Cutting with HST

[Totentanz]

I'm starting a cut pretty quick here. My question has to do with setting up my HST cycle to be optimal for sparing muscle mass. I was first thinking that I would start with 15s and do the cycle like normal... however, I have been thinking. Wouldn't heavier weights be better for sparing muscle than lighter weights? I know the 15s use up a lot of calories but... would starting right off with the 10s be better for sparing muscle than doing two weeks of 15s first? Assuming I plan to do cardio on non-lifting days.

 

[Totentanz]

My routine, for anyone interested, will be simple:

Deadlifts
BB Bentover Rows
Good Mornings
Chins w/supinated grip
Dips

I will do this routine in the AM and again in the PM. During the 10s, I will do 1 set for each. Once I hit the 5s, after my routine in the PM, I will add in 1 set of 20 reps for each (or however many reps beyond 20 it takes for me to get a good burn).
I plan to eat at maintenance on lifting days, then eat 500 under maintenance on days that I just do cardio.

My diet is basically about 20% fat, 40% carbs, 40% protein. So given my planned routine, is this a recipe for disaster or should I spare a lot of muscle mass? I've never gone through with a real cutting cycle before, since I've always been lean until now, so this is territory I've only read about, but never experienced for myself.

 

[Jester]

Skip the 15s and 10s and start with 5s, then stay at 5RM or neg phase for a while. You don't need to do SD from a muscle-sparing perspective (but might be nice for joints/fatigue).

I think I'm right here - but to spare the most muscle, you want to keep your muscles in an anabolic-stimulus state - keep the p38 and ERK1/2 levels high. You won't actually build muscle because of the caloric deficit, but you'll spare what you have provided the deficit isn't too great.

The most stimulus comes from higher load phases.

 

[9to5lifter]

In the FAQ it is mentioned that heavy load tends to preserve muscle mass better during a cut. If your joints feel healthy, skip the 15's and concentrate on heavier loads during the cutting phase.

In my experience, high frequency works well for cutting and reduces the amount of cardio necessary to tone up. I believe you could benefit from a 6x a week training scheme, but if you choose to do this, you will have to manage your overall volume accordingly. Joints that hurt are not uncommon during a cut. Good luck.