what are your unpopular opinions?

Have you tried high volume style training?

And as far as what you do now, what’s your preferred rep range?

I prefer low volume, I alternate between full body 3x per week, PPLPPL, and bro split.

Usually target all ranges, so if I do a arms day tris would be

Dips weighted 3x6-10
Skull 3x12-15
Cable Press 2x15-10 or make it 1 set of say 20-30 RP
 
Have you tried high volume style training?

And as far as what you do now, what’s your preferred rep range?
I have tried about everything. I regressed or spun my wheels and made little no progress.

I train in 5-9,10-12 and 15-20. I hit almost every body part in every rep range.
 
I prefer low volume, I alternate between full body 3x per week, PPLPPL, and bro split.

Usually target all ranges, so if I do a arms day tris would be

Dips weighted 3x6-10
Skull 3x12-15
Cable Press 2x15-10 or make it 1 set of say 20-30 RP
The 3x whatever are kinda useless numbers. Do you just keep lowering the weight each set?
 
I have tried about everything. I regressed or spun my wheels and made little no progress.

I train in 5-9,10-12 and 15-20. I hit almost every body part in every rep range.
So what’s wrong with Mike Isratel style of training? He recommends that rep range.
 
This isn’t true for all of them. I’m sure some mass monsters aren’t athletic but there are some big guys that really are. You’re painting things with a broad brush. You’ve got a stereotyped preconceived notion that doesn’t hold up in reality. Is there some hard and fast rule that guys can’t do push ups, pull-ups, dips, and lunges? John Meadows incorporates all of those in his programs
Im sure some can, just like some guys past 240 could have a 33 inch waist and no distention, but the majority do not

I am not familiar with his programs but have used his videos to check form and exercise selection

Rip great guy but never seen him or anyone rep out chins, I do recall seeing him working with a female to go over some. core work and it looked like JM struggled to keep up with her. Again, great bodybuilder great size but this reinforced my view that the athletic ability should be targeted at times, esp for older guys, many id bet neglect cardio and are on the bP meds
 
So what’s wrong with Mike Isratel style of training? He recommends that rep range.
Too much volume. Rir training. Volume is not the primary driver of growth. Reps in reserve is arbitrary and useless. The answer is almost never more volume.
The answer is harder sets and progressive overload
 
The 3x whatever are kinda useless numbers. Do you just keep lowering the weight each set?
I don't. Typically all sets are to failure. If my first set is out of the range, I incase weight next time.

So for say barbell Curl 3x812 at say 100bs

100x13
100x11
100x8

all to failture. The first set was at 12 or above, so next week I use 105 or 110

If somehow I can get 12 (the top of the rep range), I bump it up next week. All sets are to failure but I use the fist to judge whem it is time to bump it up, just to keep things simple.
 
Too much volume. Rir training. Volume is not the primary driver of growth. Reps in reserve is arbitrary and useless. The answer is almost never more volume.
The answer is harder sets and progressive overload
I agree with this, RIR lmao. Mike comes up with that to sell himself. No one is going to overtrain by training to failure, if they do, their volume is too high. No one should be. focused on math equations and "how many in the tank" during a set, just pushing themselves to failure using good form
 
Too much volume. Rir training. Volume is not the primary driver of growth. Reps in reserve is arbitrary and useless. The answer is almost never more volume.
The answer is harder sets and progressive overload
You think 3-4x week training would be enough for intermediated to continue growing? I tried his program which had 6 day split and couldn’t make it half way through the week before burning out
 
I didn’t say anything about lower body work. In order to get “functional” strength you need to build strength. Nothing more functional than a heavy squat, deadlift, and ohp.
the size comes eating enough calories while getting stronger
Spot on. Those are the 3 most functional exercises that mimic what we do everyday.
 
Spot on. Those are the 3 most functional exercises that mimic what we do everyday.

squat and dead are functional, but not using 300plus lbs, no on does that every day.

there is a reason every big ol vet you see on forums has "torn, herniatated, l5, labrum, bicep tear, rotator cuff,,,grrr I gotta train around this,,that,,,pain meds etc"

lifting slag heavy shit iron or whatever is only functional for lifting slag heavy shit iron, if someone does that for a living id change profession and get an office job and only do that shit in the gym

now that im sure is an unpopular opinion here or on any board
 
squat and dead are functional, but not using 300plus lbs, no on does that every day.

there is a reason every big ol vet you see on forums has "torn, herniatated, l5, labrum, bicep tear, rotator cuff,,,grrr I gotta train around this,,that,,,pain meds etc"

lifting slag heavy shit iron or whatever is only functional for lifting slag heavy shit iron, if someone does that for a living id change profession and get an office job and only do that shit in the gym

now that im sure is an unpopular opinion here or on any board
Functional is just a term that should be thrown out of our lexicon. It's meaningless.

Building strength in the basic movements (yeah, more than 300 lb, your arbitrary weak number) transfers to life better than anything else you can do in the gym for an hour a few times a week, plain and simple.

That means: deadlift, squat, press, lunge, maybe do some throws and jumps as well.

Beyond the minimal volume necessary, all it does is cause fatigue and slow us down. Volume should be minimized, and weight on the bar is the best way to measure tension which as NLM mentioned drives hypertrophy.
 
yes heavy squats drive hypertrophy, but they are not functional. a little 110lbs girl doing squats with a kettle ball is functional, but the big loads are not. sure if you want to complete in the Olympia muscle pagent you may need them

you also may end up like Ronnie Coleman later in life (walking with a Kane, and your distention being the first thing people see before even your 20 inch guns
 
yes heavy squats drive hypertrophy, but they are not functional. a little 110lbs girl doing squats with a kettle ball is functional, but the big loads are not. sure if you want to complete in the Olympia muscle pagent you may need them

you also may end up like Ronnie Coleman later in life (walking with a Kane, and your distention being the first thing people see before even your 20 inch guns
I'll never be as strong as him, not a realistic fear. If Ronnie's 800lb pull and squat videos are what scared you away from squatting 300lb you are a fear-driven individual that probably kettlebell swings like the soccer mom's do at Crossfit instead of adding weight to the bar over time on meaningful lifts.

Edit: Honestly, I think the reason guys get injured are more diverse than the weight on the bar. I think you can get more damaged doing deadlifts with subpar form for more volume. I think you can blow a disk with 160lb. I think gear gets guys adding weight too quickly for their ligaments, tendons, and spine to adapt. I think you should be more afraid of crazy progression, volume, and bad form than weight on the bar.
 
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squat and dead are functional, but not using 300plus lbs, no on does that every day.

there is a reason every big ol vet you see on forums has "torn, herniatated, l5, labrum, bicep tear, rotator cuff,,,grrr I gotta train around this,,that,,,pain meds etc"

lifting slag heavy shit iron or whatever is only functional for lifting slag heavy shit iron, if someone does that for a living id change profession and get an office job and only do that shit in the gym

now that im sure is an unpopular opinion here or on any board
Is a 300lb squat, deadlift, or bench press heavy? Why is 300 the average number? The stronger you are the more functionally you can lift stuff.
I used to be a slinger on a garbage truck and those cans are way heavier than 300lbs. I did it 6 days a week for 10-14 hours a day. My strength helped me from getting injured and helped me perform my job.
 
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