All Glossary Terms
Nutrition
Bulking
A phase of intentional calorie surplus and heavy training to build muscle mass.
Bulking is a muscle-building phase where you eat in a calorie surplus while training hard. A "clean bulk" uses a moderate surplus (200-500 cal) with nutritious foods, while a "dirty bulk" uses larger surpluses with any foods. Clean bulking results in less fat gain but slower progress. Bulking phases are typically followed by cutting phases to reduce body fat.
Examples
- 300 calorie surplus for lean bulking
- Bulking for 4-6 months before cutting
- Gaining 2-4lbs per month while bulking