5 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Gaining Muscle

Summary

In this video, the speaker addresses common mistakes in fitness, focusing on unrealistic bulking and cutting cycles. They critique the typical approach of bulking in winter and cutting in summer, advocating for more balanced strategies across all seasons. Emphasizing the dangers of extreme weight gain, the speaker warns against 'dreamer bulking,' which leads to excess fat, more fat cells, and tough cutting phases. They recommend a controlled approach to bulking, suggesting a 10-15 lb gain limit to avoid long-term struggles like loose skin. Personal experience is shared, highlighting the importance of sustainable fitness practices.

Takeaways

• 😀 Avoid the common mistake of only focusing on winter bulking and summer cutting. Incorporate spring and fall into your fitness cycle.
• 😀 The real approach is to cut before summer, not during. Spring is the time for a longer cut, while fall can be a mix of mini bulks and cuts.
• 😀 Plan mini cuts and mini bulks throughout the year based on your lifestyle and events, like summer parties and boat trips.
• 😀 Dreamer bulking is the mistake of gaining excessive weight in hopes of cutting it down later, often inspired by bodybuilders. This can backfire.
• 😀 Gaining too much fat can lead to an increase in fat cells, making fat loss more difficult and painful later on.
• 😀 When fat cells become too large, they can multiply, leading to an even harder cut and more fat loss fatigue.
• 😀 After extreme fat gain and subsequent cutting, you may experience bloating, making you feel much heavier than you actually are.
• 😀 Excessive bulking can result in loose skin, especially if you've gained a significant amount of weight and later lose it too quickly.
• 😀 Limit your bulking phase to no more than 15 pounds of tissue gain to avoid fat storage issues and excessive loose skin.
• 😀 Track your weight carefully during a bulk. Don’t worry about initial weight fluctuations due to water retention, but aim for gradual weight gain over time.
• 😀 After gaining 10-15 pounds during a bulk, stop and switch to maintenance or a cut. Avoid the dreamer bulk approach to prevent future struggles with fat loss and skin issues.

Q & A

What does the speaker think about the common approach of 'winter bulk, summer cut'?

The speaker criticizes this approach, pointing out that it ignores the other two seasons—spring and fall. They suggest adjusting bulking and cutting cycles throughout the year, with a focus on longer cuts in spring and mini bulks or cuts during the summer.

What is 'dreamer bulking' and why is it problematic?

Dreamer bulking is when someone sets an unrealistic weight goal based on bodybuilders they admire, like aiming to weigh 250 pounds when they are currently much lighter. The problem with this approach is that it often leads to excessive fat gain, making it difficult to cut later and leading to challenges like increased fat cells and loose skin.

How does excessive bulking affect fat cells?

Excessive bulking leads to the enlargement of fat cells. When fat gain exceeds a certain threshold, fat cells can multiply. This means that when cutting later, the individual has more fat cells to shrink, making the process harder and causing more hunger, fatigue, and difficulty in fat loss.

What are the consequences of having too many fat cells after excessive bulking?

Having more fat cells means that during a fat loss phase, the body experiences higher hunger signals and more energy expenditure challenges. Each of the additional fat cells needs to shrink, which increases the difficulty of getting lean and often leads to bloating and fatigue.

What did the speaker personally experience after extreme bulking?

The speaker shares that after bulking significantly in college, they ended up gaining weight excessively. They faced challenges like loose skin, which required skin removal surgery. This was a result of the extreme bulking and cutting cycle they underwent during their college years.

How can bulking be done in a healthier and more sustainable way?

Bulking should be done conservatively, with a target of gaining no more than 10-15 pounds of total tissue (muscle and fat). After a cut, the speaker recommends waiting at least a week to track weight gain, then limiting the overall bulk to 15 pounds above the starting weight before transitioning to maintenance or a cut.

Why is it important to avoid gaining excessive fat during bulking?

Gaining excessive fat during bulking can lead to increased fat cell multiplication, making fat loss much harder later on. It can also result in bloating, hunger, and fatigue during the cut, as well as potential loose skin, which can require surgery to remove.

What is the recommended approach to bulking and cutting throughout the year?

The speaker suggests a balanced approach, where mini bulks and mini cuts are performed during the fall and summer months. In the spring, longer cuts should be done, with maintenance or slight bulking during the summer. This way, the body stays in a manageable state without excessive fat gain.

How does the speaker advise dealing with the challenges of cutting after bulking?

The speaker advises limiting bulking to a reasonable amount (10-15 pounds), followed by a maintenance period to reduce fatigue. Afterward, a cut should be performed to get back to a lean body fat percentage. This prevents the difficulties associated with extreme weight fluctuations, such as loose skin or bloating.

What can happen to the skin when someone gains weight rapidly?

When someone gains weight rapidly, their skin stretches to accommodate the increased size. However, when the weight is lost, the skin may not fully return to its original shape, leading to loose skin. The speaker personally experienced this and had to undergo skin removal surgery to address the issue.