Muscle memory weight gain

[Andrew Maxwell]

I wrestled for 12 years and during high school it was required we were on the power lifting team as well. I've always found that 2-3 sets of 3-5 lifts would help with strength without adding mass. The keys are, explosive and fast but controled lifts, longer rests between sets, working different muscle groups on different days, and only working a muscle group twice a week. Strength and explosiveness comes more from the motor system than the muscle. You can increase strength by increasing the firing frequently of your motor neurons and amount of neurons firing. This kind of lifting will affect your mass less and your strength more. Doing this method you're only doing around 30 reps of any one exercise a week. It's not enough to build much muscle but is perfect for increased firing frequently for neurons and training more neurons to fire together.

[Craig Murray]

It's not enough to build much muscle but is perfect for increased firing frequently for neurons and training more neurons to fire together.

I don't know if this is bro science or not, but it makes sense to me. Obviously the amount of muscle someone has is not exactly equated to how strong they are. Everyone knows a skinny dude who is deceptively strong, and also beefy guys who are not nearly as strong as you expect. This makes sense to explain why.

When your muscle contracts, if only a percentage of the muscle cells contract, it would make the muscle weaker. If you could train in a way to increase the number of fibers that contract, you could increase strength without adding muscle at all.

[Just Kadek]

I like this thread. I don't like lift weight so this good read

[Andrew Maxwell]

It's not bro science lol its actual science. I have a B.S. in bio and chem, there's also all kinds of articles about it if you Google it. It's how alot of wrestlers lift without leaving their weight class and helps develop their explosiveness.

[Apperz]

I wrestled for 12 years and during high school it was required we were on the power lifting team as well. I've always found that 2-3 sets of 3-5 lifts would help with strength without adding mass. The keys are, explosive and fast but controled lifts, longer rests between sets, working different muscle groups on different days, and only working a muscle group twice a week. Strength and explosiveness comes more from the motor system than the muscle. You can increase strength by increasing the firing frequently of your motor neurons and amount of neurons firing. This kind of lifting will affect your mass less and your strength more. Doing this method you're only doing around 30 reps of any one exercise a week. It's not enough to build much muscle but is perfect for increased firing frequently for neurons and training more neurons to fire together.

Exactly how I train (3 x 3) and exactly how I've managed to increase strength / explosion without putting on size.

OP, it is impossible for you to be gaining 'mass' without eating surplus calories. That's like saying the amount of petrol in your car's tank is higher when you arrive at your destination than when you left. Your theory may explain why you put weight on quicker: i.e. your body is able to handle more weight because your brain has experience it before (I'd say this is more of a psychological advantage where you can push through boundaries / your experience means your technique is good enough that you can advance very quickly).

Final thought: are you taking any supplements? Extra amount of salt? If you are taking creatine and eating foods loaded in salt (as many 'healthy' low calorie options are) then that may explain some of it - your water retention might be up significantly.

[Nick Paul]

"You buy baby lion. Everyday you carry baby lion on back up to mountain. Every day lion become a little bigger, and stronger. And you, with baby lion, grow big and strong." - Vitor Belfort

[Ross Davidson]

Exactly how I train (3 x 3) and exactly how I've managed to increase strength / explosion without putting on size.

OP, it is impossible for you to be gaining 'mass' without eating surplus calories. That's like saying the amount of petrol in your car's tank is higher when you arrive at your destination than when you left. Your theory may explain why you put weight on quicker: i.e. your body is able to handle more weight because your brain has experience it before (I'd say this is more of a psychological advantage where you can push through boundaries / your experience means your technique is good enough that you can advance very quickly).

Final thought: are you taking any supplements? Extra amount of salt? If you are taking creatine and eating foods loaded in salt (as many 'healthy' low calorie options are) then that may explain some of it - your water retention might be up significantly.

My basal metabolic rate is around 3114 currently at 173, however, I have only been consuming 2500~ calories per day.

However, my diet is arranged to maximize growth hormone secretion and insulin sensitivity (fats and moderate proteins during the morning and afternoon, carbs at night after training [please do not make me go find the studies I have studied upon this subject as to the benefits of eating carbs at night/only once per day], along with significant choline supplementation in the mornings and afternoons). I have also been taking 10,000 iu of vitamin d3 per day for a loading phase of 4 weeks (in week 3 right now), so the endocrine effects effects of that shouldn't be maximized yet.

Despite this diet and supplementation, 18lbs of muscle is HARD to pack on. Going from 135 to 185 took me YEARS to do, so I know that 18lbs in 3 weeks is nothing to shake a stick at. So even if my diet has been helping me heal faster (which it has) it's not going to explain this rapid gain without an additional factor: muscle memory.

Also, you can gain muscle mass while fasting. That's right, no calories at all. The endocrine system is remarkable and goes well beyond the basic black and white conceptions of bodily function.

As to the how I exercise point, and the point about education, I have already stated that my lifting routines are well thought out and advanced. Explosivity is just one facet of weight lifting, and I'm also about to graduate with a biology degree. And I have done a great deal of data mining on the endocrine system.

[Andrew Maxwell]

Muscle memory may be making you gain size faster but the reason you're gaining mass is due to how you are lifting. If you were lifting specifically for faster and more neurons firing the muscle memory wouldn't be an issue. It's only an issue if the lifting you are doing is increasing muscle mass then muscle memory can accelerate the process. Explosiveness is just one facet of power lifting but if you are looking not to add mass it's the most important. It's why boxers and wrestlers who have weight classes to maintain train so much for explosiveness.

[derrick hornick]

My basal metabolic rate is around 3114 currently at 173, however, I have only been consuming 2500~ calories per day.

However, my diet is arranged to maximize growth hormone secretion and insulin sensitivity (fats and moderate proteins during the morning and afternoon, carbs at night after training [please do not make me go find the studies I have studied upon this subject as to the benefits of eating carbs at night/only once per day], along with significant choline supplementation in the mornings and afternoons). I have also been taking 10,000 iu of vitamin d3 per day for a loading phase of 4 weeks (in week 3 right now), so the endocrine effects effects of that shouldn't be maximized yet.

Despite this diet and supplementation, 18lbs of muscle is HARD to pack on. Going from 135 to 185 took me YEARS to do, so I know that 18lbs in 3 weeks is nothing to shake a stick at. So even if my diet has been helping me heal faster (which it has) it's not going to explain this rapid gain without an additional factor: muscle memory.

Also, you can gain muscle mass while fasting. That's right, no calories at all. The endocrine system is remarkable and goes well beyond the basic black and white conceptions of bodily function.

As to the how I exercise point, and the point about education, I have already stated that my lifting routines are well thought out and advanced. Explosivity is just one facet of weight lifting, and I'm also about to graduate with a biology degree. And I have done a great deal of data mining on the endocrine system.

2500 cals seems way to high. I'm 195lbs and I'm eating 1500 calories a day, with training and lifting, I'm trying to lose weight tho.

I highly doubt you can gain muscle by fasting, where's the protein coming from?

Thirdly, if you're just getting out of high school you're probably growing. I gained 30lbs the year after high school, and another 20 after than.

[Andrew Maxwell]

2500 cals seems way to high. I'm 195lbs and I'm eating 1500 calories a day, with training and lifting, I'm trying to lose weight tho.

I highly doubt you can gain muscle by fasting, where's the protein coming from?

Thirdly, if you're just getting out of high school you're probably growing. I gained 30lbs the year after high school, and another 20 after than.

2500 calories is fine for him long as carbs are low and fats are high especially if you are training, lifting and doing cardio.

If you're almost 200 I would recommend you consume more calories for weight loss. Add some fat like nuts and avocado on top of your diet and you'll lose much faster.