A Case Study on Gaining Size and Strength

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And just who is the lucky subject of this scientifically–unsound and completely anecdotal study????

That would be me!
(Hey…keep the disappointment to yourself!!!LOL)

Ok here’s the deal…

Over the past month or so, I’ve gained about 12 pounds without really gaining much bodyfat. So how did I do it???

  • Miracle? Nope…
  • A boatload of steroids? Nah…
  • Muscle implants? Too expensive and I’m pretty cheap…
  • Do I have a broken scale? I hope not…

Actually stop guessing…how about I just tell you?

Well as some of you may know, I recently applied to the Durham Fire Department, but didn’t get in. Bummer! Anyway, during my training for the department, I did a number of things in an attempt to increase my conditioning and reduce my body weight.

I know what you’re thinking – that’s great..but how is this relevant to me in any way, shape, or form? Hold your horses…I have the answer!!! Because although you might not be applying to a fire department, you may be doing some of the things that I was doing that will prevent you from gaining the size you want – ahem…like doing too much cardio.

Let’s get into a little more detail:

(For our discussion, ‘before’ means during my firefighter prep, ‘now’ is now…duh)

1. Cardio:

Before:

  • Jogging: 20-30 min., 2-3x/wk.
  • Stadium steps: 1-2x/wk. with a 50-lb weighted vest
  • Walking: 45-60 min., 2-3x/wk. with a 50-lb weighted vest

Now: Walking 30-40 min., 3-4x/week.

Lesson: Too much cardio will kill your gains, especially in your legs. Keep the cardio to a minimum to keep your bodyfat reasonable and to stay healthy if you’re trying to gain size. Walking 3-4x a week at a brisk pace is usually sufficient for this purpose.

2. Diet:

Before: 3 (sometimes 4) meals a day. Lots of carbs, low to moderate protein

Now: 6-7 meals a day, high protein

Lesson: The quantity of food you consume is a huge factor in gaining mass and strength. By basically doubling my caloric intake I noticed a dramatic increase in my lifts and put a good amount of size back on. Don’t eat crap, as this will just make you fat, but you don’t have to eat chicken breasts and broccoli all day either.

3. Supplements:
Before:

  • BCAA Boost before my cardio
  • Buzz Saw before my evening weight training
  • Whey protein as a meal substitute

Now:

  • MG Super Test Booster
  • MG Powdered Muscle + Leucine/BCAA mix
  • BCAA Boost
  • Buzz Saw
  • Whey protein
  • Flaxseed oil

Lesson: I really like MGs Test Booster and give this supplement a lot of credit in increasing my lifts. I’m not sure how much of my weight gain is due to the supplements because of the other things I’ve changed, but I feel a lot stronger and think this supplement may be a big part of that. These are all from True Protein (EDIT: TP is now named True Nutrition). You can use the discount code WOJO for 5% off your order.

4. Training:

Before: pseudo-powerlifting/strongman training, 3-4x/wk.

Now: DC Training

Lesson: Stick with what works! I got away from DC when I was trying to slim down and now that I’m back into it, I’m reminded about how effective it really is at increasing size and strength. I’ve said it before, but the synergistic effect of the rest pause sets, progressive resistance, stretching, and everything else is really dramatic. If you haven’t tried this training methodology, you owe it to yourself to give it a shot – once you get the hang of it, I think you’ll be very impressed with the results. Click here to learn more about the DC Training System.

There it is – all the changes that I’ve made over the course of the last month. I’m hoping to continue my gains and get back into the mid-230s by the end of June.

Now there are two disclaimers to these results if I’m being completely honest:

1. I’ve already been the size I’m at now (and bigger), so it wasn’t as difficult for me to get back to this point as it might be for someone that is pushing a new plateau and that’s never been there before. Muscle memory is awesome! But don’t let that discourage you if you’re pushing into new territory. The same principles and rules hold true. Be patient, implement the things I’ve talked about, and you’ll be growing out of your current clothes in no time.

2. It is extremely difficult to tease apart the contribution of each of the above factors in my strength and mass gains. If I would have implemented each component separately and sequentially, this might have been possible, but I didn’t – hey what can I say…I went for the “shotgun” approach of doing it all together. Sorry!

Until next time – use some of these things in your own approach and let me know how it goes!

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