Increase Arm Size WHILST Cutting?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]Jaybee wrote:
Bill, this thread ties in with my other about the RG Tricep pushdowns. My FIRST training priority is to get this gut down - everything and everyone else can get fucked. Now, I’ve been gaining strength every week since November, but I’ve only now nailed the diet. Gaining strength doesn’t help you cut. My second priority is to get these twigs up to size - and believe me, I will do it.

My question is, can it be done DURING my cut? THAT is the question.
[/quote]

Things that are unusually weak points can very often be improved even during a cut.

So for example, let’s say someone has been training their biceps quite thoroughly and consistently and same for their triceps in general, but like you their long head had never been much trained and the body had learned how to through exercises that were being done without employing it much at all, and now the long head is being trained effectively.

In such a case good gains might be made in that regard during the cut.

Or the example of someone with terrible good-mornings (and let’s say there were no spinal issues) who was this way due to just never having trained this seriously if ever. Again good gains would be likely even during a cut.

The objection was to the concept that there would be a great benefit to the arms by going to a really sorry workout plan for the rest of the body (that might be a slight exaggeration of your intent.) While there is truth to the idea that a given bodypart has more hope of progress if it is given greater emphasis than most of the rest of the body gets, there is no value in carrying this to extreme of making, for exanple, everything-but-arms get “wheel spinning” treatment.

As to whether your arm size might increase: This would depend largely on how much fat there is to be lost off the arms. Some store relatively a lot of fat there for any given amount of total overfatness, and thus lose quite a bit of arm circumference from cutting (assuming no remarkable muscle gains at the same time); others have not so much fat on the arms to be lost.

22

[quote]Jaybee wrote:

My question is, can it be done DURING my cut? THAT is the question.
[/quote]

Why don’t you just find out? Would you hold back on your exercises if someone here told you “it’s impossible” ?

If you make progress on exercises hitting the arms, then your arm-musculature will grow.
It’s that simple.

Whether you can do that on a cut… Depends on what you do to cut, I suppose.

23

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Jaybee wrote:
Bill, this thread ties in with my other about the RG Tricep pushdowns. My FIRST training priority is to get this gut down - everything and everyone else can get fucked. Now, I’ve been gaining strength every week since November, but I’ve only now nailed the diet. Gaining strength doesn’t help you cut. My second priority is to get these twigs up to size - and believe me, I will do it.

My question is, can it be done DURING my cut? THAT is the question.

Things that are unusually weak points can very often be improved even during a cut.

So for example, let’s say someone has been training their biceps quite thoroughly and consistently and same for their triceps in general, but like you their long head had never been much trained and the body had learned how to through exercises that were being done without employing it much at all, and now the long head is being trained effectively.

In such a case good gains might be made in that regard during the cut.[/quote]

Gains in SIZE? I just want to be absolutely clear on this, as it’s size that I want.

I’ve recently used GM’s to excellent effect to correct a balance problem during Squats, but that’s by the by.

Granted. The question then becomes one of degree…do I drop the non-arms weight by 25%? 35% 50%? 5% One other element I hope will help is that I have not yet gone to 300Gms of Protein - my daily intake is around 200Gms, but I can change that tomorrow. I’m HOPING that extra 100Gms gets funnelled into the arms.

24

Whether to drop weight or not has to do only with whether planning, for reasons having nothing to do with fat loss, indicates that moving to a different percent 1RM range is the thing to do at the time.

That might be the case: let’s say you’ve been doing a ton of work with triples and some with single sets of 5 that were truly maximal effort, then it could be quite appropriate now to use a somewhat lighter weight, say 3/4 as much or something like this for a time.

However if we know nothing but the fact that you are planning to cut, that in and of itself is no reason to drop the weights used. If anything it is reason to be more dubious of dropping weights too much for too long.

As for the size question: as I said before, it depends on how much fat you have on your arms. If the fat is say a 1/8th inch thicker layer on the outside of the arms than will be the case after cutting, then losing this 1/8" in radius will be a negative contribution of over 3/4" with regard to circumference.

Are you going to gain more than 3/4" muscle on your arms in the time frame in question? I doubt it but cannot know.

Do I know that you will lose that much fat on your arms? I cannot. Do I know that you won’t lose even more fat on your arms than that? Nope.

25

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Whether to drop weight or not has to do only with whether planning, for reasons having nothing to do with fat loss, indicates that moving to a different percent 1RM range is the thing to do at the time.

That might be the case: let’s say you’ve been doing a ton of work with triples and some with single sets of 5 that were truly maximal effort, then it could be quite appropriate now to use a somewhat lighter weight, say 3/4 as much or something like this for a time.

However if we know nothing but the fact that you are planning to cut, that in and of itself is no reason to drop the weights used. If anything it is reason to be more dubious of dropping weights too much for too long.[/quote]

I can guarantee your audience is having trouble following exactly what you are saying…so I shall provide Cliff Notes:

Translation:
“Muthafucka, how the hell would we know what percentage to drop your weight when the goal is to NOT DROP YOUR STRENGTH LEVEL at all while losing body fat if it can be avoided? You are being overly analytical while missing the entire point. YOU WANT TO GET STRONG AND STAY STRONG.”

There.

26

[quote]Professor X wrote:
I can guarantee your audience is having trouble following exactly what you are saying…so I shall provide Cliff Notes:

Translation:
“Muthafucka, how the hell would we know what percentage to drop your weight when the goal is to NOT DROP YOUR STRENGTH LEVEL at all while losing body fat if it can be avoided? You are being overly analytical while missing the entire point. YOU WANT TO GET STRONG AND STAY STRONG.”

There.[/quote]

Thanks… that was exactly it and much clearer.

27

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Bill Roberts wrote:
Whether to drop weight or not has to do only with whether planning, for reasons having nothing to do with fat loss, indicates that moving to a different percent 1RM range is the thing to do at the time.

That might be the case: let’s say you’ve been doing a ton of work with triples and some with single sets of 5 that were truly maximal effort, then it could be quite appropriate now to use a somewhat lighter weight, say 3/4 as much or something like this for a time.

However if we know nothing but the fact that you are planning to cut, that in and of itself is no reason to drop the weights used. If anything it is reason to be more dubious of dropping weights too much for too long.

I can guarantee your audience is having trouble following exactly what you are saying…so I shall provide Cliff Notes:

Translation:
“Muthafucka, how the hell would we know what percentage to drop your weight when the goal is to NOT DROP YOUR STRENGTH LEVEL at all while losing body fat if it can be avoided? You are being overly analytical while missing the entire point. YOU WANT TO GET STRONG AND STAY STRONG.”

There.[/quote]

Need more Cliff Notes! Haha thanks.

28

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Whether to drop weight or not has to do only with whether planning, for reasons having nothing to do with fat loss, indicates that moving to a different percent 1RM range is the thing to do at the time.

That might be the case: let’s say you’ve been doing a ton of work with triples and some with single sets of 5 that were truly maximal effort, then it could be quite appropriate now to use a somewhat lighter weight, say 3/4 as much or something like this for a time.
[/quote]

Fair enough, you didn’t know my regime as I haven’t published it here or on my profile - that’s on my ‘To Do’ list. Yes, I have been going to maximAL effort, and your use of that word is quite judicious - to say ‘maximum’ would be wrong. Let me clarify; the only times I have completed 3x6 are the times when I decided to increase the weight for the next week. My range is the MAX-OT one, 4-6. I don’t do another rep if I KNOW - as only I can, being my body - that I cannot perform another rep without either failing or my form deteriorating, ie, lowering the weight in a half-second. The only time I might perform a 7th rep is on the third and final set after 2x6. But that was rare.

[quote]As for the size question: as I said before, it depends on how much fat you have on your arms. If the fat is say a 1/8th inch thicker layer on the outside of the arms than will be the case after cutting, then losing this 1/8" in radius will be a negative contribution of over 3/4" with regard to circumference.

Are you going to gain more than 3/4" muscle on your arms in the time frame in question? I doubt it but cannot know.

Do I know that you will lose that much fat on your arms? I cannot. Do I know that you won’t lose even more fat on your arms than that? Nope.[/quote]

I hear you, mate, but I will TAKE that 3/4" of extra arm muscle tissue, even if I lose 2" of flab off of them. All the MORE reason to shoot for that .75", wouldn’t you say?

Bottom line here is - the flab is coming off, and I am NOT going to add much, if any muscle during that time. That’s the nature of cutting, I’m a big boy (pun not intended!), I was the one who overate my way into this mess, and I’m going to smart my way back out. I’m in for 3-4 months WITHOUT bulking, however you look at it. Boo-hoo for me, until the glorious day in sunny June when I see my abs for the first time in my life. But if I can address an imbalance DURING that time - namely, my skinny arms - then I will.

And, Bill, let me thank you for your replies thus far. They have not been unappreciated. Nor would any more be…

:slight_smile:

29

You need to cut back to half a thesaurus (or a third of your Wren and Martin, executive edition) for breakfast before making any more posts here

j/k

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Professor X wrote:
I can guarantee your audience is having trouble following exactly what you are saying…so I shall provide Cliff Notes:

Translation:
“Muthafucka, how the hell would we know what percentage to drop your weight when the goal is to NOT DROP YOUR STRENGTH LEVEL at all while losing body fat if it can be avoided? You are being overly analytical while missing the entire point. YOU WANT TO GET STRONG AND STAY STRONG.”

There.

Thanks… that was exactly it and much clearer.[/quote]

30

[quote]Jaybee wrote:
I hear you, mate, but I will TAKE that 3/4" of extra arm muscle tissue, even if I lose 2" of flab off of them. All the MORE reason to shoot for that .75", wouldn’t you say?

Bottom line here is - the flab is coming off, and I am NOT going to add much, if any muscle during that time. That’s the nature of cutting, I’m a big boy (pun not intended!), I was the one who overate my way into this mess, and I’m going to smart my way back out. I’m in for 3-4 months WITHOUT bulking, however you look at it. Boo-hoo for me, until the glorious day in sunny June when I see my abs for the first time in my life. But if I can address an imbalance DURING that time - namely, my skinny arms - then I will.

And, Bill, let me thank you for your replies thus far. They have not been unappreciated. Nor would any more be…

:slight_smile:
[/quote]

I’m glad there was some value found to them!

Yes, I agree with your now-stated philosophy that losing circumference when it’s fat that is being lost is just a “c’est la vie” kind of thing (not that you said it that way) and no reason not to cut, and that if doing so provides enough more incentive for adding muscle, all the better.

In your particular situation where, based on your reverse grip triceps pressdown figure and your new emphasis on training this, you may have quite substantial further quick gains coming to you on the long head of the triceps, I do think you have a reasonable chance of adding significant muscle to the upper arms in the weeks ahead despite the cutting, if the diet is not too severe.

31

Good luck!