Hypertrophy Training

Hypertrophy Training

This is going to be an example hypertrophy training split/routine that I will actually be participating in over the next few months. So the goal of this routine will be to increase muscle mass and maintain or even decrease body fat. This will go through the holidays and end around March. From there a focus on decreasing body fat by clean eating and dieting will be implemented.

Weightlifting

Split 1:

1.     Chest

2.     Back

3.     Biceps, Triceps, and Shoulders

4.     Legs

5.     Repeat

Split 2:

1.     Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders

2.     Back and Biceps

3.     Legs

*Abdominals and Calves will be trained every other day

          -Abdominals will be worked in conjunction prior to cardio

These 2 will be based upon muscle fatigue and soreness(if I feel like one week I did not get very sore I will make the split shorter like Split #2)

Each Weightlifting session should be anywhere from 30-60 min.

Rest days will be implemented as needed(most likely 1 every 2 weeks)

Cardio

Cardio will be performed 3-5 times per week, 30-60 minutes each session

          -Cardio will most likely be performed in the morning on an empty stomach

                   -If cardio is not performed in the morning it will be performed after weightlifting

                   -The goal of fasted cardio is to utilized stored fat in the body(there is some discrepancy among the research regarding this, but I find it works well for me)

I prefer the elliptical or walking on an incline when performing cardio and try to target around 65-75% of my HR max. Since I am flat footed I tend to have pain after running especially when it is frequent and prolonged.

Exercises- One thing that is fairly consistent with most of my splits is that every body part is worked with 4 moves(2 complex/power exercises and 2 simple/auxiliary exercises) Studies show that exercises that involve multiple joint and muscle movements activate more muscle fibers and recruit more motor units thus increasing mass over time. Exercises that involve single joint and muscle movements are used to isolate the muscle and further fatigue the muscle. This also allows for better concentration and focus on the particular muscle group that is targeted.

Chest Example: As you can see I chose 2 “mass” moves(incline DB, flat BB) and 2 auxiliary(flyes and crossover)

1.     Incline DB 4 sets x 8-15 reps

2.     Flat BB Bench 4 sets 8-15 reps

3.     Flye machine 3 sets 10-15 reps

4.     Cable Crossover 3 sets 10-15 reps

Back Example: when working back I separate it into 2 different areas of focus(high and low) and 2 different grips(close and wide) By doing this we can target the entire back.

1.     T bar Row machine with chest plate 4 sets 8-15 reps

2.     Bentover DB rows 4 sets 8-15 reps

3.     Lat Pulldowns 4 sets 10-18 reps

4.     High pulley rows 4 sets 8-15 reps

5.     DB Shrugs 4 sets 12-20 reps

Biceps Example

1.     Heavy DB curls 4 sets 8-15 reps

2.     BB curls 4 sets 8-20 reps

3.     Machine Preacher curls 3 sets 12-20 reps

Triceps Example

1.     Tricep Cable Pressdown 4 sets 10-20 reps

2.     Skull Crushers 4 sets 10-15 reps

3.     Dips 4 sets 15-25 reps

Shoulder Example: shoulders are one body part I train differently than most. When lifting shoulders I focus on the middle delt and some light work on posterior delts and frontal delts. The anterior portion of the deltoid is always being worked anytime you do chest so I focus my attention on the middle delt with primarily lateral raises. There are times I do 10 sets of lateral raises and that’s all.

1.     DB Lateral Raises 6-8 sets 8-20 reps

2.     Upright rows 2 sets 10-15 reps(light)

3.     Machine shoulder presses 2 set 10-20 reps(light)

4.     DB Bentover Rear Delts 4 sets 10-20 reps

Legs Example: Squats, Squats, Squats… Legs respond best to complex/multijoint exercises such as squats, lunges, and leg press. Study after study have proven this, so if you want the wheels you have to do the right exercise with heavy weight.

1.     Leg Press 6 sets 10-20 reps

2.     BB Squats 4 sets 10-16 reps

3.     Leg Extension 5 sets 10-20 reps

4.     Leg Curl 4 sets 8-14 reps

Again this is a routine that I personally will be participating in and it may not suit everyone. I suggest reading articles for yourself and checking with your Doctor to see if this program or any other is appropriate for yourself

Most of this information from above can be found in the Text Book: The Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning

Thanks,

Dr Alex Bonnette PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS

Doctor of Physical Therapy and Owner

Bonnette Elite Physical Therapy and Wellness

Cardio Options

Cardio- Which exercise is best and why

Many people have several misconceptions with cardio regarding how long to do it, what type of cardio is best and what target HR is best. Today we are going to go over a few of the highlights that I find important for whatever goal you may have set and give proper advice as well as educate you from fact and myth.

1. Type of Cardio

          Competition-If you are a competitor it is always best to practice how you will perform (cyclist need to cycle and runners need to run)

         Weight Loss-Well I have always been fond of the elliptical and recumbent bike, especially for those people who are on a little bit of the heavy side. These machines allow for low impact on the body and will leave you with less achyness in the joints and can also give you one hell of a workout.

          Heart Health-This is solely based on preference. The primary objective with heart health will be to maintain a certain HR intensity for a given amount of time(we will go over this momentarily)

2. Intensity

          Competition-Competitors typically have to do a variation of light intensity with an emphasis in endurance, and also high intensity with an emphasis in power. Again this is all dependent on the sport at hand.

          Weight Loss-For weight loss a target HR of around 60-75% of HR max is best for fat burning for at least 30 min or more. This % allows for longer durations of exercise, however  weight loss can also be attained at higher intensities(more calories will be burned per min) but it is much more difficult to maintain the higher intensity.

          Heart Health-Heart health is best attained at a higher intensity since the heart will have to work more to increase blood flow to the body. A HR max of 75-85% at which is maintained for 30 min is ideal for heart health.

3. Duration/Frequency

          Competition- This is something that is very subjective and depends on how frequently the competitor is doing higher intensity exercise. The more frequent and intense the exercise the more rest will be needed for recovery. The best formula for most competitors is to have 3 days intermittently set for higher intensity with 3 days in between of lower intensity and have a rest day per week. Duration can be anywhere from 15 min of exercise to several hours.

          Weight Loss- Since most weight loss programs are low intensity, the duration and frequency can be much higher than those of a competitor. 30-90 minutes of cardio can be performed on a daily basis if so desired.

          Heart Health-According to the AHA 5 days of moderate intensity for 30 min is adequate to maintain a healthy heart. They also recommend another option which includes 3 days of vigorous aerobic exercise for 25 min and 2 days of mod-high strengthening exercise. 

Visit www.Heart.org for more information about target heart rates and guidelines 

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.V_0qRuArKM8

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/the-truth-about-heart-rate-and-exercise#2

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp#.V_0sf-ArKM8