Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I'm not sure why, but over the past 10 days
I've been getting a ton of questions from
readers about training programs. I thought
I'd share some of the common questions, and
my responses to them. Let's begin with this
one:
1. What do you think about such and so?
"Such and so" is code for any super program you
see on the internet or in the muscle mags. You
know, the high volume, supposed super program
that is guaranteed to add 20 or 30 or 40 pounds
of muscle to your frame in six short weeks --
or add 100 pounds to your favorite lift (or
to each of your lifts) in six short weeks --
or make you look EXACTLY like Joe Superstar in
six short weeks. ("Joe Superstar" being code for
whoever is the star of the month in the muscle
mags and internet forums.)
And here's my answer:
DON'T DO IT.
The super programs are always way too high in
volume for the average lifter. They don't build
you up. They tear you down.
The super programs are ultra-advanced specialization
programs. Most of them are programs designed not to
build you up, but to burn calories so you get "cut"
or "ripped" or (if you really get into it) "shredded."
You build up -- as in, you build strength and muscle --
on 3x per week programs. Beginners should do total
body workouts and ONE set of each of 8 to 12 different
exercises.
Intermediates can do 2 or even 3 sets -- and may find
that they gain best on abbreviated training and divided
workouts.
Advanced men do best on abbreviated training and divided
workouts.
The super programs came into prominence in the 50's and
60's, when bodybuilding started to become more popular
than lifting.
The bodybuilders would train on short, heavy "mass
building" programs for much of the year -- and then
switch to a special pre-contest program for the last
6 or 8 weeks before a contest.
The purpose of the pre-contest program was NOT to
build muscle. Instead, the programs were designed for
deliberate over-training to burn as much body-fat as
possible in order to create maximum definition on
the day of the contest.
That was fine as far as it went -- but the problem was,
the writers would ask the bodybuilders to give their
training program after the contest -- and instead of
saying, "Well, I train 3x a week and do the usual stuff:
squats, presses, rowing, etc." -- the bodybuilder would
give his special pre-contest super program.
And the writer would go back home and do an article about
how Mr. Whatever built huge muscular size by training for
four hours a day six days a week.
And then the kids would read the muscle magazines, and
they'd all run out and start training four hours a day
six days a week because that's how the "champs" did it.
And of course, they never built an ounce of muscle on
the super programs. How could they? The super programs
didn't even build muscle for the champions. All they
did was burn fat. The biggest problems the champions
had was MAINTAINING muscle size when they were on the
pre-contest super program.
So how in the world could poor little Johnny use the
champs pre-contest DEFINITION program to build his
11 inch upper arms into the BIG GUNS he so desperately
wanted?
And that's how people got hooked on the idea of super
programs.
So when someone asks, "Have you heard about Such and So?"
the answer is always the same.
Yeah, I hard about it. Don't do it. It's a waste of time.
Train the right way. Hard. heavy. Abbreviated. Concentrated.
Focused. Compound exercises. Progressive poundages. The stuff
I cover in all of my books and courses, and in each issue of
the Dinosaur Files newsletter. If you want to build strength
and muscle, it's the only way to go.
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. For more information about serious, productive, effective
training to build strength, power and muscle mass, grab any of
my books and courses. You can find them right here -- and if
you're not sure which one to order first, send me an email and
we'll sort it out for you:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
