When to start cutting?

[cody covey]

I stay pretty consistant throughout the year with working out. This year i decided to get a little more serious with my winter training and have been lifting 6 days a week and eating close to my weight in protein for the last 14 weeks (journal is how i keep track). I have noticed a signifact gain in muscle and i dont see a need to get any bigger, i am by no means the hulk but i am satisfied. My question is, for you guys who build in the winter and then backpack train in the spring and summer, do you retain most of the muscle you built? Any advice on this topic would be great.

 

[cody covey]

Oh, and when do you start laying off the weights and focusing on cardio?

 

[shaun]

Personally I used to bulk till march and cut in April normally I would cut from 245-250 down to 220s this year I kept my cardio up with lifting I am just about as strong as I was when I bulked but I am 234 so I have a lot less to cut. Take it from me bulking and cutting for backpack hunting is no bueno. More muscle means more 02 needed

 

[cody covey]

That makes sense, i guess i never thought of it. Maybe i should focus on strength training?

 

[armyjoe]

x2 for month of April. I'm in the military so I stay in damn good shape year around but in April is when I really kick up the cardio and endurance. I still lift some but lighter weights and more reps. Keeps the muscles toned up but doesn't build them.

 

[a3dhunter]

x2 for month of April. I'm in the military so I stay in damn good shape year around but in April is when I really kick up the cardio and endurance. I still lift some but lighter weights and more reps. Keeps the muscles toned up but doesn't build them.

You saw my shape.....I've been cutting for two years straight with another year to go!.....got to get rid of all this "muscle"!

 

[armyjoe]

Congrats! Thats some awesome dedication man. Hey, as long as you can get around in the mountains when it counts a lil extra "muscle" isn't bad

 

[justin davis]

I'm not big on heavy lifting and putting muscle on. It been my experience that the "muscles" are for the beach not the mountains. I've been friends with some guys who were ripped but when it came to the mtns they struggled.

I work out year round (part of my jobs also). Running, hiking, and crossfit type workouts.

 

[Beastmode]

I'm not big on heavy lifting and putting muscle on. It been my experience that the "muscles" are for the beach not the mountains. I've been friends with some guys who were ripped but when it came to the mtns they struggled.

I work out year round (part of my jobs also). Running, hiking, and crossfit type workouts.

I am agreeing with Justin on this one. I don't want to be ripped going in to the mtns. I want my cardio and legs to be strong. I hike a lot patrolling power lines so this keeps me in descent shape come hunting season.

 

[cody covey]

All good points. This is a new thing for me as i have always been a little soft so i wanted to push my body and see how i will perform if i am strong, fit, and in shape all around. I figure by the time hunting season gets here i will be around 190 lbs. im 205 at the moment and stand 5'-11" so im by no means huge guy. With that said i went into last years season at 185lbs but with alot less muscle. Do you think it will negatively effect my endurance carrying more muscle even though my weight is roughly the same? Oh, and thanks for the feedback can never have to much information.

 

[G Posik]

I try to not add any bulk during the year. I tend to do what I call my ladder sets with weights. Lets just use the bench press as an example, the weights I will just make up for easy math. Start off with 100lbs total weight on the bar. Do 25 reps. No rest just add 10 lbs to the bar and do 20 reps. No rest add 10 more lbs to the bar and do 15 reps. Add 10 lbs to the bar and do 10 reps. Add 30 l s to the bar and do 3 reps. Now you get to do a 1 minute rest. After the 1 minute rest reverse the process. If you have the correct weight on to start, you should really have a hard time completing the last 25 reps. Going to failure helps with the endurance and the heavier weight in the 3 reps helps build strength.

After this I will do the same on two more of the same body part for the day. Then it is off to the core. I use this same ladder set for all of my lifting. I have noticed good strength and endurance gains with very, very little increase in size. I prefer to be more lean and mean and big and bully. I am 6' 210 lbs.

Glenn

 

[Ross]

Lean and mean in the Mountains is the way to go......you want to have sufficient strength and endurance to hunt all day, but not carrying unneeded weight, weather it be added muscle or the later...being in the older class, I will only add what I lost during season and then try to maintain my weight through the rest of the year. As I get within 45 days of season I will back off on the weights, but never fully eliminating them and increase my cardio. My typical week will be 3 days cardio and 2-3days weights and as season approaches it will be 4 days cardio and 1-2 days weights. And as Glenn noted dont forget the midsection. It is boring but will pay off come season....

 

[G Posik]

Ross I forgot to mention I run 5 days a week, hike 1 day and lift 4 days a week. I try not to change my routine to much through the year. At 43 years old can not let it get away, it is to hard to get back.

Glenn

 

[Snipershirt]

I lift the same year round except for time out of the gym while in the backcountry. I weight train 5 days a week, 1 day of rest and a day of crossfit type workouts. Cardio (running) every other day and I'll throw in some hikes once the snow melts in April. Diet is paramount...my body weight stays with in +/- 5 lbs annually. I listen to my body when it comes to weight amount and rep/set numbers. I may spend a couple weeks utilizing high reps with lower weight and then go back to heavier weight with low reps. If I hit a sticking point, I throw in a set of 50 reps per exercise at the end of each exercise for a week. True smoker but it'll get you over those hurdles and back in the hunt.