Why do most serious strength trainers have guts?

[Wyndru]

I've always noticed that the massive guys deadlifting and squatting large amounts at competition are usually fat in their midsection. I don't understand why this is though, does it have anything to do with the large amount of calories and protein they need to take in to stimulate muscle growth? I just figured constantly lifting heavy would burn any extra fat, but many of these dudes look overweight to me.

 

[JBT]

It takes mass to move mass. They lose strength if they drop calories and lose weight.

 

[z1ggy]

It takes mass to move mass. They lose strength if they drop calories and lose weight.

This. Look at Mark Bell back when he held his records for squat. Guy was ~300lb, and had a gut.

 

[CPA]

Yes OP, it's calories and the fact that strength training is not bodybuilding, crossfit or being a tri-athlete. It has one goal and that is to move as much weight from point A to point B in one single attempt.

 

[Muse]

Whenever I've lost weight I've noticed a loss of power in the gym while doing so, IIRC.

 

[gradoman]

Yes OP, it's calories and the fact that strength training is not bodybuilding, crossfit or being a tri-athlete. It has one goal and that is to move as much weight from point A to point B in one single attempt.

Yes, but that depends on your weight class and it sure as heck has diminishing returns. People like Candito, Josh Hancott, Brett Gibbs, Owen Hubbard, Maxx Chewning, Jesse Norris, and more exist. Also, Olympic level lifters are, depending on class, pretty damn strong. Want to hit a 450kg/992lbs squat? Well, you can see some really huge guys trying that one. 270kg/595lb? It's been done by people in 83kg class.

(Whether or not they're natural, who knows. Same goes for those fat guys hitting big weights. Who knows.)

Here's Brett Gibbs (83kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yepe9c2l4W4

Owen Hubbard (83kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krAdPne4akM

Jesse Norris (93kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uewAFmif_WU

I'd personally rather hit 500lb squat, 600lb DL and 350lb bench and call it a day at 180lbs. Probably another year til I can do that -- each of my lifts are about 100lbs away from that total.

 

[SP33Demon]

Yes, but that depends on your weight class and it sure as heck has diminishing returns. People like Candito, Josh Hancott, Brett Gibbs, Owen Hubbard, Maxx Chewning, Jesse Norris, and more exist. Also, Olympic level lifters are, depending on class, pretty damn strong. Want to hit a 450kg/992lbs squat? Well, you can see some really huge guys trying that one. 270kg/595lb? It's been done by people in 83kg class.

(Whether or not they're natural, who knows. Same goes for those fat guys hitting big weights. Who knows.)

Here's Brett Gibbs (83kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yepe9c2l4W4

Owen Hubbard (83kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krAdPne4akM

Jesse Norris (93kg): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uewAFmif_WU

I'd personally rather hit 500lb squat, 600lb DL and 350lb bench and call it a day at 180lbs. Probably another year til I can do that -- each of my lifts are about 100lbs away from that total.

Incredible lifters/best in the world, nice links. Even Jesse Norris has a bit of a small gut. I think a lot of the gut is muscle. You aren't pulling and squatting that much without incredibly strong abs. Nobody in the world is testing their abs like powerlifters. Are some of them legitimately fat? Of course. So it's a combination of trying to fill out their weight class + huge abs.

 

[utahraptor]

It's a mixture of two things. Firstly, unlike body building, power lifting competitions don't necessarily reward low body fat%. They reward most weight lifted per weight class. It would be detrimental to attempt a serious hard cut prior to a meat. Secondly, some competitors utilize human growth hormone to aid their recovery and muscle growth. The various organs of the body respond to the hormone and grow along with the muscles. The extra room the organs now take up has to go somewhere so you get "roid gut."

 

[Deeko]

Weight moves weight - the bigger you are, the stronger you are. It's much easier to build massive amounts of muscle and gain fat along with it. It also helps in certain lifts - in bench press, for example, the thicker you are, the less distance you move the bar. Having a big gut can help center you in the squat - I've noticed bigger guys tend to have much more picturesque, upright squats, whereas skinny lifters like me have more trouble being "top heavy" and getting bent forward.

 

[bradley]

HGH, metabolic syndrome due to refined carbs and the diminishing popularity of the stomach vacuum.