Fatigued while cutting for show

[Meliodas]

This is my first time cutting down for a show so please excuse the inexperience. I was expecting some loss in strength but damn, I can't even get through my sessions with lower weight... Any thoughts or advice would be deeply appreciated.

 

[weighted chinup]

Reduce weekly volume but maintain intensity and the poundages you're lifting.

You don't need to maintain a high weekly volume during this phase because you aren't trying to grow during an aggressive cut, but maintaining intensity and weight will do a lot for holding on to as much muscle as possible.

Reducing weekly volume but maintaining the intensity will make the sessions more sustainable and you will hold on to muscle just fine.

 

[Meliodas]

Reduce weekly volume but maintain intensity and the poundages you're lifting.

You don't need to maintain a high weekly volume during this phase because you aren't trying to grow during an aggressive cut, but maintaining intensity and weight will do a lot for holding on to as much muscle as possible.

Reducing weekly volume but maintaining the intensity will make the sessions more sustainable and you will hold on to muscle just fine.

Cool, I will utilize this info. Thanks boss!

 

[GainzWarden]

This is my first time cutting down for a show so please excuse the inexperience. I was expecting some loss in strength but damn, I can't even get through my sessions with lower weight... Any thoughts or advice would be deeply appreciated.

push through my man itll show on stage

 

[rutman]

Dude keep the weights as heavy as you can but don't go under 8 reps... This will help maintain your muscle mass. As you know, you'll have to increase your time between sets as well. This shit ain't easy or everybody would do it!

What are you competing in? Bodybuilding or Physique?


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[Bloodnsweat]

Are you going natty or enhanced? What is your diet like and how does it differ from what you were doing prior to prepping? Cardio? How far into prep and how long is the prep?

 

[TX TERROR]

It's fairly common seeing your taking in less calories, specifically carbs. At least you should be... Also your training shouldn't be strength focused anyway. That's not the goal of a contest prep. The goal is to build the best physique.


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[Docd187123]

It's fairly common seeing your taking in less calories, specifically carbs. At least you should be... Also your training shouldn't be strength focused anyway. That's not the goal of a contest prep. The goal is to build the best physique.


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Not entirely accurate.

During contest Prep the goal should be strength focused as maintaining one's strength through maintaining intensity (% of 1RM) will do more for muscle mass retention than other types of training. During contest prep your not building a physique. You're attempting to diet down and reduce body fat while maintaining the muscle mass you built in the off season.

 

[Meliodas]

Are you going natty or enhanced? What is your diet like and how does it differ from what you were doing prior to prepping? Cardio? How far into prep and how long is the prep?

Nowhere near natty, my macs are 250 carb 210 protein 50 fats all whole foods no junk. I used to be at 380 carb 280 protein 120 fats. Cardio is 3 hours a week in total and I've got less than 5 weeks left before the show.

 

[rutman]

Nowhere near natty, my macs are 250 carb 210 protein 50 fats all whole foods no junk. I used to be at 380 carb 280 protein 120 fats. Cardio is 3 hours a week in total and I've got less than 5 weeks left before the show.

I'd be cutting my carbs way back brother....probably around 100 or less and hitting the cardio every morning on an empty stomach if you can. 5 weeks out you need to be getting real close to fine tuning.

Got any recent pics?

I just competed back in May, and the last 2 months I absolutely walked around in a fog all day long due to the low carbs and calorie deficit. I've heard the worse you feel....the better you look, and I tend to agree with it.


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[Bloodnsweat]

Ok im not sure what class youre competing or what your current body fat is. At this point you need to definitely be bringing down the carbs. Try going 4 days of about 75-100, then 3 days of high carbs about 200. These are just ball park number btw. Also you need to definitely increase your protein with the carbs being low. I usually take in around 300-350 per day of protein, and my fats are around 25-30. Depending on where you are appearance, you will likely need to be doing cardio twice a day, 30 minutes in the am and 45 pm.

 

[Bloodnsweat]

I did something similar to that formula for my first show and came home with 2 first place trophies

 

[Bloodnsweat]

One more thing...you need to be posing EVERYDAY. practice keeping your waist tight and controlles breathing. Make sure EVERY pose starts from the ground up, so legs ALWAYS flexed

 

[Gronk87]

You guys are more experienced than me but everything I have read and seen especially in terms of prep for mens physique a lot of those guys keep carbs in the 225-275 range all the way up to the show. Care to explain the idea behind the really low carbs? seems it might cause you to drag ass too much to even train effectively. My sweet spot to lose 1-2 lbs a week and no strength is 250c 225p and 50ish fats. Under that and my training and especially my joints suffer.

 

[Gronk87]

Of course everyone is different... maybe low carbs are just a no-go for people like me and the OP. I would think if OP is suffering and feels like he is losing too much mass and strength cutting carbs drastically wouldnt be doing him any favors at all.

 

[rutman]

You guys are more experienced than me but everything I have read and seen especially in terms of prep for mens physique a lot of those guys keep carbs in the 225-275 range all the way up to the show. Care to explain the idea behind the really low carbs? seems it might cause you to drag ass too much to even train effectively. My sweet spot to lose 1-2 lbs a week and no strength is 250c 225p and 50ish fats. Under that and my training and especially my joints suffer.

The low carb/low calorie is for the body to burn the excess fat stores for energy. You'll not be stage ready if you don't. Unless you're 300lbs @ 4% bf...


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[Gronk87]

The low carb/low calorie is for the body to burn the excess fat stores for energy. You'll not be stage ready if you don't. Unless you're 300lbs @ 4% bf...


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Haha im not THAT inexperienced. I know exactly how macros and calories work. But Im simply making the case that I know of many physique competitors who vlog/blog their macros and stay in the mid 200's while getting into contest shape (which admittedly for mens physique may be a couple few BF% higher than pure bodybuilding, but still) and they round out to 300 or 400+ for the day or two before the show. Im simply wondering why you would advocate going so low on carbs when he is already struggling to get through workouts. Of course you are going to lose size and strength especially under 10% but not to the degree the OP is stating especially as far out as he is.

 

[rutman]

Haha im not THAT inexperienced. I know exactly how macros and calories work. But Im simply making the case that I know of many physique competitors who vlog/blog their macros and stay in the mid 200's while getting into contest shape (which admittedly for mens physique may be a couple few BF% higher than pure bodybuilding, but still) and they round out to 300 or 400+ for the day or two before the show. Im simply wondering why you would advocate going so low on carbs when he is already struggling to get through workouts. Of course you are going to lose size and strength especially under 10% but not to the degree the OP is stating especially as far out as he is.

Have you ever competed? Obviously not.

Don't ask stupid fucking questions if you don't want an answer....


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[Gronk87]

Have you ever competed? Obviously not.

Don't ask stupid fucking questions if you don't want an answer....


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the fuck is your problem? i'm trying to have a conversation about different approaches to getting lean that I have seen. how is asking you to explain your philosophy a stupid fucking question? i'm trying to exchange knowledge with you. im not calling you out. take the negative shit elsewhere.

 

[Gronk87]

have you really never met a coach or competitor that uses a (relatively) higher carb approach? the only argument im trying to make here is that i have seen people with different philosophies get the same results. so i asked you to explain yours because im trying to learn, not to belittle your knowledge.