HST and cutting.

S

Sam3773

New Member
Hey all,

I know this has probably been asked a million times (Although I couldn't find much in search) but how effective is HST for retaining muscle while cutting? Bit of information, I'm male, 21, 6' 6, 220 pounds about 12% BF. Now as my BMI calculator puts me as "overweight" I want to cut down to around 190lbs, cutting the fat off me while keeping as much muscle as possible.

Started lifting about 2 years ago with Starting Strength, then GVT, so I have a bit of muscle on me, but I also have a lot of body fat.

So in short, I know I probably won't make gains while cutting, but, with the right HST cycle, is it great for retaining muscle?!

Thanks!

Sam.
 
Hey Sam,

Skip 15s; start with 10s and move on to 5s for a four week cycle. Eat so as to lose about 1 lb bw per week (ie. about 500 cals below maintenance daily). Check how you are getting on at the end of the four weeks; eat at maintenance for a week then adjust your cals and start a new cycle. No need to SD between mini-cycles unless you feel beaten up. If you do SD for a week, be sure to eat at maintenance or a little over. Eating at maintenance (or a little over) for a week each cycle will help reset your appetite and weight-control hormone signalling. There are other ways to use HST while cutting but this one works well.

If you want to do something a little more complicated (refeeds, glycogen depletion etc.), you could do worse than to try Lyle McDonalds UD2.0. You need to be around 12-15% bf before you start UD2 so it would be ideal for you if you want to maintain mass and lose some pounds of fat.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/ultimate-diet-20

It has worked well for many folks, but be warned that it requires dedication (4 x weekly training) and careful calorie counting.

All the best.
 
Yeah, cause it makes sense that at 12% BF you're gonna lose 30 pounds to get to 8%....I think I just read the stupidest thread EVER.
 
The question was: "... with the right HST cycle, is it great for retaining muscle?!" As Lol said: skip the 15s, as you need to keep up the heavy lifting to retain as much muscle as possible. I'm not sure the 10s will be enough, either, but it is a break from heavy lifting. Also, remember that you need to keep your protein intake high while cutting as this is the most protein-retaining macronutrient. Try to see cutting as a long-distance project (12-16 weeks), using a small/moderate calorie deficit. Severe calorie restriction will cause muscle loss, whatever training intensity (% of 1RM) you are using.
 
The question might be if it's great for retaining muscle, but read further on down the line. He says, " I'm male, 21, 6' 6, 220 pounds about 12% BF. Now as my BMI calculator puts me as "overweight" I want to cut down to around 190lbs...", which in reality is not overweight. If he was overweight he wouldn't be 12% BF, and also, he wouldn't lose 30lbs of FAT to get to say 8% BF...It's time to hit reality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top