Build Your Ideal Physique | Dr. Bret Contreras

Bret Contreras and Andrew Huberman discuss strategies for optimizing muscle growth through careful training frequency, volume, and recovery tactics.

Minimum Effective Training Frequency For Muscle Growth

Beginners: 2-3 Full-Body Workouts/Week; Advanced Lifters: 3-4 Workouts/Week

Bret Contreras recommends that beginners train with a minimum of two full-body workouts per week, while advanced lifters should aim for 3-4 workouts per week. He notes that a once-weekly comprehensive session may produce results if an individual has a knowledgeable coach and tracks their workouts. To maximize gains, hitting a muscle twice a week is ideal – though some evidence suggests thrice weekly may be best, recovery becomes more challenging.

Adjust Training Volume Based On Individual Recovery Capacity

Limit Exercises per Muscle Group to Avoid Overtraining and Support Recovery

Huberman and Contreras underscore the importance of adjusting training volume based on individual recovery capacity. Contreras emphasizes that, while most people can typically recover from training twice a week, excessive training, particularly for exercises that cause significant muscle damage, may be counterproductive. He advocates for careful selection of exercises, such as preferring step-ups over lunges, to enable more frequent training.

Rule of Thirds: Compound, Horizontal/Squeeze, Lateral/Rotational Movements

Contreras recommends dividing glute training into thirds: compound movements, horizontal/squeeze exercises, and lateral/rotary movements. This balance ensures effective work on the muscles while facilitating recovery. If training glutes three times a week, exercises should be limited to prevent overtraining, and additional recovery time should be taken after a Friday workout.

Take Deload Weeks to Avoid Stagnation and Injury

Training Reduction Enables Body Recovery

Discussing deload strategies, Huberman mentions taking scheduled breaks from lifting every 14 to 16 weeks for about a week, which has helped him maintain fitness goals without experiencing adverse effects. He points out the benefits of taking a less structured deload, indicating ...

Renowned figures in fitness and human biology such as Andrew Huberman and Bret Contreras discuss approaches to enhance specific muscle groups, suggesting that a blend of self-assessment, specialized training, and varied exercise strategies are crucial for achieving balanced muscle development.

Identify Lagging Muscle Groups Through Honest Self-Assessment

Andrew Huberman and Bret Contreras underline the importance of self-assessment as a critical first step toward identifying which muscle groups may be lagging. Huberman mentions the difficulty some individuals have in contracting certain muscles and suggests prioritizing these muscles for development due to potential weaknesses. He points out, for example, that the glutes are often a lagging group for many people. Contreras acknowledges that genetics can affect muscle activation and development, noting that while people with good calf genetics might not need to focus on training them, others with poor genetics may struggle despite significant effort.

Use Specialized Training to Improve Lagging Muscle Groups

Increase Frequency For Target Muscles, Decrease Volume for Stronger Ones

Specialized training, described by experts as a focused effort to improve lagging muscle groups, is considered essential. Contreras advocates increasing the frequency for specific muscles, like training hamstrings twice a week if they are not growing as one might expect. Contreras also advises that men who wish to increase their glutes should add hip thrusts and seated hip abduction, which do not compromise recovery even while participating in intensive leg workouts.

Periodize Training: Cycle Between Specialized and Maintenance Periods

The idea of periodizing training by cycling between focused periods of specializing on lagging muscles and maintaining others is mentioned by Contreras. He indicates that for those emphasizing glute development, they might train up to 36 sets a week for this specific muscle group. He hints at the need for cycling between extensive periods of specialization and lighter periods for the purpose of maintenance or recovery.

Use Varied Exercises, Reps, and Methods to Stimulate Growth

Vary Movements, Loads, and Tempos For Adaptation

A wide array of movements, loads, and tempos are recommended to stimulate the growth of targeted muscle grou ...

Training for muscle growth and strength must be tailored to individual needs, taking into account muscle composition, recovery differences, and anatomical variations. Bret Contreras and Andrew Huberman delve into how these factors affect workout regimes.

Muscle Composition, Leverage, and Recovery Differences

Muscle Groups Respond Better To Varied Rep Ranges or Isolation Work

Contreras acknowledges that each individual responds differently to training, influenced by factors like stress and life responsibilities. Contreras and Huberman discuss that while some people can squat three times a week, others cannot due to developing pain, underscoring that muscle groups respond differently to training frequencies and volumes. Contreras's method suggests that higher rep ranges may be suitable for single-joint exercises and that training adjustments like employing isolation work can cater to muscle group differences.

Exercises such as the hip thrust are mentioned, with Contreras noting that they should not cause back pain when performed correctly. When clients experience issues like bruising or soreness, he recommends shifting to exercises like single-leg hip thrusts to allow for recovery while still targeting the muscle group. This adjustment is indicative of tailoring training based on leverage and recovery needs.

Also, the use of varying movement patterns and exercises implies that muscle groups may respond better to different types of stimuli, which can include varied rep ranges or isolation work.

Adapt Training For Gender and Anatomical Differences

Women Focus On Lower Body, Men on Upper Body

Contreras confirms through his experience that women generally have better recovery compared to men and can handle more volume in training, often prioritizing lower body work. He notes that most female followers prefer training splits with more lower body workouts, while men usually focus on upper body development. This suggests that training should be adapted based on gender preferences and anatomical desires, such as men's emphasis on arms as opposed to women's focus on glutes.

Furthermore, Contreras points out anatomical differences, like varying pelvic structures affecting the performance of exercises like the hip thrust. Women might have to adjust the position of the bar during hip thrusts compared to men. Additionally, he discusses how men and women store fat differently, which also affects their training focus.

Contreras talks about the need for hypertr ...