I will go back to my contention that at least 95% of people who train do not know what hard training actually is. I have seen people at all levels, from beginners to professional athletes achieve a 20 - 40 lb increase in primarily lean mass over a time frame of 6 - 10 weeks. I have seen it happen on all types of programs, the only constant factor is that the trainee comes into the gym and gets after it.
People can argue things "from a physiological stand point" all they want. Of course it does not change the fact that people are getting these kinds of results as we speak. So obviously things work differently in "the real world" as opposed to in a "physiology book world."
I can't say one way or the other, but if you say it is possible to gain 20 lbs in 6 weeks and 40 lbs in 10 weeks - so if you say so, fair enough, so be it.
But I still think arguing "from a physiological stand point" is a basic requirement of validating any such claims. Because if you can explain such claims from a physiological stand point, then presumably you can then determine what an upper limit for mass gains might be on the basis of the explanation of the gains found.
However, I don't think, for example, anyone can say ' the sky's the limit ' in terms of possible muscle gains in a 6 week period. Assume an average 150 lb gym rat and he / she trains ' perfecting / optimally' on all fronts for gains in mass. A gain of 20 lbs of lean muscle in 6 weeks - perhaps. A gain of 30 lbs in 6 weeks - maybe. A gain of 40 lbs in 6 weeks - maybe yes / maybe no. A gain of 50 lbs in 6 weeks - rare and atypical ......at best. A gain of 75 lbs in 6 weeks - very very unlikely. A gain of 100 lbs in 6 weeks - impossible.
So, for the average gym rat, going doing zero cardio all your life and having no aerobic base to running a 10k run in a sub 45 minute time - aerobically - after training for only 3 weeks isn't possible. I think that from a " physiological stand point " you body needs minimum amount of time to adapt to improve cardio fitness just as in this case where your body needs a minimum amount of time to adapt for hypertrophy...when it comes to muscle mass gains in 6 weeks , it simply can't be a case of ' the sky's the limit '.
More than anything the results depend upon the individuals ability to push themselves and the environment they are in. (meaning that when they want to quit they are not given that option by coaches or training partners)
Agreed.
And if we're talking about an absolute gain of 30 lb. in 6 weeks, then of course context comes into play yet again - " depend upon the individuals ".
I suspect all other things being equal - diet, training experience,training protocol etc. etc. - the likelihood of a 30 lb. gain in mass over 6 weeks for someone who is 140 lbs / 15% bf vs. someone who is 180 lbs / 15% bf vs. someone who is 220 lbs / 15% bf would vary quite a bit.
The average gym rat has the best potential for great results simply because that is the group that has never trained hard in their life. They think they have, but do not understand the next level of intensity.
Agreed.
As I have stated above it is possible to see people gain 20 - 40 lbs in the course of 6 - 10 weeks. Where do I get this time-frame and numbers? I will use my most recent example. I have a friend who trains athletes out of the gym I work out at. Over the summer (this is an 8 week period for the group we are discussing) 5 of his guys gained 20 - 40 lbs.
Again, I can't comment, but if you say you can gain 5 lbs. of mass a week .....40 lbs of mass in 8 weeks.......I'll have to believe you.
I will continue with the fact that these 5 guys were hardly in the perfect conditions. They ate whatever they ended up eating with the simple instructions of "we do not care what you are eating as long as you are eating more of it." A couple of the guys skipped breakfast every day. So I have to say that this type of weight gain is possible even under conditions that are not perfect. The deciding factor was that they showed up to the workouts and did everything the coach said, no questions asked.
O.K. then , based on your academic training and ' real world ' experience, if it is possible to gain 40 lbs in 8 weeks under less than perfect conditions, how many lbs would you say it is possible to gain beyond 40 lbs in " perfect conditions " for guys like these ? 45 lbs. in 8 weeks ? 50 lbs. in 8 weeks ? 60++ lbs in 8 weeks ?
And, using this group as an example, what would you say is the likely absolute ' upper limit ' of lbs. these guys could gain in 8 weeks in your professional opinion ?
I would agree with this. The fast gain of lean mass seems to be the body's response to a sharp increase in training intensity. This response will not last indefinitely. The athlete is now on the "next level" of training. A much faster increase in strength gains will last for about a year or so. After that gains will be slower.
Agreed.
Though I also believe that there are many times in ones training career that sharp increase in size, power, or strength will be the result. Here are some of them -
- The subject at hand. An increase to what "real" training should be.
- The time when the actual technique sets in and the trainee can feel the groove.
- The time when the trainee learns to use the core and can increase the ability to maintain proper posture under an extremely heavy load.
This is probably not an exhaustive list. They are the three times I have experienced sharp increases in size, power, or strength. They are the times that I have seen others experience sharp increases in results as well.
Again, I agree.
I don't think anyone is disputing sharp increases in size, power, or strength are possible. Rather, within that context, the debate is as to determining the limit as to what the human body can do in terms of adaptation over a 6 week period of " ideal " diet & training regimen. There must be an ' upper limit ' as to how much muscle you can gain. In that if you eat properly and train 6X a week ( or 4X or 5 X if that is deemed optimal ) and all factors are ideal and optimized, you have a 99% chance of gaining " x lbs " of muscle mass at the end of 6 weeks ...at which point you can say it is very very unlikely if not impossible you could gain " x lbs+ 5" or " x + 10++++ lbs. )
Similar to what karky said, the best thing to do would be to train 100 average 150 lbs gym rats who are in the ' optimal ' stage in training for muscle growth, give them an optimal diet and optimal mass building training protocol...and see how much mass they gain.
I am also not saying that achieving these great results are easy. If at least 95% of all trainees do not know or understand what hard training is, then there are 5% or less of the training population who are in the proper mindset to do what it takes to get the great results. These 5% or less represent the people who achieve great things when it comes to training
Agreed.
But again, the assumption has to be one in which people are training optimally - i.e hard training. perfect diet, optimal training protocol etc. - and only within that sort of context, try and determine the " upper limit " of muscle mass a person can be expected to gain in 6 weeks...whether that be expressed in terms of an absolute number of pounds or as a % of LBM etc. etc. etc.
I can safely say that science does not support the idea that gaining 20 - 40 lbs in 6 - 10 weeks is possible.
On what basis does science form that opinion in your view ? Any idea what the ' limiting factor ' is that is cited by science ( if at all ) ?
Yet, real life flies in the face of science all the time. If 5 guys who train in the gym I train at accomplished this goal I have to believe that this is not a freakish occurrence. How many people, in how many gyms, in how many cities, are achieving these goals right now.
Again, I can't comment on those 5 guys.
There is too much that is not yet understood about the human body to rely completely on science. Science is only one tool in the toolbox.
Perhaps.
But science is the primary tool by which many of todays protocols and principles have gained generally acceptance. Generally accepted nutritional, training, fitness and training principles are primarily based on scientific findings and theories ( so it can be either a deductive or deductive process ) such as HIIT/fat burning, determining metabolism ( i.e BMR ) Glycemic Index, nutrient timing ( pre, during, post workout ) etc. etc.