A calorie deficit and a reduction in strength often go hand-in-hand, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. Science-based lifter and YouTuber Jeff Nippard claims he’s often struggled to maintain fuller-looking arms and shoulder muscle when dropping body fat, but has now found a way to navigate the issue.
Over the last year, Nippard has stuck to a five-day training plan, comprised of an upper/lower/push/pull/legs split, that has helped him gain 1.2kg of lean muscle. He added some body fat in that period in order to truly maximise his gains, but the Canadian lifter is now looking to shred down.
Reducing his calories has previously come at a cost, however. ‘My arms and shoulders always flatten out every time I cut down,’ Nippard explained. ‘So, this time, I added a full arm and shoulder day to keep them looking full. So far, I think it’s working.’
Jeff Nippard’s Weekly Training Plan
Still sticking to training five times a week, Nippard now completes two upper, two lower, and a specific arms and shoulders workout to help him maintain muscle in the area he feels lags behind the most.
This allows him to hit his biceps, triceps and delts three times a week as opposed to just twice on his previous split, ensuring he is hitting each muscle as much as possible without overtraining or limiting his recovery. Nippard is also keen to stress that each set is performed to failure.
Arms and Shoulders Workout to Maintain MuscleD. Seated Dip x 2 sets of 8-10 repsG1. Wrist Curl x 2 sets of 8-10 repsG2. Wrist Extension x 2 sets of 8-10 repsHow to Do the MovementsBayesian Cable Curl
Grab the handle with one hand and step away from the machine so that you feel tension on the bicep. Standing with a strong base, create a slight angle with the elbow to where the cable feels like it’s pulling you back. Moving only at the elbow, curl your hand towards your shoulder. As you lower back down, make sure the cable doesn’t pull your shoulder from its position.
Overhead Tricep Extension
Attach a rope handle to the high pulley of a cable station. Grab the handle and turn away from the machine with your hands at shoulder height. Fully extend your arms forward and in front of your head, then return under control to the start position. Keep your torso locked and your upper arms and elbows still. Only your forearms should move.
Hammer Preacher Curl
Begin seated on the preacher curl bench with your chest and arms in contact with the arm pad. With a neutral grip and your arms straight, keep your elbows in place as you curl the dumbbell upwards. Squeeze the biceps before you reverse the movement under control.
Seated Dip
Sitting on a dip machine, grab the handles with your palms facing inward and your arms bent. Push the weight away from you while keeping your arms tucked against your body, stopping them from flaring out. When your arms are fully locked out, control the weight back to the start and repeat.
Stand tall holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides. With minimal momentum and keeping your upper arms tight to your body, curl one of the bells upwards, turning your palm inwards, until your pinky finger is near your shoulders. Squeeze here and reverse the movement under control. Repeat with the opposite arm. Alternate in this fashion.
Lateral Raise
Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with them by your sides, palms facing your body. Keeping your upper body still (that means no swinging), lift the dumbbells out to your side with a slight bend at your elbows. Lift until your arms are parallel to the floor then slowly lower to the start position.
Wrist Curl
Set yourself up holding a barbell in both hands, or gripping a dumbbell in each hand, with your forearms flat across a bench or on your thighs – your hands hanging loose over the edge, palms facing upwards. Allow your wrists to stretch all of the way back before curling the weight all of the way back up until your palms are facing you. Slowly lower and repeat.
Wrist Extension
Once you complete your reps of the wrist curls, flip the weights – and your forearms – so that your palms are facing the opposite way and repeat.
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