Training on a deficit: Full body or Upper/Lower?

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moya_rargh
moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Evening, all. As you'll see from my other threads I'm currently cutting, aiming to get as close to 10-12% body fat as possible before starting a bulk.

I'm currently doing an Upper/Lower A/B split which is x4 sessions a week. I'm already noticing that I feel weaker in the gym.

What routine should I be doing to:

1. Keep my strength up

2. Speed up metabolism to burn off the remaining fat

while I'm on a calorie deficit? Should i stick to Upper/Lower or go for a Full Body x3 a week, giving me an extra cardio day?

Any info would be very much appreciated.

Replies

  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
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    i am also in a good deficit and lifting as heavy as possible. i do a more traditional split for the time being(til i start my KB/MMA training) i do
    day 1
    chest/tri
    day 2
    back/bicep
    day 3
    shoulders
    day 4
    legs
    i also do either a 30sec/30sec, or 45sec/15sec HIIT cardio after every session except leg day. i do it dependent on how i feel that day. total HIIT time of 6-11 minutes

    when i start my KB/MMA training ill most likely move to a straight push/pull/legs 3 day split with the same HIIT cardio after each.
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
    Options
    i am also in a good deficit and lifting as heavy as possible. i do a more traditional split for the time being(til i start my KB/MMA training) i do
    day 1
    chest/tri
    day 2
    back/bicep
    day 3
    shoulders
    day 4
    legs
    i also do either a 30sec/30sec, or 45sec/15sec HIIT cardio after every session except leg day. i do it dependent on how i feel that day. total HIIT time of 6-11 minutes

    when i start my KB/MMA training ill most likely move to a straight push/pull/legs 3 day split with the same HIIT cardio after each.

    How are you finding it? I always thought that traditional 'body part splits' were for the bulking phase? Shows how much I know hehe!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Personally, I am a proponent of full body weight training 3x weekly. Outside of being an advanced lifter I see little need to do body part splits. But then again, I'm a beginner to intermediate phase...I'm sure I'll think otherwise in a couple of years.
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
    Options
    i am also in a good deficit and lifting as heavy as possible. i do a more traditional split for the time being(til i start my KB/MMA training) i do
    day 1
    chest/tri
    day 2
    back/bicep
    day 3
    shoulders
    day 4
    legs
    i also do either a 30sec/30sec, or 45sec/15sec HIIT cardio after every session except leg day. i do it dependent on how i feel that day. total HIIT time of 6-11 minutes

    when i start my KB/MMA training ill most likely move to a straight push/pull/legs 3 day split with the same HIIT cardio after each.

    How are you finding it? I always thought that traditional 'body part splits' were for the bulking phase? Shows how much I know hehe!

    its working pretty good for me. i still maintain and even gain some on my strength levels even at a deficit.
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
    Options
    i am also in a good deficit and lifting as heavy as possible. i do a more traditional split for the time being(til i start my KB/MMA training) i do
    day 1
    chest/tri
    day 2
    back/bicep
    day 3
    shoulders
    day 4
    legs
    i also do either a 30sec/30sec, or 45sec/15sec HIIT cardio after every session except leg day. i do it dependent on how i feel that day. total HIIT time of 6-11 minutes

    when i start my KB/MMA training ill most likely move to a straight push/pull/legs 3 day split with the same HIIT cardio after each.

    How are you finding it? I always thought that traditional 'body part splits' were for the bulking phase? Shows how much I know hehe!

    its working pretty good for me. i still maintain and even gain some on my strength levels even at a deficit.

    Cool, I guess it's horses for courses, really :)

    While I'm cutting, would you suggest that I switch from 4 sessions a week to a 3 times a week A/B/A, B/A/B split with an extra cardio day replacing one of the weights sessions, or is Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B plus two cardio days (one rest day a week) enough to help metabolise the last of this fat off while still losing as little muscle as possible?
  • googlebear123
    googlebear123 Posts: 42
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    full body a/b for sure, pick a program that suits your level and stick to it for six months

    stop the HIIT and running and just walk/cycle/steady state cardio
  • Flex382
    Flex382 Posts: 257
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    full body a/b for sure, pick a program that suits your level and stick to it for six months

    stop the HIIT and running and just walk/cycle/steady state cardio

    agreed except for doing it for 6 months. 6 weeks to mayb3 months max to keep the body in shock
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
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    i am also in a good deficit and lifting as heavy as possible. i do a more traditional split for the time being(til i start my KB/MMA training) i do
    day 1
    chest/tri
    day 2
    back/bicep
    day 3
    shoulders
    day 4
    legs
    i also do either a 30sec/30sec, or 45sec/15sec HIIT cardio after every session except leg day. i do it dependent on how i feel that day. total HIIT time of 6-11 minutes

    when i start my KB/MMA training ill most likely move to a straight push/pull/legs 3 day split with the same HIIT cardio after each.

    How are you finding it? I always thought that traditional 'body part splits' were for the bulking phase? Shows how much I know hehe!

    its working pretty good for me. i still maintain and even gain some on my strength levels even at a deficit.

    Cool, I guess it's horses for courses, really :)

    While I'm cutting, would you suggest that I switch from 4 sessions a week to a 3 times a week A/B/A, B/A/B split with an extra cardio day replacing one of the weights sessions, or is Upper A, Lower A, Upper B, Lower B plus two cardio days (one rest day a week) enough to help metabolise the last of this fat off while still losing as little muscle as possible?

    Oh yea you just answered it. I am a big fan of upper/lower splits. Going to the A/B/A, B/A/B is something i used when on my cut and works well at keeping your strength at optimal levels and energy up.

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