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3 Ways to Get Big!
by Christian Thibaudeau
When someone starts to lift weights it's usually for one main reason: to build muscle.
Almost everyone who starts lifting wants to gain muscle to some extent. They might not know it, but they do!
Even the girl who doesn't want to get big, just get "more toned," will need to build muscle to reach her objective.
Muscle growth is the way weight training improves your appearance the most. From looking hard and defined to
being downright freaky, you need to build muscle to attain what you want out of training. In that regard, it's
interesting to know what stimulates growth. It can get pretty confusing, too!
Some big guys will tell you that you should lift big weights: "Just lift the damn bar and progressively add weight;
that pumping stuff is for wusses!"
Other guys who are just as big will then say that the key is volume work: "Top bodybuilders lift in the moderate
rep ranges, so you should just leave the super heavy stuff to powerlifters!"
Others with equally impressive physiques will point out that you should focus on muscle tension, squeezing the
muscle hard: "Simply lifting the weight isn't enough. You must aim for the quality of the contraction!"
The thing is that they're all right to some extent! You can't argue with results. Some guys have been getting big by
focusing on lifting huge weights on a few basic exercises. Others built their mass by doing a lot of physical work
on several exercises with a moderate resistance. Some built great physiques "just lifting the damn weight" while
others really emphasize the squeeze, the pump, and feeling the muscle.
It's hard to say that any of these methods don't work because for each of them we can find thousands of
successful proponents. We know that all of these methods can stimulate muscle growth, but how? And is it
important to know? Yes, it is. You should at least have a general idea about these concepts so you'll be able to
optimize your own workouts.
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You have three basic ways of stimulating growth: heavy lifting, volume work, and constant tension lifting. They all
work via slightly different mechanisms so it's worth it to take a quick look at each.
Method #1: Heavy Lifting
When you're performing sets with a relatively heavy weight, you stimulate muscle growth via muscle micro-
trauma (a high force output leads to a high rate of protein degradation), neural factors (more complete
recruitment and fatigue of the high-threshold motor units) and hormonal (increase of free Testosterone) factors.
This is especially true when the progressive overload principle is followed (trying to increase the weight lifted
over the weeks) since it forces the muscle to make itself stronger and bigger to be able to sustain that type of
physical demand. Heavy lifting also has a potentiating effect on the other exercises performed since it "wakes-up"
the nervous system, making it more efficient at recruiting the high-threshold motor units in subsequent sets.
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Finally, heavy lifting increases muscle density and myogenic tone (tonus: the muscle looks harder even at rest).
You don't need to lift your 1RM or shoot for singles or doubles to have the benefits of heavy lifting. If anything,
when training for hypertrophy it's best to keep lifting heavy but keep the reps moderate. Beginners and
intermediates will do fine with lifting around 85% of their maximum (lifting in the 6-8 rep range to failure) while
more advanced trainees will need to go up to 90% (lifting in the 3-5 rep range).
Advanced lifters can also use high-intensity techniques such as cluster sets (sets of 5 reps with 90-92% of your
max taking 10 seconds of rest between sets) and rest-pause (perform a 3-5 RM, rest for 10-12 seconds, and
perform a few more reps).
Method #2: Constant Tension
Here we're talking about sets where the muscle doesn't relax for one fraction of a second during the execution of
a set. In other words, the worked muscle needs to be kept super tense for the duration of the exercise; the
moment the muscle is allowed to relax, the set (using this method) loses its efficacy.
Constant tension sets are obviously performed with fairly light weights since it's almost impossible to maintain
muscle tension throughout every inch of every rep of a heavy set. The light weight oftentimes doesn't allow for
much muscle damage to occur, yet this type of training has been shown in studies and with bodybuilders to be
effective at building both strength and size.
So, there must be a second pathway for hypertrophy stimulation. That pathway is the blood occlusion that
occurs during constant tension sets which prevents oxygen from going into the muscle during the exercise. When
you perform a strength training exercise while depriving the target muscle of oxygen, several things happen:
lactate production increases, so does hGH and IGF-1 levels (two anabolic hormones).
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Furthermore, there's some evidence showing that when a muscle is being stimulated in a hypoxic state (oxygen
deprived), fast-twitch fiber activation is increased, possibly because the shortage of oxygen prevents the use of
the aerobic pathway on which slow-twitch fibers are dependent.
Here we're talking about relatively light weights being used for sets lasting at least 30 seconds, preferably 40-70
seconds (to maximize lactate production) with a relatively slow (but not super-slow) tempo.
The real key is that the target muscle should never be allowed to relax during the set. This means no pause
between reps and keeping the muscle flexed at all times. When the muscle relaxes, oxygen will enter the muscle
and you lose the efficacy of the technique. Due to the nature of this method, isolation movements are your best
choices.
Method #3: Volume/Cumulative Fatigue Training
Zatsiorsky wrote that a muscle fiber needs to be not only recruited but also fatigued to be stimulated. Heavy
lifting, while being a fantastic tool to stimulate growth, often leaves some fibers un-stimulated.
Volume work, especially when performed with short rest intervals, can increase the number of muscle fibers
being stimulated via the cumulative fatigue effect. Sure, some argue that this will lead to more slow-twitch fiber
hypertrophy (which is true), but if you're only after maximum muscle growth, it doesn't matter!
Athletes should focus solely on fast-twitch fiber development, but mass-minded individuals shouldn't shy away
from volume work. Heck, even the Westside guys are known for doing repetition method work, sometimes with
very high reps.
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To be effective, this method should be performed with sets ranging from 8-12 reps (up to 15 or 20 on some
exercises) with short rest intervals (45-60 seconds). Advanced lifters can also use high-density techniques such
as pre/post-fatigue (superset of two exercises for the same muscle group), drop-sets (perform 8-12 reps to
technical failure, drop the weight by 15-20% and continue to perform reps), and double contractions (one and
half reps).
Arranging the Methods into a Workout
Here's a good rule: You should always put the more CNS-demanding stuff early in the workout. Heavier
exercises and more complex exercises involve the CNS more. So in a workout using all three methods you
should use this order:
1. Heavy movement using a big compound exercise (bench press, squat, Romanian deadlift, military press,
rowing)
2. Intermediate movement (dumbbell press, leg press, lunges, reverse hyper, glute-ham raise, wide stance leg
press) for sets in the 8-12 reps range
3. Isolation exercise using constant tension for sets lasting 40-70 seconds (12 to 15 slow, tensed reps)
The second rule is that the lower the reps per set, the more sets you do. Good arrangements for each muscle
include:
CHEST BEGINNER
A. Decline bench press
5-6 sets of 6-8 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Incline DB (dumbbell) press
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Cable crossover
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
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CHEST INTERMEDIATE
A. Decline bench press
5-6 sets of 3-5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Incline DB press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Cable crossover
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
CHEST ADVANCED
A. Decline bench press
5-6 sets of 5x1 cluster (sets of 5 reps with 10 seconds of rest between reps)
2 minutes of rest between sets
B1. Flat DB press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
no rest
B2. Flat DB flies with a pronated grip
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
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90 seconds of rest
C. Cable crossover
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
BACK BEGINNER
A. Chest-supported DB rowing or chest-supported T-bar rowing with a parallel grip
5-6 sets of 6 to 8 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Lat pulldown
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Bent over DB laterals
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
D. Straight-arm pulldown
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
*Note that we do one more back exercise so that we can work on both lats and mid-back equally.
BACK INTERMEDIATE
A. Chest-supported DB rowing or chest-supported T-bar rowing with a parallel grip
5-6 sets of 3 to 5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Lat pulldown
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4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Bent over DB laterals
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
D. Straight-arm pulldown
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
BACK ADVANCED
A. Chest-supported DB rowing or chest-supported T-bar rowing with a parallel grip
5-6 sets of 3-5 + rest-pause
2 minutes of rest between sets
B1. Lat pulldown
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
no rest
B2. Rope lat pulldown
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest
C. Seated rowing to abdomen with a pronated grip
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps + drop set
90 seconds of rest between sets
D. Straight-arm pulldown
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
QUADS - BEGINNER
A. Front squat
5-6 sets of 6-8
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Close-stance leg press
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4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Leg extension
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
QUADS INTERMEDIATE
A. Front squat
5-6 sets of 3 to 5
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Close-stance leg press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Leg extension
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
QUADS ADVANCED
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A. Front squat
5-6 sets of 3 to 5 + rest-pause
2 minutes of rest between sets
B1. Close-stance leg press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
no rest
B2. DB squat
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Leg extension
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
HAMSTRINGS BEGINNER
A. Romanian deadlift
5-6 sets of 6-8
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Leg curl
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Three-fourth DB Romanian deadlift (stop 3-4 inches short of lockout to maintain tension on hams)
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
HAMSTRINGS INTERMEDIATE
A. Romanian deadlift
5-6 sets of 3 to 5
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Leg curl
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
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C. Three-fourth DB Romanian deadlift (stop 3-4 inches short of lockout to maintain tension on hams)
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
HAMSTRINGS ADVANCED
A. Romanian deadlift
5-6 sets of 3 to 5 + rest-pause
2 minutes of rest between sets
B1. Leg curl
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
no rest
B2. Wide stance/feet-high leg press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Three-fourth DB Romanian deadlift (stop 3-4 inches short of lockout to maintain tension on hams)
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
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DELTOIDS BEGINNER
A. Military press
5-6 sets of 6-8 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Neutral (hammer) grip seated DB press
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. One-arm cable lateral raise
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
DELTOIDS INTERMEDIATE
A. Military press
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5-6 sets of 3-5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Neutral grip seated DB press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. One-arm cable lateral raise
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
DELTOIDS ADVANCED
A. Push press
5-6 sets of 3-5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B1. Neutral grip seated DB press
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
no rest
B2. Incline lateral raise
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. One-arm cable lateral raise
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
BICEPS BEGINNER
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A. Preacher curl (close grip)
5-6 sets of 6-8 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Incline DB curl
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Low-pulley cable curl
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
BICEPS INTERMEDIATE
A. Preacher curl (close grip)
5-6 sets of 3-5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Incline DB curl
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Low-pulley cable curl
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
BICEPS ADVANCED
A. Preacher curl (close grip)
5-6 sets of 3-5 reps + rest-pause
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Incline DB curl
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps + drop set
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Low-pulley cable curl
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
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TRICEPS BEGINNER
A. Close-grip bench press
5-6 sets of 6-8 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Decline DB triceps extension
4-5 sets of 10-12 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Rope cable pressdown
3-4 sets of 12-15 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
TRICEPS INTERMEDIATE
A. Close-grip bench press
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5-6 sets of 3-5 reps
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Decline DB triceps extension
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Rope cable pressdown
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
TRICEPS ADVANCED
A. Close-grip bench press
5-6 sets of 5x1 cluster
2 minutes of rest between sets
B. Decline DB triceps extension
4-5 sets of 8-10 reps + drop set
90 seconds of rest between sets
C. Rope cable pressdown
3-4 sets of 10-12 constant tension reps
60 seconds of rest
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If someone wanted to build a routine from this example you could use a split looking like this:
Monday: Chest & Back
Tuesday: Quadriceps
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: Biceps & Triceps
Friday: OFF
Saturday: Hamstrings & Deltoids
Sunday: OFF
Conclusion
The examples given above are merely there to illustrate how the three types of hypertrophy training can be used
in a training session for each muscle group. The real objective is to show you three effective ways to make your
muscles grow. The more approaches to hypertrophy you know, the better your chances of getting the results you
desire!
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