Lacking intensity

**TJ2000** · 12-20-2006, 10:11 AM

Hey guys, I really need help with getting my intensity levels up while training. Working nights I sometimes feel too tired to lift, and I have missed a few workouts, but most the time I try my best to get out there and lift. Thing is, 7/10 times I feel a bit tired and just don't have the energy levels I need to get the weight up. What can I do to get over this? I've tried getting more sleep, taking an extra day off, taking preworkout supplements like superpump250 for focus etc but I still feel a bit tired most the time. Thats probably why my military press is so weak and I complain about it all the time. What would you guys do if you were in this situation? Please, no flaming. This is a serious post, and I'd appreciate feedback

Godbless, Tony

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:14 AM

Consistency and Discipline in Training by Keith Wassung
What is the better aircraft, a 747 Jumbo Jet, an FA-18, or a single prop piper cub? The answer would have to depend on the intended purpose. A Jumbo Jet is great for transporting a large number of passengers across the Atlantic Ocean, but would be lousy at crop dusting in Nebraska. The piper cub is ideal for dusting crops, but would probably not last long in an aerial battle against hostile MIGS. Even though each of these planes has completely different designs and purposes, they all fly because they are designed to comply with the principles of aerodynamics. A plane (or a pilot) that violates the principles of aerodynamics will not fly or at best will not fly for very long.

The same is true for weight training programs. The ones that are effective all have common foundations and principles, even though they may appear completely different. There are countless numbers of routines and programs to choose from and this often creates confusion among lifters. A common mistake that I see is trainees constantly in search of a new program, thinking that they are missing out on something. This creates doubt in the mind of the lifter and adversely affects their progress. You must give ANY program a certain length of time in order to achieve progress. An average program that is performed with consistency and determination is FAR SUPERIOR to the best program that is done intermittently and with doubt. The selection of a training program must also reflect the goals and objectives of the lifter.

Whenever I am asked a question such as "What's a good program or what's a good exercise"? My standard response is to ask "What are you trying to accomplish with this program/exercise?" and it's rare that I get anything more than a vague reply. The more specific you are with your training goals the easier it will be to identify the path to their achievement.

It is important to always keep in mind that progress is almost never linear or constant except perhaps in the first year or so of training after which gains often come in isolated batches and often at unexpected times. This reminds me of when I was a boy and had to split logs into firewood. I would place the steel wedge into a seam in the log and then begin pounding it with a sledgehammer. After approximately 14 hard blows, there was no visible evidence that the wedge had penetrated the log in. However, the 15th blow would result in the wedge cleanly splitting the log into two or more pieces. The first 14 strikes did not appear to do much, but they were slowly breaking down the resistance of the wood. I can directly relate this to my training as I would train hard for weeks, often months without ANY sign or measurable progress and then all of a sudden *BAM* I would go up 20-30lbs on one lift or would put on 5-6lbs of solid bodyweight, and though the measurable results seem to appear instantly-they were the result of months of consistent and persistent effort.

If you go to the majority of bodybuilding/lifting type message boards, you will see that many of the members are constantly changing their programs-one week they are on a “bulk”, the next week they are on a “cut”, etc, etc. I can guarantee that if these guys were put on trial and charged with the crime of weight training, they would be acquitted due to lack of evidence. One of the biggest myths in resistance training is that you have to constantly change your program in order to “keep the muscles confused” or some similar statement.-guys-it just ain’t true-…. Can you think of any sport of athletic endeavor where the training protocol consists of constant change? Do sprinters do this? swimmers? Track and Field athletes? how about skill athletes? Now I believe you have to have some variety in your training and this is more of a mental thing than a physical thing.

I believe most people would be best served by selecting 6-7 core exercises and sticking with them for their entire lives. When you feel you need to change your program, simply vary the repetition scheme or even vary the style of the core exercise, but if you are constantly changing exercises, then it is difficult to get really good at performing them. Write down all of the exercises you use in your program and then create a list of "check-points" that are important for each lift. Develop a habit of mentally referring to those checkpoints on each and every repetition and eventually they will become second nature to you. Larry Bird used to do this when shooting free throws. He had a mental list of things to do when shooting and he would go through them over and over in his mind until he could make long strings of consecutive shots. There is a story that when Larry was playing still an NBA pro, he was hired to appear in some commercials for McDonalds. The first commercial called for him to shoot and miss a free throw in practice. The first 22 takes were failures because he was unable to miss the free throw. This is a good example of proper mental conditioning and discipline.

If your progress has truly stalled, then you might need to modify your training program-notice that I said modify, not change. If you have a decent program, based largely on the fundamentals, then chances are you just need to mix-up either your repetition scheme or the order of your basic movements. If you have been doing mostly low-medium reps, then perform higher reps for 4-5 sessions. If you have been doing nothing but high reps, then consider working in the lower rep range for a couple of weeks. Try rest pause training, power rack training, drop sets, or timed sets for a couple of weeks to break the plateau, and then resume your normal routine. It has been my experience that most of the time when progress is stalled or appears to stall, it is due to “head space” and has little or nothing to do with your physical state. Yes, overtraining happens and yes your CNS can get overtaxed, but nearly as much as the internet bodybuilding wonders would have you believe-most of the time it is because you have lost your focus and your enthusiasm-this whole thing is about getting your mind and your attitude right.-trust me on that one.

I realize we live in a world where virtually everything is instantly available-cable on demand, ATM’s, overnight delivery. All of the fitness and bb magazines promote “12 week plans” or “6 weeks to a six-pack”, but you have to be patient and realize that that strength and development takes time-in fact, I have observed that the longer it takes to acquire the longer you seem to retain in ( sort of like money) Be patient and think long term. Have a ten year plan, a five year plan, a one year plan, a 90 day plan, a monthly plan and a daily plan-sounds like a lot of planning, well it is, but the results are well worth it.

Stay Strong

Keith Wassung

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:16 AM

Good Workouts, Bad Workouts
by Keith W. Wassung

Ever have one of those workouts that exceed all expectations. On just about every exercise, you break your personal record for weights and reps used. The feeling is exhilarating and you leave the gym completely invigorated. On the flip side, you have those workouts where nothing seems to go right. Instead of gaining, you actually lose ground and you leave the gym, tired, sore and frustrated. If you do not have a long-range game plan, that frustration can lead to a search for new program, a new supplement etc, and the cycle repeats itself repeatedly.

Workouts are a lot like the kick-off return team in football. You line up for each kick, stay in your lanes, and block your assignments and the kick returner runs as hard as he can. In most cases, you end up around the 20-yard line. Occasionally you reach midfield and once in a great while everything falls into place and the return man finds the seam and runs 100 yards for a touchdown. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you end up on the 8 yard line or even fumble and lose the ball.
I believe that progress is often a matter of working hard and smart on a consistent basis long enough for most of the workouts to be productive (20 yard returns) have a few really good ones (30-50 yard returns) the even rarer outstanding ones (touchdowns) and realizing that the bad workouts (8 yard returns and fumbles) are all part of the game. It is important to always keep in mind that progress is almost never linear and or constant except perhaps in the first year or so of training after which gains often come in isolated batches and often at unexpected times. This reminds me of when I was a boy and had to split logs into firewood. I would place the steel wedge into a seam in the log and then begin pounding it with a sledgehammer. After approximately 14 hard blows, there was no visible evidence that the wedge had penetrated the log in any way. However, the 15th blow would result in the wedge cleanly splitting the log into two or more pieces. The first 14 strikes did not appear to do much, but they were slowly breaking down the resistance of the wood.

I have done some reading on biorhythms and athletic performance and though I am not sure of the validity of everything I have read, it would difficult to deny that there is a certain cyclic element which can affect strength and athletic performance. This is one of the problems with many of the 12-16 week programs, where each workout is calculated based on a set percentage of your starting maximum weight -you end up being locked into lifting what the paper says, rather than in following the natural strength fluctuations of your body. You have to be patient and work for long term results, rather than in judging performance on a workout to workout basis.
Generally, an occasional bad workout is nothing to be concerned about. Bad workouts have a way of making the good ones seem even better by comparison. Anthony Ditillo, a noted strength author, once said that a bad workout is a sign that your body is in the process of rebuilding and repairing and there may be some truth to this. The worse thing about a bad workout is that is can cause you to question and doubt your program. You must have confidence and certainty in your program or you are destined for a lot of frustration and stalled progress. If you have a string of consecutive bad workouts, or have just hit a sticking point in your training, then there are several steps you can take to get back on the track to progress.

The first step is to analyze your workout recovery. Have you been getting enough quality rest, enough quality food and water? Adding some high quality protein and fresh vegetables, an extra hour of sleep each night or even performing some extra flexibility work will often be enough to get you back on the right track to progress. Remember that not all recovery days are equal, meaning that just because three days have passed since your last workout does not necessarily mean you have recovered. Those days might have been filled with extra physical and mental stress such as sick children, which keep you up half the night, family matters, travel, eating on the run, final exams, all of which impede your recovery. Never be afraid to take some extra days of rest. Make the necessary adjustments as needed and when ready-attack the weights with renewed physical and mental energy.
The second step is to analyze and improve your exercise technique. I don't believe that the average person fully appreciates the skill and discipline that it takes to correctly perform most weight training exercises, particularly compound movements and especially when those exercises are pushed to the very limit. Swinging a golf club, tennis racquet or a baseball bat requires coordinated motor skills which take time and practice to develop. An Olympic weight lifter and a shot-putter require intense coaching and many years of practice in order to perfect their movements. Weight training exercises are no different. Some are more difficult to master then others, but all require some degree of skill to perform and this takes practice, time, discipline and attention to detail. I say this because often people make a decision to add an exercise to their program. The trainee performs the lift and it feels uncomfortable or even painful and as a result they either discard the movement or they adopt a very sloppy technique when exercising. In either case, there are virtually no benefits and if the movement is included and performed incorrectly, it often leads to injury. In my early years of training I made this error repeatedly, but I eventually learned from my mistakes.
It is beyond the scope of this article to describe specific exercise technique. You can learn that from books, videos, this web site, personal coaching and strength and conditioning seminars. You might be thinking that exercise technique is an individual matter and that there is too much disagreement on what constitutes proper technique. Although there is some difference of opinion on certain exercises and topics such as cadence and range of motion, for the most part, there is a consensus on correct technique. You may have to make minor modifications to suit your individual needs, but the general principles apply to just about everyone. Walk into any bookstore or library and select any ten weight training instruction books off the shelf and I would wager that 95% of the exercise techniques would be described in a very similar manner. The trouble is that very few people actually do the movements the way they are described. Visit most commercial gyms or health clubs and it's a safe bet that almost no one is lifting with correct form. You see partial movements, bouncing, severe body english, fast slamming movements, cheating movements and a total lack of concentration. It's no wonder that so many people are frustrated with their lack of progress. If you want to maximize your own strength and development, then it is important to develop near perfect technique in all of the exercises in your program.
Write down all of the exercises you use in your program and then create a list of "check-points" that are important for each lift. Develop a habit of mentally referring to those checkpoints on each and every repetition and eventually they will become second nature to you. Larry Bird used to do this when shooting free throws. He had a mental list of things to do when shooting and he would go through them over and over in his mind until he could make long strings of consecutive shots. There is a story that when Larry was playing still an NBA pro, he was hired to appear in some commercials for McDonalds. The first commercial called for him to shoot and miss a free throw in practice. The first 22 takes were failures because he was unable to miss the free throw. This is a good example of proper mental conditioning and discipline.
If your progress on a particular lift has stalled or reached a plateau, or if an exercise is causing some non-growth related discomfort, then consider analyzing and working to improve your form. Break down the lift into smaller parts and analyze any weaknesses or trouble spots and then work to improve them. This can be done via adjunct exercises, power rack training or simply fine-tuning the technique involved. You may have to experiment with variations of each movement in order to find what works best for you.
Even when you have developed extremely good form, it is very easy to fall into minor habits that cause form deterioration. A little bounce here, a slight heave there, you don't notice them at first because they are subtle and because you are adding weight to the bar, but eventually it catches up with you either in the form on injuries or halted progress. The wise lifter is constantly checking and re-checking their form.

You can make a tremendous amount of progress by routinely having your workouts videotaped and then reviewing them later, either alone, or with someone that has the experience to critique your performance. You will always spot things on the tape that you just don't see in the mirror during the actual performance. We can all learn from anyone with wisdom and experience, but I have always learned the most about exercise technique from individuals with whom I share a similar structure.

**TJ2000** · 12-20-2006, 10:17 AM

Wow, that was fast! Thanks for the article, haven't read it all yet though.
Have any of you guys worked full time jobs, went to college, AND still made time for the weight room? If so, let me know how you did it and share the secrets!

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:17 AM

part 2

The third step is to modify your training program-notice that I said modify, not change. If you have a decent program, based largely on the fundamentals, then chances are you just need to mix-up either your repetition scheme or the order of your basic movements. If you have been doing mostly low-medium reps, then perform higher reps for 4-5 sessions. If you have been doing nothing but high reps, then consider working in the lower rep range for a couple of weeks. Try rest pause training, the total tonnage system, power rack training, or timed sets for a couple of weeks to break the plateau, and then resume your normal routine. You may need to change the priority or order of your exercises. For example, if you have been stuck on the overhead press, and you always perform them after bench presses, try putting them first in your program for a month or two. All of us are somewhat greedy in that we want all of our lifts to be going up simultaneously. Many of the lifters of the past, such as Louis Abele would often spend 3 months at a time focusing on just one lift or one area of the body hammering it with reckless abandon, over and over again, making tremendous gains and them moving onto another area. I have done this on numerous occasions with great results and will share one example. When I was a competitive powerlifter, my deadlift was always the weakest of the three lifts. Having short arms, I was structurally at a dis-advantage for the deadlift (or so I was told and I believed it and used this as excuse to have a poor deadlift.) Since my deadlift was the poorest, it received the least attention in my program. I trained it, but never with the enthusiasm of the squat and bench. After growing tired of losing close competitions, I spent just over 5 months specializing and focusing on deadlift and back training. I really did not train it with any greater frequency then I had previously, but it became the top priority in my training. I broke down and analyzed my technique and worked hard at my weakest portions of the lift and they soon became my strong points! My number one assistance lift became the barbell row and I attacked this movement as if it were a lift itself. After five months of focused training, I gained a tremendous amount of back development and added 70lbs to my best deadlift single, which was more than I had gained in the previous three years combined. The strength and development also laid down a foundation for increases in my squat and bench press in the following year.

The fourth step is to intensify your leg and mid-section training. Lower body workouts, and more specifically, squats will do wonders for your overall strength and development and are an excellent way of breaking plateaus. If you can squat, then you should squat, hard and heavy with a variety of repetitions and a solid and precise technique. If you need do perform something other than squats, then do so with an all-out approach. All force generated by the musculoskeletal system in the upper and lower body originates, is stabilized by, or is transferred through the trunk and the lower torso. Given this fact, if you are going to develop your full strength potential, then this area must be worked. Intense abdominal training is a great way to break plateaus for the simple reason that it is very easy to neglect it in the first place. There a wide variety of exercises to choose from and virtually all are effective if performed correctly. Here is one of my personal favorites: Lie on a flat bench and hold either a barbell or a pair of dumbbells and arms length just like in a normal bench press and then perform a set of stomach crunches, holding the top movement for a count of 2-3 seconds. You will not need very much weight to make this an extremely effective exercise.
The last area is your mental attitude and preparation towards your training. I believe that your attitude, enthusiasm and expectations towards your workouts pretty much dictate the results you achieve. Henry Ford summed it up when he said, "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, either way you will be right." This has pretty much been demonstrated and reinforced by just about every great human achievement in history. The good news is that you can control your attitude and expectations to a large degree. The mental preparation and expectation begins shortly after a workout is completed. Take a few minutes to evaluate the training session and then jot down some specific goals you wish to accomplish in the next session. I continue to be amazed by how few people will take the time to use written goals in their training program. Write the goals on an index card or a post-it note and stick it on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator or some other place where you will frequently see it. The human mind cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined so it's important to spend some time mentally rehearsing your workout. When you enter the gym, you must expect and literally demand a good workout, rather than in just hoping and wishing for one. You have to develop and maintain the proper mental toughness and discipline which is necessary for you to reach your own potential. This toughness is largely the ability to deal with pain, fatigue and discomfort associated with hard and progressive training. There are tens of thousands of people who want better strength, development and conditioning and they are totally committed to spending two or more hours a day, six days a week in training, they are willing to buy supplements, equipment, they are willing to do just about anything��except to include and embrace pain, fatigue and discomfort as necessary in their training. In fact, everything they do, everything they buy, every excuse they make is to avoid pain, fatigue and discomfort at all costs. The closest thing that I know to a "lifting secret" is this: Once you are willing to be uncomfortable at times in your workout, it does not take long for you to get used to it, in fact you may look forward to it and thrive on it. This is when you will embark on the journey to achieving the potential that lies within you.

Keith Wassung

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:18 AM

Sticks And Stones
By Keith Wassung

Timothy Pearson removed his sunglasses and wiped the sweat of his face and neck with a small towel. The hot Namibian sun beat down on his head and neck creating an endless river of sweat. It was his first trip to Africa, but it would not be his last.

Timothy stood six foot one and weighed a solid 320lbs. Despite his massive frame, he moved as gracefully as a mountain lion. People often assumed that Timothy was a professional football player or wrestler. Though he possessed the talent and skills for both, he had eschewed team sports in order to pursue a career as a professional strongman.

For many years, it had debated as to who was the strongest man in the world. Was it a power lifter or an Olympic lifter? Maybe a track athlete or a football player. Perhaps an un-known garage athlete. In 1977, the debate finally turned into reality as eight strength athletes came together at Universal Studios in California in order to compete in tests of strength and to determine once and for all, who was actually the World�s Strongest Man. The contest was as huge success and it spawned an entire series of strongman contests all over the world. The sport eventually ceased to become an event between different disciplines and evolved into its own sport.

Timothy had wanted to be a strongman ever since he had seen the Worlds Strongest Man on ESPN when he was a young boy. Visions of the legendary Bill Kazmaier hurling kegs into the back of a truck were never far from this thoughts. Other boys dreamed of scoring the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl or hitting the winning home run in the World Series, but Timothy only dreamed of lifting, pulling and throwing ponderous objects.

He competed in his first strongman competition at age 18, a local event that featured only four events. He placed eighth out of nine, a disappointing performance, which only inspired him to train even harder. Six years later he was in Windhoek, Namibia competing in his first World�s Strongest Man competition. He had done very well in the competition, winning the Fingal Fingers, a grueling event named after a legendary Scottish-Celtic warrior. The event looks deceptively easy, but is actually very demanding as a series of progressively heaver, hinged poles or fingers are lifted from the ground and then flipped over to the other side. He also won the log lift and placed high in the rest of the events, resulting in second place going into the final event.

It's been said again and again that hitting a pitched baseball is the most difficult known athletic task. Whoever said that had never attempted to lift the Atlas Stones, that are used in Strongman competitions. Five large round stones, ranging in weight from 265 to 400lbs are placed on the ground in a line. Beginning with the smallest stone, the athletes pick up the stone, carry it a short distance to a loading platform and then carefully place it on top of the platform. This is repeated for each successively heavier stone. Unless one has actually attempted this feat, it is difficult to imagine how tough it is. There is nothing to hold onto. The athletes are dead tired after a day of competing, which is why the Atlas stones are traditionally the last event in a strongman contest.

Timothy waited nervously for his turn at the stones. A decent performance would earn him the runner-up spot in the World�s Strongest Man competition. In the back of his mind, he realized that a win at this event would mean an overall victory. His name was called for his turn and he acknowledged the enthusiastic crowd with a wave of his hand. He was matched up against the man who held the first place position and was also the defending World�s Strongest Man Champion. This Eastern European athlete was the prototype modern strongman competitor, heavily muscled, fast and athletic. His best event just happened to be the Atlas Stones.

The athletes took their mark and was given the start command. Timothy raced toward the first stone. He easily picked up the first stone and moved it towards the first loading platform. Setting the stone into place, he raced back for the second stone and already found himself a few steps behind the leader. The heat was fierce. The organizers had considered moving the competition to a place where the heat was not as severe as the African sun, but hell was already booked for that week. Timothy handled the second and third stone with little difficulty but found himself falling furthering behind the defending champion. He picked up the fourth stone and carried it towards the platform, his legs, back and arms screaming with muscular fatigue. He heard his parents, who were somewhere in the crowd shouting encouragement to him and this caused him to kick his effort in high gear. He placed the fourth stone onto the platform and quickly turned and raced towards the fifth and final stone. He was still behind the champion, but he had gained a couple of steps from the previous stone. He grasped the fifth stone and with great effort headed towards the platform. His competitor was already at the platform and was lifting the ponderous stone up onto the surface. In less then two seconds he would once again be crowned World's Strongest Man and Timothy would be the runner-up. Timothy was less than three steps away from the platform when his competitor's stone rolled off the platform and onto the ground. The champion quickly grabbed the stone and began lifting it back up, but not before Timothy eased the enormous stone onto the platform. He had done it, he was the World�s Strongest Man. He raised his exhausted arms in victory as the crowd gave him a thunderous round of applause.

The former champion was the first to reach Timothy. He hugged Timothy in a genuine display of sportsmanship and whispered into his ear �Enjoy your title, we will meet again soon�.

Timothy scanned the crowd in search of his parents. He heard his mother�s voice call out to him and he quickly turned towards her.

�Timmy, what are you doing?� said his mother. Timothy quickly lowered his arms from their victory salute and said �Nothing, just messing around�.� Is that your father�s bowling ball�? She asked. �Yes M�am, I was using it to practice the Atlas Stones event-I am training to compete in the World�s Strongest Man� replied her eleven year old son. Timmy�s mother suppressed a smile. She had been watching her son from the kitchen window. He would fill two five-gallon buckets with water and then would struggle to race back and forth across their lawn with them. She had also seen him out by the woodpile, repeatedly lifting logs over his head. Today he had lined up a series of crates and buckets in the yard-it almost looked like he was created a model of Stonehenge. She watched him race to lift and carry weighted objects, such as a bag of dog food and her husband�s bowling ball on top of each platform.

�Well my little strongman, it�s almost time for dinner, so clean up this mess and put your father�s bowling ball back to where it belongs,� said his mother, who then turned and walked back to the house. Timmy quickly put away his homemade atlas stone platforms and then picked up the bowling ball. He was relieved that his mother had not noticed that the bowling ball was covered with dirt and grass and would need to be cleaned before he took it into the house.

As he cleaned up the yard, he noticed the now fading champion watching him with nodding approval. He had beaten the champion every day this week but he knew he had to continue to improve. The bowling ball was getting to easy to lift and he needed something heavier to train with. He had his eye on the pumpkins in his parent's garden, but they would not be ready for another two months. His mother had a giant stockpot with a lid; he could fill the pot with sand, duct tape the lid to the pot and then use that for a stone. He would have to move his platform to where it could not be seen from the house by his mother and he would have to thoroughly wash the pot before sneaking it back into her kitchen, but he would do whatever it took to improve his game.

Keith Wassung

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:19 AM

Fear And Courage In The Gym

By Keith Wassung

I will turn 41 tomorrow and just finished up a great training session. I felt a certain amount of fear during this workout, but that is nothing new as I have felt the presence of fear in most of my workouts over the 27 years of lifting. Not the �pee your pants� shaking in your boots type of fear, but rather than little voice that does everything possible to prevent your success. One of the first workouts I ever did was a squat for 65lbs for 6-7 reps-it was hard, heavy and I was scared before and during the set. A little over ten years later I was squatting 600lbs for the same number of reps and it was still just as hard, just as heavy and I was still just as scared. Boys are told at an early age to not be a �fraidy cat� and that fear is to be avoided like the plague. I believe that one of the keys to progress and success is not the avoidance of fear, but rather confronting and defeating it. The immortal John Wayne said that �Courage is being scared to death � and saddling up anyway."

Show me a person who had never felt fear in the gym and I will show you a person who is either a maniac (and there are a few of those in the iron game) or a person who is very average and in all likelihood will stay that way. I have had workouts where I felt no fear at all. They were training sessions where I had decided that it would be best to just do some �maintenance work� or not push too hard for any variety of reasons. On those days, fear did not make its presence known because I had already made the decision to fail in advance of the workout.

I have an uncle, who is a nice fellow, but very pessimistic. He tends to disguise his pessimism in the form of being wise and caring. If someone in our family tells him that they are considering going into the hardware store business, he will lovingly reply that the hardware business is a tough business and that he had had several friends lose everything they had trying the same thing. If someone says they are going to Miami for a vacation, he will say that Miami is a nice place, but it had the highest tourist murder rate in the country. He never comes right out and tells someone that they will fail, but he sure likes to suggest and imply it. Fear is the exact same way. It makes hints and suggestions and always tries to encourage you to take the easy path. Fear has a tendency to go after you in areas in which you are most vulnerable. It finds and exposes your areas of weakness.

The following are some methods to help you �saddle up�

Just show up. Make a determined decision that you will show up for your workout no matter what the circumstances. Have a plan and have a back-up plan. Your boss assigns you a last minute project and you have to work late and by the time you leave work the gym is closed. Decide in advance what you would do. Is there another gym in town that is open later, do you have a friend with a home gym? I strongly encourage everyone to have some type of equipment at their home, even if they have a gym membership. It does not have to be anything fancy-a pair if adjustable dumbbells stashed in the closet will do.
You arrive home late and you only have ten minutes to train-its amazing what you can do in ten minutes if you have made a decision to show up no matter what the circumstances. Pick your most productive compound move an do as many reps as you can in ten minutes in a rest-pause fashion. Some of the most incredible training sessions I have ever had have been these short, last minute, impromptu type workouts.

Start your day our right. I have found that I can tell what kind of day I am going to have by what happens in the first thirty minutes that I am awake. If I wake up and discover that we are out of coffee, or I can�t find my wallet, keys etc then all of a sudden I am in a mad scramble and then I skip breakfast and get something �on the way� to work and the whole day sort of follows that same pattern including the training session. Take five minutes before going to bed and ensure you have everything ready to go for the next day. Pack your gym bag, get the coffee pot prepared (if you drink coffee) Make sure you have whatever food items you will need for the next day. I even lay out all of my supplements on the vanity in the bathroom so that I won�t forget to take them.

Take the time to properly warm-up. I will be honest, I hate warming up. It seems like such a waste of time and energy. The real reason that most guys hate warming up is that it exposes our pathetic level of conditioning. Though I have taken measures to correct this, there was a time when a simple ten minute warm-up almost left me winded, and then you start worrying that it will affect your lifts for that day. Ten minutes of warming up will just about equal ten hours of rehabilitation for an injured muscle. Years ago, I had to have some repairs made on my truck, so I was without a vehicle for a couple of days. I had a ride to work, but no way to get to the gym, which was about 8 miles from my house. My neighbor loaned me his bicycle and I decided to ride it to the gym. As I was riding along, I knew that this particularly day was a heavy squat day and that I would probably have to go light or cancel it altogether knowing that after a long bike ride, there was no way that I could handle heavy squats. I arrived at the gym and began my workout. The squats had never felt so smooth and I had an incredible workout. I have found that the best warm-up is to do something that elevates your overall body temperature and then doing a couple of singles with the weights to get your body primed for the big sets.

When doing any set that involves multiple repetitions, focus on doing just one rep at a time. If you are going to do 8 reps, then think of your set as 8x1, rather than 1x8. When you are on rep number two and you are �thinking� about reps 6-8, this drains you of the necessary mental energy and allows fear to win. Focusing on one rep at a time also will allow you to use �near perfect� form.

There are certain things that you would not do if I offered you a million dollars, but you would not hesitate to do the same thing for free for someone you love. Dedicate an especially tough set or series of repetitions to someone you love or someone you care about and then do it. You will be amazed at the extra power it will give you. When performing a 20 rep set of squats, the last couple of reps are hard and painful, but at least you know it�s almost over and that can help you finish the set. The tough reps are from about 11-17 as they are just as painful, but you know that you still have a long way to go. I often dedicate these types of reps to people in my family, friends and often our brave soldiers that are defending our country.

Reward yourself. When you reach certain milestone goals in your lifting then celebrate by rewarding yourself with a new piece of equipment or a special dinner, etc. My family knows that if Dad has a really good Saturday workout, then it�s dinner at the Outback Steakhouse that night. They often come out to my garage gym and cheer me on-ok, they are really cheering for a steak, but I pretend it�s for me. Sales organizations frequently have inventive contest for their sales people because they are highly effective. Use little things like this in your training for bigger gains.

One last quote from John Wayne-I am not sure what it will mean to you, but it hits me a certain way.

�Life is tough, but its even tougher when you�re stupid� John Wayne

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:21 AM

Taking the Difficult Shot

By Keith Wassung

I remember a workout in which I was preparing to perform my next to last set of dead lifts off of blocks, which is one of the those forgotten exercises of the past. The movement is painful, even more so than the conventional dead lift, but the dividends it pays in strength and development are well worth it. I hate the next to last set of a series of compound movements. The last set is always the hardest from a physical standpoint, but the next to last set is emotionally and physically draining. You are already tired, you know the set is going to hurt and you know that you still have one more to go. I have often said that when doing a set of 20 rep squats, the really tough reps are from about 9-15. Repetitions 16-20 are very difficult, but you know it's almost over, which seems to make it easier. Success in lifting, just like in many endeavors, is largely dependant on one's state of mind-the body will do whatever the mind dictates.

I completed both sets of dead lifts and was preparing to finish off the day's workout with some abdominal movements, when Jack walked into the weight room carrying a basketball. Jack was a good friend, and one of those guys who was always wanted to train with me, but never showed up. He had come to the gym this day, but had gotten distracted by a pick-up game of basketball. He asked me if I wanted to get something to eat, which is a question to which I never respond with a no. While I was doing some incline sit-ups, Jack decided to do his workout, which consisted of super setting concentration curls with leg extensions.

We finished up and walked over the enlisted club to eat. The special of the day was rib eye sandwiches. Thick hunks of rib eye on a hoagie roll smothered with provolone cheese, beefsteak tomatoes, romaine lettuce and horseradish sauce. We ordered two each, though being concerned about excess calories; I ordered mine without the lettuce. We sat down at a table while our food was being prepared. Jack pointed at a lone figure at the pool table and said "See that guy over there, all he ever does with his free time is shoot pool. I bet he shoots pool five or six hours a day." A few minutes later, the pool player walked over and asked Jack and I if we wanted to shoot a game. Jack declined, but I accepted knowing our food would not be ready for another twenty minutes or so. The guy introduced himself as Chris and in the same breath mentioned that he intended to be playing pool on the professional circuit in a few years.

"Great", I thought, I can barely play the game and I have to compete against a guy, who is on his way to the professional ranks. We started the game. Chris appeared confident and sure of himself. He lined up each shot carefully and handled his cue like a real pool professional. The only problem with his game was that he missed about half of his shots. I won the first game without too much trouble. Chris seemed unfazed and racked the balls for the second game. I noticed that he took the craziest shots one could imagine. The ball he was shooting at would be right in front of the pocket and rather than taking a straight shot, he would bank the ball off of three cushions, or use some sort of combination shot. At first, I thought he was showing off, but this did not seem to be the case. I finally asked him why he never took the easy shots. He replied "because I know I can make them, anybody can make them. If I took the easy shots I would never improve my game" I said "but you would win a lot more games". He shrugged and said "I really don't care about winning everyday pool games, it's far more important to me to use each game to be a better pool player than to have the temporary satisfaction of winning a meaningless game. He told me that he would often practice the same shot as many as 300 times in one session. On the weekends, he would seek out pool halls and compete against the best players he could find. That skinny pool player taught me a valuable lesson about success as a lifter and I was able to use this lesson on many occasions.

You can do a lot of things in your training, which might make you feel good about yourself, but they do little to improve your strength and development. Are you interested in temporary self satisfaction or long term success?

It is easy to get comfortable in your training, especially if you have reached a level that surpasses the average trainee. You start doing what feels good or what impresses those around you, rather than in doing what is difficult and uncomfortable. It is easy to work hard on lifts that you excel at and it's difficult to work on those that are lagging. I look back at my training journal and can't believe how much time I wasted in the gym doing things to feed my own ego and to try and impress total strangers.

There are many applicable examples of this type of thinking, but I am going to share just one. Take a guy who gets involved in lifting and works hard. He gains muscular bodyweight and grows in strength. After a couple of years his squat and dead lift have surpassed the 400 mark and he is on his way to 500. His bench press is on track for 400 and he can overhead press his bodyweight for several reps. He is very strong compared to the average person, but had not even come close to realizing his own potential. Those types of number will make him the strongest guy in his gym in about ninety percent of all of the health clubs and gyms in the country. He is known as the strongest guy in his gym, maybe even his community. A few years go by and we see that he is still working on hitting 500 in the squat and dead lift and still working on the reaching the 400 bench. His progress has become stagnant because he fell into a comfort zone. If you are the strongest guy in your gym, then it is TIME TO FIND A NEW GYM, where you are not the strongest or best built guy.

Now, I know what you are thinking-I like my gym, it's the only gym in town or I train in my garage, what am I supposed to do? Okay, you don't necessarily have to give up on your current training headquarters, but you do need to occasionally venture into other places, where bigger and stronger people train. You might have to travel to do this. I used to make a monthly trip to Coffee's Gym in Georgia. I would leave early Saturday morning and would get down there in time for a Saturday afternoon session. I would leave the comfort of my neighborhood gym, where I was a "big deal" (at least in my own mind) and would walk into a gym where a 600lb squat was something you did for reps on your light days. All of a sudden, I was in the lower echelon of strength. Going there was difficult, it was uncomfortable and I hated it. But it made me a better lifter. Each visit I acquired knowledge and a burning desire to pursue the achievements of those who were better than me.

The same can be said for lifting competitions. If you can travel and compete at events, where you are clearly out-gunned, then you will become a better lifter or you will quit lifting altogether, which means you were not cut out for it in the first place. I have helped organize and officiate at many local and state meets. At every local competition there is a group of guys who show up to "maybe compete". What they are doing is trying to figure out whether they should enter based on who else is entering. If they are confident that they can enter and win a trophy, then they compete. If they feel that the competition is too difficult, then they become a spectator. This is a perfect example of someone who is seeking to take the easy shot, rather than in improving themselves. These people rarely make much progress from year to year.

By the way, Chris entered his first professional pool tournament 18 months after we played and placed third. He went on to win many, many tournaments over the years. Trading temporary satisfaction for long term results is always a good idea.

Keith Wassung
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**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:22 AM

Hardgainer Training Manual Updated PT 1
Training Manual (unfinished)

Updated 10/26/06

Here is a portion of a hardgainer training manual I was working on. It is unfinished and the nutrition sections are not attached but it is pretty good reading anyway and a way to burn some time. It was written years ago and some of the sections do not 100% reflect my current views as they were written years ago, but it�s still pretty close.

The material is primarily aimed at hardgainers, but is also the type of training that works wonders for a very large segment of the training populace.

The Voice of Reason

How did we get so lost?

Note: This information is geared towards genetically typical trainees not using steroids. It also works extremely well for gear users off cycle, and the Many people while on, although most people can increase the volume and frequency somewhat while on cycle. It is a given that anabolic steroid use increases the threshold point at which overtraining occurs and gear users can USUALLY tolerate more training without overtraining. Even while on gear the single biggest reason people do not grow is due to the fact they overtrain. What follows is excerpts and a compilation of articles I have written for Hardgainer magazine. Most of this information was also on a web site I produced geared toward hardgaining trainees. The web site is now closed but I am sharing this info for the board reader�s benefit. Don�t dismiss this information because you use steroids. It could have more impact than anything you have read if you take its advice to heart.

Iron Addict

Weight training is a truly unique pastime, in that for an activity as popular as it is, there is an EXTREME OVERABUNDANCE of information that is ENTIRELY UNSUITABLE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATE. It would be almost acceptable if the information given in the popular books and periodicals clearly stated that the information contained within them was only appropriate for those that are genetically gifted at building muscle tissue and in many cases also using massive amounts of steroids. This fact is never (or rarely) mentioned. It would also make the situation better if there were popular publications catering to alternative techniques suitable for the masses. Unfortunately this is not the case. The publishers go with what sells, and since the public is mistakenly under the assumption that those with the biggest muscles must know the most about how to build an awesome physique the problem propagates itself. The training information in the popular books and magazines works spectacularly well FOR THE GENETIC WONDERS (usually using steroids also) that garner all the publicity. What these methods don't do is deliver the results for the masses (yes, you and me).
For the VAST majority of trainees that make little or no progress it is their training methods that are responsible for the lack of progress. What you say? You train just like everyone else in the gym, even the huge guys that out-lift three of the typical trainees. The fact of the matter is that the popular training methods that have created most of the world class physiques DO NOT WORK FOR THE AVERAGE TRAINEE. Look around you in the gym and you see countless members slaving away week after week, year after year and for all their effort barely look like they workout at all. And often those that do look like they train are usually stuck at the same weight, lifting the same poundage�s, for months, sometimes years on end. I once read a pretty good definition of insanity, "doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result". If your training is not working for you now, how is supposed to "magically" start working one day?
Before you just go to the routine section and look at the suggested routines and decide that they can't possibly work, wait until you have read everything before making your decision as to whether this style of training will work. Let me give you an example of why it's important to get all the facts before making a decision. If I promised you $5 million dollars to jump out of an airplane without a parachute, would you do it? If you quickly answered "no" you lost an easy $5 million. You see, the plane I was asking you to jump from was parked on the ground.
Don't lose again by "jumping" to conclusion about the concepts you are about to read. Please read everything before making any judgments.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:23 AM

A letter out of time

This letter was written in 1992 to the Editor and Publisher of Hardgainer, Stuart McRobert. For those of you that have never had the pleasure of being exposed to his writings or having read his wonderful bi-monthly publication "Hardgainer", Stuart is the person I credit with showing myself and countless others the real-deal on productive weight training. He has had over 300 articles published in almost every major weight training magazine and has had ongoing columns in IronMan and MuscleMedia 2000. Never heard of him, or saw his articles and skipped over them because a major title winner didn�t write them? Well you did yourself a huge disservice. I too had skipped over his articles for a long time before I was exposed to the basic training techniques that fill the pages of Hardgainer. What is a Hardgainer? A simple yet fairly precise definition would be the vast majority of the weight training populace. Do you go to the gym and experience great gains on almost any type of training program you try? Do you watch those around you in the gym make huge gains (drug free) on a consistent basis. Well, welcome to reality land. While you can�t change your genetic make-up, you can apply a training methodology that will allow you to reach your genetic potential.
Below is part of my story:

Stuart,

I am not a very experienced writer but I'm experienced in what does, and does not work for me. And pretty well versed in training principles that work for the average person, thanks to Hardgainer, Super Squats, and Brawn. I have trained off and on since age 14, I'm 31 now and most of the time I gained next to nothing. The only time before 1991 that I made meaningful progress was a period of about a year and a half when I was in the Army and trained very inconsistently. I was trying to do a full-body workout three days a week. Due to my inconsistency I ended up training once every 5-10 days, at best I trained twice a week. This was just what I needed! I made some great gains and did what most do, I got excited and started training more often, and increased my work-load. Of course this killed my progress. With no progress I lost desire.
Every couple of years I would repeat this process. I would become interested in training, make gains when first starting, increase the load, and sure as night turns to day, all progress would cease as would my desire to train. I was like many people are, a virtual warehouse of knowledge about every aspect of training except that which would work for me. It wasn't until 1990 that I decided I would begin training again and would find methods that would work for me. This time I had decided I would continue no matter what. I was starting to feel as though my youth was slipping away (well of course it was, but now it was really starting to feel like it). I had learned a lot about persistence through other areas of my life and I realized I finally had the maturity to persist, no matter what. I started training again. I was once again wasting my time, but not for long.
I received a free copy of Super Squats with a subscription to IronMan. I did a shortened version of the routine twice a week and life has never been the same! It was during this time period that I started to notice the Hardgainer department in IronMan. Things really started to click for me. After only 1 issue I sent for my copy of "Brawn" and between the three, a whole new training world had opened up for me. At last, training methods that plainly stated they were for the average person that had problems making gains. This was a real revelation for me as everything I had read in the past basically said, do this, and this, and the result would be that. Of course they all said you had to make sure you gave all body-parts equal attention or soon some body-parts would grow out of proportion and wreak your symmetry. Give me a break, I'd have killed to have some big out of proportioned muscles. Even one would have been great! Needless to say, almost every bit of so called training information I had read since 1977 was worthless.
By the way it wasn't the six day a week 20 sets a body-part, or even the four day a week twelve sets a body-part routine that was responsible for my failure to make gains all those years. For the most part I used a three-day a week total body routine. I had from the beginning sought out information on training so I could train effectively and not waste my time. What a joke! I at least knew I was a beginner (a look in the mirror could confirm this any time) and should train like one. Almost all the glossy magazines had a beginner�s column in them and they all wanted you to train three days a week until you put on some size. And if you read the articles by the champs they often stated beginners should do a three-day a week routine before working their way up to the type of routine they were doing. In fact I still have my copy of Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold. Once again the beginner�s section said three days a week, and after all Arnold should know.
I guess you probably know what I think about three day a week full body routines after all these years. What a terrible shame this kind of program has been so universally promoted. It's almost as bad as the high volume train every day of the week garbage. No average person has a chance on this type of routine. Train your whole body hard then, one days rest then do it again? Come on!

Addendum: These 3 day a week full body routines were typical of the time and had a LOT of lifts, many sets, and WERE NOT PERIODIZED. There ARE good 3 day full body routines hardgainers can use and do well on. Extreme hardgainers will not do well on them though. Madcow�s/Rippetoes versions are quite good if followed correctly.

I also tried a few other routines throughout the years, I think everybody from this time period gave Mike Mentzer�s theories a try. I know I did, at least I didn't lose too much time with this as even I knew something was wrong when I dreaded the next training session, started getting injured, and worst of all started losing weight fast. I could hardly afford to lose any weight being 6"1 155lbs at age 19 when Mentzer was at the height of his popularity.

Like you and so many others, I lost what could have been my most productive training years because of a lack of proper information. For some reason in my area (northern California) I had never seen a copy of Peary Raders IronMan or any other magazine or book that had a message of reason. All I had to go by were the glossy magazine/catalogues full of useless B.S. and a few books written by big names that didn't have anything to do with reality, or at least the reality of training a Hardgainer.
Since finding my way I have made more progress than I would have thought possible. I have come to realize that most people fall somewhere between hardgainer and extreme hardgainer not further up the scale.

I believe anyone that has to limit their training to two-three times a week, can only train body-parts/lifts once a week, has to do a very limited amount of movements for one or two sets at most, and has to watch their nutrition/rest habits very carefully to make gains would be classified as a Hardgainer. Well, the above statement describes me perfectly. In spite of all these limitations my progress has been great. I owe this to finding the right training information and applying it correctly.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Please read on. The answer to your training problems lay ahead. Since the proceeding was written in 1992 I have learned a lot more about effective training and have trained many who had genetics ranging anywhere from excellent to those you looked at and thought, "have you really lifted weights before". During this time I have NEVER had Hardgainer style training fail. Transform yourself from a "before, to an after".

The Genetic Factor

While the big names may know a whole lot about what is required to build their physiques to EXTREME levels they more often than not know ALMOST NOTHING about the requirements of those less genetically inclined to add muscle tissue. What is almost never mentioned is that in addition to having been blessed with out of this world genetics they also use massive amounts of steroids and other growth enhancing drugs. That this type of training is the type responsible for the top name physiques is of little relevance for the typical trainee trying to add bodyweight and strength. In fact, it is about as opposed as day and night for those that have difficulty getting big, here is why:

More is not better

The average competitive bodybuilder does anywhere from 9 sets on the low end to 20-25 sets per body-part. Why so many? And if 20 sets are good why not do 40 sets and double the results? The reason is many, if not most have tried this approach and found out it led to over training. It wasn�t because growth wasn�t stimulated during the course of the workout, it was, but because so much of the body�s resources are being used to merely recover from the workout nothing is left for additional growth. In fact, in MOST cases the trainee will actually become progressively smaller and weaker on such a schedule. If the sheer volume of training were the factor responsible for weight training success the workouts would need to become progressively longer until the only factor that would limit ones growth would be the availability of gym time. This is clearly not the case as the top names are usually paid to train and have no other responsibilities, yet they do their two or three hour routines and get out of the gym.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:24 AM

Frequency

It goes to reason that if doing too high a volume of training leads to over training, that training to frequently will also hamper growth. If training four days a week produces good gains why not train twice a day 7 days a week? Once again, this has been tried by many and positive results were not achieved. Once you come to grips with the fact that OVER TRAINING IS THE BIGGEST POSSIBLE MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE BODYBUILDING FAILURES THAN ALL OTHER FACTORS COMBINED, you are on your way to becoming "all you can be", to quote the popular Army slogan. Once you adjust your training volume and frequency to the correct levels you will have done more to increase your ability to gain than any thing else short of taking growth-enhancing drugs and I assume you are not taking that route.

The Growth Factor

So we know that sheer volume of training is not the factor responsible for growth, what is? Simple, increase your strength significantly and muscle size will go up accordingly. This simple concept is left out on most articles in the glossy magazines. Why? It should be included in bold print capitols in every article printed. There should be a statement such as; IF YOU ARE NOT USING PROGRESSIVELY HEAVIER POUNDAGE'S IN ALL YOUR LIFTS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS EVERY OTHER DETAIL IS IRRELEVANT. SEEK TO GET STRONGER AND SIZE WILL FOLLOW!

How to unlock your potential

The key to getting stronger on a consistent basis is finding the correct volume and frequency of training YOUR BODY can handle and then always training well within these confines. This is so simple it is almost laughable, yet so few ever really consistently apply it, even after being exposed to proper training techniques. The most common reasons for not staying the course are always finding a reason (excuse) to add exercises, and being swayed too easily by others. Going into a commercial gym and watching others train, and often times even being told by others that; "you can�t possibly gain on a routine like that", and "that�s not the way so and so trains" more often than not leads the trainee to add exercises and training days to the routine to the extent that the growth process is short circuited. Don�t be another failure that gives up on lifting because it doesn't work!

The REAL Requirements

From reading the above, the uninitiated trainee is probably beginning to get the picture that Hardgainer style training consists of training less frequently, and doing less sets per body-part to ovoid what they now understand to be the reason for their lack of progress�over training. The uninitiated are probably thinking something like great, I�ll cut back to three days a week instead of four and only do eight sets per body-part instead of sixteen. Then WHAM�instant buff! This volume and frequency will still lead to frustration and stagnation.

What few are willing to grasp is just how severe heavy lifting is to the body. Not only must localized (in the muscle trained) recovery occur before growth will take place, but systemic recovery (the body as a whole) must occur also. Once recovery has occurred guess what? You are still no stronger than before the workout took place�adaptation (growth) only occurs after your body has fully recovered. Only after both of these events have occurred has the muscle grown bigger.

Most people short circuit the growth process by training before full recovery and adaptation has occurred. That�s why they find themselves doing the same weight workout after workout. Here is what happens: they do so many sets the body is in a state of constant depletion, then before their poor beat-up body has even had a chance to recuperate from the last work out the body is hammered again. True, different body-parts are worked, but the systemic depletion is only made worse. Your body is chronically over-trained and growth does not occur.

The solution to the problem of over training is shocking to most trainees who have only been exposed to the training techniques of the "champions". Be that as may, your only hope of developing a good physique is to ensure you ALWAYS train within your body�s ability to recuperate between workouts. How will you know if you are recuperating adequately? Simple, you will be able to add weight or reps workout to workout. There may be days when you are feeling down and the energy level is just not there, but days like this should be the RARE exception not the rule. How much weight should be added? One-half to two pounds on the smaller movements such as military presses or curls and one to five pounds for the big movements like squats and deadlifts. Not enough you say? Assuming the trainee bench presses one day a week and is able to add but one pound to the bar each workout. Also assuming a couple of weeks were missed due to illness or other commitments, this still amasses a 50 pound increase in bench press ability. Do even this small increase over two consecutive years and the trainee that was previously "stuck" at 185 x 6 is now doing 285 x 6 and has a better bench than almost all the other members in the gym. Of course not all progress will be linear and there will be times when the trainee will have to cut back the poundage's for a time in order to let the body fully recuperate. But there will also be times when the increases are much higher than the suggested increments. In fact, if you are new to hardgainer style training 5 pounds a week for small movements and 5-10 pounds a week for the big movements may be attainable�and body-weight may skyrocket also. Most trainees (if truly training within their limits) will add from 10 to 30 pounds during the first three months. Please keep in mind that the 30-pound figure is not the norm, but 10-20 pound body-weight increases are.

Small Gains are Sustainable

Once you are past the beginner stage, or the beginning three or four months of training correctly, it�s time to start looking at training for the long haul. By that I mean structuring your routine inside and outside the gym to ensure that all the requirements of growth are being met. One of the key ingredients of the growth recipe is ensuring that you do not try to add weight to the bar faster than your body is actually building strength. Adding weight to the bar by loosening your form and speeding up your rep speed does nothing but stoke your ego, and set you up for injury.

Your Potential

Sorry to say this, but for the vast majority of you reading this you are not going to be the next Arnold, Dorian Yates, or Ronnie Coleman. The chances are, if you are reading this you are reading out of the desperation of trying everything and getting little or no results. I can�t and won�t promise that hardgainer style training will make you the next Mr. anything, or even make you the biggest guy in your gym. What I will promise you is that these techniques, applied with passion and persistence will deliver results that will astound you.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:26 AM

Your Goals

While no one can define your strength training goals for you some basic guidelines are necessary to ensure you achieve them.
1. If your reading this and are thinking: I don�t want to be some huge guy who scares people because of his sheer size and can�t even scratch his own back. Keep this in mind; you can only do one of three things to a muscle. A) Make it smaller/weaker through improper/no training. B) Keep it the same size through improper training or deciding you are as big/strong as you want to be. C) Make it bigger through proper training. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TONING A MUSCLE. If you ever reach a point where you are satisfied with your size and strength you can easily maintain that condition by ensuring you never increase the poundage you are using. How many of you are really worried about getting too big/strong?

2. Trying get a big chest and arms while neglecting to work hard on the big muscle groups, i.e., legs/back is a surefire formula for failure for Hardgainers.

3. If you want to be big and impressive by any standards (other than competition oriented bodybuilders) you had better fix your sights on aiming high on the poundage�s used in your training. I will quote Stuart McRobert�s guidelines for strength based on the average 5�9 190 pound successful Hardgainer: bench 300, squat 400, deadlift 500. You should allow 10% leeway high or low, and take into consideration body type, as some will be natural squatters and others will be far better at deadlifting. Some may also (if educated) substitute the parallel bar dip for the bench press if they are not structurally suited to bench press. Although the dip doesn�t get anywhere near the recognition the bench press does, it actually works more muscle than the bench. Lighter or heavier bodyweight lifters will need to adjust their goals accordingly.

If these figures seem out of reach take heart, they seemed an impossibility to me also when first exposed to them after reading Stuart�s first book; Brawn. That I reached these goals within approximately 2-1/2 years seemed like a dream to me. My transformation physically was equally startling. I went from an experienced (so I thought) trainee with years of training under my belt that had reached the pinnacle of 175 pounds at 6�1 to a 235 pound trainee experienced in what really works. I eventually hit 270, but to hold 270 it takes TONS of gear and thats not where I am at currently. 235 at 8-10% is where I try to stay most of the time these days

4. If you are trying to trim down and get bigger at the same time you are asking your body to make a very difficult task almost impossible. Either lose the excess fat before trying to get big or plan on losing it after you have added some serious size first. And if you are happy with your body-fat level don�t be afraid to let some fat come along when adding muscle. Trying to get big and stay very lean is a task difficult for even the genetically elite, and next to impossible for the hardgainer.

How Hard to Train, This is an update:

I USED to believe that very low volume and training to failure was the key to hardgainer success. Why? It�s what I used after reading Super Squats and Brawn. I did very well on this style of training and it took me quite a ways, but knowing what I know now after working with literally hundreds of hardgainers successfully I have changed my stance. CNS fatigue for many becomes a real issue and the volume and frequency must be kept unnecessarily low. I now recommend on any multiple set lift that the trainee ONLY TAKE THE LAST SET TO ONE REP SHORT OF FAILURE. I don�t train a single hardgainer to failure anymore and the results have been WAY better. There is nothing wrong with a lifter doing SOME failure training at SOME time in their training careers, but a hardgainer building their strength and conditioning base will do MUCH better leaving a bit in the tank. This allows more recovery, more sets, usually more frequency, and CNS fatique is very minimized if the loading is cycled.

The Path to Excellence

In order for you to achieve all that your genetic endowment will allow you must understand and APPLY the following guidelines on a consistent basis until you have achieved your physical potential or are as big as you care to be.

The "Driver"

Please read the following carefully, the need to include a heavy full body movement in your routine is crucial to your lifting success!
The typical hardgainer can forget about making big gains throughout the body until they get the thigh/back musculature growing. Think about it this way, if your body is not very efficient at growing muscle tissue and your current routine is like that of most trainees, (what I call the double B�s, bench and biceps) how much of a demand have you placed on your body to become more efficient at growing? Working chest, delts, tri�s, and biceps works approximately 10% of your overall lean body mass. Working hard on deadlift�s (bent legged, Trap Bar, or sumo) or squatting (not necessarily at the same time) works more like 70% of your musculature at once and sends a STRONG message to your body to GET BETTER AT GROWING NOW! Because the demands on your metabolism are so great when doing these movements the results are also great. But like anything worthwhile in life it comes at a price: brutally hard work done consistently with ever increasing poundage�s.

The original "recipe" for success for those that were previously unable to register significant gains in size and strength was the 20 rep squatting routine with one set (after warm-ups) to failure done along with a handful of other basic exercises, no fluff, just brutally demanding hard work done infrequently with an emphasis on heavy eating. If you have never done high rep squatting or deadlifting with limit poundage's you will no doubt be amazed at how difficult they are. They will probably be the most demanding things you have ever done inside or outside of the gym. They will for sure be the most productive thing you've ever done in the gym.

Twenty Rep squats are not done by putting a light-weight on the bar and doing twenty quick reps and racking the bar. They are done by using a weight that the trainee will have to almost kill himself to get 15 reps with. By rep 10 or so you will be breathing like a horse and gasping for your breath. You will fight to get the 15 reps, then instead of racking the bar you keep it on your shoulders and rest/breath long enough to get the next rep, and the next, then the next. You will have to fight every fiber in your body telling you to dump the bar. But you persist and make it to rep 20. Rep 21 should be impossible should you have attempted it. If you are able to do another set after this one you weren�t trying hard enough. For this reason I always do high rep squats (or deadlifts) as the last movement in the routine. Try them and see why!
Many times I have trained people who swore they worked like animals in the gym and had them on the floor gasping like fish out of water, unable to continue with any additional work after one limit set of squats. These were people that swore they trained as hard as possible and were sure the proposed workout could not possibly be able to stimulate growth in so few sets. By the way these were usually people that were previously unable to add bodyweight and went on to become quite big and strong by applying Hardgainer techniques to their training.

The Heritage

High rep squatting has a history going back to the early days of the Iron Game. For a detailed history and training program promoting high rep squatting I suggest you purchase the book "Super Squats" by Randall Strossen. While the main routine contained in this book will prove to be too much for most Hardgainers, the abbreviated routine given is excellent (contained in this manual, see description) for those needing to cut back to the bare bones in able to gain. This routine was promoted by Peary Radar (IronMan Magazines previous Editor/Publisher) as a surefire routine for those unable to gain on even the basic 20 rep squatting routine consisting of squats, barbell curls, bench presses, rows, and military presses. Peary championed the 20 rep squatting routine for years during his time as publisher of IronMan. Unfortunately his voice was drowned out by the Weiders "champion" routines. His magazine also did not have the exposure of the Weider publications at the time. When IronMan was procured by the current owners the newer formula (big names, long routines) was ushered in and the tradition of basic training with heavy squats as the core of the routine was almost lost to future generations. Were it not for Stuart McRobert, Randall Strossen and a handful of others that had learned this most productive method of training and promoted it to all that would listen.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 10:27 AM

UPDATE
Now that you have read about the benefits of 20 rep squatting which can be very beneficial for some lifters during some phases I will tell you that I haven�t written a 20 rep REST-PAUSE squat for a trainee in over 3 years. Why, too many people get injured doing them, and they are absolute hell on CNS. If you are already quite strong and want to do high rep squatting for leg size, do them as a continuous set the way Dante has his lifters do them. I more often than not have the lifter do a combination of low rep (1-3) squats and higher rep (6-10) and this works way better for strength and just fine for size.

The Deadlift

While there has been more exposure given to the squat in bodybuilding circles than deadlifting it is time this changed. For many trainees, especially the long limbed type that Hardgainers tend to be, the deadlift may be the single most productive movement that can be done. Even surpassing the mighty squat that has become famous for making strongmen out of people that previously could not make significant gains. I strongly recommend some type of deadlifting in everyone�s routine (physical limitations not withstanding). Not only will you have gone a long ways towards achieving your physical potential, you will also help yourself avoid lower back injuries.
How could that be? You have been told that deadlifts will wreak your back. Consider that most lower back injuries occur when someone (weight trainees included) with little lower back strength bends over to pick up something relatively light and something "lets go". Building a strong lower back through deadlifting will go along way towards insuring you don�t have the same thing happen to you. As long as structural weaknesses are not preexisting, you maintain perfect form while deadlifting (this applies to ALL exercises), and if you are new to deadlifting, you start VERY light and build up your poundage's slowly while perfecting your form, you should be able to never be injured by deadlifting. Almost all weight-training injuries are preventable.

Trap Bar Deadlift

I could write pages praising the advantages of the Trap Bar and it�s value in assisting the trainee to reach their physical potential. This piece of equipment, when used correctly has the ability to transform physiques. Muscles worked when using this movement are thighs, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back (lats, mid back, traps), forearms, and abs/obliques. In other words, the same muscles used a when performing the bent legged deadlift. So what makes the Trap Bar so special, and makes it a superior movement to the strait bar deadlift? Simple, works the same muscles as the conventional deadlift while making it a safer movement by avoiding undue stress to the lower back and providing more stress to the thighs. Because it reduces the need for extreme technical proficiency as required during the strait bar deadlift most trainees are able to push harder and move more weight. The sum total is a super productive movement that works approximately 70% of your lean body mass relatively safely. To top it off, this piece of equipment sells for under $200.00 U.S. dollars.

Performance of the movement is relatively simple, stand inside the bar and hold onto the two parallel handles. Keeping your lower back slightly arched and your head up push down into the floor with your feet trying to keep the weight on your heels. Do not round the lower back, and do not take the movement to absolute failure (stop one rep short), and you can rest assured you will have sent a strong signal to your body to grow
If finances allow, this is a must purchase item for the home gym trainees. Unfortunately most gyms do not have a Trap Bar. If possible talk your gym owner into purchasing one, or allowing you to purchase one and deduct the price from your membership. After using my Trap Bar only one time, my brother purchased his own and carried it in the trunk of his car to the gym on leg/back day. This option should not be overlooked.

What if you can�t squat or deadlift?

Let me first start off by saying that there are very few of you out there that legitimately can�t either squat or deadlift, especially using the Trap Bar. I will also go out on a limb and state that most readers will have many excuses why they can�t and also add that many HAVE NEVER EVEN TRIED TO DEADLIFT. Most trainees will have at least tried squatting and after realizing the tremendous effort required to squat heavy weights decided leg extensions and maybe a couple of half effort sets of whatever leg training apparatus is handiest and easiest will suffice on leg day. The thought being�.well, after all, we don�t want to use up all that energy that would be best applied to endless sets of curls.

This is the road to nowhere! Get competent instruction on how too properly squat and deadlift. I highly recommend the book "The Insiders Tell-All Handbook on Weight-Training Technique" even if expert coaching is available. You may need to work on your flexibility to become a more proficient squatter. If this is the case invest the time needed on a proper flexibility routine performed twice a week. This will pay off big dividends once you are able to squat correctly and will go a long way towards making you more injury proof.

Safety Squats

For those of you that are not familiar with this bar (probably the majority of readers) it is a bar with a padded yoke that has the weight-bearing portion of the bar angled forward. This moves the center of gravity forward and in conjunction with the padded protrusions of this strangely shaped bar allows "hands free" squatting. This allows the hands to be used to hold onto a squat or power rack and stabilize the upper torso. In fact proper use of this bar will allow almost any trainee to squat in any position from a "lean forward" powerlifting style to an actual "lean back" position, something that is impossible with a regular bar.

The Tall Hardgainers Curse
A common complaint of many tall Hardgainers is the amount of forward lean necessary to stabilize the bar makes the squat a great hip and back movement while leaving the legs only moderately worked. The Safety Squat Bar has the potential to mitigate these factors and provide a first class leg workout with minimal knee and back stress. With the Safety Squat Bar I am able to squat upright and move my stance in, my legs and hips get hammered while my back is only moderately worked.
I have trained a tall (6�3") novice who due to extreme inflexibility and body mechanics could not get much past the half squat position without his heels coming off the ground and almost falling down forward. He was so tight he had difficulty bending down to pick up a standard Olympic bar with 45lb plates loaded, yet with the safety squat bar he was able to find a pain free squat position with this bar and squat to almost parallel.
Performance
Here�s how it works. The bar is loaded (preferably in a power rack, although a squat rack will suffice) and the trainee dips under the bar and removes it from the rack. Because of the padded lateral stabilizer bars and the forward cant of the bar it stays in place on the traps/shoulders without assistance of the hands, the hands are used to hold onto the power rack. Special handles that attach to the rack are included with the bar, but it works fine just using the posts of the rack for support. By using the hands/arms to stabilize your torso you will find you are able to maintain a very upright position while squatting thus allowing your legs to take the brunt of the work.
Stance width and foot angle are only limited by what is comfortable and safe. The one reservation I have about the use of this bar is the extreme flexibility of positions that one is able to use. If you set up in an unnatural position and attempt to use heavy weights you are asking for trouble. It is possible to use positions with this bar that will put extreme stress on the knees, don�t do this! Common sense should tell you when you�re about to put yourself in harms way. Find a comfortable stance and position that is an improvement of your normal squatting position and work with that.
One of the variables to keep in mind is foot placement relative to the rack posts you are holding onto. The closer you place your feet to the posts the more upright your torso will be. Setting up well back of the uprights will have you leaning forward more and will put more pressure on the back.
Most trainees will find they can use much more weight with the Safety Squat Bar than they can with a regular bar. The factors involved that makes this possible are the ability to find a natural "strong" posture and stance, and the ability to use the arms to pull past the sticking point. The use of the arms can be a help or a hindrance dependent on how they are used. If one always uses arm strength to pull through the difficult portion of the lift, little will be gained and the sticking point will only be made worse. However if arm use is kept to a minimum and used only during the last very tough reps of a set, one is able to really up the intensity and get in some very productive reps that would be impossible otherwise.
The Safety Squat Bar can be found by many venders online. I�m confident once enough trainees give the Safety Squat Bar a try it will become a very popular piece of equipment, especially with tall Hardgainers who have suffered under the squat bar for many years. It has many advantages unique to machines, yet has the flexibility of free weights.

**cssprophet** · 12-20-2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by TJ2000

Wow, that was fast! Thanks for the article, haven't read it all yet though.
Have any of you guys worked full time jobs, went to college, AND still made time for the weight room? If so, let me know how you did it and share the secrets!

I'm not going to school, but I am working nights (like you), and I'm about to start a second job in a couple weeks, so I'll be balancing a night job, a fulltime job (50-60 hours a week total) and making time in the weight room... not sure how that's going to go, but I'm going to try. Also, my night job is a very physical one, so that also adds to the fatigue. And since I go to the gym AFTER work, sometimes I just don't feel like doing it, but it seems once I get there and get started I get in the groove. It terms of feeling crappy physically, that's got to do with your diet and/or sleep schedule. In terms of feeling crappy mentally, well... that's all in your head. You just gotta push through it.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:17 AM

7 BODYBUILDING DON'TS
We all do bad things. At times, it's due to an oversight or a lapse in judgment. On occasion, the
misconduct is a gamble which didn't pay off. They almost never do. If you mess up, chances are
you'll pay the penalty--sooner or later.
Training is no different. Sometimes the repercussion is immediate--a pulled muscle or a strained
ligament. The damage can also be developed and compounded over time; the result of either
misinformation or more often, ignorance.
Before you can avoid a mistake, you have to be able to recognize it. Experience is still the best
educator but that in itself can hold back progress. Once you think you know all the answers, you
stop the search. Along the way it's possible to pick up bad habits without realizing it.
If you've been at the weightlifting game for a while, you know what to do. But that's only part of
the process. It's knowing what not to do that can often make all the difference on the road toward
a better body.
The following are the most grievous "don'ts" you can make during your workout. Think of them as
the seven deadly sins of bodybuilding! They are designed to help in creating the ideal physique in
the least amount of time, while avoiding setbacks. Learn them. And avoid them at all cost.
1) Don't Get Distracted.
There are several variations of this. In some cases, it's a matter of lacking focus. It's easy to
get caught up in a conversation with a fellow gym member or your training partner, yet these
seemingly innocuous pleasantries can unwittingly sabotage a workout. Effective training requires
concentration. Plus, when you work with a sense of urgency and purpose, you continue to move
forward. Dawdle along the way and success always seems out of reach. When training for musculature
that is refined and shapely, it's imperative to get a pump. A pump is impossible if the rest
periods between sets are too long. Any routine that exceeds one hour is counterproductive. (I'd go
as far as to say that working any one bodypart for more than 15 minutes is counterproductive). At
that point, the muscles and nervous system are being taxed beyond which they can recover. You may
be able to tolerate the strain, but it won't grow you any muscle. It's necessary to keep rest
periods short in order to overload the muscle properly. Once that's done, there's no need to beat
it to death.
2) Don't Forget To Stretch.
For most people, stretching is boring so I'd rather not get into a lot of details. At any rate,
stretching does more than keep muscles supple and elastic, it may help potentiate future muscle
growth by expanding existing muscle fibers. So stretch!
3) Don't Use High Reps for Abs.
It stands to reason -- any exercise where you can perform hundreds of reps isn't working the
muscles very strenuously. For optimum development, the abs need to be worked like any other
bodypart -- against resistance. The best "resistance" for the abs is to force them to stabilize.
Don't fall for the myth that working the abs hard will cause them to overly enlarge. The rectus
abdominals are a very shallow muscle group. It would be virtually impossible for them to increase
as much as an inch in thickness. Thinking that the abs can get too big is as dumb as thinking that
high reps will make the abs smaller. It just doesn't work that way. If you can't see your abs, the
answer lies in your diet, not in endless repetitions of ineffective movements. Keep in mind also,
the clarity of your abs is determined by anatomy. This fact becomes aptly evident by observing
children who have very low bodyfat. Some kids will have tight little abs popping out while others
will look smooth, even if they're skinny. So don't obsess if your abs don't look like a magazine
model. Work the muscles and let the chips fall where they may.
4) Don't Do One Rep Maxes.
Attempting a one rep max is the best way to injure yourself. You may get away with it for a while,
but sooner or later, ... SNAP!...you're out of commision for a long time. Many factors come into
play when deriving intensity from a set and how much you can lift for a single rep is virtually
inconsequential to muscular development. When you show up at the gym, check your ego at the door.
5) Don't Neglect or Overwork the Obliques.
Some bodybuilders allow the obliques to atrophy in order to keep the waist as small as possible.
Yet, muscular obliques can add a finished look to the torso. But don't go overboard! Unlike the
abdominals, the obliques are a thick muscle which develops quickly. Multi-sets of side sit-ups on
the hyperextension machine and sidebends with heavy dumbells can cause the obliques to widen, thus
destroying your symmetry. A set or two once a week is plenty for keeping the obliques tight.
6) Don't Be A Free Weight Snob.
Let's end this debate right now. Machines aren't better or worse than free weights. Unless, a
machine's movement feels awkward (as is the case for me with the HammerStrength machines) there's
no reason why they shouldn't be used. All that matters is the stress on the muscle. It isn't the
machine that does the exercise -- you do the exercise.
7) Don't Get Thirsty.
Once you're thirsty you're already in a state of dehydration, and dehydration is extremely
catabolic! Remember also, muscle is 90% water. If you don't keep up your fluid intake, a pump is
nearly impossible. Have some cool, fresh H2O on hand at all times.
Any one of these mishaps can bring the best bodybuilder's progress to a screeching halt. By
avoiding them, you can sidestep a multitude of pitfalls, plateaus and impediments. If you catch
yourself slipping back into an old bad habit-- stop-- and tell yourself; "Don't do that!" It's
better to not develop a bad habit than to try and break one -- both inside and outside the gym.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:18 AM

CLASSIC BODYBUILDING
OLD-TIME TRICKS FOR NEW-FOUND MUSCLE
Would you like more muscle? What a stupid question.
Even though building muscle is never easy, the bodybuilder of the 21st century has more advantages
than ever at his or her disposal. There are state of the art gyms with high tech equipment and an
endless assortment of supplements designed to fulfill your every health, strength and muscle
building need. The advancements of the sport of bodybuilding within the last century are
astounding. But if you were to take a look at a training manual from the early 1900s, you'd
realize one similarity between then and now: Exercise has changed very little.
Muscles push -- or they pull. And every exercise does one or the other. The forefathers of
bodybuilding knew this and came up with the same movements with many of the same variations that
we use today. There's one difference, however. Back then, they had little to draw upon. The
information in the magazines was limited. There were no videos, no seminars, no EMG analysis. Most
exercises were concocted through experimentation and good old trial and error. Very often, the
movements used by our iron ancestors were odd and impractical. After a while, these awkward
exercises were discarded for more acceptable alternatives. Yet somewhere along the way, many
viable techniques have been overlooked and forgotten.
As most bodybuilders know, if you want to continue building muscle, every now and then you have to
"shake things up" -- hit the muscles from odd angles or use a piece of equipment with a different
"feel." In an attempt at discovering such methods, the tendency is to look forward for cutting
edge information, but sometimes it isn't a bad idea to take a look backward. Maybe it's time to
recognize the fact that many of those old timers stumbled across some good ideas that have gotten
lost in the shuffle.
The following is a group of exercise techniques which you're unlikely to see being performed in
most gyms today, yet, at one time, they were a staple of most bodybuilder's routines. They also
work remarkably well. You may wonder why they've been discarded -- until you try them. They're
damn hard! The modern bodybuilder has become so accustomed to silky smooth machines that any
movement that doesn't glide along a controlled curve may seem strange and uncomfortable. That's
exactly why you should do them! Give these movements a go and the following day you may find
yourself sore in spots you never knew existed!
One Arm Barbell Clean and Press:
If you've never done this movement, you may want to start with a dumbell until you get the hang of
it. The premise is simple but the execution is anything but!
Grasp the barbell while on the floor and clean it up to your shoulders.
Now with a hoisting motion, press the bar overhead while leaning to the opposite side. In other
words, when lifting with the right hand, lean over to your left until your torso is as parallel to
the floor as possible. You can place your left hand on your knee for balance at first but try to
get it so that you can hold the hand without the weight out to the side.
At this point continue to press the bar above for 4-8 reps. Lower and repeat with the other arm.
Not only is this movement great for developing balance and functional strength, it's an awesome
deltoid developer as well! Try to work up to as heavy a weight as you can manage under control and
soon your shoulders will be bulging with brand new beef!
Circle Raises:
Here's a weird one I'll bet you've never seen. Be careful with this movement! If you have any
existing shoulder injuries or if the movement causes any pain whatsoever, stop immediately! If, on
the other hand, it poses no problem -- go for it!
Brace yourself with one arm against a support. Hold a dumbell in your free hand and slightly away
from your side. Now raise the dumbell to shoulder height in small to ever-widening circles. Start
with a small one, then a bit larger one and continue widening the circle until the weight is at
shoulder level. Return the dumbell to the starting position beginning with big circles working
down to a small one at the conclusion of the set. Alternate between clockwise and counterclockwise
circles. Use a weight that will let you make 10-12 circles from side to shoulder and 10-
12 circles from shoulder to side for 15 reps. Add a couple of sets of these circle raises after
you have completed your heavier shoulder work. Man! These babies will have you sprouting "cuts"
every which way throughout your delts!
Straight Arm Barbell Pullovers:
Up until the 1970s, there wasn't a bodybuilding routine that didn't include this movement. Today,
it's all but extinct. Nevertheless, the straight arm pullover is an outstanding upper body
exercise that tightens the entire torso, including the abs! It also increases "lung power" if done
correctly.
Lie down on a flat bench and keep your feet on the bench to prevent arching of the back.
Hold the weight at arm's length above your upper chest. Take a shoulder-width grip and keeping
your arms stiff and straight throughout, slowly lower the bar behind you and simultaneously inhale
deeply. Do not inhale in one gulp, but in a steady stream. Spread your ribs as much as possible.
Lower your arms until they are parallel or only slightly below parallel with the floor. Do not go
down as deep as possible. At the safe bottom position, take an extra breath of air. Briefly pause
and then return your arms to their starting position as you exhale. Repeat.
Power Rack Iso-Presses:
This is a combination of isotonic and isometric exercise that is terrific for building strength at
the weakest portion of a particular movement. For example, let's say your bench press is weak
because you have trouble generating power at the lower portion of the movement. In that case, you
would place a bench in the power-rack and put the pins a few inches above your chest.
Place a loaded barbell on top of the pins and place another set of pins (or a suitable substitute)
a few inches above that.
Now, within that short range of motion, press the bar into the top pins and continue to push! When
fatigued, lower the bar onto the bottom rack -- rest for 10 seconds and repeat.
This is a killer move that doesn't look like much but will help you break through those nagging
sticking points. This can be done with overhead presses, curls, shrugs...almost anything! Try midrange
squats in this manner and you may wind up needing crutches after a couple of sets! But your
legs will soon be more dense than ever.
The Swingbell:
This peculiar movement is one you'll see in many an archival film from the early days of
gymnasiums and health spas. It's also great for lower back definition, taunt oblique muscles and
it adds flexibility to the hip flexors.
Hold a light dumbell with both hands directly overhead.
In a big, smooth, sweeping motion, bend at the waist and swing the torso in a complete circle when
continuing to hold the bell directly over your head. Yeow! Talk about tough! Expect to be
breathing heavily after a set of these.
Original Hack Squats:
Ooh, you're not going to like this one. Be that as it may, this is a remarkable movement for
building mass onto the quadriceps.
The motion is the precursor to the hack machine, only this time, there's no machine. You do the
squats while holding a barbell with your arms at your sides, palms behind you, holding a barbell
behind your back! Needless to same this is a very restricted movement but one that will make
regular squatting seem like a pleasure. Another variation is to hold a barbell between your legs
(one arm in front of you, the other in back). Don't try to lock out on this one since the bar will
get precariously close to the "jewels."
Believe it or not, these movements were commonplace at one time back when bodybuilders weren't
afraid of a little pain. Barbell Hacks were also responsible for some pretty impressive thigh
development prior to the advent of steroids. Can you handle it?
Spring Chest Expanders:
Almost everyone has used or at least seen a set of these clumsy contraptions. What's ironic about
chest expanders is that the basic movements don't really work the chest! However, these archaic
devices are an excellent adjunct to regular training. They can be used at spare moments at home in
a variety of angles to tighten up the triceps and delts. When expanded overhead and out to the
sides, they hit the lats in a way that's unlike any machine, weight movement or lat pulldown. You
can still find them at most sporting good stores for less than $10.00.
Try incorporating these movements into your weekly routine and you'll start seeing major muscle
growth in a hurry. They may be from a bygone era, but as far as your muscles are concerned,
they're a brand new form of stimulation.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Maybe so. But when it comes to building muscle, it
seems the old dogs had a few tricks of their own.

**TJ2000** · 12-20-2006, 11:19 AM

Are you working overnight stocking??? Just curious, because thats what I do (sad I know, for a guy my age)

but I'm in school and I pay my bills so I guess its better than nothing right? I just thought maybe you were doing the same thing too because its a very physical job. You might think "nah" but really it is. Where I work we have to haul butt or we get written up, so if your not sweating while working your going too slow in their opinion

really hardcore stuff

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:19 AM

A NEW PERSPECTIVE
There were those who took the science of bodybuilding a little more seriously. Vince Gironda was
gaining a reputation among a fringe society of progressive bodybuilders, as the real trainer of
champions. Gironda, with nothing more than a high school education, can arguably be called the
most intelligent and knowledgeable man in the history of bodybuilding. Self taught in anatomy and
kinesiology, Gironda, through insight, experimentation, observation and creativity, developed
methods in training and nutrition that were not only innovative, they set the standard for
bodybuilding protocol for the subsequent 40 years. In many cases, the theories he extolled are
just now being fully understood. Vince's students included Larry Scott, Mohamed Mackawy, Don
Howorth and many of the day's top celebrities.
What Vince was to training, Rheo Blair was to nutrition. Blair was an eccentric young chemist who
was the first man to experiment with different amino acid combinations. His goal was to fit the
exact ratio of proteins present in human mother's milk, which he believed to be the perfect food.
Rheo Blair's theories were regarded as quackery by many of the established medical factions, but
in truth, Blair was way ahead of his time. Up until that time, protein supplements were made
solely from cheap soy flour. Rheo used a blend of egg, whey, and milk solids. In short, Rheo Blair
invented the modern protein supplement.
MUSCLES IN THE MEDIA
Bodybuilding popularity gained its second wind when a small independent foreign film was bought by
Hollywood producer Joseph E. Levine for release in the United States. Levine saw star quality in
the man who played the title character. That man was Steve Reeves and the movie was "Hercules."
Reeves was the personification of the ideal male. Not only was he incredibly handsome, he
possessed a physique which, to this day, is considered by many to be as perfect as a male body can
be. "Hercules" was a huge success and it spawned dozens of imitations. Before long, the "sword and
sandal" epics which featured notable physique stars such as Reg Park, Lou Degni and Gordon Scott
had run their course.
Despite the short lived popularity of muscle movies, anyone who was obsessed with bodybuilding was
still seen as an outsider. In 1973, the business of bodybuilding was losing ground. In an effort
to circumvent the limitations of marketing to advanced bodybuilders, a former TV strongman by the
name of Dan Lurie began selling 110 lb weight sets to department stores and supermarkets. This
attracted a mostly fleeting audience of teenagers who would take up weightlifting as a curiosity
and dismissed it shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, the scheme proved quite successful and Lurie
was outselling his competition. Both Hoffman and Weider's sales were down.
There couldn't have been a worse time for another bodybuilding magazine to hit the market. Still,
an ex-employee of Bob Hoffman took his ideals, his energy and his genuine love of bodybuilding and
decided to put it all on the line by releasing his own publication. That man was Bob Kennedy and
the publication was MuscleMag International.
MuscleMag started as a modest monthly publication which continued to improve and thrive throughout
the years. Today, it's not only the most comprehensive magazine on the market, but it's also the
longest running bodybuilding magazine to date. (Weider's magazine titles have changed throughout
the years. Muscle Builder/Power was the forerunner to Muscle and Fitness.) Besides Weider, Bob
Kennedy is the most successful muscle magazine publisher of all time. He's also "one of the gang."
He loves bodybuilding and still maintains his enthusiasm for new and interesting theories which
will more effectively help people reach their bodybuilding goals. In fact, he is the inventor of
the "Pre-Exhaust" principle of training which is a staple of many a successful bodybuilder's
routine. What is also unique about Bob is that he is one of the most trusted and well liked
personalities in the business. Bob Kennedy not only set a new standard in bodybuilding journalism,
he proved that nice guys can finish first.
THE TIMES, THEY ARE-A-CHANGIN'
In 1977, a documentary on bodybuilding hit the theaters. With virtually no backing for promotion,
the film "Pumping Iron" went on to be a smashing success. It quickly became the highest grossing
documentary to date due mostly to the charismatic performance of its star, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
It's fair to say that there's bodybuilding before Arnold and there's bodybuilding after Arnold.
Pumping Iron launched a worldwide resurgence in the appeal of weight training and "Arnold Mania"
had begun. Gyms memberships skyrocketed. At a time when movie producers declared "muscle movies"
to be dead, Arnold Schwarzenegger single-handedly redefined movies, muscles and the public's
perception of the bodybuilder. A muscular body was now looked upon as a work of art. The garish
novelty which a muscular man once represented was replaced by intellect and aesthetics. Muscle no
longer connoted vanity and narcissism. It symbolized discipline, focus, and self improvement. In
other words, it perfectly matched the ideals of the time.
Arnold's fame crossed all boundaries. To the bodybuilding community, he exemplified the
unobtainable goal. His massive size, along with outstanding symmetry, set a new standard. He also
obliterated the misnomer of the bodybuilder as "all brawn and no brain." Arnold was sharp, witty
and magnetic. He proved the American dream could indeed be a reality. Bodybuilding had found a new
spokesman -- one who will, in all probability, never be equaled.
DISCO AND D-BOL
Concurrent with the renewed interest in bodybuilding came a heightened awareness of drug use. John
Zeigler, a doctor who worked closely with the United States Olympic team, had discovered a way of
manipulating the testosterone molecule, making it more anabolic and less androgenic and put it
into a tablet form. He saw it as a tremendous tool in the advancement of physical improvement. He
called it Dianabol.
Unfortunately, Dianabol worked too well. The use, overuse and excessive abuse of steroids was
changing the tides of bodybuilding once again. The association with drug use was distancing the
bodybuilder from the fitness enthusiast and bodybuilding was in danger of losing all the
advancements it had made up until that point. The industry tried to "soften" its image. In the
1980's, aerobics, yoga, and low fat recipes replaced much of grittier bodybuilding information.
Everybody was an authority. Movie stars made exercise videos. Models wrote diet books. This trend
proved to be both good and bad. Good, in the sense that it introduced many more people to the
benefits of exercise. Bad, in the sense that much of the information wasn't accurate. Through it
all, it turned out that the bodybuilding lifestyle proved itself to be the most effective method
for changing the shape of one's body.
WHAT GOES AROUND -- COMES AROUND
In the ensuing years, weight training continued to gain popularity throughout the world. The once
cult hobby is now recognized by leading medical authorities as the most effective method of
controlling weight, staying healthy and living longer. To millions of people, it's a way of life.
Bodybuilding has gone through many changes. There have been innumerable men and women who've
shaped it along the way. It has also been a product of the changing tides, often dictated by
ephemeral fashions -- for better and for worse.
From the 1980's to the 1990's and into the new century, fads have come and gone. New theories, new
apparatus and new magazines have made a splash -- then were gone as quickly as they appeared. But
one thing has remained -- bodybuilding itself. The pursuit of a stronger, more muscular body
remains because it's an integral part of human nature. Just as muscle was admired by cultures long
gone, it continues to captivate another generation and will continue to do so as long as people
yearn to transform themselves into something greater.
It doesn't matter where you are in your bodybuilding journey, for as long as you have the desire
to turn your body into the best it can be, you too are a part of bodybuilding's great history -- a
link in the long chain of devotees that started at the turn of one century and has led to the
beginning of another.
Bodybuilding's past may not be common knowledge to a lot of people -- even bodybuilders.
Nevertheless, its roots are deep and its had an impact on all of us...whether it's realized or
not. Many great individuals have made it possible for today's trainees to build their bodies into
something that was considered inconceivable just a few short decades ago. We've reaped the rewards
of their pioneering efforts. We owe a great debt to the men and women who refused to accept the
negative connotations about bodybuilding which were flung their way and continued with what they
believed in. It took a long time, but we made it.
Today, if you're a bodybuilder, you don't have to explain yourself. Thanks to the understanding
most people have about the benefits of weight training, your intentions are well understood -- and
admired. Bodybuilding truly has a great heritage. Be proud of it.

**nitrored** · 12-20-2006, 11:32 AM

cliffnotes?

**cssprophet** · 12-20-2006, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by TJ2000

Are you working overnight stocking??? Just curious, because thats what I do (sad I know, for a guy my age)

but I'm in school and I pay my bills so I guess its better than nothing right? I just thought maybe you were doing the same thing too because its a very physical job. You might think "nah" but really it is. Where I work we have to haul butt or we get written up, so if your not sweating while working your going too slow in their opinion

really hardcore stuff

I actually work for FedEx loading trucks. It's a fairly physical, fast-paced job, and we move packages weighing anywhere from 50-100lbs (and sometimes even more) pounds on a regular basis. And right now, since it's around Christmas, we're even busy. However, the full-time job I'll soon be starting is a panzy desk job. I'll be sitting on my ass infront of a computer for 8 hours.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:48 AM

BIGGER AND BETTER
It's time to come clean. For the most part, training articles are designed to be page fillers. I
can sum up every training article in three sentences:
Pick weight up.
Put weight down.
Repeat.
That's about it folks -- which is what makes me crazy when I hear about exercise experts, or worse
"strength coaches" who devise "secret programs" that promote MIND BLOWING MUSCLE GROWTH!
Most workout routines have absolutely no science behind them. They can't -- building muscle isn't
an exact science. Most of the time, the articles that appear in print are just a bunch of "made
up" stuff. And do you know who strength coaches are? They're usually whomever the magazines
declare an authority. Quite often they're just muscular guys who lend their names to the by-line
and the articles are actually written by a fat, bald ghost writer.
True, there are some legitimate strength coaches who know what they're talking about, but the only
reason they obtain acclaim is because they happen to be naturally strong dudes - which has nothing
to do with teaching you or anyone else how to get strong. Still, they have credence because they
walk the walk. (Who wants to listen to guy who can't bench more than you do?) But just because
they're strong doesn't mean they know the secret. Do you want to know their secret? They have good
genes.
Many of the higher echelon coaches work with professional athletes and use the accomplishments of
the pros as testament to their methods. Well guess what? Not everyone is a professional level
athlete. And for every success story, there are hundreds of others who fall by the wayside -- but
those aren't mentioned, of course.
The bottom line is, if you took 1,000 men and pushed them to the limit, there will be a select few
who survive and excel. That doesn't mean it was due to the coaches' methods. It just means they
were the best of the bunch.
I'm always amused when someone says; "I did so and so's workout and I was sore for days!" Big
deal. Do 100 set of squats and you'll be sore for weeks. Anyone can concoct an infinite variety of
set and rep schemes (the basis of most muscle magazine articles), but in the end, it all comes
down to how much work you subject your muscles to. That work can come in many ways. As a matter of
fact, it can come any way.
There are a handful of top notch bodybuilding authors, (such as Dennis Weis) who write detailed,
in-depth routines that are wonderful. There's a place for that. Everyone is different and everyone
likes to follow a different style of training. Instead of specific routines however, I've always
tried to write quirky training features that are fun and unusual -- something you may not have
thought of yourself. If such an article gets you to go to the gym and try it, then I've succeeded.
The following chapters are examples of some of my favorite workouts for each bodypart. Some employ
tactics which are original discoveries. (Such as "A Different Ab Exercise" and "Quick Calves")
while others are arrangements of more traditional exercises which incorporate methods I've learned
from world class bodybuilders with whom I've associated throughout the years.
Note: You may want to read each workout prior to training a specific bodypart. In this way, the
techniques are fresh in your mind. For more "expose'" material centering on the falsehoods
surrounding bodybuilding, jump forward to the next section -- The Truth About Nutrition.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:49 AM

10 Bodybuilding Myths That Must Die!
"A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing." This hackneyed expression still holds true, and
when it comes to bodybuilding, it's more relevant than ever.
How do so many misnomers and half-truths make their way into the muscle building foray? The main
reason is a phenomenon known as "parroting." Once a belief, a theory, or a methodology is accepted
as credible, its influence spreads and soon it's repeated by authorities and laymen alike until it
soon becomes standard thinking. Opposing viewpoints are often looked upon as erroneous due to the
fact they contradict what has become known as "correct" thinking. It's the "flat earth" mentality.
It sounds reasonable. Everybody agrees. But it's wrong. Nevertheless, if you want to disprove it,
you've got your work cut out for you. After all, it's easier to believe a notion that has been
repeated a million times than one which is being uttered for the first time.
In the case of bodybuilding myths, what is too often accepted as fact may not only be a worthless
endeavor, it can be far from benign. Utilizing improper techniques, poor dietary choices and most
grievously, irresponsible drug use, will not only hinder your goal of maximum muscularity and
optimal strength, it may actually inflict harm on the body you're trying so ardently to develop.
Some of the practices stated in this article may be open for debate. If nothing else, keep an open
mind to the logic of each statement. As is always the case, everyone is different and what works
for one may not work for another. Yet, if you've been going by "the book" and are dissatisfied
with your results, maybe it's time to re-evaluate some of your bodybuilding tactics.
Common Conception #1: Heavy training hits the larger white muscle fibers, therefore, you must
train heavy if you want more mass.
Maybe not. The biggest factor is your individual body type. For example, powerlifters aren't big
because they lift heavy. They lift heavy because they're big! Some people are born with more white
fibers than others and those are the people who will respond best to heavy training. (4-8 reps per
set) Of course, some heavy training is necessary for everyone in order to build even the limited
amount of white fibers, but if you're the type who has more of the thin, red muscle fibers, the 10-
15 rep range may result in more overall development.
Common Conception #2: When attempting to lose fat, several smaller meals are superior to three
larger ones.
This isn't necessarily so. Although smaller meals will provide a more even blood sugar level and
distribution of nutrients, the bottom line is still how many calories are ingested over the course
of time. A big problem with eating smaller meals, more frequently, is the fact that no meal is
truly satisfying. That leaves you always craving food and "nibbling" more calories than you
should. What also may occur is, after a day of small, unfulfilling meals, you finally crack and go
for the pepperoni pizza! For some people, fewer larger meals provide a satiation that lasts for
many hours, resulting in less cravings and less overall calorie consumption.
Common Conception #3: Aerobics should be performed on an empty stomach for maximum results.
This is a theory which has gained popularity even though it cannot be accurately gauged. It's
based on the premise that, if the body is deficient in carbs, it will more effectively use fat for
fuel. But carbs are present in the body even if no food has been ingested for hours. Another fact
to consider is, if the body is carb depleted, it quickly goes into a catabolic state, especially
when subjected to long duration repetitive stress. (i.e. aerobics) Considering these facts, the
practice of running on an empty stomach could be working against your goals.
Common Conception #4: If you've never used steroids before and are thinking of starting, you
should take advantage of your virgin receptors and use a high dose for the most gains.
This one sounds almost too stupid to be believed but this philosophy has gained considerable
credence through the ramblings of several self- professed drug gurus, many of whom permeate the
Internet. Following this mentality, why not recommend that since gains from weight training are
quickest when beginning a program, beginners should train everyday for 4 hours a day! The exact
opposite is true. In the case of steroids, because the body is so receptive to a new stimulus,
very small doses will usually bring outstanding results. Bombarding the body with excessive
dosages will only result in a greater tolerance, which will subsequently require higher and higher
dosages in order to obtain results in the future.
Anyone who encourages excessive use or superphysiological dosages is irresponsible and
untrustworthy and should be ignored, regardless of how knowledgeable they may be in the chemistry
of anabolics.
Common Conception #6: In order to avoid injury, a weight belt should be worn at all times.
There is absolutely no scientific evidence to support this theory. A belt produces a false
sensation of security because it produces a tight, compressed feeling. In no way does this protect
the muscles of the lower back. Learn proper technique and it's almost impossible to injury
yourself. Depend on a belt for protection and you're headed for trouble.
Common Conception #7: Rest is as good as sleep.
Wrong! The body recuperates much more completely when in a deep sleep. Just being inactive doesn't
cut it. Nothing will make you feel weaker than being in a sleep deprived state. At the same time,
almost any problem or illness can be cured with a good nights sleep. If you want the most muscle
growth, sleep eight hours a night. Nine is better.
Common Conception #8: Time released nutrients are better absorbed.
The body absorbs nutrients in a very efficient manner called digestion. There's no need for time
released nutrients. Along the same lines, constipation is a subject often addressed in those
ancient health manuals yet almost never mentioned in contemporary bodybuilding magazines. No
wonder -- it isn't exactly a compelling topic. What's interesting to me is that the absorption of
nutrients is such a hot topic but the proper elimination of waste may very well be the most
important aspect in getting a constant flow of fresh nutrients to your muscles. Also, the longer
you're "backed up", the more toxins are released into the bloodstream.
Common Conception #9: Have a high glycemic carb drink immediately following a workout.
Part of the reason for aerobic training is to deplete carb calories. Why put them right back?
Protein would be a better choice but even this theory is overrated. The bloodstream contains
nutrients, even after working out. (unless you've been fasting) Food timing isn't an exact
science. The body doesn't know if your work out is over after you walked on the treadmill or after
you walked home from the gym. The fact that your metabolism is elevated following a workout makes
it a great time to burn excess calories. Rehydrate with water, not empty calorie sugar drinks.
Common Conception #10: You don't need supplements, only food.
True, unless you want the biggest advantage that you can have. No doubt about it, many supplements
are overpriced, underdosed and downright ineffective. What supplements such as vitamins and antioxidants
will do is put the body in its ultimate anabolic state which in turn will lead to maximum
muscle growth. They'll also guard against overtraining and illness by saturating the system with
the necessary nutrients for repair and recovery.
Nothing here is written in stone. If a particular practice has worked for you, by all means
continue it. But if you've been wondering why something should be working, and isn't -- or if some
ideas never quite clicked for you --it may be time to consider a new path. It isn't always easy
letting go of a belief you've followed for some time, but when something isn't working for you,
doesn't it make more sense to let it go and move on to something that does? Think about it.

**Canadian Iron** · 12-20-2006, 11:50 AM

THE HIGH INTENSITY MISTAKE
There's an ongoing debate among bodybuilders as to which type of training protocol is superior.
Most people believe that a significant quantity of training volume is necessary in order to
stimulate muscle growth. Since this practice has proven itself thousands of times over, one would
think its credence was indisputable. Nevertheless, there are others, equally qualified, who feel
that it is momentary intensity alone which determines muscle growth. Only when a muscle is pushed
beyond the stress in which it has never received will the impetus for more growth occur. But where
and when does that occur? As a matter of fact, the term "high intensity" is perhaps the most
misunderstood concept in bodybuilding.
Some proponents of high intensity training, also known as H.I.T. and Heavy Duty, go under the
assumption that intense means going to failure with heavy weights. Unless total failure is
reached, with the utmost poundages, true failure is never obtained and maximum development is
stunted. What I never understood was, why must failure occur at 6-8 reps? Why is it that if a
muscle is pumped, suddenly the inference is that there isn't enough resistance to grow muscle?
The standard axiom is that any activity which can be performed for more than 10 reps incorporates
the slower twitch (red) muscle fibers whereas it's the bigger fast twitch muscles which are
responsible for the most mass. I believed that myself. But I'm starting to wonder.
Many champions have developed outstanding physiques training for the pump. That doesn't mean their
workouts were "easy." It's just a different kind of intensity. One of the arguments for short
bursts over longer periods of activity is the comparison of sprinters to long distance runners.
Sprinters tend to have legs that would make most bodybuilders envious. Long distance runners, on
the other hand, have thin, stringy muscles. That pretty much proves the notion that brief bouts of
exertion build muscle better than voluminous training sessions, doesn't it?
No. And this is why.
For one thing, there's the genetic factor. People with muscular legs are better suited for
sprinting. Skinny folks are more geared for marathons.
Be that as it may, let's give the "effects of function" concept a fair shot.
Even though a sprinter's "set" (e.g. running 100 yards) lasts only about 30 seconds...how many
"reps" is he doing? In other words, how many steps does it take to travel that distance? 80? 90?
Over 100? It sure ain't 6-8! This proves a vital and incredibly overlooked point. It isn't so much
the amount of reps or the level of resistance -- but the intensity itself as well as the time
under tension which determines muscle growth. The sprinter also doesn't practice one sprint a
week. He does dozens a day.
Intensity comes in many forms. Naturally, there's the length of each session and the poundages
used. There's also the rest, or lack thereof, between sets. The speed of each rep, especially the
eccentric portion, is a factor as is the force of contraction. The use of partial or static reps
comes into play as well. Even the combination of movements will have an effect. There is so much
more to stimulating muscle fiber than merely lifting X amount of weight for X amount of reps.
That's why I've never been all that interested in keeping a training log. All that does is tell
you how much you lifted and for how many reps. It doesn't tell you how intense each set was. And
that's the biggest factor when it comes to muscle growth. Please realize, I'm not referring to
strength gains or weight gains. Just muscle growth.
There was a technique which was a staple among the old time bodybuilders which has fallen out of
favor. They used to say; "make a lighter weight feel as heavy as possible." What that meant was,
get inside each rep and force the muscle to strain! It may not look as impressive but that's what
induces growth. Your muscles don't give a **** what your training journal says. Numbers mean
nothing to them. All they know is stress.
The very notion of "training to failure" is fraught with ambiguity. What constitutes failure? The
inability to complete a rep? If so, what about 10 seconds following the set? More reps would then
be possible. The only undeniable gauge of total failure would be working to the point where the
muscle is torn from the tendon insuring no potential for any further reps! The theory of total
failure being the only effective stimulus for muscle growth is as idiotic as claiming aerobic
capability can only be increased if you reach the state of near cardiac arrest. The truth is,
there is no such thing as "failure." There's only that point within a given range where your brain
and nerve endings say "enough!" Yes, it's imperative to get as far into the pain zone as possible
in order to grow. But you don't have to live there every day -- every workout -- every set.
This might be a good time to address the Heavy Duty Demigod, Mike Mentzer. I have a problem with
Mike. Maybe it's because I, too, was influenced by his mentor Ayn Rand. Yet, I believe, in true
"Randian" fashion, that the development of thought is an ongoing and individual pursuit, not the
blind adherence of some ideology. That's where Ayn Rand herself was off base. In her novels, she
made sure every situation worked out in favor of proving her point. But that's not life. Mike
Mentzer makes the same mistake. He may be intelligent and articulate but his arguments are merely
an attempt to elevate his own status and subjugate those who oppose him. Influence through
intimidation. Sorry Mikey, but I ain't buying it.
Heavy Duty training isn't the only way. It's one way -- as viable and as inexact as all the
others. I don't deny its place in every bodybuilder's battle plan. However, its exclusive use will
not yield optimum results. Not to mention the potential for injury is higher than any other
method. Sure, there will be those who insist that it works on a consistent basis. (Which is
ridiculous. No method yields constant growth. Anabolism isn't a linear process. If that were the
case, people who have been training for 10 years would have 60 inch chests and 30 inch arms!)
There will also be those who will claim they've never been injured using maximum poundages. Great!
But everyone is different. Belief to the contrary is the epitome of illogic.
It should be noted also that Heavy Duty's biggest endorser, Dorian Yates, does not train "one set
to failure." He trains one exercise to failure, using up to five exercises per bodypart -- very
different from the Heavy Duty principles. He also uses a warm-up movement for each new exercise.
Let's see...five exercises, each with a warm up...sounds like ten sets to me!
"Periodization" is the term most people use when describing a method of training that varies its
principles. It's nothing new. This is what legendary training coach Vince Gironda referred to as
"muscle confusion." Going with the premise that the body will attempt to adapt to any form of
stress, it's important to "mix up" the ways in which your muscle perceives stimuli. This keeps the
system off guard and consequently, instigates more muscle growth. It also keeps at bay the biggest
detriment to training progress: boredom. By attempting to do what the body isn't expecting, it
forces the creative aspect of one's personality to come into play. This keeps things fresh.
Performing the same workout week after week may work for some people. Personally, it would bore me
out of mind in no time. It's best to change routines often. Better yet, don't do a "routine" at
all. As long as you make an honest effort, you'll continue to improve.
When it comes to training, two constants apply. One: Everything works to a degree. Two: Everything
stops working after a while. The key is acquiring an extensive training vocabulary in which to
draw upon.
Intensity is an elusive topic -- vague and indefinable. Yet one thing is certain. You know deep
down when you have it. It isn't determined by a fancy title or the decree of some exercise
authority. It's inside. You can't fake it. Your muscles won't let you. That's what's so amazing
about bodybuilding. It's you -- against yourself. You do the work. You reap the reward. Just
remember, there's a difference between passion and hostility. Don't try to beat your body into
submission. Approach each set, each rep with concentration and dedication and the intensity will
take care of itself. Training doesn't need to be a constant "all out" effort, nor does it need to
take hours. Just make sure you get the job done.

**Keith Wassung** · 12-21-2006, 12:04 PM

For what it is worth,

I have had three time-frames in my life where all I had to do was eat, sleep and train, Each time frame was 3-6 months in length. I had plenty of funding and great facilities and each and every time, my gains were moderate at best-I was also not very happy during this time even though it sounds like every lifters dream come true. I have always made better progress when I was very busy as opposed to not being busy--I think when you have little to do, you get sort of lazy--both mentally and physically.

have always been busy. Currently, I am married with six children. I put in 50-55 hours a week at a family Chiropractic clinic. In addition, I do a tremendous amount of writing, lecturing and consulting which is at least another 15-20 hours a week. Did I mention we home school most of our children? Add in some more hours there-ok, my wife handles most of that, but I do my part as well. Then there is the yard and house to keep up with, church activities, children's sports activities, community and civic duties, workouts, and devotional time. About 18 months ago, my schedule got even busier. My wife has a past health condition that has been resolved and my youngest son was born with a club foot, that has been surgically corrected. Both of these conditions prevent us from getting any type of private health coverage. We had health insurance through her work, but when had the twins two years ago, the company was sold. She also wanted to stay at home and raise the kids and start a home school. The money was not the issue, it was the health insurance. We were able to buy some time by using our COBRA benefits. We prayed for a solution and I made a commitment to do whatever was necessary to get coverage for my family, even if it made changing jobs. I love my job, but my family was more important. I believe that answers to prayer rarely come "gift-wrapped" meaning that usually the answer is not an instant solution, but rather an oppurtunity or an open door. We talked with numerous insurance agents and spent a lot of time attempting to purchase private coverage to no avail. With less than 90 days left on our COBRA, I knew our time was running out and something had to be done. I get up early each day and drive the 45 minute to the clinic before traffic gets too heavy and then I stop at a little Starbucks near the clinic and spend an hour in the cafe each day. I have coffee, read, plan my day, so any writing projects, etc, its a part of my day that I really enjoy. One morning I sitting there, minding my own business and one of the employees was out in the cafe doing some cleaning and we got to talking and out of the blue she told me that they were building a new Starbucks just a few miles from my home and then she also told me ( out of the blue) that part time employees at Starbucks were eligible for full health benefits. I did not want to take a part-time job at Starbucks, but I knew this was the answer I had been seeking. Five minutes later the manager of soon to be opening store walked in to pick up some admin supplies. I was introduced, an interview was set up and I was hired within 24 hours. I had to work two months and acrue a specific number of hours in order for the health benefits to begin. I acrued the requsite number of hours less than 36 hours before our COBRA benefits were to expire. God is Good! So, in addition to my previous schedule, I work 20-25 hours a week as a Barista and have for the past 18 months. I work mostly on weekends, but often have to work 3-4 nights a week. This means, I get home at 12:30-1:am and get up at 5 or 5:15am. This has been the busiest year of my life and it has also been one of the most productive. About two months ago, I took a insurance course ( on-line) I spent nearly every single minute studying. I got up an extra hour early each day and studied. I studied at breaks, at lunch, and about 45 minutes after getting home from Starbucks. About two weeks ago, I took the state boards and scored a 90, which was the highest score they have had this year. I currently have several full time job offers from national companies and will make a decision after the holidays. Essentially, I will trade my two jobs for one job and will continue with my writing on the side. It has been a tough year for training, but believe it or not, I have made gains. I think that lifting actually made it easier to do do the work and maintain the schedule that I have done.

Keith

**John Prophet** · 12-21-2006, 12:15 PM

stress is stress

if u have a stressful job or whatever, then u cant afford to do many days of training

its better to do 2 solid days of enthusiastic training per week, than to go in and halfway do 4 days worth

if you only do 4-5 compounds 2x per week...and after a year you have added 50lbs to each of those compounds....that is still pretty solid progress

**TJ2000** · 12-21-2006, 06:43 PM

Hmmm....thats alot of things to do lol thats awesome that you still make time for working out with all that going on in your life
as for me, well I still work out 5 times a week, no less then 4 no more then 5-sometimes 6 if I'm lucky enough

**The Real Deal** · 12-21-2006, 06:44 PM

lmao CI. Nice work

**King Crush** · 12-21-2006, 08:56 PM

I feel your pain TJ, I've been workin for the past 3 weeks 12-16 hour days, 7 days a week. When I get off, it's to late to hit the gym, so I have been going in the moring. My energy levels are higher after sleeping, then working a long day. These long hours will be over after Christams. Thank god!

**TJ2000** · 12-21-2006, 09:30 PM

King crush, man, your back is coming along nicely since I saw you last (not gay lol) just saying. I brought that up because I did back tonight and could hardly do 155lbs on deadlift

it hurt my hands too much so I got some gloves and tried again, got it up this time without it cutting my hand(s) and did about 7 reps with it, which isn't much for just 155lbs, I thought I'd get it atleast 10-11 times. How do you build your back??? My lower back must just be super weak, maybe my upper too, but I think the problem is my lower back because I never really did deadlifts in my routine before, just every now and then which isn't enough to promote growth/strength gains. How long do you think it'll take for me to see better strength gains if I do deads once a week? Should I do them twice? It'd be hard with my current work/school schedule so I think I'll do them once a week, which is better then once a month like I was doing before

I also did some tbar rows and only got the bar plus 3 45's on the one end, which is lame since I've seen guys throw up 5 45's like nothing. I guess my back just needs work, like my chest and shoulders which are my weakest parts I think, the better parts being my legs and biceps. Even before I started training legs my legs weren't super small, more athletic and toned, while having a slight size to them that made them stand out compared to my chest/shoulders. On the row machine I got 180 6 times, which isn't bad I guess, but its a machine so it might be lighter then 180, maybe like 160-170, but I still felt it, and thats a good thing right?

**King Crush** · 12-21-2006, 09:39 PM

Just lifting hard. I sure hope my gym bag didn't get stollen cuz I am so screwed.

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