Monster structure

Part 2

3 months on the road to personal bests and new muscle mass

Phase 1 of our training program was all about optimizing the function of the nervous system: increasing your capacity to recruit the high threshold motor units and inhibiting the protective mechanisms that prevent you from becoming a true monster.

In the second phase, we will use the neural improvements you have made over the previous four weeks to our advantage. You will now be able to more easily recruit the high threshold motor units that have the greatest potential for gains in muscle mass and strength. And getting stronger and more muscular was the reason we started this program, right?

In the first phase, we focused almost entirely on the CNS, which required a very high training frequency with a low training volume for each muscle group. In the second phase, the focus will be split evenly between the CNS and the muscle system (during the final phase of our training, the muscle system will be the focus), which still requires a relatively high training frequency.

However, this frequency will be lower than during Phase 1 to allow us to increase the amount of work performed per training session for a muscle group. In Phase 1, each muscle was trained directly or indirectly four days per week using a full body approach. During Phase 2, we will continue to train four days a week, but each muscle group will only be trained twice a week as we use an upper body/lower body split.

A basic principle with regard to the frequency of training (where we refer to the frequency per muscle group and not the total number of weekly training sessions) is the following:

The more emphasis on developing the neural system, the higher the frequency must be and the lower the volume of daily work for the muscle/movement pattern must be. The more emphasis is placed on stimulating muscle growth, the higher the daily volume for the muscle needs to be and the lower the frequency should be.

In other words, if you want to improve the neural aspect, you should train a muscle often but not exhaust it too much. If you want to increase the size of the muscle, then you need to put more stress on the muscle during each training session, but at the same time give it more time to recover.

The following diagram illustrates this concept:

The second phase of training will be "mixed," meaning that the training frequency will be reduced while simultaneously increasing the workload/structural training stress.

Rejoice, fat upper arm friends, we will be including some of your beloved isolation exercises in this phase of training. But don't get too excited as these will only make up a relatively small part of the overall workout. Our goal is still to build a foundation of total body strength and mass, and that means more heavy multi-joint exercises.

The weekly training plan

As I said earlier, for this phase we will be using an upper body/lower body split where each muscle group is trained twice a week. One of these workouts will be more neuromuscular in nature, while the second workout will place a little more emphasis on muscle development while still targeting strength gains to a significant degree.

The training plan will be as follows:

• Monday: lower body/neuromuscular emphasis
• Tuesday: Upper body/neuromuscular emphasis
• Wednesday: No training
• Thursday: Lower body/muscle growth and strength
• Friday: No training
• Saturday: Upper body/muscle growth and strength
• Sunday: No training

Lower body: Training session with neuromuscular emphasis

Although neuromuscular improvements happen quickly with the right training program and it is likely that the first phase of this program has already resulted in serious gains in neural efficiency, we still want to maximize the development of the nervous system. Remember that our goal is to improve the capacity of the nervous system to recruit the high threshold motor units, as these are the most important muscle fibers when it comes to gains in mass and strength.

If we want to continue to stimulate neuronal improvements, then of course we need to shift up a gear now. Welcome to the Beast Complex, which is a modification of the Bulgarian Complex method.

In the Bulgarian Complex, you use 4 to 5 exercises that target similar muscle groups or movement patterns. Each of these exercises emphasizes a different physical capacity of the strength spectrum (maximum strength, strength speed, speed strength, ballistic strength, reactive strength, etc.). In this complex, you start with the heaviest exercise (maximum strength) and work your way down.

The exercises are performed as a circuit. You start with a set of the first exercise, pause for the specified amount of time, perform a set of the second exercise, pause for the same amount of time, perform a set of the third exercise, etc. until you have performed one set of each exercise. Then the complex starts all over again.

Here is an example:

Lower body: Bulgarian complex

Exercise 1: Squats
3-5 repetitions with 85-95% of your 1RM weight
Rest 2-3 minutes

Exercise 2: Power snatch or power deadlift
2-3 repetitions with 85-95% of your 1RM weight
Rest 2-3 minutes

Exercise 3: Jump squats
10 repetitions with 15-20% of your 1RM during squats
Rest 2-3 minutes

Exercise 4: Depth jumps
10 repetitions of 0.5 m
Rest 2-3 minutes

Exercise 5: Vertical jumps
As many jumps as possible within 15 seconds
Break 2-3 minutes

Due to the high number of exercises, you should only perform this complex 2 to 3 times per training session.

Modified Bulgarian complex, aka. Beast Complex

Even though the complex we will use is inspired by the original Bulgarian complex method, we will only use three exercises per complex. One of these exercises will be a functional isometric exercise, the second will be a maximal strength exercise and the last will be an explosive exercise.

We will perform two different complexes during this training session: one will be quadriceps dominant and the second will be hip dominant/ posterior chain dominant.

Exercise 1: Functional Isometric Exercise

Former Olympic weightlifting team member Bill March experimented with a type of training called "functional isometric training" and it improved his weightlifting performance at an astonishing rate. Of course, the data also suggests that March was one of Dr. John Ziegler's first guinea pigs for the use of Dianabol. Due to this fact, no further attention was paid to functional isometric training, as it was assumed that March's gains were based on the steroid and not his training method. In my opinion, this was a big mistake!

First of all, March was only taking 5 to 10 mg of Dianabol per day. That's an extremely low dose - especially when you consider that using ten to twenty times that amount in conjunction with other active ingredients is considered a "normal" steroid cycle by most bodybuilders today! Therefore, even though the 5 to 10 mg of Dianabol per day probably made a difference, they alone cannot explain March's absolutely phenomenal gains.

What is functional isometric training? Remember that isometric training refers to the release of force without movement. The classic form of isometric training is pulling or pushing an immovable weight. We used this type of isometric exercise during phase 1.

Because you recruit more motor units during an isometric action than during a concentric action, it is conceivable that isometric exercises can lead to greater strength stimulation. However, there are some problems with overcoming isometric training:

1. It's not possible to quantify progress. Since you're not moving weight, you don't know if you're improving or even maximizing effort. This can certainly reduce progression and motivation.
2. Isometric training is position specific, meaning that you only gain strength in the areas of the range of motion that are being trained (with only 15 to 20 degrees of carryover of strength gains).

Functional isometric training is slightly different. You are still exercising strength without movement, but you are moving a weight. Here's how it works:

Start with the bar at a specific height and move it 5 to 7 inches against a second set of safety pins in the rack. Then hold this position for six to nine seconds. Continue to increase the weight until you can no longer move it upwards. Hold the bar firmly against the second set of safety pins for at least six seconds while maintaining good training posture.

Functional isometric setup for the bench press

This way you move a weight and can quantify your progress. In addition, due to the short phase of the dynamic movement, there is a greater transfer of the increased strength to the actual dynamic action.

You can use functional isometric training either at a weak point in the range of motion (the second set of safety pins is placed at your weak point in the range of motion so that the movement starts 5 to 7 centimeters before your weak point in the movement) or at a very strong point in the range of motion (close to the extended arm position in the bench press or above the point in the middle of the movement).

In the first case (weak point of the movement), the advantage is obviously that a weak link in the chain is strengthened. In the second case (near the highest point of the movement), the goal is to prepare the nervous system as well as possible: near the highest point of the movement, where force production is greatest, which will have a stronger potentiating effect than any other position.

Unless you are trying to improve a specific weak point (e.g. if you are a powerlifter), I recommend using the position close to the highest point of the movement for the Beast Complex.

For the first complex of this training unit (quadriceps dominant), I recommend functional isometric front squats if you have the necessary mobility in the shoulders, back and wrists. Otherwise, you can also use classic squats.

Functional isometric squats

Remember that the bar rests on a first set of safety pins and you press it against a second set of safety pins that is 5 to 7 centimetres above the first. You work your way up to the maximum weight that you can press against the upper safety pins for at least 6 seconds.

For the second complex of this training session, I recommend functional isometric deadlifts. But because we want to put more emphasis on the entire posterior muscle chain, we will use the position below the knees for the deadlift. The top position of the deadlift only targets the lower back, upper back and trapezius.

Functional isometric deadlift

Exercise 2: Maximum strength

This is pretty straightforward: good old heavy training! We will simply use an exercise that targets the same movement patterns or muscles stimulated by functional isometric training and perform sets of 2 to 3 repetitions. Challenge yourself. Use a heavy weight and try to get stronger and stronger. However, stay within the limits of perfect exercise form.

Remember that the goal of the entire program is to build mass and strength, not to prepare for a strength test or competition. Sets of 2 to 3 repetitions at 87 to 90% of your maximum weight are more than enough to achieve this goal, even if you have one or two repetitions left in the tank.

Obviously, you should use an exercise that is similar to the first exercise in the complex. This means either classic squats or front squats for the quadriceps dominant complex and deadlifts, sumo deadlifts or Romanian deadlifts for the hip dominant/ posterior chain dominant complex.

Exercise 3: Explosive strength

For this third exercise in the complex, you have a choice of several alternatives. Use one of these exercises of your choice:

Traditional exercises with a maximum acceleration: e.g. speed squats (a la Westside Barbell) with 45 to 55% of your maximum weight in squats. You control the lowering movement and accelerate as much as possible during the eccentric phase. Sets of 3 to 5 repetitions are recommended.

Olympic weightlifting exercises: These are performed for the hip/rear muscle chain complex only. These include different variations of power deadlifts and power snatches with 70 to 80% of your maximum weight and 3 to 5 repetitions.

Ballistic exercises: this refers to jumping with additional weight. An example would be jump squats, which you perform with 20 to 30% of your maximum weight. Jump squats are an excellent exercise for the quadriceps-dominant complex.

Jump squats

For the hip dominant/rear muscle chain dominant complex, you can perform jumping lunges or jumping deadlifts. For jumping lunges, use about 10 to 20% of your body weight and jump up from the lunge position (don't switch legs in the air, but on the floor). The wider your stance, the more strain is placed on the gluteus and leg flexors.

Jumping deadlifts are quite simple: use 15 to 20% of your maximum weight for deadlifts. Lower the bar as if you were performing Romanian deadlifts and from this position perform a vertical jump as high as possible. Remember to push your hips back to stretch the hamstrings as you lower the bar to your knees.

Ballistic exercises are best performed with sets of 8 to 10 total repetitions (this means only 4 to 5 repetitions per leg for the jump lunges).

And this is what the overall program looks like:

Complex A: Quadriceps dominant

	Exercise	Sets		Rest
A1	Functional isometric front squats or classic squats *	4-5	6 sec.	2 min.
A2	Front squats or classic squats	4-5	2-3	2 min.
A3	Jump squats or speed squats	4-5	8-10 / 3-5	2 min.

* Isometric squats - maximum weight.

Complex B: Hip dominant / posterior muscle chain dominant

	Exercise	Sets		Pause
B1	Functional isometric deadlift	4-5	6 sec.	2 min.
B2	Deadlift or sumo/Romanian deadlift	4-5	2-3	2 min.
B3	Power deadlift from hanging position or speed deadlift or jumping lunge/cross lift	4-5	3-5	2 min.

* Isometric deadlift - maximum weight.

Upper body: training session with neuromuscular emphasis

Okay, now that we've got all the science stuff out of the way, we can get straight to the details of this training day. The structure of the training session is basically the same as the previous training session. We will also have two complexes here: a pull complex and a push complex. The only difference is the isometric method used for the pull complex. It is almost impossible to perform correct isometric exercises for pulling muscles. Therefore, we will use a dynamic/isometric contrast instead.

This involves performing one repetition with near maximal weight on a rowing exercise and then tensing your back muscles as hard as humanly possible.

Good exercises for isometric holds include: T-bar rowing with supported chest, dumbbell rowing with supported chest, seated rowing and pull-ups with added weight.

For the isometric upper body pressing exercises, stick with functional isometric exercises using either bench presses, incline bench presses or shoulder presses. Remember the concept: two sets of safety pins 5 to 7 centimeters apart, the bar starts its movement on the first set of safety pins and you press the bar for 6 to 9 seconds against the second set of safety pins. You can increase the weight as long as you are able to push the bar against the safety pins for at least 6 seconds.

The training session would therefore look like this:

Complex A, Option 1: Upper body horizontal press dominant

	Exercise	Sets		Pause
A1	Functional isometric bench press or incline bench press *	4-5	6 sec.	2 min.
A2	Bench press or incline bench press	4-5	2-3	2 min.
A3	Speed bench press or ballistic bench press	4-5	3-5	2 min.
	Ballistic bench presses are performed on a multi-press. You use a weight that is 20 to 30% of your maximum bench press weight and throw the bar upwards 8 to 10 times.

* Maximum weight

Complex A, option 2: Upper body vertical press dominant

	Exercise	Sets		Pause
A1	Functional isometric shoulder press standing or sitting *	4-5	6 sec.	2 min.
A2	Shoulder press standing or sitting	4-5	2-3	2 min.
A3	Push press (standing shoulder press with momentum from the legs)	4-5	3-5	2 min.

* Isometric press - maximum weight.

Note: During a training session you only choose one of these two options. So you perform either vertical or horizontal presses, but not both.

Complex B, Option 1: Upper body horizontal pull dominant

	Exercise	Sets		Pause
B1	Iso/dynamic contrast rowing with supported chest or seated rowing	4-5		2 min.
	Use almost your maximum weight and hold the contracted position for as long as possible.
B2	Dumbbell rowing with supported chest or T-bar rowing, seated rowing or bent-over rowing	4-5	2-3	2 min.
B3	Speed dumbbell rowing bent over	4-5	3-5	2 min.

Complex B, option 2: Upper body vertical pull dominant

	Exercise	Sets		pause
B1	Iso/dynamic contrast pull-ups	4-5		2 min.
	Use almost your maximum weight and hold the contracted position for as long as possible.
B2	Pull-ups with additional weight or lat pull-ups	4-5	2-3	2 min.
B3	Speed pull-ups	4-5	3-5	2 min.
	Use a bench or other elevation and "cheat" by simultaneously jumping and pulling yourself up as fast as possible.

Note: During a training session, you only choose one of these two options. Either you perform horizontal pulls or vertical pulls, but not both. Use the option that is the direct opposite of your chosen push option.

Lower body: muscle growth and strength

Last but not least, something normal! For this third (and fourth) training session of the week, we're going to go back to good old regular strength training! We'll be training in the hypertrophy zone and the functional hypertrophy zone.

Here is the corresponding training session

	Exercise	Sets		Rest
A1	Front squats	4-5	4-6	90 sec.
A2	Romanian deadlift	4-5	4-6	90 sec.
B1	Leg press	3-4	6-8	90 sec.
B2	Pull-through or reverse hyper	3-4	6-8	90 sec.
C1	Standing calf raise	3-4	6-8	90 sec.
C2	Lying leg curls	3-4	6-8	90 sec.

Upper body: muscle growth and strength

	Exercise	Sets		Rest
A1	Dumbbell row with supported chest	4-5	4-6	90 sec.
A2	Bench press	4-5	4-6	90 sec.
B1	Pull-ups (if possible with additional weight)	4-5	6-8	90 sec.
B2	Dumbbell incline bench press (45° to 60°)	4-5	6-8	90 sec.
C1	Scott curls	4-5	6-8	90 sec.
C2	SZ Tricep presses on the reverse incline bench	4-5	6-8	90 sec.

Supplementation to increase the efficiency of the program

These supplements that are useful during this second phase of training are similar to the supplements of phase 1, as part of the focus of this phase continues to be on the nervous system.

If you are not already using creatine, then this phase is a good time to start creatine supplementation, as creatine will be particularly helpful when it comes to getting those last reps out during the third and fourth training sessions of the week.

A quick footnote

I know some people will read this article and want to do the program on their own, without the previous Phase 1. Can you do this? Sure. Even though this series of articles is meant to be a 12 week program aimed at maximizing mass and strength, each phase can be used on its own. In the case of this second phase, it is better suited for those who want to build strength and mass at the same rate.

Phase 1, when done on its own, is best suited for those who want to focus primarily on their strength development. Phase 3 will present a good option for those who are primarily interested in mass gains. However, if optimal gains in both strength and muscle mass are the goal, then the total plan is the best option.

By Christian Thibaudeau

Source: https://www.t-nation.com/training/beast-building-2