Does strength training = gaining weight (in muscle)?

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XC_Guitar17
XC_Guitar17 Posts: 93
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Just a general question. I'm trying to build muscle in my core and arms, which I've been told will improve my running. For my college cross country team, I run 6 days a week with strength training (50 minutes of abs/arms/legs) added in 2 times a week. Right now I have my MFP goal set at maintaining my weight, but if my ultimate goal is to build core/arm strength, that would mean gaining muscle, which would mean gaining weight, right?
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  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    No.

    Calorie surplus = weight gain.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    you can have strength gains without muscle gains. Essentially, you are training your muscles to be more "productive" i.e. lift more weight with the same muscle.

    I believe the term is neuromuscular adaptation ..or something like that ...
  • XC_Guitar17
    XC_Guitar17 Posts: 93
    edited March 2015
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    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.

    You understand wrong. Ndj has told you you will gain strength NOT weight. You may actually gain some muscle as you're new to the routine but your scale weight will not change (save for water fluctuations) unless you are in calorie surplus.

    This is basic physics.

    However, you are looking to gain strength, this you will do, no problem, at maintenance. You will probably 'recomp' quite nicely (build some muscle while losing a bit of fat). Later on, if you want to build more muscle you CAN gain weight by eating at a calorie surplus while strength training.

  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
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    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.

    I think ndj was saying something different. You can increase your strength, often pretty dramatically, without adding any real muscle mass at all. AS you learn and practice lifting, your body is getting "smarter" about how it uses the muscle it already has -- it is recruiting more muscle fibers to complete the tasks you're pressing on it, resulting, as ndj said, in a more "productive" effort. So just to be clear you can gain strength and not gain muscle; and someone new to lifting can likely gain a LOT of strength without adding any muscle before reaching their limits (at which point, to get stronger, one would need to add new muscle).

    All that said, if you are new to lifting, there's a decent chance you'll actually add a little muscle, even without a significant calorie surplus. Often referred to as "newbie gains." This likely won't be a lot, and so won't result in a lot of weight gain, but don't be surprised (and hopefully be pleased!) if it happens.

    Finally, as you are new to lifting, it is very, very likely that in working your muscles they'll be forced to draw in more water as you're starting out to assist in repair. You may get a sense that your muscles are getting slightly bigger, and you'll likely add a little scale weight in the form of retained water. It's not fat; and it's not muscle (except for any newbie gains), but it is technically "lean mass" in that it is intracellular water in your muscles.

    TL;DR version: New lifters can gain strength, sometimes a lot, without actually adding any new muscle mass; new lifters may add some muscle mass (newbie gains) even without a calorie surplus; and new lifters will likely add some scale weight in the form of water drawn into the worked muscles.

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    to clarify ..I was saying that you can gain strength without putting on any new muscle..

    strength gains do not equal muscle gains….
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Agreed, when one strength trains he/she is not intending to put on muscle, only to gain strength.

    Also there is no such thing as "toning".
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


    It would be pleasing, to me at least, if we could keep this tired old argument over semantics out of the gaining section. You do understand that both statements are equally right and wrong, don't you?

    It shows up on the main boards pretty frequently so there's plenty of opportunities to flog it death there, if you enjoy doing so.

    OP simply wanted to know if he would gain weight (while eating at maintenance), he won't.
  • debrakgoogins
    debrakgoogins Posts: 2,033 Member
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    You shouldn't gain weight. I am new to strength training and I am no expert but I can tell you what I have experienced. I started working with a personal trainer at the beginning of last month. I consistently eat at a deficit. I strength train three to four days a week. I am considerably stronger than I was two months ago but I have still lost at least one pound a week.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
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    If you want to build more muscles, you need to eat at a calorie surplus.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    3laine75 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


    It would be pleasing, to me at least, if we could keep this tired old argument over semantics out of the gaining section. You do understand that both statements are equally right and wrong, don't you?

    It shows up on the main boards pretty frequently so there's plenty of opportunities to flog it death there, if you enjoy doing so.

    OP simply wanted to know if he would gain weight (while eating at maintenance), he won't.
    how about instead of rudely telling me where I should go to comment on things, because you dont like it,you skip over what I say/said? its a public forum and I have just as much right to post things as others do.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    3laine75 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


    It would be pleasing, to me at least, if we could keep this tired old argument over semantics out of the gaining section. You do understand that both statements are equally right and wrong, don't you?

    It shows up on the main boards pretty frequently so there's plenty of opportunities to flog it death there, if you enjoy doing so.

    OP simply wanted to know if he would gain weight (while eating at maintenance), he won't.
    how about instead of rudely telling me where I should go to comment on things, because you dont like it,you skip over what I say/said? its a public forum and I have just as much right to post things as others do.

    Then please stop being wrong. Muscle is denser than fat.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    3laine75 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


    It would be pleasing, to me at least, if we could keep this tired old argument over semantics out of the gaining section. You do understand that both statements are equally right and wrong, don't you?

    It shows up on the main boards pretty frequently so there's plenty of opportunities to flog it death there, if you enjoy doing so.

    OP simply wanted to know if he would gain weight (while eating at maintenance), he won't.
    how about instead of rudely telling me where I should go to comment on things, because you dont like it,you skip over what I say/said? its a public forum and I have just as much right to post things as others do.

    Then please stop being wrong. Muscle is denser than fat.
    where did I say that it wasnt more dense than fat? pretty sure I said it weighs the same but just takes up less space. how am I wrong in saying whats been proven?
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    3laine75 wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    XC_Guitar17 wrote: »
    I'm okay with gaining weight and toning up as long as I'm gaining mostly muscle. And I understand that muscle weighs more than fat, so by gaining muscle, I would gain some weight. That's cool. I just need "strength gains," as you (ndj1979) put it, and from what I understand, gaining strength means gaining muscle.

    I hope that makes sense. And I may be totally wrong or I may be understanding your answer to my question wrong - like I said, I'm new to this strength training thing.

    Thanks for the response by the way.
    muscle doesnt weigh more than fat,it weighs the same but the muscle takes up less space.gaining strength also does not always mean gaining muscle. I lift while in a deficit and I have gotten stronger but havent built much if any muscle.I have been lifting for almost 3 years, I have gained some muscle but a lot of that was from when I wasnt eating in a deficit.


    It would be pleasing, to me at least, if we could keep this tired old argument over semantics out of the gaining section. You do understand that both statements are equally right and wrong, don't you?

    It shows up on the main boards pretty frequently so there's plenty of opportunities to flog it death there, if you enjoy doing so.

    OP simply wanted to know if he would gain weight (while eating at maintenance), he won't.
    how about instead of rudely telling me where I should go to comment on things, because you dont like it,you skip over what I say/said? its a public forum and I have just as much right to post things as others do.

    Then please stop being wrong. Muscle is denser than fat.
    where did I say that it wasnt more dense than fat? pretty sure I said it weighs the same but just takes up less space. how am I wrong in saying whats been proven?
    Because you can just as easily say that, given the same volume of material, the muscle weighs more. (A 1" cube of muscle weighs more than a 1" cube of fat). It's a non-argument that gets people all spun out around here. That's why nobody wants it introduced in the Gaining Weight forum.

  • tiffanyaiv
    tiffanyaiv Posts: 107 Member
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    Maybe he means 'look muscular'?
  • XC_Guitar17
    XC_Guitar17 Posts: 93
    edited March 2015
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    Just to clarify for everyone who's been saying "he" I'm a girl haha.

    That being said, I think females build muscle differently than males? Because I hear girls on my team worry about getting really "big" (meaning muscular like a guy) all the time. Similarly, my ultimate goal is to be toned. Toned in a "runner's way" if that makes sense. I want to gain strength in my arms and core, and if that also means gaining muscle and gaining (or losing) a bit of weight, that sounds great to me.

    Thank you all for the help so far. I honestly was not expecting people to respond to my question so much, and I greatly appreciate the help that each of you has offered. I'll be happy to clarify anything farther or answer any questions relating to my goals/original post.

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