REPOST Hypertrophy - Volume/Intensity

Training Q&A [Moderated]
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Hi Jordan (and BBM),

I posted about this topic a few days ago and haven’t been available since, so the topic got closed. I had a followup question. I apologize if you don’t want to talk about it again, and if so please ignore.

Got it. I thought it was 30% of 1RM for some reason…

As for the last sentence - yes, of course.

But then I wonder, if the effective range for hypertrophy is ~8-15 (or ~4-30), how would one keep increasing volume over time? Of course there’s always sets and frequency and even new exercises, and those can be increased. But, I guess that what I’m wondering is, are those the things that will need to be increased for continued muscle growth after a certain amount of them has been milked? (I get that the intensity must be increased as well, since as one gets stronger the effective rep range will come at a higher weight!)

If one begins their training with e.g. 3x8 in a certain exercise, and keeps raising the weight, then the intensity increments will become impossible at a certain point, say 10 weeks in, DUE to their body now being adapted to that VOLUME (which is why the LP stops working after a while); at which point the trainee may begin doing 3x10; and some weeks/months later 3x12; … all the way up to 3x15 (or 3x30).

At that point, when one has reached the upper end of the effective (hypertrophy-inducing) rep range, is it about increasing sets and frequency (if volume is the goal)?; OR, should one drop the reps somewhat i.e. decrease volume, and increase the weight, in order to detrain the body for a while, and then repeat the cycle? Basically, when one has exploited the hypertrophy potential of a certain amount of volume (e.g. 3x15), is increasing the volume the only way to increase hypertrophy? Or should one drop volume to detrain the body a bit as to trick it to then experience a previous amount of volume as novel?

TLDR (the question in as concise a form as I can muster)
…So, if one starts with e.g. 3x8 and increases the weight every workout until it stops working; then drops the weight a bit and does 3x10 and increases the weight until that stops working; … all the way up to 3x15. What then? Does one simply increase sets and frequency (and/or add exercise variation)? OR, should one then go back to 3x8, but now at a signficantly higher weight since one is now much stronger, and repeat the cycle until one gets to 3x15 again but with a much higher weight due to the now greater strength? This latter cyclical method feels as if it makes sense, albeit not upon further thought, since going back to 3x8, after having done 3x15, of course represents a drop in volume, which should decrease muscle size; or is that indeed the intention, as to trick the body into experiencing 3x10, 3x12, and 3x15 as high volumes once again? … that would seem reasonable, but so would the idea that one should never go back to a lower volume, but only reach for a higher one. So basically, which one is it (or which of those two very UNnuanced alternatives is closer to the truth)? Detraining in order to trick the body into thinking that 3x15 is a lot of volume once again, or only ever increase volume in the form of sets, frequency, and exercise variation?

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I closed it because I do not think you have actually looked at any of the content we have generated about this based on the questions asked and think your time would be better spent there.

[/quote]
But then I wonder, if the effective range for hypertrophy is ~8-15 (or ~4-30), how would one keep increasing volume over time? [/quote]

Adding sets or frequency…the same way volume is increased over time when rep ranges are kept consistent. New exercises don’t increase volume per se’.

If one begins their training with e.g. 3x8 in a certain exercise, and keeps raising the weight, then the intensity increments will become impossible at a certain point, say 10 weeks in, DUE to their body now being adapted to that VOLUME (which is why the LP stops working after a while); at which point the trainee may begin doing 3x10; and some weeks/months later 3x12; … all the way up to 3x15 (or 3x30).

This is incorrect. The body is adapted to that training stimulus, which no longer works. You can’t increase the load anymore (particularly if training near failure), so training volume must increase to drive up training stimulus and subsequent stress. We’ve done a number of podcasts about this in addition to the texts included with the Beginner and Bodybuilding Templates that you may find useful.

Basically, when one has exploited the hypertrophy potential of a certain amount of volume (e.g. 3x15), is increasing the volume the only way to increase hypertrophy? Or should one drop volume to detrain the body a bit as to trick it to then experience a previous amount of volume as novel?

This is a much different question and we don’t really know the answer with any level of confidence. I think that at some point there are benefits from lower volume exposures for muscle growth in the long term, but that probably doesn’t apply for most folks.

TLDR (the question in as concise a form as I can muster)
…So, if one starts with e.g. 3x8 and increases the weight every workout until it stops working; then drops the weight a bit and does 3x10 and increases the weight until that stops working; … all the way up to 3x15.

This probably does not represent a significant amount of progressive overload from a hypertrophy standpoint, which is why we don’t use this progression.

What then?[/quote]

Multiple options exist to increase training stress and I don’t understand why you’re asking this question like there aren’t any clear options. You could add more sets, add more weight within a given rep and effort range, increase frequency, alter rest periods, etc. depending on the goal.

Does one simply increase sets and frequency (and/or add exercise variation)?

Changing the exercise variation may change the adaptations depending on the situation. Increasing volume may be appropriate, though changing the variation doesn’t increase volume.

OR, should one then go back to 3x8, but now at a significantly higher weight since one is now much stronger, and repeat the cycle until one gets to 3x15 again but with a much higher weight due to the now greater strength?

For hypertrophy, this wouldn’t really be useful. For strength, you’re getting different adaptations at the different rep ranges so, I don’t think this is very useful either.