Low Reps for Hamstrings, High Reps for Calves

Q: I'm currently following your Hypertrophy Training for the Ectomorph (HTE) programme, which is simply brilliant. It's a joy to follow, I never get bored and my body never gets fatigued because of the fourth week changing of rep ranges.

I also bought and read your superb book High Tension Exercises for Muscular Growth which contains astonishing scientific information about the body and muscles. It's on another level compared to all the publications, websites and magazines I've ever read. It really is a fascinating book and has given me a far greater understanding of muscle growth and the best associated exercises and rep ranges.

Thus, I have some questions.

(a) You mention the benefit of the guillotine bench press, and I've been doing it. Where should my arms be when doing this? If I try to keep my arms at 90 degrees, forearms directly vertical, I can only lower the bar to approximately 18cm / 7inches off my chest. If I butterfly my arms, I can get the bar lower to my clavicle, however my forearms are now leaning backwards and are not perpendicular to the ground, whilst my elbows are are more in line with the top of my abdominals.

(b) You also mention that when training the biceps femoris part of the hamstrings, a low rep range of 3-6 and 'six sets and beyond' is best because they're primarily fast twitch. Ectomorphs often have very poor hamstring development. As an ectomorph, could I break out of the HTE programme to hit my hamstrings every three or four weeks with these high volume sets or would it be detrimental to my body type?

(c) Conversely, for the calves, you recommend high reps, 10 and above because of their slow twitch/intermediate fast twitch composition. Once again, as an ectomorph following your HTE programme, should I stick to HTE rep ranges or could I hit them monthly with your higher rep recommendation to give them an extra jolt?

Best regards and thanks,

Kalwant

Leeds, England

My Answer: Thanks for purchasing my book!  I'm glad you enjoyed it.  With regards to the guillotine press, it is perfectly fine to "butterfly" your arms in order to lower the bar to your clavicle.  Lowering to the clavicle stretches the upper pec fibers, regardless of your forearm angle.

As far as training your hamstrings and calves, stick to the HTE rep ranges when you are going through the HTE periodization program for several weeks.  Once you are done with the HTE program, perform either the hamstring or calves specialization program.  Then switch between the two specialization programs.