im entering my cutting phase, and i have what could possibly be a retarded question. if im lifting and doing 3 sets of 15, my muscles burn, but then the next day i dont really feel sore at all. if im doing 3x15, does that mean i can lift the same bodyparts each day? also, if i do 3x15, will that make me weaker, or just have more muscular endurance? i know i have alot of questions, but thats why i came here! thanks everyone!
1. lack of soreness does not mean lack of progress. you can lift the same bodyparts multiple times a week BUT your entire program has to be based on and allow for that. overall you're shooting for "optimal" not "capable". follow your program unless you really know what you're doing.
well...im doing 3x15 because im going on vacation in a 4 weeks, and i think i've already achieved enough mass in the past few months. im simply doing it because i want toget more definition and cut down. i have a decent amount of lifting experience, being a high school wrestler and baseball player. maybe i should go down to 3x12 or something?
P-D,
What does your program look like?
You can hit the same body parts (muscle groups) more than once in a week but I would be cautious about two days in a row. It would be easier for guys on here to help you if you showed us your routine. And, to echo gobbla, lack of soreness does not mean a poor workout.
Here's a little something I found on this forum a while back.
Goal--Fat Loss
Set/Rep Volume--24-36
Loading--70-80% of 1RM
Rest Between Sets--60-90 seconds
Sessions per Week per Muscle Group--2-3
Rep schemes of 12-20 tend to target endurance and hypertrophy.
If you've added some good mass and want to maintain it by cutting, I think lower reps and heavier weights are often recommended to help maintain your mass and strength. But, that is one approach. Some folks have apparently had good success with somewhat higher reps. Two successful approaches I know of are:
3x8, working in supersets, so that you get working a bit harder, and are using a bit heavier weight. So, you can superset squats and chins, benchpresses and rows, etc. Craig Ballantyne uses this approach in his Turbulence Training for Fat Loss programs.
The Ripped, Rugged and Dense approach: 5x5, but only two exercises per day, so that you don't overdo the challenge to your body while cutting.
RR&D (Ripped, Rugged and Dense) 2.0 http://www.ruggedmag.com/index.php?type=Article&i=3&a=8
A workout for a cutting phase, the idea is to lose the fat but keep the muscle. Should leave muscles dense and toned. Works different body parts each day.
Also, Rugged mag/Joel Marion has this routine, which has been spoken of well:
welll, my program isnt very complicated, but i hope it works. im doing bench in a pyramid style (10,6,4,2), and the following exercises in 3x15: flies, lateral raises, rows, leg extensions, leg curls, nosebreakers, and forearm curls. for biceps im doing 21's. im also taking protein powder, drinking alot of h20, have a pretty clean diet, and run 3 miles a day. mahler, what does set/rep volume mean?
Why pyramid style on bench? No deadlifting or squatting? How about pullups/chins and dips instead of skullcrushers and forearm curls? Add a couple of sets of curls if you really wish, but don't go to failure.
Are you cutting your caloric intake? Or what are you changing about your food intake?
And also, if you dropped the three miles a day and did intervals instead, I bet you would see some sweet progress.
Just to chime and and tell you to listen to these guys - they know what they speak - drop the curls and tricep extensions.
Especially if you're cutting - do compound exercises - more work in less time. You're wasting your time on those isolation exercises. Find a good trainer like Ballantyne and follow his TT routine mentioned above.
An awkward question
Linear Mode
