Josh Bryant seemingly never runs out of new ways to build muscle and challenge you in the gym. In this video, Bryant introduces a training method called the 6-30-30 overload method. This method combines three separate movements to create a giant set that fully trains the target muscle group. The idea behind this method was taken from the book Critical Mass: The Positions-of-Flexion Approach to Explosive Muscle Growth by Steve Holman, which outlines how exercises fall into three categories: compound movements, stretch movements, and peak contraction movements. The 6-30-30 method begins with a compound movement for six reps, transitions immediately into a stretch movement for 30 seconds, and then finishes off with a peak contraction movement for 30 seconds. This enables you to fully overload the muscle at multiple positions of flexion.
Using Tyrus Hughes to demonstrate, Bryant shares how this method can be used for chest.
1. Hammer Strength Incline Chest Press (6 Reps)
For the first movement, Hughes performs a hammer strength incline chest press for six reps while Bryant provides manual resistance to the eccentric. Hughes focuses on fighting the manual resistance and then exploding on the way back up. The idea on this exercise is to really challenge yourself to move quickly on the concentric portion of the movement and to move some real weight.
2. Bottom End Dumbbell Incline Stretch Flyes (30 Seconds)
For the second movement, you switch from a six-rep count to a 30-second timed set. Performing bottom end flyes using dumbbells, go as far down as you can with the lower range of motion. This should be a stretch and then a return to contraction without ever removing stress from the pecs. It is very important to focus on initiating the movement with your pecs from the bottom, and not going up past the point that your pecs maintain tension. An advanced bodybuilder intuitively knows the best range of motion to keep constant tension on the intended muscle, which may take some time to learn but is very important. This is called an active range of motion. Instead of using reps, using a timed set here for peak contraction.
3. Band Flyes (30 Seconds)
Like the dumbbell flyes, for the band flyes, you perform one continuous 30-second set. This now focuses on the top end of the movement, hitting your pecs at peak contraction. As you pull tighter and tighter on the band, the resistance goes up and the movement becomes harder. On the eccentric, once you reach the point that the tension starts to come off the pecs, perform another rep. For the duration of the set, just keep squeezing and focusing on peak contraction.
Bryant points out that this approach works for any muscles group, and you could use this approach to create many 6-30-30 workouts. For instance, if you wanted to train quads you could do this:
- Compound Movement: Hatfield Squat
- Stretch Movement: Sissy Squat
- Peak Contraction Movement: Leg Extensions
Similarly, for back you could do this:
- Compound Movement: Snatch Grip Deadlift
- Stretch Movement: Straight-Arm Pulldowns
- Peak Contraction Movement: Rows
The possibilities are endless and can be applied to any muscle group. As you play around with this method, you should keep certain muscle-specific traits in mind, such as the fact that hamstrings typically require less time under tension to respond to training.
WATCH: 30-Minute Leg Annihilation Workout
