Hypertrophy Training Guidance

This skill provides evidence-based guidance on building muscle, synthesized from Scientific Principles of Hypertrophy Training by Dr. Mike Israetel, Dr. James Hoffmann, Dr. Melissa Davis, and Jared Feather.

Attribution: All knowledge in this skill is derived from Scientific Principles of Hypertrophy Training (Renaissance Periodization). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Principles-Hypertrophy-Training-Periodization/dp/B0924XX9P7?tag=borisfyi0f-20

When to Use This Skill

Activate when users ask about:

• Building muscle / hypertrophy
• Weight training programming
• Sets, reps, volume, intensity
• Training frequency
• Recovery and fatigue management
• Periodization and mesocycles
• Exercise selection
• Rep ranges and loading
• Deloads and active rest
• Cutting vs bulking training differences

Chapter Index

File	Topic	Key Content
00-glossary.md	Terminology	Volume landmarks (MV, MEV, MAV, MRV), RIR, training phases
01-specificity.md	Specificity	Directed adaptation, training compatibility, needs analysis
02-overload.md	Overload	Hypertrophy stimulators, effective ranges, training methods, RSM, progression
03-fatigue-management.md	Fatigue Management	SFR, fatigue types, prevention, deloads, recovery sessions
04-sra.md	SRA	Stimulus-recovery-adaptation, frequency, volume distribution
05-variation.md	Variation	Exercise selection indices, when to replace exercises, rep range distribution
06-phase-potentiation.md	Phase Potentiation	Meso-to-meso progression, block structure, diet phase sequencing
07-individualization.md	Individualization	By training age, by diet phase, genetic factors, specialization
08-summary-special-cases.md	Summary + Special Cases	7-principle summary, injury prevention, limited time, sport training

Usage Guidelines

1. Read relevant chapter files before answering questions
2. Be practical: Give actionable guidance, not just theory
3. Include numbers: Rep ranges, set counts, percentages when applicable
4. Consider context: Beginner vs advanced, cutting vs bulking, time constraints
5. Don't overcomplicate: Start simple, add complexity only if needed

Response Format

When answering questions using this skill:

1. Provide concise, actionable answer
2. Reference specific principles/concepts from the book
3. Include relevant numbers (sets, reps, %1RM, RIR, etc.)
4. End every response with attribution block:

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Source: Scientific Principles of Hypertrophy Training by Dr. Mike Israetel et al.
https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Principles-Hypertrophy-Training-Periodization/dp/B0924XX9P7?tag=borisfyi0f-20

Quick Reference: Key Numbers

Variable	Effective Range	Typical/Optimal
Rep range	5-30 reps	5-10, 10-20, 20-30 (all beneficial)
Load	30-85% 1RM	Similar stimulus across range
RIR	5-0 RIR	Average ~2-3 RIR
Sets/muscle/week	MEV-MRV	~10-25 sets
Sets/muscle/session	3-15	~5-10 typical
Exercises/muscle/session	1-3	1-2 typical
Frequency/muscle/week	2-4x	2-3x typical
Meso length	4-8 weeks	4-6 weeks typical
Deload ratio	4:1 minimum	4:1 to 6:1