Training Regimen for Improving Weak Muscle Groups
Part 10 of the Ebook 'Periodized Hypertophy Training': Strength, Tension, and Intensity (STI)
A Comprehensive Program for Year Round Muscle Growth
This training regimen incorporates tension training as outlined in Part 9 of the ebook.
Training Split and Volume:
The training split is best divided to provide each muscle group its own day in an attempt to not only maximize recovery, but to keep the time spent in the gym reasonable. With a slower lifting cadence and 2 minutes rest between sets, you won’t have the time to perform a multitude of muscle groups in one session. You don’t want weightlifting sessions to go past the 2 hour mark because of the steroid hormone cortisol. It is catabolic and released in response to stress; the best way to prevent it from circumventing the anabolic processes in you body is to limit total training time per session and proper nutrition.
The total time you will spend on this training phase will be 4 1/2 months. During this time period you will have the option to bring up lagging muscle groups in 3 month cycles. This time will be known as the overload period. The base volume will be 15 sets for Chest, Back and Legs. For your biceps, triceps and shoulders it will be 12 total sets, then for abs and calves 6 sets per session. The overload volume will be 24 total sets for Chest, Back, and Legs; 18 sets for arms/shoulders and it will remain 6 sets per session for abs and calves. The new number of sets for the muscle group you are trying to bring up will be divided between two training sessions in a 9 day rotation. Example (regular training session):
Day 1- Chest (4 sets for first 3 exercises, 3 sets for final isolation exercise), abs (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 2- Back (4 sets for first 3 exercises, 3 sets for final isolation exercise), calves (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 3- Shoulders (4 sets for 3 exercises), abs (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 4- off
Day 5- Legs (4 sets for first 3 exercises, 3 sets for final isolation exercise), calves (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 6- Triceps (4 sets for 3 exercises), abs (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 7- Biceps (4 sets for 3 exercises), obliques (2 exercises, 3 sets)
Day 8- off
*During Overload, you will use a 9 day rotation*
Example-
Arms Routine:
Day 1: chest, abs
Day 2: back, calves
Day 3: arms (9 sets for bi’s, 9 sets tri’s)
Day 4: off
Day 5: shoulders, abs
Day 6: legs, calves
Day 7: arms (9 sets for bi’s, 12 sets tri’s)
Day 8: off
Day 9: off
Chest Routine:
Day 1: chest (12 total sets) abs
Day 2: back, calves
Day 3: arms
Day 4: off
Day 5: off
Day 6: chest (12 total sets)
Day 7: shoulders, abs
Day 8: legs, calves
Day 9: off
Here is the load that you will undergo during this training phase, the percentages given are based on your estimated maximum and take fatigue into account. It is not to say that 12 repetitions will be 62.5% of your maximum, but what you will lift for 12 reps is 62.5% of your max. If the training load seems low to you at first glance at just over 60%, remember that you will be undergoing more of a cadence that will make it difficult for you to lift heavier loads and maintain proper form. Later in this training phase you will undergo higher training intensities. However, when it comes to inducing protein synthesis; recent research points to low-load, high volume exercises as being catalyst for protein synthesis vs. high load, low-volume training.
Be sure to record your progress as you go, if you find that a lift was too light, you will know to increase the poundage the next time around.
12 reps: 62.5% 10 reps: 65% 8 reps: 67.5-70%
During this portion of the training system there is less of a concern for overtraining of the central nervous system since the weight won’t be as heavy. *After the overload phase of your training, you will have an active rest week, use this time to recover and return the cadence of your lifts to normal (2 seconds up, 2 seconds down). Avoid going to failure with your lifts during this time. The volume during your active rest week will be: Chest, Back, Shoulders and Legs = 9 sets; Arms = 6 sets; calves and abs = 6 sets; remember to lift relatively light.
End of part 10, part 11 will elaborate on the 'overload' principle.
