Weight class competitive lifters and wrestlers always have the goal of getting stronger without getting much heavier. And pound-for-pound, they are the strongest. Greater neurological proficiency and more extensive Type II muscle fiber conversion is how they’ve accomplished this through their training and roughly maintenance diet.
Wow, this is turning into a pretty good discussion. Hooker- no offense taken, and thanks for the link. I already had a rough understanding of the energy pathways, but that cleared up a lot of questions. I think I understand what you’re saying. Here’s what I got out of it. The second energy pathway uses glycogen reserves, but only lasts through a few minutes of strenuous exercise. This would lead me to believe that carbing up before a competition would be a good idea. However, in an hour long training session, the third pathway will be used a lot more. The third pathway uses 2/3 fatty acids and 1/3 glucose. So a good portion of calories must come from fat, perhaps equal proportions of fat and carbs, while on a strength training routine.
OK, I think it is clear that strength gains are primarily influenced by the nervous system (training the nervous system to recruit more motor units and to do the exercise in a more efficient manner). However, in ko’s defense, the addition of more contractile proteins would increase the potential for recruitment, therefore also leading to strength gains. So, I assume, adequate protein intake (around 200g for me at 169) as well as a caloric surplus, would cover this aspect of strength gains. That being said, would anyone reccomend any specific foods/nutrients (besides Power Drive) to aid in the facillitation of nervous system enhancement?
aside from the VERY beggining intermuscular coordination issues i said first few years mind you, try some simple math… anyway refer to Hartmann and Tuenneman’s book, or check poliquins guru archives. youll find the same consensus, as that of the east germans…
Actually you said after the first SEVERAL years of training. Re read your post. Besides as you are already aware even among scientists and the most respected gurus there are differing of opinions on the actual physiological responses to training.
Just to toss in my experience: I’ve been training for performance/strength gains exclusively for a little more than 2 months now. In that time, I have lost about 1lb. Visually at least, my body comp is quite a bit better. Nutritionally, I have been living on what feels and seems to me like a lot more calories than i used to. I think some of this has to do with being very carb-sensitive (in the sense that I get rashes and exhausted if i have much of them). So I eat high protein, high fat, and my carbs come from green veggies, nuts, and sugars in cheese. I eat frequently, very cleanly. In a sense, I am eating ‘bulking’ style. In relation to my strength increases, my deadlift 1RM from 8 weeks ago is now my 4RM in a 6x4 protocol.
I think everyone is right to some degree. Lifting heavy can have some intense metabolic effects on some people, and they will need to chow down on everything and anything just to maintain. At the same time, you can’t disregard the nervous system in terms of higher intensity lifts.
Lots of factors come into play when you talk about strength. The 3 big ones that come to mind are muscle fiber cross-section, intermuscular coordination, and intramuscular coordination. In other words, muscle size (functional hypertrophy), the ability of a muscle to generate force, and the ability for those muscles to work together in a particular movement. Will putting on functional mass help make you stronger? Of course. Will training the CNS help make you stronger? Of course. Will drilling a particular movement help make you stronger? Of course! There are appropriate times in your training for each of these, but in the end they all come into play. Technique’s another important factor - more so for Olympic lifters, obviously, but there is a good deal of technique involved in Powerlifting.
As for the original question, depends on your goals. If you want to stay in the same weight class, a maintenance diet would be appropriate. If you want to go up a weight class, a modest bulking diet (during the beginning of your training) would be more appropriate.
Actually I have no idea what “sewer hooker” means. A friend of mine chose the name and I just use it :P~ 
Thanks for the kind words. My first language is french but I have been speaking english for most of my life as well. The advantage forums offer me over real-time discussion; is that it allows me to proof read my thoughts and try to add some sort of ‘flow’… Anyways, thats my story 
My brief two cents–on a whole different front: increase in general body weight typically contributes postively to strength gains since water and fat in and around the joint do provide greater leverage. With respect to the current debate–I agree that all 3 contribute to strength gain (the 3 outlined by KB), but it would seem that one would reach the “ceiling” of CNS training/conditioning long before one would reach the “ceiling” of adding functional mass. If this is true, then adding fuctional mass would potentially continue to pay strength dividens over the “long haul.”
several, few, basically 3-4 years. i generally give a rats ass about what a scientist thinks, but hartmann and tuenneman were both scientists and coaches of olympians… yes virtually nothing is completely concrete in weightlifting…
You really don’t know what it means? Hee hee! How golden. Not laughing at you, but with you. It doesn’t really mean anything you know, but hooker is a synonym for prostitute, if that helps. The rest should be self-explanatory.
I agree that neural adapation is one of the factors in strength. However I firmly believe that increase in muscle mass also occurs. One point that people keep bringing up is that fact that powerlifters (and someone mentioned wrestlers) maintain a spcific weight. That is true, but one can maintain a particular weight, and still gain muscle mass by changing their body comp. That is why powerlifters and wrestlers in the lower weight classes (under heavyweight) are ripped. They have to maximize the amout of functional mass that they carry. Muscle equals strength, if you train for it (or develop the neural pathways).
Bump for spiderman!
Very helpful stuff. You are a scholar and a gentleman Patman.