[akjose]

Just wondering what is good for cutting. I've been bulking for quite some time now and have put on alot of fat. Need to cut it back down.

I want to start doing high reps and high sets, like 20x5 or should i do more sets less reps or more reps?

Seems like high reps more sets would be good because it keeps the heart rate up.

Thanks,
Aaron

[Newlife4me]

I wouldn't really say more sets are needed, I think it's just a matter of keeping the heart rate up, I'd try adding in more supersets. If you keep the heart rate up it's essentially like doing cardio at a long interval. Just my thoughts man.

[RenegadeRows]

lifting shouldnt change because of goals. only diet and cardio.

with that said lifting heavier weights produces a more ripped effect in the short term

[SilentBob187]

lifting shouldnt change because of goals.

but lifting routines should change regularly.

[Link24]

If it took heavy weights to build muscle what do you think you have to do to keep the muscle. I personally have had great results with lifting heavy during cuts, to possibly gain strength and to preserve the muscle I have built in my bulking periods.

I second what newlife4me stated really heavy supersets are great for fat buring and keeping the heart rate elevated.

[Rodja]

Add in cardio and a mild (~10%) kcal deficit. This is all you need to change while cutting, not your lifting routine.

[VolcomX311]

Add in cardio and a mild (~10%) kcal deficit. This is all you need to change while cutting, not your lifting routine.

Preach bishop

[akjose]

Alright so with that said, if i keep the same routine, or somewhat the same, and i do cardio 3x a week, sometime 5x....just start doing it two times a day? and cut my cal intake.

[jminis]

Add in cardio and a mild (~10%) kcal deficit. This is all you need to change while cutting, not your lifting routine.

I like this advice

[Thixotrope]

piggy backing on what's already been established (cardio and calorie deficits are needed for "cutting")...

Higher rep ranges are sometimes employed when bodyfat percentages get low to minimize the risk of injury as opposed to continually pounding the heavy weights. The cardiovascular benefits of doing 20 reps instead of 10 isn't that substantial to label it as such. Higher reps do not facilitate cutting per se but are used to propel you toward your ultimate goal without sidelining you via an injury.

Your connective tissue has less support when dieting due to reduced bodyfat and less nutrient support which is inherent from the diet itself. Heavy ass weights (<6 reps) could put a hurting on you if were in contest shape and you weren't careful. I'm not saying it can't be done but better safe than sorry.

[Laxislife1265]

For wrestling what I will do is just eat salad, eggs, chicken, and tofu. While doing lots of running, lifting and drilling nonstop. In essence what im saying is low calorie, high cardio. Haha as if you havent heard that already. But seriously I cut 10lbs in 4 days for my first tourny. Granted some of that might have been water but even 5 lbs in 4 days is GREAT. So again eat right, work hard.

[Rodja]

For wrestling what I will do is just eat salad, eggs, chicken, and tofu. While doing lots of running, lifting and drilling nonstop. In essence what im saying is low calorie, high cardio. Haha as if you havent heard that already. But seriously I cut 10lbs in 4 days for my first tourny. Granted some of that might have been water but even 5 lbs in 4 days is GREAT. So again eat right, work hard.

10 lbs in 4 days for wrestling ain't sh!t. I know guys that cut 15-18 lbs overnight. All you're doing is depleting your water and burning off glycogen.

[Laxislife1265]

I wasn't starving myself or dehydrating...

[Rodja]

I wasn't starving myself or dehydrating...

Calorically speaking, yes you were. Also, you were dehydrating yourself due to the cardio and training that you were doing. I never said you were restricting water; I don't cut out fluid until the day of weigh-ins because it severely impairs your recovery. What you did is not fat loss, it is cutting weight. There is a huge difference between the two.

[MEH89]

Calorically speaking, yes you were. Also, you were dehydrating yourself due to the cardio and training that you were doing. I never said you were restricting water; I don't cut out fluid until the day of weigh-ins because it severely impairs your recovery. What you did is not fat loss, it is cutting weight. There is a huge difference between the two.

Rodja is 100% right, listen to him and youll be fine. I have cut 12 for powerlifting 160 to 148 in two days. Mark

[Laxislife1265]

yeesh... 10 really is nothing

[Force of Green]

As an endo-meso, I find that by doing too low of reps (going for a higher weight) is not in my best interest for cutting. I kinda got over the whole, "HEY come quick! I'm plugging the pin all the way at the bottom," or "Dude, tell the gym to order heavier dumbells... 'cause I'm MAXIN' OUT!" hahaha...

In all out bulk fiascos, which I don't even do anymore, I'd use the higher weight/lower rep thing. Reps 12-15 for ME and many others are good parameters to shoot for while on a cut. I'm not saying that it will 'cut you up' or you will 'tone muscle'... lol.. but HIT and/or HIIT with the rep range of above 12 will keep my lifts intensified with the additional time under load.

[Force of Green]

10 lbs in 4 days for wrestling ain't sh!t. I know guys that cut 15-18 lbs overnight. All you're doing is depleting your water and burning off glycogen.

Yeah, unless he keeps it up for a while and his body finally starts purging fat into the blood to be expended for fuel.

[SureShot]

I have been using rep ranges from 6-20, when i cut, i superset, cardio in the traditional sense is something I almost never do. Slight caloric deficit like Rodja said and you will be cut in no time.

[Force of Green]

I have been using rep ranges from 6-20, when i cut, i superset, cardio in the traditional sense is something I almost never do. Slight caloric deficit like Rodja said and you will be cut in no time.

Cardio and aerobics are not synonymous. Aerobic exercises are cardiovascular-enhancing protocol, however, HIT and HIIT tend to have most of the hear-rate in the anaerobic range and are great cardio protocol as well. You are likely doing cardio while you weight train for a cutting phase without even realizing it.

[SureShot]

Cardio and aerobics are not synonymous. Aerobic exercises are cardiovascular-enhancing protocol, however, HIT and HIIT tend to have most of the hear-rate in the anaerobic range and are great cardio protocol as well. You are likely doing cardio while you weight train for a cutting phase without even realizing it.

Thats exactly it, which is why I never do the 45-60min on the treadmill protocol that a lot of people follow. At my most muscular/ripped stage all I did was cut out most breads and basically did i weight training with minimal rest between sets.

[Laxislife1265]

Yeah, unless he keeps it up for a while and his body finally starts purging fat into the blood to be expended for fuel.

Which i did. I stayed at 130 without any extra effort the entire winter season.

[Force of Green]

Thats exactly it, which is why I never do the 45-60min on the treadmill protocol that a lot of people follow. At my most muscular/ripped stage all I did was cut out most breads and basically did i weight training with minimal rest between sets.

...All breads except Ezekiel bread of course

[Force of Green]

Which i did. I stayed at 130 without any extra effort the entire winter season.

Yeah, once your muscles and liver purge out the glycogen and you (assuming your mentality is strong enough) break through that 'wall', it's all fat melting off like a stick of butter in a medium-high skillet.

[Laxislife1265]

so i was burning fat... hmm