Jordan & Austin,
How often do you guys run a hypertrophy block? It seems that you focus mainly on strength training, but you’re both pretty huge as well. I was just curious if you attribute most of your muscle mass to being a biproduct of your strength training, or if you run a block or so of hypertrophy each year.
I guess I am asking as a way to gauge how big someone could reasonably get while focusing mostly on strength with maybe a couple months a year of hypertrophy training to try and break things up and put on size and a couple months to cut down (4 total).
If you have a chance to check out podcast episode # 162, we discuss this topic in that episode in some detail.
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I listened and understand in the context of someone having a goal specifically to maximize strength that this would not be a good approach, as you’d lose strength adaptations over that time. Also that someone who has a goal of 50/50 strength/hypertrophy would be best served doing the powerbuilding templates.
I fall into the latter category for the most part. I’ve been lifting for ~8 years (with probably 1.5 year’s worth of time off due to laziness and gym closures last year). I’ve done a fair deal of poorly designed hypertrophy training, some fairly well designed hypertrophy training and maybe a year or two of “powerbuilding”. Essentially enough meandering to tap out noob gains and begin to enter into that vague “intermediate” area.
I want to have a better and more structured plan and macrocycles though, and not just aimlessly go and lift. Right now I am doing Strength I and have really enjoyed it. I want to continue the pure strength training, maybe even the majority of the time. I do still care about gaining muscle though, and on a cut I think pure strength training would be fairly brutal.
Do you think the most effective use of my time would be to do pure strength training the majority of the time, with ~a block per year of powerbuilding to get a bit of more pure hypertrophy training in as well as to cut? I already bought the Bodybuilding templates for the purpose of using them in that block of time (oops).
Would it be a mistake to run those or is there a way to adjust them to be more PB geared?
I think that your better options are to use things like Strength and Powerbuilding templates the majority of the time, and if you feel you need a break from the top-end strength/powerlifting-specific work, could use the BB template for that purpose. I don’t see a good reason to modify the BB template to be more “PB” oriented, since that already exists – but you’re also free to self-modify any of the templates for your own purposes as well, or can get a consult with one of our coaches via the BBM form check service, where you can discuss more individualized programming ideas and modifications.
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It’s interesting to delve into the balance between strength and hypertrophy in our training routines. While our focus does lean towards strength training, we do incorporate hypertrophy blocks strategically throughout the year to ensure a well-rounded approach to muscle development.
In fact, hypertrophy training serves as a complementary component to our strength-focused regimen, enhancing muscle size and endurance, which in turn can positively impact strength gains. So, to answer your question, a periodic emphasis on hypertrophy does play a significant role in achieving our physique goals.
If you’re considering a similar approach, integrating hypertrophy blocks intermittently could indeed help in breaking plateaus and promoting muscle growth. It’s all about finding the right balance that suits your individual goals and preferences.
For more insights on hypertrophy training and optimizing your workout routine, feel free to check out our comprehensive Hypertrophy training guide.
Keep pushing towards your fitness aspirations!