What’s the Difference Between a Dirty Bulk and a Clean Bulk?

If you’ve been struggling to add the lean muscle mass you desire, you’re not alone. Many of us have a hard time adding muscle, especially while staying lean. 

So, what’s the solution? IT’S TIME TO BULK!

When it comes to bulking, you have two main choices: a clean bulk or a dirty bulk. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand the difference between the two, and therefore attempt to add muscle mass with no real strategy, which can become frustrating. 

In this article, we’ll take a deeper dive into the topic so that you fully understand the difference between the two, and can reach your physique goals faster.

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What is the Difference Between a Dirty Bulk and a Clean Bulk?

When it comes to bulking, there’s a lot more to it than lifting heavy and getting in extra calories to support gains. The whole reason for bulking in the first place is to add lean muscle mass to your frame and mold it as if you were creating a masterpiece from clay and sculpting it to look a certain way. But a dirty bulk and clean bulk will get you entirely different results in the end.

Regardless of the bulk you choose, your total daily caloric intake needs to be higher than maintenance. For example, if your maintenance calories (where you neither gain nor lose weight) is 2,000, that means you need to consume more than that to put on any size. 

Some people will add as little as 250 calories per day and see results, while others may need to increase daily calories by 500-1,000 in order to see changes in their physique. You’ll want to start on the lower end of the spectrum and work your way up until you find your caloric “sweet spot.”

The toughest part of the equation is what food you consume, which either puts you in the category of a dirty bulk or a clean bulk. Let’s look at both individually.

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Dirty Bulk

A dirty bulk is absolutely the more fun of the two styles of bulking. The unfortunate part is that you’ll find yourself gaining more body fat in the process—and quite quickly. 

Those who dirty bulk tend to eat whatever they want in order to put themselves into a caloric surplus. This generally means added carbohydrates and fats (and not the healthy kind you’d find in a clean bulk). People tend to eat ice cream, desserts, and other unhealthy food more than usual, thinking it will allow them to add mass quickly – which it does, but with consequences.  

The mass that you add from dirty bulking won’t just be muscle, but instead a combination of muscle and fat. This means you’re likely going to need to cut and engage in increased amounts of cardio following your bulk in order to shed off the added body fat that’s accumulated in addition to the muscle mass. 

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Clean Bulk

If the goal is to add lean muscle mass, a clean bulk will unquestionably be the bulking method you want to follow. 

A clean bulk will take longer than a dirty bulk to see results, but the results will be lean muscle being added rather than body fat that will later need to be shed. Utilizing a clean bulk strategy is where you increase your daily caloric intake, but you keep your macros clean. This means increasing the overall amount of lean protein sources, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats while still eliminating unhealthy options (or at least keeping them to a minimum).

Ideal foods for a clean bulk include: 

• Brown rice
• Chicken 
• Turkey
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa 
• Lean ground beef
• Salmon 
• Tuna 
• Eggs

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Which Bulk is the Right Choice for You?

Whether you decide on a dirty bulk or a clean bulk comes down to your goals. If you don’t mind adding body fat, a dirty bulk will undoubtedly get the job done. But if you want to focus on adding lean mass without adding unwanted body fat, a clean bulk is the way to go.

It’s also important to remember that no two bodies are the same. What works for your gym buddy might not work for you, so make sure you’re paying attention to what feels best for your body, and making small adjustments as needed as you go. 

Regardless of if you dirty bulk or clean bulk, tracking your nutrition with something like MyFitnessPal can be advantageous to understanding where your calories and macros are daily. They provide you with data you can use to make changes to your nutrition plan depending on your results.

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