Compound-focus: my full-body training method

flemman11

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Compound-focus method​


Introduction​


This is a hypertrophy-first, intermediate to advanced training methodology, although it could be adapted to beginners with some simplifications. It is built around full-body training with 6-day microcycles, though if you wanted to you could throw in another rest day to make it align with a weekly schedule.

Ci, F, R, Cv, F, R

The specific meaning of each letter is explained further down.

At the core of this method is autoregulation. Fatigue management is attained through the use of RPE (as opposed to using RM-calculated intensity percentages), exercise rotation, varying the amount of sets, and building GPP. There should never be any physical need for a dedicated "deload."

Aerobic work capacity is another key to success. Performing the gruelling full-body sessions will build your work capacity naturally over time, but in order to improve your general health and to get more out of your hypertrophy training as you become more advanced and start lifting more systemically taxing loads, you will need to do some extra work to stay on top. For this reason, I highly recommend that you fit in some form of dedicated progressive aerobic exercise, either on Focus days and/or Recovery days (as defined below).

Compound ("C")​


Compound days are where you'll perform compound lifts which conform to 6 fundamental movement patterns: knee flexion, hip hinge, and horizontal and vertical press and pull. The goal is to accumulate diffuse tonnage across movements which hit the majority of the body. Intensity-specific ("Ci") days consist of higher intensites and serve to progress a foundation of strength. This foundation is then taken advantage of on volume-specific ("Cv") days, where lower intensities drive more hypertrophy stimulus. Time to complete: ~75–150 minutes.

Sample exercise selection​

  • Knee flexion - front squat
  • Hip hinge - conventional deadlift
  • Horizontal press - pushup
  • Horizontal pull - Pendlay row, 45º ABD
  • Vertical press - overhead press
  • Vertical pull - chinup

Compound-intensity ("Ci")​


Pick a rep number between 2–5 and add ~5% each set to increase RPE. Take off minimum 5% load for the backoff set(s) if the top set was judged as RPE 9–10.
  • Set 1: 2–5 reps @ RPE 7
  • Set 2: 2–5 reps @ RPE 8
  • Set 3: 2–5 reps @ RPE 9
  • Sets 4–5: 2–5 reps @ minus 5–10%

Compound-volume ("Cv")​


Pick a rep range: 6–10, 8–12, or 10–15. If you hit the top number on your first set, the next session you should either increase the weight or move to a higher rep range (dynamic double progression). If you hit the bottom number in the rep range on a set, drop the weight for the next set.

Sets 1–6: 6–15 reps @ RPE 7–8

Focus ("F")​


Focus days are more flexible. The goal is to accrue volume on isolation exercises to target specific muscles, depending on your specific goals. I personally superset most of my exercises here, as they take much less of a toll on recovery. Time to complete: ~60 minutes (excluding further conditioning work).

Sample exercise selection​


"+" means super-set, "/" means rotate each session.
  • Calf raise (4 sets)
  • Nordic / reverse nordic + shrug (3 sets)
  • L-sit / ab wheel + barbell supinated finger curl (3 sets)
  • Crunch + BB pronated wrist extension (3 sets)
  • BB supinated curl + lying tricep extension (3 sets)
  • Neck flexion + neck extension (3 sets)
Extra conditioning: 30 minute run @ RPE 6–7

Recovery ("R")​


Recovery days are self-explanatory, with the added caveat that any exercises not finished the previous day should be done today. This is a good opportunity to devote time to low/medium intensity activities, such as skill work.
 
@flemman11 What do you think is the benefit of splitting it into seperate days compared to just doing 1-2 compounds and then the lighter stuff each day?

You can do the same progression ideas and have the same flexibility of swapping exercises. Now you have 1 heavy fatigue day and then some rly low fatigue days. If you split it then it would be all medium-ish fatigue days.
 
@shutupandrock94 The two main benefits for me are the full rest days from lifting heavy + mindset building from the long session grind.

I did do the medium intensity every day approach for a while. Grew tired of it. The theory goes that in PPL you let every body part recover for the next session, but for me, training with medium-high intensity in a routine every day was draining psychologically and having to train every day was monotonous, and if I missed a day I felt like I'd really screwed up my whole program.

So now with the really-high intensity, medium-high intensity, then low intensity/recovery day schedule, I feel more fired up to hit it hard on the 2/3 days I do train. Plus I have more wiggle room to do other activities with friends, since I have that off day every three days.

You could definitely make it work in an upper/lower or even a hybrid template, and it's not to say that my approach is "better" than any other. I've just found that I really like the true full body approach. I find it to be an elegant and also effective way to train, but it's not something which is talked about very much, so that's why I shared it :)
 
@johnc101 I didn't start tracking muscle sizes with a tape measure until very recently so I unfortunately can't give you specific numbers on that, but going by the scale and mirror I'd estimate my FFMI went up from a bit over 21 since I switched to it earlier this year (currently in my 3rd year of training, started around FFMI 18), to now closing in on 22. I've been training everything more or less evenly with a bit more arm bias on those focus days, and that's just about how my physique has been developing in that time. I'd say it's the same rate of progress as when I did a PPL split, slowing down little by little as I'm getting bigger. It's not magic but it works, and that's what matters! And the enjoyment results for me have been off the charts :)
 
@johnc101 Sorry, won't share pics for privacy reasons :p

Height 179 cm, BW went from 76 kg, ~11-12% BF to 82 kg, ~15-16% BF.

I'll share some strength numbers but since I train for size and don't care about specific strength at all, don't be surprised that I'm weak, lol. I think it's the wrong thing to focus on.
  • Chin-up: 4–5 @ bodyweight was my limit in February-March, now I am doing 5 @ +5 kg weighted.
  • Dips: the same as chinups.
  • Pistol squat: 7–8 @ with 5 kg added, now I can usually do around 4 or 5 on each leg for my top set, holding a 20 kg plate. I started incorporating front squats recently, but since I train at home and don't have a rack I'm limited by how much I can clean, so I'm doing higher rep ranges, ~10 reps at 68 kg.
  • Nordic curl: before, I was only able to lower down more or less to 45–60º. Now I'm able to lower down fully controlled on the eccentric. A few more months of work to do before I can start pulling myself up too.
  • Deadlift: I was doing triples (not max effort) at 75–80 kg (this is also when I started deadlifting for the first time) now I'm doing triples at 95–100 kg, depending on the day.
 
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