Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast ERIC HELMS: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WEIGHT GAIN & RATE OF MUSCLE GAIN: IS AN ENERGY SURPLUS NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE MUSCLE GROWTH?
Feb 9, 2024
Guest Eric Helms, fitness expert and researcher, discusses the relationship between weight gain and rate of muscle gain. They cover the new weight gain study by Helms et al. and explore the impact of energy surpluses and deficits on lean mass accretion and fat gain. They also discuss the limitations of calculating lean mass gain and the importance of considering individual differences in research studies. Additionally, they explore the benefits of tracking progression in compound and isolation movements.
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Trained Athletes Gain More Fat In Big Surpluses
- Garth et al.'s trained athletes study found no clear strength or muscle advantage from larger surpluses; most extra weight gained was fat.
- Concurrent sport training and individual factors likely limited lean gains despite surplus.
Weight Gain Explains Only Part Of Muscle Gain
- Tinsley's regression found ~0.55% bodyweight/week corresponded to mostly lean gains but weight-gain explains only 18–40% of hypertrophy variance.
- Training, genetics, sleep and other factors explain the majority of results.
Match Surplus To Training Age
- Scale your surplus to your training age: smaller surpluses for intermediates/advanced, larger surpluses only for novices.
- Prioritize progressive, high‑quality training; nutrition is permissive, not a substitute for stimulus.