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 Dr Buff
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| Bodybuilding's 30 Biggest Lies - Continued |
| 03.20.2010 14:39:11 | |
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America, one of my clients asked me today, “Why don’t you blog more on what you do each day? I mean, I like what you write about, and I definitely learn stuff from your blog, but how come you never write about your workouts?”
“Simple,” I replied. “I get bored writing about me. I’ve already done it in prep for last year’s Ironman, and things haven’t changed significantly since then. Besides, I’m an enigma. Not too many people out there can identify with me. Who else has 5 screws in their shoulder, an artificial hip, had 2 knee surgeries on one knee and one on the other, and a severe case of scoliosis? My circumstances and training are so specific to me that it probably wouldn’t make sense or good reading to others as to what and why I do what I do. But I tell ‘America’ all the time that regardless of what I do, I train as hard as I can within the limits of this body.”
With that said, I’ll say this. I’m not gonna do anything special in preparation for the Vancouver. My look is decent, but I’m gearing for the Mac Daddy – the EC! So I’ll probably be about 2-3 lbs over where I’ll be for the EC with a small layer of bodyfat. I can live with that. I haven’t missed my mark, haven’t mis-timed this show, or screwed up, so don’t freak out. All I’m gonna do is cut my sodium starting Wednesday and pull water starting Thursday. I’m gonna go through my normal workouts next week with one exception – I normally do arms on Friday but I’ll add biceps in with back on Wednesday and Triceps in with shoulders on Thursday. Other than that everything is gonna remain the same. You guys cool with that? Good…now on to a couple more of Bodybuilding’s 30 biggest lies…
#11. You should only rest 30-45 seconds in-between sets. That’s true if you’re trying to improve cardiovascular health or lose some bodyfat. But in order to build muscle, you need to allow enough time for the muscle to recuperate fully, i.e., let the lactic acid buildup in your muscles dissipate and ATP levels build back up. In order to make muscles grow, you have to lift the heaviest weight possible, thereby allowing the maximum number of muscle fibers to be recruited. If the amount of weight you lift is being limited by the amount of lactic acid left over from the previous set, you’re only testing your ability to battle the effects of lactic acid. In other words, you’re trying to swim across a pool while wearing concrete overshoes.
When training heavy (and I define heavy by 6 reps or less…) you’d do good in the off-season to take between two and three minutes between your sets. Other than that I’d recommend you keep your rest to one minute between sets. ATP levels will build back up by then allowing you to push maximum reps at sub-heavy weights. Once you start your pre-contest training, it might be good to keep all sets to 60-90 seconds. I keep mine at 60 seconds.
The truth is, a natural bodybuilder can’t train heavy all the time. That’s why periodization is working so well for many bodybuilders. Periodization calls for cycling heavy workouts with less intense training sessions in an effort to keep the body from becoming overtrained.
#12. You have to use fancy weightlifting equipment in order to make the best gains. The truth is, futuristic-looking, complex machinery that requires you have a degree just to figure out how to get in the correct seat position is typically less effective than good old-fashioned barbells and dumbbells. Using simple free weights (barbells and dumbbells) on basic multi-joint exercises, like the squat, bench press, shoulder press, 1-arm rows, and deadlift, is still the most effective means of resistance exercise ever invented. Scientific research has shown that many exercise machines lack the proper eccentric component of an exercise that’s necessary to stimulate muscle tissue to grow.
Arthur Jones attempted to make the claim that machines were more effective and efficient than free weights in building muscle in his infamous “Add 63 lbs of muscle in one month” or something like that. In it, he stated that he helped a bodybuilder build an incredible 63 lbs of muscle in about a month. What he failed to disclose was that the bodybuilder was Casey Viator – one of the most genetically gifted bodybuilders of his time. Another thing he failed to mention was that Casey was returning from an injury that had sidelined him for a few months, so in essence, Casey was re-building pre-existing muscle. Finally, Arthur failed to mention that Casey went back on the steroids during this training! I suppose I can make the claim that I gained 25 lbs of muscle in less than 60 days as well…coming back from my hip replacement! Is that incredible? I guess it’s all in the marketing…
Machines have always been used, and will continue to be used as an AUXILLIARY to free weights and machines. Once again, in all my years of training I’m not familiar with anyone winning a class or overall at the highest levels using 100% machines. So spend more time on the free weights and use the machines for what they were intended…to sit, rest, and waste time…I’m just playin’, America…but you should definitely use the ‘big boy’ weights (and ‘big girl’ weights…gotta be politically correct, but what girl wants to be called big?...).
I’m out, America…go make it do what it do, Baby! Peace…
The Dr.
Personal Training Systems “There Are No Shortcuts!” www.personaltrainingsystems.net This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Mobile: 253.576.4859
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