Strength without bodyweight?

[Geoff Bischoff]

Happy New Year, Coach.

I was looking through my strength by Calendar Year data recently. Haven't done this before; previously I've always broken it into Before SS and After SS. Anyway:

CY 2018, I put 197lbs on my powerlifting total. (955 [275/275/405] rose to 1152 [390/310/452])

2018 was also the year I went all-in on LP, and gained weight (186 lowest to 227 highest; gain of 35lbs +/- 5)

CY 2019, I put another 143lbs on my powerlifting total. (1152 rose to 1295 [440/355/500])

In 2019, my training was mostly TM and TM variants, with occasional breaks for illness and life (usually would run a 531 or similar during those "breaks," just to keep from going backwards). But bodyweight stayed 225 +/- 2.

So I gained strength in 2019 without gaining weight. This wasn't a goal of mine; I just didn't have as much time at the table/money for the grocer in 2019. In fact I was going to try to fill out to 240 starting in October, but the price of milk went up 30% in my area around that time.

The question: What factors *might* account for strength gain without bodyweight gain? I am mindful of the fact that, since I didn't measure any of the side-variables, *might have been* is the closest I can get.

I've come up with:

1) Recomp (Maybe my current 225lbs is at a lower fat content than last year's 225). Can't prove or disprove it by the mirror, and didn't take measurements.

2) Technique (Maybe I'm better practiced at the movements required to squat, bench, pull than I was last year). I've made some technique gains in 2019; no doubt some of the improvement is that.

Is there a 3) or a 4) that it coulda been, or is it likely some combination of 1) and 2)?

Blessings on you this year, Coach.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think your #1 & #2 are perfectly adequate explanations.