Don't want to get bigger, why am I working out???

[Gladiola]

Since last Nov, I lifted heavy, regularly, because I loved it, wanted more muscle, wanted to get stronger.

Then in July I switched to the Olympic Lifting. At that time, I did NOT want my shoulders any larger than they already are, & I DEFINITELY do not need my glutes to hypertrophy, but was totally willing to deal with it as sort of a necessary side-effect of reaching my goal. I wanted to lift heavy, & if I got bigger, than OK.

Now that OL, or at least competing, is probably history, I don't know what to do with myself. I don't think I'm interested in PL, nor competing in BB.

Freak that I am, I did NOT ATROPHY, nor lose strength in pecs & biceps when barely working them for 2-3 mos. I know that if I go back to training as I did, I'll keep growing (Oh, and yes, I"m all natual, always have been). But if I don't lift heavy, I won't enjoy the workouts & it won't be a stress relief (I HATE sets of more than 12), but I don't want to grow anymore if I'm not going to compete.

I'm considering slashing former volume by half - lifting for 30 min instead of 60, & then doing 30 min cardio. This just sucks though. I didn't ever expect to be at this point, it's sad to be here.

 

[VooDoo Lady]

Quit agonizing about it and just make the adjustment to a maintenance routine. There's nothing wrong with that. You don't HAVE to want to be a mass monster to lift weights. It's not all about lifting the most weight or losing the most body fat so that you can win competitions. For a lot of people it’s about feeling good and fitting into a certain dress size. I know that that’s not a popular notion around here, but there is nothing wrong with that, IF that’s what you want right now.

Go to the gym, enjoy your workout, go home, and move on.

 

[JJFigure]

I think what you're saying is you only enjoy lifting when you're lifting heavy, but if you're not competing, what's the point in training heavy and consequently continuing to hypertrophy?

IMO, if you don't enjoy the workout, you'll quit. Train the way you enjoy training. Besides, training for strength doesn't necessarily mean you'll hypertrophy. If you train with a focus on strength vs mass building, you probably won't grow much more.

 

[Candi Barr]

Unless you eat an excess of calories, how are you going to get bigger, not matter how you train?

 

[Gladiola]

I think what you're saying is you only enjoy lifting when you're lifting heavy, but if you're not competing, what's the point in training heavy and consequently continuing to hypertrophy?

Yes, EXACTLY!!! I don't enjoy lifting only moderately. Not only is it not "fun", it's not a stress relief. Light lifting is about as fun to me as shaving my legs! & EXACTLY what else you wrote - I can NOT get myself motivated to go do that regularly.

Besides, training for strength doesn't necessarily mean you'll hypertrophy.

I know, you're right. It states right in my NSCA manual that the way to train for size is slightly different than training for strength. Strength is less reps, more sets, less recovery time, and only going to 80-90%, not pushing yourself to total failure. This is EXACTLY how I've trained my shoulders since July & THEY FREAKING STILL GREW!!!!

I would also think that with maintenance calories, I shouldn't grow. I admit my intake was too high the past few months, so we'll see how it goes with decreased intake. Still though, I barely worked my biceps & pecs & they didn't shrink at all.

 

[Candi Barr]

I wish I had some of your problems. I've been eating until I'm about to puke to try to get to 120 lb. Send me your extra muscle. I love scary shoulders.

 

[wilson6]

"I did NOT ATROPHY, nor lose strength in pecs & biceps when barely working them for 2-3 mos."

Sucks to be her doesn't it Lobo?

W6

 

[MS]

Why not try training for strength, but eating BELOW maintenance?? That should be fun!

 

[JJFigure]

Still though, I barely worked my biceps & pecs & they didn't shrink at all.

But you were performing Olymic Lifts, which even though they don't specifically isolate biceps and pecs, these lifts will still impact those muscles. As hard as you've been training, I wouldn't think any of your muscle groups would atrophy, even though you weren't performing isolation work.

I have to admit I'm jealous - I really struggle to put on muscle.

BooHoo!

 

[Gladiola]

Absolutely, low cal diets are the way to go!
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=151087&highlight=slimfast

I know there are tons of ppl thinking, "Sheesh, what a thing to complain about!" but seriously, we don't all here want to look like a mass monster. Having clothes not fit gets real tiresome.

JJFigure - you have a point - the OL was total body, but I still thought I would at least lose strength in the movements of bicep curls & chest DB presses.