The Hardgainer Split 2 + Mid-Bulk Update: Diet Rotations, Step Goals & Strength Progress

Hi guys, we’re back after a short break last week!

I was meant to share the second part of the Hardgainer Split, but life got in the way (my birthday 🥳). Before jumping into training, here’s a quick check-in across diet, lifestyle, and training — a full snapshot of where the Holy Bulk stands right now.

🥣 Diet

After several months of eating the same daily menu, I can finally feel some fatigue setting in. Rice pudding, OJ, red meat… they’ve served me well, but it’s becoming harder to get all that food down — especially the rice pudding.

Once I increased the portion to 500 g of raw rice per day, I realized it was no longer sustainable. My digestion was fine, but the sheer volume and monotony were starting to affect appetite.

So, it’s time to rotate in something new: rice flour pancakes.

Here’s why they make sense for our goals:

• ✅ Calorie density: rice flour holds more calories per volume than whole rice

• ✅ Affordability: still dirt cheap and easy to find

• ✅ Texture & prep: easier to eat, faster to make, and less bloating

The formula is simple — rice flour, eggs, skim milk, sugar/honey, and a pinch of salt. It digests cleanly, fits perfectly in the Holy Bulk framework, and breaks the monotony without compromising the macros.

I’ll still include white rice, but I’ve reincorporated it as one of my all-time favourite meals: Hainan chicken rice. It’s the perfect combination of lean protein, easy carbs, and clean digestion — something I already mentioned in the Eating Out Guide.

If you’d like, I can go in-depth in a future issue and share both recipes and their full macro breakdown.

🚶‍♂️ Lifestyle

I’ll be honest — I’ve slacked a bit on my daily steps lately. Between rainy mornings and a busier schedule, it’s been easy to let it slip. My goal is to get back to 10–15k steps per day consistently.

To make it automatic again, I’ll start every morning with a quick walk to the grocery store (what I call the “OJ run”).

Sleep has been rock solid — lights off by 10PM, consistent circadian rhythm, and minimal blue-light exposure at night. The grounding and breathing habits from previous issues are paying off.

🏋️‍♂️ Training

Now, about the second part of the split.

Initially, I wanted to increase weight each week while lowering reps — the typical linear strength model. However, I’ve noticed that for this phase, it might be more beneficial to first increase reps at a given weight before adding load.

In other words, instead of going heavier each week (e.g., 3 sets of 2–3 reps), I’ll focus on building up to 6–8 reps with the same load. This improves technical mastery and volume tolerance before chasing heavier weights.

Here’s where I currently stand on the “Big 5”:

• Bench Press: 100–104 kg

• Military Press: 60 kg

• Deadlift: 150 kg (room to grow)

• Hack Squat: around 90 kg (still my weak link)

• Pull-Ups: bodyweight, planning to add load soon

These will be the main metrics I track week to week. Of course, progressive overload applies to all exercises, not just the big lifts — but these give the clearest snapshot of progression.

Alright, that’s the quick update for this week — a small reset before we push into the next training phase.

How are you all doing with your bulk so far? Are you keeping up with your calories and steps?

Until next time,
Sainté