Gaining "Invisible" Weight?

Hey Guys,

I'm 17 months out and wondering if anyone else is gaining weight without any changes in waist size?

Over the winter, I lost down to 165, which put my just in "normal" BMI for someone 5'9 with an average frame (I'm upper end of large frame - "rhino skeleton"), so I was a little too thin.

Since I've started sprinting and cut back to heavy weight training only every 3rd day (two full days of sprinting only, followed by one day of only weights), I've gained to 182 - a total of 17 lbs.

The catch is, while it looks like I have a rounder butt, bigger calves and more muscle around my knee joints and on my inner thighs, I can't see any change.

(My sprint workout in theory should put on muscle mass. I do sprints with weight vests, jump squats with weight as well as uphill work)

Just wondering if anyone else is getting this change in "density"? That is, increase in weight without any visible change in body??

Best Wishes,

Dave

The Dave, That a good question, I do not know, but my guess is that you are dropping your percent body fat and gaining muscle size. Since the area that is holding more muscle is not at your waist or neck, you clothing size is not being effected. As you say you are gaining size in areas that are lose in people that are not as sculpted in the calves and knees, even the butt. I noticed that my pants legs are much more baggy around my legs, even as my waist has gotten smaller. I attribute this to my thighs and calves having lost more fat percentage than my waist since I am walking more and doing squats. The percent muscle is larger, oat least I can feel/see the one more than before. You doing great through so it seems to work for you. Herb

Hi Herb,

Time will tell, I hope it's all muscle, but I'm having a blast doing it, anyway. Maybe it will be impetus for me to go on a diet like Faigin's which will melt every bit of fat away.

Making my belts and equipment have been one of the most fun parts of it all. I'm not at all detail oriented, but enjoy sizing and matching parts that I create totally in my head. My stuff is all "rough prototype" that never gets "canned".

This is a pattern I've had. I've made two electric guitars, my guitar amps always had to be stereo and custom set up by me. Built bikes from scratch (gave up on building the wheel - too much of a learning curve). Now the weight equipment and weight belts.

Not sure why building "the stuff" is just as important as using it. Funny what different people get off on, isn't it. Of course, a lot of this has been during yo-yo dieting, and I've never been that into "substances" so it could all be addiction replacement.

Always Enjoy Your Posts,

Dave

Hi Dave, I'm not surprised after reading your work-out routine and seeing your pics that you're gaining weight, but all due to muscle growth more than anything else I would assume. You're not the typical WLS prototype by any means. Your work-outs appear to be the high intensity muscle building type.... even the cardio exercises. (sprints with weighted vests)  You look very fit and strong, but if the added weight bothers you, I would presume that you will have to change some of the anerobic work-outs to aerobic type workouts.

Hi TB,

I hope it's muscle, but if some flab starts to pop out, I'll get on that diet that I've been considering for a long time. (the Rob Faigin books)

Right now, my weekly aerobic sessions are pretty much social. My running partners' are Americans overweight and over 50 and one has knee problems. My swimming partner is also 54 and swims pretty fast. It might be aerobic, but because I mix strokes and speeds, it's not exactly "steady state".

I'll certainly be careful. Today was a wake up call. I tried a 65 lb. home made weight belt on the jumps. The double stair jumps were fine, but I got my first-ever knee pain in 45 years doing fast hops up the tiny stairs. So I backed off. It only lasted about 10 seconds, but I went home and iced and heated it just in case. The 25 lb. belt is a piece of cake and even sprint with it. This one is going to take some extra caution. The walking to the stairs is getting easier. My first 6-7 minute one was walk to the stairs with that heavy belt was awful. This time it was very tolerable.

Dx says 23 lbs. of muscle a year. I think I'll look like an elephant if I get that much muscle, so If that happens I'll probably have to change something.

Have a Great Week,

Dave

Dave, I know your know what you are doing, but the engineer in me just has to come out and say: Watch your mechanics very closely. The body human is an engineering marvel, but it was not designed for some of things you are asking of it. I could break out the math for you on the effects of an extra 65 pounds, off your center of gravity nonetheless, and the act of jumping,  and it is not pretty. The forces on your lower back, hips and knees would amaze you. Just as with towers and bridges, exceeding your own design capacity has consequences. From another guy like yourself who has lost more than 100 pounds a few times, the times I started the journey back up the scale started with a sports injury. Be safe. JP

Hi JP,

Thanks, just wondering what a safe max would be? I'm 183, the weight vest is 65 and I'm jumping 7-14 inches up and forward (on steps). The trainer I heard it from says if you can do at least five reps with it, you're okay and that there should be a slight pause and squat down between each ("negative accentuation"). Where the knee started aching was when I did the steps rapid fire.

On the deadlift I work out with 340 to 360, no problem so I thought maybe after doing that for over a year this would be okay. There's so much negative PR about everything out there, it's hard to know what to believe.

Best Wishes,

Dave

 

JP,

I found this article which "determines" a safe jump squat weight: 

http://www.dieselcrew.com/articles/DC-IM-JumpSquats.pdf

But who knows if this makes it truly safe?

Rob Faigin's (Hormonally Intelligent Exercise) is where I got the original idea:

http://www.hormonalfitness.com/askrob/sprinting-speed.htm

Dave

Dave, I think you just proved the "Muscle is heavyer than fat myth" ~Mike~

Hi Mike,

Let's hope so.

I hope they build a Crossfit club here soon, so I'll have someone to relate to. Right now my only sprinting partner is a guy who has actually won some 10k races, so he's waaay faster than me. Then there's a guy who's a hobbyist powerlifter - never got into that.

I've got a couple of students here who'll do Taebo http://www.billyblanks.com/  or Billy's Boot Camp

http://www.billyblanks.com/blanks/p/BootCampReview.html

with me. Those are really trendy here in Japan (Billy's a millionaire many times over), but a good change of pace workout.

Have Fun,

Dave