I focused for years on building muscle and neglected my cardio pretty bad. But one year ago i startend running and cycling a lot i still went 3 times a week for a full body workout to the Gym so i maintained my size and strenght. And honestly i never felt as good and healthy as of now. And i think it would be very interesting to see you also focusing more on these kind of aspect of fitness. Btw i love your video's en convinced me to stay natty for life, thx for that.
I always swam and lifted hut loved training every day. I know it isnt ideal, but with the way I did it I would get injured. Decided to go into triathlon. I had never experienced a lack of appetite until I prioritized cardio health. Absolutely incredible gains and my relative strength is stupid. Big lifts are obviously considerably low. But I wouldn’t trade this for anything
Anyone have any suggestions in regards to running, walking and cycling while lifting? It is coming to a point where my glutes and possibly hip flexors for some reason are really uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I understand running and lifting are not ideal for each other but I have read so many anecdotal stories of people being able to do it so I'm curious what others think. My training is only a push, leg , pull split 3 times per week so I'm not even doing that much volume for lifting.
@the Dragon Knight unless you’re obese losing >5lbs a week is literally 10X more than the normal gymrat at the end of a bulk bodyfat % (15-20%) should be aiming for. Please don’t speak for everyone when yours is a very specific case
I think the first video I watched from this guy must have been in 2015 or 2016. It’s like a transformed human being, and I mean it in the best possible way. I’m not just talking about the physique, but the personal development and the quality of content. I’m very impressed.
I've been bulking for these past few months and hitting PRs every week. For years I was afraid of losing my abs, but finally said screw it. I had to stop thinking about losing my abs and focus on building muscle!
Good for you. The abs are nice but after I lean bulked from 145 to 165 in my 20s I got the shoulders, quads and glutes that made me look really good even when fully clothed.
been bulking for yrs and never lost my abs they just got more defined as I gain weight Eating too much just results In longer cuts and longer cuts just means u missing out on gains Greg Doucette or whatever his name is speaks on this
Use the bulk as an opportunity to grow your abs, just like any other muscle they grow when you're in a surplus (if you train them enough) Then when you cut they'll be blockier than ever.
I agree- I am a lifetime non PED using bodybuilder and I always feel like I need a surplus to make gains- after 13 years of training progess is pretty slow but I still feel like those times in a surplus are essential
I noticed this two weeks into a bulk because there was no soreness the day after my full body as opposed to when I was cutting or maintaining. I started training 4-5 times a week full body instead of 3 times during this bulk. It’s amazing how quickly the body recovers when you have extra calories. Btw man the shaved head looks great on you.
I don’t believe this has to do with caloric intake usually your body adapts to a training regiment in 2-3 weeks and you’ll no longer get sore. Obv soreness doesn’t mean muscle growth so it doesn’t matter but yea. I could be wrong tho.
@@trenhen4311 calories definitely matter, but so does rest and your ability to recover. Having extra calories actually help recover faster. I agree in that I don’t believe soreness is related directly to hypertrophy. However, if I’m not sore it’s much easier for me to train at a rep range were hypertrophy is stimulated.
5'10 and 166lbs currently. Some fluff in the midsection - still loving it. I'm up about 20 lbs since summer. Recovery is awesome (I'm 33 so it is not what it used to be) and my numbers increase every workout and I continue to push forward. I won't stop until 180-185lbs, maybe lean down to 165-170 and keep bulking from there.
Same height but I'm 172lbs and I gained the smallest amount of weight in my stomach and my parents are trying to stop me from bulking. I was bullied for being a skinny fuck and now I'm bullied for being normal weight, they believe I'll eventually grow with age, I'm 17 and they think I'll automatically become big when I'm 20. I was benching 30kg when I began lifting in the gym, same weight a year later because I didn't eat enough and now I'm bulking they think I'm getting too fat. I have twig arms and can't even bench 1 plate yet
I’m 6’0 and was 144 pounds at the beginning of 2021. Throughout the year I gained 40 pounds, being 184 at the end of last year. I hit the gym almost daily. With the consistency I gained almost no fat, only having some on my lower waist but besides that I’ve gained a ton of muscle since I upped my calories from 1800 a day to 3300 a day.
@@zzentorolate but don't drink your calories, try to eat more lean meats, drink more water and try to make replacements with stuff like milk, oil, or butter
You‘re looking very good currently alex! Love your physique aswell as your style and hair/beard! Besides your content is gold as always, still contemplating between bulking hard for once to experience those strenght gains or just keep lean bulking… anyways You‘re an inspiration in every sense!
I've been away from the weights for almost a year now because I've been training MMA. Also stopped tracking my food. Lost a lot of muscle mass and peak strength. Just started my bulk and got back to the weights 2 days ago because I fricken MISS IT. Sore all over, but strength already going up which will carry over well for combat sports. Thanks for all you do Alex! Your channel is extremely helpful to come back too now that I'm back stuffing my face and pumping iron.
At 5’9” 190 lbs strongest I was the strongest I’ve ever been… was shooting to claim glory at 200 but the plague struck and in two weeks, only two weeks I dropped to 180… besides being physically ill, my mood has been atrocious. Back in the gym and back to a surplus, trying to hit that 200 by first summer moon.
Back in 2018, i was on a slight bulk but i was also training heavy with 2 of my friends. I was at likr 145 and jumped upto 165. My DL went from 185 to like 335. Bench was 135 to 225 for 4. Squat was 135 to 275 1 rep max. It was the simple compound exercises that made me grow. So everything you talk about is real talk man. The strength gains exploded within the year. Then i had an injury that set me back to square 1 and ive been sitting around 150 since. I just started a bulk again about 1.5 weeks ago when i stumbled across your videos. I’ve also just kept the sessions to basics compound movements. Thanks for your quality content man!
Thanks man, i've been lean bulking for some weeks but after the video i realize that my weekly volume is rather low, so i will try and increase that for optimal gains out of the bulk, you are a real one as always! 🙏
Thanks Alex, needed to hear this. Been going through the motions a little in the gym recently while on a bulk but I'm already excited to go extra hard next session 👊🏼
The beginning where you mention training your ass off when bulking is so easily forgotten. We tend to fear overtraining but forget we're a recovery machine due to the surplus (and excellent sleep)
I took your advice in 2018 and gained like 60 pounds, then have lost 40 pounds since, and let me tell ya im a unit now hahah I was so suprised how jacked I was when I cut down last year
first example that came to mind for me personally: from August - December 2020, I went from 198 - 207 and added ~7 - 8 reps to my one set max of dips and my inverted rows and pull ups went up.
Your timing couldnt be better considering the shit storm greg doucette started with this "if you dont have abs you're fat" statement. Much respect to you for sticking to your philosophies👍
Your right. Lookin back at my bulk now (ended 2 months ago) and it was in fact a DIRTY bulk. I did add +10%-15% strenght to all my lifts, But seeing as I can almost do the same volume now that I did back then, I am definitely sure I could've milked the bulk and do WAY higher volume.
I bulked up to 170, put on 40 pounds on my bench, was tapping my previous max. Took me a YEAR to cut down and when I was finally happy with how lean I was my max bench was back to the same and I maybe gained half a pound of muscle
Dude fucking PREACH. Only 10 seconds in and already spitting truths. Think of the most difficult and brutal training session you've ever had, then try to replicate that kind of intensity every session. Idc what your goals are, if any of you are ever given the opportunity to train with a high level bodybuilder, go out of your way to make sure you can make it happen. I'll never forget the day 4yrs ago I was meant to squat with a pro bber. He was a big advocate of pre-fatiguing muscles, and let's just say I didn't even make it squats that day, the main movement I was planning on doing 😅 literally couldn't even stand after copying his warmup with half the weight.....
Yeah in my experience, after Perma Bulking for almost three years (progress from absolute zero experience novice to upper intermediate), the "Gains" are insane but you always run into overuse injuries before your muscle can be fully tapped. My Quads will grow like crazy when I'm in a solid bulk cycle, but then I got long term soreness in my Patella Tendon and had to quit all lower body movements for nearly a year. Bulking is good, you will make gains, but chances are your body won't sustain the high volume heavy lifting for extended periods.
@@lordvoldemort917 Just looking at what other guys the same size as me are lifting. A 570lbs Deadlift is firmly intermediate for just about anyone, and probably just on the cusp of "advanced". It's super annoying that my knees forced me to stop, then again at about 40% body fat I desperately needed to lose weight.
This needed to be said, good video. I only bulk if my training, nutrition, supplements, and sleep are on point. great program + bulk+ creatine + great sleep for months is insane growth. Otherwise, it's a major waste of time and caloric surplus. I added 100lb+ to my 3 compound total in 9 weeks. I cut down to 155 before but it's not worth it for me. 160-175 is a good spot for me
Great video and good timing😎 Bulking from 185ish to 200 atm, currently @193. Just like yourself I mainly lift for strength and I’m hoping to increase squat by 50lbs and bench by 25. In 12 years of lifting I’ve found if I focus on strength rather than size everything else will fall into place. Your a great example of that, constantly hitting prs and getting more and more jacked at the same time. Keep it up!
this video helped me so much during my bulk, i made sure i got stronger in every lift and kept progressing every week, i've been sorta maintaining for the last 3 weeks (weight) but i'm still getting stronger. my plan is to start cutting tomorrow and hopefully still make strength gains or at least not lose strength and size. my bulk was only 4 months long but that's ok i'll cut real quick and then do a proper 9 months bulk or so
Another Great Video Alex! I'm currently lean bulking at the moment and I'm bulking at a very slow pace and when I mean slow I mean slow. For example, I have started my bulk on March 9, 2020 at 136.4lbs and I just got up to 140lbs on Jan. 3, 2022. I have also been taking creatine at the moment as well to help me put on weight, increase strength, endurance, muscle size and with muscle recovery. One last thing do I you have a Weighted Chin-up and Weighted Pull-up program. I'm having trouble increasing my strength and reps on those two lifts all of my other the lifts are increasing expect these two. My goal is to get to 155lbs at 5ft 3 by the end of this bulk. Thanks, Cortez
Hey man I’m also 5”3 and started at 133 from nov to now and I I’m at 139 solid.Taking Same supplements as you.My goal is also 150,try full body work outs,and more compound exercises.You should be stacked by now bro.
Sadly, the Instagram models and the maingainers of the world have had a huge influence, and people are leaving gains on the table. I’m about 6 months into bulking right now, and while my training has been much more intense, my recovery is insane and my progress is the best I’ve had in years. I think we should always try to push our limits and not just settle for “good enough” volume, and this is especially true in a bulk. Poor effort with training or bad programming gives bulking a bad name, but it’s probably the best, most consistent thing in getting big and strong
I've been cutting for about 7 months because of a stubborn belly fat, but since december I stopped doing cardio and felt no progress in strength, so I increased my calories from 1700 to 1850. It didn't help much, and I got sick, lost 2kg. After that, about a month ago, I began increasing calories again slowly, now I'm at 2200kcal. I'm feeling so much better, progressive overloading, doing cardio, and having energy to work, and do my house chores but gained no weight at all, only strength. I think I'll keep doing that, increasing calories very slowly. I'm 172cm tall, currently at 67kg and 17,3% bf and I believe I can put a lot of lean weight this year if I keep progressive overloading like I am.
Just started bulking a few days ago. I gotta admit I was slacking off on workouts but I got recommended this video. Hopefully, I'll maximize my gains. I'm 5'9, 15, 139 pounds my goal, for now, is 155 pounds. We'll see how it goes.
The 20lbs I gained after a year of training really unintentionally whimpy when I started has set me back a lot. Ever since then I've felt somewhat stuck in this purgatory of being 6ft 165-175lbs and not very strong, but already being 20-24% bodyfat (got a dexa scan of 23.8% at 175lb).
You need muscle bro, that's the answer to your problem. It's not the weight that's the issue, just that you have a lot of bodyfat for that size and height (are you sure the dexa was correct?) I advise not to cut if you don't have a lot of muscle. When you are skinny fat, cutting when you don't have a lot of muscle at all will only result in you possibly losing even more muscle, and you won't be happy with the physique you have when you're done. Here's my personal anecdote: when I was in your situation some years ago (6'1, 178lbs @ 18-20%) all I did was bulk and seriously train to build up some muscle. I was right around 200 lbs, and well over 20% body fat. That's when I cut back down to the low 170s. Granted, I didn't cut properly but I did lose a lot of body fat and was close to being 11% when I was over 15% at that weight prior to bulking. Being skinny fat doesn't really have to suck, it just takes a lot of time and commitment to work with. Get stronger in a surplus, bring your lifts up and you'll build more muscle you need. That will solve your problem.
it's crazy how its get better when i start eat more i lift 10+ years i was stuck for long time then start eating more and try do more in gym and progress in every lift... this is crazy all this time i was eating not enough
This was right around when I was gonna start my bulk from 220->235 lbs but of course I got horribly sick the past 2 weeks and hit my lowest weight in a couple years of 204. Not sure if i'm just gonna try and build back to where I was or if i'm gonna try a super bulk lol, 30lbs seems like overkill now.
I started a lean bulk about a month ago which was tough at first as I am not a big eater. However now I saw my progress explode in the gym thanks to the extra food. Could be a placebo effect on my brain thinking I can lift more when fed prior, however now I feel way more confident hitting heavier weight to which before I would think " no way I can lift this". Was also worried of getting fat, however in all honesty that hasn't come through too much. I wanna get jacked, want to lift heavy good numbers - so I said fuck it and started eating more; it really does help. Thank you Alex for your videos, they help me whenever I feel down about my performance. After watching a video or two of yours, you always make me want to hit the gym even harder than last time. 💪
as an ex obese.. i dont know how to bulk anymore, all kinds of fears... i am not lean but got really stronger in calisthenics with a fluffier state bw 90kg 55 kg rm pull up and 73kg rm dip, wish when i get leaner the pull up goes up and then prepare myself psychologically to bulk
1:25 "you can bulk up & add 50lbs to your bench but after getting lean again the net maybe 30lbs, which is still great. assuming you've gained strength" how can you possibly increase your weight on a lift and not gain strength ?
Well sometimes people bloatmaxx their way to a bigger bench. In other words, they're so fat that range of motion is severely reduced so even though they did gain strength, maybe their peak 1RM would be a bit less if they would have done a slower bulk.
I don’t think it’s ever necessary (unless strength is your primary goal) or healthy, to go the the extreme of having a ‘big bloated gut exploding out of your T-shirt’ which is probably a bit contradictory with the earlier statement of staying in the 15-20% range. Also, worth hammering the point that if you want to cut down from there it should be done slowly to maximise muscle retention.
I'm not promoting that so there's no contradiction and you're misinterpreting the video. All I'm saying is that if you do get to that level, that should never be an excuse not to make strength and muscle gains since the visual aspect doesn't represent what's physiologically happening underneath. Lastly.. I did talk about cutting slowly like 4-5 months and my transformation (as shown) was 180 days. So I don't understand why you wrote this comment man.
@@AlexLeonidas thanks for clarifying the point, I’ve rewatched that bit and agreed, you’re not promoting and are speaking objectively at that point. I’m just not a fan of putting a positive spin on being overweight, even if it will lead to better strength and more mass. I don’t think anyone ever needs to be so strong that it’s detrimental to their health but each to their own. I’m totally agreeing with your point about cutting and understand you did mention the time period in the video. I’ve seen enough of your videos to understand what your thoughts are on this and completely agree. By writing that comment I was just trying to hammer home that point because I really believe it can’t be stated enough and think too many people take the deficit too far.
My natural appetite is basically a constant extremely lean bulk. No tracking, no constant weigh ins, not even „intentional“. Over a period of 6 months i‘ll add roughly 2-4 pounds of body weight if even that while holding relatively high fat at roughly 20% bf. However visually i get sharper month after month even with 6 years of consitant training. Nothing but low reps, 3-5 on working sets. And i get stronger pretty rapidly, at least at the moment. Whenever i grow in size my body will navigate my hunger leading me to add a little snack or a few additional grams of oatmeal here and there. Whats the message? Don‘t loose focus of your own appetite by blindly following diets and plans from others, more often than not your body knows whats best if you‘re used to training. At least for guys with a good appetite. As far as the video goes i definitely have to agree, healthy bulking gives you a new found energy and you‘d be a fool not to use it for controlled but aggressive hypertrophy.
Hey man, i got a question. We all know that muscle memory is a real thing, but the question that i have is for how long? Talking months, years, maybe even a decade without training.
I believe Migan of Team3DAlpha claimed it lasts for a good 10-20 years and I wouldn't be surprised if that's true. Either way, it's long enough for you to not worry about it.
Maybe I can pitch in. 13 years to 10 years ago I went on the classic teenage dirty bulk zero programming training in my dad's basement. Went from 70kg to 99kg bodyweight and hit a lifetime PR of 104kg on the bench, 24kg DB concentration curl and 45kg dumbbell row. Now at 29 with 4 months proper nutrition and training, I am at 3/4 of that peak of 10 years ago. Muscle memory must play a huge role here
Muscle memory is the best, i never thought it was that big of a deal until I started training again 10 weeks ago after a long lay off of 1.5 years. My max squat was 180kg, deadlift was 235kg and bench was 125kg. I am in my 10th week back with proper diet and sleep and I am already back to where I was and actually stronger on the squat. I just hit 190kg squat 230 deadlift 115 bench 75kg ohp My body has changed rapidly, by week 6 I already had fullness and veins. I started at 80kg and lost 2kg in the first 3 weeks and then went back into a surplus and I am now 80kg again but look way better. I tested my maxs on the 2nd week back training and got 60kg ohp 150kg squat 100kg bench 200kg deadlift My squat jumped 40kg in 10 weeks it’s insane! I feel like I have noob gains all over again, I wonder how long untill it slows down
i train from 2001 to 2012 on and off then got a cancer and lost motivation to train. I got back to training in august last year and took me 9 months to tied a PR on deadlift 435 for 7 reps.
When I had to diet for bodybuilding competitions I always got weaker but what I did is I compared my body way to what I could lift a.k.a. relative strength so that I never felt bad about being weaker. And when I’m gaining weight rather than just thinking I said a PR I think about selling a pound for pound PR. For me it’s all about relative strength.
Excellent video Alex. As a skinny guy I am bulking right now and not wasting any of this surplus. If I dont see my reps or weight going up I feel like I’m eating all this food for nothing lol.
Although dirty bulking is not the best way to go on to build your physique, it made my lifts explode . Within 8 months my bench went from 145 for 5 to 225 for 3x3, my deadlifts went from barely doing 185 with good form to 375 for 5 reps.
Thanks Hugh, not sure what I'm going to do moving forward. I debate between shaving it, SMP, or getting a good FUT done provided I wouldn't need finasteride after.
That’s insane mate. Respect. Be careful on ppl I started doing it and fucked my rotator cuff. Think the volume was off on the push days (too much) resulting in damage to muscles in shoulders. Set me 10 weeks back at least!
I'm not gonna lie I'm getting fat as fuck on my bulk but I'm hitting the gym hard as fuck and my lifts go up every week. I know my training is ON POINT. But maybe I can ease up on the food
Interesting to hear. Never considered that a bulk could be useful even if you’re already at a body fat where you could gain muscle with maintenance calories
ugh i'm slightlyyy cutting atm to try to slowly get myself out of this skinnyfat phase. it's devastating. i'm frail af in the limbs but cant wait to lose a couple points of bodyfat and then just maingain from there and build muscle
Great topic and video. Muscle gain formula = eat enough food so that when you train to failure you get stronger. Train hard enough so that the next time you train you get stronger. If your not progressing in strength as a newb or intermediate your either not eating enough or not training hard enough. If your not getting stronger, your probably not getting bigger either. Easy,.
Real talk, I am currently suffering from the same thing.. lost around 20 kg in 6 months in body weight(mostly fat) went from 103kg to 85kg around 23-25% fat, gained strength and size for the next 3 months, and bam! Stop!...trying to reset the whole process. Feel like my gains has stopped, so has my fat loss. Frustrating, got to go back to the drawing board... Sad face, crying face...
Zero excuses for a bad workout when bulking!
You know it, gotta be accountable with the training otherwise there's a problem!
I focused for years on building muscle and neglected my cardio pretty bad. But one year ago i startend running and cycling a lot i still went 3 times a week for a full body workout to the Gym so i maintained my size and strenght. And honestly i never felt as good and healthy as of now. And i think it would be very interesting to see you also focusing more on these kind of aspect of fitness. Btw i love your video's en convinced me to stay natty for life, thx for that.
I always swam and lifted hut loved training every day. I know it isnt ideal, but with the way I did it I would get injured. Decided to go into triathlon. I had never experienced a lack of appetite until I prioritized cardio health. Absolutely incredible gains and my relative strength is stupid. Big lifts are obviously considerably low. But I wouldn’t trade this for anything
Gekoloniseerd
Anyone have any suggestions in regards to running, walking and cycling while lifting? It is coming to a point where my glutes and possibly hip flexors for some reason are really uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I understand running and lifting are not ideal for each other but I have read so many anecdotal stories of people being able to do it so I'm curious what others think. My training is only a push, leg , pull split 3 times per week so I'm not even doing that much volume for lifting.
@the Dragon Knight unless you’re obese losing >5lbs a week is literally 10X more than the normal gymrat at the end of a bulk bodyfat % (15-20%) should be aiming for. Please don’t speak for everyone when yours is a very specific case
@@Someone-xj3zg are you stretching these muscles?
Bulking atm
My dips 📈 my pullups 📉
Same lol
@@reallifevegeta552 why is that though ? If you’re getting stronger shouldn’t pull ups be easier
@@DannyBoy426 depends if he’s gaining weight quicker than strength
If you reps are staying the same , you're getting stronger. Weigh yourself before each pull up session and include that weight in your log book .
@@mattallthat That's a good idea 💡
I think the first video I watched from this guy must have been in 2015 or 2016.
It’s like a transformed human being, and I mean it in the best possible way. I’m not just talking about the physique, but the personal development and the quality of content.
I’m very impressed.
Thank you very much, Oscar!
I've been bulking for these past few months and hitting PRs every week. For years I was afraid of losing my abs, but finally said screw it. I had to stop thinking about losing my abs and focus on building muscle!
Good for you. The abs are nice but after I lean bulked from 145 to 165 in my 20s I got the shoulders, quads and glutes that made me look really good even when fully clothed.
You had ab anxiety
been bulking for yrs and never lost my abs they just got more defined as I gain weight
Eating too much just results In longer cuts and longer cuts just means u missing out on gains
Greg Doucette or whatever his name is speaks on this
@@harambey how many extra calories were you eating?
Use the bulk as an opportunity to grow your abs, just like any other muscle they grow when you're in a surplus (if you train them enough) Then when you cut they'll be blockier than ever.
Lean bulking is the truth, it basically means you can bulk for longer, sounds awesome to me.
I agree- I am a lifetime non PED using bodybuilder and I always feel like I need a surplus to make gains- after 13 years of training progess is pretty slow but I still feel like those times in a surplus are essential
I noticed this two weeks into a bulk because there was no soreness the day after my full body as opposed to when I was cutting or maintaining. I started training 4-5 times a week full body instead of 3 times during this bulk. It’s amazing how quickly the body recovers when you have extra calories. Btw man the shaved head looks great on you.
No it doesn’t
Same here, when I bulk i feel next to no soreness.
Exactly, shaved looks bad even on this Greek Italian God
I don’t believe this has to do with caloric intake usually your body adapts to a training regiment in 2-3 weeks and you’ll no longer get sore. Obv soreness doesn’t mean muscle growth so it doesn’t matter but yea. I could be wrong tho.
@@trenhen4311 calories definitely matter, but so does rest and your ability to recover. Having extra calories actually help recover faster. I agree in that I don’t believe soreness is related directly to hypertrophy. However, if I’m not sore it’s much easier for me to train at a rep range were hypertrophy is stimulated.
5'10 and 166lbs currently. Some fluff in the midsection - still loving it. I'm up about 20 lbs since summer. Recovery is awesome (I'm 33 so it is not what it used to be) and my numbers increase every workout and I continue to push forward. I won't stop until 180-185lbs, maybe lean down to 165-170 and keep bulking from there.
Same height but I'm 172lbs and I gained the smallest amount of weight in my stomach and my parents are trying to stop me from bulking. I was bullied for being a skinny fuck and now I'm bullied for being normal weight, they believe I'll eventually grow with age, I'm 17 and they think I'll automatically become big when I'm 20. I was benching 30kg when I began lifting in the gym, same weight a year later because I didn't eat enough and now I'm bulking they think I'm getting too fat. I have twig arms and can't even bench 1 plate yet
Damn you’re consistent with your uploads. Loving all this content from you man. It’s always helpful
I’m 6’0 and was 144 pounds at the beginning of 2021. Throughout the year I gained 40 pounds, being 184 at the end of last year. I hit the gym almost daily. With the consistency I gained almost no fat, only having some on my lower waist but besides that I’ve gained a ton of muscle since I upped my calories from 1800 a day to 3300 a day.
Just do a cut and you would know you gained more fat then you thought. Go back yo 172 and then bulk again
any tips on getting the calories down?
It's impossible to gain a ton muscle for humans. Even if you are an elephant
@@zzentorolate but don't drink your calories, try to eat more lean meats, drink more water and try to make replacements with stuff like milk, oil, or butter
I'm 5'8 and go up to mid 180s every time I bulk. First time I was definitely a little chubby at 186 lol. Now years later at 185 I look pretty jacked.
Hell yeah man!!
You‘re looking very good currently alex! Love your physique aswell as your style and hair/beard! Besides your content is gold as always, still contemplating between bulking hard for once to experience those strenght gains or just keep lean bulking… anyways You‘re an inspiration in every sense!
I've been away from the weights for almost a year now because I've been training MMA. Also stopped tracking my food. Lost a lot of muscle mass and peak strength. Just started my bulk and got back to the weights 2 days ago because I fricken MISS IT. Sore all over, but strength already going up which will carry over well for combat sports. Thanks for all you do Alex! Your channel is extremely helpful to come back too now that I'm back stuffing my face and pumping iron.
At 5’9” 190 lbs strongest I was the strongest I’ve ever been… was shooting to claim glory at 200 but the plague struck and in two weeks, only two weeks I dropped to 180… besides being physically ill, my mood has been atrocious. Back in the gym and back to a surplus, trying to hit that 200 by first summer moon.
If you're not FULL - you're not eating enough.
that clip was taken from kayakos grizzly the bloat loard 😂
weird i go to sleep hungry every night but im still gaining weight
I eat dinner at like 6pm though so thats probs why. otherwise my meals are stackedd (800-1000 kcal a meal, 3 meals a day)
did you see the bloat loard?
Not true
Back in 2018, i was on a slight bulk but i was also training heavy with 2 of my friends. I was at likr 145 and jumped upto 165. My DL went from 185 to like 335. Bench was 135 to 225 for 4. Squat was 135 to 275 1 rep max. It was the simple compound exercises that made me grow. So everything you talk about is real talk man.
The strength gains exploded within the year. Then i had an injury that set me back to square 1 and ive been sitting around 150 since.
I just started a bulk again about 1.5 weeks ago when i stumbled across your videos. I’ve also just kept the sessions to basics compound movements.
Thanks for your quality content man!
Thanks man, i've been lean bulking for some weeks but after the video i realize that my weekly volume is rather low, so i will try and increase that for optimal gains out of the bulk, you are a real one as always! 🙏
Thanks Alex, needed to hear this. Been going through the motions a little in the gym recently while on a bulk but I'm already excited to go extra hard next session 👊🏼
same. 💪
same, its time to dl like a monster!
The beginning where you mention training your ass off when bulking is so easily forgotten. We tend to fear overtraining but forget we're a recovery machine due to the surplus (and excellent sleep)
I took your advice in 2018 and gained like 60 pounds, then have lost 40 pounds since, and let me tell ya im a unit now hahah I was so suprised how jacked I was when I cut down last year
WOW that's awesome man!!!!
first example that came to mind for me personally: from August - December 2020, I went from 198 - 207 and added ~7 - 8 reps to my one set max of dips and my inverted rows and pull ups went up.
0:09 FULL 😂but in all seriousness this is one of my favorite fitness channels! Respect the grind and passion for fitness
Your timing couldnt be better considering the shit storm greg doucette started with this "if you dont have abs you're fat" statement. Much respect to you for sticking to your philosophies👍
Your right. Lookin back at my bulk now (ended 2 months ago) and it was in fact a DIRTY bulk.
I did add +10%-15% strenght to all my lifts,
But seeing as I can almost do the same volume now that I did back then, I am definitely sure I could've milked the bulk and do WAY higher volume.
I bulked up to 170, put on 40 pounds on my bench, was tapping my previous max. Took me a YEAR to cut down and when I was finally happy with how lean I was my max bench was back to the same and I maybe gained half a pound of muscle
Dude fucking PREACH. Only 10 seconds in and already spitting truths. Think of the most difficult and brutal training session you've ever had, then try to replicate that kind of intensity every session.
Idc what your goals are, if any of you are ever given the opportunity to train with a high level bodybuilder, go out of your way to make sure you can make it happen. I'll never forget the day 4yrs ago I was meant to squat with a pro bber. He was a big advocate of pre-fatiguing muscles, and let's just say I didn't even make it squats that day, the main movement I was planning on doing 😅 literally couldn't even stand after copying his warmup with half the weight.....
Yeah in my experience, after Perma Bulking for almost three years (progress from absolute zero experience novice to upper intermediate), the "Gains" are insane but you always run into overuse injuries before your muscle can be fully tapped.
My Quads will grow like crazy when I'm in a solid bulk cycle, but then I got long term soreness in my Patella Tendon and had to quit all lower body movements for nearly a year.
Bulking is good, you will make gains, but chances are your body won't sustain the high volume heavy lifting for extended periods.
this . so true i fucked my left shoulder this way even tho I made some crazy good gains
Is the upper intermediate based on something like a Wilks Score?
Seems like you ran into over use injuries.
You sure it was overuse? A lot of the time it's form without you even knowing it.
@@lordvoldemort917 Just looking at what other guys the same size as me are lifting. A 570lbs Deadlift is firmly intermediate for just about anyone, and probably just on the cusp of "advanced".
It's super annoying that my knees forced me to stop, then again at about 40% body fat I desperately needed to lose weight.
@@TheJackOfAllTrades777 How is it wrong to say that bad form will cause tendonitis lmao
Felt like this video was speaking right to me, been skipping legs too much these days time to get back to it.
Can’t wait for your next workout video!
Love how you promote lean bulking and Greg’s trying to spin your success with his main-gaining Philosophy
Exactly what we need to hear in the first few weeks of winter.
loving the energy bro, the difference when you were shredding is night and day
The quality of your videos is amazing!!
Always facts with no gimmicks! Keep up the great CONTENT
Not related, but really, the beard + bald + muscle is probably the best look for men, you look great Alex.
T shirt idea: "I am a bloated tank"
I find alex’s talks very motivating
On my first bulk ever. Gained ~400g (
How tall are you seeing your face was chubby at that body weight
This needed to be said, good video. I only bulk if my training, nutrition, supplements, and sleep are on point. great program + bulk+ creatine + great sleep for months is insane growth. Otherwise, it's a major waste of time and caloric surplus. I added 100lb+ to my 3 compound total in 9 weeks. I cut down to 155 before but it's not worth it for me. 160-175 is a good spot for me
I noticed bulking is the best moment for growing lower body part especially the calves that will carry your weight around
Agreed, haha.
I will be running the Smolov Jr. for bench while I am bloatMAXXING. Making the most of it!
Kyriakos Grizzly is deffinetely training like there is no tommorow
Great video and good timing😎 Bulking from 185ish to 200 atm, currently @193. Just like yourself I mainly lift for strength and I’m hoping to increase squat by 50lbs and bench by 25. In 12 years of lifting I’ve found if I focus on strength rather than size everything else will fall into place. Your a great example of that, constantly hitting prs and getting more and more jacked at the same time. Keep it up!
I thought squatting with the ssb bar upside down was hard but good mornings! Respect Alex
They're next level bro!
Never been this early before, gotta say I wouldn't be where I am without the motivation from your videos!
Loving the upload schedule
Been on your novice program for a few weeks and brought my OHP from 110 to 135 so far. Extremely happy to OHP 45s on the bar.
5"7 and 178lb
this video helped me so much during my bulk, i made sure i got stronger in every lift and kept progressing every week, i've been sorta maintaining for the last 3 weeks (weight) but i'm still getting stronger.
my plan is to start cutting tomorrow and hopefully still make strength gains or at least not lose strength and size.
my bulk was only 4 months long but that's ok i'll cut real quick and then do a proper 9 months bulk or so
8:50 “You’re a big, bloated tank 💀😂
Another Great Video Alex! I'm currently lean bulking at the moment and I'm bulking at a very slow pace and when I mean slow I mean slow. For example, I have started my bulk on March 9, 2020 at 136.4lbs and I just got up to 140lbs on Jan. 3, 2022. I have also been taking creatine at the moment as well to help me put on weight, increase strength, endurance, muscle size and with muscle recovery. One last thing do I you have a Weighted Chin-up and Weighted Pull-up program. I'm having trouble increasing my strength and reps on those two lifts all of my other the lifts are increasing expect these two. My goal is to get to 155lbs at 5ft 3 by the end of this bulk.
Thanks,
Cortez
Hey man I’m also 5”3 and started at 133 from nov to now and I I’m at 139 solid.Taking Same supplements as you.My goal is also 150,try full body work outs,and more compound exercises.You should be stacked by now bro.
The bald head is really growing on me, looking good
I had the opposite issue. Trained like a maniac but didn't eat enough. Now I have the cushion for the pushin 😂
Worst mistake I made for my first year of training
@@boihedidit2410 definetely
Same. Had crazy brain fog and dreaded working out lmfaoo
Lol
Same bro this shit is expensive
Perma bulk grindset.
"You're not frail, you're a big bloated tank ready to conquer the weights". 🤣
Bells of Steel better sponsor you bro. A lotta wisdom here
bro is fortune teller
Looking good af with the bald haircut
Thank you brother
Progressive overload really is the 🔑
Sadly, the Instagram models and the maingainers of the world have had a huge influence, and people are leaving gains on the table. I’m about 6 months into bulking right now, and while my training has been much more intense, my recovery is insane and my progress is the best I’ve had in years. I think we should always try to push our limits and not just settle for “good enough” volume, and this is especially true in a bulk. Poor effort with training or bad programming gives bulking a bad name, but it’s probably the best, most consistent thing in getting big and strong
Well said
I demand a updated gym equipment tour!
Updated video incoming! Either this month or next.
Heck yah !
I've been cutting for about 7 months because of a stubborn belly fat, but since december I stopped doing cardio and felt no progress in strength, so I increased my calories from 1700 to 1850. It didn't help much, and I got sick, lost 2kg. After that, about a month ago, I began increasing calories again slowly, now I'm at 2200kcal. I'm feeling so much better, progressive overloading, doing cardio, and having energy to work, and do my house chores but gained no weight at all, only strength. I think I'll keep doing that, increasing calories very slowly. I'm 172cm tall, currently at 67kg and 17,3% bf and I believe I can put a lot of lean weight this year if I keep progressive overloading like I am.
Hyped to push myself harder. Thanks for the info man.
Just started bulking a few days ago. I gotta admit I was slacking off on workouts but I got recommended this video. Hopefully, I'll maximize my gains. I'm 5'9, 15, 139 pounds my goal, for now, is 155 pounds. We'll see how it goes.
Banger as usual
This video is a very important one, thank you
The 20lbs I gained after a year of training really unintentionally whimpy when I started has set me back a lot. Ever since then I've felt somewhat stuck in this purgatory of being 6ft 165-175lbs and not very strong, but already being 20-24% bodyfat (got a dexa scan of 23.8% at 175lb).
You need muscle bro, that's the answer to your problem. It's not the weight that's the issue, just that you have a lot of bodyfat for that size and height (are you sure the dexa was correct?)
I advise not to cut if you don't have a lot of muscle. When you are skinny fat, cutting when you don't have a lot of muscle at all will only result in you possibly losing even more muscle, and you won't be happy with the physique you have when you're done.
Here's my personal anecdote: when I was in your situation some years ago (6'1, 178lbs @ 18-20%) all I did was bulk and seriously train to build up some muscle. I was right around 200 lbs, and well over 20% body fat. That's when I cut back down to the low 170s. Granted, I didn't cut properly but I did lose a lot of body fat and was close to being 11% when I was over 15% at that weight prior to bulking.
Being skinny fat doesn't really have to suck, it just takes a lot of time and commitment to work with. Get stronger in a surplus, bring your lifts up and you'll build more muscle you need. That will solve your problem.
Great vid as usual, Alex.
it's crazy how its get better when i start eat more i lift 10+ years i was stuck for long time then start eating more and try do more in gym and progress in every lift... this is crazy all this time i was eating not enough
Easier to maintain muscles than build so I always stay focused on bulking. Graet video alex
looking great bald, Alex
Golden Video!
This was right around when I was gonna start my bulk from 220->235 lbs but of course I got horribly sick the past 2 weeks and hit my lowest weight in a couple years of 204. Not sure if i'm just gonna try and build back to where I was or if i'm gonna try a super bulk lol, 30lbs seems like overkill now.
I started a lean bulk about a month ago which was tough at first as I am not a big eater. However now I saw my progress explode in the gym thanks to the extra food. Could be a placebo effect on my brain thinking I can lift more when fed prior, however now I feel way more confident hitting heavier weight to which before I would think " no way I can lift this".
Was also worried of getting fat, however in all honesty that hasn't come through too much. I wanna get jacked, want to lift heavy good numbers - so I said fuck it and started eating more; it really does help.
Thank you Alex for your videos, they help me whenever I feel down about my performance. After watching a video or two of yours, you always make me want to hit the gym even harder than last time. 💪
as an ex obese.. i dont know how to bulk anymore, all kinds of fears... i am not lean but got really stronger in calisthenics with a fluffier state bw 90kg 55 kg rm pull up and 73kg rm dip, wish when i get leaner the pull up goes up and then prepare myself psychologically to bulk
Looking rather enhanced there Alex 💪🏼
Bald destiny looks amazing
Trying to bulk to 300 pounds this year, we're all gunna make it boys!
Bulking and working out every single day is the best decision I've ever made
1:25 "you can bulk up & add 50lbs to your bench but after getting lean again the net maybe 30lbs, which is still great. assuming you've gained strength" how can you possibly increase your weight on a lift and not gain strength ?
Well sometimes people bloatmaxx their way to a bigger bench. In other words, they're so fat that range of motion is severely reduced so even though they did gain strength, maybe their peak 1RM would be a bit less if they would have done a slower bulk.
😐
Going to come back to this video in 6 months shredded.
I don’t think it’s ever necessary (unless strength is your primary goal) or healthy, to go the the extreme of having a ‘big bloated gut exploding out of your T-shirt’ which is probably a bit contradictory with the earlier statement of staying in the 15-20% range. Also, worth hammering the point that if you want to cut down from there it should be done slowly to maximise muscle retention.
I'm not promoting that so there's no contradiction and you're misinterpreting the video. All I'm saying is that if you do get to that level, that should never be an excuse not to make strength and muscle gains since the visual aspect doesn't represent what's physiologically happening underneath. Lastly.. I did talk about cutting slowly like 4-5 months and my transformation (as shown) was 180 days. So I don't understand why you wrote this comment man.
@@AlexLeonidas thanks for clarifying the point, I’ve rewatched that bit and agreed, you’re not promoting and are speaking objectively at that point. I’m just not a fan of putting a positive spin on being overweight, even if it will lead to better strength and more mass. I don’t think anyone ever needs to be so strong that it’s detrimental to their health but each to their own.
I’m totally agreeing with your point about cutting and understand you did mention the time period in the video. I’ve seen enough of your videos to understand what your thoughts are on this and completely agree. By writing that comment I was just trying to hammer home that point because I really believe it can’t be stated enough and think too many people take the deficit too far.
All fitness influencers are on GEAR!
Not all but 9/10 times they're on stuff
My natural appetite is basically a constant extremely lean bulk. No tracking, no constant weigh ins, not even „intentional“. Over a period of 6 months i‘ll add roughly 2-4 pounds of body weight if even that while holding relatively high fat at roughly 20% bf. However visually i get sharper month after month even with 6 years of consitant training. Nothing but low reps, 3-5 on working sets. And i get stronger pretty rapidly, at least at the moment.
Whenever i grow in size my body will navigate my hunger leading me to add a little snack or a few additional grams of oatmeal here and there.
Whats the message? Don‘t loose focus of your own appetite by blindly following diets and plans from others, more often than not your body knows whats best if you‘re used to training. At least for guys with a good appetite.
As far as the video goes i definitely have to agree, healthy bulking gives you a new found energy and you‘d be a fool not to use it for controlled but aggressive hypertrophy.
Hey man, i got a question. We all know that muscle memory is a real thing, but the question that i have is for how long? Talking months, years, maybe even a decade without training.
I believe Migan of Team3DAlpha claimed it lasts for a good 10-20 years and I wouldn't be surprised if that's true. Either way, it's long enough for you to not worry about it.
Maybe I can pitch in. 13 years to 10 years ago I went on the classic teenage dirty bulk zero programming training in my dad's basement. Went from 70kg to 99kg bodyweight and hit a lifetime PR of 104kg on the bench, 24kg DB concentration curl and 45kg dumbbell row.
Now at 29 with 4 months proper nutrition and training, I am at 3/4 of that peak of 10 years ago. Muscle memory must play a huge role here
Muscle memory is the best, i never thought it was that big of a deal until I started training again 10 weeks ago after a long lay off of 1.5 years. My max squat was 180kg, deadlift was 235kg and bench was 125kg.
I am in my 10th week back with proper diet and sleep and I am already back to where I was and actually stronger on the squat.
I just hit
190kg squat
230 deadlift
115 bench
75kg ohp
My body has changed rapidly, by week 6 I already had fullness and veins. I started at 80kg and lost 2kg in the first 3 weeks and then went back into a surplus and I am now 80kg again but look way better.
I tested my maxs on the 2nd week back training and got
60kg ohp
150kg squat
100kg bench
200kg deadlift
My squat jumped 40kg in 10 weeks it’s insane!
I feel like I have noob gains all over again, I wonder how long untill it slows down
i train from 2001 to 2012 on and off then got a cancer and lost motivation to train. I got back to training in august last year and took me 9 months to tied a PR on deadlift 435 for 7 reps.
@@passetameleshots7440 congrats man! hope your doing well now
When I had to diet for bodybuilding competitions I always got weaker but what I did is I compared my body way to what I could lift a.k.a. relative strength so that I never felt bad about being weaker. And when I’m gaining weight rather than just thinking I said a PR I think about selling a pound for pound PR. For me it’s all about relative strength.
ratio
Literally nobody asked
I always gain valuable insight from you Alex thanks for what you do
Keep up with the content 👊👏
Excellent video Alex. As a skinny guy I am bulking right now and not wasting any of this surplus. If I dont see my reps or weight going up I feel like I’m eating all this food for nothing lol.
2:09
Although dirty bulking is not the best way to go on to build your physique, it made my lifts explode . Within 8 months my bench went from 145 for 5 to 225 for 3x3, my deadlifts went from barely doing 185 with good form to 375 for 5 reps.
I'm digging the shaved head look. Are you gonna be rocking it forever? Have you considered minoxidil/finasteride or even a transplant?
Thanks Hugh, not sure what I'm going to do moving forward. I debate between shaving it, SMP, or getting a good FUT done provided I wouldn't need finasteride after.
I'm doing PPL and hoping for the best. Honestly, anything is better for me since I've had anorexia and have come from 45kg to now 71.4kg
That’s insane mate. Respect. Be careful on ppl I started doing it and fucked my rotator cuff. Think the volume was off on the push days (too much) resulting in damage to muscles in shoulders. Set me 10 weeks back at least!
I'm not gonna lie I'm getting fat as fuck on my bulk but I'm hitting the gym hard as fuck and my lifts go up every week.
I know my training is ON POINT. But maybe I can ease up on the food
Aye it's all good brother, at least you're making solid muscle gains!! You can always cut later
Interesting to hear. Never considered that a bulk could be useful even if you’re already at a body fat where you could gain muscle with maintenance calories
ugh i'm slightlyyy cutting atm to try to slowly get myself out of this skinnyfat phase. it's devastating. i'm frail af in the limbs but cant wait to lose a couple points of bodyfat and then just maingain from there and build muscle
Waitin on that home gym video!
Great topic and video. Muscle gain formula = eat enough food so that when you train to failure you get stronger. Train hard enough so that the next time you train you get stronger. If your not progressing in strength as a newb or intermediate your either not eating enough or not training hard enough. If your not getting stronger, your probably not getting bigger either. Easy,.
Thanks, I needed this talk.
Real talk, I am currently suffering from the same thing.. lost around 20 kg in 6 months in body weight(mostly fat) went from 103kg to 85kg around 23-25% fat, gained strength and size for the next 3 months, and bam! Stop!...trying to reset the whole process. Feel like my gains has stopped, so has my fat loss. Frustrating, got to go back to the drawing board... Sad face, crying face...
Your physique is absolutely ridiculous on that side pose. T-shirt is sick too. Big inspiration bro.