Maybe this isn’t the best place for this, maybe it is?
I’ve been thinking of changing my workout routine, but I’m not sure how?
For literally at least half of my life I’ve focused more on building muscle. Now I’m wondering, how can I workout and keep as much strength as possible, but lose some mass? I mean, I’m not extreme bodybuilder, but I’m nowhere near afab size.
Is it possible (pre-hormone) to mostly keep streng, but lose mass? I wish a lot of me was smaller, especially neck, shoulders, thighs, and belly. Not totally sure how(or if) I can make changes pre-hrt to get more feminine? I don’t want to lose too much strength, but I’m fairly big so I’d like to lose some mass.
I guess most of my routine is 3 sets of 8-12 reps in various exercises focusing on larger groups of muscles(e.g. Push-up, pull-up, - dips…)
Edit: not sure if it was clear enough, I’d love to lose some mass/size, but as much as possible, not lose strength. Does that make sense? I totally get there is a tradeoff, but I’m not sure how to switch up working out to lose mass? I think I’d like to be smaller (help me to pass?) but I feel like any strength training at all is inherently somewhat bulky? At least from a feminine pov?
I don’t have a direct answer for you, but perhaps you’ll find the Renaissance Periodization YouTube channel helpful. Dr. Mike Israetel is a PhD in Sports Physiology, teaches at the university/college level, and does coaching so he’s legit and science-based. Here’s a series (that unfortunately isn’t in a playlist) specifically about avoiding muscle loss while cutting - video 1 video 2 video 3. For more general info, here’s a Dieting Made Easy playlist which features videos you may find useful.
Hopefully those prove to be a useful starting point. As a channel he covers a lot of weightlifting topics so it’s a good place to explore if you’re interested. Best of luck on your fitness journey!