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Review
. 2020 Nov 18;8(11):149.
doi: 10.3390/sports8110149.

Training Programs Designed for Muscle Hypertrophy in Bodybuilders: A Narrative Review

Ragami C Alves  1 , Jonato Prestes  2 , Alysson Enes  1 , Wilson M A de Moraes  2 , Thiago B Trindade  2 , Belmiro F de Salles  3 , Alan A Aragon  4 , Tacito P Souza-Junior  1
Affiliations
Review

Training Programs Designed for Muscle Hypertrophy in Bodybuilders: A Narrative Review

Ragami C Alves et al. Sports (Basel). .

Abstract

Bodybuilding is a sport that requires adequate training strategies in order to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy. The purpose of the present review was to perform a narrative assessment of the training routines designed for muscle hypertrophy used by bodybuilders. A search was carried out in the databases Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scielo, EBSCO, LILACS, SportDiscus, Web of Science, and CINAHL with the words "Resistance training" and "hypertrophy" in bodybuilders and their variations that involve the respective outcomes. Fourteen studies were identified that investigated the long-term training routines of bodybuilders. These studies demonstrate a pattern in the training organization, whereby there is a separation of training into four distinct periods: off-season, pre-contest, peak week, and post-contest. Each period has a specific spectrum of intensity load, total training volume, and exercise type (multi- or single-joint). We conclude that bodybuilding competitors employed a higher intensity load, lower number of repetitions, and longer rest intervals in the off-season than pre-contest.

Keywords: bodybuilding; off-season; pre-contest; resistance training; skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic model of the training routines adopted by bodybuilders with the main characteristics of each preparation phase.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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