As Bodyfat goes down so does my strength!!!

**PistolPete33** · 02-25-2010, 07:35 PM

I've been cutting for the past few weeks and I've totally changed my workout. I've only been hitting the weights 2 times a week because I switched from bodybuiling back to MMA training. I'm doing a cutting diet as I need to get my weight down before a grappling torn. That being said I'm stronger on the mats but weaker in the gym. My lifts today were way off and it's kinda frustrating. I know I'm not lifting anywhere near what I was lifting a few months ago but I'm not sure if the strength losses are coming from cutting or from not lifting as much. I'm sure it's a combination of the 2. Oh well, I look a lot better now though.

**DKU** · 02-25-2010, 08:29 PM

They say mass moves mass. That's why all the top powerlifters are fat.

**quarry206** · 02-25-2010, 09:53 PM

its not about fat.. its about having the calories protein and all the good things to keep both muscle and your CNS in line with strength..

its a fine balance when you are lean weight and gaining or keeping strength.. you have to use deload weeks plan cardio and also cut back on movements that are too much like another movement that does a different body part.

**MuscleScience** · 02-25-2010, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by quarry206

its not about fat.. its about having the calories protein and all the good things to keep both muscle and your CNS in line with strength..

its a fine balance when you are lean weight and gaining or keeping strength.. you have to use deload weeks plan cardio and also cut back on movements that are too much like another movement that does a different body part.

Exactly!

Plus if you are cutting calories that is essentially less energy for your body to work with. Meaning you have less energy to not only put into growth and repair. You also have less energy for your workouts. What you are experiencing is normal and will reverse once you start adding calories back.

**amcon** · 02-25-2010, 10:49 PM

you will loose some strength...it is normal, loosing lots of strength is prob lack of protien in you diet or enough of it...

mass moves mass is correct - but a power lifters goal is not looks it is moving iron

what are your goals - looks or strength

**bjpennnn** · 02-25-2010, 11:05 PM

i am going through the same thing man dont trip. Do you think your wu-tang sword can defeat me?

**quarry206** · 02-25-2010, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by amcon

you will loose some strength...it is normal, loosing lots of strength is prob lack of protien in you diet or enough of it...

mass moves mass is correct - but a power lifters goal is not looks it is moving iron

what are your goals - looks or strength

that is the big question that people do not ask themselves. or they don't know it truly when they are working out.

I think people need to really focus on that simple question of what are your goals before really choosing a workout or method.

**stack_it** · 02-26-2010, 12:02 AM

^^^ thats the problem I have. I flip flop from wanting to cut back to wanting to bulk so much I end up just maintaining. I have been cutting for the last month and my bench has gone from repping 225 for sets of 10 down to sets of 6.

**laduem88** · 02-26-2010, 02:16 AM

yea, i always want to be very lean year round yet get stronger and its very hard...i dont care too much about getting HUGE anymore and my overall goal will be to be at 210-215 5-7%bf...but i want to be strong as hell and its hard when your trying to stay @ 10% and under.

**lovbyts** · 02-26-2010, 06:03 AM

Originally Posted by quarry206

that is the big question that people do not ask themselves. or they don't know it truly when they are working out.

I think people need to really focus on that simple question of what are your goals before really choosing a workout or method.

Exactly and this is the same I try to tell a lot of people who ask me for advise. What are your goals.

Many ask me how much I bench/curl/etc. I tell them I dont know and I dont care. Im not trying to be in a strong man compilation and I know no matter how much it is someone will do more.

Also I tell them watch you you take advise from. Look at them, is this how you want to look? Everyone had advise but everyone has different goals. Mine is not to be the strongest or the biggest but what I consider the best shape I can be, what I think looks good.

**PistolPete33** · 02-26-2010, 06:06 AM

To answer the question about strength vs. looks I would say I want both. I think right now if I could only have 1 I would take the looks. The other thing is that I'm 5'8" tall and at the height of my bulk I was 203lbs. Now that I've been cutting I'm down to 188 so I'm sure that has a lot to do with things. My goal now is to get as shredded as possible and then try to maintain it. I will need to cut down to 170 when I compete so my goal is to prob. get down another 10lbs. and then be able to just cut the other 8 in the days before the competition.

**soulstealer** · 02-27-2010, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by MuscleScience

Exactly!

Plus if you are cutting calories that is essentially less energy for your body to work with. Meaning you have less energy to not only put into growth and repair. You also have less energy for your workouts. What you are experiencing is normal and will reverse once you start adding calories back.

Such a simple concept yet so many people miss the point. A highschool kid came up to me the other day and said he had been stuck at his current weight for a while and wanted to get stronger and put on some size... so I told him to eat more... he said the only problem was that he wanted to stay super lean and not risk putting on any fat... so I said good luck... and he walked over and started doing insanely intense high rep abdominal work that closely resembled cardio

whatever... I hope he figures it out one day...