Week 188 :: What Do You Consider "Old School?"

[the_fake_webmaster]

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* Note: How can I win? 1. Answer all questions in the order that they are asked. 2. Go over reviews (located at the bottom of past TOTW articles) and see what was said about those that did not win. Good Luck!
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TOPIC: What Do You Consider "Old School?"

For the week of: February 4th - February 10th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Some people are put off by the old school strength training methods, while others swear by them.

What do you consider "old school?"

Do you incorporate any old-school training ideas into your regimen?

Commercial training vs. Old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?

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[Soylent]

Exercise wise: Weighted dips = OLD SCHOOL.

[grim83]

Technically everything we do is "old school", i mean think about it barbell curls and carb cutting are nothing new. Sandow curled and Schwarzenneger dieted its simple facts of our history as bodybuilders. Yet, there are still old school techniques that have fallen by the wayside. Some needed to be lost, but some are just as effective as ever. I consider high volume high frequency training, like Arnold's, to be old school, i.e. 6 days a week, twice a day, and 30 or more sets a day, to be the bad old school. Supersetting and giant-setting everything is another good example, it's rarely done today, yet it can build muscle when you plateau. I also think the idea of progressive routines is a bit old school, nothing builds muscle like the heavy basics, why do you think your best gains came when you trained the most basic. I use the most basic programs to progress, i use any old school exercise at lest once to see how it feels. I feel I am a bit of an old school person anyways so why shouldn't my training match.But I believe the true hart of old school underground training transcends the literal training, it's the continuous hunger to be better and finding a greener patch of grass. Commercial training is all about machines and what skinny joe says will build muscle even though he has none himself. Nothing builds more muscle than old school techniques.

[UCIMTHEROCK]

Do you train old school? old school training is basic barbell and dumbell work with minimal machines and cables. we try to push our strength on a regular basis and we have never heard of the word overtraining.
Do you deadlift, squat, bench, and military press every week? you are old school. do you do your entire workout with machines? thats modern training.
do you eat like a horse in the off season and not give a crap about how much fat you gain in the quest for bigger stronger muscles? Thats old school. do you count every calorie year round making sure your macronutrients are optimal for not gaining any fat. thats modern training.
and finally do you train like a artist trying to carve and work every muscle in your body to bring them to their full potential and compete without distended abs and back fat? Thats old school and how I train and compete.
old school will always rule!

[w11medwrd]

For the majority of us out there “Old School” is of course the golden age of bodybuilding, when Lou, Sergio, Arnold and Frank ruled while others watched in amazement. The 1960’s and 70’s were that golden age were men were idolized not for being like all the other muscled men around, but for being the only muscular men around.

Over the years bodybuilding techniques have been developed, challenged and questioned by scientist and blue-collar men alike with yet still no positive answer of what is best routine for everyone. Swaying between all of our minds (especially beginners) we have seen the struggle of “Do I use the machine or try the free weights today?”, “Do I go high rep or low?”, “Drop sets, 5x5, Pyramid?” That’s frustrating and confusing to say the least.

There is something that sets the mind to ease when we think about using a machine. Machines are here to help us in every other function in life, why not bodybuilding? Simple for us right? We have so many choices out there and so many ways to screw up, so is the machine the best way? It will at least answer one of my questions so why not!?

If you look over “old school” footage or pictures of our bodybuilding icons you can see that a good majority are utilizing the free weights for a larger percentage of their workouts than that of a machine. Which this could be for two reasons; one: the machines of yesterday were not as well engineered and thus gave less than desired results, or two: free weights are just that much more effective and less restraining to angles of machine’s metal.

So with all our options... free weights or machine, again which is better? Old school or Commercial, which is it? Well before having commercialized the life-style of bodybuilding we had options without predetermined ideals about products, methods and goal setting. These options were not always based on well informed decisions but they were our decisions to make and ours in hopes of one day becoming an icon like Dorian and Ronnie.

If you take away the labels, paints and the fabrics and get to the heart of the matter, it doesn’t really matter what equipment you choose for yourself. Intensity and determination will carry you farther than any brand ever could. Corporations of course want more profit and if they can convince you that you must be using their equipment six out of seven days a week then, yes, wear and tear are going to occur much more rapidly. And most machines by far out cost that of a dumbbell, so why not market their product as best they can.

So if we make an assumption that popular commercial training exercises might not be in the best interest of the consumer, albeit a long shot, but what if? What if those popular programs are based and created by the same people who want to sell you their product? And those same programs are in fact tailored not to the consumer but to their corporate pockets in hopes you will always want to bench press on a shiny new red leather pad. Can we always follow the fad diet and training exercise programs on these terms? Would we get anywhere if fads are all we run towards?

New techniques? New machines? No doubt, stay in the know, we would be foolish not to. But old school, proven routines and methods are available and all without having to look very far. Before the commercialization of every little thing, there was just the weight, nothing more or less. No one brand, no home or professional version. There was just iron and determination.

Looking over all the programs, one of my favorites is Mike Mentzer’s HIT program. The program alone shouts underground (and not just from the title of his articles either). During its infancy, H.igh I.ntensity T.raining stood out from the crowd because while other bodybuilders like Arnold who were advocates for training as much as twice a day for five days a week, Mike had something uniquely his. He gave lectures, training courses, personal sessions, etc… on how the muscle needs to be stimulated to spark growth and adequate rest to cause it to grow.

One of my favorite exercises that can utilize the HIT approach is the donkey calf raises. Of course this exercise can be used as either machine or the weight of a gym partner’s body. Surprisingly enough I rarely see this being done. Simple reasons really, not many people are willing to climb up on their friends back and ride while they count off the reps. And of the gyms chains I have in my area, I have yet to see one donkey calf machine, which is truly sad.

Calves, in my case, require a massive amount of weight and brief set(s) of more than once a week. Others I have heard respond better to high reps of close to one-hundred per session, but whatever your flavor, try this exercise! It is an awkward position but I assure you, your calves will feel what they might have missed from your normal standing calf raises.

Whether machine or free weight, do what is comfortable of course, but don’t let comfort cause you to be soft on yourself. And whatever program you decide, always hold yourself accountable.

[kelvinb316]

Old school training in better than today's programs for a number of reasons,
1. Old school trainers believe in lifting heavy
2. Old school trainers believe in liver tablets
3. Old school trainers believe in basic movements
bench press, squats, dips, pull-ups, barbell curls, skull cruchers
bent over barbell rows
4. Old school trainers did not use drugs.

Old school trainers looked good all year verses todays trainers who lood good for a week or two before a contest.

[stanthefatman]

What do you consider "old school?"
Personally, when i hear the term "old school", I think of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, Franco Columbo, Lou Ferrigno, and just about everyone in Pumping Iron. This is before the "HGH gut" that you see on modern competitors.

Do you incorporate any old-school training ideas into your regimen?
Yes. Personally, I can't imagine training without doing the basic compound "Strength" movements, such as Bench Press, Deadlift, Barbell Row, Squats, Shoulder Press, and Barbell Bicep Curl. These are not only great mass- building exercises, but they are fantastic for pumping up the intensity. In "The Encyclopedia Of Modern BodyBuilding", Arnold greatly stressed these exercises, and rarely mentioned the use of machines.

Also, back in the day, diets were nothing like those of Jay Cutler or Ronnie Coleman. There weren't nearly as many supplement companies and N.O products as well as any test. boosters were unheard of. Many old school trainers used a basic protein product, Argenine, Glutamine, Liver, a Multi Vitamin, and most of all, massive amounts of FOOD.

Commercial training vs. Old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?
Old school underground training will achieve better results most of the time, but only if done right. Personally, i think Arnold's 2x a day regimine is over training, but obviously, it was just right for Arnold. Some examples of "old school", or "underground" training's benefits in modern body builders are Erik Fankhauser, Dorian Yates, and Frank McGrath.
Also, have you ever been to a more "old school" or "hardcore" gym, where the owner is not the owner of 3 other gyms, but just this one gym, and they are there from 5 in the morning until 11 at night? There is something that I cannot describe, it is motivating, and when, rather than terrible main-stream music blasting on the speakers, theres Tupac, you can't help but to have a great workout.

Commercial training can have some benifits though, smith machine squats put much less strain on your knees, and the pec-dec provides a decent pump in my chest, but nothing like good old dumbell flyes.

[highlight]

What do you consider "old school?"
Old school training isolates many body parts with rest between sets/supersets for recovery. Minimal to no cardiovascular output was used in training, and muscular size and overall hypertrophy were emphasized. I believe training now has actually incorporated much more cardio into the routine such as HIT, and many crosstraining offshoots. The core is much more stressed making exerciese much more functional. The theory now is if you go to the gym you should look good and be able to use it wether it be rock-climbing or mountain biking.
Do you incorporate any old-school training ideas into your regimen?
I do like to train a little old school with new training methods. Some days I will train back and bi, but do rows on a bosu to train core, or stand on dynadiscs with curls, etc so I can get both training styles in at once. Commercial training vs. Old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?
The new training style achieves much more functional results as mentioned above. In today's lifestyle you want your time in the gym to be used to its fullest potential so when outdoor activies pop up you can jump right into them. I believe old-school training emphasises looking your best: bulky and cut, and you will look great at the beach. I believe that both styles are effective, but pick what you want and you can see that even an integration or altenation of both styles can lead to an effective training program in the long-term.

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[wrench3521]

What do you consider "old school"?
To me, old school is a gym with no ac or heating with barbells, dumbells, squat racks and maybe a few lat pull and cable machines. Back in the Golden Age of Bodybuilding, thats all they really used until the Nautilus machines came out. In "Pumping Iron" the only machines you see them using were cables for crossovers and lat pulldowns and Smith machines for presses. Arnold and Ed Corney did FULL squats with 300 lbs plus, out in the open, no safety rack. Those guys ate like starving animals, had very few supplements, yes they did use steroids (not to the extent of todays mega usage) and they trained using the most basic exercises. Squats, deadlifts, cleans, overhead pressing, bench pressing, pullups, dips, and barbell rows made up the meat of their workouts. Another name that comes to mind is Vince Gironda. I have read in various places that he called Arnold a big piece of garbage (not in those words exactly) and that he routinely would kick guys out of his gym for not following his training advice. No music in his gym, only the sound of iron plates and dumbells and the screams and groans of the lucky ones to be training under his watchful eyes. Joe Weider had his "Weider Principles" used and popularized as well. There were super sets, compund sets, giant sets, the stripping method (drop sets), 21's and "running the rack" only to name a few. Mike Mentzer popularized High Intensity Training or HIT. His method used quite a few warmup sets to lead into one or two max effort sets of a given exercise.

As for old school training, all the compound movements I listed before and throw in some laterals and upright rows for shoulders, pulldowns for back, dumbell flyes and cable crossovers for chest and some crunches and ab vacuums and you've got exactly what you want--an old school routine.

Supplements are even easier. You want old school--liver tabs, milk and egg protein powder, amino acid pills and multi-vitamins. There was no technology back then or the market for the supplements we love and use everyday. Only a hand full of guys really trained back then and there wasn't a crowded Acme Fitness Club around every corner.

Do you incorporate any old school training ideas into your regimen?
I do use old school training ideas into my regimen. I could not imagine leg day without barbell squats or delts without doing overhead presses and upright rows. My diet is very old school--meat, potatoes, salad, fruits and nuts. My supplements though are advanced compared to those of 1960-1980.

Commercial training vs. old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?
This question could really go either way. Many people have good results using both methods. Its really not about the method you use. Its about your own personal conviction and dedication to your own training method and the lifestyle you choose to lead. No amount of training of any sort will help you if you can't control your diet, alcohol/drug use and abuse or have bad sleep habits. I love training old school. I can count the number of machines I use in my routine on one hand. I think Smith machine squats are useless and absolutely horrible on the knee joint. To me, nothing is as satisfying as finishing a set of heavy squats and seeing Bill Starr's "White Buffalo". OLD SCHOOL ALL THE WAY!!!!

[jcgodfrey]

any leg presses or squats barefooted = old school.

[soundcheck129]

Some people are put off by the old school strength training methods, while others swear by them.

As in any other athletic realm, people will constantly be looking back to the "golden age" of bodybuilding and comparing the icons of history with the modern heroes of today. Sure, it's easy to be envious of a build such as Arnold's, but Ronnie Coleman's physique isn't anything to sneeze at either. Instead of pledging my loyalty exclusively to one style and ignoring another, I try to bring elements of both old school and new school style to my training. After all, I don't care what I'm doing is classified as, as long as it brings results in the end.

What do you consider "old school?"

In my mind, "old school" training was all about the relationship between man and metal. Instead of advanced engineering and complicated multi-press machines, bodybuilders focused on barbells and dumbbells. In a sense, old school training was stripped down to the basics; no over-thinking, no over-supplementing, no worries about over-training, no sweet-smelling gyms with top 40 hits piping in at all hours. Instead of getting information from scientific studies, old school bodybuilders relied on anecdotal evidence.

The belief of old school bodybuilders was that one's sweat was the deciding factor in what kind of results one could expect. Old school bodybuilders weren't toting around fancy shaker bottles and swigging creatine and caffeine coladas precisely 30 minutes before stepping into the gym. In a word, it was a matter of simplicity. Old school bodybuilders were concerned with lifting heavy weights until their bodies told them to take a rest. At that point, they would eat food like a starving man introduced to a free buffet; "lean bulking" was not a notion anyone had heard of. Old school bodybuilding was all about intensity and frequency; punishing your muscles until they could handle no more, resting just long enough to get more furel in the tank, and then going right back at it.

It seems to me that old school bodybuilders were willing to work harder and make more sacrifices- but perhaps this is just what they were used to. There were no 'magic bullet' supplements and bodybuilding wasn't accessible to the general public. You had to be willing to give your all and dedicate your life to it; old school bodybuilding was a lifestyle, not an after-work activity.

This is a stark contrast to modern bodybuilding, which has the tendency to be much more precise and calculated. Many weightlifters of today try to calculate the exact number of calories they should consume in order to maximize muscle and reduce fat gain. In addition, modern weightlifters rely heavily on supplements, many of which were not invented when old school bodybuilders were busy beating their bodies into submission. The introduction of a mind-numbing array of supplements has come with the commercialization of bodybuilding.

Do you incorporate any old-school training ideas into your regimen?

As I mentioned previously, I do like to incorporate a lot of different styles and methods into my training. The particular era or philosphy behind it isn't what matters to me, it's the results that are most important.

One major old school idea that I use is the avoidance of machines. In my mind, doing "assisted dips" and using machines that move with you is like riding a bike with training wheels when you could be riding a Harley. Using free weights is more of a challenge to all of your muscles and, I think, delivers better results.

In addition, I train with intensity. As cliche as it sounds, I try to become one with the weights and do not get distracted easily. I'm not afraid to sweat or grunt if it means the difference between five and six reps. Similarly, I love to lift heavy because I feel pushing my body to the point of no return will bring the best results. And I'm not afraid to train often; I get into the gym as much as I can because it is a passion of mine.

Lastly, I try not to over-complicate things. I'm not afraid to eat good food, and lots of it, I don't weigh out portions, and I try not to over-supplement. I use protein powder for convenience but I laugh in the face of dextrose.

Commercial training vs. Old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?

As I mentioned earlier, bodybuilders coming from both the old school and the new school "commercial" training worlds have equally impressive physiques. Ultimately, it's the athlete doing the training that will determine the overall effectiveness of each program. But while old school training may be more personally satisfying, I believe modern commercial training has the potential to gain better results.

In some respects, over-thinking things and relying heavily on the opinion of a scientist who has never stepped foot into a gym can be detrimental. However, when this knowledge is applied correctly, the results can be amazing. Thanks to advances in training knowledge and supplement science, bodybuilders can stay lean year-round. One example of this is the use of BCAAs; instead of taking down a steak to get amino acids for growth, a modern athlete can sip on some liquid BCAAs. This can make a tremendous difference during a cut, as there are practically zero calories in BCAAs, yet they do benefit the body. Similarly, weight gainers and protein blends have made eating big a lot easier, and vitamins and other supplements keep one's entire body healthier.

Modern training has its advantages as well. Certain machines take the load off of joints and help prevent injury. Also, the advanced engineering can target specific muscles for isolated workouts. Furthermore, the emergence of fitness training as a mainstream activity has led to an abundance of gyms and health clubs, so it is easier than ever to find a place to work out with an impressive array of equipment. This has made bodybuilding quite convenient

The biggest advantage that commercial training has, though, is that it has old school training as a reference point. The most effective methods have been discovered through trial and error, so modern bodybuilders have an advantage from learning from the successes and failures of the old schoolers. By analyzing what has and hasn't worked, modern bodybuilders can cut to the chase and make the most of their time in the gym.

[Lifterforlife10]

Some people are put off by the old school strength training methods, while others swear by them.

I wouldn't see why, seeing as how a majority of the exercises and workouts we utilize in our regimes today are usually based of the ideals once held by some of the world's top bodybuilders.

What do you consider "old school?"

When people see this question, they will immediately think of people like Arnold (the Austrian Oak) and Coleman, but in reality, we have to go back much farther than that. I believe that the standard that all bodybuilders want to achieve, this idea of a perfectly sculpted physique, did not develop anytime recently, but was actually developed years ago in the time of the Greeks and Romans. They held this idea to be in the perfect shape and proportions, and these thoughts have been the driving influence behind the birth of modern day bodybuilding. The father of bodybuilding, Eugen Sandow, believed in this Greek ideal body structure, and this is what he tried to achieve through his training. And therefore all bodybuilders have been influenced and are all attempting to reach the same goal once thought up hundreds of years ago.
Old school bodybuilders didn't have all of the modern science on nutrition and exercise that we have today, but instead, were far more in tune with their bodies needs and limits. They continually pushed themselves and didn't leave the gym until they were too weak to lift anymore, than they went and ate until they felt sated. They developed a much better understanding of their individual needs, as opposed to following set diet and workout regimes that many of us would follow today. In the gym, old school lifters would focus on compound movements like dead lifts, squats, and bench press. They used the basic equipment of barbells and dumbbells, rather than all of the fancy machines you see today. They put greater importance on doing these exercises first, and holding off on isolation exercises until the end of the muscle groups workout, simply because it is what worked best for them. They were just men in the gym working as hard as they could with weighted metal in their hands, using the knowledge they had to grow in size to reach their Olympian ideals.
They spent ridiculous amounts of time in the gym, but ate to make up for it and lifted with intensity and purpose, as well as they put their hearts and souls into what they loved, and got the results because they stayed dedicated and worked harder than many do today simply because they felt more inclined to work for what they wanted.
As for supplements, they had none or little, meaning they used food to fuel their muscular growth rather than half of the advanced nutritional supplements we use today. They fed themselves what they felt was necessary for growth, and followed no strict dietary plans and they didn't count calories or macro nutrients, they just made sure to get lots of protein, and basically, a lot of food into their diets.
I believe old school is the backbone of what we use today, being a focus on compound movements and free-weights as opposed to machine lifting. I do consider Arnold and Sandow old school, but I also remember what they were trying to reach in terms of image and strength.
Do you incorporate any old-school training ideas into your regimen?

When it comes to old school training techniques I incorporate a vast majority of the original techniques into my lifts. I always start my workouts with the compound lifts, the ones that take the most out of you, because you want to put as much energy into those exercises that work best to stimulate muscle growth. I continually push myself and always try harder, keeping in mind that all those who worked in the gym before me did the same. Although I use to train for an extremely long time in the gym, such as two and a half hours plus, modern science tells me this is overtraining, so this may be the only thing i have cut back. But fundamentally, I follow the same principles of lifting free-weights and eating healthy foods. I am an extreme advocate of healthy eating, as i believe it does provide the best conditions for your body to grow, but this is just personal experience. i tend to avoid a majority of the machines and I work a muscle until exhaustion using the free weights in the gym. I do use supplements, but only the basics and these are essential for convenience, but i prefer to get a majority of my food intake from just that, real food. As you can tell, I am a strong believer that most modern day regimes have somewhat of a base in old school bodybuilding routines, and I use those techniques as often as I can.


Commercial training vs. Old school underground training; who do you think achieves better results?

I would have to say it depends on the individual and the effort they are willing to put in, but overall I think a combination is the key to success. Old school bodybuilders and modern bodybuilders are all impressive in their own rights, the science behind modern bodybuilding has the ability to make growth easier and quicker. The focus on compound movements achieves great results, but modern techniques and using alternative exercises to focus on muscle groups allows for somewhat easier growth. We can use modern science to determine proper movements and safe procedures, but the influence of those movements comes from old school workouts. A combination of both methods for training provides the best growth overall, or so i believe.

We also have the advancement in nutrition, meaning people can use powders and supplements and greater convenience and effectiveness. We can use slow and fast digesting proteins, and we can add essential amino acids and increase protein synthesis. I believe with the advancement of nutritional science, we have much more potential for growth than old school bodybuilders because of convenience and supplements. We have a greater understanding of proper meal times and essential diet structure, providing our bodies with the right nutrients when we need them, which means we can provide our bodies with the best muscle growing environment.

In the end, I believe it comes down to the individual and their overall willingness and effort, but what most modern day bodybuilders need to do is combine old school and new school techniques. We need to still listen to our bodies and work as hard as we can, pushing ourselves to achieve that old school ideal image. Combining the two eras, the technology and the dedication, will provide someone with optimal results. So each method has its own advantages and we merely need to use the best aspects of these two time periods in bodybuilding, use what works.

[sc30317]

Using no weights- Like Arnold had to do. Old School

[big game hunter]

Ask any person who works out if he would want the latest technology to aid him in his pursuit of fitness and his answer is most likely to be a - YES of course. Lets face it. We want the latest gadgets, machines, tools, etc in our gym. One reason being - they look good. The other reason being - they give you a feeling that you are moving ahead with the times.

I dont want to work out in a gym which has old equipment and equipment which looks like what was used in the ancient Greek games.

I dont want to train with sand bags, kettles, tires, kegs sleds, logs, stones and ropes. I dont live in the stone age

Well. Lets break it here. The difference between old school and new school is All In The Mind. What is used commonly today in several if not all modern exercise routines today finds its roots in the old school days. Some of us may not even know that we are actually using old school principles in our routines. Lets take a look at some of the classic old school exercises that have stood the test of time and have survived and are still going strong even today and will continue to do so as long as we humans remain unchanged as a species. These are just a few examples mind you. The list could run to several pages if everything has to be listed down.

Running (Running on a tread mill does not make it new school ) ,Jumping, Swimming, Throwing, Push Ups, Bench Press, Incline Bench Press, Dips, Sit Ups, Squats, Skipping, Shoulder Press, Shoulder Shrugs, Clean Presses, Lateral Raises, Front Shoulder Raises, Shoulder Shrugs, Rows - for the back, Pull Ups, Deadlifts, Bicep Curls, Tricep Extensions, Abdominal Crunches, Forearm Curls etc etc etc


Some of the ancient athletes were very healthy and fit looking even without the use of the new school concepts that we know of today. So, there is no reason to believe that old school training wont lead to results. Fact is that new school techniques depend largely on old school fundamentals.

Where does this put new school training? Lets not count it out just yet. Read on.

The areas that new school training has developed an edge over old school training are

1) Variety and range of equipment - Equipment with which specific body parts can be targeted for overall development. There are equipments which help us train even with injuries to our bodies.
2) Nutrition - This is the one area where new school routines have a huge advantage. The supplements and quality of food available has increased manifolds over the years.
3) Availability of knowledge - With the advent of the internet. It is not wrong to say that it forms a major part of training today.

Old school routines largely incorporate Compound exercises (compound exercises are basically ones where in a person uses multiple joints and muscles to perform the exercise). New school routines help us add and incorporate a lot more Isolation exercises due to the variety of exercise equipment available today (isolation exercises are basically ones where in a person uses one muscle or muscle group and one joint to perform the exercise)

Now, make a mental note of the Magic Formula to success?..

The Real Magical Formula = Old School + New School

Compound exercises are recommended to get the most out of a training session. Isolation exercises help correct muscle imbalances.

The successful athlete of today should know how to combine the principles of old and new school in order to arrive at the perfect strategy. Come to think of it, there is almost no routine that is followed today that does not involve some of the exercises that were practiced in old school days.

Lee Haney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman so on and so forth have used the platform set by their predecessors to take fitness and training to the next level. Each of them did not re invent the wheel to achieve success. They used what they could from the old school techniques laid down before their eras and combined them with some of the new school stuff to achieve MAGIC. And this trend will continue well into the future - no doubts about that.

I personally do use a combination of old and new school training in every one of my workout sessions. I definitely believe in maximizing strength with the use of heavy compound exercises, plus overall muscular development without any lagging body parts.

This helps me achieve and move towards my goals which are to get stronger and leaner and have a well developed, symmetrical body. I make use of the advantages new school training has brought with it. I am up to date with the supplements and nutrition I require in order to maximize benefits and the knowledge available helps me stay aware of changing trends in the fitness world.

I bet there is no professional body builder out there who uses only old school strength training or only new school training principles. The smart and successful ones are those who know how to achieve a balance of the two styles. Just take a look at the workout routines of Jay Cutler or Dexter Jackson or Ronnie Coleman or Dorian Yates. You will get the point I am trying to make.

With a healthy combination of the basic exercises (which may sometimes be called Old School) and new school options available, we are able to put together several routines that help us in attaining our goals faster than what we could if we were to cut out any one of them.

A healthy nutrition plan with the advantage of several supplements that we have to choose from today certainly makes training a lot more fruitful

A wealth of information available to us today in the form of books, magazines, newsletters, internet articles and websites like www.bodybuilding.com give us all the data to keep our training and training needs dialed in.

STICK TO THE BASICS AND THE STUFF THAT WORKS?.. OLD OR NEW IS NOT THE QUESTION.

What is considered new school now may be considered old school a couple of decades down the line. Always remember - a bicep curl done with a dumb bell made of stone is no different from a bicep curl done with a shiny metallic dumb bell or a dumb bell made of the latest synthetic material.

[daringone]

I always think of "old school" as anything training seen in Rocky 1-4.

http://z09a0222gshv273.imageshacknow.info/img/3064/n09t0223rnyt/cheers2.gif

[donjoaoresort]

Temple of Knowledge

John
www.donjoaoresortgoa.com