You want to build muscle without gaining a lot of fat? A lean bulk is just the thing for you.

What is Bulking?
If you want to get big, you need to eat big. To make your body to grow, you need to eat more calories than you need per day. This process is called bulking.

A good time to start a bulk is when you’ve cut down to a relatively low body fat percentage and you want to grow some more muscle. But you’ve probably worked hard to get lean in the first place and the last thing you want to do is to immediately throw all that out the window.

Why do a Lean Bulk?
One of the most effective ways to bulk is the lean bulk. In contrast to a typical dirty bulk, a lean bulk – as the name implies – is focused on staying relatively lean while you are bulking.

To achieve this, you’ll need to reign in your calorie surplus a bit when you’re on a lean bulk. That’s what makes it different from a dirty bulk, in which you just eat as much calories as possible. But a lean bulk is not less effective for muscle gain.

There is only a certain amount of muscle your body can build in a specific period. What that amount is depends on where you are in your fitness journey. While beginners can pack on quite a few kilos in a short time, you’ll see less growth the more experienced you get.

In order to maximize these gains you need to give your body enough calories and protein, but any extra calories you consume on top will be making you grow in an undesirable way – they’ll just make you fatter.

So taking the lean bulk approach actually has a distinct advantage to a typical dirty bulk. You’ll look better and won’t need to cut down as much after. After all, the more fat you gain, the more you’ll have to get rid of again later.

Are you having difficulty gaining weight at all?
Try drinking your calories aside from making sure you’re eating right. Think of fruit juice, full fat milk or, if you’re really serious about getting big, try out the new Massive Gainer by Body & Fit!

How to Lean Bulk?
To set up a lean bulk, start off by adding about 250-400 calories to your maintenance level. This can vary a bit from person to person, depending on their activity level and at how long they’ve been training.

If along the way you’re gaining fat too rapidly or feel like the scales aren’t moving up at all, don’t be afraid to adjust your calorie intake.

Make sure to track your progress along the way. That’s how you’ll find out if you’re moving in the right direction. Try weighing yourself in the mornings and track you weight gain, and do a fat caliper test every now and then to get a sense of your body fat percentage.

And don’t forget taking pictures! Just your weight isn’t a tell-all sign of your transformation. Progress pictures are probably the best way to get a visual on how much you’re changing. Happy bulking!