Training Protocol During Caloric Deficit

[Cece]

Hi @KateLemere ! Background for my question: I just finished both your January and February TFP Workout Templates. I did Jan for 6 weeks and Feb for 4 weeks. While I could keep going on Feb, I’m mentally in need of something different. Now, I know I could do the March template to keep progressing my glutes and back, but I’m honestly really happy with my muscle mass and strength in my lower body at the moment! I’ve PR’d in several lifts: hip thrust @ 154, deadlift @ 114, squat @ 134. I also genetically gain/hold muscle in my lower body much more than my upper. Next, I really want to improve my upper body strength and do an unassisted chin-up & pull-up! So, I think I’m going to attempt to write an upper-body-focused protocol for myself.

Here’s my question – I’m trying to execute a moderate caloric deficit (using calcs from your first community lecture) to lose some fat and show off this muscle, AND I want to improve my upper body strength. I’m not necessarily looking for a ton of increased muscle mass in my upper body, mostly strength plus some poppin shoulders and triceps ;). I also wouldn’t be devastated if the deficit resulted in me losing some of my lower body strength & muscle. Is that even possible in a deficit? Is my thinking correct that I could improve my functional upper body strength and close-to-maintain lower body muscle mass in a deficit? OR should I keep up the same lifts I’ve been doing and follow the March template since I’ll be in a deficit to try maintain lower body muscle mass as much as possible?

Thank you!!!

Discussion

[Kate]

Hi! Wow, great questions and your thought process is SPOT ON!!

For a chin-up and pull-up-based program, I would emphasize relevant upper body drills within all of your splits. Let’s say you’re working out three times per week, and each workout has around 7 or 8 drills. 4 or 5 of those drills would be upper body focused to cater to building the strength you need for chins/pulls.

*Inverted rows

*Push ups

*Military presses

*Assisted chins/pulls

*Lat pull downs

*Seated rows

The other three drills (let’s call it) will cater to the lower body and that decrease in volume alone will keep you at maintenance for the legs. Chins and pulls require an INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF STRENGTH so a deficit wouldn’t be the best time to focus on performance but that’s not to say it’s impossible. eat at the ceiling of your deficit (maybe you can get away with a few hundred cals over your calculated balance) and give it a go! You’ll never know unless you try!

Does that make sense?

[Cece]

Yes thank you so much!!

[Mary]

Woo-hoo, you go @cecelia.metzdorff ???????? ????????

[Kate]

Right?! Love the kudos, Mary! xo

[Author]

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