What’s your advices regarding the way to measure gains?
- What do you personnaly use?
grim:
I’ll ask you before the other guys do:
What are your goals?
Mufasa
In other words…gains in what?
Strength?
Speed?
Power?
Muscle Mass?
Total Body Recomposition?
Mufasa
Oh sorry…
For the moment in looking to stabilize and even looking for some muscle gains during christmas vacations…and then after that (maybe in february) I wanna cut.
[quote]grimskunk wrote:
Oh sorry…
For the moment in looking to stabilize and even looking for some muscle gains during christmas vacations…and then after that (maybe in february) I wanna cut.[/quote]
Muscle gains lead to weight gain…unless you have lost fat. I am not sure what you are looking for or are expecting to hear. You weigh yourself. If you gained weight and you are also stronger in the gym, unless this weight gain is all from added pant sizes, you have gained some muscle. You can be sure of this by having your body fat percentage taken with calipers (which means either buy some or get this done at the gym) and by looking in the mirror.
For most people, if you aren’t gaining weight, don’t expect to have gained much muscle. I think some are of the belief that gaining muscle is some magic process where they hit the gym and instantly look like covermodels for a muscle mag.
Thanks for the infos,
But I was also wondering if you use a measure tape in order to measure your gains in arm size or leg size for example? Could it be accurate enough?
-And do you think it worth the price to buy some BF callipers and do the test at home?
[quote]grimskunk wrote:
Thanks for the infos,
But I was also wondering if you use a measure tape in order to measure your gains in arm size or leg size for example? Could it be accurate enough?
-And do you think it worth the price to buy some BF callipers and do the test at home?[/quote]
I don’t think any beginner should get caught up in measuring body parts. I don’t even do that very often now…and many of those guy you see in the mags don’t have a clue what their exact measurements are. Your body doesn’t grow that fast to be taking regular tapings. You will dissappoint yourself even if you are making significant progress. I measured my arms when I first started, and didn’t do it again until they hit 18". The exact number of measurement didn’t matter, as long as people in school were noting a difference and I kept growing.
I also think way too many people are caught up in body fat percentages. Again, quit being that analytical as far as numbers aside from the ones being pressed and pulled in the weightroom. No one gives a shit if you are 11.6% body fat if you have no muscle. No one cares if you are 17.3% yet look like a Mac truck with oak trees for arms. The only time I get caught up in body fat percentages is when DIETING. Other than that, I can look in the mirror and see if I am going too far with the food I eat. Take beginning pictures, take a beginning measurement, then throw that shit away until you have gained some serious weight and muscle mass. Pull out the tape again in a year or two…if that. If you are getting much stronger in the gym and your body weight is increasing, you are gaining muscle mass. Focus on the weight used and on working each muscle hard, not on exactly what it tapes out to this week and next week.
what he said
Great points and I’m glad I heard them. I was thinking the same way (about not measuring), but still measured and was worried about that. Weight was going up, still is going up at a steady pace and I’m stronger. Look better in front of the mirror so I’m assuming I’m putting on some muscle! Of course the muscle isn’t coming in the spots that I want it, but time will help that.