Last updated on March 26th, 2024 at 12:50 am
Warm seasons like spring and summer are undeniable leaders among the reasons to lose weight. Despite the fact that fat loss is the first step toward a healthy life, beauty, and appearance are still taking the lead. While those who are seriously overweight need to follow a specific program of workouts and nutrition, those who require some fat-melting shaping, can follow a cutting routine. A cut workout plan is a wise decision for those who are willing to shed some fatty pounds and reveal a muscular physique when there is a special event or season on the horizon.
Please note, the following guidelines are not for professional athletes.
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How to lose fat?
The majority of weight loss programs focus on burning fat for reaching the satisfying numbers on the scales. Yet your body hardly benefits from such an approach, as apart from the annoying pounds, you lose the muscle mass, which is definitely not an option.
Muscle mass shapes our body, propels our movement, makes the immune system stronger, and increases the level of metabolism. If you concentrate on weight loss only, sooner or later it will lead to weight gain:
Loss of muscle mass → slower metabolism → fewer calories to burn for energy → more calories are stored as fat → weight gain.
Doesn’t look like a fair deal, does it?
Instead of just losing fat, it is essential to focus on muscle mass preservation, as it is the key to the proper functioning of your body. And that’s what cutting is about.
What is cutting?
Cutting is a muscle definition workout plan that is used by bodybuilders after bulking up and putting on some extra pounds. Cutting is about lowering the fat percentage in your body mass index (BMI) by sticking to a diet plan and specific workouts in order to make muscle mass more visible.
The cutting phase workout plan is an equality of two main cornerstones – balanced nutrition and regular training, in order to create a calorie deficit. Cutting typically takes two-three months for reaching the desirable results, and it’s not recommended to exceed this limit.
Cutting is a win-win strategy, as it is a balanced approach toward lowering body fat and maintaining muscle mass. We aren’t going to lead you through a challenging a tiresome cutting routine for professionals, yet we have prepared a lighter variant for showcasing your body complexion.
Who is the cutting suitable for?
Cutting isn’t just a routine to follow when you suddenly decided to lose weight. A beginner cutting plan is suitable if:
- You have a sustainable fitness level, and certain experience in working out.
- You are fairly lean, yet quite a few pounds don’t match the idea of perfection.
- You have a well-developed muscle mass – above average.
However, if you are new to the gym cutting routine, and the pounds to lose reach 20+ signs, it isn’t recommended as a method of weight loss. Even the best cutting workout plan is a temporary option, it takes only two or three months, depending on your needs, and helps to train the muscles and lose fat simultaneously. However, when being performed for longer, it can put a strain on your physical and mental health.
Strength Training in Cutting
Strength for cutting is a driving force behind muscle gain. When following the cutting regimen, it will help to preserve muscle mass with minimum losses. However, unlike typical workouts, your need to shift the focus a bit, as overtraining will not be beneficial:
- The volume of weights decreases, meanwhile the intensity increases;
- The workout duration is within 30-60 minutes. You can extend this time due to individual metrics;
- The frequency of the workout is about 2-4 strength trainings a week.
3-day sessions will work perfectly towards maintaining the lean mass and helping you burn extra calories. In case you skip the day, you should catch up on it doubling the portion of a workout the following day. The more stress you put into the workout routine, the more physical and psychological damage you will have.
The following example of 3-day strength training should be adjusted to individual needs.
| Monday | Wednesday | Friday |
| 1. Squats: 2. Stiff-Leg Deadlifts 3. Bent Over Barbell Rows 4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 5. Parallel Dips 6. Lateral Raises 7. Dumbbell Curls 8. Tricep Kickbacks 9. Standing Calf Raises 10. Hanging Leg Raises 11. Side Plank (30 sec on each side) 12. Chin Ups | Barbell Bench PressFlat DB Chest FlyDeadliftDB LungesBarbell Overhead PressFarmer’s Walk (1 set x 15-30 meters)Pull UpsBarbell ShrugsSkull CrushersHammer CurlSeated Calf RaisesV-Ups | Chin UpsT-Bar RowIncline Barbell Bench PressWeighted Push UpsSquatsHip ThrustsArnold PressUpright RowsBarbell CurlClose Grip Bench PressStanding Calf RaiseLying Leg Raise |
| Volume – 2 sets 8-12 repetitions per each; yet it should be adjusted appropriately according to the physical characteristics. | ||
| Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday – low-intensity cardio or HIIT. Sunday – rest day. | ||
With three days being occupied by strength trainings, what do your need for the rest weekdays? Cardiovascular or anaerobic workout.
Cardiovascular Exercise in Cutting
Contrary to what you may have heard about cardio being detrimental for muscle gain, it is a treasure trove for those who need to burn fat, and for those who find it hard to get used to a lower-calorie diet.
The low-intensity cardio makes part of endurance cut workouts and is beneficial for those who are not in good physical shape, and. It helps to burn fat, while its low intensity helps your muscles to recover after the previous strength training.
HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is about switching periods of energy outbursts – 20-23 seconds of the maximum energy that change into the resting period of 40 seconds. One of the biggest benefits is calorie expenditure during and after the workout period, as the effect of the 20-minute HIIT workout lasts for hours.
By inserting cardio workouts into the cutting routine, you make it perfectly balanced: strength training is a support for the muscles, and cardio works as a fat burner. What do we have at the end? Right, lean and beautiful complexion, just what you have been dreaming of.
The Takeaways
If you got tired while reading, let’s have a quick summary:
- Сutting is a good choice for you if you have a relatively high level of physical preparation and at least one year of active sports involvement.
- A workout plan for cutting isn’t about just losing weight as quickly as possible. it’s a slow-paced loss of fat deposits while maintaining muscle mass.
- Cutting can only be performed when combining workouts (at a moderate level) and a low-calorie diet, to create a calorie deficit.
- Strength training, unlike the common approach, isn’t the one and only for use while bulking. A cardio workout will make a great addition to the workout routine, as it is the best to burn the fat deposit. And remember, the low intensity is a more winning strategy.
- Have a little patience as slow and steady wins the race 🏋️
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