The Anti-Bodybuilding Hypertrophy Program
Break the "Rules" and Gain Real Muscle!
by Chad Waterbury


Anti-Establishment Hypertrophy
I
can't read most hypertrophy training articles because of health reasons — they
make me sick. Never has there been a topic with more misinformation than muscle-building
methods.
At least some strength-training articles seem to have a shred of scientific
basis, but with bodybuilding articles, all common sense and science seems to
go to the wayside. That's probably because more is understood about the nervous
system than muscle soreness, or maybe it's because most of the writers who
are only concerned about hypertrophy training are imbeciles who can't even
build muscle on themselves. You be the judge.
After
a recent seminar, a famous strength trainer told me I should market myself
as the
guy who could
revolutionize bodybuilding. There's only one small
problem with that — I don't like bodybuilding. Yep, you heard me right,
never have liked it, probably never will. I see most competitive bodybuilders
as overly tanned, overly shaved, waddling pieces of uneducated flesh and I
have no interest in that market.
Yes, that's harsh, but recently something has slightly changed my views on
bodybuilding: I started contributing to Testosterone and I realized
there are some pretty damn cool and intelligent people out there who like bodybuilding.
I'm not talking about "shaved gorillas posing in thongs" bodybuilding, but
the good old hypertrophy-inducing strength-training from the days of the past.
So, for all of you out there who love bodybuilding for what it used to
be, I've written this article.
Old-time strongmen were the only people who truly revolutionized bodybuilding.
Unfortunately, their methods have been largely forgotten. In exchange for infrequent,
machine-laden, ineffective bodybuilding methods, many great principles have
been lost.
Let
me tell you a little secret — hypertrophy training and strength
training don't have to be two separate entities. I've never designed a program
that was based solely on "hypertrophy" training, but my clients have gained
a ton of muscle over the years (if that was the goal). Let me repeat a statement
from one of my previous articles: muscle growth is mainly controlled through caloric
intake. Assuming all is normal with a trainee's physiology, even the best
hypertrophy program won't build appreciable amounts of muscle if there are
insufficient calories. Got it?
So allow me to uncover some real hypertrophy methods so you can apply
them to your current program in exchange for more functional muscle. Bodybuilders
beware: I'm about to barbecue a few of your sacred cows!


Five Hypertrophy Training Principles You Must Understand

1) Train More Often
First and foremost, you must drop the notion that a muscle group can only
be trained once a week. Strongmen from the past didn't train that way and you
shouldn't either. The more frequent the growth-stimulating sessions you can
have, the better.

2) Forget about Time Under Tension
One of the things that really makes me nauseous is the assumption that hypertrophy-inducing
sets must last from 40 to 70 seconds (or is it 20 to 90 seconds, or 43.5 to
68.7 seconds?) So that must mean the classic 5 x 5 method doesn't build any
muscle since those sets don't last at least 40 seconds. Or maybe I'm just a
dumb hillbilly and everyone who uses the 5 x 5 method is actually using a tempo
where each rep takes eight seconds? (I don't think so!)

3) There's a Daily Limit to Muscle Stimulation
I
can't believe I'm actually going to do this, but I must quote a bodybuilding
catch-phrase
from the 1980's:
stimulate, don't annihilate! There's an absolute
limit to the amount of hypertrophy-inducing stimuli you can apply on any given
day. That's why those "one day cures" are a huge, stinkin' pile of B.S. I feel
sorry for those who actually wasted an entire day attempting such a program.

4) Don't Train to Failure
You
must keep the nervous system from becoming overly fatigued if you want to
train frequently.
Therefore,
leave the grunting and screaming to the frat
boys who have 13" guns and spend their entire day doing concentration curls
and wasting Daddy's money.

5) Train Through Soreness
Initially,
you'll probably have constant soreness on this program. That's okay! The
soreness
will subside
once recovery increases and proper adaptation
has taken place. Soreness is your body's way of saying, "I need more carbs
and protein." So feed your muscles constantly!


The Anti-Bodybuilding Hypertrophy Program
After
reading through these principles, you probably understand why I refer to
this as
an anti-establishment
program. I think I broke every so-called "hypertrophy" rule
in the book! But you know what? This program rapidly builds muscle and it's
very similar to the principles the old-time strongmen used to follow.
Now, let's get to the program that's going to build some serious muscle and
increase strength levels! (Keep in mind you can pick your own exercises. Those
listed are just examples.)

Day 1

Sets per Muscle Group: Chest 10, Back 10

Movement Plane: Horizontal

Examples: Flat Barbell Bench, Barbell Rows, Seated Cable Row
(both back movements using a pronated grip with the width the exact same
as bench press)

Reps: 3

Load: 80% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds between supersets (i.e. train chest, rest
60 secs, train back, rest 60 secs, train chest, rest 60 seconds, etc)

Day 2: OFF


Day 3

Sets per Muscle Group: Thighs 5, Abs 5, Calves 5.

Examples: Barbell Front Squat, Hanging Pike, Standing Calf
Raise

Reps: 10

Load: 60% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds between giant sets (i.e. train thighs, rest
60 secs, train abs, rest 60 secs, train calves, rest 60 secs, train thighs,
rest 60 secs, etc.)
Day 4: OFF


Day 5

Sets per Muscle Group: Chest 5, Back 5

Movement Plane: Vertical

Examples: Dips, Chin-ups

Reps: 10

Load: 60% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds between supersets

Day 6: OFF


Day 7

Sets
per Muscle Group: Thighs 10, Abs 10, Calves 10

Examples: Deadlift, Decline Sit-ups, Seated Calf Raise (Note
that this uses different exercises from Day 3.)

Reps: 3

Load: 80% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds between giant sets

Day 8: OFF


Days 9 & 17*

Same
as Day 1 except with 4 & 5 reps per set, respectively
(in other words, you'll just do 4
reps
for each body part on Day 9 and 5 reps for each body part on Day 17).

Days 11 & 19

Same
as Day 3 except with 65% & 70% of 1RM, respectively

Days 13 & 21

Same
as Day 5 except with 65% & 70%, respectively

Days 15 & 23

Same
as Day 7 except with 4 & 5 reps per set, respectively

*The days that aren't listed
are, of course, off days.


A Reluctant Addendum
I know what you're thinking:

"Chad,
you
forgot to include direct arm work in that program!"
No, I didn't. The best increases in upper arm hypertrophy are achieved through
compound exercises such as dips, chin-ups, bench presses and rows. Therefore,
no direct arm work is prescribed in this program.
It's a strange phenomenon. Every trainee who's been around the iron game for
more than a year knows that big arms are built from compound exercises, but
people are still convinced they need direct arm work! So I'll give you the
choice. I don't recommend the direct upper-arm work option, but I know some
people will add direct arm work anyway, so I might as well make sure they do
it right.
If you feel cheated and betrayed by my original recommendations, follow the
same parameters given in the plan, but cut the total sets in half. For example,
on the 10 x 3 day at 80% of 1RM (i.e, Day 1), execute the following:


Preacher Curl, Decline Dumbbell Triceps Extension Superset

Sets: 5

Reps: 3

Load: 80% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds

On the other upper body day with 60% of 1RM, execute the following:

Incline Hammer Curl, Tricep Pressdown Superset

Sets: 2-3

Reps: 10

Load: 60% of 1RM

Rest: 60 seconds

Closing Remarks
Don't forget, you must feed your recovery. Think of it this way, if maximum
hypertrophy is your goal, you can't eat enough during the two hours post-workout
and before going to bed. Eat throughout the day too!
Follow
the details of this program precisely and you'll be rewarded with head-turning
muscle
mass and
a better understanding of "real" muscle-building methods.


About the Author

Chad
Waterbury is a strength and conditioning coach with Bachelor of Science degrees
in
Human Biology and Physical Science. Currently, he's studying
Graduate work in Physiology at the University of Arizona. He operates his company,
Chad Waterbury Strength & Conditioning, in Tucson, AZ, where his clientele
consists of members of military special forces units, athletes, professionals
and non-athletes seeking exceptional physical performance and development.
You can contact him through his website, ChadWaterbury.com.


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