Chris Beardsley

S&C coaches frequently complain that fatigue and recovery are difficult to understand. In reality, fatigue and recovery are straightforward when we use a physiological model. They are only complicated when we try and force physiological reality to fit into the general adaptation syndrome by insistin

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with another Leroy Colbert routine, this time examining an over 100 set silver-era routine. The conversation then explores whether you actually need to “feel” a muscle for it to grow, what the pump can tell us about muscle recruitme

In contrast to the effects of cold application on muscle damage repair, the effects of cold application on hypertrophy are relatively well-established. Multiple studies have now found that muscle growth is suppressed when muscles are cooled immediately post-workout. . #1. Hypertrophy is reduced when

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Leroy Colbert’s late-1970s enormous volume training plan. The conversation then explores whether using pre-steroid bodybuilders as a model for natural training is really an “appeal to tradition,” before examining the evidence t

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Reg Park’s 1949 pre-contest routine, which involved training six days per week, twice per day, including the infamous 20-rep breathing squat. This leads into a deep dive on time under tension: Does making a set last longer actu

While the practice of cold application immediately after muscle injury or exercise-induced muscle damage is a historically popular one, the literature presents a more confusing picture. Some studies have reported that cold application accelerates strength recovery while other studies suggest that it

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a full-body routine from legendary bodybuilding coach Vince Gironda and the unusual reliance on isolation exercises. The conversation then shifts to workout duration: Is there any truth to the claim that workouts must be kept u

As regards muscle mass retention, caloric restriction appears to function in two separate ways depending on the severity and duration of the caloric deficit. With a small deficit, the effect of caloric restriction is to reduce muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates. With a large deficit, the effect of

Many bodybuilders instinctively know that they recover from a workout more slowly when they are in a calorie restricted state compared to when they are in calorie balance. Yet, relatively little research has been devoted to this observation and to the underlying physiological mechanisms. . #1. Highe

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with an early 1950s “muscular bulk” routine from Jack Delinger. They discuss the minimalist, barbell-only full-body program and how exercise variety may need to gradually increase as a bodybuilder becomes more advanced. The conversa

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a 1972 routine from Bradley J. Steiner and discuss what makes it one of the more sensible "golden era" bodybuilding programs they've reviewed so far and whether splitting exercises across consecutive days is likely to be more o

High levels of exogenous or endogenous glucocorticoids (including cortisol) cause atrophy. This observation is often ignored by hypertrophy researchers who have only just managed to free themselves from the incorrect belief that post-exercise hormones can affect muscle growth. Yet, the endogenous gl

For centuries, both athletes and bodybuilders have known that their ability to recover from workouts is negatively affected by their stress levels and the quality of their sleep. Yet, there is only a limited amount of scientific literature devoted to this question. Fortunately, we can establish the

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Steve Michalik’s enormous 1972 Mr. America routine and why silver-era routines are the best data set for natural training routines. From there, Jake and Chris explore how the hypertrophy dose-response relationship interacts wit

Since the time hypertrophy researchers started focusing most of their efforts on muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and myofibrillar protein synthesis (MYOPS) rates, they have started to exaggerate what can be deduced from that data. One incorrect claim that they persist in making is that elevated MPS a

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Alan Stephan’s classic Silver Era full-body routine, which he reportedly followed for years while building enormous strength and muscle. This leads into a deeper discussion about exercise variation, whether exercises really “st

Caloric restriction is used to produce weight loss and the desired outcome is typically to reduce fat mass while retaining as much lean body mass as possible, usually by including a suitable strength training program into the weight loss plan. . #1. Does caloric restriction cause muscle atrophy? One

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with a classic Clancy Ross full-body routine from the Silver Era, then move into a discussion about training frequency, mTOR, muscle protein synthesis, and whether training again before the previous hypertrophy stimulus has “finishe

Researchers appear desperate to link fatigue mechanisms with hypertrophy. Historically, many of them have argued that muscle damage and metabolite accumulation can directly stimulate the growth of muscle fibers. Recently, they have begun to form a new line of attack, by suggesting that achieving fat

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss a full body training A/A/A program from Steve Reeves before exploring how to choose between repeating the same full body workout three times per week or alternating between two different full body workouts. Key topics include: • S

Fatigue is a temporary reduction in exercise performance that is caused by individual fatigue mechanisms. When adaptations take place as a result of exercise help us resist these fatigue mechanisms, muscular endurance increases. So which fatigue mechanisms are affected? . #1. How do we measure fatig

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss deloads. The episode begins with a look at a training program used by six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates before exploring the physiology of accumulated fatigue and recovery. Key topics include: • Dorian Yates' Olympia-era training

In a previous article, we analyzed how insufficient sleep might produce negative effects during strength training workouts by affecting the magnitude of the stimulus for various neural and peripheral adaptations. In this follow-up article, we will look at how insufficient sleep affects muscle mass d

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris discuss how to build the biggest back possible. The episode begins with a back specialization routine from Silver Era educator Peary Rader before breaking down the most effective modern exercises for lats, traps, rear delts, and spinal er

Sleep deprivation generally refers to one or more nights without any sleep. Partial sleep deprivation (also called sleep restriction) refers to one or more nights with substantially less than the normal amount of sleep. When either sleep deprivation or sleep restriction are carried out for more than

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse a Reg Park power-focused routine and use it as a starting point to discuss powerbuilding. The episode explores how lifters can structure training depending on whether they lean more toward bodybuilding, powerlifting, or a true mid

Younger and older people tend to display differences in respect of the rate at which certain peripheral adaptations occur in response to strength training programs. Researchers have assessed the effects of age on four peripheral adaptations: [1] muscle fiber hypertrophy, [2] sarcomerogenesis, [3] mu

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris analyse a 1940s training routine from silver era bodybuilder George Eiferman, including his progression model. The episode explores how silver era lifters approached progression and how confusion around progression models has influenced t

The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinsing is a very interesting phenomenon, because it produces an improvement in exercise performance that cannot be attributed to the traditional energy crisis model of fatigue. Rather, it must be interpreted within the new, psychobiological model of fatigue. Moreove