The routine
Keep strength while dieting
- Barbell Squat 4 × 5
- Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip 4 × 5
- Barbell Deadlift 2 × 5
- Chin-Up 3 × 6
- Standing Military Press 3 × 6
Best for lifters who want to keep their numbers through a cut.
Cutting Without Losing Strength
Keep strength while dieting
Most people lose strength on a cut because they do the opposite of what works: they add volume, add reps, and drop the weight, hoping to burn more. Recovery is already worse in a deficit, so more volume just means more fatigue and less strength.
This plan does the reverse. Five heavy compound lifts, low reps, few sets, three times a week. Keep the weight on the bar as close to your pre-diet numbers as you can, and let the deficit — not the training — do the fat loss. If a lift starts dropping week after week, that is your signal that the deficit is too aggressive, not that you need to train more.
How to import this plan into Mekimeki
- Tap "Copy import code" above. The plan is copied to your clipboard.
- Open Mekimeki and go to the Plan tab.
- Choose to import a template, paste the code, and confirm. Every exercise is added for you.
Every exercise in this plan comes from Mekimeki's built-in library, so it imports cleanly with no duplicate exercises.
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Will I lose muscle while cutting?
Some loss is possible, but heavy resistance training and enough protein make it small. Strength on your main lifts is the practical test: if it holds, you are keeping muscle.
Should I do high reps to get lean?
No. High reps do not burn meaningful extra fat, and they add fatigue you cannot recover from in a deficit. Keep the weight heavy and the volume low.
How fast should I lose weight?
Slower is safer for muscle. Around 0.5 to 1 percent of body weight per week is a common guideline; faster usually costs strength.
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