Extra calories on lifting days?

Why are you running if you are bulking?

I'm running just to maintain cardio fitness so I can keep up with my kids.

my cardiovascular fitness improved from doing heavy squats and no other cardio at all.


the squats must be with a heavy enough weight that it leaves you as out of breath as HIIT type sprinting would... it taxes the cardiovascular system in the same way (i.e. building up a huge oxygen debt, then the cardiovascular system works overtime to get oxygen to the muscles to get rid of all the lactic acid after you stop exercising)

if you're bulking, this is what you want to be doing. If you're a beginner, you'll be doing heavy squats 3x a week (full body workout 3x a week is optimal for beginners) - if you're a more advanced lifter and so are not squatting so often (or doing any other heavy lift that has the same effect on the cardiovascular system), then maybe HIIT workouts for the cardio fitness are necessary a couple of times a week max.

well. number one thing.

get it out of your head you're going to add 15 pounds of muscle and no fat. It's just not going to happen.

secondly
running and trying to bulk is hard. You're mostly just adding extra food to your diet when it can be difficult to get it all in just from lifting.

three- clean bulking is practically a waste of time.

four- what's your maintenance level for calories?

typically for men you're looking at a 4-500 calorie surplus on top of maintenance calories.

If you do TDEE_ you not eat back.

If you do MFP way- then you eat back- if you are losing- only eat bcak 50-75% of your workout calories- if you are bulking- eat back all of them... if not more.

remember as you gain- the surplus must also go up... I jumped from 2500- to 3000 over siz months and honestly should have been eating closer to 3500 if not more.

How do you know OP can't add 15 lbs of muscle? Do you know his / her age, background or anything about them? Why do you think clean bulking is a waste of time? I disagree with that totally except for brand new beginner lifters who are very skinny. I would only recommend a 'dirty' bulk for teens or very skinny newbs.

I feel like you're trying to argue semantics just for the sake of arguing. You and I both know recomp is horribly slow and inefficient and bulking will come with fat gains outside of a few exceptions. It's not a good idea to perpetuate the thought that you can gain a great deal of muscle without gaining some fat. I'ts a reality- if you want to gain appreciable muscle- you're going to need to fuel and eat at a surplus- and that will come with fat gains.

You're right- if he is a teen- he is going to have great gains with minimal fat. But the reality is muscle growth is hard and requires fat gain with few exceptions. But he's not. so stop picking.

as far as the clean thing- first of all I don't believe in clean/dirty food. Therefor I do not ascribe those adjectives to bulking or cutting... and traditionally
Clean bulk =/= eating chicken and broccoli none stop and "clean".
it means this:
Clean bulk = min/moderate surplus trying to maximize muscle with minimal muscle gains.
dirty bulk = huge surplus- little to no regard to fat gains. Most people rarely go this route.

Specifically why do I think its' a waste? because calories are king- get your macros close and just fill out your day to hit calories. Perfect macros mean absolutely diddley if you don't go over maintenance.

gummy bears- pb and j- milk- pizza- sushi with oodles of rice- ice cream- bagels- cheese- what ever it takes to round out your day and not leave you feeling like you can't eat for the next three weeks.

Calorie dense- low volume foods are great for bulking.



I'm not wrong- could I have been more clear? sure- but I'm not wrong. You're arguing just to argue- it's the end of the week on a Friday- no need for attitude. Want to round out my day without an internet fight- just a waste of time and doesn't help anyone- just want to get my lifts on and do some running and throw back some beersies.