When a beginner wants to gain muscle mass, they usually envision what their ultimate goal will look like, but the path to achieving that goal can vary. There are generally two different approaches:
The first method is the classic “dirty” muscle-building approach: you aim to maximize muscle mass, but due to the nature of the nutritional and pharmacological choices involved, this almost always results in an increase in subcutaneous fat and fluid retention. Typically, a bulking cycle is followed by a cutting cycle—during which athletes attempt to burn off excess fat through diet and fat-burning supplements.
The second method is “clean” muscle gain—you can maintain a more aesthetically pleasing physique by slightly sacrificing the rate of muscle growth, restricting your diet (reducing daily calorie intake), and using supplements that minimize water retention.
A bulking cycle aimed at gaining muscle should continue until the goal is achieved. For beginners, gaining 4–8 kg of muscle mass is a realistic outcome, and with the right approach, this goal can be achieved within 10–12 weeks. When you decide to undertake a bulking cycle, it’s best to focus on cycles of moderate duration: 8–16 weeks. This is essentially the window during which the body can efficiently build muscle mass. In most cases, your body will need a rest period after completing this cycle.
CLEAN BULK
“Clean muscle gain” is a comprehensive approach to increasing muscle mass. In bodybuilding, it focuses on building muscle while minimizing fat accumulation. This method not only promotes aesthetically pleasing physical development but also ensures overall health.
Unlike methods aimed at maximizing weight gain in the shortest possible time (“dirty bulking”), “clean bulking” assumes a more gradual and controlled approach to weight gain. This allows athletes to more precisely manage the ratio of muscle mass to body fat and achieve their desired results while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing overall appearance.
The primary focus of “clean bulking” lies in calorie control, where bodybuilders strive to maintain a moderate caloric intake to support muscle growth while avoiding excessive intake, which leads to excessive fat accumulation. This is crucial for those seeking high-quality muscle growth without gaining excessive body weight. If daily caloric intake—particularly from carbohydrates—is too high, you will find yourself shifting from clean bulking to standard bulking.
PEDs
In a “clean muscle-building” regimen, the choice of drugs also plays a crucial role. The goal of this cycle is to gain lean muscle without gaining fat. As you know, different steroids vary not only in their anabolic and androgenic properties but also in their ability to induce fat loss. Classic compounds for clean muscle gain include Stanozolol, Oxandrolone, Trenbolone, Drostanolone, and Methebolone. They have a significant effect on fat burning while also increasing protein synthesis, which promotes muscle mass gain.
When considering “clean bulking” with androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS), the primary choice should be dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derivatives. It’s important to note that you can reduce most subcutaneous fat deposits with virtually any androgenic anabolic steroid (AAS), as all AAS stimulate lipolysis to some extent. However, some compounds are more effective at this than others. DHT derivatives are the leaders in this regard. First, DHT derivatives have no estrogenic activity (Oxymetholone is the exception to this general rule).
Aromatase inhibitors can also suppress estradiol levels. During this cycle, prolactin and estradiol levels should remain in the middle of the normal range, rather than higher, as increased levels of both hormones lead to an increase in body fat.
Furthermore, when we talk about “clean bulking,” we’re referring to an athlete’s physique where all muscles are clearly visible and well-defined. To achieve this look, the compounds you use should not cause significant fat accumulation; otherwise, your physique will appear bloated. This is why we recommend DHT derivatives, which do not elevate estradiol levels and cause significantly less water retention in the body.
Beyond synthetic steroids, athletes often use growth hormone or IGF-1/PEG MGF to further stimulate protein synthesis and increase muscle growth, while further reducing body fat. As for peptides and MK677 that stimulate growth hormone production, these are not the best choices for a clean bulking regimen because they can increase appetite, leading to overeating. However, combinations such as Ipamorelin and CJC 1295 with DAC are viable options because they do not cause this effect.
HGH Fragment 176-191 and other fat burners can also be used, but in this case, the cycle becomes more of a pure fat-loss regimen, especially if you adjust your diet—that is, reduce calories to further burn fat. However, in this scenario, you cannot expect to gain muscle.
Pros and Cons
The advantage of this method is that as you work toward your goal, you’ll look your best, with clearly defined muscles and abs—at least if you already have a fairly low body fat percentage. If your body fat percentage isn’t very low, you won’t gain additional fat—at least not during a clean bulking cycle—and you’ll actually lose some fat over the 12-week cycle. Even if you don’t burn off excess fat (though you’ll likely lose a few kilograms of fat) and gain a few kilograms of muscle mass, the ratio of fat to muscle will shift, and you’ll still look more sculpted.
The downside of this approach is that your muscle growth will be slightly slower than with a classic bulking program. However, you’ll definitely feel better and avoid adverse effects such as bloating and high blood pressure. In the long run, a significant increase in body fat carries the risk of insulin resistance. We recommend the clean bulking program for older athletes and anyone who isn’t aiming for extreme muscle mass or rapid weight gain.
DIRTY BULK
Generally speaking, when it comes to drug selection, the classic approach to muscle building is the same as the training methods used by strength athletes and weightlifters. Although the goals of muscle growth and strength development differ, the means to achieve them follow the same principles—a high-calorie diet, a high intake of carbohydrates, specific training regimens, and the use of drugs that significantly retain water. These conditions must be met to maximize your muscle growth and increase your strength.
To gain more strength, the training approach differs slightly from that aimed solely at increasing muscle mass, although there are certain overlaps. This is true, at least, in the sense that greater muscle mass allows you to lift heavier weights. Of course, strength metrics depend on more than just this. Strength has several components: first, it requires the strongest and healthiest ligaments and joints; second, a strong competitive drive helps improve strength metrics; and third, increased cortisol levels have a positive effect on strength to a certain extent.
Substances capable of causing significant water retention in the body (including synovial fluid within the joint capsules) will have a positive effect on strength metrics. Additionally, estradiol (and to an even greater extent, progesterone) will help counteract micro-tears in the ligaments, which are inevitable, especially when using submaximal weights. In this context, it is important not to let estradiol levels drop too low.
If you want to build muscle as effectively as possible, you will have to temporarily accept a bloated appearance due to significant fluid accumulation—but this is exactly what you need to grow as quickly as possible. During a muscle-building cycle, estradiol levels may approach the upper limit of the reference range or even be slightly higher. If you tolerate it well, you can reach 1.5 times the upper limit. Due to high estradiol levels and a high-calorie intake, you will certainly become smoother and rounder in appearance.
To avoid excessive water retention and bloating while using these drugs, we recommend shedding excess body fat beforehand; this will ensure you look much better during the cycle. It is possible to gain pure muscle mass, but it is generally more difficult, as muscle growth will be much slower. The body only grows well during a positive energy balance, and gaining lean muscle mass is primarily a dietary issue rather than a matter of drug selection.
PEDs
In a cycle designed to maximize muscle mass, testosterone is often the primary compound, and the dosage can be quite high—750–1,500 mg per week, or even more, depending on the athlete’s training level. Testosterone causes significant water retention in the body, which has a positive effect on both muscle mass gain and strength gains. Strength is crucial during a muscle-building cycle, as training with heavy weights significantly stimulates muscle growth.
The second compound in a muscle-building cycle could be nandrolone, dihydroboldenone (DHB), trenbolone, oxymetholone, or a combination of these. All of these compounds cause significant water retention, with the exception of trenbolone. Trenbolone is excellent for both increasing muscle mass and reducing body fat because it does not convert to estradiol. It is highly effective and can be combined with other compounds in a bulking cycle to further enhance the cycle’s results. The weekly dosage of any of these compounds can be approximately 1:1 with testosterone or slightly lower than testosterone.
The additional use of growth hormone, IGF-1, PEG-MGF, or any growth hormone stimulator can enhance the cycle’s effects and slightly reduce subcutaneous fat, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing appearance. Growth hormone-releasing peptide agonists such as GHRP-2, GHRP-6, or MK-677 can also increase appetite, which will further promote muscle mass growth. Additionally, high levels of growth hormone and IGF-1 will maintain the health of joints and ligaments, which is very important during muscle-building cycles.
Pros and Cons
The advantage of this technique is that you become stronger and gain muscle mass more quickly, but the downside is that your physique becomes bloated. In addition, because of the significant weight gain caused by water retention, many athletes experience shortness of breath, tachycardia, and elevated blood pressure, so they sometimes have to use medications such as telmisartan and nebivolol.
We recommend this approach if you are a powerlifter, weightlifter, or any other athlete who requires great strength but does not prioritize aesthetic appearance. If you are very lean and find it difficult to gain muscle mass, this method may also be suitable for you. In this case, you are unlikely to experience significant water retention, and it ultimately won’t cause you any problems.