Training on a cut

[FMJ]

Ever since I came to realize I was indeed a fat ass, I've abondoned my bulking phase to go ahead with a cutting phase and get myself down to a decent bf level.
Since I've only been back to training for 3 months, I'm not really doing any rep ranging or periodizing at all.
I'm simply doing compound moves in the 6-12 rep range to get my weights up and my core strength back.
Today I thought to myself, it's kind of dumb to be training in the hypertrophy range during a cutting phase. If I'm not going to put on any mass while I'm getting lean, shouldn't I be concentrating on 1-5 reps to get my strength up? Does it really even matter right now? Will one range of reps be more beneficial to keeping as much lbm as possible until I'm ready to bulk again?

 

[Scarface30]

From what I remember people on here saying, i.e. Gaz, Built, P-funk etc... lifting heavy while on a cut is the more sensible way of cutting. Lifting heavier helps you maintain your LBM as you said, and maintains your strength due to the higher amount of neurons firing when lifting heavy. Something like that.

In short, yes - short, sweet, and heavy sessions seem to help out a lot on a cut.

 

[kyoun1e]

Right, you need to lift with high intensity. Assuming you have muscle (and you don't want to lose it while dieting), you have to "tell" your muscle that there is a good reason for it to stick around. Lift heavy things and you'll do that.

That said, your lifting volume and frequency should be cut down a little. If you're dieting hard, you're going to need to recover. Three times per week would do it. Stick to compound lifts mostly. 45 minutes per workout should be enough. If you're in there for 1:30 too much.

Also, I wouldn't count on "getting your strength up" here. Your objective is to lose fat, and maintain what muscle you have.

And don't go bezerk with cardio. Steady state here and there. Maybe. Let your caloric deficit do the work.

KY

 

[FMJ]

Right now, I'm only doing 3 days a week about 60 minutes with warmup and cool downs and I don't bother doing any cardio. As of today and the last 6 weeks or so, my weights have steadily increased or my reps have gone up.
So lets say as an example my bench is 175 today for 10 repsX3 sets.
Next week, I will increase the weight to say.. 185 for 5 repsX3 sets.
Should I increase the weight again the following week and keep increasing it or should I just "maintain" until my cut phase is completed?
Thanks for the replies gents!

 

[kyoun1e]

You should benchmark where you are on your lifts at 2-3 sets, 3-6 reps prior to the cut and see if you can keep your strength levels where they are. Don't be surprised if you lose strength on a cut. If you can somehow increase weight on the bar on a cut, more power to you, but it's highly unlikely. I wouldn't make it a priority...your primary objective is fat loss.

Also, you can't cut endlessly. You need to refeed here and there to reset things and convince your body to let loose of more fat. If you don't refeed, you'll hit the wall and fat loss stalls. A number of ways you could do this. For example:

Day 1: Cut cals 50%, low carb; High intensity workout.
Day 2: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout
Day 3: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout...maybe cardio.
Day 4: High intensity workout; Eat at maintenance or slightly above; Refeed on carbs.
Day 5: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout.
Day 6: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout...maybe cardio.
Day 7: High intensity workout; Eat at maintenance or slightly above; Refeed on carbs.

Let's say your maintenance was 2,600 calories. Cutting cals by 50% (to 1300) on five days would give you a weekly deficit of 6,000 - 6,,500. That's 1.5+ pounds of fat loss per week potentially. You also refeed twice around two of your heavy workouts.

This is just one way to do it. Many set up their scheme to "work" or diet Monday - Friday and then refeed all weekend.

If you're not used to dieting a 50% deficit can be a bit rough. Just do the math. Set your daily/weekly caloric goals in a way that guarantees a deficit, but also a manageable refeed situation that helps you adhere to the diet and lose fat.

KY

 

[FMJ]

Hmm, A little late to benchmark since I'm already 7 days into the cut diet.
I took a different approach, decreasing only 500 calories from my maintainence. Maybe thats why I'm not suffering from strenth loss. At least not yet. All week my weights increased and if I go down from 10 reps to 5, my weights will surely go up again next week.
I only increase the weight if I exceed my rep range so if next week I can do 6 reps, should I increase the weight or not?

 

[doctormomen]

much info

 

[Moze]

You should benchmark where you are on your lifts at 2-3 sets, 3-6 reps prior to the cut and see if you can keep your strength levels where they are. Don't be surprised if you lose strength on a cut. If you can somehow increase weight on the bar on a cut, more power to you, but it's highly unlikely. I wouldn't make it a priority...your primary objective is fat loss.

Also, you can't cut endlessly. You need to refeed here and there to reset things and convince your body to let loose of more fat. If you don't refeed, you'll hit the wall and fat loss stalls. A number of ways you could do this. For example:

Day 1: Cut cals 50%, low carb; High intensity workout.
Day 2: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout
Day 3: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout...maybe cardio.
Day 4: High intensity workout; Eat at maintenance or slightly above; Refeed on carbs.
Day 5: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout.
Day 6: Cut cals 50%, low carb; no workout...maybe cardio.
Day 7: High intensity workout; Eat at maintenance or slightly above; Refeed on carbs.

Let's say your maintenance was 2,600 calories. Cutting cals by 50% (to 1300) on five days would give you a weekly deficit of 6,000 - 6,,500. That's 1.5+ pounds of fat loss per week potentially. You also refeed twice around two of your heavy workouts.

This is just one way to do it. Many set up their scheme to "work" or diet Monday - Friday and then refeed all weekend.

If you're not used to dieting a 50% deficit can be a bit rough. Just do the math. Set your daily/weekly caloric goals in a way that guarantees a deficit, but also a manageable refeed situation that helps you adhere to the diet and lose fat.

KY

Thanks for this info! I think Ill try this next summer.

 

[CowPimp]

Right now, I'm only doing 3 days a week about 60 minutes with warmup and cool downs and I don't bother doing any cardio. As of today and the last 6 weeks or so, my weights have steadily increased or my reps have gone up.
So lets say as an example my bench is 175 today for 10 repsX3 sets.
Next week, I will increase the weight to say.. 185 for 5 repsX3 sets.
Should I increase the weight again the following week and keep increasing it or should I just "maintain" until my cut phase is completed?
Thanks for the replies gents!

You should always try to implement progression. Is it going to be harder when you are cutting weight? Yes, it certainly is. However, there is no reason not to attempt to go up if you know you can do more. It also sounds like you are relatively new to lifting. You may very well find it easy to cut weight AND see muscle growth for the time being. Take advantage; it's not always so easy!

Either way, if you are fairly new, you will definitely see strength increases as the majority of your strength improvement in the beginning is the result of neural adaptation anyway. As well, if you resume bulking, the more neurologically efficient you are, the more muscle mass you can active and fatigue, and the more likely you are to provide a sufficient stimulus for growth.

 

[FMJ]

You should always try to implement progression. Is it going to be harder when you are cutting weight? Yes, it certainly is. However, there is no reason not to attempt to go up if you know you can do more. It also sounds like you are relatively new to lifting. You may very well find it easy to cut weight AND see muscle growth for the time being. Take advantage; it's not always so easy!

Either way, if you are fairly new, you will definitely see strength increases as the majority of your strength improvement in the beginning is the result of neural adaptation anyway. As well, if you resume bulking, the more neurologically efficient you are, the more muscle mass you can active and fatigue, and the more likely you are to provide a sufficient stimulus for growth.

Hey CP,
Well, I'm not new to lifting, I'm re-newed. I lifted routinely for years and years until I had my son. I've not touched a weight for the last 6 years up until last november when I restarted. So in that sense, I am new. Since I've been back, I've seen just muscle memory gains. Which is fine. I'll finish up my cut and try to get back to things the right way.
If I sound like a newb, it's because todays knowledge is vastly different from the knowledge I had years ago. Which is great considering I didn't see massive gains then. Hopefully with everything I'm learning here, that'll change. Thanks for the info. As always, a great help!

 

[CowPimp]

Hey CP,
Well, I'm not new to lifting, I'm re-newed. I lifted routinely for years and years until I had my son. I've not touched a weight for the last 6 years up until last november when I restarted. So in that sense, I am new. Since I've been back, I've seen just muscle memory gains. Which is fine. I'll finish up my cut and try to get back to things the right way.
If I sound like a newb, it's because todays knowledge is vastly different from the knowledge I had years ago. Which is great considering I didn't see massive gains then. Hopefully with everything I'm learning here, that'll change. Thanks for the info. As always, a great help!

New, or re-newed, results in essentially the same rapid adaptations. I always call people new if they haven't lifted in a while. 6 years is long enough to detrain to essentially the same state you were before you ever touched a weight.