The struggle to attain and maintain one’s dream physique is one that plagues many people. And with that struggle comes the decision of whether to bulk or cut. But it’s not just the decision that is difficult—it’s the pathway to executing it.
For experienced bodybuilders, both the decision and execution are straightforward since they have done it multiple times. But for the rest of the population, it can be a daunting journey. If you have decided to bulk up to achieve your goal physique, then this article is for you. Here, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to achieve a successful bulk while maximizing muscle gain.
Understanding bulking
Bulking is simply the process of consuming food in a caloric surplus to gain size and muscle. This process involves working out to create stimuli for muscle growth, consuming the proper diet required for the body to grow, and getting enough rest so that the body can repair and grow.
There are two common approaches to bulking:
- Clean bulking: This involves eating a balanced diet above your maintenance calories while ensuring you hit your necessary protein requirements. A clean bulk is typically 500 to 1,000 calories above maintenance, with the goal of putting on size while minimizing fat gain.
- Dirty bulking: This involves eating any food in a calorie surplus above your maintenance calories while still meeting protein requirements. A dirty bulk can exceed 1,000+ calories over maintenance and may include junk food. The goal is rapid size gain, though it usually comes with significant fat accumulation.
How long should you bulk for?
The duration of a bulk depends on how long it takes for you to reach your goal weight. A bulk can last anywhere from three months to over a year. The key is setting a target weight and consistently working toward it.
How to eat properly when bulking
The first thing you want to do before you start bulking is to calculate your TDEE. Your TDEE or total daily energy expenditure is the total energy your body expends daily, including during your workouts. You can calculate your TDEE using a TDEE calculator. Once you’ve found your TDEE, plan to eat 500 to 1000 calories above your TDEE consistently throughout the period of your bulk until you achieve your goal weight and size. You might need to compensate with additional meals for the days you take on more activities/workouts than usual.
Foods to prioritize during a clean bulk
There are a lot of foods that can get you to your goal size. However, to optimize muscle gain while minimizing fat accumulation, prioritize a lean bulking diet with a focus on muscle-building nutrition. Think towards food items like eggs, fish, turkey, beef, Chicken, lentils, and Tofu. You can combine these with high-carb foods like bread, rice, yam, potatoes, or any other food of your choice. The goal is to stay in a caloric surplus for bulking while prioritizing lean proteins to avoid excess fat gain unless, of course, you’re going for a dirty bulk. Don’t forget to add vegetables and fruit to balance out your diet.
Sample bulking meal plan
A well-structured bulking meal plan ensures you get sufficient calories and macronutrients to support muscle growth. Here’s an example of what a day of clean bulking might look like:
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast, avocado, and a banana
- Mid-morning snack: Greek yogurt with honey and mixed nuts
- Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, brown rice, and steamed broccoli
- Afternoon snack: Protein shake with oats and peanut butter
- Dinner: Baked salmon, sweet potatoes, and asparagus
- Pre-bed snack: Cottage cheese with almonds and berries
Importance of macronutrient distribution during a bulk
Proper macronutrient distribution plays a crucial role in ensuring that your bulk is effective and does not lead to excessive fat gain. The three primary macronutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and each has a specific role in muscle growth and recovery.
- Protein: Essential for muscle repair and growth. Aim for 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.
- Carbohydrates: Provide the energy required to fuel your workouts and recovery. Opt for complex carbs like rice, oats, and potatoes.
- Fats: Necessary for hormone production, including testosterone, which supports muscle growth. Focus on healthy fats from sources like nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish.
A typical macronutrient ratio for bulking is around 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat, but this can be adjusted based on individual needs and how the body responds to the bulk.
Tracking progress during a bulk
To ensure a successful bulk, it’s important to track progress consistently. The three key ways to monitor progress include:
- Body weight: Weigh yourself weekly under similar conditions (e.g., in the morning before eating). A steady gain of 0.5 to 1 pound per week is ideal.
- Strength gains: Keep a workout log to track improvements in lifts. Increasing strength is a good indicator of muscle growth.
- Visual changes: Take progress photos every few weeks to compare muscle development and fat gain.
Exercising during a bulk
Your workouts are a very important aspect of your bulking routine. Generally, many fitness trainers promote 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each workout exercise. While this is not bad for a beginner, it tends to exert lots of energy without necessarily guaranteeing failure or muscle stimulus.
For growth to occur in your body, your muscles need to be trained to failure, as this turns on the growth mechanism needed for the body to grow. The shortest path to achieve this is to train heavy weights of 4 to 6 reps and then progressively overload the weights as you begin to push each weight up to an 8-rep limit. This way, your body turns on the growth mechanism without necessarily having to exert so much energy as you would during an 8 to 12-rep workout.
Next, you need to come up with a bulking workout plan that you can follow consistently. I recommend doing the bro split when bulking as it allows you to focus on one muscle group properly each day and then gives the muscle enough time to rest, recover, and grow before it’s being trained again.
A sample bro split workout routine can go as follows:
- Monday: Chest day
- Tuesday: Back day
- Wednesday: Legs
- Thursday: Shoulders
- Friday: Arms (Biceps and Triceps)
- Weekends: Rest or light walking
One thing to note when working out during a bulk is that cardio is less prioritized as you are trying to train effectively without necessarily exerting too much energy that you would have to consume back as food. Still, you’d want to focus on weight lifting as this is the important factor that would help you achieve your bulking goals. You can take a light walk during the weekends just to stretch and get blood flowing properly through your body, and also help with your heart health.
Bulking workout plan
Once you’ve settled for a workout routine, you can use the following exercises to train each muscle group.
- Chest day- Incline dumbbell press, Seated machine Chest press, Cable flys (low to high, mid and high to low), Bench press to close the workout.
- Back day – Pullups, Chest supported rows, Lat Pulldowns (Overhand and underhand grip), one arm dumbbell rows, Bent over barbell rows
- Leg day – Leg extensions, Squats, Leg press, Lunges, Calf raises.
- Shoulder day – Seated dumbbell press, Military press, lateral raises, Front raises, side raises, and dumbbell reverse fly
- Arms (Biceps): Bicep curls, hammer curls, barbell curls, Preacher curls for a finisher.
- Arms (Triceps): Cable overhead Tricep extensions, Tricep pushdowns, Reverse grip tricep pushdowns
Pro tip: Always warm up properly before workouts to prevent injuries. A good warm-up includes 40% and 80% of your max lifts for your first workout before progressing.
Common bulking mistakes and how to avoid them.
Many people make mistakes that hinder muscle growth. One of the most common is overtraining a muscle group. A lot of people tend to train a particular muscle group 3 to 4 times a week, expecting it to grow. The result is usually little to no growth as the muscle keeps getting broken down repeatedly without space for it to actually repair itself and grow. The proper frequency is once or twice a week at most with at least 2 to 3 days interval between trainings. This is why the Bro split workout routine excels, especially during a bulk.
Another common mistake is neglecting rest and recovery. Many people focus solely on lifting heavier weights but fail to get adequate sleep and rest. The resting phase is where most muscle growth occurs, so ensure your muscles get proper rest before being trained again.
Additionally, many people fail to track their calorie intake properly. A common mistake is either overestimating or underestimating calorie consumption, leading to suboptimal results. Using a calorie-tracking app can help ensure you’re eating the right amount consistently.
Finally, skipping vegetables and fiber-rich foods in favor of just protein and carbs can lead to digestion issues and nutrient deficiencies. Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables ensures that your body gets the necessary vitamins and minerals to function optimally.
Conclusion
Bulking to achieve your fitness goals is a simple yet disciplined process. The key factors to remember are to eat above your TDEE calories, train with heavy weights for muscle gain, and allow your body to rest and recover properly. Stay consistent for at least 3 to 6 months, and you will be well on your way to transforming your physique.