Dropping Reps While Cutting

I thought I read somewhere that it is a bad idea to lower the rep range while cutting (say, if you’ve been hanging around in the 6-8 range, then want to drop it to 4-6). What’s that about?

I would think it would be good to progress to higher loads.

When cutting you want to keep the muscles stimulated to minimize cannibalism…

I would lower the weight and up the rep range…

I remember Thibs recommending lower rep ranges while cutting. I think he said it’s because the metabolic demands of lower rep ranges are lower.

[quote]undeadlift wrote:
I remember Thibs recommending lower rep ranges while cutting. I think he said it’s because the metabolic demands of lower rep ranges are lower. [/quote]

That is true. Rep ranges 6 and under draw little on glycogen.

The idea behind the thing I read was that one shouldn’t drop the rep range in the MIDST of cutting. So, if you’ve been doing 6-8 reps, you shouldn’t go lower during the cut.

Again, though, that doesn’t really make sense, because it is essentially saying you shouldn’t seek to progress.

I wish I knew where I read that and who wrote it, so I could read it again.

[quote]inthego wrote:
When cutting you want to keep the muscles stimulated to minimize cannibalism…

I would lower the weight and up the rep range…[/quote]

I think you mean catabolism not cannibalism.

To answer the OP’s question - Generally you should decrease workout volume significantly and increase intensity while reducing calories. Personally I think you should stay somewhere between 4-8 reps. Read CT’s article “Destroying Fat - War Room Strategies to Maximize Fat Loss”

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=1499282&cr=

This article should help you out.

[quote]tpa wrote:
inthego wrote:
When cutting you want to keep the muscles stimulated to minimize cannibalism…

I would lower the weight and up the rep range…

I think you mean catabolism not cannibalism.

[/quote]

lol damn spell check…

[quote]inthego wrote:
tpa wrote:
inthego wrote:
When cutting you want to keep the muscles stimulated to minimize cannibalism…

I would lower the weight and up the rep range…

I think you mean catabolism not cannibalism.

lol damn spell check…[/quote]

well, you are sorta eating yourself, right? :wink:

[quote]inthego wrote:
tpa wrote:
inthego wrote:
When cutting you want to keep the muscles stimulated to minimize cannibalism…

I would lower the weight and up the rep range…

I think you mean catabolism not cannibalism.

lol damn spell check…[/quote]

hahhaha man that is the mock up of the week!