Bulking Plan
TRAIN HARD, EAT WELL
Base Rules to follow during hypertrophy phases.
Create an Anabolic Environment.
Muscle tissue will grow far more effectively when you create the correct anabolic environment.
This occurs by supplying the body with sufficient carbs, proteins and good fats.
Protein Intake should be set at a max of 2.4g per Kg of bodyweight.
Protein is the only nutrient, which can be used to repair existing and build new muscle tissue.
However once intakes exceed 2.4g per Kg no additional muscle growth occurs, for a 100kg
player his requirement would be 240g per day, this is still a high intake compared to the
general population and will not be met by following a typical healthy eating plan.
Bulking Plan
Carbs for Energy
Low Carbohydrate diets during the early development years of a rugby player will limit
muscle growth. The focus should be on players eating less processed foods (high sugar/fat)
and eating more wholesome, natural foods.
Carbohydrate intake is important during a bulking phase for the following reasons;
a.
High carb intakes create an anabolic environment, by stimulating insulin release.
Insulin is a highly anabolic hormone that promotes the uptake of glucose and
amino acids into muscle cells.
b.
Carbs are protein sparing. While on a low carb plan and training intensely there will
be conversion of amino acids (particularly the Branched Chain Amino Acids) into
glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis (while this may be desirable during a
fat loss phase, this scenario is not beneficial during periods where lean muscle
growth is the priority). In essence the protein you consume is being used for energy
not muscle growth.
Bulking Plan
c.
Carbohydrates are required to re-fuel glycogen stores. Intense weights sessions
will deplete glycogen stores, therefore to allow good energy levels and to allow
progression over the training week carbs must be eaten in sufficient quantities
daily to refuel (Also particularly important in terms of making sure you are fully refuelled by the time game day comes).
d.
You can only consume so many calories from protein-based foods, high calorie intake
also contributes to this anabolic environment and it would be impossible to eat the
5000Kcals or more required for some players without a high carb intake.
Maintain Hydration
Muscle cells will function more efficiently when fully hydrated. For every 1g of carbs taken up
into a muscle cell, 3g of water are also drawn in. This creates a volumizing effect that results
in more glucose and amino acids being drawn in and hence more muscle growth.
In addition being hydrated allows you to train harder and for longer thereby stimulating
further muscle growth.
Bulking Plan
Nutrient Timing
All meals and snacks should contain the basic components – pie graph with protein, fats,
carbs.
Ideally you should not go more than 3 hours without eating a meal or snack. This is the best
way to provide your body with a constant source of protein for muscle growth and will
maintain good energy levels and avoids the need to overeat at any one-meal time.
When trying to gain lean muscle you may find it easier to have liquid snacks in-between
meals until you get used to eating a larger quantity of food
Bulking Plan
Example
Breakfast
Mid morning – shake
Lunch
Mid pm – shake
Evening Meal
Before Bed - shake / snack
Tip - You may want to reduce high-energy carb intake towards the evening if you trained in
the morning and have already re-fuelled or if your bodyweight is increasing to quickly. If
this is the case then add more of the low energy carbs (salads and vegetables)
Bulking Plan
Potential Anabolic Activity
(%)
Focus on Recovery Window
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
15
30
45
60
75
90
105
120
Minutes
The first 40 minutes post training is the best time to supply your body with correct nutrition.
This can have the following benefits;
• Refuels muscle glycogen
• Aids muscle repair and growth
• Supports Immune System
Bulking Plan
Some athletes find it difficult to eat straight after a hard session, in this scenario a recovery
shake will allow the athlete to supply his body with the nutrients it needs until he feels ready
to eat.
The main advantage of a recovery shake is Quick digestion and absorption time.
A pint of semi-skimmed milk and a banana works great as a recovery option, the milk
provides 20g protein and the combination provides approx 50g of carbs. For those who are
not gaining weight then blend 2 bananas into the milk and add a tablespoon of honey as
well.
This would then be followed by a meal approx 1-hour later; a good example would be a
baked potato with can tuna, baked beans and a mixed salad.
Bulking Plan
Fat Intake
Very low fat diets can reduce testosterone levels which would make it difficult to add lean
body mass. If we follow the basic principle of reducing processed foods and high sugar and
high fat snacks then we should not worry about the fat that is naturally occurring in
wholesome foods such as eggs, whole milk, red meats, fish and nuts. The saturated fats
within these foods are useful for testosterone production.
While there is concern about high intakes of saturated fats increasing cholesterol levels then
this more likely to occur when these saturated fats are found in highly processed foods and
combined with a high sugar intake Furthermore these foods also contain the essential
Omega 3 fatty acids which reduce LDL (the bad type of cholesterol).
There is no problem with eating whole eggs on a daily basis; whole eggs have been shown to
give better muscle and strength results than egg whites. Egg whites only contain on average
3g of protein, whereas whole eggs contain 6-7g.
Bulking Plan
Sample Days Eating for Lean Mass Gain
Please note nutritional values are calculated based on average food size servings. Suitable
for bodyweights up to 90kg.
Breakfast Protein = 40g Carbs = 70g
4 whole eggs, scrambled with 3 slices wholemeal toast (spread – butter), banana and glass
squash.
A good alternative breakfast would be the protein porridge below
Mid Morning Protein = 30g Carbs = 100g
Mass Shake - Pint semi-skimmed milk with 2 bananas, tablespoon honey and tablespoon
peanut butter blended
Bulking Plan
Lunch P=40g Carbs = 140g
3 tortilla wraps, filled with chicken or tuna. Use 2 chicken breasts or 1 can of tuna shared
between them, add salad and dressing of choice. Apple or banana and 50g cashews
Mid Pm Protein = 30g Carbs = 110g
Protein Porridge – 100g dry weight porridge oats, ½ pint whole milk, 1 scoop protein powder
, banana and drizzle honey
Evening Meal Protein = 40g Carbs = 110g
Spaghetti Bolognaise – use lean steak mince – approx 150g cooked meat , 100g dry weight
spaghetti.
Before Bed Protein = 30g Carbs = 30g
150g cottage cheese with handful pecans and diced apple
Bulking Plan
Total Daily Intake
Protein = 210g
Carbs = 560g