The Most Effective FULL BODY Workout For Muscle Growth

Summary

In the first episode of the 'Full-Body Science Applied' series, the focus is on a high-frequency workout split targeting every muscle group daily. The episode features a leg-focused workout, starting with squats, followed by an incline dumbbell press, lying leg curls, lat pulldowns, EZ bar bicep curls, and hanging leg raises. The host emphasizes proper technique, exercise sequencing, and rest periods to optimize muscle growth and recovery. The video also offers tips for squat depth and advanced intensity techniques. The full 10-week program is available for purchase, with additional workouts to be shared on the channel.

Takeaways

• 🏋️‍♂️ The video introduces a high-frequency full-body workout series with a focus on different body parts each day.
• 🔄 The workout plan includes a five-day split, targeting every muscle group daily with a specific emphasis on one muscle group per session.
• 🏃‍♂️ The first workout is leg-focused, prioritizing quads, hamstrings, and glutes, starting with a warm-up routine and dynamic stretching.
• 💪 Squats are performed with 80% of 1-rep max for 4 sets of 4 reps, emphasizing proper technique and avoiding complete failure to prevent interference with next-day training.
• 🧘‍♂️ The script discusses squat depth, citing studies that show no significant difference in muscle activation between parallel and full squats when using relative loading.
• 👣 A cue for better squat performance is suggested: 'screwing your feet into the floor' for a more stable base and to prevent knee caving.
• 📈 The workout uses a weekly undulating progression, alternating between heavy and light weeks to balance strength gains and hypertrophy.
• 🤸‍♂️ After squats, an upper body exercise (incline dumbbell press) is performed to allow the lower body to recover, based on research showing longer rest periods promote greater hypertrophy.
• 🦵 The lying leg curl is included to specifically target the hamstrings, which are not fully activated by squats alone.
• 🤲 The lat pulldown is chosen to stimulate the back muscles without causing excessive fatigue, considering the high demand of the squat and dumbbell press already performed.
• 💪 An advanced intensity technique, the drop set, is used for the EZ bar bicep curl, suitable for smaller muscles like biceps that recover faster.
• 🧍‍♂️ Hanging leg raises are included to directly target the abs, which are not significantly activated by squats, emphasizing the importance of direct ab exercises for development.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the 'Full-Body Science Applied' series?

The main focus is on performing five full-body workouts as part of a high-frequency split, hitting every body part every training day.

How are the workouts in the series structured?

Each of the five workouts will prioritize a specific body part, with one muscle receiving slightly more emphasis each day.

What is the focus of the first workout in the series?

The first workout focuses on the legs, particularly the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

What is the recommended warm-up routine before starting the workout?

The warm-up routine includes 5 to 10 minutes on the elliptical or Stairmaster, 3 to 4 minutes of dynamic stretching, and foam rolling any tight areas.

Why is it important not to go to complete failure on heavy compound lifts in a high-frequency split?

Going to complete failure can interfere with training the next day due to the high recovery demands of heavy compound lifts.

What is the suggested approach for squat depth during the workout?

The suggestion is to squat at least to parallel, as studies show no significant difference in muscle activation between parallel and full squats when using relative loading.

What cue can help improve squat technique and stability?

A useful cue is to think about screwing your feet into the floor to create a more stable base and prevent the knees from caving in.

What is the purpose of alternating between heavy and light weeks for squats?

Alternating between heavy and light weeks helps balance gaining strength with getting enough effective reps for hypertrophy.

Why is the incline dumbbell press included in the leg-focused workout?

The incline dumbbell press is included to allow the lower body to recover while still training the upper body, based on findings that longer rest periods promote greater hypertrophy.

What is the benefit of using free weights over machines for the incline dumbbell press?

Free weights are preferred because they activate the lateral delts more than machines, providing a more comprehensive upper body workout.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Introduction to the Full-Body Science Applied Series

Welcome to the first episode of the Full-Body Science Applied series. The host is excited to resume video creation and outlines the series plan: five full-body workouts with a high-frequency split, targeting every body part each training day. Each workout focuses on a specific body part, starting with a leg-focused session. The video begins with a quick warm-up routine involving the elliptical, dynamic stretching, and foam rolling. The main workout starts with four sets of squats at 80% of the one-rep max, emphasizing the importance of not going to failure to avoid compromising the next day's training.

05:01

📏 Importance of Squat Depth and Technique

The video discusses squat depth and its impact on muscle activation, referencing studies on glute activation and squat variations. The host advises that parallel squats are sufficient for hypertrophy, though deeper squats can be beneficial if mobility allows. Emphasis is placed on using perfect technique, including cues like screwing feet into the floor for stability. The workout follows an undulating progression with alternating heavy and light weeks to balance strength and hypertrophy gains. Proper setup and breathing techniques are highlighted to enhance performance and safety during squats.

💪 Upper Body and Rest Strategies

The workout continues with incline dumbbell presses, incorporating an upper body movement to allow the lower body to recover. This strategy is based on findings that longer rest periods between exercises promote greater hypertrophy. The incline press targets the pecs, delts, and triceps efficiently, with free weights preferred over machines for greater lateral delt activation. The video provides detailed guidance on form, including positioning, grip, and motion to maximize muscle engagement and stability during the exercise.

🦵 Hamstrings and Effective Leg Exercises

Next, the workout focuses on hamstring exercises, starting with lying leg curls. The host explains the biomechanical reasons why squats don't fully engage the hamstrings and emphasizes the need for knee flexion movements to target all hamstring heads. The importance of exercise sequencing to avoid excessive soreness and interference with subsequent workouts is highlighted. The segment concludes with tips on choosing less damaging exercises to maintain performance in a high-frequency training split.

🏋️‍♂️ Balancing Back Training

The video addresses back training with three sets of lat pulldowns. The host discusses the balance between muscle stimulation and overall fatigue, noting that while pull-ups are effective, they may be too demanding in a high-frequency split. The approach involves alternating vertical and horizontal pulling movements throughout the week to manage volume and recovery. The importance of avoiding excessive fatigue while still achieving effective muscle stimulation is emphasized, particularly when integrating demanding exercises like squats and dumbbell presses.

💪 Advanced Intensity Techniques for Biceps

The workout incorporates advanced intensity techniques with a drop set on the EZ bar bicep curl. The host explains the rationale for using intensity techniques sparingly in a high-frequency split due to their higher recovery demands. However, bicep exercises are an exception due to their smaller muscle size. Detailed guidance is provided on form, emphasizing swinging the bar in an arc and focusing on supination for optimal bicep engagement. The segment highlights the strategic use of intensity techniques to stimulate more muscle fibers without compromising overall recovery.

💪 Abdominal Training and Workout Conclusion

The workout concludes with three sets of hanging leg raises, underscoring the importance of direct abdominal training. The host dispels the myth that squats adequately engage the abs, recommending specific exercises for maximum ab development. The video wraps up by suggesting supersets for those pressed for time and provides information on the host's new high-frequency full-body program. The program is designed for intermediate to advanced lifters, with links provided for further details and a discount offer extended for a limited time.

Keywords

💡Full-body workout

A full-body workout is a type of exercise routine that targets multiple muscle groups across the entire body in a single session. In the video, the speaker discusses a high-frequency split where each workout focuses on different body parts but still engages the whole body. This approach aims to improve overall fitness and muscle development.

💡High-frequency split

A high-frequency split refers to a training regimen where different muscle groups are worked multiple times throughout the week. The video series features five full-body workouts with a different muscle group prioritized each day, promoting more frequent muscle activation and growth.

💡Squat

A squat is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes by bending the knees and hips to lower the body and then standing back up. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of not going to complete failure on squats to avoid interfering with subsequent workouts due to muscle fatigue.

💡Parallel squat

A parallel squat is a variation of the squat where the hips descend until the thighs are parallel to the ground. The video mentions that achieving at least parallel depth is sufficient for muscle hypertrophy, based on recent studies comparing different squat depths.

💡Incline dumbbell press

The incline dumbbell press is an upper-body exercise that targets the chest, deltoids, and triceps by pressing weights upward while lying on an inclined bench. This exercise is included in the leg-focused workout to allow the legs to recover while still engaging upper body muscles.

💡Lying leg curl

The lying leg curl is an isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings by flexing the knee while lying face down on a machine. The video highlights this exercise's importance in a high-frequency workout to target the hamstrings without causing excessive soreness that could affect subsequent workouts.

💡Lat pulldown

The lat pulldown is an exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi by pulling a bar down towards the chest while seated. In the video, this exercise is chosen for its ability to stimulate the back muscles without generating excessive fatigue, fitting well within the high-frequency split.

💡EZ bar bicep curl

The EZ bar bicep curl is an exercise that targets the biceps by curling an EZ bar towards the chest. The video features this exercise with an advanced intensity technique, a drop set, to maximize muscle stimulation without causing excessive recovery demands.

💡Warm-up routine

A warm-up routine consists of light physical activity and dynamic stretches to prepare the body for more intense exercise. The video outlines a typical warm-up involving elliptical or Stairmaster use, dynamic stretching, and foam rolling to prevent injury and enhance performance.

💡Undulating progression

Undulating progression is a training method that involves varying the load and volume of exercises across different weeks. In the video, this method is used for squats, alternating between heavy and light weeks to balance strength gains and effective reps for muscle growth.

Highlights

Introduction of a new high-frequency split training program focusing on full-body workouts.

Explanation of the importance of a warm-up routine including elliptical or Stairmaster use, dynamic stretching, and foam rolling.

Emphasis on proper technique and avoiding failure on heavy compound lifts to prevent interference with next-day training.

Discussion on squat depth variations and their impact on muscle activation, referencing scientific studies.

The cue of 'screwing feet into the floor' for improved squat stability and technique.

Weekly undulating progression for squats to balance strength gain and hypertrophy.

Incorporation of upper body exercises like incline dumbbell press between leg exercises for recovery and hypertrophy promotion.

EMG data insights on muscle activation differences between incline press variations.

The selection of free weight dumbbell press over machine press for greater lateral delt activity.

Importance of targeting hamstrings with knee flexion exercises like lying leg curl for comprehensive leg development.

Consideration of exercise selection to minimize muscle soreness for subsequent workouts.

Inclusion of lat pulldowns to stimulate the back muscles without causing excessive fatigue.

Introduction of advanced intensity technique with EZ bar bicep curl drop sets for muscle fiber stimulation.

Hanging leg raises as a crucial exercise for ab development, emphasizing direct muscle activation.

Option to perform exercises as supersets for time-efficient workouts.

Promotion of a 10-week high-frequency full-body program designed for intermediate to advanced lifters.

Recommendation for beginners to start with a fundamentals program before attempting the high-frequency split.

Transcripts

[Music]

okay welcome everyone to the first

episode of the full-body science applied

series it's great to be doing these

videos again so in the series I want to

go through five full-body workouts as

part of my new high frequency split that

I talked about in my last video where

we're pretty much hitting every body

part every training day so if that

sounds totally crazy to you make sure

you check out my last video for some

context on that first so the way I've

set this up is that each of the five

workouts will have a specific body part

focus so we'll be prioritizing one

muscle each day with slightly more

emphasis and we'll be starting today

with the first leg focused workout so

our main focus today is going to be the

quads hamstrings and glutes now as

always a kick off every workout with a

quick warm-up routine so I'll do about 5

to 10 minutes on the elliptical or

Stairmaster and three to four minutes of

dynamic stretching and then I'll foam

roll out any tight areas and I already

did a full science of 5 video on my

warm-up routine and I'll link that down

below so at first we're doing 4 sets of

4 reps on the squat using 80% of our 1

rep max now it's really important that

these sets not feel super difficult so

by the time you get to the fourth set

you should still have about 2 or 3 reps

left in the tank and that's because

going to complete failure on heavy

compound lifts is especially bad when

running a high-frequency split because

if you push it too close to failure it

can really mess up your training the

next day

so remember squats activate a ton of

muscle mass including the spinal

erectors of the back meaning they have a

pretty high potential to interfere with

other exercises you might have planned

the next day so instead of going for max

effort you really want to hone in on

using perfect technique at the assigned

intensity now I want to quickly look at

squat depth here because that's

something a lot of people struggle with

a few years back I used to think that

you should always squat as deep as

possible because 1 2002 study found

higher glute activation on the full

squat than the parallel squat and the

partial squat however the study was

limited by using the same weight for all

three variations and when it was

replicated by Contreras and colleagues

using relative loading they found no

difference between parallel squats and

full squats not only for the glutes but

for any of the muscles tested so this

implies that as long as you're going to

at least parallel you're in the clear if

your goal is hypertrophy now that

doesn't mean you can just get on

the Baron do knee bends as previous work

from Bloomquist and colleagues found

that very shallow quarter squats paled

in comparison to parallel squats for leg

gains so for people like myself who can

get all the way down with just a little

bit of butt wink I'd say to go for it

but for those with more limited hip or

ankle mobility apart from doing specific

mobility drills to open those joints up

I'd say settling for a parallel squat is

probably your best bet now one cue I've

been using on the squat lately that you

can try is to think about screwing your

feet into the floor so after you've set

the bar on either a high or low bar

position walked it back two or three

steps set your stance to a width that

feels comfortable to you and taking a

breath deep into your gut not up into

your chest you might get even tighter by

screwing your feet into the floor

causing your foot to make firm contact

with the outer wall of your shoe

creating a more stable base of support

and this cue can help prevent the knees

from caving in as well and for the squat

we're running a weekly undulating

progression where the load alternates

between heavy weeks and light weeks so

in week one we're doing a heavy four by

four then and b2 dropping back to a

lighter three by six then it's back to

fours and week three but with heavier

weight a lighter three by six again in

the fourth week and the idea here is to

strike a balance between gaining

strength while still getting in enough a

so called

effective reps for hypertrophy okay so

after squats were moving on to three

sets of eight on the incline dumbbell

press so rather than moving on to our

next leg movement right away

we're hitting an upper body movement

first to allow the lower body to recover

a bit this approach is based on findings

from a 2017 systematic review which

found that longer rest periods tend to

promote greater hypertrophy because they

allow for higher overall volume load so

in my eyes the more rest you can get

between exercises for the same muscle

groups the better so we'll hit some pecs

delts and triceps while the legs rest of

it and we're choosing an exercise here

that targets all of the pushing muscles

quite well as we're able to stimulate

three muscles with a single exercise

incurring less recovery demand per unit

of time now when it comes to muscle

stimulation we know from some EMG data

that not only is there more upper chest

activity with the incline press there's

also a more deltoid activity with

increasing bench inclination as well

especially when using a wider grip this

means that we can get a very nice mix of

pecs and delts with this single move

and we're opting for a free weight

dumbbell press over a machine press here

mostly because the lateral delts will be

much more active with the free weight

variation according to data from chicken

colleagues even though there wasn't much

difference between free weights and the

smith machine for the anterior delts and

the pecs clearly the lateral delts were

far more active when using free weights

this is most likely because the lateral

delts perform a stabilizing role to help

keep the dumbbells from tipping backward

or forward also because we're not

isolating the triceps on day one I'm

bringing the dumbbells a bit more down

into the front with my elbows more tough

than usual and this is gonna target the

upper pecs a bit more as well since it's

emphasizing shoulder flexion so to get

the most out of this you want to think

about bringing the dumbbells down and

forward and then pressing them up and

back toward your face okay up next we're

hitting three sets of ten on the lying

leg curl now we know from basic bio

mechanics that the squats we just hit

didn't do a good job of hitting the

hamstrings because they were lengthening

at the knee while shortening at the hip

also even though an exercise like the

Romanian deadlift which is coming up on

day two does hit the hamstrings through

hip extension one of the heads of the

hamstrings the biceps femoris short head

only crosses the knee joint meaning it's

biomechanically impossible for it to

contribute to hip extension this means

that if you want to hit all four heads

of the hamstrings you simply need to do

some kind of knee flexion based movement

like a leg curl now remember we're

hitting our deals on day two so we want

to choose an exercise that isn't gonna

have your hamstrings feeling too sore

for those the next day so we want to

pick it less damaging exercise here like

the lying leg curl or something like the

glute ham raise which is gonna load the

hamstrings in a more highly stretched

position so as you can probably tell how

you sequence your exercises throughout

the week it becomes a much more

important on high frequency full-body

split so you avoid that interference

with what you have planned the next day

all right up next we've got three sets

of ten reps on the lat pulldown again

here the key is stimulating the desired

muscle group without generating too much

overall fatigue so you could argue that

well pull-ups might be a better choice

as an overall back builder but when

programming a heavy exercise like the

squat and a pretty heavy dumbbell press

as well on the same day it'd be tough to

then also hit heavy weighted pull-ups I

mean that would be fine if you were only

hitting your

body two or three days a week since

you've had plenty of time between those

workouts to recover when hitting a high

frequency full body split I try to only

have one or two highly demanding

movements per day to avoid those

recovery issues granted will still be

hitting heavy pull ups on our back

focused full body workout because I do

think they're worth including on a day

that's actually more focused on

prioritizing the back we're also not

hitting any horizontal pull or row on

this day including both a vertical pole

and a horizontal pull five days a week

which is add up to way too much weekly

volume for the back so I tend to

alternate a vertical pole like a

pulldown with a horizontal pole like a

row or a face pole from day to day

throughout the week okay up next we're

gonna hit our first advanced intensity

technique with three sets of a twelve

twelve drop set on the EZ bar bicep curl

I definitely don't like to use a lot of

intensity techniques on a high frequency

split just because they do impose a

higher recovery demand than just

straight overloading sets however

because the biceps are such a relatively

small muscle they simply won't generate

as much fatigue on a drop set as

something like the quads or the lats

would so because this technique isn't

likely to impair performance over the

next few training days I think it makes

sense to push it here so we can

stimulate more muscle fibers per working

set so this is the only exercise we'll

be taking to failure on day one and what

I've been focusing on here is swinging

the bar out in an arc rather than

curling it back toward my chest and I

also q4 supination by thinking about

driving my pinky up into the barbell as

I curl and we're gonna round out this

workout with three sets of hanging leg

raises I think any complete ab routine

should include at least one exercise

that brings the legs up toward the chest

like a leg raise and one that brings the

upper body down toward the legs like a

crunch and remember that research tells

us that contrary to popular opinion the

squat actually doesn't activate the

rectus abdominus or external obliques

much at all so if you want to maximize

development of the ABS it's important to

hit them directly and that's gonna

finish out the workout now for the

record if you guys are oppressed on time

you can run each pair of exercises we

just covered as supersets I'm so for

example for the first two exercises you

can hit one set of squats rest a minute

or two hit a set of incline dumbbell

press rest another minute or two then go

back to squats and so on but since I'm

not really limited on time myself I

prefer to just hit each exercise one at

a time and if you're interested in

putting

this together into a complete 10-week

training program you can check out my

new high-frequency full-body program

over on Jeff never calm and I decided

I'm going to extend the launch for this

sale for one more week so you can still

get it for twenty five percent off but

until next weekend and then it'll go up

to $39.99 from there

and I'd say it'll probably be another

four or five weeks before I get all the

workouts up here on the channel and also

I should say this program is designed

for intermediate to advanced level

lifters so if you only have a year or

two of training experience I definitely

recommend running my fundamentals

program first instead which also uses a

full-body split but it only has you in

the gym three days per week instead of

five so I'll put a link to the new

full-body program over here next my head

if you guys would like to check it out

don't forget to subscribe so that you

don't miss the rest of the series leave

me a thumbs up if you enjoyed the video

and I'll see you guys all here in the

next one