Stickanswered grow question 7y ago Hi there! Well every situation is different, depending on the strain, the growth speed, the space you have in your grow room. Topping may result in a week of recovering, so you'll slow down the growth in order to get twice the number of colas. Fimming + pinching + ponytailing could be less stressful for your babies, but you can also let the plant live its life and build its natural shape, this will result in a quicker harvest. I'd recommend to make your own experience on these techniques, try a new one everytime you drop a new seed. From my last results, topped plants gave me more final dry weight than bending/LSTing.. But once again, every strain/environment is different.
I'll be around, good luck with your 1st session!