Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

Muscle-Building Programs
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months with compound, multijoint exercises has been shown to reduce levels of
IGF-1, a key muscle-building hormone (Izquierdo, Ibañez, González-Badillo, et
al. 2006). In this same study, participants who avoided failure reduced cortisol
and increased testosterone. However, when light loads are used with less taxing
exercises, such as a biceps curl or push-up, training to failure has been shown
to be a potent stimulus for muscle growth (Mitchell CJ, Churchward-Venne TA,
West DW, et al. 2012).
Incorporate Progressions
Programming a progression, such as adding a repetition to each set or increasing
the load by 2 to 3 percent every few weeks, is a tricky endeavor. For a variety of
reasons, each lifter progresses at a different pace. The aforementioned programs
have parameters that change every four weeks. Indeed, you’ll rarely be on any
phase long enough to worry about programming a significant increase in load.
Nevertheless, training volume and muscle growth are positively correlated
(Schoenfeld et al. 2019). Therefore, the recommended progression for these plans
is to first focus on adding two repetitions to your first few sets over the course of
a few weeks. If you can add two repetitions to every set before the phase ends,
increase the load to the point where you’re near failure on the last repetition of
the last round with regard to the recommended repetitions.
Increase Load for More Challenge
At first glance, some of you might think these workouts look too challenging,
especially if you’re accustomed to body part splits. Others might think they look
pretty easy, given there are fewer exercises per workout than they might normally
perform. But looks can be deceiving. In either case, the programs are designed to
maximize muscle and strength gains while managing fatigue, which is a key to
long-term progress. Therefore, first perform the program for two weeks, making
sure the loads are challenging. If at that point you want to make them more challenging,
you have several options:
• Take the last two or three sets of each circuit to momentary muscular failure,
instead of just the final set as originally recommended.
• Perform each repetition as explosively as possible while maintaining perfect
form.
• Perform an additional round of the circuit, and push all sets close to momentary
muscular failure.
• Add one or two more isolation exercises within the circuit while keeping
the same basic rest periods between exercises. Perform 6 to 12 repetitions
for the assistance exercises. Avoid placing an isolation exercise before a
multijoint exercise that works the same muscle groups (e.g., biceps curl
before a pull-up).
• Maximally squeeze the peak contraction of all upper body exercises for 4
to 5 seconds on the final repetition of each set.
• Accommodate resistance for any horizontal push, squat, or deadlift variation
by using resistance bands with those movements as shown in chapters
5 and 7.