Canadian strongman Mitchell Hooper transformed from a 220-pound marathon runner to a 320-pound powerhouse. He earned the nickname “Moose,” and in just three years packed on 100 pounds and won every major strongman contest the sport offers, including World’s Strongest Man (WSM), Strongest Man on Earth, Arnold Strongman Classic, and Rogue Strongman Invitational.
On Oct. 5, 2024, Hooper share his methods for bulking effectively while staying in shape.
[Related: Tom Stoltman Reveals New Strongman Coach and Future Competition Schedule]
1. Calories and Bulking
The key to getting jacked is calories. You can have the best workout program, but if you don’t eat enough, you won’t grow. This usually means consistently consuming more calories than your body burns.
The scale will tell you what your calories should be.
—Mitchell Hooper
Regularly weighing yourself is the only way to achieve a consistent number. If the dial isn’t moving, eat more.
Bulking has its complexities, though. The sweet spot of gaining weight while controlling fat gain is typically between 300-500 extra calories per day, based on 3,500 calories equaling one pound. (1)
If you eat an additional 500 calories daily, you’ll gain one pound per week, in theory. But calories can be a complicated subject. It’s also important that macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) are roughly dialed in while consuming nutrient-rich foods to utilize those macros.
2. Hooper’s Bulking Nutrition Tips
One can eat in bulk in many ways, but ultimately, muscle gain comes down to consistency. That said, eating enough healthy calories every day can become arduous. Hooper shared his mass gain shake recipe to cram calories in more easily.
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 2 scoops whey protein powder
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- Medium banana
- ¼ cup oats
- Tbsp honey
- ¼ avocado
This shake totals 1,100 calories, 79 grams of protein, 101 grams of carbs, and 45 grams of fat. It can be modified to suit caloric needs but offers a great balance of macros.
Speaking of macros, one gram of protein per pound of body weight is generally recommended to support muscle growth. Adequate protein intake has been shown to protect against fat gain during bulking.
Hooper suggests high carbohydrates, aiming for 60 percent or more of your macro intake. Carbs play a key role in performance ability. (2) Fat should make up the remaining calories.
3. Hooper’s Training Tips for Muscle Gains
Eating lots of calories builds muscle only when paired with intense training. The Moose highlighted key techniques to maximize gains, according to science. (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)
- Ensure muscles are stretched during the exercise.
- Progressively increase resistance and repetitions.
4. Preventing too Much Fat Gain
Bulking and some fat gain go hand-in-hand, but many use their “bulking phase” as an excuse to overeat. Too much of a caloric surplus causes excess fat gain, which offers little benefit.
Hooper insists that fitter people gain less fat during a bulk. The right cardio may be key.
You can improve aerobic fitness without doing too much cardio.
Hooper is a proponent of Tabata high-intensity interval training [HIIT], or 20-second bouts all-out activity, followed by ten-second rests.
“Going hard for two minutes can have an extremely potent effect on cardiovascular fitness and will not result in a huge caloric burn,” shared Hooper. “You’ll turn yourself into a fat-burning machine.”
5. Key Recovery Habits
Without proper sleep and stress management, optimal performance is challenging. Active people generally require more sleep, recommending eight to 10 hours. Mental stress affects recovery, training, eating, and motivation. While exercise offers cognitive benefits, it’s often not enough on its own.
6. How Much Weight to Gain on a Bulk?
The objective should be around one to two pounds per week regardless of who you are.
—Mitchell Hooper
That is typically the upper limit of quality gains. However, many might argue that adding one to two pounds weekly will be mostly fat, especially for natural, trained athletes. Beginners, some intermediates, detrained individuals, and chemically enhanced lifters are usually exceptions.
That said, how much muscle you can gain isn’t an exact science. Many factors influence the rate of lean mass gains. Using a scale, the mirror, and occasional body fat measurements are most helpful in gauging progress.
References
- Leaf A, Antonio J. The Effects of Overfeeding on Body Composition: The Role of Macronutrient Composition – A Narrative Review. Int J Exerc Sci. 2017 Dec 1;10(8):1275-1296. PMID: 29399253; PMCID: PMC5786199.
- Mata F, Valenzuela PL, Gimenez J, Tur C, Ferreria D, Domínguez R, Sanchez-Oliver AJ, Martínez Sanz JM. Carbohydrate Availability and Physical Performance: Physiological Overview and Practical Recommendations. Nutrients. 2019 May 16;11(5):1084. doi: 10.3390/nu11051084. PMID: 31100798; PMCID: PMC6566225.
- Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 23(7), 1240–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
- Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199
- Kassiano, W., Costa, B., Kunevaliki, G., Soares, D., Zacarias, G., Manske, I., Takaki, Y., Ruggiero, M. F., Stavinski, N., Francsuel, J., Tricoli, I., Carneiro, M. A. S., & Cyrino, E. S. (2023). Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 37(9), 1746–1753. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004460
- Zabaleta-Korta A, Fernández-Peña E, Torres-Unda J, Francés M, Zubillaga A, Santos-Concejero J. Regional Hypertrophy: The Effect of Exercises at Long and Short Muscle Lengths in Recreationally Trained Women. J Hum Kinet. 2023 Jul 15;87:259-270. doi: 10.5114/jhk/163561. PMID: 37559762; PMCID: PMC10407320.
- Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram
