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This is the Deload/Reset week after the first mesocycle of the Summer Hypertrophy cycle.
Please read the Lengthened ROM Blog, as the philosophy for this current training cycle will reflect all of the principles discussed in this post.
In this cycle design, we have progressed effort each week over the last five weeks. After the prior week, which was subjectively the “hardest” training week, this reset should be quite well timed to facilitate recovery and allow the adaptations to occur before beginning the next mesocycle.
DURING THIS WEEK OF TRAINING…
We can expect the highly fatiguing lengthened compound movements to be around 4-5 reps from failure, while the lower fatiguing “short” movements will be around 2-3 reps from failure.
Since total volume of work performed has the highest correlation to fatigue, we will DELOAD by reducing volume (total number of HARD sets) across the program, in general.
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Day 1 – Lower Body (Quad Dominant)
Part A and B repeat week to week. Track these metrics
A. Foam Roller DB Hack Squats
*You can use anything rolls (basketball, volleyball, skateboard etc…)
2-3 Warm-up sets, then;
2 work sets x 6-10 Reps (~4-5 then 3-4 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min between sets
Alternate movements you can swap:
–Heels Elevated Back Squat
–Landmine Hack Squat
–Heels Elevated Safety Bar Squat
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B. Banded Sissy / Leg Extension
FOR RESET WEEK:
1 warm-up set, then:
2 sets of 8-12 Reps
(Use ~15 rep max weight)
Rest 1-2 min between work sets
Alternative Movement you can swap to target the Rec Fem Quad Muscle
–DB Leg Extensions
–Seated Banded Leg Extensions
Other Quad targeting swaps:
–Heels Elevated Goblet Squat
–Spanish Squat
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C. 4 Rounds:
Rest 30-60 sec between each movement
Focus on technique/execution of movement; not speed (breathe through it all)
15-20 Air Squats
10-15 Russian KBS
10-15 Single Leg Glute Bridge (left)
10-15 Single Leg Glute Bridge (right)
10-15 V-ups OR Clamshell Crunches (with or without ball between legs)
12-20 Box or Bench Step-ups (6-10/side)
10-20 Hanging Oblique Knee Raise (5-10/side)
Rest 2 min between rounds
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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 (~3-4 RIR each)
Incline DB Bench Press (pause bottom)
Rest 1-2 min
Neutral Grip Pull-ups (weighted as feasible)
Rest 1-2 min
Alternative Movement you can swap for Pull-ups:
–Neutral Grip Rack Pull-ups
–Neutral Grip Foot Assisted Pull-ups
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B. One Arm DB Row (knee on bench)
FOR RESET WEEK:
1 warm-up set, then:
2 sets of 8-12 Reps/arm
(Use ~15 rep max weight)
Rest 1-2 min between work sets
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C. Flat DB Flies
FOR RESET WEEK:
1 warm-up set, then:
2 sets of 8-12 Reps
(Use ~15 rep max weight)
Rest 1-2 min between work sets
Alternate Movements you can swap:
–Banded Chest Fly
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D. Split Jerks
1-2 warm-up sets, then:
3 work sets x Reps 5-4-3
(increasing weight/effort each set)
Final set of 3 Reps should be a weight you *could* do ~6 reps confidently
Rest 2-3 min between sets
Alternate Movements you can swap:
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E. 2 Rounds:
Rest 30-60 sec between each movement
Target ~2 RIR on each
Seated DB Curls x 8-12 Reps
BW Tricep Extensions (elevate hands to scale) x 8-12 Reps
Banded Straight-Arm Pulldowns x 12-15 Reps
Band Pull-Aparts x 15-25 Reps
Rest 2 min between rounds
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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 (~4-5 then 3-4 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
1-2 warm-up sets of the complex, then:
2 work supersets (~3 then 2-3 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
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C. Alternate Movements:
First round SUPER light/easy warm-up, then:
2 work sets each
Both movements for 12-20 Reps
“At Home” Leg Curls (~2 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Heels Elevated Back Squat (~4 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Alternate movements you can swap for Back squat:
–Landmine Hack Squat
–Heels Elevated Safety Bar Squat
–Foam Roller DB Hack Squats
“At Home” Leg Curl Options:
Hamstring Walkouts (scaled option)
Gliding Leg Curls (with Rings/TRX)
Gliding Leg Curls (with barbell)
Hamstring Curls on Rower
Slider Leg Curls (Slider = skateboard, towel, socks, etc…)
DB Leg Curls
Stability Ball Leg Curls
Rings/TRX Leg Curls
Banded Leg Curls
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D. 2 Rounds:
16-24 Russian Twists (medball or light DB) (8-12 per side)
10-15 Single Leg (deficit) Calf Raises (BW only)
20-30 sec “Side Plank”
20-30 sec “Side Plank” (opposite side)
Rest 2 min between rounds
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Day 5 – Upper Body (Shoulder/Arm Dominant)
Part A and B 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
DB Lateral Raise x 12-15 Reps (~2-3 RIR)
Barbell Overhead Press x 5-8 Reps (~3-4 RIR each)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset sequence
Alternate Movements you can swap for Barbell Overhead Press:
– Steep Incline Anterior Delt Press
–Seated DB 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 (~2 RIR)
Incline DB Curls x 6-10 Reps (~3 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset
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C. Superset Movements:
1 warm-up set prior as needed, then:
2 work sets each
Banded Tricep Pushdowns x 8-12 Reps (~2 RIR)
Incline DB Tricep Extensions x 6-10 Reps (~3 RIR)
Rest 2-3 min after each superset
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D. 4 Rounds:
First round slightly easier, then:
3 more challenging work rounds
Standard “level ground” push-ups x 8-15 Reps (see levels below) (~2-3 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Inverted Rows x 8-15 Reps (~1 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Flat DB Bench Press x 10-20 Reps (~2-3 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Bentover Reverse Flies x 15-25 Reps (light) (~1 RIR)
Rest 1 min
Alternate Movements you can swap for Push-ups:
Dip Belt Push-ups (weighted)
Deep Deficit Push-ups on Parallettes or DB handles (weight vest as needed)
Ring Push-ups
Hands-Elevated “scaled” push-ups (elevate more to scale further)
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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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