Lets Bulk
Adding mass safely is a dream to most body builders, we all want to know how to bulk but still keep in good shape.
Over my experience gained I've found different methods of adding mass without losing total definition, these methods I know will throw up some controversy but I'm happy to prove to any challenge that say they don't work.
1 - Lift heavy - This is probably the biggest most important out of all of them, lifting heavier weights than you body is used to can spark off a growth surge that wouldn't normally of happened due toa testosterone spike, while you're in the gym keep thinking to yourself "I need to go heavier" Obviously it goes without saying to keep following the guidelines on health and safety and keep good form however just push yourself a little too far.
2 - Eat a lot of good fats - Good fats like mono-unsaturated can be found in loads of products, for example avocado's, olive oil, nuts, almonds... to ensure I'm getting enough fats through my day I simply throw 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into a glass, add some milk and glug it down. I do this twice a day. You'll see a great deal of energy from the fat aswell so its worth doing if you're bulking.
3 - Eating Less often - All the media and everywhere else always goes on about eating 6 small meals a day. This is great for losing weight, but we want to BULK! stick to 3 HUGE meals per day. This will slow your metabolic rate down pretty fast and start storing food as fats. However keep the food clean. Just because you're bulking doesnt mean you can go to McDonalds 3 times a day, keep away from that!
4 - Eat more calories than you expend - This is key to putting on weight. See my BMR page for details about finding how many calories you should be eating per day against how often you train.
5 - Use supplements - Don't go buying 'Bulkers' or 'Weight Gainers'. Yes they have loads of calories but its not the way to go and you're more than likely just going to waste money. Spend your money on Creatine, Whey, L-Glutamine & BCAA's. Keeping your supplement as a supplement only. DO NOT rely on them for calories, use them on top of your daily caloric intake.
6 - Eat Meats - Keep your meat & protein intake a lot higher than usual, I'm not going to sit and say "eat 1.1846g of protein per 1.2lb of lean body mass" because its all just jargon to us! Just know in yourself that your upping the dose of meats and keep it that way. Your whey protein will help.
7 - Experiment - With experience, you will learn to find exercises that work best on your muscles. Therefore, if you want to build mass, try different exercises and see which ones pump you up best. Once again, emphasize movements with dumbbells and free weights since they are the best for building mass.
8 - Use Free Weights - For your heavy compound movements use free weights! Simple as that.
9 - Compound - Starting pushing towards the lines of Deadlifts, Squats and Bench press a little more often. Get away from the machines and get in the weight room and lift! Using these compound movements will certainly help your growth of lean muscle. I've found in the past that using deadlifts have helped growth all over my body, not just lower back and legs. See what works.
10 - I felt pressurised to give 10 points so here's there 10th - Sleep - Its something we all love to do so do it more often. Use ZMA capsules to really get a good nights sleep while keeping those muscle eating bugs away for the night. 8 hours per night, no excuses guys!
Get out there and bulk your ass off!
Over my experience gained I've found different methods of adding mass without losing total definition, these methods I know will throw up some controversy but I'm happy to prove to any challenge that say they don't work.
1 - Lift heavy - This is probably the biggest most important out of all of them, lifting heavier weights than you body is used to can spark off a growth surge that wouldn't normally of happened due toa testosterone spike, while you're in the gym keep thinking to yourself "I need to go heavier" Obviously it goes without saying to keep following the guidelines on health and safety and keep good form however just push yourself a little too far.
2 - Eat a lot of good fats - Good fats like mono-unsaturated can be found in loads of products, for example avocado's, olive oil, nuts, almonds... to ensure I'm getting enough fats through my day I simply throw 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into a glass, add some milk and glug it down. I do this twice a day. You'll see a great deal of energy from the fat aswell so its worth doing if you're bulking.
3 - Eating Less often - All the media and everywhere else always goes on about eating 6 small meals a day. This is great for losing weight, but we want to BULK! stick to 3 HUGE meals per day. This will slow your metabolic rate down pretty fast and start storing food as fats. However keep the food clean. Just because you're bulking doesnt mean you can go to McDonalds 3 times a day, keep away from that!
4 - Eat more calories than you expend - This is key to putting on weight. See my BMR page for details about finding how many calories you should be eating per day against how often you train.
5 - Use supplements - Don't go buying 'Bulkers' or 'Weight Gainers'. Yes they have loads of calories but its not the way to go and you're more than likely just going to waste money. Spend your money on Creatine, Whey, L-Glutamine & BCAA's. Keeping your supplement as a supplement only. DO NOT rely on them for calories, use them on top of your daily caloric intake.
6 - Eat Meats - Keep your meat & protein intake a lot higher than usual, I'm not going to sit and say "eat 1.1846g of protein per 1.2lb of lean body mass" because its all just jargon to us! Just know in yourself that your upping the dose of meats and keep it that way. Your whey protein will help.
7 - Experiment - With experience, you will learn to find exercises that work best on your muscles. Therefore, if you want to build mass, try different exercises and see which ones pump you up best. Once again, emphasize movements with dumbbells and free weights since they are the best for building mass.
8 - Use Free Weights - For your heavy compound movements use free weights! Simple as that.
9 - Compound - Starting pushing towards the lines of Deadlifts, Squats and Bench press a little more often. Get away from the machines and get in the weight room and lift! Using these compound movements will certainly help your growth of lean muscle. I've found in the past that using deadlifts have helped growth all over my body, not just lower back and legs. See what works.
10 - I felt pressurised to give 10 points so here's there 10th - Sleep - Its something we all love to do so do it more often. Use ZMA capsules to really get a good nights sleep while keeping those muscle eating bugs away for the night. 8 hours per night, no excuses guys!
Get out there and bulk your ass off!