Bulking vs Main-Gaining

sal10851

Bulk at your own risk. Coach Greg is IFBB pro. Don't believe me maybe you will believe a professional with a master's degree in kinesiology.

https://youtu.be/DjEnkzhz5T4

sardelsa

It sounds like he is referring to what's known as dirty bulking. When I do it I'm not gaining so much and becoming obese over here, geez I'm gaining like 10-15lbs over the course of 5-8 months. My bodyfat goes up a bit but I keep it under 25% (or so just an estimate). I tried the recomp thing, it was ok and worked a bit but I know it's not going to take me where I need to go.

For example I started off 120lbs (at 5'7"). I looked like a wet noodle. After 3 bulk cycles I ended at 132-135lbs. There is no way I could have done that by maintaining my weight/recomping.



You can argue with my results all you want.

That all being I don't think the majority of people need to gain weight or bulk to see progress. If you have certain specific physique goals or plan on competing then it's great. But you want to do it right not get sloppy. I'm pretty sure that Greg there had to gain weight and run bulk cycles to get where he is now.

Side note, does anyone else think he sounds like Gilbert Gottfried? Hehe I love that guy he's the best.

psuLemon

So let's also be completely transparent. Greg didn't get to his body by main-gaining or body recomposition. He got there through traditional bulks (bodybuidling) and drugs. Also his discussions is completely theoretical. Body recomposition has it's purpose and is beneficial for some people. But it's not for those who have timelines and who struggle with being very consistent (like most dedicated bodybuilders).

Also, if you think posting a single video is going to make your point vs people who have been doing for a long time and have continuously researched various view points is rather short sighted. Maybe look up Martin Berkhan and his lean gains protocol. Look at people like Jeff Nippard, Dr. Layne Norton, Dr. Brad Schoenfeld, Dr. Eric Helms, Menno Henselmans and etc... you will see various methods and all have valid points. All of these guys are pro bodybuilders as well.

errollmaclean

There's no need to rebrand recomp as "main-gaining". It already exists. Gotta love the fitness industry always trying to find an angle to sell.

The reason to do a bulk instead of a recomp is to maximize muscle gain. Also there is not just a single "bulk" that he talks about as force feeding yourself. Bulking is a strategy of raising your calories above maintenance. That can mean anything from 100 - 500 or whatever the person decides will fit their goals. Same with cutting. Yeah a huge deficit will mean more muscle loss, but again, cutting just means lower than maintenance calories. You can slowly cut after a bulk.

So he's just talking extremes (strawmen) to make his point. If you're going to follow fitness Guru's, try to find one that refers to actual scientific studies. Or at least read a wider breadth of information on the topic so you can get a balanced view, not one guys clickbait video.

Personally I don't use bulk cycles, but that's just what works for me and my goals. I know I'm trading less gains for not having to cut. That's just what I prefer.

Diatonic12

First glance, I saw mansplaining.

cupcakesandproteinshakes

I wonder if we might have a terminology problem with the word “bulk”

You can achieve some muscle gain with both methods - bulk and recomping.

None of the regular posters on this forum are talking about gaining a lot of weight quickly when they speak of bulking ( dirty bulking).

We all have enough knowledge to know that dirty bulking comes with excessive fat gain.

Most/ all of us follow reputable science based programming and are intelligent people who can analyse content on the internet and make up our own minds.

Maybe if we called it something else then you would stop posting this video OP.

“ Conservative mass gaining phase” perhaps?

We aren’t all eating like *kitten* when we bulk the s all I’m trying to say.

watts6151

Greg got put in his place by Dr Mike who tbh seemed bored talking with Greg

https://youtu.be/VRMpfmR1aYw

GaryRuns

watts6151 wrote: »

Greg got put in his place by Dr Mike who tbh seemed bored talking with Greg

<snip video link>

Israetel has some great information and I watch a lot of the RP stuff, but he came off as a condescending *kitten* in that exchange and Greg came off as a reasonable, humble, person, surprisingly. I saw a subsequent video where Israetel expressed regret at how he behaved during that exchange with Greg. Greg has done some low stuff himself, but Israetel sinking to Greg's level didn't serve him well.

That said, people need to remember that Greg has shifted his focus from giving reasoned fitness advice to getting youtube hits and being entertaining. If you look at some of his older stuff there's a lot less yelling and a lot more useful information. I do watch Greg, but for entertainment, not for real knowledge about resistance training.

Silkysausage

sardelsa wrote: »

It sounds like he is referring to what's known as dirty bulking. When I do it I'm not gaining so much and becoming obese over here, geez I'm gaining like 10-15lbs over the course of 5-8 months. My bodyfat goes up a bit but I keep it under 25% (or so just an estimate). I tried the recomp thing, it was ok and worked a bit but I know it's not going to take me where I need to go.

For example I started off 120lbs (at 5'7"). I looked like a wet noodle. After 3 bulk cycles I ended at 132-135lbs. There is no way I could have done that by maintaining my weight/recomping.



You can argue with my results all you want.

That all being I don't think the majority of people need to gain weight or bulk to see progress. If you have certain specific physique goals or plan on competing then it's great. But you want to do it right not get sloppy. I'm pretty sure that Greg there had to gain weight and run bulk cycles to get where he is now.

Side note, does anyone else think he sounds like Gilbert Gottfried? Hehe I love that guy he's the best.

So true Steph, I tried maingaining but it went nowhere. I was virtually slapped into bulking 🥴

QEberhardt

Greg has some solid ideas. I don't agree with everything but I think he takes a good approach to diet and basic training philosophy. At the end of the day tho greg is mainly an entertainer so even tho his advice tends to be good it is often buried under fitness industry videos.

shirazum2023

@sardelsa I just stumbled upon this post and I realized I look like a wet noodle and I was trying to recomp. Only 6 weeks but my weight is just decreasing. I started at 104-105 lbs and now at 99 lbs and I kind of look a malnourished midget now. Only some newbie bicep muscles because I feel my biceps take over when I am fatigued. Sad

sardelsa

@shirazum2023 not sure what your stats are but if you are losing and you want to maintain, add some extra calories to your day. A small snack or smoothie, increase a portion.

Also we all start somewhere! Rather than focus on the negative aspects and using those words to describe yourself, focus on the positives and your own progress. A little self criticism is ok but remember how amazing you are.

Take it day by day. Building muscle can take months, years or more. Try to enjoy the process and enjoy all the small victories you achieve, for example getting 2 workouts in a week vs. one (or none), an extra rep or increase in weight on a lift, the hint of a new muscle popping, being able to do a pushup, it could be anything.