So....

[redsquirrel]

My friend is doing a very low dose Var cycle for the next 6 weeks.

She is wanting to do a figure show in the fall, and really wants to build her shoulders up a bit more. She is not looking to gain muscle anywhere else, really. In fact, she's looking to this cycle to lean up a bit.

She kind of has been lifting heavy, so she thinks she will go back to doing drop sets/supersets for more of a calorie burning effect, and lift heavy on leg day...Maybe do shoulders twice a week to maximize her growth.

Calories will not be increased. As stated before, she does not want to gain any more muscle.

Any thoughts?

[beefcake]

I think your friend is on the right track. Higher volume and higher reps will help to keep the muscles in great shape and not see too much growth. Keep the calories the same and keep up on the cardio. She should do well.

[coffee-guy]

I still believe heavy/lower rep ranges (8-12) work well for women even when cutting - it's all about the diet IMO...

[redsquirrel]

I still believe heavy/lower rep ranges (8-12) work well for women even when cutting - it's all about the diet IMO...

Why do you feel that way? Heavy & lower rep ranges are more geared for mass buliding

[Bouncer]

Why do you feel that way? Heavy & lower rep ranges are more geared for mass buliding

i dont believe in low rep vs high rep crap either. diet is key weather your goal is mass or cuts. training should always be done with the heaviest amount possable while still being able to use perfect form for 10 or so reps.

[coffee-guy]

i dont believe in low rep vs high rep crap either. diet is key weather your goal is mass or cuts. training should always be done with the heaviest amount possable while still being able to use perfect form for 10 or so reps.

Couldn't have said it better myself :P...

[beefcake]

I don't feel you're tearing down the muscle and creating micro tears for the muscle to rebuild and get bigger from when you use low weight with higher reps. You're not really creating a maximal force contraction and causing the cns to believe the muscle needs to become stronger and therefore bigger. But, that's just what I believe which could very well be total poop. Ultimately, it will all come down to calories, as was already stated.

[redsquirrel]

i dont believe in low rep vs high rep crap either. diet is key weather your goal is mass or cuts. training should always be done with the heaviest amount possable while still being able to use perfect form for 10 or so reps.

Well, as I said- she has been working out for the most part doing heavy reps/sets. Her muscle is quite developed, and she's not going for maximim growth here. She's doing a higher rep type of work out to refine the muscle shape. She doesn't like the thick, muscle look. It's not really a "cutting cycle" per se; it's merely being used to tighten up and build the shoulders a little more.

And to elaborate on the super set/drop sets...She doesn't do like 10lb curls for 20-30 reps or anything. She will do 8/8/8 rep drop sets or supersets. So, essentially she is doing a workout that's kind of in the middle, but with a little more fat burning potential.

[coffee-guy]

Well, as I said- she has been working out for the most part doing heavy reps/sets. Her muscle is quite developed, and she's not going for maximim growth here. She's doing a higher rep type of work out to refine the muscle shape. She doesn't like the thick, muscle look. It's not really a "cutting cycle" per se; it's merely being used to tighten up and build the shoulders a little more.

And to elaborate on the super set/drop sets...She doesn't do like 10lb curls for 20-30 reps or anything. She will do 8/8/8 rep drop sets or supersets. So, essentially she is doing a workout that's kind of in the middle, but with a little more fat burning potential.

Well that second part sounds good - the initial post made it sound as if she was a pansy doing a pansy workout :D...

[redsquirrel]

I don't feel you're tearing down the muscle and creating micro tears for the muscle to rebuild and get bigger from when you use low weight with higher reps. You're not really creating a maximal force contraction and causing the cns to believe the muscle needs to become stronger and therefore bigger. But, that's just what I believe which could very well be total poop. Ultimately, it will all come down to calories, as was already stated.

This is exactly what she is thinking.In fact, that's the impression she's been under ever since she started lifting:

The muscle must be torn down for the muscle fibers to rebuild and repair themselves to a larger size.

Please remember- females don't lift the same way as you all do. Now, while she has an excellent base of muscle already, (123lb of LBM @ 5'4"). And for figure- the thick look is not desired. And of course the diet is the key ingredient. Cutting while using AAS is obviously done mostly by reducing cals- and she's partly accomplishing that by not eating a ton. The whole question was basically how to, for lack of better terms- "avoid building any MORE muscle", or potentially lose or change the shape of the muscle. Lifting max weight/heavy ALL the time, will build mass- that's niot the goal

[Bouncer]

She's doing a higher rep type of work out to refine the muscle shape. She doesn't like the thick, muscle look.

I do not believe that the amount of reps done "refine" the shape of a muscle.

[redsquirrel]

I do not believe that the amount of reps done "refine" the shape of a muscle.

Maybe "refine" isn't the right word...Higher reps burn more calories, which will hopefully yield a little bit of additional fat loss. So that's what she's getting at. But, higher reps definitely do not increase the muscle mass..

[Bouncer]

Maybe "refine" isn't the right word...Higher reps burn more calories, which will hopefully yield a little bit of additional fat loss. So that's what she's getting at. But, higher reps definitely do not increase the muscle mass..

IMO one should count on cardio to burn cals. not weights. i do understand what you are saying though.

[redsquirrel]

...Update...

So, she's been taking 5mgs of Var now for little over a week. Yesterday, she said she felt really bloated. Well, she got on the scale this AM, and the scale showed an additional 5lbs to her normal 148!! She kind of freaked out....She doesn't remember Var causing much water weight, let alone this soon into the low dose cycle she's doing.

Any thoughts?

[Bouncer]

what brand is it? could be dbol. lol