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Thread: Waist Circumference Due to Bracing?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    8

    Default Waist Circumference Due to Bracing?

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    Hi! I am wondering if a significant portion of my current waist circumference (37 in.) is due to muscle gain due to bracing? In other words, if I reduce my body fat percentage (23%, Navy method), will my waist circumference decrease substantially or largely remain the same?

    Since the last week of July, I have fluctuated between 203 and 209 lbs, and 36.75 and 37.50 in. around the waist. I have kept to a recomposition macro plan of 30% p /45% c / 25% f and 2700 calories. My current daily macro goals are 200/298/73, which I generally achieve within 10-15 g in each category.

    I continued to progress on the NLP until a couple of weeks ago, when I gradually switched to intermediate programming lift by lift. I put all my lifts on an HLM program last week after my first Strengthlifting meet. I have not done any conditioning apart from an occasional walk and mowing the lawn. (I'm a desk jockey.)

    Stats
    5' 8", 208 lbs (175 at beginning of NLP), 23% body fat (Navy method), 49-year-old male

    End of NLP: Squat 5x3, 380; Bench 5x3, 257.5; Press 5x3, 140; Deadlift 1x5, 425; Power Clean 5x3, 127.5; Chins 3x5, 35
    Maximum 3x5: Squat, 365; Bench, 245; Press, 122.5
    2021 Testify Fall Classic maximum lifts (10/23/2021): Squat, 396; Press, 150; Deadlift 447

    Goals: improve lifts for the Testify Strengthlifting Challenge in April; get body fat to 20% or less and/or reduce waist

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    4,610

    Default

    Lifting does increase the size of the abs, obliques, and spinal erectors yes. Your structure plays a role here too. At my leanest I had a 28.75" waist and I was still not single digit bodyfat. I'd probably be higher now if I cared to do it again, which I do not. Other guys have larger waistlines at the same level of leanness.

    If you want to improve your lifts you have to put your waistline on the shelf for now. You are past the point of doing both and you aren't fat to begin with.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    8

    Default

    Thanks, Robert! That's the perspective I needed: "past the point of doing both."

    I was looking at a picture of myself from several years ago when I ran a lot and was struck by how skinny I looked. But I remember at the time thinking I needed to lose weight! That battle likely will never end, but it's good to confirm that at least some of this waist expansion is due to gains in lean body mass.

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