Breaking through Plateau's for Gains in Muscle & Strength: The Overload Principle
Part 8 of the Ebook 'Periodized Hypertophy Training': Strength, Tension, and Intensity (STI)
A Comprehensive Program for Year Round Muscle Growth
This is for the advanced lifter with a few years of training under his/her belt who is looking for a way to continue progress. The concept of the overload principle is not for the faint of heart. The concept is basically going above the typical volume level for 3 weeks and following it by tapering back on your exercises to allow for active recovery. It may be difficult, but your body is not comfortable holding extra muscle, the energy/blood requirement will increase. So you will have to convince your body to do something that it doesn't want to. During the overload portion of your training you had better be ready to increase your caloric intake as well as the quality and length of your sleep.
Exercises/Training Order: plateau
To employ the overload principle over the course of 3 months, you will select a routine and progressively decrease the repetitions and increase the weight for 3 straight weeks. On the 4th week you can add variations to your routine: dumbbells (you should avoid using dumbbells for the heavy weight during the strength phase) instead of barbells; and also chains, bands, lighter weight with increased velocity, lifts standing etc. Do not perform any lifts on bosu balls as the increased balance requirement does not aid in increasing force production or muscle fiber recruitment.
Once you perform this cycle two times (8 weeks) you will enter into the overload portion of the training period where you will add an extra set to all (except for abs/obliques, and cavles) of your exercises increasing the total sets per day from 18 sets to 22 sets. You will do this for 3 weeks and on the 4th week you will have an active rest period where the volume per day will be cut to 12 total sets. Use the variations in your routine as discussed in the paragraph above. Your exercise intensity during overload will be 75-83% of your max and will become 65% for 6 reps so that you can maximize velocity and minimize muscle tension to allow for recovery. Here are the reps you will perform for each set from week to week:
Week 1: 6 reps (75%) Week 2: 5 reps (77%) Week 3: 4 reps (80%) Week 4: 6 reps (70%)
Week 5: 6 reps (75%) Week 6: 5 reps (77%) Week 7: 4 reps (80%) Week 8: 6 reps (70%)
Overload month, 1 extra set added: Week 9: 6 reps (75%) Week 10: 5 reps (77%) Week 11: 4 reps (80%) Week 12: 6 reps (65%) Active rest week
During the Strength Phase the exercises you perform should all be free weight. Avoid using machines or cables. However, as a bodybuilder, you can only grow when you’re healthy; you can avoid injury by utilizing a hammer strength or smith machine for the incline press or shoulder press if you have a history of shoulder or rotator cuff injury. Here is a sample exercise routine:
Day 1- Push, abs/obliques
Chest: 2 exercises, 4 sets each. Shoulders: 2 exercises, 3 sets each. Abs/Obl: 4 sets
Bench Press 4 X 6 Smith Machine Incline Press 4 X 6
Smith Machine Shoulder Press 3 X 6 Bent Elbow Lateral Raises 3 X 6 Hanging Leg Raises, 4 sets to failure
Day 2- Pull, calves
Back: 2 exercises, 4 sets each. Traps: 1 exercise 3 sets. Rear Delts: 1 exercise 3 sets. Calves: 4 sets
Barbell Bent Over Rows 4 X 6 T-Bar Rows 4 X 6 Dumbbell Shrugs 3 X 6
Reverse Flys 3 X 6 Calf Raises 4 X 15
Day 3-Legs, abs/obliques
Legs: 4 exercises, 3 sets each. Abs/Obl: 4 sets
Squats 3 X 6 Legs Press 3 X 6 Leg Curl 3 X 6 Leg Extension 3 X 6 Decline Crunches 4 sets to failure
Day 4- off
Day 5- Push, abs/obliques
Chest: 2 exercises, 4 sets each. Triceps: 2 exercises, 3 sets each. Abs/Obl: 4 sets
Wide Grip Hammer Strength 4 X 6 Decline Bench 4 X 6 Inside Grip Bench Press 3 X 6 Weighted Dips 3 X 6 Weighted Torso Rotations 4 sets of 20 reps
Day 6- Pull, calves
Back: 2 exercises, 4 sets. Biceps: 2 exercises, 3 sets each. Calves: 4 sets
Deadlifts 4 X 6 Weighted Pullups 4 X 6 Straight Bar Curls 3 X 6
Dumbbell Alternating Curls 3 X 6 Seated Calve raises 4 X 15
Day 7- off
-End Part 1
