I am planning to drop 10-15 kgs until June next year. I have never been under 15 % body fat and really would like to see myself at least once in my life not fat.
Suppose my nutrition and sleep is on point, how would you train in order to drop down that much fat without losing a lot of muscle.
33 years old, 175 cm, 90 kg.
Approximately 2-3 years of casual training, with some periods of hard work.
OHP at 50 for 5x5
Bench at 70 for 5x5
Squat max has been at 100 for 5x5 (currently at 85 for 5x8)
DL at 110 at 5x3
Currently running Nutty’s begginer routine 3-4 times per week depends on the schedule.
Kind of. From where we sit, anyway, because we know that getting lean can be pretty disappointing when you realise you haven’t got as much muscle as you thought.
Maybe it isn’t so terrible for someone who simply wants to be not fat, assuming the expectation is to just look skinny and not caring about whether there is any muscle to show. Years ago when I lost a bunch of weight before I started training I was stoked just to me smaller. I didn’t give a shit that I didn’t have any muscle and was skinny fat. Different story when I leaned out properly a couple of years back, because it was a rude shock to see that I had very little muscle.
On balance I’m going to agree with @SOUL_FIGHTER though, because someone who is concerned about body fat percentage, knows that sleep and nutrition are important and wants to know how to train probably cares about how they will look when they are lean.
So, OP, I wouldn’t bother trying to lean out yet. Try instead to replace fat with muscle, because at 175 cm and 90 kg you’ve got a lot of room get rid of fat. Yes, you could lean out significantly, and in the end wouldn’t have much to show for it in terms of physique. If that’s what you want, your diet is really all that matters. Whatever training you do will help it along a bit, and any kind of weight training will be beneficial.
If you actually want to look better when you get rid of the fat, you will want to build muscle and that means training more like a bodybuilder. Diet will still be the most important aspect, but not just in the sense of creating a sustainable caloric deficit. You will want your diet to be enough of a deficit to cause you to lose fat, but not so low that your recovery will be compromised.
I’m reading all kinds of theories. Some say you have to train the way you built the muscles. Other than that you should keep the strength, which means that you have to train heavier and smaller volume. Well yes, but I muscles may have built them with a bodybuilding Workouts. Does that mean I have to keep practicing like this, or should I start training a force?
It’s nice to be lean, but not nice to lean out for months and find out there’s no muscle. I’m 174cm and 90kg and I still feel skinny, and I was pretty unimpressive. To me, a beginner who is inexperienced with building muscle won’t know how to maintain the muscle when they’re on a major cut
I suggest finding out what works for you in terms of building muscle before going on a cut and trying to figure out what helps you maintain muscle.
For example, I notice I lean out the longer I maintain weight even though I’m not actively cutting weight, simply by not eating till I’m about to puke. The time frame you have till Mid June is DEF a good time frame to recomp and lean out as you get bigger off newbie gainz.
I agree with the others-ish. I think you’d be okay to run a deficit now and again but no need to pursue a sustained deficit. Do two weeks of 12xBW in pounds for calories using a 40p/30f/30c split, and two weeks (or more) of maintenance. Alternate between the two while getting stronger in the 8-12 range.
Sounds reasonable, but what worked best for me was a 5x5 and eating a lot. Basically when I started working out I was at 93 kg. Then I cut to 78 to realise I have no muscle. Fast forward few months on 5x5 I was at 88 kg with muscle. I ve been building slowly afterwards. So I ve been there at skinny fat without muscle.
However I am not returning to 5x5. It is too much compound volume and too much squats and my numbers are not going to increase from it. It is too stressful on the nervous system once you reach your newbie maxes.
This is why I am doing nuttys program. It has one compound and few compound assistance per work out and it is managable and I am almost lifting my 5x5 numbers at 5x6 or 5x8. Although his program may have too much volume as well. But I like it, it develops work capacity via SS and short rests. Lots of core strength via front squats, lower back and core work. And balance via lunges and bulgarian split squats.
However I will follow the advice given here. I ll try to recomposition with a very slight deficit 100-200 cal, while continuing to lift heavier to build muscle. Lets see where this will get me.
One question regarding this path. My lower body is muscular and way stronger than upper body. I ve played soccer for many years and I have genetics if bigger legs from my parents. What should I change to get more muscle at the upper body?
Dude, you’re borderline delusional here. If you’re 175 cm and 90 kilos your lifts should be way, WAY more than they are if you’re even remotely muscular.
First and foremost you need to decide what’s important to you. Do you want to be strong, do you want to be lean, do you want to have a muscular physique. Each goal will have different approaches
Regardless of your goal consistency over time will be your number one tool. Start today and push as hard as you can everyday until you hit your goal and then push some more.
If it were me I’d set an attainable goal for one month, 3 months, and a final goal.
I’m more of a fan of the recomp for a beginner. You will still have a ton of potential to put on muscle and that added muscle will aid in becoming leaner. I’d shoot to get 250 grams of protein 250 carbs and like 50 grams of fat. That would give you a 40/40/20 ratio at around 2400 calories. Eat good quality food and put in the work and you’ll make progress. Shit look at the softy I was at the beginning of my log lol.
So ill go after recomp target, as I may over rate the muscle I have. So I guess I eat around maitenance with about 40 percent protein and try to break PRs. Would you recommend nuttys workout with a slower steadier, but consistent progress and double progression?
If you break PRs and are progressing then it’s fine. Continue with it until you don’t progress and have stalled for a while, then re-evaluate. It’s a taxing program though (I’m doing it too) so if you begin to stall, then you can either bump calories up for a week or two before returning to maintenance. Or deload for a week. Or change your assistance exercises around a little (which will in effect be a deload). Or change to another program.