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Nutrition Gaining Strength on Maintenence

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jaku

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I'm trying to figure out how to get strong again while not bulking (for now). I'll drop my macros below. I definitely want to bulk up eventually, but first I want to see how much strength I can squeeze out of being 130lbs before I build more muscle to increase my lifts even further. I'm also in physical therapy to fix patellar tendonitis. So I'm just on an ES program (2xWeek) until things get better for Deadlifts and Pullups, as well as Kettlebell ETK for the press.

Current Weight: 127-130lbs
Total Calories: 1624 (Maintenance: 1900)
Protein: 120.7g (29.73%)
Fat: 27.2g (15.07%)
Carb: 222.3g (54.5%)

According to NASM's nutritional guidelines, this is a pretty balanced macro distribution. My only question is should I be eating a surplus while strength training or can I get stronger eating around maintenance?
 
My only question is should I be eating a surplus while strength training or can I get stronger eating around maintenance?
You can get stronger while in maintenance mode (ie. moderate volume) as the "skill" of increasing strength is primarily from neurological adaptations. Your challenge will be to determine the proper macros based on your ability to recover appropriately from the training once your frequency and volume go back up.
 
You can get stronger while in maintenance mode (ie. moderate volume) as the "skill" of increasing strength is primarily from neurological adaptations. Your challenge will be to determine the proper macros based on your ability to recover appropriately from the training once your frequency and volume go back up.
I have another question.

One thing that's keeping me from bulking is my knee pain. I want my legs to be in great condition before I even do strength or hypertrophy exercises for my legs. I don't see the point if I'm not training my legs along with my upper body.

Am I right for thinking like this? I'm a hard gainer. I figured you only get one chance to maximize muscle growth if you bulk up. For example, let's say I go from 130 to 150 and bulk only upper body and just do lower leg physical therapy. Then I stay at 150, and run a leg routine for hypertrophy, would my legs grow?
 
For example, let's say I go from 130 to 150 and bulk only upper body and just do lower leg physical therapy. Then I stay at 150, and run a leg routine for hypertrophy, would my legs grow?
I would disagree with this strategy even if it worked. It doesn’t make sense in terms of your chances to suffer an overuse injury. Here’s a old adage for you - “The legs feed the wolf.” Or this one - “Squat heavy if you want a bigger bench.” This is especially true for hypertrophy as your T- levels are driven by the largest muscle groups in your body, the legs.

Can you get show muscles by going crazy with only upper body? Of course, and you see it in every commercial gym. But that doesn’t equate to actually being strong, resilient and injury free long term built on a foundation of quality muscle. And building quality muscle takes time, a long time.
 
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I have another question.

One thing that's keeping me from bulking is my knee pain. I want my legs to be in great condition before I even do strength or hypertrophy exercises for my legs. I don't see the point if I'm not training my legs along with my upper body.

Am I right for thinking like this? I'm a hard gainer. I figured you only get one chance to maximize muscle growth if you bulk up. For example, let's say I go from 130 to 150 and bulk only upper body and just do lower leg physical therapy. Then I stay at 150, and run a leg routine for hypertrophy, would my legs grow?
I'd be surprised if you gained 20 pounds while only doing upper body work. I think you are over thinking it. If you are a hard gainer, the likeliness of you gaining 20 pounds fast is highly unlikely. Although I'm not a trainer and am likely close to your own situation, neglecting to work the upper body while on rehab for the lower is wasting time in my opinion. I'm working through PFPS on one knee and tendonitis on the other and my upper body work is what keeps me engaged in my training.

Work as much lower body as you can, glutes, calves etc. While also getting some upper body work. Isolation isn't in the SF curriculum, but if it's the only thing you can do for lower body, do it along with your knee rehab.

I've been in and out of physio for years and the thing I should have done is to keep doing what I could and not wait on the sidelines while my issues resolved.

Just my humble opinion.
 
Thanks for both of your answers. Gaining 20lbs of muscle for me is really easy when I eat the calories required, and I've scaled up to around 165 before. It's also very easy to lose. So I just wanted to do it all together, and right now it still seems I'm not ready. Until my Patellar Tendonitis is conquered, I'll be skinny and strong I guess.
 
Personal observations - due to hormonal response it is very important to train legs if trying to gain mass. If you anticipate a full recovery or can work around any joint issues, get as much leg work in as you can.


You can certainly get stronger without gaining weight, but it makes it a lot easier, esp if you're pushing respectable load:bodyweight already. Plus, the extra food provides energy for the higher intensity you'll be using.

Follow that with weight loss while maintaining lift weights and you've increased strength to BW about as easy as it can get. Or maintain the mass. The longer you hold your weight at a given value, the easier it gets, but yes it can be tough to cram all those calories the further you get from a lean sedentary BMI.
 
Way, way back in the day when I was racing I was riding a lot. It seemed I couldn’t get enough calories. I could eat non-stop. I was a buck-forty eight and change.
 
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