When No Longer a Noob?

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cortesd
cortesd Posts: 58 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just curious how long one has to lift before the "noob" gains become real muscle gains? I've been doing a progressive program with a PT for about 8 weeks. I'm starting to see some nice definition, but not sure if it's real muscle or just indicating that my BF is starting to (finally) decline. I'm eating at maintenance and still working on maxing out my protein.

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  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    cortesd wrote: »
    Just curious how long one has to lift before the "noob" gains become real muscle gains? I've been doing a progressive program with a PT for about 8 weeks. I'm starting to see some nice definition, but not sure if it's real muscle or just indicating that my BF is starting to (finally) decline. I'm eating at maintenance and still working on maxing out my protein.

    "Noob" gains aren't 100% neurological adapatation as three is some muscle adaptation in there too, there has to be, it's just neurological adapation is the larger part of it early on. I don't know if it's pinned down or not yet scientifically; I've seen 12-weeks in an Exercise Phys book I read but it's not going to be the same for everybody I'm sure. Just keep doing what you're doing until it stops and then figure out what you need to change.

    The visible definition has more to do with the reduced body-fat but muscle development plays a role as well. If your current nutrition is working for you in-terms of your goals, then ride the wave until it doesn't. It sounds like you're on the right path. ;)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    are you dieting? if so, then what you're seeing is some noob gains and "pump" (water in the muscles) and you're cutting fat which gives you more definition. outside of noob gains, you're not really going to build much in the way of muscle mass while dieting because you're in a catabolic state.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    What possible difference could it make? Are you going to return your "noob gains" and exchange them for intermediate gains? Gains are gains. Keep trying to achieve gains of any and all types, because they kinda hard to come by.

    And if the question is "I'm looking better, is this real?", well if you can see a difference, it's real. Especially if your goals include looking better. Did you add muscle, who can say? Without specific testing, you can make educated guesses based on training, diet, and body weight. Either way, the amount of possible muscle gained in a total of 8 weeks is going to very very small.
  • cortesd
    cortesd Posts: 58 Member
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    DavPul wrote: »
    What possible difference could it make? Are you going to return your "noob gains" and exchange them for intermediate gains? Gains are gains. Keep trying to achieve gains of any and all types, because they kinda hard to come by.

    And if the question is "I'm looking better, is this real?", well if you can see a difference, it's real. Especially if your goals include looking better. Did you add muscle, who can say? Without specific testing, you can make educated guesses based on training, diet, and body weight. Either way, the amount of possible muscle gained in a total of 8 weeks is going to very very small.

    This absolutely makes sense. I guess I asked because I often see responses to posts related to lifting/resistance training implying that you shouldn't get excited about starting to see muscle definition cuz it's just an illusion due to being a beginner.

    Kinda like saying losing water weight really isn't weight loss...which of course is a new can of worms! I suppose I just got too caught up in the semantics. I'll enjoy my newly developing shape and keep doing what I'm doing for now!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I have wondered about this in the past, specifically while reading about potential muscle gain during year 1, 2, 3, etc. of lifting. "Proper nutrition" isn't defined in articles like these so I am not sure if he's talking about enough protein (or something else?) or eating at maintenance and above. If it's just enough protein, it seems like lifting while in a deficit means wasted potential as it would start the clock ticking on your first year when you're supposed to be able to gain so much more muscle but if you're eating in a deficit then supposedly you will build less muscle. If it means eating at maintenance and above, then it doesn't matter because your first year (per the chart) doesn't start until after you stop trying to lose fat.

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