My "ideal" body for GST - to lose fat or to increase muscle mass?

Hello Guys! I would like to have some info about the best body characteristics for GST. I mean, I guess a low weight body is more suitable compared to a heavyweight, is it right? If this is true, I should be favorite in this sense. I would say I am an ectomorph body type, my height is 163 cm, and my weight is 53 kg.

 However I still have some body fat mass, let's say is about 15%. So I was thinking if lowering even more this amount of fat could help to increase GST performance, even though my weight is just clearly low.

So In order to maximize performance, what would you suggest to do? should I focus to lower even more body fat mass or instead to increase bodyweight by gaining only muscle mass? or even both?

Thanks in advance for any clarification.

Alessandro

Trimming dead weight will be very helpful initially. In my experience it takes a long time for my mobility to improve so I can progress to the more challenging strength exercises that will really build muscle mass. I have definitely gained muscle in the early part of the program, but if I was looking for serious mass I’d be tempted to skip ahead instead of sticking to the program. 

Hi Alessandro, in every sport the best situation it is the body recomposition, this means that year over year you would be able to hold the same weight while the proportion of the type of tissues changes in favor of muscle mass. this is a long process which can be done with the correct diet and eventually implementing something more into your training.

@Alessandro Di Sanzo I believe you are less than 15% body fat. I'm lower than that and I look chubbier than you 

Hello Jin,

Men and women look different at the same body fat percentages. Even some men at the same body fat percentages look fatter or less ripped than others. There is no real visual guide to body fat as far as looks go, just a general guide. Some people look like they have single digit body fat above 10%, some people look like they have double-digit body fat even though they are below 10% (talked about by Charles Poliquin in Time Ferris podcast in the section about bodyfat measuring etc.). @Jin Liu @Josh Earl @Alessandro Di Sanzo Decreasing your body fat will increase your power to weight ratio, leading to increased performance in GST. Basically, a lower bodyweight with the current power gives you an increase in power. As Alessandro said.

Double post, sorry!

I started GB about 11 months Ago and have lost 10kg since then. It is definitely a mix of fat and muscles who dropped. Probably because My body is noticing that im competing against it(the weight).

5-6 years Ago id go bananas if i lost 10gram of muscle, the way i see it now is very different. Those extra muscles was pretty dead anyway(terrible mobility) and was just hanging on My body like a christmas star on a dead fir-tree. I dont Care about muscles who doesnt function well with the rest of My body(joints, tissue, cardio, movement).  I think when My body (Esp joints) are ready for heavier exercises(another couple of years i guess) ill have a easier route to build serious strength than to regain My lost mobility. Well thinking this way atleast keeps me motivated so schhhhh!

I feel the advantages of staying light, especially now when im a beginner @Alessandro Di Sanzo

Granted I have a "shorter" stature and the mesomorph body type that is similar to a large number of Olympic level gymnasts.

From personal observations and experience, tendon strength is more important than body type or even overall weight(Body weight plus the clothing and possible footwear being worn). Regardless of body type as your tendons develop more muscle fibres are utilized for the tasks you are dealing with. The overall muscle density/mass will gradually increase as your body continues to need more muscle fibers.

Sure losing some excess weight will help make completing tasks seemingly easier. However it is not a sign you gained additional strength. Less excessive weight just allows you to use less effort to complete a particular task.

At the same overall weight,  signs of additional strength include, however do not exclude, completing tasks you previously could not and more muscle definition/tone.

To give an answer to the original question... Go for tendon development rather than hypertrophic muscle mass or weight reduction.

For those with Ectomorph body type developing additional muscle mass can be fairly difficult, despite the amount food they eat. For those with the Endomorph body type, they often have the opposite situation.