DiscoverWits & Weights | Fat Loss, Nutrition, & Strength Training for LiftersBuild Muscle WITHOUT Bulking if You Want "Lean Gains" | Ep 384
Build Muscle WITHOUT Bulking if You Want "Lean Gains" | Ep 384

Build Muscle WITHOUT Bulking if You Want "Lean Gains" | Ep 384

Update: 2025-10-08
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Join Physique University for our new IGNITE 🔥 training template (4-day upper/lower time-saving split) - use code FREEPLAN for a free custom nutrition plan when you join: https://witsandweights.com/physique

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You MUST "bulk" to build muscle... right?

Eat more, gain weight, accept getting fluffy, then cut it all off later with a fat loss phase... right?

Not necessarily.

What if bulking is inefficient for YOUR goals? What if you could build muscle while staying lean year-round?

Learn why you might NOT need a calorie surplus to build muscle and a unique approach called aggressive maintenance where you can skip bulking entirely while getting the strong, lean, aesthetic body you're going for.

Main Takeaways:

  • Traditional bulking optimizes for throughput (total muscle gain), while aggressive maintenance optimizes for efficiency (muscle gain per unit of input)
  • You CAN build muscle at maintenance calories when 3 things are dialed in
  • Certain individuals partition nutrients more efficiently toward muscle vs. fat and are better candidates for skipping the bulk
  • There are "hidden" but powerful factors that enable muscle growth without bulking

Episode Resources:

Timestamps:

0:00 - Why bulking might be inefficient for you
3:45 - Efficiency vs. throughput
8:20 - How muscle growth works without a surplus
13:15 - What is aggressive maintenance?
19:00 - Glycogen, neurological adaptations, and energy flux
24:10 - Who benefits most from skipping the bulk
28:15 - Operating at design limits without exceeding them


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Build Muscle WITHOUT Bulking if You Want "Lean Gains" | Ep 384

Build Muscle WITHOUT Bulking if You Want "Lean Gains" | Ep 384

Philip Pape, Evidence-Based Nutrition Coach & Fat Loss Expert