Hypertrophy/Strength Template Mash-Up

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey BBM team!

I’ve recently heard the Juggernaut crew, Chad Wesley Smith in particular, recommend that approx 50% of a relatively undertrained individual’s training time be hypertrophy-focused as opposed to strength or peaking. This makes sense to me, as newer trainees certainly lack requisite muscle mass compared to well trained individuals. However I don’t hear you all using these distinct categories often and it seems like, with the exception of peaking, you have some hypertrophy-focused stuff programmed into your strength-focused templates.

All of that being said: I’m running Hypertrophy I currently and enjoying it. But I’m considering running the first five weeks of Powerbuilding I between Hypertrophy I and Strength I to extend the hypertrophy-focused blocks a little longer, though at a little bit higher average intensity moving toward Strength I. Is there any reason why this would be a bad idea for someone who is equally focused on getting as jacked as possible and also as strong as possible over the long term? Or is there some reason why it would be better to move straight from Hypertrophy I to Strength I?

Thanks so much!

2

BM,

I don’t necessarily disagree, though I wouldn’t ascribe a specific percentage to it either. Additionally, much of the strength work that a newer lifter is doing will function well for hypertrophy purposes as well. I don’t think a lot of this can (or should be) separated.

While I think the first block of strength I (and II and III) all would function well for hypertrophy purposes in the context of wanting to get stronger, your plan sounds reasonable too.