Could I do a 4th day just bodyweight?
When doing a push, pull, legs split, is it okay to add a 4th day of bodyweight single leg calf raises, walking lunges, glute ham, chins and dips?
For legs anywhere between 30 to 100 reps and for upper 30 to 50?
Ty
What is your goal?
My goal is just hypertrophy. I want to be able to train 3 to 4 x a week with an hour to an hour 15 each session. Life has gotten busier. I still want to be able to be strong enough on the basics as well. I do enjoy dips, chins, and lunges. I just want to look good but not be weak.
I am looking for something I can do over and over again where I constantly progress. I don’t have time to think of a new plan or change things up ever 3 to 4 weeks. I just want to get in and make progress.
If you’re just trying to grow, then I’m not sure what the point of the 4th day of bodyweight movements is really. You’re tapping into a different kind of energy system with that volume and those reps. So it becomes another stressor. I would just stick with the push, pull, legs and focus on getting stronger in the right rep ranges. Once you’ve hit a sticking point, if you want to change training around to stress different energy systems like metabolic stress, then you could focus on the higher rep bodyweight stuff as well.
Coach,
I’d like try your program PPL from this article:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/how-to-cure-smallness-with-pain-food
I want to that 4 times a week (rotate). If I may I would like to ask you about rep range. For main movements (50%) I want to use you 8-12-8 reps protocol.
For isolation/seconds exercises (rest/pause) what range use and when increase weights? When I complete 30 reps in total?
Fro example my leg days:
Thank you
Heres an example of my leg day currently
A. Lying, Seated or Standing Leg Curls
1x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure then do rest pause)
B. 1 1/4 Leg extension
1x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure then do rest pause)
C. Front Squat
D. Hack Squat Machine or Leg Press
1 x 14 (easy)
1 x 12 (moderate)
1 x 10 (hard)
1 x 8 (failure 8-12-8 method which means the goal is to eventually use the weight you do for 8 for 12 then add weight for next session)
E. One Leg Calf Raise or seated calf raise or standing calf raise. With 5 sec pause at bottom and 2 sec squeeze at top.
1 x 20 (easy)
1 x 18 (moderate)
1 x 16 (hard)
F. Barbell continuous walking lunges
3 x 20-25 (straight sets)
Same. 8-12-8 and focus on progressive overload.
We actually know now there’s nothing special about any particular rep range when sets are taken to failure. In fact, really high reps are the sets that tend to cause a greater degree of nervous system fatigue, making it much more difficult to find intra and post recovery happen.
Thanks, maybe Iam stupid but If I get right:
I pick the weight for rest/ pause technique and I go to failure. When I finally get in first set 12 reps, next time I will increase weight.
So it doesn’t matter how many reps I do in 2 others, in total? Or do I have to beat half of reps from previously sets to increase weight in next session (12-6-3 = 21 reps - > increase , 12-5-2=19 reps - > wait until I get at least 21)?
Thanks and sorry for misunderstanding
You’re focusing on insignificant shit.
What matters is just adding reps or weight or both when you can.
It could be that you increase weight when you hit 18 total reps, or 22 or 71 or whatever. There’s no magic there and you’re overthinking about numbers.
So I’ll state it again - there’s nothing special about rep ranges at all when it comes to muscle growth. As long as you’re doing at least a 5RM, and also training to failure, then you’re going to be getting in the maximal amount of stimulating reps per set.