Maximum Muscle

Introduction
Chapter 1: The Logic of Exercise
	Why You're Reading This
	The Role of Science
	Why We Can't Ignore Anecdote
	Knowledge: The Importance of Critical Thinking
	How to Kill a Myth With Occam's Razor
	The Labcoat Mindset: Towards a Model of Hypertrophy
Chapter 2: A Look at the Science
	What is Muscle?
	Neurological Stuff
	Getting a Muscle Bigger
		Protein Metabolism
		The Energetics Hypothesis
	The Short-Term: Mechanical Signaling and Protein Synthesis
	The Long-Term: Adaptive Remodeling
	Metabolic Variables
	Resistance to Change: The Repeated Bout Effect
	Muscle Atrophy
	Stress and Adaptation
		Fatigue Effects and the Sink of Recovery
		Long-term Fatigue: Overreaching and the Overtraining Syndrome
		Implications for Training
	Hormones: Are They Really Important?
		Testosterone
		Cortisol
		Growth Hormone
		Hormone Spikes in General
	Keeping It Real: What This Means To You
Chapter 3: Muscle Outside the Lab
	The Fundamentals: Why You Need to Lift Weights
	The Tension-Time Integral
	Progressive Overload
	How Much?
	How Often?
	Different Kinds of Strength Training
		Heavy Lifting - Maximal Effort Training
		Explosive Lifting - Dynamic Effort Training
		What About Plyometrics?
		Classic Bodybuilding - Repeated Effort Training
		Occlusion/Ischemic Training
	High Intensity Training and Muscular Failure
	Limits of Muscle Mass
	Size and Strength Are Complementary
Chapter 4: Philosophy of Program Design
	The Program Isn't Fundamental
		Workout Hopping
	What Are The Key Guidelines, Anyway?
	Are You a Bodybuilder or a Powerlifter?
	Is Bodybuilding Useless?
	The Numbers
		Intensity
		Volume and Frequency
		Tempo and Time Under Tension
		Rest Intervals and Workout Density
	The Intangibles
		Cybernetic Periodization
		Train Strong, Train Weak
	Size and Symmetry: Training Muscle Groups
		Muscle Shaping and Sculpting
		Structural Balance and Functional Training
	Recovery and Regeneration
	Toolbox of Training Methods
		Organizing Sets and Reps
		Maximal Effort – Singles
		Accentuated Eccentrics and Negatives
		Cluster Sets
		Rest-Pause Sets
		Wave Loading
		Ladders
		Dynamic/Speed Sets
		Intensive Bodybuilding
		Triple-Drop Sets
		Extensive Bodybuilding (Pump Training)
		Constant Tension Sets
		Loaded Stretching
	The Workout Session
Chapter 5: Program Strategies
	Periodization Wanking
		Traditional 'Linear' Periodization
		Nonlinear Periodization
		Do It All At Once: 'Conjugate' Periodization
	Training for Bodybuilding
		The Role of Accumulation and Intensification Training
		Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Lifters
		If You’re a Beginner: Add Weight to the Bar
		If You’re Intermediate: Vary the Stress
		If You’re Advanced: Plan Your Gains
	Which Method is Best?
		For Muscle Mass and Physique Goals
		For Strength Development Goals
		For Toning and Shaping
	Planning Things Out In Three Easy Steps
		Step One: Arrange Your Week
		Step Two: Pick Your Exercises
		Step Three: Plan For Progress
		The Training Block: A Month
		The Training Cycle
	Solid Programs to Think About
		Are You Strong Enough to Lift?
		The 5x5 Routine
		Undulating Full-Body Routines
		Basic Four-Day Routine
		Hypertrophy-Specific Training
		DC Training
		The Westside Barbell System
		Traditional Muscle-Group Splits
		The Hormonal Fluctuation Model
		Specialization Routines
		Auto-regulating Routines
		Variations on a Theme
Conclusions & Final Thoughts
References
Index