HeyJaredHypertrophy Past and Present
A deep dive into the science of muscle growth. Hosted by Chris Beardsley and Jake Doleschal, this podcast explores hypertrophy training through the lens of pre-steroid era bodybuilding and modern muscle physiology.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 10
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- Sep 7, 2026
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 6, 2026
Latest episodes
068 Optimal volumes and frequencies for each muscle (opens the original)
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In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing an early female bodybuilding routine: a six-day-per-week program. Despite some problems with the weekly structure, the relatively low number of sets per exercise and surprisingly comprehensive exercise selection make it one of the more interesting Golden-Era routines covered on so far! The conversation then turns to a common question: do different muscles actually require different numbers of sets or different train
067 Why you’re not progressing (and why it might not be a plateau) (opens the original)
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In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin by reviewing Stuart McRobert’s 1989 hardgainer routine, a minimalist two-day-per-week program designed as an alternative to the increasingly extreme bodybuilding routines of the late 1980s. The conversation then explores an important distinction: is every period of stalled progress really a plateau, or are there times when we should simply expect progress to slow or stop? Key topics include: Stuart McRobert’s 1989 twice-weekly f
066 Do you need to feel a muscle for it to grow? (opens the original)
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In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with another Leroy Colbert routine, this time examining an over 100 set silver-era routine. The conversation then explores whether you actually need to “feel” a muscle for it to grow, what the pump can tell us about muscle recruitment, and where the mind-muscle connection may or may not be useful. Key topics include: Leroy Colbert’s extreme 10-set-per-exercise Silver Era routine Why “feeling” a muscle and getting a pump are not
065 How anabolics changed the fitness industry (opens the original)
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In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Leroy Colbert’s late-1970s enormous volume training plan. The conversation then explores whether using pre-steroid bodybuilders as a model for natural training is really an “appeal to tradition,” before examining the evidence that anabolic steroids can directly stimulate muscle growth even without resistance training. Key topics include: Leroy Colbert’s high-volume late-1970s routine Why bodybuilding training changed so dra
064 Is time under tension important for muscle growth? (opens the original)
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In this episode of Hypertrophy Past & Present, Jake and Chris begin with Reg Park’s 1949 pre-contest routine, which involved training six days per week, twice per day, including the infamous 20-rep breathing squat. This leads into a deep dive on time under tension: Does making a set last longer actually increase muscle growth? Jake and Chris explore why total time under tension may be the wrong thing to measure and whether we should instead be thinking about “time under stimulating tension.” Key
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