Basic strength training plan

[mlke6]

Don't go to failure with free weights unless you have an experienced spotter. Machines are way safer. Once you get to the point where you can't complete repetitions with full range of motion, do some long length partials.

at home with limited space bands are an excellent option.

 

[hexagonal]

I would bet my next paycheck that >90% are on at least one if not all three hormones.

It’s like saying pro bicycling is clean. Or pro baseball. I would expect hormones to be a very basic price of entry, parked next to the creatine and protein shakes.

Pray tell, what data says they’re clean? Yes all three hormones.

I do not believe pro sports are clean - particularly since I am aware of how easy it is to get around bloodtests. I fully believe ~100% of pro athletes are on PEDs in the MLB, NFL, etc.

For the majority of anabolics, virilization is a significant and very noticeable concern for women. For those that are on the anabolics that women can use without virilization, it still produces a very different physique than a natural lifter.

Enhanced male bodybuilders are frequently easy to have a good idea on because of how they impact certain parts of the musculature, but with women the effect is even more noticeable in comparison to what a natural physique looks like.

 

[hexagonal]

All those many years ago, Mentzer was right.

Mentzer was right in that training close to failure with low volume will still induce hypertrophy, and for some people low volume might work better, but the overwhelming majority of people respond better to higher volume, and the science on this is incredibly clear.

There are diminishing returns, but even at 40 weekly sets we still see additional hypertrophy.

 

[hexagonal]

Don't go to failure with free weights unless you have an experienced spotter. Machines are way safer. Once you get to the point where you can't complete repetitions with full range of motion, do some long length partials.

You can go to failure safely with free weights as well without a spotter, it just requires proper setup.

Dumbbells you basically just have to learn how to drop. Barbells you just need a physical spotter rather than a person. I prefer rack mounted safety straps when I use them since you can position them/the bench/yourself in such a way to basically guarantee a good height, whereas rigid ones might not have a good height for bench. Squats this isn't as important, since you are effectively just dropping the bar onto the safety. It's effort to do all of this, though, so I usually don't go to failure unless I bother a friend to come spot me - less effort than arranging all of the stuff.

Machines are safer in general, but not always. A smith machine can be more dangerous than a barbell bench press, for example - depending on the configuration, your height, etc., you can pin yourself while benching and not be at a place where the smith can be racked. With a regular bench press, just leave the collars off and tip the bar to the side and the weights slide off. Not an option with a smith.

 

[Zydeceltico]

Mentzer was right in that training close to failure with low volume will still induce hypertrophy, and for some people low volume might work better, but the overwhelming majority of people respond better to higher volume, and the science on this is incredibly clear.

There are diminishing returns, but even at 40 weekly sets we still see additional hypertrophy.

Can you describe/explain low vs high volume a little more? I think you're talking about more weight with fewer reps. ....and the rest also. THX