Hypertrophy Past and Present
A deep dive into the science of muscle growth. Hosted by Chris Beardsley and Jake Doleschal, this podcast explores hypertrophy training through the lens of pre-steroid era bodybuilding and modern muscle physiology.
076 Is maximising the stimulus the same as maximising muscle growth?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the high-volume, full-body training routine of Silver-Era bodybuilder Al Berman and how they would modify it using modern exercise science. They then dive into the science of maximising muscle growth, discussing why maximising the hypertrophy stimulus of a single workout may not be the best strategy for maximising growth over the week, and how training volume, frequency, fatigue and stimulus saturation all influence the results.
Key topics include:
Al Berman's 1951 full-body training routine and how Jake and Chris would modernise itCan a single set stimulate...075 How much is too much? Fatigue accumulation
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the training routine of Mr Universe short division winner John Isaacs and why Silver-Era bodybuilders increased their training volumes before competitions. They then dive into the science of accumulated fatigue, discussing how excessive training can influence muscle swelling, recovery, and hypertrophy, and why more training isn't necessarily better.
Key topics include:
John Isaacs' Silver-Era training routine and how Reg Park modified it before competitionWhy bodybuilders increased training volume before competitions, and whether muscle swelling was part of the goalDoes training fatigue accumulate? Why different studies...074 Do indirect sets build muscle? Science vs Evidence
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the concept of indirect training volume and whether exercises like bench presses and pulldowns can maximise growth in the triceps and biceps. Chris explains how motor unit recruitment changes our understanding of indirect sets, and why evidence-based and science-based approaches can lead to very different conclusions.
Key topics include:
A silver-era training routine from Mr America and Mr Universe winner, Jack DelingerDo indirect sets count towards muscle growth?Motor unit recruitment and why indirect training may lead to earlier hypertrophy plateausThe differences between evidence-based and s...073 Part 2: A science-based lower body day with Soren Lemrant
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris are joined once again by Soren Lemrant for part two of his unconventional training routine. This time, Soren breaks down his lower-body workout, explaining his unique exercise selections, creative uses of gym machines, and attempts to target muscles that most bodybuilders overlook.
Key topics include:
Training the upper abs, lower abs, and obliquesWhy hip internal and external rotation is usually neglectedUnconventional exercises for the lower body musclesThe similarities between Soren's approach and Silver-Era bodybuilding methodsCheck out Soren on social media at lemrant_da_lifta2<...
072 Why you’re probably reading hypertrophy studies wrong
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris start with a bizarre 1950s workout from Barton Horvath before breaking down how to actually understand hypertrophy research. They discuss what common measurements such as muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, EMG and strength testing really tell us, where they can mislead us, and why understanding the physiology behind a study matters as much as reading its results.
Key topics include:
Barton Horvath’s 1950s “unusual” routineWhat researchers actually mean when they measure “hypertrophy,” and the differences between muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, muscle volume and muscle biopsiesWhat EMG can and ca...071 How to use AI to learn about hypertrophy
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris start with a 1947 Steve Reeves workout before accidentally going down an AI rabbit hole. They discuss the difference between “evidence-based” and “science-based” thinking, and how AI can be used to understand research and design training without simply accepting the first (usually incorrect) answer it gives you.
Key topics include:
Steve Reeves’ 1947 full-body routine, including his rest-pause approachThe difference between evidence-based and science-based approaches to interpreting training researchWhy AI often defaults to conventional answers when asked about training and hypertrophyHow giving AI source material can dramatically change its answer...070 A 67 exercise upper body workout with Soren Lemrant
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris welcome their first-ever guest, Soren, the “67-set upper day guy.” Soren takes us through his upper-body workout exercise by exercise, explaining the reasoning behind some of his more unconventional setups.
Key topics include:
Soran’s 67-set upper-body workout and the philosophy behind training so many individual muscle functionsModifying pec decks ad pullover machines to target different regions of the chestTraining the lats through sagittal, frontal, and scapular-plane movementsDirect training for the traps, scapular muscles, neck, and shoulder rotatorsHow Soren manages 67 exercises without spending several hours in the gy...069 Evaluating a new hypertrophy model
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Vern Weaver’s 1961 two-day-per-week routine, providing an interesting example of how effective training can potentially be structured around only two weekly gym sessions. The conversation then shifts into the philosophy of hypertrophy research: what actually constitutes a scientific model, what a hypertrophy model is supposed to explain, and how different models have shaped both research and training recommendations. Chris traces the progression from muscle damage and metabolic stress explanations through to the stimulating reps model, before examining a recently proposed alternative in which every repetition provides some de...
068 Optimal volumes and frequencies for each muscle
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing an early female bodybuilding routine: a six-day-per-week program. Despite some problems with the weekly structure, the relatively low number of sets per exercise and surprisingly comprehensive exercise selection make it one of the more interesting Golden-Era routines covered on so far!
The conversation then turns to a common question: do different muscles actually require different numbers of sets or different training frequencies?
Key topics include:
An early female bodybuilding six-day-per-week routine and how it differs from modern female training programsWhy hypertrophy...067 Why you’re not progressing (and why it might not be a plateau)
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing Stuart McRobert’s 1989 hardgainer routine, a minimalist two-day-per-week program designed as an alternative to the increasingly extreme bodybuilding routines of the late 1980s. The conversation then explores an important distinction: is every period of stalled progress really a plateau, or are there times when we should simply expect progress to slow or stop?
Key topics include:
Stuart McRobert’s 1989 twice-weekly full-body hardgainer routineThe difference between a true plateau and a program that was never capable of producing continued progressWhy strength gains can sometimes make...066 Do you need to feel a muscle for it to grow?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with another Leroy Colbert routine, this time examining an over 100 set silver-era routine. The conversation then explores whether you actually need to “feel” a muscle for it to grow, what the pump can tell us about muscle recruitment, and where the mind-muscle connection may or may not be useful.
Key topics include:
Leroy Colbert’s extreme 10-set-per-exercise Silver Era routineWhy “feeling” a muscle and getting a pump are not necessarily the same thingWhy stretch, cramping, and soreness can be misleading indicators of muscle activationMind-muscle connection, internal f...065 How anabolics changed the fitness industry
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Leroy Colbert’s late-1970s enormous volume training plan. The conversation then explores whether using pre-steroid bodybuilders as a model for natural training is really an “appeal to tradition,” before examining the evidence that anabolic steroids can directly stimulate muscle growth even without resistance training.
Key topics include:
Leroy Colbert’s high-volume late-1970s routineWhy bodybuilding training changed so dramatically after the introduction of anabolic steroidsForcing Chris into a philosophy conversation: appeal to tradition fallacy, Chesterton’s fence, the Lindy effect, and Occam’s razorEvidenc...064 Is time under tension important for muscle growth?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Reg Park’s 1949 pre-contest routine, which involved training six days per week, twice per day, including the infamous 20-rep breathing squat. This leads into a deep dive on time under tension: Does making a set last longer actually increase muscle growth? Jake and Chris explore why total time under tension may be the wrong thing to measure and whether we should instead be thinking about “time under stimulating tension.”
Key topics include:
Reg Park’s 1949 twice-a-day, six-day-per-week routineWhy total time under tension may be a mislea...063 Are workouts over an hour killing your gains?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a full-body routine from legendary bodybuilding coach Vince Gironda and the unusual reliance on isolation exercises. The conversation then shifts to workout duration: Is there any truth to the claim that workouts must be kept under 45, 60 or 90 minutes? Jake and Chris examine what actually happens as a workout becomes longer, including declining motivation, cardiovascular fatigue, exercise-order effects, cortisol, and the post-workout MPS elevation.
Key topics include:
Vince Gironda’s beginner full-body routineWhy Gironda avoided conventional bench presses and squatsCan isolation-only training build a complete ph...062 How to overcome a hypertrophy plateau
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with an early 1950s “muscular bulk” routine from Jack Delinger. They discuss the minimalist, barbell-only full-body program and how exercise variety may need to gradually increase as a bodybuilder becomes more advanced.
The conversation then shifts to training plateaus: what actually qualifies as a plateau, why slow progress is often mistaken for no progress, and how to distinguish between plateaus caused by accumulating fatigue and those caused by limitations in exercise selection or motor unit recruitment.
Key topics include:
Jack Delinger’s minimalist full-b...061 Does training hard help or hinder hypertrophy?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a 1972 routine from Bradley J. Steiner and discuss what makes it one of the more sensible "golden era" bodybuilding programs they've reviewed so far and whether splitting exercises across consecutive days is likely to be more or less effective than performing all exercises in a single workout.
The conversation then shifts towards the concept of "training hard." Jake and Chris unpack what hard training actually means, why RPE is often a poor proxy for hypertrophy, and how chasing "hard training" can unintentionally encourage fatigue instead o...
060 How to make your second set more stimulating
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Steve Michalik’s enormous 1972 Mr. America routine and why silver-era routines are the best data set for natural training routines. From there, Jake and Chris explore how the hypertrophy dose-response relationship interacts with the stimulating reps model. They discuss why the second and third sets provide progressively less growth stimulus, whether this means they contain fewer stimulating repetitions, and how the answer depends on whether the reduction is caused by fatigue or stimulus saturation.
Key topics include:
• Steve Michalik’s 1972 Mr. America routine
• How trai...
059 Hypertrophy is muscle-fibre specific
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Alan Stephan’s classic Silver Era full-body routine, which he reportedly followed for years while building enormous strength and muscle. This leads into a deeper discussion about exercise variation, whether exercises really “stop working”, and why good natural bodybuilding programs often end up looking repetitive.
From there, Jake and Chris move into one of the most important physiological arguments behind the stimulating reps model: hypertrophy is not a whole-muscle phenomenon, but a muscle-fibre-specific one. They discuss why this matters for understanding mechanical tension, light-load training to fai...
058 Does mTOR determine your optimal training frequency?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a classic Clancy Ross full-body routine from the Silver Era, then move into a discussion about training frequency, mTOR, muscle protein synthesis, and whether training again before the previous hypertrophy stimulus has “finished” is actually a problem.
Key topics include:
• Clancy Ross’ 1940s full-body single set routine
• Whether training a muscle every 48 hours can blunt hypertrophy
• How repeated bout effect studies can be misapplied to training frequency
• Why mTOR signalling is not the same thing as muscle growth
• The role of oxidative str...
057 Full Body A/A/A vs A/B, which is right for you?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss a full body training A/A/A program from Steve Reeves before exploring how to choose between repeating the same full body workout three times per week or alternating between two different full body workouts.
Key topics include:
• Steve Reeves’ full body AAA routine
• Why many old-school routines online should be treated cautiously
• The lying dumbbell front raise and how it may train different regions of the chest
• Why exercise selection should come before choosing a training split
• Full body AAA vs full body...
056 Most deloads are too short
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss deloads. The episode begins with a look at a training program used by six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates before exploring the physiology of accumulated fatigue and recovery.
Key topics include:
• Dorian Yates' Olympia-era training program
• Why training hard does not automatically mean you need a deload
• The difference between planned deloads and reactive deloads
• How accumulated fatigue affects hypertrophy training
• Whether anabolic steroid use changes the need for deloads
• How Chris would structure the “perfect” deload
• How to program RIR during a delo...
055 How to build the biggest back possible
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss how to build the biggest back possible. The episode begins with a back specialization routine from Silver Era educator Peary Rader before breaking down the most effective modern exercises for lats, traps, rear delts, and spinal erectors.
Key topics include:
• Peary Rader's Silver Era back specialization routine
• Why lats are best trained with both sagittal and frontal plane exercises
• The most overrated back exercise according to Chris
• Kelso shrugs vs vertical shrugs
• The challenge of directly training spinal erectors
• Are deadlifts are e...
054 Strength vs Hypertrophy: Is Powerbuilding the Solution?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse a Reg Park power-focused routine and use it as a starting point to discuss powerbuilding. The episode explores how lifters can structure training depending on whether they lean more toward bodybuilding, powerlifting, or a true middle ground.
Key topics include:
• Reg Park’s power routine from his Mr. Universe course
• The difference between bodybuilding, powerlifting, and powerbuilding goals
• How to modify a bodybuilding routine toward strength
• How to modify a powerlifting routine toward hypertrophy
• Why full body A/B routines may suit powerbu...
053 Progression Models and the Truth About Progressive Overload
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse a 1940s training routine from silver era bodybuilder George Eiferman, including his progression model. The episode explores how silver era lifters approached progression and how confusion around progression models has influenced the modern bodybuilding.
Key topics include:
• George Eiferman’s 1940s full body training routine
• Why silver era bodybuilders often used wider rep range
• Understanding progression as an input vs progression as an output
• Why “progressive overload” is often misunderstood
• Why strength gains naturally slow over time without indicating a plateau
• The Hepburn...
052 Resting 2-3 minutes between sets isn't "optimal"
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris follow up last week's episode on drop sets by diving deeper into the physiology of fatigue and rest periods. Using an extreme high-volume routine from Serge Nubret, the episode explores why different exercises, rep ranges, and proximity to failure dramatically change the amount and type of fatigue that accumulates during training.
Key topics include:
• Serge Nubret’s ultra high-volume, short-rest training system
• The four major fatigue mechanisms involved in strength training
• Why “2-3 minute rest periods” may be an oversimplified recommendation
• How exercise selection chan...
051 The silver era perfected drop sets 75 years ago
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the origins and physiology of drop sets, beginning with a 1949 drop set routine from Henry J. Atkin. The episode examines how “multiple poundage system” training was originally performed in the silver era, before transitioning into a physiological breakdown of why modern drop set research may not support many of the claims made about the method today.
Key topics include:
• Henry J. Atkin’s 1949 “multiple poundage system”
• Why early drop set protocols may have been more intelligent than modern versions
• A review of the recent drop sets...
050 Are circuits for hypertrophy the next big thing?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the use of circuits in hypertrophy training, starting with a 1960s circuit-style routine published by John McCallum. The episode examines how circuit-style training was used in the silver era, before transitioning into a physiology-first breakdown of when circuits might actually make sense for muscle growth today, and when they likely fall short.
Key topics include:
• A breakdown of McCallum’s Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) circuit routine
• Why inserting low-fatigue exercises between compounds can improve performance
• How circuits may reduce the exercise order effect across a...
049 The data says you need more first sets
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down a 1950s weightlifting plan from Paul Anderson, one of the strongest men to ever live. The episode begins with a deep dive into Anderson’s low volume, high frequency training structure, before expanding into a physiology-first explanation of why low per session volume and high frequency training still makes sense today.
Key topics include:
• Paul Anderson’s 1954 weightlifting program
• Why separating squats into their own sessions may improve performance and recovery
• How extremely low volume can still build maximal muscle
• Why the first set...
048 How to do more exercises in a workout without fatigue holding you back
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down what fatigue actually is, and why most lifters misunderstand it. The episode begins with a deep dive into a late Silver Era full body program from Joe Abenda, before expanding into a practical framework for understanding intra-workout and post-workout fatigue, and how this relates to the total number of exercises in a session.
Key topics include:
• A breakdown of Joe Abenda’s Silver Era beginner full body program
• Why most people confuse fatigue with motivation
• The difference between intra-workout fatigue and post-workout fatigue<...
047 How to write the perfect program
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down what the “perfect” workout actually looks like. The episode begins with a deep dive into a pre-steroid era full body program from Arthur Jones, before expanding into a framework for structuring training based on your goals, time, and priorities.
Key topics include:
• An analysis of Arthur Jones’ early full body program
• A framework for building programs: bare minimum, minimalist, and maximalist
• The difference between minimalist and “consolidated” training approaches
• How to adjust a program based on which muscles you do or don’t care about
046 How fast can you grow?
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris tackle the question everyone wants to know - how fast can you actually progress? The episode begins with a deep dive into a golden era beginner program from Frank Zane, before exploring the realities of progressive overload, strength gains, and natural hypertrophy potential.
Key topics include:
• A breakdown of Frank Zane's full body beginner program
• Why most people misunderstand the relationship between strength and hypertrophy
• The difference between gaining strength with vs without muscle growth
• Why progressive overload is not the cause of growth...
045 Training a muscle 2x per week - Full Body vs Upper/Lower
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down an often misunderstood programming question: how does full body training twice per week compare to an upper/lower split performed four times per week? The episode begins with a deep dive into a late 1960s program from Chuck Sipes, before discussing the key differences between full body and upper/lower when frequency is equated.
Key topics include:
• Why full body twice per week is one of the most underrated training splits
• A breakdown of a classic Chuck Sipes program
• The difference between within...
044 How to write a fat loss training program
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down how to structure a training program during a dieting phase. The episode begins with a deep dive into how Silver Era bodybuilders approached “definition” training, including a reconstructed Reg Park program, before moving into the physiological realities of training in a calorie deficit.
Key topics include:
• Why Silver Era bodybuilders didn’t drastically change their training when dieting
• Reg Park’s “definition” routine
• Why exercise variety may help prevent atrophy during a calorie deficit
• Why high volume and excessive fatigue are counterproductive w...
043 How to design the ultimate glute program
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss how to build the biggest glutes possible. The episode begins with a rare Silver Era lower-body routine from a female 1940s strength athlete Abby “Pudgy” Stockton, before breaking down the most effective modern exercises for glute development.
Key topics include:
• Abby Stockton’s 1940s lower body routine
• The difference between upper and lower regions of the gluteus maximus
• Why seated hip abduction is one of the best exercises for the upper glutes
• Hip thrust vs glute bridge
• Why squats and leg presses can still...
042 How to build the biggest arms possible
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss how to build the biggest arms possible. The episode begins with a Golden Era arm routine from Chuck Sipes, before assessing the best exercises for both minimalist and maximalist arm programming.
Key topics include:
Chuck Sipes’ Golden Era arm routine (biceps and triceps)How different exercises bias the brachialis, brachioradialis, and biceps brachiiWhy chin-ups are not actually a great biceps exerciseVoluntary activation deficits and why exercise variety mattersThe difference between minimalist and maximalist programmingWhy arm muscles fatigue and damage more easily than most people think041 New study shows twice as much volume doesn't cause extra muscle growth
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris dive into whether more volume is always better. The episode opens in the late Silver Era with Sergio Oliva’s high-volume split, then pivots into a brand-new study that compares “high” vs “super high” volumes in trained lifters.
Key topics include:
Sergio Oliva’s late-Silver Era routine New study 18 vs ~32 sets per weekWhy “more volume” didn’t produce more hypertrophyDamage as “resource drain” vs damage as fatigueNo fascicle length changes in trained lifters (and what that implies about sarcomerogenesis)Practical programming tip, reframing “rest days” as repair days040 This new study will change how you think about fatigue
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris unpack a new hypertrophy study that illustrates how fatigue doesn’t just make training harder but can directly reduce the hypertrophic stimulus by lowering single-fibre mechanical tension. The episode opens in the Silver Era again with Henry Paschal’s 1950 “busy person” program then pivots into the core discussion: why fatigue mechanisms (CNS and calcium-ion related) dampen muscle growth, and what this implies for exercise order, rep ranges, and advanced training methods.
Key topics include:
Henry Paschal’s 1950 routineA new “repetition duration” studyHow CNS fatigue and calcium-ion fatigue both se...039 How to instantly increase your strength (through motivational techniques)
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down how you can become stronger immediately - not by changing your program, but by changing your motivation. The conversation starts in the Silver Era again, comparing Clarence Ross’ 1949/50 routine to his 1952 “favourite routine”, and why the small adjustments he made make physiological sense. From there, Chris connects motivation to motor unit recruitment through Marcora’s Psychobiological Model of Fatigue.
Key topics include:
Clarence Ross’ 1949/50 vs 1952 routine: what changed and why it mattersHow motivation can increase strength right now via higher voluntary activation / recruitmentPractical ways to boost m...038 Periodisation for hypertrophy is pointless (unless you do this)
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris unpack periodisation for hypertrophy, including what it actually is (and isn’t), why most “periodised” bodybuilding programs end up adding complexity without adding results, and which variables you can change over time without accidentally driving atrophy or accumulating a fatigue debt. The episode opens in 1952 with Clarence Ross’ pre-steroid full-body AAA “favourite routine”. From there, Jake and Chris break down the three main variables people try to periodise in hypertrophy training: volume, rep range, and exercise selection.
Key topics include:
-Why Clarence Ross’ 1952 full-body plan is a great 'non p...
037 How to grow muscle only training once per week
In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris tackle a surprisingly common question: what if you can only train once per week? Beginning with an early-1960s two-way split from John McCallum to discuss exercise sequencing, why multi-joint lifts paired with single-joint “finishers” can preserve recruitment better than simply adding more straight sets, and what older routines got right (and missed) due to equipment constraints. The episode then breaks down why once-weekly training is uniquely difficult for hypertrophy, how maintenance literature informs minimum set targets, and what a realistic once-per-week template actually looks like.
Key topi...
