Get stronger without getting bigger? Possible?

[cormac]

Hi,

Here's my dilemma - I'd don't want to loose fat because it would mean loosing muscle right? Isn't it true that you loose some muscle before burning fat, or something?

I am doing a lot of weights and similar exercises (but not much aerobic at the moment) - but I don't want to gain muscle (as this would probably also mean putting on fat) - I just want to get a bit stronger. I am not eating anymore, just doing a lot of weights - therefore not giving them a chance to get bigger. Do muscles get stronger without getting bigger? I believe they must, as I know a lot of skinny people who are still quite strong.

I remember when I was younger (17/18) I would eat not much, go to the gym and do every exercise under the sun - but I was skinny (but very strong!). How is this?

Thanks!


Regards,
Cormac

[Auddasea]

Here's my dilemma - I'd don't want to loose fat because it would mean loosing muscle right? Isn't it true that you loose some muscle before burning fat, or something?

No, it would not mean that. Muscle and fat are two completely different things.
No, it's not true to my knowledge that you loose muscle before burning fat.
There is arguments though that the body does take the path of least resistance
when performing catabolic tasks in the body, which would mean that you loose muscle before mass but this is only a theory. I don't personally believe it.

Yes it's possible to get stronger without getting bigger. Perform sets in the rep range of 8-10 I think (Someone Correct me if I'm wrong). This will give you strength gains and wont send your muscles into to much hypertrophy.

[Mik]

Training for strength will get you stronger. Lower rep training is typically the approach. Calories will make you bigger not the way you train. You can train all you want but if you don't consume excess calories you qwon't grow.

[Auddasea]

Ahh so that's how it works lol..

[SaVvY]

its perfectly possible to drop bodyfat an keep all your muscle, or even gain some, ive done it, an its perfectly possible to gain muscle without gaining body fat, or even drop some, ive done it - these are not easy things to do however

all you need to do to get stronger without getting bigger is do strength training an dont eat enough to grow, its pretty simple really - good luck

[cormac]

Thanks for the replies.

What's going on biologically when one doesn't consume excess calroies, but can still gain strength, and not muscle?


Oh, by the way:

I am not eating anymore, just doing a lot of weights

By that I meant I am not eating any more than usual. Not that I've stopped eating!

[Unholy]

More muscle will eventually translate into less fat since muscle tissue requires a lot of energy to sustain.

So eat up and lift heavy =)

[ShockBoxer]

Bear in mind it's a slow journey. I've held at 160-165 for about a year now, eating at maintenance on average, and I've lost maybe 1% body fat. I notice it but I doubt anyone else would... but I don't lift for them anyways.

[Rock Steady]

Bear in mind it's a slow journey. I've held at 160-165 for about a year now, eating at maintenance on average, and I've lost maybe 1% body fat. I notice it but I doubt anyone else would... but I don't lift for them anyways.

While it is a slow journey, that seems extremely slow for someone at 15%+ bf per your signature.

[Unholy]

I agree with rock steady. If you work hard you can get a lot done in a relatively short period of time. I gained 8lbs of muscle while losing 52lbs of fat over the last 7 months. Granted I was really fat in august but it can still be done.

[Chris686]

Lose = To lose something
Loose = not tight

[ShockBoxer]

While it is a slow journey, that seems extremely slow for someone at 15%+ bf per your signature.

I'm a hardcore endomorph with digestion issues and quite possibly thyroid problems. While I have to eat like a pig to get higher than 160, as long as I'm lifting, I've been as low as 1000 calories a day without getting UNDER it. This month, for example, has seen 1700 days because I haven't been feeling well (four scoops of whey, six oz chicken, two potatoes) when traditionally my maintenance can be as high as 2500 for a month without affecting my weight. There has been no change on the scale.

[Rock Steady]

I'm a hardcore endomorph with digestion issues and quite possibly thyroid problems. While I have to eat like a pig to get higher than 160, as long as I'm lifting, I've been as low as 1000 calories a day without getting UNDER it. This month, for example, has seen 1700 days because I haven't been feeling well (four scoops of whey, six oz chicken, two potatoes) when traditionally my maintenance can be as high as 2500 for a month without affecting my weight. There has been no change on the scale.

Have you been tested for a thyroid disorder? I'm hypothyroid myself - 100 mcg of Levoxyl a day is all it takes to fix.

Do you find yourself to be constantly napping? That's what motivated me to get tested about 2 years ago.

[ShockBoxer]

Actually, yes, I do nap a lot. If I sit still for more than five or six minutes without anything distracting me, I'll zonk out... regardless of how much sleep I've gotten the night before. Hell, I'll zonk out at work even with things distracting me in the middle of the afternoon.

Given my family history I should be checked, I suppose. I'm just not one of the 'gain 20 pounds by looking at cake' types prevelent in my family so I've never made a big deal about it. My digestion issues affect me more in day to day life.

[Rock Steady]

Actually, yes, I do nap a lot. If I sit still for more than five or six minutes without anything distracting me, I'll zonk out... regardless of how much sleep I've gotten the night before. Hell, I'll zonk out at work even with things distracting me in the middle of the afternoon.

Given my family history I should be checked, I suppose. I'm just not one of the 'gain 20 pounds by looking at cake' types prevelent in my family so I've never made a big deal about it. My digestion issues affect me more in day to day life.

Man, I was a complete twig when I was diagnosed. You don't need to show all of the signs. You should get tested ASAP based on what you've just said alone and your family history. As for the drug you get put on, I'd recommend Levoxyl because it has the same active ingredients as other brands, but costs much less. There is no true generic available in the class (there are, but I've heard they have had issues with consistent dosing, since we're dealing with 1/1000ths of a mg), but Levoxyl is priced like one. Plan on paying around $100-$150/year max.

[Guido]

Thanks for the replies.

What's going on biologically when one doesn't consume excess calroies, but can still gain strength, and not muscle?

Central Nervous System (CNS) adaptation. It means that as you lift heavy weights in a certain movement, you become more and more efficient at lifting the weight through increased ability to recruit motor units to lift the weight. In other words, lifting heavy stimulates activation of more muscle fibers, making it seem easier to lift the weight the next time (assuming you've recovered), or to lift heavier weight.

Ideally to gain strength you would lift weight above 85-90% of your max and allow your CNS and muscles adequate time to recover before doing it again.

[cormac]

Thanks Guido.