If you want to get cut INSTEAD of bulking up/getting big...

[xavi]

What better, really intense weights vs. lower weights but a lot more repetitions?


Thanks

[bkklift]

Think of the old adage, less calories in, more calories out.

Less calories + intense workouts = cut

[jpez]

As bkk says less calories in, more calories out. You don't even have to workout to do this. The question is what are your goals. Are you interested in strength training? If you strength train you're bound to put on some muscle, or do you just want to lose excess fat without gaining muscle? What are your goals?

[Glutenbob]

There is nothing wrong with getting slightly big. Powerlifters get more dense, and bodybuilders get more big but bloaty. You wont get big, like bodybuilders do if you follow stronglifts. BTW Stronglifts is more effective at losing fat than any bodybuilding routine out there. Trust me, I started bodybuilding to lose fat, and just got demotivated and stopped lifitng for a whole year and put on 35 lbs of fat. I start stroglifts and have never once not wanted to workout.

[martinberkhan]

A solid diet with a low to moderate weekly deficit combined the right training regimen. On a diet, no more than three weekly sessions is needed. No foo-foo shit and high rep hoopla for "bringing out the cuts". That's what your diet is for. For hypertrophy and strength, 5-8 reps is the ideal range as confirmed by the litterature on the topic, and that is what you should be sticking to.

[coreJack]

Powerlifters get more dense, and bodybuilders get more big but bloaty.

Are you calling Ronnie Coleman 'bloaty'?

[dylanamus]

Come on guys, there are enough posts on bodybuilding vs strength training physiques. This isn't helping the OP.

Diet and eating under maintenance calories is number one when it comes to cutting and you should be particularly concerned with eating enough protein, however, heavy weight training will help minimise muscular atrophy, unlike long duration steady state cardio which is much more likely to result in muscle loss.

In my opinion, the best exercise regime for fat loss would be 10-20 minutes medium intensity every day - say jogging or on an eliptical, bike etc plus 1 or 2 days strength training and 1 or 2 days HIIT or metabolic conditioning.

Bottom line is energy input vs output and exercise can really speed things up and help minimise muscle loss if the diet is right.