RiotPanda
Legalise meth for preworkout
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Only fitting to use this song:
I have no proper education or degrees in this subject. This information is purely things i've learned off of TikTok, YouTube and random articles on PubMed I find myself reading at 3 am, purely out of my own interest, so lmk if anything is wrong, and I will attempt to correct it. SOME of the stuff about lifting that I have read on here has been straight slop in terms of actual training. Maybe I will do a guide on Nutrition if this does well. In this guide, I will summarise the main principles you need to understand for SBL. A lot of SBL is personal experience, you could be doing the best, most optimal bicep exercise known to man, but if you don't enjoy it and find it uncomfortable, you aren't going to make as many gains compared to doing an exercise that performs the right action whilst you are comfortable and enjoying the experience.
This is a guide for the principles you have to understand to lift correctly. I'm not gonna be just giving you a bunch of exercises and days and just telling you to do it. That is up to you to do, as it should be a combination of these things and your own personal experience that dictates that.
SBL Creators, you could watch instead of reading this:
- TNF
- YoTalks
- Keenan R Malloy
- Danijel Lizacic
- Jacob Oestreicher
- Clark Kent
- Dorian Saraci
Hypertrophy
Definition
Hypertrophy is defined as the increase in volume of a tissue or organ due to the enlargement of its existing cells. Rather than an increase in cell number (hyperplasia). It is a physiological adaptation to increased workload.
Types of hypertrophy in muscle fibres
There are 2 different types of hypertrophy in muscle fibres that we can induce:
- Myofibrillar Hypertrophy (Active Mechanical Tension)
- Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy (Passive Mechanical Tension) - often referred to as Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy or SMH for short
Myofibrillar Hypertrophy (Active Mechanical Tension)
Active mechanical Tension happens when we have actin and myosin cross-bridge formation. The myosin head attaches to the actin filament, it pulls the actin in, lets go, then repeats. The force thats produced by these crossbridges is going to be determined by the speed of the contraction, this is what we call the force velocity relationship. If we have a fast contraction velocity, the myosin heads are going to move past very fast and spend very little time producing force compared to a slower contraction velocity. So a slower contraction velocity is going to mean more mechanical tension, whilst a faster contraction speed is going to mean less mechanical tension. This mechanical tension causes Myofibrillar Hypertrophy. Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis (MyoPS) is the metabolic process of incorporating amino acids into skeletal muscle contractile proteins (actin, myosin). It is the primary driver of muscle hypertrophy following resistance training. Unlike SMH, MyoPS builds denser, stronger muscle fibres by increasing the structural proteins that create muscle contractions. While acute, one-time exercise causes a high spike in MyoPS, it is the cumulative, repeated increases in MyoPS over weeks of training that result in a measurable increase in muscle size. So we should be doing slow and controlled reps to cause muscle growth, right? WRONG. Mechanical Tension only occurs in the fibres recruited, which is why understanding Motor Unit Recruitment is essential when understanding muscle hypertrophy. Motor unit recruitment (MUR) is the process by which different motor units are activated to produce a given level and type of muscle contraction. At minimal levels of muscle contraction (innervation), muscle force is graded by changes in firing rate (rate coding) of individual motoneurons (MNs). The harder the muscle contraction is to perform, the more MNs are required to recruit more muscle fibres to perform that action. If a muscle fibre is not recruited during an exercise, AMT will not occur, and the muscle WILL NOT GROW. Which is why intensity is LAW when training. If you aren't training hard, then don't bother to show up. You should always be training close to failure, if not to failure itself.
Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy (Passive Mechanical Tension)
Contrary to the beliefs of Pseudo-Doctor Mike Israetel, we do know what is happening in the stretch. Muscle fibres are made up of segments called sarcomeres. When a muscle fibre contains fewer sarcomeres in the series, when that muscle fibre is stretched, because there are fewer sarcomeres in the series, each sarcomere is going to have to be stretched more, compared to when there are more sarcomeres in the series, each sarcomere would be stretched less because it is distributed across more. When a sarcomere is stretched enough, the titin molecule inside the sarcomere can generate passive mechanical tension, which is the stimulus for stretch-mediated hypertrophy. Since SMH can only be done when there are fewer sarcomeres in the series, this means very few muscle groups benefit from SMH or what these self-proclaimed exercise scientists would call "The deep stretch". The muscles that benefit from SMH are as follows:
- Quads
- Hamstrings
- Chest
- Glutes
Fatigue
Definition
Fatigue is an objective measurement. Fatigue is measured by a reduction in your ability to recruit motor units. This can be caused by many different things
Supraspinal CNS Fatigue
Supraspinal CNS Fatigue is when we have uncomfortable sensations, which then increases our perception of effort, which in turn will reduce the amount of central motor command that we can generate to recruit more motor units. This can come from cardiovascular sensations, so using longer rest periods until you're recovered, so this can dissipate, is optimal to ensure we recruit the maximum amount of motor units possible. This is why more cardiovascularly demanding exercises should always be put towards the end of your session, so later exercises are not affected. This is known as intra-session fatigue, which I will talk about later. Running low on muscle glycogen also accelerates the development of supraspinal CNS fatigue, so making sure you eat sufficient carbs before your lift is necessary. Another driver is inflammation triggered by muscle damage, so we should aim to minimise the amount of muscle damage we cause. A lot of gymbros who don't understand the science and are stuck in the 1900s, thinking that microtears and muscle damage cause muscle growth, will tell you that this is good, but it is the exact opposite, as it is reducing the amount of motor units that you can recruit. But how do we reduce the amount of muscle damage we cause?
Muscle Damage
Muscle damage happens when excessive tension or stretching disrupts sarcomeres, often called microtears. However, this term is misleading as muscle fibres don't actually tear under normal conditions; instead, damage occurs at the microscopic level through z-disk streaming, myofibrillar disarray and desmin degradation, weakening the sarcomere structure. Eccentric contractions cause the most damage since fewer active crossbridges absorb higher forces. If the damage is severe, the sarcolemma or muscle membrane can become compromised, allowing excess calcium to flood the muscle. This activates calpains, which are enzymes that degrade structural proteins and further impair function. The repair process begins with inflammation, which is necessary to clear damaged tissue. Neutrophils arrive first, releasing reactive oxygen species to break down debris. Macrophages initially follow in a pro-inflammatory state to remove damaged proteins before shifting to an anti-inflammatory state, where they release IGF-1 to stimulate muscle regeneration. If inflammation is excessive or prolonged, it can lead to fibrosis, replacing functional muscle with stiff, noncontractile tissue. A critical part of muscle repair involves satellite cells, muscle-specific stem cells that activate in response to damage. These cells proliferate, fuse with existing fibres, and donate nuclei, boosting the muscle's ability to produce proteins needed for repair. This process is controlled by transcription factors MYOD and MYF5, which regulate satellite cell activity and ensure proper muscle regeneration. The extracellular matrix also plays a key role by providing structural support during repair. Fibroblasts organise collagen and laminin, ensuring that muscle maintains its flexibility, but if too much collagen builds up, it can lead to fibrosis. Another important aspect of repair is mitochondrial function; mitochondria help regulate calcium balance and oxidative stress, both of which impact recovery. If mitochondrial function is impaired, oxidative damage increases, slowing the repair process and increasing the risk of muscle atrophy. Additionally, myonuclei reposition themselves toward damaged areas, ensuring that protein synthesis is concentrated where it is needed most. This process is guided by microtubules and CDC42 signalling. Excessive damage or poor recovery may slow adaptation and reduce overall muscle function.
So now we know how it's caused and how it is repaired, how do we reduce it? A common misconception is that heavier loads cause more muscle damage, but it is literally the exact opposite. Lighter loads with higher reps cause more muscle damage since more calcium ions flood the cytoplasm as the muscle fibres are under stress for longer. This is why we used to think time under tension mattered, as it caused more muscle damage, and we thought muscle damage was how muscles grew. So in order to reduce muscle damage, it will be best to use heavy loads for low reps, utilising fast concentrics and fast eccentrics. The concentric should be performed as fast as physically possible in order to recruit the maximum amount of motor units. We should aim to perform eccentrics as fast as possible, but it is recommended that you still control the weight to prevent injury. Also, gym employees may shout at you for slamming the weights if you just drop them without any control.
Intra-Session Fatigue
I will try to keep this short and simple, as you sort of already know what it is. At the beginning of the session, you are more recovered and full of energy at the end. So you will be able to try harder on the sets and at the beginning. We can combat this by doing as few exercises and sets as possible or by introducing RIR (Reps In Reserve) in the beginning, then training to failure as you approach the end of your session, where intra-session fatigue won't matter as much. Because of intra-session fatigue, you should always be sequencing your weak points first, as training a muscle last every time will cause it to fall behind compared to the muscles you train first. If you have no weak points, then switch up what you train first and last every session to ensure everything gets an equal amount of attention.
Frequency & Training Splits
Now, for the most controversial and debatable points, we have to discuss. What is the best split, and why does frequency matter?
Frequency has a few different meanings, but in the SBL space, it is referred to as the amount of days a week a single muscle is trained. If you are running a split like FBEOD (Full Body Every Other Day), your frequency would be 3.5x, as every muscle is getting trained 3.5 times a week. Although we have no specific data to say that higher frequency is innately better than lower frequency, we do have outcome data that shows that 3x frequency is better than 1x frequency. In that same study, there was no substantial difference between 1x and 2x. And 2x and 3x. Since there was a substantial difference between 3x and 1x, I think it is safe to say that 3x is the best. But running a 2x frequency split like PPL won't make a massive difference to your gains. Ultimately, the best split will always be the one you enjoy the most, but you should aim to train a muscle as many times a week as possible while still maintaining solid recovery. You should never train a muscle 2 days in a row if you are training close to failure.
All splits have their pros and cons. I personally run Upper Lower (U/L) as it allows me to go to the gym every day whilst still maintaining a high frequency. I will cover the best 4 splits in my personal opinion. This is not a factual basis; this is just my opinion.
FBEOD (Full Body Every Other Day)
FBEOD involves training every single muscle in a single day, then resting the next day, then repeating the whole process, as it is a 2-day split. It has a high frequency of 3.5x. You will suffer from a massive amount of intra-session fatigue running this split, as you are doing upwards of 20 sets in a single session. The last set will be massively impaired compared to the first. For this split, sequencing your exercises is essential. It is of the utmost importance that you start with your weak points and whatever you train first will grow the most, compared to what you train last will grow the least. This split is perfect for people who don't enjoy coming to the gym as often or cannot come to the gym as often, as you only have to come 3-4 days a week. Since you are training again in 48 hours, only 1 set per region is required. You may still need to do multiple sets per muscle group to bias different regions, e.g., lats (Frontal Plane pull to bias lower lats, Sagittal Plane pull to bias upper lats)
U/L (Upper Lower)
Another 2-day split with a 3.5x frequency is U/L. Unlike FBEOD, there are no rest days with U/L. You could run it at 3x frequency with a rest day once a week if you enjoy 6 day training splits. On your first day you will train every muscle in your upper body. On your second day, you train every muscle in your lower body. Just like FBEOD, every muscle gets trained every 48 hours. This has less intra-session fatigue, but still a lot, as you are doing about 10 sets per session. Since you are training again in 48 hours, only 1 set per region is required. You may still need to do multiple sets per muscle group to bias different regions, e.g., lats (Frontal Plane pull to bias lower lats, Sagittal Plane pull to bias upper lats)
PPL (Push Pull Legs)
One of the most hated on splits in the SBL community is PPL. This is a 3-day split giving you a frequency of 2x. Because you are taking a longer break before training the same muscle again, more volume is required. This means you will need to do 2-4 sets per region. Your first day would be a push day; you will train every muscle group that performs pushing actions. These would be the chest, triceps, and front delts. Your second day would be a pull day, where you will train every muscle that performs pulling actions. These would be your lats, traps, biceps, side and rear delts. And lastly, you would train your legs. This is the split I would recommend to beginners, as it is very simple and easy to do.
Exercise Selection
Neuro Mechanical Matching
Some people like to say that NMM isn't true, but if you think logically, there is literally no way that it isn't true. The principle that your body recruits the best fibres to perform a given action will always be true. Your brain wouldn't recruit tricep fibres to perform a bicep curl, would you? So why is it so hard to think that when another muscle has better leverage than the muscle you are trying to train, your brain would still recruit fibres for the muscle you are trying to train? So when selecting an exercise, you should always select one that is hardest where the muscle you intend to train has the best leverage.
Isolation Movements vs Compound Movements
Surely compound movements are better than isolation movements as you are training more muscles at the same time? No. Let's take the upper back row as an example. An upper back row is a compound movement involving the lats, traps, biceps, and rear delts. When you approach failure, the first muscle to give up will be your rear delts (unless you have the craziest imbalance ever). Once your rear delts have reached failure, you are unable to perform the movement anymore. This is known as the limiting factor. Since your rear delts are way weaker and unable to move close to the same amount of weight as your traps, why would you perform an upper back row for your traps, they won't get anywhere near failure and therefore receive barely any stimulus. This is why, when training a muscle, you should aim to train only the muscle you want to train. As any other muscles used during the movement will be fatigued for when they are trained later on. Some compound movements will always be used, as it is impossible to train some muscles without involving others.
THE END
Lmk if you want me to talk about anything else
