When I first started working out, I would hear this term thrown around. Bulking season. What is bulking season? I thought to myself.
Bulking season is the winter season in the north and south hemispheres. The season where it is cold, and most people are either indoors or spending as little time as possible outside.
It is most commonly used in the bodybuilding community, but more recently has permeated to the mainstream. Everybody wants to be a part of bulking season now that we know you can build serious muscle.
In this article, we are going to discuss the different seasons based on hemispheres, and when is the best time to go into the bulking season.
What is bulking?
Bulking is when you are consistently eating at a caloric surplus combined with weight training.
If you are new to this, I recommend learning how to calculate your maintenance calories. Once you learn that, you can now eat at a caloric surplus, which will fuel your muscle for maximum growth.
Now that you are eating at a caloric surplus, you are going to want a strong workout plan to help you through bulking season. For muscle building, I recommend 3-4 days per week of muscle building exercises.
When I first started seeing results, I worked out 3 days per week. I had to create my own workout plan to achieve the results that I was looking for.
That workout plan is called “3 DAY OVERLOAD” on our app All Workouts: Personal Trainer (iOS | Google Play). There are also plenty of other FREE workout plans on there for you to choose from.
If you don’t want to download the app, I actually wrote an article about a 4 day workout routine for weight loss and muscle gain.
Now that you know what bulking is, let’s start to understand what bulking season is in the context of hemispheres.
Bulking season in the northern hemisphere
For those living in North America or Europe, bulking season might be pretty familiar to you. Technically, the winter season runs from December 1st – February 28th.
This 3 month period is the perfect time frame to dedicate yourself to bulking. Everyone is wearing big clothes. Nobody is seeing your full body. Most people are staying indoors, etc…
This is the perfect time to go from a thin body to a muscular body. Step up your food intake and step up your weight training. You will not regret it.
So what is bulking season like in North America and Europe? It can be cold, snowy, and lonely. There is nothing lonely about getting in epic shape though!
Bulking season in the southern hemisphere
If you live in South America, Southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, you are familiar with a different type of bulking season. In fact, it is the exact opposite season of North America and Europe.
While Americans are hitting the beach showing off their shredded physique, you are hunkering down for a different type of season.
Winter in the southern hemisphere is the 3 month period between June – August. Similar to the northern hemisphere, this is the time period where you might experience the coldest/harshest conditions.
These are the perfect conditions for bulking! Crank up those calories, and stay consistent with your weight training, and watch the muscle grow.
Season near the equator
Imagine a place where there are no meteorological indicators for bulking season. What is bulking season like near the equator? It is a bit different to say the least.
Since the weather is fairly consistent near the equator, bulking season is going to be the 3 month period farthest away from summer break. You want to be able to show off your newly chiseled body during your longest school break, right?
This means that you will need to bulk to build muscle, and then cut to shed fat. This reveals your muscle that you have built, and now you can enjoy it during the school break season.
Main Point: What is bulking season
We now know that bulking season is different depending on where you live. Bulking season is a 3 month period where it is ok to eat a ton of food for the sake of building muscle.
If you have ever wondered what it was like to have muscle, this is a great way to start. Building muscle is a straightforward process. You absolutely must eat enough calories in order to build muscle.
You also must be willing to workout 3-4 days per week. If you can combine these 2 requirements, there is no reason that you cannot build muscle.
What else can you do?
What if you don’t have access to a gym? There are no excuses here. I have options for you. You can build your own home gym from Amazon or check out 15 workouts to build muscle at home with no weights.
So now you have 3 options. Get a gym membership, build your own home gym, or workout at home with no weights.
When I first started working out, I was embarrassed with my lack of muscle. I opted to build my own home gym. Once I got big enough, I started going to the gym. It turns out, my fears were unfounded because I have never met a mean person at the gym.
A lot of cities also have outdoor gyms. I am sure you have seen those pull up bars around town. They are usually accompanied by other equipment, like parallel bars. Both are great for building muscle, and they are a fun switch up from your daily routine.
What is bulking season like where you are from? Do people even talk about bulking season? I am interested to hear about your experiences. I personally participate in bulking season every year in the United States.
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