Build Muscle Faster Than 99% of People By Doing This

Unfortunately progressive overload is not something that can be continued forever. Eventually you reach your maximum genetic potential and no amount of extra training will allow you to add weight, reps or sets without running out of recovery time. There's also the effect of age. I'm coming up on 72 years of age so even maintaining my present level of intensity and volume is something that natural sarcopenia will make more difficult. One aspect that I think was under-stated is the importance of novel stimulus. Muscles grow in response to novel stimulus -- which is why progressive overload is a thing. However, simply increasing the weight/sets/reps is not the only way to achieve this end. I switched from regular "warmup-working sets-rest" to using a pyramid technique and it's really boosted my own gains. For instance, I start my bicep curl workout with one set of 20 reps with 10Kg dumbells then do a couple of sets with 1-2 RIR using 15Kg and then do three sets with 1-2 RIR using 20Kg. Another set to failure with 20Kg and then I step back down to 15Kg for two sets to failure and back to 10Kg with two sets to failure. The final set is basically just 5Kg to failure. My recovery time after this is 2-3 days so using push/pull/legs I am training about 4 days a week without problems. This gives me the strength gains of high-load/low-weight sets plus the hypertrophy and endurance benefits of lighter weights with higher reps. All of this in one session seems to provide a diversity of stimulation that promotes more gains. I only started resistance training about four years ago after being diagnosed with Parkinson's but in that short period of time I've gone from being a 92Kg potato with 13-inch arms to now weighing just 78Kg with 15.5-inch arms and able to do 15 reps of dips with an additional 25Kg of weight. I refuse to become "frail" and so far I'm kicking sand in the face of PD while bouincing instead of breaking when I fall (but having much bigger muscles makes episodes of dystonia *really* painfull -- ah, swings and roundabouts I guess) 🙂

Dr Mike Israetel and Professor Brad Schoenfeld are legends! Highly recommend them for evidence-based exercise advice 📜Roadmap - how to look young & feel strong: https://drstanfield.com/pages/roadmap 💊MicroVitamin (multivitamin & mineral that I take): https://drstanfield.com/products/microvitamin

This is such a useful post, Brad! I’ll note that Pavel Tsatsouline has for decades promoted not training to failure. He notes that the joints are on the lymph system and therefore recover slower than muscle. Too aggressive muscle training doesn’t allow the joints to keep up in strength-building often leading to joint damage. This especially important for me at 75 years.

The full range motion is not really true as if you do half range motions you can achieve more eccentric motion for less energy input. Also if you do like gravity weights biceps curls the motion above the mid point is much less taxing than the bottom half so you can use that energy with a short grip backhand pulley more efficiently and only put emphasis on that part of the motion.

Dr. Brad, have you ever thought of doing a video of you doing your exercise routine?

#5 can now be outshined by lengthened oartials at the stretched position

Excellent information Brad- keep it going ✅

Accurate and helpful advice. Thanks Dr.

Loving the videos lately, Brad!

Great vid, another knock out of the park!