Bulking

KGTraxler

Can someone explain this concept to me? I don't really get what it means, how to do it, or when one should do it. Thanks for your help! :flowerforyou:

heybales

Bulking is putting on muscle by eating more than TDEE while doing a progressive overload lifting routine.

Since it's about impossible to figure out exactly how much more to eat to only add muscle, you add fat too.
That's where the "cut" term comes in, after a bulk, you cut hopefully just the fat.

It's a faster method than eating at maintenance and slowing doing a body recomp.

It can be done anytime, but the only time more muscle would be visible is when you have less bodyfat hiding it.
If it's because of needing to get muscle mass back that you've destroyed from bad diets, you could do it earlier, but when you have a lot of fat and just starting out, you actually have some months to gain muscle anyway.

Usually reserved for when you have less fat and you won't be able to gain muscle anymore while eating at deficit.
Doesn't have to be goal weight is reached, but if joints aren't going to be overloaded with extra 5-10 lbs, then having the extra muscle mass may be good for future success.

So you do a good full body compound lifting workout, where you would keep increasing the weight.
You eat about 500 calories extra day of and after lifting.

Simple as that.