Do your workouts change much when starting your cut?

[Makk]

Just curious to what you guys think is the best rep range, rest time, light/heavy weight?

Ive been following some advice I got from FLEX in there Jan/feb issue 2010...
Says here that we should alternate between light and heavy training with high intensity to get our heart rate up, therfore burning more calories, Ill give you guys an example of what they suggest for a tri workout(ill just throw in any exercises here)

Close-grip bench 3x6-8
Overhead db extension 3x8-10
Tricep pushdown 3x15-20
Db kickbacks 3x20-25*drop set

All with 30 secs rest.

Has anyone else used a workout routine similar to this? What do you guys think ?

[Vaporize]

don't turn your weight training sessions into cardio sessions. let the diet and cardio take care of the fat.

[Makk]

don't turn your weight training sessions into cardio sessions. let the diet and cardio take care of the fat.

this is what im beginning to think...
Any specific rep range,weights I should stick too then?
Or could I basically just do as I please, if my diet is 100%

[Withoutreason]

this is what im beginning to think...
Any specific rep range,weights I should stick too then?
Or could I basically just do as I please, if my diet is 100%

5-12 is a good rep range IMO

[fitlover]

My training stayed the same. What got you the muscle is what's going to help you keep it.

The only time my training changes is during peak week, and in the cardio aspect (I do more, obviously). Other than that, you really can't go wrong training hard and heavy like you did in the off-season. Especially on a calorie deficit, it will help you retain muscle.

[Cumulonimbus]

Weight training is the exact same off season and when dieting. I just change my diet, lower my carb intake, play around with my fat intake and raise my protein intake. I also add a bit of cardio but not too much. i.e. HIIT 2 times a week and steady state cardio 25 min 4-5 times a week.

My rep range is anywhere from 6-10, sometimes 12 reps at most.

Let the diet and slight amount of cardio burn the fat, not the weight training itself.

Edit: Give yourself more rest between sets and get rid of those 15+ rep ranges.

[co1e_train]

My training stayed the same. What got you the muscle is what's going to help you keep it.

The lovely Miss Fit is spot on. The heavy weights and intensity that put the muscle there will keep it there.

[devo09]

Just make every set count, a lot of guys throw in extra fluff/sculpting/gay exercises and that is the last thing you want to do.

Volume and/or frequency should probably be decreased...just a little bit.

[I.B.M]

Honestly I question the belief that one must maintain offseason loads to maintain muscle. The reality is that if your diet is on point in terms of calories and protein then it is extremely difficult to lose considerable muscle mass.

Sure one should continue to train heavy but one must be willing to lighten loads and stay away from lower rep ranges if it ensures injury prevention.

[CrabDelts]

My rest time becomes shorter because I have less energy and focus so the sooner I can get done with as little wasted energy as possible the better. I also cheat less, use momentum less, and become less explosive gradually as the comp nears.

[lth]

whatever builds muscle will keep it....like vaporize said, let the diet and cardio burn the fat....keep training heavy.

[Rsardinia]

Absolutely the same except for the added cardio (never did much cardio before).

[devo09]

So really the only difference should be that you should start focusing on the contraction and the MMC (Mind muscle connection). It would also be a good idea to add in some exercises like cable crossovers and lunges (high reps and lightweight), this will help bring in deeper striations and detail and give a more "polished" look

[bwelch1985]

So really the only difference should be that you should start focusing on the contraction and the MMC (Mind muscle connection). It would also be a good idea to add in some exercises like cable crossovers and lunges (high reps and lightweight), this will help bring in deeper striations and detail and give a more "polished" look

notsureifserious?....o_O

i think someone hijacked Devo's account...

[Exa123]

So really the only difference should be that you should start focusing on the contraction and the MMC (Mind muscle connection). It would also be a good idea to add in some exercises like cable crossovers and lunges (high reps and lightweight), this will help bring in deeper striations and detail and give a more "polished" look

Bro....the leg extensions to etch in the deeper striations

[thebasil]

tricep kickbacks to get that long head to really pop too

[I.B.M]

tricep kickbacks to get that long head to really pop too

make sure you do it on a cable with the least amount of weight possible and do FST-7^2 training with it (70 sets of 100 reps with 5 seconds rest between sets)

really gets the fat burning enzymes into the deep tissue fascia






















lulz

[FATHER FLEX]

tricep kickbacks to get that long head to really pop too

Phucken Chris..LOL

Good article on this, and few other wrong turns you want to avoid.

http://www.3dmusclejourney.com/articles-common-contest-prep-mistakes.php

[Slovation]

The answer to all your questions.....













































P90X! with the added shake weight for men.

[I.B.M]

P90X! with the added shake weight for men.

LOL

A couple weeks ago I sat down to do some heavy DB extensions but this skinny kid next to me assumed I was going to do shoulder press so he went on to tell me how I should do each rep unilaterally so that I use more "stability muscles".

When I asked him WTF he was talking about he looked surprised and responded "wait you don't do P90X?".

[Cytrainer913]

You must maintain the heavy exercises just like everyine has said but that again is in accordance with how your strength does drop a bit as you diet down for the shows so it's all realtive to what you can handle along the way but don't get all into other ways of dropping more muscle let the diet and the cardio bring in the final touches, it's not the exercises, but the diet that drops the bodyfat over muscles, once that is all gone, then striations will be very easy to see!

I believe there is a need to hit the many varied rep ranges anyway like Power/Hypertrophy and even like a heavy/light/medium style training cycle

[sloboda]

i actually went from a typical 5 day split too power/hypertrophy at 16 weeks out. i'm extremely happy with my choice