Advice on cutting and bulking
Ashleebee1995
Posts: 24 Member
Hi,
I'm new to the phases 'cutting' and bulking'. So I just need some advice.
A bit about my past in the gym. I started out boxing around 6 years ago where I when from 12 stone to 10 stone. I stopped boxing around 4 years ago and went onto circuit training. I've gone up to 11 stone or above since then. my strength has defiantly improved! And I have noticed my legs, arms and back have become more solid. I was under the belief that eating 1300-1500 calories a day, really low carbs would help me get the desired shredded look (not working).
So I've been doing some research and found out about 'cutting' and 'bulking'. So I did this formula to workout what my calories/Marcos should be to cut efficiently without losing to much muscle:
Calories needed = (166×12) = 1,992
Protein = 166 x 1 = 166g
Fat = 166 x 0.4 = 66g
Protein and fat calories = (166 x 4) + (66 x 9) = 1,258
Carbs = (1,992 – 1,258) ÷ 4 = 183g
Daily Macros = 166g protein, 66g fat, 183g carbs, 1992 calories.
Training plan:
Monday - Arms + Cardio
Tuesday - Back + cardio
Wednesday - Active rest (dog walk)
Thursday -Shoulders and chest + cardio
Friday - Legs
Saturday - Compound lifts + HIIT cardio
Sunday - Rest
(focusing on progressive overload with good form. keep weight heavy, 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets)
Body stats:
Age - 24
Female
Weight - 166kg
5 foot 6
Around 22-25% body fat I'd say, but can't be 100% certain.
Any advice or tips would be appreciate
thanks!
I'm new to the phases 'cutting' and bulking'. So I just need some advice.
A bit about my past in the gym. I started out boxing around 6 years ago where I when from 12 stone to 10 stone. I stopped boxing around 4 years ago and went onto circuit training. I've gone up to 11 stone or above since then. my strength has defiantly improved! And I have noticed my legs, arms and back have become more solid. I was under the belief that eating 1300-1500 calories a day, really low carbs would help me get the desired shredded look (not working).
So I've been doing some research and found out about 'cutting' and 'bulking'. So I did this formula to workout what my calories/Marcos should be to cut efficiently without losing to much muscle:
Calories needed = (166×12) = 1,992
Protein = 166 x 1 = 166g
Fat = 166 x 0.4 = 66g
Protein and fat calories = (166 x 4) + (66 x 9) = 1,258
Carbs = (1,992 – 1,258) ÷ 4 = 183g
Daily Macros = 166g protein, 66g fat, 183g carbs, 1992 calories.
Training plan:
Monday - Arms + Cardio
Tuesday - Back + cardio
Wednesday - Active rest (dog walk)
Thursday -Shoulders and chest + cardio
Friday - Legs
Saturday - Compound lifts + HIIT cardio
Sunday - Rest
(focusing on progressive overload with good form. keep weight heavy, 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets)
Body stats:
Age - 24
Female
Weight - 166kg
5 foot 6
Around 22-25% body fat I'd say, but can't be 100% certain.
Any advice or tips would be appreciate
thanks!0
Replies
-
When I'm cutting I try to work each muscle group at least twice a week. If I don't, I will lose muscle as evidenced by a loss of measurement (tape measure) without a matching fat loss measurement (calipers).
So, if this is your first cut, that's my first bit of advice, twice a week per muscle is a maintenance level lifting in my world.
Second bit of advice, take lots of measurements and track even non-measurable things like how you feel or how well you slept or if it was a crazy stressful day. If I'm on a cut, then I'm way more sensitive to a lack of sleep or lack of good nutrition or stress. Life happens, and while I don't notice it hitting my lifting as hard when I'm eating at maintenance, it's painfully obvious that it has an impact when I'm cutting and I don't beat myself up or get worried if I have a bad lifting day when I know the root cause.
Third and final advice, don't be surprised if you don't progress as fast when you are on a cut. Also, don't be surprised if you don't progress consistently even if that's something you normally do. Your body will be struggling for resources, and that's by design, so just be aware that it's normal not to progress as quickly or consistently when cutting as you do at maintenance.
You macro and calorie goals look good to me, and best of luck reaching your goals!!!1 -
I’ve been looking at bulking and cutting phases too.
At the moment I’m bulking in order to gain another 3lbs. Then I’ll cut taking my calories to 1,800 calories a day. I find I gain weight eating 2,200 calories a day. I’m 5’9” and 12st/168lbs currently.
I think the general rule is 1g of protein per lb of lean body mass to build muscle. A little higher for cutting and a little lower for maintaining.
Your workout looks fine but I’ve found I’m getting better results after starting a full body workout. Splitting your sets across workouts seems to be the general consensus these days.1 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »When I'm cutting I try to work each muscle group at least twice a week. If I don't, I will lose muscle as evidenced by a loss of measurement (tape measure) without a matching fat loss measurement (calipers).
So, if this is your first cut, that's my first bit of advice, twice a week per muscle is a maintenance level lifting in my world.
Second bit of advice, take lots of measurements and track even non-measurable things like how you feel or how well you slept or if it was a crazy stressful day. If I'm on a cut, then I'm way more sensitive to a lack of sleep or lack of good nutrition or stress. Life happens, and while I don't notice it hitting my lifting as hard when I'm eating at maintenance, it's painfully obvious that it has an impact when I'm cutting and I don't beat myself up or get worried if I have a bad lifting day when I know the root cause.
Third and final advice, don't be surprised if you don't progress as fast when you are on a cut. Also, don't be surprised if you don't progress consistently even if that's something you normally do. Your body will be struggling for resources, and that's by design, so just be aware that it's normal not to progress as quickly or consistently when cutting as you do at maintenance.
You macro and calorie goals look good to me, and best of luck reaching your goals!!!
Hi!
Thanks for the advice! I'd probably struggle to hit each muscle group twice per week. Would the Compound Lifts substitute that?
Thanks
0 -
I don't know exactly what muscle groups you are working for your compound lifts, or for your cardio either - don't discount that as a muscle group exercise, if you are jogging or rowing, or whatever for cardio, you are still activating muscle groups with body weight and that could count as a "second strength day" even if it isn't traditional lifting. I would expect something like boxing to hit a lot of muscle groups, and body weight exercises are still strength training.
Plus, everyone is a bit different. You are much younger than me, so you might maintain muscle even with less stimulation.2 -
Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
6 -
Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.2 -
Is there an expectation of a lot of muscle growth when cutting?
I aim to maintain muscle when cutting.0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.1 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.
A person who is newer to lifting or following a less optimal program, can absolutely see big increases in strength. They won't see huge muscle gains but a more optimal program and good nutrition can lead to muscle gains in a deficit. That has been demonstrated in even intermediate lifters.
Given the OP is already fairly lean, a better program will aid her overall goals muscle better than just bro-split, given the OP was about cutting and bulking.1 -
I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.0 -
-
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.
☝🏽☝🏽
Yes, I’m trying to cut first. Once I’ve done that and I can see what I am working with I will then bulking and building muscle and repeat that cycle.
0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.
A person who is newer to lifting or following a less optimal program, can absolutely see big increases in strength. They won't see huge muscle gains but a more optimal program and good nutrition can lead to muscle gains in a deficit. That has been demonstrated in even intermediate lifters.
Given the OP is already fairly lean, a better program will aid her overall goals muscle better than just bro-split, given the OP was about cutting and bulking.
What sort of plan would you suggest?
0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.
A person who is newer to lifting or following a less optimal program, can absolutely see big increases in strength. They won't see huge muscle gains but a more optimal program and good nutrition can lead to muscle gains in a deficit. That has been demonstrated in even intermediate lifters.
Given the OP is already fairly lean, a better program will aid her overall goals muscle better than just bro-split, given the OP was about cutting and bulking.
What sort of plan would you suggest?
Strong Curves seems to be a popular one. There's a list of programs in one of the sticky threads in the Exercise forum.0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Ashleebee1995 wrote: »Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1Where did you find that routine? I would recommend following an established program with adequate muscle stimulation per week as mentioned for best results. It doesn't have to take more time, it's about quality over quantity. Check out some of these programs to get you started
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has recommended this.
I would ask why they aren't training body points more than once per week. That approach is inferior in terms of growth compared to 2-3x per week, unless you are drugs.
But she wants to cut first and so probably isn't concerned with growth, just maintenance.
Resistance training each muscle group once a week might be fine for maintenance, but that's a lot of cardio. That can easily accelerate the loss of lean mass if you're not careful about fueling all that cardio. Generally, when cutting, the preference for most who are strength training is to use the same, or a similar, routine to what they use during a bulk and simply reduce calorie intake to accomplish a slight calorie deficit. You won't make much, if any, strength gains because of the calorie deficit but you'll minimize the loss of lean mass (muscle).
As for cardio during a cut, most take the approach of adding just a small amount of low-intensity cardio, generally something like walking, to avoid the cardio fueling itself by burning off lean mass. I personally like HIIT so I do that a couple of times a week. I realize it probably adversely affects my lean mass maintenance or gains, depending on if I'm cutting or bulking, but I enjoy it and I'm not competing in anything, just doing this for aesthetics and health, so I'm willing to live with the detrimental effects HIIT may have on my strength training.
And the other two important factors are protein intake and recovery. Make sure you're getting about 0.8-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day and that you're allowing your body to recover, including getting as much good sleep as you can.
A person who is newer to lifting or following a less optimal program, can absolutely see big increases in strength. They won't see huge muscle gains but a more optimal program and good nutrition can lead to muscle gains in a deficit. That has been demonstrated in even intermediate lifters.
Given the OP is already fairly lean, a better program will aid her overall goals muscle better than just bro-split, given the OP was about cutting and bulking.
What sort of plan would you suggest?
I had assumed that since you said you had made significant strength gains you would no longer see the benefit of resistance training that comes with a person that is new to resistance training, even while in a calorie deficit. As @psuLemon points out, if you are new to resistance training you will see strength gains, even while in a calorie deficit. Given how lean you said you were, 22%, I still contend you won't see much, if any, gains in hypertrophy (muscle growth) until you go back to a calorie surplus.
I didn't see any need to be the fifth or so person to point out that your best option is to find a good resistance program, even while cutting, to help you maintain the muscle mass you have, and to have a good start when you come out of cutting and start bulking. But here's number six telling you should do that! And if the value of 26% body fat you posted later is closer to your actual value, you may see a little muscle growth while in a calorie deficit. That's enough body fat to give your muscles something to work with to grow while eating fewer calories than you're burning. It'll be limited by that, but if you eat sufficient protein and follow one of the plans listed below you may see a slight increase in muscle mass, at least until you get lower in body fat.
Lots of good plans listed in this thread:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p11 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.
If you run a full body program you can train all groups 3x per week, which is far more optimal and efficient than training each group only once per week and spending a whole lot of your time in the gym to do so.
What you're doing is a typical "Bro split"...most people I know who run a bro split like this are already very advanced lifters and have basically put on the mass that they want to put on...many of them are...well, let's just say they're getting a little help as well.4 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Ashleebee1995 wrote: »I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.
If you run a full body program you can train all groups 3x per week, which is far more optimal and efficient than training each group only once per week and spending a whole lot of your time in the gym to do so.
What you're doing is a typical "Bro split"...most people I know who run a bro split like this are already very advanced lifters and have basically put on the mass that they want to put on...many of them are...well, let's just say they're getting a little help as well.
Okay, so you suggest x3-4 full day days per week? Which I can do 100%. I was just unsure. With these 3-4 days of full body training progressive overloaded is still needed. This that correct?
0 -
Mcwolfman13 wrote: »Ashleebee1995 wrote: »I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.
If you run a full body program you can train all groups 3x per week, which is far more optimal and efficient than training each group only once per week and spending a whole lot of your time in the gym to do so.
What you're doing is a typical "Bro split"...most people I know who run a bro split like this are already very advanced lifters and have basically put on the mass that they want to put on...many of them are...well, let's just say they're getting a little help as well.cwolfman13 wrote: »Ashleebee1995 wrote: »I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.
So for example0 -
Ashleebee1995 wrote: »I have gain a lot of muscle over the 2 years I have been training but never done a cut before.
I want to lean down whilst training each muscle group to keep some of that muscle.
I can’t train each muscle x3, that’s why I opted for this program. I aim for 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.
How are you defining you gained lots of muscle? Did you actually bulk (like intentionally gained muscle)? Or was it that you saw large increases in your strength? There are difference, albeit, it probably doesn't matter. If you were following a program where you only were in the 8-12 rep range, and only training body parts once per week, you are likely leaving some strength on the table. I know this personally and from training others. Depending on the program you chose, if you move some of the work (especially the big lifts like deadlift, squat, bench) to lower rep ranges, you will see increases in strength, even compared to your previous lifts.
Either way, if you run a more structured routine, eat enough protein (1.5-2.2g/kg), and have a moderate deficit (300-500 calories), you will be in a good position to maintain or gain a little muscle. Given your stats, it would be unlikely to lose muscle unless you were training poorly, had terrible nutrition or trying to cut at ridiculously low levels.
For routines, a lot of women prefer strong curves, thinner leaner stronger or NROL4W. Stephanie Buttermore has some well designed programs but I dont' see a ton of people running them here, but I suspect it's because she isn't as well known. All the information can be found in the above link.2 -
If you like working in the 8 to 12 rep range then thinnner leaner stronger isn’t a bad option. It’s more for newbies though. There’s a options to train 3 4 or 5 days depending on how much time you have. I ran it for a year mainly while maintaining my body weight. I saw some good progress visually and because I was a newbie, my strength increased a lot as well.1
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