Podcast: Simple Periodization For Muscle Hypertrophy
Absolutely stoked to have been featured on Juma Iraki’s podcast. I’ve been a fan from day 1 and now I’ve been on myself! Topic was Simple Periodization For Muscle Hypertrophy.
Juma is a class act and a true leader in educating people about exercise and science. If you haven’t heard any of his podcasts over at Iraki Nutrition, you’re in for a real treat. It’s a gold mine.
Simple Periodization For Muscle Hypertrophy
Who are we talking about?
– Joe
– 18 yo male
– Just starting out
– No injuries/diseases
– Beginner
Stages – from Practical Programming for Strength Training (Rippetoe and Baker, 2014):
– Beginners (making progress every day)
– Intermediates (making progress every week)
– Advanced (making progress every month or so)
Beginners periodization for muscle hypertrophy
Frequency:
– 2-3 times a week (Schoenfeld et al. 2016)
– 3 times a week for beginners full body
Exercises:
– Squat
– Bench Press
– Bent-Over Row
– Deadlift
– Shoulder Press
– Chin-up
– Abs (pick your favourite)
Reps:
– Almost any rep range can work (Schoenfeld et al. 2017). You’ll train in the 5-12 rep range. This range is more efficient. You accumulate volume faster while building quite a bit of strength.
– Varying reps every workout helps you gain strength faster. Key findings from Greg Nuckols’ analysis (2018):
— Periodized vs nonperiodized overall (on average, periodized groups gained strength about 22% faster).
— “DUP has been used more frequently in the research [and] it’s the option with more evidence to support it at the moment.”
Easy DUP
5 6 7
6 7 8
7 8 9
8 9 10
9 10 11
10 11 12
6 weeks – 1 week off.
Rince and repeat until no daily gains (weights or reps).
When no gains for 2 workouts in a row, deload (reduce weights 10% and start over at 5 6 7 reps).
After 2 deloads, move up to intermediate.
Sets:
– 2 sets during cycle 1
– 3 sets during cycle 2
– 4 sets during cycle 3
Rest:
– 2 minutes between sets (Ahtiainen et al. 2005)
Training to failure:
– Train to failure on Friday only (thx to Mike Zourdos)
– Keep 2 reps in the tank on other days
Intermediate periodization for muscle hypertrophy
– Same 6-week cycle
– Easy day (Wednesday – 75% of Monday’s weights)
– Rince and repeat until no weekly gains (weights or reps).
– When no gains for 2 weeks in a row, deload (reduce weights 10% and start over).
– After 2 deloads, move up to advanced.
Advanced periodization for muscle hypertrophy
– Get a good trainer
– Buy Practical Programming for Strength Training (Rippetoe and Baker, 2014)
– Try our app
Our app automates periodization for muscle hypertrophy
We’ve covered strategies to build muscle faster… and if this is what you want, I think you’ll like what I have next.
In the past 2 years, with a small team, I’ve been building a new phoe app that helps you build muscle faster using AI.
It applies all the strategies we’ve been talking about today automatically, and many more. It even applies them in a more advanced way, because the AI can do computations on the fly that are very hard to do by hand when you’re training by yourself.
So with this AI you get a smart program that grows automatically with you as you gain muscle:
– Your program starts at your level after a quick 1-time, 7-tap setup
– It levels up with you as you become more experienced, bigger, and stronger
– Your program updates automatically every time you work out with the optimal reps and sets for you so you always build muscle as fast as possible
So this program is like a personal trainer in your pocket that’s 10 times cheaper than a human trainer, available 24/7, and always up to date. And I keep it up to date with the latest science, so you don’t have to.
And Juma, what I’d like to do is offer everyone listening their first month free if they want to check it out. So if you’d like to learn more, start building muscle faster using AI, and get your first month free because you’re listening to this podcast, go to http://drmuscleapp.com/juma.
Thank you Juma! That was a great interview. And again, it was an honor to be on your podcast.