Reps/weight when cutting question

[dgtheory]

Hello,

I need to cut (got too fat, also on lots of prednisone). Should I switch to less weight/more reps, and if so, what percent of my normal load should I lift? Or should I just keep lifting as heavy as I can?

5'11"
225lbs

Bench: 205lbs (2 reps)
Squat: 280lbs (5+ reps)
Deadlift: 325lbs (5+ reps)
OHP: 150lbs (5 reps)

I'd appreciate your advice on this. Thanks!

[EB68]

I would keep lifting heavy as possible. You may lose a little strength along the way, but that is normal.

[dgtheory]

I would keep lifting heavy as possible. You may lose a little strength along the way, but that is normal.

Cool, thanks! I'll keep at it then!

[cmoore]

What grows a muscle on a bulk will spare a muscle on a cut.

GL

[frozensparky]

I lift the same when I'm bulking or cutting. May lose a little weight while cutting but I still keep in the 6-10 rep range for most of my lifts. If I can get 10 on all 4 sets pretty easy then I move it up. If I fall below 6 then I drop it down. Very rare for me to have to drop other than the last few weeks before comp

[Jtbny]

What grows a muscle on a bulk will spare a muscle on a cut.

GL

This should be in a fortune cookie

[BearLovesLuna]

Hello,

I need to cut (got too fat, also on lots of prednisone). Should I switch to less weight/more reps, and if so, what percent of my normal load should I lift? Or should I just keep lifting as heavy as I can?

5'11"
225lbs

Bench: 205lbs (2 reps)
Squat: 280lbs (5+ reps)
Deadlift: 325lbs (5+ reps)
OHP: 150lbs (5 reps)

I'd appreciate your advice on this. Thanks!

Can't recall if it was McDonald or who (Martin Berkhan?) who wrote some pretty extensive stuff on this- do not go to metabolic lifting versus stress/tension lifting on a cut. Period.

Without trying to sound like a mad scientist (which I am not- I just read and believe what they said) you have to keep your body believing it needs to preserve that muscle through use.

The only thing the articles said was, you MIGHT reduce either frequency (times per week) or set/rep counts, but you would keep, or in some cases, maybe even INCREASE the load. For your purposes (strength training), your sets and reps don't allow for a lot of reduction in numbers, so you might reduce frequency of workouts. Someone with far more reps/sets (BB) would maybe drop from say, 155lbs, 10 reps, 5 sets, to say 155lbs, 6 reps, 3 sets, or even, 160, 6 reps, 2 sets.

I think the key is, your "set" weight should not reduce, your reps can, your set count can, and your frequency per week can- but this is only meant to accommodate your caloric deficit. Still lift the same amount (or even a SMIDGE more) weight for less reps/sets, less often.

"Tell" your body "I need to keep this" is essentially the message you need to send...

[N2T]

Not to hijack the thread, but at what point is it a good idea to do high reps low weight. Seems almost 90% of the time or more people say push more weight..but at some point is the high rep stuff going to give you a break or allow your body to recover from the constant stress to push? Is there any benefit at all? Also, if it's a slow cut, can you still put on muscle at all, or are you going to lose it no matter what you do?

[JOHN GARGANI]

Not to hijack the thread, but at what point is it a good idea to do high reps low weight. Seems almost 90% of the time or more people say push more weight..but at some point is the high rep stuff going to give you a break or allow your body to recover from the constant stress to push? Is there any benefit at all? Also, if it's a slow cut, can you still put on muscle at all, or are you going to lose it no matter what you do?

all very good questions!!

the trick is to realize that when you do need a "break", so to speak, it is not necessary to do a Jack La Lanne type of workout, meaning, you should NEVER have to do VERY light weights for untold repetitions, except, as maybe a burning movement at the end of a workout.

you take a break by backing off A BIT, because as you have discovered it is NOT possible to continually add weight.

and yes, if you are doing a slow fat loss you most certainly will continue to add lean mass....

people always forget that you make progress also by persistence, and , working out regularly, regardless of how much weight you add, is a plus.