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Hypertrophy & Higher Reps

- Upper Body Emphasis -

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**WORKOUT SUMMARY (+ CLICK TO ENLARGE)**
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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
T-Bar Row Triple Drop Set	#1 & #2	2-3	5+5+5	90-120"	8-9	2"

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OPTION #1

The T-Bar row is a great exercise for crushing the entire back as well as the whole posterior chain. Here's one of my NFL athletes Jarius Wynn performing it as a quadruple drop set/complete strip set which is one of the most effective high intensity techniques you can incorporate for building strength and size in the back. The t-bar or landmine setup is very conducive for this type of strip set. This protocol produces significant muscle damage, metabolic stress, and mechanical tension throughout the entire posterior chain including the upper back and lats as well as the low back, glutes, and hamstrings. The forearms, rear delts, and biceps also take quite a beating due to the significant time under tension. Be prepared for some therapeutic pain on this one but the resulting growth and strength gains as well as improved conditioning is well worth the momentary discomfort. On a side note you'll notice I elevate the pivot point of the landmine station as this produces a greater and more natural range of motion than if the base was set at the floor.

OPTION #2

NOTE: Bands are completely optional and you can do deadlifts with a trap bar, barbell, or dumbbells. For today, focus on 6-10 controlled reps per set.

Most deadlift variations I implement involve the trap bar & brief eccentric isometrics where they control the eccentric & pause at the bottom before driving up. This maximizes the functional strength & hypertrophy stimulus while maximizing muscle function & athletic performance. The reverse band method or band assistance deloads the weaker bottom position while overloading the stronger top position.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Flat Dumbbell Chest Press	#1 & #2	3	6-8 (last set to failure)	90-120"	8-9	2-3"

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Great exercise for targeting the chest, shoulders, triceps, and lats. Keep the hands neutral throughout. This keeps the scapula and shoulder joint in the proper position allowing the strongest and safest biomechanics.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Eccentric Isometric Pullups (Weighted Optional)	#3 & #4	3	5-10 (last set to failure)	90"	7-9	3"

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OPTION #1

If you want to improve your pullup or chin-up technique the eccentric isometric pull-up variation is fantastic for improving shoulder stability, shoulder stability, t-spine mobility, postural alignment, and spinal positioning. Avoid having the shoulders collapse, protract, or excessively elevate at the bottom position.

OPTION #2

Notice the use of the barbell loading rather than plates, dumbbells, chains, or kettlebells. While each of these can apply additional load, the barbell requires the most precise execution & dialed in body mechanics. Even the slightest deviation in form, posture, alignment, or any asymmetrical pulling, tilting, twisting, or shifting will cause the bar to tilt.

This is perhaps the single most brutal pullup I’ve ever done & absolutely devastates the core & lats while reinforcing a neutral spine & symmetrical hip alignment. These also force the lifter to drive with maximal effort into 90 deg hip flexion as anything less will result in the barbell falling off their hips.

Additionally, to protect the family jewels, the bar will need to sit on the musculature of the upper thighs while maintaining control of the lumbopelvic hip complex & deep pelvic floor muscles in order to keep everything tucked in nice & tight. In fact I’ve nicknamed these the ABC pullup or Anti Ball Crushing Pullups which is quite appropriate given I’m wearing ABC (anti-ball crushing shorts) from Lululemon.

Lastly notice I’m pulling to roughly 90 deg elbow angles which is ideal for the human body. Read more in full article at link in bio.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Overhead Dumbbell Press	#3 & #4	3	6-8 (last set to failure)	90-120"	7-9	2-3"

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I typically recommend starting off an arm workout with several heavy power sets before dropping the load and performing strict curls. Form is tight but not excessively strict. This allows recruitment of the highest threshold motor units in order to tax the fast twitch fibers and potentiate the nervous system prior to lighter loads.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Standing Dumbbell or Kneeling Kettlebell Curls	#5 & #6	1	5+5+5 (hit failure)	90-120"	9	1-2"

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OPTION #1

Here I have NFL athlete Marcelis Branch performing eccentric overload cheat curls. When it comes to producing functional mass & strength, it’s difficult to beat eccentric overload. That’ s because it takes advantage of all 3 key known mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy including mechanical tension, muscle damage, & metabolic stress.

Here Marcelis is using a cheat curl by incorporating his hips & legs into the concentric phase allowing him to handle supramaximal loading (greater than his 1RM) for the eccentric phase. In other words the heaviest he might use for curls would be 65 lb dumbbells however this method allowed him to handle 75’s for the eccentric phase of the reps thereby maximizing the overload effect & ultimately inducing the greatest levels of functional strength & hypertrophy.

If I had to give one critique I would recommend using more hip drive on the concentric to avoid the use of so much lumbar & low back extension to drive the weight up. This improved throughout the set as he began to rely more on his hips & less on his back.

Due to intensity of eccentric overload, I recommend incorporating several sets of 3-5 reps once ever 7-15 days as anymore can produce excessive muscle damage & neural fatigue making it difficult to recover from training. In fact, eccentric overload has actually been shown to produce muscle atrophy when used excessively simply because the tissues can become over-damaged and over-stressed.

OPTION #2

If you’re looking for one of the most challenging yet growth-inducing bicep movements you’ve ever performed, the kneeling kettlebell curls performed in an alternate fashion from the contracted position is just what the doctor ordered. Although it sounds a bit complicated its actually quite simple. While kneeling on a bench, curl both of the kettlebells to the top contracted position (approximately mid chest height), lower one arm, perform a bicep curl, then repeat with the opposite arm.

The key is holding the non-moving arm in the top contracted position throughout while alternating from side to side each repetition. Performing this same protocol with dumbbells is not nearly as effective as the top of the dumbbell curl typically involves little tension thereby providing a semi-rest period when holding the top position. However, because of the kettlebells’ unique loading mechanics, the top position is actually quite taxing on the biceps provide constant tension with little if any relief throughout the movement. In addition, the kneeling position ensures the lifter does not twist or contort their body as a means of intentionally providing tension relief to the arms, as any squirming, shifting, or cheating, will result in loosing your balance and dumping the load.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Tricep Cable Pressdown Triple Drop Set	#5 & #6	1	7+7+7 (hit failure)	120"	9	2"

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OPTION #1

Here I have NPC physique champion Eric McIntyre using the BANA 2:1 Bilateral Assisted Negative Accentuated Training Protocol (down with 2 up with 1) on tricep pressdowns with is incredibly effective for functional hypertrophy. I’ve also posted at least a dozen BANA variations over the last year. In fact, Friday I posted a landmine row using a similar method, however I received various questions about the reasons for this protocol therefore I wanted to use this more simple variation to illustrate the BANA method more clearly.

Research has proven time and again that eccentric overload is one of the most potent forms of training not only for building incredible levels of functional strength & hypertrophy but also for injury prevention. It’s for this reason I’ve posted numerous articles & methods over the years that highlight unique but effective protocols to take advantage of eccentric overload including the Power Rack Eccentric Potentiation Method, Compound Isolation Movements, Biomechanical Drop Rep, Eccentric Accentuated Push Press, Landmine Negative Training, Table Top Squeeze Press, and more. See 100+ variations on website.

With the BANA method, you’re performing the concentric phase of the lift with 2 limbs & the eccentric phase with 1 limb thereby providing greater eccentric overload during that eccentric or negative movement. For instance in this video Eric using 130 lbs which is approximately 40 more pounds than he could use if he were performing strict single arm tricep cable pressdowns without the assistance of the other arm. Simply, this allows him to overload the daylights out of his triceps with high levels of eccentric tension. Once again, the research is quite clear this is very very effective for functional strength & hypertrophy. Besides blasting the triceps, these also tax the core & abs due to the offset loading that wants to rotate & tilt your body.

OPTION #2

If you're looking for a brutal but highly effective tricep variation that crushes the arms but also happens to be joint friendly try this alternating eccentric isometric kettlebell skull crusher on a decline bench. The combination of decline and kettlebells provides more constant tension while also taking stress off the elbow joints. By holding the non-moving arm in the eccentric isometric stretched position this induces high levels muscle damage and micro trauma which trigger additional growth. Combined with the constant tension that creates metabolic stress and cellular swelling, the end result is massive growth in the triceps. Several sets of 5-7 reps on each arm will do the job for triggering a signifcant hypertrophy stimulus. On a side note, it's not completely necessary to perform the actual eccentric phase with an ultra slow tempo as the key with this exercise is to spend most of the time in the 90 degree stretched position. Also focus on keeping your shoulders pinned back and down and elbows tucked (pointed straight ahead) throughout.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Cable Chest Fly and Lunges with Eccentric Isometrics	#7,#8,#9,#10	2	5-8 (per leg)	90-120"	8-9	1-2"

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OPTION #1

For this exercise walk forward in front of the pulleys several feet to produce a horizontal pulling force then lunge down & perform controlled chest flyes. The force vectors allows a slightly more upright lunge position than normal which in turn produces a greater stretch to the anterior regions of the body.

OPTION #2

Although this is a combination lower body and arm exercise, the stimulus to the biceps is incredibly intense. While holding a dumbbell in each hand lower your body into the bottom of a lunge without touching your back knee to the ground. While holding the eccentric isometric (stretched position) of a lunge perform smooth and controlled reps of bicep curls while pausing in the top and bottom position of the curling motion. There are several benefits of this unique protocol including increased tension in the contracted position as well as the fact that it forces the lifter to eliminate momentum as swinging and cheating will cause the lifter to lose balance.

The eccentric isometric lunge position can also be used to perform shoulder raises such as front raises and lateral raises as the slight forward lean makes it very effective for targeting the delts and eliminating cheating or activation from the upper traps.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Goblet Squat & Curl	#7,#8,#9,#10	1	12 (to failure)	90-120"	8-9	2"

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The kettlebell squat and curl is a great combination bicep, leg, and core movement that forces the lifter to perform the movement very strict and controlled. In addition the forward lean produced from the squat produces incredible strain on the bicep muscles particularly in the contracted position. This makes the movement highly effective for inducing size gains due to the occlusion effect, constant tension, and metabolic stress. Credit goes to Kyle Arsenault for coming up with this unique but effective movement.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Back Extension or GHR Lateral Raises	#7,#8,#9,#10	1	15	90"	8	2"

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OPTION #1

If you’re looking for a rear deltoid exercise that fully taxes the entire posterior chain from head to toe, crushes the grip, and also fixes your bent over lateral raise mechanics then you’ll want to give these a try. Performing lateral raises on a glute ham raise station not only targets the glutes, hamstrings, spinal stabilizers, and postural muscles but the torso position ends up being perfectly parallel to the floor making it impossible to cheat the movement. As a result your rear deltoids will get absolutely scorched from this variation. Here's one of my football athletes Nick England showing how it's done.

In fact most individuals end up using excessive body english and an overly upright torso position when performing bent over lateral raises. As a result they use their traps, upper back, and side deltoids more than the rear portion of the shoulders. Performing these on a glute ham raise station completely eliminates these issues.

Add in the dumbbell pinch grip protocol and this further helps to eliminate momentum and cheating that are all too-common with lateral raises. As a result the lifter has better mechanics and more controlled and packed shoulder positioning.

Although you’ll have to substantially decrease the load you would typically handle on bent over lateral raises, the stimulation to the targeted musculature will be well worth the temporary decrease in weight. Just be prepared for a serious burn followed soon thereafter by some serious functional strength and hypertrophy gains in the rear deltoids. As an added bonus you’ll also experience improved posture and spinal alignment, not to mention seriously strong grip.

OPTION #2

NOTE: You can use kettlebells or dumbbells on this exercise.

The Bulgarian squat with lateral raises using pinching kettlebells is a great shoulder stabilization and delt exercise while also working grip strength. Focus on using a compact range of motion rather than a large one.

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EXERCISE	SUPERSET	SETS	REPS	REST	RPE	EI
Kneeling Straight Arm Lat Pulldown	#7,#8,#9,#10	1	12 (to failure)	120"	9	2"

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The straight arm pulldown is an excellent exercise for targeting the lats, triceps, core, chest, and shoulder stabilizers. If you’re looking to increase the stimulus to your core and abdominal musculature try performing them from a kneeling position as demonstrated by two of my athletes Nick England and Jackson Trawick. When performing this movement the lifter should try to maintain a slightly forward torso lean throughout (roughly 20-30 degrees) to help maintain more constant tension on the lats and engage the core. In addition, focus on squeezing the lats and pausing in the contracted position for several seconds before returning to the top position.

Lastly, concentrate on pushing the bar back towards, you not just down. This will ensure more lat activation rather than turning the movement into a tricep dominant exercise. Trying performing several sets of 10-15 reps during your next back workout. Although they can be implemented at any time during the workout I personally like employing these as an upper body and lat finisher at the end of an intense upper body lift.

On a side note you may notice a very slight yet natural amount of lordotic curvature in your spine when performing these as the kneeling position in conjunction with the angled force vectors tends to produce this. It’s actually quite natural and nothing to be concerned about provided it’s not extreme. Just focus on keeping the core tight and braced throughout while keeping the shoulders packed and engaging the lats.