Muscle on a deficit as a BEGINNER

[mathgainer]

I keep seeing that you need to be in a surplus to build muscle. This has not been my experience because despite not eating enough calories or protein (I lacked knowledge when I started) I still gained 20lb of what looks like pure muscle mass since starting 6 months ago. (I am still under 10% bodyfat i.e. VERY lean but my muscles look slightly bigger.)

Also I have seen people do this such as Jonah Olzon. He started as very skinny and applied linear progression to his compound lifts. Over time he has been able to build muscle and his physique looks quite good now especially his upper body. All along he has never gained any visible fat let alone becoming fat in order to be able to bulk. He did consume enough protein throughout though.

I know a friend who did this as well. Very strong on the compound lifts now and consumes very little food but enough protein. (When I say very little, I am actually talking <2000 calories per day as an extremely lean person with basically no bodyfat.)

Also Jeff Nippard has a video on this where he describes research showing that it's possible if you have enough bodyfat or are a beginner.

The problem is that one should be applying progressive overload to their compound lifts regularly in order for the muscles to receive stimulus to grow. Then you just need to feed them enough protein so they can repair and grow bigger. Calorie surplus is a myth.

So the question really should be "can I train hard enough to apply progressive overload, while in a deficit?". I think skinny people will find this harder but as long as they can get their ass into the gym 3 days/week, focus on a simple full-body compound lifts program (such as Starting Strength), and add weight to the bar each time (e.g. 5lb on squat every session), then I don't see any reason why their muscles wouldn't grow.

[air2fakie]

I still gained 20lb of what looks like pure muscle mass

In a deficit.

Gained 20 lbs.

[faithbrah]

suspicious

[EiFit91]

Yes you can gain muscle in a deficit. But not 20 lbs in a short period of time, that's not going to happen even when you're bulking.

And you cannot gain much muscle in a deficit if you're lean, the body needs energy to build muscle, either from excess calories or from your existing fat stores. Your body won't prioritize muscle gain if there's little fat available, the body is a neat survival machine.

[smokinal]

In a deficit.

Gained 20 lbs.

Of pure muscle...in 6 months

[air2fakie]

Of pure muscle...in 6 months

You could learn a thing or two from OP.

[smokinal]

You could learn a thing or two from OP.

I'd hire him as my trainer

[mathgainer]

Oh come on, I said it looks like pure muscle mass. I know it isn't because I started taking creatine when I started lifting and that increased my weight also. What I know is that I have zero visible bodyfat and my weight increase by 20lb in 6 months.

[mathgainer]

Yes you can gain muscle in a deficit. But not 20 lbs in a short period of time, that's not going to happen even when you're bulking.

And you cannot gain much muscle in a deficit if you're lean, the body needs energy to build muscle, either from excess calories or from your existing fat stores. Your body won't prioritize muscle gain if there's little fat available, the body is a neat survival machine.

This is what everyone has been telling me so I'm just going to start eating more. I don't care what science says, the opinion of coaches and people who actually do bodybuilding is more valuable.

[air2fakie]

my weight increase by 20lb in 6 months.

For someone into math, you seem to be continuing to erroneously calculate a deficit.

[smokinal]

Would love to see pics of said zero visible BF

[air2fakie]

Would love to see pics of said zero visible BF

Why's that? Just look in the mirror!

[Camarija]

Lol

Just popped in, glad I did, still fun threads here

Mathgainer is a gentleman and a scholar