Key points of bulking
- The bulk phase – the big feed. Bulk it out then lean up with a cut.
- To smash the bulk phase, you need to train like you mean it and feed like you need it.
- Bulking isn’t about eating as much, of whatever you want. It’s about feeding the muscle growth. Check out our top nutrition tips to support your bulking diet.
Packing on lean muscle is tough for even the most seasoned athlete. Not only does your training have to be strict and well-structured around hypertrophy, your diet also needs to support your body as it grows and be on point at all time.
To help themselves grow, most bodybuilders will perform a bulking and cutting cycle. The bulking stage focuses on packing on as much mass as possible. Time frames vary, but the plan below is for a four-week bulk – perfect for adding extra mass before a holiday.
However, to pack on size you need to be eating healthy food, and a lot of it. To help, use an online calorie calculator to work out what your calorie ‘maintenance’ is – which is the calorie intake you need to eat each day to maintain your weight. This will vary based on your height, weight, age and activity status. Typically, the guidelines state 2500 calories for men and 2000 calories for women. But in addition, you’ll need to add extra calories to ensure that you are feeding the growth. You should start with a surplus of +20%, (approximately 500 calories).
When you’re eating a surplus, your body will be able to use the extra energy (carbohydrate, protein and fat) to train harder and build muscle. An increase in calories goes hand-in-hand with an increase in muscle mass – but only if you eat the right food, i.e. packing in the protein.
Some nutritional information
Hydration
When you’re bulking, you’ll need to keep yourself well hydrated. 1.5 – 2 litres per day or 6-8 glasses of water. To increase your caloric intake, you could also drink milk for additional protein – a perfect evening drink before bed to keep that protein synthesis in the black. You could consider a product such as Micellar Casein, for a tasty slow releasing protein powder. Fruit juices can add extra sugar which can be useful post-workout, but limit this to once or twice per week.
Carbohydrate
Unlike a cut, where you need to cut down on carbohydrates, those on a bulk can and should enjoy plenty of carbs. Hence, the harder you can train, the more likely you are to build mass. Stick to wholegrains as opposed to processed refined carbs which quickly spike blood sugar and can be stored as fat.
However, post-training simple carbohydrates are useful. They quickly spike insulin levels – and insulin increases protein synthesis and decreases muscle breakdown.
Protein
Protein is the key nutrient when it comes to bulking transformations, as it’s the nutrient responsible for supporting lean muscle development. On a bulk, every meal should contain protein and you should aim for 2g per kg of bodyweight per day.
Fat
Time to debunk the fat myth! Fat is energy dense and should be a firm part of your diet. It goes without saying of course, to limit the saturated or trans fat but bulk out the healthy fats – if you don’t already, grab for the peanut butter, nuts, avocado, coconut oil, oily fish.
Supplements
On a bulk, it can be tough to eat the excess calories when you don’t have an appetite. Thankfully, there are certain supplements that make life far easier. Mass gainers such as Progain or Progain Extreme can be just the support you need, as they can add calories to your diet without the need to force down a meal.
Creatine is another great supplement and is suited to our 4-week bulk. Your first week is a loading phase and the following 3 are ‘maintenance.’ Creatine helps aid short bursts of high intensity exercise, which means you can lift a little harder, which in turn increases hypertrophy. Creatine monohydrate could be added to any drink, such as a fruit juice or protein shake.
Meal Frequency
One of the fastest ways to increase mass is to increase the frequency of your meals. It’s easy to stomach and enjoy six to eight small meals per day than it is to pack all your calories into three. Eat more, more often, that’s the key to packing on the bulk!
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Budget Fitness 