Hypertrophy Past and Present

81:41

053 Progression Models and the Truth About...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/05/25

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

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86:28

052 Resting 2-3 minutes between sets isn't "optimal"

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/05/18

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

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76:12

051 The silver era perfected drop sets 75 years ago

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/05/11

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

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71:02

050 Are circuits for hypertrophy the next big thing?

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/05/05

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

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102:43

049 The data says you need more first sets

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/04/26

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

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88:52

048 How to do more exercises in a workout without...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/04/20

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 •

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92:26

047 How to write the perfect program

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/04/13

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

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101:43

046 How fast can you grow?

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/04/07

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

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85:48

045 Training a muscle 2x per week - Full Body vs...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/03/30

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

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74:32

044 How to write a fat loss training program

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/03/23

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”

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90:39

043 How to design the ultimate glute program

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/03/16

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

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82:49

042 How to build the biggest arms possible

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/03/09

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

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55:09

041 New study shows twice as much volume doesn't...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/03/02

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

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85:53

040 This new study will change how you think about...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/02/23

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

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77:57

039 How to instantly increase your strength (through...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/02/16

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

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67:56

038 Periodisation for hypertrophy is pointless...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/02/09

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

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70:42

037 How to grow muscle only training once per week

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/02/02

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

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95:17

036 Dorian Yates, Maximalist Programming, and...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/01/26

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse one of Dorian Yates’ early pre-Olympia training programs, breaking down the structure of his torso-limbs split and the intuitive exercise sequencing.From there, the conversation expands into a deeper discussion on exercise selection within a workout, why multiple exercises for the same muscle in a single session can produce a superior stimulus to rotating single exercises across sessions, and how this ties into

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91:23

035 Which advanced methods work? Cluster sets, drop...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down the resurgence of “advanced” training techniques like clusters, supersets, giant sets, pre-exhaust, drop sets, and rest-pause. Using an early Chuck Sipes “heavy-light” split as an example of early bodybuilding plans that incorporated some advanced methods, the conversation then explains why most of these methods are at best time-saving rather than stimulus enhancing. The episode finishes with Jake and Chris

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88:58

034 Voluntary activation deficit: exercise selection,...

Hypertrophy Past and Present ·

2026/01/11

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse a Golden Era training plan attributed to Larry Scott and Vince Gironda, using it as a lens to explore how hypertrophy programming evolved after the introduction of anabolic drugs. From there, the conversation pivots into a deeper examination of modern debates around exercise selection, “redundant” movements, single vs multi joint training, and the current discussions around form. Chris introduces voluntary activation

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