You just have to trick yourself into liking to cut. Start looking for striations, get yourself pumped to do cardio while listening to music. Start getting excited about having more stamina and being able to do body weight exercises better. Look forward to eating and cooking healthy foods
this is great advice. im 6'1 and after a few years of lifting i was always around 200-215 lbs but at mediocre bodyfat. I was really not used to cutting and at first it sucked but instead of giving up i focused on the positives, did bodyweight training additionally, watched my pullups skyrocket and at the end i could do a set of five muscle ups as compared to before where i couldnt do one. just deal with the strength plateau and focus on the positives.
When bulking: "damn, I'm getting fatter. My jeans are getting tighter and I feel like my stomach is growing." When cutting: "damn, I'm getting small and weak. My clothes are getting looser and I feel like my arms are shrinking." I love feeling strong and having a lot of energy when I'm bulking, but I hate feeling fat and feeling my waist growing and watching my face get rounder. When I'm cutting, I love feeling my waist shrink and watching my jawline develop, but I hate losing strength on my bench and stagnating on all of my other lifts.
I did a 5 month cut, very slow, I actually gained strength, because the 2 time a week training system is so good. I did lose initial strength, but once I re-ate some calories, all my lifts sky-rocketed. From 18% bf, with 2 pack abs, to 10% very lean, 6 pack.
A few tips, track your food, don't undereat, or overeat, if you want a small deficit, slow, you need to track your shit - because 200-400 kcal, up, down is not much! Eat enough protein (enough, not 300 grams), eat enough carb to have energy to workout, and enough fat to maintain good hormonal status - if you eat a balanced diet, without dogmatic elimination of a whole macro, you will be all good on a 200 deficit, maybe after 5 months, you get some testosterone drop, like I did, but I wasn't eating enough fat at the time. LIFT HEAVY, and push yourself, MINDSET! HAVE A MINDSET THAT YOU CAN, AND WILL GET STRONGER! Good luck.
I'm bulking right now and I've felt a bit self conscious having a bit more fat in the lovehandles but I know it's for the best. Can't get big without gaining some fat. I've been small for far too long due to being scared of being fat. one thing I took from this video is to remember that it's just temporary
Patrick Bateman I’m shredded as fuck and look small in a shirt but when I take it off in the gym changeroom people stare. I’m currently running NE and making mad gains but I stopped bulking and got depressed, I need new motivation to bulk
Definitely true, but for those of you who are bulking, make sure to actually DO the calisthenic movements to ensure you retain the ability to perform them as you gain 💪
Gym Squad I think the trick is to eat as little over maintenance as possible with meticulous calorie tracking to gain weight really slowly over X amount of years, as opposed to smaller bulking / cutting cycles
When I first saw this video a year ago, I thought it was filler video and simply regurgitated information. But now, after being in a lean mass phase and getting near a cut, this video was the exact talk I needed to proceed. Keep on speaking the truth man.
4 year old video but I just have to say. Any time I’ve searched something that I think only applies to me or is a hard thing to find, you always have a video for me.
Related to 3:10, I found that using a caloric deficit (in percentage) similar to your bf% works is a good rule of thumb. If you are 10% bf and want to cut, use a deficit near to 10%. If you are 30% bf you can get more aggressive and go for a ~30% deficit. And so on
В. Статуя Best Manga in the World i am not gonna lie. The drawing,characters and fights are amazing. I watched the anime but the Manga is on another leauge. who are your favourite fighters?
How tf do hardcore endos like me control our big ass appetites? I feel miserable and permahungry every time I go on a cut. Would easily eat 3000+ cals a day if I follow my natural appetite. Please help
AlphaDestiny holy shiet that was quick, but veggies feel light af on my stomach and don't fill me up that well. Isn't there anything that can bloat me up and yet be light on the calorie side? Or maybe a natural appetite suppressant? Love your content, thanks a lot man
Samarth Tandon isn't yoghurt like low calories (idk one I had at home had pretty low calories) plus fills you up? (+Protein) Make a shake or something out of it, or add fruits or whatever
Alex awesome video. After coaching hundreds of clients on nutrition i have to say that the average athlete s 10% deficit is actually a 5 to 10% surplus when counted correctly. I always recommend cuts of 25 to 35 % deficits especially for mild fat to obese people.
I mean, finally someone is arguing against what I’ve mostly seen floating out there. I’ve read too many articles that were essentially fear-mongering the idea that we lose so much strength during cuts. Thanks, man.
You have to be patient yes you will look flat because ur glycogen stories are depleted so you have to wait it out till you get too ur desired leaness then you can eat at maintenance calories
Alphadestiny, i love the videos, keep them up. What you said about muscle memory was spot on. Last winter i started hitting the gym again after a few years since weight training back in highschool. I recently moved to the mountains in Colorado and stopped my horrible habit of smoking cigarettes. swelled up from 142 to 157. Im 5'6. I felt like all the work was paying off in such a short amount of time, i was getting strong. But really i was just stuffing my face full with as much food as i could eat. The 15 pound weight gain was mainly from fat. Maybe 3 to 5 pounds of it was muscle. So When spring rolled around i ended up getting a sprained right arm with massive bruising all from a skateboarding accident. Here i am, bummed out with no motivation to exercise at all, i lost my short lived gains and had just fat on me after 3 months of healing. I went from a Skinny's smoker to just...average. BUT i had what felt like a new pair of lungs and a new heart from being smoke free. I took it upon myself to explore the world of running and extreme cardio work. For six months i ran like a crazy mad man. I got myself down to 146 with 10% percent body fat. YET i still didnt have the muscle tone or strength i was yearning for. BAM its almost new years and i decided to join the gym again. All because your videos, they are informative, motivational, and have inspired me to get back on track. I am already feeling the benifits of weight training again, along with seeing improvements in my running too.
To Alex I have just recently found out about your channel a week ago. I have been watching shit tons of your videos and have applied your methods and training style to my routine. I have been training traps for 2 years now and they have not been growing or have not got any serious DOMs the following day. I just tried rack pulls above the knee yesterday for the first time, and I haven’t felt (Muscle Soreness) pain like this in my traps ever! I have good feeling I am going to get YOKED quite soon. Thank You
Eric helms strat is to bulk for 4 months, gaining 6-8 pounds, then cut for 1, and lose 4-6 lbs. You gain 4 lbs of bodyweight over a 5 month period this way, while ending up heavier and leaner.
I've been doing a cut for around the last month or so. Started at 92kg and now around 89kg. I feel I've done it at a good rate, but I do feel I need to up my protein though. I'm just over 5ft 9 and around 20% BF and ultimately hope to get to around the 12% mark. Great information as always Alex.
I've always been scared to cut. Finally filling in a small t-shirt (arms filling sleeve, neck filling collar, chest and upper back squeezing against shirt (thank you naturally enhanced)) was the highlight of 2017. I was terrified of cutting because of how big of a hit to my ego that would be. Looking small in a small t-shirt would've made me feel like a skinny twig. Now this video is what changed my perspective. I think the whole "you're gonna lose gains, you're gonna lose strength, etc." speeches other youtubers preach really gets into people's heads and placebo takes place. Thank you Alex for your perspective. Really made cutting a lot less intimidating lol
Am bulking for strongman as I want to be as heavy as possible in my weight class (under 105kg) also running naturally enhanced has made my strength shoot up! Thanks Alex!
Just remember to cut down a little less than the bodyweight you desire, because once you start eating normally again, you'll regain all your water weight and refuel your glycogen storages. So for example if you wish to cut down to 155, go down too 150 because after you start eating normally you'll gain 5lbs in a couple days and fill your muscles up.
I agree with not going past a 20% deficit. The thing is, your maintenance will drop during a long enough cut, so you’d be taking 20% off of a smaller principal during a later part of the cut.
I lost 30 pounds (193-163) a year ago and my clothes still fit similar but I was WAY leaner. It was an experience for me cause I never went on a diet for 4-5 months in my life cause I was just skinny as a kid. The problem I had with losing weight was not muscle loss, but being hungry mainly. I do think losing 6-8 lbs a month is good to maintain most muscle & strength. Of course, it depends on where you start.
Too many teenagers cutting, I am 18 and only lifting for 1 year but I look big and fill out clothes because of the higher body fat, too many teens under pressure to look shredded when they don’t have a decent foundation
One thing people forget when they cut is that the shape you get when there isn't a lot of fat on your muscles makes you look bigger in clothes too. Some guy at my gym is lean as shit with decent size, when he wears a long sleeve t shirt he looks big af just because the shape of his arms is way more pronounced.
Am I the only one that prefers cutting over bulking? I get so much more done during my day when cutting. You can cut and get enough protein on 2 meals + 1 shake a day. Opposed to bulking where you need to eat 5-6 times a day. I can concentrate on my studies for hours without thinking about my next meal and eating every 2 hours.
Cutting in summer is easy af. Basically I eat from morning to sleep, all day long, because when I'm bored I just stuff my self with veggies, bell peppers, cucumbers, I LOVE TOMATOES! But here in Serbia in Winter, there are really few good veggies. But yea
Yeah man, I'm LOVING it! It's probably the best conditioning work I've ever done next to swimming. You get a really good workout and sweat like crazy, plus your muscles get tired from it too. Heavy bag work in particular is very tiring. I do 2-3 minutes on, 1 minute rest.
I usually bulk for 4-6 months and then cut for 4-6 weeks. I do this because I hate doing long cuts... I hate cutting... and the only way to avoid long cuts is to do shorter bulks. I recommend this to everybody: 4-6 months of bulking is enough to put on some muscle without putting on a lot of fat. It makes your cuts shorter and also keeps you in decent shape all year round. I usually stay between 12 and 18% body fat. As soon as I hit 18... I stop the bulk and cut down to 12 again. Then I repeat the cycle.
What about us guys who have insane appetites. Im 16 and I have trouble eating less than 4000 calories of 100% clean food. Would help if you would make a video on this.
I'm looking to go from 16% down around 12%. I'm confident I can maintain most of the strength I've built by taking a slow approach with a goal of 1-2 pounds each week. I put most of my effort into diet, lowering carbs and increasing healthy fats on days I'm not training or days I'm not squatting/deadlifting. Cardio performed with high intensity too often will eat away at muscle and strength in natural lifter. It's much easier to omit 3oo calories from food than to expend it through exercise.
Well I had already let go of my ego since I have decided to stop lifting for a few months and am working on stretching and correcting my posture and getting good shoulder mobility, but this isn't the first time I had to stop lifting, and I easily got back to where I was.
Great video, dispelling myths for natties, though I must say it is quite the opposite in my case scared to bulk. I did not know that for natt the muscle memory thing was such a factor, thanks for pointing this out.
During high school, I was always thinking about cutting. When I did I was super skinny and weak. So now I've been doing a smart bulk and will continue to do so throughout this year. I've been noticing my energy going up, happiness and focus is up, and my strength is shooting up very fast. I think you should only cut if you're VERY fat or you have a solid strength and muscular base to do so.
I have been cutting for the past 4 months and lost 10kg, now i am doing a short term 2 week bulgarian bulk trying to put 60lbs onto my max deadlift, i am expecting to gain a kilo of fat within the 2 weeks, but i can burn it off within a week and then resume cutting for a month or two.
I travel alot, and i always loose muscle on longer trips, due to eating less and lifting less. But guess what? After around 1 month at home i have regained my strength and size.
I recommend you check out my nutrition playlist, it contains a lot of information regarding cutting. I'll probably make more videos on the subject as well.
Boss KingBabo You need to keep reducing Calories then. Simple as that. You could incorporate some HIT training or cardio to help lean out. You are correct though the metabolism will slow down but that is why I believe it is best to follow a 6 week bulking phase and 1-2 week mini cut. The longer you cut the worse it can get for your metabolism and entire Boyd system and also mental state.
beer and abundant whole foods vs abs, cravings and enhanced aesthetics. I respect Alex's experimental side but for me personally it's a no brainer for the first option.
If you wanna keep all your muscles during a cut. 1#calories start high and don't go under 1800 calories.#2. train each muscle atleast twice a week and lift heavy to maintain strength.#3. if you have a low metabolism currently, make sure to do sprints and jumping like activities too activate high twitch fibers(train like athlete look like an athlete.)#4. And most important the only time you will lose muscle doing all this is if you wanna get shredded. You can get much leaner than alpha destiny and keep all your muscles.
I started my bulk since 23rd December and I got like 6 kg more now, still got the shreded look but much more full. Not sure how, but feels great. I'm at 70kg now 17 yrs old.
Doesn't come naturally man. I appreciate the thought but I'm very happy and my lack of smiling has been this way since I was a young boy. I don't have the natural desire unless compelled by a good reason.
In all honesty, right now is the perfect fucking time to start cutting. Way easier to maintain strength, and muscle with a slow 5 to 6 month cut. Rather than a quick 2 to 3 month cut with a severe calorie slash, loss of strength, and the crazy hunger that comes along with it!
nah, scared to bulk. i’ve been lifting for a few years but i’ve never gone up more than 24 pounds in mass because i can’t stand my body fat going up. i need to break that mentality but as soon as i start seeing a little fat adding on, i go back on my decision.
To me, this even applies with injury as well as cuts. Took me like 2 years to rep 225. After damn near full shoulder repair, I was back to where I was and above within 6 months or so.
Still havent cut been lifting consistently for 2 years probably wont cut for another 3 years and even then that cut wont be aggressive. Health first strength second aesthetics dead last. Salute Alex
alphadestiny: MUSCLE MEMORY. Muscle memory doesnt only happend to natural people, the muscle memory from steroid users is actually waaay more effective due to them being able to gain ALOT more muscle. BUT Your natural testosterone production might make it seem u havent. but if u dont get that side effect it will be insane muscle memory benefits from doing a steroid cycle. Which is why some consider lifetime bans for doing steroids - purely due to the muscle memory effect.
I hit the cut really hard and lost 20 pounds in 1 month brah. Lost so much size but I was a fat fuck and was too afraid to go below 15% bf before this cut
I'd say squat and dead should largely be okay. The bench might go down a bit though, but if you cut properly the strength loss won't be that significant.
212 lbs, 5'11", 20% body fat, skinny fat, not fit, no muscular definition. Would bulking be better or cutting when a bigger/solid, bear physique is desired?
Alex can you do a video on your what your daily meals look like, now that you're cutting and incorporating a whole food, plant based diet? I'm cutting out meat and dairy out of my deit also and would be good to get some tips from you. Thanks and keep up the great work as always. xof.
YOOOO I've been eating low protein and super high carbs. I'm talking about 3 cups (uncooked) of rice a day, 8oz of steak, and like 6oz of shredded cheese on top. Also, I haven't even worked out in two months. Nothing has really been happening... just wanted to share that... nah mean.
The problem with bulking for me is that all the fat is stored in my love handles, and I really fucking hate them because it completely ruins my V shape. (it also makes my face chubbier)
Jacob Poole hey man. Don't feel afraid to reach out for help. Speak to a school counselor or therapist. Tell your friends and family. If it comes to it, maybe call the suicide hotline. I don't know what you're going through but I hope you can make it through
*permabulk* "Only thing I'll cut is another slice of cake"
Tomi Oni permasemibulk aka eat whatever the fuck you want but also count calories when I feel like it
Tomi Oni i laughed way to hard at this
Haha brilliant 😂
Beard gains above the knee!
Darkeith Lofton big black bootay
You just have to trick yourself into liking to cut. Start looking for striations, get yourself pumped to do cardio while listening to music. Start getting excited about having more stamina and being able to do body weight exercises better. Look forward to eating and cooking healthy foods
Good point
Awesome attitude :)
this is great advice. im 6'1 and after a few years of lifting i was always around 200-215 lbs but at mediocre bodyfat.
I was really not used to cutting and at first it sucked but instead of giving up i focused on the positives, did bodyweight training additionally, watched my pullups skyrocket and at the end i could do a set of five muscle ups as compared to before where i couldnt do one. just deal with the strength plateau and focus on the positives.
It’s all about the psychology of the mind
Words bro
When bulking: "damn, I'm getting fatter. My jeans are getting tighter and I feel like my stomach is growing."
When cutting: "damn, I'm getting small and weak. My clothes are getting looser and I feel like my arms are shrinking."
I love feeling strong and having a lot of energy when I'm bulking, but I hate feeling fat and feeling my waist growing and watching my face get rounder. When I'm cutting, I love feeling my waist shrink and watching my jawline develop, but I hate losing strength on my bench and stagnating on all of my other lifts.
3 years later, but everything you just said... I fealt that brother👊
My life story…
I would recommend mini cuts and mini bulks
just cut to 10% percent then slowly Lean bulk from there
I did a 5 month cut, very slow, I actually gained strength, because the 2 time a week training system is so good. I did lose initial strength, but once I re-ate some calories, all my lifts sky-rocketed. From 18% bf, with 2 pack abs, to 10% very lean, 6 pack.
i am like 18%, i want to try a cut for the first time. I have been lifting for more then a year now. I want to take it very slow as you
A few tips, track your food, don't undereat, or overeat, if you want a small deficit, slow, you need to track your shit - because 200-400 kcal, up, down is not much!
Eat enough protein (enough, not 300 grams), eat enough carb to have energy to workout, and enough fat to maintain good hormonal status - if you eat a balanced diet, without dogmatic elimination of a whole macro, you will be all good on a 200 deficit, maybe after 5 months, you get some testosterone drop, like I did, but I wasn't eating enough fat at the time.
LIFT HEAVY, and push yourself, MINDSET! HAVE A MINDSET THAT YOU CAN, AND WILL GET STRONGER!
Good luck.
Thanks for the tips, yea i was thinking of 10-12% because of the hormone levels
Milošev Boško great tips here. I'd add to that not to fall into the trap of doing excessive cardio. Surefire recipe for lower body strength loss
Muscle Eire Yes!
More like scared to bulk...
Hmm maybe I'll make a video on that too. Thanks for the suggestion
I'm bulking right now and I've felt a bit self conscious having a bit more fat in the lovehandles but I know it's for the best. Can't get big without gaining some fat. I've been small for far too long due to being scared of being fat. one thing I took from this video is to remember that it's just temporary
Yes please I need this video
Patrick Bateman I’m shredded as fuck and look small in a shirt but when I take it off in the gym changeroom people stare. I’m currently running NE and making mad gains but I stopped bulking and got depressed, I need new motivation to bulk
Doing a bulk make me sad. I feel much better when im lean
Bro I have just started my cut and you have just eased a lot of my nerves! Thank you.
Glad to hear Kevin :)
Tip eat a lot of fiber And proteïne togheter
Trust the process man, I've been where you are, multiple times 😂
Man in terms of stregth maybe you will lose in BP but in bodyweight exercises you will fly!!
Damn right! I've already started to see this myself, calisthenics is way easier when you're lighter
yea definitely haha i went from doing 5 chins at my bulk to 20 now lol
1000 times better for sport too.
Definitely true, but for those of you who are bulking, make sure to actually DO the calisthenic movements to ensure you retain the ability to perform them as you gain 💪
I'm not afraid of cutting because I'm BULKING!!! YEEEAAAAAAHHHHH
Well that works!
Tommaso Paoli
Show off 😔
Tommaso Paoli alll kindzzzzz
Honestly I’m sorta scared to bulk …
Going to address this next!
AlphaDestiny whoa, reply to me to o great leader
I am too, I like to have a chiselled face.
Gym Squad I think the trick is to eat as little over maintenance as possible with meticulous calorie tracking to gain weight really slowly over X amount of years, as opposed to smaller bulking / cutting cycles
yes just 100kcal over maintenance is enough to get strength and muscle mass with a good training program.
When I first saw this video a year ago, I thought it was filler video and simply regurgitated information. But now, after being in a lean mass phase and getting near a cut, this video was the exact talk I needed to proceed. Keep on speaking the truth man.
Glad it was helpful Zarif
you man don't stop uploading, every word you say makes sense.....keep it up ;)
4 year old video but I just have to say. Any time I’ve searched something that I think only applies to me or is a hard thing to find, you always have a video for me.
"Pasta Sunday BABYYYY" your exitement is contagious!
Related to 3:10, I found that using a caloric deficit (in percentage) similar to your bf% works is a good rule of thumb.
If you are 10% bf and want to cut, use a deficit near to 10%.
If you are 30% bf you can get more aggressive and go for a ~30% deficit.
And so on
Full body workout soon?
You've done a great job so far bro!
You look even bigger
В. Статуя i see a baki Fan here ^^
Hilmi Berisha I'm telling you man, that manga is one of the several reason why I starded lifting
В. Статуя Best Manga in the World i am not gonna lie. The drawing,characters and fights are amazing. I watched the anime but the Manga is on another leauge. who are your favourite fighters?
Hilmi Berisha Yujiro, Oliva and Orochi.
But also Yuichiro, shame we didn't get to see him enough
Thanks Alex these points are always good to hammer home and remind yourself that gains don't magically disappear if you have a plan in place
How tf do hardcore endos like me control our big ass appetites? I feel miserable and permahungry every time I go on a cut. Would easily eat 3000+ cals a day if I follow my natural appetite. Please help
Megadose your vegetables, and increase your protein intake. That's hands down the best way to do it.
AlphaDestiny holy shiet that was quick, but veggies feel light af on my stomach and don't fill me up that well. Isn't there anything that can bloat me up and yet be light on the calorie side? Or maybe a natural appetite suppressant? Love your content, thanks a lot man
You know what, I'll make a video on appetite control. That should help you out brother
AlphaDestiny You're such a fkn legend, can't thank you enough for all the top notch quality content you put out for all of us
Samarth Tandon isn't yoghurt like low calories (idk one I had at home had pretty low calories) plus fills you up? (+Protein) Make a shake or something out of it, or add fruits or whatever
I’m currently tryna cut down right now & this helped out a lot man so thank you.
Glad to hear homie
Wow. This just completely changed the way I look at cutting. Thank you for this content. I’ll be lost without your help.
This guy's legit , some important tips right there . Thank you man for helping us .
Preciate that Eyad, it's my pleasure
I was skinny all my life so now i'm very scared of cutting. I'll have to do it one day
3Runner95SRB opposite here
Alex awesome video. After coaching hundreds of clients on nutrition i have to say that the average athlete s 10% deficit is actually a 5 to 10% surplus when counted correctly. I always recommend cuts of 25 to 35 % deficits especially for mild fat to obese people.
I mean, finally someone is arguing against what I’ve mostly seen floating out there. I’ve read too many articles that were essentially fear-mongering the idea that we lose so much strength during cuts. Thanks, man.
The main fear i have with cutting is how i kind of just get this soft look when i really want that rigid look no flabbiness
You have to be patient yes you will look flat because ur glycogen stories are depleted so you have to wait it out till you get too ur desired leaness then you can eat at maintenance calories
This is a good video actually. It makes me cringe when people say “ahhhh i lost .5 inches of muscle off my biceps when I cut”
Hands down the best youtuber, thank you for the awesome content!
Alphadestiny, i love the videos, keep them up. What you said about muscle memory was spot on. Last winter i started hitting the gym again after a few years since weight training back in highschool. I recently moved to the mountains in Colorado and stopped my horrible habit of smoking cigarettes. swelled up from 142 to 157. Im 5'6. I felt like all the work was paying off in such a short amount of time, i was getting strong. But really i was just stuffing my face full with as much food as i could eat. The 15 pound weight gain was mainly from fat. Maybe 3 to 5 pounds of it was muscle. So When spring rolled around i ended up getting a sprained right arm with massive bruising all from a skateboarding accident. Here i am, bummed out with no motivation to exercise at all, i lost my short lived gains and had just fat on me after 3 months of healing. I went from a Skinny's smoker to just...average. BUT i had what felt like a new pair of lungs and a new heart from being smoke free. I took it upon myself to explore the world of running and extreme cardio work. For six months i ran like a crazy mad man. I got myself down to 146 with 10% percent body fat. YET i still didnt have the muscle tone or strength i was yearning for. BAM its almost new years and i decided to join the gym again. All because your videos, they are informative, motivational, and have inspired me to get back on track. I am already feeling the benifits of weight training again, along with seeing improvements in my running too.
Are you still at the gym after all these years???
To Alex
I have just recently found out about your channel a week ago. I have been watching shit tons of your videos and have applied your methods and training style to my routine. I have been training traps for 2 years now and they have not been growing or have not got any serious DOMs the following day. I just tried rack pulls above the knee yesterday for the first time, and I haven’t felt (Muscle Soreness) pain like this in my traps ever! I have good feeling I am going to get YOKED quite soon.
Thank You
the game analogy was so good,great video never be afraid to lose some size for the better gainz later on.
Eric helms strat is to bulk for 4 months, gaining 6-8 pounds, then cut for 1, and lose 4-6 lbs. You gain 4 lbs of bodyweight over a 5 month period this way, while ending up heavier and leaner.
That sounds doable. I've also heard some other dudes who do micro cutting and micro cutting.
Refeed days allowed me to actually fucking gain muscle in a deficit, just like a juicer.
I've been doing a cut for around the last month or so. Started at 92kg and now around 89kg. I feel I've done it at a good rate, but I do feel I need to up my protein though. I'm just over 5ft 9 and around 20% BF and ultimately hope to get to around the 12% mark. Great information as always Alex.
Videos lately are on point brah, respect and good luck with ur cut
Dude you're looking alpha as fuck. Beard's coming along nice. Thanks for this video, really needed the advice.
As always informative and detailed!Greetings from Bulgaria!
Subscribed! You are one of the best fitness UA-camrs out there
Thanks! This was just what I needed.
Glad to help brother!
Finally i asked you this question like 10 times and now you made me a video XD
Thank you my friend!
The first 2-3 weeks of a cut is a mindfuck. After that, you really start appreciating the results
I've always been scared to cut. Finally filling in a small t-shirt (arms filling sleeve, neck filling collar, chest and upper back squeezing against shirt (thank you naturally enhanced)) was the highlight of 2017. I was terrified of cutting because of how big of a hit to my ego that would be. Looking small in a small t-shirt would've made me feel like a skinny twig.
Now this video is what changed my perspective. I think the whole "you're gonna lose gains, you're gonna lose strength, etc." speeches other youtubers preach really gets into people's heads and placebo takes place.
Thank you Alex for your perspective. Really made cutting a lot less intimidating lol
Am bulking for strongman as I want to be as heavy as possible in my weight class (under 105kg) also running naturally enhanced has made my strength shoot up! Thanks Alex!
Been bulking for five months now. Went from 135 pounds to 165 pounds. Planning on cutting for three months. Wish me luck!
Just remember to cut down a little less than the bodyweight you desire, because once you start eating normally again, you'll regain all your water weight and refuel your glycogen storages. So for example if you wish to cut down to 155, go down too 150 because after you start eating normally you'll gain 5lbs in a couple days and fill your muscles up.
I agree with not going past a 20% deficit. The thing is, your maintenance will drop during a long enough cut, so you’d be taking 20% off of a smaller principal during a later part of the cut.
I don’t want to get weaker than the crossfit guys. Not even for a micro cycle.
that wont happen by cutting. ud have to stop working out
Won't happen dude, especially at your level.
nah bro. im stronger while cutting. bulking makes my body lethargic makes me want to rest and not lift
What about doing German volume training at a slight deficit?
My cut starts in 4 days and I cant wait! Thanks Alex!
Great video bro! Very Interesting! A lot of people will get so scared when they lose some strength.
That’s exactly me right now thanks brah :D
Enjoy! Hope this video helps you out brother
AlphaDestiny you said last time you were in happy with longer hair ?
AlphaDestiny un Happy sorry
I was waiting for this video for thousands of years
I lost 30 pounds (193-163) a year ago and my clothes still fit similar but I was WAY leaner. It was an experience for me cause I never went on a diet for 4-5 months in my life cause I was just skinny as a kid. The problem I had with losing weight was not muscle loss, but being hungry mainly. I do think losing 6-8 lbs a month is good to maintain most muscle & strength. Of course, it depends on where you start.
Too many teenagers cutting, I am 18 and only lifting for 1 year but I look big and fill out clothes because of the higher body fat, too many teens under pressure to look shredded when they don’t have a decent foundation
One thing people forget when they cut is that the shape you get when there isn't a lot of fat on your muscles makes you look bigger in clothes too.
Some guy at my gym is lean as shit with decent size, when he wears a long sleeve t shirt he looks big af just because the shape of his arms is way more pronounced.
Am I the only one that prefers cutting over bulking? I get so much more done during my day when cutting. You can cut and get enough protein on 2 meals + 1 shake a day. Opposed to bulking where you need to eat 5-6 times a day. I can concentrate on my studies for hours without thinking about my next meal and eating every 2 hours.
This is what I need right now. Thanks, Alex!
Cutting in summer is easy af. Basically I eat from morning to sleep, all day long, because when I'm bored I just stuff my self with veggies, bell peppers, cucumbers, I LOVE TOMATOES! But here in Serbia in Winter, there are really few good veggies. But yea
Good stuff! I'd be curios on a scared to bulk, that's definitely me right now.
I can tell you've been sticking to the boxing rounds every second day!
Yeah man, I'm LOVING it! It's probably the best conditioning work I've ever done next to swimming.
You get a really good workout and sweat like crazy, plus your muscles get tired from it too. Heavy bag work in particular is very tiring. I do 2-3 minutes on, 1 minute rest.
Thanks bro. Just gotta power through lol. It’ll be worth it eventually.
Cut starts Feb 1st. Not scared just not looking forward to it
I usually bulk for 4-6 months and then cut for 4-6 weeks. I do this because I hate doing long cuts... I hate cutting... and the only way to avoid long cuts is to do shorter bulks. I recommend this to everybody: 4-6 months of bulking is enough to put on some muscle without putting on a lot of fat. It makes your cuts shorter and also keeps you in decent shape all year round. I usually stay between 12 and 18% body fat. As soon as I hit 18... I stop the bulk and cut down to 12 again. Then I repeat the cycle.
What about us guys who have insane appetites. Im 16 and I have trouble eating less than 4000 calories of 100% clean food. Would help if you would make a video on this.
Roberto Barra then you are blessed my friend
I'm looking to go from 16% down around 12%. I'm confident I can maintain most of the strength I've built by taking a slow approach with a goal of 1-2 pounds each week. I put most of my effort into diet, lowering carbs and increasing healthy fats on days I'm not training or days I'm not squatting/deadlifting. Cardio performed with high intensity too often will eat away at muscle and strength in natural lifter. It's much easier to omit 3oo calories from food than to expend it through exercise.
I lost 20 pounds while incorporating lifting techniques to get stronger. I got smaller but looked more muscular and got stronger in my lifts.
Well I had already let go of my ego since I have decided to stop lifting for a few months and am working on stretching and correcting my posture and getting good shoulder mobility, but this isn't the first time I had to stop lifting, and I easily got back to where I was.
Pasta Sunday sounds like my type of day
The best day indeed!
Great video, dispelling myths for natties, though I must say it is quite the opposite in my case scared to bulk. I did not know that for natt the muscle memory thing was such a factor, thanks for pointing this out.
I needed this vid. I’m not even cutting but I feel FLAT AF
During high school, I was always thinking about cutting. When I did I was super skinny and weak. So now I've been doing a smart bulk and will continue to do so throughout this year. I've been noticing my energy going up, happiness and focus is up, and my strength is shooting up very fast.
I think you should only cut if you're VERY fat or you have a solid strength and muscular base to do so.
I have been cutting for the past 4 months and lost 10kg, now i am doing a short term 2 week bulgarian bulk trying to put 60lbs onto my max deadlift, i am expecting to gain a kilo of fat within the 2 weeks, but i can burn it off within a week and then resume cutting for a month or two.
I travel alot, and i always loose muscle on longer trips, due to eating less and lifting less. But guess what? After around 1 month at home i have regained my strength and size.
Didn't think I would ever see a cutting video from you Alex.
No, I just don't know how to cut. I've tried getting lean like 4 times and every time my metabolism just slows down and I stop losing fat.
I recommend you check out my nutrition playlist, it contains a lot of information regarding cutting. I'll probably make more videos on the subject as well.
Boss KingBabo You need to keep reducing Calories then. Simple as that. You could incorporate some HIT training or cardio to help lean out. You are correct though the metabolism will slow down but that is why I believe it is best to follow a 6 week bulking phase and 1-2 week mini cut. The longer you cut the worse it can get for your metabolism and entire Boyd system and also mental state.
Boss KingBabo intermittent fasting combined with several no carb days throughout the week gets me super shredded and vascular
Bee Sixty, It’s not calories in, calories out? The fuck are you talking about?
beer and abundant whole foods vs abs, cravings and enhanced aesthetics. I respect Alex's experimental side but for me personally it's a no brainer for the first option.
If you wanna keep all your muscles during a cut. 1#calories start high and don't go under 1800 calories.#2. train each muscle atleast twice a week and lift heavy to maintain strength.#3. if you have a low metabolism currently, make sure to do sprints and jumping like activities too activate high twitch fibers(train like athlete look like an athlete.)#4. And most important the only time you will lose muscle doing all this is if you wanna get shredded. You can get much leaner than alpha destiny and keep all your muscles.
good vid man, learnt some stuff. looking forward to seeing ur progress
I started my bulk since 23rd December and I got like 6 kg more now, still got the shreded look but much more full. Not sure how, but feels great. I'm at 70kg now 17 yrs old.
my friend you have to smile more everything will be okay
Doesn't come naturally man. I appreciate the thought but I'm very happy and my lack of smiling has been this way since I was a young boy. I don't have the natural desire unless compelled by a good reason.
+AlphaDestiny u got beautiful teeth my friend
In all honesty, right now is the perfect fucking time to start cutting. Way easier to maintain strength, and muscle with a slow 5 to 6 month cut. Rather than a quick 2 to 3 month cut with a severe calorie slash, loss of strength, and the crazy hunger that comes along with it!
nah, scared to bulk. i’ve been lifting for a few years but i’ve never gone up more than 24 pounds in mass because i can’t stand my body fat going up. i need to break that mentality but as soon as i start seeing a little fat adding on, i go back on my decision.
To me, this even applies with injury as well as cuts. Took me like 2 years to rep 225. After damn near full shoulder repair, I was back to where I was and above within 6 months or so.
Still havent cut been lifting consistently for 2 years probably wont cut for another 3 years and even then that cut wont be aggressive. Health first strength second aesthetics dead last. Salute Alex
You lose strength on a cut in the same way you seem to shrink, but as soon as you get your food intake back up it all comes back really fast
Pretty much, people don't realize how fast the strength comes back
Great video, howdy from the American west, could you do some more videos on different workouts, maybe like your week in workouts?
Spot on as usual!
*I AIN'T SCARED OF SHIT*
alphadestiny: MUSCLE MEMORY.
Muscle memory doesnt only happend to natural people, the muscle memory from steroid users is actually waaay more effective due to them being able to gain ALOT more muscle.
BUT
Your natural testosterone production might make it seem u havent. but if u dont get that side effect it will be insane muscle memory benefits from doing a steroid cycle. Which is why some consider lifetime bans for doing steroids - purely due to the muscle memory effect.
I hit the cut really hard and lost 20 pounds in 1 month brah. Lost so much size but I was a fat fuck and was too afraid to go below 15% bf before this cut
I dont even worry with size and such. i worry about my squat and bench going down.
I'd say squat and dead should largely be okay. The bench might go down a bit though, but if you cut properly the strength loss won't be that significant.
Pasta sunday? My mum makes it every 2nd day lol #bulkgains
Bulk gains indeed!!
212 lbs, 5'11", 20% body fat, skinny fat, not fit, no muscular definition. Would bulking be better or cutting when a bigger/solid, bear physique is desired?
Alex can you do a video on your what your daily meals look like, now that you're cutting and incorporating a whole food, plant based diet? I'm cutting out meat and dairy out of my deit also and would be good to get some tips from you.
Thanks and keep up the great work as always.
xof.
Your opinion about the push/pull/legs split?
YOOOO I've been eating low protein and super high carbs. I'm talking about 3 cups (uncooked) of rice a day, 8oz of steak, and like 6oz of shredded cheese on top. Also, I haven't even worked out in two months. Nothing has really been happening... just wanted to share that... nah mean.
The problem with bulking for me is that all the fat is stored in my love handles, and I really fucking hate them because it completely ruins my V shape. (it also makes my face chubbier)
Amazing video!
Hassan Abdulhadi y
Ali Miah because
What about dry fasting? Muscle sparing? @alpha
I clicked on this video expecting him to talk about a different kind of cutting.... god damnit.
Jacob Poole you okay bro?
Jacob Poole you alright?
No
Jacob Poole hey man. Don't feel afraid to reach out for help. Speak to a school counselor or therapist. Tell your friends and family. If it comes to it, maybe call the suicide hotline. I don't know what you're going through but I hope you can make it through
Not to be an asshole but how? The title of the video is literally “Scared to lose weight?” Did he change the title?
I have been bullking since i was born.
Informative video but I'll stick to that bulk brah