Are you stronger when you are leaner or fatter?

[SSAlexSS]

This question is hard.


I have read this book that claimed that when you are leaner, you are stronger...

Well from what I know, it seems quite opposite. The author (Peter Cisco) claims that when you are fat, some intramusculr fat prevents your muscle fibers from contracting fully and thus yoiu cant reach the max strenth possible...


anyways... anyone has the answer? Are you stronger when you are leaner, or fatter???

reply please!

thanks!

 

[mattcanning99]

generally speaking, i would say an endorph would have more strength than an ectomorph of the same height simply because with all that fat is some muscle too (probably more than the ectomorph). to answer the question another way, although im fatter when im bulking im usually a LOT stronger. i could handle a lot more weight, weights which i wouldnt even think of if i was cutting at the time.

 

[Grizzly]

I've read something about the fat acting as a sort of spring causing one to lift more than if he did not have that fat. Hell, look at powerlifters. All of the largest totals go to guys with fairly large/large amounts of bodyfat. Guess that answers it.

 

[endpoint]

I dont think it makes too much of a difference.
although i have read many interviews with powerlifters who say that they are stronger when they are fatter......

but as charles poliquin said "fat has no contractile properties"


If you lose some body fat......you will lose strength (i takes a few pounds though)

i feel much stronger now that i am fatter......i also have that bulky fat/muscle look going.....not to shabby......but i cant take my shirt off, oh well im getting stronger.

 

[Hammerdog]

I'm definently stronger when i am fatter, I lose some muscle when i try and reduce my body fat to decent levels.

 

[Exodus]

the reason why you are stronger when your leaner is that you will not be taking in enough calories

fatter is stronger, not because of the fat....... but because you know they are taking in the most thier body can use and storing the rest as fat...if your lean, your body is not storing any and you cant tell if your getting all your body needs..........

as powerlifters........we eat as much as possilbe in order to get stronger.......with out caring if the 6 pac goes away.

i think Peter Sisco was talking about the percentage of your lifts

you are lifting more (technically) if your 150lbs and bench twice your body weight (300) then compared to when your 200 bench pressing (350)

but remember as bodybuilders its hard to under stand.......... powerlifting is about how much weight you can throw up....... end of story

i hope this helped.

X

 

[endpoint]

6 pac? whats that......i have a keg

 

[alexiarenee]

I speak for myself in saying that when I am "fatter" I am much stronger...when I get leaner I notice I am not lifting as much...

 

[Jacob Creutzfeldt]

If you have the same amount of lean muscle as when you are fat, you will be stronger lean. Fat has no contractile properties and it only adds more weight for you to lift when performing a muscular contraction.

 

[kingslender]

I don't really know what makes one stronger in terms
of lifting, but I think a guy with extra bulk will hit harder
than a guy with the same muscle but no bulk.
there's a reason boxing is aligned by wieght class.