- - Very Puzzled, Need Experience - -

[JCF2Q]

Some background info: Im 22, 6'0, around 177lbs. in the mornings. I was an athelete in high school, and I have worked out on and off through college. This is my last year.

I bulked last year for about 10 weeks and gained a lean solid 7 pounds, went from 165 to 172ish. Then I got sick (I forgot what I had) and that set me back to about 167 average. This summer, I had an internship and did office work 40+ hrs a week, and did no lifting. I ate what I thought was maintence, only ate when hungry. Mostly healthy, barely any fried foods, etc.

Mysteriously, I weighed myself at the end of the summer for the first time in awhile and weighed 177. My abs are showing more now than ever, so that means my body fat% even went down? I gained 10lbs out of nowhere, went from 167 to 177 over a 4.5 -5 month period.

- - - - - -

I'm puzzled. I think I am still growing. I'm 6 foot, my dad and uncles are 6'3" and one of my good friends who is 25 grew an inch over the last year.

Now from what I know, genetics play a role to your max height. What about weight? Is weight all about how your metabolism and slowing down with age? Or are you pre-determined to reach a certain weight and muscle mass. Also, during growth spurts, what happends exactly? (ex.I wasnt on a bulk diet but I grew taller during a spurt) Wouldnt I need more calories to grow, or does your body produce different hormones and actually distribute your maintence calories elsewhere and differently.

My main question is: Has anybody experienced muscle growth without trying to bulk and no lifting?



I ask all of this because I am contemplating to bulk again, but if I am going to grow anyways, I could just eat a healthy low fat diet, and see gains if there is such thing as a genetic pre destined weight.

[mydamnself]

Yes, but you don't want to treat it as a training plan. If you're training hard and you back off while eating properly you will build muscle due to resting, as you grow while you rest. You need to take advantage of this and get on a solid training program.

[JCF2Q]

Should I try to bulk up? (possibly stunt growth by messing up spurt hormones?)

or, get on a healthy maint diet and workout with a good program?

[mydamnself]

Originally Posted by JCF2Q

get on a healthy maint diet and workout with a good program?

There you go.

[Tallbill]

Healthy diet + good workout rotation. To answer your question, your body has a genetic "potential" for growth. The blue prints are there, but you have to do the manual labor to build it up. Make sense?