Maintaining LBM w/o lifting?

maruby95

Ok- I will probably sound like a wimp when I say this, but here is goes. It is just too %&^*$ hot here to continue to lift like I have been. Seriously. I live in the Med. and the average temp is 104 and there is NO A/C. We have a few fans running if we're lucky. Even at 8am when the gym opens, the heat just saps my energy and I have a pitiful workout. Feels like a waste of time. It will probably stay like this (stupid hot) for another 6-8 weeks. I've been doing as much walking as possible and some swimming, but nothing intense.

Here's my question: if I just ride it out with as much activity as I can bear, am I going to lose all my progress?? I'm working hard to hit my protein goals (despite having very little appetite in this heat). I occasionally get inspired to do some bodyweight stuff, but haven't gotten through a full workout without feeling like I'm going to pass out. Is bodyweight stuff worth the effort in terms of maintaining my LBM? That's my primary goal until I get back o the heavy weights...maintaining LBM. I can always cut any fat gains later, but I have worked too hard for the little LBM I have to let it slip away!

Thoughts?

SideSteel

Ok- I will probably sound like a wimp when I say this, but here is goes. It is just too %&^*$ hot here to continue to lift like I have been. Seriously. I live in the Med. and the average temp is 104 and there is NO A/C. We have a few fans running if we're lucky. Even at 8am when the gym opens, the heat just saps my energy and I have a pitiful workout. Feels like a waste of time. It will probably stay like this (stupid hot) for another 6-8 weeks. I've been doing as much walking as possible and some swimming, but nothing intense.

Here's my question: if I just ride it out with as much activity as I can bear, am I going to lose all my progress?? I'm working hard to hit my protein goals (despite having very little appetite in this heat). I occasionally get inspired to do some bodyweight stuff, but haven't gotten through a full workout without feeling like I'm going to pass out. Is bodyweight stuff worth the effort in terms of maintaining my LBM? That's my primary goal until I get back o the heavy weights...maintaining LBM. I can always cut any fat gains later, but I have worked too hard for the little LBM I have to let it slip away!

Thoughts?

Whether or not body weight training will be adequate stimulus to retain LBM is context dependent It would be mostly dependent on how much of a stimulus body-weight provides you relative your training development.

The biggest thing you can do to retain LBM is to provide adequate stimulus. Second most important thing would probably be state of energy balance. (Large caloric deficit vs caloric maintenance for example).

Now you can reduce training frequency and training volume, and probably retain LBM on a small deficit with something like 2 days per week of low volume full body training, if that's an option.

I don't mean to give you a grey-area answer but that's sort of the reality of the situation.

maruby95

I totally understand that's it's a grey area. Thanks for the feedback.

I'm pretty much eating at maintenance or a bit higher (with vacation plus my decreased activity), so a large deficit isn't an issue. I will try to focus on getting 2-3 full body sessions in per week, even if at a lower intensity that I was doing before. I guess some stimulus is better than none, right?

I intend to start a proper bulk in the fall when it cools off a bit. It should feel good to eat and really focus on progressing on lifts again .

Chief_Rocka

I will try to focus on getting 2-3 full body sessions in per week, even if at a lower intensity that I was doing before. I guess some stimulus is better than none, right?

Reduce frequency/volume first, try to maintain intensity (i.e. weight on the bar)

maruby95

Yes, ok. That makes sense. Thanks!