Why does lifting shrink my muscles?

I am a fast recreational bicycle rider, male, who rides 6,000 - 7,000
miles/yr. I'm 6'2", my body fat and weight stay fairly steady year
round -- 6%-10% fat, 160-170 lbs. I consume 3,000 to 4,000 calories/
day. I know this goes against logic, but after lifting weights during
the off-season (Nov.-Mar.), some of my muscles measure 5 - 15mm
SMALLER in Mar. than when I start in the fall. (I do most of the
basics for my entire body, 3 sets of 6-12 reps each.) I also notice
that after adding weight a couple times during the first 5-6 weeks, I
can't add any more no matter how many months I continue lift. I
realize I won't gain huge muscles in this amount of time -- nor do I
really want to -- but shouldn't they get a LITTLE bit larger . . . or
at the least, not get
smaller? My left leg is visibly smaller than my right, so this past
winter I did single legged exercises, but that didn't help in the
least. Anyone ever hear of this happening? Could this indicate some
kind of medical problem? Are some of us just "non-responders" to this
type of stimulus? (My yearly blood tests are "normal.") Would I be
better of doing one of those exercise-ball routines, palates, or
something like that instead? (That would look to be a bit more fun.)

PAUL A(lpe d' huez) KOSSA

On Mar 14, 4:53 pm, anon_a_mo...@msn.com wrote:
> I am a fast recreational bicycle rider, male, who rides 6,000 - 7,000
> miles/yr. I'm 6'2", my body fat and weight stay fairly steady year
> round -- 6%-10% fat, 160-170 lbs. I consume 3,000 to 4,000 calories/
> day. I know this goes against logic, but after lifting weights during
> the off-season (Nov.-Mar.), some of my muscles measure 5 - 15mm
> SMALLER in Mar. than when I start in the fall. (I do most of the
> basics for my entire body, 3 sets of 6-12 reps each.)

Do ANY cardio during the 3mo 'off' season? Still eating the same or
cut back?
5 to 15mm is really insignificant - its under an inch - you mightve
been holding the tape measure in a different spot or tighter the
second time around. And you said 'some' are smaller so could be you
lost some bodyfat while maintianing some muscle in that area.


> I also notice that after adding weight a couple times during the
> first 5-6 weeks, I can't add any more no matter how many months
> I continue lift.

Three sets etc, but how much weight? Easy button or pushing yourself
past the comfort zone?
When you cant possibly add more weight, then maybe you should change
around your exercise choices and or style (try pyramiding the reps
etc)to continue to challenge your muscles. Do the same old, dont
expect something new to happen, your body adapts, even in less than
3months.


> realize I won't gain huge muscles in this amount of time -- nor do I
> really want to -- but shouldn't they get a LITTLE bit larger . . . or
> at the least, not get smaller?

As a long distance bicycler, it might have something to do with which
type of muscles (fast vs slow twitch muscles) you have more of in your
body. Ever consider still doing some weights during your cycling
season?

> My left leg is visibly smaller than my right, so this past
> winter I did single legged exercises, but that didn't help in the
> least. Anyone ever hear of this happening?

Yeah just about everyone has this 'phenomenom' of one side not being
the same size/shape as the other - really they do - ex: many people
have feet that are are 1/2 size difference than the other - very
common. Single leg exercises? Like what? Do squats. Use both legs and
the other will be forced to catch up.



joanne

"joanne" <jgrrl2@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1173972961.776851.268350@d57g2000hsg.googlegr oups.com...
> On Mar 14, 4:53 pm, anon_a_mo...@msn.com wrote:
>> I am a fast recreational bicycle rider, male, who rides 6,000 - 7,000
>> miles/yr. I'm 6'2", my body fat and weight stay fairly steady year
>> round -- 6%-10% fat, 160-170 lbs. I consume 3,000 to 4,000 calories/
>> day. I know this goes against logic, but after lifting weights during
>> the off-season (Nov.-Mar.), some of my muscles measure 5 - 15mm
>> SMALLER in Mar. than when I start in the fall. (I do most of the
>> basics for my entire body, 3 sets of 6-12 reps each.)
>
> Do ANY cardio during the 3mo 'off' season? Still eating the same or
> cut back?
> 5 to 15mm is really insignificant - its under an inch - you mightve
> been holding the tape measure in a different spot or tighter the
> second time around. And you said 'some' are smaller so could be you
> lost some bodyfat while maintianing some muscle in that area.
>
>
>> I also notice that after adding weight a couple times during the
>> first 5-6 weeks, I can't add any more no matter how many months
>> I continue lift.
>
> Three sets etc, but how much weight? Easy button or pushing yourself
> past the comfort zone?
> When you cant possibly add more weight, then maybe you should change
> around your exercise choices and or style (try pyramiding the reps
> etc)to continue to challenge your muscles. Do the same old, dont
> expect something new to happen, your body adapts, even in less than
> 3months.
>
>
>> realize I won't gain huge muscles in this amount of time -- nor do I
>> really want to -- but shouldn't they get a LITTLE bit larger . . . or
>> at the least, not get smaller?
>
> As a long distance bicycler, it might have something to do with which
> type of muscles (fast vs slow twitch muscles) you have more of in your
> body. Ever consider still doing some weights during your cycling
> season?
>
>> My left leg is visibly smaller than my right, so this past
>> winter I did single legged exercises, but that didn't help in the
>> least. Anyone ever hear of this happening?
>
> Yeah just about everyone has this 'phenomenom' of one side not being
> the same size/shape as the other - really they do - ex: many people
> have feet that are are 1/2 size difference than the other - very
> common. Single leg exercises? Like what? Do squats. Use both legs and
> the other will be forced to catch up.
>
>
>
> joanne
>
you might eat lots of calories but what? i suspect carbs... (i love carbs
for optimum nutrition) but add protien, and cut the excess cardio...and eat
more. yes more.. unless the calorie sapping cardio is out of the equation..
thta will do it for sure mig man
Brook

On Thu, 15 Mar 2007, joanne wrote:

> On Mar 14, 4:53 pm, anon_a_mo...@msn.com wrote:
>> I am a fast recreational bicycle rider, male, who rides 6,000 - 7,000
>> miles/yr. I'm 6'2", my body fat and weight stay fairly steady year
>> round -- 6%-10% fat, 160-170 lbs. I consume 3,000 to 4,000 calories/
>> day. I know this goes against logic, but after lifting weights during
>> the off-season (Nov.-Mar.), some of my muscles measure 5 - 15mm
>> SMALLER in Mar. than when I start in the fall. (I do most of the
>> basics for my entire body, 3 sets of 6-12 reps each.)
>
> Do ANY cardio during the 3mo 'off' season? Still eating the same or
> cut back?
> 5 to 15mm is really insignificant - its under an inch - you mightve
> been holding the tape measure in a different spot or tighter the
> second time around. And you said 'some' are smaller so could be you
> lost some bodyfat while maintianing some muscle in that area.
>
>
>> I also notice that after adding weight a couple times during the
>> first 5-6 weeks, I can't add any more no matter how many months
>> I continue lift.
>
> Three sets etc, but how much weight? Easy button or pushing yourself
> past the comfort zone?
> When you cant possibly add more weight, then maybe you should change
> around your exercise choices and or style (try pyramiding the reps
> etc)to continue to challenge your muscles. Do the same old, dont
> expect something new to happen, your body adapts, even in less than
> 3months.
>
>
>> realize I won't gain huge muscles in this amount of time -- nor do I
>> really want to -- but shouldn't they get a LITTLE bit larger . . . or
>> at the least, not get smaller?
>
> As a long distance bicycler, it might have something to do with which
> type of muscles (fast vs slow twitch muscles) you have more of in your
> body. Ever consider still doing some weights during your cycling
> season?
>
>> My left leg is visibly smaller than my right, so this past
>> winter I did single legged exercises, but that didn't help in the
>> least. Anyone ever hear of this happening?
>
> Yeah just about everyone has this 'phenomenom' of one side not being
> the same size/shape as the other - really they do - ex: many people
> have feet that are are 1/2 size difference than the other - very
> common. Single leg exercises? Like what? Do squats. Use both legs and
> the other will be forced to catch up.

I have a 1 inch difference in bicep girth on each arm. It makes me very
self conscious. To cope with it I use alternating exercises starting with
the smaller arm and fail when the smaller arm fails.

--Sir Jackery