4-5 Week Hypertrophy (Muscle Size) Program00If you have experience with the exercises and know what weights you would be using for the prescribed sets and reps, jump right in for a 4 week program. If you haven’t established a good working weight for these exercises, your first week should be a ramp up week to figure out working weights making it a 5 week program.
Exercise order matters. Some exercises have a superset pair, and some are straight sets. For straight set exercises, don’t move on to the next exercise until you finish all sets.
STICK WITH THE PRESCRIBED REST as best you can. You want the “burn” with most of these. Don’t take too long in between sets.
Similarly, don’t just rep out the lifts. For this program focus on a good concentric, eccentric, and squeeze at the top of each movement.
Exercises are listed as setsxreps@rest. So 3x15@60 would be 3 sets of 15 reps with 60 second rest
Obviously make sure diet is supporting a hypertrophy program. At least 1g protein/lb of LBM or desired LBM, etc.
Definitions
R - ramp up sets - Use these sets to dial in form and build up to rep max percentage you will be using for working sets. For example, for a W 4x10@60 barbell back squat, you determine that 225lbs will be your working weight. You then might do R 3x6@60 with the 1st set weight at 135, 2nd set at 185, 3rd set at 205, followed by working sets at 225. I have included example ramp up sets and reps with each exercise.
W - Working sets - You should be working to near failure with these sets, with maybe 1 or 2 RER (reps in reserve).
Challenge sets - For your final set, you go until either technical or tempo failure, whichever comes first. For example, if the exercise listed 3x10 deadlifts + last set challenge set, you would perform 2 working sets at 10 reps, and on the third you would keep going until either your form breaks down, or you have to take longer breaks in between reps to either catch your breath, adjust stance, etc.
Schedule
Day 1 - Leg Hypertrophy - 18 Working Sets
Day 2 - Push Hypertrophy - 24 Working Sets
Day 3 - Pull Hypertrophy - 24 Working Sets
*This does not constitute medical advice. If you have pain or injury please consult a medical profession in person*