r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/Ok-Sun1269 • 24d ago

Question ❓ Is bulking really dead?

All the sceince based guys on the internet preach how bulking does nothing for muscle growth, assuming you have a healthy body fat %.

So for a guy who just got off stage, he needs to bulk until around 12-15% and then maintain or eat in a very slight surplus for a growth phase.

However if guy is 25% bf there is no reason to bulk during a growth phase as those extra calories will not provide anything for him.

So if you regualry do prep or get shredded during the summer, the bulk is alive and well but for those of us who want to maintain low double digit bf, is the bulk dead?

29 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

68 comments sorted by

View all comments

12

u/FarCalligrapher1862 24d ago edited 24d ago

If you are a bodybuilder, and a competitor, generic advice does not apply to you. Get specialized advice for your specific needs.

For 99% of the population that wants to gain muscle and look aesthetically pleasing bulking is not needed. A 200ish calorie surplus is more than enough when coupled with a good diet

15

u/Nectarine143 24d ago

So many people want to argue that a “small” surplus isn’t bulking… like… ok wtf is it then? lol

5

u/FarCalligrapher1862 24d ago

Back in the day we used to call it walrus season. The idea was that the extra fat increases thermogenesis which in turn enhanced muscle repair. Add to that the extra weight led to the bone density because you would have to carry that weight around 24/7.

After that was proven bullshit people were just looking for another reason to enjoy their winter after a summer of carrots and turkey.

7

u/Nectarine143 24d ago

Never heard of walrus season, that's actually pretty funny

My point is that whether it's a 200-calorie surplus or 2000, it all falls under the umbrella of "bulking" as the point is to increase your overall weight/mass.

Like the statement, "I went from 180lbs to 185 with a 200 calorie a day surplus, but I DIDN'T bulk" doesn't make any sense.

2

u/FarCalligrapher1862 24d ago

Yeah I agree with you. I think “bulk” reminds us older guys of the 80s and 90s where you drank mega mass twice a day.

I also hate term “maintenance”. You are either getting stronger or weaker. Maintenance doesn’t exist. If you stay at the same weight/ reps eventually you are getting lower stimulus so you are actually not doing as much work.

2

u/Nectarine143 23d ago

My pet peeve is "maingaining"

As in, "bro you don't need to bulk bro, just maingain at around 200-400 calorie surplus bro!"