Exercise : Getting the most from the least
When the average bodybuilder designs a routine where do they start? Well, if you are one of the masses you will start by picking a host of exercises aimed to work every single muscle throughout your body, and then choose three to five sets of each of these exercises, as this is what you have read and been steadily endorsed by the mainstream media in their monthly glossy magazines. Besides, that’s what all the bodybuilding ‘super stars’ have done for decades right? So how can a ‘proven’ approach like this be wrong?
Well it is wrong for a multitude of reasons, foremost being a little matter of genetic make-up. When you honestly asses yourself against your favourite champion bodybuilder it is like comparing nigh and day due to tremendous genetic advantages he possesses that you could never hope to have. The basic truth is that ‘champions are born not made’, and while this might be a hard fact to swallow, genetically it is true. So with this in mind you can immediately see how erroneous it is for the average trainee to duplicate one of their mega-routines and hope to remotely resemble them in any shape or form. It simply isn’t biologically realistic.
While fundamentally we all share the same physiology, compared to genetic superiors that is where the similarities cease. What works for the super stars of bodybuilding is a world away from what will work for you, because if you haven’t been born with superior genes that enables high tolerance and enormous muscle gains from high amounts of sets, reps, and exercises then you will only degress, or at best hope to maintain what little muscle mass you already posses. Additionally, these genetic freaks rely on dangerous chemical cocktails to recover and grow from these training marathons making one question whether their training routines are really effective at all!
Facing reality, trainees should assess their genetic potential in an honest and frank manner so they can confidently proceed in their endeavour of adding muscle mass to their frames while being realistic in their goals. That leaves only one choice; high intensity exercise. This unique form of exercise is by nature brief, ensuring that we get the most effect from the least amount of exercise and frequency which is precisely what our bodies need so we don’t expel too much energy while stimulating the growth process.
Accepting that high intensity exercise is the most effective means viable for growth and strength is the first premise one needs to address when designing a program, the next being exercise selection. With a little imagination I’m sure a trainee could conceive thousands of exercises with a set of dumbbells and a barbell, but how many of these are structurally sound to ensure that you stimulate the most amount of growth? Well that honour goes to a hand full of the most effective movements; the basics. These can’t be beaten for rapid strength and size gains as it isn’t a coincidence that these are also the exercises that allows the heaviest weights, demanding that the effort is inheriting high when performed properly.
The basics mimic the natural body mechanics [barring structural defects] so they are safe to perform and easy to master, these are the same movements we perform in our daily lives; such as squatting to pick up a heavy object, pulling something towards us, or pushing something away. In twenty one years of training myself and others I have never seen anyone that couldn’t do the basics or a variation. These consist of the following movements, and though some may squabble over the skeleton exercise selection, these are the five that allow the heaviest weights to be used so I am confident when I say that they should form the structure of all routines. They are, in order: deadlifts, squats, bb rows, bench press, and bb overhead presses.
Let’s look at each exercise to understand what makes them unique:
Deadlifts; Twenty two muscles come into play with this movement, making it the best exercise to stimulate large strength and size gains. There is rotation around all the major joints of the body [bare the elbows], involving all the muscles that account for large size increases like the quads, lats, and hips. This is exercise allows the heaviest weights of all the other exercises which means that it’s effect on the whole system is unique. Most trainees avoid this exercise because it’s so demanding but that’s the very same reason it should be included, it’s a total body exercise.
Squats; Like deadlifts, squats uses a similar but slightly smaller amount of muscles, about 19, ensuring major strength gains throughout the body. This proven mass builder has been delivering some remarkable gains for extreme hardgainers for decades and will continue to do so provided the trainee puts in the required effort. It’s effect isn’t limited to just the lower body either as squats places stress throughout, making it second in line as "king" of all exercises.
BB Rows; This involves all the muscles of the upper body, and while chin-ups and pulldowns as viable alternatives, bb rows involves the easiest tool for performance. This can and should be alternated with the other two exercises on a rotational basis to reduce mental and physical repetition and boredom. Dorian Yate’s style allows the safest and most effective performance, which means a hip width underhand grip, body angled about 25 degrees forward, and the bar being slowly pulled into the waist for a 2 second hold.
Bench Press; This seems to be the ego exercise of choice among almost every male trainee due to superior upper body strength males possess compared with females. It’s easy to perform, as you are comfortably laying on your back pushing a barbell above your face. But it’s much more than that, as it involves all the pushing muscles of the upper body, while involving the pulling muscles to stabilise and help control the weights decent. Dips are an alternative provided that you are structurally suited.
BB Press; The ability to raise a heavy barbell above your head is a feat that has been neglected in the past few decades in favour of the former exercise. But unlike the bench press, this involves stabiliser muscles that help maintain the body during execution, so it should be included as addition or alternated with benches to train the all pushing muscles of the upper body.
Naturally we have many variations of these five-some, like sumo deadlifts, front squats, db rows, incline press, and db press, and while these aren’t bad alternatives they pale in comparison due to reduced weights and stress placed on the body. That isn’t to imply that these are the only five exercises you have to do for life, as that would be boring and impractical, but these, or some of these, should form the back bone in every exercise program design.
Most of you might be thinking by now, "where’s the arm exercises, he’s forgot to mention the arm exercises"! But I haven’t, as the arms are involved with every torso exercise you perform they receive adequate stimulation requiring little to no additional work. I might add one direct set once a month at most, but by and large they get stimulated when I go to failure on all my upper body movements, so I can’t see the point in adding isolation exercises requiring smaller insignificant poundages compared with rows or presses.
Beginner Level
How do we best proceed to combine these into a routine suited to our level of strength and status? For beginners I would suggest training the whole body each workout, alternating bench press with bb press. That leaves only four exercises each session, allowing less to learn and abundant energy levels during training and for recuperation afterwards. With such a small amount of exercises to concentrate on it is easy for the novice to learn the proper mechanics without overloading them with other less effective movements.
Squats
Deadlifts
BB Rows
Bench Press [alt BB Press]
One set of ten reps for each exercise is adequate, as repeated sets become tedious and will result in reduced output as the mind and body become complacent aware that other set[s] are coming so it is insignificant to apply itself 100% to the first. The beginner should concentrate on form rather than poundages, holding back 2-3 reps short of failure to avoid shock and discomfort that might persuade them to discontinue training. After three weeks to a month the story changes, and 100% all out effort should then be applied.
Two to three sessions a week is adequate due to the low intensity level and as the trainee is simply concentrating on learning the correct form for each exercise. As strength levels are minimal, they wouldn’t be generating anywhere near the enormous demands an advanced trainee would, therefore they can get away with a closer frequency of workouts. This in an ongoing evolving process that changes throughout ones training life in accordance with strength increases. With the increase in weight added to each exercise, comes the added stress to the body and the ever closer chance of entering the ‘hell’ of training, "overtraining"! The body must be obeyed not forced in your efforts to increase size and strength, violating this rule will severely reduce gains, if not cease them all together, eventually resulting in regression.
Intermediate Level
This level is reached after about 3 months, and involves adapting your routine in accordance to your individual tolerance and recuperation levels. This is by nature a personalised process demanding that you "listen" to your body and obey it’s signals when next best to train. There is nothing to be gained long term trying to be ‘macho’ and train while sore from a previous workout, as this will only lead to frustration and confusion with reduced or non existent gains. Frequency must be regulated to allow for recuperation which means your goal should be training with the least amount of exercise on a frequency where you are seeing strength progress every, or at least, every second workout. Strength proceeds size so use this as your gauge to progress.
Like the beginner, and mentioned prior, a hand full of exercises is still the best strategy. With the intermediate generating a greater intensity of effort, it means that muscular depletion is reached quite rapidly, as well as the mental fatigue due the concentration required to perform at this high level for any given period of time. So while we can sit and lay down for great periods of time without effort, on the opposing end of the scale, training all out uses the bodies energy levels up quite rapidly and can only be tolerated in small, brief, and infrequent periods. This means two workouts a week at most, resting a minimum of 4 days between workouts depending on your recovery rate.
The intermediate has to be careful to regulate the duration and frequency of their workouts, due to their increased strength levels. Strength increases should be the sole aim, and the basic structure of their routine should include a major mass movement like deadlifts and squats, a pulling movement, and a pushing movement. Here’s a suggested routine -
Deadlift [alternated with] Squats
BB Rows [alternated with] Pulldowns and/or Chin-Ups
Bench Press [alternated with] Dips and/or BB Press
Toe Press [optional]
Grip exercise [optional]
Crunch [optional]
The first three exercises are staples of an effective routine, while the last three are optional as these muscles are adequately involved in the first three. The decision whether to include these optional extras depends more upon your recovery abilities than your mental choosing, and involves closely monitoring progress and when there is a reduction in reps and/or weight increments, these are the first exercises that should be eliminated to ensure additional recovery energy is available, and workout duration is reduced.
One set of 6-10 reps is suggested, to ensure that sufficient inroads are made. The rep tempo for each exercises should be reasonably slow and steady so as to deplete the involved muscles while safely applying constant and even stress on the muscles, joints and tendons. Avoid bouncing the weight, and explosive movements, as these place tremendous strain on the body, and could easily lead to injuries. If in doubt, always train slower rather than faster!
Advanced Level
Here is where you have to become a master of knowing your own body, as the strength you possess, combined with the intensity you able to generate, can lead to severe levels of depletion and fatigue, requiring constant monitoring and adjustment. With every increase in strength comes additional stress across the body, to offset this increased stressor the advanced trainee needs to gradually reduce the duration and frequency to the absolute minimum.
The best lesson you could ever learn is to "listen to what your body tells you". If you master this then you will always have a reliable and accurate guide to enable you to hone your workouts into works of art. No trainer, no matter who he is, will ever know your body like you do, so don’t discount this important factor in your pursuit of the most efficient manner to gain additional size and strength. Only your body knows what ‘feels’ right, obey it and reap its rewards.
A split routine, alternating upper and lower body exercises, probably serves the best purpose due to the taxing nature of trying to train the whole body in a single session. This isn’t a pardon to perform every singe torso and leg exercise in existence, as you still have to account for the drain this has on your total system each workout.
[A] Upper Body
BB Rows
Deadlifts
Bench Press
[B] Lower Body
Squat
Toe Press
Crunch
This covers the whole body with a hand full of exercises, for some even less will be needed to ensure adequate recuperation and progress. This decision has to be your own, but it isn’t as daunting as it seems if you simply listen and obey your body. I find that the drain alone has reduced me down to just three sets, and as for frequency, I can’t fathom training again within a seven day period. I’m constantly aware that eventually I will require less if I’m to continue in my quest to grow stronger and larger, and I’ve no qualms about adjusting to account for this. I have absolutely no fear of reducing my workout schedule in both duration and frequency if that allows continual progress. I’m always aware that overcompensation takes time, it can’t be rushed, so there’s nothing one can do except stay away from the gym and wait till your body is ready.
Rest till all soreness subsides, then allow another day or two to ensure the overcompensation process is complete. This means about seven days as a minimum, and maybe longer if you sense that you aren’t recovering adequately. Don’t fear that you will shrivel up or shrink as this isn’t even remotely practical, as strength and size is a process requiring great amounts of energy to produce, so why would your body regress so quickly?
So when you next begin to map out a weight training program, use logic as your guide, it shouldn’t be complicated as all it takes is application of a few basic exercises on a frequency matching your recuperative abilities. Think in terms of how little exercise do I require, and how infrequent can I train, leaving the marathon routines performed multiple days each week to those who don’t know any better because now that you understand how it should be why compromise your progress for even one more day? Think minimal and train smart, the way your body was meant to be trained.
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