Does Bloat help gains?

[TooPowerful4u]

I was thinking about this today. When i was post contest for 2-3 weeks bloated, i seemed to get stronger and stronger and make great gains (also probably due to post competition rebound, but i dont believe completly due to this). When i was bloated and full of water, my muscles were super full and i seemed to have an incredible mind muscle connection. The pump came so easily it was insane and it was so full and intense it felt awesome like my muscles were about to burst.

Now im clean about 6-7 weeks and i feel like my muscles are empty. No matter what i eat, i can get a good pump... but nothing compared to what it was and the workouts just arent the same no matter how hard i push.

Now im wondering when you are on a bulking cycle and bloated, do you get the same effect? Do you have this super fullness and incredible pumps? I was thinking about something known for bloating people because i dont bloat easily at all, but if it helps growth i wanna try this winter.

 

[BuffD]

I think it has way more to do with it being post contest. Your body should actually have to work alot harder if you are really bloated. I did WAY better this offseason not being bloated. I didn't breath as heavy, I could actually do more in the gym, and my recovery was much better.

 

[gooey]

I say...

I was thinking about this today. When i was post contest for 2-3 weeks bloated, i seemed to get stronger and stronger and make great gains (also probably due to post competition rebound, but i dont believe completly due to this). When i was bloated and full of water, my muscles were super full and i seemed to have an incredible mind muscle connection. The pump came so easily it was insane and it was so full and intense it felt awesome like my muscles were about to burst.

Now im clean about 6-7 weeks and i feel like my muscles are empty. No matter what i eat, i can get a good pump... but nothing compared to what it was and the workouts just arent the same no matter how hard i push.

Now im wondering when you are on a bulking cycle and bloated, do you get the same effect? Do you have this super fullness and incredible pumps? I was thinking about something known for bloating people because i dont bloat easily at all, but if it helps growth i wanna try this winter.

A full happy, nourished, bloated cell is a growing cell. Why do they say to take in sodium post workout? Why do we have a fluid based inflammation response to damaged tissue? Cell volumnization... goooooood
gooey

 

[TooPowerful4u]

any more opinions here?

 

[marshall]

Well, technically, how do you get bigger?

Increased resistance right? So if you are pushing heavier weight, you are building bigger, stronger muscle. Are you at your strongest lean and ripped or with fullness and a little bloat?

I think there's a reason to be off season so to speak, especially if you still need to add mass. Just don't get crazy, keep some conditioning.

If you're already at your ideal, then it makes sense to stay in condition year round.

 

[bellicose]

who fucking knows...its different for everyone
Strength does not equal size, there are huge bber's who are weaker than shit, and there are guys under 200lbs who are stronger than Ronnie

It all depends on the person..genetics..genetics...genetics

 

[lucian]

hmmm

i think the bloat helps a bit. i mean your not depleted when your bloated, and as lonng as your on gear you should get a huge pump. all my best gains come right after a show, and they slow down after about 3 weeks. then its a game of tryin to stay lean and gain. my joints ALWAYS feel better when bloated even after the 3 weeks which lets me to train heavier. so in that aspect i think it does help make a difference. but if you geneticly dont bloat,, im not sure if it would help you. remember mike francious???(spelling) he was never bloated but still was super strong,and massive.
lucian

 

[badman]

Its genetics for the guys that can grow off of breathing or eating Burger King lol... But the stronger you are the bigger you should be. I thought most bodybuilders were weak. That was only around pre-contest when a rat could have taken them out. For a long time I thought Kevin Levrone was weak. Then seeing him bench 500 for 3-5? That was pretty damn impressive. If its all genetics damn that would be nice curling 15-20lbs and having 20-22" arms lol... But strength = size gains. If your getting stronger even as a normal genetic person you should get bigger. You rarely see people who are very strong and look like a stick.

 

[DOGMA]

Bloated

Dont know if that word fits well for me. I am always stronger when heavier, feel better and grow better. I cannot grow and be very lean atr the same time? Dont know why but thats just me. If I am going to add 3 lbs of muscles you can bet I am going to need to eat enough to 10 to 13lbs over an ideal weight. I do however feel the younger you are the better you can make gains while still being lean at least it was for me.

 

[RazorCuts]

I think this is why mass diets that rotate calories are the best. Say 2wks of high calorie anything goes hitting around 5000 cals followed by 2wks of low carb/fat 2000 cals seem to put more size on than just going fullblown all the time. Your body utilizes the nutrients better just as it does when you are post contest.
As far as strength=size i feel its more important for the natural.It does come down to genetics as some big guys are not strong in the sense of pushing huge#'s but are pushing themselves to the limit making it an individual thing. Should say progression = size and of course sufficient calories.

 

[Magnum]

I was once on predisone and I got really strong the first week due to the water gain. Did it really equate to muscle gain?

 

[TooPowerful4u]

two great statements IMO...

I think this is why mass diets that rotate calories are the best. Say 2wks of high calorie anything goes hitting around 5000 cals followed by 2wks of low carb/fat 2000 cals seem to put more size on than just going fullblown all the time. Your body utilizes the nutrients better just

I have read alot into this and makes perfect sense. I think its been referred to as "slingshot"? Starve back precycle then BLAST... maybe repeat during the cycle as well as you have suggested. Im going to be doing this so il keep you all posted on how it turns out...

As far as strength=size i feel its more important for the natural.It does come down to genetics as some big guys are not strong in the sense of pushing huge#'s but are pushing themselves to the limit making it an individual thing. Should say progression = size and of course sufficient calories.

I think this is also a great statement that explains the strength to size relation better than iv seen. The last sentence being most important. I dont believe you need to be super strong to be big, just progressivly stronger than you were when you started. Iv never been strong, ever, i graduated at 145-150lbs benching 205lbs (weak). I know people who can still outbench/deadlift/squat me, but im bigger and they use more "shit" than i use too. I have added more weight to where I started compared to where they started and currently are at. Progression = size


Now as far as the bloat, im starting to think it definatly helps. Healthier joints and superhydrated muscle cells are gonna equate to better growth. Think about creatine...one of its main attributes is superhydration.... makes sense IMO

 

[BuffD]

There is a difference between a supersaturated muscle cell and the typical big time bloating of the offseason bodybuilder. Alot of the bloating that they have is outside the cell and that's not what you want. Some is good as you said for the joints and what not but too much isn't. It puts your body under too much stress imo. I have been really bloated and I didn't have a great offseason when I was. I agree on the strength though. I'm by far not strong at all and I've done pretty good at growing.

 

[xcelbeyond]

I was once on predisone and I got really strong the first week due to the water gain. Did it really equate to muscle gain?

Prednisone is a catabolic steroid - lose muscle and gain fat (gain in overall BW). My workout partner had to take and it made him fat as hell - same thing happened to my wife.

 

[RazorCuts]

I have read alot into this and makes perfect sense. I think its been referred to as "slingshot"? Starve back precycle then BLAST... maybe repeat during the cycle as well as you have suggested. Im going to be doing this so il keep you all posted on how it turns out...

I think this is also a great statement that explains the strength to size relation better than iv seen. The last sentence being most important. I dont believe you need to be super strong to be big, just progressivly stronger than you were when you started. Iv never been strong, ever, i graduated at 145-150lbs benching 205lbs (weak). I know people who can still outbench/deadlift/squat me, but im bigger and they use more "shit" than i use too. I have added more weight to where I started compared to where they started and currently are at. Progression = size

Now as far as the bloat, im starting to think it definatly helps. Healthier joints and superhydrated muscle cells are gonna equate to better growth. Think about creatine...one of its main attributes is superhydration.... makes sense IMO

There are many opinions on how to do this just like anything else it takes trial and error on the individuals part. Troy Alves used to do something similar but using 4wk blocks of each. For myself and others i have had great sucsess with 2wks high cal 1wk low. Just keep your protien set and add or subtract the carbs and fat cals. It just seems after 2wks i used to platue and gain more fat.

Yes to many people get fixated on #'s but as long as you are progressing you should be growing. Just like everyone will never be a ripped 250 not everyone has the genetics to bench 500 for reps.


I think if it does help then it is very limited and for a short period just as creatine causes weight gain and strength gain but only for the initial loading phase and then it tapers off once the cells are hydrated.