Have you checked out Jeff nippards YouTube channel? he has a series on how to train each muscle group for hypertrophy and has a really scientific approach to it.

I've been lifting on and off for about 16 years now. I've done 5x5, Crossfit, body part splits and probably some things I'm forgetting. In my experience the most effective has always been the body part split with supersets. That is, lift four days per week only doing exercises for legs, back, chest/shoulders and arms each day. I'll usually start with one or two big compound lift like squat, deadlift, or bench press at heavy weight, lower reps and then move to medium weight compound exercises supersetted with an isolation exercise (e.g. shoulder press for 8 reps and immediately do dumbbell shoulder raises to failure). It's a pretty broish way to workout and probably not going to maximize strength, but I got up to benching 315 lbs doing it and it's definitely effective if your main goal is to get bigger.

a buddy of mind states that all the muscle need are 1 exercise for 1 set (although he'll do 3 sets for his workouts) with sufficient time under load so that means, slow reps. His workout would be 3 sets of bench for 8 reps using a slow tempo for about a total of 24 seconds under-load or something to that effect. what would be your response to that?

So I got a question OP -

I got to the gym about 3-4 times a week. My week looks like this, where X is a day in the gym, O is out - X X O X X O O

I do the same shit every time I'm at gym, usually two sets (10-12 reps in each set) per exercise and two exercises with 4 sets of 10 reps.

Is it good or bad?

2 words: Concurrent periodization. Watch alphadestiny on YouTube, legit sht

What do you think about high rep program like the 20 rep squat?

Considering that by 20 reps you'd most likely be so spent to do any other set, so recovery may be hard with bigger weights...

Do you think it's good for muscle growth?

Also what is your opinion on drinking milk for growth hormones?

I'm just curious-

Nothing new here, but that makes sense. Try posting something with a different perspective and your post will get locked.

It’s not that simple. If you’re a natural weight lifter, getting “big and shredded” simply isnt possible. I dont care what anyone else says, its just the truth. As a natural lifter, your goal should be either 1) get bigger or 2) get leaner. You cannot achieve both as a true natural.

You’ll either be bulky and thick, or skinny and lean. Neither is ideal as a natty but its what you got to work with.

If you want the typical instagram fitness model physique, you’ll have to turn to PEDs which they all are on. They claim to be natty but its all lies. This is the real red pill when it comes to fitness advice.

Maxx Chewning is probably the only legit popular natty on social media. He’s stronger than 99% but his physique is typical of a natural experienced lifter. Such is the life of being natty.

Since this post is intended for intermediates+, for beginners I have to say that your muscle doesn't understand if it's moving 100 or 400 or 1000 lbs for 1 2 3 4 200 reps. It only understands stress. When you are just starting it doesn't matter what you do as long as it provides sufficient stimulus and imo, taking everything to true exhaustion (every single set apart warmups) is far superior for a beginner to a set-in-stone routine of %RMs and # reps.

Take the first step by going to the gym, lift some stuff for as long and as much as you can, start growing and then optimize your routine.

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Why not both strength AND volume?

Reverse pyramids is the shit, especially with AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible - with proper form). If you hit or exceed the goal rep, add weight next time.

1x8+ Heaviest

1x10+ Decrease weight by 5-10%

1x12+ Decrease weight by 5-10%

Further reading: Leangains - The Reverse Pyramid Training Guide

What do you think of Jim Wendler's 531 Boring But Big program? I'm almost done with the 3 month challenge. It seems to have some of the concepts that you're describing (sets 60-80% 1RM), though not as many sets as you recommend.

Lessons learned: don't read fitness articles on TRP. Do what works for you. The most important thing I learned from Mike Israetel was the reps-in-reserve concept. Don't push a 3x10, but rather a 3x8-12 with 2 RIR.

80% of 1RM for 8-12 reps, I dont think that's doable to anyone. I can 1rm 180 benc press, but I wouldnt be able to do 144 for 10 reps, and sure as hell not for 3-4 sets.

What do you think about Israetel's video on hypertrophy guide? ( youtube / watch?v=vo1pWGX-Td4)

The most efficient way for naturals to gain muscle is to gain strength

Maybe a stupid question, but why is it recommended for beginners to start with a strength building program rather than a hypertrophy program?

And what's the deal with renaissanceperiodization? They want 99 bucks for one workout? Not even a full routine? That's expensive af

This is a pretty stupid question, but I currently don't have access to a gym. The only workout equipment I have access to is a pullup bar.. Is a gym membership necessary? Or can I train somehow at home? Thanks

Great post, only thing missing here is discussing time under tension for your movements, a huge part of building size.

I've been hitting the gym since is was 14 for 5 years I boxed and after the air Force I got into weightlifting and eventually just began working out socially and for fun. People always say I look pretty good and I think it's because I've bagun working out by how I feel. And your regimen hits close to my workout habits.

I use to do 5x5 but eventually lowered my weight and stopped counting reps. My weights vary but I get results. Heavy lifting is fun but it gets strenuous and wears your joints out. 40-80% 8-12 is the sweet spot

How to maximize hypertrophy in pure compound lifting routine (like SS and SL)?

I’m using Greyskull Phark’s, while simple enough for me to follow for a long time, doesn’t seem to reward much hypertrophy.

Sorry to burst the bubble here, but the only program you should be doing after an intermediate program (which btw Madcow 5x5 is absolutely the best) is either smolov if you want to be depressed but want INSANELY quick strength and muscle gains, or SL 5x5 Advanced if you want to gain strength and muscle but a bit slower and safer long term.

too many of you complicate cornflakes. it's as simple as this: more strength means automatically more denser, more fortified muscle. period.

high rep exercises should only be done in assistance to your main low-rep + high-weight compound lifts. the curls, the reverse crunches, the skull crushers, etc etc. but frankly, you wont have time nor energy to complete those after a wild set of heavy 3's or 5's of squats followed by deadlifts. get your squat to 400lbs and deadlifts to 500lbs and you'll achieve a top 10% physique automatically.

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The pitfall of training like this is that you do have to have high enough intensity. You can pump all you want and "feel" a good pump, but you need to have enough intensity to stimulate if you want train this way. Funny thing about Mike Israetel however is that he isn't that strong himself.

Martin Berkhan is not on steroids like Mike and alot stronger.

YOu think todays strongmen are strong? They are not, Look into Marty Gallagher, Kirk Karwoski and Ed Coan. These guys got record lifts that have is not close to being beaten by the "oh" so strong mountain, Eddie hall et.c. Also they had abs while doing them and weighted the same as Mr. Olympias of the 90ties. It's flawed to think there is much difference between body building and strenght. You need to get stronger to get bigger unless you are on tons of steroids. To get stronger you can do high frequency training, but even high frequency training needs to stimulate enough (have high enough intensity).

High intensity / low frequency is far more foolproof than high frequency training because it's easy to fall into not goign for progressive overload and not getting any real stimulation. High intensity you know you get the stimulation you need, it just has the drawback of added recovery time.

Martin Berkhan is 188cm weighted 105 kg with abs. deadlifts 275 kg for 9 reps. seal rows 140 x 8. he has done this training alot like the old strong men and he has a body that smokes most naturals.

No matter how you do it, progressive overload and compounds will get you the closest to your natural limit (add few extras for arms if you want, not needed for shoulder). Look at all the oldschool guys that were FFMI 24-26. They looked amazing and trained this way, they are far far bigger than the youtube fake natties that you are taking advice from. Also alot of these studies done have the flaw of not having a long enough time frame. You can get good results from high frequency for a time peroid of 12-16 weeks, but that doesn't prove that it is the best for everyone over a long period of time. Mike never shows client statements or pictures. why is that? no results. it's pratically too hard to train this way balancing your recovery and getting enough intensity over the long run. Meanwhile Martin Berkhan and Mike Matthews got tons of client pictures with great results.

No matter the program it needs progressive overload and primarily compounds.

Everyone says to train muscle groups more than once per week yet I've never seen a 5/6 day split that actually incorporates it.

Does anyone have examples?

This guy puts some real science into weightlifting. As he states, it should take some time to experiment on this idea and find your "landmarks", but once you do, you will have a very solid framework on how much you should push.

Great information here. Thanks for sharing.

I think it would be important to note, for the guys starting their bodybuilding journey, that the guy from the photo is roided out of his socks. That physique is not attainable without juicing.

I just go to the gym and lift something. Don't even know what the F am I doing. But I watch my diet. (I am doing the "quarter quarter half diet")

Few month later I started to notice that I did look a little bit muscular than before.

thought you took it from renaissance site before reading. was right. read that whole series many many times over. still go back to it here and there. good post.

How long you are using that plan? How does it work for you?