cutting = no strength gain?

[slipperydog]

correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're cutting, does it mean you can't gain strength at all?

 

[Legion Kreinak]

No! Not at all. Your lifts just won't be optimal. You can gain strength though. Just think, you're still doing resistance training.

 

[Lord_Suston]

It is hard to gain strength while cutting since most people lose muscle with fat, hence less muscle to use while lifting. But some people can ripp up while gaining muscle and then can actually get stronger....

 

[spatts]

Losing muscle with fat is ONE factor, but I think the bigger problem is that the foods that are consumed to cut (generally lower in carbs) are opposite of the foods needed to fuel lifts (carbs). It's an issue of muscle glycogen. No carbs, no fuel, no lift. This also varies person to person. I can maintain strength when cutting, maybe even go up here and there in a move, but I don't have, as someone else said, "optimal" lifts like this. I'm not going to bust PR's on a cutting diet.

 

[gymtime]

Losing muscle with fat is ONE factor, but I think the bigger problem is that the foods that are consumed to cut (generally lower in carbs) are opposite of the foods needed to fuel lifts (carbs). It's an issue of muscle glycogen. No carbs, no fuel, no lift. This also varies person to person. I can maintain strength when cutting, maybe even go up here and there in a move, but I don't have, as someone else said, "optimal" lifts like this. I'm not going to but PR's on a cutting diet.

Exactly.

Gear use aside, you gotta remember that besides low-carbing while cutting, you're also working out on a calorie deficit which doesn't exactly lend itself to growth very well. You'd be ahead of the game if you can just maintain as much muscle as possible while cutting, and don't worry about growth.

 

[Intenceman]

Thats why I don't folow the low carb plan. Low fat/low calorie dieting for bodybuilding was used inthe late 70's- early 80's by such greats as Mentzer, Coe, Tinnerino, Bass, etc with great success. Even Arnold didn't do exteme low carb diets- he cited this as an edge over his competitors enabling him to seem strong and healthy while they seem relatively drawn. I dropped 36 lb sin 14 weeks last summer eating that way and gained strength in every workout increasing all my lifts significantly except the Squat- which did suffer a little compared to other lifts.