Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

Body Part–Specific Programs
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Most of my clients prefer to perform one of the HFT sets as part of their fullbody
workout, if it’s scheduled that day. In that case, perform your HFT set at
the beginning of your full-body workout when you have the most energy. In
any case, as long as you rest 8 to 12 hours between sets of the HFT exercise, the
timing of your full-body workout is irrelevant.
Intensity: every set taken to momentary muscular failure
Each set you perform is taken to momentary muscular failure. Any intensity lower
than that will not create a stress that’s large enough to optimize the hypertrophy
response (Morton et al. 2019). The muscle group must be burning or pumped
by the end of the set. The muscle pump, especially, might be a potent trigger for
muscle growth (Schoenfeld and Contreras, 2014). If you fail to feel an intense
muscle burn or a muscle pump, follow the strategies covered later in this section
to make each set more challenging.
Repetitions or time: 30 repetitions or 30 seconds per set
Over the years I’ve experimented with a vast array of rep ranges for HFT plans,
ranging anywhere from 20 to 100 per set. The sweet spot for almost everyone is
30 continuous repetitions. That number requires a load that is light enough to perform
frequently but challenging enough to stimulate muscle growth (Lasevicius
et al. 2019). Plus, it’s quicker to perform 30 reps than 100, making it even easier
to fit into a busy schedule. My patients find creative ways to fit the sets into their
day, such as doing calf raises while putting gas in their car, or peak contraction
squeezes of the glutes while waiting in line at the grocery store, which we cover
shortly. The general tempo for each repetition is a controlled, moderate pace—
basically, a count of “one-one thousand” on the way up and down. However,
some of my patients prefer to perform the repetitions more explosively, while
others prefer a slower tempo. Whichever tempo feels best to achieve tension and
elicit a muscle pump is probably what’s best for you.
Your brain’s motor cortex has a very small area devoted to the glutes, which is
one explanation why some people find it difficult to feel their glutes contract
(Fischer et al. 2016). Therefore, the standing fire hydrant is performed as an isometric
hold instead of repetitions. You will hold the muscle contraction for 30
seconds, and then progress to stronger bands as your strength increases in the
weeks and months ahead.
Modifications: make sets more challenging
The goal of each set is to reach momentary muscular failure on the 30th repetition,
give or take a repetition, without stopping any sooner. For the standing fire
hydrants, you should feel an intense muscle burn in the glutes of your stance
leg by 30 seconds. In either case, achieving that goal right from the start is both
unlikely and unnecessary. Let’s say you want to boost development of your
calves, so you start on the HFT plan with the one-leg calf raise. You might not be
able to perform 30 continuous repetitions through a full range of motion on day
1. As you experience fatigue on, say, repetition 18, start performing repetitions
through a partial range of motion until you reach the 30th repetition. And if you
reach momentary muscular failure before 30, rest for 15 seconds and continue
until you hit the mark.
In this case, your first goal is to achieve 30 full range of motion repetitions,
which might take weeks or months. Once you reach that goal, it’s time to consider