Best hypertophy routine

[jamyers]

I am looking at a new routine or a few good ones. I have read about soooo many different types of routines I begin to wonder if its at a point where people are just making up stuff to make it look like a bodybuilding program. I am looking for hypertophy more so than strength. I know strength come on different rate as muscle growth. I see strength trainers that are the size of me but can out lift a guy twice as muscular. I am just wondering what people on here use???? german volume, HST, HIT, 5x5, ect.......... I WANT TO GROW!!!

 

[Madcow2]

You can't compare strength/size between individuals - too many factors at play. In general, the best way for YOU to add muscle is for YOU to increase YOUR lifts in a reasonable hypertrophy range and eat enough to provide for growth. Eat to put on weight, add 50-80lbs to your best set of 8 or whatever in the big lifts (squat/bench/dead/row) and you will be bigger. Adding muscle is not very different from athletic or strength training - just don't emphasize 1RM performance too much and concentrate on progressoin. No magic.

There are some horrendous programs, there are some good ones. Once you understand the above, you will understand that all a good program does is provide a system or scheme to increase capacity for a relevant trainee (i.e. best practices will vary depending upon the experience and condition of the trainee). No matter what you do, if there is no explicit system for increasing the weight and it's just a bunch of crap to do in the gym - that's not a program, that's a hope and pray, so run. Also, just like what is best for a trainee as a beginner won't be best as an intermediate or advanced, what is best at a given point in time won't necessarily be best a month or so from now (smaller scale but variation in training).

 

[david_diesel]

I used HST for the first time this winter and gained 14 lbs in 8 weeks. My diet was 600 cals over maintenece/day. No drugs

 

[36drew]

The name Hypertrophy specific training seems to indicate to me that it is probably the best all around program for size. That said I have only briefly looked at it and don't really know what is behind it. I saw a good program laid out recently for size. Looks a bit different than HST.

I found it here: http://www.fortifiediron.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=24242

I am currently doing the Pendlay/madcow 5x5 for the first time, but I just finished week one, so I cannot comment on its effectiveness yet. I will say one thing so far though. The program is tough! Ha! Not used to training this way.

 

[Madcow2]

The name Hypertrophy specific training seems to indicate to me that it is probably the best all around program for size.

Not that HST isn't a solid program (and I've been recommending it for a long time) but based on this statement you are a brand marketer/advertiser's dream

 

[Illuminati]

try that russian method where they do 10 sets of 10!!!!

 

[vin01]

I also have used HST. I did it for ~12 weeks over the summer. I ate a ton and gained 17 lbs, most of it muscle, but some fat. My strength went up immensely though: 40 lbs on bench, 30 lbs on deadlift, 40 lbs on squat.

I am about to start a 5x5, in an attempt to gain lean mass.

From my experiences, I would recommend a routine where you do each body part at minimum 2 times a week.

 

[RipStone]

I also have used HST. I did it for ~12 weeks over the summer. I ate a ton and gained 17 lbs, most of it muscle, but some fat. My strength went up immensely though: 40 lbs on bench, 30 lbs on deadlift, 40 lbs on squat.

I am about to start a 5x5, in an attempt to gain lean mass.

From my experiences, I would recommend a routine where you do each body part at minimum 2 times a week.

Jus curious how you determined those strength increases while running HST since you have pre-determined RMs built into the program(ie you know that on week 6 for the 5s you will be doing XYZlbs). So I am guessing you tested your 1 RM before/after the HST cycle?

 

[vin01]

I tested my 1 rep maxes prior to the program. However, I didn't follow the exact layout of the program, because I chose weights on my own, according to how I felt in the gym that day (they were more ballpark), and because sometimes I substituted exercises. My max attempts at the end of the program weren't real max out attempts either, since I did them all after 3 sets of 5, just kept going 1 rep and adding weight after I was done my last set. So my strength gains may have been higher, who knows.

 

[jamyers]

How would the HST program be modified if someone decided to use AAS. Is there any reliable "proven" info on AAS usage and HST????

 

[Guinness5.0]

You should have a pretty solid grasp on training before gear enters the picture.

 

[Madcow2]

Up until around 10 years ago there was no reliable info that steroids had any muscle building or performance enhancement effect - just go consult an old copy of the PDR. Obviously a lot of people "knew" but there was still some question from otherwise intelligent people.

As far as anabolics, they just make the body a lot more able and ready to adapt. If your program is good, your gains will be better. If your program is shit, you can take enough to still see progress (welcome to BBing). You can recover faster and handle more work.

That said - reread Guinness' post above. If you are asking these kind of questions, you don't know how to train properly and you have no business using drugs. Many who thought themselves stuck or requiring anabolics to see further progress have been quite amazed at what real training can accomplish.

 

[silver_shadow]

try that russian method where they do 10 sets of 10!!!!

what's that method?

 

[Madcow2]

GVT or German Volume Training has 10x10 once a week. Search under Poliquin and German Volume and you should find the article.

 

[silver_shadow]

GVT or German Volume Training has 10x10 once a week. Search under Poliquin and German Volume and you should find the article.

thanks madcow