For natural bodybuilders it is tough to continually make gains, especially after many years of training. However, it can be easy to get into new styles of training and forget what got you that initial muscle in the first place. Progressive overload with compound exercises for lower reps (5-7) gave me my best gains in strength and muscle during my twenties. After the North Island Champs in Masterton I decided it was time to add this back into my training regime as well as using my favourite techniques like rest-pause, POF, x-reps and volume.
I remember reading an excellent article by biologic labs in Australia (about 4 years ago) where they provided a formula for the relationship between strength and muscle. If you wanted to gain 10 kilograms of muscle you had to:
Increase your 1 rep max Bench by 30kg
Increase your 1 rep max Squat by 40kg
Increase your 1 rep max Dead-lift by 45kg
The article did mention that there are other variables which could affect the accuracy of these figures; however, my first attempt at it four years ago saw definite progress!!
Here is what I aimed for after Masterton- a gain of 2.5 kg. My goals were:
Increase my Incline Bench by 7.5kg
Increase my Squat by 10kg
Increase my Dead-lift by 11.25kg
This was a tough goal (realising I was already in contest condition with only 3 months to go before nationals). I weighed 65.2 kilograms (although I was not as lean as last year). Even so I was determined to give it a go!
Here has been a typical weeks training:
Shoulders & Arms
Exercise Technique Sets Reps
Db Omni Side RowRP/S* 5 2-10
Db raise Vol* 5 10
Db bent raise Vol* 5 10
Dip S* 3 5
DB Curl RP* 2 5-10
DB tri ext SS1* 3 5-15
Reverse Cable
Curl SS1* 3 5-10
Hams, Calves and F-arms
Leg curl Vol 8 8
Romanian Dead-lift S* 3 5
Hack calf raise S* 3 4-8
Calf raise RP* 3 6-15
Lunge (walking) Vol* 1 50+
Chest & Back
BB Incline Press S* 2 5
DB Row RP* 3 4-10
DB Omni Bench RP 3 4-10
Dead-lift S 2 5
Db flye Vol 5 8-10
Chin up Vol 5 8-10
Quads & Calves
Leg press RP 2 10-20
Squat/ Front Squat S 2 5
Leg ext Vol 8 10
Seated calf raise RP 3 10-15
Leg press calf raise Vol 8 10
RP= rest-pause.
S= strength focus.
Vol= volume.
**I still incorporate POF, x reps, XTD, DXO and other intensity techniques. Workouts take around 30 minutes (for this to happen I need to have minimal to no rest between exercises, apart from exercises with a strength focus). I often change the exercises I perform volume or rest pause with, however, strength exercises remain the same.
Regardless of whether I gain 2.5 kilograms or not, I have already noticed I am stronger in all exercises and leaner at the same weight. So if you have reached a plateau and want to put on more muscle, implement some strength training, set some goals and go for it!