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This is Week 4 of the SECOND MESOCYCLE in the Summer 2024 Hypertrophy cycle.
The objective this week is to EXCEED performance from “week 4” of the prior Mesocycle, when “reps from failure” were the same for the repeating movements.
As we enter “week 4,” the lengthened movements are closing in on 1-2 reps from failure, while the short overload movements will have moved into partials and other intensity techniques
Please read the Lengthened ROM Blog, as the philosophy for this current training cycle will reflect all of the principles discussed in this post.
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Day 1 – Lower Body (Quad Dominant)
Part A and B repeat week to week. Track these metrics
A. Hack Squats
Each rep should have a PAUSE at the deepest stretch position at the bottom of each rep.
2-3 Warm-up sets, then;
2 work sets x 6-10 Reps (~1-2 then 1 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min between sets
Alternate movements you can swap:
–Heels Elevated Back Squat
– Leg Press – quad dominant
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B. Leg Extensions (pause stretch)
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
For Work Sets: add 5 lbs to the weight used in the prior mesocycle
*This should be approx. 12-15 rep max weight
Complete 35 Reps in as few sets as possible
Rest only 15 seconds between each set
Start with one 12-15 rep set, then chip away in smaller chunk sets till 35 reps achieved
Maintain ~1 RIR on each set this week, final set to failure
+ Immediately after the FINAL set to failure:
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternative Movement you can swap:
–Banded Sissy / Leg Extension
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C. Pre-Exhaust Superset:
Pre-exhaust means going from an ISOLATION movement, directly to a COMPOUND
1-2 warn-up sets each, then:
2 work supersets each.
Seated Leg Curl OR Lying Leg Curl x 12-15 Reps (~1 then 0 RIR)
Low Bar Good Mornings x 8-12 Reps (~2-3 RIR each)
Rest 2-3+ min between rounds
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D. Single-Leg Calf Raise (DB in hand of working leg)
Reps 15-12-9 (increasing, per leg)
Target ~2-1-0 RIR
Rest 30 sec between legs
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E. As Many Reps/Rounds as Possible in 6 min:
Reps 3-6-9-12-15 etc… (increase 3 reps each round)
Hanging Knee Raises (unweighted)
Lying Leg Raise (with Hip Thrust at top)
Standard Sit-ups
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Day 2 – Upper Body (Chest/Back Dominant)
Part A, B and C repeat week to week. Track these metrics
A. Alternate Movements:
1-2 warm-up sets each, then:
2 work sets x 6-10 Reps each (~1-2 then 0-1 RIR each)
Incline DB Bench Press (pause bottom)
Rest 1-2 min
Neutral Grip Pull-ups (weighted as feasible)
Rest 1-2 min
*Will add an additional short-rest set next week
Alternative Movement you can swap for Pullups:
–Neutral Grip Machine Assisted Pull-ups
– Neutral Grip “Lat” Pulldown
–Neutral Grip Rack Pull-ups
–Neutral Grip Foot Assisted Pull-ups
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B. Chest Supported Cable Row
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
For Work Sets: add 5 lbs to the weight used in the prior mesocycle
*This should be approx. 12-15 rep max weight
Complete 35 Reps in as few sets as possible
Rest only 15 seconds between each set
Start with one 12-15 rep set, then chip away in smaller chunk sets till 35 reps achieved
Maintain ~1 RIR on each set this week, final set to failure
+ Immediately after the FINAL set to failure:
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternative Movement you can swap:
–Chest Supported Machine Row
– Chest Supported DB Row
–Chest Supported T-Bar Row
–Head Supported DB Row
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C. Pec Fly Machine
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
For Work Sets: add 5 lbs to the weight used in the prior mesocycle
*This should be approx. 12-15 rep max weight
Complete 35 Reps in as few sets as possible
Rest only 15 seconds between each set
Start with one 12-15 rep set, then chip away in smaller chunk sets till 35 reps achieved
Maintain ~1 RIR on each set this week, final set to failure
+ Immediately after the FINAL set to failure:
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternate Movements you can swap:
–Cable Crossovers
–Banded Chest Fly
–Flat DB Flies
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D. Dual Cable Lateral Raise
(with cables set at “wrist height” to bias the lengthened ROM)
One lighter warm-up set, then:
One TOP SET of 15-20+ Reps (~1 RIR)
+ Immediately after the TOP SET, Rest 10-15 seconds
Then complete sets of 5 Reps unbroken using the same weight
Rest 10-15 sec after each set of 5, and continue until you can no longer make 5 reps unbroken without compromising technique
Alternate Movements you can swap:
–Incline DB Lateral Raise (Behind back)
–Lateral DB “X” Raise
(This exercise targets the BOTTOM 60% of the ROM by avoiding the top 40% of the ROM)
*If using DB’s you will be able to use 20-40% heavier DB weight than a standard lateral raise
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E. Alternate Movements Every Min x 12 Minutes (4 Rounds):
Use weight for 12-15 Reps as fatigue will accumulate quickly
Min 1: 8-10 Reps Seated DB Hammer Curls
Min 2: 8-10 Reps Lying DB Tricep Extensions
Min 3: 8-10 Reps Prone DB Face Pulls
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Day 3 – REST DAY
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Day 4 – Lower Body (Hamstring/Glute Dominant)
Part A and B repeat week to week. Track these metrics
A. Hip Banded Barbell RDL
Each rep should have a PAUSE at the deepest stretch position at the bottom of each rep.
2-3 Warm-up sets, then;
2 work sets x 6-10 Reps (~2 then 1-2 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min between sets
Alternate Movements you can swap:
–Hip Banded Trap Bar RDL
–Hip Banded DB RDL
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B. Kas Glute Bridge to Hip Thrust Superset
(can also perform on Smith Machine or other “Glute” machine setup you prefer)
1-2 warm-up sets of the complex, then:
2 work supersets (~1 then 0 RIR for both movements)
Kas Glute Bridge x 8-12 Reps
NO REST
Barbell Hip Thrust x 4-8 Reps
*Same weight/bar as Kas Glute Bridge
Rest 2-3 min between supersets
+ Immediately after the FINAL set of Hip Thrusts to failure:
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
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C. The Ultimate Quad Giant set x 2 WORK SETS each:
1-2 progressive “warm-up” sets with low fatigue for each movement
Large rep range provided for final two movements to account for variance in fatigue from lunges
Walking DB Lunges x 12-20 Steps (6-10/leg) (~2-3 RIR)
Heels Elevated Goblet Squat (with one DB from lunges) x 6-15 Reps (~1-2 RIR)
Leg Extensions (pause stretch) x 6-15 Reps (~1 then 0 RIR)
Rest 3+ min between work rounds
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D. Strict Hanging Leg Raises
(scale as Hanging Knee Raises)
3 sets of 6-12 Reps
Shoot for a difficulty level that allows approx. 12 reps on first set
Then rest only 60 sec between sets, and expect reps to decrease set to set as fatigue builds
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E. Weighted Plank x Triple Drop set (ONE SET)
Heavy weight for 30-45 seconds
Drop half the weight for difficult length of time
Drop all weight for difficult length of time
(if you can make it more than 60 seconds during the final set, you should make it harder via shoulder touches, knee-ins, rollouts, etc….)
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Day 5 – Upper Body (Shoulder/Arm Dominant)
Part A, B and C repeat week to week. Track these metrics
A. Superset Movements:
1 warm-up set prior as needed, then:
2 work sets each
Follow rep scheme for each below
*Bring DB’s with you over to the machine
DB Lateral Raise x 12-15 Reps (~Both 0 RIR)
Machine Overhead Press x 5-8 Reps (~Both 1 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset
+ Immediately after BOTH SETS of Lateral Raises…
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternate Movements you can swap for Machine Overhead Press:
– Steep Incline Anterior Delt Press
–Smith Machine Overhead Press
–Seated DB Overhead Press
–Barbell Overhead Press
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B. Superset Movements:
1 warm-up set prior as needed, then:
2 work sets each
DB Spider Curls x 10-15 Reps (~Both 0 RIR)
Incline DB Curls x 6-10 Reps (~1 then 0 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset
+ Immediately after BOTH sets of Spider Curls…
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternative Movement you can swap for DB Spider Curl:
–Cable Spider Curl (straight handle)
–Barbell/EZ Spider Curl
–Cable Spider Curl (D-handles)
Alternative Movement you can swap for Incline DB Curl:
– Face Away Cable Curls
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C. Superset Movements:
1 warm-up set prior as needed, then:
2 work sets each
*Use the same pulley and setup to go from pushdown to overhead ext
Cable Tricep Pushdowns x 8-12 Reps (~Both 0 RIR)
Overhead Cable Tricep Extensions x 6-10 Reps (~1 then 0 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset
+ Immediately after BOTH sets of Pushdowns…
Complete 3-4 “attempted partial reps”
(i.e. you try hard as possible to make the rep, but fatigue prohibits you from getting full range of motion)
Alternative Movement you can swap for Cable Pushdowns
–Cross Cable Tricep Pushdowns
– Banded Tricep Pushdowns
Alternative Movement you can swap for Overhead Cable Tricep:
–Incline DB Tricep Extensions
–Cross Cable Overhead Tricep Extensions
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D Alternate Movements:
Quickly build up to a challenging set of 12 Reps for each:
Rest as needed between sets to optimize performance on this one top set
We will use this weight in the next section
DB Fly/Press Hybrid (~1-2 RIR)
Strict Pendlay Row (to failure)
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E. 3-6 Rounds:
Use SAME LOADING as top weight in Part C
Complete sets of 6 reps each back to back with only 10-15 sec rest between sets.
Continue until you fail to complete one of the movements unbroken (with a 6 round “cap”)
6 Reps DB Fly/Press Hybrid
6 Reps Strict Pendlay Row
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F. Face Away Cable Curls
Accumulate 40 Reps in as few sets as possible
Start with one set of 12-15 Reps (~1-2 RIR)
Rest 30 seconds whenever you need to rest
Then accumulate as many reps as possible again
Take the final 1-2 sets to technical failure
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Day 6 – OPTIONAL Conditioning
45-60 Minutes of ZONE 2 Cardio
This can be performed with whatever modality you can do with EFFICIENCY.
For most people, this would likely be optimized with a bike, elliptical, or steep incline walking.
Zone 2 can be completed by rowing OR running (or other modality) however most people are inefficient rowers and runners, and therefore will often find it difficult to stay within the target heart rate zone for ZONE 2.
My views on finding this zone have changed a bit.
In the past, I’ve veered towards relatively crude formulas based on HEART RATE.
Now I tend to simply use RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION (RPE) as the BEST way to assess ZONE 2.
Take a 12-15 word sentence that you have memorized with a normal speaking cadence (not rushed).
When you believe you are in ZONE 2, speak this sentence. If you can complete it in one breath without having to stop to get air, and without feeling like that sentence caused you to go into a breathing deficit (i.e. you aren’t gasping for air at the end of the sentence), then you are likely in ZONE 2.
Another RPE based assessment of effort is the duration component.
We are performing ZONE 2 workouts for 45-60 min, but we want to select a pace / effort level in which we *COULD* continue at the SAME PACE for 2-3 hours.
This means that when complete your ZONE 2 workout, you are glad it’s over, strictly due to monotony/repetition, and not due to accumulated fatigue.
In fact, you should feel like the session never actually gets harder. The first 10 minutes should feel the most taxing, as you move from doing nothing into Zone 2.
Once you’ve established yourself into Zone 2, each 10-minute period should be exactly as difficult as the prior 10-minute period.
At no point should you think that the workout has increased in difficulty. It just a steady and consistent effort could be repeatable for multiple hours (if needed).
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OTHER FORMULAS:
Well-trained aerobic athlete:
180 minus age = approx. Zone 2 (~75% of Max Heart Rate)
Lifter or non-trained aerobic athlete:
170 minus age = approx. Zone 2 (~65-72% of Max Heart Rate)
*Max Heart Rate can be determined generally with 220 minus age
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Day 7 – REST DAY
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