Frank Zane advised against bulking and why it is important to build quality muscle.
Bodybuilding great Frank Zane has spoken out against the methods of bodybuilding today. He was able to build an all-time career using major differences to build his physique and win titles on stage. Recently, Zane shared a post to Instagram explaining why he is against bulking.
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During his career, Frank Zane became known for his battles with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger. He took home a Mr. America and Mr. Universe title in 1968 to go along with his three Olympias. Even though he is decades out of competition, Zane still has the mind and motivation to not only train himself but to share his knowledge with the next generation.
Zane also has also spoken on how the times in the sport have changed and he believes he could have adapted to it. It might not be in Men’s Open but Zane claims he would “probably” compete in Classic Physique.
Frank Zane Talks Bulking In Bodybuilding
At 82 years old, Frank Zane is still training in the gym and sharing his wisdom with the next generation. The method of bulking is used by many, both in and out bodybuilding, to gain muscle but Zane does not agree with it.
“My advice based on my own experience is don’t do it.
Quality muscle takes time to develop. It’s better to add not more than 5 pounds of solid muscle a year by training and eating right than to gain 30 or 40 pounds of surplus tissue, much of which is fat and water retention.”
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A bulking cycle is a period of time where you eat a surplus of calories to gain both muscle mass as well as strength. The sad and inevitable part of a typical bulking program is that an aggressive caloric surplus state will invariably lead you to put on body fat, sometimes more than you would like, but there are ways to avoid that and still build a great physique.
According to Zane, it is important to focus on this quality muscle to get bigger over time.
“When you train down and lose the excess bulk, you will most likely find yourself in the same place where you started, often a year later, a year wasted.”
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