[quote]UnknownPerson wrote:
Adding 5 lbs/wk to each squat session
Adding 2.5 lbs/wk to each overhead session
Adding 10 lbs/wk to each DL
Adding 5 lbs/wk to Power Clean, Barbell rows
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That wont always be possible. If it were you’d add at least 250lbs on each lift every year.
For someone in your situation I prefer to use the double progression.
For example for the strength movements start with the 6-8 rep range (for the power clean use 3-5). Let’s say that you decide to do 4 sets of 6-8 reps. Select your first training weight so that you can do 4 x 6 with that same weight (same weight all 4 sets).
The goal is to work up to 4 x 8 with that same weight. Once you hit 4 x 8 with the same weight, you are allowed to add weight at the next session. Don’t make jumps that are too big, 5-10lbs is enough… slower progression means progressing for longer and building more muscle.
For example if that session one you get 4 x 6 with 200lbs you keep the same weight for the next session.
If at your second you get 8 - 7 - 6 - 6 still keep the same weight
If at the third you get 8 - 8 - 8 - 7 still keep the same weight
If at the fourth you get 8 - 8 - 8 - 8 you add weight
You might go up to 210lbs which will likely bring your back down to 6 - 6 - 6- 6
etc.
Once you get stuck and can’t add reps or weight for more than 3 workouts for the same lift in a row, change the rep range… for example either 3-5 or 8-10 using the same principle.
You can keep the 1 x 20 on squats once a week if you find that works for you.
[quote]UnknownPerson wrote:
Intent behind this:
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Don’t like the large amounts of exercises in most hypertrophy program. I am using the high squat volume in order to facilitate the weight gain (along with copious amounts of food of course)
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Love the DL, but I fear even at once a week it would eat into my recovery. To still get some work in, I put in DLs from blocks, the RDL, and the power clean.
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I value the overhead press over the supine press, thus I train it as my main pressing movement.
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Trying to keep it simple.
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I don’t like using a lot of exercises either. I’m a big basics kinda guy. You will never see me criticize someone for using less exercises and focusing on the money ones.
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I love the squat, love it. BUT it’s effect as a whole body builder is a bit exaggerated. Sure it can have a slight effect on overall growth, but it will mostly build the lower body and a bit the lower back and abs. Don’t see it as a whole body movement. There are plenty of olympic lifters squatting huge weights everyday that have huge legs and no upper body.
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The deadlift is a great strength lift, but not necessarily the best muscle builder. It’s greatest asset is thagt it spread the load over many many muscles, which is great for strength. But I feel that it doesn’t stimulate that much muscle except for the lower back, glute and hams (and some traps)… it is also a leverage lift… I’ve seen plenty of guys with almost no muscle deadlift big weight and I’ve seen very muscular guys not being able to deadlift. I like the deadlift as a movement to be in a program, but it will not necessarily build everything up.
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100% in agreement with the overhead press. But for full development you’ll still need something like a floor press, bench press or dip as assistance.
[quote]UnknownPerson wrote:
Questions:
-Are most hypertrophy programs centered around lots of exercises?
-Anything I can do to modify the routine to be better suited towards my goal?
-Would the old school 20 rep squat routine written as is be the better way to go instead of reinventing the wheel so to speak?
-U.P.
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- Those using traditional bodybuilding training tend to use a wide variety of exercises to “hit the muscle for all angles”, which is a fallacy. IMHO most bodybuilding are based on tradition (this is what the pro bodybuilders have been using for years), but the problem is that this tradition has been built around a crowd of people (pro and high level amateur bodybuilders) that use copious amounts of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids and growth hormone. These change the way the body respond to training and thus make the application of their method to natural, non-gifted people, less than effective IMHO.
Also worth considering that these routines appeal to the insecurity of those who decide to add muscle: we always tend to want to do more exercises “just in case” … or “to make sure that I’m not missing out on anything”… the problem is that the body has a limited capacity to adapt to training stress and spending training money on garbage volume can actually limit your capacity to grow… someone using drugs do not have that problem because the drugs increase the body’s capacity to tolerate and recover from training stress.
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I talked about it earlier: have a more logical progression model. Do not pick reps at random and stick to at the most 2 rep schemes… 1 for the main movements and 1 for the assistance work for example. Use the double progression method I explained earlier… do not be in a rush to go up in weight, shoot for progression in reps first, then weight. If you force yourself to add weight every week you will hit a plateau really fast.
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It’s not my kind of training so I can’t really comment on that.