What is the Dirty Bulk? A Beginner‘s Guide
When you first start lifting weights, gaining muscle likely becomes an exciting goal. You want to see your strength shoot up and your shirts start feeling more snug across the chest and arms. Bulking up to build muscle involves eating in a calorie surplus, and one approach called "dirty bulking" takes this to the extreme. But what exactly is a dirty bulk?
Simply put, dirty bulking means consuming a very large calorie surplus with less care for food quality, for the purpose of maximizing muscle gains quickly. The priority becomes calories first and nutrition second. It involves eating a lot of calorie-dense foods like burgers, pizza, fatty meats, desserts, and junk food. The idea is to provide your body plenty of extra energy to build muscle rapidly.
The Pros of Dirty Bulking
Here are some of the touted benefits of dirty bulking:
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Rapid muscle growth – Research shows dirty bulking can lead to faster muscle growth than a traditional clean bulk diet. One study found subjects eating a junk food-heavy hypercaloric diet gained 2.7 lbs (1.2 kg) of muscle over 4 weeks compared to 1.5 lbs (0.7 kg) gained on a traditional bulk [1].
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Easier to consume calories – For skinny guys who struggle to eat a lot of clean foods, dirty bulking provides an easier way to consume enough calories and protein to maximize muscle protein synthesis.
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Build muscle foundation – Dirty bulking can help naturally skinny men put on an initial layer of muscle mass during their first bulk to build a size and strength foundation. This base muscle makes future clean bulking more effective.
The Cons of Dirty Bulking
However, dirty bulking isn‘t without its downsides:
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Increased fat gain – Eating far over maintenance leads to more fat gain in addition to muscle growth. One study found subjects overeating by 1000+ calories gained 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) of fat over 4 weeks [1].
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Poorer heart health – Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol like those in dirty bulking can raise LDL cholesterol and increase cardiovascular disease risk [2].
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Higher diabetes risk – Frequent intake of high glycemic foods like sweets, sodas, and white bread can increase type 2 diabetes risk over time [3].
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More acne – Studies link hypercaloric diets and consumption of dairy, carbs and sugary foods to increased acne, which many lifters already struggle with [4].
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Quick rebound effect – When transitioning to a cut after dirty bulking, fat loss rebound is higher and more muscle may be lost compared to clean bulking [5].
Clean Bulking vs Dirty Bulking
Here‘s a comparison between a clean bulk and dirty bulk:
| Clean Bulk | Dirty Bulk | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily calorie surplus | 300-500 | 1000+ |
| Macro targets | High protein,Moderate carbs & fat | High carbs and fat |
| Common foods | Chicken, rice, veggies, fruit | Burgers, pizza, bacon, pop tarts |
| Rate of weight gain | 0.25-0.5% per week | 0.5-1% per week |
| Muscle to fat gain ratio | 1:1 | 2:1 |
| Risk of adverse health effects | Lower | Higher |
Is Dirty Bulking Worth It?
Dirty bulking can be worthwhile for some people, especially very skinny men who struggle to gain weight. For those with naturally high metabolisms, dirty bulking provides the caloric overload needed to build an initial base of muscle.
However, bulking dirty long term is not a good approach due to potential health risks. Based on my experience with both styles, I recommend limiting dirty bulking periods to 2-3 months maximum before transitioning back to a clean bulk diet.
When to Dirty Bulk
Good candidates for a dirty bulk include:
- Very skinny men with BMIs < 18.5
- Men with ectomorphic somatypes and fast metabolisms
- Previously lean athletes seeking to bulk up such as runners or swimmers
- Those with small appetites who struggle eating large clean-food meals
Unless you fall into one of the above categories, a standard clean bulk is likely the better option.
Foods to Eat When Dirty Bulking
Here are some calorie-dense foods that make it easier to meet high calorie needs when dirty bulking:
Proteins
- Bacon
- Fatty cuts of beef and pork
- Chicken wings
- Pepperoni
- Steak
Carbs
- French fries
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Pop tarts
- White breads
Fats
- Avocados
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Nutella
- Oils like olive oil
Dairy
- Cheese
- Chocolate milk
- Ice cream
- Milkshakes
- Whole milk
Snacks/Desserts
- Candy bars
- Cereal
- Chips
- Cookies
- Frozen yogurt
While its tempting to eat purely junk food when dirty bulking, be sure to still consume sufficient protein at every meal from sources like meats, protein shakes, eggs and dairy.
Transitioning From Dirty Bulk to Cut
After a dirty bulk, you‘ll almost certainly need to "cut" to burn off extra body fat while retaining muscle. Here‘s how to transition:
- Reduce calories by 500-750 below maintenance
- Increase cardio to 250-500 calories per session
- Focus diet on lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats
- Limit added sugar, fried foods, and saturated fats
- Continue lifting weights at maintenance volume
Maintaining lifting volume and protein intake helps retain the new muscle tissue built during the dirty bulk phase.
The Takeaway
While dirty bulking can be an effective short-term tactic for spurring muscle growth in some people, it comes with health risks if sustained too long without periods of cutting. Limit dirty bulking to 2-3 months for best results.