Show Notes
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing Stuart McRobert’s 1989 hardgainer routine, a minimalist two-day-per-week program designed as an alternative to the increasingly extreme bodybuilding routines of the late 1980s. The conversation then explores an important distinction: is every period of stalled progress really a plateau, or are there times when we should simply expect progress to slow or stop? Key topics include: Stuart McRobert’s 1989 twice-weekly full-body hardgainer routine The difference between a true plateau and a program that was never capable of producing continued progress Why strength gains can sometimes make a poorly designed hypertrophy program appear to be working Why life stress, poor sleep, dieting, or adding other forms of exercise may cause you to stop progressing without necessarily creating a true plateau Why coaches should investigate what has changed before immediately modifying a client’s training program The difference between managing a temporary lack of progress and actively trying to “bust” a plateau Why temporary stressors may only require reducing training volume, while long-term lifestyle changes may require rebuilding the program entirely Want to train like a Silver-Era bodybuilder? Join our Hypertrophy Past and Present Training group on TrainHeroic.com
More from Hypertrophy Past and Present
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the concept of indirect training volume and whether exercises like bench presses and pulldowns can maximise growth in the triceps and biceps. Chris explains how motor unit recruitment changes our understanding of indirect sets, and why evidence-based and science-based approaches can lead to very different conclusions. Key topics include: A silver-era training routine from Mr America and Mr Universe winner, Jack Delinger Do indirect sets count towards muscle growth? Motor unit recruitment and why indirect training may lead to earlier hypertrophy plateaus The differences between evidence-based and science-based approaches to hypertrophy Why more training volume isn't necessarily better Want to train like a Silver-Era bodybuilder? Join our Hypertrophy Past and Present Training group on TrainHeroic.com
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris are joined once again by Soren Lemrant for part two of his unconventional training routine. This time, Soren breaks down his lower-body workout, explaining his unique exercise selections, creative uses of gym machines, and attempts to target muscles that most bodybuilders overlook. Key topics include: Training the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques Why hip internal and external rotation is usually neglected Unconventional exercises for the lower body muscles The similarities between Soren's approach and Silver-Era bodybuilding methods Check out Soren on social media at lemrant_da_lifta2 Want to train like a Silver-Era bodybuilder? Join our Hypertrophy Past and Present Training group on TrainHeroic.com
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris start with a bizarre 1950s workout from Barton Horvath before breaking down how to actually understand hypertrophy research. They discuss what common measurements such as muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, EMG and strength testing really tell us, where they can mislead us, and why understanding the physiology behind a study matters as much as reading its results. Key topics include: Barton Horvath’s 1950s “unusual” routine What researchers actually mean when they measure “hypertrophy,” and the differences between muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, muscle volume and muscle biopsies What EMG can and cannot tell us about muscle activation, recruitment and exercise selection What researchers actually mean by “recovery" Why vertical jump performance can be more sensitive to fatigue than maximal isometric strength The difference between a large numerical effect and a statistically significant effect
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris start with a 1947 Steve Reeves workout before accidentally going down an AI rabbit hole. They discuss the difference between “evidence-based” and “science-based” thinking, and how AI can be used to understand research and design training without simply accepting the first (usually incorrect) answer it gives you. Key topics include: Steve Reeves’ 1947 full-body routine, including his rest-pause approach The difference between evidence-based and science-based approaches to interpreting training research Why AI often defaults to conventional answers when asked about training and hypertrophy How giving AI source material can dramatically change its answers Using AI to interrogate research, identify patterns in studies, test hypotheses, and accelerate learning The limitations of using AI to write bodybuilding programs from scratch How coaches and lifters can use AI without outsourcing their critical thinking Want to train like a Silver-Era bodybuilder? Join our Hypertrophy Past and Present Training group on TrainHeroic.com
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris welcome their first-ever guest, Soren, the “67-set upper day guy.” Soren takes us through his upper-body workout exercise by exercise, explaining the reasoning behind some of his more unconventional setups. Key topics include: Soran’s 67-set upper-body workout and the philosophy behind training so many individual muscle functions Modifying pec decks ad pullover machines to target different regions of the chest Training the lats through sagittal, frontal, and scapular-plane movements Direct training for the traps, scapular muscles, neck, and shoulder rotators How Soren manages 67 exercises without spending several hours in the gym