{"id":188351,"date":"2019-11-14T08:36:49","date_gmt":"2019-11-14T16:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=188351"},"modified":"2019-11-14T11:47:36","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T19:47:36","slug":"dont-build-muscle-build-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/11\/14\/dont-build-muscle-build-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Build Muscle, Build Strength."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A realization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>More effective to train for strength (powerlifting) and gain muscle as a consequence, than to strive to maximize muscle growth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the difference matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In trying to maximize muscle growth, you engage in all this strange behavior:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Taking all these weird supplements and protein powders <\/li><li>Frustration of not being able to put on muscle (feeling bad about your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153genetics\u00e2\u20ac\u009d)<\/li><li>Too much time at the gym training your muscles to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153failure\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Physics don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t lie.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why I prefer powerlifting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>With bodybuilding, physique and proportions are subjective. In powerlifting, the weight you lift is objective and physics-based.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you enter a bodybuilding competition. Whether you win or lose is up the judges and their tastes. But with powerlifting the question is much simpler:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Can you lift that weight? Yes or no. (Binary)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The muscle will come anyways <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I used to focus on bodybuilding-styled training in college and was often frustrated that my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153gains\u00e2\u20ac\u009ddidn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t happen enough. I blamed my East-Asian genetics for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153not being able to put on as much muscle as other races\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Then comes the pseudo-scientific notions of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ectomorph\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which becomes this depressing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153learned helplessness\u00e2\u20ac\u009d(no matter how hard I train, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll never become that muscular, because my genetics suck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Powerlifting is where it is at.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Switching to powerlifting was the best decision of my life. Starting around age 24, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been having so much more fun. No more protein powder. I just eat meat and eggs. I still engage in <a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/07\/powerlifting-while-fasting\/\">intermittent fasting while powerlifting<\/a>, and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been able to increase my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153one rep max\u00e2\u20ac\u009devery week by around 5 pounds for a long time (assuming I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have interrupted training). As a Korean-American, at age 31, body weight of 169, height of 5 foot 10, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been able to deadlift 430 (sumo), squat 325, and dumbbell press 100 pounds. My dad is a skinny dude, and I have relatively small wrists and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153not big\u00e2\u20ac\u009dbones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Just increase your one rep max by 5 pounds every week.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a consequence of focusing on increasing my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153one rep max\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been able to naturally put on a lot of muscle mass \u00e2\u20ac\u0153without trying\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat immediately after lifting. I often lift at noon, and won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat until 6-9pm at night. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take protein powder (haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t since college).  Also I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never taken creatine or any supplements in my life. Needless to say I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take steroids. No vitamins either. My only drug is black coffee and caffeine. And I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat anything before going to the gym (I always lift while in a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fasted\u00e2\u20ac\u009dstate).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My only goal is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Add 5 pounds to my squat and deadlift every week (two 2.5 pound weights on each side). <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course there are weeks I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t succeed. But I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll just take off the week, and try again the week after. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Powerlifting for fun <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have great ego, self-esteem. I lift for fun. For me, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 1000x more fun than playing video games, watching Netflix, movies, or any other passive thing. When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m bored I like to lift. Why? Lifting is fun, challenging, and primal. <strong>I feel the most alive when I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m lifting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re lifting and gaining muscular strength, you release a huge rush of positive hormones. You feel stronger, more alert, more alive, more epic, and more beast-<a href=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/09\/17\/godlike\/\">demigod<\/a> like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also once again \u00e2\u20ac\u201d by just focusing on getting really fucking strong, OF COURSE you will get muscle!!! It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s impossible to not increase muscular strength without putting on muscle mass (skeletal muscle mass).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The secret to lean gains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My bodyfat percentage is less than 10%, and I got a 6 pack. The secret:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat sugar or carbs and do intermittent fasting.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat rice, pasta, bread, potatoes (regardless of the color), I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat starch, corn syrup, sugar, sweets, dessert, batter, sauces, etc. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat any grains, beans, or strange pseudo-vegan foods. Also I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t eat starchy veggies like carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The only veggies I eat are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true\u00e2\u20ac\u009dveggies\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the leafy greens. This means cabbage, kale, collard greens. I love fermented foods too \u00e2\u20ac\u201d kimchi, sauerkraut, and natto (Japanese fermented bean curd).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take protein powder. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the biggest scam. Just eat tons of fatty meats (pork, beef, dark meat chicken) and eggs. <strong>If I can gain all this powerlifting strength ( with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153poor\u00e2\u20ac\u009dgenetics) and NOT consume protein powder or supplements, so can you!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A realization: More effective to train for strength (powerlifting) and gain muscle as a consequence, than to strive to maximize muscle growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":183039,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-188351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/F955CFFC-AC9F-4BBE-8C01-441917856DBD.jpeg?fit=1280%2C823&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188351"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188376,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188351\/revisions\/188376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}