Gain strength and lose muscle

[Carnivroar]

Is that possible?

[blowdpanis]

It's possible to gain strength in certain movements and lose strength/muscle in others. E.g. if you stopped doing upper body work completely, you'd probably lose a little upper body mass after a month or two, while your lower body strength/muscle might still go up.

Otherwise, I'd have a hard time seeing it as particularly possible/plausible. Hydration and such can have a pretty marked impact on how muscles "look," so sometimes people think they're losing muscle when their muscles become somewhat depleted of water/glycogen, when they're really not.

Stated differently, any training that results in a gain in strength is, probably at worst, going to have a neutral effect on muscle mass. I.e. it's possible to get stronger WITHOUT getting more muscular (neurological efficiency and all that jazz), but stronger while LOSING muscle? Less likely.

[Carlos Daniel]

I think it would only happen in very strange circumstances as the very function of muscle is to generate force thus having less of it meaning you become weak.

[ColoWayno]

Maybe switching from extreme hypertrophy programming to the extreme strength programming?

Like if you did 20 rep squats for 6 months, then switched to something like SS but using 1-3 rep range.

[Carnivroar]

Maybe switching from extreme hypertrophy programming to the extreme strength programming?

Yeah, since I switched to 8x3 my legs have been looking skinnier and my belt fits more loosely. I definitely lost something. Also I'm never sore, which probably indicates that muscle isn't being build - but I feel great, I love 8x3. I don't wanna get smaller though.

[ColoWayno]

Yeah, since I switched to 8x3 my legs have been looking skinnier and my belt fits more loosely. I definitely lost something. Also I'm never sore, which probably indicates that muscle isn't being build - but I feel great, I love 8x3. I don't wanna get smaller though.

I'm a little surprised that you've noticed that much difference going from 5x5's to 8x3's, interesting though.

[Carnivroar]

I'm a little surprised that you've noticed that much difference going from 5x5's to 8x3's, interesting though.

It is, I'm surprised myself.

[Carlos Daniel]

Yeah, since I switched to 8x3 my legs have been looking skinnier and my belt fits more loosely. I definitely lost something. Also I'm never sore, which probably indicates that muscle isn't being build - but I feel great, I love 8x3. I don't wanna get smaller though.

If the belt fits more loosely, then you are getting leaner, it's not muscle going away. The lack of soreness does not mean that muscle is not being built.

Just for the record, I did 7x3 with chins on a one minute clock and I was very sore afterward.

[Carnivroar]

If the belt fits more loosely, then you are getting leaner, it's not muscle going away. The lack of soreness does not mean that muscle is not being built.

Just for the record, I did 7x3 with chins on a one minute clock and I was very sore afterward.

I did 8x3 heavy presses in 20 minutes and I'm not sore at all. It's weird. I didn't even eat afterwards for like 1 hour. Maybe it's the BCAA's? I love that shit.

[Carlos Daniel]

I just might try the 8x3 when I switch over to TM. I'm getting very beat up from the 5's.