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The 7 Best Hypertrophy Programs

  1. 12 Week Maximum Hypertrophy Routine (Kizen)
  2. PHUL Workout Routine
  3. PHAT Workout Routine
  4. Mike Israetel Hypertrophy Workout Routine
  5. Hypertrophy Specific Training (HST) Routine
  6. Brogains 10 Week Powerbuilding Program
  7. Metallicadpa 6 Day PPL (aka Reddit PPL)

These workout programs have hypertrophy as one of their primary training goals.

The full list of hypertrophy programs is available below.

What is hypertrophy?

Hypertrophy is the enlargement of tissue (like muscle) from the growth of its component cells. In the context of lifting weights, hypertrophy is a fancy way of saying getting bigger, jacked, yoked, or whatever your favorite slang term for muscular is.

Are hypertrophy programs just for bodybuilders?

Hypertrophy is not just for bodybuilders, though they certainly care about it too. Hypertrophy is an important part of training for any athlete that cares about getting stronger, including powerlifters and other strength training sports.

What causes hypertrophy?

In a very basic sense, muscular hypertrophy is caused by microtrauma to the muscle fibers, or tiny tears. Higher volume workouts tends to cause more microtrauma, leading to more growth in muscle size as the body overcompensates while repairing the torn muscles via protein synthesis.

Lyle McDonald Generic Bulking Routine Spreadsheet

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Lyle McDonald’s Generic Bulking Routine (GBR) is a 4-day upper/lower split built for intermediate lifters who want to gain size. You train Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each 6-8 week cycle ends with a 2-week deload, and Lyle targeted a weight gain of about 0.5 to 1 pound per week while running it. There are four spreadsheet variants below, from pure hypertrophy to strength focus.

The GBR originated on Lyle’s bodyrecomposition.com forum around 2008-2009. The core idea is moderate-volume compound and isolation work with built-in flexibility on set counts. You decide during each set whether to do the lower or upper end of the prescribed range based on how you feel. Lyle described this as intentional, not a gap in the program. The jcdfitness.com FAQ PDF is the best single reference for the full program details.

This program is for intermediate lifters who have moved past their beginner gains and want a structured split to build mass. You need to eat in a caloric surplus and be comfortable self-regulating volume. If you’re still new to lifting, a more prescriptive program like Starting Strength or the Ripped Body Intermediate Bodybuilding Program will serve you better before you tackle the GBR.

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12 Week Mass Building Hypertrophy Workout for Powerlifters (Mathias Method)

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This mass building workout focuses on stimulating muscular hypertrophy and developing raw strength. It is a 12 week powerlifting program built on 4 high volume training sessions per week and was developed by Ryan Mathias at Mathias Method. It is a peaking program that is designed to build your one rep max in the squat, bench press, and deadlift for meet day. [Read more…]

Shortcut to SIZE Reviews

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Shortcut to Size is a 4 day body part split program by Jim Stoppani (who also created Shortcut to Shred). It is best suited for athletes with aesthetic or hypertrophy goals. It is a 12 week bodybuilding program broken down into three 4 week phases. [Read more…]

Shortcut to Shred Reviews

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Here are reviews of Jim Stoppani’s Shortcut to Shred strength building and weight loss program from people that have run the program. Overall, Shortcut to Shred reviews are positive and show that the program can be effective for building muscle and leaning out. [Read more…]

Jeff Seid Workout Routine Spreadsheet

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Jeff Seid’s workout routine is a 5 day or 6 day split program focused on hypertrophy and bodybuilding aesthetics. The routine hits most muscle groups once per week, but has an optional sixth day where you can work on any muscle groups you think need extra attention. [Read more…]

Lean Muscle Building Workout Plans

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Here are some of the best workout plans for building strong, lean muscle. These routines focus on high volume, which stimulates muscular hypertrophy in the athlete. Coupled with proper nutrition and recovery, these programs will help the athlete develop larger, stronger muscles.

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Lee Hayward 12 Week Bodybuilding Workout Routine Spreadsheet

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Lee Hayward’s 12 week bodybuilding program is broken up into four 3 week cycles, each cycle focusing on adding volume to the same set of lifts before switching to new movement variations and rep ranges for the next 3 week cycle. Each week has four training days, with the recommended set up being Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday. [Read more…]

Quarantine Home Workouts with Spreadsheets (Low/No Equipment)

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With COVID-19 turning the entire world on its head, forcing the closure of schools, businesses, and, yes, gyms, lots of folks are finding their workout options limited. For individuals not used to working out at home, the prospect of working out during the quarantine can seem daunting. Luckily there are tons of options for how to workout at home.

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Boring But Big: 5/3/1 BBB Spreadsheets

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Boring But Big (BBB) is a template built on top of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1. You train 4 days per week, one main lift per day (squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press) using the standard 5/3/1 loading scheme, then follow it up with 5 sets of 10 reps (at 50% of your training max) on the same or a paired lift. Each session also includes one accessory movement, typically lat work or abs.

The idea behind BBB is straightforward: use the 5/3/1 main work to build strength, then pile on the volume with 5×10 to force hypertrophy. You’re not switching programs or adding complexity. You’re just bolting on more work after the strength sets. Wendler originally detailed this template in his 5/3/1 Second Edition, and it’s also covered in 5/3/1 Forever.

BBB is best for intermediate lifters who’ve already run base 5/3/1 and want to add size without abandoning their strength base. If you’re still in beginner territory, start with 5/3/1 for Beginners first. The volume in BBB is real, and jumping straight into 5×10 when you’re still adapting to the main work is going to beat you up. Even experienced lifters should start the supplemental sets at 50% and resist going heavier for the first few cycles.

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5/3/1 BBB for Bodybuilding Spreadsheet

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5/3/1 BBB for bodybuilding is an interpretation of Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 BBB strength program that is focused on bodybuilding aesthetics and hypertrophy instead of raw strength.

It is run for 7 weeks per cycle with 4 training days per week. [Read more…]

Joe Delaney Ibiza Shreds 6 Day Upper/Lower Split Workout Routine

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Joe Delaney’s Ibiza Shreds program is a 6 day upper/lower split workout routine focused on bodybuilding and hypertrophy. It runs for 3 blocks spread across 10 weeks, each week comprised of two upper body training days, two lower body training days, and two isolation exercise + abs training days. [Read more…]

Joe Delaney 5 Day Full Body Split Spreadsheet

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Joe Delaney’s 5 day full body workout split is a bodybuilding workout routine focused on aesthetic goals and having fun in the gym. This workout was birthed from Joey D’s personal training experience with different workout splits and represents how he has been training as of January 2020.

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5 Day Body Part Split Workout (4 Week Mesocycle)

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Program Overview

This is a 5 day body part split focused on hypertrophy, not strength or powerlifting. It uses the principle of maximum adaptive volume (MAV) to help guide the number of sets each muscle group performs in a training week. This makes it somewhat similar to the hypertrophy workout program based on Mike Israetel’s training volume landmarks article. [Read more…]

Dexter Jackson Workout Routine Spreadsheet

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Dexter Jackson’s workout routine is a four day body part split focused on developing maximum muscular hypertrophy. It uses 3 to 4 sets per exercise, often increasing the weight for each set. The routine programs anywhere from 5 to 8 different exercise movements per training session. [Read more…]

Dorian Yates Workout Routine [1987-1992] Spreadsheet

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Dorian Yates workout routine from 1987 to 1992 is an advanced bodybuilder routine that he followed during the middle of his competitive bodybuilding career. [Read more…]

Golden Six Arnold Schwarzenegger Workout Routine

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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s workout routine known as “Golden Six” is a 3 day beginner bodybuilding routine that can be run indefinitely. It was used in the early days of Schwarzenegger’s training before he started higher volume training programs.

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Vince Gironda 8×8 + 6×6 Workout Routine Spreadsheets

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Vince Gironda’s 8×8 workout routine is an advanced bodybuilding routines designed to shock your muscles into growth. It is a high volume, old school bodybuilding program that has become the stuff of legend. The related 6×6 workout routine is an intermediate version of the same program.

I will be sharing spreadsheets for a few different variations of Vince Gironda’s workout routines, along with links where you can do some additional reading.

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Kai Greene Workout Routine Spreadsheet

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Kai Greene’s workout routine is a 5 day intermediate to advanced level bodybuilding program. It is a body part split that targets a different muscle group each day: chest & calves, shoulders & forearms, back, legs, and arms.

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Simeon Panda Workout Program Spreadsheet

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Simeon Panda’s 5 day workout routine is a high volume bodybuilding program built around a relatively small number of exercises per training session. Instead of significant variety within the exercise movements, Simeon Panda performs each movement for high volume. [Read more…]

Ronnie Coleman Workout Program Spreadsheet

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The man, the myth, the legend: 8 time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. The Ronnie Coleman workout routine is an intermediate/advanced level workout routine with 6 training days per week, high volume, and a large number of movements – it is not for the faint of heart.

This is a brutal bodybuilding program inspired by the man some consider to be the GOAT bodybuilder.

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