I went on a Cut.. 🔪🔪🔪

Summary

The video script features a personal account of the individual's fitness journey, focusing on their recent decision to transition from a lean phase to a bulking phase. The speaker, Lydia, discusses an encounter with a man named Steve Gagnon and reflects on their conversation about fitness and nutrition. Lydia shares her shopping experience for groceries to support her new bulking regimen, emphasizing the importance of protein and a balanced diet. She also talks about her viewing habits, recommending shows like 'Prison Break' and expressing her newfound appreciation for bodybuilders who undergo strict diets for competitions. The narrative delves into Lydia's past experiences with injuries and her approach to training, highlighting the need for consistency and proper form to avoid further harm. She outlines her strategy for improving her squat and deadlift techniques, emphasizing the importance of engaging the posterior chain and using no belt to build a stronger core. The summary encapsulates the essence of the script, providing a glimpse into Lydia's fitness philosophy and her commitment to health and strength training.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ Prioritize strength training and progressive overload to maximize muscle mass.
• 🤸‍♂️ Focus on the big compound lifts like squat, bench, and deadlift for overall muscle development.
• 🚫 Avoid abrupt increases in training intensity to prevent injuries.
• 🏃‍♂️ Gradually ease back into heavy lifting after a break to allow your body to adapt.
• 🧘‍♂️ Incorporate a wider stance and sit-back technique in your squat to engage the posterior chain more.
• 🍽️ Experience cravings and food intake challenges during a cutting phase, emphasizing the discipline required for bodybuilding competitions.
• 🚫 Recognize the importance of proper form over lifting heavy weights to prevent back injuries.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Utilize beltless squats and deadlifts to develop the core and posterior chain muscles.
• 🤓 Learn from past training mistakes and be consistent in your approach to avoid future injuries.
• 🍇 Grocery shopping for food items like Snapple, blueberries, and cereal signifies a shift towards a bulking phase.
• 📺 Watching TV shows like Prison Break and Game of Thrones provides entertainment and relaxation between intense workout sessions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the transcript?

The main topic of discussion is the speaker's personal fitness journey, including his experiences with bulking, cutting, and dealing with back issues that have affected his training.

Why did the speaker decide to start a bulk after cutting?

The speaker decided to start a bulk after cutting because he realized that his legs were neglected and he wanted to focus on overall muscle growth and strength, rather than just getting lean.

What is the speaker's opinion on the difficulty of cutting for bodybuilders?

The speaker has a high level of respect and appreciation for bodybuilders who go through cutting phases, acknowledging the willpower and discipline required to restrict food intake for an extended period.

What is the issue the speaker has been facing with his back?

The speaker has been experiencing pain and discomfort in his back, which he believes is due to an old injury from static holds during high school, and it has affected his ability to perform certain exercises like squats and deadlifts.

How does the speaker plan to improve his squat form?

The speaker plans to improve his squat form by adopting a wider stance, focusing on sitting back and keeping his center of gravity over his mid-foot, and ensuring his knees do not go too far forward.

What changes is the speaker making to his deadlift technique?

The speaker is focusing on performing deadlifts without a belt to increase core engagement and reduce the reliance on his quads. He is also concentrating on improving his form by ensuring proper hip positioning and engaging his hamstrings, glutes, and erectors.

Why did the speaker experience back pain during flat bench presses?

The speaker experienced back pain during flat bench presses because of the arch in his back, which aggravated an existing issue with his spine.

What does the speaker think about the importance of consistency in training?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of consistency in training, stating that taking time off and then returning to the gym with high intensity can be detrimental, especially as he has gotten stronger and his body may not be ready for such abrupt changes.

How does the speaker feel about his current physique after the cut?

The speaker feels that he has become extremely lean after the cut and experienced cravings for food, which is unusual for him as he typically does not enjoy eating.

What is the speaker's strategy for getting back into squatting and deadlifts after his back issues?

The speaker's strategy involves easing back into squatting and deadlifts gently, focusing on proper form, and avoiding heavy loads initially to prevent further injury.

What is the speaker's view on the role of strength in muscle growth for natural lifters?

The speaker believes that for natural lifters, prioritizing strength and focusing on progressive overload is crucial for maximizing muscle mass. He emphasizes the importance of the squat, bench, and deadlift as foundational exercises for building strength.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Personal Training and Dietary Changes

The speaker, Lydia, discusses her recent personal training experiences and dietary habits. She talks about a conversation with Steve Gagnon and her decision to start bulking up after being too lean. She shares her shopping list, which includes Snapple drinks, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, cinnamon buns, water, Frosted Flakes, pretzels, and Noa bars. Lydia also mentions her TV show preferences, including 'Game of Thrones' and 'Prison Break,' and her plans to cheat her diet with a burrito, chips, and queso cheese.

05:01

🍴 Food Cravings and Bodybuilding Admiration

Lydia expresses her recent food cravings, something unusual for her, and talks about her brief experiment with a mini-cut diet that left her extremely lean but also craving food. She respects bodybuilders for their discipline and willpower, especially those who compete and endure long periods of restricted eating. She also discusses her plans to go to the gym and her current physical state, including her 42-inch waist and the discomfort from a recent ab workout.

10:02

🏋️‍♀️ Addressing Back Issues and Training Consistency

The speaker talks about his struggle with back issues that have affected his ability to perform optimal lifts like squats and deadlifts. He recalls a specific incident in high school that may have caused his back pain and how it flares up with certain movements. He explains his strategy to alleviate the pain through static holds and how he has adjusted his training to avoid aggravating his back. The speaker emphasizes the importance of progressive overload and consistency in training to maximize muscle mass and prevent injury.

15:03

🏋️‍♂️ Squat and Deadlift Form Improvements

The speaker details his efforts to improve his squat and deadlift form to avoid further back injuries. He discusses the imbalance in his muscle development, with his quadriceps being more developed than his posterior chain, and how this affects his squat technique. He is adjusting his squat stance to engage his glutes and hamstrings more effectively. Additionally, he talks about going beltless to increase core engagement and improve his deadlift form, aiming for a safer and more effective lifting technique.

20:04

🎶 Music and Motivational Closing

This paragraph consists solely of musical notes and applause, suggesting a transition or closing segment in the video. It serves as a backdrop to any concluding remarks or actions that the speaker might be making, possibly while heading to the gym or ending the video session.

Keywords

💡Aggressive Bulk

An aggressive bulk refers to a period of intense weight training and high calorie intake aimed at significantly increasing muscle mass. In the video, the speaker mentions starting an aggressive bulk after completing a mini cut, indicating a transition from a lean phase to a phase focused on muscle growth.

💡Mini Cut

A mini cut is a short-term period of caloric deficit and exercise aimed at reducing body fat while maintaining muscle mass. The speaker talks about going through a mini cut where they focused on consuming very low calories and high protein to get lean quickly.

💡Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a training principle where the stress placed on the body during exercise is gradually increased over time to promote muscle growth and strength gains. The video discusses the importance of prioritizing strength and using progressive overload to maximize muscle mass.

💡Compound Lifts

Compound lifts are exercises that involve multiple muscle groups and joints, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. These exercises are emphasized in the video as essential for building overall strength and muscle mass.

💡Back Tweaks

Back tweaks refer to minor injuries or discomfort in the back, often caused by improper lifting techniques or overexertion. The speaker discusses experiencing back tweaks that have affected their ability to perform squats and deadlifts effectively.

💡Hip Adductor Injury

A hip adductor injury involves damage to the muscles or tissues on the inner part of the hip. The video mentions a past injury to the hip adductor that required a significant break from certain exercises to heal properly.

💡Static Holds

Static holds are exercises where a weight is held in a fixed position for an extended period, often used to build strength and muscle endurance. The speaker recalls an incident during static holds that led to a sharp pain in their back.

💡Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is a variation of the bench press where the bench is angled upward, targeting the upper chest and shoulder muscles. The video discusses the speaker's preference for incline bench press over flat bench due to back pain issues.

💡Quad Dominance

Quad dominance occurs when the quadriceps muscles are more developed or used than other muscle groups, such as the hamstrings or glutes, during exercises like squats. The speaker talks about adjusting their squat technique to reduce quad dominance and engage the posterior chain more effectively.

💡Deadlift Form

Deadlift form refers to the proper technique for performing a deadlift, which is crucial for preventing injury and maximizing the exercise's benefits. The video emphasizes the need to polish deadlift form, especially when not using a lifting belt, to safely increase strength.

💡Beltless Lifting

Beltless lifting is the practice of performing weightlifting exercises without the support of a lifting belt. The speaker chooses to lift without a belt to increase core engagement and improve form during squats and deadlifts.

Highlights

The individual is considering starting an aggressive bulk after a period of being shredded and focusing on upper body workouts.

Discusses the importance of consuming enough protein and the challenges of maintaining a low-calorie diet.

Mentions the experience of going through a mini cut and the cravings for food that followed.

Talks about the difficulty of eating enough when not naturally inclined towards large appetites, especially for bodybuilding shows.

Expresses newfound respect for people who go through bodybuilding shows and the willpower required for strict diets.

Describes the experience of being in a food coma after indulging in a burrito, chips, and queso cheese.

Details the impact of a back tweak on training, particularly the inability to squat and deadlift without pain.

Shares the decision to focus on upper body exercises due to the back issue and the resulting muscular imbalance.

Discusses the strategy of easing back into squatting and deadlifting to prevent further injury.

Talks about the need to fix form and technique in squats and deadlifts to improve safety and effectiveness.

Mentions the switch to beltless squats and deadlifts to better engage the core and posterior chain.

Explains the focus on a wider stance and sitting back in the squat to engage the glutes and hamstrings more effectively.

Describes the adjustments made to the deadlift form to ensure safety and maximize the use of the posterior chain muscles.

Reflects on the importance of progressive overload and strength training for natural lifters looking to maximize muscle mass.

Provides an overview of the individual's current fitness journey, including their recent experiences and future plans.

Recommends the TV show 'Prison Break' as a must-watch, currently on season 1, episode 19.

Discusses the experience of dehydration and the importance of replenishing fluids, as evidenced by purchasing a large water bottle.

Lists the groceries purchased for the week, including Snapple drinks, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, cinnamon buns, cereal, pretzels, and protein bars.

Transcripts

longest a [ __ ] you have come inside one

I think a guy's got a job for you

no learn what do you mean I'm Lydia I

was meeting Steve Gagnon and I were

hanging out and we're talking on the guy

roads and he's like oh yeah like getting

the conversation something that I try to

offer me Chavez and now I'm good but I

was friend him I want one please like

and see gag on the house for you I've a

treated not see 20 minute out of a huge

deep work here does not working and he's

in line to buy [ __ ] the first time

there's an actual lot will restrain you

know I the old shirtless no I'm not

going to insert this I didn't take this

doesn't disappoint me going in what do

you care what do you mean what [ __ ]

what's the point where I turn you just

talk to him gonna ask you questions

what's up like feel you out and [ __ ] and

try to offer you a job because I'm

wearing denim huh yes I'm gonna go get

him

[Music]

you

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move out to loaded well hi buck good

night shooting this yep

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nothing his job where I'm from because I

tell me to [ __ ] off yes okay I can't put

that part

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[Applause]

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ah

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from you

you would mean everything

to me if I do

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excuse you make

future

so just drop Jonah off at his house and

on my way back I'm pretty much I saw

shop where that's kinda where I am right

now and I was thinking I might need to

get a few things so I stopped on about

to walk inside and what I'm going to

talk about later in this video is pretty

much me starting off a pretty aggressive

bulk I'm done this whole being shredded

thing I kind of went on a little cup and

outside you guys about later but yeah so

if you don't stop eat some snap foods

so step back from shopper and pretty

much I don't really get like my entire

whole thing of like a bulky souza just

kind of got like a few dudes that I

didn't really have to kind of fill in

the gaps of the food that I don't really

have if that makes any sense at all so

she are just some snapples because when

I get my cheesesteaks in the morning I

get a Snapple and the probably cheaper

at shop right so just got like a whole

pack of six of them here some

blueberries some cherries and something

about milk being in a glass container

just seems like this just seems like how

to post a scene you know what I mean

some raspberries some quick cinnamon

buns and when I came in to shop but I

was really dehydrated because I don't

have any trace to me as a beach so got

this entire water on which I'm about to

devour after my shower so quick cereal

frosted flakes some pretzels to restock

up on and we're Noah bars so yeah that's

pretty much what I got from shop red

I'll show you some more foods that I

have here I'm going to add for 11:00

p.m. right now so like I said I'm about

the shower and yes you got next to that

oh yeah so I'm about to murder this

entire watermelon this plastic little

spoon right here and another show right

that you guys need to watch so I'm all

the way caught up with power

I'm obviously caught up with a game of

Thrones right the new episodes came out

last my Sunday episode to Prison Break

okay you guys need to watch this show

called prison where I'm currently on

season 1 about to start episode 19 as

you see over here and yeah I'm telling

you if you have any other shows you're

watching like I said true detectives

like Power Game of Thrones all these

obvious ones tax Breaking Bad whatever

Prison Break definitely added to that

list watermelon stone and right now just

some reason it was really really craving

a breather so I'm going to cheat a

little really quick go to burrito some

chips some queso cheese to dip it in

that's the best by the way comeback

finish that's probably gonna be mama

before I go to the gym so yeah so

cheetah there's literally nothing better

than taking a chip right dipping in some

nice queso cheese first time in my life

I feel like food so I'm in like a food

coma right now we got padam down this

burrito and yeah I pretty much have a gh

cut right now and a little quick little

chica that sound these little these

little Dianabol a que Dianabol Deanna

more ha becalmed little smacking Zoar of

60 calories for things really just chug

it down one shot see it goes out super

easy so I want to show you guys my gut

right now my stomach oh I'm literally

obese right now and it's funny because

one of the that of when I did that ab

workout with Doug that was like my first

time getting abs and like who knows how

long and I was cramping up so bad in the

next few days I was so sore and I'm

still sore today but I feel like my

lower abs right like really right below

like down here there's stuff like so

worn inflamed so I already wake up every

single morning sorry about that

with little like a little GH Gus like I

literally have just like physical this

sheet of muscle which is my lower

abdomen is like so inflamed Lilly droop

so I really have to like suck in when I

stand up so hopefully that has oh I hope

I don't have any like prominent damage

so that Kamala just how much I eat right

now I have like a 42 inch way so I'm

completely stuff and went all that

through digest and I'm actually gonna

take that shower now because I've been

in take it when I said I was going to

take it because I wanted to eat so yeah

I'm gonna shower and then Jim alright so

pretty much I finished season one of

present break I literally I got out of

shower or even before the shower wash

solution episode and then when I get out

of pretty much finish the season like I

said before great show you have to go

watch but really quit hasn't put my new

feeds on I'm about to get

legs I'm going to talk about this little

mini cut that I went on so I guess well

kind of want to start is that I've had

this little tweak in my back that I'm

going to talk about after in a little

bit and do that tweak I haven't been

able to squat and deadlift like properly

like without pain so I've kind of just

just been neglecting squawking Devils in

general to what my back heel and just

because I couldn't really get movement

to Rosemont said whatever and I'm just

pretty much trained upper body every

single day in the gym and that's why I

saw where if you check all my recent

like videos right workout videos even

normal blogs whatever this training

footing that's pretty much it's all

upper body chest back shoulders all that

stuff and I started getting kind of lean

and I was like you know what like I want

to see how far I have to push it so like

before I even started this like mini cut

I was already getting mean like I said

and I was putting a lot more focus on my

upper body and my probably my upper body

did grow a little bit faster a little

more but my legs just were completely

neglected they shriveled up but yeah so

that was happening and then I pretty

much I started getting leaner lean or

leaner said you know what I'm pretty

lean ah let's see how lean I can get up

for a whole lot said 400 I wanted to go

in a little cup for a whole week so I

saw them about three or four days after

I kind of stopped and pretty much my

whole just was you know I'm going to try

to eat 200 grams of protein a day as

many I mean not not 200 in suppressing

today and virtually no cars and they'll

fat just enough that time keep healthy

for months I can maybe like 60 70 grams

and after doing that I did get really

really lean and I started craving food

for the first time ever if you guys saw

me if you guys know that I really don't

like eating at farm attorneys since it

inconvenience I just hate like eating

bulking swimming walking is hard for me

and then after cutting for those three

or four days like putting it constantly

I was like you know I stop I sort of

bulk immediately after going all out and

now it's actually easier for me to get

my food in which is extremely extremely

convenient so yeah my my circulations

getting cut off by our stand up these

sleeves on Skelly legs

I also have an extreme amount of respect

for people that actually go through

bodybuilding shows that whether you're

natural or even not natural just a

restrict food for that walk is like take

you for me I'm someone who does not like

food what so I hate eating I have

terrible appetite right so I just go in

with a quick little 3-day cut and I

literally I quit like three days after

but it wasn't like a big deal it's

actually in my best interest to play

because that you need to be bulking but

for someone who likes food right

normally have to be normal a plate slash

above-average appetite then to go on a

cut for this long period of time for

like a bodybuilding show get

ridiculously using the amount of

willpower that must take is just

ridiculous and on I now have a very

small appreciate like I have a small

glimpse of what that's like to be in

those people shoes so I have a very high

appreciation respect for what they do

it's probably not a good idea let's go

to the gym let's believe it's almost

it's almost 10:00 right now so just once

in 7-eleven finish this thing of coffee

and yeah pretty much going to talk about

my back right now so when it comes to

lifting the most optimal a minute it's

recording it is recording when it comes

to lifting the most optimal way as a

natural lifter to maximize your muscle

mass which is what everyone wants you

need to really prioritize strength and

focus on progressive overload while

getting stronger and then once you gain

that strength you use that you use that

strength to push heavier weight and high

rep ranges in a hypertrophy rep range or

so strengthen the priority and the squad

bench and deadlift or the three lifts

that you need to do the three big

compound lifts so for the longest time

maybe you're like two years I've been

having so many tweaks and issues with my

body that I have been able to do those

movements like optimally incorrectly and

I'm not going to sit here I mean the

thing is I'm not going to sit here and

blame it all on these little injuries

like that's honestly maybe like 60

percent of a 40 percent of its just not

being like consistent just being sloppy

with training and all that but so let's

talk about what happened first

as you guys know you heard me bitching

and whining about a while ago about this

issue with my hip adductor like

somewhere down here we took like on with

my hip adductor someone down there and

that pretty much that I had to literally

take six months off squatting and

deadlift and completely to let that heal

up and I'm glad and I was honestly

terrified that I'll have that issue for

the rest of my life but I luckily don't

and it's completely healed I'm good on

that but there's some issue with my

spine that's been there for like a while

and here's what I think happened I

specifically vividly remember I think it

was junior year of high school towards

the end I was doing static holds and

what static holds are pretty much as

when you uh have a weight on your back

that you by no means can squat it's like

a hundred pounds of your squat neck and

you're standing there holding it for

like a minute and I pretty much

conditions your CNS and I was doing that

and I kind of like relaxed and I kind of

got lazy with him and I felt a sharp

pain in my back and I instantly jolted

up I was completely fine I went away

then I racked away and then for some

reason I just wanted to hit hit a bench

single during that workout that's what I

would do all the time

I put 295 on the bench press did my big

arch everything hit that single then as

soon as I got off the bench it was just

this ridiculous just like pain in my

back where I couldn't bend over at like

sit on the ground and it was like

terrible and ever since that day kind of

been on and off and here's what's weird

if I view if I were to stand up right

now put 500 pounds on my back as a

static hold it would actually relieve

the pain so I noticed that one of my

spots compressed the pains relieved

right now if I were to hang from a

pull-up bar on the other hand it

actually bring that issue back and yeah

that thing in my back would probably get

agitated on squats and deadlifts but the

main thing that I would get agitated on

is flat benching any type of arch

whatsoever would agitate it and that's

why I would always kind of jump back and

forth go under the incline bench because

like one incline is better for overall

chest development and to the main thing

which is probably should be number one

is that I don't have that pain in my

back when I do it I can go all out on

the incline without out in that pain so

I do that I go the incline that pain

goes away my ego comes back in I want to

hit five because you could hit heavier

weights on flight so I go to flat then

they shoe starts happening with my back

so now I'm completely dropping flat

solely focusing on incline and I'm

fixing some essential flaws in my squat

and deadlift for me kind of working from

the ground

up now notice of the long run you guys

got to stick with me on this it is still

recording yes it's still recording so in

the past

well my chain would be super consistent

to be super good and for whatever reason

like I would say too much school worker

or bubble or whatever I would take me

like a week off the gym or like some

time off the gym or some period of time

where my training wasn't like ideal

right would it be squatting dead lifting

and then when I would get my [ __ ]

together I was going full force no

easing back end just going right away

hit it as hard as I can and I'd be fine

and the reason I was wrong is because

back then the weights that I was

handling weren't really that heavy

nowadays if I try to do that because I'm

a lot stronger than I was back then my

joints my soft station my connective

tissue isn't ready to handle that such

abrupt load of intensity and weight all

at once I have to really ease my way

back in so now I'm very gently easing my

way back into squatting and dead lifting

and let's look at some things I'm trying

to fix on my squat I'm very very very

quiet onon t'right my quads are easily

over developed compared to like my

posterior chain like my glutes and my

hamstrings my erectors so when I squat

I'm very quiet dominant so my amount of

knee extension in me travels just bigger

my knees go very far past my toes and

that's not necessarily a bad thing it

all depends on like how your body's

built but for me I do kind of push it to

the extreme to the point where I'm

really not engaging my ' and as much and

just really relying on my quads and what

I'm trying to do now is have a wider

stance on squat I'm trying to go back to

live our full time and just really focus

on sitting back having my center of

gravity over a mid-foot and have my

knees not really goes forward so I'm

really engaging a lot more my glutes my

hamstrings my records which are muscles

that I really really want to develop and

also squatting like that is going to

make me lift more weight and I'm going

to be able to push more poundage because

it's a more optimal leverage than how

I've been squatting in the past because

the way I'm squatting in the past is by

no means optimal for a maximum amount of

weight but since my quadruped on Bassem

also great but really really develops my

quads and so my quads look so good it's

because I was squat that type of style

but

completely content on my squads look I'm

just trying to move as much weight as I

can as safely as I possibly can so

that's what I'm working on squat which

I'm going to work on right now and with

the deadlift right my conventional

deadlift is one of the most snapped up

things ever right I'm going to explain

since my posterior chain is extremely

weak I hardly ever load it and I use

just a bunch of quad drive and I just

kind of use my back and kind of just

somehow lift up the weight and it's just

not safe for my back at all and I've

been doing that over the years years and

years and I've been able to get away

with it but it's been kind of catching

up to me along with that issue my back

that I've talked about recently so now

I'm going beltless on squats and

deadlifts because when you wear a belt

right it actually increases the amount

of work that your core does and reduces

the amount of a director stimulation

that you get so I'm pretty much using no

belt really develop my rector's having

perfect form on the deadlift really

really focusing on loading my entire

posture your shading having my

hamstrings glutes everything nice tight

unloaded finding the right place to put

my hips and everything and just I'm

going to polish that form which on

someone I'm going to be doing some

deadlifts today and yeah so I don't know

hopefully I got everything I needed to

across in that long ramble but yeah I

don't know what I'm missing

hopefully Holmes has been recording holy

[ __ ] this is seven minutes yeah I

definitely know my caffeine you kicked

in so let's go to the gym and wash me

slowly rehab my squats deadlifts can be

very boring bus

Oh

[Applause]

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you do would mean everything

to me if I do

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Diana

excuses your maker

my name in

I

Oh

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only one is me everyday to overcome by

you wait

ha

excuse your maker

20 of

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[Applause]

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