routine - experienced BB's opinions please!!!

[SaiBoT]

are sets of 5 reps not more focused around strength though?

Many ppl hit growth plateaus because they fail to work on their strength, 5x5 will work both on hipertrophy and strength.

 

[timtim]

Many ppl hit growth plateaus because they fail to work on their strength, 5x5 will work both on hipertrophy and strength.

i dont agree. the time under tension is way too short for hypertrophy. strength does not equate to muscle size increase. strength has alot more to do with the cns triggering more muscle fiber to move efficiently in a range of motion, not increase size.

 

[Tatyana]

are sets of 5 reps not more focused around strength though?

Yes, unless you have a high percentage of fast twitch muscle, then you will see more hypertrophy.

I think I have just figured out the muscle fibers in my legs, calves, hams, and glutes are all slow twitch, so heavy work is great, they hypertrophy quite easily.

My quads are more slow twitch, and respond to high reps, they have really come out since I have been cycling to work - 14 miles each way.

Charles Poliquin, who is a very reputable strength coach, would say reps 5 and below are more strength related, 6 and above, hypertrophy.

However, if you are not that strong, getting strong to be able to train heavy and hard is a good idea.

The only other issue with training programs is that if you are not training with that balls to the wall intensity a lot of the time, it really doesn't matter what you do.

No offense, but I see far too many lads with great routines in my gym, but they had might as well be flower arranging with those dumbells for the impact it would have on their muscles.

 

[enigma4dub]

i dont agree. the time under tension is way too short for hypertrophy. strength does not equate to muscle size increase. strength has alot more to do with the cns triggering more muscle fiber to move efficiently in a range of motion, not increase size.

no hypertrophy from 5x5!? getting stronger and a caloric surplus is whats important not tut.

 

[enigma4dub]

Also, let's not forget the neural components that have nothing to do with hypertrophy . Hypertrophy over a period is strategically induced microtrauma through progressive loads (i.e. increased workload by raising weight/more work with same weight/combination). And really, you don't get much out of one session so the name of the game is looking at progression over an extended period. Enhanced neural capability leverages your ability to do this and the resulting hypertrophy gains. Better neural = better potential hypertrophy. Don't believe me, think about the much loved "newbie gains" where everything works. What is this phenomenon - muscle is muscle? Well the main driver is rapidly developing neural adaptation and that drives weight on the bar which drives progressive loading which drives hypertrophy. Doh.

So now we know hypertrophy and that neural adaptation is a good thing not some unrelated oddball of nature to be shunned. I'm not saying you need to do a pure powerlifting or peak strength routine and focus on the extreme end of max singles and doubles either - merely that some neural focus is quite helpful and should absolutely be a part of any mid to long-term plan.



Well what's the best way to get a lot of hypertrophy for those looking to add muscle mass? Well, the body is a system and adapts best as a system. This is what makes squats, deads, rows, cleans, presses, and snatches very effective. You are using a large portion of your body's musculature to move a heavy weight (think intensity) through a fundamental range of motion. This is full body lifting stressing a large portion of the body's musculature all at once (microtrauma - especially good to bring up weak links and solidify the body's capability to work well as a single unit - and this is what "functional" is all about anyway). So adding weight to these exercises should net hypertrophy over the entire body. And we all know how hard it is to grow a muscle in isolation and that the body tends to stay within reasonable parameters of balance, just look at the curl boys who otherwise would all have huge arms - the training and workload is there and hitting the target muscle, the body just doesn't adapt like that past a fairly marginal point.

quoted from madcows site.

 

[gettnheavy]

Nice post

 

[Tatyana]

no hypertrophy from 5x5!? getting stronger and a caloric surplus is whats important not tut.

That works for some people, it doesn't work for others.

People are not all the same, and they will respond differently to different types of training.

Some ectomorphs/hardgainers would be seriously wasting their time doing a 5 x 5 for any length of time, they just don't have the muscle fiber types that respond to heavy and abbreviated lifting times.

I also think that TUT is often under-rated, it is one of the stimulus for triggering the mTOR pathway (protein synthesis in muscle).


There are many ways to skin a cat.

I do think that there are two good rules of thumb with training

1. If it isn't broken, don't fix it (so don't keep changing your training program/type if it is working for you)

2. If your training program/routine is not having you lift more weight or have changes in your physique in 4-6 weeks, there is no point in carrying on. If it isn't working now, it isn't going to work in another month or two.

3. Just because it works for you, or it worked for your mate, doesn't mean it will work for everyone

 

[OMEGA]

Tat ur welcome

 

[enigma4dub]

That works for some people, it doesn't work for others.

People are not all the same, and they will respond differently to different types of training.

Some ectomorphs/hardgainers would be seriously wasting their time doing a 5 x 5 for any length of time, they just don't have the muscle fiber types that respond to heavy and abbreviated lifting times.

I also think that TUT is often under-rated, it is one of the stimulus for triggering the mTOR pathway (protein synthesis in muscle).


There are many ways to skin a cat.

I do think that there are two good rules of thumb with training

1. If it isn't broken, don't fix it (so don't keep changing your training program/type if it is working for you)

2. If your training program/routine is not having you lift more weight or have changes in your physique in 4-6 weeks, there is no point in carrying on. If it isn't working now, it isn't going to work in another month or two.

3. Just because it works for you, or it worked for your mate, doesn't mean it will work for everyone

the idea isnt the program its the theory and the rep range is irrelevant. im saying consistently add weight to the bar (progression) plus frequency and a caloric surplus is a cant miss for getting big and strong. for everyone including ectomorphs. and im not sure where your getting abbreviated lifting times from? i train with way more frequency than these body part splits that are so prevalent.

with more frequency comes more tut.

 

[enigma4dub]

Tat ur welcome

whats the matter omega you cant articulate your point clearly, so you have her do it for you? lol