https://www.instagram.com/p/B77jemtA-2P/?igshid=9jsue1rumjfo
Strongest 82.5kg lifters in the world: tested and untested and standing side by side they are both massively jacked.
I’m surprised that Amanda Lawrence is actually looking bigger than her untested counter part here because CC Holocomb is one of the most jacked women around even in the untested division.
So I’m just clarifying my own understanding here more muscle = stronger yes?
Well, you can’t be strong without enough musculature. But getting big is not only way to get strong in certain things. There is other components too.
In PL, people generally “fill up” their weight class, and then focus mostly on skill and neural effiency.
No because neural efficiency, technique, leverages and on the day: fatigue, stress, anxiety all play a role.
All other things being equal, you add 20lbs of muscle on a person and adapt them to the extra mass then they will be stronger.
Our own @T3hPwnisher has two great blog posts on the topic at his blog Mythical Strength. “Mythical strength hypertrophy programs” in Google will direct you to both of them.
In theory - yes.
In generality - yes.
Always - no.
Well, Amanda is clearly out-angling CC in the photo. You can’t underestimate how much of a difference that makes in terms of appearance.
I’m not really sure what your question here is though. I’m sure you are aware that muscle size only correlates to strength to a certain degree. It’s not a 1:1 kind of ratio. It’s not a perfect formula. Neural efficiency is a big factor, but also the development of the smaller, supportive muscles in the chain. To complete a particular lift, every muscle in the chain needs to be sufficiently developed to do so. So like, a person can LOOK like they’re stronger, but if something is missing in that chain, it doesn’t matter if you can’t see it. It will still result in lifting failure. An example: if a person only does leg presses, extensions, and curls for their legs, they may develop massive quads and hamstrings, but there is a good chance the supportive structure in their hips may not be sufficiently developed for a massive 1rm squat.
Between individuals it isn’t necessarily the more muscular one that is stronger. But on a single individual if you add more muscle you generally get stronger. That is generally one of the main goals of intermediate programming.
What do you guys feel the probability is of Amanda actually being natty? She is young, big and top of the game. Seems hard to achieve without any gear. Not saying she is for sure on, but many are suspicious of her. No negative signs of AAS use (which is good as I find her to be an attractive lady).
Wouldn’t be surprised if gets popped randomly. Going off the pic she isn’t far behind the super jacked CC muscle wise. Strongest in the world and still able to PR at will. A decent chunk weaker on meet day than in training but that may just be weight cut.
What are some negative signs of AAS use?
clitoral hypertrophy
Who’s volunteering to check and get back with us?
Aside from considerations about training the movements you want to get stronger in and neural adaptations and such, more muscle will make you stronger but past a certain point it will make less of a difference. Going from 181 to 220 will likely make a huge difference, but if you keep bulking and get to 275-308 then you might be disappointed.
Greg Nuckols has an article, something about weight classes, it includes a chart that he borrowed from Sheiko which gives supposedly ideal weights based on height. Check it out. I think it’s fairly accurate, but of course you will find elite lifters that don’t match the numbers.
Not me, that’s for sure. If you aren’t prone to nightmares then search it on Google images. All I know is if I feel something poking me I’m out of there.
I dunno dude. Y’all probably gonna end up as her next bench PR
Or hip thrust maybe
I really have no idea if she’s natural. Holcomb isn’t, but that still doesn’t take away from her accomplishments. Although Lawrence reminds me of Daniella Melo. Lawrence is stronger than her, but they’re both in the 185lb class. But if you take a look at Melo, she’s carrying more fat than Lawrence is.
But the same rings true for the ladies: weight moves weight. In essence, without the use of PEDs, women will naturally put on fat relative to how strong they are, along with how much muscle they possess. PED use becomes evident when women are getting a hell of a lot stronger and more muscular minus the softness, when they have delts that are capped to high heaven, veins in the spots where there usually aren’t, nothing but chest muscles where there are usually breasts, etc. Case in point would be Stefi. I’m not knocking stefi whatsoever. She’s great, but we can use her deadlift and Lawrence’s deadlift as examples.
They both have darn near the same deadlift numbers, but Lawrence is about 60lbs heavier than Cohen.
Lawrence looks like she’s somewhere in the in-between. She’s not in the HW or SHW, but she’s staying just within the 84 weight class while still pulling those numbers. Usually if you’ve got ladies pushing and pulling well into the heavy and super heavy weights, they’re fat if they decide to stay natural/Compete in tested feds. (Most not all though)
So to an extent, size does matter. But I would be a bit more specific when using the word “size.” Theres hella fat chicks moving massive amounts of weight, but there’s also shredded chicks moving serious poundages as well.
Shit I need to gain so much more weight than I thought. @Frank_C you might like this table actually
I think Lawrence cuts going into comp so she has been hanging upwards of like 190 in training.
That makes sense too. But compared to others who would, or even do weigh the same as her off season weight, they’re just a lot fluffier. Meanwhile Lawrence still has her curves/musculature.
…ideal weights for what? 5’9 and 242 lbs, lol
It was in reference to this,
I edited my post to the provide the context. Didn’t seek out the Nuckols article but searched for Sheiko weight chart
