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When it comes to bulking, more isn't always more, and faster isn't necessarily smarter. It would be great if bulking meant eating whatever we want, whenever we want, but research suggests that a more modest calorie surplus, at a slower rate of gain, is better for body composition.
'On a bulk? If you gain too fast, you'll gain mostly fat,' says coach and exercise researcher Jeff Nippard. 'If you gain too slow, you might be leaving muscle gains on the table.'
Nippard is referring to a recent eight-week study in experienced lifters that compared different rates of weight gain. 'In a new bulking study, 17 experienced lifters trained for 8 weeks,' he explains. 'One group, slow-bulked, gaining about 1% of their body weight per month. The other group, fast-bulked, gaining about 3% of their body weight per month.'
'Both groups gained about the same amount of muscle, but the fast-bulkers gained significantly more fat.' Meaning, increasing the calorie surplus at a faster pace didn't result in lean mass, just extra body fat.
'There is an exception, though,' says Nippard. 'When you're new to lifting, you can bulk a little faster and gain mostly muscle mass.' He cites another earlier piece of research in beginners where participants trained four days a week and gained 6.5lbs in eight weeks, with very little fat gain.
'So, if you're a beginner starting a bulk, you should gain around 0.5 to 1% of your body weight per week,' he says. 'After your first six months of lifting, you'll want to slow down. At that point, gaining around 1% of your body weight per month makes a lot more sense.'
How to Bulk to Minimise Fat Gain
For experienced lifters especially, slower, controlled weight gain appears to build just as much muscle without gaining as much unnecessary fat. It's difficult to completely avoid fat gain, but you can focus on:
- Aim for a moderate calorie surplus that supports muscle growth and a gain of around 0.5 to 1% of body weight per month, adjusting based on your training experience and starting body composition.
- A daily surplus of roughly 200-400 calories is typically sufficient. Larger increases are unlikely to speed up muscle growth and may simply increase body fat.
- Prioritise protein intake at around 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, as this supports recovery and maximises muscle protein synthesis.
- If you're relatively new to lifting, you may not need a surplus at all. Beginners can often build muscle at maintenance calories, and in some cases even in a slight deficit, provided training is progressive and protein intake is adequate.
- Track trends rather than daily scale fluctuations. If your body weight is climbing rapidly but performance is not improving, you're likely overshooting your rate of gain.
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
