One very common question that I hear all the time relating to casein protein is does casein protein bulk you up.
Depending on what your workout and dietary goals are, Casein protein can provide a great way of putting on lot of muscle mass without the excess fat.
Having said that, Casein protein can be more expensive that most traditional forms of dietary protein supplements, purely because it’s more costly to produce.
Therefore, if cost is a factor, then it’s best to consider using Casein protein strategically if at all, as opposed to a replacement for more conventional protein supplements.
Casein should be used strategically anyway, which should coincide with the way it works.
How Does Casein Work?
Casein is a slow releasing form of protein that is great for a long release of amino acids instead of a quick rate of absorption. This being the case, Casein is best used at night before retiring for the night.
It’s slow release means that you can provide essential amino acids to your body in the wee small hours of the morning while you’re a sleep. So does casein protein bulk you up?
We’ll look at answering that question more definitely soon, but first …
What Are Your Goals?
If your main goal is to just put on size (meaning fat weight too), as fast as you can, then using Whey protein could be the most cost effective way to do this. This isn’t a problem for people who metabolize calories quickly.
However, if you want to put on muscle mass without the fat then a better option would be to supplement your diet with Casein.
Everyone is different in how they metabolize food, so a skinny guy who has a very high metabolism could find using Whey a more cost effective strategy, because they can burn off any excess fat readily, whilst a person who gains fat easily might be better suited to Casein.
Cost
Whey protein is a lot cheaper to buy than Casein, so if your calorie requirements are high and you find it difficult to put on weight then Whey might be the better option for you.
However, if you calorie requirements are low, say around 2500 – 3000 calories per day, then Casein protein might be the better fit for your dietary requirements.
Casein is higher in protein and also has a higher amount of calcium per serve which has been shown to assist in burning fat more readily. So if money is not a problem, then Casein could be the way to go. Try Optimum Nutrition Casein here.
Workout Routine for Bulking Up
If you want to bulk up, then the best form of training with weights is to progressively lift heavy. This will allow for all of your muscle fibers to gradually engage. And because you are consuming more calories than you need, your body will have an excess, which creates the perfect anabolic environment to build muscle.
The aim is to keep the reps medium to low and go as heavy as possible.
For example : for chest start with a weight that you max on at 15 reps. Then for the next set add more weight so that you max out on 12 reps, then add more weight and max out on 10 reps and so on and so on until you get as low as 6 reps.
Then it’s onto the next exercise doing the same thing.
