« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Lifting and Fasting  (Read 1104 times)

Offline ajmesa

  • Major
  • ***
  • Posts: 844
  • Karma: 3
    • View Profile
    • Email
Lifting and Fasting
« on: April 01, 2010, 01:19:55 PM »
Will fasting 1 day a week hinder muscle gain? I stopped fasting when I started lifting because I assumed it was going to hinder my gains, but I never did my research to learn if this was true. What do you think?
Logged
Right Now.

Offline Wlfdg

  • Global Moderator
  • General
  • ****
  • Posts: 1915
  • Karma: 161
  • Rhabdo - Catch it at a Cro$$fit today
    • Yahoo Instant Messenger - split.therapy
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2010, 06:34:39 PM »
Nope you are fine to fast. I wouldn't train that day.
Logged
Walking isn't exercise, it's locomotion!
Living for longevity is like fighting for peace.
"Food is fuel! It's not a f***ing theater ticket!" -author unknown
"There is no such thing as “firming and toning.” There is only stronger and weaker" - Mark Rippetoe

Offline Mister Misanthrope

  • Sergeant
  • **
  • Posts: 109
  • Karma: -3
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2010, 08:17:55 PM »
Now I haven't proven it yet, but I am starting to hold the theory that alternate gorging and fasting is healthy for the body and will result in larger weight gains than gorging alone.

Think about the starvation metabolism. When a fat person tries to lose weight by reducing their food intake dramatically, what happens? They often actually *gain* weight, on the basis that their starvation metabolism kicks in and their body stops allowing frivolous use or loss of resources. It becomes more efficient.

I have always speculated that using fasts in alternation with gorging:
1) Makes evolutionary sense. I haven't confirmed it, but to me it's not out of the running to speculate that maybe hunters didn't eat every day.
2) Will result in better weight gains, because you expose your body to lots of resources and then trip the starvation metabolism to activate, hopefully causing you to retain and more efficiently process what you've taken in.

I don't know if it 's true, and I don't have sources handy for most of what I've just said, but it makes sense to me. I've been trying it lately and I've gained weight.
Logged

Offline TWS

  • Lieutenant
  • ***
  • Posts: 309
  • Karma: 15
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2010, 06:11:42 AM »
Quote from: Wlfdg on April 01, 2010, 06:34:39 PM
Nope you are fine to fast. I wouldn't train that day.

I was just reading about fasting and lifting here:
http://freetheanimal.com/2009/02/working-out-fasted.html

and wondered if you had any similar experiences.   The FTA blog links to this site  http://fitnessblackbook.com/main/fasted-workouts-and-fasted-cardio-vs-epoc-for-fat-loss/ for information on working out while fasting as well.   I have no experience in this area so I thought I'd throw it over to the experts....

TWS
Logged

Offline Wlfdg

  • Global Moderator
  • General
  • ****
  • Posts: 1915
  • Karma: 161
  • Rhabdo - Catch it at a Cro$$fit today
    • Yahoo Instant Messenger - split.therapy
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #4 on: April 08, 2010, 06:39:53 AM »
I've done quite a bit of fasted training and training with a specific meal prior to it. I do agree that there is a certain intensity to training fasted. I have found that it is in general, a perception. The numbers in the journal after those sessions are not a perception. They do include lower weights, less reps/sets and much longer rest periods between sets.

As a professional I would refer to this as training inefficiency. Based on Charles Staley's definition of trainers (athletes) and exercisers (non-athletes) I would say that training fasted is the realm of the exerciser.

There is the notion that training fasted releases GH. Most of what I have been reading lately has lead me to conclude that so little GH is released by these "tricks" that it's pointless.   
Logged
Walking isn't exercise, it's locomotion!
Living for longevity is like fighting for peace.
"Food is fuel! It's not a f***ing theater ticket!" -author unknown
"There is no such thing as “firming and toning.” There is only stronger and weaker" - Mark Rippetoe

Offline Barbaric

  • Sergeant
  • **
  • Posts: 214
  • Karma: 23
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #5 on: April 08, 2010, 12:05:11 PM »
Quote from: Wlfdg on April 08, 2010, 06:39:53 AM
There is the notion that training fasted releases GH. Most of what I have been reading lately has lead me to conclude that so little GH is released by these "tricks" that it's pointless.   

I don't have anything definitive to say yea or nay on the subject, but I'm going to tentatively say that it may not just be a "trick" and offer that it might be a training tool.  I'm going to go back to my experiences in boot camp (and hopefully not sound like the "one time in band camp" nerd).  During Hell Week, you get woken up at ungodly hours to fill your sweats with sand and do PT, have limited enough access to food that it seems like you're going to pass out if you do another pushup in contrast to your usual 4000-5000 calories a day, and your body goes through intense physical challenges.  During that week, I saw extreme changes in, not only my body, but my performance.  Before that week, I was doing 10 - 12 pullups comfortably.  After that week, I was up to 20 and rising.  My body went from buff to RIPPED.

I can also say that I've felt not so insignificant improvements after recovery from an "adventure length" adventure race (defined as 24 hours or less with no outside support...meaning you carry what you eat).

I'm not suggesting that training while fasting should be done on a regular basis.  From what I've read, there is no physiological data to prove that.  What I believe though is that occasionally really pushing yourself on a limited caloric intake can sufficiently shake up your metabolism to "shock" your body into building strength.  And, I also believe that the paleolithic lifestyle of eating when food is available and working hard to find food when it is not bears me out on this.
Logged

Offline Wlfdg

  • Global Moderator
  • General
  • ****
  • Posts: 1915
  • Karma: 161
  • Rhabdo - Catch it at a Cro$$fit today
    • Yahoo Instant Messenger - split.therapy
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2010, 12:38:56 PM »
I offer "trick" as it seems that the proponents of such training (I use training loosely) tactics come from the "exerciser" camp mentioned above. Serious athletes do not put themselves through that. That alone speaks volumes.

Boot Camp is an extended version of the SAID principle. Everything you did in the weeks leading up to your "Hell Week" was designed specifically for that very training effect. It was no coincidence. Your body was primed for that exact outcome. Those who didn't have similar results didn't have the mental callus necessary to endure the suffering.

I have been experimenting with pushing my limits on limited caloric intake for this last storm cycle (3 weeks). I have been very impressed with my bodies ability to endure breaking trail for up to 4,000 vertical feet through very deep snow for days on end. I do believe it has greatly contributed to the severe state of overtraining I'm in. I am leaner but, I do feel weaker now. It has fueled some serious binging, like nearly 10lbs. of oranges and 4 lbs. of grapes in 2-2day periods.
Logged
Walking isn't exercise, it's locomotion!
Living for longevity is like fighting for peace.
"Food is fuel! It's not a f***ing theater ticket!" -author unknown
"There is no such thing as “firming and toning.” There is only stronger and weaker" - Mark Rippetoe

Offline Woopy

  • Captain
  • ***
  • Posts: 625
  • Karma: 24
    • View Profile
Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2010, 05:54:08 PM »
What I read in hardcore bodybuilding: a scientific approach is that GH is released when you eat. It makes sense because you don't grow by not eating, you grow when you eat. Organisms don't spontaneously grow without fuel of some sort
Logged

CAVEMANforum - The most popular Paleo diet and caveman exercise discussion site

Re: Lifting and Fasting
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2010, 05:54:08 PM »
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »
 

CAVEMANforum | CAVEMANwiki New!