If you're a power lifter, chances are you're following some sort of strength training program. A typical strength training program such as Wendler 531, Westside Barbell, or Stronglifts to name a few, have you hitting basic pushing, puling, and squatting movements with heavy weight and low reps every week. For the most part, you'll also be doing assistance work which resembles bodybuilder style isolation exercises for higher reps. These assistance exercises are beneficial to power lifters because they help in gaining strength. Essentially it's a combination of myofibrillar hypertrophy and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy.- Myofibrillar hypertrophy has a greater impact on strength increase, by the growth of myfibrils which make pulling and contracting movements.
- Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy has a greater impact on cross-sectional size by increases muscle sell fluid which provides the muscle fibers with nutrients (water, creatine, glycogen), also expanding the surrounding blood vessels leading to increased protein synthesis.
Sorry for the "broscience". So it seems with size comes some strength, and with strength comes some size.. I haven't seen anyone lifting really heavy weights getting any smaller, so if your goal is to grow, why not incorporate more power lifting days into your routine? Rather than doing the same sets with the same weight every week, mix it up and I bet you'll notice strength and size gains. Just keep building off one another and have a better chance of avoiding plateaus.
As mentioned in an earlier post, Dr. Layne Norton coined the PHAT (power hypertrophy adaptive training) program. For a bodybuilder/power lifter who's all natural it really seemed to help him put on size and strength. Here's a sample workout that follows a similar routine:
- Monday - Power - push/pull
- Dumbell Bench - 3 sets, reps 3-5
- T-Bar Rows - 3 sets, reps 3-5
- Pushing assistance
- Dumbell shoulder press - 2 sets, 10 reps
- Tricep Cable extensions - 2 sets, 10 reps
- Pulling assistance
- Pullups - 2 sets, 10 reps
- EZ bar curls - 2 sets, 10 reps
- Tuesday - Rest
- Wednesday - Power - lower
- Squats - 3 sets, reps 3-5
- Deadlifts - 3 sets, reps 3-5
- Assistance
- Leg extensions - 2 sets, 10 reps
- Shrugs - 2 sets, 10 reps (assistance for deadlifts)
- Thursday - Rest
- Friday - Hypertrophy
- Flat Barbell bench - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Barbell rows - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Inclined barbell bench - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Lat pulldowns - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- skull crushers - 3 sets, 8-15 reps
- curls - 3 sets, 8-15 reps
- Saturday - Hypertrophy
- Leg press - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Barbell shoulder press - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Lateral delt raises - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- dumbell shrugs - 4 sets, 8-15 reps
- Sunday - Rest
So that's my advice, try both for a while with the right macro nutrients and see how it works.
Check out this video from Elliot Hulse on Sarcoplasmic vs Myofibrillar hypertrophy:
Check out this interview with Layne Norton on PHAT program:
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