Do I need to gain fat before I gain muscle?

EricDe90x · March 2012

I have a little fat that prevents me from being toned, but I have like abs when I flex. My friends tell me I should be gaining fat before I can gain muscle.
My response was that fat and muscle are different and fat doesn't turn into muscle and vice versa. Muscle cells grow and shrink and fat cells grow and shrink. The number of cells doesn't increase, decrease, or convert, just the size. Is this right, or should I be gaining more fat? I'm 106.4lbs and my goal weight is 120 by the end of the summer.

(just realized I should've posted in General Diet & Weight Loss Help)

tigersword · March 2012

You can't gain just one or the other. You will always gain a mixture of both.

SirDoctorofTARDIS · March 2012

You are kind of right. With out getting too much into exercise physiology the short answer is no you do not need to gain fat unless you want to be rollie pollie. You gain muscle by lifting weights 8 to 10 reps per set will get you size and 12 to 15 gets you tones. I know you have heard this if you do p90x. No I did not steal it from them. They actually did research and that is a true fact backed up by many physiological studies.

EricDe90x · March 2012

I try to do 8-10 reps. Usually, it works with my 15 lb weights. But sometimes I can do the 12 so I up it to 20 lbs which is a different type of dumbbell for me, made with the 10in diameter rims which are much harder to lift than a regular dumbbell because of the size, not the weight. So I just stick with 15 most of the time.

Taylerr88 · March 2012

you need to get stronger to gain muscle... fat can be a possible side to this.. but if eat just above maintenance it should be minimum ... give your body a reason to recruit more muscle fibers.

gym membership + good strength routine + diet. all you need..

Do I need to gain fat before I gain muscle?

Replies

Categories