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If you can't gain muscle while eating at a calorie deficit...

13

Replies

  • Posts: 93 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »

    Strength training is progressive. One is intently looking to increase their strength by progressively making the resistance higher on any given exercise when they can.

    Resistance training doesn't have to be progressive. One could use the same weight for a given exercise over and over because they are just maintaining whatever strength level they are at now. Aging people over 50+ usually don't have a big desire to keep increasing their strength, but more concern about maintaining it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    This was really helpful. Thank you.
  • Posts: 12,294 Member
    edited April 2015

    I don't think that my gym has a rowing machine (I could be wrong because I stay away from that side). If not is there something that I could substitute for rowing?

    I like the idea of weekends off!

    Row is a barbell exercise, not a machine
  • Posts: 310 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    Maybe you overworked the muscles 6 days/week heavy??? where is the recovery time (that is when muscles grow and/or repair)

    Lol I know what recovery is and yes I know believe me it didn't make sense to me either and I was exhausted
  • Posts: 12,294 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »

    Or maybe 1300 was a deficit for you...ok AND maybe 1300 was a deficit...

    that too
  • Posts: 234 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »

    Strength training is progressive. One is intently looking to increase their strength by progressively making the resistance higher on any given exercise when they can.

    Resistance training doesn't have to be progressive. One could use the same weight for a given exercise over and over because they are just maintaining whatever strength level they are at now. Aging people over 50+ usually don't have a big desire to keep increasing their strength, but more concern about maintaining it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Great, thanks. I've had that question for a while and that's exactly the kind of clarification I was loking for. I understand perfect. A final question.... if one is overweight enough still so that fat loss is the main concern/goal... would you say one is more recommended? Which one?

    (Sorry for butting in the original thread, hehe)
  • Posts: 4,537 Member

    No, you can't.

    Why do you insist on trying to chime in on things that you have no understanding of (this topic and many others)?
  • Posts: 6,652 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    Row is a barbell exercise, not a machine
    There are machine rows. A barbell row is a barbell exercise. A dumbbell row is a dumbbell exercise. A machine row is a machine exercise.

  • Posts: 12,294 Member
    There are machine rows. A barbell row is a barbell exercise. A dumbbell row is a dumbbell exercise. A machine row is a machine exercise.

    She is referring to stornglifts 5x5 which is a barbell routine, using barbells for rows
  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    She is referring to stornglifts 5x5 which is a barbell routine, using barbells for rows

    ^^^^^this.
  • Posts: 733 Member
    fatcity66 wrote: »

    Ok, but your original statement said you will ALWAYS gain fat in a surplus, and ALWAYS lose muscle in a deficit. That's why I questioned it.

    Lol... I didn't say ALWAYS. Never used the term. Also, I stated surplus and deficit calories, not maintenance. And again, has anyone proven the theory of a recomp over the long term?
  • Posts: 93 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    She is referring to stornglifts 5x5 which is a barbell routine, using barbells for rows

    I have so much to learn. Thanks guys :')
  • Posts: 6,652 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    She is referring to stornglifts 5x5 which is a barbell routine, using barbells for rows
    She was referring to her gym maybe not having a rowing machine.
  • Posts: 310 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »

    Or maybe 1300 was a deficit for you...ok AND maybe 1300 was a deficit...

    Yes 1300 was a deficit. She wanted me to lose more fat while keep muscle I developed in like 3weeks. Never doing that again.
  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    She was referring to her gym maybe not having a rowing machine.

    If you go back to who the OP was talking to and about what it was me and we were discussing the Strong lift program...OP was confused by the term as she hasn't lifted....yet....;)
  • Posts: 782 Member
    I think the ratio of gain is 1:1. So if you gain 1 pound. Its half muscle, half fat. Recomp is what I'm working on. Not comfortable with the idea of a bulk/cut. The fat I already have is a b*tch to take off as is. I don't wanna add to it and have to take more off.
  • Posts: 679 Member
    Effect of Two Different Weight-Loss Rates on Body Composition and Strength and Power-Related Performance in Elite Athletes

    For the just the abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21558571

    Last line of which is "In conclusion, data from this study suggest that athletes who want to gain LBM and increase 1RM strength during a WL period combined with strength training should aim for a weekly BW loss of 0.7%."

    For the full text: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=3519021&d=1310193169

    Disclosure statement of funding: Norwegian Olympic Sports Center and Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

    For what it is worth.
  • Posts: 733 Member
    nancyjay__ wrote: »

    Question how can a person have 5% bf and be huge in muscle.

    How do you define huge at 5%? IFBB pros? Or natural competitors?
  • Posts: 49,154 Member

    Great, thanks. I've had that question for a while and that's exactly the kind of clarification I was loking for. I understand perfect. A final question.... if one is overweight enough still so that fat loss is the main concern/goal... would you say one is more recommended? Which one?

    (Sorry for butting in the original thread, hehe)
    Strength training will burn more calories due to increase of intensity over time vs resistance training, but if fat loss is still your main concern, it's whatever you prefer. Fat loss still comes down to calorie deficit and if you're hitting it, then training preference isn't as much of concern.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

  • Posts: 15,267 Member
    @Tweakfish you got this...if you want to lift just check out the group, ask for help at your gym and bam you are there. If you don't like it you don't have to continue but if you do have fun it's well worth the effort.
  • Posts: 17,562 Member
    Tweakfish wrote: »

    Thanks again Stef! I had no idea there was a MFP community for stronglifts.

    I don't think that my gym has a rowing machine (I could be wrong because I stay away from that side). If not is there something that I could substitute for rowing?

    I like the idea of weekends off!

    You're actually not using a rowing machine (or else I wouldn't be able to do it either!). You bend over at the waist and lift the barbell up to your chest. There's a link to how-to/proper form videos in the group.
  • Posts: 733 Member
    Morgaath wrote: »
    Effect of Two Different Weight-Loss Rates on Body Composition and Strength and Power-Related Performance in Elite Athletes

    For the just the abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21558571

    Last line of which is "In conclusion, data from this study suggest that athletes who want to gain LBM and increase 1RM strength during a WL period combined with strength training should aim for a weekly BW loss of 0.7%."

    For the full text: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=3519021&d=1310193169

    Disclosure statement of funding: Norwegian Olympic Sports Center and Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.

    For what it is worth.

    Yeah, I read that too. Even if there wasn't an underlying concern of exogenous drug use, these are trained, elite athletes that were monitored daily.
  • Posts: 93 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    @Tweakfish you got this...if you want to lift just check out the group, ask for help at your gym and bam you are there. If you don't like it you don't have to continue but if you do have fun it's well worth the effort.

    You rock @SezxyStef !! I never thought I would get into exercising at all and now there are definitely aspects I enjoy. I just need to break into this new realm you all speak of. I'm browsing the Stronglifts community right now. I think it's laid out well enough even I will be able to do this!
  • Posts: 4,537 Member
    edited April 2015
    dieselbyte wrote: »

    Yeah, I read that too. Even if there wasn't an underlying concern of exogenous drug use, these are trained, elite athletes that were monitored daily.

    Not to mention, look at the types of athletes selected. Not all of them incorporate resistance training into their programs, so they would be more prime for growth while in a caloric deficit.

    And just to notate - Brad Schoenfeld has made mention to hypertrophy being possible while in a caloric deficit - even in seasoned athletes, but many factors need to be in line for it to occur (genetics, size of deficit, training age, type of training, underdeveloped vs. developed body parts, body composition). Even then, it is rare and far from optimal.
  • Posts: 234 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Strength training will burn more calories due to increase of intensity over time vs resistance training, but if fat loss is still your main concern, it's whatever you prefer. Fat loss still comes down to calorie deficit and if you're hitting it, then training preference isn't as much of concern.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png

    Cool. Got it. Thank you, I appreciate it! (Reading and researching is great (though a bit overwhelming), but sometimes one just wants a direct answer from someone (a "real person" haha) whose knowledge you kinda trust. So thanks!)
  • Posts: 12,294 Member
    Tweakfish wrote: »

    You rock @SezxyStef !! I never thought I would get into exercising at all and now there are definitely aspects I enjoy. I just need to break into this new realm you all speak of. I'm browsing the Stronglifts community right now. I think it's laid out well enough even I will be able to do this!

    You can even start with the Program 2 days/week instead of 3. Do workout A one day, take at least one day off between and do workout B another.
  • Posts: 93 Member
    erickirb wrote: »

    You can even start with the Program 2 days/week instead of 3. Do workout A one day, take at least one day off between and do workout B another.

    This sounds like a good plan. I just need to start and stop being afraid. There's only buff douchey looking college kids on that side of my gym. They're probably a lot friendlier than I've made them out to be in my head (for a convenient excuse not to lift). ;)
  • Posts: 11,068 Member
    edited April 2015
    1) Yes it is possible for some people in some situations to gain muscle while in a calorie deficit. We have this nifty thing called body-fat that can be utilized as fuel when calories are under maintenance. Take an overfat beginner and put them on a resistance training program in a calorie deficit and you can bet they will gain some muscle. Take a lean athlete who is well trained and trying to get very lean and it's not going to happen.

    But that's a big continuum and not an on/off switch so best to view it as such.


    2) Regardless of whether or not you will gain muscle, if you compare two scenarios where in one, you are lifting weights during the diet and in the other you are not, you will end up with more muscle in the scenario where you are lifting because you will retain more muscle. So whether it actually goes up is irrelevant -- the end result is more muscle than you would have had were you to not lift to begin with.


    Strength gains have a neurological component. Rate coding is the rate at which neurons fire to signal muscle contractions. Training can improve rate coding which essentially allows you greater force production.
  • Posts: 1,544 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    1) Yes it is possible for some people in some situations to gain muscle while in a calorie deficit. We have this nifty thing called body-fat that can be utilized as fuel when calories are under maintenance. Take an overfat beginner and put them on a resistance training program in a calorie deficit and you can bet they will gain some muscle. Take a lean athlete who is well trained and trying to get very lean and it's not going to happen.

    But that's a big continuum and not an on/off switch so best to view it as such.


    2) Regardless of whether or not you will gain muscle, if you compare two scenarios where in one, you are lifting weights during the diet and in the other you are not, you will end up with more muscle in the scenario where you are lifting because you will retain more muscle. So whether it actually goes up is irrelevant -- the end result in more muscle than you would have had were you to not lift to begin with.


    Strength gains have a neurological component. Rate coding is the rate at which neurons fire to signal muscle contractions. Training can improve rate coding which essentially allows you greater force production.

    On point, as always!
  • Posts: 234 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    1) Yes it is possible for some people in some situations to gain muscle while in a calorie deficit. We have this nifty thing called body-fat that can be utilized as fuel when calories are under maintenance. Take an overfat beginner and put them on a resistance training program in a calorie deficit and you can bet they will gain some muscle. Take a lean athlete who is well trained and trying to get very lean and it's not going to happen.

    But that's a big continuum and not an on/off switch so best to view it as such.


    2) Regardless of whether or not you will gain muscle, if you compare two scenarios where in one, you are lifting weights during the diet and in the other you are not, you will end up with more muscle in the scenario where you are lifting because you will retain more muscle. So whether it actually goes up is irrelevant -- the end result is more muscle than you would have had were you to not lift to begin with.


    Strength gains have a neurological component. Rate coding is the rate at which neurons fire to signal muscle contractions. Training can improve rate coding which essentially allows you greater force production.

    Good read. Thanks in the name of all who read, nodded along and appreciated the clarity of the info : D

  • Posts: 93 Member
    So random question: Is it preferable to weigh in grams as opposed to ounces?
This discussion has been closed.