The Number 1 Muscle Gain Myth Busted!

by: Ben Kong

Seriously, there's virtually no point in bulking up by consuming excess calories in an attempt to 'pack on mass' or 'get huge' If you are training naturally and want a lean, muscular physique. All you are doing is being indulgent and unfortunately getting fat!

The fact is, muscle grows very slowly, so slowly on a daily basis that you don't need a great excess of calories to help it along; a couple of hundred calories is plenty.

Furthermore, when trying to lean down from a fairly high fat level with any speed you will lose some muscle and probably all that you gained during the bulking phase. You may have a small net gain but if that's the case then why bother putting on all the fat and having to lose it instead of just building steadily?

Then why does this bulking and cutting theory still have validity? The answer if you haven't already caught on is that the above statement is qualified with "if you are training naturally." Bulking and cutting (to a certain point in any case) can be valid if you have the pharmaceuticals to dramatically reduce the catabolism (muscle breakdown) whilst getting ripped. The resulting net gain is thus much larger and can make the practice worthwhile.

There is no need to force feed or stuff yourself with a heap of extra calories as quality mass gains take time. The reality is that new muscle grows slowly, even when you are training and eating optimally. Remember, muscle tissue is 80% water, and very little muscle protein is actually synthesized each day -just a few grams, so there is no need for a whole lot of extra protein or other calories.

In fact most of your extra calories will probably be carbs since the calorie deficit you create when losing body fat comes from a degree of carb restriction. Adding some extra carbohydrates at this stage will ensure you have maximum energy to train and recover and you should remember that whilst protein is muscle building, it is carbohydrates that are muscle sparing. Since you are now not actively trying to lose body fat, the extra carbs aren't a problem. In fact you may even find that although you are taking in more calories after a period of restriction, this kicks your metabolism into a higher gear and combined with higher energy workouts, you may continue to get leaner still while adding quality muscle mass.