ERIC HELMS: IS BULKING DEAD & MAINGAINING IN? | EP. 209

A lot of people still think muscle gain is simple: eat more to gain more muscle.But the real question is: do you actually need an energy surplus to maximize hypertrophy or do you just need to be out of a deficit, training hard, and executing consistently?In this episode, I’m joined by return guest Dr. Eric Helms to break down the relationship between weight gain, rate of gain, and muscle growth — including what the research actually shows and how to apply it in the real world.TOPICS WE COVER:IS AN ENERGY SURPLUS NEEDED FOR MAXIMIZING MUSCLE GAIN (SLATER ET AL.)WHAT PREVIOUS WORK LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR YOUR RECENTLY RELEASED WEIGHT GAIN STUDY?A BREAKDOWN OF THE HELMS ET AL. 2023 STUDY “EFFECT OF SMALL AND LARGE ENERGY SURPLUSES ON STRENGTH, MUSCLE, AND SKINFOLD THICKNESS IN RESISTANCE-TRAINED INDIVIDUALS: A PARALLEL GROUPS DESIGN”HOW TO TRACK MUSCLE GAIN PROGRESS IN THE REAL WORLDIf you want a smarter framework for building muscle without blindly force-feeding calories, this one will bring a lot of clarity.WHERE TO CONNECT WITH ME:Follow Brandon on IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/brandondacruz_/⁠Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠For Info on Brandon’s Coaching Services: ⁠https://form.jotform.com/bdacruzfitness/coachinginquiry⁠Brandon’s Website: ⁠https://www.brandondacruzfit.com⁠My Reading Recommendations: THE MUSCLE & STRENGTH PYRAMIDS ⁠https://getdpd.com/cart/hoplink/25469?referrer=1l54og96lf1ccw⁠