In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing Stuart McRobert’s 1989 hardgainer routine, a minimalist two-day-per-week program designed as an alternative to the increasingly extreme bodybuilding routines of the late 1980s. The conversation then explores an important distinction: is every period of stalled progress really a plateau, or are there times when we should simply expect progress to slow or stop?
Key topics include:
- Stuart McRobert’s 1989 twice-weekly full-body hardgainer routine
- The difference between a true plateau and a program that was never capable of producing continued progress
- Why strength gains can sometimes make a poorly designed hypertrophy program appear to be working
- Why life stress, poor sleep, dieting, or adding other forms of exercise may cause you to stop progressing without necessarily creating a true plateau
- Why coaches should investigate what has changed before immediately modifying a client’s training program
- The difference between managing a temporary lack of progress and actively trying to “bust” a plateau
- Why temporary stressors may only require reducing training volume, while long-term lifestyle changes may require rebuilding the program entirely
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What is Hypertrophy Past and Present?
A deep dive into the science of muscle growth. Hosted by Chris Beardsley and Jake Doleschal, this podcast explores hypertrophy training through the lens of pre-steroid era bodybuilding and modern muscle physiology.