Missed rep

[FlyUSMC]

I meant to start a journal, but stupidly haven't yet. Went and picked up a small notebook today, so no excuses tomorrow. I took the whole week off of squats and DL's due to my knee pains, but they're feeling good now so hopefully I'm done with that. As far as being a beginner goes, I'm not exactly sure how I would be classified. I've been lifting since September, but was a complete noob about it (no compound lifts, mainly just stuck to "beach muscles" and either 3x8's or 3x12's). So I don't know where that puts me, really. The one thing I haven't been able to figure out though is this: According to Kane and a few others, I will be seeing strength gains while cutting (as long as my protein intake is high enough), but am I going to stop after a point (not due to stalling/needing a new program, but just because I'm not eating enough)?

[_Wolf_]

i dont know anything about eating apart from knowing my own body, but i would like to urge u to start a journal here so eric and i can help u out.

[EricT]

Based on what you are saying then I would venture to say that you are using to large of loading increments for your progression. Soundls like you never really started a strength base. And based on the short history you wrote you recovery has not developed to the point where you can necessarily expect to use the increments you do. Also, you can't automatically expect to recover every 48 hours but if you load too aggresively then there is certainly no guarantee.

The closer you are to a true beginer state, the lower your ability to recover and the easier it is for a certain heavy load to overwhelm those recovery processes. I think it's silly to tell someone add a whole lot and then if it's hard, add less, and so on and so forth. Better to say add an amount that can guarantee you steady progress for a while.

Especially since once you start to stall out there is no guarantee that just adding less next time is going to bring you out of that and guarantee continued progress. And if you were to turn around and increase the increment you may have allowed a little recovery to catch up and then you turn around and put yourself in a deficit since you're right back to the loading that you couldn't handle yet in the first place. It's all about the interplay of fatigue and fitness (recovery). You're body is much more able to adapt to a steady and predictable something than an erratic and everchanging something.

People are making too much of Rippetoe's specific suggestions as to progression. We need to keep in mind that 1. It was written for coaches 2. it was written with the athlete (mostly) in mind, desinged to make the quickest gains possible with the help and supervision of an experienced coach.

The only difference between loading more conservatively and loading more aggresively is time. But I take it you are not gearin up for a big competition so the advantage of being conservative is more overall progress even if that progress takes a little more time to mount up.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Eating less will impact you strength gains. How and when I couldn't possibly predict. If you want to be more successful in the long run then eat enough to make your gains and don't worry about vanity pounds. If you care about a six pack that is easy to achieve throught diet and cardio alone. I would try to zero in on what is most important to you and stick to that.

[Kane]

You will make some gains, but you won't make nearly what you could with a bulking diet. I also can't say how far your strength gains will go but I do agree with Eric, it is easier to shed a few excess pounds of fat than it is to put on a few pounds of muscle.

[FlyUSMC]

Lots of good stuff in that post, thanks. I'm not necessarily worried about my weight (don't have to be, anymore...), but would just like to cut a little off for the summer (gotta have teh 6 pakc for the ladies ) I'll start a journal, and go from there.

[Kane]

Well, typical cycles would be bulking in the winter and cutting in the spring, you just missed the bulking season lol. If you watch what you eat, while still eating enough to grow, then you can make gains without alot of fat. Its easier said than done, but is possible.

[_Wolf_]

i hate cutting.

i will never cut

haha

[Kane]

^^ Me either!

[widdoes2504]

Occasionally I plan to cut....then reality sets in and I start to bulk again. I like to eat and drink beer too much to devote myself to cutting. Plus I enjoy my strength level too much to sacrifice to look good.

[FlyUSMC]

You've already got a wife/girlfriend I'm with you though...beer and food are cut back on. Beer is easier than food though!