What's the best lifting routine to preserve muscle mass and strength on a deficit?

sophzhr
sophzhr Posts: 96 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Stronglifts? I've been doing a mix of strength and hypertrophy work on a 5 day split over the last 5 months, but now I want to really get serious with my weight loss so I'm reducing volume...but I want to keep my strength AND muscle mass. Do I need to do any hypertrophy work, or just strength whilst I'm in a deficit?

Thanks!

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,881 Member
    Hypertrophy in deficit isn't easy or for most probable. If you just want to keep your strength, do the routine you like, but just keep the weights up for the appropriate amount of reps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,308 Member
    Stronglifts is really a beginner program. If you have been lifting for 5 months it may not be appropriate. My tongue in cheek answer is the best lifting program is the one you will stick with. Even what you are currently doing will work since you would be eating at a deficit muscle gains would be minimal or more likely non-existent.
  • sophzhr
    sophzhr Posts: 96 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Hypertrophy in deficit isn't easy or for most probable. If you just want to keep your strength, do the routine you like, but just keep the weights up for the appropriate amount of reps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Thanks for your reply :) Do you think it's worth varying rep ranges at all then, or just stick to trying to keep my compound lifts moving up?
  • sophzhr
    sophzhr Posts: 96 Member
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Stronglifts is really a beginner program. If you have been lifting for 5 months it may not be appropriate. My tongue in cheek answer is the best lifting program is the one you will stick with. Even what you are currently doing will work since you would be eating at a deficit muscle gains would be minimal or more likely non-existent.

    Thanks for your input :) I thought it would be best to move to SL just because I'm planning to reduce calories by around 500+ - I wanted to reduce volume to aid recovery and not 'waste' energy doing too many accessory exercises.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,881 Member
    sophzhr wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Hypertrophy in deficit isn't easy or for most probable. If you just want to keep your strength, do the routine you like, but just keep the weights up for the appropriate amount of reps.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Thanks for your reply :) Do you think it's worth varying rep ranges at all then, or just stick to trying to keep my compound lifts moving up?
    IMO, every type of program can serve anyone well if it's within their fitness range. High reps aren't bad if you like to have some muscle endurance. Low reps aren't bad even if endurance training is one's main goal. Variety is great because you get to experiment to see if you like it or not and that's what counts more than anything else.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    I like 5/3/1 because the progression isn't as intense as it is with Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I like to keep some accessory work for injury prevention, and mobility; but just follow a template that focuses more on conditioning than hypertrophy.

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