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 ( 5 ).
Most people require around 20 calories per pound (or 44 kcal / kg) of bodyweight to gain muscle mass. Using a 180-pound (82kg) male as an example, the required daily calorie intake is 3600 calories (20 kcal x 180 lb = 3600 kcal).
An estimated 2,500 to 2,800 excess calories are needed to gain one pound of lean mass. Of course, this number is highly dependent on individual factors like level of training, starting body composition, genetics, and overall diet.
You'll need about 3,200 calories to maintain your current weight. That means that, during a lean bulk, you should be eating around 3,500 calories per day – 300 above “maintenance”. In addition, you will need to consume 175 grams of protein per day.
Is 3000 calories enough to bulk? If your maintenance calorie requirements are in the region of 2500 calories per day, then 3000 calories represents a surplus of 500 calories. That's more than enough for most people who want to bulk up and gain muscle.
A dirty bulk refers to a period of aggressive weight gain used to promote muscle and strength gains in strength sports and certain team sports.
Most people can have highly effective cutting cycles in 8-12 weeks, but an effective bulking cycle should be 16-26 weeks on the low end and upwards of an entire year on the longer end. You can see some progress after 6-8 weeks, but it will be marginal, and extending your bulk beyond that is highly recommended.
Lean bulking—also called “clean bulking”—is an approach to bulking that aims to increase lean body mass while minimizing added body fat. If all you care about is packing on mass—be it fat or muscle—then you can eat pretty much whatever you want.
Studies have shown that participants can gain muscle, even while in a caloric deficit, as long as they eat enough protein. It's important enough that I'll say it again: If you don't want your body cannibalizing its muscles while you are in a caloric deficit, you need to eat plenty of protein.
All of these recommendations fall within the range suggested by the American College of Sports Medicine that suggests 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight (0.54 to 0.9 grams/pound), which would translate to 81 to 136 grams for a 150-pound adult for preserving and building muscle.
(E.g. A 200 pound man with a sedentary day would have a 2,200 calorie baseline, 15% of which is 330 calories, so his total rest day caloric requirement is 2,530 calories.)
If you eat 3 meals a day and pay careful attention to the distribution of your daily protein intake and food quality, you can probably stimulate maximum muscle growth.
How Fast Should You Gain Weight in A Bulk? Beginners and leaner individuals who tend to have difficulty gaining weight can aim to gain anywhere between 0.5-1lbs per week. Heavier individuals may be able to gain 1-2lbs per week especially if they are able to gain weight easier than others.
Late teens and early twenties are the perfect age to start bodybuilding. Puberty and bodybuilding are closely related because this is the fastest time for muscle growth. Between, 17-25, you will experience testosterone driven growth burst in your muscles.
Bulking and gaining lean muscle are two very different tasks that necessitate two very different types of exercise. If you want a slimmer and cut appearance, go for lean muscle, while if you want a bigger, more bodybuilder-like appearance, go for bulk.
For most beginners, gaining 2-4lbs of muscle per month is a realistic rate of muscle gain. More advanced lifters should aim to gain 1-2lbs of muscle per month, as research has shown slower rates of muscle gain the more advanced a lifter becomes.
The reason many people fail at bulking is because they aren't training hard enough. If you are training hard, eating a little more food than normal isn't going to turn you into a sumo wrestler. On the other hand, undereating may substantially limit your progress.
To effective gain 20 pounds of muscle, increase your calorie intake by at least 200 calories per day, as recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Increasing your energy intake by 500 calories per day will help you gain muscle at a faster pace.
Your familiarity with weight training plays a role. Your ability to mainline protein plays a role (more on that later). But, yes, the general rule is that you can gain about a pound of muscle mass each week safely.