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how do you gain strength with no added bulk?

post #1 of 77
10/30/09 at 12:33pm
Thread Starter 
not the typical request, but when i lift i get big too easily. i'm not a fan of the bulky look. any advice on how to workout, gain strength, but not bulk. i prefer being lean and trim.
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post #2 of 77
10/30/09 at 12:35pm
Naturally you are going to gain some muscle mass as you get stronger.
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post #3 of 77
10/30/09 at 12:50pm
do more cardio, less resistance? Less weights/more reps? Do yoga?
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post #4 of 77
10/30/09 at 1:07pm
Eat less. Avoid hypertrophic set/rep schemes. Really, just eat less.

The downside of course is that you need food to get strong, so limiting calories to the point of adding no mass means that you'll add very little strength.

The alternative is to stop being a pussy and buy some bigger fucking clothes.
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post #5 of 77
10/30/09 at 1:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigchris1313 View Post
Eat less. Avoid hypertrophic set/rep schemes. Really, just eat less.

The downside of course is that you need food to get strong, so limiting calories to the point of adding no mass means that you'll add very little strength.

how will he maintain brain functions?

@op
I got the same problem, I can build up muscles in no time, but I can also lose them in no time. but yoga is a good start ..
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post #6 of 77
10/30/09 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bigchris1313 View Post
Eat less. Avoid hypertrophic set/rep schemes. Really, just eat less.

The downside of course is that you need food to get strong, so limiting calories to the point of adding no mass means that you'll add very little strength.

The alternative is to stop being a pussy and buy some bigger fucking clothes.

it's not all about aesthetics, but the point of me working out is really to be more efficient in the sports that i play. i find that when i gain too much bulk i am not as quick playing bball, tennis, football, etc. i also rockclimb and being bulky definitely prevents progress in climbing.

yoga? i do it about 2 x a month. i should probably work that in a little bit more.
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post #7 of 77
10/30/09 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by coldarchon View Post
how will he maintain brain functions?

By using Win98SE
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post #8 of 77
10/30/09 at 3:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouschris View Post
it's not all about aesthetics, but the point of me working out is really to be more efficient in the sports that i play. i find that when i gain too much bulk i am not as quick playing bball, tennis, football, etc. i also rockclimb and being bulky definitely prevents progress in climbing. yoga? i do it about 2 x a month. i should probably work that in a little bit more.
You gain too much bulk and aren't as quick?... Too bulky to climb?.. So when you hit the gym you effectively gain 50 pounds or more of pure lean body mass? You better give him a call; let him know how much faster he would be without that muscle. To answer your question, if you don't want to gain muscle, don't go to the gym. Go running. Don't eat over maintenance.
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post #9 of 77
10/30/09 at 3:41pm
The Cross-Fit workouts seem to be effective. The guys who do that are surprisingly strong, but not all that big.
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post #10 of 77
10/30/09 at 4:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZackyBoy View Post
Don't eat over maintenance.
x2 You can not put on mass if you are taking in less than you burn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouschris
when i lift i get big too easily
What kind of weight are you putting on and how fast are you putting this weight on? Also, how clean is your diet? I find it hard to believe that you are putting on a substantial amount of clean mass (muscle) in short time periods. Not saying its impossible but its rather damn hard to do, and to do well. Ali
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post #11 of 77
10/30/09 at 4:43pm
High weights, low reps. 3-4 Reps per set is good.
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post #12 of 77
10/30/09 at 5:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouschris View Post
not the typical request, but when i lift i get big too easily. i'm not a fan of the bulky look. any advice on how to workout, gain strength, but not bulk. i prefer being lean and trim.

Well it depends on your build on whether you'll be lean or trim, but if I were you I would just buy a punching bag and box. I've been hitting the bag for a couple months now and I feel alot stronger without gaining bulk. It really tones and strengthens your muscles. I used to have back pain 24/7. I tried everything to relieve it, but nothing worked. After hitting the bag for just a couple of days it went away. Ever since that happened I've been working out on it 4-5 times a week. I also incorporate other things, such as: jumping rope, box jumps, pullups, pushups, situps, running, etc. It can be a killer workout if you want it to be.
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post #13 of 77
10/30/09 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Epaulet View Post
The Cross-Fit workouts seem to be effective. The guys who do that are surprisingly strong, but not all that big.

Strength training forums seem to hate Crossfit for strength training purposes.
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post #14 of 77
10/30/09 at 7:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by db_ggmm View Post
Strength training forums seem to hate Crossfit for strength training purposes.

I don't know man if you go on the crossfit website and look at the pictures of those guys they look fit as no other. Sure doing crossfit would not make you lift as much as a bodybuilder, but in a fight or in an endurance challenge I would pick a person who has trained in the crossfit program over a person who just lifts weights in the gym.
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post #15 of 77
10/30/09 at 7:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZackyBoy View Post
You gain too much bulk and aren't as quick?... Too bulky to climb?.. So when you hit the gym you effectively gain 50 pounds or more of pure lean body mass?



You better give him a call; let him know how much faster he would be without that muscle.


To answer your question, if you don't want to gain muscle, don't go to the gym. Go running. Don't eat over maintenance.



Haha Gholston is one of the biggest freaks ever. Pretty much the only man in the world who is 260lbs, can run a 4.56, bench 225 almost 40 times, and squat 405 20 times...
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