Hypertrophy-Specific Training

[Darkhorse]

I posted this a few days ago on another board..

Here's a few options on how to optimize HST from the book "Pimp my HST". I'm going off of memory so I'll try to be accurate LOL. It's some very heavy reading if you don't know a lot of the terminology, so I'll try to Barney style it w/ examples and definitions. I'll throw in the disclaimer that if it's your first time doing the program, I'd do the very basic 15, 10, 5 w/out incorperating anything extra IMHO.

Regarding western linnear programs such as HST, then you should start the program with the bare essentials, and as the rep ranges drop from meso to meso, you start adding in isolations, optimization techniques, ect. By the time you get to your 5's and especially post 5's, you COULD be incorperating a lot of different options such as pulses, static holds, partial reps, ect that causes some rediculous metabolic stress.

15 rep mesocycle: Compounds only.. The reason because the 15 rep range is extremely difficult to hit for every exercise, especially in the final week. The first week can easily be 2 x 15 per exercise as it's relatively light, and the second week only 1 x 15. I recommend ONE compound per muscle, and limited to no arms work (ie. let your presses and pulls take care of them)

10 rep mesocycle: Compounds with a few specialization exercises introduced. Specialization means incorperating a few isolations to bring up lagging bodyparts in addition to your compounds. An example being it your quads aren't up to snuff, in addition to squats you can add in leg extensions.

5 rep mesocycle: In addition to your compounds you kept from your previous mesocycle, and specialization exercises, you can start adding in a few optimizations.

Static holds: Hold weight at any point for an extended period of time to increase TUT. Example- After your final rep for incline press, slowly lower the bar 4" down from the top of the movement and HOLD for 20 seconds.

Pulses: Working close to full contracted positioning using short controlled partial reps.. Example- Bringing your hands together for a set of pec dec flyes, and just doing partial short reps around the maximum contracted position.

Rest Pause: Not like DC's rest/pausing (taking 10-12 deep breaths between "mini sets") For the 5's, you're lifting really heavy, and barely make a rep, hold the bar at the full extended position, get your breath, do another rep. Example- Taking your 3 RM for squats and try to get 5 reps.. After a few reps, you're half dead, so you stop with the bar on your back for 4-5 deep breaths, and go for another.

Partials: Different from pulses as partials are on the other side of the ROM. An example would be doing incline curls, and once you fail to make a full rep, you continue repping out a few more reps w/ half the ROM.