The Ultimate Guide To BULKING - Want To Build Muscle? READ THIS!

p r e s e n t s

B U L K I N G





Intro

Hello HF. It's time for the winter arc, which means it is time to BULK. Step up your workout game, get used to pain in the gym, up your calorie intake and put some muscles on!
The term bulking is a phrase used in bodybuilding where you progressively increase your muscle-mass by having a caloric surplus and more intense workout sessions over time. Basically you are consuming more calories than your body is burning it. This phase is typically followed by a "cutting" phase to shed excess fat and reveal muscle definition (which I will go over in a separate thread). Whether you're looking to enhance performance or want to sculpt their physique, bulking will most certainly help you reach your goes. Make no mistake, bulking isn't just about eating more, you need to carefully plan how much calories your body needs, what foods to eat and what to avoid, how to plan your workouts, understanding your body and making the best possible decisions in order to best serve your body and get the most out of this phase, maximizing muscle growth and minimizing fat gain.



Understanding Bulking

In order to grow muscles, they need to go into hypertrophy. It occurs when your muscle fibers repair and grow back after being torn and broken down during your workouts. As I said, this process requires a caloric surplus and adequate training, as well as consuming the correct ratio of macronutrients. The quality and quantity of your caloric intake are crucial for a successful bulking phase.
You need to understand macronutrients. There are divided in 3: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Protein is the building block of muscle, and you should aim to consume around 2-2.5 grams of muscle per kg of bodyweight. Carbohydrates play the role of fueling your workouts and helping your body recover from the gym, while fats support overall health and hormone production.



Calculate Your Needs

Not everyone is the same, and a plan that works for others might not work for you. Genes, your height and current weight, and other health factors play a significant role in how much calories and macronutrient ratio you should have.
Below I will link a helpful tool that will help you determine how much calories you should take based on your current status, and a bunch of other helpful tips.
Bulking & Macro Ratio Calculator




Time To Put In The Work!

Now that you know how much calories you need to eat to get those gains, it's time to put in the work! Starting is always the hardest part here. Your first days, weeks, in some cases even months CAN and WILL suck. You will hate working out, you will hate being sore, you will hate having to put in an extra hour or two daily to work on yourself. Trust me, soon you will see results and you will struggle to take a rest day!

Now, you can start in the gym, or you can start at home. If you are like me, you won't like going to the gym. Maybe you don't like being around people, maybe you don't want to pay that much for a membership, maybe the gym is far away, maybe you're afraid people will judge your form... well, they won't. The gym is a non-judgement zone and every gym rat you see there was once a skinny kid just starting! Even if you choose starting out at home, it's not that hard. You don't need all the machines to get gains. Some of the basics that you will need are weights (if new ones are too expensive for you, just search for used ones on craigslist or your local marketplace), a bench chair (trust me, a lot of workouts are going to be a lot easier to execute as you can aim to isolate a particular muscle group and do the exercise more effectively) and maybe some resistance bands. I recommend having both dumbbells and barbells. As I said, the first period will most likely suck, so let's do something about that. If you are going to spend a few hours working on yourself, you might as well make sure your environment is enjoyable. If you are starting at home, a good pair of headphones or speakers with loud, motivational music is a god-send! You will be able to tolerate pain better and get some extra reps in. I've also got some cool LED lights around and motivational posters, so I am actually looking forward to working out everyday in my little home gym, as it's the only time I feel alive (yes, I've started to love working out THAT much).

Depending on your current physique and form, choose your starting weight. Don't be embarrassed if it's 5kg/11lbs. We all started from scratch once, you will be stronger soon. I always recommend having a light workout session for the muscle group you will be doing that day, before moving on to heavier weights to avoid injuries. Aim for PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD. Some people increase the weight they're lifting after 1 week, some after 2 weeks, some after a month. Go at your own pace. How to know when it's time to level up? Always aim for 3 sets and 6-12 reps of the exercise you're doing. If you started with 6 reps, then increase to 8 reps the next week, and 10 the next week. After you've perfected your form and you feel like it's too easy to lift, increase your weights by 1kg-5kg/2.2lbs-11lbs. Rinse and repeat.


Do Not Dirty Bulk

Just because you have to be in a caloric surplus doesn't mean you get to eat whatever you want, no matter how tempting it is. A correct macro ratio is crucial, and we've always established that. A dirty bulk involves eating a big amount of food, disregarding the quality of it. While it is definitely easier, it has negative side effects, such as unwanted fat gain, health issues, overall well being, and a harder and longer cutting phase. Stay disciplined and focused. Quality foods don't necessarily mean it is more expensive. Plan wisely and meal prep, buy in bulk, and watch out for discounts.



Best Foods For Bulking

Protein Sources

Chicken, red meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, protein powders, beans, peas, greek yoghurt..

Carbohydrate Sources

Rice, pasta, oats, quinoa, potatoes, bananas, whole grains...

Fat Sources

Peanuts, avocados, olive oil, nuts, salmon...



Outro

That's it. Bulking is an essential phase for everyone looking to put on some serious muscle weight and get bigger and stronger. It is important to do it correctly and never stop learning so you do it the right way and so that your cutting phase will be easier. Focus on healthy nutrient-dense foods, don't sleep on supplements, avoid dirty bulking and you will without doubt make great progress! It's all in the mindset - eat smart and train hard!
Here is a guide on supplementation I made that you might find helpful, and also one on boosting your testosterone naturally, which will boost your progress!

Supplementation Guide
Boost Testosterone

As always, shoot me a message if you need help! <3