Volume During a Cut

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AKUFADUM

New Member
Greetings Folks,

I got into a discussion with someone at the gym about the volume when you cut.

He was telling me that I should a higher volume when cutting. Well judging from what I learned here I was doing lower volume. I basically cluster 20 reps/exercise with progression from 85% of my 5RM progressing to my 5RM.

It seems to be working for me as I am noticing results. But if I increase volume will it be beneficial? I know it depends on the individual but what others have done during their cuts?

For example HectaM wow dude you result pics are impressive.
 
Colby makes a good point. I've never done a cut so I can't vouch from experience. However, I've read a lot of advice on here saying try to stay somewhat close to your maxes to try and retain as much strength as possible during a cut. I would think keeping volume high for an extended time with that would be very hard, if not impossible.
 
AKUFADUM,

Thanks for the kind words!
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This last cut I focused on the Simplify and Win "tactic" which you may be familiar with from others on this forum.

My routine was actually really short, and low in volume, but combined with propper macros/calories it seemed to work out great for me, and I couldn't be happier!

I followed basically the normal progression of HST but I modified the volume a bit, (6 workouts for 15's x1, 6 workouts for 10's x 2, and 6 workouts of 5's x2.)

So that’s 6 of A's and 6 of B's per rep range.

And I did the 15's for 1 set, and the 10's and 5's for 2 sets.

This should totaled somewhere around 9 weeks.

My routine: (A/B Split) M, W, F

A:
ATG Squats
Incline Bench
Pull-ups
Abs

B:
Deadlifts
Flat Bench
Military Press
Pendlay Rows

That’s it! In and out of the gym in less than 30 mins or so usually.

I also have my girlfriend using the Simplify and Win program.

She also did a cut with me with the same routine and using the same method of nurition, with great results!

She's pretty strong!
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On a cut she's doing 155 x 5 for Deads and 125 x 5 for ATG Squats
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Simplify and Win rules!
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">On a cut she's doing 155 x 5 for Deads and 125 x 5 for ATG Squats </div>

Scary!
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if i were doing a major cut id proberbly do a vanilla hst routine and just hit bodyparts with one to two good sets all the way through and add cardio while keeping my diet in check.

i never go into a callorie defacit as i feel fat needs to be burnt off through exercise and not lack of food.
 
Low volume during a cut is best, resistance training during a cut is for stimulating your body to retain lean mass and not burn it. Low volume is all that is needed to do this.

To burn calories do cardio, not high-volume hypertrophy training.
 
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(lcars @ Aug. 02 2007,16:57)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">if i were doing a major cut id proberbly do a vanilla hst routine and just hit bodyparts with one to two good sets all the way through and add cardio while keeping my diet in check.

i never go into a callorie defacit as i feel fat needs to be burnt off through exercise and not lack of food.</div>
Lcars' simple plan here is right on.
 
During a cut, generally you want to cut volume back and keep the weights heavy. You don't have to cut volume, but if you have to cut back on anything, volume is what you cut back on. Keep the frequency at 2 or 3 times a week, keep the weights heavy. That's how you retain muscle while on a cut.
I see weight training on a cut as solely for the purpose of retaining muscle and strength, focusing the whole time on maintaining strength in the core lifts. I use cardio to burn more calories, if I want to.
 
I agree with Sci, Tot and Icars, low volume while cutting seems best, just look at HectaM's results
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">To burn calories do cardio, not high-volume hypertrophy training.</div>

That's right, cardio's the key, at least to me even though higer calory consumption seems right through weights, the low carb low calory input is not benefitial to this type of approach!

<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Simplify and Win rules!</div>

Darn, for once I started something right! Thanks!
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Thanks for the input guys...

So I guess since I am doing lowish volume., HIIT (on recumbent bike) on off days and eating maintenance I should be ok. So I will just continue what I am doing.

Fausto - You are to modest

BTW - Update on my knee. Doctor gave me the OK to do Leg presses (lightly) and body weight squats. I guess that is better than nothing.

Sad part is I measured my thighs on Monday and they dropped about 3 inches.
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HectaM WOW I think you gf is deadlifting more than me right now seeing as how I can't even do them
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(colby2152 @ Aug. 02 2007,21:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I would vouch for higher volume during a cut.  Higher volume = more time spent lifting = more calories.</div>
yes but if you are truelly on a cut that could also lead to muscle loss,if you are on a cut that means you are already in a defecit so you dont want to burn more cals,you want to keep the muscle you have.
 
It looks like what I do is not the favored option during a cut.

My feelings regarding a cut or any cycle in that matter is to lift as hard as possible (w/o hitting failure).

It is a workout after all!
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It looks like what I do is not the favored option during a cut.</div>

For once we disgaree Colby, it happens, however it may be the right thing for you, I just feel it is not productive, and we're all about LESS IS MORE if you know what I mean.
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Sometimes we may differ, that is just the way God made us, interesting and unique!
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<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">For once we disgaree Colby</div>

Yes, for once we actually do disagree!
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Everyone is unique... my higher volume approach during this past cut worked. I shed 5 lbs of bodyweight, but I gained 2 lbs of muscle, and the mirror shows this body recomposition!
 
im glad it worked for you colby its strange how we all get such varying results.

i just think that taxing the body more and more while trying to cut can have a negative effect on the whole body,muscles will be under more stress as they do not have sufficient energy/food/glycogen to work with,you are also mentally taxed if you are really cutting hard and this has a negative effect also.

lift heavy by all means but dont do as much volume.
 
On my cut I relied mainly on reduced calories to go into deficit along with a change in my nutrient profile (carbs greatly reduced, especially simple ones). I tried not to lower the top loads I was using during 5s and I tried to get at least 10-20 reps with these loads. I also added in a bit of cardio but not much.

What I found was I had to cluster more. For squats, my 5RM sometimes became my 3RM but I still got at least 10 total reps. Some days I would feel stronger than others and then I would get the reps, particularly if I had had a re-feed over the weekend.

By the end of my cut I actually got stronger on a few exercises even though I ended up 28lbs lighter than when I started. Didn't lose very much strength at all. Only deads and squats were down a bit and I had a niggling injury that messed with my chest and shoulder work. Which reminds me…

One thing no one has mentioned so far is that it may be that you are slightly more likely to sustain a minor injury while on a cut. It was certainly my experience; I got a lot of niggling problems while cutting that I had been free from while bulking. Even if it is just a hunch, it does make a bit of sense, so erring on the side of slightly lower volume while cutting might reduce the chance of this.
 
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(colby2152 @ Aug. 03 2007,08:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">It looks like what I do is not the favored option during a cut.

My feelings regarding a cut or any cycle in that matter is to lift as hard as possible (w/o hitting failure).

It is a workout after all!
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I don't actually disagree completely. If you are using max-stim during a cut and can keep the reps at 20 or so per lift, then that is what I would do. I have heard of a lot of great results combining max-stim with a calorie deficit. 20 reps would equate to 4 sets of 5, so... kinda higher volume.

But if you are doing traditional reps, then I would suggest that if you have to sacrifice anything, sacrifice volume, not frequency, not dropping the weights you are using, etc.
 
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(Lol @ Aug. 03 2007,17:50)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">One thing no one has mentioned so far is that it may be that you are slightly more likely to sustain a minor injury while on a cut. It was certainly my experience; I got a lot of niggling problems while cutting that I had been free from while bulking. Even if it is just a hunch, it does make a bit of sense, so erring on the side of slightly lower volume while cutting might reduce the chance of this.</div>
i agree LOL i think it might have something to do with being on lower carbs.
 
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