Bulking Plan

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 re- fuelled 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.

4. 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

5. 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)

6. Bulking Plan Focus on Recovery Window • 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. Bulking Plan Total Daily Intake Protein = 210g  Carbs = 560g