Has anyone els found taking a much more minimalist approach to be either just as...

[Chuck2600]

Or more effective?


For the past two months I've cut volume of my workouts way back (legs 22+ sets to 5 sets of heavy squats, + 4 sets iso and 4 sets calfs) and upper body from like 30 sets to 18 sets. Protein from 250g a day to 180-200 and my calorie deficit from loosing 1.5-2lbs a week to losing 3lbs a month. Everything has been much better, my joints don't hurt, my squat is the most it's ever been with much better form and I'm not losing strength like I was on my upper body lifts.

[Lvisaa2]

So you are running a less severe deficit and losing less strength? Yeah... that's kind of the point of a less severe deficit.

[Chuck2600]

So you are running a less severe deficit and losing less strength? Yeah... that's kind of the point of a less severe deficit.

Also volume and protein intake has been cut back though.

[Arabianmuscles]

Honestly, no. I am getting much better results eating 2 grams PRO per lb of BW, training 6 days a week and 32 sets a workout, and taking my supps. As opposed to eating 1 gram per lb of BW, 5 days a week, and taking no supps. Huge difference in my training and overall mood with the first method, I feel like I am god lol.

[mynameisuntz]

Honestly, no. I am getting much better results eating 2 grams PRO per lb of BW, training 6 days a week and 32 sets a workout, and taking my supps. As opposed to eating 1 gram per lb of BW, 5 days a week, and taking no supps. Huge difference in my training and overall mood with the first method, I feel like I am god lol.

I am assuming you're bulking? Might be different to the OP, who is cutting.

[Dexter3000]

Isn't this pretty much the golden rule for cutting? To be in a caloric deficit and minimalise muscle loss by lifting heavy but low volume and frequency + adequate protein intake?

Regardless, gjdm.

[Lvisaa2]

Also volume and protein intake has been cut back though.

My point was all of that is explainable by a less severe deficit. So you attribute it to the all those changes but it could very well just be that you aren't running a hard deficit.

[RugbyTank]

Are you just trying to debunk protein intake?

I know in my current condition my gains are equal to the effort I put in

But since you're a more advanced lifter you should benefit more from a minimilist style.

[Lvisaa2]

But since you're a more advanced lifter you should benefit more from a minimilist style.

No. The more advances you are, the.more advanced programming you need. Taking a PLer with a 225lb squat and putting him on a linear program is easier and more minimal, but you can't so that with a PLer with a 600lb squat - to progress it'll take a much smarter and more advanced program.

[CurltonBench]

>protein intake
no suprise you only need 1g per lb of bodyweight, that is when cutting. while bulking even less.
>diet/strenght
lvisaa covered that pretty well. and also you cutting back on volume worked as a deload after overreaching, so you got stronger/maintained more strength. ofcourse your joints hurt if you dont deload, you cant plan this perfectly though since you always want to just go go go and keep adding weight. check out this vid jasondb posted today. you should alternate between going hard with tons of volume and being minimalist/deloading for optimal healthy injuryfree gains. besides joints dont recover as fast as muscle.

[RugbyTank]

No. The more advances you are, the.more advanced programming you need. Taking a PLer with a 225lb squat and putting him on a linear program is easier and more minimal, but you can't so that with a PLer with a 600lb squat - to progress it'll take a much smarter and more advanced program.

Yeah but he's cutting?

I was thinking under perservation not progression.

[Chuck2600]

Are you just trying to debunk protein intake?

I know in my current condition my gains are equal to the effort I put in

But since you're a more advanced lifter you should benefit more from a minimilist style.

No, I'm just sick of a high protein diet. I much prefer carbs and fats.

[Lvisaa2]

Yeah but he's cutting?

I was thinking under perservation not progression.

Okay.. even while cutting why does a more advanced lifter benefit more from minimalizing?

[Chuck2600]

Okay.. even while cutting why does a more advanced lifter benefit more from minimalizing?

Lyle McDonald said so bruh...

[RugbyTank]

Okay.. even while cutting why does a more advanced lifter benefit more from minimalizing?

Not trying to argue with you because you aremore knowledgeable.

I also re-read my but i meant to type " But since you're a more advanced lifter I'd assumeyou should benefit more from a minimilist style. "

Wouldn't a more advanced w/o regime + caloric deficiet stress the body faster therefore your body would be unable to maintain that type of environment for long periods?

Your body would divert its energy into surviving that stress over becoming more efficient at handling it.
I have nothing to back this up, its just what I feel would be proper.

Either way NMisc has been dull lately, instead of being a bystander I will show my ignorance for conversational purposes.

[snrygo]

Also volume and protein intake has been cut back though.

so you have less structural fatigue and were probably eating more PRO than you needed but are still sufficient in the latter.


okay........

[Arabianmuscles]

I am assuming you're bulking? Might be different to the OP, who is cutting.

Ah phuck me, I completely disregarded that lol. But yeah, I'm bulking. I'm really happy I increased my protein though, gains are going through the roof with this new intake. Not saying it's necessary for everyone, but it's working so I'm not gonna question it lol.

[Lvisaa2]

Not trying to argue with you because you aremore knowledgeable.

I also re-read my but i meant to type " But since you're a more advanced lifter I'd assumeyou should benefit more from a minimilist style. "

Wouldn't a more advanced w/o regime + caloric deficiet stress the body faster therefore your body would be unable to maintain that type of environment for long periods?

Your body would divert its energy into surviving that stress over becoming more efficient at handling it.
I have nothing to back this up, its just what I feel would be proper.

Either way NMisc has been dull lately, instead of being a bystander I will show my ignorance for conversational purposes.

This isn't a minimalistic strategy. What you are talking about is a deload. Deloads are needed and beneficial, but they aren't a minimalistic strategy. As you advance, it requires greater levels of stress to promote hypertrophy and strength gains as such your routines need to be adjusted.

Ah phuck me, I completely disregarded that lol. But yeah, I'm bulking. I'm really happy I increased my protein though, gains are going through the roof with this new intake. Not saying it's necessary for everyone, but it's working so I'm not gonna question it lol.

A surplus would result in less need for protein, not more.

[brendbro]

its funny, ive never been happier with gym progress (not to mention how i look) and ive never been more 'lazy'/minimalistic when it comes to nutrition.

with that being said im all for a higher protein intake

[Chuck2600]

Well my squat is now at it's highest, my form is more controlled and deeper then it's ever been, also my knees don't constantly hurt. I went from doing 20+ sets for hammies+quads (5 squats, 4 leg press, 4 lunges, +6-8 isolation) to just 5X5 squats and maybe 4 isolation exercises + calf work.

[DaBubzy]

For me, sometimes trying to justify a 'minimalist' approach is a way of psychologically half ass-ing a workout, so I avoid it as much as I can. Might experiment when it comes time to get all emo cut time tho, just depends on me lifts

[Lvisaa2]

Lyle McDonald said so bruh...

I just saw this but I doubt Lyle said an advanced lifter needs a more minimal approach than a beginner. What he likely said was people benefit from a more minimal routine while cutting, but that wasn't what we are talking about.

I'm more than happy to look at a quote if he does say that, though.

[RugbyTank]

What he likely said was people benefit from a more minimal routine while cutting, but that wasn't what we are talking about.

Ooooo I thought it it was.

[Lvisaa2]

Ooooo I thought it it was.

Here is what you said:

But since you're a more advanced lifter you should benefit more from a minimilist style.

Notice the bolded. By writing it in this way, you are suggesting that, because he is an advanced lifter he will benefit more from a minimalist strategy. AKA a less advanced lifter would benefit less from a minimalist strategy. Which isn't true. If you were just saying that people should modulate their volume and intensity during a cut then I agree.

[RugbyTank]

:'(

I ....Just....Don't know any more....

[texicus]

I just saw this but I doubt Lyle said an advanced lifter needs a more minimal approach than a beginner. What he likely said was people benefit from a more minimal routine while cutting, but that wasn't what we are talking about.

I'm more than happy to look at a quote if he does say that, though.

I'm going to look for this quote later, it sounds familiar

it was a long post (or maybe an article, perhaps the frequency or volume one) where he just made a generalized statement that lots of lifters will be doing a 5-6x/week routine hitting each body part one time a week, which isn't optimal; concluded with saying that the majority of natural trainees would benefit from simplifying it to 40-60 reps/bodypart per workout, and each bodypart would be worked twice a week

as opposed to 10-20+ sets for everything once a week, or something else out of flex magazine, whatever

[Lvisaa2]

I'm going to look for this quote later, it sounds familiar

it was a long post (or maybe an article, perhaps the frequency or volume one) where he just made a generalized statement that lots of lifters will be doing a 5-6x/week routine hitting each body part one time a week, which isn't optimal; concluded with saying that the majority of natural trainees would benefit from simplifying it to 40-60 reps/bodypart per workout, and each bodypart would be worked twice a week

as opposed to 10-20+ sets for everything once a week, or something else out of flex magazine, whatever

Okay... that does not even begin to address what I was talking about. Here is the simple question:

Does a more advanced lifter benefit more than a less advanced lifter from a minimalist approach? NO. jaiosdfjioasddfjoasdf < that's how you people make me feel.

:'(

I ....Just....Don't know any more....

All good. I just think we were talking about different things.

[texicus]

Okay... that does not even begin to address what I was talking about. Here is the simple question:

Does a more advanced lifter benefit more than a less advanced lifter from a minimalist approach? NO. jaiosdfjioasddfjoasdf < that's how you people make me feel.

ok
I assume reps per workout and frequency are aspects of how advanced or minimalist a lifting routine/approach is

I did read and comprehend your post before posting, and thought frequency + volume were relevant

[Andrew_S]

Alberto talked about something along these lines also. Simplicity in exercise selection, but more advanced periodization with those lifts.

[Lvisaa2]

ok
I assume reps per workout and frequency are aspects of how advanced or minimalist a lifting routine/approach is

I did read and comprehend your post before posting, and thought frequency + volume were relevant

... So you think a more advanced lifter benefits from a more minimalistic approach than a beginner? Your first post did not address this and neither does your second.