Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I was flipping through an issue of
Strength and Health from back in the
1960's, and I spotted an article that
summarized the then-current research
on building strength and muscle.
It was written by Dr. Richard A. Berger
of Texas Technological College, so if you
disagree with any of his conclusions,
complain to him, not to me!
Anyhow, Dr. Berger made the following
conclusions based on the state of the
research in 1965:
1. Two sub-maximal workouts per week
and one maximal training session per
week work just as well as three maximal
sessions per week.
(Note: In other words, the old Light,
Medium and Heavy system works.)
(Second note: These were total body
workouts, not divided workout programs.)
(Third note: These were based on studies
of previously untrained college students,
and in most cases the studies lasted no
longer than 12 weeks.)
2. Training with sub-maximal loads of
two-thirds max for one set, three times
per week will NOT increase strength.
(Note: Some of you will disagree with
this.)
(Second note: I thought ANYTHING worked
for previously untrained college students!)
3. The increase in strength that results from
two sub-maximal workouts per week (training
with two-thirds of your one rep max) and
one heavy workout (a single with your one
rep max) is the result of the workout where
you perform the one rep max.
(Note: In other words, if you use the Light,
Medium and Heavy system, it's the Heavy day
that builds strength.)
4. Sets of between three and ten reps are best
for building strength.
(Note: Not sure how this squares with point
no. 3.)
5. Six sets of two reps with your two rep
max is as effective as three sets of six reps
with your six rep max.
(Note: Is that a surprise?)
6. Three sets of six reps is more effective
than three sets of two reps or three sets of
ten reps.
(Note: Pair this with number five and it means
that six sets of two reps is better than three
sets of two reps.)
7. Training once per week for one set of
one rep with your one rep max will increase
strength significantly for at least six
weeks.
(Note: That one's interesting.)
(Note: I hope they were doing warm-up sets
before hitting a one rep max.)
8. Training two times per week for three sets
of ten reps is as effective as doing three
sets of ten reps three times per week.
(Note: In other words, two workouts per week
work as well as three workouts per week.)
(Second Note: Didn't I just write an email
about that?)
Put it all together and what do you get?
I'm not sure -- and that's one of the
problems with research studies based on
previously untrained college students. It
seems like everything works for them --
at least for awhile.
But here's a thought.
John Grimek started training at age 18 and
three years later he was one of the strongest
and best built men in the world. (And later he
grew enormously stronger and more muscular.)
Steve Stanko started training at age 17 or so,
and a few years later he was the strongest man
in the world -- and 80 pounds of muscle heavier
than when he started.
John Davis started training at age 15 or so,
and two years later he was the World weight-
lifting champion.
I don't know about you, but I want to train the
way Grimek, Stanko and Davis trained -- which
happens to be the Dino way: old-school, basic,
hard and heavy!
As always, thanks for reading and have a great
day. If you train today, make it a good one!
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. My new John Grimek training course covers John
Grimek's life, lifting and training in detail:
http://brookskubik.com/johngrimek_course.html
P.S. 2. Black Iron: The John Davis Story is a
detailed biography of the greatest weightlifter
of his generation -- and it gives you his actual
training program from 1940 -- week by week,
exercise by exercise, set by set and rep by
rep:
http://www.brookskubik.com/blackiron_johndavis.html
P.S. 3. My other books and courses -- including
Dinosaur Training, Chalk and Sweat, Dinosaur
Bodyweight Training and Strength, Muscle and
Power -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 4. Thought for the Day: "Theory is great,
but nothing beats experience." -- Brooks Kubik
