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Other/Mixed Hypertrophy tweak for Escalating Volume

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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LukeV

LukeV

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Hi guys, this is my first post on StrongFirst but I've read pretty much all the great info on here - thanks so much to the contributors.

I'm 47 years old and been lifting seriously for the last 3 - 4 years. I've got arthritis in the elbows and need to keep a close eye on weight, volume and frequency.

This article by Fabio caught my eye and I'm into week three and the elbows are doing okay:

The 1TRM EV PS Program: Escalating Volume in the Plan Strong Style

My question is whether I could squeeze some hypertrophy out of this program by dropping the rest between sets to one minute?

Cheerio, Luke
 
@LukeV Welcome to the forum.

This is a strength program as outlined by the NL = 200. You may experience the benefit of some Hypertrophy, but decreasing the rest periods would not be advised for optimal results. Complete this program as prescribed, then move on to a higher volume program focused on Hypertrophy for 6-8 weeks.
 
LukeV said:
My question is whether I could squeeze some hypertrophy out of this program by dropping the rest between sets to one minute?
Click to expand...
I would not. The only way you might get away with a little less rest is if your weights happen to land on the low side, e.g., in Fabio's example, a 79% weight is used where a 75% weight is called for, perhaps if you are using a 70% weight instead, you might get away with a little less rest.

But ultimately, it's a strength program, and as such, you shouldn't perform the next set until you're ready to do so, and the clock should not be your guide in this.

-S-
 
Thanks for those comments.
My elbows appreciate weights under 80% 1RM, sets of 5 reps or less, and no more than three workouts per week.
That favours strength as the objective but at my age (47) I figure if you're not building muscle then you're probably losing muscle (I recall Dan John saying something like that). So I'm always on the lookout for a tweak to deliver me some hypertrophy within the parameters above.
Any other ideas around this would be most welcome
 
Hello,

@LukeV
Hard to say.
In terms of tool: Do you want to do bodyweight ? Kettlebell ? Barbell ? Mix them up ?
In terms of move: Do you want to focus on specific moves ?
In terms of constraints : do you have any other health issue ? Time constraint ?

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
LukeV said:
if you're not building muscle then you're probably losing muscle
Click to expand...
@LukeV, I don't agree with that - it really all depends on your perspective and why you lift. The idea of putting on more muscle just so I can lift heavier things just doesn't appeal to me and never has. Different strokes for different folks.

-S-
 
I'm in the process of burning off the extra 7 kg I put on over the last 6 months of not training and eating anything that I was fast enough to catch.

I've lost just under 1kg a week and gained a bit of muscle mass. I certainly haven't lost any muscle. I'm 47 as well so I don't think it's impossible to lose fat and gain muscle at our age.

I'm using an Eat Stop Eat protocol where I fasted for 3 days in the first week and 2 days each week after that. I overeat slightly on training days but still keep my weekly calories under maintenance to keep the weight loss happening.

3 days a week of fasting is borderline eating disorder territory, I just did that to kickstart the fat burning in the first week and now do it once or twice a week max.

If you are working out 3 days a week it's actually quite difficult to lose muscle mass in the short term, you won't build much mass at a calorie deficit but if you manage it properly can have a bit of both.
 
Hello,

@LukeV
I believe @Tarzan did exactly the right thing to do:
combine the proper diet and the proper type of training. There is no more to add. The right sweet spot is different for everyone.

Some people gain fast and lose fast, other gain slowly (like me) but maintain easily.

On the long term, even if you get older, but you are capable to maintain (not increase) your lifts, that is you are not losing muscle.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
LukeV said:
Thanks for those comments.
My elbows appreciate weights under 80% 1RM, sets of 5 reps or less, and no more than three workouts per week.
That favours strength as the objective but at my age (47) I figure if you're not building muscle then you're probably losing muscle (I recall Dan John saying something like that). So I'm always on the lookout for a tweak to deliver me some hypertrophy within the parameters above.
Any other ideas around this would be most welcome
Click to expand...

I train a pretty mixed bag, so any changes from a more hypertrophic or strength based routine are instinctive and not on a schedule. I am not familiar with the program you reference but it sounds like a low rep, long rest, strength builder.

In most cases tweaking a routine to get a shift is at best partially effective. You could add some yielding isometrics to the movements you're already doing and get some additional hypertrophic benefit. Better to lower the weight and add reps to 8-10, go to failure on the last set of each exercise, three sets per, use isolation exercises. These are the basics of hypertrophic training and would (I presume) utterly transform your program into something other than intended.

If you have a strength based program that has a beginning and end I'd follow Steve's advice and finish it first, then move on. Otherwise and over the longer haul, you could stagger a hypertrophic oriented program with a strength based one two weeks on, two weeks off.

If you have strength it is relatively easy to gain mass, but you should train specifically for it.
 
Hello,

@LukeV
I hope you will reach your goal in safety.

If you find it useful, you can create a training log. It is a good way to see your progression.

Best of luck.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
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