How to get stronger

[Warrior189]

I want to know is it possible to get stronger without gaining to much muscle mass?

[DickHardman]

just lift weights. you wont gain that much mass unless you take steroids. you will just fill out and look athletic.

[westway50]

umm do u want to be stong as like being able to punch hard or being able to lift alot??

[Warrior189]

umm do u want to be stong as like being able to punch hard or being able to lift alot??

I want to be able to lift heavier objects but not build to much muscle mass.

[Tom Yum]

I want to be able to lift heavier objects but not build to much muscle mass.

You want to be able to generate maximum force, keeping the same body weight?

Keep lifting weights progressing to heavier and heavier loads focusing on what you can lift from the 4-8 rep range.

Maintain your cardio work so that any weight gains in muscle mass are offset by losses in bodyfat.

Get some dietary advice too.
PM jubaji, he's a good source on sports fitness and diet.

[westway50]

i dun think that u can really lift heavier things without building muscle mass. ur muscles will grow if u lift heavy objects. like if u do it occationally than u might not build it, but u wont get stronger. like what do u wanna be able to lift??

[Bauer]

Simply put, the guys are right. If you don’t lift currently and you begin lifting weights, you will put on muscle mass. One thing I can assure you of is that it is not easy to become bulky with muscle mass, so don’t worry about putting on too much muscle. Let me give you some info on weight lifting because it seems like this forum is bereft of good weight lifting advice.

If you want to get stronger without putting on a lot of mass, the key is to lift lighter weights for more reps. Specifically, after you find your 1 rep max for a lift, you want to start at about 60% of that and lift three or 4 sets of 7-10 reps, adding weight with each set. This is not the best for mass and strength, but it will build strength and muscular endurance while maintaining a lean muscle structure, which I think is what you are after. If you want to bulk up, the key is to go as heavy as you can for 3-5 reps for 3-4 sets with power lifts.

Here is an easy generic workout for you, if you guys want more info, just ask or go to bodybuilding.com.

Day1: Chest & Shoulders
Bench: 4 sets 7-10 reps
Incline: Bench 4 sets 7-10 reps
Fly’s or Peck Deck: 4 sets 7-10 reps
Dips: 4 sets as many as you can
Arnold Press: 3 sets 7-10 reps
Lateral Raises: 3 sets 7-10 reps

Day 2: Legs & Back
Squat: 4 sets 10-12 reps
Leg Press: 5 sets 10-12 reps
Leg Extensions: 3 sets 7-10 reps
Calf Raises: 4 sets 15 reps
Bent Over Rows: 4 sets 7-10 reps
Pull-ups: 4 sets as many as you can
Lat Pull-downs: 4 sets 7-10 reps

Day3: Arms
Preacher Curl: 4 sets 5-7 reps
Incline Curls: 4 sets 5-7 reps
Incline Hammer Curls: 4 sets 5-7 reps
Skull Crushers: 3 sets 5-7 reps
Cable Press-downs: 4 sets 7-10 reps

This is a solid workout plan that will not make you large, but will build strength and lean muscle mass. It is also important to note that building muscle does not hurt your flexibility. I can squat over 500 pounds, and can touch my head to my knee while stretching and can put my feet behind my head. Just remember to challenge yourself with the weight. Other wise your body will get used to doing the same thing over and over and you will actually get weaker over time.

[Tom Yum]

I can squat over 500 pounds, and can touch my head to my knee while stretching and can put my feet behind my head.

Damn, brother. You probably never leave the house.

[Juicefree]

As far as I'm aware it is physically impossible, even with the gifted genetics of Arnie, to put on more than roughly 6 ib's of real muscle a year.

Using steroids may may make this untrue, but any weight other than those 6 lb's/year will not be lean muscle gain.

For strength gain I'd suggest the 'olympic lifts'. IMHO Dead lifting is king of exercises However be aware that without excellent technique it's real easy to hurt yourself with these heavy exercises.

Good luck.

[DickHardman]

As far as I'm aware it is physically impossible, even with the gifted genetics of Arnie, to put on more than roughly 6 ib's of real muscle a year.

thats not true. im 100% ectomorph, complete hardgainer, and i gained 20 lbs of muscle in about 10 months and i dont juice or even take creatine or supplements. i just ate a lot of food and lifted 3 times a week.

ive heard of celebrities making even bigger gains in shorter periods of time. supposedly ed norton gained 30 lbs of muscle in only 3 months for his role in american history X. of course celebrities have access to the best trainers and dieticians so thats prob why their gains are even more.

[Tom Yum]

How to Get Stronger by DickHardman...LOL.

[Juicefree]

In response to Dick ;

Finally, a caveat: without drugs, the maximum amount of muscle most people can gain is 10 lbs. per year! Don't get discouraged. Ten pounds is a lot of muscle; just imagine God handed you ten pounds of beef and said you could add it wherever you wanted to your physique

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/babyboom3.htm

and this site is excellent ;

For example, someone who weighs 180 pounds can expect to gain anywhere from 3-7 pounds of lean mass over a 6-week period. For every pound of muscle you gain, expect to add anywhere from 0.5 to 1 pound of fat. So, if you want to add 10 pounds of lean muscle, expect to gain roughly 15-20 pounds in weight. Although I haven't seen many studies on muscle growth in women, my best guess is that gains in the "average" female are approximately half those seen in men.

Remember that muscle growth is not a linear process, and you won't keep growing at the same rate forever. Over the course of a year, it's rare for most people to add more than 25 pounds of muscle, although it's certainly not unrealistic to gain more than 25 pounds in weight.

Unless you're a teenager with lots of natural anabolic hormones flooding your system, someone with a genetic predisposition towards rapid muscle growth, or you're using anabolic drugs, gaining more than 25 pounds of lean muscle in one year or less is very hard to do.

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/fail.htm

I guess I stand corrected.

However I would stand by my original statement, and those of others, so long as you eat well and train appropriately you should have no fears of turning into Andre the Giant overnight.

[deathstrike]

I second the OL suggestion. I have seen really strong OLifters who aren't that thick. I think PL will make a person thicker than OL, depending on genetics. OL will give you explosiveness that PL does not. You may want to invest in kettlebells.

[Bauer]

I just want to stress real quick that size does not necessarily equal strength. There are skinnier guys than me in the gym who can bench a lot more than me, but they have been lifting consistently for years longer than I have. You would not accuse these guys of being meatheads, but they have 345-pound bench presses. The key in strength training, just as in martial arts, is to be consistent and keep practicing. You will make the gains you desire in the gym if you do it in a smart consistent manner. It is important to go into the gym armed with the correct information, just as it is important to have a good teacher in martial arts. The same goes for both though, if you dedicate the time, you will see the results.

[Tom Yum]

I just want to stress real quick that size does not necessarily equal strength. There are skinnier guys than me in the gym who can bench a lot more than me, but they have been lifting consistently for years longer than I have. You would not accuse these guys of being meatheads, but they have 345-pound bench presses. The key in strength training, just as in martial arts, is to be consistent and keep practicing. You will make the gains you desire in the gym if you do it in a smart consistent manner. It is important to go into the gym armed with the correct information, just as it is important to have a good teacher in martial arts. The same goes for both though, if you dedicate the time, you will see the results.

Good stuff, Bauer.