gaining muscle mass?

keziak1 wrote: »

Is it really likely that one will GAIN much muscle mass or is the point really to lose fat, preserve the muscles you already have, and achieve a more favorable percentage of body composition as muscle? What does it really take to gain pounds of muscles?

For the majority of people, gaining muscle mass takes eating in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and lifting heavy. There are a few exceptions to that rule including people who are obese and who have not weight lifted before; they can make "newbie gains" for a few months. And people who were previously well trained, stopped training for a long period of time, and then picked up training can also sometimes gain muscle mass eating at a deficit.

Depends on your experience. If you're new you can eat at a caloric deficit and still gain some muscle mass by lifting things. If you're advanced then you must be eating at a caloric surplus and making sure you're getting enough protein to build muscle mass. This act so depends on your goals, for some they just want to lose weight/fat or getting "lean" and could care less about building muscle. Others feel this makes you look skinny and want those 6 pack abs and big pecs, biceps, etc which will require both building muscle mass and acquiring a low bodyfat. Which is why people cut then bulk and repeat, reduce bodyfat, then gain a little bodyfat back in exchange for more muscle mass, then cut again to reduce the bodyfat again, then repeat.

It is important to note there are multiple kinds of cuts and bulks that have their advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common are:

• Slow Cut- Used typically by more advanced people that already have a good amount of muscle mass. Advantages are you lose less muscle mass when using this method. Disadvantages are it takes substantially longer, where in a fast cut you would eat 400-500 calories less than your TDEE here you'd eat ~200 less.
• Fast Cut(or just cut)- Used typically by beginners or overweight people who don't have much muscle mass or people just looking to lose weight/fat. Advantages are it's quicker than the slow bulk. Disadvantages are you lose more muscle mass this way compared to the slow cut.
• Slow Bulk(or clean bulk)- This is usually used after a long period of cutting by people not looking to gain a lot of bodyfat but want to gain strength and muscle mass. Advantages are you gain less bodyfat through this method than you would through a fast bulk. Disadvantages are it takes substantially longer as with a fast bulk you would eat 400-500 calories more than your TDEE here you'd eat ~200 more.
• Fast bulk (or just bulk or dirty bulk)- This is usually used by "strongmen" or skinny people who wouldn't care to put on some bodyfat in exchange for strength and muscle mass. Advantages are you gain strength and muscle mass much quicker than a slow bulk. Disadvantages are you gain much more bodyfat than you would in a slow bulk.

There is a term called recomp, which is a recomposition of the body. Recomp just means that you will lose bodyfat and gain equal weight of muscle mass (muscle weighs more than fat) so your weight won't actually change which requires eating at a maintenence and lifting heavy. It is important to note that the answer to your question is hard to answer as its entirely up to you. It depends on your goals, do you want to be ripped/shredded? Then you need to build muscle mass aswell as obtaining a low bodyfat percentage which requires a bulking and cutting phase. Do you just want to be strong and lift heavy things without regards for bodyfat? Then you need to build muscle mass which will require eating everything in front of you and lift heavy things repeatedly. Do you just want to be skinny? The this will require a cutting phase, which will require you to eat 400-500 less than your TDEE. (NOTE: when calculating your TDEE do no incorporate your workouts into the calculator, best bet is to select the little/no exercise option.)

To directly answer your questions: "Is it really likely that one will GAIN much muscle mass or is the point to lose fat, preserve the muscle you already have, and achieve a more favorable percentage of body composition as muscle?"
A: Depends on your goal, either are achievable but will rely on your diet and weightlifting routine.

"What does it really take to gain pounds of muscle mass?"
A: Generally consuming a caloric surplus and lifting heavy things