Cutting is one of the hardest things about bodybuilding, especially for natural bodybuilders who don’t use drugs to improve their performance and instead rely on training, nutrition, and recovery. In theory, the goal of a cutting phase is simple: lose fat while keeping as much lean muscle as possible. You need more than just a lot of cardio or a few calories to really find this balance. You need a workout plan that makes sense.
This blog post is about the best cutting workout plan for bodybuilders who don’t use steroids. It talks about how to keep your strength, lose fat quickly, recover, and keep doing it.
What does “cutting phase” mean for people who build muscle naturally?
A cutting phase is a set amount of time for working out and eating that is supposed to help you lose fat while keeping your muscle mass. Natural bodybuilders need to be careful during this phase because if they don’t keep track of how much they train, how hard they train, or how long they rest, they could lose muscle quickly.
When you cut, you eat fewer calories than you burn. This means that your workouts need to tell your body to keep muscle. This is not the same as bulking, where eating more calories helps you grow. This is when strength training becomes even more important.
Key Guidelines for a Cutting Workout Plan
Before you start the workout split, you should know the following rules for a good cutting routine:
- Put strength training at the top of your list of things to do.
When you lift weights, your body knows it still needs muscle. You could lose muscle if you make your workouts too easy.
- On purpose, keep up with Progressive Overload
You might not get a lot stronger while you’re cutting, but you should try to keep your lifts the same or get better slowly when you can.
- Find a good balance between volume and recovery.
Having too much volume can make you tired and hurt your muscles. The best thing to do is to keep the volume down and get enough sleep.
- Don’t use cardio as a punishment; use it as a tool.
Cardio can help you lose weight, but it shouldn’t replace strength training or get in the way of your recovery.
- There’s no room for discussion about recovery
You need to sleep enough, take days off, and learn how to deal with stress to keep your muscles.
The best way to split up your workouts for cutting
Natural bodybuilders who are cutting should split their workouts into four or five days. This 5-day cutting workout plan will help you lose weight and keep your muscles.
Day 1: Chest and Triceps
Chest workouts
- 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps of the barbell bench press
- Incline Dumbbell Press: Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
- Cable Flyes: 12 to 15 reps in 3 sets
- Do two sets of push-ups until you can’t do any more.
Triceps workouts
- Close-grip bench press: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
- Three sets of 12 to 15 pushdowns with a rope
- Overhead Dumbbell Extension: Do 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Why this works: Heavy compound movements keep your chest and triceps muscles big, while higher-rep isolation exercises burn more calories and make your muscles look more toned.
Day 2: Back and Biceps
Back workouts
- Deadlifts: 5 reps in 3 sets
- Pull-Ups or Lat 4 sets of 8 to 10 pulldowns
- Barbell For rows, do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
- Three sets of 10 to 12 reps of seated cable rows
Bicep workouts
- Barbell Curls: Do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
- Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each
- Hammer Curls: Do two sets of twelve reps each.
Why this works: Back training is great for cutting because it works a lot of muscles and burns a lot of calories.
Day 3: Rest or do something active to recover
Options:
- Light cardio like swimming, biking, or walking
- Getting up and moving around
- Yoga or foam rolling
Why it’s important to rest: Natural lifters take longer to recover when they don’t eat enough calories. Days off help your muscles stay strong and your hormones stay in balance.
Day 4: Legs and Abs
Leg workouts
- 4 sets of 6 to 8 squats
- Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps each
- Leg Press: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps each.
- Three sets of 12 steps with each leg while walking lunges
- 4 sets of 12 to 15 standing calf raises
Ab workouts
- Three sets of 12 to 15 reps of hanging leg raises
- Cable Crunches: 15 reps for three sets
- Plank for two 60-second rounds.
This works because: Working out your legs makes your metabolism work harder, which helps you lose fat and keep your lower body strong.
Day 5: Shoulders and Conditioning
Shoulder workouts
- Overhead Barbell Press: 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps each
- Four sets of 12 to 15 reps of lateral raises
- 3 sets of 12 to 15 rear delt flyes
- Upright Rows: Do 10 reps in 2 sets.
Conditioning Finisher (Optional)
- 30 seconds of battle ropes, then 5 rounds
- Four sets of 15 swings with a kettlebell
- Pushing a sled or running fast on a bike
Why this works: Training your shoulders makes your upper body look better, and conditioning helps you lose fat without too much cardio.
When you’re cutting, here are some rules for cardio:
Cardio should help you lose weight, not hurt your muscles.
The Best Types of Cardio
- Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) means walking or biking.
- Moderate HIIT (once or twice a week)
How often you should do it
- Three to four times a week, do LISS for 20 to 40 minutes.
- HIIT: 10 to 15 minutes, no more than twice a week
Don’t do too much HIIT because it can make you lose more muscle if you don’t eat enough.
Training and eating well go hand in hand.
Even the best cutting workout plan won’t work if you don’t eat the right foods.
Important tips for eating well:
- Have a calorie deficit of 300 to 500 calories.
- Eat a lot of protein, between 1.8 and 2.2 grams for every kilogram of body weight.
- Plan your carbs around your workouts.
- Keep drinking water.
Common mistakes that natural bodybuilders make when cutting
- Too much exercise
- Lifting lighter weights to “burn fat”
- Too much cutting calories
- Not getting enough sleep and rest
- Too many changes to the workouts
You need to be consistent, not extreme, to lose fat.
How long should a cutting phase last?
For bodybuilders who use natural ways:
- The best time is between 8 and 12 weeks.
- Longer cuts make it more likely that you’ll lose muscle.
- You can take breaks from your diet if you need to.
It’s always better to lose weight slowly and steadily than quickly.
Final Thoughts
The best cutting workout plan for natural bodybuilders is one that helps them keep their muscle and lose fat. Heavy compound lifts, controlled volume, strategic cardio, and proper recovery are all important parts of a good cut.
Keep in mind that cutting isn’t about hurting yourself; it’s about training smart, eating right, and being patient. You can show off the muscle definition you’ve worked hard for while staying strong, healthy, and injury-free if you do it right.
If you stick to the plan and trust the process, your body will show the work.
