Increase of Strength = Muscle Gain?

albayin
albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just realized that now I can deadlift 110 lb failing at 7th rep. I started out with 2x20 lb dumbbells a year ago...My weight/size didn't change very much although my body does show more muscle definition comparing to a year ago. Does this "increase of strength" mean that I might have gained more muscle than I though? Or just mean that I started out too light without knowing my true strength?

Thank you~:flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • professormudd1
    professormudd1 Posts: 59
    Beyond addition and growth of the muscle cells themselves, strength gains also have to do with motor neurons and their increased efficiency.

    EDIT: Here, read this: http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/learn-how-muscles-build-up-strength
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    You can increase strength, a considerable amount if you are new to lifting, without gaining physical muscle mass.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Not necessarily. You can increase strength without increasing muscle mass.

    Great work! That's awesome progress! :smile: :flowerforyou:
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Initial gains of strength are due to neuro muscular changes. Size comes later. You can get a lot stronger before you gain any size.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    you can make substantial strength gains without putting on mass. Neural adaptation is substantially responsible for strength gains...you do reach a point eventually where you require more mass, but you can make significant progress for quite a long time without adding mass.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    that makes sense...I just didnt know what it was now it seems more clear to me...:) So my goal to look leaner and thinner, would this be the right appoach for my goal? diet aside (I think I got that part already)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    that makes sense...I just didnt know what it was now it seems more clear to me...:) So my goal to look leaner and thinner, would this be the right appoach for my goal? diet aside (I think I got that part already)

    Seems to be right on track.

    I started out with 45lbs (bar + Plates) and have increased my strength a tonne, I have gone down almost 2 sizes with only 3lbs gone...lots of apparent fat loss...strength gains.....and maintaining my current muscle...

    I can hardly wait till I get to do a bulk...hehe looking to definately gain some muscle too.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    that makes sense...I just didnt know what it was now it seems more clear to me...:) So my goal to look leaner and thinner, would this be the right appoach for my goal? diet aside (I think I got that part already)

    Seems to be right on track.

    I started out with 45lbs (bar + Plates) and have increased my strength a tonne, I have gone down almost 2 sizes with only 3lbs gone...lots of apparent fat loss...strength gains.....and maintaining my current muscle...

    I can hardly wait till I get to do a bulk...hehe looking to definately gain some muscle too.

    but people keep saying to me that if I want to look thin, I shouldn't lift heavy because I look more muscular hence I don't look "thin". I am not after runway model thin but just want to go down a size or two and visually thinner too...all this heavy lifting didn't seem helping me to get there, yet...of course I have only done this for less than a year...
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I belong to a culture group where most women I know in my lift wear size 0, or 00 no matter their height...This makes me feel very depressed because I always look bigger than them and I was called "fatty" "chubby" since I was little...I still cant fit in size 0 so I am still not "thin"...
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Lifting won't make you look fat. You will look a lot better if you lift before cutting. From a guy's perspective most men prefer a little bit of muscle as opposed to "skinny fat". I'm even okay with a lot of muscle as long as they are not bigger than me :)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    I can't think of a woman I know that looks "too muscular" but spends less than 3 hours per day lifting heavy weights. Where on your body are you afraid of putting on too much muscle and "looking fat"?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I belong to a culture group where most women I know in my lift wear size 0, or 00 no matter their height...This makes me feel very depressed because I always look bigger than them and I was called "fatty" "chubby" since I was little...I still cant fit in size 0 so I am still not "thin"...

    :huh: Not everyone can be a size 0. I know I can't.

    Lifting weights will preserve muscle as you lose weight through calorie deficit. It's the calorie deficit that produces the weight loss, not the weight lifting. Preserving muscle is essential for good health, especially as you age. Strong women live longer, have less chance of osteoporosis, broken hips, etc. The end results will be nice shapely arms, shoulders, hips, and butt due to the muscle you have preserved. But yes, someone with muscle might be physically bigger than someone without. To me, being slightly bigger is worth having a better shape and being in better health.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I can't think of a woman I know that looks "too muscular" but spends less than 3 hours per day lifting heavy weights. Where on your body are you afraid of putting on too much muscle and "looking fat"?
    rather afraid of looking "big", not necessarily fat...
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I can't think of a woman I know that looks "too muscular" but spends less than 3 hours per day lifting heavy weights. Where on your body are you afraid of putting on too much muscle and "looking fat"?
    rather afraid of looking "big", not necessarily fat...

    You're 41. Shouldn't you be past the age of trying to be like everyone else? Sometimes you just aren't and that's not a bad thing.

    I'll always be "big". I'm 5'9" and large framed. I'm big and that's okay. Screw the notion that women have to be small and weak to be feminine. It's okay to be big, strong, healthy and female.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    My problem area is particularly around hips and thighs (pear shape anyone?). Before lifting, my upper body was kinda of thin and skinny, wearing xs. Now I can clearly see the muscle tones around my shoulders and upper arms. I don't mind much since they kinda balance off a bit my heavy bottom. But the thing is now I look overall a lot bigger, not just the lower half...This annoys me a bit. Some people call me "wonder woman", which I know they are joking but...frustrates me a lot since my goal is really to look smaller not bigger...

    Just for the record, my thighs and butt didn't shrink either; they are still huge.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I can't think of a woman I know that looks "too muscular" but spends less than 3 hours per day lifting heavy weights. Where on your body are you afraid of putting on too much muscle and "looking fat"?
    rather afraid of looking "big", not necessarily fat...

    You're 41. Shouldn't you be past the age of trying to be like everyone else? Sometimes you just aren't and that's not a bad thing.

    I'll always be "big". I'm 5'9" and large framed. I'm big and that's okay. Screw the notion that women have to be small and weak to be feminine. It's okay to be big, strong, healthy and female.

    LOL I guess I might still live in other's dogma even when I am 80...
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Just for the record, my thighs and butt didn't shrink either; they are still huge.

    I'm 100% serious: join roller derby. You will see your body differently, and celebrate the leg muscles instead of being self conscious about them.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    You can't change your genetics with exercise. I am thick........I can be thick fat or thick muscular. I can't look like a model anymore than I can grow 6 inches.
  • Colleen118
    Colleen118 Posts: 491 Member
    I wish I knew the user's name on here but there is a woman that is a member, I will try to find her again for you, she GAINED lbs and LOST inches, was physically smaller and more "shapely" rather than "thin". The choice is yours to make but women don't possess the Testosterone required to "bulk" and by toning and lifting weights you won't appear at all "Heavy" but you will rather have a nice physique. My end photo was taken when I was steady lifting weights. I stopped lifting shortly after the photo. I have maintained my weight but when I did a tape measure check in today for the first time since May, I have actually gained about a half inch of "mass". My clothes still fit the same and I feel fine, the difference I made was I stopped lifting in lieu of training for an upcoming bike ride... I started back to lifting two about weeks ago and don't intend to ever give it up the way I did last year. I will work in some weight training every week.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    OP, try some Creatine and watch that fail rep go higher =)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    OP, try some Creatine and watch that fail rep go higher =)
    what's this? Creatine?
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I wish I knew the user's name on here but there is a woman that is a member, I will try to find her again for you, she GAINED lbs and LOST inches, was physically smaller and more "shapely" rather than "thin". The choice is yours to make but women don't possess the Testosterone required to "bulk" and by toning and lifting weights you won't appear at all "Heavy" but you will rather have a nice physique. My end photo was taken when I was steady lifting weights. I stopped lifting shortly after the photo. I have maintained my weight but when I did a tape measure check in today for the first time since May, I have actually gained about a half inch of "mass". My clothes still fit the same and I feel fine, the difference I made was I stopped lifting in lieu of training for an upcoming bike ride... I started back to lifting two about weeks ago and don't intend to ever give it up the way I did last year. I will work in some weight training every week.

    that's what I keep hearing too and that's why, in spite of all this nagging feelings, I have not stopped lifting. :) Maybe I just need to be more patient and give it more time...more than I had anticipated. thank you, and you look great~ :flowerforyou:
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    thank you guys and ladies for your advice. Yeah, maybe I should stop worrying to much and just keep lifting~

    :flowerforyou:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I belong to a culture group where most women I know in my lift wear size 0, or 00 no matter their height...This makes me feel very depressed because I always look bigger than them and I was called "fatty" "chubby" since I was little...I still cant fit in size 0 so I am still not "thin"...
    But, 0 or 00 are just numbers. In fact, getting to that size no matter one's height sounds a bit aggressive and obsessive to me. It's unrealistic to compare yourself to them anyway. You are incredible as you are, and there is no reason to be that "thin". However, there is reason to be the best that you can be FOR YOU and to be happy with you and your results.

    Seriously, you are incredible. :smile:
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    but people keep saying to me that if I want to look thin, I shouldn't lift heavy because I look more muscular hence I don't look "thin". I am not after runway model thin but just want to go down a size or two and visually thinner too...all this heavy lifting didn't seem helping me to get there, yet...of course I have only done this for less than a year...

    hogwash

    I have been lifting for almost 20 yrs now.....and I wish I looked like Arnold.....

    You are a woman, it ani't gonna happen.

    Lift your weights and enjoy the results.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    but people keep saying to me that if I want to look thin, I shouldn't lift heavy because I look more muscular hence I don't look "thin". I am not after runway model thin but just want to go down a size or two and visually thinner too...all this heavy lifting didn't seem helping me to get there, yet...of course I have only done this for less than a year...

    hogwash

    I have been lifting for almost 20 yrs now.....and I wish I looked like Arnold.....

    You are a woman, it ani't gonna happen.

    Lift your weights and enjoy the results.

    I guess they said I look more muscular, relatively...comparing to other women.

    Honestly, I don't find Arnold very attractive. I prefer men lean with just the right amount muscle...not that you asked what I prefer. Anyway~ :bigsmile:
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    but people keep saying to me that if I want to look thin, I shouldn't lift heavy because I look more muscular hence I don't look "thin". I am not after runway model thin but just want to go down a size or two and visually thinner too...all this heavy lifting didn't seem helping me to get there, yet...of course I have only done this for less than a year...

    hogwash

    I have been lifting for almost 20 yrs now.....and I wish I looked like Arnold.....

    You are a woman, it ani't gonna happen.

    Lift your weights and enjoy the results.

    I guess they said I look more muscular, relatively...comparing to other women.

    Honestly, I don't find Arnold very attractive. I prefer men lean with just the right amount muscle...not that you asked what I prefer. Anyway~ :bigsmile:

    Well maybe I wouldn't want to be quite as big as Arnold...but some more mass than what I have would be nice. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    The muscle you develop will look very nice.....

    If you are also trying to lose weight/burn fat.....then it will look even better.
    The definition will pop out then.

    Lift, lower, repeat.....then enjoy.
    Haters gonna hate. :wink: :laugh:
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Beyond addition and growth of the muscle cells themselves, strength gains also have to do with motor neurons and their increased efficiency.

    EDIT: Here, read this: http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/learn-how-muscles-build-up-strength

    thank you for the link...good information bad for my eyes...sorry I had to complain about this to whowever decided to choose that dreadful red color as background...:glasses:
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Is your profile pic a shot of your upper body? If so you don't look too musclular, you look good. As far as not wanting to get big or too muscular, if you don't want to I guarantee you won't. It is much more difficult to gain significant amounts of muscle mass than it is to lose fat. Gaining muscle is pretty tough for most people.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Is your profile pic a shot of your upper body? If so you don't look too musclular, you look good. As far as not wanting to get big or too muscular, if you don't want to I guarantee you won't. It is much more difficult to gain significant amounts of muscle mass than it is to lose fat. Gaining muscle is pretty tough for most people.

    thank you. The picture was taken before xmas...:)

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