Let's cut the bullshit and get to the brass tacks. For decades, men built slabs of muscle with simple, three day-per-week training programs. They trained their whole bodies in one brief workout session and they grew big and strong. Scoff all you want, but tens of thousands of trainees can't be wrong.
Well, it's high time we look into the past, learn from what we see, and build a new future.
We must learn from the successes and just as importantly, the failures. Yes, although this classic hypertrophy plan worked well, it wasn't perfect. And today we know what we can do to fix the drawbacks.
Let's break it down right now. The majority of non-steroid injecting trainees who've built respectable physiques have done so with the following, undisputable parameters:
I've worked with trainees at every imaginable level of the fitness spectrum, and the aforementioned elements are ubiquitous in their most successful hypertrophy programs. So I often wonder why they ever strayed. Why stop doing what's working?
Usually their reasoning is based along the following statement that I recently heard from a veteran of the iron game: "Hell," he said, "I don't know why I ever stopped doing it. I just assumed there was a better way." Well buddy, I'm here to tell ya, there ain't no better way!
I've written numerous training programs for T-Nation, and they all work. But, oftentimes, trainees don't seek what I seek. They want to look good nekkid, period. Not only that, but they don't give a rat's ass what strength qualities they're training. All they care about is the most efficient and effective route to the physique they've only seen in pictures.
It's time for a change. I want each and every one of you to see that physique in the mirror, not just in magazines. But as I said, we must also learn from the failures of past programs. Burnout and training injuries were often a "given" in old-school, total-body programs. The reason for this indiscretion is simple: poor planning.
Therefore, this article is based on the successes of the past along with my own successes as a trainer. I've learned to properly plan my clients' programs so results are steadfast and continuous.
Every single time I hit the gym, I perform a total-body workout with most of the following guidelines. I doubt that will ever change. In fact, that's how I added almost 100 pounds of muscle to my frame. I don't know why I ever wandered, so I'm here to keep you from running astray.
The single biggest mistake trainees have made in their quest for the ultimate physique is in periodization parameters. Simply speaking, they keep executing the same damn parameters in hopes of the body not "catching on" to what they're doing. Big mistake, my friends. Our bodies are designed for one sole purpose: adaptation. If you forget that, then you can forget about ever creating the physique of a Greek God.
Bill Starr came damn close to pulling off one of the best training programs with his classic text, The Strongest Shall Survive. His initial parameters were excellent. Unfortunately, his program wasn't willing to adapt, so progress on his "Big Three" program came to a screeching halt for most trainees. You can't endlessly perform the same exercises with the same parameters and keep experiencing results!
Now the dichotomy arises. We must incorporate the variables that withstood the test of time along with a new plan for continued progress. It's time to take the past, present and future and blend it into a new hybrid plan!
Rest between sets for the same muscle group: 60-120 seconds, and 120-240 seconds (antagonist training)
The first thing you probably notice with the above parameters is variance. This is the key to your consistent hypertrophy success. A lack of variance is the single biggest reason why trainees aren't still talking about the continuous progress they received from some of the most popular hypertrophy programs. Without consistent change, results will be anything but consistent.
Every session is going to consist of six exercises. Why? Because my empirical evidence has shown that natural trainees can consistently maintain six exercises per session without burning out.
It's imperative to base your exercise selection around compound, multi-joint exercises. Four out of the six exercises for each session must be compound exercises. Six sissy-assed, single-joint isolation exercises ain't gonna do the trick. But, you can perform a few of my recommended single-joint exercises for two of the six exercises. Here's the list you must choose from:
Stick to the above list of exercises for optimal results.
First and foremost, proper periodization planning is imperative. Without sufficient set/rep/load/rest parameters, even the best exercises won't produce results. Therefore, I've devised the following periodization plan for unsurpassable hypertrophy increases:
For all workouts, choose a weight that forces you to near-failure for the last rep of the last set.
Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 5 | 1 min. |
2 | 3 | 8 | 90 sec. |
3 | 2 | 15 | 2 min. |
Perform with the same parameters as Week 1, but execute antagonist training for all six exercises (more on this later).
Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | 5 | 1 min. |
2 | 4 | 8 | 90 sec. |
3 | 3 | 15 | 2 min. |
Perform the same parameters as Week 3, but execute antagonist training for all six exercises.
Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 18 | 2 min. |
2 | 2 | 8 | 1 min. |
3 | 2 | 12 | 90 sec. |
Perform the same parameters as Week 5, but execute antagonist training for all six exercises.
Workout | Sets | Reps | Rest |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 18 | 2 min. |
2 | 3 | 8 | 1 min. |
3 | 3 | 12 | 90 sec. |
Perform the same parameters as Week 7, but execute antagonist training for all six exercises.
The future of training is here. Take charge and use these guidelines for lifelong hypertrophy gains!
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