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i went back to a leangains fasting approach last week to jumpstart my summer shred. hoping to drop about 1-2 lbs/fat a week through memorial day by eating in a 16/8 window and eating 300-500 calories below maintenance depending on whether i'm lifting that day or not. i'm only powerlifting and walking- no running, circuits or anything else cadiovascular. so first week went rather well, lost 2.5 lbs and it felt rather effortless. so effortless, in fact, that today i decided to start my day off with a deadlift and weighted chin session on the tail end of my fast. let's just say it didn't go well. my deadlifts were off bout 30%! i hear many paleohackers speak about fasted training and i guess my question is, are you powerlifting with seriously heavy weight fasted?

PS, i carb refed after my squat session on friday(last workout) with about 300 grams of carbs from potatoes and rice so i don't think it is a glycogen depletion issue...

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6 Answers

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I power lifted after a full 14-16 hour fast with BCAAs for months. I made progress as far as increasing my poundages and kept body fat to a minimum. So it sounds good right? However, after about 5 months on this path (which was starting strength) I felt compelled to start eating about two hours before lifting. I've been keeping this up and I think its working. My opinion has become, from reading all the paleo stuff AND reading a lot of powerlifting stuff, that going in to lift very heavy things with no fuel in you for something like 12-16 hours is ludicrous. Unprecendented even in the lifting world.

Don't get me wrong, i realize the benefits to lifting fasted: burning more fat, etc. But again it all just comes down to your goals! If you are trying to INCREASE your strength, your ability to lift heavy things, then it simply makes NO SENSE to have no fuel in you before lifting. If however, you are trying to cut, like you are, then sure the fasted training will be OK. Its just that you're not going to progress, or progress as much, on a linear strength increase path.

I eat lean protein and carbs about two hours before lifting.

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thanks, ben. good comment. what was your experience with and w/o bcaa's prior to workout. maybe that's what i should try before going back to working out in the afternoon – luckybastard♦ Apr 25 2011 at 14:23
I do lean beef and mashed pumpin two hours preWO. about 20 minutes prelifting i down BCAAs (Xtend by scivation avail on amazon). Within 30 min of lifting i eat 1 full pound of lean protein and 1 full pound of sweetpotatoes. Have always felt a rush from taking BCAAs. I used to take them fasted and i'd feel the rush then, too. I have read that BCAAs spike insulin but I'm not sure about it. I like the BCAAs so i stick with it. I have done days without and lifted fine then, too. So much of all this stuff i think is placebo, just the mindset that like, OK I have my fuel I'm gonna kill it! yknow? – ben61820 Apr 25 2011 at 21:35
Bottomline DEFINE YOUR GOAL. If you wanna get stronger, be able to lift heavier things, then eat pre workout and lift hard and eat postworkout. If you don't care about PROGRESSING and lifting heavier and heavier things, then go in fasted and feed off your fat stores and maybe end up lifting the same amounts time and again but you will prolly get lean. Real straight forward. Right now im lean enough where i don't fear bits of fat gain so i'd rather fuel heavy and lift heavy and see where it takes me. You can ALWAYS cut down late:)r, thats the easy part! Lifting heavy things is the hard partQ – ben61820 Apr 25 2011 at 21:37
I already lift heavy and not really worried about chasing the 400 lb bench or squat or deadlift more than I am now until next winter. So I may give fasted training a few weeks go during this lean out phase. – luckybastard♦ Apr 25 2011 at 22:10
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Weight training completely fasted (i.e., without even any BCAA), is a great way to skyrocket your cortisol. I had some experience with this and noticed my sleep quality really deteriorating so I started eating protein/veggies 1-3 hours before lifting.

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To make gains in strength you have to eat, and eat well. Do you know any serious power-lifters who fast up to a PL meet?

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not really trying to gain, just maintain. and i eat well. i take in 200-300 grams of protein a day and carb refeed post workout on training days. – luckybastard♦ Apr 25 2011 at 13:52
Excellent straight forward answer. – ben61820 Apr 25 2011 at 14:10
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I don't know. I also train fasted and I've had good days and bad. I dint know whether it is the fasted state or not, though. Do you supplement with bcaa's prior to and after your training?

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I don't know. I also train fasted and I've had good days and bad. I dint know whether it is the fasted state or not, though. Do you supplement with bcaa's prior to and after your training?

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i also wanted to ask about bcaa's. i currently don't use. does it really help to take 10g before and after lifting as martin suggests? – luckybastard♦ Apr 25 2011 at 14:23
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I have been fasting 16/8 on lifting days, and tend to have pretty good workouts when fasted. I am trying to gain weight, so I eat as much as possible starting right after I finish my workout.

I did Deadlifts yesterday up to a set of 8 at 2x bodyweight. My max right now is 2.5x bodyweight ... which I did fasted. Opinions will vary on whether that's serious weight or not. :-)

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