North Coast Miller
Level 9 Valued Member
Back to using the Hobo Bundle/Offset pole regimen. Basics have not changed. I use a modified DeLorme/Watkins protocol, on the last set if doing upper body I use Rest/Pause for one repeat.
I have given up on using the Hobo Bundle to train pecs specifically, and just use loaded pushups for that. So only three exercises, Paddle, Shovel, and Laterals. This gives me a low, middle and high push and pull. I have mod'd these from earlier demos somewhat and feel I've finally found the ideal form for these three.
Have learned from the first go around NOT to use loads in excess of an 8RepMax, as the limiting factor is grip and bicep static holding strength. It is easy to overload these muscles with too much resistance/tension, while simply doing a few more reps beats heck out of the shoulders, lats, traps, obliques etc plenty enough for gains while allowing the grip and biceps enough respite to handle it. I have also learned to initiate every rep with a powerful contraction of the abdominals, and to maintain tension on the obliques, erectors, serratus for the entire ROM with exception of the very top when the load comes back into the range of my center of gravity. Then pre-activate before it swing wide again.
I am hoping to keep these in a range where I don't have to cycle them in and out to avoid burnout.
Have also scrubbed drop sets entirely in favor of Rest/Pause, which is far superior for this approach.
For squat, hinge, quad and hamstring exercises I do not use R/P, straight sets seem to be more than sufficient. I suspect the larger motor units in the lower body do not use increased firing rate to improve as much as the upper body, or maybe they fatigue sufficiently for adaptive response without need for R/P to increase intensity...IDK. When using a RPE of 9-10, it takes too long to recover for a R/P approach anyway. Or maybe I'm copping out and need to do it anyway....
As a final update to my previous I managed to hit 205, a 20lb increase in relatively lean mass in one calendar year. Currently around 190 or so and carrying about 5 lbs of fat too many from eating a ton of homemade toast with butter during quarantine.
I have given up on using the Hobo Bundle to train pecs specifically, and just use loaded pushups for that. So only three exercises, Paddle, Shovel, and Laterals. This gives me a low, middle and high push and pull. I have mod'd these from earlier demos somewhat and feel I've finally found the ideal form for these three.
Have learned from the first go around NOT to use loads in excess of an 8RepMax, as the limiting factor is grip and bicep static holding strength. It is easy to overload these muscles with too much resistance/tension, while simply doing a few more reps beats heck out of the shoulders, lats, traps, obliques etc plenty enough for gains while allowing the grip and biceps enough respite to handle it. I have also learned to initiate every rep with a powerful contraction of the abdominals, and to maintain tension on the obliques, erectors, serratus for the entire ROM with exception of the very top when the load comes back into the range of my center of gravity. Then pre-activate before it swing wide again.
I am hoping to keep these in a range where I don't have to cycle them in and out to avoid burnout.
Have also scrubbed drop sets entirely in favor of Rest/Pause, which is far superior for this approach.
For squat, hinge, quad and hamstring exercises I do not use R/P, straight sets seem to be more than sufficient. I suspect the larger motor units in the lower body do not use increased firing rate to improve as much as the upper body, or maybe they fatigue sufficiently for adaptive response without need for R/P to increase intensity...IDK. When using a RPE of 9-10, it takes too long to recover for a R/P approach anyway. Or maybe I'm copping out and need to do it anyway....
As a final update to my previous I managed to hit 205, a 20lb increase in relatively lean mass in one calendar year. Currently around 190 or so and carrying about 5 lbs of fat too many from eating a ton of homemade toast with butter during quarantine.