I want to get as strong as possible, but unlike most people I don’t want to gain a lot of body mass. I am 20 years old 6’1" 200 lbs. I would never want to get above 220. I have saved a lot of t-mag articles to my computer but I am always looking for hidden gems and/or advice. Any tips on training volume, frequency, nutrition, please t-mag readers, flood my thread with advice! Also feel free to ask questions, I will check frequently. Thanks.
P.S. I tried my surge for the first time today, I hit the weights harder than normal and consequently felt exhausted after my workout. However, about an hour later I felt like I just snorted an eightball (oh wait, I did).
If you want to get strong without a lot of mass gain then you’ll want to train for for functional strenght, check out Iss 291 of T-Mag for Coach Thibaudeau’s Different Journeys Different Destinations article. It will give you the basics on a functional training program that will make you strong as kong but not as big!
I saw this post last night and really didnt even want to touch it but, I guess I will take a little stab
The reason you are not getting much feedback is most likely do to the contridictions in your goals. You want to be the strongest mofo you can but not gain any weight. That is a tough one. You are going to have to eat a hypocaloric diet to make any noticeable gains, but at the same time limit BF gains.
My suggestion is to take the progress slow. Nutrition is going to be your largest factor, as with any type of training, cutting or bulking. You will need to start a food log if you dont currently keep one, and figure out you maintenece K/cals.
When you have this nailed down take your maint. K/cals and add 250 to that #. Monitor your progress in weight and strength and when you stop progressing, up the k/caks another 250, giving each increase at least a couple week run befor you change it up again. This should allow you to make gains while limiting the BF gains.
For training go lift heavy weight. Employ the big compound movements and get your rest. Change up your rep and set scheme periodically, but keep the load fairly high. Try and lift more weight every time you hit the gym. You might check out CT’s “powerlifting pendulum” article in this weeks mag.
Add in a session or two of cardio to limit BF if you are gaining to much, but keep it at a minimum due to the fact that you want to add strength.
Fact is you are going to have to be very anal about your diet and nutrition to meet your combined goals, but if you are up to it it can be done.
As a boxer I always trained with this idea in mind. And the best advice I can give you is always and always eat perfect. I trained like no other leading into a fight, but while training I never once lost strength. If I benched 275 3 months from a fight, It either stayed right there or it actually went up. I ran a shit load both sprints and for time. It’s just a matter of how dedicated you are to your goal. You cheat, you loose. Read JB’s articles concerning nutrition for that aspect of it.
train with high intensity weights in compound lifts or speed strength with lower intensity and don’t eat over maintance calories. don’t worry it’s not easy to gain weight. don’t due androgens that are highly anabolic but you might want to try some high androgenic stuff. try a westside program or pendulum powerlifting by CT. you can use the principles for any body part. laters pk
Modified Westside. Go easy on the modified repetition method part though if you don’t want to get big. I used my own modification of Westside for fatloss but to my surprise my strength still went up sigficantly and gained a few lbs of muscles while losing probably 6 lbs of BF past 6 weeks. I didn’t really have much to lose to begin with. I probably started with 9-10%BF and went down to 6-7% BF. i reduced the overall volume a bit while doing compund exercises rather than isolated types for 5 sets of 3-5reps @ 5-7 RM load done after ME and DE exercises. I was on Dawg Diet 2.0 plus I used biotest power drive so it helped some. I also used other supplements but the main thing is having the right type of nutrition program to begin with. Those supplements don’t do squat if you don’t follow a rigid nutrition program.
Thanks for all the advice guys. Sounds like I really need to reconsider my diet, it is very inconsistent. Where can I find an example of a hypocaloric or hypercaloric (not sure which would suite me) diet or any diet that would benefit someone with my goals? Where can I find westside and modified westside program?
Hypocaloric is simply going below your maint. level of k/cals or cutting, hypercaloric is eating more than enough to maintain, in other words gain weight/mass.
As far as diet check out anything on the Mag by John Berardi and Lonnie Lowery.
JB’s 7 Habits Article would be a great starting point.