Hypertrophy Past and Present 030 Everyone's wrong about muscle activation + how to compare hypertrophy programs (WNS)
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Dec 14, 2025 Dive into the intriguing world of bodybuilding as two hosts analyze Ken Waller's iconic 1975 training split and its evolution during the anabolic era. They discuss how high-volume workouts can be deceptively recoverable and explore the intricacies of muscle activation deficits. The Weekly Net Stimulus model is introduced, highlighting its limitations and practical applications for hypertrophy training. Listeners will learn why targeting specific muscle fibers is crucial and how variety in exercise impacts development for athletes.
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Ken Waller’s 1975 Golden Era Routine
- Jake describes Ken Waller's 1975 Golden Era four-day, two-way split with very high set counts and short rests.
- The routine blends heavy compound work with high-rep bodyweight finishers and calf partials, illustrating steroid-era training habits.
Short Rests Raise Cardiovascular Load, Lower Recruitment
- Short rest periods in steroid-era programs increased cardiovascular demand and reduced per-set motor recruitment.
- That lowered recruitment likely reduced muscle damage, making very high weekly volumes more tolerable.
Perception Limits Motor Unit Recruitment
- Perceived effort limits recruitment: non-muscular discomfort (cardio) reduces motor unit recruitment at failure.
- That means muscular failure can occur without maximal motor unit activation, affecting stimulus quality.
