Built With Science founder Jeremy Ethier uses scientific methodology to design training programs. Ethier provided insights with research findings in a segment on his YouTube channel, including how to gain muscle without adhering to traditional bulking methods. Check it out below:
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The Problem With Traditional Bulking Protocols
Ethier discusses the potential for traditional bulking, involving a caloric surplus — consuming more calories than are burned — that can result in excess fat accumulation. This approach tends to be more effective for beginners than those at intermediate or advanced training levels.
Ethier shares his discomfort with the amount of fat accumulated during his bulking phase. “I began to notice that bulking just didn’t give me the results I hoped for. I would gain way more fat than muscle, and I just couldn’t figure out why.”
Research on Effective Bulking Strategies
In a 2021 meta-analysis published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, Ethier discovered his solution to build muscle without overeating. (1) The study analyzed muscle growth and strength under conditions of calorie deficit versus maintenance or bulking. The research reveals similar strength gains in both scenarios. However, muscle loss consistently occurs during calorie deficits.
However, upon closer examination, the research reveals additional insights. Specifically, the study’s data indicate the extent of muscle loss varies with the magnitude of the calorie deficit.
Remarkably, a modest calorie deficit of approximately 200-300 calories was associated with muscle growth. It potentially dispels the myth that a calorie surplus is necessary for muscle gain.
Experts Weigh In
Ethier consulted Dr. Eric R. Helms, Ph.D., a renowned fitness scientist and professional bodybuilder, to investigate the feasibility of building muscle while simultaneously losing fat.
Dr. Helms cited specific research to support the concept that it’s possible to achieve both goals concurrently. (2) Dr. Helms suggests that for intermediate or advanced trainers, muscle growth is more efficiently realized with a slight caloric surplus rather than simultaneously aiming for both muscle gain and fat loss.
Despite this, the scientific community recognizes that aiming to lose fat while building muscle could be a more suitable strategy for individuals with a higher body fat percentage. This approach might appeal to those who wish to avoid accumulating excess fat or whose aesthetic goals prioritize a lean physique.
[Related: What Is Creatine? Your Guide to One of the Most the Popular Supplements]
Who Does Bulking Work For?
Ethier references a study indicating that participants gained seven pounds of lean muscle through bulking. (3) Dr. Helms suggests that beginners can significantly increase muscle mass by consuming a surplus of 400 calories, coupled with rigorous and progressive training.
Muscle Gain for Trained Individuals
Ethier quotes a recent Sports Medicine study of trained individuals Dr. Helms participated in Sports Medicine. (4) It shows that eating at maintenance led to muscle growth similar to bulking but with far less fat gain in trained individuals.
Ethier believes this makes sense because muscle hypertrophy generally slows down as you become more experienced in the gym. “For most people, muscle growth is slow and gets even slower as your body grows.”
Ethier continued, “So in the beginning, building muscle quickly means your body can use more excess calories, but once this slows down, more excess calories will be stored as fat instead.”
Disadvantage of Bulking Excessively
Dr. Helms emphasizes the importance of athletes avoiding excessive caloric surpluses to avoid the subsequent need for extreme dieting to shed the gained fat. Such drastic dietary measures can result in the loss of previously gained muscle mass.
How Steroids Impact Bulking
Ethier discusses why some advanced athletes bulk up significantly without accumulating much fat. He suggests that steroids reset the body to a beginner’s level in certain respects. Dr. Helms concurs, theorizing that anabolic steroids can rejuvenate the body’s response to training. However, Dr. Helms emphasizes that this effect is primarily intended for the most seasoned lifters.
Recommendations for Gaining Muscle Naturally
Ethier explains that mimicking the diet of a steroid-using athlete can result in unwanted fat accumulation. He advocates adjusting one’s diet according to one’s experience level and body’s responsiveness to muscle development. Drawing from his discussion with Dr. Helms, Ethier provides the following recommendations:
| Experience Level | Monthly Goal Weight Gain | Calorie Surplus |
| Beginner | 2% (2-4 lbs/month) | 400-500 Calories |
| Intermediate | 1% (1.5-2 lbs/month) | 200-300 Calories |
| Advanced | 0.5-1% (1-1.5 lbs/month) | 100-200 Calories |
Although gaining some fat is part of achieving a calorie surplus, the proportion is minimal and easier to shed if following the guidelines above.
“While I have also put on a bit of fat, I can quickly burn it off,” says Ethier. Just four to six weeks of dieting compared to my traditional bulks in the past, where I would have to diet for at least 12 to 16 weeks afterward.”
References
- Murphy, C., & Koehler, K. (2022). Energy deficiency impairs resistance training gains in lean mass but not strength: A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 32(1), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14075
- Barakat, C., Pearson, J., Escalante, G., Campbell, B., & De Souza, E. O. (2020). Body recomposition: Can trained individuals build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Strength and Conditioning Journal, 42(5), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.1519/ssc.0000000000000584
- Rozenek, R., Ward, P., Long, S., & Garhammer, J. (2002). Effects of high-calorie supplements on body composition and muscular strength following resistance training. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 42(3), 340–347.
- Helms, E. R., Spence, A. J., Sousa, C., Kreiger, J., Taylor, S., Oranchuk, D. J., Dieter, B. P., & Watkins, C. M. (2023). Effect of Small and Large Energy Surpluses on Strength, Muscle, and Skinfold Thickness in Resistance-Trained Individuals: A Parallel Groups Design. Sports medicine – open, 9(1), 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00651-y
Featured image: @jeremyethier on Instagram
