Bodybuilding Template Blocks

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey BBM crew,

Potentially relevant info about me: 29M, 6’1" ~213 lbs. I have been strength training for close to 6 years and powerlifting for about 3. My e1RMs for S/B/D (in lbs.) are around 465/325/575.

I’m competing in a powerlifting meet in a few weeks. I recently picked up a copy of the bodybuilding template and plan on doing one of the 6 week blocks after the meet as a sort of big pivot/“reset.” I chose that template basically because, in addition to wanting to add some more muscle to my frame, I feel like my body could use a break from the comp lifts entirely and the higher intensity, hyper-specific powerlifting training. Additionally, I’ve been self-programming for a while now, so simply following a pre-written template with plenty of isolation and pump/“bro” work would a fun mental break as well. Spending less time in the gym per session via programmed supersets and no full body days is appealing, too.

While this would be sort of be a recovery block after my meet, I don’t just want to take it easy for a month and a half. I’m fairly accustomed to high-ish training volumes in my normal training, so I’m not too worried about the volume in any of the blocks being too much, especially since the absolute intensity will be fairly low. However, I have little to no experience with bodybuilding style training (really hammering a movement pattern muscle group in one session, if that’s the right way to frame it) and don’t want to potentially bite off more than I can chew.

Which of the three blocks would you recommend I run in this context? Are there any you wouldn’t recommend?

Thanks!

2

I’d run BB block I, mainly because I’d feel very confident that you could tolerate (and thrive) on the workload there without much “run-in” or adaptive delay. If you ran block II or III, I think you’d get worse results in this context.

3

This might be a good topic to piggy back my question onto - any insight into what you intend as the difference in scope and focus on the BB template vs the Hypertrophy templates? Looking at the descriptions they seem similar in terms of goal and approach, but maybe the BB template is a better choice in a situation like this where a strength focused trainee is looking for a short term change of pace while still training productively whereas the hypertrophy templates are more geared to trainees for whom that is the primary consideration.