Accidental weight gain.

Expert Discussion Advanced Sprint Training
1

Over the last two weeks I’ve gained about 5 pounds. This coincided with the last week of the Smolov squat cycle and the beginning of competition for the outdoor season. I’ve gotten my nutrition act together and probably bumped up my calories in an effort to eat more healthy food. My bodyfat has actually gone down.

I was planning on doing a hypertrophy phase to try to gain about 5 pounds and get rid of my structural deficiencies (mainly gluteal folds) after the season ended. Now, I’ve accomplished this, I gained the 5 pounds without putting on fat and while I did not completely get rid of my gluteal folds I am much closer.

But, that wasn’t supposed to happen now, at the beginning of the season. I really don’t think the extra muscle mass has added to my strength levels much yet from what I’ve seen in the weightroom. I think it would take a bit for the extra pounds to help my strength and probably wouldn’t help me enough to make me faster over the season and will actually probably hurt. So I’m planning on just trying to eat less calories, lose the 5 again and then do the phase after the season ends. I don’t think that will be hard to do at all, since I’ll be eating wisely. Does this plan sound right? My only reservation is that I’m only 16 and still very much a beginner (probably less than six months serious training) so maybe I shouldn’t worry about periodizing this much. But I would like to perform well during the season. Thoughts?

2

Anyone?

3

Pete,
I would be worried about the impact of “just trying to eat less calories” on your training and race performances. Eat right, train right and let your body adjust naturally. This ain’t no bodybuilding show!

4

You’re probably right. I think I really bumped up the calories in the last two weeks so it might not be that hard to go back to what I was doing. I think I might try to drop the calories just a very little bit and maybe lose 2 pounds instead of all 5 in the next two weeks. I imagine this wouldn’t affect me negatively. Thanks a lot for the answer.

5

Pete,
this was posted previously by Senior Member Clemson:

"Work backwords. See what fuels you need from training, material(protein) needs for repair, fat needs for health and hormone balance. I don’t know what the ratio is but it is zone like. The sprints will cause a rise in epinephrine so fat will burn rather high based on post exercise metabolism increases. "

At your age I wouldn’t unduly worry about it. Get your training right, first. Secondly, ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs. With consistent training the rest should fall into place.

Good Luck!

6

Thanks a lot gf, good usage of the quote (and Clemson if you’re reading this good stuff). I’m going to go eat.