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Hypertrophy Past and Present

Chris Beardsley and Jake Doleschal

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.

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  • 25 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 24 min
  • English

Episodes 25

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  • #58
    April 26 · 1 hr 42 min

    049 The data says you need more first sets

    In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down a 1950s weightlifting plan from Paul Anderson, one of the strongest men to ever live. The episode begins with a deep dive into Anderson’s low volume, high frequency training structure, before expanding into a physiology-first explanation of why low per session volume and high frequency training still makes sense today. Key topics include: • Paul Anderson’s 1954 weightlifting program • Why separating squats into their own sessions may improve performance and recovery • How extremely low volume can still build maximal muscle • Why the first set in a workout provides the majority of the growth stimulus • Why training frequency (not just weekly volume) is key • How modern research might be distorted by muscle swelling • Why social media isn't a good place for "education"

  • #57
    April 20 · 1 hr 28 min

    048 How to do more exercises in a workout without fatigue holding you back

    In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down what fatigue actually is, and why most lifters misunderstand it. The episode begins with a deep dive into a late Silver Era full body program from Joe Abenda, before expanding into a practical framework for understanding intra-workout and post-workout fatigue, and how this relates to the total number of exercises in a session. Key topics include: • A breakdown of Joe Abenda’s Silver Era beginner full body program • Why most people confuse fatigue with motivation • The difference between intra-workout fatigue and post-workout fatigue • How exercise selection, reps, and rest periods determine fatigue more than just total number of exercises • How to structure workouts to minimise fatigue and maximise performance across the entire session

  • #56
    April 13 · 1 hr 32 min

    047 How to write the perfect program

    In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down what the “perfect” workout actually looks like. The episode begins with a deep dive into a pre-steroid era full body program from Arthur Jones, before expanding into a framework for structuring training based on your goals, time, and priorities. Key topics include: • An analysis of Arthur Jones’ early full body program • A framework for building programs: bare minimum, minimalist, and maximalist • The difference between minimalist and “consolidated” training approaches • How to adjust a program based on which muscles you do or don’t care about • A common mistake science based lifters make: over-optimising one variable while ignoring others

  • #55
    April 7 · 1 hr 41 min

    046 How fast can you grow?

    In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris tackle the question everyone wants to know - how fast can you actually progress? The episode begins with a deep dive into a golden era beginner program from Frank Zane, before exploring the realities of progressive overload, strength gains, and natural hypertrophy potential. Key topics include: • A breakdown of Frank Zane's full body beginner program • Why most people misunderstand the relationship between strength and hypertrophy • The difference between gaining strength with vs without muscle growth • Why progressive overload is not the cause of growth, but proof that it occurred • The problem with constantly changing exercises and why it can stall long-term progress • Why most advanced lifters should only expect extremely slow strength gains • How to estimate your natural ceiling using simple models and historical physiques • Why Silver Era physiques may represent a more realistic target for most natural lifters

  • #54
    March 30 · 1 hr 25 min

    045 Training a muscle 2x per week - Full Body vs Upper/Lower

    In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris break down an often misunderstood programming question: how does full body training twice per week compare to an upper/lower split performed four times per week? The episode begins with a deep dive into a late 1960s program from Chuck Sipes, before discussing the key differences between full body and upper/lower when frequency is equated. Key topics include: • Why full body twice per week is one of the most underrated training splits • A breakdown of a classic Chuck Sipes program • The difference between within-session fatigue vs post-workout fatigue • Why back-to-back training days may reduce motor unit recruitment • Why doing more volume per session can actually limit long-term progress • The trade-off between rate of growth vs ceiling of growth • Practical considerations (time, lifestyle, gym access) that influence split selection

Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes