Bulk

As a bodybuilder you must know about bulking. It is a key aspect of being a good bodybuilder.

What Is Bulking? Steps, Diet, and More


Bulking is a term commonly thrown around by bodybuilders.

It generally refers to a progressive increase in the number of calories consumed beyond your body’s needs in combination with intense weight training.

Whereas some people claim that bulking is unhealthy, others insist that it’s a safe and effective method for gaining muscle mass.

This article explains everything you need to know about bulking, including what it is, how to do it safely, and which foods you should eat and avoid.


Bulking is a phase of bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is both a recreational and competitive sport that rewards muscle size and definition.

The three main phases in bodybuilding are bulking, cutting, and maintenance. Among competitive bodybuilders, preparation for their contests can be considered a fourth phase.

Bulking is the muscle-gaining phase. You’re meant to intentionally consume more calories than your body needs for a set period — often 4–6 months. These extra calories provide your body with the necessary fuel to boost muscle size and strength while weight training (1Trusted Source).

To varying degrees, body fat tends to accumulate during bulking due to excess calorie intake (1Trusted Source).

Cutting, or the fat loss phase, refers to a gradual decrease in calorie intake and increase in aerobic training to reduce excess body fat from the bulking phase, allowing for improved muscle definition (2Trusted Source).

During the cutting phase, bodybuilders eat fewer calories than their bodies require, which puts them at a disadvantage for building muscle. The goal of this phase is generally to maintain — not gain — muscle mass (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

One review found that the average calorie intake of bodybuilders during the bulking phase was 3,800 calories per day for men and 3,200 for women, compared with 2,400 and 1,200 calories during the cutting phase, respectively (5Trusted Source).

SUMMARY
Bodybuilding consists of three main phases — bulking, cutting, and maintenance. Generally, bulking is meant to increase muscle mass and strength, whereas cutting is intended to shed excess body fat while maintaining muscle mass.

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