Bulking is the muscle-gaining phase. You’re meant to intentionally consume more calories than your body needs for a set period — often 4–6 months. These extra calories provide your body with the necessary fuel to boost muscle size and strength while weight training (1).

Bulking is a structured method in a bodybuilding training cycle where the primary goal is to gain muscle massand increase overall body weight. This process involves eating more calories than your body burns - commonly known as a caloric surplus-while engaging in resistance training to stimulate muscle growth.

Bulking is a phase in the bodybuilding cycle that involves consuming excess calories to build muscle. People tend to consume additional protein and carbohydrates in this phase. Afterward, a person tends to enter a cutting phase to burn the excess fat that builds up during a bulk.

A bulk is a period of eating in a strategic calorie surplus. That is, when you’re bulking, you eat more calories than you burn. The goal is to gain weight, primarily due to increased muscle mass. People most often combine bulking with high intensity resistance training to help boost their muscle and strength gains.