As someone who’s been lifting for 15 years as a natural bodybuilder, I’m always interested in finding ways to make the journey more sustainable and less mentally taxing. One approach that’s become a hot topic lately is “maingaining,” a concept championed by Greg Doucette.
For those unfamiliar, maingaining is a way to build muscle without the drastic bulk and cut cycles many bodybuilders go through. The core idea is to build muscle at or near your maintenance calorie level, rather than following the traditional approach of bulking (eating in a big calorie surplus) and cutting (dropping calories to reduce body fat).
Here’s my perspective on what maingaining is, its potential benefits, some possible drawbacks, and who might benefit from this method.
What is Maingaining?
Maingaining is essentially a middle-ground approach, where you focus on building muscle while maintaining a relatively lean physique year-round. The goal is to eat at or slightly above maintenance calories, aiming for small, gradual muscle gains over time instead of the rapid size and fat fluctuations that come with traditional bulking and cutting.
Here’s what maingaining typically involves:
- Eating at or just above maintenance calories (100-300 calories above maintenance is often suggested)
- Keeping a stable body fat percentage (rather than letting body fat rise considerably during a bulk)
- Progressive overload in training to drive muscle growth – go with a solid workout routine like Starting Strength or PHAT.
- Slow, steady muscle gain that adds size while maintaining a leaner look year-round
The appeal is clear: instead of “dirty bulking” and then cutting down, you’re keeping a consistent, manageable physique throughout the process.
Why Maingaining Works (and Why Some Love It)
The reasoning behind maingaining is that it allows you to make gains without the extremes. Here are some benefits:
- Reduced Fat Gain
By keeping calories close to maintenance, you avoid the typical fat gain associated with bulking. This is a game-changer if you’re trying to stay lean year-round, or if you find yourself hating the way you look or feel during a bulk. - Aesthetic Physique Year-Round
For a lot of us who enjoy being lean and seeing muscle definition, maingaining means you’re staying closer to your ideal look all the time. You don’t have to pack on a lot of extra weight that you’ll need to lose later. - Better Long-Term Health and Sustainability
Bulking and cutting can be tough on your body. When you bulk, you’re often eating a lot, which can strain digestion and your metabolic health. Cutting can put strain on energy levels and mood. Maingaining offers a more balanced approach, potentially making it easier to sustain over the long haul. - Reduced Mental Stress
Constantly cycling through bulk and cut phases can be mentally taxing. With maingaining, you’re eating similarly most of the time, with fewer swings in weight and diet, which can reduce food-focused stress. This consistency might help with motivation and overall adherence to your training.
I believe you should be near the size and end goal before getting into a maingaining phase. I am happy with how big I’ve gotten over the years, and maingaining has helped me recomp while still getting stronger. However, younger me would not be satisfied with the slow progress. We’re all different, and some gain easier than others. It might work well for you.
How to Implement Maingaining
If you want to try maingaining, here’s a general outline to get started:
- Protein Intake: Protein remains essential in any muscle-building strategy. Doucette recommends about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to fuel muscle recovery and growth.
- Caloric Surplus: Eat at a slight surplus—around 100 to 300 calories above maintenance. This modest increase should be enough to stimulate muscle growth while keeping fat gain minimal.
- Progressive Overload: To build muscle on a small calorie surplus, your training needs to be on point. Focus on progressive overload—aim to lift more weight, add reps, or increase the difficulty of your exercises to keep challenging your muscles.
- Track Progress and Adjust: Keep an eye on your strength gains, muscle size, and body composition. If you’re not seeing any progress after a few months, consider bumping up your calories a bit. Maingaining can be a slower path, but progress should still be measurable.
The Drawbacks and Criticisms of Maingaining
Maingaining has its critics, with some valid concerns:
- Slower Muscle Growth: Some experts argue that maingaining may limit growth potential, especially for beginners who could benefit from the aggressive muscle-building potential of a bigger calorie surplus. By not allowing for a larger bulk, you may miss out on some potential gains, particularly if you’re in the early stages of training.
- Requires Patience: Maingaining is not for the impatient. Gains come slower compared to a traditional bulk. If you’re used to seeing rapid changes with bulking and cutting, this method might feel a bit like “spinning your wheels,” particularly if you’re new and eager to build up quickly.
- Best Suited for Intermediate or Advanced Lifters: While maingaining could work for anyone, it’s particularly appealing to those who are intermediate or advanced. These lifters may already have a solid base of muscle and might prioritize staying lean while making more subtle gains. Beginners, on the other hand, often make faster gains and could benefit more from a slightly larger calorie surplus.
- Not Ideal for Strength Goals: Maingaining might limit your potential to build significant strength quickly, as heavier training loads usually respond better to the higher energy intake associated with bulking.
Who Should Consider Maingaining?
If you’re an intermediate to advanced lifter who’s looking to stay lean year-round and avoid the yo-yo cycle of bulking and cutting, maingaining could be a great fit. It’s also ideal for those with a history of disliking the extremes of traditional bodybuilding phases—if you find bulking uncomfortable or find cutting tiring, maingaining offers a more stable, sustainable alternative.
Greg Doucette’s stance on maingaining has evolved over time. Initially, he presented it as a straightforward alternative to bulking and cutting, but he now acknowledges that for true muscle growth, especially in beginners, a slight calorie surplus is necessary.
My Experience with Maingaining, Bulking, and Cutting…
In my own journey, my best gains came from packing on a lot of weight—even if it meant getting a little softer around the edges. As a hard-gainer who’s always had trouble putting on size, bulking up was the only approach that really worked for me.
Honestly, I don’t think I’d have achieved the same results by trying to “maingain” from day one. But here’s the thing: everyone’s body and goals are different. If you’re someone who puts on weight easily, maingaining might be an ideal approach for you.
It lets you build muscle while staying lean, which can be great if you’re not interested in cutting or if you’ve had trouble with weight fluctuations in the past.
Cutting isn’t fun; it takes real discipline to drop body fat without sacrificing muscle, especially for those of us going the natural route without the aid of performance enhancers. And let’s face it, a lot of people don’t love the idea of constantly tweaking calories. Now that I’ve put on a lot of strength and size, maingaining works better for me since I don’t need to make drastic changes to get where I want to be.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to your goals and your body’s unique response. Maingaining might be a great choice if you want to stay lean year-round. But if you’re starting from scratch or looking to make some serious muscle gains fast, bulking could be the way to go. Just find what works best for you and enjoy the process of getting stronger.
