Muscle Recovery and Training Dynamics

In this episode of Hypertrophy: Past and Present, Jake Doleschal and Chris Beardsley dissect Reg Park’s 1950s “Mr. Universe Bulk Course”. Unlike the high-variation, single-set approach of Steve Reeves discussed in the previous episdoe, Reg Park’s plan featured fewer exercises but high set volume, low reps, and heavy loads. 

The second half of the episode shifts into a deep dive on post-workout fatigue; what it actually is, what causes it, and why the common beliefs about fatigue and recovery might be wrong. 

Key topics:

• The surprising recoverability of low rep, high set training
• Why post-workout fatigue is driven by calcium ion accumulation
• The four types of post-workout fatigue
• Why understanding the mechanisms of fatigue helps unlock more efficient programming