Cutting and Splits

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Go Reg Park on this bitch. Wouldn't need much warm up after squats.

Quote of the day.

I think I will take you up on that challenge.

[elijah]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Squats 3 sets 10
Leg Extensions 3x10
Bench 3 sets 10
Chest Flies 3x10
SLDL 3 sets 10
Ham Curls 3x10
Press 3 sets 10
Laterals 3x10
Rows 3 sets 10
Shrugs 3x10
Curls 3 sets 10
Extensions 3x10

Go Reg Park on this bitch. Wouldn't need much warm up after squats.

Holy sh!t, this ends up being one session? 36 sets and 120 reps!?!? Unreal...

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by elijah

Holy sh!t, this ends up being one session? 36 sets and 120 reps!?!? Unreal...

Yeah I was doing stuff like that around 3-4 times a week, took about an hour each time. So there had to be very short rest periods. With a lot of protein and a small to no calorie deficit it was a good way to get in shape fast. The weights were understandably very low (relatively speaking).

Looks a bit nuts I know, but I really liked it for a lot of reasons.

[elijah]

What % of your 1 rep max are you working in to be able to even complete this workout? Very intriguing...

[Fazc]

It varied with the exercise, with Bench and Chins you could still go pretty high on percentage. Squats would just wipe you out though, so a lower percentage there and just try and survive. Here take a look:

Fazc's Log

[Soldier]

I can see that type of volume working well to burn cals and maintain size, but I'd be concerned with loss of strength with no sets under 10.

I'm interested in what you guys are saying. I'm currently planning my training for an upcoming cut where maintaining strength will be a major goal.

[jdmalm123]

I'd lean more towards full-body. A split is more of a body-building approach IMO. For full body strength, use full-body workouts.

I think the split is really for two main purposes...economy of time considering when hitting all body parts 2x/week (typically) and also to offset the lower energy from a cutting diet that bodybuilders are on 12 or so weeks at a time.

I know you are cutting, but I wouldn't worry about changing the routine until you noticed a meaningful drop in strength. Think about it....when your food intake is no longer keeping up with your exertion, where is that energy going to come from? That's right, stored body fat!

Yes, that will be a crappy few weeks of transition, but that's what you want...expect it!

[jdmalm123]

Originally Posted by Soldier

I can see that type of volume working well to burn cals and maintain size, but I'd be concerned with loss of strength with no sets under 10.

I'm interested in what you guys are saying. I'm currently planning my training for an upcoming cut where maintaining strength will be a major goal.

From what I've read and tried (a little), you can drop volume and keep weights heavy to maintain strength.

Steve is going to have to find a good balance because you don't want to keep dialing back intensity as you lower food or your net calories might basically break even....

Hypothetical example:

3000 kcals ingested - 3200 kcals burned lifting heavy = 200 kcal deficit

2000 kcals ingested - 2200 kcals burned lifting light/moderate = 200 kcal deficit

You could sacrifice strength for an almost meaningless change in calorie exchange...

[Soldier]

Originally Posted by jdmalm123

From what I've read and tried (a little), you can drop volume and keep weights heavy to maintain strength.

Steve is going to have to find a good balance because you don't want to keep dialing back intensity as you lower food or your net calories might basically break even....

Hypothetical example:

3000 kcals ingested - 3200 kcals burned lifting heavy = 200 kcal deficit

2000 kcals ingested - 2200 kcals burned lifting light/moderate = 200 kcal deficit

You could sacrifice strength for an almost meaningless change in calorie exchange...

That was my point. Fazc is suggesting higher reps and lots of volume with high frequency while cutting. I wanted to see if he thought this could have negative consequences if maintaining strength is a principal goal. I've always read and believed that you have to give your body a "reason" to keep muscle mass by training heavy even while cutting. If anyone disagrees with that, I'm interested in what they have to say, especially BTB or Fazc.

[jdmalm123]

Originally Posted by Soldier

That was my point. Fazc is suggesting higher reps and lots of volume with high frequency while cutting. I wanted to see if he thought this could have negative consequences if maintaining strength is a principal goal. I've always read and believed that you have to give your body a "reason" to keep muscle mass by training heavy even while cutting. If anyone disagrees with that, I'm interested in what they have to say, especially BTB or Fazc.

I hear ya.

What Fazc is saying then is what I would call the concession to decreased energy (for heavy lifting). You may also be trading myofibrillar size for sarcoplasmic size...

I think BtB's real goal is to lose body fat, so Fazc may be prescribing a better approach for that, but Steve will have to understand strength may suffer...