Schred program: our advice and exercises to maintain your figure this year
Featness offers you several tips and a special cutting program to get schredded and maintain your figure this year.
Staying in shape can be a difficult task, especially during winter months when it’s hard to leave your cosy cocoon and go to the gym easily.
And when you have finally succeeded in motivating yourself, after having accumulated muscle mass thanks to a mass gain program, you still have to lose fat to define your muscles properly. This is precisely the principle of cutting.
In this article, we'll define what cutting is, what it's for, and show you some tips and exercises to achieve your fitness goals.
What is cutting when it comes to sports ?
After having built muscle mass for a long time, it's time to get schredded. The goal: eliminate the fat mass without losing muscle volume and bring out the muscles. The challenge: finding the right balance between precision and rigor. Above all, it is essential to clearly differentiate a cutting program from a weight loss program, the objectives are completely different! By the way, what are they?
Knowing the difference between a weight loss program and a cutting program
The objective of a weight loss program is to eliminate fat mass while maintaining muscle volume. It consists in reducing calorie intake by choosing healthy foods, favouring proteins and vegetables, while increasing the intensity of exercises.
Conversely, cutting aims at sculpting muscles without losing too much weight or muscle volume. The objective is to obtain a harmonious silhouette and a muscular volume that will allow the athlete to stand out. This can be done with precision, rigour and patience, as well as with specific exercises.
Tips to go by during your cutting program
Stay hydrated
Drinking a lot of water will help you stay on the right track and will prevent your muscles from wearying too much.
Reduce your consumption of simple carbohydrates and switch to ‘good carbohydrates’
Carbohydrates are essential to an athlete's diet, but during a cutting phase, it is important to limit their consumption and replace them with complex carbohydrates such as cereals or legumes.
Listen to your body
If you feel exhausted after a workout, take a break and give yourself some time to rest.
Be patient
Cutting is a process that takes time and you won’t be able to see the results overnight. Stay motivated and keep giving out the best version of yourself.
A few tips for your cutting workout
Cutting: what intensity of training in bodybuilding?
It's important to remember that during a cutting period, you're seeking to tone your muscles. Therefore, it is essential to push yourself but also to know when to take a break. A training that is too intense can lead to injury and setbacks in your progress.
Cutting : how often should you train?
To burn as much fat as possible, the best frequency is 3 days ON followed by 1 day OFF and 2 days ON - 1 day OFF. This provides the muscles with the time they need for optimal recovery.
Program to get schredded: how long for?
Given the intensity of the training, the maximum recommended duration is 1h10 to 1h20 to avoid persistent fatigue which would be counterproductive. The cutting program must be followed for at least 4 weeks. Do not expect spectacular results in 2 weeks although the first effects can be felt quickly. If you feel up to it, you can even extend the program to 2 months without taking any risks.
What exercises to include in your cutting routine to get schredded ?
Here is a one-week bodybuilding program with a cutting goal that you can integrate into your sports routine.
Day 1 : chest
|
Exercise |
Warm-up sets |
Working sets |
Intensity method |
|
Incline bench press |
2 x 8-10 |
3 x 10 |
2-3 forced reps |
|
Dumbbell fly |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10-12 |
Drop sets |
|
Dips |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10-12 |
Rest break |
|
Machine fly |
- |
3 x 12 |
Superset |
|
dual pulley |
- |
3 x 12 |
Superset |
|
Push-ups |
- |
3 x 12 |
Superset |
|
Hanging Leg Raise |
- |
3 x 12 |
Hold on last rep |
|
Decline Sit-up |
- |
3 x 15 |
Superset |
|
Lateral plank |
- |
3 x 15 |
Superset |
|
Front plank |
- |
3 x failure |
Superset |
|
Crunches with rope |
- |
3 x 15 |
Drop sets |
Day 2 : back muscles
|
Exercise |
Warm-up sets |
Working sets |
Intensity method |
|
Neutral grip pull-ups |
2 x 8-10 |
3 x Failure |
Rest-Break |
|
Leaning Bar Row |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10 - 12 |
Hold last rep |
|
Reverse grip pull-ups |
1 x 10 |
3 x 8-10 |
Superset |
|
Straight arms Pulldowns |
1 x 10 |
3 x 8-10 |
Superset |
|
Overhand pull-ups |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
2-3 forced reps |
|
Deadlift in the squat rack |
1 x 10 |
3 x 15 |
Drop sets |
Day 3 : shoulders
|
Exercise |
Warm-up sets |
Working sets |
Intensity method |
|
Rear delt elevation |
1 x 30 |
3 x 20 |
Superset |
|
Seated Lateral Raises |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10 |
Superset |
|
Military Seated Machine Guided Press |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10-12 |
Drop sets |
|
Front raises with disc |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
2-3 forced reps |
|
Upright row |
1 x 20 |
3 x 15 |
Rest-Break |
Day 4 : arms
|
Exercise |
Warm-up sets |
Working sets |
Intensity method |
|
Preacher curls with ez bar |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10-12 |
2-3 forced reps |
|
Close grip bench press |
1 x 10 |
3 x 10-12 |
Rest-Break |
|
Hammer Grip Biceps Curl |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
Drop sets |
|
Rope neck extension |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
Hold last rep |
|
Standing pulley curl |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
Superset |
|
Reverse grip push-ups |
1 x 10 |
3 x 12 |
Superset |
Day 5 : legs
|
Exercise |
Warm-up sets |
Working sets |
Intensity method |
|
Squats |
1 x 10 |
3 x 8-10 |
Rest-break |
|
Thigh press |
1 x 15 |
3 x 15 |
Drop sets |
|
Machine leg extensions one leg |
1 x 15 |
3 x 15 |
Hold last rep |
|
Straight Leg Deadlift |
1 x 15 |
3 x 15 |
Superset |
|
Seated leg curl |
1 x 15 |
3 x 15 |
Superset |
|
Lying Leg Curl |
1 x 15 |
3 x 15 |
Forced reps |
|
Standing Calf extensions |
1 x 20 |
3 x 20 |
Superset |
|
Seated Calf extensions |
1 x 20 |
3 x 20 |
Superset |
Focus on HIIT, a more than relevant cardio workout to integrate into your schredding program.
After following this week-long program of cutting aimed muscle training, it is essential to complete your cutting aimed bodybuilding with HIIT sessions. This type of cardio boosts your metabolism and helps you tone up faster. During the cutting phase, it can also help you burn fat faster than traditional cardio. Aim for 3 HIIT sessions per week, lasting no more than 25 minutes per session.
Featness, a sports coaching app that fits your desires
Featness is a great option for those seeking a strict routine in order to stick to their bodybuilding training program. The app offers personalized programs tailored to your goals, and you can track your progress with detailed metrics. You can also get in touch with certified personal trainers to answer all your questions and concerns.
What are you waiting for to embark on your physical transformation? Download your Featness app right now.
Publié le 20/02/2023