IRONONLINE ARCHIVE

What Causes Hypertrophy?

Is it a bad idea to try and do low rep (5-8 reps per set) mixed in with high rep (12-20) training? Is this a counter-productive idea? Is is better to do low rep training for a 6-8 week interval and then switch to high rep training for an interval?

I don't think it's a bad idea to mix things up for about 4 weeks. That way, you get both strength and mass. However, I believe that you will get better results by doing 3 weeks of higher volume ("pumping") type of training and then 3 weeks of strength work. The reason for that is that the body does a better job at responding to a stress if we only concentrate in getting on response at a time (muscle size for 3 weeks and strength for the other 3).

My questions come out of a recent experiment of my own where I went after strength exclusively do low rep, heavy weight training in the power lifts, squats, bench presses and deadlifts. My strength has increased 4-fold (400+ deadlift) but I've only gained 10 pounds lean body mass each of the last two years. I expected to be much bigger lifting these kinds of weights.

That is some awesome strength that you have there! I take my hats off. 10 pounds of lean mass is not bad either. However, you could have gained more. The reason you only gained ten pounds is because you were training mainly for strength. Therefore, the size came as a side effect. Do you know that it is possible to get stronger without adding muscle size? Olympic athletes do that all the time by using very low rep ranges (2-4 reps). However, since you were using higher rep ranges (5-8), you gained some mass. However, the body was adapting mainly by increasing its strength. Therefore, now you need to go ahead and do some high volume work with limited rest in between sets in order to maximize muscle hypertrophy. Use 8-12 repetitions per set. After three weeks of this, go back to a 3 week strength phase. See how your results will improve.

I started out at 195 and now weigh in at 215. What's it take to get to 235? Will "pumping up" do the job? Onced pumped, will it go away if the training is not continued? One thing I notice about the muscle size I have gained is that it doesn't shrink or decrease when I get sick and miss a month of training: Measurements and weight stay pretty much on the money. Is this true for Bombers?

Yes, I know. Your weight is pretty stable and even if you go out of the gym for a couple of weeks its stays pretty much the same. The first time I encountered this phenomenon was when I started training with a friend of mine who used to be a power lifter and now is a bodybuilder. I noticed that during final exams week (we used to study engineering together) when we would take a couple of weeks off to just concentrate on studying, he would stay the same and I would shrink. I started doing some research on the subject and this is what I found:

The body grows in two ways:

1) Hypertrophy caused by an increase in energy substances in the muscle cell (such as creatine and glycogen). This type of hypertrophy is caused by training that is high in volume (8-12 reps) with limited rest in between sets. This type of training enhances growth hormone output and lactic acid production. (If you stop training that is the reason that the muscles shrink so fast. The amount of the stored substances inside the muscle cell just go back to normal and the muscle shrinks).

2) Hypertrophy caused by an increase in the diameter of the muscle fiber (actual muscle growth). It seems that this type of muscle growth stays longer after a period of no training than the first type. I don't know if there are any studies out there that will back this up, but based on empirical evidence, this seems to be the case. This type of growth is caused by training that emphasizes long rests in between sets (3 minutes) and low reps (5-8). This type of training enhances testosterone level output. It seems like it takes longer to achieve this type of growth than the first one, but it is well worth it.

Well, that's enough rambling. Any answers out there?

You bet! The answer is: Incorporate both types of training by alternating methods every three weeks. Here is a sample routine for you excerpted out of my book (Body Re-Engineering):

(Week 1) Loading Phase

Day 1 Chest & Back (Monday/Thursday)

Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Close Grip Pull-up (Palms facing you) 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Crunches 4 sets x 8-40 reps (No rest)
Leg Raises 4 sets x 8-40 reps (1 minute rest)

Day 2 Shoulders & Arms (Tuesday/Friday)

Upright Rows 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Day 3 Legs (Wednesday/Saturday)

Superset:
Lunges 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Calf Raises 6 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

(Week 2) Loading Phase

Day 1 Chest & Back (Monday/Thursday)

Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Close Grip Pull-up (Palms facing you) 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Chest Dips 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Dumbbell Rows 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Crunches 5 sets x 8-40 reps (No rest)
Leg Raises 5 sets x 8-40 reps (1 minute rest)

Day 2 Shoulders & Arms (Tuesday/Friday)

Upright Rows 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Bent Over Lateral Raise 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Lying Triceps Extensions 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Seated Incline Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Day 3 Legs (Wednesday/Saturday)

Superset:
Lunges 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Squats 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Calf Raises 9 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

(Week 3) Loading Phase

Day 1 Chest & Back (Monday/Thursday)

Superset:
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Close Grip Pull-up (Palms facing you) 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Chest Dips 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Dumbbell Rows 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Superset:
Flat Flyes 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Two Arm Dumbbell Rows 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Superset:
Crunches 6 sets x 8-40 reps (No rest)
Leg Raises 6 sets x 8-40 reps (30 second rest)

Day 2 Shoulders & Arms (Tuesday/Friday)

Upright Rows 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Bent Over Lateral Raise 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Behind the Neck Press 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Triceps Dips 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Seated Incline Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Superset:
Lying EZ Triceps Extensions 3 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
EZ Curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Day 3 Legs (Wednesday/Saturday)

Superset:
Lunges 8 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 8 sets x 10-12 reps (1 minute rest)

Superset:
Dumbbell Squats 6 sets x 10-12 reps (No rest)
Lying Leg Curls 6 sets x 10-12 reps (30 second rest)

Calf Raises 12 sets x 10-12 reps (20 second rest)

(Weeks 4, 5 & 6) Growth Phase

Note: Increase the weight in all exercises by 5% each week. For example, if on Week 5, which is the first week on the growth phase, you are Bench Pressing 300lbs for 6-7 reps, then on Week 6 you should Bench Press 315lbs (300 x .05) for 5-6 reps, and on Week 7 you should Bench Press 330lbs (315 x .05=330.75) for 4-5 reps.

Day 1 Chest & Back (Monday/Thursday)

Modified Compound Superset:
(Rest 90 seconds after the 1st set of exercise 1 and then do the first set of exercise 2. Then rest 90 seconds and go back to exercise 1. Continue this pattern until both exercises are done for the prescribed amount of sets. That way you rest 3 minutes in between sets of the same exercise but save time).

Bench Press 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Wide Grip Pull-up To Front (Palms facing you) 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Incline Bench Press 3 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Bent Over Rows 3 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Crunches 4 sets x 8-40 reps (90 second rest)
Leg Raises 4 sets x 8-40 reps (90 second rest)

Day 2 Shoulders & Arms (Tuesday/Friday)

Modified Compound Superset:
Upright Rows 5 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Bent Over Lateral Raises 5 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Dumbbell Curls 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extensions 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Day 3 Legs (Wednesday/Saturday)

Modified Compound Superset:
Squats 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Lying Leg Curls 8 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Modified Compound Superset:
Lunges 3 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)
Leg Curls 3 sets x 4-7 reps (90 second rest)

Calf Raises 6 sets x 4-7 reps (60 second rest)

The longest these routines will take you is 60 minutes if you keep to the prescribed rest periods.

Take Care and Train Hard!

Hugo A. Rivera
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