Cutting Help

xxofnir1xx

Hi everyone! I'm currently started my cut, after bulking for about 2 months. I went from 15% body fat to 16.2 percent in attempt to gain some muscle mass. I went from eating 2800 calories a day to 1800 a day. It worked, but now I want to cut down way below that 15% mark. I've added a lot of plyo into my routines as well. A few topics that are causing a bit of consternation are:

1) I do 3X5 lifts, but move on to a 3x6, 3x7. and then 3x8 before adding anymore weight. Is this a waste of time? Usually takes about two weeks before I add weight.

2) Do you reduce the weight when your cutting, since you aren't on a surplus? is adding more weight futile since you won't necessarily build more muscle? I know that question seems stupid, but I would think being on a cut wouldn't allow me to add weight and grow while cutting since I know both can't be done at the same time. So I'm perplexed.

3) More of a general question, how do you break plateaus? For example, I can't for the life of me get past a 200 bench. I've tried 5x5, 3x5, etc...and am having issues with it. I do decline, incline, dumbbell bench, dips, and triceps workout outs and while I see gains there, I'm not seeing anything on flat bench.

I've done quite a lot of research, but it seems everyone says something different. I also understand that not every technique will work for every one person. Any help would be much appreciated.

SideSteel

1) I do 3X5 lifts, but move on to a 3x6, 3x7. and then 3x8 before adding anymore weight. Is this a waste of time? Usually takes about two weeks before I add weight.

No, it's not a waste providing you are making progress.

2) Do you reduce the weight when your cutting, since you aren't on a surplus? is adding more weight futile since you won't necessarily build more muscle? I know that question seems stupid, but I would think being on a cut wouldn't allow me to add weight and grow while cutting since I know both can't be done at the same time. So I'm perplexed.

I wouldn't reduce the weight. If you have issues with recovery I would reduce total training volume first. So for example instead of doing 3 sets per exercise cut it down to 2 but I would only take this approach if you're having recovery issues. Depending on training experience, leanness, individual variability, calorie intake and probably lots of other stuff I'm not mentioning, your ability to maintain or even gain strength in a deficit will vary.

3) More of a general question, how do you break plateaus? For example, I can't for the life of me get past a 200 bench. I've tried 5x5, 3x5, etc...and am having issues with it. I do decline, incline, dumbbell bench, dips, and triceps workout outs and while I see gains there, I'm not seeing anything on flat bench.

Could be calorie related, could be programming (moving to a periodized approach for example may help), could be technique, etc. Very difficult to diagnose without knowing many variables.

nosebag1212

keep the same weight on the bar but reduce volume by a third, so if you do 4x6 bench drop it to 3x6 etc, it's possible to still gain strength on a cut so if you feel you're still getting the reps and can up the weight then do it