Strength Vs Size (Gf Has Started To Make Fun)

Hey guys, new to the forum but I have a concern about my recent weight lifting abilities and size. I was previously on a weight lifting program that focused on sets of 5x5. Dont really want to go into the routine but it worked for a while and than I went stagnant. I left the gym and started doing massive amounts of weighted pull ups, push ups, chin ups and so on. I would go outside on my work breaks and do pull ups on the awning with printer paper in my back pack. So after about a month or two of strictly these types of excersises. I went back to the gym. Let me say WOW. My lifts went up by a good 15-20lbs each, from the workouts I was doing. Now normally thats a good thing right, and it definatly is. However. My size has not increased at all. My weight is exactly the same as it was previously. Me and my girlfriend were at the gym and I was doing incline flys with about 65 pound dumbells for about 3 sets of 10 reps. When I got done my girlfriend says to me. "Your body mass does not reflect your lifts". This stuck me in the heart and has haunted me ever since haha. I weigh 185lbs. I'm 6'0 and Im a very skinny man. However. My bench is around 220 max, my tricep pull downs are 10 reps @ 100 pounds. I can do about 20 wide grip pull ups and about 15 dips. All my numbers exceed what my weight and height reflect. When am I going to get bigger is the simple question here? My numbers go up and up but i remain the same astheticly. I eat about 3,000 cals a day religeously because im currently in a nutrition class and for a grade were forced to track it and I'm seeing lift gains so I dont see the point in eating more...Any ideas anyone? I just have small compact muscles and Im doomed haha?

Thanks for the help...

Size is a function of diet.

Are you squatting and deadlifting heavy?

Dead lift about 320 last time I checked and squatting 235... maxes
Just diet? How can you get stronger but not bigger? Is that possible haha? Thanks guys

It's totally possible, if you're not taking in enough food to support growth.

Originally Posted by ZenMonkey

Size is a function of diet.

end of thread. more cals = more size. less cals = maintain/less size

Well what a very misleading thing our body does haha

Guess ill up it by 500cals. 3500 unless no gain it is. I love to eat but damn lol

dont up cals until you stall. be precise with your cals.

So I'm confused than. Just keep lifting and getting stronger untill I plateau than up the cals?
One of my goals is size but if I keep eating the same it seems I will only become stronger.

No, up the calories now by a little. Watch the scale, if the weight gain stalls, then up them a little more.

Ah gotchya. Okay cool. Thanks boss. Guess you guys can close the thread now. Will re asses in another month

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but your numbers are not high for your weight. Of course everyone is different and there are a billion different factors in this but for example my training partner who just starting training seriously 10 months ago is 6 foot 185 lbs. his current lifts are 375lb squat, 315lb bench, and a 465lb deadlift. As you progress you will put on size and obviously get stronger, as far as wondering why you have not put on size since increasing your strength you should look at your diet. This is an ever evolving process of learning and applying what you have learned. As long as you keep working hard you will get what you want.

Amen brother^^. You don't sound like a jerk at all. I'm just use to going to the gym and seeing the people who press as much as me or a little more or less being significantly bulkier. No harm no foul. Was just making a personal observation and inquiring. Those are pretty good numbers for your partner btw

Do yourself a favor and read the stickies in this section and the diet section.

Eh I'm good bro ^^^... I have 2 years of nutrition background in college. Id be wasting my time considering I took sports nutrition classes. Maybe some workout stickies.

Originally Posted by SkyeD

Eh I'm good bro ^^^... I have 2 years of nutrition background in college. Id be wasting my time considering I took sports nutrition classes. Maybe some workout stickies.

So why do you need to be told how to eat then? Id suggest taking a look at them, you might learn something.

I don't recall ever asking about what eating regiments are required to gain mass brother?? But thanks for the suggestion fellow gym goer. I know what to eat, just need to up it and have allready agreed it's the culprit to my lack of mass..Seems like your always trying to argue about something bud haha. I do respect your opinion though. Based on your posts you've been here a while. Thanks again. Cheers

Cheeseburgers and steak, plenty of milk, squat heavy and workout hard. If this dont work, I give up.

Skye, are you by chance an ectomorph? If so your going to have to get at it a different angle. Having a nutrition background doesnt guarantee the knowledge needed to put on mass. Seriously. It does sound to me a bit, a bulking phase may be in order, but..... I dont know enough about you to say for sure, Ive not seen pix (which does help), know more about your diet, and to be honest, Im still learning myself so outside of this I'd offer nothing else productive.

GL & live strong-
Andrew

haha agreed^^... fuddruckers and outback steak house is going to be my new sponser haha...cause otherwise im going to be broke.. Im inbetween a ectomorph and the other one, forgot the name. Im 21 yrs old. I have fairly big arms, about 16 inches, and a concave chest almost with very big deltoids.. My mom and gf also make fun because I have an "hourglass shape" and most men dont haha. I'll PM you with pics later...maybe you could help me out? Im always looking for some advice on my lifts and where to go next...

Originally Posted by SkyeD

I don't recall ever asking about what eating regiments are required to gain mass brother?? But thanks for the suggestion fellow gym goer. I know what to eat, just need to up it and have allready agreed it's the culprit to my lack of mass..Seems like your always trying to argue about something bud haha. I do respect your opinion though. Based on your posts you've been here a while. Thanks again. Cheers

Im not trying to argue, nor do I relish in it, nor do I seek it out. I was only trying to help, man. It never hurts to have a look at different takes on a single subject. Do you the professional nutritionists don't read anything new even though they have an advanced degree in the subject? You might be able to learn some cool things, like how to set up a ketogenic diet and a solid carb cycle to maximize muscle gain and fat loss. You might get to read on various bulking methods and styles from some real smart dudes like Daniel Roberts and other achieved lifters who really know their stuff, like member Built. Just sayin....

^^True enough... I shall look into it..cant hurt right?!?! haha... thanks for making me.. I feel like in some way youve caused me to have an ipifeny brooo

Cool man, I wish you luck on your journey. Start a journal here and youll surely have a ton of encouragement and help along the way!

Originally Posted by Off Road

No, up the calories now by a little. Watch the scale, if the weight gain stalls, then up them a little more.

disagree based on the context of his post. if he is gaining now, why add more? dont plan on replying again, it is a rhetorical question. ideal weight gain is like a 1/2lb per week tops unless you dont care about being fat.