For my next training cycle, I want to minimize (sic) lower-body hypertrophy, while making noticeable strength gains (priority on the deadlift). I also want to maximize upper-body hypertrophy while breaking out of my bench plateau.
My go-to template is PB2. Would it be worth a try only squatting twice per week, plus the regular two hinge-spots, with some isolation hamstring supplement? (so 5 lower-body slots, not counting rows).
Also, I’ve been responding really well to the LFST (4day low) for squat/deadlift. Worth a try filling the lower body spots with those rep schemes?
Sure, I’ve been lifting on-and-off (SSLPs, Crossfit) for 7 years. Very consistently since 1.5 years, cycling between Beginner template, PB1, Hypertrophy 1, PB2 and now first time LFST.
e1RMs: 171kg SQ, 217kg DL, 108kg B
39y, 185cm, 87kg
Lifting for fun, wellbeing, aesthetics.
I enjoy adding weight (and progress fine on sq/dl) but no ambitions to ever compete or anything. mostly focused on bodybuilding (in the natty, old-school sense), currently want to add muscle to arms (!!) and chest. would prefer slightly reducing legs and traps, if anything (knowing that this is impossible if I want to progress, just preference-wise).
overall happy cycling through different templates based on mood, just thinking I can start tweaking/experimenting based on my specific goals (to also gain experience coaching myself).
I don’t think that reducing lower body volume (which is how you would reduce hypertrophy stimulus) is likely to be helpful for your aesthetic or performance goals. It is also not a programming choice I typically employ outside of an injury standpoint or situations where I replace 1 or 2 lower body slots where someone has a very developed lower body and less (comparatively) developed upper body. Again, this is all relatively rare.
For maximizing hypertrophy, I would be looking at the hypertrophy and bodybuilding templates. I would run each block for ~8-10 weeks before changing them.