Tis’ the season for plenty of layers in the gym. Ready to make the most of \u201cbulking season\u201d?<\/p>\n
Does your training change with the seasons? There\u2019s plenty of evidence to suggest it should, especially when you live in a climate like the UK! Let\u2019s get bulking\u2026 and here\u2019s how to make the most of the gaining season.<\/p>\n
For several reasons, you might choose to focus on gaining mass<\/a> over the winter months. It makes sense. The weather is colder, so you\u2019re less likely to want to be outside doing cardio (whether that\u2019s long walks or team sports). There\u2019s more food around, which lends itself to being in a calorie excess. And the cold weather and dark evenings invite a kind of \u201choodie<\/a> on, head down\u201d approach to hard and heavy training.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to bulk over winter. It\u2019s entirely your choice (and if you\u2019ve got a show or a shoot early in the year, you will have to be in a diet phase now anyway). But if you\u2019re on the fence, it\u2019s worth knowing that winter lends itself to eating more, lifting heavy, and adding mass.<\/p>\n Not everyone chooses to bulk over Christmas. Look at your goals<\/a> over the next 3-6 months. If you want to get leaner, and if you have a show\/shoot (or any goal in the calendar), then a bulk isn\u2019t the right choice for you.<\/p>\n But if you are already relatively lean, if you want to add more muscle mass, or if you simply want to focus on training hard with plenty of energy then a winter bulk could be right for you.<\/p>\n Just remember that nobody should stay lean all year round (and certainly not for several years in a row) if the focus is muscle gain and physique improvement. If you want to get stronger, add mass, and improve your shape over time then can\u2019t be in a diet phase all the time.<\/p>\n If the idea of bulking worries you, bear in mind that bulking does not have to mean adding masses of body fat and going completely off track. Bulking simply means gaining, and you can do that as slowly with as much control as you want. Whatever your approach, the focus should be on increasing your training volume, intensity, and\/or load and adding muscle mass (with the caveat that a little body fat will naturally come along for the ride).<\/p>\n You will need to add calories for a winter bulk<\/a>, especially if you have been in a calorie deficit for a diet. 200-500 calories over maintenance is enough to encourage new muscle tissue, but you may feel that you need more than that. Cold weather and heavy training will put demands on your body too. It\u2019s really your call. Do you want to control your mass gain phase, stay as lean as possible, and track your food? Or are you happy to gain a little more body fat, have plenty of extra energy, and have a break from tracking? Make sure your extra calories come from decent sources<\/a> as much as possible, but don\u2019t forget to enjoy some festive treats<\/a> too! Keep your protein at reasonable levels (around 1g\/1lb) and increase calories from carbohydrates (for performance) leaving some wiggle room for calories from fats (which will naturally increase with the extra food choices).<\/p>\nIs Bulking right for me?<\/h2>\n
The Benefits of A Strategic Gaining Season<\/h2>\n
Smart Training for Winter Gains<\/h2>\n
Calories<\/h3>\n
Recovery<\/h3>\n