Best Bulking Strategies for Maximum Muscle Gain

Summary

Dr. Mike discusses intentional weight gain for muscle building, emphasizing the benefits of a zigzag approach to cutting and bulking for a lean physique. He advises against bulking for beginners and those uncomfortable with weight gain, recommending a moderate rate of 0.5 to 1 pound per week. Dr. Mike also addresses training fatigue, the importance of macronutrients, and the role of clean versus dirty bulking, concluding with tips for overcoming a lack of appetite during bulking phases.

Takeaways

• 💪 Intentional weight gain can help achieve a lean physique faster by using nutritional tools like a hypocaloric diet for fat loss and a hypercaloric diet for muscle gain.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Zigzagging between cutting and bulking phases can lead to more efficient muscle growth and a leaner physique than maintaining the same weight.
• 🚫 Beginners and those uncomfortable with gaining weight should avoid bulking and focus on maintenance and fat loss first.
• 📈 Aim for a moderate weight gain of 0.5 to 1 pound (or 0.25 to 0.5 kg) per week during the mass gaining phase to minimize fat gain.
• 🔄 Bulking should be limited to 12 to 16 weeks to prevent training fatigue and maintain effective workouts.
• 🍽️ A bulking diet should primarily consist of healthy foods for optimal macronutrient balance, with occasional indulgences to maintain motivation.
• 🍗 Clean bulking is recommended, but incorporating some 'dirty' foods in moderation can be beneficial for adherence and enjoyment.
• ⏰ Timing is crucial for cutting fat off; wait at least 4 weeks to allow muscle gains to stabilize before starting a fat loss phase.
• 🏃‍♂️ After a massing phase, an active rest phase and maintenance training can help reset the body and prepare for a fat loss phase.
• 🥤 Mass gainer shakes can be useful for easily increasing calorie and protein intake, especially post-workout, but they are not essential for muscle growth.
• 🍰 If hunger decreases during bulking, try enhancing food flavors, increasing dietary fats, or incorporating cheat meals to maintain calorie intake.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is about intentional weight gain, specifically mass gaining mysteries, and how to approach it effectively for muscle growth.

What are the two powerful weapons mentioned for achieving a lean physique?

The two powerful weapons mentioned for achieving a lean physique are a hypocaloric diet for burning fat faster and a hypercaloric diet for gaining muscle mass more quickly.

Why is it suggested to zigzag between cutting and bulking rather than just maintaining the same weight?

Zigzagging between cutting and bulking is suggested because it allows for faster progress towards a lean physique by alternating between losing fat and gaining muscle, rather than slowly recompiling at a constant weight.

Who should consider intentional bulking according to the script?

People who are well trained, relatively lean, and want to put on as much muscle mass as possible over the long term should consider intentional bulking.

Who should avoid bulking according to the video script?

Those who are not comfortable with the idea of gaining weight psychologically, and beginners who are new to training and dieting should avoid bulking.

What is the recommended rate of weight gain during the mass gaining phase?

The recommended rate of weight gain during the mass gaining phase is between half a pound to a pound per week.

Why is it not advisable to bulk for a very long time without breaks?

Bulging for a very long time without breaks is not advisable because it can lead to training fatigue, where the body becomes desensitized to training and cannot train hard reliably, which hinders muscle growth.

What is the difference between clean and dirty bulking, and which is recommended in the script?

Clean bulking involves eating mostly healthy foods with good macronutrient balance, while dirty bulking involves consuming more junk food. The script recommends a mostly clean bulking approach with the occasional inclusion of some 'dirty' foods.

When should one start cutting off the fat gained during the bulking phase?

One should start cutting off the fat after at least four weeks of bulking, ideally more like eight, twelve, or sixteen weeks, when training starts to fall apart due to desensitization or being too beat up.

What is the role of Mass Gainer shakes in the context of the video script?

Mass Gainer shakes are not necessary but can be useful for those who find it difficult to consume enough calories and nutrients through whole foods alone, especially after a hard training session.

What are some strategies to deal with a lack of hunger while trying to gain weight?

Strategies to deal with a lack of hunger include making food tastier, increasing dietary fats, having weekly cheat meals, using Mass Gainer shakes, and understanding that a fat loss phase may be necessary if hunger does not return.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Intentional Weight Gain for Muscle Mass

Dr. Mike discusses the concept of intentional weight gain for muscle mass, explaining that while it's possible to gain muscle without it, using a zigzag approach of cutting and bulking can accelerate the process. He emphasizes the importance of nutrition, particularly the use of hypocaloric and hypercaloric diets, to achieve a lean physique. He also advises against bulking for those who are not comfortable with gaining weight or for beginners who can benefit more from consistent training and diet without the pressure of bulking.

05:01

📈 Optimal Rate and Duration of Bulking

This paragraph delves into the specifics of how fast and for how long one should bulk. Dr. Mike suggests a rate of gaining half a pound to a pound per week to avoid excessive fat gain. He also touches on the importance of not bulking for too long to prevent training fatigue, which can hinder progress. The ideal duration for a bulking phase is suggested to be around 12 to 16 weeks, after which an active rest phase or maintenance phase should be considered.

10:01

🍽️ Clean vs. Dirty Bulking and When to Cut

Dr. Mike addresses the myth of clean versus dirty bulking, stating that while food composition is important for health, it's less critical for body composition. He advocates for a mostly clean bulk with occasional indulgences. He also discusses the timing of cutting fat off during a bulk, recommending to wait at least four weeks to allow muscle gains to solidify, and suggests an active rest phase and maintenance training before starting a fat loss phase.

🥤 The Role of Mass Gainer Shakes and Overcoming Lack of Appetite

In this paragraph, Dr. Mike talks about the role of mass gainer shakes in a bulking regimen, highlighting their convenience post-workout and for those who struggle with appetite. He dispels the myth that mass gainers are magical for muscle growth and emphasizes the importance of overall diet and training. He also provides tips for those who can't eat enough to continue gaining, such as enhancing food flavor, increasing dietary fats, and incorporating cheat meals.

Keywords

💡Intentional Weight Gain

Intentional weight gain refers to the deliberate process of increasing body mass through a combination of muscle growth and fat accumulation. In the context of the video, it is a strategic approach to physique transformation, allowing individuals to utilize the power of nutritional interventions such as hypocaloric diets for fat loss and hypercaloric diets for muscle gain. The script mentions that instead of maintaining a constant weight and slowly becoming more muscular, one can 'zigzag' through cycles of cutting and bulking to achieve a lean physique more quickly.

💡Hypercaloric Diet

A hypercaloric diet is one that exceeds the body's energy expenditure, resulting in a positive energy balance and typically leading to weight gain. The video emphasizes its importance as a tool for putting on muscle mass faster than would be possible by simply eating at maintenance levels. Dr. Mike suggests that using a hypercaloric diet during intentional bulking phases can significantly accelerate muscle growth.

💡Zigzag Method

The zigzag method is a body recomposition strategy that involves alternating between periods of fat loss (cutting) and muscle gain (bulking). The video script describes this method as a way to achieve a leaner physique more rapidly than by maintaining a constant weight. It allows for the shedding of fat while simultaneously building muscle, creating a 'zigzag' pattern of weight and body composition changes over time.

💡Bulking

Bulking is the process of intentionally gaining weight to build muscle mass, often through a combination of increased calorie intake and resistance training. In the script, Dr. Mike explains that bulking is suitable for well-trained, relatively lean individuals who wish to maximize muscle growth over the long term. However, he also advises against bulking for beginners or those uncomfortable with the idea of gaining weight.

💡Training Fatigue

Training fatigue refers to the accumulated physical and mental exhaustion that can result from prolonged periods of intense exercise. The video mentions that after about 12 to 16 weeks of hard training coupled with bulking, individuals may experience training fatigue, which can hinder their ability to continue making progress. Recognizing when to end a bulking phase based on training fatigue is crucial to avoid diminishing returns and potential injury.

💡Clean Bulking

Clean bulking is a type of bulking that emphasizes the consumption of nutrient-dense, whole foods rather than relying on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. The video script explains that while it is possible to gain muscle on a diet of 'dirty' or junk foods, clean bulking is more effective for achieving optimal macronutrient balance, supporting training performance, and maintaining overall health.

💡Dirty Bulking

Dirty bulking, as opposed to clean bulking, involves consuming a higher proportion of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, such as fast food or junk food. The video script points out that while one can still gain muscle with dirty bulking, it is less effective due to the difficulty in achieving proper macronutrient ratios, which can negatively impact training performance and health.

💡Mass Gainer Shakes

Mass gainer shakes are high-calorie, high-protein supplements designed to help individuals struggling to meet their calorie and protein needs through whole foods alone. The video script suggests that while mass gainer shakes are not essential, they can be a convenient option for increasing calorie intake, especially after intense workouts or for those who find it difficult to eat large volumes of food.

💡Cheat Meals

Cheat meals are occasional indulgences in high-calorie, typically high-fat or high-sugar foods that are not part of a regular diet plan. The video mentions that incorporating cheat meals into a bulking regimen can help maintain motivation and make it easier to reach calorie goals, as long as they do not lead to excessive fat gain or negatively impact training.

💡Fat Loss Phase

A fat loss phase is a period of dieting focused on reducing body fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible. The video script explains that after a bulking phase, a fat loss phase is necessary to shed the excess fat gained during bulking. This phase typically lasts between four to eight weeks and is an essential part of the body recomposition cycle described in the video.

💡Appetite

Appetite refers to the natural desire for food and the body's internal signals indicating hunger. In the context of the video, having a high or low appetite can influence an individual's ability to gain weight, especially during bulking phases. Dr. Mike suggests strategies for dealing with a lack of appetite, such as enhancing food palatability, increasing dietary fats, and incorporating cheat meals or mass gainer shakes.

Highlights

Intentional weight gain can help achieve a lean physique faster by using a hypocaloric diet to burn fat and a hypercaloric diet to build muscle more quickly.

People who weigh less and are fatter can benefit from intentional weight gain to become leaner by zigzagging between cutting and bulking phases.

Intentional weight gain is also useful for those who cannot reach their desired size through regular eating and training alone.

Well-trained and relatively lean individuals should consider occasional bulking to maximize muscle mass over the long term.

People uncomfortable with gaining weight or beginners in training and dieting should avoid bulking initially.

The recommended rate of weight gain during a mass gaining phase is between 0.5 to 1 pound per week.

Gaining weight too quickly can lead to excessive fat gain, which is unhealthy and requires additional dieting to remove.

Bulking duration should be capped at around 12 to 16 weeks to avoid training fatigue and maintain effective training intensity.

Food composition is less critical for body composition than macronutrient balance, suggesting a mostly clean bulk with occasional treats.

A clean bulk should be the core of any muscle gaining plan, with the bulk of calories coming from healthy foods.

Incorporating cheat meals or mass gainer shakes can help with weight gain goals without significantly impacting overall progress.

The timing for cutting off fat gain should be after at least four weeks of bulking to ensure muscle retention.

An active rest phase and maintenance training can precede a fat loss phase to refresh the body and prepare for the next bulking phase.

Mass gainer shakes are not necessary but can be useful for easily consuming high-calorie, high-protein meals post-workout.

Strategies for dealing with lack of hunger during bulking include enhancing food flavor, increasing dietary fats, and incorporating cheat meals.

If hunger does not return after a fat loss phase, it may indicate the need for another cycle of bulking and cutting.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of a structured approach to bulking and cutting, comparing it to the Circle of Life.

Transcripts

hey folks Dr Mike here for Renaissance

periodization and today I have solved

every single Mass gaining mystery you

could ever wonder about just kidding but

I do have oh how many eight tips in part

one of this miniseries of mass gaining

Mysteries solved you want to put on mass

you want to get jacked you want to get

huge but you have a few questions don't

you worry I have a few answers we're

going to take the step by step first is

the question of what does intentional

weight gain actually help can't you main

gain your way or gain ttain your way to

whatever jacked physique you want kind

of but there's two things to say about

that if you weigh 150 lbs and you're a

little bit on the fatter side and you

want to be 150 lbs fucking chisel lean

that means you have to drop quite a bit

of fat but also gain quite a bit of

muscle you could do this just by staying

at 150 eating healthy and training and

slowly over time your body is be to

become more muscular and less fat but

that'll be a very long time because

you're not using the most powerful two

weapons that you have at your disposal

nutritionally a hypocaloric diet

intentionally eating less in order to

burn fat faster and a hypercaloric Diet

gaining in order to put on muscle much

faster so instead of just staying at 150

and letting recomposition take its

course which it will you can zigzag go

cut off some fat gain some muscle and

fat cut off some fat gain some muscle

and fat this zigzag will get you to that

lean physique at 150 lbs faster much

faster

than it will just to maintain the other

thing that intentional gaining helps is

it'll get you to a place where you

couldn't have gotten because you just

straight up weren't big enough and your

appetite couldn't get you there if your

appetite and you eating lots of food

whatever you want as long as it's got

protein in it training weights really

hard if your appetite gets you up to 170

pounds but won't budge you anymore how

the fuck are you supposed to weigh 180

and be 180 lbs jacked there's nobody on

this Earth that weighs 170 lb but is 180

jacked that's a contradiction in terms

and at some point being 180 just looks a

lot more impressive than being 170 and

that might be something you want how do

you get there well if you can't maintain

there you've got to intentionally bulk

to get there an intentional weight gain

gaining a little bit of weight each week

stuffing yourself a little bit with food

will get you to a place where just

eating and training won't big deal huge

deal has to be something we say now who

should not buy bulk who should bulk

people that are well trained that are

relatively lean or lean enough for them

and want to put on as much muscle mass

as possible over the long term should do

occasional periods of bulking to put on

that muscle who should not bulk I can

think of at least a few people one if

you're not comfortable with the idea of

gaining weight yet psychologically

Namaste no big deal chill out go through

periods of Maintenance and fat loss

until you're good with it and then maybe

you can bulk or you can never bulk the

other people are beginners people new to

training and new to dieting they're so

fresh they can benefit hugely from just

staying at the same body weight roughly

thereabouts not intentionally trying to

gain weight because they're so n to

training and so new to dieting they're

going to gain a ton of muscle not even

trying and then well not even trying to

bulk intentionally once they have gotten

very muscular they can take a little bit

of time to get lean and once they're

very lean and muscular training for two

or three years then they can do their

first intentional bulk you can always do

an intentional bulk sooner but you don't

have to so that intentional bulk may not

be for you give that some thought a lot

of times people start training and

dieting and a week later they're like

time to bulk and I'm like man you

started at 15% fat you could bulk to

where you're 18% fat and very muscular

in a few months what you could have just

done is just continued eating normal

high protein diet really training over a

couple months you would have come down

to 12 or 11% fat then when you bulked up

you'd just be bulked to 15 still quite

lean all of the benefits none of the

downsides of getting too fat so don't

rush into bulking if you are in that

position next how fast should you

gain it's tempting to try to gain as

fast as possible the problem is and

something most people know is that the

fraction of body fat you gain if you go

really quick is really gnarly it's

gaining fast is a good ticket to just

get really really fat which sucks

because you have to diet off the fat

it's not healthy for you it makes you

look like shit etc etc etc so what do

you do

instead I think that you should gain at

somewhere between half a pound to a

pound per week in the typical Mass

gaining phase half a pound to a pound

per week half a pound if you're on the

more fat phobic side if you're on the

smaller side if you're 130 PB girl half

a pound per week is great if you're on

the larger side you are okay with

putting on a bit of extra fat if you

means a little bit more muscle gaining

up to a pound a week is totally cool for

you kilo folks out in the rest of the

world 025 to 0.5 kilos a week here's the

thing just as a thought experiment a lot

of females have trouble with gaining G

weight they say I don't want to get fat

hold on a sec let's say it's a 12we

massing phase that's 3 months of of of

intentional weight gain that's a lot

you're going to gain a lot of muscle but

you're only doing half a pound per week

that's six pounds gained six pounds you

can lose in two or three weeks of fat

loss dieting right after if you don't

want to and it's barely notable body fat

wise on your physique half a pound per

week is a Great Clip and if you want to

go a bit faster up to a pound per week

is totally cool in most

cases Point number four how long should

you bulk for bulking for a long time is

not so determined by how much fat you

gain because you can actually bulk

successfully into a relatively high body

fat and everything goes well the number

one determinant of how to cap your

bulking phase your massing phase your

muscle gain phase is how much training

fatigue you accumulate after roughly 12

to 16 weeks of multiple Messa cycles of

hard training with bulking you're going

to run into a problem

the problem is your body is so

desensitized to training and so fucking

beat up that you can't train at your

hardest anymore reliably weak on week on

week and if you can't train very hard

anymore week on week on week why are you

bulking that's like you know sending a

rocket up to space you're like yeah I

think half the fuel's in there we should

get the rocket out of orbit uh are we

sure about that so what you want to do

is make sure that you bulk for as long

as you can or as long as you have

planned if it's 16 weeks if it's 20

weeks if it's 24 wherever your training

starts to fall apart take an active rest

phase take a maintenance phase reduce

your body's desensitization to

hypertrophy potentially do a fat loss

phase we'll talk about that in just a

bit and then start bulking again but

people say like oh I'm bulking for a

year straight no you're not you're not

going to train hard for a year straight

and if you are you're not training hard

enough week on week

anyway number five clean versus dirty

bulk this is a situation that is partly

mythical and won't die and just Bros on

Reddit keep talking about

it food composition is important to

health it's not so important to your

body composition you can eat exclusively

dirty Foods potato chips Etc and you'll

still gain roughly the same amount of

muscle and fat roughly the problem is

it's really hard to hit good macros

you'll have too many fats not enough

carbs your training will be shed if you

eat mostly junk Foods so the core of

every good muscle gaining plan should be

mostly healthy foods to give you really

really good macros lots of protein tons

of carbs and enough fats to keep you

going but not so much so much fat to

overwhelm digestion and and and reduce

the number of carbs and your pumps get

worse and all that other crap so clean

bulking is the core of every plan but is

it okay a few times a week to have a few

little goodies and junk food and some

cheat meals if it's going to help you

get to your weight gain goal and it's

not making you a fat slobbery mess 100%

so what I would say is if you say clean

bulking is over here dirty bulking is

over here somewhere right in this area

between clean and dirty bulking or

actually sorry dirty bulking is over

here right in this area closer to clean

bulking but a couple dirty stuff uh

things every now and again a couple

times a week is totally cool and

probably for most people the best way to

go so I would say this is not one of

those clean versus dirty it's mostly

clean but a little bit of dirty it's

like the

bedroom H I've never been in the bedroom

before in that respect so hypothetically

that analogy holds number six when do

you cut the fat off as you bulk almost

inevitably in most cases you will gain

some measure of muscle and some measure

of fat when is it time to start cutting

the fat off I'll tell you when it's not

time when it's been like 3 weeks and you

first start to notice you're a little

bit fatter and you're like fuck it I

need to cut you need to gain for at

least four weeks for most of that muscle

to stick around ideally more like eight

or 12 or 16 weeks

as soon as you hit that point where your

training isn't good anymore and you

can't push your massing phase any harder

because your body is desensitized of

training or you're too beat up in all of

your joints to keep going then you take

an active rest phase which is two weeks

of really easy training or no no

training at all you might take another

two to four weeks of Maintenance which

is training in sets of 5 to 10 very low

maintenance volume is about a third of

the volume third of the number of sets

you typically do maybe you typically

train six days a week you train Four

really cool the body off let it really

really settle really get sensitive

training again then what you can do

after is a fat loss phase to get rid of

pretty much all of the fat you gain

during the last massing phase and that

should take somewhere between four and

eight weeks in most cases like if you

did a 16we bulk an 8we fat loss diet

should absolutely take all the fat off

that you put on once you're finished

with that diet take a week of active

rest or something like that and get

right back into bulking no problem it'll

be really awesome if you take fat loss

phases more sparingly that's okay you'll

get great results but you'll get fatter

and fatter and fatter over time it just

means you'll have to do a really gnarly

series of fat loss phases one really

long one later and that's no fun so I

would recommend yeah every 12 to 16

weeks after massing phase is over if

you're interested in it another after

active rest and a little bit of

Maintenance training four to eight week

fat loss phase can really get you going

typically we call that a mini cut

especially if it's 3 to six weeks long

that's totally cool as well but some fat

loss face to get the fat off to get you

going again is a really good idea you

don't just want to become the Michelin

mat

eventually Point number seven do you

need Mass Gainer shakes no but you could

be in a position where a mass gainer

Shake is an easy way for you to get a

high carb high protein amount of

calories it's an excellent thing to take

after a really hard training session you

finish your training shake or you don't

have a training shake you get a mass

gain a shake going you take a shower you

relax you do whatever you work a little

bit then you get hungry you have your

first Whole Food meal a mask SK Shake is

also great because it's easy on the

stomach a lot of times after really hard

training you're not so hungry and if you

eat a ton of food you start wanting to

throw it up Mas Shake can be great if

that describes you absolutely consider a

masc or Shake but the idea that Maser

Shake is Magic and that it somehow if

you add it into your plan you're going

to just explode with new muscle that's

not the case it's not made of steroids

or some shit it's just food Blended and

refined down to be really easy to eat

that's the only magic it has for you

lastly what happens when you're just not

hungry enough to continue to gain you

can't eat the food I have a couple

suggestions one is to try to make your

food tastier flavor it better there's

tons of flavorings at the store tons of

recipes online you can do a good job if

your food is tastier you can generally

eat more of it another thing is to raise

your dietary fats a little bit if you're

trying to eat super clean you have 30

grams of fat per day and you're bulking

that's tough go up to 60 70 80 90 100

grams of fat per day and all of a sudden

your calories are way higher you're

gaining a ton that extra fat is get your

sex drive up and your training

motivation through the roof and all of a

sudden it's really great and it boosts

your calories a ton another thing is to

have a couple of weekly fun cheat meals

to help you get going mask Gainer shakes

are another option and at the end of the

day if all those things run their course

and eventually they will you won't be

hungry enough to hit your Surplus then

it's time for fat loss phase generally

speaking if you plan things out right if

you start nice and lean the beginning of

a muscle gain phase that phase takes 12

to 16 weeks and no more you'll get nice

and full at the end you do your recovery

period your active rest in your

maintenance and then when you drop down

and do your fat loss phase at the end of

that fat loss phase at the beginning

you're not hungry at all it's the

easiest fat loss phase ever at the end

of that fat loss phase seven or eight

weeks later you're going to be pretty

fucking lean and pretty fucking hungry

which potentiates you for another 12 to

16 weeks of massing Circle of Life Simba

rasa scar them hyenas all the

motherfuckers are there and speaking of

there I'll see you guys in a little bit

with part two of this series thank you

so much for tuning in see you

then