Training for size vs training for strength

[MMA_Influenced]

Ive seen many high level body builders talk about "the pump". I'm an amatuer body builder myself for several few years but I still have a hell of a lot to learn and its amazing just how much there is to learn not just in methods but hust about your own body and how it is different than others so Im hoping to get some good experience from you guys out there especially because im a guy who mostly just trains by himself or with friends who are far less knowledgable on physical fitness than I am.

Now I was under the impression that lean body mass was lean body mass but now Im not so sure. Is muscle development for size possible? In other words your 5"10 180 pounds lean body mass. If you trained differently would you look bigger?

I've been looking into training with higher reps and trying to achieve a good pump as a way to increase size. I didnt think it mattered because Ive been getting tested and of late Ive been gaining very well. On average every week Im gaining 1 pound of weight in which Ive been gaining about 1.5 pounds in lean body mass gains and I even have lost .5 pounds of fat every week so basically its a bit of a recomp but with very nice gains.

Are my lean body mass gains the same as if I trained differently? I personally want more upper body development and size right now and I want to do all I can to finally hit my ideal physique for this summer.

[Obs]

Ive seen many high level body builders talk about "the pump". I'm an amatuer body builder myself for several few years but I still have a hell of a lot to learn and its amazing just how much there is to learn not just in methods but hust about your own body and how it is different than others so Im hoping to get some good experience from you guys out there especially because im a guy who mostly just trains by himself or with friends who are far less knowledgable on physical fitness than I am.

Now I was under the impression that lean body mass was lean body mass but now Im not so sure. Is muscle development for size possible? In other words your 5"10 180 pounds lean body mass. If you trained differently would you look bigger?

I've been looking into training with higher reps and trying to achieve a good pump as a way to increase size. I didnt think it mattered because Ive been getting tested and of late Ive been gaining very well. On average every week Im gaining 1 pound of weight in which Ive been gaining about 1.5 pounds in lean body mass gains and I even have lost .5 pounds of fat every week so basically its a bit of a recomp but with very nice gains.

Are my lean body mass gains the same as if I trained differently? I personally want more upper body development and size right now and I want to do all I can to finally hit my ideal physique for this summer.

Slow controlled reps at 4-8 with as heavy a weight as you can lift, with 30-60 second rest between sets, at 8-12 sets per muscle group, per week, for 6-8 weeks, seems to be the most effective mass gainer. HIT...

High reps will get you just that at a lighter weight. Think about an endurance runners legs vs a sprinter.i run as high as 15 reps but that is my deload week (2 weeks) where I reduce weights and number of sets so my body can rebound.

HIT will take you to mass quicker than anything but you need a break after 6-8 weeks to recover so to speak.
After six to eight weeks.

You will look different with different training styles, at the same weight.

[charger69]

Ive seen many high level body builders talk about "the pump". I'm an amatuer body builder myself for several few years but I still have a hell of a lot to learn and its amazing just how much there is to learn not just in methods but hust about your own body and how it is different than others so Im hoping to get some good experience from you guys out there especially because im a guy who mostly just trains by himself or with friends who are far less knowledgable on physical fitness than I am.

Now I was under the impression that lean body mass was lean body mass but now Im not so sure. Is muscle development for size possible? In other words your 5"10 180 pounds lean body mass. If you trained differently would you look bigger?

I've been looking into training with higher reps and trying to achieve a good pump as a way to increase size. I didnt think it mattered because Ive been getting tested and of late Ive been gaining very well. On average every week Im gaining 1 pound of weight in which Ive been gaining about 1.5 pounds in lean body mass gains and I even have lost .5 pounds of fat every week so basically its a bit of a recomp but with very nice gains.

Are my lean body mass gains the same as if I trained differently? I personally want more upper body development and size right now and I want to do all I can to finally hit my ideal physique for this summer.

I have researched this and many studies and there are so many variables that there is no perfect answer. The number of fast twitch and slow twitch muscles varies from person to person.
To put it simple..... bodybuilders predominately use higher reps than powerlifters however during a bulk they use lower reps than during a cut.
I personally mix it up so my body does not get comfortable with any particular method however I am getting up there in age so I try not to over stress my joints.
I was a little disappointed to find that there wasn’t a perfect answer for maximizing gains that would always work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[1moreset024]

Your gaining a pound of lean mass per week? What are you running cycle wise?

[MMA_Influenced]

Slow controlled reps at 4-8 with as heavy a weight as you can lift, with 30-60 second rest between sets, at 8-12 sets per muscle group, per week, for 6-8 weeks, seems to be the most effective mass gainer. HIT...

High reps will get you just that at a lighter weight. Think about an endurance runners legs vs a sprinter.i run as high as 15 reps but that is my deload week (2 weeks) where I reduce weights and number of sets so my body can rebound.

HIT will take you to mass quicker than anything but you need a break after 6-8 weeks to recover so to speak.
After six to eight weeks.

You will look different with different training styles, at the same weight.

Thanks so much.. this is something I will try for sure.. I may dabble in it but I'm about done this cycle.. I could definitely see myself going all out with this type of training for next cycle before summer really gets here. I'll try and keep lean through it of course.

I certainly have noticed my body looks real lean for my weight/lean mass. I would of thought I would look a lot different.

[MMA_Influenced]

Your gaining a pound of lean mass per week? What are you running cycle wise?

A week I'm doing 600mg of Tren E + 600 mg of Test E. I kept the test a bit high because I like how I feel on test.. the confidence/sex drive/feeling of well being.

So I get my body comp checked from time to time. In 9 days of separation I had gained 1.7 pounds lean mass while losing .8 pounds of fat and gaining a 1 total pound of body weight. I lost also like.. I think it was .6% body fat percentage.

I thought that was pretty damn good really. Keep that up I'll be getting real big + low body fat. I'm keeping an eye on how things are going but as long as I'm gaining muscle like that while losing fat I'm pretty happy. No idea how this compares to others but this is what I'm doing.

If you count that out across 12 weeks I think I can realistically expect to gain 18 pounds of muscle all the while losing 8 pounds of fat. I think thats a nice cycle for me.. its a bit of a half a bulk half a cut.. a recomp cycle but it works for me. For some reason whatever I lose from my previous cycle I get literally all of it back within the first 2 weeks of being on cycle even with tren E. I don't know why people say it takes 3 or 4 weeks to kick in. It starts working for me way earlier than that.. I can tell the sex drive goes way up and I get stronger a little after the first week and a half or so. I would say maybe my body was sensitive to the compounds but I literally get like.. zero sides. I just feel great on Tren so I guess I'm lucky. I read the horror stories and wonder what the hell people are smoking but I guess there must be some truth in it otherwise everyone is hysterical.

[MMA_Influenced]

I have researched this and many studies and there are so many variables that there is no perfect answer. The number of fast twitch and slow twitch muscles varies from person to person.
To put it simple..... bodybuilders predominately use higher reps than powerlifters however during a bulk they use lower reps than during a cut.
I personally mix it up so my body does not get comfortable with any particular method however I am getting up there in age so I try not to over stress my joints.
I was a little disappointed to find that there wasn’t a perfect answer for maximizing gains that would always work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the response. I know there aren't many perfect answers to this but what I still can't wrap my head around is this: Is 5 pounds gain in lean body mass the same in appearance reguardless of training style? Or will certain styles make the muscles look denser while other styles cause them to enlarge. Because if lean mass is lean mass then clearly all that matters is that you keep gaining lean mass.. otherwise if it isn't then I'm not happy with my results and I need to start training completely differently because to me I don't really care what the scale says I want more upper body development at this point. I love the strength gains but I'm more body building oriented I care about the aesthetics.

[Obs]

Thanks for the response. I know there aren't many perfect answers to this but what I still can't wrap my head around is this: Is 5 pounds gain in lean body mass the same in appearance reguardless of training style? Or will certain styles make the muscles look denser while other styles cause them to enlarge. Because if lean mass is lean mass then clearly all that matters is that you keep gaining lean mass.. otherwise if it isn't then I'm not happy with my results and I need to start training completely differently because to me I don't really care what the scale says I want more upper body development at this point. I love the strength gains but I'm more body building oriented I care about the aesthetics.

Follow this link it will give you a full explanation
https://www.t-nation.com/training/wh...n-powerlifters

[charger69]

I think that this explains what you are looking for.

[Obs]

I think that this explains what you are looking for.

Now dammit! Is that you in the avitar?

[charger69]

Now dammit! Is that you in the avitar?

No, not at all. Its Flex Lewis. He was guest poser at my last competition. I'm telling you, I am small.

[Obs]

No, not at all. Its Flex Lewis. He was guest poser at my last competition. I'm telling you, I am small.

Well I was about to really kiss your ass lol