER DAY IS SUFFICIENT TO PUT ON “CLEAN” WEIGHT. SOME INDIVIDUALS MAY NEED A BIT MORE OR A BIT LESS, BUT IT’S A GOOD PLACE TO START.
EVEN WITH THE RIGHT SURPLUS OF CALORIES, TEMPER YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR MUSCLE GAIN. THOSE NEWER TO LIFTING WEIGHTS CAN EXPECT TO PUT ON MUSCLE WEIGHT QUICKLY, BUT EVEN ATHLETES IN THEIR FIRST YEAR SHOULDN’T EXPECT TO ADD MORE THAN .5-1 POUND OF NEW TISSUE PER MONTH.
TRAINING FOR GAINS
IF CALORIES AND MACRONUTRIENTS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF MUSCLE GAIN, YOUR TRAINING IS HOW YOU PUT THOSE MATERIALS TO USE. WITHOUT THE RIGHT WORKOUT PROGRAM, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF WITH A BIG PILE OF BRICKS AND NO STRUCTURE TO SHOW FOR IT. TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR HOURS IN THE GYM AND PUT ALL THOSE CALORIES TO GOOD USE, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND.
STAY OBJECTIVE:
MAKING STEADY PROGRESS WITH YOUR BODY SHOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF YOUR MIND THROUGHOUT A BULKING PHASE. THIS MAY SOUND OBVIOUS, BUT IT CAN BE ALL TOO EASY TO GET WRAPPED UP IN THE DETAILS AND FORGET THE BIG PICTURE.
IF YOU’RE TRYING TO GROW YOUR LEGS AND YOUR SQUAT NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, YOU’RE GETTING A GOOD PUMP IN THE GYM, AND YOU’RE RECOVERING ADEQUATELY BETWEEN WORKOUTS, THERE’S NO NEED TO MAKE TOO MANY TWEAKS OR CHANGES TO YOUR FORM OR PROGRAM. PURSUE PERFECTION IN TECHNIQUE, SURE, BUT DON’T FIX WHAT ISN’T BROKEN.
BE TACTICAL ABOUT CARDIO:
THERE’S A PREVAILING — AND SOMEWHAT DISINGENUOUS — NARRATIVE IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY THAT LIFTING WEIGHTS AND TRAINING ARE INCOMPATIBLE, AND THAT TO GAIN WEIGHT IN THE RIGHT PLACES, YOU NEED TO SWEAR OFF THE TREADMILL OR TRACK ALTOGETHER.
LIKE ALL FITNESS MYTHS, THERE’S A NUGGET OF TRUTH IN THE CENTER. RESEARCH BACKS THE EXISTENCE OF A SO-CALLED “INTERFERENCE EFFECT,” IN WHICH MIXING BOTH MODALITIES AT THE SAME TIME CAN DAMPEN THE BODY’S METABOLIC RESPONSE TO EITHER. PERSONALLY, I DID NOT HIT CARDIO ON THE OFF SEASON. IF YOU LIKE CARDIO, DO NO MORE THAN 3 DAYS A WEEK WHEN CONCENTRATING ON BULKING.
MORE ISN’T ALWAYS MORE:
ONE OF THE MOST WELL-BACKED POSITIONS IN PHYSICAL TRAINING IS THAT MUSCLE GROWTH POSITIVELY CORRELATES WITH TRAINING VOLUME. PUT SIMPLY, CHALLENGING YOUR BODY TO DO MORE WORK IN THE GYM WILL NECESSITATE MORE MUSCLE GROWTH.
STILL, THIS IS ONLY TRUE UP TO A POINT. THERE’S ENORMOUS INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY IN TOLERANCE TO LIFTING VOLUMES, AND IT IS HARD TO FILL A CUP THAT IS ALREADY FULL. IN FACT, PILING ON EXTRA SETS WHEN YOU’RE ONLY JUST KEEPING UP WITH YOUR CURRENT WORKLOAD CAN BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND EVEN HALT MUSCLE GROWTH ALTOGETHER.
TRAINING ON A BULK AFFORDS YOU THE LUXURY OF INCREASING YOUR VOLUME TO MAKE MORE GAINS, BUT THAT ISN’T THE ONLY AVENUE TO CANNON BALL DELTS OR CARVED HAMSTRINGS INCREASING INTENSITY ON COMPOUND EXERCISES, CUTTING DOWN ON REST TIMES, OR ADDING A FEW SPECIALIZED TECHNIQUES LIKE DROP SETS OR CLUSTER WORK CAN HELP SPUR NEW GAINS WITHOUT ASKING TOO MUCH OF YOUR BODY.
PUT RECOVERY FIRST!:
WHEN YOU’RE A FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS INTO YOUR FIRST (OR SECOND, OR THIRD) BULKING PHASE, IT’S EASY TO FEEL UNSTOPPABLE IN THE GYM. AN ABUNDANCE OF CALORIES, CARBOHYDRATES, AND PROTEIN TO FUEL YOUR WORKOUTS PROBABLY MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU COUULD HANDLE A 500-POUND DEADLIFT WITH EASE.
REMEMBER, THOUGH, THAT YOUR TRAINING IS ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS YOUR RECOVERY. THE HOURS BETWEEN WHEN YOU STEP THROUGH YOUR GYM’S DOORS ARE WHEN MUSCLE IS BUILT BACK BIGGER AND STRONGER.
FOLLOWING BOUTS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING, SKELETAL MUSCLE REQUIRES BETWEEN 48 AND 72 HOURS TO BOUNCE BACK FOR ANOTHER ROUND, AND POTENTIALLY LONGER IF YOU’RE MIDDLE-AGED. TO THAT END, MAKE SURE YOU’RE TAKING AT LEAST ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK OFF FROM THE WEIGHTS. YOU CAN STILL HIT UP SOME ACTIVE RECOVERY OR MOBILITY WORK TO ENSURE YOUR NEXT SESSION IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE LAST.
MIKE MENTZER’S HEAVY DUTY BULK ROUTINE
YES, IT’S TRUE I TRAINED UNDER THE GUISE OF THE LATE MIKE MENTZER FOR 3 MONTHS DURING OFF SEASON IN ORDER TO CONCENTRATE SOLELY ON GAINS … MIKE KICKED MY BUTT!! WOW!!!
THE FOLLOWING WAS MY ROUTINE ~ FIVE DAYS ON, WEEKENDS OFF.
DAY 1: BACK
STRAIGHT ARM PULLDOWN: 5 SETS OF 5-8 REPS.
CLOSE GRIP CABLE PULLDOWN: 5 SETS OF 8-10 REPS.
BARBELL BENT-OVER ROW: 5 SETS OF 5 REPS.
STANDING BARBELL SHRUG: 5 SETS OF 8-10 REPS
DAY 2: CHEST
INCLINE DUMBBELL FLYES: 5 SETS AT 8 REPS EACH SET.
BODYWEIGHT DIPS: 5 SETS X 6 REPS (60 SECONDS BETWEEN SETS)
INCLINE BARBELL BENCH PRESS: 5 SETS AT 6-8 REPS EACH SET.
FLAT BARBELL BENCH PRESS: 5SETS AT 6-8 REPS.
FLAT DUMBBELL FLY: 5 SETS AT 6-8 REPS.
DAY 3: SHOULDERS
BENT OVER DUMBBELL RAISE: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
SEATED MACHINE PRESS: 5 SETS 6-8 REPS.
DUMBBELL SIDE LATERAL RAISE: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
BEHIND THE OVERHEAD NECK PRESS: 5 SETS 6-8 REPS.
FRONT BARBELL RAISE: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
DAY 4: ARMS
SUPINATED CHIN-UP: 5 SETS 6-8 REPS.
BODYWEIGHT DIPS: 5 SETS 10 REPS.
BARBELL PREACHER CURL: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
CABLE TRICEPS PUSHDOWNS: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
STANDING DUMBBELL CURL: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
DAY 5: LEGS
SINGLE LEG EXTENSION: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
SINGLE LEG HAMSTRING CURL: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
BARBELL SQUATS: 5 SETS 6-8 REPS.
LEG PRESS: 5 SETS 6-8 REPS.
STANDING CALF RAISE: 5 SETS 10-15 REPS.
WALKING DUMBBELL LUNGES: 5 SETS 8-10 REPS.
