Strength and Hypertrophy

Danny Wilson, BSc (Hons), ASCC

Welcome … to the "30 Minute Upper Body Workouts" mini-booklet. The

aim of this e-book is really simple, to offer you some quick and effective upper

body workouts to incorporate into your current strength and size programs. I

was inspired to create this product following my own training schedule. As

some of you have already read my "18 Leg Workout" post, I have been on

upper- and lower-body split hypertrophy program. The lower-body days were

great as they consisted of big lifts and brutal supersets leading to high volumes

and wobbly legs. These sessions would last around an hour and a half, which is

fairly standard for serious lifters. However, due to my busy schedule I could not

commit to these time slots every session. So I programmed in some quick 30

minute blasts for the upper body and trust me… that was all I needed. My aim

was to maintain strength as much as possible but I needed to get in as much

volume as possible, I used different training methods and supersets to ensure

the 30 minutes was as efficient and as effective as possible. There is a range of

literature on optimising hypertrophic effects through particular sets and reps,

including the pripelin’s chart. In my opinion, this is important for elite athletes

who have little room for training adaptation, and on the other hand,

beginners/intermediate lifters just need to build a tolerance to volume load

and work hard as we have less time to train and more room for adaptation.

Following my own approval for this approach, I then gave the same training

methods to the athletes I work with. It came at the right time for them as they

were out of competition and looking to stay fit for the off season (or just

wanting to look good for when they hit the beach on their upcoming holidays).

I know that the literature suggests training for general preparation /

hypertrophy in the off season, so I was correct in my methods. However the

main justifications of incorporating these training methods were to build up

work ethic and tolerance to load, this was going to be quite fatiguing and

induce muscle soreness. This will prove beneficial when returning to their on-

season program where they will be able to perform more volume within their

S&C sessions than usual without being fatigued or sore for their technical

sessions.

The 30 minute upper-body workouts don’t really come together as a program,

does not tick all the boxes for true athletic development and certainly not

promoting avoiding lower body training (HELL NO!). The aim of the booklet is

to provide you with some entertaining, muscle pumping, character building,

smash and grab workouts that will easily fit into your busy schedules.

Training Strategically These are the three major roles in muscle growth; frequency, volume and

intensity. To gain optimal results, it's important to get this right.

Frequency I have been guilty of body part training for a lot of my training experience, and

I still see the majority of casual trainers continuing to do this today. Body part

training is very popular because it works for the average bodybuilder, who is

probably geared up so anything type of training will have a huge effect. It has

been shown that this method is effective, however there has been research

finding significant increases in muscle size following three training sessions a

week in oppose to one training session a week for the quadriceps (Wirth et al.

2002, Vikne et al.2003, McLester et al. 2000).

If you think about it away from science and in context to life, how much better

will you get at a skill if you practice it three times a week in oppose to once …

the same applies to your training. I know some Power/Olympic weightlifters

that will complete the same session 3-4 times a week, and they get pretty

strong. With the workouts in this e-book taking a more "universal" approach

to your upper body sessions, you will not get as much DOMs as usual, allowing

yourself to train each body part more frequently leading to muscular growth

and symmetry.

Volume Volume is basically how much you work out, how many reps and sets at what

intensity. Volume for hypertrophy is such a complex area, so I am going to

keep it simple. Traditional methods go for around 4-5 sets of 6-12 repetitions,

however I believe when training for hypertrophy athletically and aesthetically

it's all about building up the volume through sets and weight load. If you have

more than 30 minutes available for the workouts, add some extra sets after a

few weeks.

Intensity Intensity is the amount of weight that you are lifting, often valued as

percentages of your one repetition maximum (1RM) of an exercise. There has

been a range of literature looking into this, with the majority recommending

70-85% 1RM is the optimal intensity when training for muscular hypertrophy

(Wembom, Augustsson and Thomee 2007). However there are studies that

show that muscular hypertrophy is also possible at higher and lower loads. In

the e-book, workout intensity will be around 70-85% 1RM; however there is

variation through heavy strength and fatigued sets that will require working at

higher and lower intensities.

Cluster Sets Cluster training is a great way to develop size and strength simultaneously as

they offer 2 sets for the price of 1 (e.g. perform 4 reps, rest for 10-20 seconds,

perform 4 reps, end of set). The short maximal loading can induce post

activation potentiation (PAP). PAP is a massive contradicting research area and

outcomes are much individualised (Tillin and Bishop 2009), but to keep it

simple the PAP effect from the first cluster may lead to an increase in force

production going into the second set (Haff 2008). Moreover, a short rest can

replenish ATP-PC energy systems, enabling you to recover and maintain force

production. This will enable you to put a heavier load on the bar than you

would for a normal set of 8 (I normally go for a minimum of 6RM), therefore

resulting in a higher volume load … here is an example:

Resistance x Reps = Volume Load

Bench Press 8RM = 90kg. 90kg x 8 reps = 720 x 4 sets = 2880kg

Bench Press 6RM = 100kg x 8 reps = 800 x 4 sets = 3200kg

You can see the massive difference between the volume loads right there,

obviously you cannot perform cluster sets every program due to training

adaptation and the less time under tension per set… we’ll get to that in a short

while. However, cluster training can be a great addition to your training that it

will create massive adaptations when first introduced. There are many

different kinds of clusters for strength, size and power, some are quite complex

but I suggest you keep the progressions pretty straight forward:

Weeks 1-2 = 6RM. 4 reps. Pause 20 secs. 4 reps

Weeks 3-4 = 6RM. 4 reps. Pause 10 secs. 4 reps

Weeks 4-6 = 5RM+. 3 reps. Pause 20 secs. 3 reps

Weeks 6-8 = 5RM+. 3 reps. Pause 10 secs. 3 reps

Super Sets If you have any type of training experience, you should be quite familiar with

super sets. There are a few different versions incorporated into the program

appropriately.

Agonist-Antagonist

This is where you will pair exercises working in the opposite movement e.g.

Bench Press and Bent over Row.

Pre-fatigue and Post-fatigue

This is where an isolation exercise of the same muscle group is performed

either before or after a compound exercise e.g., D.B. flies with D.B. chest press.

Giant Sets Giant sets consist of pair two compound/heavy loaded exercises that require

the same biomechanical action e.g. Bench press paired with Incline D.B. press.

The aims of these sets are to increase the time under tension and volume load,

this leads to increased mTOR signalling response. When mTOR is stimulated

more, there is an increase protein synthesis therefore leading to greater

hypertrophic effects (Burd et al. 2012). Giant sets are a great way to improve

this. However, there is an optimal point of time under tension where the

mTOR can shut off and your muscle building workout will have changed to

becoming metabolically demanding. The plan is with giant sets is to work with

one heavy loaded strength set (3-5 reps) strength curve to 1) maintain the

emphasis on developing strength 2) keep the time under tension under 60

seconds 3) alter in tempo and loading for your body to adapt to.

Drop Sets Drop sets are a common sight in gyms around the world, and you the reader

have probably done so yourself. However, have you been doing them right.

The principles of drop sets are pretty similar to giant sets; we want to increase

the time under tension following a maximal lift of the same exercise. A lot of

people do this, with no real structure of loading and rep parameters, and you'll

find a lot of people smashing out single figure dumbbells after their 7th drop

set. Again, this will be metabolically demanding therefore decreasing

hypertrophic effects. Keep the drop sets heavy, intense and under 60 seconds.

Bodyweight Finishers Like many others, press-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups were the fundamentals to my

training regime when I was a teenager, then I discovered weights. Bodyweight

exercises were then neglected!

You only have to look at the gymnasts in the last Olympics to see how

bodyweight training is effective. It leads to great functional upper body and

core strength gains. The amount of control on the eccentric portion will lead to

hypertrophic effects and improvement in flexibility. The idea about the

bodyweight finishers is that you will feel heavy at the end of your session due

to the fatigue; this will lead to a great training effect. If you struggle to get the

reps out, use an assisted pull up machine, theraband or partner push up, if you

are only 2 reps off the pace, don't worry, this is something to build on.

TRX Factor TRX resistance trainers are a great tool that is becoming more and more

common in strength and conditioning facilities and commercial gyms

worldwide. The resistance trainer challenges an individual to handle their

bodyweight through a range of exercises. These exercises will hit muscles you

find difficult to see in the mirror, but these are the ones that are vital to

performance through supporting the major muscle groups. Many strength

coaches utilise the TRX for injury prevention as there are great exercises that

utilise the posterior chain, especially the upper body leading to better shoulder

health. Along with the obvious strength and size gains you can get from the

TRX, this neat piece of kit is also beneficial to core stabilisation, co-ordination

and balance. TRX is incorporated into the workouts, if you don’t have access to

one, I have provided appropriate alternatives.

A picture taken from my TRX classes ….. maybe

Rest Periods Usually for strength training, I would advise over 2 minutes rest for optimal

neuromuscular recovery. However to put on size maintain growth hormone

levels, this has shown to be between 30-45 seconds rest period. As we are

training for strength and hypertrophy, using supersets and wanting to finish

the workout in 30 minutes, we have to compromise and adapt. I suggest

approx. 60 seconds rest on a normal exercise or superset and approx. 90

seconds on a heavy loaded exercise (e.g. cluster sets or drop sets).

Understanding the Workouts I have used a few abbreviations for the exercises in the program, here is a list

to grasp an understanding of the exercises.

Workout 1

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Bench Press 4. 4. 4

1b Incline D.B. Press

10 4

D. B. - Dumbbell

S. B. - Swiss Ball

S. A. - Single Arm

D. S. -Drop Set

C. S. - Cluster Set

B. O. R. - Bent-over Row

S. A. B. O. R. - Single Arm Bent-over Row

This is the exercise order.

When an exercise number

is followed by an "a" "b"

or "c", this means that it

is part of an exercise pair.

There should be minimal

rest between the

exercises e.g. in this

workout, Incline D.B.

press immediately follows

Bench Press.

You will see these in the rep boxes for cluster

sets and drop sets. In the example workout,

you will perform 4 reps on the first set, 4

reps on the second.

Here will be a quirky name for each workout.

Apologies for any howlers, my banter isn't

what it used to be.

BlockCluster Workout

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Bench Press (C. S.) 4. 4. 3

1b Incline D.B. Press 10 3

2a Weighted Wide Grip

Pull Ups (C. S.) 4. 4. 3

2b Hanging Row 8 3

3a Close Grip Pull Ups 8

3 3b Weighted Dips 10

3c M.B. Press Up (Rocky

Style) 10

Boulder Shoulders

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Military Press 5 3

1b Seated Arnold Press 10 3

2a B.O.R. 5 3

2b Seated Cable Row 8 3

3a TRX Y-Raises (or D.B.) 10

3 3b D.B. Floor Press (Palms

Facing In) 10

3c Face Pulls 10

Beach Muscle Hustle

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a D.B. Chest Press 8 3

1b Weighted Dips (5-10kg) Max 3

2a Weighted Close Grip Pull

Ups 6 3

2b TRX Row 10 3

3a D.B. Floor Press (Palms

Facing In) 6

3 3b Barbell Heavy Bicep Curls (Last two cheat curls) 8

3c Cable Tricep Extension 10

Deadly Traps

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a D.B. / Trap Bar Farmer

Walks 20m 3

1b D.B. Shoulder Press 6 3

2a S.A. Overhead Loaded Carries w/ K.B. or D.B.

20m e.s. 3

2b Barbell Shrugs 8 3

3a Prone Y-Raises 6 3

3b Prone Incline Row 8 3

Rambo Workout

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Incline / Band Press Ups 10 3

1b Wide Grip Pull Ups 10 3

2a Yoga Press Ups 10 3

2b L-Pull Ups (TRX if

possible) 10 3

3a Close Grip Pull Ups 10 3

3b Spiderman Press Ups 10 3

3c TRX T-Raises / Cable

Reverse Fly 10 3

Universal Workout

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1 Military Press (C.S.) 4. 4. 5

2 B.O.R. 8 3

3 Bench Press (C.S.) 4. 4. 3

4 Close Grip Pull Ups

(Weighted) 6 5

Superset like Superman

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Incline Fly 8 3

1b Incline D.B. Press 8 3

2a Barbell Heavy Bicep

Curls 8 3

2b Weighted Close Grip Pull

Ups (5-15kg) Max 3

3a E-Z bar Skullcrushers 8 3

3b Weighted Dips (5-10kg) Max 3

Drop it Like its Hot

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a D.B. Chest Press D.S. 4. 4. 3

1b Press Ups Max 3

2a D.B. Prone Row 4. 4. 3

2b TRX Row / Hanging Row Max 3

3a S.A.B.O.R. 8 e.s. 3

3b Face Pulls 8 3

I'll Be Back

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a D.B. Seated Shoulder

Press D.S. 4. 6. 4

1b Lat Pulldown D.S. 6. 6. 4

2a Military Press 8 3

2b Close Grip Cable

Pulldown D.S. 6. 6. 3

3a Close Grip Pull Ups 10

3 3b Dips 10

3c TRX Row / Hanging Row 10

Beat Fatigue

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a Weighted Dips D.S. 4. 6.

3

1b Tricep Cable Extension Max

2a TRX T-Raises / Cable

Reverse Fly 6

3

2b TRX Row / Hanging Row 10

3a L-Pull Ups 6

3

3b Barbell Bicep Curls (Last two cheat curls) 8

TRX Factor

Order Exercise Reps Sets

1a TRX Row 4. 6.

3

1b TRX Press Up to Pike 10

2a TRX High Rows 10

3

2b TRX Y-Raises 10

3 TRX Row and Rotate 8 e.s. 3

4a TRX Flies 10

3

4b TRX Skullcrushers 10

References and Further Reading

Journal Articles

BURD, Nicholas A. et al. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates

differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men, Journal of physiology, 590 (2),

351-362.

HAFF, Gregory G. (2008). Cluster training: a novel method for introducing training program variation.

Strength and conditioning journal, 20 (1), 67-76.

MCLESTER J. R., BISHOP P. and GUILLIAMS M. E. (2000). Comparison of 1 day relationships and 3

days per week of equal-volume resistance training in experienced subjects. Journal of strength and

conditioning research, 14, 273-281.

TILLIN, Neale Anthony and BISHOP, David (2009). Factors modulating post-activation potentiation

and its effect on performance of subsequent explosive activities. Sports medicine, 39 (2), 147.

WEMBOM, Mathias, AUGUSTSSON, Jesper and THOMEE, Roland (2007). The Influence of frequency,

intensity, volume and mode of strength training on whole muscle cross sectional area in humans.

Sports Medicine, 37 (3), 225-264.

WIRTH K,, ATZOR K. R. and SCHMIDTBLEICHER, D. (2002). Changes in muscle fibre characteristics.

mass detected by MRI, after an eight week hypertrophy training program. In: KOSKOLOU M, editor.

Proceedings of 7th annual Congress of the European College of Sports Sciences, 103, 24-27.

VIKNE H., REFSNES P. E. and MEDBØ J. I. (2003). Effect of training frequency of maximum eccentric

strength training on muscle force and cross-sectional area in strength-trained athletes [abstract no.

RR-PL-0517]. In: book of abstracts, 14th international wcpt congress; 7-12.

Internet Blog Articles

Dan John: The more you lift the worse you look?

http://www.t-

nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_more_you_lift_the_worse_you_look

Ben Bruno: 8 Blast Strap Exercises for Serious Upper Body Muscle

http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=5532723

Jim Kielbaso: Getting big through TUT

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/getting_big_through_tut

Todd Bumgardner; The magic of cluster sets

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_magic_of_cluster_sets

The Author - Danny Wilson BSc (Hons), ASCC

I am a young accredited strength and conditioning

coach with experience coaching and programming an

array training modalities over a range of sports;

including Boxing, Football, Rugby Union and many

more through various roles. I have huge passion for

strength and conditioning as I feel that it is a unique

area of opportunity to work with individuals/teams to

reach their athletic potentials. I love sharing my

knowledge, ideas and opinions through my blog and

products like this. Hopefully you have enjoyed this e-

book and you are looking forward to the work I do in

the near future.

Contact -

Email - wilsonstrength@gmail.com

Disclaimer

The information and exercises in this program are offered for educational and

training purposes only; people reading this e-book should be cautioned that there is

a natural risk when partaking in any form of physical activity. Therefore people

wishing to partake in a strength and conditioning plan should consult a doctor before

performing such activity. Readers should consider the exercises and the techniques

given, these may not be suitable for some individuals and if performed incorrectly

they could become dangerous to your health. Therefore the author takes no liability

for injury, Next level - level one is simply an educational tool to be used as a guide

for those able to undertake the demands of the program.