Bulking the right way.
THREAD ⬇️
THREAD ⬇️
Posted a pic of me the other day on this current bulk at 240lbs, up from around 231lbs.
A lot of people keep asking me “How do you bulk without getting fat?”
First off, some fat gain is inevitable.
But there’s things we can do to make sure we’re doing it properly.
A lot of people keep asking me “How do you bulk without getting fat?”
First off, some fat gain is inevitable.
But there’s things we can do to make sure we’re doing it properly.
1) Adequate calorie surplus.
First things first, you need to be eating enough calories every day to fuel muscle growth.
Think of calories as the raw materials for your body to make this stuff happen. Without them, no building is gonna take place.
How many calories a day?
First things first, you need to be eating enough calories every day to fuel muscle growth.
Think of calories as the raw materials for your body to make this stuff happen. Without them, no building is gonna take place.
How many calories a day?
Find your maintenance and eat at around 250-500 calories a day over it.
Take me for example.
My maintenance is roughly 3700 cals a day. So I’m averaging around 4200 calories every single day.
Take me for example.
My maintenance is roughly 3700 cals a day. So I’m averaging around 4200 calories every single day.
This is enough of a surplus for us to ensure muscle gain can happen, without getting excessively fat.
I like to shoot for around 1% of body weight gain per month which will put you in a good spot.
I like to shoot for around 1% of body weight gain per month which will put you in a good spot.
2) Food quality.
There’s more to it than calories in and calories out if we wanna maximize our performance and health at the same time.
We wanna be eating whole foods and avoiding the pre packaged shit which is loaded with vegetable oils.
There’s more to it than calories in and calories out if we wanna maximize our performance and health at the same time.
We wanna be eating whole foods and avoiding the pre packaged shit which is loaded with vegetable oils.
Not only are you gonna feel better this way, you’re gonna avoid all the inflammation from the shit food and gut issues that come with it.
Plus your ass and toilet will thank you.
Majority of my meals are a meat/fish source with some rice/potatoes and veggies.
Plus your ass and toilet will thank you.
Majority of my meals are a meat/fish source with some rice/potatoes and veggies.
3) Macro breakdown.
Straight off the rip I like to set protein at 1g per pound of body weight. This is gonna cover all your bases in the protein department.
Then it’s about filling the rest of your calories with carbs/fats how you see fit.
Straight off the rip I like to set protein at 1g per pound of body weight. This is gonna cover all your bases in the protein department.
Then it’s about filling the rest of your calories with carbs/fats how you see fit.
I personally use a higher carb approach and eat upto 600g a day on certain training days (Deadlifts and squat days)
Carbs are also anabolic as fuck, so if you're trying to get as jacked and strong as possible, make sure you're eating enough daily carbs to fuel your training.
Carbs are also anabolic as fuck, so if you're trying to get as jacked and strong as possible, make sure you're eating enough daily carbs to fuel your training.
4) Training.
Now here I’m talking to all my natural lifters out there.
I don’t think bro splits are the optimal way to train as a natty if you’re trying to maximize hypertrophy and strength.
This is my experience and what I've seen with clients.
Now here I’m talking to all my natural lifters out there.
I don’t think bro splits are the optimal way to train as a natty if you’re trying to maximize hypertrophy and strength.
This is my experience and what I've seen with clients.
I like to hit each muscle group 2-3x per week with each muscle group acquiring a volume of 10-20 sets across the week.
This ensures higher set quality throughout the week for me and more technical exposure to the lifts.
This ensures higher set quality throughout the week for me and more technical exposure to the lifts.
So for example, I might hit 8 sets of quads on Monday and 6 sets of quads on Friday, leaving me with 14 overloading sets for quads at the end of the week.
Muscles like the pecs and upper back for me can handle a lot more volume than quads, so that’s something to consider.
Muscles like the pecs and upper back for me can handle a lot more volume than quads, so that’s something to consider.
Now what about training intensity?
I like to use something called reps in reserve (RIR) which basically means how many reps away from failure a given set may be.
All of my sets will fall in the 0-3 RIR range.
I like to use something called reps in reserve (RIR) which basically means how many reps away from failure a given set may be.
All of my sets will fall in the 0-3 RIR range.
I’ll start a 6 week block of training at 2-3 RIR and by the time week 6 comes along, I’m pushing failure on most of my sets.
This ensures we aren't overshooting early in a block and running into recovery issues, but also satisfying the law of progressive overload.
This ensures we aren't overshooting early in a block and running into recovery issues, but also satisfying the law of progressive overload.
How many reps to do?
Most of my sets fall within the 6-20 rep range when hypertrophy is the main goal.
The bigger compound lifts like the squat, bench and deadlift are gonna be in the 6-10 rep range.
Most of my sets fall within the 6-20 rep range when hypertrophy is the main goal.
The bigger compound lifts like the squat, bench and deadlift are gonna be in the 6-10 rep range.
Dumbbell and machine work tends to work well in the 10-20 rep range for me.
Main thing is that you’re training close to failure and training hard.
No time for junk volume bullshit.
Main thing is that you’re training close to failure and training hard.
No time for junk volume bullshit.
5) Beat the logbook.
This is something I’ve been doing for years with tracking my training.
Each session I'll look at my logbook and take a pic with my phone. So immediately before I enter the gym, I know what I’ve gotta beat from last week.
This is something I’ve been doing for years with tracking my training.
Each session I'll look at my logbook and take a pic with my phone. So immediately before I enter the gym, I know what I’ve gotta beat from last week.
It has to be something, an extra rep, an extra set, 2.5 more pounds on the bar or better movement quality.
Progressive overload is the number one rule of any successful program.
Avoid this and you’ll just be spinning your wheels for years on end like the majority do.
Progressive overload is the number one rule of any successful program.
Avoid this and you’ll just be spinning your wheels for years on end like the majority do.
6) Cardio.
No, cardio doesn't make you lose your gains.
It’s pivotal for optimal health and heart function.
Plus, it’s gonna help your overall work capacity for your training sessions.
This is one of the main things that helps keep conditioning when gaining weight.
No, cardio doesn't make you lose your gains.
It’s pivotal for optimal health and heart function.
Plus, it’s gonna help your overall work capacity for your training sessions.
This is one of the main things that helps keep conditioning when gaining weight.
Personally, I just walk a lot.
I hit a minimum of 10-15k steps every single day.
If you wanna throw in some HIIT go for it. Just make sure to not overdo it so it interferes with your weight training sessions and overall systemic recovery.
I hit a minimum of 10-15k steps every single day.
If you wanna throw in some HIIT go for it. Just make sure to not overdo it so it interferes with your weight training sessions and overall systemic recovery.
7) Recovery.
This point will sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s so fucking important when it come’s to building muscle.
We’ve spoken above about how important nutrition is.
But don’t forget about your 7-9 hours of high quality sleep every single night.
This point will sound like a broken record at this point, but it’s so fucking important when it come’s to building muscle.
We’ve spoken above about how important nutrition is.
But don’t forget about your 7-9 hours of high quality sleep every single night.
How to set yourself up for a good sleep?
-Appropriate room temperature.
-No electronics 1 hour before bed.
-Glycine and magnesium before bed.
-Read a book for 15-20 mins pre-bed.
-Dark room, use blackout curtains if needed.
-Go to bed and wake at the same time each day.
-Appropriate room temperature.
-No electronics 1 hour before bed.
-Glycine and magnesium before bed.
-Read a book for 15-20 mins pre-bed.
-Dark room, use blackout curtains if needed.
-Go to bed and wake at the same time each day.
Guarantee all of the above is gonna get you on the right path for gaining weight properly.
Hope you all enjoyed this thread.
Now go and get massive.
Hope you all enjoyed this thread.
Now go and get massive.
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