Gaining strength on a cut or maintenance

[jake272]

So I'm currently almost done with my LP on SS and I'm 5"11' 237 lbs and my lifts are squat 3x5 295 deadlift 1x5 315 bench 3x5 175 press 135 3x5 and pc 5x3 155 lbs. Is it possible to keep gaining or maintaining strength while cutting or maintaining bodyweight? Because I'm cutting right now and I want to get down to 205 lbs at 13-16 % bf and stay there. Once I'm down to that weight what program can I do to gain strength while maintaining that weight and bf%. Are there intermediate and advanced programs like this? Or do you have to be in a caloric surplus to gain strength on any intermediate or advanced programming?

[cutlet#]

http://youtu.be/S0tLODl22yU?t=16s

[Simon Rest]

possible? yes. Hard? Yes.

maintaining your LP while eating a deficit is a shitty experience, depending on how fast you try to cut. you may find if you only drop to a small deficit (like 200-300Cal) and do something like HLM programming you may be able to drop body fat and maintain strength, but it takes a long time, and it's not hard to have a blow out and all of a sudden you aren't on a deficit anymore (ie birthday parties, after work drinks, picnics, football games etc). If you want to go the full RFL route, and run a 1000+cal deficit then expect to drop strength.

good luck

[jake272]

possible? yes. Hard? Yes.

maintaining your LP while eating a deficit is a shitty experience, depending on how fast you try to cut. you may find if you only drop to a small deficit (like 200-300Cal) and do something like HLM programming you may be able to drop body fat and maintain strength, but it takes a long time, and it's not hard to have a blow out and all of a sudden you aren't on a deficit anymore (ie birthday parties, after work drinks, picnics, football games etc). If you want to go the full RFL route, and run a 1000+cal deficit then expect to drop strength.

good luck

I'm on a 500 caloric deficit right now, would I at least maintain my strength while cutting? And I kind of get confused with body fat% and lbm. Is lbm related to how strong you are and can you get stronger without gaining weight?

[Simon Rest]

I'm on a 500 caloric deficit right now, would I at least maintain my strength while cutting? And I kind of get confused with body fat% and lbm. Is lbm related to how strong you are and can you get stronger without gaining weight?

yes you can. that's how you get really strong guys in low weight division. As you train you get better at the movements, more efficient, more mentally tough, ATP develops etc so you can get stronger without adding weight (although adding muscular weight is the fastest easiest way to build strength).

Maybe I'm not the best person to ask - as I've been stuck on a recomp for ages - but between Jordan and Andy the answer seems to be you can maintain strength - it's just harder, and you need to be able to adapt your programming to your diet. Unfortunately this is an individualised thing so I can't really help, other than to say do as much as you can - keep the weights as heavy as you can and drop volume to match your ability on the day. going for one top set and then 2 back off sets may be the easiest way to do this for you? Also - add in some IIT stuff if you avent already

[jake272]

yes you can. that's how you get really strong guys in low weight division. As you train you get better at the movements, more efficient, more mentally tough, ATP develops etc so you can get stronger without adding weight (although adding muscular weight is the fastest easiest way to build strength).

Maybe I'm not the best person to ask - as I've been stuck on a recomp for ages - but between Jordan and Andy the answer seems to be you can maintain strength - it's just harder, and you need to be able to adapt your programming to your diet. Unfortunately this is an individualised thing so I can't really help, other than to say do as much as you can - keep the weights as heavy as you can and drop volume to match your ability on the day. going for one top set and then 2 back off sets may be the easiest way to do this for you? Also - add in some IIT stuff if you avent already

Another question I have....you might not know but fuck it I'll ask anyway. Is it possible to lose fat without cutting? Say for example someone was 6'0" 240 lbs and 30% bf and squatted 405? What if they stayed at maintenance calories but got stronger?

[jake272]

Would they drop bf% their genetics allow until the lowest possible bf% at their current weight

[Simon Rest]

Maybe. I was 260 and 40% bf when I started. I did no cardio and ate what I wanted and lost some weight and lots of bf, but I never tracked my food so not sure how much I was eating. It only works if you are really fat though

[gtl]

I think cutting when >20% bf, programming doesn't matter. You have the energy stores.

15-20%, you should still be good, but you'll notice recovery isn't the same

<15% is where programming probably has to be tweaked. Take your 295x3x5 squat. Dieting under 15% you may go in and only be able to do 1 set. Or hell, maybe 4 reps. But you don't have it in you to do 3x5, nor will you recover by the next workout to try again or add weight. But, say you had a massive refeed, and got all nice and bloated and went in, you might be able to hit it.

Point being, your overall strength may not necessarily go away, but your 'endurance' if you will and recovery might be impacted. That's where programming has to be tweaked to account for these. I think this is why you have to be in a surplus for SS and TM type programming.. or at least to run them effectively, whether the surplus comes from daily intake or fat stores.

inb4 dexa or calipers