| I will point out a few things that can be applied to
training with any type of equipment; well-proven but largely unknown
- or misunderstood - points that can be the difference between outstanding
success and outright failure.
- Regardless of what kind of equipment you have available, restrict
your workouts to not more than three weekly - the so-called "split
system" of training is ALWAYS A MISTAKE.
- In almost all cases, two sets of any one exercise will produce better
results than any other number of sets - and more than three sets of
an exercise should never be performed and - before increasing your
number of sets from two to three - try doing only one set of each
exercise in each workout.
- For best results, a workout should never exceed a total length of
an hour and a half - and most people will gain most rapidly on a schedule
of three weekly workouts of approximately one hour and twenty minutes
each, or shorter.
- Drugs will NOT help your progress - regardless of widespread opinion
to the contrary.
- The number of repetitions in any one set should never be less than
six - nor more than twenty and best results will usually be produced
by sets of eight to twelve repetitions - but every set of every exercise
should be carried to a point of utter failure, where no additional
movement is momentarily possible. It is almost literally impossible
for most people to work too "hard" - but it is easily possible
for anybody to work too "much." This first point, the required
"intensity of effort," is one which cannot be overstressed
- but it does seem to be a point which can easily be misunderstood;
personally,. I have about reached the conclusion that it is simply
impossible to make most people understand what you mean when you mention
"working to the point of failure." So long as reasonably
good form is being maintained, then it is impossible to work too hard
- but even that isn't enough; after it becomes literally impossible
to produce ANY AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL MOVEMENT - when you are exerting
maximum possible force and NOTHING IS HAPPENING, then at least two
more repetitions should be performed by "cheating" - but
such cheating should NOT involve sudden jerking, and it should be
limited to the minimum amount required to make the movement possible.
Do not cheat to make the movement EASY - cheat only enough to make
the movement POSSIBLE: make the movement as hard as you can - the
harder, the better. Properly performed, two such cheating repetitions
performed immediately after the maximum possible number of repetitions
done in a strict manner should leave you feeling like you just climbed
a tall building with your car tied to your back - you should be breathing
very hard, your pulse should be very rapid, you should be sweating
freely, and you should find it necessary to sit down for a moment
after the set is finished; if you merely "feel like" sitting
down, then the set wasn't hard enough - you should have to sit down
to avoid falling down. All of which above outline the required "style
of training is easy enough to put into words - but putting it into
words and getting people to understand those words seem to be two
entirely different matters; and even when people do understand what
is being said, they usually refuse to practice such a style of training
- making all sorts of excuses and attempting to rationalize a much
'easier' style of training. Most bodybuilders seem to be perfectly
willing to perform almost any "amount" of training - but
avoid anything even approaching actual "hard" training.
Then they wonder why it takes them ten years to produce the results
that should have been produced in six months. They seldom if ever
train hard enough to produce any growth stimulation - and they train
so much that growth would be impossible even if growth stimulation
was being produced.
- In spite of widespread opinion to the contrary, it is NOT necessary
to devote your entire life to training in order to produce good results;
in fact, all of the weight of very clear evidence supports the contention
that a normal life is actually a requirement for producing best-possible
results - many of the greatest bodybuilders of all time produced their
best results at a time when they were working full-time at a hard
job. Bodybuilders who attempt to explain their own failures by offering
the excuse that they have to work are either lazy or misinformed,
or both - or simply unwilling to admit that their individual potential
will never permit them to reach championship class. And remember,
a championship - class physique is just that - and outstanding example
that is one out of thousands (or even millions); we can't all be champions,
no matter how we train. But even if you do happen to be one of those
actually very rare men, a man with the potential to be a champion,
would such and accomplishment be worth the price of devoting your
entire existence to efforts intended to produce the ultimate physique;
is it ever worth that kind of a price? Personally, I think not - but
that, of course, is merely my own opinion; however, it is not an 'opinion'
that such an accomplishment does NOT require such a price.
|