SUMMARY - Layer System for all Neurotypes

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

I recently came across the layer system and noticed that people were asking for customizations for each neurotype.

I would like to summarize the conclusion of all answers and recommendations in this post:

:point_right: Original Article

The exercises to be used on the respective days.

:one: You cannot perform the “Snatch-Grip High Pull From Blocks” with a slow eccentric or constant tension.

You perform the first 3 levels, but do the “Kirk Karwoski Shrug” for the last two levels.

The Kirk Karwoski shrug is a mixture of a shrug and an upright row: Pull the bar as you would for an upright row, but only to above your belly button, focusing on tensing your abdominal muscles.

:two: The biceps exercise can be performed either on the day of the “Snatch-Grip High Pull From Block” or on a 5th training day of the week.

This program is based on the main exercises. If you feel that the back is not being stimulated enough, you can add back exercises (in the style of normal strength training) at the end of one of the training days or on another day.

Possible training split

OPTION 1:

  • Day 1: Bench Press (+ Additional back training)
  • Day 2: Squat
  • Day 3: -
  • Day 4: Incline Bench Press
  • Day 5: -
  • Day 6: Snatch-grip high pull / Preacher Curls
  • Day 7: -

OPTION 2:

  • Day 1: Bench Press
  • Day 2: Squat
  • Day 3: -
  • Day 4: Incline Bench Press
  • Day 5: Snatch-grip high pull
  • Day 6: Preacher Curls (+ Additional back training)
  • Day 7: -

OPTION 3:

  • Day 1: Bench Press
  • Day 2: Squat
  • Day 3: (+ Additional back training)
  • Day 4: Incline Bench Press
  • Day 5: Snatch-grip high pul
  • Day 6: Preacher Curls
  • Day 7: -

THE LAYER SYSTEM ADAPTED TO THE RESPECTIVE NEUROTYPES

:red_square: Neurotype 1A

Layer 1: 4x 6 sec. isometric hold

Layer 2: Ramping (5-7 sets)

  • Week 1-2 = 3RM
  • Week 3-4 = 2RM
  • Week 5-6 = 1RM

Layer 3: 2x cluster sets with 90% of the RM of the day.

  • Week 1-2 = 6 reps.
  • Week 3-4 = 5 reps.
  • Week 5-6 = 4 reps.

Layer 4: 1x 4 rest/pause with 80% of the RM of the day. (20 sec. rest + 2 reps)

:orange_square: Neurotype 1B

Layer 1: Ramping up to 2RM (5-7 sets)
Layer 2: 2x 5 cluster reps with 90% of 2RM
Layer 3: 5x 3 explosive reps. 65-70% of 2RM
Level 4: 2x 6 rest/pause with 80% of 2RM (20 sec. rest + 3 reps)

:green_square: Neurotype 2A
“The original Layer System was developed for Type 2A.”

Layer 1: 4x 6 sec. isometric hold
Layer 2: Ramping up to 2RM (5-7 sets)
Layer 3: 3x 4-6 cluster reps with 90% of 2RM
Layer 4: 3x slow eccentricity with 70% of 2 RM
Layer 5: 2x constant tension with partial repetitions and 50% of 2RM

For a 2A, a good approach is to change the methods every 3 weeks.

For example

BLOCK 1
Layer 1: Ramp to 3RM
Layer 2: 3x 4-6 Rest/Pause with 90% of 3RM (4-6 reps/ rest 10-15 sec/max)
Layer 3: 3x HDL sets with 75% of 3RM
(5 reps/10sec - 4 reps/10sec - 3 reps/10sec - 2 reps/10sec - 1 rep/end)
Layer 4: 1x 20sec Isometric hold with 60% of 3RM, then followed by 8-10 reps

BLOCK 2
Layer 1: Ramp to 1RM
Layer 2: 3x 4-6 Cluster reps with 85-90% of 1RM (10-15 sec between reps)
Layer 3: 3x max reps with slow eccentric, 70% of 1RM
(explosive concentric, 5 sec eccentric)
Layer 4: 1-2x HDL isodynamic 50% of 1RM
(5 reps/hold 5sec - 4 reps/hold 4sec - 3 reps/hold 3sec - 2 reps/hold 2sec - 1 rep/END)

:purple_square: Neurotype 2B
Layer 1: Ramping up to 5RM
Layer 2: 2-3x until failure, rest/pause with 90% of 5RM (15 sec. rest / 1 rep.)
Layer 3: 1-2x to failure, slow eccentrics (6010 tempo) at 70% of 5RM
Layer 4: 1-2x to failure, super slow eccentricity (5050 tempo) with 50% of 5RM

:blue_square: Neurotype 3
Hepburn Layers

The exercises to be used on the respective days.

  • Day 1: Squat (+ Biceps curls: 3-4x 6-8 reps)
  • Day 2: Overhead Press or Incline Bench Press (+ T-bar rows: 3-4x 6-8 reps)
  • Day 3: -
  • Day 4: Deadlift (+ Cable row: 3-4x 6-8 reps)
  • Day 5: -
  • Day 6: Bench Press (+ Seal rows: 3-4x 6-8 Wdh.)
  • Day 7: -

LAYER 1: 5 sets with a total of 85% of 1RM

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4:
2x 3reps 3x 3reps 4x 3reps 5x 3reps
3x 2reps 2x 2reps 1x 2reps

Week 5: Increase weight and cycle from the beginning

LAYER 2: 4 sets with a total of 75% of 1RM

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4:
1x 5reps 2x 5reps 3x 5reps 4x 5reps
3x 4reps 2x 4reps 1x 4reps

Week 5: Increase weight and cycle from the beginning

LAYER 3: 4 sets with a total of 70% of 1RM

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4:
1x 8reps 1x 8reps 2x 8reps 3x 8reps
1x 7reps 2x 7reps 2x 7reps
1x 6reps

Week 5: Increase weight and cycle from the beginning

LAYER 4:

  • With 60% of 1RM
  • 4x 15 sec. isometric hold in the middle position of the exercise, then until failure.
  • An attempt is made to increase the number of reps by 1 every week.
3 Likes
2

@Christian_Thibaudeau

A snatch-grip high pull is technically a little more demanding and is not a safe exercise for everyone.

What would you recommend for a lifter over 40 or for someone who may have lower back issues, if you like to do the Layer System?

Maybe a Trap Bar Deadlift instead of the snatch-grip high pull?

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I would use whatever exercises feels best for you…if trap bar deadlift doesnt bug your lower back as bad…i have lower back issues i use sled push .pendlay rows.and trap bar deadlifts…just dont take trap bar deadlift failure …leave 1-2 reps n reserve…i learned that the hard way

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This is a great resource. Thanks for pulling all the details together.

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5

Good stuff - on the 5/4/3/2/1 HDL sets, would you actually go through that three times? Just seems like a lot of reps for that layer. 3x5 eccentric reps by comparison is only 15 total reps.

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Overall, I agree with most of what you wrote. You did a good job!

Just a few recommendations:

I’d reverse the 3rd and 4th layer. The layer system basically goes from the heaviest method to the “lightest”.

I know what you will say: “Doing explosive work when the muscles are tired???”… yeah, actually it works… with naturally very explosive athletes.

What happens is that very explosive athletes can produce so much acceleration initially (first part of the lift) than the nervous system has to put the break sooner.By doing the explosive work when fatigued, you might be less “snappy” at the start, but you will accelerate for longer and maybe even reach a higher average velocity.

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7

That’s a good selection of methods. But I would recommend stopping 1 rep short of failure on all these layers. At least if using the layers on big lifts.

Other than that, I agree with everything you wrote.

3 Likes
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Thank you very much for your reccomendations.
I’m a 1B and even before I knew about the neutotyping system, I used to do some explosive work at the end of my workouts.
So it feels very consistent to me.

What would you recommend as an alternative for the snatch-grip high pull?
It develops most Traps, upper back, side delts and hips. It´s dificult to replace it with all the same benefits.

I can only think of a deadlift, but the focus here is more on hips and hams and the traps and upper back are only secondary. Would it be necessary to use 2 exercises to replace the snatch-grip high pull?

My thought is that it would be better for a lifter over 40, who may have lower back problems, to do an exercise that is a bit safer.

1 Like
9

I remember Coach Thib saying that the periodized version of the max muscle layer system could be run almost indefinitely. How about the Hepburn-inspired program laid out here for neurotype 3? The steady rate of progression with sub-maximal sets suggests to me that this could be sustainable for many months, if not years.