As I’ve outlined on my Instagram page and Youtube, it can be difficult to gain mass while getting “shredded” simultaneously. A common question is why people should continue lifting heavy weights and doing strength training if they are in a caloric deficit. “If I can’t build muscle on a caloric deficit, I’m tired, moody, more hungry, then what’s the point?” Yes, I know from personal experience that when you are consuming less calories for a certain amount of time it can be harder to find the motivation to go to the gym and train. You’re tired, moody, more fatigued. It’s hard.
The main purpose of continuing strength training when on a cut is to:
1. MAINTAIN the muscle that you have built up over time and worked hard for, and 2. To help increase the rate at which you burn calories. The more muscle you have = the “faster” your metabolism will work and this will aid in the cutting process.
While on a cut, to ensure I can train as hard as I can:
-I get as much sleep as I can -Eat your calories through foods. Do not waste your calories on high energy drinks like frappes, sugary fizzy drinks etc. -Drink enough water. -Stimulants. Yes, your energy will be lower during a cut. I drink black coffee or sometimes pre workout before training to give me an extra kick of energy which helps me train harder. These aren’t necessary, but I find that they help me while training personally. -Listening to a good playlist that will help you train harder. -Training with someone else. I have found that when I train with others, I push myself a lot harder. Have any tips? Leave comments below.
I will be posting more blog posts on each of these individual constituents to help you get the most out of your training so stay posted.