Do you have to be FAT to gain muscle?

[SSAlexSS]

SS - I don't know if I can offer you any help with this, as I am trying to figure this out myself.

I have a friend who has an incredible physique, is strong as hell, and for his first couple of years of training he tried to eat almost 0% fat (he now eats around 20-25% I think). Also worth noting is that this guy has almost no body hair or facial hair and he has always trained 100% natural -- I mention this because of the concerns people seem to have about fat and testosterone levels. He always has maintained a very ripped look, and just gained the muscle a little at a time.

I think much of the concerns you hear stem from people not liking the "smaller" look opf being ripped and feeling like they have lost too much strength and size getting there. It's certainly easier to lift more while eating huge, and you definetely will gain the MOST muscle this way, but whats the point if you have to lose it back and then some down the road just to look good. Lee Priest makes me laugh the way he gets to be such a fat-ass for 4-5 lbs of muscle a year. You would think that someone with such a staggering physique would want to look good year round.

Good luck.

Good post bro.

Would you think that guy gain MORE muscle if he ate more?

I understand lift bigger to getter bigger, that is what I do right now. But I feel that you can still diet and haveplenty of energy left for workouts. Reason why many people cant lift as much when they are ripped is because they eat too few carbs. Remember, you can still be ripped and eat plenty of carbs (not overdo it and use only slow burning carbs).

Also I heard that fat can make you weaker (since it comes into your intramusclular space and prevents your fibers from contraction fully, thus LESS weight). I think there was study done on this. So according to some "the leaner you are the stronger you will be" and thus more muscle can be gained that way.

After all you dont get Herculean chest without benching Herculean weight!

 

[SSAlexSS]

Eating for muscle growth isn't entirely an issue of providing muscular building blocks. The food you eat causes a hormonal response that is also responsible for anabolic status. Look at some of the most anabolic molecules in the body such as testosterone and IGF. They provide no calories. Does overeating stimulate the release of anabolic compounds? There seems to be evidence to that fact as overeating is anabolic to fat tissue, but is it anabolic to muscle tissue?

Good points.

Also talking Hormones. There are studies that claim that high fat content on your body disrupts insulin so that you become insulin deficiant or inefficient. As a bodybulder that is KAPUT, because insulin regulates uptake of nutrients into muscle... because of that everything is disrupted and how can you efficient;ly gain mass?

 

[SSAlexSS]

In MY experience, I did not gain the muscular physique that I desired until I increased my calories. Sure my bodyfat went up, but I'm happy with 9%-10%. As soon as I attempt to lean out and go below 8%, I start losing muscle fast...regardless of protein intake increases. The body just needs more than increased protein intake to build mass.

Diet is weird and hard to understand.

1 point of view. You should eat lots. OVEREATING, YAH BABY!
PRO: When you dont gain muscle you know that diet is probably not the blame, but training is. You can be sured that your are getting MAX muscle.

CONS: You are fat. You spend big bucks on food. You get emotionally struck eating so often because you have to, kinda raping yourself. When you gain weight you are not 100% sure if it is muscle or fat, hard to see... Also there is big chance of loosing muscle when dieting it off... BOO. Can be tough to see 1/2 years of work disappear in 10 weeks!


2nd point of view. being lean as possible while still gaining muscle

PROS) You look better, you can spot chaneges to your phisiqeu faster (after all flab isnt covering it up). You are healthier so you can compte longer, perhaps even be Mr. Master Olympia. After all, if everyone dies out or retires - you are left over to clean up! Also arguably (if you diet correctly) you are stronger while being leaner and thus can gain more mass, since you need strength.

CONS) You may doubt if you are getting the max muscle gains possible. I mean "am I eating enough or is my training to blame" syndrome? Also you have to avoid many foods that could add that unsightly fat!!!!!!!!




tough choices.............. Dont know where to go, which road to choose.

 

[MarshallPenniford]

Alex - I think it depends on how you feel about yourself.

If your one of those guys that is obsessed with how much weight you can lift, and you use fairly crappy form, and you wear a weight belt which you compulsively tighten every 3 seconds, I would say it's better to eat like a maniac and build up all that intra-muscular fat cause you sure will look a lot bigger and feel a lot stronger.

On the other hand, if you are more concerned with aesthetics, stay lean, and don't worry about acheiving "perfect" growth potential at each workout. We're all probably genetically limited to the size we will end up anyway. Therefore, so what if it takes some extra time getting there, at least you look good along the way.

Just my opinion.

 

[b fold the truth]

How many FREAKS do you know that got that way by staying lean? Hmmmmmm?????

I am bigger than most peple I know...as well as most people here on Elite...and I did not get that way by dieting.

A friend of mine is trying to make a weight for his strongman competition next month. He has went from 217 to 234 since last August when I got him to training Westside...but the cut-off for the lightweights is 225 and he wants to be a lightweight for the contest (they use lighter weights). His long-term goal is to weigh 260 though...what does he do? Does dieting to 225 help his long-term goal? NO!!!! He will also get weaker when he diets too...so why not just keep on the track of bulking?

B True

 

[SSAlexSS]

How many FREAKS do you know that got that way by staying lean? Hmmmmmm?????

I am bigger than most peple I know...as well as most people here on Elite...and I did not get that way by dieting.

A friend of mine is trying to make a weight for his strongman competition next month. He has went from 217 to 234 since last August when I got him to training Westside...but the cut-off for the lightweights is 225 and he wants to be a lightweight for the contest (they use lighter weights). His long-term goal is to weigh 260 though...what does he do? Does dieting to 225 help his long-term goal? NO!!!! He will also get weaker when he diets too...so why not just keep on the track of bulking?

B True

Well if you are talking about pros, then.... PROS are the worst people to ask for bodybuiulding advice. A doorknob is smarter than most of those guys. Reason why they got so muscular is because of genetics and drugs. When you are destined to be muscular and you embellish it further by taking roids, you can succeed DESPITE YOURSELF!

It is like a shortiet asking a 7'2 guy how he got so tall!!!

Flex wheelr is such. He didnt work out hard or smart enough, he was lazy as f*** and took steroids since 18... He also bulked up upto 300 pounds which probably caused his coalitis.... DId he get bigger and bett from bulking with extra 70+ pounds? NO!

He could have been in as good condition NATURALLY if not better. He might have won Mr O with minimum steroids, or none atl all.. But noo!!!!!! He was lazy and dumb....

 

[b fold the truth]

Hmmmmm...interesting.

B True