Functional Hypertrophy Question for Doug

[Cilian McHugh]

Hey Doug,

I'm coming off an illness and I want to throw a few pounds on before I get back into my regular training. I'm looking at adding 15-20, unfortunately all i've got to work with at the moment is my Pair of Welter Class Clubbells and my brand spanking new 1 pood KB

Any Tips?

[Doug Szolek]

Mac,

The protocol that I've put together and been seeing huge results from is to train the following catergories of exercises in the order presented in a set rep scheme of about 4set/exercise 8-12reps/set.

1. An Involved Combination Routine or exercise requiring above average coordination. If you check out my HULKING OUT training program you'll see that I chose the Samson Cast and Drumming. Feel free to pick any combo that you like making sure that you can only perform about 8 of them with good form to give yourself room for growth inside the set rep range of Hypertrophy.

2. A Whole body blaster. That descibes it very well. For these, I've been enjoying the Whack a Moles and Clockwork Squats, and you may notice that my numbers are creeping into to Endurance Range, but because they involve the rock bottom squats it allowable to extend the upper limit of the rep range. The Anabolic effect of high rep full squats is well documented. Here could be a fun place to make use of that shiny new Kettlebell, maybe a Clean to Push Press to Overhead Squat, alternating arms each rep (ooh man that sounds fun). Or with your Welter Class Clubbells, you could try a double 1/2 Reverse Parry Cast to Back Position, Head Cast to Shoulder Park full Squat then bring down the 'bells with the reverse of the 1/2 Parry that started the exercises.

3. A slow and torturous Grind. I've really been enjoying the Yielding See Saw Casts in this catergory. And another fun combo I've been playing with for Kettlebells is to curl the KB to my Chest then Military Press it over head. The trick here being that the curl mimics the action of a Clubbell Reverse Parry Cast so that it is lead from the elbow screwing across the center line of the body to wind up the weight. If you go with something like this then alternate arms with each rep and grind 'em out nice and slow.

Working them in the order presented is important to not fatiguing before doing the more technical movements and combos.

This is a very anearobic set rep scheme so don't expect to be pouring buckets of sweat with each session. Rather, be prepared to be forced past your current levels of strength as the reps get rapidly more difficult to complete.

I've been growing very fast from making two sessions of exercises grouped in the above order and working them twice a day, three days a week, but to this you'll have to make allowance for your own schedule. What ever you go with be sure to keep a daily sesssion of Dynamic Range of Motion going to keep your size functionally mobile and not restrictive in any sense.

Let me know how this looks to you and before you go ahead with anything, let me know exactly how long you'd like to take in building your goal mass. Also you're current diet will be a huge factor in determining how well you'll be able to capitalize on the growth you stimulate in the gym.

Get back to me with this feedback and we'll get you on the wide, wide, road of growth.

[Cilian McHugh]

Doug,

Thanks for the guidelines, I will read them thoroughly on my way home and post when I get back.

Some general feeback, my current diet is heavy on dietary fibre in the morning and a lot of whole milk, light carbs and protein for lunch and then beefing up on the protein and unsaturated fats with more carbs in the evening.

Time wise I think maybe 6-8 weeks, is this realistic for 15-20 lbs (I should add that I have very low (6.6%) Body Fat and currently way about 150)
Two sessions per day three times per week sounds manageable.

I will be back with exercise selection later this evening.

Fraternal

Cilian

[Cilian McHugh]

OK having thought about this for the last couple of hours here is a first idea for a program:

Session 1
1) Drumming 4 sets of 8 reps each arm 15lbs Clubbells x 2

2) Clean to Press to Overhead Squat 4 sets 15 reps each arm (alternating each rep) 16kg Kettlebell

3) Curl to Chest and Press 4 sets of 10 reps each arm 16 Kg Kettlebell


Session 2
1) Ramalli 4 sets of 12 reps 15lbs Clubbells x 2

2) Clean to Back Position to Head Cast to Shoulder Park to Parallel Squat to 1/2 Parry Cast 4 Sets of 10 reps 15lbs Clubbells x 2

3) Clean to Bottoms-Up Press 4 sets of 8 reps 16 Kg Kettlebell


My thinking is that by shifting the balance more towards the relatively heavier KB work in the morning I can stimulate more growth throughout the day and hopefully squeeze more growth out of my nutrition.

Thoughts?

[Doug Szolek]

Cilian, judging by your exercise selection, you've got the work ethic to reach your goals, now all we need to do is polish off a few things and you'll be well on the wide road of growth.

In Session 1, exercise 2: do you plan to make that a Push Press to Overhead squat. I'd recommend that you do, in order to keep from overworking your arms in that session because you've got a grinding press directly following it. And making it a Push Press will keep more of your entire body working to meet the goals of this exercise.

In Session 1, exercise 3: pay very close attention during your first days and weeks on this program to be sure that you're not over working the clean and press action of the arms by grouping these so close. I wondered about recommending you to separate them, but if you monitor your results closely, and do as much as you can to differentiate them then you'll see good growth without overworking the movement pattern. So enjoy the torture but be careful. Also, if you're alternating with the Clean to (Push) Press to Overhead Squat, then I'd recommend doing the entire set of Curl to Chest and Press with one arm then switching after finding failure. This will further differentiate the training stimuli of these movements.

In Session 2, exercise 2: do you plan to lower the Clubbells from the Head Cast directly to Shoulder Park, or to Back Position and then pull them into Shoulder Park? If you're comfortable with the technique then by all means go strait to shoulder park, but if you value your ears and are at all shaky with the form, then bring 'em to Back Position first.

In Session 2, exercise 3: I think you'd be over working the overhead press to have three of them in your cycle. A better exercise might be, Clean to Side Press. It'll still be a slow grind but with less taxation of the grip/wrist which will already be fatigued from the earlier work. The end of the day is a dangerous time for Bottoms-Up Presses.

As for your diet, I'd normally recommend, hitting the morning session on an empty stomach, but your body fat is already pretty cut so let this up to your schedule if you'd like to eat a high fiber breakfast before no sooner than an hour before you morning training. Post training however, should definitely consist of 30-45 grams of high quality protein. If you've already had breakfast then this could be a simple protein shake with a whole milk base, or if this is likely to be your only morning meal, then go with a handful of eggs glass of milk and/or juice, and a small serving of fiber (a slice or two of sprouted grain bread, or small bowl of oatmeal, use your imagination).

Lunch should again have a whole food protein base (fish, beef, chicken, etc.) with a healthy portion of greens and complex carbs. If your dinner will be something separate from your post evening workout meal then stick with the lunch meal plan but with fewer carbs. And then have a Protein shake post workout. If you're only going with one evening meal, then make it big, and don't plan to do much after your workout to give your digestive system plenty of time and resources to process it.

All in all, much of gain size involves eating a large amount of protein, broken up into 30-45gram portions 4-5 times a day. This way the growth and strength you're stimulating in the gym are constantly being provided to building blocks of new lean mass.

Finally, make sure that you are working a session of Warrior Wellness every day. This will speed your muscular recovery and keep your muscles from carrying residual tension from your training. This will be the most important aspect of this cycle and may even keep you from having to battle back from illness in the future.

Good luck for good growth, and let me know your thoughts on these suggestions as soon as you're able.

[Cilian McHugh]

Doug,

Solid stuff I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.

On the Press to Overhead Squat, I'm not entirely sure how a Push Press differs to be honest :oops: (I haven't got my RKC stuff yet, but I did do a Kettlebell seminar with Mike Mahler)

Yeah I had intended to do one arm then the other on the Curl to MP

I'm good to go on the Head Cast to Shoulder Park, I tried out all the exercises today between posts to see if your advice would tear my arms out of their sockets :twisted:

Side Press sounds good now that I think about it, a real evil monkey eh?

Schedulewise wise yeah I will probably hit:
Morning Training-> DROM session-> Breakfast-> Lunch-> Evening Training-> DROM2-> Dinner-> Sleep Precious Sleep

I will probably manage to squeeze an extra couple of heavy protein snacks in during training days and possibly off days

Thanks again

Cilian

[Doug Szolek]

Glad to hear that my knowledge is helping, can't wait to hear (and eventually see) how it works!

As for the difference between a Military Press and a Push Press. The MP is all arm, keeping the shoulder packed tight and driving the weight overhead with just the arm pressing the body away from the KB. The Push Press starts with a hip/knee dip and then a fast lower body drive to launch the KB overhead only minimally assisted my the arm. The shoulder will still remain packed as the arm finishes the upward drive of the legs to carry the KB to being locked out overhead. It is almost a Jerk except that a Jerk has a second hip/knee dip as the KB comes to float to allow the arm to lockout between the body and the KB. So you see they are sort of a progression away from arm isolation. The Military Press being all grinding arm, the Push Press being a happy muscle medium, and the Jerk being the most technical whole body coordinator. If you need further clarification let me know.

Now to dig deeper into your Session 1 just so we're on the same page. I'd work the Clean to Push Press to Overhead Squat doing all reps consecutively with one arm then hit the next arm after you catch your breath and shake out your legs. Then alternate arms each rep with the Grind Clean (Curl to chest) to Military Press. Yea, that sounds very much like the way to grow. :wink:

As for diet, protein is your friend. Training twice a day like this will probably increase your appetite. Eat enough to match it and then some. Because of the extra work that your digestive system will be going through to synthesize all that protein into muscle, you may consider a 1-3 day fast at the end of this cycle.

Looking forward to reading all about your progress. :)

[Cilian McHugh]

Alright Doug,

I'm ready to rock after a couple of 'dry runs' but I just want to run my program by you again if you don't mind.

Session 1

Drumming 4x 8 each arm w/ 2 Clubbells

Clean to Ramalli to Shoulder Park to Parallel Squat 4x10 w/ 2 Clubbells

Clean to Sidepress 4x 6 w/ 1 KB (1 arm then the other)


Session 2

Ramalli 4x 10 w/ 2Clubbells

Clean to Push Press to OH Squat 4x 10 w/ 1 KB (1 arm then the other)

Curling Clean to Military Press w/ 1 KB (Alternating each rep)

And a thorough session of WW Beginner after each session (possibly before the AM session)

On reflection I had to drop the reps (within Hypertrophy guidelines) in order to complete the session, but I assume that as I progress I'll be able to Cybernetically Periodize.

How does this look?

[Doug Szolek]

Looks good to me Cilian, I'm looking forward to hearing how it works for you in the training programs log forum.

Keep us posted.

[Cilian McHugh]

Will do Doug, however I'm going out of town this week and I won't be able to bring my beloved bells with me. So I'll be starting a week from Tuesday, just so you don't think I'm having second thoughts :wink:

But, it did occur to me on one of the dry runs of the OH Squat complex that you must have some sort of grudge against me :lol: