Can I get bigger and still run?

**JDF9** · 02-28-2010, 02:05 PM

Can i get bigger and leaner running 3 miles for 30 minutes 3x week and lifting weights 45 minutes 3 or 4 times a week? I am 21 and in reasonably good shape.

**Gazhole** · 02-28-2010, 02:17 PM

There was a massive debate on this recently so if you want any sort of detail i would read this:

"you cant gain muscle and lose fat at the same time" is bullshit

But i think the general consensus was:

1. Can you get bigger and run frequently? YES - just eat enough to counteract the calories burnt in running.

2. Can you see a net increase in muscular size with a net decrease of fat in the same time period? MAYBE - it will likely be incredibly small for both, and more effective to do one at a time.

3. Can you lose fat and build muscle at the exact same time - NO - because the gods of biochemistry apparently will it to be so.

**danzik17** · 02-28-2010, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

3. Can you lose fat and build muscle naturally at the exact same time - NO - because the gods of biochemistry apparently will it to be so.

Fixt.

**Gazhole** · 02-28-2010, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by danzik17

Fixt.

The first rule of steroid club is we dont talk abou-oh shit.

**JDF9** · 02-28-2010, 02:54 PM

ok, then what will be the results of the workout routine? a little of both, nothing?

**Gazhole** · 02-28-2010, 03:04 PM

Thats an incredibly loaded question, and your results will be entirely dependent on your diet and energy requirements.

If you're trying to bulk up, this is done by having a surplus of calories. The more exercise you do, the more you will use up that surplus, slowing down, stopping, or reversing your bulk.

**thesaurus123** · 03-01-2010, 04:25 PM

just eat more calories than u burn.

**thesaurus123** · 03-01-2010, 04:26 PM

whats ur nutrition scheme btw?

**thesaurus123** · 03-01-2010, 04:26 PM

and post ur workout routine as well.

**thesaurus123** · 03-01-2010, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Gazhole

There was a massive debate on this recently so if you want any sort of detail i would read this:

"you cant gain muscle and lose fat at the same time" is bullshit

But i think the general consensus was:

1. Can you get bigger and run frequently? YES - just eat enough to counteract the calories burnt in running.

2. Can you see a net increase in muscular size with a net decrease of fat in the same time period? MAYBE - it will likely be incredibly small for both, and more effective to do one at a time.

3. Can you lose fat and build muscle at the exact same time - NO - because the gods of biochemistry apparently will it to be so.

yeah this is a useful thread.

**thesaurus123** · 03-01-2010, 04:27 PM

and sorry, and one thing, try to limit ur saturated fats.

**CowPimp** · 03-01-2010, 05:12 PM

As always, it depends on a variety of factors. Will you see adaptation at both ends of the continuum (Maximal strength/power and endurance)? Yes. However, it will not be as great compared to the adaptation you were to see if you focused on both.

By the same token, there seems to be less of an interference effect if you keep the intensity of your conditioning work below 70% or so. I think it's not entirely clear what the limits are. As in, how much volume can you take away from one and add to the other before you start to see detrimental results in terms of your performance with whichever biomotor ability you are most concerned with? So, I mentioned this intensity threshold, but I imagine that you can probably reach a certain level of volume where 60% of your maximum intensity on a cyclical endurance activity will be too much. However, this is pure speculation on my part.

If you are pretty new to resistance training though, you may see some growth. The stimulus of a very new activity is extremely powerful. Nonetheless, the evidence is pretty clear, as the saying goes: jack of all trades master of none.

Unfortunately, some of the endurance exercise adaptations are not optimal for anaerobic performance. Virtually all the enzymes critical for optimizing short term energy systems, except for hexokinase, are decreased with regular endurance exercise training. Simultaneously, the enzymes for your aerobic energy systems all increase. The idea here, as far as your body is concerned, is that you want to become better at utilizing lipid as an energy source to spare glycogen/direct ATP stores in the muscle and potentially stave off fatigue longer term. Fat is way more abundant in terms of the amount of stored energy, so this makes sense.

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