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INTRODUCTION TO THE BEST SARMS FOR BULKING
Bulking is all about getting as big as humanly possible. There is some performance-enhancing compounds that we can turn to for help. SARMs are the ideal way to bulk up quickly and effectively, but which SARMs are best for bulking?
Let’s face it — we all go into bodybuilding to get ripped. However, achieving a considerable frame and amazing muscle mass is no easy task. But we are still willing and more than happy to slave away, adjust the diet, and get any help we have to achieve those perfect results.
If this is your first time bulking, you’re in for a wild ride. But don’t worry — we’ve all been there. Sooner or later, every bodybuilder starts a bulking cycle. However, bulking isn’t such an easy feat, especially for those of us who are naturally lean or have a smaller frame.
What is bulking anyway?
Bulking — building the body’s muscle mass and gaining weight — is usually done in winter. What’s more, the cycles of bulking and cutting usually follow both each other and the seasons. We bulk up in winter and then start a new cutting cycle in spring. That leaves us with a ripped body that will draw every eye in the room — just in time for summer.
Therefore, now is the perfect time to discuss what could lend you a helping hand in this task. Bulking is all about getting as big as humanly possible. On our journey to achieve an amazing form and fantastic muscled bodies there are some performance-enhancing compounds that we can turn to for help. SARMs are the ideal way to bulk up quickly and effectively, and they are a great choice, both for beginners and for seasoned, extreme bodybuilders.
Today, we are talking about which SARMs are best for bulking. However, before we jump into it, let’s go over the basics.
Best SARMs for bulking — types, dosages, and more
There are many types of SARMs available on the market. Mostly, they have generic marks instead of names.
1. Ostarine — for a lean figure
Ostarine is one of the most versatile SARMs. This means that we can use it both for bulking and for cutting. What’s more, it’s also very mild. The suppressant effects are faint when we use Ostarine correctly and in the right amounts. As a pioneer of SARMs, Ostarine was the first modulator to hit the market.
For those of us looking for high anabolic effects — Ostarine is a sound choice. With a high anabolic ratio, Ostarine helps us achieve that lean muscle frame. What’s more, it raises estrogen levels. This might sound like a bad thing to beginners, but seasoned athletes know that estrogen has positive effects on ligaments, tendons, and bone structure. In fact, Ostarine is used as a supplemental drug for people with osteoporosis who have an issue with bone density.
Another great feature of Ostarine is that it also has mild side effects. Due to that, it requires little to none post-cycle therapy.
Recommended cycle length and dosage
We would recommend taking 25–36mg of Ostarine once a day. The ideal cycle, for moderate results, is between 4 and 6 weeks. Since Ostarine has a half-life that lasts a whole day, daily intake is adequate.
As mentioned, Ostarine doesn’t require post-cycle therapy. However, for those of us who want to make sure that the results don’t deteriorate and that we won’t lose muscle mass, we recommend to include blockers during the last week of the cycle.
Keep in mind that a larger dosage or a more frequent intake will not provide faster or more significant results. In fact, going over the recommended dosage can deter muscle gain. What’s more, negative side effect, like blurred vision, is also a possibility.
Results
One cycle of Ostarine can result in a 15-pound muscle gain. To increase your results, you can try taking a smaller dosage during the first week and then slowly increasing it as your bulking cycle progresses. Therefore, you can take half of the recommended dosage during the first week and increase the intake, so you take the full dose during your second week. This will have a better effect on the androgen receptors. Namely, the receptors won’t get overwhelmed with an instant high dosage and will have time to adjust. Therefore, they will respond better.
2. Ligandrol — refined muscle mass
Unlike Ostarine, Ligandrol is the newbie on the market. However, that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. In fact, Ligandrol is one of the best, if not the best, SARM for bulking. What’s more, Ligandrol is the only SARM that can produce similar strong effects of anabolic steroids. Ligandrol is also very versatile. We can use it both for bulking and cutting, as well as for recomposition.
It works fast, and it increases the synthesis of protein. Furthermore, it also affects blood flow and glycogen storage. That means that bouncing back after strenuous workouts will be faster and easier.
Ligandrol is very strong, and its properties are much more substantial than Ostarine when it comes to bulking. Furthermore, this means that the dosage doesn’t have to be as high. 3–15mg of Ligandrol a day will achieve the same or better results than Ostarine.
Recommended cycle length and dosage
As mentioned, the strong effects of Ligandrol allow for a smaller dosage. However, because Ligandrol is stronger than Ostarine, the recommended cycle is also longer. Typically, the cycle should last between 8 and 12 weeks.
Furthermore, Ligandrol offers massive results and requires almost no PCT. However, some bodybuilders have reported symptoms of low testosterone. In those instances, PCT is a necessity, and we don’t recommend skipping it. Other than that, Ligandrol has no severe side effects.
Results
With Ligandrol, we can expect an average muscle gain of two pounds per week. However, keep in mind that water retention and glycogen storage can diminish the results as you near the end of the cycle. You can also experience slight muscle loss after the cycle ends.
3. S-4 Andarine — the best anabolic-to-androgenic ratio
S-4 Andarine is extremely popular among the bodybuilding crowd. Due to the amazing anabolic-to-androgenic ratio of 10:1, it produces fantastic results when it comes to muscle gain. What’s more, S-4 Andarine provides the optimal oxidation of fat tissues, which leads to effective fat burning as well.
However, S-4 Andarine is not as potent or as effective as Ligandrol and Ostarine. Furthermore, it also has some potential side effects.
Recommended cycle length and dosage
Unlike Ligandrol, S-4 Andarine requires quite a high dosage. Ideally, we should stick to taking 50–75mg of S-4 Andarine on a daily basis. However, it’s best to take this SARM only five days a week.
The optimal cycle lasts between 12 and 16 weeks. Since the dosage is high, we don’t recommend taking it all at once. For maximum results, it’s best to divide the dosage into three parts and take it with meals.
Results
S-4 Andarine has an amazing effect on strength because it increases muscle gain without any water retention. This is partially thanks to the high androgenic ratio. What’s more, muscle gain is very lean. That means that we won’t see ourselves deflate after the end of the cycle. Andarine allows us to bulk up and keep the mass and strength we’ve gained even after the cycle has ended.
MK 677 — boosts the HGH production
For those of us looking to avoid introducing the human growth hormone to our routine via injections, MK 677 is an excellent choice. As you know, HGH has amazing effects on muscle and mass gain. However, it’s rather expensive, and it has to be administered via an injection. Therefore, not all of us are keen on turning to it when it comes to bulking.
That’s why MK 677 is ideal. It can naturally increase the production of HGH. What’s more, it’s a great route to avoid injecting HGH directly into the bloodstream. That is not only painful but also dangerous and unhealthy.
Recommended cycle length and dosage
Unlike other SARMs we’ve talked about, MK 677 is usually drinkable. The recommended dosages vary between 10 and 50mg, and the average cycle is around 12 weeks.
Results
MK 677 provides a lesser muscle gain than other SARMs, but the muscle mass stays lean. Furthermore, MK 677 can have a positive effect on bone density.
However, keep in mind that a high dosage of MK 677 can lead to HGH overload. This can, in turn, result in swelling, muscle, joint, and nerve pain, numbness, high cholesterol, etc. However, as you know, HGH also has some positive effects, and you can expect those when properly using MK 677. HGH has a positive impact on the sleep cycle, it boosts appetite, and it will make your nails and hair stronger.
What are SARMs?
SARMs stands for selective androgen receptor modulators. Now, that’s a real mouthful. Basically, SARMs are performance-enhancing drugs that are similar to anabolic steroids but differ in terms of side effects. What the creators of SARMs promise is the same effect that anabolic steroids provide but without the disastrous, irreversible damage they are also known for.
SARMs are a collection of compounds. Furthermore, the research done so far on SARMs looks very promising. However, keep in mind that the research was mostly done on rats and that clinical trials are still in the initial phases. But then again, that’s the usual way of introducing new substances to the market.
What’s crucial to know is that SARMs are banned when it comes to athletic competitions. Therefore, if you are looking to compete — this might not be the best choice for you. However, for those of us who are merely looking to bulk up, SARMs might be the perfect solution. They offer both muscle building and fat burning as their primary outcomes, but without the testicle shrinking. Sounds great, right?
How SARMs work
In layman terms, SARMs manipulate the hormones in a highly targeted way. They are similar to anabolic steroids. However, unlike anabolic steroids, SARMs manage to hike up the anabolic-to-androgenic ratio. Unlike steroids, which have a ratio of 1:1, SARMs boost this ratio to anywhere between 3 and 90 to one. Now, that’s a huge difference.
Anabolic effects include building muscle mass and burning fat. On the other hand, the androgenic effects of steroids have poor effects on our liver, vascular systems, and reproductive organs.
By boosting the anabolic-to-androgenic ratio, SARMs are more selective. That means that they manage to avoid the secondary side effects (like getting man boobs) and only influence the muscle mass and body fat.
Are SARMs safe?
The downside of SARMs is that they are not FDA-approved. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t safe. Still, this defers some people. FDA is the most significant authority in the pharmaceutical field, and getting their stamp of approval is a huge deal.
However, just because they aren’t FDA-approved, that doesn’t mean they are dangerous. Of course, they have some side effects. But they are a far cry from anabolic steroids that have irreversible consequences. FDA just hasn’t decided to spend millions on researching and testing SARMs. Yet.
As mentioned, SARMs are selective androgen receptor modulators. What does that mean? It means that they affect androgens — hormones responsible for developing masculine traits. What’s more, since they are “receptor modulators,” that also means they affect hormonal receptors. These hormonal receptors receive messages from the hormonal system and are triggered by the release of a specific hormone.
Androgens are testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, and estrogen. Unlike anabolic steroids, which completely suppress the natural production of testosterone, SARMs modulate the receptors instead of saturating them completely. Thus, you get positive results — muscle gain and fat burning — without severe side effects.
ARE SARMS ENOUGH ON THEIR OWN?
The simple answer is — no. There is no magic pill that you can take to bulk up. If you’re not careful with your diet and exercise, SARMs can’t really do much. What’s more, bulking requires a constant cycle of consistent diet and exercise. What that means is that SARMs can only lend a helping hand. You still have to do the heavy lifting (literally).
Diet is crucial for bulking. It doesn’t matter if we’re going the clean bulking or the dirty bulking route — we still need to watch what we eat. The best advice is to keep an eye on the calorie intake. Furthermore, the carb-to-protein ratio is also critical. We have to keep the protein intake high if we are looking to bulk up. The best recipe is one gram of protein per one pound of body weight. On the other hand, carbs are our best friends after a strenuous workout. They help us build muscle faster and more effectively.
Of course, water intake, as well as training, are major points of the bulking process. A strict, consistent training program is the bodybuilder’s stairway to heaven. Different programs are great options, depending on what you’re looking to achieve — volume or strength.
A few parting words
Remember, bulking is a difficult process that takes time, dedication, and a lot of effort. However, with the help of SARMs, you can achieve results faster and easier. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t have to sweat and train your behind off. As they say — no pain, no gain.