How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?

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2008-12-23 6:23 AM

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Subject: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?

Question: How does one lose 5-10 lbs of upper body weight without losing strength from ones lower body? Caloric deficit is a must I believe but is there a way to help target which muscle is lost, versus the body choosing? How long should one cut before racing again if they want to be at peak performance?

For those who want/need to lose that extra muscle on the upper body and are less than 5% body fat...thoughts?


2008-12-23 1:41 PM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?
From everything that I had read, you can kind of 'trick' your body into loosing the muscles that you don't use. As long as you keep up your training and constantly work your lower body, you would naturally tend to lose the upper body strength.

Now, why anyone would want to do this, is beyond me...
2008-12-23 2:24 PM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?
im still trying to figure out why you want to lose muscle mass................

i guess you could just completely ignore your upperbody and do legs days after day which would make no sense whatsoever for this athletic discipline.
To go one step further im going to assume you meant- you want to lose weight while keeping as much muscle mass as possible and staying super lean, ie. your sub 5% BF
I also hope you are male-as females with that low a BF hurt their reproductive chances and mess their menstruel cycle up badly.
If you are male, i would ask what bf% your at now.
2008-12-24 12:00 PM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?

Not to speak for the original poster, but what I think he is referring to is someone with a bodybuilder type physique.

He would like to reduce the musculature in the chest and arms so he doesn't have to haul them up hills, and carry the weight on long runs, etc.

As the previous poster said, just dont lift with these muscles, or at least dont lift heavy weights.

2009-01-08 6:34 AM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?
Nipper - That would be correct! Little heavy in upper body weight due to years and years of lifting!
2009-01-08 11:25 AM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?

If you want to lose muscle, but not performance, the key is efficiency, and it takes a long time.  If you are at a performance level you are comfortable with, and do not want/need to do better, then your body will adapt by becoming more efficient at that level, over time



2009-01-08 12:13 PM
in reply to: #1868933

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Subject: RE: How does one lose muscle mass without losing strength?
I would say lighter weights and higher reps for the upper body and opposite for lower body.
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