Having the right mix of carbs and protein while you are training can keep your strength secure even when you're dieting or cutting weight. It is quite simple: having a steady stream of nutrition, especially fast-acting carbs and protein, will prevent catabolism and let you perform in the same level you're used to.
Yes, strength training during a cutting phase is critical to maintaining as much lean muscle mass as you can during this lower-calorie phase. The more muscle mass you can maintain, the lower your body fat gets as you drop weight.
Losing strength during a cut is common. But it's not something affecting everyone to the same degree. While some people lose strength when cutting, others will end up getting stronger.
We recommend losing somewhere between 0.5 to 1 kilogram (or 1 to 2 pounds) of body weight per week. That rate ensures you can keep all your muscle and lose more or less only fat weight, as long as you engage in strength training and eat enough protein.
Skeletal muscle can regenerate completely and spontaneously in response to minor injuries, such as strain. In contrast, after severe injuries, muscle healing is incomplete, often resulting in the formation of fibrotic tissue that impairs muscle function.
Cutting is nothing more than lowering your fat percentage by adhering to a strict diet plan. This makes your muscle mass more visible. The difference between cutting and a regular diet is that with a regular diet you often lose muscle mass. Cutting is adjusting your diet so that the loss of muscle mass is minimal.
So, to summarize: if you are just starting out with training, then you can very likely increase your strength while cutting. The more advanced you are, the more difficult this becomes, and at a sufficiently advanced stage, just maintaining your strength while losing weight should be your goal.
The answer is yes - though you're unlikely to develop as much mass and strength as you would in a caloric surplus, it is still quite important to maintain progressive overload while cutting, as this will not only help prevent muscle loss but also allow you to continue your physical development, albeit at a slower pace.
The bottom line is that you don't need to drastically change your training program when you start cutting. Instead, keep following the same strength training program during your cut that you'd follow when eating more calories.
A cutting diet lasts 2–4 months, depending on how lean you are before dieting, and is normally timed around bodybuilding competitions, athletic events, or occasions like holidays ( 4 ).
The main reason for the reduction in strength is energy. You'll be eating less food and less carbs. That means your glycogen levels will be lower then in a bulking diet. You'll be in a calorie deficit so your body won't be getting the fuel you're used to.
Furthermore, the longer the cut, the more muscle mass is lost overall since it is impossible to avoid muscle loss, so keep this in mind. Most bodybuilders do not exceed cuts of 4 months but usually do at least 2 months.
Higher protein intakes are crucial for maintaining existing muscle while cutting calories. In fact, some research suggests that protein needs may be as high as 1.4 grams per pound of body weight to maintain existing mass (2). Protein intake is also critical for muscle gain since muscle is made up of protein.
In fact, you can expect a whopping 20–30% of the weight you lose by cutting calories will come from muscle, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
However, as mentioned above, athletes can start losing muscles after three weeks of inactivity. You lose cardio, or aerobic, fitness more quickly than muscle strength, and this can start to happen in just a few days.
Competitive bodybuilders typically follow a cutting diet for 2–4 months . A person can decide the duration of a cutting diet according to their individual needs, but it is not a long-term diet. Bodybuilders usually go through a bulking phase before a cutting diet.
Once you reach a body fat percent of 15% for men or 25% for women, that's when you'll want to start the cut. With a calorie deficit and ensuing weight loss, you'll start losing that fat gain you've put on over the winter months.
Summing It Up
It's pretty simple. If you're lean enough to bulk (10-15% body fat or less for a man, or 18-23% or less for a woman), you should probably bulk first. If you're above these ranges, you should cut first. And if you're a beginner who's somewhere in the middle, you should recomp.
You're doing too much volume
However, reducing volume almost always leads to strength gains. That is probably because your muscles are used to recover from higher volume so they can now super-compensate. So if you're doing 80+ hard reps per body part per week, you could cut it down to 40-60 reps per week.
If you want to gain muscle and strength as quickly as possible and you're at or below 10% (men) or 20% (women) body fat, then you should bulk. And if you want to lose fat as quickly as possible and you're at or above 15% (men) or 25% (women) body fat, then you should cut.
So, should you cut or bulk first if you are skinny fat? You should bulk first if you are skinny fat. A 10% caloric surplus is optimal to build muscle while ensuring you don't put on a lot of excess body fat. Stay in a surplus for a minimum of 4 months and then begin a slow, gradual cut.
If your goal is to gain muscle and strength and you aren't concerned with gaining a bit of fat in the process, a bulk may be a good choice. On the other hand, if you're looking to lose fat and maintain muscle, a cut may be more in line with your goals. For individualized guidance, consult a registered dietitian.
» Cut–bulk phases are typically best kept in the 10–20% body fat range (add 8% for women). » Bulking phases are best capped at 20% because past this point, the risk to health increases and I'd advise not bulking if you estimate yourself to be 16% body fat or above.