Strength and Physique

Q:  Thanks [for the Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph program]. I'm excited to give it a try. I'm 49 years old, 6 foot and 150 pounds. Always been the non-muscular guy, but was always under the opinion that there was no hope whatsoever of someone like me building any kind of muscle. But now I am feeling like there is hope. Thank you for the PDF. Although the ectomorph info in your book is in the appendix, I am assuming that the info in the book is still relevant to me? I have read through the entire PDF, and I think my only question is this: If I am doing this at home as opposed to a gym, and I do not have access to the pulldowns, what could I substitute for that in the antagonistic superset with the bench press? -Dean My Answer: Well it depends on what kind of equipment you do have. If you have a pull-up tower or a power rack, then do substitute pull-ups or chin-ups for pulldowns. If you don't have a pull-up tower or you can't do a pull-up, then substitute one a...

Q:  I've always been curious about how inmates/convicts train. And I've also been amazed at the gains these guys are able to make. Do you have any insight on how they go about their training? I would assume big, heavy, compound lifts. Probably lots of volume? What never made sense to me though, is how do they get jacked when you factor in diet, stress, and sleep? You'd think that they don't get enough quality calories or protein. That they are in a constant state of stress. And while they may have hours on end to sleep, the quality of their sleep has to be hindered: noise, counts, "sleeping with one eye open." Do you have any theories on how these guys can get and stay jacked with what so many people on the 'outside' would tell you are conditions destructive to your training? Thanks for your time. -Shane My Answer: Larry Scott once used the bull as an example as to why some people gain muscle easily. A bull is large and muscular, and yet all ...

Q:  Just read your article on Sets & Reps: The Nut And Bolts Of Program Design! (not sure how old that is), and I have a few questions about rep ranges in my own workouts and whether I’m doing it right.  To date I’ve been using a total body routine, but I want to add a second routine to rotate with so my training doesn’t stagnate: 1. 2 on, 1 off, 2 on, 2 off. Working each body part twice a week (2 movements per body part each session) 2. Full body training 3x's a week (1 movement per body part each session)  Question 1: For each session in the split routine I’m thinking of aiming for 6-8 reps for 1 movement and 10-12 reps for the other movement per body part. Is that a good range, or should I do say 8-10 reps and 14-16 reps so I hit both strength+hypertrophy and also muscle endurance? The other option was splitting it up. So sessions 1 and 2, I aim for one rep range, and session 3 and 4, I aim for a different rep range.  Question 2: in the TBT routine I’m ...