alt Hacker NewsFor example in bodybuilding one normally 'bulks' while working out, because it maximizes muscle gain. But then naturally this needs to be paired with cutting
This comes from professional bodybuilding, where people are using steroids, along with various, uh, interesting chemicals on the cut[1]. It has almost no benefit to (real) natural bodybuilders. It's closely tied to cycles of steroids.
[1] Ephedrine, Albuterol, Clenbuterol (literally only approved for horses in the US), DNP, and probably more that I haven't heard of. Here's an NIH article on the dangers of DNP, to put it in perspective: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3550200/
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Are you claiming that a drug free person can gain as much muscle mass while in a calorie deficit as while in a calorie surplus?
If so, I would be very curious to that reference.
The most important cutting aids are the same ones in bulking - AAS like testosterone and its close (cheaper) variants like trenbolone and methylated testosterone but yeah, the interesting chemicals are featured too.
Most natural bodybuilders recommend the 'clean bulk' where one simply eats the same cutting foods but in larger proportions. And also not to be too strict in general - that way lies disordered eating, binges, purges etc.
In order to gain more muscle mass, at some point you need to be in a caloric surplus. You can't make something out of nothing - your body needs the extra resources to make itself bigger.
Natural bodybuilders 100% go through bulking and cutting cycles.
Outside of noob gains it is incredibly difficult for a natural to add muscle mass when in a calorie deficit and recomposition at maintenance calories is also inefficient in the vast majority of cases.
They won't bulk the same way someone on gear does, but it's still the most efficient way to add muscle mass in the vast majority of cases.