Weight lifting -when to start trying for muscle gain

ninerbuff

Looking for advice on how best to achieve my goals....

I'm 5'7, 153 lbs. My original goal weight was135-140, but I'm now thinking 145 may be more realistic since I've incorporated weight training. But, I'm still 10ish lbs from my goal and definitely have addl fat loss to accomplish.

I'm currently eating at a 250 cal deficit and eating exercise calories, to fuel my workouts. I'm in the middle of the New Rules of Lifting For Women program. I lift MWF, and do cardio interval training, incline work, and usually one day of longish running (5-6 miles) on non-lift days. I am losing at the 1/2 lb per week rate. All told I have lost 28 lbs since August.

I'm anxious to start gaining muscle, but really want to lose some additional fat before I do so. I'm thinking of continuing with NR thru the next 3 stages, then moving to maintenance for two weeks, then starting a slight calorie surplus and moving on to Stronglifts 5x5 or some other similar program.

My question is, if I haven't accomplished all the fat loss I'm hoping for, will this be counter-productive? Should I continue at a deficit until I've reached my fat-loss goal? Or can I start building muscle sooner?

You gain fat when you gain muscle. It's inevitable. How much you gain in fat/muscle ratio will depend on how you workout, your rest, and how you eat.
Strong lifts isn't a muscle building program it's a strength program. You may build a little muscle, but to get effective muscle hypertrophy the reps will usually between 8-12 reps and the volume of sets high. You are looking to build sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and not necessarily myofibrillar hypertrophy.


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deekaydee

You gain fat when you gain muscle. It's inevitable. How much you gain in fat/muscle ratio will depend on how you workout, your rest, and how you eat.
Strong lifts isn't a muscle building program it's a strength program. You may build a little muscle, but to get effective muscle hypertrophy the reps will usually between 8-12 reps and the volume of sets high. You are looking to build sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and not necessarily myofibrillar hypertrophy.

Okay, I guess what I really want is to see more significant gains in terms of weight lifted, so I suppose strength building versus muscle building. Should I continue on a deficit doing this program? I just feel like I'm not seeing many gains there anymore, or at least very slow, so thought I might need to move to muscle gain to do that.

Huffdogg

But I'll add I don't think strong lifts is any more focus on building muscle size than New Rules is. Both are strength programs not "hyper trophy" programs (at least from what I've read and gathered, I'm not an expert).

I don't know anything about NR, but you are definitely right about StrongLifts. I don't think the OP is specifically looking for bulk, though. I stand by my recommendation. Cycle calories, surplus on work days, deficit on rest days, something like StrongLifts is a good starting point. High protein always, high carb work days, low carb rest days.

Rae6503

I saw a LOT of strength gains the first month or two eating at a surplus. I went from dead-lifting 65lbs to 140. I've kind of leveled out now though, which is disappointing (but I wasn't able to stay consistent with training through the holidays so that might have had some effect).

deekaydee

I saw a LOT of strength gains the first month or two eating at a surplus. I went from dead-lifting 65lbs to 140. I've kind of leveled out now though, which is disappointing (but I wasn't able to stay consistent with training through the holidays so that might have had some effect).

Great, good to know, thanks for all the input!

Nopedotjpeg

Strong lifts isn't a muscle building program it's a strength program. You may build a little muscle, but to get effective muscle hypertrophy the reps will usually between 8-12 reps and the volume of sets high.

I'm sure I don't know the intricacies, but how exactly is not gaining muscle when they're exponentially increasing their strength and eating a surplus of calories?

Huffdogg

There is a marked difference between a program designed to build Strength (with growth in muscle size being an ancillary benefit) and a program designed to build MASS (which will generally also increase strength but not with the same efficiency).

ninerbuff

Okay, I guess what I really want is to see more significant gains in terms of weight lifted, so I suppose strength building versus muscle building. Should I continue on a deficit doing this program? I just feel like I'm not seeing many gains there anymore, or at least very slow, so thought I might need to move to muscle gain to do that.

If strength is what you're looking for then stick to high weight low reps (6 and fewer are good). Overload methods with negatives help, however you need a good spotter with this.


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kristyhooker

Both at the same time, lifting will help you lose fat.... but you will be gaining muscle, so definately you'll want to tape and not worry so much about what the scale says.... but if you keep doing what your doing and keep lifting you will actually lose the fat faster than just trying to do a bunch of cardio... and when the fat comes off it will look much better on your already toned physique!!

ninerbuff

Both at the same time, lifting will help you lose fat.... but you will be gaining muscle, so definately you'll want to tape and not worry so much about what the scale says.... but if you keep doing what your doing and keep lifting you will actually lose the fat faster than just trying to do a bunch of cardio... and when the fat comes off it will look much better on your already toned physique!!

It's not usual to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time with the exception of a few people. In order to gain muscle there has to be a calorie surplus. But on surplus, it's practically impossible to lose any fat. So you usually have to choose which is most important to you first. Fat loss or muscle gain.

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drivermarshy

muscle gain can be achieved even with a defisit. last pt assesment i had lost 3kgs of fat and gained 2kgs lean muscle mass - just make good food choices - high protein in every meal

How do you know that you have gained muscle/lost fat? Even with my "fat measuring" scales, it seems hard to get a consistent fat reading. It jumps around wildly from day to day, so I don't trust it. I'd love to know how to get an accurate measurement.

because i had a test done where u have some electrodes attached to u and it takes readings. i have one done every 6 weeks in PT session... the last one was done 2 weeks ago and those were the results

ninerbuff

because i had a test done where u have some electrodes attached to u and it takes readings. i have one done every 6 weeks in PT session... the last one was done 2 weeks ago and those were the results

Being very knowlegeble in muscle hypertrophy, a 5lbs gain of muscle with an almost 7lbs loss of fat at the same time doesn't sound likely. It sounds like bio impedance testing and the results are so varying based on fluid levels retained in the body. To gain 5lbs of muscle on calorie SURPLUS in weeks is very hard even if your nutrition, rest, and exercise were spot on.


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drivermarshy

calipers also used so the fat loss is bang on, so with a 3kg fat loss but only 1kg real terms weight loss seems machine must be somewhere about right. i am working out at a very high intesity and have been for 8 or so months.

ninerbuff

calipers also used so the fat loss is bang on, so with a 3kg fat loss but only 1kg real terms weight loss seems machine must be somewhere about right. i am working out at a very high intesity and have been for 8 or so months.

Okay 8 months is different. I was under the assumption you did it in 6 weeks. 5lbs of muscle isn't impossible in 8 months time.


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doubglass

Hey.! You've already started building muscle from what you described. DON'T drop the cardio, if you want more bulk move to fewer reps--(6-10) in 3-4 sets. If you want tone try for 10-15 reps of 4 sets.


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