How is it possible to get stronger while dieting???

[Burning_Inside]

OK I've been dieting for a few weeks now. Weights have pretty much stayed the same. Not doing much cardio at all. basically lifting normally, eating in defacit, and eating great foods. Bout 5 days ago, I was doing chest, and started off with I believe 3 sets of dips. I then proceeded to do incline barbell bench, something I haven't done for months, in favor of dumbell incline press. So anyway, I manage to do 135 for 5.5 reps. Now today, after the same number of sets on dips that i did last chest workout, i try incline bar bench again, but this time do 7 solid reps. 1.5 more than last. How can this be?

i DID have a carb up this past weekend, though I'm not lo carb dieting. I AM taking clen, and today is my second day on it (started monday but took yesterday off from gym and supplements cause I had to). I DID workout today earlier than usual. Usually I workout around 6-7 hours after I wake up, but today it was 5 hours or so. I AM also taking Thermorexin. I took one upon waking along with half clen tab, then one half hour before hitting the gym along with another half of a clen tab.

Thoughts?

 

[audiophyle]

Possibly a mental thing from not doing the exercise in so long. Who says you can't gain strength while dieting? I notice that I plateau more quickly while dieting but I still make small gains.

 

[Slyder190]

Getting stronger while dieting? If anyone has a method of doing so, I'm all ears.

 

[mekannik]

What are your current stats? Where are you coming from/going to in regards to body weight?

And the Clen might have something to do with it - if you have not taken any other enhancers prior.

 

[audiophyle]

Getting stronger while dieting? If anyone has a method of doing so, I'm all ears.

www.gotswole.com

 

[needsize]

it definitely could be from not doing the exercise for a while. My training partner took months off of benching, the week he came back he tied the best he had ever done, the week after he set new pr's

 

[bigdho]

www.gotswole.com

AMEN to that

 

[d3track]

it definitely could be from not doing the exercise for a while. My training partner took months off of benching, the week he came back he tied the best he had ever done, the week after he set new pr's

along the lines of what i was thinking

that and taking the thermo may have given ya a lil boost

 

[b fold the truth]

If you are seriously dieting and getting stronger...

...chances are great that you are either using some type of AAS or you are fairly new to the sport.

B True

 

[audiophyle]

I didnt mean to say I was making huge gains while dieting, definately not. I'm natural and have been training for a little under two years so I am relatively new. I'm sure that has something to do with it, but I dont think adding a few reps to your bench is something completely unheard of or unexpected while dieting. Like i said, I'm new so I'm not trying to start an argument with the more experienced lifters, I'm just speaking from my personal experience.

 

[Amica]

It could also be due to fact that when you are new to working out or performing an exercise that you have not done in a while you body has to learn how to recruit and use all of the muscle fibers in the muscle. The more you do the exercise the more your body starts to activate all the sensory receptors that connect your muscle fibers to your brain. Eventually all the muscle fibers will be recruited by the brain to contract and work during a desired exercise. Hope this makes sense kinda hard to explain in simple wording sorry. lol

 

[b fold the truth]

I didnt mean to say I was making huge gains while dieting, definately not. I'm natural and have been training for a little under two years so I am relatively new. I'm sure that has something to do with it, but I dont think adding a few reps to your bench is something completely unheard of or unexpected while dieting. Like i said, I'm new so I'm not trying to start an argument with the more experienced lifters, I'm just speaking from my personal experience.

Not even my knowledge can compare to experience. You know what has been working for you...who can argue with that?

B True

 

[casualbb]

Sure it can happen. Strength from better neural firing can and does happen regardless of diet.

The thing is, most initial strength gains for a movement are neural. After some time (months?) most strength gains are hypertrophy based. Now obviously you're not growing while dieting, but you certainly can be gaining strength, especially if it's a movement you're not used to, or you just took a layoff.