Why does more body weight increase strength?

Michael190lbs

I have always been strong but for the first time in my adult life I can no longer bench 315 it shouldn't bother me but it does and I'm curious as to why? I lost a little over 100lbs probably only needed to lose about 75lbs but I look great at 185lbs. My bench has decreased 100lbs my squat easily a 100 plus lbs I really don't deadlift that much any more so won't go there. I guess when I could lift heavier I couldn't do pull overs and as many pull ups as I do now.

My Macros are perfect calories could be a little higher and I workout with weights six days a week and do cardio six times a week.

Just venting but curious on anyones thoughts..

Thanks Mike

SonyaCele

for every pound of body weight gained or lost, a percentage is fat and a percentage is muscle. that's why its recommended to Strength train while losing to lower the percentage of muscle lost.

cwolfman13

You lose muscle mass when dieting.

punkrockgoth

You lose muscle mass. However, I have also noticed that I am more aware of form than I used to be as well. So while I used to be able to squat 30 (yeah, I know I'm a sucky n00b), now I struggle to squat the bar. Some of this is likely muscle loss, however a lot of it is also being aware of my form.

ninerbuff

When you decrease your mass you also are decreasing the amount of energy storage of glycogen, ADP, ATP, which affects "fast twitch" muscle fibers much more than "slow twitch" muscle fibers.

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Michael190lbs

I guess this is why we have weight classes in events like wrestling, boxing etc.. Weird part is I do more weight in machine rows now at the lighter body weight than I did when I was heavier but maybe that is because of all the pull ups I do now.. "Forever learning" I will chalk this up too..

Thank you all for your responses Mike

xmichaelyx

Michael190lbs wrote: »

I guess this is why we have weight classes in events like wrestling, boxing etc.

It's not just about strength for things like this. Newton's laws of motion mean that the more mass you have, the more potential punching power you have (for boxing & MMA) and the easier it will be to move and manipulate your opponent (wrestling and MMA). The same laws make it more difficult for your smaller opponent to move you.

It's all Newton's fault.

cgvet37

It takes mass, to move mass. I'm getting stronger as I drop in weight, but I'm doing so slowly, and I only weight train. If you simply loose weight, you are going to loose mass. If you cut, but try to maintain what mass you have, your mass loss will be less. What I'm getting at, is that loosing weight and cutting are not the same.