Protocol VPROTOCOL V

Current Training — Volume Accumulation (40K Reps → +25 lb in 12 Months)

Thu Jan 08 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Educational use only. Not medical advice.
This is how I structure training to grow, stay healthy, and keep performance moving forward under real-life recovery limits.

What This Program Is

This is my primary hypertrophy engine.

It’s designed for:

  • lifters who want max growth
  • without inflaming shoulders
  • without traps being “accidental casualties”
  • and without recovery debt piling up week after week

It also fits my long horizon goal:

40,000 reps → +25 lb in 12 months
(plus execution discipline inside a 10 weeks ON / 4 weeks RESET cycle)

This is the “boring” part that actually works: clean stimulus, repeatable volume, recoverable overlap.

The Mistake This Fixes

Most people do this:

“Let me throw shoulders anywhere.”

That’s how delts and traps get cooked:

  • chest day hits front delts hard
  • back day loads traps and rear delts hard
  • then people smash “shoulders” on top of both
  • and wonder why joints hurt and progress stalls

This program solves that by obeying one rule:

Put muscles where they already get warmed up and recruited — then add controlled direct work.

The Rules (Overlap-Fatigue Control)

1) Anterior delts live with chest
They already get hit during pressing. Don’t pretend they don’t.

2) Rear delts + traps live with back
Rows and pulldowns already pre-activate them. Add direct work there.

3) Lateral delts get controlled volume
Not crushed after chest with sloppy fatigue reps.

4) Legs day has zero meaningful shoulder involvement
That keeps your nervous system and upper joints fresher for the next two days.

The payoff: clean stimulus + predictable recovery.

Weekly Hypertrophy Targets (Hard Sets)

These ranges are the practical sweet spot:

  • Quads: 12–18
  • Hamstrings/Glutes: 12–18
  • Calves: 8–14
  • Chest: 10–16
  • Back (lats + mid-back): 12–18
  • Traps: 6–10
  • Shoulders (total): 10–16
  • Biceps: 8–14
  • Triceps: 8–14

Because I train 3-on / 1-off, I hit about half the weekly volume per 3-day block, then repeat the structure again.

The Split (3 Days On, 1 Day Off)

Day 1 — Legs (Quad Focus) + Calves

No upper overlap. Fresh system.

Quads

  • Squat or Hack Squat — 4 × 6–10
  • Leg Press — 3 × 10–15
  • Leg Extension — 2–3 × 12–15

Calves

  • Standing Calf Raise — 4 × 8–12
  • Seated Calf Raise — 2 × 12–15

Total: ~15–16 hard sets
Time: ~55–60 min

Day 2 — Back + Traps + Biceps + Rear Delts

This is where traps belong — not randomly on “shoulder day.”

Lats / Mid-Back

  • Pull-downs or Pull-ups — 4 × 6–10
  • Chest-Supported Row — 3 × 8–12
  • Cable or Machine Row — 2 × 10–12

Traps + Rear Delts

  • DB or Barbell Shrugs — 3 × 8–12
  • Face Pulls or Rear Delt Fly — 3 × 12–15

Biceps

  • Barbell or EZ Curl — 3 × 8–12
  • Incline DB Curl — 2 × 10–12

Total: ~20–21 hard sets
Time: ~60 min
Rest: 2–3 min compounds, 60–90 sec isolations

Why traps here?
Because they’re already recruited from rows and pulldowns.
You get more growth per set with less recovery cost.

Day 3 — Chest + Shoulders (Anterior/Lateral) + Triceps

This is the key change most people miss.

Chest

  • Barbell or DB Press — 4 × 6–10
  • Incline Press — 3 × 8–12
  • Cable Fly or Pec Deck — 2–3 × 12–15

Shoulders (NO rear delts here)

  • DB or Machine Shoulder Press — 3 × 6–10
  • Lateral Raises — 4 × 12–15

Triceps

  • Dips or Close-Grip Press — 3 × 6–10
  • Cable Pushdowns — 2–3 × 10–15

Total: ~21–22 hard sets
Time: ~60 min

Important:
Shoulder press volume is moderate because front delts already get hit hard from chest pressing.

Day 4 — OFF / Active Recovery

  • walk
  • mobility
  • light pump work only if you’re itching
    The goal is recovery, not “secretly training.”

Second Rotation (Same Structure, Different Leg Focus)

Everything stays identical except Day 1.

Day 1 (Rotation 2) — Glutes / Hamstrings + Calves

Posterior Chain

  • RDL or Hip Thrust — 4 × 6–10
  • Seated or Lying Leg Curl — 4 × 10–15
  • Split Squat or Reverse Lunge — 3 × 8–12

Calves

  • Standing — 3 × 8–12
  • Seated — 2–3 × 12–15

Total: ~16–17 hard sets

Volume Check (Over Two Rotations)

You land at:

  • Legs total: ~30–34 sets
  • Chest: ~14–16 sets
  • Back: ~16–18 sets
  • Shoulders: ~14–16 sets (distributed correctly)
  • Arms: ~10–12 sets each
  • Traps: ~6–8 quality sets

That’s the hypertrophy sweet spot without joint drama and recovery debt.

Intensity + Rest Rules

  • Compounds: 2–3 minutes
  • Isolation: 60–90 seconds
  • Most sets stop at RIR 1–2
  • Only push RIR 0 on the last set if recovery is actually good

How This Fits The 40K Reps / +25 lb Goal

The goal isn’t random PRs.
The goal is repeatable workload that accumulates quality reps for 12 months.

This split does that because:

  • no muscle is smashed hard on back-to-back days
  • traps/rear delts stop getting nuked accidentally
  • shoulders grow without living inflamed
  • volume is earned, not just piled on

How This Fits The 10 Weeks ON / 4 Weeks RESET Cycle

10 weeks ON:

  • build volume tolerance
  • drive progression in reps, load, and execution
  • keep joints calm enough to keep training hard

4 weeks RESET:

  • reduce fatigue
  • keep movement patterns sharp
  • come back hungry with joints that still like you

Protocol V Takeaway

If you want hypertrophy that lasts:

  • place muscles where they already get recruited
  • add direct volume where it’s cheapest to recover from
  • and stop treating shoulder/trap work like an afterthought

That’s how you grow for a year straight.