Strength while cutting?

[Birdbrainguy]

What's supposed to happen to your strength when cutting? I'm on my first cut and my gains have essentially come to a stop. Most of my compound lifts are stalling, been at the same bench and squat for weeks while deadlift, OH press, and rows are seeing only slight progress (I'm using a 5-day split so I do other lifts and some isolation as well, similar story). Some days I come in and I even feel like I've lost some strength, but luckily that's usually only for the one session.

I'm strongly considering moving to a 5x5 routine but I don't think there's any way I could keep up with the gains until I go back to bulking. I've lost about 7lb so far without losing much/any strength on most lifts, but without gaining much either. Is this what's supposed to happen when cutting, or am I doing something wrong?

[determined4000]

cutting implies you are in a calorie deficit
muscle building requires a calorie surplus

[AlwaysTryin]

My strength and lifts increase

[Birdbrainguy]

cutting implies you are in a calorie deficit
muscle building requires a calorie surplus

I'm aware of this, but then I see things like this:

My strength and lifts increase

And it makes me doubt things. Do you just have to have good genetics to gain on a cut, or is there some method I'm missing?

[AlwaysTryin]

And it makes me doubt things. Do you just have to have good genetics to gain on a cut, or is there some method I'm missing?

Gain what? I don't gain muscle on a cut

[Birdbrainguy]

Gain what? I don't gain muscle on a cut

Then how do your strength and lifts continue to increase?

I'm not really concerned with continuing to gain size during a cut (wouldn't that be nice). I just like to see progress in my lifts and it seems like some guys (like you?) are able to continue that while cutting, despite the theoretical truth that you need to be in a caloric surplus to do it.

[AlwaysTryin]

Then how do your strength and lifts continue to increase?

You don't have to gain muscle to gain strength

[WonderPug]

cutting implies you are in a calorie deficit
muscle building requires a calorie surplus

FYI: Many people can gain muscle while in a caloric deficit. It's just not easy or efficient compared to a bulking/cutting cycle.

[IronMan2010]

Not sure why this is posted in the Nutrition section lol....But anyways, most people will lose strength when cutting, especially towards the back end of a cut, when carbs are low and cardio is high....i've found the key is keeping up the intensity in the gym....trying to get as heavy weights as you can all the time, ofcourse these weights MAY decrease slightly throughout the cutting stage....but aslong as intensity is kept up in each session, and you hit it hard this shouldn't be a problem

[mickfortis]

I've also lost considerable strength while cutting, mostly on bench press. Before my cut, my bench was 270x6-7... now 3 months into my cut my bench is 270x3....my OHP on the other hand has stayed the same. How the hell do some people gain strength when cutting? My guess is theyre most likely beginners.

[AlwaysTryin]

I've also lost considerable strength while cutting, mostly on bench press. Before my cut, my bench was 270x6-7... now 3 months into my cut my bench is 270x3....my OHP on the other hand has stayed the same. How the hell do some people gain strength when cutting? My guess is theyre most likely beginners.

Not a beginner at all

Squats/deads increase, bench is the only one that can decrease although should maintain

Fix your diet, mentality and intensity

[mickfortis]

Not a beginner at all

Squats/deads increase, bench is the only one that can decrease although should maintain

Fix your diet, mentality and intensity

.......ok.

[Ryan314]

I'm maintaining and increasing strength on my cut cycle right now (Wendler's). Since I know size gains are not happening during a deficit, if there's one thing I can keep increasing it's the weights. Makes cutting a little more enjoyable .

[TunaShakes]

There are to many variables for a simple answer. It depends on how big your calorie deficit is, how much body fat you're carrying, and how low your body fat is relative to what you gravitate towards naturally. It'll be easier to increase lifts with a smaller calorie deficit or to maintain strength, but fat loss will also be slower.