The "anti-bodybuilding" hypertrophy program

[IronFist]

Link

This program sounds a bit odd. Here's why.

You start your 10 sets of 3 reps days with 80% of your 1RM, and over two weeks you increase to 4 reps and then 5 reps with the same weight.

Now, let's say someone can bench press 200lbs 5 times. This means his 1RM is 233 using the standard formula ((weight lifted x reps x 0.033) + weight lifted), or [(200 * 5 * 0.033) + 200] we get a 1RM of 233.

So, he's going to start this program doing sets of 3 with 80% of his 1RM, or 186lbs, and he's going to build up to sets of 5 with 186 throughout the program. So in this case, he's ending with 5 reps of a weight that is below what his 5RM was before he even started the program. Doesn't make sense to me. Maybe the volume (10 sets of this) has something to do with it actually working, but it's still using sub maximal weights and probably won't yield any strength gains.

I like the way the program is split into heavy weight days and heavy volume days, though.

I also noticed about this program that you're supposed to superset or giant set everything. This is not feasible in my gym (someone would steal my bench when I walked over to do lat pulldowns), but the point is, even though he says to rest 60 seconds between sets, if you're going to NOT superset or giant set them, then you have to wait 120 or 180 seconds between each set of the same exercise, cuz that's what it would be if you did the other exercises and then waited. <-- that's a long sentence.

Anyway, I don't think I'll be doing this program because of the above mentioned thing with the 80% weight thing.

[Ford Prefect]

It's basically the volume he shooting for to premote the hypertrophy. I wasn't too impressed with it either. If I was going to work a volume-heavy and intense hypertrophy program, I'd probably stick with Density Training.

[BAI HE]

Well, it's working for me. I see Iron's point, but I own my own gear and modify when, how and what I want to do. I like the principles and I play around with the work outs.

I'd like to stay lean and just build core strength. I'm not really looking for bulk or recognition.

So far I like this program. I don't think it will be great for the long run, at some point I have to really push to see where my strength is at. But for now I'm just trying out some of the new conditioning./ strength theories.

[IronFist]

It's cool if it works for you. I wasn't talking trash. Just pointing out something I thought was peculiar.

[BAI HE]

I didn't take it that way and I've got thick skin.
I'm here to pick the experienced guys brains and
do more lurking than anything.

I've been very far out of the game fitness wise and am hear to glean how it's advanced. It's all trial and error anyhoo.
BTW- This is probably the most underrated and under-utililized
topics on the forum. Keep up the good work.

[lowsweep]

I was on anti-bodybuilding hypertrophy for 3 months over the summer. I was very happy with the results. All my lifts went up very quickly as well. I got about 50 pounds on my deadlift and 25 on my olympic clean while on that program. I didn't gain much in the way of overall mass, but my arms added some nice size and definition, my abs went crazy with the program with weighted janda situps on the decline board, and my back added some nice definition. My uncle, who was a competitive amateur bodybuilder for 3 years at the state level, looked it over and thought it was pretty good because of the variation and the way in which every week you are lifting more weight. If mass is what you're looking for, there are better things, but overall its a very solid program if used with the right compound excercises.

[BAI HE]

I like it because I never feel too sore or weak during
the week. I find that the workout doesn't over tax my
nervous system and leaves me plenty of gas and time
for my MA workouts.

Then again for me the training takes a back seat
to my KF, so bulking up isn't a big issue for me.