Ultimate Layer for Hypertrophy

Discussion of grinding with CT’s feedback:

Basically, some people can grind HDL and Extended sets, some people can’t.

[quote]Voluminous wrote:
Can you put up your system so we can view :)[/quote]

Intensification (4 weeks):

Week 1 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 3 sets @ 90%
HDL 3 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 2 Max Ramp 2 RM
Clusters* 4 sets @ 90%
HDL 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 3 Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters* 5 sets @ 90%
HDL 1 set 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 4 Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters* NONE
HDL 3 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%
Max Pump 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 5s hold @ 40-50%

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs, Lean Away Lateral Raise
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x6
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs, Inc Fly 4x8
Thurs - Deadlift, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Mil Press from Pins, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

Strength Phase A (2 weeks):

Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters** 3 sets @ 90%
Max Ramp 2 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Clusters 2 sets @ 90% of 2RM
Max Ramp 3 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Cluster 1 set @ 90% of 3RM
Max Rep 1 set @ 70% of 3RM

Phase B (2 weeks):

Max Ramp 3 RM
Speed Reps 8 sets x 3 reps @ 60% all as explosive as possible.

Pretty much no accesory work during this part of the phase. This is when my strength went down about 10% across the board on all the main lifts. Didn’t seem prudent to be doing accesory lifts when I could even handle the same weights as the weeks prior.

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins,
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest)
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins
Thurs - Deadlift
Fri - Mil Press from Pins

Intensification Phase: Dropped assessory work (kept ab work in) on Pressing days as pressing demands more recovery for me than the pulling work.

Week 1 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 3 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 3 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 2 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 4 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 2 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 3 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 5 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 1 set Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 4 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* NONE
Max Rep 3 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%
Max Pump 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 5s hold @ 40-50%

After burning out on grinding the 1rm ramps, I decided that the best way for me to read my ramp up layer was to just stick at 3rm ramps through the intensification phase. I also dropped the Mil Press and went with Continuous Clean and Press on Friday.

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x8
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs
Thurs - Deadlift, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Clean and Press, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

Strength phase 2 (4 weeks): Switched to Dead Launch instead of Deadlift.

Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters** 3 sets @ 90%
Max Ramp 2 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Clusters 2 sets @ 90% of 2RM
Max Ramp 3 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Cluster 1 set @ 90% of 3RM
Max Rep 1 set @ 70% of 3RM

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x8
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs
Thurs - DEAD LAUNCH, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Clean and Press, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

That’s it. I wish I took before and after pics but I didn’t. Biggest change was in the traps and shoulders from the SGHP, huge difference. I effing love SGHP!!

I should also disclose that my wife and I had twin babies in March and I started the layer system the day I got off paternity leave. So sleep has not been as it should be for proper recovery and that, as much as the grinding, certainly contributed to my strength loss in the middle of the program.

Diet was pulse feast, with 2 scoops of Plazma, a Finibar, Indigo-3G, and 3 scoop pulse of MAG-10 as my peri-workout. Best nutrition plan I’ve ever been on!

Hmmmm now I feel like I need to start training SGHP.

For reference you are performing it like;

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_neural_exercise/neural_charge_exercise_snatch_high_pull

@ brandon - yes definitely want to use the strength phases. im planning on going 4 weeks chasing hypertrophy then 2 weeks on strength throughout

[quote]brandon76 wrote:
@ JMoo:

Whats up buddy, keep in mind CT suggested a 4 week strength layer phase in between the 4 Acum phases as the effects taper if you run back to back. Which would take the split out 6 months to complete properly. I know Lonnie has busted the 4 Accums back to back and said it was still worth wild. 12 weeks Vs. 6 months. I still want to lay it down and do the whole program properly eventually.[/quote]

hahaha its the lack of facial hair in my profile pic. i have a beard now but i definitely see it!

[quote]jppage wrote:

[quote]brandon76 wrote:
@ J Snap:

No dude! Do not variate from the program! lol

**Also does J Moose not have the cool buffer Moby look going on. lol [/quote]
HAHA,agree with you on that one.Moby on CT’s layers.[/quote]

How did you like the clean and press day? im trying to decide between:

A. 2 SGHP days, 2 press days inlince/decline, and TBDL

B. 2 SGHP days, 1 press day, 1 clean and press day, and TBDL

c. 1 SGHP day, 2 press day, 1 clean and pres day, and TBDL

[quote]ggarrett wrote:

[quote]Voluminous wrote:
Can you put up your system so we can view :)[/quote]

Intensification (4 weeks):

Week 1 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 3 sets @ 90%
HDL 3 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 2 Max Ramp 2 RM
Clusters* 4 sets @ 90%
HDL 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 3 Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters* 5 sets @ 90%
HDL 1 set 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%

Week 4 Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters* NONE
HDL 3 sets 5/4/3/2/1 @ 70%
Max Pump 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 5s hold @ 40-50%

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs, Lean Away Lateral Raise
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x6
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs, Inc Fly 4x8
Thurs - Deadlift, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Mil Press from Pins, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

Strength Phase A (2 weeks):

Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters** 3 sets @ 90%
Max Ramp 2 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Clusters 2 sets @ 90% of 2RM
Max Ramp 3 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Cluster 1 set @ 90% of 3RM
Max Rep 1 set @ 70% of 3RM

Phase B (2 weeks):

Max Ramp 3 RM
Speed Reps 8 sets x 3 reps @ 60% all as explosive as possible.

Pretty much no accesory work during this part of the phase. This is when my strength went down about 10% across the board on all the main lifts. Didn’t seem prudent to be doing accesory lifts when I could even handle the same weights as the weeks prior.

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins,
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest)
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins
Thurs - Deadlift
Fri - Mil Press from Pins

Intensification Phase: Dropped assessory work (kept ab work in) on Pressing days as pressing demands more recovery for me than the pulling work.

Week 1 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 3 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 3 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 2 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 4 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 2 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 3 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* 5 sets @ 90%
Max Rep 1 set Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%

Week 4 Max Ramp 3 RM
Clusters* NONE
Max Rep 3 sets Max Reps/15s/max reps @ 80%
Max Pump 2 sets 5/4/3/2/1 5s hold @ 40-50%

After burning out on grinding the 1rm ramps, I decided that the best way for me to read my ramp up layer was to just stick at 3rm ramps through the intensification phase. I also dropped the Mil Press and went with Continuous Clean and Press on Friday.

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x8
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs
Thurs - Deadlift, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Clean and Press, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

Strength phase 2 (4 weeks): Switched to Dead Launch instead of Deadlift.

Max Ramp 1 RM
Clusters** 3 sets @ 90%
Max Ramp 2 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Clusters 2 sets @ 90% of 2RM
Max Ramp 3 RM starting at 70% of previous ramp
Cluster 1 set @ 90% of 3RM
Max Rep 1 set @ 70% of 3RM

Mon - Slight Decline Bench from Pins, Abs
Tues - SGHP (all reps above mid chest), Seated row 4x8
Weds - Slight Incline Bench from Pins, Abs
Thurs - DEAD LAUNCH, Hammer curls 4x8
Fri - Clean and Press, Abs, Facepulls 4x8

That’s it. I wish I took before and after pics but I didn’t. Biggest change was in the traps and shoulders from the SGHP, huge difference. I effing love SGHP!!

I should also disclose that my wife and I had twin babies in March and I started the layer system the day I got off paternity leave. So sleep has not been as it should be for proper recovery and that, as much as the grinding, certainly contributed to my strength loss in the middle of the program.

Diet was pulse feast, with 2 scoops of Plazma, a Finibar, Indigo-3G, and 3 scoop pulse of MAG-10 as my peri-workout. Best nutrition plan I’ve ever been on! [/quote]

I am also thinking about going with the pulse feast method. I prefer to eat smaller healthy meals throughout the day as Ive always done but its just become too time consuming. As a quality of life issue I think the pulse feast method allows for slightly more freedom and social life. So:

2-3 pulses throughout the day.

Break fast with Finibar.

3 scoops Plazma

Feeding window

(and of course Brain Candy)

F’n Moby dude, you new nickname is J M0by. Its not a bad thing he has some great timeless tracks.

[quote]Voluminous wrote:
First day today with Decline Bench.

@All; Is it 1 RM for that particular version you are doing - or your 1 RM for the main lift (without pins)

  • Doing No.4 Speed Bench - was so used to heavy weight I nearly propelled the bar out of my hands on the first rep !! First time doing speed work :slight_smile:

Overall; was a good day - first day back in like 1.5 years now.

[/quote]

in that version… if it doesnt say from pins, it’s not. it’s fullrom.
and generally, of the speed bench was that easy, maybe you should do.
more sets in your ramp or
less time between sets in the ramps, or
increase the weight on the speed bench.

i had to do all 3 for the same reason.

[quote]J Moose wrote:
I am also thinking about going with the pulse feast method. I prefer to eat smaller healthy meals throughout the day as Ive always done but its just become too time consuming. As a quality of life issue I think the pulse feast method allows for slightly more freedom and social life. So:

2-3 pulses throughout the day.

Break fast with Finibar.

3 scoops Plazma

Feeding window

(and of course Brain Candy)[/quote]

I just borrowed JM’s nutrition plan - linked.

2 meals is easy to follow !

http://tnation.T-Nation.com/personal-coaching-training-programs/john-meadows/diet-3400.jsp

I was feeling like the system worked great yesterday for Bench; got it done and felt a bit sore.

Today it kicked my ass with Squatting !

I like it !

Trap Bar Deads Session

Ramped to a 3RM of 385

3 Clusters @ 355

5/4/3/2/1 @ 250 x 3

Posterior Chain Work:
a.Explosive KB Swing: 5-6 reps
b.Weighted Hyper-extensions: 8-10 reps
c.Band good-mornings: 15-20 reps
*3 rounds

Hammer Curls: 10 bottom partials/5 mid partials/5 full reps x 4 sts

*** using the “start to light” approach to begin. easily could have gotten up to a 3RM with probably 415 or 425 but I am grinding out ZERO reps and focusing on performance and explosion. felt great leaving the gym today. in and out in under an hour with lots of good quality volume to boot.

[quote]J Moose wrote:
Trap Bar Deads Session

Ramped to a 3RM of 385

3 Clusters @ 355

5/4/3/2/1 @ 250 x 3

Posterior Chain Work:
a.Explosive KB Swing: 5-6 reps
b.Weighted Hyper-extensions: 8-10 reps
c.Band good-mornings: 15-20 reps
*3 rounds

Hammer Curls: 10 bottom partials/5 mid partials/5 full reps x 4 sts

*** using the “start to light” approach to begin. easily could have gotten up to a 3RM with probably 415 or 425 but I am grinding out ZERO reps and focusing on performance and explosion. felt great leaving the gym today. in and out in under an hour with lots of good quality volume to boot. [/quote]
@ Moose what set up did you end up going with(order of days)etc.I actually wrote up a post on the choice’s you were thinking about but It got deleted and I didn’t get around to re-posting It again.

[quote]jppage wrote:

[quote]J Moose wrote:
Trap Bar Deads Session

Ramped to a 3RM of 385

3 Clusters @ 355

5/4/3/2/1 @ 250 x 3

Posterior Chain Work:
a.Explosive KB Swing: 5-6 reps
b.Weighted Hyper-extensions: 8-10 reps
c.Band good-mornings: 15-20 reps
*3 rounds

Hammer Curls: 10 bottom partials/5 mid partials/5 full reps x 4 sts

*** using the “start to light” approach to begin. easily could have gotten up to a 3RM with probably 415 or 425 but I am grinding out ZERO reps and focusing on performance and explosion. felt great leaving the gym today. in and out in under an hour with lots of good quality volume to boot. [/quote]
@ Moose what set up did you end up going with(order of days)etc.I actually wrote up a post on the choice’s you were thinking about but It got deleted and I didn’t get around to re-posting It again.[/quote]

Im gunna start out with:

Monday: SGHP
Tuesday: Decline Tilt from pins
Wednesday: TBDL
Thursday: Incline Tilt NOT from pins
Friday: Clean and Press

but I am considering doing a second SGHP day in place of the clean and press and maybe experimenting with the paused front and/or back squat layer CT had mentioned lately

@ jppage: here is what CT said about paused back squats

"I like paused lifts, but not on all movements. To me the pause has to serve a purpose. I like to use it on front squats for example to really work on perfect body position. Pausing at the bottom while focusing on lifting the chest up as much as possible and keeping the torso as upright as you can.

I also personally like it on back squats because I’m so efficient at utilizing the stretch reflex that I get a better muscle stimulation for paused squats.

But reallym, the layer approach is not about using specific methods. But in using a sequence of different methods or loading scheme on an exercise to create a greater training effect.

For example one could do:

LAYER 1 - Paused back squat, ramping to a 2RM

LAYER 2 - Back squat, start where you finished layer 1 and ramp up to a 2RM on a normal squat

LAYER 3 - Bottom half squat: go all way down. That is the starting position. Rapidly go up to the half squat position, lower back down slowly, do 8-10 reps like that, never going above the half squat, always going up fast and going down slow. 3 sets of 8-10

LAYER 4 - Barbell jump squats with 20-30% of the 2RM: dip down into a half squat and jump up as high as possible. Reset before every rep. 2 sets of 5

That is an amazingly effective lower body session for size, strength and power.

The bench press would be done exactly the same way.

For high pulls I would do this:

  1. High pull from the hang ramp to a 3RM
  2. High pull from blocks ramp to a 1RM starting where you ended the pull from the hang
  3. Snatch-grip low pull from the hang with shrug hold (basically hold the peak contraction of the low pull for 2 seconds per rep)
  4. High pull from the hang, 80% of 3RM for sets of 3 reps EMOM for 5 minutes"

@ Moose Ya I saw that recent post and gonna give that a go for sure.I was going to say that Giving the power of SGHP’s I would do them at least twice a week.Maybe take out a chest press day and just hit It hard with one layer day and then hit It again as a finishing acc. lift after a layer workout.Maybe after clean n press?Also ever thought about running a 6 day set up.That would make things fit nicely as well If you have the time of course.

Incline Tilt Session (no pins)

Ramped to 3RM of 225

3 x 5 @ 200

5/4/3/2/1 @ 150 (too light)
5/4/3/2/1 @ 160 x 2 sets (still kinda light)

Full ROM Lateral Raises (biceps to ears) 4 x 10-15

50 ring dips, 50 ring rows for time 15 mins 10 secs (dips were much harder than expected after the pressing layer)

  • in and out of the gym in an hour flat

[quote]J Moose wrote:
Incline Tilt Session (no pins)

Ramped to 3RM of 225

3 x 5 @ 200

5/4/3/2/1 @ 150 (too light)
5/4/3/2/1 @ 160 x 2 sets (still kinda light)

Full ROM Lateral Raises (biceps to ears) 4 x 10-15

50 ring dips, 50 ring rows for time 15 mins 10 secs (dips were much harder than expected after the pressing layer)

  • in and out of the gym in an hour flat[/quote]

If you want motivation to get the dips and rows done faster and also get a fat burning effect out of it you can do what I do: perform 5 burpees everytime you have to release the rings… yeah, kinda “Crossfit” but it actually doesn’t hinder the ring performance and you get a nice metabolic boost.

[quote]J Moose wrote:
Right off the bat I’d like to point out something that CT said would be very effective towards building the “Power-Look”

Decline bench press tilt, accessory lift floor press
Power clean & press, accessory lift front squat
SGHP, accessory lift Deadlift

Ramp up to a 1RM
Then 3 sets of 3 reps with 85-90% of the 1RM (5 sec. rest between each repetition)
Then 10 sets of 2 reps with 60% of the 1RM done in as little time as possible [/quote]

Apologies if the answer is out there, but what are the parameters for the accessory lifts in this scenario? Same as main lift? 4-6 sets?

I’ve been dying to get back into the Layer System, but with my hockey schedule, I’m afraid of the recovery needs. But this layout looks like a good place to jump back in.

Thanks!

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:

[quote]J Moose wrote:
Incline Tilt Session (no pins)

Ramped to 3RM of 225

3 x 5 @ 200

5/4/3/2/1 @ 150 (too light)
5/4/3/2/1 @ 160 x 2 sets (still kinda light)

Full ROM Lateral Raises (biceps to ears) 4 x 10-15

50 ring dips, 50 ring rows for time 15 mins 10 secs (dips were much harder than expected after the pressing layer)

  • in and out of the gym in an hour flat[/quote]

If you want motivation to get the dips and rows done faster and also get a fat burning effect out of it you can do what I do: perform 5 burpees everytime you have to release the rings… yeah, kinda “Crossfit” but it actually doesn’t hinder the ring performance and you get a nice metabolic boost.[/quote]

Holy crap. Alright Im gunna give that a go for sure. Thanks CT!