Starting Strength on a cut?

[novice4ever]

Hi,
I've been running SS since late September of 2016 (for eight months). I was doing StrongLifts before that and bro splits before SL. I'm 5'11, 24 y.o, 82 kg (181 lbs). My most recent lifts are the following:

• squat: 90 kg (~200 lbs) x 11 (on rehab because of injury, PR is 300 lbs x 5)
• DL: 172.5 kg (380 lbs) x 2 (5 rep max is 375 lbs)
• bench: 102.5 kg (~230 lbs) x 5 x 3 (5x3-max is 240 lbs)
• press: 65 kg (145 lbs) x 5 x 3 (5x3-max is 150 lbs)

LP still works if I do resets.

At this point, I don't wanna keep gaining weight anymore. I want to burn some fat instead. I'm thinking of cutting 5-10 pounds and see how I feel about it. At the same time I still want to get stronger, or maintain my strength and improve my lifts. My question is does it make sense to do SS on a cut? I feel like I would not be doing the program unless I bulk up to 200+ pounds. I don't want to burn myself out, but I don't know what to do. What do you guys think of reverse pyramid training, the stuff that Martin Berkham advocated, which is a 3-day split routine? Will it be useful for someone like me?

Also, please keep in mind that I won't be able to train for a week or two next month because I'm going on vacation. So I can use SS to overreach until the vacation and change my program after I come back, if need be.

Thanks

[Igor]

How fast and easy was the progress so far? If you were srtuggling recently to add 5 or 2.5lbs to your lifts being on a surplus then expect to stall on a deficit.

[StrengthEngineer]

You're not going to be able to successfully run SS on a cut. I would look into Andy's HLM if you want to do 3 day full-body on a cut. You'll likely not make much in the way of strength gains on your cut, you'll be lucky to just maintain your current strength.

[Satch12879]

You're not going to be able to successfully run SS on a cut. I would look into Andy's HLM if you want to do 3 day full-body on a cut. You'll likely not make much in the way of strength gains on your cut, you'll be lucky to just maintain your current strength.

You can, but not at 5'-11"/181 lbs.

[Tim Reese]

Running LP on a cut can be done but it will be very slow going. I started in January and I've been on a cut since September 2016. I was doing another 12-week program before I started SS/SL. If you haven't already I'd definitely buy some micro plates. Increases will definitely become slower especially since you've already been on LP for 8 months.

[Eric Larousse]

do everybody a favor and do not attempt this

[Leah Lutz]

With your stats, just run LP and get stronger. Do not attempt to do LP with a cut. Just get strong.

[novice4ever]

With your stats, just run LP and get stronger. Do not attempt to do LP with a cut. Just get strong.

But I don't wanna gain anymore weight. I want to burn some fat instead.

[Leanne M. Lloyd]

You have a very small window of time to make rapid strength improvements that, should you keep training, you will never have access to (this window) again. You must eat to fully realize your potential strength gains.

You have the rest of your life to cut some fat. Get the easy gains first, cut after. It's only 3-6 months. Just my opinion having gone through the same situation - in hindsight, I should have listened to all of the people who said not to cut weight during my novice LP.

Besides, at 5'11" and 181 lbs, you aren't even close to being fat. I recently dated a dude at your height and weight - he's skinny and you probably are too. At your height, you could easily weigh 200 lbs with appropriate musculature and still look totally normal to the rest of the world. Don't be hard-headed about this, use our experience to your benefit.

At the end of the day, it's your choice... but you did ask for opinions. Perhaps in the back of your head you know that you should not do what you are proposing to do.

[novice4ever]

You have a very small window of time to make rapid strength improvements that, should you keep training, you will never have access to (this window) again. You must eat to fully realize your potential strength gains.

You have the rest of your life to cut some fat. Get the easy gains first, cut after. It's only 3-6 months. Just my opinion having gone through the same situation - in hindsight, I should have listened to all of the people who said not to cut weight during my novice LP.

Besides, at 5'11" and 181 lbs, you aren't even close to being fat. I recently dated a dude at your height and weight - he's skinny and you probably are too. At your height, you could easily weigh 200 lbs with appropriate musculature and still look totally normal to the rest of the world. Don't be hard-headed about this, use our experience to your benefit.

At the end of the day, it's your choice... but you did ask for opinions. Perhaps in the back of your head you know that you should not do what you are proposing to do.

I totally understand you. You are right. Bulking up to 200 is the way to go if you really wanna get strong. I just don't like the way I feel and look when I get to 180+. I did bulk up to ~190 before. I didn't like it at all so I went on a drastic cut. It wasn't fun in the end.