The Muscle Ladder: Get Jacked Using Science

Hip-hinge movements involve bending and straightening at the hips.

his pistol, points it at your head, and says, “One more rep.” You do the rep, and he says it again. And again. And again. Finally, with your life literally on the line, you just can’t crank out another one.

two exercise classifications: compound exercises and isolation exercises.

the training program had lots of variety from day to day, but the participants did the same exercises from week to week.

Machine chest press

To understand why it’s so important to train hard, it helps to understand something far more fundamental: what makes muscle tissue grow in the first place.

I use the same movement patterns in every program I design. You’ll always see squat-type movements, hip hinges, presses, and rows. But I rotate variations throughout the year—flat and incline bench press, back and front squat, dumbbell and machine shoulder press, etc. I alternate secondary and tertiary exercises more frequently.

you don’t stop when it gets uncomfortably difficult. You keep going until your muscles cannot produce enough force to complete another rep without bizarre, acrobatic contortions (aka “cheating”).

Barbell overhead press