Originally Posted by andys_trim
So if we keep our basic training philosophy this same when cutting as we do when we are bulking, with a little more intensity added in while cutting, we should see results we want. Right?
You are right Andy. Training stays the same regardless of goal. A common mistake is "letting up" when cutting. You have to provide your body with every incentive to retain muscle when cutting.
Cutting is primarily about diet. Cardio gets ramped based on needs. Strength generally goes slightly as you approach "uber ripped", but you should be able to maintain quite a bit, or most, unless you are dropping into that zone.
Regarding reps...I recommend 5 to 12 for most hypertrophy needs. Lower reps can build muscle, as can higher reps. It's all about the progression. But if your goal is muscle building, there's not much sense straying outside of 5 to 12 reps for most compound lifts, excluding squats.
Isolation lifts I generally recommend 8 to 15 rep sets generally because they tend to get sloppy when heavy weight is forced, so low reps doesn't always work well because you are using a heavier weight. Mileage may vary.