No matter if you're a football player looking to beef up or a bodybuilder in a bulking phase, making muscle, size and weight gains is essential to progress for athletes in many sports. Well, there are two ways to go about it: clean bulk or dirty bulk. Depending on your goal, one method may appeal more to you. The question is: which one is the best fit for you? Let's find out!
In this article, we’ll go over both clean and dirty bulking and the pros and cons of each style for gaining size.
Dirty Bulking
Of course, this one comes with an enormous stigma. But if you love food and don’t mind lugging around a little bit of extra cushion around your midsection, it can help you reach your goal if building muscle and strength is your sole priority.
Dirty bulking refers to not setting any caloric restrictions; essentially, you eat whatever you want, as much as your want, whenever you want. While this sounds like the dream for many people, not fueling with precision can have setbacks.
Dirty Bulk Pros
- Less calculations & planning
- Craving satisfaction
- Built-in reward system
- It provides your body with enough calories to work hard in the gym
- “Best of both worlds”; gain size + using favorite foods to create that size
Dirty Bulk Cons
- Unnecessary fat gain
- Become too reliant on favorite foods
- Potentially not enough nutritious input
- Gut issues/slower recovery time
- Will need to implement a cut phase afterward for ideal aesthetics
- Can feel sluggish or unfocused
Dirty bulking can be fun, but sometimes fun shouldn’t be the focal point of gaining mass. If you need motivation and food is a good motivator, go for it. However, if the goal is to get built as efficiently as possible, another option is much more aligned…
Clean Bulking
For a more regimented approach, clean bulking is the way to go. It can be daunting, though. You’re likely already going through a grueling workout routine to pair with the caloric restriction and macro ranges. Doing too much at once runs the risk of burnout.
But if you want the best results in the shortest amount of time, a clean bulk keeps your body healthy and ready for action at all times.
Clean Bulk Pros
- Best physique in the quickest amount of time
- Proper nutrition input
- Improved mental focus and resiliency
- Easier to maintain a body over time
Clean Bulk Cons
- Food restriction
- Could lead to mental burnout
- You might not get enough fuel for a heavy workout schedule
A big plus of clean bulking is all the natural foods at your disposal to keep your mass gains lean while boosting overall health and wellbeing. The downside to this is all the shopping, meal prep, and time spend weighing macros. If you’re dedicated to clean weight gain and are looking for a little extra help, we do have a new gainer protein supplement with 25 raw food ingredients to clean bulk confidently: CLEAN MASS XL.
Clean Mass XL has a complete nutritional profile including clean carbs, healthy fats, and greens with over 60g of protein and 1000 calories. It comes in two delicious flavors — vanilla ice cream and triple chocolate cake!
The Verdict
Clean bulk becomes the clear choice - when you can make it easier. Of course, clean and dirty are both viable, but one side of the coin is way more appealing if you're serious about your health and maintaining that shredded physique.
