Gaining muscle without fat?

NowIFeelYa

Now that I'm almost at my goal weight how do I put on muscle without making my stomach bigger. I tried before and failed I did gain muscle and strength but a lot of weight with it. Or should I have worried about getting the muscle before I lost the weight? If that's the case I will stay were I'm at now because I like the new me. I just don't want to look skinny and scrawny. I want to look healthy and fit, not like a body builder by any means I just want to be back at the strength and muscle I had before I lost my weight.

Laurenloveswaffles

There will be fat gain while bulking.

You can eat your maintenance calories and keep lifting heavy, or you can do a slow bulk.

JoRocka

you can get stronger- and not bigger- just maintain or continue on your calorie deficit.

You don't HAVE to bulk. You can just opt to get stronger. Totally feasible.

accelerashawn

Yes you can gain significant muscle without putting on too much fat. Eat at maintenance for a little while and begin your lifting routine. Up your calories a hundred or so per week until you start to gain weight. Play around with the numbers until you're happy.

Btw, if you get stronger, you will get bigger muscles. Science.

NowIFeelYa

stronger would be better, I have been lifting more and not doing as much cardio, I will bulk after the summer is over.


Oh and another question do I need to buy protein to add extra or can I get enough in just my regular daily meat?

erickirb

Yes you can gain significant muscle without putting on too much fat. Eat at maintenance for a little while and begin your lifting routine. Up your calories a hundred or so per week until you start to gain weight. Play around with the numbers until you're happy.

Btw, if you get stronger, you will get bigger muscles. Science [B/].

That is wrong... a large % of strength gain comes from neoromusclular adaption (getting better at recruiting the muscle fiber s you do have while getting better at the form. Much less strength gain comes from muscle size, which is why a power lifter that is much smaller than a body builder can actually lift much more, due to the way they train ^ in strength =/= ^ muscle, though in a caloric surplus you will get some of both, the amount of either will be due to the program you follow, diet, and genetics.

erickirb

stronger would be better, I have been lifting more and not doing as much cardio, I will bulk after the summer is over.


Oh and another question do I need to buy protein to add extra or can I get enough in just my regular daily meat?

No difference where the protein comes from, but I would say that protein is even more important in a deficit than it is in a surplus. Assuming you are getting enough, you would not need to add more just because you are bulking.

accelerashawn

That is wrong... a large % of strength gain comes from neoromusclular adaption (getting better at recruiting the muscle fiber s you do have while getting better at the form. Much less strength gain comes from muscle size, which is why a power lifter that is much smaller than a body builder can actually lift much more, due to the way they train ^ in strength =/= ^ muscle, though in a caloric surplus you will get some of both, the amount of either will be due to the program you follow, diet, and genetics.

In trained individuals, the act of gaining strength will also gain size. Bodybuilders and powerlifters are both strong...they train differently, one trains for aesthetics, the other for moving weight. The power lifters do mainly compound lifts so their entire bodies are a big undefined lump of awesomeness....the aesthetic guys do specific curls to shape their biceps correctly.

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Sam_I_Am77

Early on gains are largely neuro-muscular adaptation but as a lifter progresses it does become more muscular adaptation, though your CNS is still always being challenged to adapt to new loads so it's not like that stops completely. That's often why people plateau and never move past that are eating at a calorie-deficit. You see it all the time on MFP.

However, with that being said a lifter will need to eat more to put on some muscle and really improve strength and putting on some fat is inevitable. What CAN be tried is know your maintenance calories, and slowly increase calories. Start with maintenance plus 10% and see how it goes; if you get improvement in strength, size, or both. If that doesn't work or things slow down then add another 10% and keep going until you reach your goals or tolerance for fat gained. If you're not in a hurry to put it on, then maybe taking your time with it will minimize fat gain.

In trained individuals, the act of gaining strength will also gain size. Bodybuilders and powerlifters are both strong...they train differently, one trains for aesthetics, the other for moving weight. The power lifters do mainly compound lifts so their entire bodies are a big undefined lump of awesomeness....the aesthetic guys do specific curls to shape their biceps correctly.

Pro Body Builders are definitely strong and anybody who says otherwise is stupid. You're not gonna be that big and be weak. However, if you take a 225lb Pro BB compared to a 225lb Pro PL, the PL is most likely going to be stronger and possibly considerably stronger. The training for the two individuals is quite different and the loads a PL uses will make their CNS more efficient. Now, that is a general statement as you have BB's and PL's that cross-over into both sports so there's that 2% to 5% of those athletes that it probably doesn't apply to.

JoRocka

That is wrong... a large % of strength gain comes from neoromusclular adaption (getting better at recruiting the muscle fiber s you do have while getting better at the form. Much less strength gain comes from muscle size, which is why a power lifter that is much smaller than a body builder can actually lift much more, due to the way they train ^ in strength =/= ^ muscle, though in a caloric surplus you will get some of both, the amount of either will be due to the program you follow, diet, and genetics.

In trained individuals, the act of gaining strength will also gain size. Bodybuilders and powerlifters are both strong...they train differently, one trains for aesthetics, the other for moving weight. The power lifters do mainly compound lifts so their entire bodies are a big undefined lump of awesomeness....the aesthetic guys do specific curls to shape their biceps correctly.

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Up to a point. Yes.

But most people can get to above "average" strength without substantial size.

I'm 165- at 5'8" and I technically I'm "above average" For power lifting standards I'm respectably strong- but not excessively so- and I'm not huge- you can barely tell I lift outside of me flexing- clearly I'm fit- but people don't know the instant they see me that I'm a lifter. I'm just not THAT big.

So mostly people can get respectable results without putting on outrageous size.

But otherwise- yes- I give you that with size comes strength and with strength there will be inevitable size that must be gained.

eric_sg61

That is wrong... a large % of strength gain comes from neoromusclular adaption (getting better at recruiting the muscle fiber s you do have while getting better at the form. Much less strength gain comes from muscle size, which is why a power lifter that is much smaller than a body builder can actually lift much more, due to the way they train ^ in strength =/= ^ muscle, though in a caloric surplus you will get some of both, the amount of either will be due to the program you follow, diet, and genetics.

In trained individuals, the act of gaining strength will also gain size. Bodybuilders and powerlifters are both strong...they train differently, one trains for aesthetics, the other for moving weight. The power lifters do mainly compound lifts so their entire bodies are a big undefined lump of awesomeness....the aesthetic guys do specific curls to shape their biceps correctly.

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Plenty of strong guys that aren't very big all over youtube. Also, if strength=size then the strongest powerlifter would be the biggest bodybuilder.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/why_bodybuilders_are_more_jacked_than_powerlifters

accelerashawn

I'm not saying strength and size are linear...but you are not going to lift for a year and get stronger without gaining muscle mass...and you can't gain muscle mass without the need for it and the only way your body will "need" it is if you lift heavy...and if you lift heavy, you will get better at it...therefore stronger...therefore gain muscle mass.

Two equally sized guys, one being a power lifter and one being a bodybuilder is not a good argument. The powerlifter trains for powerlifts requiring coordination, CNS developement, and power. The bodybuilder uses ultra specific concentrated motions to build a certain muscle for aesthetics.

Sure the powerlifter can clean and jerk more than the bodybuilder...but i bet the bodybuilder could backwards reverse incline pronated grip curl a ****load more than the powerlifter...

Again, strength and size are not linear but you cannot be strong without muscle and you cannot have muscle without strength. If you wanna get stronger, you're going to get bigger and if you want to get bigger you're going to get stronger.

trojan_bb

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Strength does not equal size. Those 170 lb Olympic lifters? Quite strong. Very little muscle mass.



Strength = size ONLY when PROGRESSIVE overload (strength gains OVER TIME) are made WITH caloric surplus or maintenance IN an optimal hormonal environment.

trojan_bb

If you wanna get stronger, you're going to get bigger and if you want to get bigger you're going to get stronger.

No. Nope. and No. Relatively easy to gain considerable strength while staying in the same weight class at same body composition. Also quite easy to gain muscle mass with no gain in maximal strength.

You're right there is an obvious correlation. And the easiest way to gain strength is via mass gains. And the easiest way to gain mass is to increase strength. BUT, they are not pre-requisites for one another.

accelerashawn

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Strength does not equal size. Those 170 lb Olympic lifters? Quite strong. Very little muscle mass.



Strength = size ONLY when PROGRESSIVE overload (strength gains OVER TIME) are made WITH caloric surplus or maintenance IN an optimal hormonal environment.

You don't need huge biceps to do the olympic lifts...those olympic lifters have plenty of muscle mass for their weight. It might be hidden in their core and upper legs but trust me...lifting what they lift, requires muscle...how can you seriously think otherwise?

erickirb

That is wrong... a large % of strength gain comes from neoromusclular adaption (getting better at recruiting the muscle fiber s you do have while getting better at the form. Much less strength gain comes from muscle size, which is why a power lifter that is much smaller than a body builder can actually lift much more, due to the way they train ^ in strength =/= ^ muscle, though in a caloric surplus you will get some of both, the amount of either will be due to the program you follow, diet, and genetics.

In trained individuals, the act of gaining strength will also gain size. Bodybuilders and powerlifters are both strong...they train differently, one trains for aesthetics, the other for moving weight. The power lifters do mainly compound lifts so their entire bodies are a big undefined lump of awesomeness....the aesthetic guys do specific curls to shape their biceps correctly.

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

There are a lot of small strong people, if you are not eating in a surplus you will not grow you will get stronger. Look at Olympic weight lifters that are in specific weight classes, very strong, typically not very big

Both BB's and power lifters squat. A BB usually has much larger legs, but the amount they can move as a % of their weight is much much smaller than a PL

Sam_I_Am77

Strength is size is strength. Show me a super strong guy who isn't large.

Strength does not equal size. Those 170 lb Olympic lifters? Quite strong. Very little muscle mass.



Strength = size ONLY when PROGRESSIVE overload (strength gains OVER TIME) are made WITH caloric surplus or maintenance IN an optimal hormonal environment.

You don't need huge biceps to do the olympic lifts...those olympic lifters have plenty of muscle mass for their weight. It might be hidden in their core and upper legs but trust me...lifting what they lift, requires muscle...how can you seriously think otherwise?

I think the better way of saying that is that a 170lb PL or OLY lifter is very strong relative to their weight class.

Sam_I_Am77

This arguement is silly. BB's are definitely strong, but pound-for-pound; in general they aren't as strong as a PL or OLY lifter.

accelerashawn

No. Nope. and No. Relatively easy to gain considerable strength while staying in the same weight class at same body composition. Also quite easy to gain muscle mass with no gain in maximal strength.

You are talking about leaning out the muscle, making it harder, making it stronger but by shedding the fat it doesnt appear bigger.

And how the hell do you expect to gain muscle mass with strength gains? How do you do this?

This argument will never end.

It take muscle to move your limbs...put weight on those limbs and you need more muscle to move it.

accelerashawn

This arguement is silly. BB's are definitely strong, but pound-for-pound; in general they aren't as strong as a PL or OLY lifter.

I agree with the first part. But it depends on how you are measuring strength for the second part. BBs don't train for olympic lifts... that's kind of a goofy argument. Lets see the olympic lifter reverse fly as much as the BB...lol

TR0berts

I'm not saying strength and size are linear...but you are not going to lift for a year and get stronger without gaining muscle mass...and you can't gain muscle mass without the need for it and the only way your body will "need" it is if you lift heavy...and if you lift heavy, you will get better at it...therefore stronger...therefore gain muscle mass.

Two equally sized guys, one being a power lifter and one being a bodybuilder is not a good argument. The powerlifter trains for powerlifts requiring coordination, CNS developement, and power. The bodybuilder uses ultra specific concentrated motions to build a certain muscle for aesthetics.

Sure the powerlifter can clean and jerk more than the bodybuilder...but i bet the bodybuilder could backwards reverse incline pronated grip curl a ****load more than the powerlifter...

Again, strength and size are not linear but you cannot be strong without muscle and you cannot have muscle without strength. If you wanna get stronger, you're going to get bigger and if you want to get bigger you're going to get stronger.

The bolded proves that you have no idea what you're talking about.

BTW - how do you define "super strong?" I'll hold any further answers, because I want you to answer that before I show you.