Gained 25lbs, bf maintained 9-11%, added 3" to waist!?

[kidracer69]

so i am on my pct for my epi+fur cycle. i put on 10 lbs from that. i also had put on 20lbs prior to my cycle which put me at 145lbs. (just from starting to work out again and protein shakes) for you einsteins out there that adds up to 175 right now in my 2nd week of pct.

current bf is 11%. i wasnt able to take it before either of my weight gain sprouts but im an ectomorph and also judging from visual aspects i estimate i either stayed 11% throughout it all or was 9-10% prior to any of the gains.

so keep in mind that my body is pretty good at keeping me lean. with that said im wondering what would cause me to go from a 31" waist to 34". ON cycle i was doing a lot of oblique exercises but stopped when i measured myself. if i do any at all now its with body weight only. still that doesnt explain 3" of thickness. i dont look the part though. my V is more defined and i did notice my hips/love handles coming out a bit but never enough to make me guess 3". lastly ive been doing a lot of deadlifts so im guessing the mass from the lower back might be it. ive developed a crater in my back and noticed the added thickness... but again.. 3" worth?

maybe someone knows..

if anything i think i can cut it off with my genetics with some running/cardio as i left that out entirely through my cycle. but if anyone has any other tips for trimming down waist sizes without losing mass im all ears! thanks!

 

[MEH89]

Bro, you abs got bigger. It happened to me from squat, and deadlifts. Look at Sam Byrd he is like 5'6" 200 lbs, and shredded has like a 35" wasit from squatting 1050 lbs. The more squats, and deadlifts make your core stronger, and thicker. Here is a word of advice start powerlifting. MArk

 

[kidracer69]

Hmmm forgot about the abs...

Well that makes sense. I pound my abs everyday. During ON cycle I was using "behind the neck rope pull down" ab exercise for 95-110lbs 3x20 3-4x a week.

Would you think cardio will help trim down though? I would like to stay 32 and not have to fluctuate so I can keep wearing the same clothes.

 

[Hurleyboy05]

Hmmm forgot about the abs...

Well that makes sense. I pound my abs everyday. During ON cycle I was using "behind the neck rope pull down" ab exercise for 95-110lbs 3x20 3-4x a week.

Would you think cardio will help trim down though? I would like to stay 32 and not have to fluctuate so I can keep wearing the same clothes.

Cardio will definitely help you drop some size, but you'll more than likely sacrifice some muscle as well. Its really whats more important to you. You put on some massive gains, but if you're not happy with the size increase (i.e. your waist) then drop a little muscle and wear the 32's.

 

[MEH89]

Those cable pull down is what did it. That is a good amount of weight ur using. Do you squat, and deadlift heavy? I do cable pull down abs, heavy weighted abs, leg lifts, and side bends. My waist has also got alot bigger. My stomach use to be very flat, and have small abs. Know my stomach sticks out but I still have big abs. I thinks its from pushing my stomach out during squats, and deadlifts. Also that my core has got alot stronger from abs, and compound movements. The last thing is the large amount of food I eat every day doesn't help, made my stomach larger.

 

[robdog]

Dude if you put 3 inches on your waist, you didnt maintain bf percentage, i dont care how "big" your abs got. At a body weight of 145 lbs, I also highly doubt that you are squatting or deadlifting enough weight to make your core 3 inches "thicker". Just my two cents.

 

[kidracer69]

Hurleyboy05 - I work out 6/7 days right now in Iraq and I know I wont work out that much when I get home. My last month here I will transition to what I believe I can maintain back home. I'm already expecting some muscle loss and I'm fine with that. I will have to give and take some. My routine was written up for lean mass and not to just straight up bulk. I'm surprised I gotten this big on that workout itself! It also makes me think with my ability to cut easily if I should have just bulked up fat and then cut after. I'm thinking either way it would lead me to the same ending but with different reactions and strengths throughout the journey. What counts is that I'm really happy with everything.

MEH89- I'm in the same boat. What body type are you? Stats?

robdog- You're right. At 145 I barely got back into the mix and it took me a month to hit 165 and get to doing a decent amount of weight. From 165-175 I started hitting it really hard. I can squat 3 plates on freestanding squats but I use the smith machine to get good form. I do that 3x15. I can do more but chose not to. I then use a leg press machine where each leg has its own weights. I am up to 9 plates on each leg 3x15. I can probably do more on that too if I lower the reps to 8. I like the rep range and feel no need to increase there as well. Lastly, I can deadlift 315 right now 3x12-15 depending how I feel. I can probably go a lot more for 8reps but I chose to stay at 315. I been doing 315 deadlift at around 155lbs. Pretty much I'm happy with how I look and I feel no need to keep adding mass. I just try to keep the same level of intensity up as I get stronger by adding reps and switching up different exercises. I'm no Olympic bodybuilder, but I don't mess around either. I would love to fight one day or be able to balance myself like a breakdancer so that is why I focus so much on my core. Core is key. Too bad I got a little thick on it though.
Btw I am still as cut as when I was 145- if not more. So I figure I either stayed the same or maybe gained 1-2%. Even if I did put on 2% I still have more lean mass now than before. This maybe shocking news but I know my body really well so if you're saying 3" is a big jump then I guess I'm doing something right or have some magical genes. Cheers! :cheers:

 

[datBtrue]

...Btw I am still as cut as when I was 145- if not more. So I figure I either stayed the same or maybe gained 1-2%. Even if I did put on 2% I still have more lean mass now than before. This maybe shocking news but I know my body really well so if you're saying 3" is a big jump then I guess I'm doing something right or have some magical genes. Cheers! :cheers:

No...you wouldn't have started this thread if you didn't at least subconsciously feel you put on some fat. Congrats on staying "cut" but the fat you added is visceral...it is below your "cut" abs and it surrounds your organs.

But hey...you say you already know you stayed at the same BF%...so why bother with the thread. So 3" of muscle around the middle in a few months...at that rate you can look forward to increasing your middle by 18" in a year. Wow dems is sum magic jeans u got there!

 

[kidracer69]

Why would I have to think I felt it subconsciously when I consciously started this thread and told everyone myself that I kept about the same bf or maybe out on 1-2%. Even if I did keep the same bf% I still have more fat because my overall weight increased.

I didnt start this thread to say that I think Im fat and Im disappointed. I'm just curious as how it happened for my own knowledge. I wasn't full of **** when I said I'm happy with myself. Hell, I didnt even know I put on size in that area until I measured myself- you wouldnt be able to tell by just looking.
So whether it is something around my organs or muscle I want to know for sure because visually I have not added any fat- actually my abs have gotten bigger and more visual- so it doesnt make any sense what you are saying about adding fat in that area.
It just feels like some people are trying to put me down because I was able to maintain my level of leanness. I'm just sorry that I don't have any pictures or hard evidence to help my point so I apologize to those who are reading this and wondering the same thing. Cheers.

 

[datBtrue]

Why would I have to think I felt it subconsciously when I consciously started this thread and told everyone myself that I kept about the same bf or maybe out on 1-2%. Even if I did keep the same bf% I still have more fat because my overall weight increased.

I didnt start this thread to say that I think Im fat and Im disappointed. I'm just curious as how it happened for my own knowledge. I wasn't full of **** when I said I'm happy with myself. Hell, I didnt even know I put on size in that area until I measured myself- you wouldnt be able to tell by just looking.
So whether it is something around my organs or muscle I want to know for sure because visually I have not added any fat- actually my abs have gotten bigger and more visual- so it doesnt make any sense what you are saying about adding fat in that area.
It just feels like some people are trying to put me down because I was able to maintain my level of leanness. I'm just sorry that I don't have any pictures or hard evidence to help my point so I apologize to those who are reading this and wondering the same thing. Cheers.

No bro don't worry about it. If you're happy thats all that matters. Heck I'm happy for you too...

I chimed in about the visceral fat...and thought you were a bit defensive after starting a post about it...but hey turns out you're cool with it.

You're a nice guy...and not that it matters but I decided to choose to believe you totally. So keep smiling...don't worry about proving anything to anybody but yourself & be proud of what you have accomplished. :thumbsup:

 

[kidracer69]

Thanks. I apologize for having to be a bit on the defense as it's hard to make a stand with little credibility on the internet.

I will probably update this thread in the future with pictures so that someone lurking can check them out.

Cheers.

 

[swole210]

Thanks. I apologize for having to be a bit on the defense as it's hard to make a stand with little credibility on the internet.

I will probably update this thread in the future with pictures so that someone lurking can check them out.

Cheers.

How tall are you bro?

 

[MEH89]

MEH89- I'm in the same boat. What body type are you? Stats?

I don't know what body type I am. I weight about 160, and I am 5'8". I compete high school power lifting in the 148 lbs class. I have hit some good numbers, but nothing world class.

 

[kidracer69]

I'm 5'8" too.

Meh89 - What numbers are you putting up bro?

 

[MEH89]

squat 400+, bench 300+, deadlift 400+