How to Build Muscle (Bulk) Fast
Bulking is the process of consuming excess calories to fuel the growth of new muscle.
Bulking is very popular in the bodybuilding community with competitors going through a bulking phase followed by a cutting phase to shed excess fat and reveal newly gained muscle.
There are two main ways to bulk:
Clean bulking
A clean bulk is when you consume enough healthy foods to maintain a caloric surplus. The goal of a clean bulk is to focus on the nutrients needed for muscle growth and the maintenance of your health in general. This method of bulking is often utilized by athletes who can’t afford to gain too much fat when attempting to grow muscle.
Typically a clean bulking diet will be moderate fat with moderate to high carbs and protein. In many ways, a clean bulking diet is similar to a cutting diet. The only difference is that you will be in a 5-15% calorie surplus rather than a deficit to gain weight.
In short, bulking requires a calorie surplus – eating more calories than you burn. The aim of the game is to gain weight in the form of muscle or fat, alongside high-intensity resistance training to rocket gains.
A clean bulk – often referred to as a lean bulk – means paying close attention to your calorie surplus to avoid gaining excessive fat.
While many may think that bulking up means eating anything and everything, during a clean bulk it’s all about limiting calorific junk food to promote lean muscle growth.
But is a clean bulk for everyone? Probably not, since the weight gain during a clean bulk can be slower than other bulking methods.
Dirty bulking
A dirty bulk is when you maintain a caloric surplus from foods that you wouldn’t normally consume during a cut. Dirty bulks are often used as an excuse to indulge in highly caloric foods such as cakes, ice cream and alcohol. This isn’t recommended as it could lead to severe health consequences.
Implemented correctly, a dirty bulk will provide you with all the nutrients needed for growth, with the added incentive of being less restrictive with your food choices. However, a dirty bulk will inevitably lead to a higher amount of fat being gained versus a clean bulk.
Although weight loss is usually the common goal, many of us are more interested in gaining weight for more specific reasons.
In the bodybuilding world, gaining weight is typically achieved through a dirty bulk.
Sure, you’ve probably heard of the term “bulking up” but what does dirty bulking really mean?
We take a look at how a calorie surplus diet really works in the world of dirty bulking.
How does bulking work?
To increase your weight (with fat or muscle) you must supply your body with more energy (as calories) than it needs to maintain your current weight. Around 25-40% of these calories must come from protein to provide your body with the amino acids needed for muscle growth. You will also need to apply some form of progressive overload to your muscles (such as weight training) to promote that growth.
The combination of energy, protein and overload will lead to muscle hypertrophy (otherwise known as gains). However, if you just eat in a caloric surplus without applying the necessary resistance training, the surplus calories will be stored as fat. Ideally, you want to minimise how much fat you gain during a bulk because the less fat you gain, the less time you need to spend cutting afterwards.
Bulking supplements
Your primary focus for bulking should be to consume a surplus of healthy calories in conjunction with training with a progressive overload. But if you’re looking for that competitive edge to get the best results, we recommend the following.
- Some form of isolated protein powder to promote regular muscle protein synthesis. Where possible you should get your protein from food, but a protein isolate is a convenient way to ensure you are meeting your daily protein goals.
- Creatine Monohydrate is a tried and tested supplement that causes your muscle cells to store more water, making your muscles appear fuller and larger without bloating. It also helps you to lift heavier weight at more volume thanks to a reduction of lactic acid in your muscles.
- Natural bulking supplements such as DBULK and TBULK that mimic the benefits of anabolic steroids without the risks and side effects. This includes being able to rapidly gain extra lean muscle mass while torching fat at the same time. Perfect if you want to reduce the dreaded cutting phase after your bulk.
