strength loss while cutting
- Thread starter klint
- Start date
jimbuick
Legend
Holy crap that is a ridiculously low amount of calories.....
TexasGuy
Active member
Why are you eating so few calories? You really shouldn't push such a deficit for too long. Stay around 500 under maintenance and be patient.
Generally on a cut I feel I lose energy more than strength myself. I don't really concern myself with percentages but I'm definitely tired quicker and lifting less. When I go back to maintenance or a bulk my energy levels come back within a few days and my strength is right where I left it in most cases.
In your case though, I would be concerned about genuinly losing strength along with muscle mass at such a deficit.
If I remember correctly, you have the thread about the modified 5x5. 5x5 is for strength gains, adaptable to strength and mass gains, both of which require a caloric surplus.
It can be used to cut, any caloric expenditure leads to weight loss but you are going to crash with this diet on the routine outlined in that thread.
Generally on a cut I feel I lose energy more than strength myself. I don't really concern myself with percentages but I'm definitely tired quicker and lifting less. When I go back to maintenance or a bulk my energy levels come back within a few days and my strength is right where I left it in most cases.
In your case though, I would be concerned about genuinly losing strength along with muscle mass at such a deficit.
If I remember correctly, you have the thread about the modified 5x5. 5x5 is for strength gains, adaptable to strength and mass gains, both of which require a caloric surplus.
It can be used to cut, any caloric expenditure leads to weight loss but you are going to crash with this diet on the routine outlined in that thread.
klint
Member
Hi texas dame that 5x5 is bloody taxing!!!! i cant wait for my nutrition plan to be drawn up. but this refuction in kcals has worked but after last training i was hammered half way through. my macros are shot. 60/25/10 p.c.fats. So i know thats why i am tired and am sure i have lost both fat and muscle mass. tried to eat some carbs to day but am only on 115 grams but thats alot on this cut. tbh i dont want to lose my strength anymore so going to bring kcals back up .
boogyman
Active member
Heavy weights, low reps helps maintain strength while cutting. Reduce volume, cut out any "fluff" movements if applicable.
I am going through the same thing right now. Although I am not cutting as drastically as you, doing 5-3-1 with the BBB template is not working for for me as some day I am just running out of gas. I am going to reduce my lifting from 4 days to 3 a week, and give Reverse Pyramid training a shot. You basically warm up, do a heavy set and then 1 more set at 10-15% less weight and move on to the next movement.
I am going through the same thing right now. Although I am not cutting as drastically as you, doing 5-3-1 with the BBB template is not working for for me as some day I am just running out of gas. I am going to reduce my lifting from 4 days to 3 a week, and give Reverse Pyramid training a shot. You basically warm up, do a heavy set and then 1 more set at 10-15% less weight and move on to the next movement.
klint
Member
Def agree with the high wieght low reps for trying to keep strength. hope it works out for u pal. got a heavy high volume day tomorrow so prob 2x ECA and double proGFX should get me through it.
saggy321
Well-known member
Mate...believe...this is a disaster waiting to happen. Kcals that low, lifting heavy and taking ECA - at some point soon your body will just give up and you will potentially be out of the gym for weeks if not months.
klint
Member
Cheers for ur concern but it works for me. but Agree my body has had enough. muscles r flatter strength has dropped 25lb s on most lifts and stalled on the others will alowly increace kcals to 2450 THAT will make alot of difference i am sure. then will up them again to 2900 after that . thanks for all ur concerns cheers. oh bf dropped quite alot though lol. but it has been noticed in the gym and heads have been scrached. wtf is he up to lol
saggy321
Well-known member
Its good that you've taken advice on board and not bullishly pushed through the tiredness and other signals from your body. I only raise such concern, because I too have been through this, but instead of reversing the trend like you are doing, I continued with stims and suffered very badly. The two months after I crashed were the worst of my life!
klint
Member
Is that a "very good period of recovery"????
klint
Member
Sorry to here that mate. I think these forums have helped many people learn from the mistakes of us all
Rodja
Board Sponsor
Quite the opposite. A very long period of recovery.
saggy321
Well-known member
This is no exaggeration; I crashed at the end of Feb last year and didn't return to normal capacity until January this year.