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 “stop working”, and why good natural bodybuilding programs often end up looking repetitive.

From there, Jake and Chris move into one of the most important physiological arguments behind the stimulating reps model: hypertrophy is not a whole-muscle phenomenon, but a muscle-fibre-specific one. They discuss why this matters for understanding mechanical tension, light-load training to failure, sarcomerogenesis, stretch-mediated hypertrophy, force-velocity relationships, fatigue, exercise selection, and training frequency.

Key topics include:
• Alan Stephan’s 1940s full-body routine
• Why an exercise does not “stop working” just because progress slows
• How single-fibre mechanical tension explains the stimulating reps model
• Sarcomerogenesis, passive tension, titin, and stretch-mediated growth
• Why hypertrophy and sarcomerogenesis are not the same thing
• How cross-bridge formation and shortening velocity influence fibre tension
• Why exercise selection matters if hypertrophy is fibre-specific
• How Silver Era routines line up with modern physiology

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 “finished” is actually a problem.

Key topics include:
• Clancy Ross’ 1940s full-body single set routine
• Whether training a muscle every 48 hours can blunt hypertrophy
• How repeated bout effect studies can be misapplied to training frequency
• Why mTOR signalling is not the same thing as muscle growth
• The role of oxidative stress and inflammation in post-workout recovery
• How volume, frequency, stress, dieting, and athletic workloads affect recovery
• Why the best training frequency is limited by recovery

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:
• Steve Reeves’ full body AAA routine
• Why many old-school routines online should be treated cautiously
• The lying dumbbell front raise and how it may train different regions of the chest
• Why exercise selection should come before choosing a training split
• Full body AAA vs full body ABA/BAB 
• The problem with doing multiple sets of the same exercise versus using more exercise variety
• How spinal CNS fatigue, supraspinal CNS fatigue, metabolites, and calcium ion accumulation affect hypertrophy training
• How advanced lifters can use priorities to decide which exercises stay the same and which rotate

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 program
 • Why training hard does not automatically mean you need a deload
 • The difference between planned deloads and reactive deloads
 • How accumulated fatigue affects hypertrophy training
 • Whether anabolic steroid use changes the need for deloads
 • How Chris would structure the “perfect” deload
 • How to program RIR during a deload
 • How long a deload should actually last

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 erectors. 

Key topics include:

 • Peary Rader's Silver Era back specialization routine
 • Why lats are best trained with both sagittal and frontal plane exercises
 • The most overrated back exercise according to Chris
 • Kelso shrugs vs vertical shrugs
 • The challenge of directly training spinal erectors
 • Are deadlifts are enough to build the spinal erectors
 • The simple 3-exercise framework for back training
 • The controversy surrounding Jefferson curls and loaded spinal flexion

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 middle ground.

Key topics include:
• Reg Park’s power routine from his Mr. Universe course
• The difference between bodybuilding, powerlifting, and powerbuilding goals
• How to modify a bodybuilding routine toward strength
• How to modify a powerlifting routine toward hypertrophy
• Why full body A/B routines may suit powerbuilding better than full body A
• How Reg Park’s routine compares to a Chris and Jake's modern powerbuilding program

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 the modern bodybuilding.

Key topics include:
• George Eiferman’s 1940s full body training routine
• Why silver era bodybuilders often used wider rep range
• Understanding progression as an input vs progression as an output
• Why “progressive overload” is often misunderstood
• Why strength gains naturally slow over time without indicating a plateau
• The Hepburn progression model and why it works
• How exercise selection influences practical rep ranges and loading strategies

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris follow up last week's episode on drop sets by diving deeper into the physiology of fatigue and rest periods. Using an extreme high-volume routine from Serge Nubret, the episode explores why different exercises, rep ranges, and proximity to failure dramatically change the amount and type of fatigue that accumulates during training.

Key topics include:
• Serge Nubret’s ultra high-volume, short-rest training system
• The four major fatigue mechanisms involved in strength training
• Why “2-3 minute rest periods” may be an oversimplified recommendation
• How exercise selection changes optimal rest periods
• How clusters and reps in reserve reduce fatigue accumulation
• Why stretch-position exercises are more sensitive to muscle damage and calcium ion accumulation

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the origins and physiology of drop sets, beginning with a 1949 drop set routine from Henry J. Atkin. The episode examines how “multiple poundage system” training was originally performed in the silver era, before transitioning into a physiological breakdown of why modern drop set research may not support many of the claims made about the method today. 

Key topics include:
• Henry J. Atkin’s 1949 “multiple poundage system”
• Why early drop set protocols may have been more intelligent than modern versions
• A review of the recent drop sets meta analysis and systematic review
• How short rest periods influence motor unit recruitment and fatigue
• Why drop set studies may actually just be studies on rest periods
• The difference between drop sets, clusters, and rest-pause training
• How cardiovascular fitness changes recovery between sets
• When drop sets may make sense for clients, and when they likely don’t

In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris explore the use of circuits in hypertrophy training, starting with a 1960s circuit-style routine published by John McCallum. The episode examines how circuit-style training was used in the silver era, before transitioning into a physiology-first breakdown of when circuits might actually make sense for muscle growth today, and when they likely fall short.

Key topics include:
• A breakdown of McCallum’s Peripheral Heart Action (PHA) circuit routine
• Why inserting low-fatigue exercises between compounds can improve performance
• How circuits may reduce the exercise order effect across a workout
• When circuits might outperform straight sets (and when they won’t)
• How to structure circuits using clusters, low reps, and reps in reserve
• The practical limitations of circuits in busy gyms