Calling Out All The BIG Lifters Here (serious)

[Mysterious One]

Hello.

I am officially calling out all the biggest lifters here. There are some large and strong people here.* I think this could be a great place for everyone and not just myself to learn from the biggest and strongest here.

*You know who you are. ThickAsABrick, Hola Bola... anyone who is big and strong and they know it. Serious discussion only here please. I would not like this thread to turn into a bunch of 150lbers giving 'advice' and flaming each other. Seriously. This place is really missing a 'brotherhood' mentality.

Anyway, I would like to ask the largest and most experienced members on this forum to answer a few questions, and maybe this can become a worthy thread of information, where the big guys can explain how they got to where they are, and the newbies and smaller people around can read and learn.

Questions:

1) How did you train when you were building yourself up the most? i.e how did you train for the first 3 years of training?

2) What do you think is the biggest fallacy/stupid advice in bodybuilding?

3) What was the one best decision you made in regards to your training?

4) What do you think is the best way for a beginner to train?


Any replies from the big guys would be fantastic. I really want this to work... and tbh yes I want to learn from the large people here because I know you are out there, and I am tired of the same 'critique my 5 day split' threads out there. On T-Nation there is a thing where each big/adavnced member had a thread of their own and explained in detail how they got big, how it was like when they first started training, mistakes they made, things they learned, etc. It might not be possible to have that here, but I think it would be really nice and educational if the young noobs and intermediates like myself would for once stfu and listen to the veterans. So how about some advanced guys chime in here and let's make a really good thread full of useful stuff? I want real knowledge here, from the guys who got to where me and others are trying to get to... and I hope I'm not the only one.

BIG thank you in advance.

[Kooga]

bump

[Termin8r27]

Bump great idea

[xprodigy92]

I'm pretty strong I'd say, 255 bench, 385 dead lift, 285 squat for 1 rm's at 16 years old.

When I built up the most I would say my arms grew 2 inches in a matter of a few monthes doing a basic routine 3 sets of 8. 8 was my favorite number generally 6-12 is a good number, sticking to a routine hitting the muscle once a week hard. What I would do for example biceps is tuesday back and bi's then friday i would hit biceps again but only doing biceps and triceps on friday. 3-4 exercises per small muscle 5-8 for large muscle. I always did cardio aleast 5 days a week for 30 minutes +.

The biggest fallacy is that you can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. I mean it's a slower process on the fat burning end then doing straight up a cutting phase but it's possible. I'll give an example of when I was 210 lbs at 28% body fat with a 1rms of bench 135 squat 175 dead lift 205 and then last november i weighed 200 lbs and my 1rm were almost doubled. I never went into a cutting phase and my diet was relatively the same.

My best decision was having a day to do core, my lifts really benefitted from that along with my agility, posture, flexibility, and even appearance.

The best way for a beginner to train in my opinion is a 5 day split. Legs, Core, Back bis, Chest, Shoulders tris. Focus on the main lifts for the first exercises and then throw in some isolation exercises. Try to do more and more as time increases but only do a few exercises per workout in the beginning. Do cardio 4 days a week and stretch to stay flexible.

I've been training since 9th grade, fooled around with weights only became serious and started doing things right last spring.

[mossbergmaniac]

Who qualifies as a big lifter?

[ThickAsABrick]

Originally Posted by Mysterious One

Questions:

1) How did you train when you were building yourself up the most? i.e how did you train for the first 3 years of training?

I started with push/pull/legs. I don't think the individual program matters as much as the exercise selection, dedication, and consistency.

2) What do you think is the biggest fallacy/stupid advice in bodybuilding?

You have to do a strength training program before training for hypertophy.

3) What was the one best decision you made in regards to your training?

Not to quit

4) What do you think is the best way for a beginner to train?

Like I noted above, I think people worry too much about individual programs. If you are training hard and learning as you go and committed to succeed, you are NEVER wasting your time. Few people start out "optimally." It's how you finish that counts.

(see bolded)

I know I've given you crap here in the past, but your dedication to training and desire to learn as much as you can about it at a young age puts you far ahead of many, many people.

[Kelei]

I was involved in olympic lifting from a very young age, then progressed to powerlifting throughout my teen years, then finally started bodybuilding just before I turned 20.

The most important thing is to learn as much as you can and work hard, you need knowledge and determination, one without the other is useless. Don't be afriad to break the rules, I'm tired of being told by 130 pound kids that I'm doing things the wrong way.

[ven33]

Originally Posted by Kelei

Don't be afriad to break the rules, I'm tired of being told by 130 pound kids that I'm doing things the wrong way.

Hahaha I love those kids

[Mysterious One]

Originally Posted by mossbergmaniac

Who qualifies as a big lifter?

I think it's difficult to pu tstrict numerical quotas on 'who is advanced' and who is not. That's what makes this hard. I am thinking of looking around the forums and trying to find the biggest and strongest peopel (past puberty) and PM them asking to reply to this thread.


ThickAsABrick - Thank you for your contribution and kind words.

[Mysterious One]

Originally Posted by Kelei

I was involved in olympic lifting from a very young age, then progressed to powerlifting throughout my teen years, then finally started bodybuilding just before I turned 20.

The most important thing is to learn as much as you can and work hard, you need knowledge and determination, one without the other is useless. Don't be afriad to break the rules, I'm tired of being told by 130 pound kids that I'm doing things the wrong way.

Thank you. You have clearly payed your dues in the gym and have the physique to show for it. Thank you for your contribution.

[mjw8204]

Originally Posted by Mysterious One

This place is really missing a 'brotherhood' mentality.

Not if you check out the Journal section. There's a lot of camaraderie in there, and it isn't just for the highly accomplished guys, either. My lifts are weaksauce and my physique is mediocre right now, but I'm working to improve that and I couldn't ask for a better group of guys who follow my journal and support me.

Seems like you've got a good attitude about things.

[MattOne1]

great idea for a thread...

bump

[Colawa]

awesome thread, and props to the big guys who drop in

[thepointman]

sup bro I bench 160 whatcha need?

[_Ishy]

If people actually contributed to this it would be a great sticky. Hopefully it kicks off.

[eedre]

All the big guys are at the gym, that's the problem.

[SuicideGripMe]

Head to the powerlifting section bro. Most of the biggest and strongest lifters on this forum are over there. And good job OP on mentioning ThickasBrick and Hola, theyre both really good guys on this site who help a lot of people. Hopefully this thread gets good. Ill post my answer to those questions in a year when Im actually big big.

[Orlando1234977]

Originally Posted by Mysterious One

I think it's difficult to pu tstrict numerical quotas on 'who is advanced' and who is not. That's what makes this hard. I am thinking of looking around the forums and trying to find the biggest and strongest peopel (past puberty) and PM them asking to reply to this thread.


ThickAsABrick - Thank you for your contribution and kind words.

Careful about looking around and getting all of your advice from the BIGGEST lifters around. ThickAsABrick gave great answers, but you might not always get the soundest advice from the BIGGEST. A guy that went from 120 to 210 might have more to offer than someone that went from 220 to 240..etc.. Some people can get big despite their training methods for various reasons.

But, you have the right thinking to get advice DIRECTLY from the lifters themselves.. Surprisingly, that tends to mean nothing to some people. Check out IA's sight, I think he has a section where some of the most accomplished lifters give their story.

[Colawa]

I'd love to hear not only the physical things you guys do but also what thoughts go through your heads, too... what kind of things you tell yourself before/during lifts, your mentality and approach towards training etc. I think that would be insanely helpful

[shainesboostin]

Well, im not the biggest guy, bench 315 from 125, and have a decent squat...BUT, I started at 140 lbs and am now 197-200ish. I think I gained the most not by doing the magazine splits, BUT FULLBODY routines 3x a week! I know that goes against what alot of people say but it worked wonders for me!

[stout22]

this isnt a bad idea for a thread. im actually looking to get more people to join my forum becuase i have this same set up as your talking about.

as for my answers. i gotta say that the first few years are a bunch of trying other people ways and then finding your own. everyBODY is different. so what works for you may not work for me. it just take a lot of gym house and experience to know your body.

i was lucky enough to have a bunch of competitive bodybuilders in my gym when i first started. I just walked up to them and pretty much demanded that i work out with them.

i think the best piece of advice i can give anyone is to listen to your body. the gym isnt just a place to go to for an hour and expect things to happen. i never know what im going to be working until i get to the gym.

another piece of advice is to get your mind off numbers. numbers are your biggest problem. dont weight yourself on the scale everyday and dont be mad because you bench 315 with ease last week and this week 250 is killing you. its all about quality time you spend in the gym.


knowlege is your best weapon. read articles, try what you learn in the gym, if it works...keep it, if not, trash it and move on.

[Halfway]

I'll bite. There's always someone bigger, so take of this what you will.

Originally Posted by Mysterious One

Hello.

I am officially calling out all the biggest lifters here. There are some large and strong people here.* I think this could be a great place for everyone and not just myself to learn from the biggest and strongest here.

*You know who you are. ThickAsABrick, Hola Bola... anyone who is big and strong and they know it. Serious discussion only here please. I would not like this thread to turn into a bunch of 150lbers giving 'advice' and flaming each other. Seriously. This place is really missing a 'brotherhood' mentality.

Anyway, I would like to ask the largest and most experienced members on this forum to answer a few questions, and maybe this can become a worthy thread of information, where the big guys can explain how they got to where they are, and the newbies and smaller people around can read and learn.

Questions:

1) How did you train when you were building yourself up the most? i.e how did you train for the first 3 years of training?

Retarded **** that would blow your mind (or not) - the first 3 years of REAL training were a Basic m/w/f upper/lower split with about 12 sets total a workout. Focus on poundage progression in the basics and some assistance work.

2) What do you think is the biggest fallacy/stupid advice in bodybuilding?

If a 165lb teenager wants to passionately argue the case for something online, its probably a good idea to do the exact opposite. See low protien, people who quote studies, rippetoe crossfit and HIT fanatics etc., you dont have to be strong to get big

3) What was the one best decision you made in regards to your training?

Going to ironaddicts.com (plug)

4) What do you think is the best way for a beginner to train?

Upper/lower split 3-4 times a week with a basic set of rotating exercises and a deload every couple of months or so


Any replies from the big guys would be fantastic. I really want this to work... and tbh yes I want to learn from the large people here because I know you are out there, and I am tired of the same 'critique my 5 day split' threads out there. On T-Nation there is a thing where each big/adavnced member had a thread of their own and explained in detail how they got big, how it was like when they first started training, mistakes they made, things they learned, etc. It might not be possible to have that here, but I think it would be really nice and educational if the young noobs and intermediates like myself would for once stfu and listen to the veterans. So how about some advanced guys chime in here and let's make a really good thread full of useful stuff? I want real knowledge here, from the guys who got to where me and others are trying to get to... and I hope I'm not the only one.

BIG thank you in advance.

[BlackLabelMafia]

Not as big or strong as a lot of people here(which has a lot to do with crappy discipline), and not as knowledgeable as a lot either, but I've picked up a few things.


Questions:

1) How did you train when you were building yourself up the most? i.e how did you train for the first 3 years of training?

A-I'm probably making some of my best gains now which has more to do with consistency than anything. I decided to stop trying to find the magical routine, picked one that I knew my body would respond to, and just stayed with it. It's amazing what your body will do when you get out of your own head.


2) What do you think is the biggest fallacy/stupid advice in bodybuilding?

A-That there's one magical way to lift for everybody. I used to throw that at everybody, until Thickasabrick called me out. He was a real dick about it, but in all honesty, it made me step back and realize that I don't know as much as I thought I did. Sometimes a little humility goes a long way.


3) What was the one best decision you made in regards to your training?

A-To stop thinkin so much and just friggin do it.


4) What do you think is the best way for a beginner to train?

A-Try different things, pick something that you respond to and ride it 'til it doesn't work anymore. And realize that sometimes less can be more.

[fbcoach]

I'm not sure I qualify as a HUGE guy (5'9 192lbs 12%bf) now, but when I was competing in bodybuilding over 20 years ago (won several local titles, a state title, and National Qualifier) and still competing in athletics, I was 220 lbs with abs. I have a few old pics in my bodyspace. Now, I still train with weights after literally breaking my neck, playing semi-pro football in 92', and having a complete cervical laminectomy and suffering from chronic pain. I also have coached Football for over 3 decades and trained and observed my HS athletes this entire time. Please don't think I am boasting, I only state all of this to let you know that I have had a lot of experience in the iron game. With that said:

1) As many mentioned in earlier posts, there is no magical routine, but there are some tenants that I followed that helped me become more successful. a) I trained using mixed qualities (different rep schemes) b) I trained in a methodical manner, writing everything down (no guesswork) c) my diet matched my goals (again, it was methodical and meticulous..this IS extremely important) d) when I hit plateaus, I learned to take a break and re-set weights or change exercises e) I always strived to progressively increase poundages no matter how I was training..I would say I was what they call a power-builder.

2) The biggest myth is trying to get something for nothing. No matter your genetics, you get exactly what you put into it. Unless you have a very serious disorder, by training progressively and eating according to your goals, you will succeed. I was told (and I am still told) that with my chronic problems in my muscle metaboilsm, I could never lift or progress again. That's a bunch of crap. I don't expect to be my former self, but I have some respectable lifts now.

3) The best decision I have made concerning weight training is to continue it for the rest of my life. It builds much more than the physical. It builds a self-confidence and self-image that is hard to equal in other activities. This carries over to other aspects of your life.

4) The best way for a beginner to train is:
a) pick a handful of lifts that suits your personal needs
b) Always try to progress in what you're doing
c) Again, match your diet to your goals in a methodical manner
d) When you plateau, don't be afraid to take a short break, then either re-set your weights or change exercises and progress in what you do
e) There are many routines and members to choose from here. This is my personal opinion..some of the very best members here are AllPro, Natural1, GuyJin, Kelei, Orlando, Defiant 1 (I apologize if I forget other remarkable posters). You can't go wrong listening to any of these guys.

Anyway, I hope the members just starting out get as much out of weight training as I have. It has allowed me to do things I never would had thought possible otherwise. GOOD LUCK to all!!

[glennpendlay]

Im 38 years old. Started training in middle school. did everything wrong till college, then got together with a competitive powerlifter and started making progress. years of powerlifting got me to around 300lbs bodyweight with an 800lb squat, 500lb bench, and 700lb deadlift. work, family, and job kept me out of serious traning and competition for a while, then took up competitive Olympic weightlifting... by my early thirties, I weighed in the 350lb range, with arms and neck over 22 inches, thighs around the mid 34 inches, forearms at 19 inches... snatched a best of 375lbs and clean and jerked a best of 453lbs... did other odd stuff such as a 390lb military press, 440lb push press, curled 235lbs for 8 reps, squatted 606lbs for 10 reps deep with no belt or wraps, did BB rows with 425lbs, etc. So by age 34 I had gained a lot of mass, did pretty good lifts in both PL and OL, etc. Now I just coached... started coaching when i was still competing, but now do it full time. Have coached over 90 national champions in OL, more than 20 kids who have won gold medals in international competition, etc. Also got a masters degree in Exercise Physiology along the way.

So, thats my idea of experience and such.

whats my advice for newbies? get your lifts up! There is plenty of info on routine and such here if you look for it. stop changing your routine all the time, and concentrate on gaining weight and getting stronger.

glenn

[clay123]

Originally Posted by glennpendlay

Im 38 years old. Started training in middle school. did everything wrong till college, then got together with a competitive powerlifter and started making progress. years of powerlifting got me to around 300lbs bodyweight with an 800lb squat, 500lb bench, and 700lb deadlift. work, family, and job kept me out of serious traning and competition for a while, then took up competitive Olympic weightlifting... by my early thirties, I weighed in the 350lb range, with arms and neck over 22 inches, thighs around the mid 34 inches, forearms at 19 inches... snatched a best of 375lbs and clean and jerked a best of 453lbs... did other odd stuff such as a 390lb military press, 440lb push press, curled 235lbs for 8 reps, squatted 606lbs for 10 reps deep with no belt or wraps, did BB rows with 425lbs, etc. So by age 34 I had gained a lot of mass, did pretty good lifts in both PL and OL, etc. Now I just coached... started coaching when i was still competing, but now do it full time. Have coached over 90 national champions in OL, more than 20 kids who have won gold medals in international competition, etc. Also got a masters degree in Exercise Physiology along the way.

So, thats my idea of experience and such.

whats my advice for newbies? get your lifts up! There is plenty of info on routine and such here if you look for it. stop changing your routine all the time, and concentrate on gaining weight and getting stronger.

glenn

Far out! Awesome lifts. One day I hope.

Best advice I've read yet...

...stop changing your routine all the time, and concentrate on gaining weight and getting stronger.

Stick to the basics seems to work for me thus far. Squat, press & pull heavy. Eat, eat & eat. Rest well & repeat.

[fbcoach]

Originally Posted by glennpendlay

Im 38 years old. Started training in middle school. did everything wrong till college, then got together with a competitive powerlifter and started making progress. years of powerlifting got me to around 300lbs bodyweight with an 800lb squat, 500lb bench, and 700lb deadlift. work, family, and job kept me out of serious traning and competition for a while, then took up competitive Olympic weightlifting... by my early thirties, I weighed in the 350lb range, with arms and neck over 22 inches, thighs around the mid 34 inches, forearms at 19 inches... snatched a best of 375lbs and clean and jerked a best of 453lbs... did other odd stuff such as a 390lb military press, 440lb push press, curled 235lbs for 8 reps, squatted 606lbs for 10 reps deep with no belt or wraps, did BB rows with 425lbs, etc. So by age 34 I had gained a lot of mass, did pretty good lifts in both PL and OL, etc. Now I just coached... started coaching when i was still competing, but now do it full time. Have coached over 90 national champions in OL, more than 20 kids who have won gold medals in international competition, etc. Also got a masters degree in Exercise Physiology along the way.

So, thats my idea of experience and such.

whats my advice for newbies? get your lifts up! There is plenty of info on routine and such here if you look for it. stop changing your routine all the time, and concentrate on gaining weight and getting stronger.

glenn

I agree with Clay....very IMPRESSIVE!! I will certainly pay attention when you post. Again, thanks for your input.

[powerlifter70]

Originally Posted by Mysterious One

Questions:

1) How did you train when you were building yourself up the most? i.e how did you train for the first 3 years of training?

2) What do you think is the biggest fallacy/stupid advice in bodybuilding?

3) What was the one best decision you made in regards to your training?

4) What do you think is the best way for a beginner to train?

1. I started lifting in high school for the football team. We all know how that goes....after I joined the military in 1987, I like most other young lifters got all my info out of mags. I started out doing full body routines for about 6 months then switched it up into splits. I lifted off and on and did military PT 5 days a week. I made my biggest gains both size and strength wise when I decided to start powerlifting back in 2003.

2. Most of the stupid advice I got is from all the muscle mags. All the supplements ads and the crappy advice from the "Pros" and actually thinking the routines they posted were the true routine they actally did and thinking it worked. Also, I tried pretty much all the supplements and finally figured out they were crap.


3. My best decision for me was when I started to powerlift. I went from 180lbs to 230lbs in about a year or so. I stopped taking supplments and just maintained a good diet. (see my best lifts in my sig below.)

4. I think the best way for a beginner to train is to stick to the basics. Hit up your compound movements and stick to a routine. Most will switch it up way to early. Plus all this bulk and cut crap...99.9% of the beginner's will never compete so get on a good diet, put in your hard work in the gym and enjoy life.

[glennpendlay]

Whats disheartening about threads like this is that most of the people who should be posting, the guys with experience and actual results, have probably all spent plenty of time on various boards trying to help people, but are lost in the volume of hundreds of 16 to 20 year olds who are telling everyone else how to lift even though they have, for all practical purposes, no experience, little training history, and havnt made enough progress for the average observer to tell if they are a weightlifter or not.

I am the one who started the internet 5 sets of 5 craze a few years ago, on another board. Given the state of things, no one should have listened, for some reason some did. The whole Bill Starr, multiple sets of 5, compound exercises, either whole body workouts or fairly simple splits focusing more on movement than bodypart (push/pull split, stuff like that) became very popular on that board... and it spread. Madcow called me and wanted permission to take a whole bunch of my posts and kind of put them together and edit them into an overall program and put it on a webpage. Then Starting Strength came out, started to get popular, then some others came out with similar stuff, and madcow incorperated all that into a great overall site. I eventually got tired of the whole bodybuilding internet board type scene, and didnt visit any for a few years.

I remember sitting around in the gym with Rip when he was in the process of writing SS, and we both were wondering if he would ever sell 100 of the damn things. At times I was skeptical of the books ability to ever sell enough copies to justify writing it, boy was I wrong and boy am I glad to be wrong.

Now I come back, and im surprised that this whole thing is still around... I guess SS and its popularity is kind of "in your face" so it cant die, but in the face of the fact that IS still up and in everyones face, it is frustrating to still see kid after kid with the inevietable "bro, what do you think of my split?" question.

There are, i bet, going to be some similarities between all teh guys who are legitimately big who answer this thread. I'm betting...

1. Most are strong, and strong on the basic exercises like military press, bench press, rowing, squatting, and deadlifting, and they have spent a considerable amount of the years of time they have spent training worried at least as much, if not more, about how much weight they could move than about whether they had abs or what they looked like.

2. Most have either at some time done full body training or are doing it now, OR, they have spent quite a bit of time doing much simpler splits than most 16 year olds want to use.

3. Most of them, if they doing a split, are going to have something called "bench day" and something called "squat day" or something similar to that, rather than biceps day, chest day, hamstrings and calves day, etc.

There are more things in commmon that I could go into, but thats enough for now. I guess we all have to make our own mistakes. God knows I made mine. Its just too bad that we ALL seem to have to make them, its too bad more couldnt learn from the mistakes already made by others, and the knowledge gained as a result.

glenn

[fbcoach]

I was lucky enough to get hold of the "Universal Bodybuilding" program in the late 60s and 70s espoused by John Farbotnik, Steve Reeves, and other "Mr. Americas" of the time. It was built around the 5x5 system training lifts, not bodyparts as well. Later in the 70s and 80s, Stuart McRobert (of Hardgainer fame) before "Brawn", espoused the 5x5, using Bill Starr as an example all the time. McRobert not only wrote about this decades ago, he ALWAYS recommended what we now call "The Dual Factor Theory". Powerlifters knew about this all along. I was lucky to train in a Powerlifting gym as a sort of closet bodybuilder

Glenn,
You are exactly right when you mention that all the "BIG' guys will have the same common theme "Lift Big (basic movements)".."Eat Big"..and "Rest Big". Again, thanks for your contribution here on this thread.