REPS: 8-20
SETS PER EXERCISE:3-4
REST BETWEEN SETS:60-90 seconds
NUMBER OF EXERCISES PER BODYPART:2-3
TIME UNDER TENSION PER SET:40-60 seconds
TOTAL SETS PER BODYPART:6-8
Strength Phase
REPS: 5-8
SETS PER EXERCISE:4-5
REST BETWEEN SETS:180-240 seconds
NUMBER OF EXERCISES PER BODYPART:1-2
TIME UNDER TENSION PER SET:30-40 seconds
TOTAL SETS PER BODYPART:8-10
Then i suggest you experiment with the right ratio of volume ans intensity that works for you. I also follow the 1-2 percent rule: you must be able to do another rep or add 1-2 percent to the bar everytime you repeat the workout.
I recommend viewing the parameters for strength vs hypertrophy in terms of time under tension rather than repeptitions as this is more absolute.
Example: although 8 repetitions per set may be conventionally viewed as more muscle building than relative strength, if one were to perform the repetitions as explosively as possible, with the same sub max weight that might be used for bodybuilding purposes, then the time under tension may be less than 10 seconds for all 8 repetitions. (e.g., benching 1 rep each second with 70%1RM)
Thus, I feel that utilizing time under tension as the quantifier may be more suitable. Because, no matter how you manipulate it, once the TUT approaches 40-60+ seconds, I don’t care how many/few/fast/slow/iso/eccentric/concentric repetitions you are performing, you will be developing either muscle mass or some component of endurance.
Five Hypertrophy Training Principles You Must Understand
Train More Often
First and foremost, you must drop the notion that a muscle group can only be trained once a week. Strongmen from the past didn’t train that way and you shouldn’t either. The more frequent the growth-stimulating sessions you can have, the better.
Forget about Time Under Tension
One of the things that really makes me nauseous is the assumption that hypertrophy-inducing sets must last from 40 to 70 seconds (or is it 20 to 90 seconds, or 43.5 to 68.7 seconds?) So that must mean the classic 5 x 5 method doesn’t build any muscle since those sets don’t last at least 40 seconds. Or maybe I’m just a dumb hillbilly and everyone who uses the 5 x 5 method is actually using a tempo where each rep takes eight seconds? (I don’t think so!)
There’s a Daily Limit to Muscle Stimulation
I can’t believe I’m actually going to do this, but I must quote a bodybuilding catch-phrase from the 1980’s: stimulate, don’t annihilate! There’s an absolute limit to the amount of hypertrophy-inducing stimuli you can apply on any given day. That’s why those “one day cures” are a huge, stinkin’ pile of B.S. I feel sorry for those who actually wasted an entire day attempting such a program.
Don’t Train to Failure
You must keep the nervous system from becoming overly fatigued if you want to train frequently. Therefore, leave the grunting and screaming to the frat boys who have 13" guns and spend their entire day doing concentration curls and wasting Daddy’s money.
Train Through Soreness
Initially, you’ll probably have constant soreness on this program. That’s okay! The soreness will subside once recovery increases and proper adaptation has taken place. Soreness is your body’s way of saying, “I need more carbs and protein.” So feed your muscles constantly!
Well, I don’t know about dumb hillbilly but this individual has certainly not thought about his statement.
The cummulative duration of all repetitions performed for the same lift must be accounted for.
This is why 5x5 will yield a certain degree of muscular development. Becuase although a single set may be of short duration, the entirety of sets for that same lift adds up to sufficient duration to induce muscle hypertrophy.
The load must be considered. The utilization of Max weights and submax weights weights lifted explosively causes vaso constriction due to the extreme muscular tension. This is why lifting max weights and submax weights with high velocities are NOT the OPTIMAL methods for developing muscle mass.
As I stated, it does not matter how one manipulate sets, repetitions, or bar speed, if the duraton is not there , then don’t expect to experience a significant increase in muscle mass. PERIOD.
If one athlete does reps of 16 with plyos and cleans and another athlete reps of 6 with no power moves…are both training for functional hypertropy? I have seen many athletes getting stronger faster with a hybrid of “bodybuilding” means and some low volume plyo/clean combos.
So is the functional hypertropy a specific rep scheme or is a total product of all the training done in the session?
Just my 2 cents worth but if I go over 8 reps I’m not building mass. I’ve also managed to build mass with 2 rep sets and maintain it with 1 rep sets. Currently I train instictively (rep wise) in that I’ll do anything from 1 to 7 reps on the main strength exercises, depending on what I feel like as I get ready for the exercise.
It’s the rebellious mans way of changing intensities within a cycle and for me it works a treat
What we may have is this;
A) Fast twitch “V” Slow twitch theory.
B) Mesomorph/Endomorph “V” Ectomorph theory.
E.g, even though I respond better to low rep training on the big strength moves, it might not be a high percentage of fast fiber, but as someone who has/had ectomorphic legs, may be I just don’t have the glycogen storage capacity of meso/endomorph for my muscles to recover properly from higher rep/damage training. It can all get a bit ironic, but Jeez, bodytype, fiber type an nutrition etc… I believe have the bigger impact on rep/set volume than general number theory.
Then how do you explain the scores of powerlifters and OL’ers with massive levels of hypertrophy who only use very low reps per set, somtimes only singles, moving the weight very explosively and somtimes (as in the case with olympic lifters) only a concentric range?
