I compete in bodybuilding lightweight, and in classic. I think i’ll never compete in men’s physique.
I think that I actually gained muscle during my cut, ofc not toward the end, but overall i’m 100% sure I did some gains during these 5 month of prep.
I also think that you cannot get under 7% mark natty, even with elite genetic, without making some compromise in size and mass on some of your natural weakpoints. For me it was clearly arms and claves.
After all, those calories are just a number. And at that time I was 62 kgs 135 pounds… heading for 132 (the lowest weight i had during this prep.) I’m 171 cm, 5’6 and barely active physically out of the gym.
Burning last amounts of fat on your body naturally without losing a tiny bit of muscle is imposible imho