Qs: why Hyp? increasing pullups? 304 v. 311? time off/break in?

[snarcopeniac]

Hi all,

First post. New to strength training, having spent my first 40+ years biking/running/ playing ultimate frisbee (read: already weak and sliding into sarcopenia victimhood), i’ve been enjoying doing NROL for just over a year, having worked my way through the Break in, Hyp2, the three Fat Loss programs, through three Strength programs, and am currently poised to finish Strength1 again. My goals are to hit some Strength benchmarks and keep fat down within pinch an inch. The goals are in bench press, squat, deadlift, and pull-ups (bodyweight, bwX1.5, bwX2, and 12@bw, respectively).

The fatloss programs brought from a flabby 180 to 168lb at Xmas time. Now I’m back hovering around 180lb but am a lot stronger– about 75 to 85% of the way for all my goals except pull-ups. I can do a whopping 6 pullups, woohoo. So recently I’ve tried adding a pullup ‘density training’ regimen to my routine (increasing reps and decreasing sets to meet double my objective – E.G. phase1:12sets2rep; phase2: 8sets3reps; phase3: 6sets4reps…). I try and intersperse the density training throughout my regular NROL week, not doing more than 3 a week.
I’ve accumulated a few questions:

1. With my goals, is there ever a reason why I would do a Hypertrophy program? Right now I’m content on cycling through the Strength programs, keeping an eye on my flab. If the flab starts to offend, I’ll rip into some more FL programs (recalling FL3 with masochistic glee).

2. Do you recommend any other way to increase my pull up reps other than the workouts in S1,2,3? I’m up to 45lb on the single rep pullup but haven't seen a big increase in reps. I could maybe do 8 but my form would be embarrassing.

3. I’ve been a little stumped by the tempos that Mssrs Schuler/Cosgrove included in S1 for the sets of 1 rep. For example, when I’m doing a single rep set of squat or bench press or deadlift, I’m just trying to lift as much as a possibly can, without regard to whether I can raise that bar in 1 second. In other words, I find my tempo for the single rep stuff to be more like 303 or 304. Am I cheating? If so, at 311 tempo I will not have a read of my 1 rep max?

4. If I take some time off to really try and amp up my pull-ups – say 2 months, should I be starting NROL again with a Break-In?

many thanks,

snarcopenia

[Hunter]

I'll give you a couple opinions on your questions:

1. Variety is a good reason to try some Hyp programs. If you're bouncing between low-rep strength and high-rep metabolic sets, you're missing out on some of the benefits of the mid-range.

2. Do you have a pull-up bar in your house? If not, get one, and start doing them daily - not necessarily to failure every time, but just to increase the frequency/volume. Back off the day before and the day of doing pull-ups in the NROL program, but otherwise just keep doing a few extra sets a day.

3. It's hard to keep up the tempo with heavy weights, but the key is to try to push as fast as you can. I've benefitted in the past from backing off the weights and going for speed - it's helped the top end lift when going back to the slower tempo.

4. I don't think you need to quit NROL to work on pull-ups as stated above, but if you do, an abbreviated Break-in period (e.g. 1 week) may be a good idea, but as long as you keep doing some squats and deadlifts, I don't think it's necessary.

[snarcopeniac]

thanks Hunter. that's all very sound advice.

On 1, is the idea that at some point I'm going to see my gains plateau and so I should shake them up by doing the Hyp programs?

[Hunter]

The high rep sets can actually result in some loss of muscle because you are essentially training for endurance, not strength. Th mid-range sets promote mass gain provided your diet is on target.

[NACHO]

Now that your newbie gains are done you're going to have to what non newbs do. Over eat when you're trying to gain muscle, under eat when you're trying to lose fat. The program being called strength or fatloss doesn't mean a whole lot to the laws of thermodynamics.

*Disclaimer for the NROL zealots. I am a noob, you are better than me, don't be angry at me for pointing out the obvious.

Also, if you're just trying to get stronger there are probably better programs than NROL. Not being an expert I don't know which but I think a 5x5 program would probably would better.