Fitness

I'm a few weeks into a bulking program-full body, compound movement, every other day using dumbells-and after not making gains for a week and a half, suddenly had rapid strength gains. I've also suddenly put on 4 lbs after not putting on any for the first week and a half. I'm feel strong, but pudgy.

I read on figure athlete and t-nation that starting a bulking cycle leads to increased glycogen storage. On figure-athlete I read that you should expect about a 5 lb gain to begin with, and then should start gaining incrementally about .5-1 lb a week from there. Does anyone know if this is true?  I know I didn't gain 4 lbs of muscle, and fear that it is mostly fat. However, if it is a glycogen thing I can calm down a little and maybe this urge to start dieting off the extra fat will go away.

A well-trained endurance athlete will have anywhere between 1800 and 2500 kCal of glycogen stored.  At 4 kCal/g, that's only 350-625 grams (0.75-1.25 pounds).  I don't know how that translates to bodybuilding.  It stands to reason that you might carry more, as you have more muscle in which to store it.

There will certainly be some water, if only from the temporary edema that accompanies intense exercise.  That will, I think, be the largest part of the weight you're carrying.

Not improving for awhile and then improving all of a sudden is how it goes.  Your body builds up muscle tissue and capillary networks, but they're not ready right away.  It's like they get "switched on" when they are completed; thus, a plateau or step-like improvement is the rule rather than the exception.

 Keep in mind that that every gram of glycogen requires 3-4 grams of water in intramuscular storage.

 So if you double glycogen stores, you're quadrupling glycogen weight - about 1.5 to 5lbs of weight gain, depending on how little you had to start with and how much you have afterwards.

 Plus, increased protein turnover also requires increased water substrate in your muscles, so I'm with him -^ most of that is water. I's why you see that rapid initial bounce up the scale when your muscles are enthusiastically playing camel and storing all the water they can physically hold.

Plus you're only a few weeks into a new program and already thinking about jumping ship.  Give it some time.  You won't see results in two or three weeks.

Okay, that's what I thought. Good to hear it explained more thoroughly. Thanks guys.