Advanced Body Splits
Within the first installment I presented the rationale as to why most common training methods failed to recruit and exhaust one or another group of muscle fibres and offering a program which addressed this issue. While the program was fairly comprehensive in terms of working the whole body, it lacked variety in terms of exercise selection and was fairly low volume which doesn't always suit everybody.
Considering this I will now present an advanced version which encompasses a greater variety of exercises per body part that more comprehensively recruits the target fibres, as well as increasing the overall work performed.
Those individuals that have built a solid base through six to twelve weeks of the holistic hypertrophy program part 1 should perform this program.
| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
| Back |
Quads |
Off |
Chest |
Hamstrings |
Delts |
Off |
Each body part will have three exercises and a total of nine sets per workout. Perform each exercise with the allocated number of sets and reps, paying close attention to the tempo of each exercise, which is a major component of the programs effectiveness of mass accretion.
Back Workout
| Exercises |
Sets |
Reps |
Tempo* |
Rest |
| Power snatch |
3 |
3 |
1,0,X |
120 seconds |
| Medium grip pull ups |
3 |
8 |
3,1,2 |
90 seconds |
| Decline pullovers |
3 |
20 |
4,4,4 |
45 seconds |
Print The Back Workout, Click Here!
*(Eccentric, isometric pause, concentric in seconds. X means to explode and movement speed should be attempted to be fast)
Power Snatch - View Exercise
Take hold of your loaded bar with a grip wide enough that your grip is near the outer rings. Keeping your back flat start to stand up in a smooth controlled manner, as the bar passes your knees start to speed up your pull. As the bar passes your hips continue to explode the bar upwards as you drive up onto your toes and pull the bar up to chest height. Dip down and catch the bar overhead.
Medium Grip Pull-Ups - View Exercise
Take hold of a chinning bar just outside shoulder width with a pronated grip (palms facing away). From a dead hang pull yourself towards the bar whilst bringing your chest towards it by arching your lower back. Ensure your elbows travel backward to keep the emphasis on the back rather than your arms.
Decline Pullovers - View Exercise
Angle a decline bench to around forty-five degrees. Laying face up hold a dumbell directly over your chest. There should be a slight (15 degree) bend in your elbows with one end of the dumbell cradled in both hands. Keeping your arms in this position lower the dumbell so it passes behind your head until your upper arms are level with your ears. Return to the initial position. The decline position should ensure constant tension on your lats.
Quad Workout
| Exercises |
Sets |
Reps |
Tempo* |
Rest |
| Jump squat |
3 |
3 |
1,0,X |
120 seconds |
| Full squat |
3 |
8 |
3,1,2 |
90 seconds |
| Leg extension |
3 |
20 |
4,4,4 |
45 seconds |
Print The Quad Workout, Click Here!
Jump Squats - View Exercise
Using around 25% of your full squat one rep max, stand with your feet just outside shoulder width and slightly flared. Squat down quickly to around a quarter squat depth and explode back up so that you leave the ground. As you land resist the weight back down into a quarter squat again and repeat. Ensure your knees do not deviate medially or laterally, by keeping them directly over your feet.
Full Squat - View Exercise
Feet just beyond shoulder width keep your back flat, chest up squat down pause at the bottom and drive back up to a standing position. You should squat to your full natural depth (the deepest point just before your back starts to round and your hips posteriorly rotate).
Leg Extension - View Exercise
Point your toes up (dorsi flexion) and extend your legs until they are virtually straight. Lower and repeat.
Chest Workout
| Exercises |
Sets |
Reps |
Tempo* |
Rest |
| Plyometric push-up |
3 |
3 |
1,0,X |
120 seconds |
| Incline dumbell press |
3 |
8 |
3,1,2 |
90 seconds |
| Fly |
3 |
20 |
4,4,4 |
45 seconds |
Print The Chest Workout, Click Here!
Plyometric Push Up - View Exercise
Keep your back flat and rest on your feet and hands. Starting with your arms extended with your hands in line with your lower chest. Drop down fast and explode back up so you leave the ground. Land and instantly descend for the next rep.
Incline Dumbell Press - View Exercise
Lay on a bench inclined to 30-40 degrees. The dumbells should be directly over your elbows in the bottom position, with your upper arms forming a forty five degree angle with your torso. Press the dumbells up and in so you finish with the dumbells directly over your chest. Lower and repeat.
Fly - View Exercise
Lay on a bench with a pair of dumbells held directly over your chest. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows as you lower the weight out to your sides until they are in a line with your chest. Contract your chest as you bring the dumbells back up in the arc they lowered in.
Hamstring Workout
| Exercises |
Sets |
Reps |
Tempo* |
Rest |
| High pull |
3 |
3 |
1,0,X |
120 seconds |
| Stiff-legged deadlift |
3 |
8 |
3,1,2 |
90 seconds |
| Leg curl |
3 |
20 |
4,4,4 |
45 seconds |
Print The Hamstring Workout, Click Here!
High Pull - View Exercise
Hold onto a loaded bar with a grip just beyond shoulder width. In one smooth motion pull the bar from the floor up to chest height as you drive up onto your toes. Keep your back flat throughout and ensure most of the pulling power comes from your hips.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift - View Exercise
Holding onto the bar with a shoulder width grip arch your lower back, bend your knees and start to lean forward at the waist. Continue forward untill the point just before your back starts to round. Pause and return to the starting position. Claw at the ground with your toes to achieve greater activation of the hamstrings.
Leg Curls - View Exercise
Ensure your knee is in line with the pivot and the pad is just above the back of your ankles. Keep your toes pointing away from your shins to inhibit your gastrocnemius from aiding curl the weight up towards the back of your hips. Lower and repeat.
Deltoid Workout
| Exercises |
Sets |
Reps |
Tempo* |
Rest |
| Push press |
3 |
3 |
1,0,X |
120 seconds |
| Military press |
3 |
8 |
3,1,2 |
90 seconds |
| Incline lateral raise |
3 |
20 |
4,4,4 |
45 seconds |
Print The Deltoid Workout, Click Here!
Push Press - View Exercise
Take a grip that is just wide enough so your hands are underneath your elbows in the down position (the bar should be in line with your clavicle). Keeping your back flat dip down at the knees. Drive back up extending your arms overhead simultaneously. At the top dip once again at the knees so as to 'catch' the bar overhead. Lower and repeat.
Military Press - View Exercise
Take hold of the bar with your hands wide enough again so as they are over your elbows. Keeping your back flat, extend the bar overhead without any help from your legs. Lower and repeat.
Incline Lateral Raise - View Exercise
Lay prone on a bench angled to around 50-60 degrees. Holding a dumbell in each hand, keep your elbows slightly bent. Raise your arms up and out until your elbows are level with your shoulder. Lower and repeat.
Explanation Of The Workouts
The first exercise for each muscle group is intended to be explosive so as to recruit the highest threshold fibres. The problem with most exercises is that full acceleration throughout the full range of motion does not occur, as the antagonist will fire to brake or check the movement so as to maintain integrity of the joints. Considering this, the movements have been selected because they require constant acceleration to complete the movement (i.e. Olympic lifts and plyometric exercise) and involve minimal antagonist inhibition at the end.
After performing three sets of three for the first exercise the second exercise will be performed which aims to exhaust the intermediate fibres and develop high levels of inter-muscular co-ordination (co-ordinated recruitment of the prime mover and all synergistic muscles). Considering this a multi-joint exercise is selected preferentially free weight in nature that requires greater activation of the synergists and fixators.
Upon completion of your second exercise you will move on to the third and final exercise which aims to fatigue as many slow twitch fibres as possible within the target muscle group. At this point a single joint exercise is used in order to create high levels of intramuscular co-ordination (recruitment and synchronisation of individual motor units within the target muscle). At this point machines can be used if preferred as less recruitment of synergist and fixators will occur upon the machine allowing full concentration upon the target muscle group.
Progression can occur several routes, either increases in weight, increases in the total amount of sets or a reduction in the rest period. Over a ten week period a combination of these progression methods can occur like so:
| Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
| Find RM for all lifts |
Add 5lb to 20 rep sets |
Add 5lb to 20 rep sets |
Add 5lb to 3 rep sets |
Add 5lb to 3 rep sets |
 |
| Week 6 |
Week 7 |
Week 8 |
Week 9 |
Week 10 |
| Add 5lb to 3 rep sets |
Add set to 3 rep sets |
Reduce Rest period of 20 rep sets by 15 seconds |
Reduce rest periods of 8 rep sets by 15 seconds |
Reduce rest periods of 3 rep sets by 15 seconds |
After ten weeks alter the exercises or adjust stance, grip width etc so as to develop different motor patterns. There you have it -train hard, train smart and fulfil your physique potential by training all of the elements of your muscle fibres.
Thanks,
glen.danbury@aquaterra.org
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