I think I’m similar, but like to have a “baseline” to return to and see how things are going. I dont get “bored” of a baseline training program, but after about 4-6 weeks progress start to slow down and I start to look for ways to vary it and achieve something new.
So like
HPMass for 4-8 weeks
Layers for 4 weeks (just to simplify things and focus on a few lifts only)
Back to HPMass
Bulgarian Simplified (to see where top end strength is at)
Back to HPMass
Best Damn for Nattys (to focus a bit more on mass than strength) until I get the urge to go back
etc…
Seems to work well for me and keeps me motivated and on track.
I’ve figured out that three weeks is as long as I can go before my brain starts wandering. It doesn’t help that I come here daily and see new articles and programs frequently.
Simple, Guaranteed Strength & Size works great for me. By the time I start losing motivation the reps drop and the weight jumps as I move to a new phase. Increasing weight and dropping reps always motivates me. By the time I finish week 12 I’m feeling worn down from the heavy loads and I’m mentally ready to go back to higher reps. It’s perfect!
HP mass (look like a bodybuilder train like an athlete) & indigo strength were always a gold standard “basline” training style.
It may be physchological but I love HP mass so much (low explosive reps, compound movments, push/pull split) that I could train in this style forever…if not the bug in my head saying “dude…this training style is fun but it doesn’t add muscle!! you need to at least do some 5 rep sets or hit mtor/failure/myorep setc”
if the end result is a swimmer or boxers body but requires such heavy lifting (hence why i didn’t like russian strength/skill as much) then i would rather just go play sports or rings/calisthenics. heavy lifting is definitly fun but if i dont get massive phsyique effects from it I’m not that much of a masochist ; )
My life is PACKED to the gills, so I need a program that covers all the bases and is very flexible. For example, I havent been able to train but once in the last 6 days (aside from some BW stuff on my break at work). I dont follow it to a T, but the HP Mass style allows me to focus on very few lifts, have a hectic schedule and still stay “on track” with the days (its basically an A-B split, so I just alternate workouts as I can), and I can change focus a bit by varying the end of the workout.
For example, in the original version the only option CT gave was to Waveload after the ramp to the 3 rep max force set, but Wave loading is just one method to stimulate and fatigue the type 2 fibers this program targets. Its easy enough to swap that portion out to a 5 rep EMOM for 10 minutes to focus on size a bit more, or ramp to 1 max-foce-rep and do clusters at 90% to focus on strength.
For example (only focusing on upper body day):
Day 1 - continuous ramp from overhead press ~> high incline press ~> flat bench to 3 rep max force set, wave loading the OHP and bench
Alternating in between sets: pull ups and DB Row
Day 2 - continuous ramp again, but I want to focus on delts right now so I do 10 minutes of 5rep EMOM for the overhead press.
Day 3 - continuous ramp, then after I do a giant set of incline side laterals, rear delt band work, pushups and tricep push downs.
Or I might just do day 1 type thing for 3 weeks if I’m really feeling the pressing working for me.
So for now this program gives me everything I need and I have found a way to customize it to my goals. Its not really so much a “program” any more but a style of training.
Very nice. I like that emom suggestion…yes basically treat the ramp as more a neural primer and then the volume work as muscle maximizers. The original system worked well cause it was 3 reps…5 reps/emom or 8/6/4/2 while seemingly similar in principla i think will induce much more fatigue. especially if you do it 6 days a week like the original freq split. i might have to try out
by the way why are you doing this program if you’re so busy? you have to go daily for HPmass no??
That’s basically right. I often stick to 3 rep sets and the wave load but it’s not unheard of for me to do something like the above. That was more for illustration than exactly what I do.
So yeah essentially it’s a neural ramp followed by training the high threshold motor units with a variety of methods. I stick to the explosive reps 99% of the time, and still avoid grinders but sometimes venture into slightly higher rep ranges.
I don’t usually have weeks like this one, and can almost always hit 4 days a week so I just do upper/lower. This week I had to pull about 2 weeks worth of shifts because of the way the schedule happened.
Oh and it fits my neurotype, aka I like training this way
Nice, boss mode. Maybe the solution is to just add in an assistance exercise done BDW style (myoreps/cluster). Say split lunges on lower body day or weighted pushup/chins on upper body day.
Hmmn i might be mixing this up but I thoguht HP mass = look like bodybuidler which in the revised form is basically: push press, bench, front squat on push day and then SNatch grip deadlift, SGHP, muscle snatches on pull day right
I follow more of the original type. Although the other style is on my radar to try… but it seems less forgiving about my scheduling needs. I like sets across though too.
Time and energy allowing I do add in some technique work for the “other day” (press on lower body day, squat on upper for example)
This program seems so cool, I definitely love the marriment of strength and hypertrophy within exercise regiments.
I was wondering if there would be a way to change the program such that there is more of a leg emphasis or if that wouldn’t work for something of this nature.