[RexImperator]

I'm sure I could go on increasing the weight on the bar but I'm just not willing to eat so much and would rather lose weight. I think it would be better to come back to building strength after losing some body fat. The problem is that strength training is the only training model I know and I'm not really into "bodybuilding." However, I'd be lying if I didnt admit that yes, I'd like to look a bit better. Anyone else deal with this, and what path did you take? It obviously requires a slightly different mindset.

[redonion]

Depending on how new you are to the iron game, you may be able to cut weight while increasing strength.

Personally, I would just max out your LP gains and cut weight after. This should take you 4-6 months tops. From then I'd switch to an intermediate program, eat at a caloric deficit, and keep my weights the same. I was able to cut 40lbs over a 9 month period while maintaining all my strength using this method.

[dog24]

Who says you have to eat at a surplus to get stronger? Specially since youre still a newbie (hence using an LP)
I would recommend you switch to the texas method if you still want to get stronger, it would be a bit slower than an LP though.

At one point i stopped the strength program i was doing and upped the volume a ton, didnt add anymore weight on any of the lifts, and instead i focused a lot more on isolation exercises, thats when everyone started telling that i got big, i also lowered my bf.

Saying you would like to look better but that you wouldnt want to do "bodybuilding" is a bit of a contradiction.

A good idea would be to do 5/3/1 the boring but big program or a variation of it, in which you could still do the main lifts and keep adding weight but also throwing in some assistance work for hypertrophy and to burn more calories.

So thats pretty much your options keep doing a purely strength program or do 5/3/1 or a bodybuilding split still doing the lifts as your first exercise and adding a lot of isolation work.

Also doing a bit of cardio never killed anyone.

[RexImperator]

(08-02-2014 12:01 PM)dog24 Wrote:  

Saying you would like to look better but that you wouldnt want to do "bodybuilding" is a bit of a contradiction.

I know. Well, there seems to be an attitude in strength training circles that "training for aesthetics" is a less worthy pursuit compared to chasing numbers which I'm somewhat sympathetic to. On the other hand, I don't see why aesthetics can't be a clue to overall health and if they are going in the wrong direction, they give you a clue you might want to change something up (diet, program). There must be be a happy medium where you are not obsessed with super low body fat but neither do you simply chase bigger numbers with no regard to how fat you get.

5/3/1 on a cut might be just the thing I should try. What I don't understand is that you do a big reset when you start and that seems counterproductive on a caloric deficit.

[redonion]

you can gain strength without getting fat. Just eat at maintenance or slightly above maintenance. Sure, the fastest way to get strong is to eat everything in sight, but you'll probably get fat that way.

I personally ran 5/3/1 on my cut and I think it's a solid choice. I'd recommend going light on the assistance work however or you might burn yourself out.

What do you mean by "big reset when you start"?

[RexImperator]

Well if I plug my current work sets into strstd.com it drops weight down and I don't hit my current 5RM until week 3, and then it is only for 1+ reps.

From what I've read about cutting, it seems like it's better to reduce volume/frequency but keep the bar weight high.

[redonion]

5/3/1 does have you start light for good reasons (grab Wendler's book if you don't have it). On week 3, if you're getting more than 2 reps on your final set, I'd bump the weight up for the next cycle.

It's true that while cutting the best way to maintain strength is low volume/heavy weight, but the starting point for 5/3/1 should still be heavy enough. If you're really concerned, run a few cycles to boost your totals till they're a bit more heavy and start your cut then.

[PHC19]

Dude, finish your LP. It's easy to cut weight, but more costly in the long run to quit.

Most people quit for ostensible reasons (i.e. tired, want to lose weight, etc.). But in reality, it usually becomes a mental toughness problem, which ultimately is the most important "gain" made from LP.

Near the end of your LP, it really starts to suck, and you will want to check out. If you continue on, it will change you for the better. Permanently.

Go pick up some Randall Stroessen books (IronMind, Winning Ways), get your mind right, and get it done.

Bear Bryant said it best, if you quit once...it will be easier to quit again. Death by a thousand cuts.

[RexImperator]

But from what I've read about how body fat affects hormones and partitioning ratios, I can't help but think it would be far better to try and lean out now that I have a bit of a strength base and then start over again with a slow bulk.

[PHC19]

Don't mind fuck yourself. I know where you're at. Ive been there. I was fat, and now I am lean. It's not about the the nominal weight on the bar, or your body composition. It's about your mind. Trust me man, I ended LP early in 2011, and it wasn't until the past year that I was finally able to finish it. It will haunt you.

Get your mind right, finish your linear progression, consider titrating the caloric intake down a bit. And then get lean.

And read this:

http://startingstrength.com/articles/cla...ppetoe.pdf

[reaper23]

That 1+ could be ten reps. You will get yor max effort in, it is designed to do that.

Plus Wendler et al believe that reps 75% add to top line number gains.

Trust in 5/3/1 and the Boring But Big protocol. Worked well for me. And a million others.

Welcome to the part of the journey that makes you rethink the trope that bodybuilding is dumb. I started with oly and power lifting. Said BB was dumb.

Now I do my curls too baby.

On cut right now I do this:
A day
Pull-ups: max effort set x 7. Usually starts at 11 pull ups and ends up at 3-5 in the last set.

Dips: same

Over head press 5x5

Curls and lateral raises.

B day
Same except bench instead of ohp.

One of each day per week

I get the best reaction ever from my body now. Keeping size and strength and cutting up from the cut.

[reaper23]

I should add that I too maxed out all linear progression first. And did 5/3/1 for months before starting the cut and maintenance working out.

[Kieran]

(08-05-2014 03:31 PM)reaper23 Wrote:  

That 1+ could be ten reps. You will get yor max effort in, it is designed to do that.

Plus Wendler et al believe that reps 75% add to top line number gains.

Trust in 5/3/1 and the Boring But Big protocol. Worked well for me. And a million others.

Welcome to the part of the journey that makes you rethink the trope that bodybuilding is dumb. I started with oly and power lifting. Said BB was dumb.

Now I do my curls too baby.

On cut right now I do this:
A day
Pull-ups: max effort set x 7. Usually starts at 11 pull ups and ends up at 3-5 in the last set.

Dips: same

Over head press 5x5

Curls and lateral raises.

B day
Same except bench instead of ohp.

One of each day per week

I get the best reaction ever from my body now. Keeping size and strength and cutting up from the cut.

Yeah, in the book Wendler says to aim for 10 on 5s week, 6-8 on 3s week, and 5 on 531 week.

531 seems to work great for everyone. I pretty much eat at maintenance, or at a defecit, year round, and still manage to gain strength on it. Plus it allows plenty of flexibility with assistance.