IRON ADDICT 'S

BODY
OF
WORK
450 ARTICLES AND TIPS
ON WEIGHT TRAINING
FROM THE OWNER OF
IRONADDICTS.COM

WESLEY SILVEIRA

Why are you unhappy?

Because 99.9 per cent
Of everything you think,
And of everything you do,
Is for yourself And there isn't one.

Copyright 2010 by Wesley Silveira.

Edited by Ed Ditto: http://EdDitto.com/
All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.
No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission
from Wesley Silveira.
Produced and distributed by Wesco Information and Distribution.
http://ironaddicts.com/

What this is and how to use it:

As a professional strength and conditioning coach and as owner of the premiere weight training
forum out there IronAddicts.com Ive written upwards of twenty thousand articles aimed at
helping my clients and readers excel at what they do. Which may not sound like a problem, but I
hear all the time that theres too much information on my forum for people to know where to
start. Go fgure. People also tell me they wish there was a way to take my forum into the gym
with them, so if they had a question they could fnd the answer right then and there.
OK. You dont have to tell me something more than eight or ten times before I get it.
This PDF fle contains about 450 articles and tips that Ive chosen as being the best and most informative on IronAddicts.com. Theyre in fve groups: General Articles, Mind, Nutrition and
Fat Loss, Routines, and Tips. It doesnt matter if youre a beginner, intermediate, or advanced lifter; ecto, endo, or meso. If you have a question about weight training, the answer is
probably here ALTHOUGH you need to remember that in this sport there are no absolute
truths. As always, Im trying to help you fnd the training methods that work FOR YOU instead
of shoving cookie-cutter crap down your throat.
This PDF also reveals for the frst time a collection of my favorite training routines that I've
never published before. These are bread-and-butter routines that 99.9% of lifters should be able
to make gains on. I know this because I've used them with hundreds of my training clients.
To get the most out of this fle, do two things. First, turn on the index. You do this in Adobe Ac robat by hitting View/Navigation Panels/Bookmarks. Now you can simply click on an articles
title to jump straight there. Second, do keyword searches. Entering ecto gets you dozens and
dozens of matches, for instance.
You'll notice some typos and spelling errors. I wrote these articles from my forum, where I focus
more on the content than I do about getting every little comma in the right place. So please don't
bother letting me know that there are these sorts of problems in the text. I'm already aware that
they're in there, and they don't take away from the quality of the info.

Finally, if you pirated thiswhat, youre too cheap to spend the price of lunch on this much great
weight training advice? Fuck you, thensince you obviously cant aford to eat, come on over to
my house and help yourself to the food in my fridge while youre at it.
Wesley Silveira
AKA Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal trainer who
has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks of life and with a wide
range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a little, to competitive bodybuilders
and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty diferent weight training and ftness-related web
forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes
earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at
http://www.IronAddicts.com.

General Articles
Dummy Up and Lift the Fucking Weight
I recently posted a thread about the fact that just because you are NOT sore, that does
not mean you are recovered. One of the responses I received contained this:
The best way to fnd out how to rest is knowing your body and knowing what kind of
Muscle Fiber you are building. type I, all day and even a second Sunday. Type IIa, 7 to 10
days, Type IIB, 4 to 6 days, Type IIC, 4 to 6 days...
IA) Hmmm.The guy then kind of missed the point and went on about being sore was
surely an indication you were not recovered and so forth. It seemed he was certain that all
heavy training would produce DOMS, which just isnt the case. My counter post was:
IA) That is NOT the point that was being made by this post. We are agreeing in
principle, while someone is missing the point. The point that was made was JUST
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SORE DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE
RECOVERED AND READY TO TRAIN AGAIN. Last Friday I deadlifted 590, did
bent rows with 310 for 3 sets, did glute/ham raises for 3 sets, and did weighted sit-ups with
a 190 lb dumbbell on my chest. Guess what? Not a BIT of soreness. I rarely get sore. I
train a LOT of people and some guys get sore almost looking at weights, and others
never, or extremely rarely and only when making radical changes. Just because you are not
sore doesn't mean you are ready to go again. Some guys can train productively each
bodypart 2-3 times a week, others need 7-9 days. When you can add weight to the bar
between session, you are likely in the zone.
There is no way in hell to know what fber type/subtype you are hitting with certainty.
You can use rep ranges as a good guess, but that is about all you are doing. You can
certainly say I am attempting to target fast-twitch,or slow twitch, but if you think you can
say today todays WO is IIB, and Thursday's is IIC, I will ask how the hell you know.
And nobody better tell all the guys that hit bodyparts twice a week and make great
progress that a minimum of 4 days is needed. Many, many good and great bodybuilders
train twice a week. Arnold often did three times a week, Westside Barbell uses 72 hours
between DE and ME day and that system works beyond belief, Granted many overtrain
on it, but lots do not. And I am not disagreeing with you totally here as I think the
AVERAGE trainee does best with 5-7 days between bodyparts/lifts. But many also do
well with less.
His response was:

There are several ways to see what kind of fber you naturally have, but even then you can
train them diferently and change the fber type to what you need from it.
IA) OK, NOW WE ARE MAKING A HUGE LEAP OF FAITH. I know what the
guy is talking about. There are some studies that show that it is POSSIBLE for SOME
people (most of the studies have been on animals) under LONG DURATION loading
to possibly have SOME fbers switch to a diferent type/subtype. Soooooo, my response
was:
IA) Short of a biopsy you ARE GUESSING about fber type. People have extreme
variations in fber type not only from person to person, but muscle to muscle. I have read
the studies that point to SOME fber type change-over and the amount is usually quite
limited and very much determined by LONG-TERM loading and more importantly
genetic predisposition. It's not like you can devote six weeks to a loading protocol and say
"voila" I now have X% more type IIB. Not in the real world. It is only a WILD
speculative guess.
IA) WAY better to direct your loading at what type of gains you are hoping to achieve
than any hopes of KNOWING the EXACT fber type you are hitting and potentially
hoping to manipulate.
IA) So another board member puts up a post about hyperplasia. That is when the body,
instead of hypertrophying the existing muscle cells, actually creates new ones. Now, the
studies about this are pretty damn vague and inexact about, not only IF it can be done
people under normal conditions, but what those conditions are, and to what extent. So,
my response:
IA) HYPERPLASIA and fber type change are two diferent issues, and the author of
the hyperplasia article admits that the evidence is far from conclusive. Do I believe it can
occur? Absolutely. To what degree, and under what stimulus, and MOST
IMPORTANTLY for who? These are all big questions that for most people will always
remain totally unanswered. I read a LOT of studies. It's part of my job as a full-time
trainer, but for most people spending endless hours trying to determine if they can only
hypertrophy, or possibly hyperplasia their muscles is just endless mental masturbation.
What really matters is if the trainee is getting bigger and stronger on a consistent basis.
One of the mods on my board is an elite caliber powelifter that squats in the 800's and
benches almost 600. He is often posed questions like this and his answer to most of these
guys is just dummy up and lift the fucking weight. This is often the best advice possible
for those guys that constantly overanalyise everything about weight training. Are you

getting stronger every week or not. If not, you have much more to worry about than shit
like this--lol.
And by the way, Im not capping on the guy. He seems very intelligent, and has, I believe
the best of intentions, but at some point, all the esoteric knowledge becomes so less than
useful.
So many of you out there spend countless hours worrying about things like that, but
STILL dont know how to be progressive in the gym. Many read everything they can
including those types of studies and change their routines every time they read the next
article or study. Sometime the best advice is much like EXMGQs/PullinBig, Just
dummy-up and lift the fucking weight.
Iron Addict

Defnition of a beginner weight trainee

Please understand from the outset that I believe most labels and defnitions miss their
mark in a large number of cases. But to be at least somewhat precise in any feld they must
still be used. I am going to attempt to better defne who and what a beginning trainee
consists of so that you may better plug yourself into the correct training modality. The
number one problem I see in the lifting world other than poor diets are:
Beginners doing intermediate lifters programs.
Intermediates doing advanced style routines.
Advanced lifters doing elite level routines.
No one wants to believe they are further down the rung of the ladder than they really are,
so they convince their self they are something they are not. Who wants to be a beginner,
or even an intermediate level lifter? The routines are simple and boring, everyone wants
fash and sizzle, even if it means poor results.
A beginner is someone that has been either lifting a year or less, or someone that has
potentially been lifting many years and has failed to achieve results. I have had many
people contact me as potential training clients that had been lifting for 5-10 years, yet still
cant bench 200, or squat 300. While everyone has strengths and weaknesses (as an
example I know lifters that squat and deadlift in the mid 500s and still cannot bench 300)
you can safely assume that if you bench under 200 and squat/deadlift under 300 you are a
beginner. Now many of you (beginners) are probably wondering why I am using the
squat, bench, and deadlift as barometers. Simply put, they are the lifts most often used in
both the bodybuilding and powerlifting community as standards of overall body
strength.
A guy that goes to the gym and benches 230 and squats 345 the frst time he trys is still a
beginner despite having lifts well above the following criteriayou still start from the
beginning irregardless of how high the starting point is. How come? No matter how high
the initial point is the body will make both neural and metabolic adaptations at a very fast
rate (assuming the training and diet are correct, and that unfortunately rarely occurs for
beginners). But the good news is unless the training load is way too high (like the new
guy getting his routine strait out of Flex magazine) or the diet horribly too low. The
trainee will usually make very signifcant gains in both size and strength at a rapid pace. If
done correctly, frst year gains of 20-50 lbs are quite common (although 50 lbs only occurs
in a relative smaller number of lifters than the 20-40 lb gains that are achieved by most
THAT DO THINGS CORRECTLY.

And that statement is where the problem arises and most people spend their frst year
making some very quick initial gains, and then watching progress dry up. Most beginners
get their info out of bodybuilding magazines or of message forums such as this and while
some of the info may be suitable, it is usually not the type of routine joe average newbie
lifter picks, he picks things WAY beyond his capacity. All he needs is simple progression
on the BIG compound lifts, not some 5 day a week split guaranteed to hit all muscles
from all angles. A simple chest/shoulders/tricep day, a back biceps, abs day, and a leg day
is all the split a beginner needs and an upper/lower split, or full body routine are also great
ways to go and all the beginner needs.
If the trainee is doing a SIMPLE routine and strength gains are not forthcoming,
diet/rest/stress are the issues. Assuming stress is manageable, the trainee is getting at
LEAST 7 hours of SOLID uninterrupted sleep (more is USUALLY better) simply
assuring protein is at least 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight (beginners often do fne on 1.25)
and the diet is over maintenance, and you have a growing lifter every time unless there are
metabolic issues present (as in extreme hardgainer) and that is simply not all that
common. Dont waste your potential time for the best and fastest gains of your lifting
career doing something unsuitable for you. It would be nice to be considered an
intermediate lifter after only a year or so, not the many years so many lifters take to get
there by doing fashy routines and skimping on food.
Iron Addict

Lose fat, gain muscle

This article is NOT fnished, but something I threw together this weekend as I just
opened the recomp forum and I wanted something to give people the general idea about
what recomp diets are about. I will add to it and refne it in the days to come.
This article is aimed at dispelling some of the myths that it is impossible to lose fat and
gain muscle. Nothing could be further from the truth, it can easily be done. Butdoing
so requires context to be taken into account as well as content. Most people have no idea
what a recomposition diet consists of and confuse it with a typical aggressive cutting diet.
I will go over some of the concepts of a recomp diet as well as some of the ways people
take things out of context and attempt to apply them to a lose fat, gain muscle diet and
fail miserably.
The frst and most often made mistake is someone deciding they are going to shed some
unwanted bodyfat and do a straight cut style diet. Overall calories are low and stay that
way, carbs are usually drastically restricted, and cardio is pushed hard. The body is always
in a deprived state and in many cases strength goes down the tubes as well as muscle
mass. The dieter doing an aggressive cut is in best case circumstances not losing too
much muscle. They get done, and it is obviously apparent that they sure as hell didnt
build any muscle while dietingduh. Message herea cut diet is NOT a recomposition
diet.
Most trainees base their diet results in the short term on what the scale says. If they are
massing (I never use the word bulk as it is usually interchangeable with get fat) they
want to see the scale going up X amount each week. When cutting they want to see the
scale going down X amount each week. As long as the scale conforms to their
expectations they are pleased (even if the wrong things are happening to their bodies). On
a recomp diet, the scale changes can be extremely subtle and thus the trainee assumes
their diet is not working, and they switch to something else that gives them instant
gratifcation with the scale swings. I have had training clients start at 200 lbs and end at
200 lbs 6 months later looking like a completely diferent person. But if the barometer of
success was the scale, it was a total failure.
Most do not understand that a recomp diet is NOT based on losing fat and gaining
muscle during a 24 hour period (although that is possible) but over the course of the
weeks and months. In other words, the goal is not to lose a certain percentage of fat and
gain a certain percentage of muscle over the course of a day, but over the course of weeks
and months. Some days you will drop fat, other days you will accrue mass. If this is done
correctly and in the right ratio over the long term the net result is less fat and more
muscle. There is no magic about this, just correct planning and precision.

Most people believe erroneously that bodyfat is only oxidixed under extreme
circumstances and that the body must literally be forced to burn fat. Again, nothing could
be further from the truth and the body is continually using fat as fuel for low intensity
workload and metabolic function. The heart primarily uses FFAs as its fuel source. That
is an example of how fundamental stored and consumed fats are to daily fat usage. When
the average person hears that when just sitting in a chair that 55-75% of the bodies basal
metabolic needs are met by FFAs (free fatty acids) they usually respond along the lines of
well then how come Im not skinny. It is as simple as the analogy that if your car has s
of a tank of gasoline and you drive to town, and then put in enough gas at the station for
the miles driven you will always be right at of a tank. In other words whatever you
burned today, you also just stored from the meals consumed unless under maintenance
calories.
The more advanced a trainee is, the more difcult a recomp type diet will be in most
cases. Recomposition diets in my opinion are best used by those past the very beginner
stage, to advanced intermediate level lifter. Very advanced guys that have the goal of
maximal muscle mass at all costs do best just lean massing and letting as little fat come on
as possible until it comes time to tighten up either for a competition, or to just look
better naked. IF you have the patience, you can still do extremely well at the advanced
level by careful carb cycling with the emphasis on mass over fat loss.
Recomps are NOT a diet suitable to trainees that are not/cannot be precise, nor to
people that simply have no idea what they are doing. Without good instruction, and
precision, most people are better of lean massing then cutting.
Recomp diets above all, are not for those that are impatientthat disqualifes most
people from them being a practical diet protocol. Not because they will be inefective, but
because people want the instant gratifcation of seeing the scale do something.
OK, so now you have heard the recomposition diets can work to slowly drop bodyfat
levels while accruing muscle mass. But how are they constructed? Big question with a
LOT of diferent answers. A recomp diet has one main requirement (assuming weight
training to stimulate muscle mass is a given). And that requirement is that some days, or
some portions of the day are under maintenance or sufcient cardio work is being done to
put on in a calorie defcit, and some days, or parts of the day are over maintenance
allowing mass accrual. Here are some of the ones that I am most familiar with and use
with training clients.
ABC Diet

Many of the older people will remember this diet from the old Muscle Media 2000. It
sounded like a gimmick at the time, but I tried it anyway and it works! I still use it now
and again with clients that have metabolisms that shut down fast in response to any long
term drop in caloric levels. The premise is extremely simple. One week (for a 7 day period)
the trainee will eat at above maintenance levels and will consume adequate carbs,
proteins, and fats. The diet is not restrictive, but does require precision to make sure the
trainee is laying down very little fat. This is a typical lean mass diet. The following week,
for a period of 7 days, the trainee will eat a low carb, high protein, high fat diet (almost
keto, and can be keto if preferred). During this week the trainee will do cardio. Calories
are set a bit below maintenance, but not so low that strength gains are efected. During
this 7 day period the trainee will drop some bodyfat, and if the numbers are laid out
correctly, they will drop more fat than was accrued during the higher calorie, higher carb
week. Do this for a few months with the numbers dialed correctly and you end up with
more muscle, less fat, and not too much diet deprivation feelings. It works!
Carb Cycling
This is a favorite of many strength and conditioning coaches. It is very easy to do from a
psychological standpoint simply because you only have a few days a week that are difcult
to do, and you have some very comfortable days also. The principle is the same. Some
days you will be doing low carbs, low calories, some days medium carbs/calories, and
others high carbs calories. Again if the numbers are put together correctly the end result
is that overall you slowly lose bodyfat while gaining muscle. Bodyfat is lost on the low
carb, calorie days, muscle mass accrued on the high calorie carb days, and the end result is
more mass, less fat. Here is an example of carb cycling aimed at bodyfat losses:
Day one: high carb day, can be very high for many lifters, This day is very anabolic
Day two: low carb day, low calories, also
Day three: low carb, medium calories
Day four: medium carb day, above maintenance calories
Day fve: low carb, medium calories
Day six: medium carb day, above maintenance calories
Day seven : low carb, low calories.\
The downside of carb cycling diets is that for the average trainee, putting one together
for theirselves and following it is too complex. But for those willing to put in the time to
fgure it out, or hire a trainer that knows how to implement this type of diet, this type of
diet can be tailored to do anything you want by how you shift the numbers. From
maximal mass accrual and a bit of bodyfat coming along for the ride, or to get you
extremely lean while slowly adding mass. For contest prep, I like keto diets to get one on
the low end of single digits, but this type of diet can do it as well.
Keto diets with BIG refeeds

Many of you know that Dan Duchaine was the person that got keto diets started in the
bodybuilding community in a big way with his book Body Opus. What many of you do
not realize is that Dans vision of Body Opus keto diets was not just a diet to get someone
lean. It was meant to be a diet used year round to get you to a very low percentage
bodyfat number WHILE accruing muscle mass. Now in my opinions it had some major
failings, the biggest was the convoluted reefed schedule that required you to set your
alarm clock and get up every 3 hours to pound some protein and carbs two days out of the
week. And its complexity is what held it back Mauro Dipasquales Anabolic Diet had
the same goal as Dans diet, that being to drop bodyfat while adding mass. The premise
here is simple and the same basic concepts as in the above examples. In both Body Opus
and the Anabolic diet you are to go 5 days with no carbs and below maintenance caloric
levels. Then (especially in Body Opus) you are to do an extreme reefed for two days.
These two days result in a very big growth spurt if the training leading up to the reefed
stimulated the need for hypertrophy. The concepts are valid and work, and in my opinion
can be improved on a bit. If your goal is more slanted towards mass accrual, you can do 4
days low cals/carbs, then a 3 day reefed. You will burn bodyfat during the low carb/calorie
days and if your numbers are dialed, you will accrue muscle mass without laying down
more bodyfat than was burned during the depletion period.
Timed Carb Diets
This is the method I use for most training clients on a recomp simply because it is very
simple to do for the client while still being efective. The premise is based on the fact that
carbs are most needed and the body is most anabolic right after the workout. So carbs are
consumed post workout only, and on weekend reefed days. There are three types of days
with this diet:
Training day: Carbs consumed for two meals after the workout only. Calories are slightly
below mainetenece, but that can vary dependent of the trainee and goals.
Non-training day: no carbs, low calories.
Refeed days: Usually two days, sometimes only one dependent on the goals. These are
usually done on the weekends, which make this diet socially friendly. Calories and carbs
are above maintenance, but again, this may vary dependent on the trainee and goals. For
more mass emphasis, these can be pretty big refeeds. If fat loss is the goal, and mass
accrual at a slower rate, less calories and carbs are used. This type of diet is simple and
efective for most lifters.
There are a LOT of variations on these themes and a plethora of other ways to do recomp
diets so please do not take this as being even a remotely complete list of recomp type
diets.
OK, now that I have laid out an overview of some of the misconceptions and how these
diets what are they good for?

First and foremost in my opinion they are awesome for the lifter that wants to look as
good as possible year round and not go through the endless bulking and cutting phases
most people seem to spend their time doing. They are also great for the trainee that has
fat loss resistant metabolisms. Many guys and girls that diet fnd that almost any caloric
defcit level imposed on their bodies are immediately countered by the body lowing
metabolic rate and putting additional fat loss at a stalemate. Many of the recomp diets are
also perfect for the dieter that is not well disciplined as extreme measures are not called
for and long periods of low carbs/calories are not needed. In other words, you only need
go a short period of time before you can eat some of the foods you enjoy (within reason)
and deprivation is not as severe as cut type diets.
Iron Addict

How to Find the Routine Structure that Works for You

This is perhaps one of the most important articles I have written in a long time. It is about
how to fnd the basic framework of routine structure that works best for YOU. As anyone
that has been exposed to bodybuilding knows there are countless diferent training styles
out there that all promise to give you the physique of your dreams. And they are all
WRONG! And they are all CORRECT also. How can this be? Well what I meant by
that is that they all work for some people at least some of the time. And MOST of them
fail most of the people. Most bodybuilders continually sway back and forth, at least in
their minds if not in the gym about how to train. They are lost in a sea of confusion about
who is right and what the reality of efective training really is. Everyone has a very unique
metabolism and what is pure magic for one person may be pure poison for another.
Without going into too much detail I will just say that most guys out there in search that
huge ripped physique just dont have the genetics to make it happen. But..almost
everyone can build a physique that will impress about anyone except competitive level
bodybuilders. How fast you get there, or if you ever get there at all depends on training
and diet. Saving diet for another day lets discuss how to fnd an efective training protocol
for you. In order to keep this from becoming the book it very well could be, we are going
to keep the parameters limited. Instead of going into all the sub-categories of each basic
training style we will just touch upon the big picture styles, because within them are the
volume and frequency that is the guiding factor of whether progress is made or not. Once
you understand your basic needs there will still be much work and experimentation to be
done to fne tune everything to make it ft you. But at least you will be in a position to
make gains while this occurs. Lets face it, MOST people out there pouring their heart
and souls into training are making marginal at best gains.
The categories to be covered here are:
Volume Training, be that traditional or GVT.
Reduced level volume training.
HIT
Hardgainer style training (this is more often than not a sub-category of HIT, but I will
treat it as its own because there are diferences that make a BIG diference as to if it, or
HIT are efective.
In order for this experiment to be efective and work for anyone out there that might be
willing to try it I am going to establish some guidelines for each training protocol to be
followed. I ABSOLUTLY KNOW that the guidelines will not stand-up to criticism
from many proponents of each categories training style. SAVE IT GUYS! I know its not
perfect, and if you have a training style that fts you well and is efective great. MANY,
MANY people are absolutely lost, and this will help them fnd their way if they are willing

to take the time and take some risks. Those risks being that they absolutely will do some
training that doesnt work well for them. My guess though is that the people that havent
put the pieces of the growth puzzle together yet are already not making progress so they
have nothing to lose.
Lets also clear up something else to make sure the trainee is not spinning their wheels.
The most perfect routine is WORTHLESS if rest and nutrition are not there to back
things up. You need to be getting 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight EVERY
DAY, 2 grams if on. Other basics required are:
2 mega-dose multi-vitamin and 2 mega-dose multi-mineral a day.
2000 mgs vit C a day
300% calcium/magnesium/zinc a day
2 tablespoons of fax oil a day.
2 tablespoons olive oil a day
1 gram ALA a day, 2 x 500 mgs
Please understand this in the MINIMAL supps a trainee should take and far from
optimal. THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTATION
SCHEDULE, BUT I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT MANY LIFTERS
TAKE NEXT TO NOTHING. This will provide a minimum base that most any lifter
will do OK on. There are LOTS of other items that are both inexpensive, and result
producing. But this is far better than most people do for themselves.
I am also going to ask that the trainee attempting this does not try it while they are trying
to reduce bodyfat. While I can honestly say that I do not have a single trainee I personal
train that doesnt build strength the whole time they are cutting I do know that most
people simply just dont know how to make this happen so dont attempt this while
cutting. Also if you are say, just starting a new physical labor job, or going out for a sport
that requires large physical exertion expenditures this isnt the best time to experiment.
Try to keep all the variables to a minimum.
OK lets start, here are the basic parameters of each training style to try.
Volume training. Pick three exercises per body-part and do 4 sets each. This is 12 sets per
body-part and while it isnt as high as the 16-20 sets some volume trainers do, its still high

enough to get an adequate growth response if volume training will work for you. These
sets are not to be done to failure but they should be done fairly heavy. Keep the reps in the
8-12 range with 2 to 3 minutes rest per set (always time it so you are consistent). Train 4
days a week using a split that has you only hitting each muscle group once a week. And
yes volume guys I know some of you hit muscles more frequently than that with good
results, but this experiment is made to get the trainee there as soon as possible and once a
week volume training works fne if volume training will work for you. This section is
probably the easiest one to be listed because almost all trainees try volume training at
some point in time. It does NOT work well for the majority of the trainees out there
because its just too much to recover from, but for those it works good for nothing is
better and they should be doing it!
Reduced level volume training. Pick two exercises per body-part and do 3 sets each after
warm-ups. These sets should be hard but not to failure. The last set of each exercise
should be extremely tough though and going to failure on this set is fne, but not needed.
While some will say this is too low to be called volume training, its still more than HIT,
and quite frankly I dont care what its called. It is a very useful protocol and one I have a
lot of my personal training clients on because it works so well. Keep the reps between 812, and train 3-4 days a week (PREFERABLY 3) and only hit each muscle one a week.
Use as little overlap as possible which means all pushing muscles on one day, pulling
muscles on another, and legs the other day. Many folks do chest and back on one day,
arms a day or so later and then wonder why they are not growing. Eliminate the overlap!
HIT, this is probably the hardest one for me to defne a basic training framework for
because there are so many diferent variations of HIT that all qualify as HIT training.
Without leaving anyone slighted for not picking their HIT style I will take a stab at
providing a basic structure to work within. Its particularly hard for me because Im
primarily known as a HIT trainer, but in truth my routines for personal training clients
cover the full spectrum including Westside Barbell routines (ooops! Opened up another
can of worms). Anyway, the protocol for this will be picking two sets per body-part
(except bis and tris, and calves, only one lift here) and do one set of each lift (after warmups) to absolute failure. You may alternatively do these sets with beyond failure
techniques such as rest-pause or drop-sets but most people fnd the beyond failure
techniques too much if used for every lift. If you attempt them and they dont yield
IMMEDIATE strengths gains from your frst rotation drop them immediately and
continue your experiment with strait sets only. Most everyone does well on a routine such
as this and strength gains are usually phenomenal. Some people do not get the size gains
to correspond to the strength gains, but that is a topic for another article.
Hardgainer Style Training. There are many people on these boards that have absolutely
ZERO knowledge about this style of routine. And unfortunately they are most often the

ones that spout of about how it could never work. One of the objections often quoted is
there is no way you could build a competitive physique with a routine like that. To that I
will say no fucking duh. No you are right you cant build a competitive physique on a
routine like this. But duh Einstein the VAST majority of the trainees out there will
never build a competitive physique no matter what they do. That takes great genetics and
unfortunately most people just have it. But with proper training most guys can get damn
big and strong. Big enough to turn heads wherever they go. For MANY people out there
Hardgainer style training is the one and only thing that will get them there. I cant even
count the number of trainees I have seen add 20-40 lbs in a few months after YEARS of
making little or no gains. I know, I was one of them! I will make this category really
simple on everyone. Do this:
Split your routine up into 2 or 3 days and after warm-ups do:
Bench Press or Dips 2 x 8-12
Bent Row or Pull-up 2 x 8-12
Military or Dumbell Press 2 x 8-12
Squat 2 x 8-12
Stif Legged Deadlift 2 x 8-12
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
DONT worry about detail here. The idea is to actually get brutally strong on a core
group of lifts instead. Here is something I posted awhile back:
For you people that are always concerned about balance and symmetry, yet dont grow,
yes, you guys.always doing 3-4 exercises per body-part to ensure complete development
of all aspects of a muscle. What if all you did was:
Squats 400 x 20
Stif-legged deadlifts 375 x 15
Bench Press 315 x 12
Pull-Up with 100 lbs extra weight x 12

Military Press Body-Weight x 10

Calf-Raise 700 x 15
Weighted Sit-Up 175 x 12
How much bigger would you be than you are now, and what muscle would be under
developed?!?!?!?!?!?
What if that was ALL THE LIFTS YOU ACTUALLY DID ON A WEEK-TOWEEK BASIS, BUT ACTUALLY DID THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT? AND
SINCE THAT WAS ALL YOU DID YOU NEVER OVERTRAINED AND
YOU WERE ALWAYS ABLE ADD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT TO
THE BAR. HOW MUCH FUCKING BIGGER WOULD YOU BE THAN YOU
ARE NOW???????
Enough ranting about Hardgainer style training. Let me just add that if you have even a
passing fancy about weight training and you have never read Stuart McRoberts book
Brawn you are really missing something.
Well we have four basic categories and ways to go about testing them, and while
admittedly the formats and methods of implementing them are far from perfect they will
do for someone that is really determined to be successful at bodybuilding. So how to go
about putting them to the test, and how to determine if they are working? Well, we could
start at doing the volume training frst and work down. But I will simply say this. On a
percentile basis more people fail at volume training than succeed. Dont believe me? Go
to your gym and closely observe. MOST people there will be doing a volume routine.
And most will be the little guys you see spinning their wheels looking the same month
after month. Volume guys, dont take this as a knock because as I stated volume works
spectacularly for those it works for. If you are one of them count your blessings, but dont
get rufed and say that if it doesnt work for someone its because they are doing
something wrong. Actually you are right in a way, what they are doing wrong is
overtraining.
In my opinion it would be best to start at the bottom and work your way up. The big
problem here is 80% of the people that decide to try a Hardgainer routine add shit until
its not a Hardgainer routine. LISTEN TO ME! THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW
PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WILL NOT MAKE GREAT PROGRESS ON A
HARDGAINER STYLE ROUTINE, DONT ADD A THING AND IF IT
DOESNT WORK YOU WILL AT LEAST KNOW IT DOESNT WORK
BECAUSE IT DOESNT SUT YOU, NOT BECAUSE YOU BASTARDIZED

IT. Everyone owes it to themselves to try a routine like this at least once in their lives to at
least see what it can do for them. Why have I spent so much time and words about
Hardgainer style training? Do I think its the best way to go? Absolutely not, but I do
know that it is the most misunderstood, and least likely to be tried method. I also
absolutely KNOW that for the extreme hardgainer its the ONLY way they will ever
develop an impressive physique.
Again, I would suggest starting at the bottom and working up. By doing so you WILL
make gains until you run into your overtraining threshold. If you make it to volume
training and volume is working for you add a few sets and keep going till a wall is hit and
back down. I would suggest trying each method for 6 weeks. Judge your results by
strength and size gains. Strength gains should occur on about every lift every week until
you get to volume training. It is common for volume trainers to not have consistent
strength gains, but they do add size consistently. Still, slow strength gains are needed
because if that is not occurring you are just continually repeating the last workout. You
MUST pre progressing! I know some people are probably saying 6 weeks! Thats 24
months, almost half a year. Let me put it to you this way. What were your gains like over
the last 6 months. What if in 6 months from now you had a great handle on your training
and could then devout your time to a training protocol that actually worked for you?
I had a few people asking me why as a personal trainer I would write something like this
and asked if I wasnt concerned that I would lose business because of it. My answer was
simple. I get a great deal of satisfaction helping people achieve their lifting goals and
know that those people I help are more likely to come to me for assistance when they get
stuck, or are ready to take their training to the next level. This is what these boards are
about. People sharing knowledge and everyone benefting from it!
Iron Addict

Levels of Intensity
As most board members know I advocate low volume high intensity style training as
being the best method to go about gaining strength and size. I get a lot of questions
about just how hard one should train and what high intensity methods are most suitable
so I fgured it was time to discuss just what high intensity means. Here are some of the
more common ways to do a set:
Regular training, not to failure
This is perhaps the most used (and abused) method in popular use today. It consists of
lifting a weight using from 3-25 reps (6-12 being most common) and terminating the set
before actual failure occurs. Failure being defned as taking the set to a point where
another rep is absolutely impossible to do no matter how hard one tries using good form.
Regular not to failure training is what is practiced by almost all people doing volume type
training. The simple fact is that there is no way in hell someone can do 9-20 sets a bodypart to failure. Ain't gonna happen. While this type of training is the method that is
mostly used by the pro's and is very much a part of their success, it is also the method that
is most responsible for all the failures that end up quitting bodybuilding because it
simply doesn't work for them. While doing these many, many sets growth is certainly
stimulated, however it is never allowed to happen because doing that much work on a too
frequent schedule leaves nothing left of the trainee's recuperative ability to actually grow
on. In efect the body is caught in a vicious cycle of always just trying to catch up and
never has a chance to devout resources to growing.
There is a way to make this work well. To keep on track and not change the subject, let's
just say it involves doing LOTS less than volume trainers do, and going ALMOST to
failure for at least some of the sets
Training to failure
This method is done by taking a weight and lifting until another rep is absolutely
impossible to do in good form. If you look around you in gyms you will see many people
that on the surface appear to be training to failure, but truth be told, most of them are
grimacing and looking the part when they have MANY reps left in them. The bar is
usually racked when it starts to hurt too bad. Truly taking a set to absolute positive failure
is damn hard work and is all that is needed by most people, most of the time.
Beyond failure training

Here are a few, but defnitely not all types of beyond failure training:
Forced reps. These are done by having your spotter give you just enough of a spot to get
the weight to the contracted position so it can be lowered under control again.
Static contractions. While these can be done all by there self prior to reaching failure, a
common use is to reach failure and then get a spot, and proceed to hold the bar in the
contracted position until it can't be held anymore and S-L-O-W-L-Y is lowered all the
way down.
Super-sets. To do a super-set in beyond failure fashion, an isolation movement for the
target muscle is done to failure, and then IMMEDIATELY with no rest, a compound
movement is preformed. Examples include fyes immediately followed by bench presses.
Lateral raises immediately followed by dumbbell or military presses. Leg extensions
immediately followed by squats. The idea is to be able to take the muscle past the point at
which failure was reached by having other muscles assist.
Rest/pause. The prime example here would be 20 rep squats where you take a weight
that you can do a max set of 10-12 with, and at the point where another rep would be
impossible, instead of racking the bar you rest/breath long enough to get another rep, and
another and so-on until all 20 have been completed. Rest/pause can be used with almost
any lift. Some lifts can be done while holding the bar, and others it is perfectly acceptable
to drop the bar while resting long enough to get another couple reps. A great rest/pause
format is to hit failure at 8, and the get 2 more, then 2 more, then 2, then 1. This is the
beyond failure technique I like most because it's easy to do because the bar is already
loaded with the correct weight. For most lifts they can be done without a partner. They
do not encourage extreme lengths of a set. Usually after 2-4 rest-pause you can't get
another rep without waiting an extremely long amount of time so the set is terminated
unlike drop sets where it may go on and on and on.
Drop/strip sets. These are done by doing a set to failure, then IMMEDIALY stripping
some weights or grabbing another lighter bar or set of dumbbells and doing more reps,
and then sometimes repeating again. This method is terribly abused and some people do
endless strips until they are lifting the bar only. GREAT way to overtrain, not so great a
way to grow.
As you can see there are lots of ways to lift a weight to or past failure. What works best?
Well no one can argue that a set must be taken to failure to be productive and growth
producing. The only problem with this method is since the intensity is so low lots of sets
are usually done to stimulate growth and lots of sets = overtraining for the vast majority

of trainees. Regular to positive failure training when done with real intensity and not
stopped when the set gets tough, but TRULY taken to failure is just the ticket for
MOST people. If your sets are truly done to failure, how many should be done? Well I
can state unequivocally that one (after warm-ups) is absolutely all you need to turn on the
growth mechanism. Unfortunately bodybuilders read bodybuilding magazines and read
all about how the pro's train and falsely believe that a bunch of sets are needed..they are
wrong! One or at most two sets taken to positive failure are defnitely all one needs to
stimulate growth. In some cases one to three prior NOT to failure sets can be done
before the to failure set is done, and this can help with size, but again that is another story
for another day.
That said, what about all the other beyond failure techniques? Are they needed? Will
they make you grow better? Will they overtrain you? Like all things bodybuilding related
the answer is it depends, and sometimes for some people. If I could pick one that is
most productive, rest/pause would get the nod. It allows you to keep the same heavy
stress on the muscle throughout the set unlike some other techniques like drop sets or
super-sets. It's easy to apply and you can do it in a crowded gym, unlike trying to do for
instance, a set of leg extensions followed by a set of squats (try that in a crowded gym
where the leg extension machine is half-way across the gym from the squat rack!). And
unlike forced reps it YOU lifting the weight, not your spotter. And they also allow you to
do as few or as many after failure reps as you want.
Now comes the downside of HIT techniques. They WILL overtrain you if you insist on
doing a whole bunch of sets of them or too many exercises too frequently. The plus side to
this is done correctly they give you the absolute best chance of stimulating growth in as
short as time possible with as few lifts as possible allowing you the best chance to recover
and supercompensate between sessions. Should you incorporate beyond failure
techniques? Yes, sometimes, with some lifts. Unless you are a fairly easy gainer I would
not have you doing all your sets beyond failure, and even easy gainers do great just taking
their sets to failure. If you are a hardgainer I would strongly suggest only going to positive
failure (20 rep squats or deadlifts excepted) on your sets. If you fall somewhere in-between
I would suggest doing a few lifts rest-pause or super-set fasion to see how you respond.
BEWARE! IF YOU START MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON A COUPLE
OF LIFTS LIKE THIS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME DOING ALL
LIFTS LIKE THIS WILL ACCELERATE GAINS. IT WILL MORE LIKELY
STOP ALL PROGRESS!
All this is written assuming you volume and frequency is relatively low. Doing this type of
training on a 4-6 day a week schedule with three exercises per body-part will fail 99% of
those attempting it. If your training is not brief and infrequent stick to regular sets

stopped short of failure. If you want to try something that REALLY works, cut your
volume and frequency and TRAIN HARD!
Hope this clears up a few HIT questions.
Iron Addict

Rotating Routines
The most common way to structure a routine is to select a fxed number of exercises,
decide how many sets and reps are to be done, and use this routine week to week, always
doing the same lifts until it is decided a change is needed and then either exercises are
removed and new ones inserted into the routine, or wholesale changes are made and a
complete new set of lifts and sets/reps is selected. This is the traditional way routines are
structured and for most trainees it is an efective way to get the job done. There are other
camps out there that believe this is all wrong for a variety of reasons and in SOME cases
they are correct. The top name and mid level bodybuilders that go into the gym and
attack each workout by feel are almost too numerous to name, but sufce to say that many
people just go to the gym and do what feels right for that particular day, and rarely do the
same workout twice. While no one can argue with their success, this route is usually a
recipe for failure for the average guy.
More structure is generally needed unless you have absolutely fantastic genetics and/or
are on a BOATLOAD of gear. A more reasonable approach, and one that has a lot more
chance of success is planning the routine to change on a pre-planned basis. A couple of
good examples of those that prefer rotating routines would be Westside Barbell (Louis
Simmoms/Dave Tate) and Doggcrap (AKA Dante, AKA..well, never mind you know
the guy). Westside Barbell Pretty much dominates the powerlifting world, and DC's rep
is almost unparalleled as a trainer that gets AWESOME results for his trainees. It would
take MANY pages to describe Westside training, but the condensed version is that they
take a core group of lifts and rotate them every one to three weeks dependant on the
trainee. Here is a copy paste out of DC's cycles on pennies thread describing his basic
training format.
I did a copy-paste because I'm lazy, but it will give you the idea. ALL Dogg's training
principles are SPOT-ON and if it doesn't work for you all that need be changed is
frequency and for some people only doing mostly strait sets instead of rest-pause. ALL
body-parts are trained with ONE SET ONLY, performed in rest-pause fashion.
DAY ONE
CHEST
SHOULDERS
TRICEPS
BACK WIDTH
BACK THICKNESS

DAY TWO
BICEPS
FOREARMS
CALVES
HAMSTRINGS
QUADS
DAY THREE OFF
DAY FOUR-REPEAT CHEST DAY ONE AND SEQUENCE BUT WITH
TOTAL DIFFERENT EXERCISES
DAY FIVE-REPEAT DAY TWO AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES
DAY SIX OFF
DAY SEVEN-REPEAT DAY ONE AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES THAN DAY ONE AND FOUR
DAY EIGHT --REPEAT DAY TWO AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES THEN DAY TWO AND FIVE
Example Day one
frst exercise smith incline presses (ill use the weights i use for example)
135 for warm-up for 12--185 for 8 warm-up--225 for 6-8 warm-up-----then 375 for 8 reps to
total absolute failure (then 12-15 deep breaths) 375 for 2-4 reps to total absolute failure
(then 12-15 deep breaths) 375 for 1-3 reps to absolute total failure (then a 20-30 second static
hold) DONE!--that's it 375lbs for 8+4+3= 375 for 15 reps rest paused..... next week I go
for 385 (again rest paused)-----directly after that rest pause set I go to extreme stretching
fyes as described earlier in this post and that's it for chest and on to shoulders, triceps and
back........the next day I come in to do chest would be day 4 and i would do hammer fat
presses in the same rest paused manner (and then extreme stretching again)---the next day
i come in to do chest is day seven and I would do my third favorite exercise rest paused
and then the cycle repeats. Three chest workouts in nine days with low enough volume to
recover in between workouts and high enough intensity and load to grow rapidly--my
workouts last an hourI'm doing one exercise for one all out balls to the wall rest pause
set (I don't count warm-ups only the working set) ---so in simple terms I am using
techniques with extreme high intensity (rest pause) which i feel make a persons strength
go up as quickly as possible + low volume so i can (recover) as quickly as possible with as
many growth phases (damage/remodel/recover) I can do in a years time.

That is Dogg's format in a nutshell, but it is ONLY the basic format and Dogg alters it
to ft those he trains.
Here is a routine I used a while back with good success:
Bench
Dips
1 Arm Upright Row
Neck Work
Day Two
Shrugs
Pull-Ups WEIGHTED
Bent Row
Hammer Curls
Day Three
Glute Ham Raise
Leg Extensions
Squats
Abs
Day One, Week Two
Incline Dumbell Press/BP
Incline Press
Lateral Raises
Tricep Push Downs
Day Two, Week Two
Pull-ups/Downs, Vary Grip Every Wk
Dumbell Curls
Reverse Curls
Rack-Pulls
Day Three, Week Two
Hanging Leg Raises
Resistance abs
Hammer Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Leg Press

All lifts noted as 15 reps are done rest-pause fashion which means you fail at 8 and rest
JUST long enough to do a couple more reps, then a couple more, until the full 15 have
been reached. PLEASE do not peek at this and say that's how Iron Addict trains like
many people did when I posted it awhile back on another board because my current
routine is NOTHING like this, and my routines vary a lot. For some muscles I fnd I
need more volume for size, but going back to a pure HIT routine ALWAYS works for
me.
Here is a routine I recently put together for an advanced trainee with good recovery
ability that has been working well for him:
Day One
Machine Incline
Pec Deck
Military or Machine Press
Lateral Raise
Laying Tricep extensions
DayTwo
Shrugs
Pull-Ups
Cable Row
Cable Preacher Curl
Day Three
Glute Ham Raise
Squats
Abs
Standing Calf Raise
Day One, Week Two
Dumbell Bench Press
Incline Bench
Lateral Raises
Tricep Push Downs (neutral Grip)
Day Two, Week Two
Pull-ups/Downs, Vary Grip Every Wk
Dumbell Curls
Reverse Curls

Rack-Pulls
Day Three, Week Two
Hanging Leg Raises
Resistance abs, HEAVY!!
Leg Press
Hack Squat
Calf Raise
And of course for the ultimate in rotation, Westside Barbell training. Here everything
stays in a constant state of change. Here is a PART of a routine a put together for a
trainee using one of my Westside BB modifed routines. I now have four variations that
have solved many of the problems some have with the standard WSB format. This one is
one that combines the speed work with the max efort (low rep 1-3) on the same day. My
latest version has them separate, but I still use a couple variations of doing them on the
same day for trainees that overtrain easily. Does it work? Look for an article soon
detailing more about these WSB modifed routines. Strength goes up BIG-TIME, and
size is also great. Truly an awesome system
Week Day Lift Lift Lift Lift
1 mb foor press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 cgbp 2 x 10 dumbell press 3 x 10
1 ms gm squat 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 sldl 2 x 12
1 acc. db row Lat Pull-Down 2 x 10 BB curl 2 x 10 abs
2 mb foor press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 cgbp 2 x 10 dumbell press 3 x 10
2 ms gm squat 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 abs 2 x 10
2 acc. db row 2 x 10 Lat Pull-Down 2 x 10 BB curl 2 x 10 abs
3 mb 3 board press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 dip 2 x 10 Lateral Raise 2 x 10
3 ms low box squat 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 gh as many possible x 2
3 acc. bb row 2 x 10 Lat Pull-Down 2 x 10 DB Curls 2 x 12 abs
4 mb 3 board press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 dip 2 x 10 Lateral Raise 2 x 10
4 ms low box squat 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 gh as many possible x 2
4 acc. bb row 2 x 10 Chin-Up 3 x 8 DB Curls 2 x 12 abs
5 mb Incline Press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 rack cgbp mid level 2 x 8 Lateral Raise 2 x 10
5 ms Arched Back GM 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 gh as many possible x 2
5 acc. Bench Row 2 x 10 Chin-Up 3 x 8 EZ Bar Curl 2 x 6 curl
6 mb Incline Press 1 x 3 SB 3 x 6 rack cgbp mid level 2 x 8 Lateral Raise 2 x 10

6 ms Arched Back GM 1 x 3 Speed Squat 6 x 2 gh as many possible x 2

6 acc. Bench Row 2 x 10 Chin-Up 3 x 8 EZ Bar Curl 2 x 6 curl
For the average person wanting to attempt doing a rotating routine my best advice is to
pick a hardgainer style routine that is brief and infrequent, and then make another
variation of that with diferent exercises and do that the following week. I have many of
my trainees doing rotational routines. Where I difer from many is that I only like a twoway routine split while many trainers break it up more. They both work, but my
experience has been that people that are not that gifted with the ability to fre (send the
signal from brain to muscle to contract) are more likely to do well on a shorter rotation.
That way some of the neural recruitment patterns are not lost as is more likely to be the
case when a longer time between doing the same lift occurs.
OK, your reading this and maybe thinking awesome, how should I try this? Well let me
give you a couple of qualifers. If you are a BRAND NEW trainee, and have been
training less than a year, stick to a routine that has you doing the same things week to
week. If you are an extreme hardgainer, or are someone that feels naturally weak anytime
you switch lifts leave this alone, it will PROBABLY not yield optimal results for you. If
these categories don't ft you, and you want to give it a try, my advice is to pick a routine
that has worked well for you in the past, and then KEEPING THE SETS AND REPS
THE SAME, put together a diferent routine and do that the following week. How
should your routine be best structured as far as bodyparts per day? That is a question for
another day and article.
Iron Addict

The Calendar
Everyone wants to have structure in their workouts to provide continuity and a sense of
order. It's nice to know that on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (or whatever your
schedule looks like) you will be in the gym and the remaining days of the week are rest
days and you can thus plan your weekly activities around this schedule. While this sure is
convenient and helps make the day-to-day things that we call life all ft into the calendar
week it can be disastrous from a standpoint of how well your weight training program
works for you.
During the golden years of bodybuilding, from the 40's- 60's a three-day a week schedule
was the norm. Then came the 70's and especially during the heyday of Arnold where
more was somehow associated with better, and things really got out of control. 5-6 days a
week workouts were popularized and twice a week per body-part workouts were hailed
as the fastest way to get huge. While it may have done wonders for Arnold, most people
including genetic superiors grossly over-train hitting body-parts hard twice a week.
Without spending a bunch of time discussing what I feel is the correct number of days of
week to train, I'll just make mention that the one commonality of most all training routine
schedules is that they are based on a 7 day week. Twice a week per body-part training has
largely fell from favor as it doesn't take long to fnd out it just doesn't work that well for
most people. As a whole, including a large percentage of the pro's, once a week per
body-part has pretty much become standard. While once every seven days works
extremely well for most trainees, especially if the volume is low enough, for MANY
trainees it's simply too much.
If the most genetically elite pro's doing WAY more gear than you ever dreamed of fnd
once a week the correct frequency, why does Joe average fgure it's perfect for him also? If
once a week is too much for some people, what is the correct frequency for those already
doing low volume and not gaining fast enough? That's a big question and one that can't
be answered with a blanket response. The two approaches I have seen work best are 3
times in nine days, or simply starting at once a week and inserting rest days regardless of
the type of schedule one is doing. And just so you have some reference point, I NEVER
recommend training more than three times in 7 days unless someone is a genetic freak
recovery wise. I have had well over a hundred trainees doing a three times in 9-day
routine. Of all these I have NEVER had a trainee fail to make awesome progress. Yes,
some people do better on a once a week frequency but MOST genetically typical people
actually do better on once every 8-10 days.

Before you dismiss this and fgure it's just not enough training and you will progress too
slowly here is what usually occurs when training say once every 9 days as opposed to once
every 7. As an example, at the end of thirty days and 4 workouts per body-part the trainee
gains 20 lbs on his big lifts, while when he does a once in nine days he may add 25 lbs. Of
about 30 people I am currently training approximately 50% are doing a once in 9-day split
and all are making great progress. No, not everyone needs to train this infrequently but if
you are not satisfed with your results it's DEFINITELY worth giving a try. Many
people swear they will never go back to a once in 7 schedules after trying less frequent
training. If your doing what was a twice in 7 day routine like SB or myself have discussed
and aren't making the type of progress you think possible, simply insert rest days until you
fnd your sweet-spot. Remember, if you are training within your bodies ability to recover
you WILL add weight or reps or both to about every lift, every session. Mentzer
advocated once in 12-16 days and I can say it works beyond all shadow of a doubt,
although many fnd the size gains to not correspond to the strength gains on this type of
schedule. The big downside to these types of schedules is that they don't ft nicely into the
work week and one week you will be in the gym on Monday, the next Tuesday, and end
up having to hit the gym on the weekends some weeks also.
While it is absolutely true that the more frequently you can train a body-part and recover
and grow the faster you will achieve your goals it's TOTALLY USELESS to train
before you have recovered. If you could train a body-part four times a week and grow
you'd achieve your goal 75% faster than only hitting them once a week. Regardless, you
cannot make your body do something impossible for it, and for many, full recovery does
take longer than 7 days. Give it a shot and see how it goes. You will probably be surprised
at just how much faster you make progress.
Iron Addict

The Current State of Bodybuilding

I do personal training, read lots of people's posts, and exchange info with many people on
a daily basis and must say the current state of afairs in the training world only gets worse
each year. 20 years ago we had Peary Rader who was then the publisher of Iron Man
championing training routines and printing articles that were suitable for the average
trainee. In his place is Stuart McRobert, publisher of Hardgainer magazine who has
actually gone Peary one better and publishes a magazine that ONLY caters to the
genetically typical trainee. The only problem is Hardgainer Mag isn't mainstream and it's
a fair bet that most of you reading this have never even heard of it, much less read a copy.
Weight training is the only pastime I can think of that has so much instruction that is
ENTIRELY UNSUITABLE FOR THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH IT. Why
is this the case? Unsuitable role models. Pick up a bodybuilding mag and you are going to
see the current pro's in the pics and in the articles. These guys are huge beyond belief and
the average person reading the article naturally assumes that since they are the best in the
world they must know the most about how to help the average person develop a great
physique. THIS ASSUMPTION IS ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY 100%
INCORRECT! What these guys know about is how to train IF YOU HAVE THEIR
OUT OF THE WORLD GENETIC PREDISPOSISTION TO GROWING
MUSCLE WHILE BEING ON MORE GEAR THAN THE AVERAGE
PERSON WILL EVER THINK OF DOING. IF YOU DO NOT FIT THE
ABOVE CRITERIA THE TRAINING METHODS OF THE PRO'S WILL
ABSOLUTELY FAIL THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE
ATTEMPTING IT! READ THE ABOVE STATEMENT AGAIN!
I have had friends and met many people that competed or were just absolute freaks and
you know what? They didn't know SHIT about what it takes to make the average person
grow. They assumed Joe average doesn't grow because he doesn't have heart or doesn't
want it bad enough. These guys instruct people to train just like they do and you know
what happens? Nothing! The poor people DON'T grow, and both the trainees and
trainer are clueless about why. Well I'm here to tell you that you can want it all you want
but if you train outside your body's ability to recuperate you WON'T grow, plain and
simple
I'm surely not the foremost expert about bodybuilding, but I have learned quite a bit in
over 20 years of training and here is my best guess about the average percentage of
genetic predisposition for having what it takes to respond to popular training routines:

5% have it TOTALLY going on and grow like weeds provided they train like animals.
These guys can do volume routines, and pretty much what they want in the gym and
recover from it and grow. These guys can train 4-6 days a week and do crazy shit in the
gym and get huge.
10% Are WELL above average for training and make awesome progress so long as they
don't go all out on 6 day a week marathon routines. These guys make awesome progress
training 4 days a week doing a fair amount of volume and tend to not overtrain too easy.
These are the typical big guys you see in the gym hoisting big iron.
10% Are not too bad of and make reasonable progress on 4 day a week schedules and do
better training bodyparts once a week on a four day schedule. Three days a week work
best though. These guys don't have bad genetics for gaining mass but too much training
stifes most of their progress unless they get a grip on it.
50% are genetically typical people that are NOT well suited for lifting. This DOESN'T
mean they can't make great progress and build an awesome physique. It merely means
they don't have an innate capacity to get huge and overtrain easily. Attempting a 4-day a
week volume training routine TOTALLY fails these guys (yes, probably you and me) and
unless they are on lots of gear doing a routine like this they DON'T grow. These guys
need to train bodyparts once a week or LESS. Never work out more than three days a
week (and two is better) and need to everything in their power to not overtax their
systems outside of the gym.
25% Are the genetic trash-bag the ones that bodybuilding just doesn't work for. Are they
hopeless? HELL NO! But since they overtrain VERY EASILY they must take a radical
approach to training that most of you have probably never even heard of. They can still
build a great body, but quite frankly they will probably never get huge. But they can make
AWESOME progress nonetheless. I have trained many of these guys that had trained for
years and to look at them you would never know they had so much as seen a weight. I put
20-30 lbs of muscle on them after a time IF they will listen. Unfortunately most people are
so brainwashed by the hype of the champs routines they just never can get themselves to
believe the REAL requirements of muscle growth can be so simple.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you the popular bodybuilding routines don't work,
because that would be a lie. I will tell you they only work for such a small minority of the
population that they are worthless for the average person. I trained for over 10 years and
made it to a pinnacle of 180 at 6'1 using the champs routines. Don't ask me why I stuck
with it that long; I guess I'm just hard headed. And in all fairness there were many
periods were I quit in disgust because I killed myself in the gym and never saw any
appreciable results. The year I discovered Hardgainer Magazine and the alternative

training methods I gained over 30 lbs and eventually hit 270 (235 drug free). Sound like a
miracle? I have heard the same thing from countless trainees that tried the simple
approach and fnally started growing. Here is my question for you; do you REALLY
grow on your current routine? Does it only work while you're on gear and then you shrink
back to your former self? Does it not even deliver the results you want or expect while on
gear? If the answer to this is that you not satisfed with your progress what do you have to
lose by trying another approach? The odds are you are in the 75% category as opposed to
the minority that got a better draw when they handed out genetics.
If you REALLY want to grow here is your frst step: go to this site
http://www.hardgainer.com/books.html and order Brawn or Beyond Brawn I can make
no higher recommendation than these two books. They changed my life and countless
others that were fed up with slow or no gains. Read these books and then apply them.
Don't listen to the other idiots that will tell you that type of training will never work
because Arnold didn't train that way or some other lame excuse. The types of routines in
these books are EXACTLY what the average person needs and are the only way Joe
average is ever going to get big. If you don't buy and read this book you have no excuse
for not growing. Mike Mentzer's books are another invaluable source of training info that
works for people that don't respond to high volume work. His website URL is:
http://www.mikementzer.com/
In case you haven't fgured it out already the #1 reason people don't grow is overtraining,
pure and simple. What most people never come to grips with is exactly how demanding
weight training is to your muscles, and to your metabolism as a whole. If the pros, the
best of the best do 12-20 sets a bodypart and make great gains why wouldn't they make
better gains doing 24-40 sets? Why? Because they would overtrain, don't think if it
worked they wouldn't do it. So if the most gifted people on the planet have an
overtraining threshold what makes you think you don't? And what makes you think you
can do their workout and it be efective for you if they can't even get away with doing
much more? How demanding is weight lifting? Let's pretend we can put a meter on you
that measures physical exertion. How much would that meter move during the course of
the average day? Not a lot, Even if you have a fairly physical job what even REMOTELY
comes close to the amount of physical stress that occurs by doing an all out set of benches,
let alone a balls out set of squats or deadlifts. The meter would probably break on an all
out set of squats, they are that demanding!
Look in nature and you will see no animal that exerts itself in the fashion a bodybuilder
does doing an all out efort with a barbell. The demands on the body's systems are
absolutely huge and unless you recuperate between training session's growth will not
occur. Here is the deal though, always train within your body's ability to recover and
strength and size gains happen like clockwork. Unless you are quite advanced and are

already getting close to your bodies genetic capacity for size and strength YOU
SHOULD AND WILL ADD WEIGHT, OR REPS, OR BOTH TO ABOUT
EVERY EXERCISE EVERY WEEK. DOES YOUR CURRENT TRAINING
PROTOCOL REALLY DELIVER LIKE THAT? REALLY??? And no I won't tell
you progress should always be linear but until you are damn big and strong it should be
close to linear provided you do the right things. So how do you know if you're
overtraining on your current program? See what I just wrote above. If you are constantly
gaining strength (even a small amount) all is well and you need merely put many, many
sessions back to back and the small strength increments slowly add up over time to a
much bigger stronger you. IF YOUR NOT GAINING YOU MIGHT AS WELL
STAY HOME, WHATS THE POINT?
Ponder this for a moment, most people spend their time worrying about complete
development, they read all about how for "complete development" they must hit the
muscles from all angles and in doing so end up grossly overtraining. Since they overtrain
so bad they fail to add weight to the bar regularly and while they certainly hit all aspects of
the muscle (whatever the fuck that means) they rarely add poundage to the bar. Think
about this for a minute. If ALL you did was do squats, stif legged deadlifts, bench (or
dips), weighted pullups, and military or dumbell presses, and some ab work and calf
raises. BUT, since you ALWAYS recovered on this simple schedule and were able to add
weight or reps every workout until you squatted 400 for 20, stif legged 350 for 15,
benched 315 for 12, did pull-ups with 100 lbs around your waist, and did dumbell presses
with 3/4 bodyweight for 8 reps, how big would you be compared to where you are now?
Most people never come close to those numbers because they do so many movements,
and sets so frequently they never give their body a chance to grow. Weight training
should be a simple activity, instead it's convoluted to the point it doesn't work for most
people....read that people with normal genetics, gear or no gear. Am I saying that is all the
training you should do? Certainly not, not without knowing lot's more about you. I am
saying that is all some people can do productively. Unfortunately instead of doing
something simple they can grow on, they do so much in a fruitless attempt at making
everything perfect, they end up with NOTHING instead.
And please don't respond by saying you know someone that can lift those numbers who is
not that big. The fact is it's all relevant. The guys that can lift that much will be bigger
when they are moving much more iron. You can pump all you want, but if you haven't
fgured out yet that to build bigger muscles you should be lifting bigger weights you truly
are lost. Why am I ranting? Because I see so many people caught up on all the things that
don't add up to shit in the long run and not doing the simple things they need to do be
successful. Will the proper training make you a champ? Probably not, most people simply
don't have the genetics to go that far, sad but true. Most people do however have what it
takes to build a great body that will get you noticed anywhere but in the midst of

competitive bodybuilders. Most people never achieve this because they are simply
misguided. If your training isn't working for you now, how is supposed to magically start
working one day? Progress should be immediate and consistent and if it's not you are
simply overtraining, under eating, or a combo of the two.
Popular training literature tells you what to do to train like the pro's. It doesn't tell you
what to do if you try this approach and it doesn't work. The books listed above, and quite
a bit of alternative literature is out there, hidden from the masses by what the media is
selling you..simply because it sells. Buy these books and learn how to achieve you
potential. By the way I have no commercial interest in them and don't make a penny from
their sale. I do get TONS of satisfaction when someone emails me though and tells me
about the spectacular results they are getting since switching their training to something
that works.
Iron Addict

The Cheapest Anabolic

I know there are some people on this board that are dying to add some serious mass to
their frame. Want to know the cheapest and MAYBE the most efective way? SQUAT!
I have met people that never gained shit until they got on a simple program that revolved
around heavy squatting. I have had drug free people gain 20 lbs in three months doing a
simple routine of 6 or 7 exercises with the emphasis on killing yourself squatting, and
heavy eating. And I mean 20 lbs ALL over not just the legs. Here is an excerpt from an
article I wrote for Hardgainer Magazine many years ago, and yes I know hardgainer mag
is aimed at drug free trainees, but the same principles apply:
The typical hardgainer can forget about making big gains throughout the body until they
get the thigh/back musculature growing. Think about it this way, if your body is not very
efcient at growing muscle tissue and your current routine is like that of most trainees,
(what I call the double B's, bench and biceps) how much of a demand have you placed on
your body to become more efcient at growing? Working chest, delts, tri's, and biceps
works approximately 10% of your overall lean body mass. Working hard on deadlift's
(bent legged, Trap Bar, or sumo) or squatting (not necessarily at the same time) works
more like 70% of your musculature at once and sends a STRONG message to your body
to GET BETTER AT GROWING NOW!
Because the demands on your metabolism are so great when doing these movements the
results are also great. But like anything worthwhile in life it comes at a price: brutally hard
work done consistently with ever increasing poundage's. The original "recipe" for success
for those that were previously unable to register signifcant gains in size and strength was
the 20 rep squatting routine with one set (after warm-ups) to failure done along with a
handful of other basic exercises, no fuf, just brutally demanding hard work done
infrequently with an emphasis on heavy eating.
If you have never done high rep squatting or deadlifting with limit poundage's you will no
doubt be amazed at how difcult they are. They will probably be the most demanding
things you have ever done inside or outside of the gym. They will for sure be the most
productive thing you've ever done in the gym. Twenty Rep squats are not done by
putting a light-weight on the bar and doing twenty quick reps and racking the bar. They
are done by using a weight that the trainee will have to almost kill himself to get 15 reps
with. By rep 10 or so you will be breathing like a horse and gasping for your breath. You
will fght to get the 15 reps, then instead of racking the bar you keep it on your shoulders
and rest/breath long enough to get the next rep, and the next, then the next. You will have
to fght every fber in your body telling you to dump the bar. But you persist and make it

to rep 20. Rep 21 should be impossible should you have attempted it. If you are able to do
another set after this one you weren't trying hard enough.
For this reason I always do high rep squats (or deadlifts) as the last movement in the
routine. Try them and see why! Many times I have trained people who swore they
worked like animals in the gym and had them on the foor gasping like fsh out of water,
unable to continue with any additional work after one limit set of squats. These were
people that swore they trained as hard as possible and were sure the proposed workout
could not possibly be able to stimulate growth in so few sets. By the way these were
usually people that were previously unable to add bodyweight and went on to become
quite big and strong by applying Hardgainer techniques to their training.
The Heritage High rep squatting has a history going back to the early days of the Iron
Game. For a detailed history and training program promoting high rep squatting I
suggest you purchase the book "Super Squats" by Randall Strossen.
http://www.ironmind.com/
While the main routine contained in this book will prove to be too much for most
Hardgainers, the abbreviated routine given is excellent (contained in this manual, see
description) for those needing to cut back to the bare bones in able to gain. This routine
was promoted by Peary Radar (IronMan Magazines previous Editor/Publisher) as a
surefre routine for those unable to gain on even the basic 20 rep squatting routine
consisting of squats, barbell curls, bench presses, rows, and military presses. Peary
championed the 20 rep squatting routine for years during his time as publisher of
IronMan. Unfortunately his voice was drowned out by the Weiders "champion" routines.
His magazine also did not have the exposure of the Weider publications at the time.
When IronMan was procured by the current owners the newer formula (big names, long
routines) was ushered in and the tradition of basic training with heavy squats as the core
of the routine was almost lost to future generations. Were it not for Stuart McRobert,
Randall Strossen and a handful of others that had learned this most productive method of
training and promoted it to all that would listen. And yes, all rep ranges work, but for
sheer size all over you can't beat heavy 20's.
Iron Addict

Overtraining
Overtraining is defned as doing more training than your body can recover from, thus
reducing or stopping size/strength adaptations from occurring. Everyone has a fnite
capacity to recover from the demands of lifting weights. What is not usually realized is
just how intense these demands are on your metabolism and how much individual
response to this varies. Some people are very tolerant of high loads of both volume and
frequency. This means they can go to the gym more often and do many sets and
movements and still have the ability to adapt and make size/strength gains from this load.
Guess who these people generally are? Yup, they are the huge guys you see in the mags
that win the contests. Unfortunately they are the role models that most people base their
training on.
What is failed to be understood is that unless you have the same capacity to recover from
training as they do you will overtrain badly and not grow. OVERTRAINING IS THE
SINGLE BIGGEST REASON MOST TRAINEES MAKE SLOW OR NO
PROGRESS! OK, so now that we know that, what is undertraining? It's simple and
quite frankly is not usually the problem. Undertraining is not imposing an adequate stress
on your musculature by not forcing it to more than it is accustomed to. Unless you
constantly force your muscles to do a task they cannot do you have not provided adequate
stimulus for growth. "Pumpers" are most often guilty of this. They go to the gym and do
their 3 sets of ten of three movements and as long as they get their sets in and achieve a
good pump they are happy.
Unfortunately they don't send the growth signal to their bod this way. Never attempting
more then you are capable of will leave you stalemated. As far as not hitting a muscle often
enough, this is just not a factor. Almost everyone hits a muscle at least once a week and
this is fne and even hitting a muscle every 9-10 days will work. It takes much longer for
adaptation to occur than most people realize. After you work a muscle and provide
stimulus for growth two things must occur. First recovery, then adaptation (growth).
So how do you know if your overtraining? Well the real barometer should be your
training weights. You should be seeing increases in about every movement from week to
week. These increases need not be big but unless they are occurring you need to revisit
your program and make some changes. Adding one rep, or 2.5 lbs to a movement is
signifcant but unless it is occurring you just repeated the same workout as last time and
as long as you are doing the same weights your gonna have the same body. VERY
LITTLE VOLUME IS NEEDED TO STIMULATE GAINS! Using back as an
example if you are doing one movement for width and one for thickness you have it
covered. Why add more? If you do your warm-ups and then do 2 all out sets to failure you

have surely stimulated growth, why do more? Remember you grow proportionately to the
degree you do not overtrain (of coarse without proper nutrition NOTHING will happen
but that's another story).
There is a wonderful magazine called Hardgainer that is written catering to drug-free
genetically typical people. Why would that be of interest to us gear-heads? Well this mag
has AWESOME examples that illustrates just how little training is actually needed for
growth and how people that NEVER made gains get big by training within their ability
to recover between workouts. If you are not making signifcant progress on your current
training program HOW DO YOU EVER SUPPOSE IT'S GOING TO
MAGICALLY ONE DAY START WORKING? Everyone can grow of of simple
routines done not more than 3-4 days a week (for many people 4 days is too much) but
very few can tolerate lots of exercises and lots of sets done many days a week.
Adding more movements and sets is RARELY the answer if your progress is not
satisfactory. If it's not working REDUCE, if progress is not forthcoming reduce again,
and again until you are growing. SOME PEOPLE HAVE VERY LITTLE ABILITY
TO TOLERATE HEAVY TRAINING! They can still achieve great results but have
to abbreviate their training radically to be able to recover. WHO CARES IF THE
APPROACH IS RADICAL AS LONG AS THE RESULTS ARE?
OVERTRAINING = SLOW OR NO GROWTH EOD. Don't get trapped in the
OT rut. It is far better to do a program that is basic and allows you to make progress on a
few movements than one designed to hit the muscle from all angles and not grow.
Iron Addict

The Deep End

I read a lot of posts, receive a lot of emails, and train a lot of people. In doing so one
theme that is pretty consistent is the willingness and desire of people to knowingly, and
unknowingly want to dive into the deep end before they really know how to swim. This
has people doing routines of the champs when they are rank beginners. People doing
gear cycles after training less than two years. People doing mega-cycles after their frst
cycle or two. And people just taking drastic, or unrealistic approaches with much of their
diet/supp/training programs. If you are relatively new to the game, STUDY! Learn
everything you can before deciding what to do. It's a lot easier if you want to be a
powerlifter because powerlifters tend to train for slightly more tangible results. Either the
bar keeps getting loaded heavier or something is wrong. In doing so they tend to train
much more conservatively than bodybuilders.
Bodybuilders are ABSOLUTELY BOMBARDED with a slew of BULLSHIT
training and diet methodologies. MOST OF THE SHIT YOU READ IN THE
GLOSSY MAGAZINES DOES NOT WORK FOR GENETICALLY TYPICAL
TRAINEES TRAINING CLEAN. Gear can help this, but only goes so far in leveling
the playing feld. Get a clean trainee focusing on the big lifts, at a rate they can recover
from, and magic happens. Get the average guy doing gear and doing 20 sets a bodypart,
training 6 days a week, and they will usually end up insisting the gear was fake.
If you are a relatively new trainer (or even a long time one that hasn't put it together yet)
I can make no higher recommendation that Stuart McRobert's book Brawn. It will
probably open your eyes to possibilities you never dreamed existed. It is a great starting
point for everyone. The book is not complete, and will not get everyone where they need
to be, and there are problems with it, especially when it comes to the diet side. But it will
point most people down the path they need to start the journey from.
I'd like to think I'm picking up where Stuart has left of because unlike Stuart I have a lot
of experience training people that are clean, do gear, and have genetics ranging from
genetic trash bag (Stuarts term) to genetic freaks (in the best sense). Unlike Stuart, I
know volume, and some more advanced techniques can work for SOME genetically
typical people. And I know how to apply most training methodologies to those that can
proft from them. And please, please, don't think I am taking anything away from Stuart,
because he was my mentor, and truly was the person that was almost singularly
responsible for my ultimate success as a lifter. Before reading his material I gained almost
nothing after over 10 years wasting my time doing routines of the stars.

Everything works for some people some of the time. People that are dogmatic in their
approach tend to miss a lot of things that could really make things happen. But people
that are too eclectic, or too open to trying new ideas tend to bounce from one approach to
another usually do extremely poorly with the iron.
Find a balanced approach and THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND
IF IT MAKES SENSE. Does it really make sense to you that if the best of the best
bodybuilders in the world can make progress doing a certain routine, and knowing they
have the very best genetics in the world, and are using more gear a week in many cases
than some of you do in a whole cycle. Does it really make sense that their routine will
work for you? Really?
Get Stuarts book, read everything I, DC, and other people out there espousing real
world training techniques have written, and think about where you REALLY are in the
scheme of things relative to your training career before diving into the deep end.
Iron Addict

My Main Lift is down!

Here is an all too common problem, and a solution for many people. Most lifters put their
big, most important lifts frst in their routines so they can push with maximal efort and
thus make maximal gains on this most important of lifts. For chest day it usually bench,
back day pull-ups or rows, leg day squats. You know, it's probably how you do it yourself.
It's also all too common for this lift to stall frst before everything else and it just doesn't
make sense because after bench your incline dumbbell presses are up, and after pull-ups
you rows are up. So what's the deal? Well it could be that you are doing too much
accessory work, or not training your weak links for the lift in question properly. It could
also be that you, like LOTS of trainees are doing way too low of reps, or that you
NEVER change any of the parameters of the movement and thus are just plain stuck.
These are all very real possibilities. Without going into each of these I'll tell you what else
it may be, and ofer a solution that will work for some of you.
For many of you it's just that your CNS has not been primed to fre properly. Remember,
it's your mind that sets the whole thing in motion and it's done via the mind sending the
signal to fre to the nerves in the muscle that contract. Without being able to send a
maximal signal to contract you are dead in the water so to speak. So how to prime the
CNS to contract maximally? Well the easiest and perhaps best way is to put a load on it,
by that I mean doing a couple heavy sets. Only problem is if you want to put the brunt of
your focus on bench when training chest, and you do incline bench or dips or another
chest movement before bench your bench will be down and you are back to square one.
Well here is a way around that. Do a totally unrelated lift frst such as HEAVY ab work,
or calf work, or something TOTALLY unrelated to the problem lift in question. This
allows one to fre extremely well without impacting the primary lift. By the way this is
generally NOT an issue with the big full body lifts because by the time warm-ups are
completed CNS is pretty warm if you move mid-level or above poundage's.
This isn't a cure-all for the problem, but I know from experience it will help a lot of
people.
Iron Addict

What Works for Some

On a daily basis I see posts, receive emails, and personal train people that are swimming
in a sea of confusion about what productive training consists of. It's blatantly obvious that
most folks get their training information from the body-building magazines and watching
what others do in the gym.
They are convinced that MANY sets and exercises are needed for each body-part and
many days in the gym each week is just the ticket for the results they seek, when in reality
this type of training protocol is EXACTLY what is holding them back from the gains
they seek.
While volume training is responsible for most of the pro's physiques, it is the same
protocol that has almost every gym in the world full of guys mostly spinning their wheels
going nowhere. Look around you in the gym. How many guys are even remotely big and
moving big poundage's? The vast majority of these guys don't even look like they lift at
all. But truth of the matter is they are there almost every day.........and therein lies the
problem.
The #1 reason people fail to add size and strength is over-training. In many cases it goes
hand in hand with under eating/not having the macro, and micronutrient profles even
close. It is certain no matter how perfect the routine, growth will be slow or nonexistent if
you don't fuel it. If diet isn't there you might as well stay home.
But will an optimal diet allow you to actually increase your volume and frequency? In
almost every case the answer is yes, with a perfect diet you will raise the threshold. What
varies a HUGE degree is how much of an increase occurs. Some a little, some quite a bit,
but what's universal is the fact that if you picked a 100 people at random, at your average
gym without any bias used in the selection process, you will fnd pure volume training will
not work for the overwhelming majority.
And please all you volume junkies; I'm not bashing it. It works absolute WONDERS for
those that respond to it. Unfortunately most people just don't have the innate capacity to
recover from true volume work. I work with people all the time that aside from the initial
gains they got when they started training have barely gained an ounce in YEARS, and for
many that saw a steadily increasing scale, they ended up fat with no appreciable muscle to
show for it. And again, volume guys reading this that can't wait to fnish this to start
slamming me; VOLUME FLAT OUT WORKS for a small percentage of the overall
populace. Most of the true monsters I have met do volume work, as do most of the pro's.
Guess what? Not everyone has this capacity, MOST DON'T.

I train people and exchange info with folks all across the globe, and it is sickenly common
to hear from guys that have been killing their selves in the gym forever with such pitiful
results they hate to admit they weight train. Or the guys that put on enough muscle when
they frst started training that they got a taste for what they no longer seem to be able to
have, more muscle. It's great when everyone comments on how big your getting, and how
great you look. And it sucks when no one says a word anymore because you haven't
changed a bit in like.FOREVER!
Then you get these guys doing a SIMPLE routine with a handful of basic compound
movements (more or less dependent on the individual, but nothing compared to volume)
spread out over 2-3 times a week, and even less for some people, and they add 20-30 lbs of
muscle in a short period of time.
Keep doing the endless sets to assure all aspects of the muscles are fully stimulated or
whatever bullshit reason you want to do that many sets and they continue to be
stalemated with both poundage progression and size gains. What works for a few is pure
poison for the masses. Pick up a copy of Brawn by Stuart McRobert. Or read some of
Mentzers early stuf, Dorian Yates stuf, or better yet read Doggs cycles for pennies
thread on:
http://www.animalkits.be/
under the realm of dogg and iron addict and you will see some real world results of what
low volume does for guys that just wont grow.
Here is my question for you:
If your current routine isn't working now, how the hell is one day going to "magically"
start working one day? Unless you are consistently adding weight to the bar or size to
your frame you are lost and without direction will stay lost. If volume training works for
you please, please keep using it. It truly is a great way to train IF you can recover from it.
But if you can't today, how will you tomorrow?
I train people for a living, and all that matters to me is; what will make the person I am
working with right now grow. After they have flled out the questionnaire and done an
interview I make a determination on what kind of routine to put them on. I am not
dogmatic in my approach at all, and when I believe volume is the answer, that is what
they get. And for some of these guys, low volume work will often make them shrink due to
the decreased workload.

But in all honesty I don't worry much about the guys I train that respond well to volume
work. They usually have above average recovery ability and much more growth capacity
than Joe average. I usually end up reducing volume a LITTLE bit, reduce all overlap,
and give them a routine with weekly rotating loading parameters, nail down their diets,
and monitor their excellent progress.
Contrast that to the guys that are there because they have very little appreciable muscle,
and despite having tried every POPULAR training program (usually changing it with
each month's arrival of Flex magazine) have barely added any muscle in years. Now
these guys have to have everything spot-on to progress.
Low volume work is the way to get there for these guys.
I'm not saying HIT and hardgainer style training is for everyone, and I write quite a few
medium-volume routines for those that are not pure hardgainer. But it's pretty safe to say
if you are not making progress, under-training is not the problem. AGAIN, THIS IS
ALL WRITTEN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IF DIET IS NOT
CORRECT, ANY AND ALL TRAINING PROTOCOLS ARE MEANINGLES.
ALL that matters is what works, and if it's working it should be blatantly obvious its
working, not a subtle, yeah, I think I'm improving. Strength gains are not the, be all, end
all of training. But until you are fairly advanced, as in benching 275-300, and
squatting/deadlifting 400-500, it should be your primary goal.
I have NEVER seen a big guy that only benches 200 and squats 300, it just don't work
that way. Until you have a fair strength base built, being progressive with your
poundage's is what matters. Going to the gym, getting a great pump, and then repeating
the same workout, with the same workload next session, week in, week out, won't get you
there.
Iron Addict

The Truth
I am going to devote todays tip of the day to the truth.
Everybody is looking for the truth about what bodybuilding/powerlifting/weight
training for ftness, is really about. If I only had a nickel for every post I have read about
that describes what constitutes the absolute ultimate reality of efective weight training.
Everyone is looking for the defnitive program that lays everything out for them, step by
step, at least within a reasonably defnable framework of a system that is the system of all
systems. Guaranteed to make you the god or goddess you yearn to be..
And the absolute truth is.I hold the truth. Problem is so do MANY, MANY others.
And the so very interesting thing about this absolute truth is we are all right!!!! And all
wrong at the same time!!! Some of you might have guessed that I was going to get
philosophical here, and I am. Because I truly believe that unless we all can share more
than how to get bigger and stronger, we are only achieving a part of what can be
accomplished in this arena of information exchange. We then are operating more like a
raft and not the river. The raft may get you to the other side of the river, but the river is
the power and energy that makes it all possible. Unless the articles and posts are helping
one not only build their bodies but their minds and spirits as well, only a small percentage
of the possible beneft has been achieved.
Lets take a peek at the truth. Ask anyone of respected authority about what constitutes
efective training for size and strength and you are sure to hear the truth. While there is
nothing wrong with what most of the experts in the feld have to say, the component that
is usually lacking in their version of the truth is that it is their truth, and it will be a nontruth for many others as long as they are dogmatic in the application of their pet theory.
Many of these truths are an absolute lie (or failure of progress) for a big percentage of the
trainees seeking the truth.
Weight training, is somewhat like religion, art, and many other activities that throw in
that totally unpredictable wildcard of human individuality into the equation. Ask 10 deer
hunters what the best caliber for deer is. You may get 10 diferent answers. Ask 10 Harley
riders, or street rodders what the best way to go fast and look cool doing it is and you
may get WAY more than 10 answers. And they are all right!! Dogmatism and limited
perspectives are some of the many human conditions that keep us as a species from
growing and fulflling our almost limitless possibilities. And I will tell you it is damn hard
to fnd an activity as ruled by dogmatism and generalities carved in stone, as the various
branches and systems of weight training.

We look at the world through our own eyes, and while it is plainly obvious that we all
have eyes, it is apparently not so obvious that what we see is fltered through our own
unique perspective that colors all that is experienced by our individual bodies, minds, and
spirits. The way we interpret and react to any stimulus is the totality of our physical
bodies, our minds, and the experiences that came before every second of now that have
shaped how we perceive things to be. The reality of my perceptions, your perceptions,
and the next guys, are the sum total of the mind, body, and spirit (for those, that believe
they possess one (myself included) (can I do parenthesis in parenthesis) (yes, I guess I can
lol).
What you should avoid as much as possible is the belief that your belief is the only truth,
and that the way that is most productive for you is the only path to the destination. If you
have read much of my writings you know that I am an advocate of lower volume training.
I would bet it all that if you picked someone at your average gym in anywhere USA, or
the country of your choice. Then blindfolded them, spun them around like a contestant in
a piata bash, and told them to start walking blindly until they ran into someone, and kept
doing the same thing in this blind and impartial fashion until they has 100 picks, they
would fnd that the greatly larger percentage of this selectively unselected group would
do much better on low, or lower volume and frequency training than what is popularly
advocated by the glossy magazines that showcase the genetically elite.
These are the role models that have set the so-called standard as the best way to get huge.
Be that as it may, my opinion in no way refutes the fact that some people of the group
would thrive much better on high volume and frequency workouts. So..we are back to
the fact that for every truth, there is a lie. In this case the lie being all those that did
better using the other guys truth. And I understand that my experience with this may be
totally diferent than others, I can and do accept this.
Opening yourself to see that the other training and diet philosophies are valid can have
more impact than you would imagine. The impact will be scaled by how you apply it. If
only taken in the context of how it can be applied to your understanding of training and
application to your routine and diet, it will be worthwhile. It will have signifcant benefts
of helping you better understand what might be potentially productive options training
and diet wise. Hell, if the only beneft was to stop some of the never ending theory
bashing that goes on at many of the online forums the training world would be much
improved.
But if you can use this little shift of thought to open yourself to the notion that in any
human interaction there is bound to be difering viewpoints on any topic or issue of
discussion you will reap the real benefts. It is absolutely amazing how much energy is
wasted by peoples need to be right. People alienate themselves from those with difering

views, confict and struggle at all levels from two people in a hostile debate, to wars being
fought because of peoples absolute need to be right at all costs, and inability to see that
others viewpoints, no matter how whacked they seem to be, are still right for them. This
doesnt mean to adopt an attitude of anything goes, nor does it mean that you should
refrain from trying to show people your point of view. It does mean that when you
disagree, you agree to disagree and understand that even the most diametrically opposed
viewpoint is valid for the person holding it, and you should not spend inordinate amounts
of time and energy trying to beat your perspective into others.
I often fnd links to boards I have not been to yet and will sign-up as a board member,
answer a few posts, or post an article or two, and the reaction at some boards is often
downright hostile. Simply because my posts didnt go along with the prevailing experts
on the forum. And so it goes with life too.
Cant we all just get alonglol, Rodney King
Iron Addict

Realistic expectations about muscle growth

This topic is important because there is so much absolute confusion, myths, and outright
lies made about how much muscle bodybuilders gain or are supposed to gain during a
given period. A big part of the problem stems from the mainstream BB mags both
focusing on the genetically elite, and their bogus ads about how good ol Fred, Bob, and
Charles all gained 30 lbs in 6 weeks using cell-tech or whatever the product being pushed.
And of course we have steroids and PHs to lay some blame on too because everyone
gains 30-40 lbs of pure muscle in a matter of weeks when on a cycle
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.BULLSHIT!!!!!
And it has even got worse with the creation of the new very efective PHs that have all the
newbies swearing they are gaining 20lbs of pure muscle in 2 weeks on 10 mg of M1-T.
And that is defnitely not a M-1T bash, because I absolutely love this product. But..lets
just say all those people that are talking about the 20 lbs of MUSCLE in 2 weeks on M1T are talking out their ass. Oh yeah, that brings up another BIG problem.the internet,
where ANYONE can say anything, and they do, damn do they ever. To read some of the
posts it should be no sweat at all to gain 20 lbs every month like some of these guys
KEEP saying they do. A few should be right up to about 375 if they would recall that they
already said a couple months ago they gained 20 lbs, and 20 right before that, and of
course the 20 this monthand the bullshit goes on and on, and yes, people end up
confused and left with unrealistic expectations.
Lets frst talk about the BIG gains and when and how they are likely to occur and then
move to what comes next. It is quite common for newbies, and in BRAND-NEW
trainees to gain 10-50 lbs their frst year when training clean, and even doing quite a bit
wrong. 10-30 lbs is more likely than the higher numbers and a good amount of that weight
may very well come in the frst few months. There is another category of newbie that may
experience the same type of gains. These are the guys that are newbies to efective
training. There are many, many, OK let me say it again, MANY guys that have trained
for years and barely gained a fucking ounce. Usually because they follow the routines of
the champs, and eat like little old ladies. When you take one of these guys and get them
on a real world routine, and get them eating right they too often make newbie type gains
because they never made them in the frst place even though they have trained for years. I
know, because I was one of them, and very often help people make these types of gains
after training unsuccessfully for years.
Then we have the quick gains steroids and PHs can provide many trainees. It may come
as a big surprise to all of you guys out there that train clean and have never done a cycle
but most people DONT gain huge amounts of pure muscle when doing a cycle. Almost

everyone though gains much better when on as long as they dont make too many rookie
mistakes consisting of changing their routine to the pros style while on, and not fueling
it with enough food. Also After your frst couple of cycles each subsequent cycle has
diminishing returns. You lose a large percentage of your gains post cycle. Don't tell me
you keep all or most of your gains. If it worked that way the average guy starting out at
170 that gained 20 lbs each cycle and kept 15 would only need to do 6 cycles spread out
over two years to be a 260 lb FREAK. It doesnt work that way sorry!
Be that as it may, a well planned out 8-12 week cycle will net many people 15-30 lbs of
muscle that they can keep quite a bit of if they do things right post cycle. The big gains are
more likely to come to those that havent already made huge gains clean, and of course,
those with better then average genetics.
OK, we have the big gain periods covered. Lets now talk about what can be expected
AFTER these periods are done and over with and the trainee is in for the long-haul.
What is realistic, and what is average? Well like anything else that applied to humans it is
as individualistic as each and every one of us is the individual we are. Butwe can still
provide some GENERAL answers to the topic as long as it is understood that many will
do worse, and some will do better.
Lets just let the math do the talking and see if that and a little common sense can answer
some of the questions for us. Joe average trainee has been training for a couple of years
now and started out at 510 150, he foundered a lot with bad training and diet, but still
managed to put on 25 lbs of pretty solid muscle and looks a lot diferent than he did at 150,
but still is nowhere near satisfed. So..he goes out and reads everything he can get his
hands on and scours the internet forums and sees how poorly he has been doing
considering lots of guys out there are talking about the 10 lbs they gained just last month.
Hmmmm..lets do that; 10 lbs x 12 months and he now weighs 295 and is ready to make
his splash on the pro circuit. OK, we know it doesnt work that way, so lets half that 5 lbs
x 12 months = 60 lbs and hes now a 235 lb guy ready to hit the state level Shit, its pretty
obvious it doesnt work quite that way either.
Now lets get real. How about 2 lbs x 12 = 24 lbs Now a year later our 175 lb lifter is a 200
lb lifter and if he is lean at 510 looks like a million bucks, and turns heads wherever he
goes. Now if he can repeat that again the following year, or come close to it. He is a
bodybuilder by anyones standards and if the shape and symmetry are there he can think
about competing at lower level events if he is so inclined. That is closer to what an
optimal situation looks like. Most guys simply dont have the genetics to do that good
without juice and the gain pattern would probably follow more along the lines of:
Year one (if done right) 35 lbs

Year two 15 lbs

Year three 10 lbs
AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING SOME WILL DO MUCH BETTER,
AND SOME MUCH WORSE.
This gets you a 210 lb guy at 510 in three years. I am talking about 510 and LEAN, not a
fat guy because 510 210 and fat is nothing, but a 510 guy that is lean is something
altogether diferent. Anyway, done at this rate 3 years COULD get you there. Is that not
soon enough? Then you are in the wrong sport my friend because bodybuilding is not a 6
weeks to a new you regardless of what the supplement company ads may tell you. I very
often have personal training clients add a 10-25 lbs of muscle to their frames in a short
period of time when frst starting and of course then it slows down and many are
dumbfounded because they dont understand why they cant just keep doing that. The
BIG gains only last a short time whether they are newbie gains, or gains from gear use.
Enjoy them while they last and then settle in for the long-haul. If you do things right, you
can make the long-haul a MUCH shorter trip. If you dont, it will take a L-O-N-G time if
ever to get to that point. Dont eat your way fat like so many do just to watch the scale go
up and stroke their ego. A full 75% of the personal training clients I work with come to me
because they are simply too fat and still dont carry that much muscle under the fat. A
LARGE percentage of these guys got fat by using insensible bulk at any cost diets, and
this is simply a stupid mistake that can be avoided if you are realistic about what your rate
of gain should consist of. Yes, you can and will make great gains when doing things right,
and almost everyone can build a physique that will turn heads. But it isnt an overnight
process, and those guys that make it sound like adding 10 lbs of pure muscle is childs play
and can and should happen on a monthly basis are LYING TO YOU!
Iron Addict

More HIT/Volume
Here is another great way to get some volume work in your schedule without beating
yourself into a state of overtraining. Before I start, I want to make it clear that unless you
KNOW you respond well to volume work, or have already built at least a minimal
strength base and are not happy with the size you have to go along with your strength,
you should NOT bother using volume techniques. Why? Because the trainee is few and
far between than will build strength as fast doing moderate to high volume work, as
compared to keeping the volume much lower than what most would consider as volume
training.
What constitutes a MINIMUM strength base? I will give some numbers that I think are
pretty fair for Joe average trainee with a height between 58 and 510 or so, weighing at
LEAST 190 or so in lean condition (not 190 and fat.) Joe average, after a fair amount of
time focusing mostly on medium reps (6-12), using a volume and frequency level that
allows relatively fast strength gains has built his bench to 275-315, squats to 350-400, and
deadlift to 400-450. Those numbers are for singles, done with powerlifting contest form.
Now, if he is not happy with how the size followed the strength gains, it can be time to do
some hypertrophy specifc work. Please understand these are approximate numbers and
there can be a little leeway on either side, and of course if one of the lifts is a poor
responder, and the other two are good to-go, thats OK also, but these are good solid
numbers that most any dedicated trainee can, and will reach in time IF they dont train
too often, with too much volume.
I also know that many reading this regardless of their current strength level are absolutely
convinced they must do a boat-load of work because they think it will make them bigger
faster than lower volume work, and will be using as much volume as possible. So since
they are going to indulge anyway, I will give them another option
I already went over how to wave volume work in a previous article, so this time I am
going to discuss another way to get the volume without falling fat on your face and
ending up STUCK!
OK, you have your body split 3-4 ways and are currently hitting every body-part once in 7
days. Pretty standard for many trainees. Now you decide its time to do some volume (or
in some cases, your doing volume and want to make it actually work for you) so now
instead of just doing every session as volume, what if we do some days, as volume, some
days as low volume? How about this as a couple examples:

Day/Body-Parts Protocol
1) Chest/Shoulders/Tricep Volume
2) Back/Biceps Low-Volume
3) Legs Volume
Then every 2-4 weeks, you change the sequence.
If you are a fairly hardgainer, it may be best to only have one third of the routine be
volume based, such as:
Day/Body-Parts Protocol
1) Chest/Shoulders/Tricep Low-Volume
2) Back/Biceps Volume
3) Legs Low-Volume
The task then becomes to determine how long to stay on each volume sequence, and how
much volume to do on volume days, and how low to go with the low volume work.
Ill go out on a limb here and state that for MOST guys, there is little reason to do more
than 9-12 sets a body-part when doing volume. I see all kinds of posts on a daily basis by
guys about their 16-20 set workouts, and know they are usually based on what the pros
do. Do any of these guys ever reason-out the fact that they are expecting themselves to be
able to do what the guys with the best of the best, of the best, genetics are doing? Do they
take into consideration that the pro they are trying to emulate is doing anywhere from 3
to 7 GRAMS a week of gear in many cases and every other growth enhancing drug they
can get their hands on. The pro, on all that gear handles the 16-20 set workload well. Do
you REALLY think you are as talented as him and need to do his routine?
For the low volume work, anywhere from 1-4 WORK sets a bodypart will be enough if
you are training hard. Dont think its enough, or can work well, ESPECIALLY for
strength? You are WRONG!!!
Determining how long to run each volume, low volume sequence is another task that is
more like an art if you have never tried it. To begin using this method keep it simple, I
would start out with 3-4 weeks max volume time per muscle group before switching over
to the low volume work. You can play with the variable with this method till doomsday
and still have time left over so it works well for guys that like a lot of change in their
routines to keep them fresh mentally as well as physically. Give this method a try IF you
qualify with the outlined strength numbers. You may fnd it works extremely well for you
and adds some size to your frame without burning you out.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Who these articles are targeted for

As a trainer writing articles I never know who is actually reading them, but I do know
from experience that the majority of those people interested in bodybuilding do not have
great genetic capacity for the sport, and if they are gear/PH users, they are usually
moderate users. The type of training that is likely to work well for Joe average is NOT the
routines covered in the glossy bodybuilding magazines about the pro's who are the best of
the best genetically and further their talent by PONDEROUS amounts of growth
enhancing drugs. THESE GUYS ARE NOT YOU AND IF YOU ARE TO BE
SUCCESSFULL YOUR APPROACH MUST BE DIFFERENT THAN
THEIRS! This isn't to say that high volume high frequency training is worthless, it's not,
but must be applied correctly and by people that are suited for it.
People often ask what kind of routines I write for my personal training clients, and the
answer is ALL kinds. I use volume work for those that are suited for it, hardgainer
VERY ABBRIEAVATED for those that need it, and lots of HIT, and a fair amount of
mid-level volume work. Along with my own twists of westside, and DC style training,
and quite a bit of "waved volume" training. As you can see, it covers a lot of ground. But
when I write general training advice, I make it suitable for the majority of the readers.
And the simple truth is the majority of the readers respond to low, or lower level training
workloads. If you respond great to high workload training rejoice! And don't feel left out,
I train many that way, but don't write too much about it because the target audience is
not that large compared to Joe average trainees trying to get bigger and stronger.
Iron Addict

Bodybuilding Drugs (do you need them?)

I will start this out by saying that I am sickened by the posts I see on many boards by 16-18
year old kids that have been training for sometimes only MONTHS that are asking
about how to best go about using pro-hormones or steroids. Lets get something strait
frst. Unless you are at LEAST 21 you have no right even considering doing them. WHY?
Well, if you need to ask that, you havent done your homework and you should be
disqualifed already.
Now that we are talking about 21+ year olds, lets make a few more distinctions.
1. How long have you been training?
1.1 How long have you been training CORRECTLY (for YOUR body) and dieting
correctly.
Even if you have been training for 10 years and have been doing a bunch of stupid pro
style training and eating like a little old lady, you havent really been training yet. I know,
because I did the same thing for over 10 years and made about zero progress. I knew a
bunch about bodybuilding, except how to train myself at a volume and frequency level I
could recover from, and how to feed myself properly. But I could tell you
EVERYTHING about all the pros and how they did itUSELESS!!!!
Now what about if you have been training for 2-5 years and have actually made great
progress? What constitutes great progress? Ill go out on a limb here and give you some
generic lift numbers that translate pretty good in the real world for average (if there is
such a thing) trainees.
A bench of at LEAST 250-300 lbs for at least a few reps
Dipping with at LEAST 75+ strapped to your waist for 6-8 reps
Rows and/or pull-downs with at LEAST 200 for 6-8 reps
Military or dumbbell shoulder press with at LEAST 150-175 for 6-8 reps
Squatting/deadlifting at LEAST 350 for 6-8 reps
And yes, some people may be dismally low at 1 or 2 of the lifts due to bad leverages,
abnormally low slow twitch fber composition, etc. but if you cant hit at least 3 out of 5 of
those numbers, or you are a very short/small statured trainee, you need to get your
training and diet in order and pay some more dues. If these numbers seem light years
away, or totally out of your reach you probably dont have the big factors of training and
diet even remotely dialed. Simple as that! MOST trainees can and will hit, or come very
close to these numbers while training clean. But..most are miles away

So..they decide to get involved with gear way before its time. Then before they are
willing to even pay their dues about learning about proper gear/ph use, post cycle
therapy, and all the ins and outs, they ask a few questions on the forums that are often
responded to by another young inexperienced trainee and have their way with it.
Now, back to the original question of the topic. Do you REALLY need to use
bodybuilding drugs? This answer will greatly vary depending on what you want your
physique to look like. The chances are slim for the average guy, with average genetics to
build even a mid-level competitive physique without them, but MOST guys are not really
looking to be that big anyway. Most guys want a lean strong looking physique that will
turn heads wherever they go, and want to be able to take their shirt of and be proud. And
you dont need 19-inch arms to do that.
Now the sad part. I come across people all the time doing gram plus a week gear and PH
cycles that dont even look like they train and cant bench 200 for 10 or squat 275 for 10.
This is primarily because they are clueless about how to eat and train, and believe the gear
will iron-out all these mistakesTHEY ARE WRONG! Unless you know how to grow
clean, you are unlikely to be successful in the long term by simply throwing a bunch of
gear at the problem.
This is bodybuilding turned upside down and inside out. If you cant make pretty fair
gains training clean and invest some time to build your poundages up before jumping on
the gear wagon, you need to reevaluate your training/diet, and you commitment to this
sport, no matter what you reasons are for being involved with it.
Everyone who has read my posts knows I am not anti-PH/Steroid, but the horse must
come before the cart.
Iron Addict

Powerlifting Basics--A Conventional Program by Sand Blaster

This one was not written by me, but by a trainer I respect greatly.
Powerlifting Basics--A Conventional Program by Sand Blaster
A basic powerlifting program will beneft not only those who are beginning powerlifters,
but also those who are interested in a change in their training focus. Usually these
programs are each based around 1 day per movement, with at least 1 day rest between
these days. Sets are kept down, as are reps in most cases. The following program will
work well for most resulting in strength gains and overall mass gains in time. As with any
program, you ultimately have to fnd what works for you best. Thus, the following
program is not set in stone.
Monday--Squat (primary)/DL (secondary) Squat--do 6 total sets, pyramid up to the 5th
set and do a double or a triple at roughly 85-88% of your current max. Back of and do one
down set of 8 reps. The following week work up to a 5 rep set for your 5th set and then for
your 6th set, try to get 5 reps again. This should be somewhere around the 82-85% of your
current max weight. Record the weight if you get it, if not, you know what you need to
shoot for in two weeks. Stif-Legged Deadlift-2 sets of 20 reps. Cable Lat Pulldowns to
Front--3 sets of 10 reps. Calf Raises--3 sets of 15 reps. Wednesday--Bench Press Flat
Barbell Bench Press-- do 6 total sets, pyramid up to the 5th set and do a double or a triple
at roughly 84-88% of your current max. Back of and do one down set of 8 reps. The
following week work up to a 5 rep set for your 5th set and then for your 6th set, try to get 5
reps again. This should be somewhere around the 80-85% of your current max weight.
Record the weight if you get it, if not, you know what you need to shoot for in two weeks.
Don't increase any weights until you get the required reps. Close Grip Bench Presses
-Do two sets of 3-6 reps. Shoulder Press- 3 sets of 5 reps with the same weight. When you
can get all sets with the same weight, increase it. Monthly, you would want to change this
rep range, one month lower it 3, next month maybe up to 6. Keep your rest down here to
less than 2 minutes between sets. Dips for Triceps--Elbows in, 2 sets of 10-15 reps Friday-Deadlift (primary)/Squat (secondary) Deadlift--The training for the deadlift is a bit
diferent. We won't do a lot of sets. Normally you want to work up to a set of 3 one week,
a set of 5 the following week, and then take a week of. A total of no more than 5 sets for
any DL day. On your week of, do another back movement like good-mornings for 8 reps
or so. Keep it moderately light. Bent-Over Barbell Rows--Do 3 sets as you strip the bar
from your deadlifts. Be sure to get at least 5 reps per set in good form. Close Grip
Upright Rows--3 sets of 10 reps. This will bring some blood into the traps and neck for

recuperative purposes and also some additional shoulder work. Barbell Curl--2 sets of 1015 reps.
-------------------------------------------------------For those of you who are set crazy and don't think this is enough work, you have no idea
the kind of energy this program takes. Make every set count and you will see the gains.
Intensity is often substituted for volume, but that won't get you anywhere in the strength
game. Ask yourself how many volume trainers are using big weights? They aren't or
don't. You will never see someone squatting 10 sets of 10 reps at 900lbs. You will never
see someone deadlifting 10 sets of 10 reps at 800 lbs. Finally you will never see someone
bench pressing 10 sets of 10 reps at 650 lbs. Weight will always make a diference to the
intensity level. That is a fact.
As with any training program, your nutrition is very important. IA recently recommended
400 plus grams of protein per day if you are serious about growth. Calories are important
as well; you need to be taking enough in based upon what you take to be your Lean Body
Mass (LBM). I know my strength will go through the roof with the addition of a gallon
of low-fat milk a day to my diet, AND a noticeable increase in protein and fat versus
carbs. The Bulgarian weight lifters were well-known for their high protein/high fat diets.
For many, this kind of diet will keep them leaner, as it is usually CARBS and
EXCESSIVE calories that make you fat. There are always exceptions, but the general
rule still holds.
Finally, you need to be sure to get enough rest. If you are not getting stronger, it is usually
one of three things: training is bad, diet is bad, or you are not recuperating. The fourth
element can be gear, but we'll leave that out for now. Look to the previous three and see
what you can do to make it better. Usually by recognizing these defeating factors, you can
continue to gain strength.
Sand Blaster

Intensity/Load Cycling
Bodybuilders that take the time to see how many conventional powerlifters and "in the
know" trainees cycle their training intensity often end up very confused about all the
workouts that appear to be total wastes of time. After all, intensity cycling requires that
many weeks be spent doing workouts at low intensity or volume levels. This leaves the
uninitiated to believe that little is being accomplishedand they would be WRONG!!!
Before delving too deeply into the subject I will go over a couple of things that may
already be on the minds of those reading this. And from experience these things are:
What exactly is intensity/load cycling?
Is it really needed?
How is it performed?
Intensity/load cycling is the use of various methods performed to modulate loading
parameters in order to ensure CNS and overall metabolic overtraining does not occur,
and to provide a "springboard" to additional size and strength gains. By allowing yourself
periods with less than "all out" workloads you give the body time to recuperate from
periods of extreme training stress while building momentum to reach and then beat all
previous records.
Is intensity/load cycling really necessary? Depends who you talk to and what their
training consists of. If you ALWAYS train within your ability to recover between sessions
the answer is no. However few do this, and many fnd gains come most freely when they
push the limits of their recovery ability. So yes, it is needed by many if not most trainees. It
really is as simple as this; your body will not tolerate all-out high intensity or high volume
training for long periods of time WHILE remaining progressive with size and strength
gains. Something has to give, and most people will do well to plan the "give" time to be a
part of their short and long-term training plan instead of constantly being "stuck" in terms
of size and strength gains.
How intensity cycling is performed is an extremely large topic and I could no doubt write
a complete book covering the varied ways it can be utilized. But instead of covering the
many esoteric and sometimes complicated cycling schemes Im going to cover some "meat
and potatoes methods that are simple to implement, perform and keep track of. Fortifed
Iron is doing an essay on more intricate cycling methods in next months issue of Mind
and Muscle, so I will let him discuss the techniques that require a bit more fnesse,
keeping my essay simple. Conventional (non-Westside) powerlifters have performed
intensity cycling using a variety of loading schemes. One scheme involves keeping the rep

count fairly constant and starting out at a predefned percentage of their maximal efort
for that range and working up to it over a number of weeks. Another scheme entails
starting out with higher reps at a lower intensity level and slowly dropping the rep range
while increasing the poundage until max singles are done prior to the meet. Both
methods are time proven and easily adaptable to bodybuilding.
Lets use an example of a trainee (Ill use a "powerbuilding" trainee using 5s instead of a
powerlifter working up to a single in this example) that has recently hit 300 for 5 in the
bench press, and now wants to add another 5% to that number. From trial and experience
he has found that the best way to increase his strength while getting at least reasonable
size gains has been keeping the bulk of his training around the 5 rep range, with a week or
two of 3 reps followed by a testing of his max. An upcoming 8-week cycle might look
something like this:
Week 1: 240 x 5 (80% of 300)
Week 2: 255 x 5 (85%)
Week 3: 270 x 5 (90%)
Week 4: 285 x 5 (95%)
Week 5: 292 x 5 (97.5%)
Week 6: 300 x 5 (100%)
Week 7: 306 x 5 (102%)
Week 8: 315 x 5 (105%)
And again, I know many bodybuilders are looking at this and thinking "man that guy sure
is wasting weeks 1-5." And their solution is usually just to keep pounding away at 300 x 5
for weeks at a time until something gives. Usually all that gives is their patience and they
switch EVERTHING up because they were so very "stuck" at the same poundage for so
very long. Had they backed of and worked up using a method like the one posted above
they probably would have hit the 315 x 5 in the 8 weeks (Although for an advanced lifter, a
5% gain in 8 weeks may be stretching things).
Another simple method to useand by far one of my favoritesis called a "waved or
ramped volume" approach. This method is performed by starting out with low (or at least
lower) volume, which is slowly increased over the course of weeks or in some cases
months. I use this approach frequently with personal training clients. There are endless
ways to increase the volume, such as adding sets, adding lifts, adding sets and lifts,
adding additional workouts and so on. You can vary how low the volume is when you
start, how long you ramp it up, and how high and how long you hold it at the high(er)
volume. The following is a simple linear ramp to give you an idea of the possibilities:
Weeks 1-2: 2 sets per bodypart doing 1 lift for 1 set each
Weeks 3-4: 4 sets per bodypart doing 2 lifts for 2 sets each
Weeks 5-6: 6 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 2 sets each
Weeks 7-8: 9 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 3 sets each

Weeks 9-10: 12 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 4 sets each
Most people will do fne holding the volume at 12 sets, while others may want to ramp it
higher. The lower volume weeks add strength at a rapid pace. As the volume level goes
up, many fnd the strength increases slow down, but size gains go up. This allows the
trainee to bump strength up a fair bit and then convert the newfound strength into size
gains. This is a very basic structure and many people will do well to keep the volume
lower for longer periods, or keep volume in the middle-range for longer periods of time.
As the volume level goes up, the intensity level must come down, and many do best
keeping intensity levels in check even during the lower volume portion of the progression
scheme. Without doing this to at least some degree the intensity cycling portion is
basically negated and the trainee is just trading more volume for lower intensity.
For people that know they do not handle high volume workloads well, a good solution to
giving the body more volume than a typical HIT/Hardgainer routine provides, but not so
much as a waved volume routine ofers, is a simple four week low to moderate volume
wave. It can look something like this:
Week 1-2: 2 sets per bodypart; either 1 set to failure on two lifts, or 2 sets of one lift with
only the last set to failure.
Week 3: 4 sets per bodypart; 2 sets of 2 lifts with only the last set to failure on each.
Week 4: 6 sets per bodypart; either 3 sets of 2 lifts, or 2 sets of 3 lifts with only the last set
to failure on each.
Week 5: repeat sequence.
I would bet the majority of people reading this have at least a basic overview of another
intensity loading system espoused by a fellow named DC (AKA Dogg, Dante). It is an
extremely well thought out system using high intensity, low volume training, with all the
bases covered in regards to training, dieting, supplementation, gear use (if desired) and
intensity cycling. Dante uses an extremely simple method of intensity cycling. Its so
simple its brilliant and more importantly, it works!
The concept here is to do four weeks of all-out training, followed by two weeks of lower
intensity training. Dante primarily uses single set rest-pause training during the all-out
phase, and then switches to sets of straight failure during the lower intensity phase. Many
people however cant handle an all-out assault of rest-pause during the full-on phase so
they are given straight sets to failure during the four week block. In this case the lower
intensity weeks would be done without taking the sets to complete failure.
While this is an example of Dantes take on intensity cycling, I highlight this as a specifc
model of a general principle that is easily applied in countless ways. The take home
message here is that its incredibly benefcial to simply reduce either the volume or the
intensity level for a couple of weeks to give your body (and mind) a break from the
onslaught of all-out efort.

Again, the variations of this basic format can be endless. You dont have to do a 4-2 week
ratio; a 3-1, 5-2, 6-3, or any combo under the sun can work well depending on how you
respond to training. Generally when frst experimenting with intensity cycling, I
recommend either a 4-2 or 3-1 week split because these two formats usually work quite
well for the majority of trainees.
The biggest problem trainees encounter when starting on an intensity cycling format is
probably what many would expect it to bethey just WONT do the lower efort weeks
as they originally planned out. Things are going well so they either always train harder
than the plan calls for, or add sets or lifts. I can state from experience that of those that
decide to implement one of the various cycling formats, about 75% of them just dont stick
with the plan because of their old training habits. And this is too bad, because in doing so
they halt progress. Like any training system, intensity cycling only works if you stick to it!
Iron Addict

Overanalyzing
I just read this post from DC and had to re-post it here (hope he doesn't mind) I
ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY AGREE 100%, and I KNOW EXMGQ does also.
Overanalyzing
By Dogg Crap
Im seeing a repetitive phenomenon with the people I train that I want to state here. Ive
trained alot of people now in the last 2 years on the net and also in person previously. I
keep noticing the same things-basically on how various trainees brain's work. When
people contact me for training, the guys who have a big work ethic and believe in a system
of training whether its mine or westside or 5x5 or whatever, and hammer it and hammer it
hard come to me as big people already. These are the bodybuilders you see out there in
the street. Big guys that you know lift, there is no doubt that they are bodybuilders. On
the other hand I have gotten alot of guys who have been lifting 5-10 years and you would
never know they lifted even once unless they made it a point to tell you about it (and many
do--LOL). And Ill tell you what the overwhelming continual trait those guys have.
THEY OVERTHINK THIS, OVERANALYZE, keep second guessing themselves,
follow this routine this month and that routine the next, and Flex magazine the third
month. It all depends on what they happen to read that week. HOW THE HELL DO
YOU KNOW WHAT WORKS IF YOU SWITCH IT EVERY DAMN MONTH?
Ive showed TPC some of these emails in the warehouse and he didnt realize the extent of
what I was telling him about. Ive had a couple guys in the last 2 months who have been
lifting for 5-10 years and by their pics it would be embarrassing to tell anyone that they
actually lift. Both of these guys are sending me emails talking about iso-tension at the top
of bicep curls, worrying up and down about the statics, should i fex the pinky fnger
inward to make more of a contraction on my alternate curl, should my forearm be
perpendicular to the earths axis at the bottom of the shoulder press (you get the drift). I
went of on one guy and felt bad about it after but he kept saying "well how I used to do it
is..." and "well Ive always done it this way" My answer was "well why do you look like shit
if your old way worked so well"? Noone will ever know who these trainees are because its
my business only but I want them to read this to get it clear in their heads. If you double
triple or quadruple your training weights in good safe form over the next year/s or so your
basically (with diet) going to be double or triple your current muscular size. If your going
to sit there and overanalyze this shit like its rocket science (which it isnt I dont care what
anyone tries to make it out to be) and worry about things that really arent going to add up
to pounds of muscle mass, then blame yourself when you never get there. Are you going
to be a happy man at 50 years old when you look back and think "Wow I screwed up, I

never looked like a bodybuilder, never achieved my goals, never got dramatically bigger,
and its gone now.....IM too old to make up for that lost time" because thats where alot of
you are heading if you dont get your heads on straight. I blame alot of the muscle
magazines for this. Alot of articles are ghost written for pros or are solo articles by people
who are 165lbs who never made a huge change in their physique themselves. They try to
portray lifting weights as this huge science (and they splurge up their articles with 8 vowel
words and searching thru the thesaurus to fnd a word that makes them look extremely
intelligent)--I go back to the beggining of cycles for pennies on this---The absolute
strongest you can make yourself in all exercises, coupled with food intake to eat your way
up to the new musculature will allow you to hold the most muscle mass on your body that
your genetics predetermine. You want to worry bout something? Worry about that damn
logbook. Worry about staying uninjured in your quest. Worry about not missing any
meals. Worry about somehow someway making yourself the strongest bodybuilder you
can become. Im not talking singles here. Im talking 9-15 reps rest paused. A brute. A
behemoth. A human forklift. I guess i had to use this post to vent because TPC saw me
pissed of in the warehouse today after answering emails such as "Dante should I try to
isolate the upper portion of the pec muscle and hold the peak contraction and fex hard at
the top of every rep for about 5 seconds?" If you have been lifting many years with no
muscle mass to show the last thing you need to worry about is peak contraction--GET
THE DAMN WEIGHT UP AND BEAT THE LOGBOOK WITH BIG
WEIGHT JUMPS (and then Ill and you will be happy)
Iron Addict

An Article published in Harggainer and IronMan

This little article was published in hardgainer magazine and the editor/owner of HG
forwarded it to IronMan magazine where it was printed also. Can't remember what year
exactly but it was like 92-93 I beleive. Yes, I'm old
Stuart, Just a short note about a funny experience I had a couple of nights ago. I was out
in the garage fnishing up the night's workout when one of my neighbor came up and
asked how it was going. Well, this guy is defnitely not your average individual. He has
played professional football on two NFL teams (now retired) and without any training at
all is absolutely huge 260 pounds and arms that are honestly about 19 inches.
We have talked very little in the past. Most of our conversations have been very brief.
Occasionally he will walk up in the middle of a workout when the garage door is open
when I have a max weight on the squat or deadlift bar do a couple of reps with no warmup and ask how it's going.
We had a more in depth conversation the other night. He said he was thinking about
starting training again and asked if it would be all right to come work out with me. I said
it would be fne. He then asked what nights I trained. I said Tuesdays and Fridays. He
got a kind of confused look on his face and said oh, you're not getting serious yet, and
asked how my recovery from an earlier injury was going. I assured him I was quiet serious
about my training and that I never trained more than twice a week.
He said he could show me how to get real big but I would have to train 6 days a week. I
told him I had tried that style of training before and all I ever got out of it was smaller and
weaker. He said I must have been doing something wrong. I told him he was right I was,
I was overtrianing. I tried to tell him that most people were not built like him and did not
have his genetic advantages so they need to train diferently. He promised he could help
me build "guns" like his as he fexed his arms. I thanked him for his ofer and told him I
would continue training the way I had been.
He didn't get It. I asked him what his response to training was like. He said it was great,
he could almost grow from just looking at the weights. It never occurred to him that is
doesn't work that way for most people. He told me he squatted 500lbs in high school and
had squatted and dead lifted in the 700 pound range. I told him I had trained of and on
for 17 years, steadily for the last 3 to build up to a 400lb squat and 490lb deadlift. He still
did/does not understand the diference of someone with his gifts and the average person.

The sad thing is another neighbor of mine had taken him up on his ofer to train him a
couple of years ago. You can guess what happened, no growth no progress and he quit
training. Of course Mr. big got bigger. How often is this story repeated all across the
land?
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Band Work
I am often hesitant to write about band work because I know the bands will be overused
and thus abused. Do they work? Absolutely! Are they potentially hard on the joints and
connective tissue? Absolutely! But..they are fun and easy to use, and change the
resistance curves dramatically and can help add muscle to your frame and pounds on the
bar.
For those that have no idea what I am talking about, the bands most commonly used are
made by Jump-Stretch:
https://commerce.earthlink.net/www.j...t2/merchant.mv
And are also sold by Dave Tate of WSB fame:
http://www.fexcart.com/members/elitefts/frames.asp
They are 41 inches long and are produced in various strengths. They can be used to add
tension to the bar when doing a large variety of movements, and on their own as the only
resistance. What is the point in this? And are they a gimmick?
When you do a bench press as an example, you are typically weakest at the lowest part of
the movement and strongest at the top portion of the lift. When the weight stays the same
as in when using a barbell/dumbbells the resistance is constant throughout the whole
range of motion. Now, put a set of bands on the bar and BAM! The resistance curve
changes dramatically. Now as you get nearer to lock-out you add tension to the bar which
matches your strength curve much better. This is called accommodating resistance and it
works WONDERS. You can use the bands for about any barbell lift you wish to try as
long as you are creative enough to fgure out the band attachment. And yes, the bands
must be attached to a stationary object in order for them to work.
Why am I hesitant to write about them then? They are most often overused, especially by
trainees that frst get them. They can be EXTREMELY HARD on the joints and cause
a lot of DOMS if you fght the negative portion of the lift. Unlike a bar being pulled to the
ground at the constant speed of gravity, a bar with a lot of band pressure is trying to get
to the foor MUCH faster. Your stabilizers are pushed to the extreme and it is common
for extreme soreness and joint pain to occur with the bands.
What can they be used for? I use them for:
DE squats and bench presses. ME squats, benches, close grips, board presses, good
mornings, deadlifts, military presses, tricep extensions, to name a few using a bar.

Using the bands alone I use them for face pulls, lateral raises, Pull-throughs, tricep
pushdowns, chin-up assistance for beyond failure sets, band rows, band curls, band goodmornings, pull-down abs, and quite a few more.
And no they are not a gimmick and are used by many of the worlds strongest athletes.
They are a WSB staple, because they deliver the results.
Another reason I am often hesitant to write about them is the fact I am then
BOMBARDED with people asking me which band they should be using for exercise
XXXXX which is about like asking me what weight they should use for exercise XXXXX.
The simple answer is I cannot tell you, but will say that for most low-intermediate level
trainees a set on minis and a set of light bands will go a long way and by using some
combination of them will cover most of your needs. A complete set costs only a 150 bucks
at Daves site and will open up a whole new world of lifts for you.
Now the caution. Using them for any one lift for more than about 4 weeks is usually
asking for trouble if you have joints and connective tissues of most mortals. And you will
also get into trouble using them for a large percentage of your overall lifts. Using them by
cycling them in and out of the routine, and spreading the load over the body, and in NOT
doing a bunch of lifts for upper body pressing at the time is what is needed to keep you
healthy an uninjured. Used intelligently they are a great tool. Used unwisely and you will
be regretting you ever heard of them. They can add a lot of muscle to your frame or
pounds to your total though when used correctly.
Here are a few examples:
Band Tricep Extensions:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/bandpushdown.gif
Pullthroughs:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/pulltrubottom.jpg
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/pulltrutop.jpg
Band Side laterals:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/bandsideraises.jpg

Band Box Squat

http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/bandboxsquat.jpg
Iron Addict

One of my favorite success stories

A few years ago over on Animals board when DC (Dogg Crap) was frst starting the
cycles on pennies thread (before the realm of dogg crap and iron addict), a board
member by the name of notpuf started a thread on the best way to gain mass. He was
mesmerized by the glossy magazines tales of how the pros trained and he was asking
questions about how to best apply these techniques. Upon asking a few questions it was
obvious he was NOT built to volume train as after a LOT of time and efort he had
barely gained any appreciable mass or strength.
He was joined by a couple other pro style training advocates that were about the same
stagnate bodyweight as him (175 lbs) that were quite certain that the high volume, high
frequency training most of the pros were doing must be the answer..
Dogg, myself and a few other experienced lifters went back and forth with these guys
plainly stating that while the high volume/frequency training works wonders for many, it
also fails many, and since it was obvious it wasnt working for them, they needed to try
some alternate training techniques. Of course Dogg told them about the training
methods he used and I my approach for Hardgainers. We debated the merits of the
various training styles for PAGES AND PAGES, and POST, AFTER POST. And
fnally..Notpuf started to see the reasoning. He then in moment of weakness broke
down and asked for an example of what we thought he should try. I told him that
designing a training routine for an individual required a LOT more info than I had about
him and I would of course be willing to personal train him. He persisted and asked what
my best guess would be.
So I laid out a generic 3 day a week routine on Mon/Wed/Fri basis like this
Mon: chest/shoulders/tri
Wed: back/bi/abs
Fri: legs
A couple compound lifts for each bodypart, 2 sets each.
He was silenced and said he would try it but didnt expect much. About a month later he
made a post and said e couldnt believe what was happening! Every lift was going up
every week! Something that NEVER happened on his old 12-20 sets a bodypart routines.
And while it was hard eating that much protein the scale was climbing. He sent me a few
emails an PMs thanking me and DC for turning around his thoughts on training, and

kept updating me. He was pretty quiet on the board, but kept making occasional posts
saying he was still making dramatic progress and would soon post some results.
About 8 months later he made a post saying he had transformed himself. But was stuck,
and needed some advice. He couldnt break 225 and was about 221 that morning. THE
GUY GAINED 45 LBS IN ABOUT 8 MONTHS OF ALMOST ALL LEAN
MASS!!! I know many of you read about the guys that gain 30-40 lbs every two months
(blow me) all the time. But the reality is very, very few natural trainees do as well as
Notpuf did. This progress came from a guy that hadnt gained 5 lbs in the previous 8
months. I still receive an occasional email from Notpuf letting me know how he is doing.
Its nice to think someone is listening.
Iron Addict

Hardgainer, or lack of conditioning

Here is something I have found to be a common thread among hardgainers, many are
horribly out of shape. They simply have no general ftness base to speak of. They then hit
the gym in an attempt to turn their frail bodies into a mound of muscle, and fall fat on
their faces. Many tolerate high workloads well. I am here to tell you many have a hard
time recovering from only 3-6 hard work-sets a workout. Part of this stems from their lack
of ftness. In todays modern world, and especially in America, most people are just plain
sedentary. Sitting on your ass all day long and then expecting great things to happen in
your body from just a 45-minute anaerobic workout a few times a week is asking a lot.
Not that it doesnt work, but frankly it works better if you have a good general ftness
base.
But the hard part, and the part that makes most people decide to neglect it is the fact that
when done incorrectly Cardio, and HIT Cardio WILL hamper progress, and the myth
(if implemented CORRECTLY) that it will interfere with potential gains. Lets look at
frst the myth, then the facts, then some ideas about how to negate the potential impact to
gains, and how to implement a program that will HELP your gains.
So many believe that doing any type of cardio at all will interfere with there potential
gains that they just will not even attempt it. They sit on their lazy asses as much as
humanly possible under the assumption that any activity outside the gym will be
detrimental to gaining muscle when it fact, having a solid ftness base (GPP=general
physical preparedness) will in fact help one with gains.
One reason it is so ingrained is most everyone know at least a couple of people that
decided to cut, or get into shape and they went full-blown, all-out on it and squished their
recovery and thus their gains. Going from couch potato to marathon runner in three
weeks is just a dumb idea, yet this is about how many make the transition to becoming
ftter, or dropping body-fat. It is made all the worse when diet isnt spot-on, and welllets
just be charitable and state its not usually even close.
If done correctly, as in intensity level not too high, duration not too long, and frequency
not too often, anyone can get into better shape if they approach it on an incremental scale.
This means starting out VERY conservatively. If you are one of those people that gets
winded walking across the room, the right way to start is by simply walking for 15-20
minutes at a reasonably pace. That is all you need for now to begin. Once this is
accomplished, or if you at least already have a slight ftness base the next step is to add
something of a higher intensity. All that know me are certain I am going to recommend
the dragging sled, and they would be correct, but even if the sled is not an option, a

treadmill on an incline, an elliptical machine, or even swimming will work well. Better
substitutes are pushing a wheelbarrow, carrying a sandbag, or a fast hike with a weighted
back-pack, or weighted vest. I often sprint up my mountain behind my house. And yes,
sprints are OK IF you are not too heavy. These should be times 1-minute sprints, 1 minute
walking.
How to start? 5-10 minutes NO MORE!! Do your high intensity cardio
(PREFERABLY WITH A SLED PULLING NO MORE THAN 100-135
INCLUDING SLED WEIGHT) for NO MORE THAN 5-10 minutes NO MORE
THAN TWICE A WEEK TO START! After one month, if you started at 5, go to 10
minutes, if you started at 10, go to 15. Do that for at least another month before the next
progression. Keep going until you are doing two 20-25 minute sessions twice a week. You
will be in a LOT better shape at this point. And if diet was up to the task your training
will not have been impacted much if at all. Now you can make the decision to add another
session or two a week if you want. If you are a hardgainer, I would keep it at two 20
minute sessions. If not, you can experiment with more, and if/when you get to the point
where the weights sufer, back of.
What will this do for the hardgainer? You will likely fnd that you recover better from your
workouts and MOST will fnd after 3-6 months of this, they can add SLIGHTLY more
volume (SOME A LOT) to their workouts productively.
Hardgainer or not, EVERYONE should be in shape. Gains will be better as long as you
are not doing too much, too frequently. No one ever dies because their arms are not big
enough. Thousands die every year because their cardio-vascular systems are so damn
weak.
Iron Addict

One of the BIGGEST lifting mistakes

Want to know one of the top mistakes people make when lifting, and a prime factor of
why people get stuck and dont grow? Its simply because they are stuck on doing the
same things week in week out. Johnny average pours through the lifting magazines and
online forums looking for the perfect routine. After much searching and confusion he is
set, and know he has the routine of routines. The one that is going to set his gains on
fre. Andit works! He is ecstatic! All his lifts are going up and he can just tell hes
getting bigger. But..all of a sudden something is wrong, progress slows down and then
stops. So, he plows on endlessly repeating the prior weight and reps of the previous
session. What he doesnt realize is that when he sees a lifters routine listed, it is what the
guy is doing currently, not what he does always. There is a HUGE diference.
For most people, doing the same lifts, same rep ranges, and same format from week to
week only works for between 4 and 16 weeks for most people, and in actuality its between
4 and 10 for MOST people. The body adapts fast and unless the loading is changed it will
stop adapting to the same old thing FAST! Another common thing that keeps people
progress stagnate is pet lifts. How many guys do you know that ALWAYS start out their
chest workout with fat bench, their leg workout with squats, and back day with pulldowns or chins? Even if these guys change other aspects of their routines they start them
of the same damn way every time. This is a surefre recipient for stagnation.
So what is the solution? Lets say you are doing a low volume routine like this for example:
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 3 x 6-8
Incline Press 3 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 3 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 2 x 10

Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 3 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers, 3 x 10
While it will likely work great, it will only work for a short while. These style routines
allow great gains though because recruitment pattern gains are great because of the same
lifts being done week in week out, but after not too long you will start to slow down and
may actually start to go BACKWARDS. This is often because of the fact that your body
will lose coordination of those same entrenched recruitment patterns. A simple way
around it is to do something like:
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10

Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stif-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
By merely adding one rotation of lifts (as you see the change each week) you will keep
progress going much longer. You may also add a third rotation like DC does. This is one

of the big reasons DCs training is so efective and keeps producing gains. Defnitely not
the only one, but one nonetheless.
Other actively periodized systems like Westside Barbell use a conjugated periodized
system whereby all max efort lifts change every 1-2 weeks, and accessory work every few
weeks. I RARELY ever do the same workout twice. And you will fnd in looking at many
of the top bodybuilders and powerlifters in the sport that they too often do the same.
When you hear a bodybuilder say they train instinctively that is generally what they are
talking about. They are referring to the fact that every days session is diferent and they go
by feel. That approach is great for advanced lifters, but poor for those that dont know
their bodies well.
What if you want to make a simple single rotation routine work great? Simple, just dont
get too attached to it. When it quits working change either the stalled lifts right away, or
revamp the whole workout. You can also pull out the micro plates and add to 2 lbs and
milk the routine for quite a long time like that. I prefer making changes. There are many,
many ways to change the loading to get progress moving again, but I will cover that in
another article.
Dont get stuck on what you are doing and get yourself stuck!
Iron Addict

Trap Bar
For all you home gym junkies here is a MUST have piece of equipment. I could write
pages praising the advantages of the Trap Bar and it's value in assisting the trainee to
reach their physical potential. This piece of equipment, when used correctly has the
ability to transform physiques. Muscles worked when using this movement are quads,
hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back (lats, mid back, traps), forearms, and
abs/obliques. In other words, the same muscles used a when performing the bent legged
deadlift.
So what makes the Trap Bar so special, and makes it a superior movement to the strait
bar deadlift for bodybuilders? Simple, it works the same muscles as the conventional
deadlift while making it a safer movement by avoiding undue stress to the lower back and
providing more stress to the legs. It turns the deadlift into an almost technique free event.
Without having to go around your knees like when using a strait bar, all you need to
really do is pull! Because it reduces the need for extreme technical profciency as
required during the strait bar deadlift, most trainees are able to push harder and move
more weight. The sum total is a super productive movement that works approximately
75% of your lean body mass relatively safely in one lift. To top it of, this piece of
equipment is relatively inexpensive.
Performance of the movement is relatively simple, stand inside the bar and hold onto the
two parallel handles. Keeping your lower back slightly arched and your head up push
down into the foor with your feet trying to keep the weight on your heels. Do not round
the lower back, and do not take the movement to absolute failure (stop one rep short),
and you can rest assured you will have sent a strong signal to your body to grow
If fnances allow, this is a must purchase item for the home gym trainees. Unfortunately
most gyms do not have a Trap Bar. If possible talk your gym owner into purchasing one,
or allowing you to purchase one and deduct the price from your membership. After using
my Trap Bar only one time, my brother purchased his own and carried it in the trunk of
his car to the gym on leg/back day. This option should not be overlooked.
I have NEVER had a trainee use a trap bar without feeling like it was a revelation. I have
had MANY people buy one on my recommendation and have NEVER had anyone
regret the purchase. The trap bar deadlift has aptly been called the squat-lift as it
efectively somewhat combines the two movements into one. It allows much more use of
the quads and more evenly distributes the load over the legs and back than a conventional
or sumo deadlift.

It works extremely well for guys that just can't fnd the groove when squatting, or who
have terrible body mechanics for squatting. And it does wonders for those guys that just
can't get over their damn knees being in the way when they do deadlifts-lol. It doesn't
replace the squat and deadlift for most people (it can for some), but is a great alternative
to use in their place at least some of the time.
The one caveat that must be addressed is that like regular deadlifts, trap bar deads are
extremely hard on the CNS, and metabolic systems as a whole. A little goes a long way.
This is defnitely not a move for doing high volume work with.
If you are primarily a powerlifter you will still need to keep regular deads in your program
in most cases. While some people get a big carryover, others don't get as much and unless
you are training Westside style you will still need to do whatever style you pull at the meet
prior to the meet.
If I was for some reason forced to pick only one core movement for overall growth and
lower body work, the choice would be made without a seconds thought, the trap bar
would win hands down. Its that good!
Iron Addict

Factors of Growth Potential

I see posts very frequently by guys that are just completely CLUELESS about the role
genetics play in how one responds to training. These posts USUALLY come from one of
two types of people. Guys with great genetics that have never had training partners that
didnt, or have never worked with a group of lifters over the long-term, and young guys
that REALLY, REALLY want to believe that they can be the next Arnold, Yates, or
Coleman.
Here are just SOME of the factors that ultimately determine how big and strong you get,
and what paths are appropriate to get you there:
Insulin output
insulin sensitivity
Thyroid output
Thyroid sensitivity
Testosterone production
Testosterone/hormone sensitivity
Testosterone to estrogen conversion
SHGB sensitivity
Testosterone to DHT conversion
Estrogen sensitivity
Growth Hormone output
Growth Hormone sensitivity
IGF output
IGF sensitivity
Digestive capability
Basic protein synthesis ability
Muscle fber composition
ALL THESE FACTORS ARE ALL DETERMINED BY AN INDIVIUALS
GENETICS. AND THEY DONT VARY A LITTLE, THEY VARY A LOT.
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE!
Take a guy that has very little fast twitch fbers, or just very little muscle fbers compared
to the average person, or well above average person and this person is NEVER, NEVER
going to have anywhere NEAR the growth potential of someone that has more fber to
begin with no matter HOW BIG they hypertrophy them.

Oh, just add steroids and the below average guy is even. WRONG again. In the Soviet
Union where the state spent much time researching these issues, they determined that
hormone (steroid) sensitivity varied as much as 2 to 4 times. Which means the response
and thus results one guy might get from a gram of gear would take 4 grams for another
person to achieve. And these were highly technical studies carried out with good controls.
Not what a bunch of gym meatheads observed. YES, THAT IS genetics in action.
To say genetics only accounts for a small degree of the achieved results is just PLAIN
FLAT OUT WRONG AND ANY GOOD STRENGTH COACH OR SPORTS
PHYSIOLIGIST WILL TELL YOU THAT.
This does NOT mean you cannot make great progress or build a great body, but it does
mean that most just simply dont have the potential to be top bodybuilders. And
EVERYONE responds diferently. I am not trying to rain on anyones parade, and
potential can only be known in retrospect AFTER you have tried. But all these posts by
guys saying genetics are not important and guys just use them as an excuse is pure BS
Iron Addict

Should you be beat up after training?

Should you be beat up after training?
Often a new training client will tell me something to the efect that it felt like I could have
done more, or I usually feel beat to hell after lifting, and I dont now, should I be doing
more?
In most cases, the simple answer is no, your gym sessions should not leave you feeling like
a used rubber when you walk out of the gym and hours afterwards. This is
GENERALLY a sign that you are doing too much, doing your lifts with too much
intensity, or a combination of both. It is often a sign that the trainee is in really poor
overall condition and needs some GPP work. Raise your overall conditioning level and
the workload that beat you into the foor often becomes a good sensible hard workout
that is still extremely hard to do, but doesnt leave you feeing like something the cat drug
in when completed.
The guys that tell you how beat to hell they are after every session are USUALLY the
guys that stay stuck at the same size and strength levels for eons, or guys that have
absolute fantastic recovery ability. Each set should be hard as hell to do, but the
combined total of them all should not be pounding you into the ground or the
loading/intensity is probably too high.
Now of course there are exceptions to this, leg day leaves most people pretty beat, but
that beat feeling should not last for hours unless you are doing high-rep leg-work. And
yes, its totally possible and probable that most any trainee can go to the gym, and do
nothing more than warm-ups and then one ALL-OUT 20 rep set of squats, and
absolutely be pounded into submission, immediately, and for hours after. That is the
nature of the beast. But for MOST people, with AVERAGE recovery ability, even leg
day should be structured whereby not too many sets are done, or the sets are done at an
intensity level that still leaves you feeling human when done.
I know this opinion isnt popular in some circles, and many, if not most trainees always try
to ensure they are totally spent before leaving the gym, but it is more often than not
counterproductive. If you slowly increase the volume/intensity over time, many can build
up to workloads that would have crippled them previously, while many hardgainers will
fnd they are only able to increase volume and intensity a little bit before training is
adversely efected.

And lest anyone think I am stating that its impossible to progress while killing yourself in
the gym every session, that is not the case at all. Many do great like this, but the chances
of you being one of those people are quite frankly not all that great. If you want to train
like that, make sure you periodize your training, allowing times for recovery. Regardless
of what you may believe you cannot push your body full-throttle every session in the longterm. If you truly think so, I think you are either not training as hard as you think you are,
or are not making anywhere near the progress you are capable of.
Iron Addict

Basic Muscle Fiber Type Info

All of us are composed of two basic muscle fber types called slow twitch muscle fber and
fast twitch muscle fber. Slow twitch (Type 1A) muscle fber is characterized by smaller
size, less force capacity and more endurance capacity. Their production is utilized after
about 90 seconds of any given activity. Slow twitch muscles are predominately used in
such athletic activities as long distance running and cycling.
Fast twitch muscle fbers (Type 2) are characterized by larger size, more force capacity,
and less endurance capacity. Fast twitch muscle fbers actually have two subsets called
type 2A and type 2B. Type 2A production is utilized between 25 and 89 seconds. Type 2B
production is utilized from 0 to 24 seconds. (Please note that range times are approximate
and dependent upon intensity.) Fast twitch muscles are predominately used in such
power events as sprinting, jumping, throwing and squash.
Intensity (force) plays a factor in recruitment of muscle fber. Depending on the intensity
of an activity diferent muscle fber types are recruited. Type 1A muscle fber is recruited
with intensity from 58% to 69%. Type 2A muscle fber is recruited with intensity from 70%
to 84%. Type 2B muscle fber is recruited with intensity from 85% to 100%. The more we
train our Type 2A muscle fber the better it will be able to sustain intensity for a longer
period of time.
Fiber Type Intensity (force) Time Utilization Weight Training
Slow Twitch (Type 1A) 58%-69% > 90 secs Light
Fast Twitch (Type 2A) 70%-84% 26-89 secs Moderate
Fast Twitch (Type 2B) 85%-100% 0-25 secs Heavy
As we do any given activity whether lifting a weight, swinging a racquet, or running a
200-meter sprint, the body goes through a process of utilizing these muscle fber types. In
the case of weight lifting, by lifting heavier weight our bodies are required to output more
force production. To do this we enlist predominately type 2 muscle fber. These fast
twitch muscle fbers contract at a faster rate than slow twitch muscle fbers resulting in
greater speed. We appear to be moving the weight slowly because it is so heavy. This type
of training will not slow our game down. Training with heavier weight will result in faster
movement on court.
* as you can plainly see you will not become slower by lifting weights but faster.

12-20 or above RM mainly train type 1 fbers. 6-12 RM can activate and train most type 2
fbers. Thus, 6-12 RM is most efective to build muscle since type 2 fbers have large
hypertrophy potential.
Details will be discussed in the chapter of Resistance Training Program Design.
On average, most muscles consist of 50% of type 1, 25% of type 2a and 25% of type 2b fber.
However, diferent muscles have diferent muscle composition, Those muscles which is
always used for contraction have higher % of type 1 fbers such as lower back muscle. Also,
those muscles which seldom contract have less % of type 1 and larger % of type 2 fbers
such as shoulder muscles (deltoid).
Due to the genetic determination, the composition of muscle fbers vary in diferent
people.
People with larger % of type 2 fbers will develop strength and muscle mass more easily.
People with larger % of type 1 fbers need to use slightly lighter resistance (10-12 RM) to
develop muscle mass and strength. Similarly, people with larger % of type 2 fbers should
use slightly heavier resistance (6-8 RM) to increase muscle mass and strength.
Iron Addict

Intensity Cycling
Bodybuilders that take the time to see how many conventional powerlifters, and many in
he know bodbuilders cycle their training intensity often end up very confused about all
the workouts that appear to be total wastes of time. After all, many weeks are spent doing
workouts at sub-level intensity or volume levels leaving the uninitiated to believe that little
was being accomplishedand they would be WRONG!!!
Before delving too deeply into the subject I will go over a couple of things that may
already be on the minds of those reading this. And from experience these things are:
1. What exactly is intensity/loading cycling?
2. Is it really needed?
3. How is it performed?
Intensity/loading cycling is using various methods of modulating the loading parameters
to ensure CNS and overall metabolic overtraining does not occur, and to provide a
springboard to additional gains. By allowing yourself periods with less than all out
workloads you allow the body time to recuperate from all out assaults and build
momentum to reach and then beat all PRs.
Is it really needed? Depends who you talk to and what their training consists of. If you
ALWAYS train within your ability to recover between sessions the answer is no.
However few do this, and many fnd gains are best when pushing the limits of their ability
to recover so, yes, it is needed by many, if not most trainees. It really is as simple as this;
your body will not tolerate all-out high intensity or high volume training for long periods
of time WHILE remaining progressive with size and strength gains. Something has to
give, and most people will do well to plan the give time to be a part of their short and
long-term training plan instead of constantly being stuck in terms of size and strength
gains
How intensity cycling is performed is an extremely large topic and I could no doubt write
a complete book covering the varied ways it is performed in the lifting world. But instead
of covering the many esoteric and sometimes complicated cycling schemes Im going to
cover some meat and potatoes methods that are simple to implement, perform, and keep
track of.
Conventional (non-westside) powerlifters have performed intensity cycling using a variety
of loading schemes that range from keeping the rep count fairly constant and starting out

at a predefned percentage of their maximal efort for that range, and working up to it
over a number of weeks, or starting out with higher reps, at a lower intensity level and
slowly dropping the rep range while increasing the poundage over time until max singles
are done prior to the meet. This method is time proven and easily adaptable to
bodybuilding.
Lets use an example of a trainee (Ill use a powerbuilding trainee using 5s instead of
PLer working up to a single in this example) that has recently hit 300 for 5 in the bench
press, and now wants to add another 5% to that number. From trial and experience he has
found that the best way to increase his strength while getting at least reasonable size
gains has been doing the bulk of his training doing 5 reps, with a week or two of 3s and
than taking a max weight to test his max. An upcoming 8-week cycle might look
something like this:
Week
1 240 x 5 (80% of 300)
2 255 x 5 (85%)
3 270 x 5 (90%)
4 285 x 5 (95%)
5 292 x 5 (97.5%)
6 300 x 5 (100%)
7 306 x 5 (102%)
8 315 x 5 (105%)
And again, I know many BBers are looking at this and thinking man that guy sure is
wasting weeks 1-5. And their solution is usually just to keep pounding away at 300 x 5 for
weeks at a time until something gives. Usually all that gives is their patience and they
switch EVERTHING up because they were so very stuck at the same poundages for
so very long. Had they backed of and worked up using a method like posted above they
probably would have hit the 315 x 5 in the 8 weeks. Although for an advanced lifter, a 5%
gain in 8 weeks may be stretching things.
Another simple method to use, and by far one of my favorites is using a waved or
rampedkiu volume approach. This method is done by starting out with low, or at least
lower volume, and over he course of weeks, or in some cases months, upping the volume.
I use a lot of this style training with personal training clients I work with. While there are
endless ways to increase the volume, such as just adding sets, adding lifts, adding sets and
lifts, adding additional workouts, and also endless ways to ramp it. And by that I mean,
how low you start, how long you ramp, and how high, and how long you hold it at the
high(er) volume, I will list a simple almost linear ramp to give you an idea of the
possibilities:

Weeks 1-2
2 sets per bodypart doing 1 lift, 1 for one set
Weeks 3-4
4 sets per bodypart doing 2 lifts 2 sets each
Weeks 5-6
6 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 2 sets each
Weeks 7-8
9 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 3 sets each
Weeks 9-10
12 sets per bodypart doing 3 lifts for 4 sets each
MOST people will do fne holding it at 12 sets, while others may want to ramp higher.
The lower volume weeks add strength at a rapid pace, and as the volume level goes up,
many fnd the strength increases S-L-O-W down, but size gains go up. This allows the
trainee to bump strength up a fair bit and then convert the newfound strength into size
gains. This is a very basic structure and many people will do well to keep the volume
lower for longer periods, or keep the mid-range volume in for longer periods of time. As
the volume level goes up, the intensity level must come down, and many do best keeping
intensity levels in-check even during the lower volume portion of the progression.
Without doing that to at least some degree the intensity cycling portion is basically
negated and the trainee is just trading more volume for lower intensity.
For people that KNOW they do not handle high volume workloads well, a good solution
to giving the body more volume than a typical HIT/Hardgainer routine provides, but not
so much as a waved volume routine is a simple four week low to mid-volume wave. It can
look something like this:
Week 1-2
2 sets per body-part, either 1 set to failure of two lifts, or 2 sets of one lift with only the last
set to failure.
Week 3
4 sets a body-part, 2 sets of 2 lifts with only the last set to failure on each.
Week 4

6 sets a body-part, either 3 sets of 2 lifts, or 2 sets of 3 lifts with only the last set to failure on
each
Week 5 repeat sequence.
I would bet the majority of people reading this have at least a basic overview of DCs
(AKA, Dogg, Dante) training system. It is an extremely well thought out system using
high intensity, low volume training, with all the bases covered in regards to training,
dieting, supplementation, gear use (if desired), and intensity cycling. Dante uses an
extremely simple method of intensity cycling. Its so simple its brilliant and more
importantly, it works!
The concept here is to do four weeks of all-out training, followed by two weeks of lower
intensity training. Dante primarily uses single set rest-pause sets during the all-out phase,
and then switches to sets of strait failure during the lower intensity phase. Many people
just cant handle an all-out assault of rest-pause during the full-on phase so are given strait
sets to failure during the decreased intensity weeks. In this case the lower intensity weeks
would be done without taking the sets to complete failure.
While this is an example of how Dante does this, this same principle is also applicable to
any type of training protocol. All that needs be done is reduce either the volume, or the
intensity level for a couple of weeks to give your body (and mind) a break from the
onslaught of all out efort.
Again, the variations of this basic format can be endless. You dont have to do a 4-2 ratio,
a 3-1, 5-2, 6-3, or any combo under the sun can work well, but when starting, I like to make
it either a 4-2, or 3-1 ratio for simplicity sake, and because these two formats usually work
quite well for the majority of trainees.
The biggest problem trainees encounter when starting on an intensity cycling format is
probably what many would expect it to bethey just WONT do the lower efort weeks
as they originally planned out. Things are going well so they either always train harder
than the plan calls for, or add sets or lifts. I can state from experience that of those that
decide to implement one of the various cycling format, about 75% of them just dont wont
stick with the plan because of their old training habits. Like any training system it only
works if you work it!
Iron Addict

Warm-ups
I'm now going to talk about how to do a proper warm-up. While it is very difcult to
prescribe a one-size-fts-all warm-up solution for all trainees under all circumstances I'll do
my best to lay out some generalized guidelines for most trainees under most conditions.
Most people take warm-ups for granted that have been training for a while. I'm often
taken aback by the warm-ups that some of the trainees use, or in some cases don't use. I
have seen everything from the extreme of not doing warm-ups at all because of fear that it
will take away from their work sets. To warm-ups that are workouts in themselves.
A proper warm-up should warm-up the muscles and joints for a particular lift, and also
prime CNS to fre. It should not be so little that you are not properly warmed and
exposure yourself to potential injury, but should also not be so much that it leaves you
drained for your work sets. As a trainer I'm often asked how should I warm-up? Man that
is a big question and of course is determined by the particular lift being done, the amount
of weight being used, and any joint or muscular limitations.
In general older trainees such as myself need a few more warm-up sets, and need to be
extra cautious before going all out. But the more I train people, the more I realize that
young people also need to be extra cautious and ensure they are properly warmed up
before going all out. Because the way joints get abused is usually in the trainees younger
earlier days when they feel invincible and that they can get away with anything-- they
can't, it merely feels that way. Often times damage is being done and they are totally
unaware of it. More often than not joint injuries are not the result of something going
pop, but are the result of cumulative damage done over time.
As you warm-up, fuid is pumped between the joints and the disks, providing lubricty that
would not be there otherwise. It is also important to gradually warm up to slowly prime
the CNS to fre as strongly as possible. Doing some light calisthenics or jogging and then
hitting heavy weights without slowly warming up to your heavy work sets, will not
adequately prime CNS to fre optimally.
When someone askes me, how should I warm-up? I often chuckle. Warm up for what? A
405 pound squat, or 105 pound barbell curl? Big diference here! It should be obvious that
the barbell squat will take many more lifts, and start at higher warm-up poundages then
the barbell curl. And it also matters what sequence the lifts are done in. Doing barbell
curls after your heavy back work may require one set or in some cases for some trainees,
none at all. While barbell squats done as the frst exercise of the day will require a
thorough warm-up of all the musculature involved.

Many bodybuilders do far too many reps for their warm-up sets, if you look at
powerlifting you will see that they start out with lower weights, higher repetition sets,
and then as the way climbs the repetitions decrease, usually to singles or doubles before
the work sets even if they are repetition sets. This is an optimal way to warm-up for both
bodybuilders and power lifters.
The best way to get ready to go and hit the heavy weights is my frst doing a light fve to
10 minute overall body warm up, An elliptical machine or light calisthenics, are probably
optimal, but fve to 10 minutes on the treadmill or just a brisk walk can do also. Okay, now
your body as a unit is warmed up now it's hit the weights!
If you're routine is structured optimally you will not be starting with any light isolation
type work, but a good option for many people, unless its squat or deadlift day that
requires heavy use of abs, is doing your ab work the frst to get the routine started. If
you're not scheduled to do abs that day start with your compound lifts. Probably the best
way to show you is to just give some examples. So here goes:
If you are benching or rowing or doing pulldowns with 205 x 5 a good warm-up would be:
Bar x 12
85 x 6
115 x 5
145 x 3
165 x 1
185 x 1
205 x 5 workset
MOST BBers do something like:
85 x 12
135 x 8
185 x 5
200 x 5
And while that format may save you some time, it wont warm you up any better, and will
detract more from your work sets.
Some of you may be laughing at including a set with only the bar. Guess what? Most 600
lb benchers start with the bar, and their slow deliberate warm-ups are part of the reason
they have reached the big numbers with minimal injuries.

A 90 lb barbell curl or laying tricep extension might be only one set with 65 lbs or so if
they are being done after heavy back work or benching, or might be:
35 x 10
55 x 5
75 x 3
90 x 10
If it was being done frst in the routine.
Here is a warm-up for a 425 lb squat or bench press:
45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3 x 2
135 x 3
185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
365 x 1
425 x 1
WOW, thats 10 warm-up sets, that will take forever!! Well, not really, if they are done 1.5
minutes apart it takes 15 minutes to get there. And if you want to argue with me about
this, please dont. Its from powerlifting GURU, Dave Tate verbatim. And quite frankly,
its an AWESOME way to get there, and way better than a normal approach of:
135 x 10
225 x 8
315 x 5
365 x 5
That most lifters use. When I switch advanced lifter that were using a warm-up like that
one over to one similar to Dave Tates warm-up suggestion, they often hit a 25 to 30 lb PR
the FIRST session!!
A 315 bench or row would look like:
45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3 x 2
135 x 3

185 x 3
225 x 3
275 x 1
315 x 1
And yes, you can use the same basic format for a 150 x 8 bench, row, or pull-down:
45 x 5 x 2
95 x 3
115 x 2
135 x 1
150 x 8
Please understand that none of these guidelines are set in stone. They are just
generalizations and should give you a reasonably good idea of how to structure your
warm-up sets for a safe productive work-out. The lower the weight the higher the reps,
the higher the weight the lower the reps until you're at your working poundage for the
day.
Iron Addict

Twenty things that I have leared over the past nineteen years of training
(and life) by Sand Blaster
1) When you are young, your desire overrules your wisdom. Had I trained less and
smarter, I would have gotten bigger and stronger much more quickly.
2) Food is the best anabolic. When I was younger, I didnt grow because I didnt eat
enough. I thought I ate enough but that was made false when I went to a seminar by
Troy Zuccolotto, IFBB Pro, and he stated, Dont tell me you cant grow until you get up
twice during the night and eat. Sure enough, one meal at night and I started growing.
3) Bodybuilding magazines, for the most part, are shit. Sure the pictures are great and
you occasionally get an article that is good, but overall they are nothing but promotion
tools. Why advocate routines of the champions? Because you will end up overtrained
and will need their latest supplement to grow.
4) There are legitimate supplements and there are frauds. You will spend a whole lot of
money fguring out which is which.
5) Steroids work. However, without a proper diet and training plan, your gains will come
and go. Ive seen guys blow up on D-Bol and Test, only to lose it all twelve weeks later.
6) Steroids arent necessary for most trainees. If you just want a bigger and stronger body,
proper training, diet, and rest can get you there. If you want to compete, thats a bit
diferent.
7) Simple cycles are the most efective, both in gains and in cost. Spend your money on
Test and one other substance like D-Bol, EQ, Fina or Deca. Use only what you need to
to grow, no more, no less. You will minimize side efects this way, grow, and save money.
8) Training should be based upon multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, bench
press, dips, and cleans. Single-joint movements should be used to supplement your
training; but should not be the basis of it.
9) You can train hard or you can train long, but very few trainees can do both and gain.
Had I erred on side of training less more often, I would have stayed healthier and
stronger.

10) There are very few real gyms left. After about 1994, it was hard to fnd one locally that
was worth anything. Invest in equipment for yourself if you can, you will be happier in the
long run.
11) There is more to life than the gym and lifting weights. Develop interests outside of the
scene and your lifting will beneft.
12) Cardio is important. Do it regularly for your health. Its nice to breathe walking up
stairs.
13) Stop looking in every mirror in the mall, nothing has changed since the last one two
stores ago.
14) When you weigh over 240lbs. you shouldnt dance. It never looks good unless it is a
two-step
15) The bigger you get the less you like crowds.
16) The bigger you get the more you sweat.
17) Eventually, your metabolism slows down. At about 32 it started for me.
18) Being strong feels good as you get older.
19) If you fnd something that works, keep doing it.
20) If you dont love the iron, you will never reach your goals and keep them.
SB

Band Work Head to Toe

A large percentage of the people reading this will have never even tried bands nor seen
their use in real life. To say that bands are one of the big reasons power lifting records
today up are being smashed is an understatement. Westside barbell has brought band use
to the cutting edge of power lifting technology. Bodybuilders for the most part have been
slow to catch on but that trend is now changing as more and more people come to realize
the advantages the bands use can provide in their daily training from both a size and
strength standpoint.
What kind of bands am I talking about? The bands are 41 inches long and come in
varying tensions:
http://www.prowriststraps.com/bands_...t_lifting_band
What do these things possibly do for your training? Well the bands accommodate
resistance. What this means is that where you are weakest, generally in the bottom
position the bands are weakest. As you expand through the motion in the bands pickup
tension and thus resistance. Using the bench press as an example by looping the bands
over the bar you will have increased tension at the bottom of the lift, and as you extend
towards the contracted position as your body's natural a strength curve takes up so does
the band tension. This provides more work during the complete of range of motion. Not
only that, it teaches you to be fast with the bar because if you are not fast in starting the
motion you will never reach full lock-out. What does this have to do with bodybuilders
who are not interested in maximal strength training? Gee, I wonder, no one here is
interested in 50 to 75 pounds more on their bench or a hundred to one hundred-ffty
pounds on their squat or deadlift are they?
The bands have been used in power lifting for over 10 years now and are part of the reason
the records continue to be smashed. Initially they were primarily used on the big lifts like
squats bench presses in deadlifts, but as many people started to see all the advantages,
their use has expanded to many lifts including lifts were the bands are the source of all the
tension used for the lift.
I had been using the bands for many years, primarily for benching and squatting. When I
recently moved and bought a new house on fve acres I realized I would have to wait until
spring to have a garage built for the gym. Moving everything into the house was a
necessity but realistically there was just not enough room for my pulley setup. What to
do? I decided to get creative with the band use to substitute some of the moves that I
used to do with the pulleys. I had known for years at many lifters use the bands for these

moves that had never taken the time to experiment to any great extent. WOW! I sure had
been missing a lot a very productive moves and can say with full confdence that the bands
are not only an alternative replacement for many conventional pulley and free weight
moves, but are an improvement to many of them? BS you say? Well I know you are not
speaking from experience because the bands really do provide a better strength resistance
curve for many, many moves.
This article will cover some of these moves but will not be comprehensive because I can
say with full certainty that if you are reasonably creative you will constantly fnd more and
varied ways to do things with the bands. I know I continue to do so, and are willing to bet
if you take the time to invest in a set of bands you'll fnd many productive things to do
with them that are not listed here.
A couple of things to keep in mind to keep in mind since there are only so many band sizes
available people think that being progressive without making huge jumps is an
impossibility that is just not the case. There are many means of increasing the tension on
the bands without necessarily going to the next size band. As in example 1 of my favorite
and exercises are upright rows. Because of wrist and shoulder problems I absolutely
cannot do upright rows with free weights. However by using the bands they are totally
comfortable on both the writs and shoulders and allow me to go heavy on a consistent
basis. But as an example let's say I'm using a number four band for upright rows and got
three sets of 10 last week. Many people would say OK now what? Going to a number fve
will probably allow zero reps to be done. But please understand when doing upright rows
you are standing on the bands to anchor them in the bottom position. By merely
spreading your feet out a little bit you increase the ban tension.
Now that is not as precise as going from 155 to 160 with the barbell set. But as long as
you're consistently getting bigger and stronger do you really care? My guess is no. This is
just one example and with some creativity you will fnd that almost all the lifts done with
bands are able to be done on a progressive basis by various means of increasing band
tension.
OK here goes head to toe band use!
For working your neck, choke a band around the power rack up right. You can work
front, back, and sides this way. Beware that if you have hair it can be rough on it, so a hat
or towel in between the band and you head is a good idea. I shave my head every day so
it's not a problem-lol. The wider the band the more support you get and it's simple
enough to decrease the tension by just moving in a bit closer.

For traps perhaps the best way to implement the bands is when deadlifting. another way
to use the bands for traps is to set the bar in the power-rack at just below the level you
began a shrug at. Loop the bands over the bar and shrug away. This can be done with
just ban tension alone or a combination of band tension and free weights.
For shoulder work, to cap your shoulders lateral raises are a great lift, BUTafter a
time, like any lift they quit working. What to do? Use bands for your laterals. To use the
bands all you need to do is stand on the bottom of the band, and wrap the top part over
the upper portion of the band. Bands are FAR superior to weights for this lift IMO, as
the resistance curve matches your bodies MUCH closer than a dumbbell does. To get
anywhere close to matching the curve you need to use a machine and then you take the
stabilizers out of the liftnot always a good idea. To increase resistance, just wrap more
band around your hand, or stand on the band further up. That simple! Most people will
do will with a number #1 or #2 band for these
Another great shoulder builder is upright rows. Butfor many people, myself included,
the fxed hand spacing on the bar is hell on both the rotator cufs and wrists. Enter band
upright rows. Because you hold on to the fexible band instead of a fxed barbell shoulder
stress is reduced---a LOT, wrist stress too! Performance is basically the same as for the
laterals as far as where to lock the bottom of the bands, the big diference being
wrist/forearm position. This is another GREAT move to provide variation from either
regular upright rows, or just allowing those that have shoulder/wrist problems from
doing bar rows to be able to do a rowing movement. The recruitment pattern is diferent
enough from bar rows to stimulate new gains if you have stalled on rows. And again, the
resistance curve with the bands is much closer to your bodys natural strength curve. A set
of # 2s or a #3 or #4 is the right choice for most people for this movement.
The last move needs to be approached with caution, and I will recommend most use part
bands, part weigh instead of all band tension. You can use the bands for military presses if
you put a seated bench in front of the power rack, and set the safety bars at chin level. Put
a barbell on the safety bars and take one end of the bands and loop them over a dumbbell
heavy enough to keep the dumbbell on the foor, and place the other end of the bands over
the bar. Now add plates and your band of choice. Start the movement from the bottom
and it will beat your delts HARD. The reason this move needs to be treated carefully is
the bands can be hard on the joints and many people can move some serious weight/band
tension on this lift, so make sure band tension isnt too high, and cycle this lift in and out
of your training.
Moving along to triceps, I would just say the frst time you do a set of triceps push-down
using the bands you will likely not want to go back to using a pulley system for them.
Where you are weak the bands are weak, where you are strong that the end of the

position, the bands are strong. And like all band work they really force you into fghting
the negative portion of the movement. Talk about torching triceps!
You can just hold on to the bands doing these, or loop them around a variety of tricep
bars. Switch bars frequently for variation and to reduce getting stuck with your
poundages. This movement helps my bench a LOT.
Because the nature of laying triceps extensions being pretty hard on the elbows, I wont
recommend anyone but those with the most robust joints do them with bands. But they
can be done by starting them of the pins in the power rack.
Close grip benches? What the bands are made for! Double a set of bands around a heavy
dumbbell (you will know if its too light as the bands will pick it of the foor if it is!) and
loop them over the bar. Bench away! You can also do close grip reverse benches. A move
often done in the smith machine. The bands somewhat lock the groove the bar takes and
makes this lift doable with free weights.
Dips fall into triceps and chest work, but Ill cover them here. The bands can be used
BOTH ways here. Meaning you can run them over the TOP of the dip bars and put your
feet on the bands to reduce bodyweight. Too weak to do many bodyweight dips? Use the
bands and dip away. Conversely, you can run a band thru a dumbbell and over you neck
and ADD tension. AWESOME way to do weighted dips!
Chest workgeez, where to begin? As already stated with close grip bench press, the
classic band movement for chest is done as listed above. You can do these with various
band tension from very light, to 75% band tension. But beware, going to high with band
tension and not enough weight to stabilize the bar and you will be thrown all over the
place and it becomes very hard on connective tissue. A wide variety of grip, board heights,
or rack heights can be used to work the bench like you have never worked it before.
Weak at the top? Choke the bands over the TOP power-rack and then around the ends of
the bar either before or after adding weight. Now the load is lighter on the bottom
portion of the lift and will have almost whatever you put on the bar as far as weight goes
at the top. This is an excellent way to help if your bench stalls midway or towards the top
of the lift.
Loop some heavy bands over the top of the rack and you can do a band style fy/crossover
type movement. Loop them to the side of the rack and you can do heavy standing fys.
Wrap one over one palm of you hand, run it around you back and into the other palm and
do band push-ups. Use heavy enough bands and the strongest lifter may get 1-2 repslol.

These are a great fnisher as long as the band tension isnt so high it becomes a core
movement.
You can also do dumbbell presses with a band looped around your back and the end of
the band held in each hand. Lean down and grab the dumbbells and lift away.
Here is a link to these being done:
http://ironaddicts.com/video/band%20db%20bench.AVI
For low back work you can do band good-mornings, using just band weight and high
reps as a fnisher or for recovery work. Or with weight and band tension. Choke the
bands around a dumbbell set on the ground that is heavy enough to anchor the band
tension, then loop around the bar ends and have fun! Deadlifts can be done both
lightened and tensioned. If your deadlift constantly stalls at knee level or higher, lightened
dedlifts can be the bomb.
Lightened Deadlifts are done by attaching a set of bands to the top frame rails or safety
pins of the power rack, and the other end over the bar ends (snug up against the inside
collars of the bar, where the frst plate would usually be) and then loading the bar with a
load that is typically heavier than you would use doing a regular deadlift with. What are
the advantages, and why the bother? Well, in my mind the advantages are many:
They provide overload by allowing you to move a heavier load than you can break from
the foor. I set mine up about 60 inches high in the rack and at that level I get a fair boost
at foor level, but when I near knee level, and then pass it there is little, then ZERO band
tension at lock-out.
Unlike rack deadlifts there is a full range of motion so you are still pulling from the foor.
This TENDS to provide a better carry-over then rack pulls from the knee level. Yes, the
bands no disturb the groove quite a bit compared to a regular dead, but IMO, there is an
easier transition going from heavy lightened deads to regular deads, than from rack-pulls
to deads.
They can be a lifesaver for people with touchy backs as you can vary the band tension
and height of tension release almost infnitely.
They can really teach you to drive with your legs when deadlifting. Many people use all
back when pulling a regular dead. I have found lightening the weight in the lower portion
of the lift, then SLOWLY adding weight (and/or lessening band tension) on the bottom
teaches many to get good leg drive when pulling.

If you are new to pulling, they make the movement less technically difcult. No, this is not
an excuse to not learn good pulling technique, nor will lightened pulls teach you good
regular pulling technique, but for a guy that has struggled for a long-time with the
mechanics of pulling, they sure can make it a more natural feeling movement.
A good rule is to not get too hog wild with the tension, just use enough to help break the
foor and provide increased overload up top. Louis has discussed using band tension that
makes a 135 lb barbell almost weightless on the foor. But he is using that with his 600900 lb deadlifters. Adjust yours accordingly.
To use bands for tensioned deadlifts you need a special deadlift platform that is sold by
Jump-Stretch. They are about a 150 bucks and well worth it if you are a serious lifter.
Upper back work with bands is da bomb. And lets start with those heavy guys, and
newbies that can only do a few chins. Choke a band to the top of a power-rack. Put your
feet in the band and guess what? At the bottom of the chin where you are weakest you
will get a boost, and up top where you are strongest, there will be less assistance. These
are FAR better than using a gravatron in my opinion. Band pull-downs are also
awesome. Double a couple of bands over a power-rack or chin-up bar and run the open
ends through your favorite lat handle, or even a strait piece of pipe for that matter. Pullaway! Cable rows with bands are another winner, and easy to do almost anywhere you
can anchor a band. After I have done my heavy upper back work for the day, I often run
two bands over the top of the power-rack and then lay on my back on a bench and do
upside down rows. AWESOME fnisher that will hit your whole upper back and bis like
you wouldnt believe.
Speaking of bis, run a band under heavy dumbbell and then take both ends and run them
around the bends of an empty EZ-Curl bar. If you use the inner bends you will hold the
bar in the traditional position, if you use the outer bends, hold with a narrow grip. Now
pick up the bar and curl away. By backing away from the dumbbell you will fnd you can
increase tension and.if the angle is enough you will fnd that unlike doing a weighted
barbell curl, there is tons of tension in the peak contracted position. This has rapidly
became my favorite bicep lift and strength gains using this method have been
phenomenal. This also works with a straight bar, but band placement becomes critical to
ensure tension is even. You can also just use a lat pull bar with the bands run through the
carbiner. This assures even tension.
Quads and hams are best hit doing THE classic band movement, band squats. Anchor
one end of the bands with a dumbbell and wrap the other end over the bar. Add weight
and SQUAT! Using too much band tension is not recommended although Joe Average

(Jim Parrishs group) would likely disagree as Jim uses up to 50-60% band tension and
squats 900. But for most people 15-35% band tension is a better bet, as they are
EXTREMELY hard on the joints and CNS. Remember, once you are out of the hole
doing a regular squat it gets easier as you complete the range of motion. With the bands
as you move up to the contracted position the band tension increases. This makes for a
MUCH harder squat.
You can also run bands from the carriage of a hack squat machine or even leg press to any
anchor point to accommodate resistance. The possibilities are endless and only limited by
your creativity.
You can also just loop a bend through you belt, stand on the open loops and add tension
that way for quads/hams.
For hams, about any way you can do a ham curl you can use bands for. They can also be
used very efectively for pull-thrus.
Just remember too much band work will over train you PRONTO. For big lifts, its
usually best to do them for no more than 3-4 weeks in a row. Accessory work such as bis
tris, and delts can be done on a continual basis, but like anything else, variation is needed
for continual progress. Dont get so caught up doing your new favorite band lift that you
dont change it up when you need to.
Iron Addict

Bodybuilding Magazine BULLSHIT

I was at a training forum I visit frequently this weekend. It is a wonderful forum with a
knowledgeable mod staf and usually good readers/posters. Here are three of the
proposed routines young trainees were asking questions about. All of them came strait
out of the bodybuilding mags that are obviously more intent on providing spectacular,
thrilling programs as opposed to something that actually works.
One guy wanted advice on a 12 hour arm program. Guaranteed to add mass to your arms
in one workout. I am familiar with these and they arebullshit.
My response was: One workout will NOT in any way contribute to a large long-term
gain. When someone does one of these marathon workouts what occurs is the body loads
TONS of nutrients in response. The muscle worked goes up in size temporarily, but it is
mosty nutrient loading.
If it were that simple to add muscle we would all be looking like Ronnie. Just do a 12 hour
workout for each bodypart every other week and be the man you always wanted to be-LMFAO.
Quit reading "Flex" and you will be a lot better of. Most of the SHIT is made to sell
magazines, not make you bigger.
Another guy wanted to do this:
Legs:
i read this in a muscle mag-its called the "davis set", it's a 6 week routine.
done twice a week, basically the 1st 2 weeks u do 10 sets of max wt non stop. press, rack,
drop wt, squat again, no rest. 3 & 4 weeks you do same but go up to 3 reps per set, still no
rest. 5 & 6 weeks you do 7 reps a set, and still no rest between sets.
squats: max wt x 10sets
hack squats: 2x20
seated leg curls: 2x20
That is a routine absolutely guaranteed to turn into a puke-fest irregardless of your
conditioning level. Never met a single person that could do something like this without
puking all over everything and getting so burned out that metabolic and CNS recovery
would not be blown for god knows how long.
Another guys leg routine was:

6 sets of 8-10 squat rack

6 " " leg extention
6 " " leg press
6 " " calve raises
6 " " reverse leg curl
After doing 6 sets of squats he should be ready to drop. But wait, theres more. In fact
another 24 sets for legs. He wonders why its not working
As soon as many of you fgure out that the BBing magazines that are actually supplement
catalogs in disguise are not in your best interest, you will be much better of. Nothing like
selling supplements to a constantly frustrated readership.
Iron Addict

Motor Learning/Recall
Motor learning or neural recruitment pattern gains are one of the easiest things to have
frst-hand experience with in the lifting world. You start doing a new lift, or a lift that you
havent done in awhile, and every week youre able to add reps or more weight to the bar.
This is because the body is establishing new neural patterns for that particular lift. As a
neural net for that particular lifts strengthens it is easy to add weight to the bar or reps
every week. Its a wonderful thing and is gets people excited about lifting, but as
everybody fnds out, the thrill is soon over. Why is that? Because after a certain time,
usually between 3 and 6 weeks, the body quite responding. Not only is the body no longer
establishing stronger neural patterns it begins to downgrade them.
We have all been there before. You start a new lift and get stronger every week at least for
a few weeks than progress slows, and in a short time most people actually regress. Most
people have fgured out a solution in that we can simply change the lift or changing
enough about the way you are doing the lift, and progress remains. This is a simple yet
efective way to go around motor learning degradation.
There are a couple things to keep in mind to ensure that this is efective. You MUST use
lifts that have good carryover from one to the next. If not changing lifts but only aspects of
the lift, there must be enough change to force an adaptation. That means if your bench
pressing, moving your grip in, or out one inch is not likely to have much of an impact.
Moving it 4 inches in or out, will likely get moving again. Moving from a wide stance
squat to a narrow stance squat will again likely allow you to continue progress, as will
little going from using a regular squat bar to a safety squat bar or front squatting.
I use a conjugated periodized system (think Westside Barbell) for most of the routines I
write even for the bodybuilders. Low rep work is changed every 1-3 weeks, and higher rep,
or assistance work is changed up every 4 weeks or so. Always to lifts that USUALLY, for
MOST trainees, have good carryover. This works extremely well for most lifters and
keeps progress constant (accounting for deload weeks, time of and SOME small periods
of slowdown for some lifts) for most lifters.
As an example I have had many lifters that deadlifted twice in 8 weeks hit 35-75+ pound
PRs on their deadlift by primarily doing box squatting, rack pulling, Good-Mornings,
and other assistance lifts. Or 20-50 lbs on their bench without ever doing their strongest
grip bench press. This means doing declines, inclines, close grips,dumbbells, fat and
inclined, board presses, foor presses, etc.

From a size and strength standpoint it works extremely well, but there is one downside
that afects approximately 20% of the guys that use it. When they go back to their core lifts
(I USUALLY use squat, bench press, deadlift, row) some guys just dont realize the
strength gains they would expect from the increases they have made on their other lifts.
Why? Their body simply forgets how to do the lift. It really sucks to see a guy hit PRs
week after week on ALL their assistance and ME lifts, and have them post a dismal
increase in the core lifts when either going back to them, or testing on them. The
solution? Include the main lifts on a MUCH more frequent basis, at an intensity level
that does not confict with the other lifts being done, and make SMALL changes to
ensure motor recruitment degradation does not occur.
Some may ask why it is needed at all as long as the trainee is getting bigger and all the lifts
in the rotation keep going up incrementally. The answer to that is simply that some
criteria needs to be established to measure short term progress, and strength gains are the
best barometer of success, but by no means the only one. If the trainee already has a solid
strength foundation and is primarily concerned with size, that rule of thumb can be
ignored at least some of the time, but who here is really strong enough?
Iron Addict

Eight more reasons why youre not growing

I wrote the frst 10 reasons a while back, and decided to add to the list of prime reasons
many of you are stuck.
Here are some of the primary reasons most trainees dont grow:
1. You overtrain and under eat. These are listed as the main primary reason because they
go hand in hand and BOTH must be balanced or you can forget growth. The most
perfect training regimen will fail miserably if diet is not there to support it. And
conversely, the most perfect diet will be wasted if the trainee is doing more workload than
they can recover frommost do WAY too much!
2. The training workload is not varied. Doing the exact same lift the same way stops
being productive for most trainees within 3-8 weeks. Once the body has adapted to the
loading it must be changed if you are to continue to force the body to adapt.
3. Too much focus on isolation exercises, not enough compound work. You can do all the
small lifts until you are blue in the face, but until you are moving big poundages in the
big lifts you will remain small. Which brings up point #4.
4. You MUST squat and deadlift if you are going to reach your bodies growth potential.
Think it through. Doing squats or deads activates 70-85% of the bodies overall
musculature in one move. Doing a set of curls maybe 3-5%. Which sends a big signal that
the body better get better at synthesizing protein and better at handling the need to grow
as a unit? You will NEVER reach your potential without doing the squats and deads.
5. You constantly fuctuate between lifts that have bad carry-over. Here is an example
I have seen many times, and one I have done myself. The trainee burns out on benching
and decides to do Hammer Strength Benches for a change. He makes the switch and is
jazzed. His Hammer press is going up every week and he is stoked. After a time he has
added 50 lbs to his Hammer bench and decides to go back and hit the bench, only to fnd
its up a whole 10 lbs!!!!!
That doesnt mean there is anything wrong with Hammer Benches. It just means that the
lifts are dissimilar enough that an increase in one may not necessarily help increase the lift
on another. Use of stabilizers and inter and intra-muscular coordination are two primary
reasons, along with neural recruitment pattern gains that dont apply well to the other lift.

6. You dont know when to de-load/cruise, or take time of. NO ONES body takes a
constant pounding of hard training without periods of active or full rest recovery. Until
you learn how and when to don this your training will never be optimal
7. Your micro-nutrient support SUCKS! I cant count the number of guys I have seen
trying to build great physiques taking a one a day vitamin and thinking they have it
covered. If you want great things out of your body, you need to put great fuel in it.
8. You train with the intensity of a arthritic old lady. Nuf said.
9. You have no clearly defned goals. Most people just lift to get bigger, and while this is
a fne goal, not having and strength related goals will kill your progress in the long run.
Your primary goal should be getting stronger on the big lifts on a CONSTANT basis.
Setting short and long-term strength goals and achieving them is what equals a big
strong trainee in the long run.
10. You are inconsistent. Getting excited about your training and killing yourself in the
gym only to burn out and few weeks later and miss a bunch of sessions ends up being 1
step forward, 3/4 steps backward for many trainees. Getting and staying consistent and
racking up sustainable gains over the long-term is what its about.
11. You dont do cardio. Most lifters dont do cardio because they are convinced that it will
impact their training. And they are right if they are talking about long duration high
intensity cardio, or almost any high intensity cardio unless they work into it slowly. I
suggest EVERYONE that doesnt have a physical job that has them walking a lot during
the day walk for at least 45 minutes a day. I also suggest 2-3 high intensity cardio sessions
for everyone except extreme ectos. Dont believe it, fne. Continue to get less than optimal
results.
12. Your insulin sensitivity sucks. Trying to build a great body while having poor insulin
sensitivity never works. You will always fght laying down bodyfat. You want the carbs to
go to your muscles not your fat stores. And to the fat stores is where they go when glucose
tolerance sucks.
13. You have poor sleep habits, Diet and training can be spot on, but if sleep sucks it isnt
going to happen. This not only includes getting the right amount of sleep, but getting it
at the right time. All you guys and gals that stay up until 2:00 am and sleep late are
creating a huge disadvantage for yourselves.
14. You are stressed. Diet, training, and sleep, and supplement support can all be dialed,
but if you are a 24 hour stress machine you can forget solid gains. Stress releases a slew of

stress hormones. Bottom line, stress hormones put the body in one mode; store bodyfat,
catabolize muscle. Is this what you really want to do? Get a handle on your life stressors
before they get a handle on you. As much as 75% of all illnesses are directly related to
stress.
15. Too much outside activity. If your life is non-stop action til you drop, you are likely
short circuiting the growth process. Many of you are involved in martial arts, have other
physical hobbies and try to train 5-6 days a week. Not going to happen if max muscle mass
is your goal. Balance is the key.
16. You jump from routine to routine. I see people on the forums changing their routines
at the same rate many of them likely change their underwear. On one forum I frequent
there is a guy that has done like 6 diferent routines in the last 10 weeks. You need at 17.
least 4 weeks to determine a routines efectiveness. More in some cases dependent on
structure. Find something that works, and has loading changes built into the framework
that you are progressive with and use the damn thing.
17. You dont believe in your training program. I am in the process of writing a full article
on this so I will spare the details, but if you dont believe in the program you are doing it is
never going to work, simple as that. You WILL consciously or subconsciously sabotage
something you are convinced wont work. Simple as that.
18. The intensity or frequency of your workouts leaves CNS constantly drained. If CNS
is continually dampened you will never be able to lift optimally. CNS drives every rep you
do, and if it is beat to shit, you will never lift to your ability.
Iron Addict

What you need to succeed

This introduction to the what you need to succeed section of the forum will state as
simply as possible the most important factors needed to succeed in your goal to build a
bigger, stronger, leaner physique. Then the Iron Addicts Admin and Mod staf are going
to fll in all the details with articles and tips about how to go about it.
Simply put, getting bigger/stronger/leaner is all about balance. It is about balancing the
proper volume/frequency/intensity in the gym, and then supporting it with the proper
nutrition/supplementation, and not short circuiting it with faulty sleep habits, or excessive
stress levels.
When everything is in balance for YOU, progress will be consistent and given time and
patience, most of you can reach your goals as long as they are not too lofty. Take any part
of the equation out and progress slows to a crawl or is non-existent. From my standpoint
as a trainer that has worked with large numbers of clients over a long period of time it is
simple to design training and diet programs that workit could be for you also, but more
often than not the trainee fails because parts are missed or not in balance.
The workload must be correct for YOU, not pro X, your buddy Jimmy, or the routine you
read about in the last months muscle and fction magazine. Most people simply do too
much workload, or often have the workload correct at one point in their training careers,
make some good progress, and then will only use that same loading simply because it
worked once upon a time. The volume MUST be balanced to the intensity, and those
two balanced with the frequency. And UNTIL YOU HAVE AT LEAST A
REASONABLE STRENGTH BASE, STRENGTH SHOULD BE YOUR
PRIMARY CONCERN, NOT SECONDARY TO SIZE. Strength work IS size
work for most lifters, pure hypertrophy work is often extremely poor strength work. What
you want is again balance.
Part of training needs to be conditioning work. I cant even begin to tell you how many
lifters expect great things out of a body that cant walk a fight of stairs without wheezing
like a race horse. Doing a set of 6-8 reps and sitting down on a bench and resting a couple
of minutes isnt going to cut it. Sufce to say that a conditioned body is a body much more
receptive to growth and keeping fat levels at bay.
The perfect training is useless without the proper nutrition to back it up. From
experience of working with a lot of trainees I can tell you without hesitation that nutrition
is the stumbling block more often than not. You need enough protein for growth, and
enough carbs and fats for energy without getting you fat. Overall macro-nutrient profles

MUST be correct, and above and beyond that, food choices must be correct also. All
protein/carbs/fats are not created equal and what you eat or dont eat is almost as
important as overall quantity.
Traditional bulk diets are a waste of time in my opinion. Once you have enough protein
and enough calories to put you a bit over maintenance levels you are set. Gaining some
bodyfat while bulking is fne, getting fat and WAY out of shape just does a lot of negative
things metabolically (MUCH more to follow) and doesnt provide additional anabolic
drive.
Aggressive cut diets are just as misguided. There is simply no reason to lose muscle mass
while dieting. Doing so shows you are just being too aggressive with caloric restriction,
to aggressive with cardio, or both. Improper macro-nutrient profles are also a culprit.
If you dont log your diet at least periodically you are doomed to many nutritional
blunders. If you are serious you will log anytime changes are made, and at least now and
again to check yourself. If all you are doing is guessing what you are eating, you are also
guessing you will get optimal results.
It is extremely common to fnd lifters at both extremes of the supplement spectrum.
Those that think a one a day every now and again is enough, and those that spend small
fortunes every month on in many cases USELESS supplements. There are a lot of
extremely efective supplements these days that can be very helpful to accruing mass, or
dropping bodyfat, but no matter what, a bare bones supplement regimen is essential for
success. Trying to get everything you need from food alone just isnt going to cut it. A
bare bones supplement schedule is easily afordable for anyone that has any kind of
income.
I see people all the time that have diet and training dialed and guess what? Their sleep
habits are so poor that their progress is slow at best. If you dont already understand how
poor sleep habits afect your metabolism and thus ability to gain muscle/lose fat please do
some research. There is a lot of good info on my forum about this.
Last but not least we come to stress. Trying to build mass while in a stressed out state
(something that holds true for a LARGE segment of the population) is a losing battle.
Stress makes the body secrete excess cortisol and cortisol catabolizes muscle and tells the
body to lay down bodyfat. Is this really what you want? And please be honest with
yourself. When I ask training clients about stress the typical answer is that its low, or well,
I have quite a bit of stress, but I handle it really well. Then they proceed to give me
details that are quite contrary to their initial statement. Stress management is key to
optimal results.

So there you have it. Simple huh? Stay tuned as we go over the topics one by one and post
details about how to best handle covering the big picture for optimal results.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Body Image, Whats Yours?

From the outset I will state that if your body image is perfect, you like what you see, it
matches reality, and are comfortable that your will reach your physique goals, quit
reading. If all is not well and you have issues, keep reading, it might help.
We all have an ideal body image in our minds eye that we hope to achieve someday.
Contrasted against that ideal, we have another image that we hold about the body we
currently have. As someone that works with a lot of training clients I can tell you that very
often neither of these images holds up to reality. Lets go over that a bit.
Most of us got into bodybuilding because we had a body image that didnt suit us.
Studies vary, but many show 45-55 percent of men and 55-65 percent of women are
dissatisfed with their physiques. We wanted to be bigger and leaner and look better than
most people do, so we started looking around and getting a new ideal body image in
mind. Some did this by looking at various actors, and in mainstream magazines, others in
the bodybuilding magazines. For most of us, it didnt take long to discover that we didnt
match up very well and had a lot of work to do. How much work? Well, that depends on
where we look for inspiration and how high we set our goals.
I will state right from start that I see many lifters that will be forever frustrated because of
their ideals. Looking at the top IFFB pros for inspiration is a sure way for 98% of the
lifting populace to be forever frustrated with their results. Got designer genetics and have
tolerance for long term heavy steroid use and other growth enhancing drugs? If not, its
best to view todays pros as pure marvels of how much muscle the body can carry and
curiosities, but not to hold them as your ideal and goal. If they inspire you to train harder
and eat better by all means use them to do so, but if they are what you have in your minds
eye as your eventual goal, you are likely fghting a losing battle.
Here is an excerpt of an email I received recently from a young man that was interested in
retaining my training services: Iron Addict, I am ready to get serious and build some big
time muscle. I am 21 years old and have been lifting since age 17. Results have been pretty
poor since the initial 6 months. I do eat heavy and train hard, but know I am doing many
things wrong currently. I do not want to be freaky huge, just have a body like some of the
old bodybuilders like Frank Zane or Franco Columbo. I am lifetime drug free and will
not consider steroid use. I think my goals are reasonable, can you help me?
Why does this guy think that building the physique of a two of the bodybuilding greats
that had outstanding genetics and also did a lot of steroids in their time is a reasonable
task? Simple, compared to the 290 lb behemoths of today, bodybuilders such as Frank

and Franco pale by comparison and seem little. So this leads to unrealistic expectations
and frustration at the end of the line. Can this guy possibly get to the same bodyweight at
the same height as Zane or Columbo? Very possibly, although likely at a much higher
bodyfat percentage. Will he look like them regardless of bodyfat percentage?.not
likely in the cards.
What are in the cards, and what are reasonable expectations? Well of course the biggest
factor lies in your individual genetics. Then of course you can factor in desire and ability
to do steroids (if maximal current bodybuilding standards size is your goal) and
commitment and drive to doing everything as perfect as your knowledge allows for many
years on end. Assuming you want pro level size ask yourself these questions: Do I grow
WAY faster than everyone else around me? Have I passed up people that have been
training a lot longer than me in a very short time? Do I have long full muscle bellies and
outstanding symmetry? Am I willing to do a LOT of steroids and other growth
enhancing drugs over many years time? If you can answer yes to all these questions you
may have a shot at an extreme level body by current standards. If not, back to reality.
And the reality is that unless you are an extreme hardgainer, the majority of you can in
time build a very good physique that will turn heads and get you noticed anywhere
outside of high level completive bodybuilding circles. And many of you can compete at
the lower levels. Now for all of you guys that are sitting there bitching about how I am
pissing on your parade, well I am just trying to save you some frustration. Your genetics
and ability to handle heavy drug use are defnitely limiting factors if your goal is current
level bodybuilding pro standards.
Dont get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with admiring the physiques of
todays pros, but aspiring to these levels for yourself is going to be big letdown unless you
have extremely good geneticsand most of you simply dont. Is this a defeatist attitude?
Not at all, it is a realistic attitude. Perhaps a more realistic body model is in order for
those of you that are blessed with Joe average genetics.
Where to look for inspiration? Stuart McRobert, publisher of hardgainer magazine
decided out the outset that he would only print inspirational pictures of bodybuilders
from the 40s to early 60s of drug free lifters since he had sufered so much growing up
aspiring to mold his body into the IFFB pro type. Not a bad idea but somewhat limiting.
We have a few natural bodybuilding publications on the market today that have
physiques showcased that are very attainable by a good percentage of lifters. Many of the
mid-level competitors have doable physiques if you have good, but not outstanding
genetics. The mass monsters will be laughing now, but many of the guys in the Mens
Fitness magazines are much more attainable ideals for the drug free genetically typical

trainee. Too low a standard? Well how about getting there frst and then upping the
ante?
One thing about goal setting is that it has to be something that the conscious and subconscious truly believe is possible in order to be an efecting driving force. If it is pie in the
sky you can state it until the cows come home and it will never hold any power over you.
Your mind, conscious and subconscious will go yeah sure and it will be meaningless.
Make it reasonable and achievable with total work and dedication DOING THE
CORRECT things over the LONG TERM and you have a great chance of success.
Now lets change gears and discuss your current body image. Without projecting into the
future about how we would like to look ideally, we all have an image in our minds eye
about how we look. It would go to reason that that image would closely align with what
we and others see when they looking. Well reason can be tossed out the window in this
case because so very many people think about themselves in a way that doesnt accurately
represent reality. Often times this is a result of an old body image following us as we
have moved through time. People that were once fat often see themselves as fat no matter
what their bodyfat percentage is. We all know the stories and may have known someone
with anorexia, no matter how skinny they get they still see themselves as fat.
I have worked with many, many lifters over the years that used to be skinny. Well, after
lots of hard work and dedication they put on a lot of muscle. Then many of these guys
identify with the scale. Meaning that their body image, and self worth to some extent is
based purely on what the scale says. Barometers seem to be 200, 225, 250, and 275. I work
with lifters all the time that are at these points in their training career and while it can be
extremely satisfying to hit these milestones, they can often have deleterious efects. Some
guys that worked their asses of to hit 250 and did a lot of gear to get there just wont
come of because they will shrink back down to 235 and be little again. Often trainees
are holding too much bodyfat and could look awesome if they dropped some unnecessary
fat but.. they wouldnt weigh 250 anymore and would see themselves as little if they got
down to 225-230 and lean. Even though they would be a LOT bigger looking and
healthier. Although some may disagree, a bulker shouldnt be a six year afair. Nothing
wrong with walking around a little smooth for a good part of the year to help ensure
calories are adequate, but being 20-40 lbs overweight just so the scale says some magic
number that stokes your ego is just mental masturbation.
I receive a lot of pictures from training clients, it is very disheartening when someone
sends me a picture that is a 10% bodyfat physique, sometimes less, and is complaining
about being oh so fat. More often than not it is someone that wants to be a bodybuilder
that has almost no signifcant muscle. They are then forever thwarted from attaining said
muscle because they are too afraid to put any food in their mouth since they are absolutely

certain they are getting fat just looking at the food. Often these guys are lean enough to
see abs, but since they havent built any they just look smooth and see themselves as fat.
This distorted body image is keeping them from their goals, and often from enjoying life.
They will often say that everyone thinks I am extremely lean except me. That should be
the big cluelol. If everyone else is seeing something else that you are not, perhaps it is
you that needs the adjustment. Just make sure everyone else does not exclusively consist
of non-liters. Your mom will always tell you how good you looklol.
So I have pointed out a few body image issues. How to go about resolving them if you are
one that is efected? First, keep in mind that in the majority of cases having an
inappropriate (present or future) body image impacts self esteem and quality of life. Being
forever frustrated at trying to achieve an impossible goal or disliking yourself because of
how you look and making bad choices diet and training wise never brings one closer to
their goals.
Make sure your goals are realistic for YOU. If you have been a pure endo all your life
deciding that your goal is to be 7% bodyfat year round will be an exercise in futility. Body
type DOES matter and impacts ultimate results. It is very fashionable for people to state
that what you achieve comes purely from your level of hard work, dedication, and desire.
While that is a prerequisite to be successful in any endeavor, it wont take you places your
genetics wont go.
Again be realistic and set short, medium and long term goals. If you are not sure of your
body type and relative level of progress based on your results thus far ask other seasoned
lifters for input. Most guys that have been lifting for 10 or more years have seen a lot of
other lifters progress and can at least ofer better input than your non-lifting
acquaintances. If you dont know anyone that can give you good input, take some digital
pictures and post them on some of the lifting forums. Make sure you give background
information and let everyone know you are trying to asses your progress and get an idea
about your potential.
While potential can only be known in retrospect, it doesnt take too long to discover that
you are either plowing past others levels of progress, or others are blowing past you.
Irregardless if you are going to post pictures on forums, take some pictures of yourself
and try to look at them objectively, attempt to forget its yourself you are looking at and try
to see yourself as others see you. Not how you want to see yourself.
If you are not sure of what you are doing diet and training wise, get help! Most successful
lifters are all too happy to share knowledge and point you in the right direction. If you
have been there and tried that and still failed, consider hiring a trainer (you knew the

trainer would say that didnt you) that has a proven track record with their clients. This
will save many of you years of frustration.
If you think you have anorexia or other body image disorder such as BDD or Body
Dysmorphic Disorder, think about seeking outside help. This condition is often
associated with intrusive thoughts of body dissatisfaction, and excessive body checking
and comparisons with others. This, in its extreme form it can be quite debilitating and
cause a great deal of anxiety and dissatisfaction.
Make sure your current body image matches reality, your goals are something achievable,
and you are not frustrated by lack of satisfying progress and get at it! You can have a body
that you are proud of if you have your head on right and take the time to pursue it
properly.
Iron Addict

How much weight to use?

This is a topic that is long overdue to cover, but one I have put of writing because it just
seems like common sense to me, but judging from the never ending queries from training
clients and posts on the forums, it is apparently not. Here is a typical scenario. The trainee
has always done reps in the 8-12 rep range and then decides to do some sets of 5 reps. The
question becomes, how much weight to use? The short answer is the one I have a hard
time understanding that doesnt answer itself. Put a weight on the bar you think is a
correct amount. If you only get 3-4 reps the weight was too heavy, reduce weight. If you
get to rep 5 and it is obvious you have more reps STOP LIFTING, add some weight
and try again.
Pretty simple huh? But it doesnt work out that way for a LOT of lifters. Probably
because they complicate things and have a few illusions about how critical a rep range is. I
have lifters tell me they wasted 2-3 weeks trying to fnd the weight to use. First, lets clear
one thing up, suggested rep ranges are GUIDELINES only. If the routine called for 3 x
5, and the lifter got 2 x 5, and 1 x 4 the workout was hardly wasted. Yet I have lifters tell
me they missed the numbers and somehow believe the workout was wasted. Defnitely
not the case.
One of the biggest mysteries for lifters that have always done high reps is how to go about
fnding a one rep max. That is the simplest of things and is actually a lot easier than
fnding a multiple rep max.
Here is an example for a lifter that believes he can bench 225-250.
Bar x 15
95 x 10
135 x 5
155 x 3
185 x 1
205 x 1
Now he is warm and simply just needs to keep doing singles in approximately 15-20 lb
increments until he either gets a weight that is all he could possibly do and cant imagine
having another 5 lbs on the bar and making a rep, or he takes a weight and misses, in
which case he can state that the last weight he got was his max, or close enough. This
ONLY WORKS IF THE INCREMENTS ON THE LAST SINGLES ARE
SMALL ENOUGH. If he gets 225 easy and puts 265 on the bar an gets crushed, his max
very well might be 245, but since he got pinned he isnt in as good a position to fgure that

out by working backwards from a weight that pinned him as he would have been if he
took 245 after 225, and got it.
If testing for a set of 3 rep max do singles until the weight feels heavy and when you take a
single that starts to feel heavy, rest, add a few lbs and go for a 3 rep max. If you make 3
reps easily, DONT do 4 reps! Rack the weight, rest 3-5 minutes and add as much as you
think you need to (not too much) and try again.
If you want to fnd a 5 rep max do a few triples until the weight starts to feel heavy BUT
IS NOT A MAX TRIPLE, then add a few pounds and try for a 5 rep max. If you get it
easily, DONT do more reps! Rest 3-5 minutes, add weight and try again. If you get only
4 reps, you can bet that your 5 rep max is a BIT under the weight you got 4 reps with.
Nothing complicated, no voodoo here.
If you want to fnd a 10 rep max, just do warm-ups, put some weight on the bar and if you
get 10 reps, and when you got to rep 10 it is obvious you can do more, STOP LIFTING,
rest, add some weight and try again. Better yet, at about rep number 8 it should be pretty
damn obvious to you the weight is too light, STOP THERE, rack the bar and try again.
Most people go the other way though, they put on too much weight and only get 5-6 reps.
Well it should be damn obvious by about rep number 4 that there is NO Fin way you are
going to get 10 reps, so dont push and go to failure at 5-7 reps, rack the weight and try
again.
A couple of other points to remember
It is better to err on the side of the weight being too light and cutting the set short and
adding weight as opposed to the bar being way too heavy and you pushing way to hard
and either going to failure, or pushing so hard you are in a fatigued state for your next
attempts.
It is absolutely key that you write down your numbers so you dont have to reinvent the
wheel every time you train.
Rep ranges are typically SUGGESTED RANGES. If you are trying to do 3 x 10 and get
3 x 11, or 2 x 10 and 1 x 8-9 you still had a productive workout. This is generally true, but is
dependent of how the workout is structured. Some routines mean to have the reps
reduced as fatigue sets in.
Rep range calculators that predict your max, or other rep ranges are based on
AVERAGE lifters, with AVERAGE muscle fber types and body mechanics. These will
NOT give everyone accurate results so they are best used as something to give you an
idea, they cannot be totally predictive and are thus simply best avoided.

This is simple stuf if you give it a bit of thought.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Why hardgainers are hardgainers

First things frst. MOST lifters that believe they are hardgainers just don't have a handle
on their diet and training. If all is dialed and results suck--then they just might be an
actual hardgainer. Here is some info covering that.
I see posts very frequently by guys that are just completely CLUELESS about the role
genetics play in how one responds to training. These posts USUALLY come from one of
two types of people. Guys with great genetics that have never had training partners that
didnt, or have never worked with a group of lifters over the long-term, and young guys
that REALLY, REALLY want to believe that they can be the next Arnold, Yates, or
Coleman.
Here are just SOME of the factors that ultimately determine how big and strong you get,
and what paths are appropriate to get you there:
Cortisol output
Adrenaline output
Insulin output
insulin sensitivity
Thyroid output
Thyroid sensitivity
Testosterone production
Testosterone/hormone sensitivity
Testosterone to estrogen conversion
SHGB sensitivity
Testosterone to DHT conversion
Estrogen sensitivity
Growth Hormone output
Growth Hormone sensitivity
IGF output
IGF sensitivity
Digestive capability
Basic protein synthesis ability
Muscle fber composition
CNS output
CNS recovery rate
Digestive capacity
AND A WHOLE BUNCH MORE

ALL THESE FACTORS ARE ALL DETERMINED BY AN INDIVIUALS

GENETICS. AND THEY DONT VARY A LITTLE, THEY VARY A LOT.
AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE!
Take a guy that has very little fast twitch fbers, or just very little muscle fbers compared
to the average person, or well above average person and this person is NEVER, NEVER
going to have anywhere NEAR the growth potential of someone that has more fber to
begin with no matter HOW BIG they hypertrophy them.
Oh, just add steroids and the below average guy is even. WRONG again. In the Soviet
Union where the state spent much time researching these issues, they determined that
hormone (steroid) sensitivity varied as much as 2 to 4 times. Which means the response
and thus results one guy might get from a gram of gear would take 4 grams for another
person to achieve. And these were highly technical studies carried out with good controls.
Not what a bunch of gym meatheads observed. YES, THAT IS genetics in action.
To say genetics only accounts for a small degree of the achieved results is just PLAIN
FLAT OUT WRONG AND ANY GOOD STRENGTH COACH OR SPORTS
PHYSIOLIGIST WILL TELL YOU THAT.
This does NOT mean you cannot make great progress or build a great body, but it does
mean that most just simply dont have the potential to be top bodybuilders. And
EVERYONE responds diferently. I am not trying to rain on anyones parade, and
potential can only be known in retrospect AFTER you have tried. But all these posts by
guys saying genetics are not important and guys just use them as an excuse is pure BS
OK, so maybe you havent been dealt the best hand. Well, you got what you got. Now you
have to make the best of it, and guess what? Many hardgainers do a LOT of things that
are CONTRARY to their goals.
I am going to deal with ectos this time and leave the endos for another article. We have
two archetypical types on ectos. Skinny ectos, ectos and skinny-fat ectos. These guys are
all over the place and are very often the types that are drawn to bodybuilding because they
are dissatisfed with their skinny physiques. Then once entering the bodybuilding world
they are quickly left out in the cold and alone as far as applicable information goes as the
mainstream publications focuses on genetic elite lifters doing lots of steroids. Hardly the
proper role model for a hardgainer with genetic disadvantages.
I look at quite a bit of lab results from hardgaining lifters and in a good amount of the
cases thyroid levels are high, test levels are low, and cortical is high and in skinny-fat

hardgainers estrogen levels are high, and glucose tolerance is in the toilet along with high
cortisol levels topping things of. Sleep and stress are usually bad for both types. Pretty
simpleyou cant get there from here. At least not at a pace that makes anyone even
marginally happy.
From a physical standpoint work capacity levels are most often dismally low and CNS is
very delicate. And most hardgainers make matters worse by doing either way too much
tonnage or way too much intensitybad mojo!
So what is the answer to this dilemma? Well it would take a book to cover all bases but in
the most simplistic terms here is what has to happen.
Skinny Hardgainer
Training load suited to recovery. Usually low volume and frequency without training to
failure.
Work capacity MUST BE BROUGHT UPTHIS IS CRITICAL!!
All stimulants cut out!
Stress reduction techniques used.
Sleep habits improved
Supplementation suited to needs
Eating brought up to a level that exceeds maintenance with at LEAST 1.5 grams protein
per lb of bodyweight. THIS SOLVES MANY, MANY hardginers primary issue
immediately. If thyroid is too high, diet must be higher!
Skinny-Fat Hardgainer
Training load suited to recovery. Usually low volume and frequency without training to
failure.
Work capacity MUST BE BROUGHT UPTHIS IS CRITICAL!!
All stimulants cut out!
Stress reduction techniques used.
Sleep habits improved
Eating brought up to a level that at least meets maintenance with at LEAST 1.5 grams
protein per lb of bodyweight
Supplementation suited to needs
GLUCOSE TOLERANCE/INSULIN SENSITIVITY BROUGHT UP!
One of the biggest mistakes hardgainers make is frst understanding they are hardgainers,
tailoring the workload to their limited recovery, and then NEVER attempting to raise
their work capacity. While that approach works in the short term, it s poison over the
long term. That type of loading is needed in the beginning, and may be needed for a long

time, but if it is never raised you will fnd yourself stuck soon and again be blaming your
genetics on something you had control over.
Another HUGE mistake hardgainers make is too high of intensity level training. MOST
HGs have pretty frail CNS recovery. QUIT BEATING A DEAD HORSE.
These steps will go a long way towards making one an average gainer if you will take the
time to implement them.
Iron Addict

Before Steroid or PH use

I am writing this because it is sorely needed. Over the course of the last month alone I
have had three training clients come to me asking what I thought they should do to
discourage their friends from using steroids. Now these werent guys that were antisteroid either, but guys that knew these guys were making a big mistake. Why? In all
cases the people that were using, or getting ready to use were extremely weak and small
lifters. These were guys that were so discouraged with their results they have decided to
get some chemical help. Well, the truth here is that the chemicals simply cant help these
guys, or can help very, very little. Let me explain.
If you dont know how to eat and train and grow while training clean, how can steroids or
pro-hormones help you? THEY CANT, all they can provide are some temporary size
gains while doing them, and when you get of them, since you still dont know how to eat
and train to grow you quickly go back to square one. Unless you do what so many of these
guys end up doing, simply staying on them, or continuously doing cycles because they
keep you 10-15 lbs heavier then you would be without them. Now keep in mind the weight
is mostly water and nutrient loading for most of these guysnot even muscle in many
cases. Why? They dont know how to fucking eat to growyou cannot get there from
here.
People for some reason tend to believe that all you need to do is throw some steroids at
the problem and INSTANT BUFF. It doesnt even remotely work that way. Most guys
that get big doing steroids are guys that know how to at least eat to grow. The steroids
do mask some pretty bad training, but they dont mask bad eating. The problem again
becomes if the eating is good and the training is bad, when they come of they cannot stay
big because their training sucksso they go back on.
Again, unless you know how to eat and train to make you grow at least at a reasonable
level, your attempt to use gear to get you big and strong is doomedTOTAL WASTE
OF TIME AND MONEY.
Also unless you have achieved at least a reasonable strength base, you are just being
impatienthardgainer or not. What is a reasonable strength base? IMO:
A bench of at LEAST 250-315 lbs for at least a few reps
Dipping with at LEAST 50-75+ strapped to your waist for 6-8 reps
Rows and/or pull-downs with at LEAST 200-275 for 6-8 reps
Military or dumbbell shoulder press with at LEAST 150-175 for 6-8 reps
Squatting/deadlifting at LEAST 350-450 for 6-8 reps

These fgures have spreads in them because we are not all the same size. A 56 guy will not
USUALLY have the same strength potential and therefore doesnt need a 450 lb squat to
be considered advanced. The lower numbers work well for shorter lighter guys, the
higher ones for taller heavier lifters. And they are ranges only, I know some guys that
squat and deadlift in the 500s that can barely do 225 for 5 bent rows. That doesnt mean
they are not advanced, just that their bent rows need worklol.
Those are not pie in the sky numbers and most of you can get there with good training
and diet in 2-3 years, some sooner. Too longget into another sport, you arent cut out for
this one.
Iron Addict

The missing link-"The Training Log"?

I can attribute many things to my overall success with lifting; eating clean, aerobic
activity, and training intensity. But how do you know if you are progressing? Do you look
in the mirror, get on the scale? Keep a training log?
One of the best things Wes had me start doing almost four years ago now is keeping a
detailed training log. Only by keeping a detailed record of each workout (and possibly
even your eating habits) can you ensure you are on track or making progress in whatever
it is your after, be it strength, size, weightloss, whatever. In one of Wes's recent articles he
writes:
"The truth is as long as your training is working for you, thats all that counts. Doesnt
matter if its 5 x 5, 10 x 10, HST, Max-OT, DC, Westside, Hardgainer, Volume, or
anything under the sun. But you MUST be progressive with your lifts over the long term
most lifters simply arent."
Do you fnd yourself walking into the gym and grabbing a weight just becasue it suites
you at that time...or do you pick up a weight that is heavier than the one you lifted the
previous workout? And how do you know? Keep a log!! And ensure you are progressing
in all your lifts. If youre not you need to change something and it needs to be changed
quickly.
I mean why would you waste precious time in the gym doing something that isnt working
or is even counter productive?
You can buy a log or make your own on the computer but keep a detailed record of each
set and amount lifted. You'll be surprised when you look back four or fve months later
and see your results!
-2Scoot

Great results with no ftness

I never fail to be amazed at all the lifters out there that want truly amazing things to come
from an out of shape unconditioned body. You want your body to recover from your
workouts and increase its capacity to do both weight and volume increases. You want it
to do absolutely amazing things..with a level of conditioning of a slug. I know and fully
understand all of the benefts of resistance training. It by itself has wonderful benefts to
your bodyexcept as done by most it doesnt do much for your heart, lungs, and overall
metabolic system (metabolic system term used for simplicity here).
And please dont spend any time telling me about how great of shape you are in from your
lifting unless you do EXTREMELY short rest period times in your training consistently
and for all sets (some guys do just this and qualify, but that is a shitty way to build
maximal strength/size). It doesnt take shit to do an extremely hard set of 8-10 reps and
then rest 90 seconds to 3 minutes from a CV capacity standpoint, and I have worked with
and been around a LOT of lifters that looked great but couldnt walk a fight of stairs
without getting winded. I have seen many more that looked like shit and one reason is
they are so horribly out of shape. I am not saying you cant build maximal size and
strength without a reasonable level of CV capacity, because we all know that is not true.
Many lifters get freaky strong and huge never doing CV work. But for your average lifter,
better results are had by a REASONABLE conditioning base.
So why is this important if you are a bodybuilder or powerlifter where maximal size and
strength is your only concern? Because simply put, with at least a minimal conditioning
base you will recover faster, have more work capacity, and be healthier. This doesnt mean
any high impact cardio, but low impact high intensity done for at least two 20 minute
sessions twice a week. If you break into this it will NEVER impact your progress with
the weights and WILL enhance it once at that level. For a bodybuilder or powerlifter the
goal is to establish the base conditioning level and then simply maintain it. Not continue
to take it to higher levels unless you want to potentially trade of some strength/size gains
for conditioning which WILL occur once a certain threshold is met. You only make
things more difcult for yourselves not being in at least minimal cardio shape irregardless
of what certain experts might say about this.
Iron Addict

Comparing Lifters
In the lifting world, and especially on the internet forums there are always ongoing
debates and often all out wars regarding what methods are the be all end all of
methodologies, and endless people are continually writing their opinions on just why this
is so. It usually starts out with one person stating that method A is superior because of
various components of the system. Good enough, but then it downward spirals when the
lifter comparisons start entering the picture. And of course while I am sitting here
writing this I am going back through memories of all the times when I have been the one
doing the comparisons. Comparison that are as about apples and oranges as it gets.
Expert A who happens to be fan of extreme volume training is perhaps the best example.
They will give you a guided tour of every pro since Larry Scott though Jay Cutler that has
successfully used volume work and then conclude that if this were not the best way to lift
the vast majority of the pros would have used some other system. They of course always
tend to leave out the fact that these guys have designer genetics and use lots of drugs-but
perhaps they dont think that is a pertinent issue.
Better yet the guys that say genetics are a non factor and it all boils down to hard work
and determination and applying ones self with the proper methods and diet over the long
term that makes a champion. As someone that trains an extremely large segment of the
training populous I can tell you with all certainly and honestly that the three most
important things in BBing, and PLing are:
1, Genetics
2. Genetics
3. Genetics
Everything else is way below that. With all factors being the same, i.e, dedication,
consistency, proper diet. Now having said that, I will tell you that you have the genetics
that you have and with proper diet and training and a complete supplementation program
applied over the long term many of you can and will get results that will make people
believe you have awesome genetics, but it wont be anything like the true freaks I can
assure you.
Guys that believe in extreme frequency will point out the fact that eastern bloc Olympic
lifters often train multiple times a day 5-6 days a week and then tell you that if they can do
it anyone should be able to. Never mind the fact that for every guy that made the team
100s were rejected and even those that make the tem have a high fall-out rate. They also
dont mention the fact that much of the Olympic lifts do not have an eccentric component

which largely negates DOMS and makes recovery esier. But.it sounds like a good
argument to the unknowing.
The HIT crowd points at Mike Mentzer, Dorian Yates, and now Mark Dughal and
often without even bothering to make mention of the fact these guys bult most of their
size doing vlume work, simply state that if the volume guys trained that way they woud be
even better!!!! Now THAT is some statement.
Powerlifters these days will almost always point of the supremacy of The WSB system,
never mind the fact that the metal Militia bunch does quite well at the bench side of the
meets. Old style powerlifting is a non player and anyone using it is living in the stone age
never mind that perhaps the greatest PLer of all time used a simple progressive
methodnamely Ed Coan. But here we are back again at the fact that most people will
agree that Eddie had perhaps the best genetics for PLing the world has ever seen.
Stuart McRobert hardgainer style converts have almost made it a religion and I often
have to almost un-brainwash these guys when training them trying to make them
understand that with proper diet and methods, often MUCH more workload can be
used. But Stuart set the standard and thousands have used his system with success and
will now argue tooth and nail that it s ALL that will work for a hardgainer, until I prove
many of them wrong if they work with me.
We all tend to use poor examples when arguing our favorite lifting methods, usually by
pointing to the best of the best in the sport and then somehow thinking it applies to Joe
average lifter with Joe average genetics. With current training clients I use:
4,2,3 (meaning training frequency changes each week)
5 x 5 periodized DFT
10 x 3s, can be 2,3,4 day a week
Mid-volume for guys that are pretty strong
Advanced BBer/Volume
Hardgainer, LOW volume, low frequency UNTIL I can get work capacity up for those
that are not genetic trash bags--lol
Powerbuild, usually 3 day body-parts once every 5 days strength oriented, usually WSB
inspired
Pure BB (for guys that have 315-450 benches, 450-650 squats/deads
Rest-Pause
Restricted Lift Routines for the crippleslol
Standard WSB
WSB with equipment
Varied day routines

I switch it up a LOT on long term clients and it is make or break IMO to keep the target
moving and not get stuck on one method. Which method is superior? All of them
depending on the lifter and their stage in the game. So quit arguing about how since so
and so uses this and he has the best physique this method is the best and fnd what works
for YOU.
Iron Addict

Are you sure it's enough?

That is a question I feld constantly from new training clients when we go over their
routine. An beginner or low intermediate needs to be training for strengthpure and
simple. Strength training IS size training at that stage of the trainees carriers. But most
are so mesmerized by reading the routines out of Flex they are sure they are missing
things. There are few things worse, and yet funny as hell at the same tame as a guy with a
39 inch chest that benches 175 ask about but what about my upper inner chest. Dude,
you dont even have a chest yet, how could that be an issue.
You training MUST be tailored to to level YOU are currently at. And if you are relatively
new to the sport with relatively small lifts (benching UNDER 275-350, squatting under
375-450, and deadlifting under 405-475, rowing under 225-300) you need to be worried
about strength gains. I am not telling you that you have to train like a powerlifter (but that
would not be a bad idea) but you do have to be doing simple strength based routines if
you want to get there this decade. It is almost universal that the more volume you use the
slower your strength gains. That doesnt mean you only need to do 2 sets a bodypart, but I
assure you that for most of you, trying to do 20 sets a bodypart will ensure it takes about
forever to reach those above mentioned numbers unless you have good genetics. While on
a simple strength based routine, hitting them in 1-3 years will be EASY.
You can make this as difcult or as easy as you want for yourselves but please keep in min
the big guys are also usually the damn strong guys and trying to do pure hypertrophy
work without a sold strength base is fools workdont be a fool.
Iron Addict

Periodized Workload Formats

The attached following spreadheet shows some periodization formats that use weekly
loading volume for the periodization scheme. Please keep in mind this is only one method
and many others keep the volume more stable and increase the intensity, others use more
or less training sessions, some use diferent forms of training, and some use all of those
approaches. Bottom line is past the beginner stage one of the biggest mistakes you can
possibly make is to not have periodized programming to allow your body time to unload
and adapt. Sheets 3-5 were loosely translated (mostly due to my lack of excel spreadsheet
knowledge) from the book Supertraining which is considered a defnitive test on
strength training. The numbers on the charts just signify relative volume workload
volume for the individual lifter.
Chart one is how most bodybuilders that dont periodize their loading looks like. Every
week they hit it hard and heavy and when it quits working (usually very soon) they just try
something else.
Chart two is actually something many lifters do, they have heavy weeks, followed by
lighter weeks. Works much better then a contant pounding if things are in balance.
Charts three through fve show loading pattern variations over the course of an 8 week
period for diferent lifters.
Does this type of loading work for bodybuilders? You betcha!
Iron Addict

Water, get used to it

Irregardless if you are a creationist or believe in evolutionist theory it is easy to look back
into time and see that we were not made for drinking things other than water. Until quite
recently when we learned how to ferment grains and fruits into alcoholic beverages, milk
cows, or squeeze fruits, we drank water and that is what our bodies are meant to drink.
Granted there are a few exceptions like unsweetened tea that can be benefcial, but there
is NOTHING that takes the place of water. Walk into any grocery store and it becomes
obvious that we have tried our best to replace water with a wide variety of substitutes
and there are none.
The problem is most are either sweetened, which is diabetes and increases fat stores in a
bottle, or artifcially sweetened, which at least in America equals Aspartame. Most of you
likely think Aspartame is harmless, but if you look at the proven health problems and
consider how many lawsuits have been fled against it, you might think again. Industry
experts agree that it will likely be pulled from the market within 5 yearsits that bad.
Why dont we drink water? Partly because most of it tastes like shit. Most has chemicals
in it that are also problematic, but if you think you are overcoming that issue by drinking
Pepsi you are fooling your yourself. Pure water tastes good and the fact is most people
never drink pure water. There are some fairly good brands available that taste good, but if
you want the most protection from contaminants you will drink reverse osmosis water
only. It tastes good, and has FAR, FAR more contaminants removed than by any other
method.
Trying to get around this by drinking diet drinks or worse yet sweetened drinks is just
plain lack of discipline and ignorance. Milk, for those that are TRULY tolerant, which is
the minority, or tea are the only good exceptions other than very low GI vegetable juice
like V-8. Water is what we are made to drink, get some good water and get used to
drinking it. Your health, performance and well-being are what is at stake using good
tasting alternatives.
Iron Addict

HELP! I'm Weak as a Girl!

During the course of training lots of people over the years its pretty common to run into
people that are pretty damn weak. There are two types that I want to discuss here. The
guys that are weak and are big, with pretty damn impressive physiques. And those who
are weak, and look the part. Being big and weak seems like a paradox, but its really not.
While I truly believe the best way to train for size is to focus on strength training, I am
quite aware that one can train mostly for size while not focusing much on strength and
get great results. Now the downside..most of these guys have damn good genetics for
gaining mass and are doing a lot of volume work. While this is interesting to know, it sure
doesnt help Joe averagewith average genetics build mass. Now lets talk about the weak
guys that look weak. Well lots of them are new guys and it takes a while to build a solid
strength and size base. Some of them train like little old ladies and you cant there from
here. Some of them eat like birds and no matter how perfect your training, if you dont fuel
it, it wont happen. Of coarse most of them just overtrain like madmen and do so much
work, so frequently their body never recovers from it and thus never grows.
But what about the guys that seem to be training on a reasonable strength based routine
and are eating well and just dont grow? Sound like you and your not sure what to do?
Here is possibly what your problem is, and a possible solution. Most people know that
fast twitch muscle fbers are the ones that have the most potential for size gains, and are
the ones responsible for moving the heavy iron. You know this and always try to go heavy.
Great idea and the best way to build a solid strength and size base.
Butwhat if you are one of those poor guys that just got a shitty deal on genetics and
has very little fast twitch muscle? You cant train the fast twitch muscle you dont have, can
you? The answer is yes, and no. Everyone has SOME fast twitch fbers, its just a matter
of what the ratios are. You can train for pure innervation which is mostly whats
accomplished when doing very low reps or training extremely explosively. You can train
for a combo of innervation and size, by using low-medium reps, which is what most guys
do. Or you can train with high reps, which is primarily training for size according to
many. Ranges are typically 1-5 for innervation, 6-10 for innervation and size, and 12-20 for
size. While those three categories by no means cover the whole spectrum of rep ranges
and applicability, they are close enough for the discussion at hand. While anyone and
everyone can increase the ability to fre the signal from brain to muscle and increase their
poundages this route only goes so far for guys that have an extremely small ratio of fast
twitch fbers.
So what to do? Well chances are against you succeeding doing volume work, but hey, if it
works for you and you get great results from it, more power to you. Keep using it and

reap the benefts. If it doesnt work for you though, and you have been doing a properly
structured routine AND getting 1.5 lbs of protein for each lb of bodyweight training clean
or 2 grams per lb on gear and not getting results, here is a tip that can help. It can also be
a saving grace for individual muscles that are weak and just dont respond well to lower
reps. Well Im sure you already guessed the solution is to just do higher reps, which tend
to shift the efects from the fast twitch strength fbers to the slow twitch endurance type
fbers. Do these endurance fbers hypertrophy? Hell yes, and while the fber to growth
potential of the fast twitch fbers is higher than with the slow twitch fbers, if this is all you
have to work with you might as well make the best of it. Now the big question many of
you are no doubt pondering. How do I know if I have a high percentage of slow twitch
fbers? The answer is short of a biopsy you DONT! But, if your one of those guys that
just never make much progress training in the 6-10 rep range after a certain point, and are
still quite weak after years of training its damn sure worth a shot.
How should it be implemented? The simplest way is to take a HIT/Hardgainer style
routine and simply just do 1 to 3 sets of 12-20 reps to failure for all your lifts. If you have
bodyparts or lifts that you know respond well to lower reps by all means keep doing what
works, but for those areas that fail to make progress on lower reps give it a try. Another
way to go about trying higher reps is by doing a single set of rest-pause for each lift that
has you hitting failure at 12, and rest-pausing to 20 or even 25. Many people that fnd after
hitting failure on an 8/15 rest pause set, that getting their reps after they hit failure is
extremely difcult, they hit failure at 8, and then even with a fairly long rest period, getting
even two more reps is extremely difcult. Often these same people fnd that after hitting
failure at 15, with minimal rest they get 3-4 reps, and can do so for many rest-pause eforts.
Why? Probably because they are targeting the endurance fbers that they have in
abundance. While this sure isnt a cure-all for the weak guys to pack on some mass, it has
worked MANY, MANY times for me with trainees that ft the description above.
Another good way to do this that has more volume than hit, but not as much as true
volume routines is picking two lifts a body part and doing 3 sets per each lift. Thats 6 sets
total, and in doing these only the LAST set of the 3rd set per exercise should be done to
true failure. Again, not as much volume, not as low as hit. This format works well for
many trainees.
Dont take this to mean that your focus will not be adding weight every damn time you
can. THAT is always going to be your primary concern. This method will probably just
give you a better chance of doing it.
Iron Addict

Is your training working?

First, let me start this thread with a statement I am going to close it with:
There is no need to wait more than a few weeks to make the determination if a routine is
working or not, if it didnt work for the frst month, its not going to magically start
working next month.
I have read 4-5 posts on various boards over the last week alone from people that stated
that over the last six months in one case, and as long as 13 months in the most extreme
case they have gained NOTHING! No additional weight on the bar, and no additional
body mass. And the sad part is, a LOT of lifters are in the same boat. They read pages
upon pages of info about how to get big and strong, and for all their knowledge (mostly
useless) and eforts, they are not even moving slowly towards their goals. Before I go on, I
will defne the audience I am talking to/about. This is directed at beginner and
intermediate level lifters that are not already quite big and strongyou know, most of the
people on these forums trying to make big changes in their physiques.
At this level there is absolutely no reason to not be making steady progress towards your
goals. Your initial barometer of success needs to be ever increasing amounts of iron on the
bar. You can do all the pump sets you like, but as long as you are lifting girl weights,
youre gonna have a girl body. Bodyweight gains are a harder thing to gauge as LEAN
muscle gains do not occur extremely fast unless you are a rank beginner, or using growth
enhancing drugs. Getting on the scale and trying to see it go up 2 lbs each week
USUALLY just means you are getting fat, so frst worry about making the bar heavier,
then worry about if the muscle is coming on fast enough. And guess what? It is a pretty
simple thing! If you are CONSISTENTLY getting stronger over the long term (not the
I gained 10 lbs on my bench how come my pecs arent bigger now type) you should be
slowly gaining weight. And if you are not, you simply are not eating enough. People, think
this one through. IF you are eating enough to gain mass you will either be gaining
muscle, or gaining bodyfat, but if NEITHER of these two are occuring, you simply are
not eating enough.
If you are gaining fat instead of muscle, AND your lifts are going up on a consistent basis
you are either too high over maintenance or have the macro-nutrient ratios screwed up,
and as a starter, if you are not getting at LEAST 1.5 grams of protein per lb of
bodyweight (for guys that are 7-18% bodyfat) you might as well stay home.
Now that diet has been addressed (but surely not covered in detail) lets talk about
training. Simply put most of you fail because you attempt routines WAY outside your

current capacity. Beginners always want to do intermediate routines and intermediate

advanced, or extremely advanced routines. At your stage of the game all you need is a
routine that hits all the bodytparts with the big compound lifts and not much else. You
need to squat, deadlift, bench press or dip (or both), row or chin (or both) military press,
and do some curls, not exclusively, but as cornerstones of your routine. There is nothing
wrong with doing a couple of lifts per bodypart, but unless you are moving some OK
poundages (and 200 lb benches and 300 lb squats are NOT OK poundages) there is
simply NO REASON TO DO MORE. Use as much frequency as you can and still
make consistent gains. You have ZERO reason to worry about imbalances because in
most cases the beginner lifter has one major imbalance, they dont have enough strength
on the big lifts and muscle on their frame.
If you are not getting stronger on a consistent basis when at beginner and intermediate
level in almost all cases the lifter is either doing way too much workload as far as volume,
or frequency or both, or is the shmuck that trains bench and biceps 3 times a week and
wonders why hes not swole.
You dont need the latest fashy trendy routine to buf you in 8 weeks. You need a sold
STRENGTH BASED routine that you can consistently add weight to the bar using.
And this means consistently, but perhaps not every time. And the reason I say that is you
should periodize your routine whether that consists of programmed unloaded weeks, or
added deload or cruise weeks periodically. And another reason I state that is I KNOW
for a fact that LOTS of you guys use a routine until you have ONE bad workout, assume
the worst and change your entire routine (usually to the latest thing on a lifting forum or
muscle mag) and start the process anew.
It really is this simple, unless your weights are going up on a CONSISTENT basis your
training or diet or both are screwed up. There is no need to wait more than a few weeks
to make the determination if a routine is working or not, if it didnt work for the frst
month, it damn sure isnt going to work the next month (excluding SOME types of
advanced loading YOU dont need to be using in the frst place). First look at diet, then
training and if those are good, look at sleep and stress, but that is a topic for another day.
Iron Addict

Lifts I Like
I often get asked what lifts I prefer for various body-parts, and though it's a given that the
FULL-BODY lifts are the ones most important to making you grow, some of the other
body-parts/lifts are not always so obvious to some, so here is a quick list.
If you think compound lifts, you are thinking correctly. While there are no universal
answers, the big-basic lifts are what REALLY make it happen. Here are some examples
of that, and what I like.
Benches are considered the king of mec mass movements. Not by me. For TONS of
trainees they are primarily a front delt/tricep move. Does that mean they are not good for
pecs? Hell no! Just means some people just don't have the bio-mechanics to make them
work for them.
kjI like dips for chest WAY better than benches. You mileage may vary. The Hammer
machines also work well for MANY people. For chest, its Dumbell benches (barbell and
dumbbell, fat and incline are also great moves for most) and dips for me. Are they all
angles needed? NO! From a purely bio-mechanical point of view, for MOST people,
Dips, fat barbell and dumbbell presses hit the WHOLE pec region. Inclines just shift
the focus SOMEWHAT to the upper pecs. And remember, the higher you go, the more
front delt you tend to use, and the less pec.
And of course "you got to squat". That said, for SOME people, they don't target the
quads all that well and are mostly a glute/ham/low back lift. Son be it, you still got to
squat for overall metabolic conditioning. If your quads need more direct stimulation, leg
presses are where it's at. Damn quads are simple.
If you don't deadlift, you're not really training. Conventional, sumo, Tap bars, stiflegged, or rack pulls all work, and are the absolute best way to beef your whole backside
from the hams to your traps-period. NOTHING REPLACES DEADLIFTING for
back thickness, and overall body mass--period!
BTW, the last two sections (squats/deads) just took care of your hams and glutes. You're
done! And need I say low back is taken care of also?? If more work is needed, Goodmornings, glute-ham raises, reverse-hypers, and rack pulls are what you need, not laying
leg-curls. The single joint (isolation lifts) feel like they are working so hardbecause
they only target a SMALL portion of the ham complex.

For calves nothing quite beats using the leg press for doing your calf work. Just use the
lower edge of the platform as PUSH! Standing calf raises are fne, but for many people
myself included, they load the back too much.
Most forms of rowing also useful for back thickness, and regardless of what most people
think, they also help widen the back SOMEWHAT. Barbell rows, dumbbell rows, and I
particularly like the hammer iso-lateral row. While others dislike chest supported rows
because of the pressure on the chest/sternum when the bar/carriage is loaded heavy, I like
them for many trainees as they leave the lower back untouched. This can be important for
some people, in some situations. The hammer, or original nautilus pullover machines are
just about unbeatable for both width and thickness in one move. If you have these in your
gym try them. They are largely overlooked.
For back width Pulldowns and pullups are it. Again I like the hammer equipment (front
pulldown, not the rear one) if available. Wide, narrow, neutral grip, supinated, and
pronated grips all work.
For Delts I will no doubt ofer a difering opinion than most. I LIKE lateral raises!
WHAT THE !?!?! Why do I like laterals? Well, I didn't say I like them in every routine,
or for everyone. But......overworked front delts are a BIG reason why upper body
pressing movements tend to end up stalemated too fast. Almost everything done for
chest, and many things done for tri's pound the hell out of front delts. You already worked
them with your chest workout? Do a few (or more) sets of laterals and be done. Is that the
solution for every shoulder workout, for every routine structure? Nope. I still do both
barbell and dumbbell presses, and have trainees do so also. Again the Hammer delt
machine is an absolute work of art! For me anyway. It hammers my delts with less trucep
and trap assistance than ANY other compound movement I have ever done. Great one to
use for a main movement, or for variety.
For triceps, dips and close grip benches are number 1 and 2 for me. Reverse grips on the
smith ala DC are also a great move. If you need more work isolation work in the form of
skull crushers or various pushdowns can increase volume (if needed). For many people
direct work simply isn't needed and triceps are efectively worked when doing chest and
shoulder work. Triceps have three heads, hence the name triceps, dips and close grips hit
all three. For isolation work, the key (in a general sense) to ensuring all three heads are
targeted in to get the hands in a neutral position. Louis and company do lots of lying
tricep extensions with bars, dumbbells, and anything else possible to change the
recruitment pattern a bit. They are a good choice if you must isolate.
Biceps follow the same rule as triceps. Do direct work only if needed. Heavy back work
simply can't be done without hammering biceps and is all LOTS of folks need. If direct

work is needed regular standing barbell curls with a strait bar hit not only the lateral and
medial head of the biceps, but slam the brachialis hard. If the brachialis is not worked
hard you will NEVER have maximal arm size. Many people mostly do direct bicep work
that primarily targets the medial head of the bicep which accounts for the SMALLEST
percentage of bicep mass. They then wonder why they have girl arms. Incline seated
dumbell curls, and EZ-Bar curls with a narrow grip are good also.
For traps, see DEADLIFTS!
For forearms, see DEADLIFTS!
For rear delts, see DEADLIFTS! Rowing and width work takes care of the rest of the
rear delt work. Do you really think jacking of with girl weight dumbbells can have any
efect compared to keeping the arms pulled back when deadlifting 300-600 lbs?
Anyone getting the idea that deadlifts are a must? Good, now maybe some of the nondeadlifters out there will start!
Iron Addict

How much does that bar really weigh?

I had been training with low reps 5's, 3's, and an occasional double in preparation for a
planned single max in the three powerlifts. Every eight months or so I do the three lifts in
a meet style format, warm-up for the squat, then three attempts at a single. I then do the
same for the bench and the deadlift, my girlfriend calls the lifts and I use a video recorder
to check my form, depth of squat, lockout of deadlift, and overall performance. Its fun and
the preparation training I do is a refreshing change from the higher reps I usually do the
rest of the year.
Since I am attempting meet style conditions as much as possible I decided that calibrated
plates were a must. I wanted to know exactly what I was lifting not close to what I lifted.
I looked at calibrated plates from various manufactures. It didn't take long to realize that
they were way out of my price range, true calibrated plates are very expensive.
Fortunately my place of Employment happened to have a scale in the shipping
department that is calibrated by the department of weights and measures twice a year. I
started to bring my plates to work daily to see what they weighed. I was very shocked to
fnd out how much variation there was from plate to plate! I found 45's that weighed 43,
doesn't sound like much? Well, it does if the plate you match it with weighs 47! That's a
four pound diference from only two plates, add two more 45's and you could be of
balance eight pounds on one side!
Generally, in most cases, the plates tended to be heavier rather than lighter. That was a
pleasant surprise as I found out I was squatting 9 pounds more and deadlifting 11 pounds
more than I thought I was!
I found out that it doesn't matter a whole bunch how much you pay for your plates, as
some of my expensive top name manufactured plates varied as much as the much less
expensive no name brands. I have over 1000 lbs of Olympic plates in my garage gym and I
weighed them all, it was time well spent. Here are a few reasons why.
Lifting an unbalanced bar can easily cause an injury, often if the bar feels unbalanced we
naturally shift our grip or position on the bar to compensate, however if you set up for a
heavy lift without checking balance and one side is signifcantly heavier, injury can result.
This is specially true on heavy lower rep sets, but is also a factor at the end of a high rep
set when fatigue sets in and form breaks down slightly.
Another big reason to know what your plates weigh, is if you are lifting Hardgainer style,
you only add a small amount of iron to the bar for your weight increases. If you put the
wrong plates on the bar, your planned 1 or 2-1/2 pound increase can be anywhere from
many pounds light, to many pounds heavy. Of course there is more room for error when
you get into the big lifts and have many plates on the bar.
Prior to weighing my plates I was usually, unknowingly lifting a diferent amount of
weight each week even if I thought I had on the same amount on the bar.

Now that I know how much they weigh I keep certain plate combinations together so the
load is always balanced. Any plate combinations that don't balance are dealt with by
adding small plates to the light side. The load is balanced, I know exactly what I am
lifting, and my poundage increments are precise, this makes lifting both safer and more
satisfying.
With a little creativity it should be no problem fnding an accurate scale to weigh your
plates, try the post ofce or a company that ships product regularly, they should have a
calibrated scale that is accurate to the tenth of a pound. If nothing else can be found, a
common bathroom scale will do. It will at least give you an idea of how close, or balanced
your plates are relative to one another. My inexpensive bathroom scale was amazingly
close to the correct weight (within one pound) and will defnitely indicate if one plate is a
pound or more heavier than the next.
This is one area where home gym trainees have a decided advantage over commercial
gym dwellers. The best advice I can give to those that train in a commercial gym is to
always be cautious and check balance before lifting heavy, and if possible try to use the
same plate combinations workout to workout, so your weight increases are consistent,
although I realize in most gyms this is difcult at best and impossible at worst. And
remember if the iron feels specially heavy one day, maybe it is!
Iron Addict

Increasing work capacity

What we do as lifters is ever strive to increase work capacity. Be it by more volume, more
training days, or more weight on the bar. There are wide varieties of ways to increase
workload, and without workload going up, you areSTUCK.
The simplest and the method that should always remain in your mind is ever increasing
weight on the bar. Without this occurring, you might as well stay homesimple enough.
Another way to increase work capacity is by increasing the volume, i.e, sets and lifts done.
This can be great for size, but everyone has a threshold of how many lifts per session and
per week their body will tolerate. AND..and it is a big AND, IF YOU CANNOT
PROGRESS IN WEIGHT DOING THE AMOUNT OF VOLUME YOU ARE
DOING, YOU WILL CAP OUT IN SIZE FAST!! Irregardless, one should slowly
try to increase volume over time WITHIN THE LIMITS THAT YOU ARE STILL
PROGRESSIVE WITH THE WEIGHTS.
The third way it is typically done is by increasing the frequency of your sessions for a
particular lift, or bodypart. This is where it can get really tricky as many people just do not
recover well enough to squeeze in more frequency. It has been a long tradition to start
lifters on a three day a week full body program for instance. And in this instance I see a
LOT of mixed results. Some guys and girls absolutely thrive on this type of a schedule,
while others fall fat on their faces, like I did when attempting it in my youth. Why didnt it
work for me? My work capacity SUCKED, and I NEVER came close to recovering.
On the other end of the spectrum there are people that recommend 8-12 days between lifts
and bodyparts. And while I KNOW there are people out there that do get the best results
that way, it is not an optimal loading frequency.
Remember, the more frequently you can train and recover and do it again, the faster you
will achieve your size and strength goals. That said, training before you have recovered
(what LOTS of trainees do) is useless and unless you are consistently hitting PRs whats
the point??
What we would like to be able to do is train as frequently as possible, with as much
volume as possible, while being as progressive with the poundages as possible. Easy huh!
Well it is until most people actually try and do it and fall fat on their faces.

And then you need to take into account that as you become more advanced, the more
each lift takes out of you. I really like the quote by Louis Simmons that went something
like this: Take a 250 lb squatter and have him do a max set of 10 squats, he will walk away
from the rack dizzy and breathing hard. Take a 800 lb squatter and have him do a max set
of 10 squats and he isnt walking anywhere when hes done, he will probably on the foor in
the rack when hes fnished.
So you have work capacity increasing as you get more advanced as you slowly adapt to
increasing weights and increased workloads, but you are always fghting the fact that as
you get bigger and stronger, each lift you do impacts recovery more due to the sheer
weight on the bar. How do you get past this?
Work capacity is loosely defned as the bodys ability to perform work. How do you make
your body more able to perform work without outstripping its capacity to recover? The
traditional way is just to throw more work at it and see if it sinks or swims. Nice idea but
in many, if not most cases, it simply sinks. Like anything else lifting related, you must
make haste slowly. If you are to increase work capacity by doing more volume and
frequency, the extra work should be added in slowly over months, and even years time.
You can also overload it for a time, and then unload it. This allows extra work to be done
while still giving recovery periods that allow PRs to be set, and this in essence is what
dual factor training is about, but it has been used in many sports and lifting applications
for years now under diferent names.
You can also load it WITHOUT using weights in the gym per se, but by using various
forms of GPP (general physical preparedness). This is my frst choice for increasing ones
work capacity as it allows the body to slowly adapt to more workload, and does so in an
environment that does not produce DOMS. The pulling sled is my frst choice for this
and is used by a large percentage of the top lifters and strongmen in many sports. See:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=116
For more sled info.
Here is what my experience has been with lifters concerning increasing work capacity has
been. EVERYONE can increase work capacity, and everyone can. How much it goes up
is very individualistic. Some people are able to double their PRODUCTIVE workload
in a short period of time, while others see some, but marginal progress. Now comes the
part few want to hear. REAL progress in work capacity is improved on over the YEARS.
The guys at the top have usually been lifting 5-25 years and it doesnt happen overnight, so
if all you are in this for are bigger biceps before spring break to impress the babes on the

beach, you are barking up the wrong tree. If you are in this for real though, you will
formulate at plan to gradually increase your work capacity over time.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Sustainable Progress
The axiom in bodybuilding that has lived with agreement with most all strength coaches
is IF in your frst your you diet and train correctly you will gain 20-50 (as high as 60, but
60 is pretty rare) after that, if you can gain 10 - 12 lbs of lean muscle a year after that, your
are doing GREAT. Note this is for drug free trainees.
Ronnie Colemen, probably the best BB'er the world has ever seen got his pro card at 220,
Until last year, he gained 6.something A YEAR (I think it was 6.8). Now take into
account this is the man with THE best genetics doing more steroids and other growth
enhancing drugs than you will ever imagine.
That is sustainable progress and the type most get for their frst 3-8 years training.
Iron Addict

The infuence of frequency, intensity, volume

Sports Med. 2007;37(3):225-64.
The infuence of frequency, intensity, volume and mode of strength training on whole
muscle cross-sectional area in humans.
I thought I'd summarize this comprehensive paper both for my own beneft and for those
who want the highlights. I've restricted my summary to the parts of the paper that talk
about your typical "dynamic external resistance" training. The gist of the paper is that
while we do know what works for hypertrophy (pretty much everything, to an extent), we
really don't know what's optimal, especially in trained individuals and in the long run.
Dan also posted some excerpts on his forum: http://hypertrophyresearch.com/php...bd439df18302615
Results
No relationship could be found between frequency of training and the increase per day in
muscle cross sectional area. When the intensity was plotted against the rate of increase, a
weak tendency was found for the rate to increase with increasing intensity. The highest
rates of increase tended to occur around 75% of 1RM. When volume was plotted against
the rate of increase, greater gains in muscle mass were seen initially with increasing
volume while there were diminishing returns as the volume increased further. The
highest rates of increase tended to occur with 30-60 repetitions per session.
Discussion
Frequency: For hypertrophy, studies suggest that training two or three times per week is
superior to training one time per week, even when volume is equal. However, there
doesn't appear to be a beneft of three sessions per week over two. "Although some
interesting trends can be discerned from the data... there is clearly a need for further
research on training frequency in both highly-trained and less-trained subjects."
Intensity: "The studies reviewed in this article show that there is a remarkably wide range
of intensities that may produce hypertrophy. Still, there seems to be some relationship
between the load (or torque) and the rate of increase in CSA." This is not linear, but
seemed to peak around 75%. "Thus, the results of this review support the typical
recommendations with intensity levels of 7085% of maximum when training for muscle
hypertrophy, but also show that marked hypertrophy is possible at both higher and lower
loads."
Volume: "Overall, moderate volumes (3060 repetitions per session for DER training)
appear to yield the largest responses." An exception to this is with very high loads (90%

1RM or 120% to 230% 1RM with eccentrics) where high rates of growth have been shown
with volumes as low as 12-14 repetitions per session. To date, relatively few studies have
directly compared the efects of diferent volumes of work on the hypertrophic response as
measured by scanning methodology." The paucity of data clearly warrants further
research.
Mode of Training and Type of Muscle Action: You often hear statements like "eccentric
training produces the greatest muscle hypertrophy". "This review demonstrates that
given sufcient frequency, intensity and duration of work, all three types of muscle actions
can induce signifcant hypertrophy at impressive rates and that at present, there is
insufcient evidence for the superiority of any mode and/or type of muscle action over
other modes and types of training in this regard." In fact, the data suggest that pure
eccentric training is inferior to both concentric and eccentric+concentric training, though
this is still a subject of debate rather than a scientifc certainty.
Rest Periods and the Role of Fatigue: "Upon closer examination, it appears that when
maximal or near-maximal eforts are used, it is advantageous to use long periods of rest.
This is logical in light of the well known detrimental efects of fatigue on force production
and electrical activity in the working muscle. If high levels of force and maximum
recruitment of motor units are important factors in stimulating muscle hypertrophy, it
makes sense to use generous rest periods between sets and repetitions of near-maximal to
maximal eforts... On the other hand, when using submaximal resistance, the size
principle dictates that motor unit recruitment and fring rates are probably far from
maximal until the muscle is near fatigue or unless the repetitions are performed with the
intention to execute the movement very quickly."
Interactions Between Frequency, Intensity, Volume and Mode: "Based on the available
evidence, we suggest that the time-tension integral is a more important parameter than
the mechanical work output (force distance)... Overall, we feel that the trends observed
in this review are consistent with the model for training-overtraining continuum proposed
by Fry,[186] where the optimal training volume and also the volume threshold for
overtraining decreases with increasing intensity... Regarding training for hypertrophy in
already highly-trained individuals, there is at present insufcient data to suggest any
trends in the dose-response curves for the training variables."
Eccentrics: "Taken together, the results of these studies support the common
recommendation of using somewhat lower frequencies and volumes for high-force
eccentric exercise than for conventional resistance training..."
Order of endurance/strength training: "It has been suggested that strength training
should be performed frst, in order not to compromise the quality of the strength-training

session.[194] However, this order may not necessarily be the best choice for inducing
increases in muscle mass. Deakin[195] investigated the impact of the order of exercise in
combined strength and endurance training and reported that gene expression associated
with muscle hypertrophy responded more strongly when cycling was performed before
strength training, instead of vice versa. Interestingly, in the study of Sale et al.,[111]
performing cycling frst seemed to induce the greatest increase in muscle area. Still,
because the lack of studies investigating the efects of the order of exercise in concurrent
training on hypertrophy, no frm conclusions can be drawn on this issue."
Time Course of Muscle Hypertrophy: "Until recently, the prevailing opinion has been
that neural adaptations play the dominant role during the frst 67 weeks of training,
during which hypertrophy is usually minor." However, several investigations
[13,27,54,87,105,118,128] have demonstrated signifcant hypertrophy at the whole muscle
level after short periods of training (35 weeks). "Thus, there now plenty of evidence that
signifcant hypertrophy can take place early on given proper frequency, intensity and
volume of training," even prior to changes in muscle CSA. "As argued by Phillips,[198]
the idea that early gains in strength are due exclusively to neural adaptations seems
doubtful... In some strength-training studies, the increase in muscle volume is delayed,
while in others, the rate of growth is rapid. We speculate that less-damaging training
modes may allow the hypertrophy response to start earlier. Regimens that include
eccentric muscle actions, especially those involving maximal efort, appear to require a
careful initiation and progression of training to avoid muscle damage and muscle protein
breakdown [excessive apoptosis and proteolysis]."
The Stimulus for Muscle Hypertrophy in Strength Training: "Two studies by Martineau
and Gardiner[216,217] have provided insight into how diferent levels of force and
diferent durations of tension may afect hypertrophic signaling in skeletal muscle... they
remarked that both peak tension and time-tension integral must be included in the
modeling of the mechanical stimulus response of skeletal muscle... Based on the data
reviewed in this paper, we speculate that hypertrophic signalling in human skeletal
muscle is very sensitive to the magnitude of tension developed in the muscle. Hence, for
very short durations of work, the increase in muscle size will be greater for maximaleccentric exercise than for maximal-concentric exercise of similar durations... The
response is presumably also dependent on the total duration of work and increases
initially with greater durations. Thus, both short durations of maximal eccentric exercise
and somewhat longer durations of concentric, isometric and conventional dynamic
resistance exercise can result in impressive increases in muscle volume. However,
especially with maximal eccentric exercise, damage also seems to come into play as the
duration of work increases even further and the acute and/or cumulative damage may
eventually overpower the hypertrophic process."

Training Implications and Recommendations: For your typical "dynamic external

resistance", recommendations are given for "Moderate load slow-speed training",
"Conventional hypertrophy training", and "Eccentric (ecc) overload training". These
three modes are denoted as suitable for beginners, novice-well trained, and advancedelite, respectively. For the "Conventional hypertrophy training" for the novice to the well
trained, they recommend an 8-10RM load (75-80% 1RM), with 8-10 reps to failure or near
failure, 1-3 sets per exercise, progression from 12 to 36 sets total per muscle group,
moderate velocity (1-2 seconds for each CON and ECC), 60-180 seconds rest between
sets, and 2-3 sessions per muscle group per week.
Conclusions: "This review demonstrates that several modes of training and all three types
of muscle actions can induce hypertrophy at impressive rates and that, at present, there is
insufcient evidence for the superiority of any mode and/or type of muscle action over
other modes and types of training. That said, it appears that exercise with a maximaleccentric component can induce increases in muscle mass with shorter durations of work
than other modes. Some evidence suggests that the training frequency has a large impact
on the rate of gain in muscle volume for shorter periods of training. Because longer
studies using relatively high frequencies are lacking, it cannot be excluded that stagnation
or even overtraining would occur in the long term. Regarding intensity, moderately heavy
loads seem to elicit the greatest gains for most categories of training, although examples
of very high rates were noted at both very low and very high intensities when the sets were
performed with maximum efort or taken to muscular failure. Thus, achieving
recruitment of the greatest number of muscle fbres possible and exposing them to the
exercise stimulus may be as important as the training load per se. For the total volume or
duration of activity, the results suggest a dose-response curve characterised by an increase
in the rate of growth in the initial part of the curve, which is followed by the region of
peak rate of increase, which in turn is followed by a plateau or even a decline. It is
recognised that the conclusions drawn in this paper mainly concern relatively short-term
training in previously untrained subjects and that in highly trained subjects or for training
studies extending for several months, the dose-response trends and the hypertrophic
efects of diferent modes and types of strength training may be very diferent. The same
may well be true for other populations, such as elderly and injured individuals.
Iron Addict

Weight Progression
One of the questions I am asked most frequently is: how should I add weight. Which at
times is kind of scary because in many cases I know it's being asked because they are so
used to not being able to add weight that they really don't know how. Again to reiterate,
if your routine is structured properly, and diet is in order you should see weight or rep (or
both) increases almost EVERY time you hit the gym until you are VERY advanced. start
working one day?
OK, we're clear on the need to add weight, now how is this best done, and what does it
mean when its done? Perhaps the best and easiest way to actually understand what an
increase means, and to be able to look at increases on a comparative basis is a simple:
Weight x reps = work completed
And yes, I fully understand for this formula to be complete and give ACTUAL results we
would have to include the time factor (speed of movement), AND distance moved in the
equation, but I'm trying to keep it simple, and we will go on the understanding that the
rep cadence is to be kept constant for this to be reliable.
Using this formula, most people will be extremely surprised to fnd what a HUGE
increase that lowly single rep is relative to adding a small chunk of iron. Lets do a little
math!
On week one Joe trainee benches 275 x 8, this looks like:
275 x 8 = 2200 lbs
Now, next week he does one of two things. A) Adds 5 more lbs. B) Adds one more rep.
Which is a bigger increase?
280 x 8 = 2240 lbs
275 x 9 = 2475 lbs
The one rep increase is 235 lbs additional workload over the 5 lb increase workload.
Now lets look at a diferent scenario. Joe trainee is doing lateral raises with 20 lbs in each
hand:

20 x 10 = 400 lbs
Next week:
45 x 10 = 450 lbs
40 x 11= 440 lbs
Now the tables are turned and the 5 lbs is the bigger increase. THIS ONLY OCCURS
WHEN THE WEIGHTS ARE VERY, VERY TINY. Otherwise rep increases will be
the larger percentile increase.
Now that we have a quick and easy to use formula we can use to easily see what the
increases mean as far as increased workload, how and when do we go about adding
weight to the bar? Before we go further, a few generalities are frst in order.
Unless you are VERY advanced increases should be occurring on about every lift, every
time you train. Even if these are tiny increases.
Big increases are NOT sustainable for the long term. If you hit each bodypart once a
week, and fgure on missing about 4-6 weeks of training throughout the year due to
injury, sickness, or outside obligations, You are still left with 46 workouts. If your plan is
to add 10 lbs a week each week, that is 460 lbs more at the end of the year. Do that for just
two years and you OWN the squat and deadlift record (assuming you already squat at
least 200), not to mention OBLITERATING the bench record. Sorryback to earth, it
doesn't work that way.
Smaller lifts GENERALLY respond better to rep increases (mostly because in
commercial gyms there are no fractional plates, if fractional plates are available, this is by
far and above better than trying to use rep increases for little lifts) and bigger lifts do well
with weight increases.
Slow twitch muscles TEND to do better with rep increases.
Fast twitch muscles TEND to do better with weight increases.
Some lifts like pull-ups almost demand small weight increases because most folks just will
never add a rep each workout.
Fractional plates are one of the best investments you will ever make.
If you don't keep a training journal YOU ARE GUESSING!
OK, now lets talk about weight increases, how to make them, and when using reps, or
using more weight is in order.
A big problem with working out in a commercial gym is the fact that unless you are using
fxed weight, like a selectorized stack, or fxed dumbbells, YOU ARE PROBABLY
LIFTING A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT EVERY WEEK!!!!! What to

I mean by that? If you bench 275 x 8 this week and go back to the gym and slap on four
45's and two 25's you are again benching 275 right? Well the answer is MAYBE. I have
weighed every plate I own, and MANY plates for other people on a certifed scale, AND
plates from a few commercial gyms, and 45's are often 2 lbs light, or 2 lbs heavy, and
sometimes they are almost right onsometimes. All the plates I use in my home gym are
marked with the ACTUAL weight, because putting four 46 pound plates on one side
and four 44 lbs SUCKS! Perhaps the bigger problem is that one week you may be 4-5 lbs
light, and the next heavy of the weight you THINK you are lifting. Well now that I gave
you something to think about I am going to leave it at that, if you work out in a
commercial gym there isn't a damn thing you can do about itlive it!
The other problem is the inability to add small increments of iron. Lets talk a minute
about the tiny increases and what they mean. I task those that train at home to go to
PDA http://www.fractionalplates.com/fractional.html or www.theplatemate.com/
and pick up some 1/2 lb and 1 lb plates. The typical response is what good is it adding one
lb? Well let's use a small lift like barbell curls as an example. Again, assuming 46
workouts per year, if you add only 1 lb per workout, and like most beginning, and
intermediate trainees are curling 65-85 lbs. Using the low number, in one year you are
now curling 111. Much better. If you can do it another year you're at 157. And how many
guys do you actually see curling 155 in your gym? If you think 2 years is too long to spend
to spend pursuing a great body, you are in the wrong sport. While big changes can be
made in short periods of time, ESPECIALLY when a trainee frst starts training right, it
is nonetheless a given that you are in this for the long run. And 2 years is NOTHING
Dumbbell's in commercial gyms go up in either 5 or 10 lb increments with 10 lbs being the
most common, this means it is extremely hard to jump to the next level doing the smaller
lifts. There are two good ways to go about this. As an example, if the trainee is doing 2
sets of 8 dumbbell curls and wants to go up in weight, attempting the 90 lb bells the
following week just isn't going to cut it. He should instead just try to get a rep or two
more the following week, and keep at adding reps until he is doing 12-14 reps, at which
point he can hit the 10 lb increment and drop back down to 8 reps. Alternatively you can
buy some Platemate www.theplatemate.com/ fractional magnetic plates that will allow
to 2 lb increases and add a small chunk of iron every week. DON'T scof at these small
increases, they add up to big iron in your hands over time!
One of my favorite methods of being progressive is to use reps as the increase and start
with 6-8 and add reps until you hit 12-14 and then add a good sized chunk of iron and go
back down. You get the beneft of both medium and high rep ranges and the this method
tends to keep one from stalling out on a lift as fast as if the rep range remains constant.

When using weight for increases instead of reps, the big thing to keep in mind is that the
increments are commensurate to the lifts being done. Small movements with little
poundage's require little bumps in weight, or gradually increasing the reps until a higher
number is reached, than adding weight, while the big lifts work just fne adding a
reasonable size chunk of iron at every opportunity. 1/2-2 lbs for the small lifts and 5 lbs for
the big stuf (10 lbs for many when frst exposed to common-sense training, or doing a frst
or big cycle) will get you there over time.
Now that we have covered the importance of little increases, and making the increases
over the long term, I'll spend a few moments covering what everyone wants to hear about
the sick-fast weight progression that is possible at TIMES.
Beginners may add 100-300 lbs on their big lifts and 20-50 lbs of muscle their frst year if
they do EVERYTHING right which is pretty rare.
Trainees that have been training and haven't been exposed to lower volume training, or at
least training that is within their ability to recuperate often fnd that they absolutely
EXPLODE with strength and size gains when frst doing a real-world routine. MANY
people that have tried DC's, or my training philosophies for the frst time after doing
many things wrong, and BAM!! These guys are adding big chunks of iron EVERY
WEEK to the bar, and gaining size on a regular basis. Many of my training clients put on
10-30 lbs of lean mass in 3-6 months of training under my guidance and I know Dogg does
the same if not more for his people.
Going from a bodybuilding to a PURE STRENGHT program is another time when
you can see some phenomenal weight progression each session. Doing low reps without
much extra volume or higher rep work can equate to some BIG strength increases. Just
be aware a LARGE percentage of these types of gains TEND to be from neural
recruitment gains as opposed to actual hypertrophy gains. Westside Barbell training has
enough volume and pure strength focus that most guys build a good degree of size and
strength while doing them. Refer to the article on Making Westside work for you for
more info.
And of course, we have the crazy-sick type gains a lot of guys get when doing their frst
couple of cycles, doing their frst BIG DOSE cycle (especially with gear that has a lot of
nerve excitability properties), or gear that makes one become the water boy like Anadrol.
While I sure won't tell anyone that decides to take this course to not take advantage of
these big gains, I will be the frst to tell you to BE CAREFUL and keep your ego in
check. ESPECIALLY if doing lower reps. Adding 50-75 lbs, to your bench and 100-125 to
your squat/dead, in an extremely short period of time occurs for SOME guys when going
on their frst, or frst BIG cycle, and one thing that doesn't keep pace with these big

weight increases in connective tissue/tendon strength. The muscle growth far outstrips
the connective tissue strength increase and if form isn't perfect..well, lets just say LOTS
of guys end up injured that way.
I will also go out on a limb here and state that IF you are training and EATING
properly, progress on squats, deads, and leg-presses should be fast and ALMOST linear
for beginning and low-intermediate trainees. This means if you haven't been training your
lower body with focus, or at all, you should have a FAST-TRACK trip to squatting and
deadlifting 300-400 for rep work. Upper body (for many reasons) does not usually
progress as fast, nor in as much a linear fashion, but should still be regular and consistent.
If it's not with what you are doing now, its time you make some changes. As I have stated
a thousand times, if it's not working now, how the hell is supposed to magically start
working one day?
Iron Addict

Small Changes, Big Results

As many of you know, I train 80+ people at any given time. Training that many people
from all walks of life from guys and girls that just want to drop a few pounds of fat and
gain a few lbs of muscle, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters gives one a LOT
of feedback on what works and what doesnt. Here are some of the methods I have
implemented over the last few years for most clients that have resulted in BIG changes in
results and client satisfaction.
Deloading
I went from just having clients taking a week of when needed to deloading them (usually
cutting volume drastically, keeping intensity high) on pre-defned periods and results
went up across the board dramatically.
Non-fasted morning cardio
For all the guys trying to stay lean when bulking, or cutting, I went from fasted cardio, to
the simple addition of some BCAAs or whey prior to their cardio. Fat loss still occurred
at about the same place, muscle retention/accrual went up big time. This is no doubt
because at this time of the day cortisol is normally highest and food intake tends to blunt
this efect making for a much better testosterone/cortisol ratio.
Opposite Training Methods
If I get a client that comes to me after doing a lot of volume, I usually put him on a lower
volume strength routineBAM nice increases. If I get a guy that comes to me already
strong and doing low volume strength work (and their goal is size) I use volume.
Contrasting these methods back and forth work wonders for a LOT of advanced lifters.
If a guy is small and weak they just need to be doing strength training irregardless of their
goals IMO.
Conditioning Work
Most BBers ovoid conditioning work like the plague. BIG mistake. My goal here is not
elite conditioning levels, just a solid base and once established they are in a much better to
make fast size and strength gains. And in this context, I am only looking for 20 minutes
HIIT twice a week as a base level. More can be done if the clients recovery levels and
motivational levels doing so will be productive.
BCAAs
BCAAs at relatively high doses do wonders for most lifters and the more advanced, the
better the cost to beneft ratio. The research as well as anecdotal evidence is everywhere

so I wont go into it here other than to say that in my experience with a LOT of lifters it is
overwhelmingly posistive.
Hardgainers and Volume Work
Hardgainers have been so conditioned by the current thinking on how to train
hardgainers they often end up totally inside the box thinkers about this. Volume can be
done and is often extremely efective under the following conditions:
They are not EXTREME hardaginersand yes, these people exist.
The volume used is about 8-12 sets a bodypart, no higher, with 9 being a sweet spot for
many.
Intensity is regulatedNO FAILURE TRAINING ALLOWED.
They deload every 3-4 weeks and/or switch to lower volume work.
Fish Oil
In fairly high doses (10-40 grams total oil, not epa/dha) it helps with fat loss, preserves
muscle when dieting, seems to help gain muscle (small degree here) when massing. And
is simply one of the best things you can do from a health standpoint. A MUST take
supplement IMO.
Efective Non-Stimulatory Fat Loss Supplements
TTA, Forskolin, and Avant Labs Sesathin has made my job a lot easier when working
with clients that need to lose bodyfat. Because they are non-stimulatory compliance is
better. Epinephrine and nor-adrenaline levels are not efected, and crashing when coming
of is not a factor. Fat loss is accelerated a good amount for most trainees and this makes
diet times shorter and clients happier.
Just a few things of the top of my head that have helped a lot of clients level of
satisfaction.
Iron Addict

Tonnage calculation, right and wrong

Tonnage calculation, right and wrong
Its pretty common for many bodybuilders to use a total tonnage calculation to predict
and track progress. And I too have done this a fair amount in the past and will continue in
the future. It gives one easy numbers to calculate and work with to determine potential
efectiveness and progression analysis. There is nothing wrong with this tool as long as
one understands its uses, and as importantly, its limitations.
Often a lifter will do a simple calculation to see which increase is more signifcant, weight,
or reps.
275 x 8 = 2200 lbs
Next week the trainee can either add 5 lbs, or add another rep. Which is a bigger
poundage increase?
280 x 8 = 2240
275 x 9 = 2475
The 1 rep increase wins out. Nice to know, but this also brings to light scenarios where
the trade-of of muscle tension Vs tonnage just doesnt hold true in the real world of
stimulation muscular gains. Here is a good example. The trainee decides to squat and can
either go for lower weight, higher reps, or lower reps, higher weight. A little math shows:
225 x 10 = 2250 or
350 x 6 = 2100
HUH!?!?!?!?! 225 x 10 is actually moving more tonnage than 350 x 6! But what is missing
here is the importance of muscle tension. And the muscle tension provided by the heavier
weight WILL provide increased neural and well as micro-trauma induced gains that the
lighter weight will just never give you. So as you can see there is a balance that must be
struck when doing lower intensity higher volume work.
Lets move on to a little math that will show the absolute truth about how superior
volume training is to low volume work (OK Im being facetious.)

Using a back workout for the example, lifter A is going to use DCs rest-pause system and
lifter B is going to use a 9 set 3 exercise volume routine, lets see how the tonnage fares.
And we will exclude the warm-up sets for this example.
Lifter A does two lifts, one for width, and one for thickness. Lets use barbell rows and lat
pull-downs for he example, both sets done rest-pause with an 8/15 format.
Lat Pull-Down 225 x 15 reps total = 3375
Barbell Rows 225 x 15 reps total = 3375
Workload total = 6,750
Lifter B does a volume routine of 9 sets a body-part for 3 sets of 10 of three diferent lifts
(Chins/pull-downs/cable rows.)
I will show a reduced weight for all sets because it is typical to not go all-out when doing
volume work. This example is based on both trainees having the same approximate
strength levels.
Lat Pull-Down 200 x 10 x 3 = 6000
Chins (bodyweight) 200 x 10 x 3 = 6000
Cable Rows 200 x 10 x 3 = 6000
Workload total = 18,000
So it is obvious the reduced intensity higher volume workload will be much superior for
growth. And the answer with be..both right and wrong! For many people, doing
volume work works WONDERFUL for size gains.but strength levels remain stagnate
for long periods of time, and it doesnt take too long to realize that unless you are already
damn strong, it will take forever to get stronger on such a regimen. The low volume DC
style training will provide most trainees consistent strength gains from day one. The same
is true of many hardgainer, and HIT style routines. But alas, SOME people just dont
gain enough size on the lower volume work relative to the strength gains. But that is a
topic for another day.
Another big problem when doing poundage calculation using this simple formula is it
does NOT take into account range of motion or rep cadence. These are huge factors in
coming up with a REAL number about actual work being performed. Some years ago
Pete Sisco and John Little came up with the Power Factor training system. In a

nutshell, this was a low volume high intensity system using VERY short range partials.
They used examples using the above weight times reps formula to show the superiority of
their system. And while it is true that the math demonstrates how much more weight is
moved when using the example of a trainee either doing full range bench presses or
partials such as:
Full Range 250 x 10 = 2500 lbs
Short range partial 375 x 10 = 3750 lbs
It does NOT take into account the fact that the range of motion and thus time under
tension is WAY less. Nor does it take into account the fact that the joints/skeletal
structure are mostly what supports the weight for about of the whole 4 inches of range.
This system fzzled out with good reason.
Regardless of the inadequacies of this simple system of poundage calculations, it does
have its uses if used properly as long as you have a basic understanding of the
requirements of muscle growth and the physics involved.
Iron Addict

Blasts from the Past: Articles I wrote for Hardgainer Magazine

These are articles that I had published in "Hardgainer Magazine" in the early 90's. As
you can see my current training protocols have evolved a LOT, but for the true
hardgainers I work with, they have not changed all that much. Part of my
"hardgainingness" during that time period was because my conditioning level was so very
poor, and diet not up to snuf. But these methods did put a lot of mass on my after years
of failure doing volume shit out of "Flex" and Muscle and Fiction".
Please keep in mind most of the info does NOT constitute my current training beliefs.
Here they are for your enjoyment.
Once a week progression
It was during the course of a twenty rep squat cycle when I realized that squatting twice a
week was way too much for me. There was no way I was going to make progress from
Fridays workout if I was still sore from Tuesdays session. It wasn't an easy transition for
me as I was "only" training twice a week, and on a fairly limited routine at that.
Fortunately every once in a while common sense prevails, and the right choice is made.
Immediately after going to once a week squatting my poundage progression took of! It
was only after going to once a week that I started to notice that many respected
authorities recommended squatting once a week. Why hadn't I noticed this before?
I then decided I would try training all my lifts once a week to see if this was also the
answer to upper body progression. I made the change and have never looked back! The
results were immediate and consistent, which brings up a point that can't be stated
strongly enough, if you are training efectively within your ability to recuperate you should
be seeing progress in the form of strength increases from workout to workout. This
should be either weight or rep increases. These don't have to be (and should not be)
big increases. A one repetition increase with the same form is signifcant. One half or one
pound increases for small movements and one to three pounds on big movements is about
right for most trainees. Of course, you will get to a point when repetition or weight
increases are no longer possible. What then? Decrease the sets and movements per
workout, increase the days between workouts (or both) or better yet, take a few days of,
then when you resume training start out using 65%-85% of your previous best workout
poundage's and take from three to eight weeks to work back up to where you were. You
will have to experiment to fnd out how much to cut back and how long to take to build
back up. I found out the hard way that if I cut back too far and take too long to work my
way back up it is much harder for me to get to my previous best poundage's. Others have

found the opposite to be true, and a long building period is needed to build gaining
"momentum."
Once you have built back up to using your previous best poundage's it's time to get out
your small plates and gradually work your way into new poundage territory. Make sure
you have a good selection of small plates at your disposal. Not just a pair of 1-1/4's but also
some 1/2 and 1/4 pound discs, so you never have to add weight to the bar faster than you
can build strength. Rest assured, the more aggressive you are with your poundage
increases the shorter your gaining period will be. Be patient, small increases over the long
haul are far more productive than continually going stale and having to start over again.
There are many factors that determine how long you will be able to continue gaining after
you have surpassed your previous best. If you are truly training well within your ability to
recuperate you will fnd it much easier to keep continued weight increases coming along.
As long as you keep the increases small enough you may fnd you can progress for months
at a time before hitting the wall. Although many, (myself included) have found that
extremely long, slow cycles can become too monotonous and changes are needed to keep
oneself mentally fresh. What I have found to work best for me is to spend four to fve
weeks building up and then spending six to ten weeks in new poundage territory. After
this I usually change the rep range or movements and start again. The short build up
period works for me becuase I try to end my trianing cycles before staleness sets in. I quit
before total exhuastion has occured and therfore do not have to spend a prolonged
amount of time to get the cycle going. Make no mistake, I still push my self very hard at
the end of the cycle, I just don't try to get in that last week or two that would see me at a
point were I needed a long period of break in work to get in a position for gains.
The important thing is once you are training fat out that you are progressive with your
poundage's. If you are not training too much or too frequently you will be able to add
weight or reps. What is the correct frequency and training volume? You will have to fnd
out for yourself, but if you always err on the side of doing less instead of more your
training will be more productive. Everyone can gain on abbreviated routines (and very
abbreviated routines) but once you start training outside your ability to recuperate real
progress stops.
There was a wonderful article in Hardgainer #29 by Jack Stocks describing his training
experiences. Jack found he could only maintain meaningful progression on two
movements, and He has to do these movements on diferent days of the week. Some may
be asking, what kind of strength and development can be achieved by such limited
training? Well, anyone who read the article knows that Jack is very strong on the
movements he does. As far as development goes, I am sure he is not as balanced as
someone whose recuperative abilities allow them to do more movements. So what! He
has found his limits and trains within them. He is far more successful than those that slave

away for months and years on end using puny poundage's with little development
anywhere.
Hopefully your tolerance for training volume will allow you to do more movements for
more complete development,(if this is what you are trying to achieve) the point is you
need to determine the volume and frequency that works for you and train within these
confnes. Knowing I am a Hardgainer and will only respond to a limited amount of
training, one of the biggest mistakes I have made in the past is trying to fnd the limits of
my ability to recuperate. Gains come at a snails pace when compared to the progress that
is possible when training well within your limits.
Before coming to grips regarding proper frequency and duration of training load, the
goals often stated in Hardgainer of 300/400/500 bench, squat, and deadlift seemed as
though they would be defnite, limit lifts for me, when and if I reached them. Now I am
aiming higher in the squat and deadlift. I haven't reached the original goal in the bench
press due to terrible leverages in all pressing movements, but I'm getting close.
One of the other factors that has made my training much more productive is avoiding as
much "overlap" as possible in my routines. By overlap, I mean doing movements on
diferent days of the week that directly or indirectly afect a body part. My goal is to truly
hit all body parts/lifts only once a week.
Many times someone will suggest training body parts once a week and will then go on to
outline a routine that has the trainee squatting and deadlifting heavy on diferent days of
the week and doing bench presses for chest on Monday, behind the neck presses for delts
on Wednesday, and close grip benches for triceps on Friday. Take a close look; delts and
triceps are hit hard three days a week. Squatting and deadlifting on diferent days of the
week has a long tradition behind it, but for those that use a lot of back in their squats, this
ends up putting a lot of stress on the lower back two days a week. That this works for
many has little relevance for the Hardgainer struggling to make progress in the big lifts
that have the most impact on overall musculature.
If training three days a week, doing all pulling movements on one day, all pressing
movements the next session, and leg/lower back work on the third day will pretty well
keep overlap to a minimum. When doing a two day a week routine any combination that
doesn't have the trainee doing redundant work will do just fne.
What works best for me is doing all upper body work on day one, and doing squats or
deadlifts, (or both) on day two. This prevents overlap of upper body work and provides
me with a whole week of undisturbed rest for my lower back. Doing squats and deadlifts
on the same day only works for me as long as one of the movements is only done for one

"work" set after warm-ups. The other lift is usually done for two "work" sets, although if
higher reps are used, one set apiece gets the job done just fne.
One of these lifts will sufer relative to the poundage's that can be moved if these
movements are done on separate days of the week, but it's a good compromise for me as I
am able to add weight to the bar for both movements, as opposed to when I was doing
the lifts on separate days of the week, and one of the lifts would sufer, usually the squat. A
better option for many, and an option I frequently use is to focus on only one of the lifts
per training cycle, Or as Stuart has suggested, pair up the squat and stif legged deadlift
for one cycle and rotate with the bent legged deadlift and leg press combo for the next
training period.
Below are some sample routines that keep overlap to a minimum and will be efective for
many, if trained at a high level of intensity while paying attention to proper rest and
nutritional habits.
Monday Wednesday Friday
Lat pulldown Squat Bench press
Barbell curl Stif leg deadlift Behind the neck press
Tuesday Friday
Bench press Squat
Dumbbell row Deadlift
Behind neck press
Tuesday Friday
Bench press or Dips Deadlift
Military press Bent row
Curls (optional)
Tuesday Friday
Bench press or dip Squat or Deadlift
Chin or Row
Tuesday Friday
Bench or low Incline x1 Deadlift
Dips x1 Leg press
Dumbbell press x1
Chin x1
Dumbbell row x1
Curl x1

One of my most productive training cycles consisted of doing a brief upper body workout
on Tuesday, and on Friday doing warm-ups and one 20 rep set of squats. That one set
was my complete workout. These were truly "death march sets", I saved nothing for the
next set, as there wasn't one, and I totally surprised myself with the intensity and efort I
was able to put forth. I ended the cycle with a very good increase in my squatting
poundage and a substantial bodyweight gain.
This kind of ultra abbreviated training can be a great solution for those that are in need of
some solid bodyweight in a hurry. Unfortunately so few are willing to try programs of
such a limited nature. When I was doing this routine I mentioned to a friend of mine that
my Friday session would consist of but one set, he could not believe that anyone would
"waste their time" doing a workout of only one set. Funny thing is he thinks nothing of
going to the gym and doing 9-12 sets a body part using the same poundage's for months at
a time. Who is wasting their time?
Overlap training
The three days a week full body routine was responsible for more "starts and stops" and
lack of progress than any other single factor in my training career. Whatever the activity, I
have always sought out information and tried to do things methodically and logically.
Unfortunately as readers of Hardgainer know, proper instruction is, and has been
difcult to come by.
Knowing I was a beginner (one look in the mirror could confrm this anytime) I sought
out instruction for the beginner. I was at least smart enough to fgure out that the
routines the big names were using were way too much for me. I read everything I could
get my hands on and came to the conclusion that a three day a week full body routine was
the answer.
I trained consistently for a couple of years and got absolutely nowhere. After a few starts
and stops I did something totally unknowingly that had a big impact on my progress, I
started being inconsistent with my training and made some decent progress. Why? My
full body three day a week routine was now a full body twice in eight or nine days, or
sometimes once a week.
Unfortunately I never realized what was responsible for my progress and I did what most
people do when they start to see progress, train more frequently with more exercises until
poundage progression comes to a complete standstill.
Unlike Stuart and many others I just couldn't keep training without seeing any results.
Over the course of nine years or so I would get serious about training

Just do one (Set!)

The Problem
Last year I was promoted to a Management position at work that seemed at the time
would be a major obstacle in my strength building eforts. It is a very high stress, long
hour job that requires lots of walking throughout the day. Working a 70 hour week will
do make the Hardgainers task all the more difcult. I had almost accepted the fact that at
least for awhile I would be happy to just preserve the level of strength I had built. I
couldnt see myself progressing under my new conditions.
The Solution
I decided to abbreviate my routine even more than it already was. I considered the
options, reduce the amount of movements, reduce the number of sets done, or increase
the rest days between training. I would have a hard time eliminating exercises as most of
my routines only consist of 5 or 6 movements spread out over two training days. I
considered Peary Raders long-standing suggestion of only doing Squats, Bench Presses,
and Rows. But from experience I know I dont recover fast enough to train bodyparts
more often than once every six to seven days, and I need (psychologically) to be in the
gym twice a week so that didnt work for me.
I have tried increasing the rest days between sessions before and experience has shown
that once a week for bodyparts/lifts is what works best for me. This left reducing the
number of work done sets as the most attractive option. Since I usually do two work sets
on the vast majority of movements (15-20 rep Squats and Deadlifts excluded) I would
realize an immediate 50% reduction in volume without eliminating any of my most
productive exercises. It seemed like the way to go, but would one set be enough to
stimulate a growth response?
The Results
I gave it a shot fguring I had nothing to lose as I realistically could not see myself being
able to even maintain my current condition using my old routine given the hours and
stress I was now subjected too daily. I was more than pleasantly surprised to fnd that
after a fve week period of working back up to my top poundages I was making weekly
progress on all my lifts despite wearing myself down doing twelve to fourteen hour days
on top of an hour and a half commute.

This progress saw me hitting personel bests on all movements almost weekly while doing
a total of six movements spread out over two days. Each training day saw me doing only
three work sets!
Like anything else in weight training the results all depend on the conditions. One set at
anything but 100% intensity is just that, one mediocre set. That wont get you any where,
but one all out set leaving nothing for later is defnatly all that is needed for many trainees
to progress. I know thats probably hard to accept for those that have always done
multiple work sets in their training. It was always a hard concept for me to grasp as I have
often toyed with the idea in the past but always decided to play it safe and do the more
conventional multiple work sets. I made the decision to try single set training out of
desperation, but you dont have to.
I frmly believe all Hardgainers should give one set training at least a try to see what the
results are like. If
Garage Deadlift Experience
Stuart, Just a short note about a funny experience I had a couple of nights ago. I was out
in the garage fnishing up the night's workout when one of my neighbor came up and
asked how it was going. Well, this guy is defnitely not your average individual. He has
played professional football on two NFL teams (now retired) and without any training at
all is absolutely huge 260 pounds and arms that are honestly about 19 inches. We have
talked very little in the past. Most of our conversations have been very brief. Occasionally
he will walk up in the middle of a workout when the garage door is open when I have a
max weight on the squat or deadlift bar do a couple of reps with no warm-up and ask how
it's going.
We had a more in depth conversation the other night. He said he was thinking about
starting training again and asked if it would be all right to come work out with me. I said
it would be fne. He then asked what nights I trained. I said Tuesdays and Fridays. He
got a kind of confused look on his face and said oh, you're not getting serious yet, and
asked how my recovery from an earlier injury was going. I assured him I was quiet serious
about my training and that I never trained more than twice a week. He said he could
show me how to get real big but I would have to train 6 days a week. I told him I had
tried that style of training before and all I ever got out of it was smaller and weaker. He
said I must have been doing something wrong. I told him he was right I was, I was
overtrianing. I tried to tell him that most people were not built like him and did not have
his genetic advantages so they need to train diferently. He promised he could help me
build "guns" like his as he fexed his arms.

I thanked him for his ofer and told him I would continue training the way I had been.
He didn't get It. I asked him what his response to training was like. He said it was great,
he could almost grow from just looking at the weights. It never occurred to him that is
doesn't work that way for most people. He told me he squatted 500lbs in high school and
had squatted and dead lifted in the 700 pound range. I told him I had trained of and on
for 17 years, steadily for the last 5 to build up to a 400lb squat and 490lb deadlift. He still
did/does not understand the diference of someone with his gifts and the average person.
The sad thing is another neighbor of mine had taken him up on his ofer to train him a
couple of years ago. You can guess what happened, no growth no progress and he quit
training. Of course Mr. big got bigger. How often is this story repeated all across the
land?
Factors of success
There are many factors that determine if your training strategy is successful, or, if you are
wasting your time. Now is a good time to do yourself a favor, if your current training/diet
program isn't producing for you, stop right now and analyze what you are trying to
accomplish. Are you headed in the right direction? If not, don't continue down a road
going in the wrong direction, or worse yet to nowhere. I sat down recently and looked at
my training diary. Since resuming training In 1990, I have a written account of every set
and rep I've done. This account includes how I felt that day, brief notes as to how the
cycle was going, notes as to any unusual soreness/injuries, diet notes and planned
progressions to get me back up to my previous best poundage's and beyond. This journal
has been one of the key factors in my training success. I looked back and saw my humble
beginnings at 20 rep squatting, I was using 110 lbs. I'm not sure what my current 20 rep
limit is, as I haven't done 20's in a while, but the last time I did them I handled 280 for 20.
I've been using sets of 5-10 reps recently, with 315-350 and I recently did a single with 400.
My deadlift ability is about the only lift I feel I am naturally good at. I started at 175 for six.
Now my usual work sets are well over 400. My rate of progress over the last few years has
been wonderful. I have racked up slow but steady increases on every cycle since I found
the combination of factors that work for me. It really is true that all those little increases
over time add up to a lot of iron on the bar over the long term.
Am I a Hardgainer? Well, anyone that can only workout twice a week at most, can only
train body-parts/lifts once a week, and must do a very limited amount of movements for
one or two sets each, while paying strict attention to nutrition/rest habits in order to make
gains would defnitely qualify as a Hardgainer. Well, the above describes me perfectly. In
spite of all this my gains have been consistently good since I started training HG style.
Why? below are some of the factors of success a Hardgainer needs to respond to training.

1. Find the training volume and frequency that works for you and train within these limits.
Don't waste your time trying to do a routine that has you doing too much, too frequently.
Even though this is one of the most basic of the Hardgainer principles of efective training
I am convinced even many readers of Hardgainer do programs that are well above the
optimum level for best gains. The average Hardgainer cannot work on detail and size at
the same time. Concentrate on getting strong in the big movements. Who cares if your
rear delt, or outer thigh (or whatever) isn't up to par? All this means nothing if you aren't
already big and strong.
2. Find the diet requirements that must be fulflled in order for you to make gains. Be
methodical, write down everything you eat for a few weeks and get a book listing calories,
protein and carbs. Go over your diet, are you really getting enough nutrition to pack on
the muscle?
3. Getting enough protein is crucial for growth. Are your needs fulflled? I found out by
counting grams of protein consumed per day over the course of a couple of cycles that I
need at least 200 grams of protein a day, and do better on about 250. Consuming any
more than 250 doesn't seem to have any more efect. This is a lot of protein, more than I
can comfortably consume eating plain food. I need a protein supplement to get the proper
amount. This is very important, look at it this way, lets assume the trainee is working at
the proper frequency and duration for himself. His caloric intake is sufcient, he makes
sure he is getting enough rest, and isn't draining himself with outside the gym activities
that would cut into his ability to grow. All is well except he needs 225 grams of protein a
day to grow on but is consistently only getting 125-150, what happens? nothing, and by
nothing I mean no gains. This is exactly how it works for me. As long as my intake is
above 250 grams per day all is well, much below that and I can kiss any potential gains
good-by. Your requirements may be much higher or lower, only you can determine that.
The important thing is fnding the level that your body needs and consistently providing
yourself with this amount. I often wonder where I would be today, had I not discovered
this important key.
4. With training less is more, as far as nutrition goes more is usually better. Without
getting carried away, make sure your body has all the nutrients it needs in abundance. In
most cases, the average person that is having a difcult time trying to gain size and
strength is not consuming enough wholesome foods/supplements, pure and simple. As
long as you aren't getting fat it's probably benefcial to let a little fat come along when
adding muscle. Beware of the mega huge calorie weight gainers, for most people they are
more appropriately termed the mega huge waist gainer. I'm not saying weight gain type
supplements are useless, but for most people adding a couple of 2000 calorie liquid meals
a day will make one fat very fast indeed. Be moderate, I almost always use a weight gain
type supplement towards the end of a cycle when I am in new poundage territory. But I

use a 1000 calorie drink and break it up into two servings of 500 calories each. This
combined with one or two low calorie milk or egg type drinks of 200-250 calories provides
the additional carbs, calories and protein necessary when training at high intensity levels
in the heavy part of a cycle.
5. As far as supplements go stick to the basics. A good protein, or carb/protein mix and a
good vitamin mineral mix should be enough for anyone that is eating a reasonably
balanced diet. You don't need a bunch of pseudo metabolic-amino-optimizers to make
good progress, and many will fnd good wholesome food in the right quantity and lots of
extra milk is all that is needed for optimum gains.
6. Train for strength in the powerlifts, this statement is intended for those that are more
focused on bodybuilding, (the powerlifters reading this already know) spend the majority
of your time focused on the big lifts, using the rep range that suits you best. It doesn't
make any diference if you want to be a powerlifter or not, the three powerlifts are the
answer for overall size and strength gains for all who use them. Of course there are some
that aren't structurally suited for these movements. For those people good substitutes
must be found. No matter what, you must be doing one of the big full body movements if
you expect to make real progress. Can't squat? focus on the deadlift. Can't deadlift? try
the Trap Bar deadlift, or heavy dumbbell deadlifting. Maybe give smith machine squats a
try. Just make sure you are doing at least one of the big full body movements. Without
them, most hardgainers are doomed to failure.
7. Have a sound cycling strategy that works for you mentally, as well as physically. To a
certain extent your training should ft your personality as well as your physical structure. If
you are someone that thrives on change it probably won't do you much good to set up a
six or eight month cycle with a very slow progression on movements that you don't plan
on changing until cycles end. If your just the opposite and are the type that likes to do
things the same way all the time and are blessed with a generous amount of patients, the
long slow cycle may be well suited for you.
8. Always keep a training diary. Its much easier to fgure out how to get where your going
if you know where you've been. Not only should your training diary list what you have
done, it should also have a list of goals and planned progression for your next training
cycle. Look where you are headed. You will have a much better chance of getting to your
goals if they have been written out and you have spent some time coming up with a
strategy that will work for you, don't just copy a program out of a magazine and follow it
blindly.
9. Have faith in HG style training methods, never be swayed by what others are doing or
saying. HG training is the only way the average trainee will ever get to, or close to his

genetic potential. The training methods that are promoted almost everywhere else only
work for those with great genetics or with the use bodybuilding drugs. Turn a deaf ear on
those that try to convince you otherwise. They either have much better genetics than you,
use bodybuilding drugs themselves, (or both) or just plain don't know what they are
talking about. Stay the course!
10. Safety is of the utmost importance, if you are injured you cannot train. It doesn't make
any diference if you have the perfect routine, the best diet and all the rest you need, if you
get injured and can't train all these factors are meaningless.
11. Ultimately how big and strong you can get depends on your genetics. Never let anyone
tell diferent. What will make you successful, or not, is how well you are able to make the
best of what you have, and then, most importantly how well you accept your limitations.
Don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself with others, especially drug using genetic
superiors. This will only lead to frustration and grief. I have almost too many structural
faults to count, and even after building up to some fair poundage's still don't look real
impressive by bodybuilding standards. Yet I am a great success. Why? because I believe I
am. Believe in yourself, enjoy your achievements. Compare yourself to when you started
lifting, or to where you were before your last cycle, not to others. Then you will be one of
weight training's success stories.
How much does that bar really weigh?
I had been training with low reps 5's, 3's, and an occasional double in preparation for a
planned single max in the three powerlifts. Every eight months or so I do the three lifts in
a meet style format, warm-up for the squat, then three attempts at a single. I then do the
same for the bench and the deadlift, my girlfriend calls the lifts and I use a video recorder
to check my form, depth of squat, lockout of deadlift, and overall performance. Its fun and
the preparation training I do is a refreshing change from the higher reps I usually do the
rest of the year.
Since I am attempting meet style conditions as much as possible I decided that calibrated
plates were a must. I wanted to know exactly what I was lifting not close to what I lifted.
I looked at calibrated plates from various manufactures. It didn't take long to realize that
they were way out of my price range, true calibrated plates are very expensive.
Fortunately my place of Employment happened to have a scale in the shipping
department that is calibrated by the department of weights and measures twice a year. I
started to bring my plates to work daily to see what they weighed. I was very shocked to
fnd out how much variation there was from plate to plate! I found 45's that weighed 43,

doesn't sound like much? Well, it does if the plate you match it with weighs 47! That's a
four pound diference from only two plates, add two more 45's and you could be of
balance eight pounds on one side!
Generally, in most cases, the plates tended to be heavier rather than lighter. That was a
pleasant surprise as I found out I was squatting 9 pounds more and deadlifting 11 pounds
more than I thought I was!
I found out that it doesn't matter a whole bunch how much you pay for your plates, as
some of my expensive top name manufactured plates varied as much as the much less
expensive no name brands. I have over 1000 lbs of Olympic plates in my garage gym and I
weighed them all, it was time well spent. Here are a few reasons why.
Lifting an unbalanced bar can easily cause an injury, often if the bar feels unbalanced we
naturally shift our grip or position on the bar to compensate, however if you set up for a
heavy lift without checking balance and one side is signifcantly heavier, injury can result.
This is specially true on heavy lower rep sets, but is also a factor at the end of a high rep
set when fatigue sets in and form breaks down slightly.
Another big reason to know what your plates weigh, is if you are lifting Hardgainer style,
you only add a small amount of iron to the bar for your weight increases. If you put the
wrong plates on the bar, your planned 1 or 2-1/2 pound increase can be anywhere from
many pounds light, to many pounds heavy. Of course there is more room for error when
you get into the big lifts and have many plates on the bar.
Prior to weighing my plates I was usually, unknowingly lifting a diferent amount of
weight each week even if I thought I had on the same amount on the bar.
Now that I know how much they weigh I keep certain plate combinations together so the
load is always balanced. Any plate combinations that don't balance are dealt with by
adding small plates to the light side. The load is balanced, I know exactly what I am
lifting, and my poundage increments are precise, this makes lifting both safer and more
satisfying.
With a little creativity it should be no problem fnding an accurate scale to weigh your
plates, try the post ofce or a company that ships product regularly, they should have a
calibrated scale that is accurate to the tenth of a pound. If nothing else can be found, a
common bathroom scale will do. It will at least give you an idea of how close, or balanced
your plates are relative to one another. My inexpensive bathroom scale was amazingly
close to the correct weight (within one pound) and will defnitely indicate if one plate is a
pound or more heavier than the next.

This is one area where home gym trainees have a decided advantage over commercial
gym dwellers. The best advice I can give to those that train in a commercial gym is to
always be cautious and check balance before lifting heavy, and if possible try to use the
same plate combinations workout to workout, so your weight increases are consistent,
although I realize in most gyms this is difcult at best and impossible at worst. And
remember if the iron feels specially heavy one day, maybe it is!
Safety Squats!
I recently purchased a Safety Squat bar and
its been a long time since I have been as excited about a piece of equipment as I am about
the newest addition to my home gym. For those of you that are not familiar with this bar
(probably the majority of readers) it is a bar with a padded yoke that has the weight
bearing portion of the bar angled forward. This moves the center of gravity forward and
in conjunction with the padded protrusions of this strangely shaped bar allows hands
free squatting. This allows the hands to be used to hold onto a squat or power rack and
stabilize the upper torso. In fact proper use of this bar will allow almost any trainee to
squat in any position from a lean forward powerlifting style to an actual lean back
position, something that is impossible with a regular bar.
The tall Hardgainers curse
Being 61 with relatively long legs has always made squatting an awkward afair for me.
Once I have worked up to big poundages its always my back that gives out frst, not my
legs. This is a common compliant of many tall Hardgainers, the amount of forward lean
necessary to stabilize the bar makes the squat a great hip and back movement while
leaving the legs only moderately worked. The Safety Squat Bar has the potential to
mitigate these factors and provide a frst class leg workout with minimal knee and back
stress. With the Safety Squat Bar I am able to squat upright and move my stance in, my
legs and hips get hammered while my back is only moderately worked. What makes this
all the more exciting to me is since injuring my knee last year (leg pressing) I had been
unable to squat with a regular bar due to knee pain.
I am in the process of training a tall (63) novice who due to extreme infexibility and body
mechanics cannot get much past the half squat position without his heels coming of the
ground and almost falling down forward. He is so tight he has difculty bending down to
pick up a standard Olympic bar with 45lb plates loaded, yet he is able to fnd a pain free
squat position with this bar and squat to almost parallel. He can actually squat past
parallel but I am limiting his range of motion until he has worked more on his stretching
and limbers up.

Performance
Heres how it works. The bar is loaded (preferably in a power rack, although a squat rack
will sufce) and the trainee dips under the bar and removes it from the rack. Because of
the padded lateral stabilizer bars and the forward cant of the bar it stays in place on the
traps/shoulders without assistance of the hands, the hands are used to hold onto the
power rack. Special handles that attach to the rack are included with the bar, but it works
fne just using the posts of the rack for support. By using the hands/arms to stabilize your
torso you will fnd you are able to maintain a very upright position while squatting thus
allowing your legs to take the brunt of the work.
Stance width and foot angle are only limited by what is comfortable and safe. The one
reservation I have about the use of this bar is the extreme fexibility of positions that one is
able to use. If you set up in an unnatural position and attempt to use heavy weights you
are asking for trouble. It is possible to use posistions with this bar that will put extreme
stress on the knees, dont do this! Common sense should tell you when your about to put
yourself in harms way. Find a comfortable stance and position that is an improvement of
your normal squatting position and work with that.
One of the variables to keep in mind is foot placement relative to the rack posts you are
holding onto. The closer you place your feet to the posts the more upright your torso will
be. Setting up well back of the uprights will have you leaning forward more and will put
more pressure on the back.
Most trainees will fnd they can use much more weight with the Safety Squat Bar than
they can with a regular bar. The factors involved that makes this possible are the ability to
fnd a natural strong posture and stance, and the ability to use the arms to pull past the
sticking point. The use of the arms can be a help or a hindrance dependent on how they
are used. If one always uses arm strength to pull through the difcult portion of the lift,
little will be gained and the sticking point will only be made worse. However if arm use is
kept to a minimum and used only during the last very tough reps of a set, one is able to
really up the intensity and get in some very productive reps that would be impossible
otherwise.
Variations
How should this bar be used in training? Well much like the traditional squat the training
variations are almost endless. One area that the Safety Squat bar excels at is 20 rep
squats. Unlike free bar squats where the rest between reps is working the back structure
very intensely, the Safety Squat bar allows a very natural upright posture between reps.

This allows you to really push to the max as the back stays fresh and it is possible to take
as much time as is needed to get those deep breaths in and prepare for the next rep. Also
the padding of the bar and the fact that the weight is distributed over a larger surface area
makes this bar more comfortable for those long grueling 20 rep sets.
Im currently using the bar in the power rack with the pins set at parallel working up to a
heavy set of 10. This is really helping my Trap Bar deadlift as I have developed a sticking
point 4 inches from the foor since not being able to do regular squats. The bar can also
be used without holding onto the uprights. You can hold onto the bar as in the traditional
back squat, or keep your hands free to the sides or rest them on your thighs. Both of these
variations use more back/hip strength than holding on to the uprights. Another plus is the
ability to do standing calf raises with this bar. A very intense calf workout is possible and
the bar takes up much less space than a calf machine.
Integrating it into your program
Since this bar allows one to squat with so little back involvement I believe many who
were unable to squat and deadlift on separate training days may be able to work with the
Safety Squat Bar one day of the week and follow up with regular or stif leg deadlifts on
the other training day. And for those that have always scheduled their training this way,
they may see a good boost in poundages due to less back fatigue. I have found for me it
makes more sense to do both my squats and deadlifts on the same day of the week
because if both are worked at full intensity I dont recover fast enough. Remember, even if
you eliminate the back from becoming fatigued during your squats your hip/hamstring
structure still takes a beating when doing both squats and deadlifts.
What a wonderful combination the Safety Squat and stif legged deadlift is. You can go
all out on your squats and still have a relatively fresh back when it comes time to deadlift.
Keep in mind the Safety Squat isnt an isolation exercise, it surely qualifes as a full body
movement, the leg/hip/back structures are all worked, only diference is the back is no
longer the weak link.
Powerlifters that use a wide stance when squatting can use the bar to gain some
additional leg strength, as a steady diet of wide stance squats and conventional or sumo
deadlifts usually results in quads that are relatively week in comparison to the
hip/hamstring/back structure. A cycle or two with emphasis on the weak link can result in
improved totals. The trick here is to be able to work the Safety Squat into your schedule
in a manner that allows it to be of beneft yet not overtrain as the standard free bar squat
must be worked for skill and technique porposes for those that intend to compete.
Working up to one heavy set of each should allow maximum beneft and prevent
overtraining as long as the rest of the routine is kept short.

Routines
Here are a few routines using the Safety Squat bar that will produce good results for
many trainees if trained at a high level of intensity.
This is my current routine and results have been excellent.
Tuesday Friday
Incline Dumbbell press 1x8 Trap Bar D.L. 1x10
Dips x 1 set, weight added Safety Squat 1x10
Military Press 1x12 Dumbbell Shrug 1x12
Safety Squat Calf Raise 1x20 Bent Row 1x8
Crunch, 1 set Barbell Curl 1x10
These routines use more than one work set per excercise but the general theme is the
same, hard work on the basics!
Tuesday Friday
Safety Squats 2x10 Deadlift 2x8
Bench Press 2x6 Bent rows 2x8
Military Press 2x8 Barbell Curls 2x10
Safety Squat Calf Raise 2x15 Ab work, 2 sets
Tuesday Friday
Bench Press 2x6 Safety Squats 1x20
Military Press 2x8 Stif Leg D.L. 1x15
Close Grip Bench Press 1x8 Bent Row 2x8
Safety Squat Calf Raise 2x15 Curl 2x12
Ab work
Becuase this routine hits the full body, training days should be based on recovery, not
days of the week.
Day One Day Two
Safety Squats 1x20 Deadlift 1x15
Chins 2 sets Bent Row 2x8
Bench Press 2x10 Dips 2 sets
Military Press 1x10 Barbell Curls 1x10
Safety Squat Calf Raise 2x15 Ab work, 2 sets

Notice I did not include any three day a week routines? I did not list any because it is my
frm belief that three day a week training is always a bad idea for those that ft the
Hardgainer tag. Sure, if the exercises and sets are kept low enough progress can be made,
but why push it? For the majority of Hardgainers three days a week in the Gym will not
result in optimum results. Less is best!
Summary
The Safety Squat Bar has been advertised in Powerlifting USA for some time now and
recently IronMan Magazine has added it to their product line. Im confdent once enough
trainees give the Safety Squat Bar a try it will become a very popular piece of equipment,
especially with tall Hardgainers who have sufered under the squat bar for many years. It
has many advantages unique to machines, yet has the fexibility of free weights. Give it a
try and let the rest of Hardgainer readers know what you think.
Hi Stuart, its Wesley again. As you can see Im pretty excited about the new peice of
equipment. I havent been this thrilled since I bought my Trap Bar, which buy the way, I
still consider the #1 piece of equipment to get big and strong all over with. I hope this is
suitable for publishing in Hardgainer. If so, I am in the process of taking some pictures of
the bar itself and of it being used. I would really like to see this bar catch on as it makes
the lift a very productive exercise for those that may have had difculty with the
traditional squat.
I read Dr. Kens review of the Safety Squat Bar with great interest as I have recently
purchased one myself and have been quite pleased with it. This Bar has given me the
ability to Squat in positions I had only dreamed of before. Being a tall, 61 Hardgainer
with relatively long femurs has always made Squatting a very good
Back/Glute/Hamstring movement but only so-so at hitting my thighs. This bar has the
ability to change that for myself and many trainees. I have had Safety Squat Sessions that
have given me thigh work so intense my quads locked up and I couldnt stand up for 30
minutes! For those that have a difcult time Squatting in anything that resembles an
upright position this Bar can be just the ticket.
For those of you that are not familiar with this bar (probably the majority of readers) it is a
bar with a padded yoke that has the weight bearing portion of the bar angled forward.
This moves the center of gravity forward and in conjunction with the padded protrusions
of this strangely shaped bar allows hands free squatting. This allows the hands to be
used to hold onto a squat or power rack and stabilize the upper torso. In fact proper use
of this bar will allow almost any trainee to squat in any position from a lean forward
powerlifting style to an actual lean back position, something that is impossible with a
regular bar.

I will have to disagree with some of Kens assertions regarding the performance issues he
brought up. Trainees cutting their Squat depth as the weight increases is common to all
forms of Squatting. This is not a problem unique to the Safety Squat Bar. As far as
excessive use of the arms being used to pull oneself up I challenge anyone to do this
simple test. Walk up to a Power Rack and extend your arms and grasp the uprights at
approximately the level of you navel, no more than an inch or two higher. Your feet should
not be too close to the uprights. Now squat down and try to pull yourself up using
arm/back strength alone. It will be impossible! This is assuming you are using a hand and
foot position close to the one just described. Of course it would be possible to set up in a
position that allows one to use excessive arm and back strength in this movement. This is
not a correct position for this movement! In fact, it would probably be very uncomfortable
to use.
I am not saying that using the hands to hold on to the handles or the Power Rack
uprights does not give one a signifcant weight advantage as far as the top poundages
that are able to be used when doing so because that is not the case. When holding on to
the handles that are provided with the bar or holding on to Power Rack uprights almost
all trainees are able to use signifcantly more weight than they can in the traditional Back
Squat. The primary reason this is possible is the ability to set oneself up in a very strong
mechanical position. Using the Safety Squat Bar kind of feels like a standing Leg Press,
you are able to give your all using leg and glute strenght with little thought of torso/back
involvement. The use of the arms to guide and support the upper torso eliminates the use
of the lower back to a large degree. Of course the back is still involved. There is no way
you can put a heavy weight on your shoulders and not have your back doing some work,
but with this bar almost everyone can fnd a position that greatly reduces lower back
involvement in the Squat movement. I have yet to have any lower back soreness on days
when I did Safety Squats and did not do anything else lower back specifc.
I do agree with Kevin that the bar does tend to sway somewhat. This is most pronounced
with lighter weights. Once you have at least 250lbs on the bar it is much more stable. The
swaying is easily controlled as long as you are not all over the place when Squatting. The
very fact that you are able to support yourself using your hands/arms greatly reduces
unwanted motion.
One point I defnitely agree with Ken on is the possibility of compression of nerves in the
Traps. I had the same problem when using a Magic Circle a couple of years ago. It was
bad enough to cause me to eliminate the movement after only a few sessions. Fortunately
the Safety Squat Bar does not cause any problems for me or the few trainees I have had
try it. I have narrow shoulders and the bars padded yokes ride on the outside of my traps
almost on the collar bones. This reduces potential pressure on the nerves. Could I have

found one advantage of having narrow shoulders? Others with wider shoulders might run
into problems with nerve compression.
Considering the potential this bar has for those that have sufered with poor leverages in
the Squat I would heartily recommend trying the bar to see if it suits your physical
structure. If you are not yet capable of doing your work sets with 250 pounds or more or
have very wide shoulders this bar may cause problems for you. See if any of the Gyms in
your area have one and give it a try. Maybe you can convince your Gym owner to
purchase one. They are available mail order only in Powerlifting USA, and recently
IronMan magazine has started selling them.
Letter to Stuart that much of it was published
Stuart, as you can see I still feel very strongly about the advantages this bar has for those
of us that have a hard time doing a squat that does not resemble a partial Good Morning!
I undersand your concern about having someone going out and spending a lot of hard
earned money on something that doesnt work for them and that is very commendable of
you. However I sure would hate to see the virtues of this device go unnoticed by the very
group of trainees that could use it the most. Does this toned down version of my last
article look suitible? It might at least get some to give it a try without buying one. Please
feel free to add cuations or edit as you see ft. Maybe put in something telling the potential
buyer to inquire about the return policy if does not work for them might be a good idea. I
know I went through a similar situation when the Magic Circle cuased problems for me.
Fortunatly Mr. Strossens fne company had no problems with the return.
If your injuries are up to it why dont you give it a try? I really think youll be impressed if
your back has been a weak link when Squatting.
Anyway take a look at it and tell me what you think. Ill be happy to revise as needed if you
want to exclude anything or include more info from the prior article. I also have some
pictures of the bar in use if needed.
I cuaght the short I wrote that you sent in to IronMan. I really got a kick out of it as it was
totally unexpected. Thanks alot, it was great seeing it. Although not as much as an honor
as being in print in the fnest weight training publication in existence, Hardgainer!
Ive been meaning to tell you for some time now how much I enjoy your column in Muscle
Media 2000. I really like that magazine in that they give the whole story about
Bodybuilding including the dark dirty secrets. It is nice to at last see the ugly side of the
sport brought to attention instead of being swept under the carpet.
Please let me know what you think.
Iron Addict

Warm-up misconceptions
I posted this article a while back:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3404
and it was one of the articles I have received soooo much feedback on it made my head
spin. I had people emailing, PM'ing, and calling me telling me what a HUGE diference
it made to their lifts immediately.
These guys read it fully, understood the concepts, and applied it to THEIR unique lifts
and weight used. SCALED FOR THEIR LEVEL AND AMOUNT OF WEIGHT
USED.
Others TOTALLY missed it, and I am constantly getting emails and with people
showing me their lifts and warmup weights and MANY of these guys are doing 8
warmup sets when benching 150, simply because there were examples in the article of
400+ benching which usually requires 8 sets or so to work up to.
YOU NEED TO SCALE IT TO YOUR WEIGHTS AND THE LESS WEIGHT
YOU ARE USING THE LESS SETS YOU NEED. THE ARTICLE CLEARLY
STATES THAT. PLEASE READ IT AGAIN!
Iron Addict

Training for Power or Mass....are they separate?

Michael Keck, AKA XX
this is an article I wrote today for the members at the Redpoint site and thought I would
share it here as well, hope you enjoy it
the answer is both yes and no. Hows that for clearing things up?
As a general rule, as strength continues to climb, so will mass albeit at lag behind the
strength gains. As one gains mass, strength will also typically follow..this however comes
at a much slower rate again lagging behind. That being said, it is possible to get stronger
without getting bigger and it is also possible to get bigger without getting much
stronger. To understand this, we really need to look at the mechanisms behind each
aspect. we will begin with Power and strength and fnish with Mass
Strength is the ability to exert force on an object using your musculature. So what is
force? Force is a transfer of energy from one object to another causing the object being
acted on to change its velocity and direction. This is all good and well, but what does it
mean? We want to be able to exert as much force on an object as possible, thus being as
strong as we possibly can at any given moment
The primary driver of strength is the the Central Nervous System (CNS) This system is
responsible for sending the signal to the muscles to "Fire" or exert the force necessary to
move your arm, the fork in your hand or the 500lb squat you are aiming for. The CNS
acts on all muscle fber types. While muscle fber type plays a very important role it is only
one factor involved in the equation. Type II fbers are the ones primarily responsible for
fast, hard and short bursts of energy (think a max attempt) while type I fbers are the slow
twtich variety (endurance work) The types are broken down into sub types but that
discussion wont add much for our purposes here. The more Type II fbers you have, the
better suited you are for maximal strength and speed.
When we are training with maximal weights (typically defned as 90% or more of your 1
rep maximum) we are primarily training the CNS to fre more efciently, thus recruiting
the most muscle fber possible to perform the given task. However, the body will only
allow a stressor (lifting) to become so great before it will structurally alter itself to perform
he task more efciently, this is where gaining mass comes into play. This is why you can
gain a fair amount of strength without getting much bigger or any bigger at all, but this
will only last for so long before the body must add size to accommodate
here's an oversimplifcation

Your Squat goes from 150 to 200lbs......... a 50lb increase which is phenomenal in terms of
strength gains, but you didnt really get any bigger
Your Squat goes from 150-300lbs.....a 150 lb increase. at this point you will undoubtedly
have gained a fair amount of size.
How much you must increase your lifts to get bigger when training with maximal
weights is unknown, it varies widely based on your individual genetics
Now lets look at Mass. For MOST people mass gains will come quickest with
submaximal weights and more volume (over all workload of sets and reps) and time under
tension, assuming you arent using the pink dumbells. Muscular growth or hypertrophy
occurs in one of two ways. sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofbrillar hypertrophy. You
can think of sarcoplasmic hypertrophy as flling up a water balloon, as the amount of
sarcoplasmic fuid increases in the cell. Myofbrillar hypertrophy is of the structural variety
where the actual contractile proteins of the muscle grow in size
Sarcoplasmic growth is generally accompanied by little to no increase in strength, thus
why you can become bigger using submaximal weights and simultaneously not be much
stronger. This is why you can see very large muscular people using not a whole lot of
weight to their relative size
Myofbrillar growth occurs when maximal weights as we discussed above are used and it
takes longer than sarcoplasmic growth to occur. Think powerlifters here. Often much
smaller than bodybuilders, but much stronger typically when you factor in relative
bodyweights
You can place an emphasis on one of the other in your training, given your goals at the
time, however completely separating them is not going to happen. Want to be stronger
faster and let the size come at a slower pace.....train with maximal weights and reduced
volume. Want to grow as fast as possible? use submaximal weights and focus on getting
your overall workload up.
Ideally we want both to happen and this is why we incorporate a variety of loads and rep
ranges into the routines here at Redpoint.
Michael Keck

1st 3 months if I had my way

I write 3 month blocks of diet and training programming for my paying clients. In my
opinion, and that of the clients it works extremely well (to see some results and opinions
http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54 ). But.if I could take the
joe average client that I get that is coming to me with piss-poor numbers after years of
trying. In other words, the guys that werent already getting pretty good results with their
training and wanted me to optimize it here is what I would do in an ideal world.
1. First priority would be to get their assess in REASONABLE shape. You cant expect
good result from someone that sits on their asses all day and then goes to the gym and
does a set of 8 and sits on the bench for two minutes until the next set. They would be
instructed to do low intensity cardio 4 days a week and high intensity cardio 3 days. And
at a faster break-in schedule than I use for most lifters since this would be the frst priority.
THIS IS NOT HOW I STUCTURE CARDIO FOR CLIENTS THAT ARE
FIRST STARTING WITH ME, JUST IN CASE YOU DONT KNOW THAT.
2. Reduce their workload even if I knew from their questionnaire and phone conversation
they can handle a fair amount of volume and frequency. They would do light accessory
work and I would reduce their poundages a LOT on the key lifts AND FOCUS ON
FORM: squats, deadlifts, benches (could be DB benches if they cant wont BB bench)
rows, dips, shoulder presses (dumbbell or military) and good-mornings. They would send
me video each week of the lifts and we would adjust form as needed. And in case yyou are
wondering video is NOT a requirement to work with me, but helpful. I NEVER require
pictures or video of clients, but lifting video can be extremely helpful if form issues are
present.
3. Work on diet until the food choices were good, the binges were minimal and THEY
understand the importance of timing, especially post workout. All food choices would be
reviewed and logged. This is something I do with all clients anyway, but some take WAY
too long to get it together and if we started at a higher precision ratio results would be
better. So many also just forget to log and I never have a good feel for where they are at
diet wise
4. Have them send me a log of every supplement taken. I dont require a lot of supps if the
trainee doesnt have much cash to spend but a good vitamin/mineral and fsh oil is a must
and I bet about 25-30% of clients forget these at least 25% or MORE of the time.

5. If they are a skinny-fat ecto, or endo I would have these guys get medical tests for
testosterone (free/bound/overall). T-3/T-4, TSH, glucose tolerance, IGF-1, Estriadol,
and a full liver panel. For older trainees a CV risk profle done.
6. Have them work on relaxation/meditative/visualization techniques (whichever is most
ftting).
After they had a solid CV base going andsolid form on the big lifts that count. A diet that
they were actually DOING, and had practice doing, and the discipline to take their
supps, and eat right daily, and any metabolic issues recognized and in process of being
resolved, we would be at a much better starting point for big gains.
Keep in mind these things are all done for clients, but the sequence is diferent and I dont
request medical work unless issues warrant it (I do request quite a few extreme
hardgaining, or very fast loss resistant clients to get a medical workup done) but these
things are best done beforehand and most potential clients would consider this sequence
of events a step back. Telling a guy that just managed his frst 295 lb squat to drop it to
225 and start working on form just pisses most people of and they would rather work on
form with maximal weight on the bar, which certainly can be done, but it is much more
difcult. And most lifters could give a rats ass about their cardio base unless they are
cutting which is a BIG mistake.
Doing it this way would net better results in the LONG-TERM. But most lifters would
be quite displeased if it were structured that way as they are always looking for the big
gains NOW. And my current approach does that better in the SHORT-TERM for
sure.
Something to think about.
Iron Addict

Volume/Intensity/Frequency
I am going into this discussion with the assumption that the trainee has diet,
supplementation, sleep, and stress in order. If not, the perfect routine is not going to be
efective anyway. Many people go to the gym each week employing workout programs
that look fashy on paper, but fail to deliver results. Why? Simply because the volume is
not matched correctly to the intensity, and/or the frequency is not matched to the overall
loading.
Why do so many lifters have a mis-match? More often than not its because they are trying
to do something outside their current ability of recovery/work capacity. An important
point to keep in mind is that the loading must be in tune with the lifters CURRENT
state of experience. Most beginners want to do advanced routines and almost all
intermediates DO advanced and highly advanced routines long before they are ready for
them. Before going on I want to take a moment to lay out what I believe is important
with overall loading schemes.
1. Volume should be as high as possible while STILL PROVIDING FAST
STRENGTH INCREASES. This rule can be thrown out the window by extremely
advanced lifters that already are very big and strong and want to do volume work purely
for size. As a general rule, the higher the volume goes, to an extent, the slower strength
gains accrue. This is not a hard and fast rule, but it applies to the vast majority in my
experience. Dont mis-read that as Iron Addict likes high volume training. I like it as
high as can be done while still making fast strength gains, and for many lifters, that will be
quite low volume.
2. Intensity should be matched to the volume. The more sets you do, the lower the
intensity will be if you are to be successful. High volume and high intensity are mutually
exclusive. No one with a functioning brain does 20 sets a bodypart to failure. If you use to
failure, and beyond failure techniques, your volume will be low by necessity. Most to
failure systems use one or two work sets per lift to failure, and few lifts (often one) per
bodypart. Many lifters take a large number of sets to failure each workout and frankly,
they are usually guys with great genetics, or lifters that are not making much progress and
frustrated.
3. Frequency should be as often as possible WHILE STILL RECOVERING AND
MAKING SOLID PROGRESS ON STRENGTH AND SIZE GAINS. Obviously
the more often you can train/recover/grow and train again, the faster you will reach your
goal. That said, training at a rate that rarely or never allows progress is fools work, and
many of you are simply fools.

How to match these three up in a format that results in consistent progress is a constant
source of frustration to many lifters. While there are no hard and fast rules owing to the
wide disparity of genetics and experience, levels here are some guidelines to help you
make the right choices when programming your training. And please keep that last
statement in mind. Designing workout programs should have programming in mind.
Most people just do routines with no thought of what comes next.
I will address intensity frst since it is the simplest aspect of the three in program design.
While it is a very simple classifcation and doesnt cover all levels of intensity, I will go out
on a limb and lay down the four basic categories used by the majority of lifters on their
WORK sets.
1. Multiple reps short of failure. This is done most frequently with ramped loading
(predetermined often) routines, and with medium-high volume loading. A couple
examples are the frst few sets of a lift of a trainee that is doing 16-20 sets a bodypart. The
frst few sets are USUALLY a few reps short of failure and either the weight is increases,
or the same weight is used and as more sets are done fatigue sets in and increases the
difculty level. This is also done with lower volume routines where the weight is static for
all sets. Such as doing 4 x 8 with the same weight. The frst two sets are easy, the third
hard, the last, almost all-out. 10 x 10s are done with very sub-maximal weights and again
fatigue over the course of many sets is the goal
5 x 5s are done with sub-maximal weights in most cases. An example of a 300 lb bencher
might look like:
150
185
225
265
300 the following week the sub-maximal weights go up, as do the last top set.
2. One rep short of failure. This is a very productive way to train that is still plenty intense,
but doesnt include the CNS fatigue most often accrued when doing sets to failure. It is
often done in conjunction with sets done at lower intensity (multiple reps short of failure)
and then the last work set is done one rep short of failure. In other words, you lift until
you know that if you attempted the last rep it wouldnt go. That is how I structure the
majority of my routines and it allows a lot more tonnage and workload without too much
CNS fatigue.
3. To failure training. This is where your work sets are taken to the point of absolute
failure where try as you might, you cannot complete another rep and dont quit until you

have attempted the impossiblegetting the weight up. This is a popular way to train and
can be efective. The downsides are that it allows very little workload/tonnage to be
completed. The can be both a blessing and a curse. The good side is since volume is so
low many people recover very well and strength gains are consistent. The down sides are
that many peoples CNS just do not tolerate it well and CNS is dampened a LOT unless
frequency is very infrequent. Also since the tonnage is so low, SOME people do not build
as much size as if the volume were higher.
4. Beyond failure training. This is where after a point of failure has been reached more
work is done. Examples are forced reps where your training partner gives you JUST
enough help to allow you to complete more reps after failure has been reached, rest-pause,
and drop sets. Advantages are extremely compressed workload, usually one set a
bodypart, very good growth stimulation with increased tonnage compared to the single
set to failure method. Downsides are that it is EXTREMELY taxing on CNS.
That was a brief GENERALITY of how sets are typically performed but certainly
doesnt cover it all. What do I prefer? A combination of methods one and two. Doing a
few sub-maximal sets, then, one-two sets taken to one short of failure. This allows more
workload without excessive CNS fatigue, but still has enough intensity. I USED to use a
LOT of to failure training and beyond failure training with both myself and training
clients, but after slowly making the switch to the method just mentioned results have
been MUCH better by a huge margin. And this isnt just a small sampling; I work with
about 70 clients at a time. As a side note, I dont consider accidentally missing a very low
rep attempt failure, as in 1 to 3 rep sets of max-efort work a per prescribed by WSB.
If you want to use to failure/beyond techniques I would recommend a hardgainer style
routine with very few lifts, two-three days a week in the gym, and once a week per bodypart if you are a beginner-intermediate level lifter. If you are ADVANCED use Dantes
(DC/Doggcrap) system. It is extremely well thought out, scalable to your needs, and
takes into account many of the shortcomings of other high intensity systems and works
EXTREMELY wellGREAT SYSTEM.
The workload needs to match your CURRENT experience level and work capacity. For
beginners with less than 1-2 years experience, OR those that have always done everything
wrong and are still at beginner strength levels after many years of training the volume
should be relatively low. There are two primary schools of thought usually promoted.
One line of thinking is that the beginner simply cannot generate enough intensity to do
much damage so a mid volume, high frequency routine is the way to go. This usually
translates into a full body 3 times a week routine. This can work extremely well. Butif
it doesnt, dont keep doing something that doesnt work.

Beginners usually have pretty horrible work capacity and full body 3 times a week beats
the hell out of guys and girls that are totally out of shape and have poor CNS recovery.
The other school of thought is that beginners need very little workload to grow well, and
I am of this school of thought. I would rather start a beginner low and add workload as
they progress. There is the old saying that anything works for beginners and that is only
true to a point. Put a beginner on Arnolds advanced volume routine and many will get
smaller and weaker every week. So.I believe starting low and working up over time
accomplishes a couple very important things. It gets the trainee acclimated to lifting
without beating them up so bad they quit, and allows consistent progress. And please
keep in mind that at the beginner level strength gains should be pretty damn linear. If you
are not getting stronger pretty much every week at this stage of the game you are doing
something incredibly wrong.
Intermediates can get by with any amount of workload their bodies can handle and still
recover from. At this stage, it often gets easy to lose sight of the fact that strength gains
are still paramount. What generally happens is the lifter has made some good progress
and has built up a good amount of strength. He is feeling good about himself, but knows
he still isnt near big enough. Scanning the muscle mags and lifting forums he looks at the
stuf the pros and other BIG-BOYS are doing and decides that is the answer. He
switches to very high volume and often high frequency and BAM! He makes a good
jump is size! Then..since he doesnt understand that the gains he got were mostly from
Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy which occurs from an increase in the non-contractile cellular
fuid in the muscle he thinks he has his long term training needs covered.
But.the sarcoplasma consists of nutrients, glycogen, capillaries, and mitochondria
proliferation. It ISNT contractile protein and to make contractile protein go up the rep
ranges should probably be lower than what our hero is using, and with the workload
having so much overall tonnage strength gains come VERY S-L-O-W-L-Y. Since
strength isnt going up what will he have to do to progress? Well more volume of course.
But since he is already doing 16 sets a bodypart what next? 24? 30? Make sense? What the
intermediate level needs is something that provides a balance of strength with enough
volume/tonnage for better hypertrophy work than training purely for strength. This
usually equates to a mid-volume routine with at least some of the work in the 1-6 rep range
and higher reps for other lifts in the program.
Advanced lifters? At this stage of the game pretty much anything goes and if you are
TRULY advanced you know better than anyone what works best for you or you wouldnt
have got this far. No need to make generalizations at this point.
As far as frequency is concerned, again what you want is as frequent as possible while still
allowing fast progress. The variables here can be put in a lot of various sequences, but

they still dont vary too much. Again, here are more generalities that will cover a lot of
ground, but will still be far from including every option are:
1. VERY low frequency, as in Mike Mentzer, John Little, Pete Siscos recommendations.
These range as low as taking three-four weeks to hit all bodyparts. WAY too low IMO
2. Once every 9-12 days. These formats can work very well for extreme hardgainers, and
even easy gainers as a de-load.
3. Once a week.
4. Once every 5 days. A favorite of mine, and something Charles Poliquin has
recommended a lot.
5. Twice a week.
6. Three times a week.
7. Schedules that have multiple frequency ranges dependent on the bodypart being
trained based on recovery, or need to specialize.
My preference for MOST trainees that have at least average recovery is once every 5 days
setup on an upper/lower split that rotates. In other words:
Monday
Chest/shoulders/Triceps
Wednesday
Back/Biceps/legs/abs
Friday
Chest/shoulders/Triceps
Monday
Back/Biceps/legs/abs
Wednesday
Chest/shoulders/Triceps
Friday
Back/Biceps/legs/abs

If the trainee can recover from it, I put them on a 4 day a week program hitting everything
2 x a week.
Hardgainers, both real and functional are usually put on a once a week per bodypart
routine until we can get their metabolic issues addresses and work on getting their work
capacity up.
Advanced lifters can be put on anything under the sun they can recover from including
waved volume, Rest-Pause, High volume strength based templates too, well, you get the
idea, anything can go at that stage as long as it is still within their ability to tolerate the
workload and suited to their goals.
A brief discussion about easy-gainers, average lifters, and hardgainers/extreme
hardgainers is in order. I have had 250 lb fairly lean lifters with 19 inch arms after two and
a half years training tell me they were hardgainers. Why? Because their shoulders didnt
grow fast, or their lats werent thick enoughBULLSHIT, these guys got it going on,
and frankly, everyone likes to believe that their dedication was the prime reason for their
success. Yes, it is a HUGE factor, but plenty of guys give their all 24/7 and just dont get
there that fast, or even at all.
Easy gainers are simple and a pleasure to work with. Provided they are consistent with
diet and training they grow very well and results are very brisk compared to most lifters
results.
Most lifters fall in the average range of bodybuilding/powerlifting potential. An educated
guess is that 60-65% of the lifters have about average predisposition for lifting
A large percentage of the hardgainers are only hardgainers because they do so much
wrong (a full length article to follow). And many are truly hardgainers due to genetics and
metabolic disorders. These guys MUST approach their training diferent.
There are no hard and fast rules that determine who is and isnt in which category. After
doing this for over ten years I can usually make a very accurate estimate after reading a
questionnaire and asking a few questions.
Hope that made sense, and makes it a bit easier when deciding what to do next in your
pursuit of the physique and strength levels you dream of.
Iron Addict

NEVER Giving Up
Here is a list of my injuries. Age 46, 210-215, 6'1. 8% bodyfat +-1-2%
Broken left collar bone, never healed quite right. Motorcycle wreck age 16
Every fnger and all toes broken on right hand and foot at least somewhere from martial
arts and bar fghts. Left thumb cut of at frst digit--motorcycle wreak.
Neck in terrible shape from being rear ended by some chick doing 50 not noticing the
trafc stopped because she was putting on makeup. Neck in traction 3 x a week for 6
months. Also LOTS of nerve compression from too much weight on the deadlift bar and
safety squat bar for my fragile spinal column.
Torn rotators both shoulders. Pretty lightly torn though. From bodybuilding style
benching and behind the neck military pressing
Upper back broken. Not sure if it was a motorcycle wreak or the time I was jumped and
beaten by 6 guys and left for dead. Every time I get an x-ray the doc says "how the heck
did you break your back like that" and is really dismayed when I tell him I am not sure
which time it was--lol. After both incidents I couldn't walk for almost 2 weeks.
2 herniated disks low back. Was told I would never lift again (ASSHOLES). That was
12-13 years ago? Re-herniated last September and I have periods where it just freakin
HURTS!
Umbilical hernia. 1st time age 5 trying to lift a big rock--lol. 2nd time age 34 or 35 pulling
625 in the rack.
Shot with 45 in the pelvic region at age 26, slug still in me--don't ask.
Left knee cap ground down a good ways through from a motorcycle wreak. Thrashed
from the inside doing 1100 lb leg presses and going down to fast when fatigued.
Both knees have degenerative tissue damage from LOTS of various lifting over way too
many yearstoo heavy.
Right thumb got severely dislocated when a 335 lb foor press got out of shape and it is
almost popping out of joint now doing very light things. Very concerned about it losing
all integrity in the thumb.

Recently involved in another motorcycle wreaksee pics, happened May 5th 2008.
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/broken.jpg
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/toe.JPG
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/knee.JPG
Sometime when I have a moment I will go over how the lifting injuries happened.
Needless to say machismo, stupidity, and poor lifting advice (behind the neck presses,
and WIDE grip benches anyone) were the main culprits.
That is what I am working with and it can be tricky to fnd things my body can still do
without causing further damage, especially since I workout at a home gym. And some
days, no matter what is in the plan my body will just say no. One week my knees can be
fne, the next week it hurts to just walk.
After all this people ask how come I don't give up, or when I am going to stop training.
Have I ever given the thought of not training?
NEVER, NOT ONCE, NOT FOR A SECOND!!!
I have changed my goals. Size is not that important anymore. At my age I have no desire
to walk around at 250 like I used to. 210-215 is comfortable and athletic. Conditioning is
very important to me now--it never used to be, but is a priority now. There are lots of lifts
I can simply no longer do like fat barbell bench--oh well. But in spite of the daily trails
and tribulations of growing old and dealing with injuries, I have NEVER given a second
thought to quitting and will be training in some capacity until they bury me.
I hope at my age you can say the same.
Iron Addict

20 Rep Squat Variation

High rep squatting is one of the fastest ways to add some serious size to your wheels and
also to make your body as a whole more efcient at adding muscle to your whole frame by
becoming more metabolically efcient. Twenty rep squats have a long tradition dating
back to the 40's as being the number one thing you can do to make your whole body
break-out with new growth. They have been traditionally done by taking a weight that
you BARELY make the tenth rep with and then, instead of racking the bar, rest-pause
(rest and breath) for JUST long enough to get a couple more reps, then a couple more,
and again and again until the full twenty have been completed. To say this is brutal is a
huge understatement. Unless you have actually tried it with your true 10 rep max weight
that you get 20 reps with, you really have no idea what hard training can be like.
While the above described method is the tried and true method of performing 20 rep
squats I have been experimenting with a variation that may be even a better method for
many people to get the most out of their high rep squatting. Heresy you say! Maybe, but
read on, it may make sense when your done reading.
Let me frst state that probably only 3 out of 10 people doing 20 rep squats actually do
them with maximal weight. Why? Because it hurts so damn bad! Once you start the set
there is truly no break from the pain, and a correctly performed set will take from 3-5
minutes to complete. There are three ways people reach failure doing these.
Muscular failure.
Failure of the cardio-vascular system. In efect your breathing becomes so labored the set
is terminated because of oxygen starvation.
Cumulative pain failure. This means the combined efect of muscular fatigue, cardio
fatigue, and the pain itself cause the trainee to terminate the set. THIS USUALLY
OCCURS BEFORE ACTUAL MUSCULAR FATIQUE TAKES PLACE! While
this is not necessarily a bad thing, most people could use a little help pushing harder, and
even if you go all out, here is a way to go even farther.
Since it's usually cumulative pain that causes one to terminate the set it makes sense to try
to reduce the portion of the set that provides little muscular stimulation, yet contributes
to the overall pain that often causes one to rack the bar with many reps left in them. Let's
dissect the set a little to see where we run into trouble. After about ten reps (if the weight
is correct) you need to stop and rest (like it's actually rest with the heavy-ass bar on your
back) and breath long enough to eke out a few more reps. Anyone that has done it can tell
you that with a belt on tight and a heavy load on the bar, breathing is a pure nightmare.
While the lower back/midsection is statically contracting the whole time and does
contribute to overall work performed, it's not really the work we are setting out to do

with the squats. I'd just as soon save the lower back for a set of stif-legged deadlifts or
rack-pulls.
Now here comes the heresy. What if, instead of doing the rest-pause with the bar on your
back you rack it and take some REAL deep breaths instead of the half-breaths you get
with the bar on your back. Am I suggesting you make it more like two or three sets done
with little rest? NO WAY! I am suggesting you only leave it racked about the same
amount of time you would hold it on your back. In fact, because you can take DEEP
unrestrained breaths you may fnd your rest periods are even shorter than it would be
with the bar on your back. The key to not making this a wimp set that is semi-comfortable
is to time yourself doing a 20 rep set without racking the bar, and then not allowing your
racked-set squats to exceed this time, or at least not exceed it by more than 30 seconds.
Another excellent variation is to set a time limit of 3-4 minutes and make sure you get at
least 20 reps in the allotted time period. And the next time you hit the gym, add weight
and DON'T exceed the same time period. Having the luxury of training a lot of people I
get to see real world results of what works and what doesn't. I have never seen a properly
applied low volume program using 20 rep squats (or deadlifts) as the cornerstone fail. But
I have noted many people didn't make the progress I thought they should have. In
discussing it with them it seemed they might be holding back on the squats because of the
pain factor. I simply had them rack the bar during the rest-pauses and all of a sudden they
are in many cases using 25-75 lbs more for squats and overall progress goes through the
roof.
Is this bastardizing the time tried 20 rep squat method? Maybe, but quite frankly I care
much more about results than tradition. Having a trainee go from 280 x 20 to 330 x 20 in
the course of one or two sessions and having them always reach their 20 reps is a great
trade of for me. It's all to common for folks to bail at rep 17 or so because of the pain of
the bar on their back and inability to breath. This happens WAY less with the rack-set
method. And if you are one of those that TRULY already take your sets to the limit, you
will be moving MUCH more weight with less low back stress and probably much better
results. Give it a shot and post your results. You might just surprise yourself.
Iron Addict

Size Vs. Strength

This is about strength Vs. pure size type routines, where they ft in, and what realistic
goals are to be considered an advanced trainee by genetically typical, and usually drug free
standards.
Most guys just dont have great genetics relative to adding size and strength to their
frame. Knowing that, the key is to make the best of what you have. And for most guys that
consists of being extremely focused, and extremely realistic. And the reality is, most guys
can build a fair strength/size base if they train and diet correctly. I will use Stuart
McRoberts goals/guidelines to defne that strength level:
For Joe average of 5'9 190-205 in a fairly lean state, Joe has a 300 lb bench give or take a
few lbs, and can do rep work with 250 +. We want to see Joe Squatting at least 400-450
for a single, or doing rep work with 350 +. Joe should also be able to do deads with about
the same weights as his squat, or maybe a little higher. Stuart simply stated 300/400/500
for bench, squat, and deadlift.
Most guys can get there (at least within 50 lbs over or under dependant on body
mechanics for each lift) if they TRULY dedicate themselves to bread and butter training
and heavy eating. MOST guys never come close, but could if they didn't overtrain and
under-eat.
The reason most (some fail purely because of diet) never get this so very important
strength base is they always train doing too many lifts, using many techniques that are
more specifc to size instead of strength. Pure hypertrophy training is well and good IF it
works for you, but it's time and place is AFTER you have dedicated yourself to building
the foundation. I recently had a couple of personal training clients that were disappointed
that the routine I wrote was not geared for towards "size" gains. They wanted less rest
between lifts and more sets so they could focus on getting bigger. The problem was both
these guys were beginner level weak (after training for years). In fact, 5 out of the 8 girls I
currently train have a bigger squat and dead than these guys do. I don't care how many
fast "pump" sets you do with girl weights. The truth is, you will still look like a girl if that
is all the weight you use.
It doesnt take long for most people to realize that they will never total Elite in
powerlifting, nor do any serious damage on the posing dais. Genetics is the frst and last
word about how far you can go. You may never be freaky strong, or freaky huge. But with
the correct focus, here is what will happen. After you have paid your dues with the big lifts
for heavy weights and heavy eating, you will be stronger than about 90-95% of the guys in

the gym. And a good percentage of you will have the size to go along with it.
But.......some of you will not be as big as you "should be for your strength. Guess what???
Now its time to start trying some of the protocols that tend to build size at the expense of
strength. But also guess how much more efective that type of training is what you are not
lifting girl weights!!!
The right way to get there for most people is to COMMIT to spending a couple of years
(or more) worried about little more than the little more than adding weight on the bar
from workout to workout. For many people, this is all they need to do to get huge. But
SOME guys get a lot stronger without a linear increase in size. Often much of what
occurs from a strength standpoint occurs primarily through innervation gains. This does
little for size. But with patience, when the bar is a lot heavier, you will be too. Unless you
are doing VERY LOW reps it is pretty difcult to add 75-125 lbs to your bench or dips,
and 150-250 lbs to your squat and deadlift, and big numbers to all your other lifts without
getting quite a bit bigger.
Now let me insert three VERY critical ideas here.
The frst is MANY people think they are hardgainers, or naturally weak because they
train and eat like shit. Train somewhat like many powerlifters (but with slightly higher
reps) do for a few months and eat like a horse and you may fnd this is all irrelevant
because you may fnd you build strength and size rapidly when not doing some of the
crazy shit many bodybuilders do.
The second thing is that you realize it doesn't happen overnight, and if you are not
progressing at a rate you think acceptable you need to do something few do in these days
and times. You keep at your task and apply lots of thought, deductive reasoning, and learn
everything you can about what you are attempting to do. And that doesn't mean from
glossy coated muscle mags that are really supplement catalogs in disguise. Try
Hardgainer magazine, Powerlifting USA (and yes, there is a lot in PL USA geared
towards guys with great genetics, but its better than almost all the BB mags), and online
sources that specifcally STATE THE INFO IS GEARED TOWARD THE
AVERAGE TRAINEE, NOT GENETIC WONDERS. And then FAITHFULLY
apply what you know day in day out. This isn't stamp collecting were doing here. Its
tough, and it takes balls to train and eat right consistently.
The Third thing is to accept the best of what you have and are capable of. Some people
will never hit 300/400/500, and some will plow through them FAST once training right.
If you are one of the extreme, extreme ecto's, or an endo that just isn't wired for strength,
and you have truly paid your dues, and just don't have it. Do everything you can to get as
strong as you can, then, a little stronger. THEN, and only then consider yourself

"advanced" and change your focus to a hypertrophy routine SUITABLE FOR

PEOPLE WITH AVERAGE GENETICS! This, for many people is simply a routine
using higher reps, a few more lifts, with more sets than HIT/Hardgainer style training,
but much less than volume training. Using an intensity level higher than volume, lower
than hit.
Once you are MOST of the way there it is fne to experiment a little with some
hypertrophy specifc techniques, but continually trying these types of training too soon
will usually just be a counterproductive waste of time. Some people fnd doing a small
cycles of mid-level volume work interspersed with power style techniques provides
additional growth without overtraining them. This is an option for those with slightly
better than average recovery ability. I will go into more detail about the format in another
article, but most people reading this should be focused about getting stronger for a while
longer.
Iron Addict

I have a theory
Well, I actually have a lot of them, but we will focus on one particular theory today. That
theory being that many individuals simply have bio-mechanics in some moves that the
body senses is potentially injuriouseven if no acute pain during the lift is ever felt. The
body is infnitely intelligent and senses bad joint angles, connective tissue being stretched
in inappropriate ways, etc. When this is happening, the body will simply not let the CNS
send a strong enough signal to the motor units to contract, or if the signal is sent, it will
blunted by the golgi tendon or other mechanisms.
It is very common to get guys that simply cant progress worth a damn on bench press.
Squats are also a bad move for some, as are things like military press. Butthese are key
moves! What can be done? I have been experimenting with some by simply moving the
range of motion up to whatever level is high enough that the body senses immanent
danger of the lift has been resolved.
What does that consist of and how is it done? Two simple methods are as follows.
Trainee A cant get his bench to move. We put trainee A on a 2 or 3 board. All of a sudden
trainee A starts making weekly progressproblem solved.
Trainee B cant get his squat to move. We put trainee B on a 1-2 inch above parallel box
and trainee B starts making consistent progression.
Some of you are thinking, hell, my squat and bench would be heavier with less range of
motion. That is NOT what we are discussing. It is a given more weight will be moved
with less ROM. The key is not getting a one time increase by changing the ROM. The
key is that before, the trainee was simply not able to progress with their poundages.
Now, once the body is in a mechanical position that is not telling the body injury is likely,
they make consistent weight progression.
The mechanism is a theory, no denying that. The progression for a lot of the guys I have
used it with is a realityno denying that either.
Iron Addict

The Rep Under a Looking Glass

The lowly rep gets taken for granted all to often in our quest for ever increasing size and
strength. It is the basic unit of work that makes up weight training. Done correctly for the
right number, the results are staggering. Done improperly, each rep you do can
potentially injure you and NOT signifcantly contribute to your results. While we are all
diferent here are some generalities about rep speed and numbers.
Low Reps
When people spend time doing low reps, like 1-4 reps, they are generally focusing on the
strength component. Yes, some people build great size doing reps this low, but for most
people the time under tension (TUT) is too low to signifcantly contribute to size gains.
What? Don't strength gains = size gains? Well, yes and no. Strength gains using a rep
range that is high enough to keep the muscle loaded long enough to stimulate mass gains
are what you are looking for, but when you are only putting the muscle under a load
lasting from 3-15 seconds you are primarily training the neural system to become more
efcient at fring the signal that tells your muscles to contract. These high loads also help
stimulate ligament and tendon growth.
Low-Medium Reps
In bodybuilding circles low reps are generally thought of as 5-8 reps. This rep range
works very well for strength, and size is also built as long as the reps aren't done too fast.
This means that the weight is controlled throughout the complete rep, i.e., it isn't heaved
up, and then allowed to drop during the descent. Like all things bodybuilding/weight
training related, some people respond better than others to this rep range, some people
build incredible size doing 6-8 reps, and for others, mostly strength is built. This has a lot
to do with muscle fber composition unique to the individual, but can also have a lot to do
with how the individual rep is performed. More on this to follow.
Medium-High Reps
Reps from 8-15 are what are traditionally done in bodybuilding to focus on size at the
expense of strength. It is the range most often used by people doing volume training,
and training for the pump. Because the time under tension is increased this range works
very well to help accrue mass. As we will see in a minute any rep range other than very low
reps can all be very efective at stimulating size goals dependent on how they are
performed.
High Reps

Most trainees do not do high reps that start at 15 and go up to 50 or even more. This is a
shame because depending on how they are completed they can be absolutely the best way
to go for some muscle groups, for some people. Legs especially respond well to higher
reps, as do some people's muscle groups that have primarily slow twitch fbers.
Now that rep ranges have been generically defned, what is the best way to do a rep, and
how many reps should a trainee do for optimal results? Big question, and one that can't
be given as a blanket statement, but here are some guidelines. First about rep speed, look
around you in the gym and you will see people practically throwing the weights and
others lifting slowly and controlled. If you take a look at the people throwing them and
doing their lifts in a very fast, uncontrolled fashion, one thing you will usually fnd as a
commonality with these people is that they are usually SMALL guys! Why is this? A few
things come into play here. One of the biggest reasons is that the eccentric portion
(lowering the weight) of the lift is the part of the lift that is primarily responsible for
muscle hypertrophy. The eccentric portion of the lift is the part that is responsible for the
muscle damage that occurs during training, and this is one of the reasons your body
adapts to the training load by super-compensating, i.e., getting bigger and stronger.
Guys that throw the weight up and allow it to drop are TOTALLY cheating themselves
of the portion of the lift that is most responsible for the growth they are trying to
accomplish. They are also not exposing their muscles to sufcient time under tension for
optimal growth. Doing a set of 8 with a second positive and second negative exposes
the target muscle with about a total of 12 seconds loading by the time you take into
account the short pause at the top and bottom portion of the movement. Remember that:
Weight x distance x speed = work completed
With this in mind it becomes abundantly clear that all reps are NOT created equally!
Now do that same 8 rep set with a 2 second positive and 2 second negative and you have
about 32 seconds of loading, and a set that takes about 45-60 seconds to perform counting
pauses. Now you have something that will efectively load the muscle, and keep it loaded
for long enough to increase both size and strength. This is an almost perfect speed for
most trainees and is a still fast enough to use serious weight, yet still slow enough to load
the muscles long enough for efective hypertrophy training. Is two seconds up, 2 down the
perfect way to perform a rep? Not at all, but it does work very well for many people. For
pure strength training a slightly faster positive portion can be performed while keeping
the negative at 2 or three seconds works great. Of course you need to keep in mind the
range of motion of whatever exercise you are doing will somewhat determine how long a
rep takes. A calf-raise has a MUCH shorter range of motion that say a deadlift, so again
all lifts are not done at exactly the same cadence.

What about going slower to increase the TUT? Is this the way to go? For pure size gains
I will state unequivocally YES! This is with the caveat that you have the mental fortitude
to do this type of training. Here is why the average guy doesn't do as well with 4-8 second
eccentric reps. 1) They are forced to use weights that don't stoke the ego. It's hard for the
guy that is benching 250 for 6 to drop it to 200 for 8 slow reps. Makes him look bad in
front of the guys. Never mind that if you did the math (see the formula above) you would
see he was actually doing more work. 2) It HURTS doing reps this slow and the pain
factor simply makes most people cave-in before getting their work in.
So what are some good ways to increase TUT? Well you can increase the reps. This
works fne except for the fact that it forces you to use a lighter weight thus reducing the
actual load imposed on the target muscle. You can just do more sets; this too increases
the total overall time your muscles are loaded for. The problem with this method is that
once your training volume reaches a certain threshold you have entered the city limits of
over-training where no growth is allowed within city limits. Alternatively you can do
intensity enhancing techniques such as drop sets, or rest/pause that among other things
signifcantly increase your TUT. Drop sets work well for many people as they allow you
to take a weight and do your full allotment of reps using a nice controlled rep speed, and
then when you fail, instead of terminating the set you immediately pick up a lighter
weight and continue to do more reps. The downsides to this are: 1) That after the weight
is dropped you are now lifting a lighter weight, thus the weight load perceived by your
muscles is lower. 2) Too much beyond failure training tends to over-train many
individuals. My favorite way of increasing TUT aside from slowing down rep speed is
rest/pause. Rest pause is done by taking a weight you can get your target reps with, and
then when failure is reached instead of racking the bar, you rest/breath long enough to get
a couple more reps, then repeat the rest/breath sequence until your target reps are
completed. Typically, the reps beyond failure are about equal to how many reps you got
on the frst portion of the set taken to failure. So if you got eight reps before hitting failure,
you would then do 2 more, + 2 more, + 2 more, the 1 more making a total of 15 reps
completed. One great feature of rest/pause is that the same heavy weight is used
throughout the set. So you now took a weight you could only get 8 reps with, and instead
of racking it, you rest ONLY long enough to keep the set going. The downside to
rest/pause is that like any other beyond failure technique a little goes a long ways and
over-training will result for many people that do too many sets like these. The classic 20
rep squat set is nothing more than a rest/pause set.
How many reps should you do? And how fast should you do them? I can't tell you that
because your goals and body is unique to you and you alone. Here are some general
recommendations though. I almost always recommend 5-8 reps for bench press. Why?
Because every damn person I know wants a big bench, because for some reason when the
average person asks how much you can lift they are rarely asking what you can squat or

deadlift. For legs most people do best on higher reps. Again this is not universal, but
most folks build bigger wheels with higher reps. 10 as a minimum and as high as 50 works
well. Do a all out set of 20 rest pause squats or 30 rep leg presses as your leg workout until
you add a couple hundred pounds to them and tell me your legs are not looking wicked.
For arm work I like to have the trainee do some work with lower reps (these don't
necessarily have to be direct arm work either, heavy back work slams bi's as does heavy
chest work slam tri's) and some higher rep work to cover all bases. If you are only doing
strait sets, the old scheme of doing one low (5-8) rep set and then doing a burnout set of
15-20 works well for many people. I like people to train abs HEAVY with reps in the 10-15
rep range because if you want a big squat and deadlift you gotta have STRONG abs.
Any muscles that you are able to train to failure, and then with minimal rest, (15-30
seconds) you are able to get 3-4 more reps with are usually prime candidates for high reps
or EXTENDED rest/pause sets. As far as rep speed goes a 1-1/2-2 second positive and 2-3
second negative is a good speed for most lifts, for most people. A little faster is
permissible on lower reps and a little slower sometimes for mid and higher reps work
wonders for many folks. If you can successfully integrate 4-8 second negatives into your
program you may be absolutely AMAZED at the growth it produces, and after a short
time you will probably fnd you are now doing the same weights you were doing before at
the higher cadence. To add precision to your sets get a cheap wristwatch with a second
timer. Now when you do say a set of 10 reps time how long it took to perform these ten
reps. Next week if you add weight and are now doing the set in less time did you really
accrue strength? Probably not, all you did was decrease the loading by performing the
movement faster. Not what you wanted! All in all, everyone needs to do a little bit of all
rep speeds and ranges in the long run to see what works best for them. But you already
knew that huh!
Iron Addict

Fastest way to gain 10-15 lbs

If the goal is to gain 10-15 lbs as absolutely fast as possible how would it best be
accomplished? Probably the quickest way to do it would be working out all bodyparts
twice a week doing 16 or so sets a bodypart, using low intensity, for sets of 10-12 reps. Add
a bit of creatine and taurine, keep carb levels high, with perfect PWO nutrition, and, (this
is the big and) IF you havent been training this way, you will likely be up 10, perhaps even
15 lbs of something that looks like muscle.Let me explain that statement.
Muscle growth occurs from sarcoplasmic and myofbrillar hypertrophy. Sarcoplasmic
hypertrophy occurs from an increase in the non-contractile cellular fuid in the muscle.
The sarcoplasma consists of nutrients, glycogen, capillaries, and mitochondria
proliferation. This hypertrophy occurs most, and fastest from using lots of high rep sets
and high frequency training. While it looks like muscle, it does not actually perform the
work, it is in efect the plumbing and energy systems of the muscle. This type of
hypertrophy is responsible for approximately 25-35% of your overall mass.
Myofbrillar hypertrophy is an increase in the contractile protein of the muscle. This is the
actual muscle tissue, and what does the work when you lift weights. This is functional
muscle, not the fuf that is achieved via Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Training for
Myofbrillar hypertrophy is accomplished with reps in the 1-8 range, with some carryover
to higher reps. This type of hypertrophy is what provides approximately 70% of your
overall massprobably what you should be focusing on.
So Joe bodybuilder decides hes going to get buf and starts his new routine. Each
muscle twice a week, 16 sets a bodypart, and sets of 10-12 reps. Joe eats well and takes his
creatine and taurine and within a few weeks, hes swelling up! He is absolutely thrilled
and is absolutely certain Arnold new his shit about bodybuilding. Now the downside
after the initial gains, primarily through increased nutrient loading the progress stops.
And Joe has two options to make progress keep going; add volume, or add weight to the
bar. Only problem is how far can you go with volume, 20-24 sets? Then what, 30?!?!?! Ok,
Joe has to add weight to the bar to get bigger, but guess what? That kind of loading
(volume/frequency/intensity/rep range) makes strength gains come at a snails pace if at
all. And that is why so many spin their wheels week after week, month after month. They
tried something that got them good results at frst, and then when it quit working, they
did everything but understand the mechanism as to why it worked, and how to get past
their sticking point.
If you are to maximally develop your body, you want and need both types of hypertrophy,
but too many focus on the wrong type of development at the expense of what really

counts. If work capacity/recovery is limited, your focus should be almost exclusively

devoted to Myofbrillar hypertrophy and bringing up your work capacity. If your work
capacity is good, you can train both muscular systems concurrently for better results.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

The best way to add mass

I am often asked what training protocol is the best for adding sheer size to ones body.
When I give the answer, most people that know of me and the usual methods I use with
most of my training clients are usually quite taken back and confused about my answer.
The answer is volume training. Yup, tons of sets, lots of lifts, and many days in the gym
each week. Most of the biggest bodybuilders have used this method, both present and
past. And the fact is. It works absolute wonders for the wonders that it works for. The
problem is. It only works for a relatively small percentage of the population irregardless of
what some would have you believe. I train guys using volume and really like using it.
When I am working with a guy that does well on volume work, I am usually working with
someone that makes my job easy, because they already posses the genetic predisposition
for tolerating high capacity workloads and are generally quite blessed when it comes to
adding size.
Back to the real world Joe and Joanne average. Most of us dont have it so good. I can
tolerate volume for 3-4 weeks before I start getting progressively weaker. If I wave load it,
I can do it on the long-term.but..results are less than a lower volume routine, for ME.
I cant count the number of people over the years that have said the same thing.
Anytime a question like this is asked it must always contain the context of who it is being
asked of. For most people lower volume and frequency is the key to making things
happen. But, I will also state that a large number of people do very well on mid-volume
routines provided the intensity is low enough, and keeping the frequency to no more than
4 days a week in the gym, 3 days being better for most. Low to mid volume bodybuilding
routines, conventional and Westside barbell powerlifting/powerbuilding routines, DC
training, and for those that need it, very abbreviated hardgainer style routines are the
best way to add mass for most people. Why? Because they focus on strength. Many
believe if they just spend enough time trying for size they will eventually add enough
strength. That is back-asswards thinking until you are out-lifting about 90% of the guys in
the average gym. Most guys are simply not strong enough and therefore lack size. And
yes, I am fully aware that if you go too low with the reps, size gains will be limited. A
balance is what most people need. Ever focusing on adding the next few pounds to the
bar, and the next, and the next, and the next..
Strength is not the be-all and all in bodybuilding. But until you have a solid foundation, it
needs to be your primary goal. Most guys are nowhere close to being strong enough to
carry the size they aspire to achieve. Lift big, eat big, and you will likely be damn big.

All too many of you reading this are either totally, or at least somewhat convinced that
you must do a large number of lifts every session to hit the muscle from all angles, thus
ensuring complete development. Never mind that your weights are almost totally
stagnate, and progress is marginal at best.
So for most people with a limited ability to handle major capacity workloads, the question
becomes what is the best way to get strong without the training being so strength based
that there is not enough time under tension for it to stress the muscle enough that the
gains are not too high a percentage of merely neural adaptations (which is what very low
rep work ends up being for most, neural adaptation).
The best way to get strong? My favorite are Westside Barbell variations as there is
enough rep work for great size gains, while providing enough pure strength loading to
get you strong ASAP. The low rep work carries over wonderfully to higher rep ranges.
Meaning if your 3 rep max bench and squat go up, your higher rep work goes up also.
The higher reps do not carry over near as well to the lower reps, that are better for
maximal strength gains though.
But keep in mind most of the WSB based routines I write for BBers are MUCH
diferent than the standard WSB format, and are based on the INDIVIDUALS ability
to handle a particular weekly loading level, as even the standard WSB format overtrains
MOST people in a hurry, and needs to be abbreviated from a frequency standpoint, and
often volume-wise also. Just because WSB variation are my top pick doesnt mean I fnd
any fault with low-mid level bodybuilding consisting of 4-9 sets a body-part, as long as
they are based on the big compound lifts. Conventional powerlifting, hardgainer style,
and another particular favorite, DC style training are all wonderfully efective at adding
weigh to the bar, and weight to your frame. Max-OT even has a few templates that are
damn good. These methods are more likely (on a percentage basis) to work for the
average trainee, which is what the very VAST majority reading this right now are.
The most important thing most of you will ever do with your training is to quit worrying
about, or comparing your training with what others can do, or do, and start only worrying
about, and doing what works for YOU!
Iron Addict

Belted or unbelted squatting

Here was my response after reading many poeples answers.
Damn I hate all these black and white reponses to non black and white questions. But, I
am guilty of them too at times so I shouldn't be disappointed when others I respect do.
Here are some thoughts on the "belt Vs. no belt squatting. I will let you sort out the
conclusions.
I squat xxx hundred lbs and never use a belt.
Fucking great, can a borrow YOUR bodies bio-mechanics, femur to shin ratio, femur to
torso ratio, overall torso length, fast twitch to slow twitch fber distribution, and neural
recruitment patterns?
Before I had trained a lot of people I would always bark a response about "what I did/do"
Know what? When you train 70+ people at a time you quickly discover that whatever the
fuck "I do" is totally irrelevant for a large percentage of the lifters. Whoever said God
created all mean equally sure as hell didn't train a varying segment of the lifting populace.
I know lifters that have a femur torso ratio that makes upright squatting with big weights
without a belt seem easy. I know other lifters that have a WAY stronger core, but due to
structural and likely neural diferences absolutely need the belt to perform maximally with
big weight with any degree of safety.
You will always have a weak core if you use the belt when lifting heavy.
Hey, I know a bunch of guys that bought into the same logic about using straps when
deadlifting. WOW, what an earth shattering concept. Lets see, we can not use the straps
and help build a stronger grip.......at the expense of work that could have been done if
using straps for the:
Quads
Hams
Glutes
Spinal erectors
lats
mid-back
Traps
Abs

WOW, what a deal, we worked our grip at the expense of working almost the whole
fucking body. Damn that is some powerful reasoning at work.
I can do grip work as accessory lifts. Who'da thunkit??
If your squat is 50-75 lbs less when unbelted and you are at more risk for injury than if you
had the belt on (and BTW, those numbers are how much less many lifters use without
the belt) I would suggest that you start training the hell out of the core while squatting
with the belt.
Kimbo made a very good point that inter and intra muscular coordination can be thrown
of when wearing the belt, which brings up the next common sense point that some have
already made. Use the belt only when you have to. I only put on the belt when the weight
gets reasonably heavy. How much is relative to YOUR capacity and body type. If I don't
have at LEAST 405 on the bar, I don't wear the belt. But I will wear it doing a warm-up
single with 405 or a set of 15 with 405.
If your bodies mechanics suggest belt use on heavy squats, I suggest it is used on all sets
at 80% max.
I also suggest that if you don't need to wear the best you keep it of. This is where
confusion and fnger pointing arises. Lifter X squats 600 no belt or wraps, Lifter Y risks
injury, and has a squat resembling a piss poor good morning with anything over 450
without the belt. So lifter X simply states that lifter Y has a weak core and is belt
dependent without ever taking in the other lifters proportions/bio-mechanics and
fber/neural , genetics and state of development/conditioning.
You need to work the core muscles with accessory lifts.
DUH! You need bulletproof abs/spinal erectors/hip fexors, and hams if you are to squat
heavy let alone heavy without a belt.
Many competitive lifters don't use a belt and they don't need too because their core is
strong. Well maybe in wonderland, but in the real world almost all powerlifters use a belt,
95% probably, and the VAST majority of Olympic lifters too.
After lots of rambling, here is my opinion.
Whether you wear a belt or not heavy core work other than squats or deads are a
requirement.

Some people simply do not need a belt to perform at extremely high levels. They are
NOT the average lifter in my experience. Your experience may vary. If it truly doesn't
help your lifts much and doesn't add to overall "tightness" and sense increased stability
and performance don't use it, but to argue that it doesn't add tp performance, stability,
and safety for most users is lunacy and ignores the facts.
We are all very diferent in our physical a well as mental makeup and to believe that "this
is how I do it so it must be best/correct for everyone is very limited thinking.
Iron Addict

Realistic expectations about muscle growth

This topic is important because there is so much absolute confusion, myths, and outright
lies made about how much muscle bodybuilders gain or are supposed to gain during a
given period. A big part of the problem stems from the mainstream BB mags both
focusing on the genetically elite, and their bogus ads about how good ol Fred, Bob, and
Charles all gained 30 lbs in 6 weeks using cell-tech or whatever the product being pushed.
And of course we have steroids and PHs to lay some blame on too because everyone
gains 30-40 lbs of pure muscle in a matter of weeks when on a cycle
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.BULLSHIT!!!!!
And it has even got worse with the creation of the new very efective PHs that have all the
newbies swearing they are gaining 20lbs of pure muscle in 2 weeks on 10 mg of M1-T.
And that is defnitely not a M-1T bash, because I absolutely love this product. But..lets
just say all those people that are talking about the 20 lbs of MUSCLE in 2 weeks on M1T are talking out their ass. Oh yeah, that brings up another BIG problem.the internet,
where ANYONE can say anything, and they do, damn do they ever. To read some of the
posts it should be no sweat at all to gain 20 lbs every month like some of these guys
KEEP saying they do. A few should be right up to about 375 if they would recall that they
already said a couple months ago they gained 20 lbs, and 20 right before that, and of
course the 20 this monthand the bullshit goes on and on, and yes, people end up
confused and left with unrealistic expectations.
Lets frst talk about the BIG gains and when and how they are likely to occur and then
move to what comes next. It is quite common for newbies, and in BRAND-NEW
trainees to gain 10-50 lbs their frst year when training clean, and even doing quite a bit
wrong. 10-30 lbs is more likely than the higher numbers and a good amount of that weight
may very well come in the frst few months. There is another category of newbie that may
experience the same type of gains. These are the guys that are newbies to efective
training. There are many, many, OK let me say it again, MANY guys that have trained
for years and barely gained a fucking ounce. Usually because they follow the routines of
the champs, and eat like little old ladies. When you take one of these guys and get them
on a real world routine, and get them eating right they too often make newbie type gains
because they never made them in the frst place even though they have trained for years. I
know, because I was one of them, and very often help people make these types of gains
after training unsuccessfully for years.
Then we have the quick gains steroids and PHs can provide many trainees. It may come
as a big surprise to all of you guys out there that train clean and have never done a cycle
but most people DONT gain huge amounts of pure muscle when doing a cycle. Almost

everyone though gains much better when on as long as they dont make too many rookie
mistakes consisting of changing their routine to the pros style while on, and not fueling
it with enough food. Also After your frst couple of cycles each subsequent cycle has
diminishing returns. You lose a large percentage of your gains post cycle. Don't tell me
you keep all or most of your gains. If it worked that way the average guy starting out at
170 that gained 20 lbs each cycle and kept 15 would only need to do 6 cycles spread out
over two years to be a 260 lb FREAK. It doesnt work that way sorry!
Be that as it may, a well planned out 8-12 week cycle will net many people 15-30 lbs of
muscle that they can keep quite a bit of if they do things right post cycle. The big gains are
more likely to come to those that havent already made huge gains clean, and of course,
those with better then average genetics.
OK, we have the big gain periods covered. Lets now talk about what can be expected
AFTER these periods are done and over with and the trainee is in for the long-haul.
What is realistic, and what is average? Well like anything else that applied to humans it is
as individualistic as each and every one of us is the individual we are. Butwe can still
provide some GENERAL answers to the topic as long as it is understood that many will
do worse, and some will do better.
Lets just let the math do the talking and see if that and a little common sense can answer
some of the questions for us. Joe average trainee has been training for a couple of years
now and started out at 510 150, he foundered a lot with bad training and diet, but still
managed to put on 25 lbs of pretty solid muscle and looks a lot diferent than he did at 150,
but still is nowhere near satisfed. So..he goes out and reads everything he can get his
hands on and scours the internet forums and sees how poorly he has been doing
considering lots of guys out there are talking about the 10 lbs they gained just last month.
Hmmmm..lets do that; 10 lbs x 12 months and he now weighs 295 and is ready to make
his splash on the pro circuit. OK, we know it doesnt work that way, so lets half that 5 lbs
x 12 months = 60 lbs and hes now a 235 lb guy ready to hit the state level Shit, its pretty
obvious it doesnt work quite that way either.
Now lets get real. How about 2 lbs x 12 = 24 lbs Now a year later our 175 lb lifter is a 200
lb lifter and if he is lean at 510 looks like a million bucks, and turns heads wherever he
goes. Now if he can repeat that again the following year, or come close to it. He is a
bodybuilder by anyones standards and if the shape and symmetry are there he can think
about competing at lower level events if he is so inclined. That is closer to what an
optimal situation looks like. Most guys simply dont have the genetics to do that good
without juice and the gain pattern would probably follow more along the lines of:
Year one (if done right) 35 lbs

Year two 15 lbs

Year three 10 lbs
AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING SOME WILL DO MUCH BETTER,
AND SOME MUCH WORSE.
This gets you a 210 lb guy at 510 in three years. I am talking about 510 and LEAN, not a
fat guy because 510 210 and fat is nothing, but a 510 guy that is lean is something
altogether diferent. Anyway, done at this rate 3 years COULD get you there. Is that not
soon enough? Then you are in the wrong sport my friend because bodybuilding is not a 6
weeks to a new you regardless of what the supplement company ads may tell you. I very
often have personal training clients add a 10-25 lbs of muscle to their frames in a short
period of time when frst starting and of course then it slows down and many are
dumbfounded because they dont understand why they cant just keep doing that. The
BIG gains only last a short time whether they are newbie gains, or gains from gear use.
Enjoy them while they last and then settle in for the long-haul. If you do things right, you
can make the long-haul a MUCH shorter trip. If you dont, it will take a L-O-N-G time if
ever to get to that point. Dont eat your way fat like so many do just to watch the scale go
up and stroke their ego. A full 75% of the personal training clients I work with come to me
because they are simply too fat and still dont carry that much muscle under the fat. A
LARGE percentage of these guys got fat by using insensible bulk at any cost diets, and
this is simply a stupid mistake that can be avoided if you are realistic about what your rate
of gain should consist of. Yes, you can and will make great gains when doing things right,
and almost everyone can build a physique that will turn heads. But it isnt an overnight
process, and those guys that make it sound like adding 10 lbs of pure muscle is childs play
and can and should happen on a monthly basis are LYING TO YOU!
Iron Addict

On building GPP (general physical preparedness)

Louis and Daves guys of Westside Barbell fame have been hammering the importance of
having a strong overall ftness base for years. This often falls on deaf ears of BBers and
PLers that are concerned that anything over and above the weekly lifting will negatively
impact gains. I USED to think so too.
Then I started paying attention to WHY they were promoting it so hard and heavy. And
the fact that implemented properly it didnt slow gains, it INCREASED them and
allowed the lifter to train more frequently with more volume. Something I desperately
needed. The method most often used is the pulling sled. See:
http://ironaddicts.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=5599#5599 for more info.
Increasing your GPP will allow you to train harder and in all likelihood with more
volume and increased frequency. Where I somewhat disagree with them is how much
beneft can be achieved. I have seen across the board increases for all trainees that have
taken the time to include GPP work, but like anything else we are all diferent and for
some the increases were minimal, and for others staggering.
Using myself as an example I used to be able to train bodyparts/lifts only once every 7
days productively. I tried unsuccessfully time and again to increase the frequency.and
FAILED every time. Since implementing GPP work seriously 3 years ago I do well on a
once in 5 days and can even do twice a weeks productively although I do frequently burnout on that and have to spend time at a reduced frequency to get back on track. While I
wont go as far as saying GPP work is the only factor responsible for the increase, I will
state it is the primary one.
The two biggest mistakes made by those attempting GPP work are:
Doing too much, too frequently. Instead of building their base slowly over time they tear
it down!
Not doing sport specifc work. While anything that builds your ftness base can be of
beneft, doing something with a strength component will provide the most transferable
gains.
In the next installment I will go into one way to start a GPP program that will work for
most any trainee without beating them into the ground and stalling progress in the gym.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Heavy Sled and 20 Rep squats

HEAVY sled pulling and 20 rep squats sure do feel quite alike when you are done.
Pulled 320 yesterday at a fast pace and almost lost breakfast. This is GREAT
conditioning work with zero DOMS and a great way to build your squat and dead while
resting your back.
Iron Addict

Squat Deadlift recovery work

Pulling the sled the day after squat/deadlift day is an excellent way to help recovery. If the
weather is hell or there are other reasons not to pull, either free weight squats, or band
good-mornings are a good option. I use the band by standing on it and looping the other
end around my neck. 4 sets of 25 or two sets of 50, or just 2-3 minutes of timed work is
great and reduces DOMS a LOT.
Iron Addict

Home Gym Setup

I truly believe that on average home gym trainees make better overall progress than those
that workout in commercial gyms. There is rarely an excuse to miss a workout. The
equipment is basic and ensures the "big' lifts are primarily done, and there is less exposure
to the techniques of the masses, and thus less potential to become involved with the
"techniques of the masses" that usually fail the masses. Here is a list of what is needed to
be successful at home:
You should get a good power rack with the pins 2 inches apart, and spend the money on a
good one because if you use it properly you will be using advanced poundages soon. If
you have:
Power rack, get one you can chin on
Trap bar
Olympic bar and plates
adjustable dumbbells and plates
high/low cable setup
Dip attachment
You really have all you need to fulfll your genetic potential.
Niceties are:
leg press
safety squat bar
grip machine
various bars EZ curl, 5 foot Olympic bar, etc
Various attachments for cable machine
Reverse Hyper
Glute/Ham Setup (can be rigged)
My home gym has all this (minus leg press, I moved and it wouldn't ft so it got sold) and
more, but I could get along just fne without the niceties (well maybe not without the
safety squat bar)
For now just get the rack, dumbbells and trap bar. I'd MUCH rather have, and see a
trainee buy a trap bar than a high/low cable setup.
Iron Addict

Limited Equipment Training

As a trainer that trains 70+ people at a time I am often asked how I manage to only"
workout at home in my humble home gym. The gym consists of a power-rack, two
Olympic bars, LOTS of plates, a safety squat bar, a trap bar, dumbbells, belt squat,a few
lat and tricep bar attachments, a grip machine, board, bands and an adjustable bench.
And of course a pulling sled
Not a huge selection of equipment by any means. But looking at my training logs over the
past few months here is some of what I have done for lower body, and please keep in
mind my upper body workouts are even more varied.
Squats, done ATF, parallel, and above parallel with a variety of stances
Box squats
Band squats
Pause squat
Rack squats
Safety bar squats done three diferent ways
Safety bar band squats
Safety bar box squats
Safety bar rack squats
Belt squat
Trap bar deadlifts
Stif-legged deadlifts
Rack deadlifts
Lightened band deadlifts
Tensioned band deadlifts
Sumo deadlifts
Lightened band sumo deadlifts
Sled pulling done both light for time, and HEAVY for distance
Glute/ham raises
Band Pull-throughs
Reverse Hypers with a rigged RH in my power-rack
And I probably left a few out.
Do I really need a commercial gym? Not in the least. Not having equipment is just an
excuse. You can improvise and do TONS of variation with basic equipment, and BTW,
the gym is in the living roomlol.
Iron Addict

More "Power Hooks" fun

If you don't have a set of power hooks you are sooooo missing out. Just did 10 x 3
dumbbell presses WITH bands. Try that without power hooks, or hell, even 5-6 sets of
HEAVY dumbbell presses without bands.
http://www.prowriststraps.com/power_...ell_power_hook
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Improvised Glute/Ham Raise

When I got into westside I immediately built a reverse hyper using my power rack as a
platform. Then I searched for a way to do glute/ham raises. The answer was actually
quite simple. I have a couch that is actually pretty expensive and it is a simple matter to
slide my feet all the way back into the portion where the backrest meets the bottom of the
portion you sit in therby locking your feet in putting you in the same posistion as a real
glute/ham machine, with a comfy rest for your knees. All I can say is my frst attempt at
them was a humbling experience. At the time I was stif legged deadlifting 385 for 12 and
could BARELY manage 6 reps of glute/hams. All you home gym junkies might give this
a shot if your couch works for this (not all will).
Iron Addict

Mind
The Perfect Blossom
One of my favorite movies is The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise and Ken Waranbe
as Katsumoto, a Samurai Warrior. It is loosely based on a true story about the end of the
traditional Samurai in Japan.
During a scene in the movie Nathan (played by Tom) walks up to Katsumoto as he is
standing in a garden in contemplation. He tells Nathan he is writing a poem and has
been searching for the last line for a long time. Part of the poem goes:
The perfect blossom is a rare thing
You could spend your life looking for one
And it would not be a wasted life
At the end of the movie when Katsumoto is cut down and life is drifting away from him,
the scene he sees are the same trees in blossom, and the realization he gets is one available
to us all. He states:
Perfect, they are all perfect.
As he realizes that all the blossoms are perfect, as are we and the world as a whole.
This is a long stretch for us in the west that see everything as either good or bad and do
our best to push the bad away at all costs and strive endlessly for that we deem as good.
Nice thought, but the world and the universe is not created that way, it is and endless
play of Yin and Yang. There is no good without bad, no day without the darkness, high
without low, warm without cold, growth without decay, life without death.
We enjoy the good while despising the bad never understanding that everything is a play
of polar opposites that is in a constant struggle to keep each other even and balanced.
Things will be good at times, bad at others, but always the universe is unfolding as it
should and everything is happening EXACTLY as it is supposed toit is perfection
always, even when it seems most imperfect.
And even though when you think of yourself and your world it is so very hard to see the
perfectionit is therethis moment! Not s single thing is out of place and not a single
thing could be any diferent during this mysterious instant of NOW that we all live in.

Irregardless of where our thoughts carry us we live only in the micro-moment of NOW
and the past is only a memory and the future is never here until it becomes that instant of
NOW!
That doesnt mean you cant or shouldnt strive to be better yourself and improve your
conditionyou SHOULD! It only means that at the moment you are at the point you
are at in your path through life and it is the only place you could possibly be. What was
done in the past that has brought you here is irreversible; the future is only a possibility
out of all possible outcomes. What you do now may change that future, but like
everything in your past it will be the only thing that you did and once at that mythical date
in the future you are dreaming of, it will be just as this moment, the moment of NOW
that was arrived upon by everything done and not done, and again irreversible and the
only way things could have wentbecause they did.
Recognize the perfection of the moment and seize it. Learn to live life in every breath and
it will become much more enjoyable.
Iron Addict

Are you obsessed? Are you living NOW?

I practice Zen, and one of the primary teachings in Zen is the supreme importance of
living in the moment. Please understand that now is all you have. Your time is a
constant unfolding of now; the past is only memories of what was. The future is only our
dreams of what we want or believe it will be. You only have now. Problem is most
people do not even remotely live in the moment. They spend most of their time mulling
over what was, or what they hope to be, and spend little of their precious time truly
enjoying the moment to moment unfolding of this beautiful and mysterious world we live
in. Studies show the average persons thoughts are about 90% comprised of WHAT
THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE DAY BEFORE, AND THE DAY
PREVIOUS TO THAT, AND SO ONWOW! No wonder so few are truly
happy..
When you shift you focus on being fully aware and spending your time fully involved with
your day to day, moment to moment small pieces of eternity, you slowly learn to fully enjoy
life because eventually the realization sets in the right NOW is all you have and all you
will ever have. It spurs you to not waste time, and to live impeccably. And of course it also
drives you to fnd ways to make NOW more enjoyable.
While the statements made above apply to everyone, I think its especially relevant for
bodybuilders. Why? Because you will be hard-pressed to fnd another group of people
that spend as much time obsessing about their sport/lives and spend as much time living
for tomorrow. Why are they living for tomorrow? Because they are not satisfed with how
they look. While it is healthy to constantly strive for improvement, it is unhealthy to be
constantly frustrated with life NOW. And now is what you have..all you have. Not true?
Well 6 months from now, it will again be NOW. And the truth is despite all your
progress, you will still want to achieve the next level, and as long as you are truly
dissatisfed with how you look, you will be projecting into the future fully believing that
you will fnally be happy when.
By far the biggest reasons bodybuilders are dissatisfed with their physiques are:
They are too damn fat!!!
They have a marginal strength base, which leaves them.well..small.
They obsess about their training.

Here are a few solutions to these so vary common problems, and in case you are
wondering, this comes from a voice of experience. I used to TOTALLY obsess about my
training, used to walk around too damn fat because I was bulking and was frustrated
because I was way too weak.
Being too fat is good for me, bad for you. Why do I say this? Because 75-80% of those that
come to me seeking personal training come to me with their #1 priority being to lose the
excess bodyfat. Many of these guys havent seen their abs in YEARS because they are not
happy with their size and strength levels, so they eat like pigs and look like them in some
cases. And they are bodybuilders who are embarrassed to take of their T-shirts. Which in
my mind, pretty much disqualifes them from being a bodybuilder. GET LEAN, and
STAY lean. Your bulking cycles should not be called bulking up, but muscling up. A
big percentage of the guys reading this are nodding their heads and thinking yup, hes
right, maybe after I gain 10 more pounds Ill do it
In the mean time, the guys that weigh as 20-50 pounds LESS than fatso, look WAY
bigger, and can take of their shirt with a big grin on their faces. If it is done right you can
add lots of muscle while staying relatively lean. No, not contest ready lean. But damn sure
lean enough to be comfy with your shirt of. The lean guy is much more likely to be
enjoying NOW than the fat guy who is going to get lean one day.
Most lifters are way dissatisfed with their strength. The two biggest factors at play here
are a lousy diet, and always training to ensure complete development. That leads them
to do so damn many lifts and so much volume that instead of getting complete
development they get very little progress instead. Until you are quite advanced, you
should be seeing progress on pretty much every lift, almost every time you hit the gym. If
you are not, you are overtraining or/and under-eating..period.
Being obsessed with anything hinders progress. It doesnt make it better. You will grow
at a rate your body will grow at when you have the diet and training factors in place that
are right for you. Thinking about bodybuilding 16 hours a day, and going over all the
intricacies and trivial details in your head until you are ready to pop is just not needed.
And it tends to only slow one down by stressing them and leading one to bounce from
one training/diet modality to the next. Usually to the point where progress sufers. Study
all you can without it consuming you, execute fawlessly in the gym and at the dinner
table.and detach from it.
Live in, and enjoy the moment. Its always NOW.
Iron Addict

Fail
Most of you fail because you set-up in your mind a fail mentality. You focus on what you
can't do instead of what you can. The body only goes where the mind takes it.
Iron Addict

Resistance
Resistance is a prime reason many fail at this sport. They go into each heavy set with a
mindset of resistance. They know it is going to hurt doing a tough set, and their mindset
is not surrendering to the pain and going with it, but instead resisting it. People that
understand this technique have done surgery without anesthetic and have dental work
done without anesthetic. The same mindset can be applied to lifting. As someone that is
heavily tattooed I can tell you I have put this to work for myself many times. It has came in
handy TONS of times after injuries and accidents. The diference between resisting the
pain and going with it is like a switch being thrown. As soon as you surrender to the pain
it stops hurting--or the perceived pain is a LOT less. The best lifters don't think about
how much the set is going to hurt and most will tell you the pain is present, but blocked
out. The guys that consistently resist the pain never make the progress IMO/IME that
the guys that embrace it.
Iron Addict

It's easy to be an asshole

I frequent a lot of the lifting forums on a daily basis and like everyone else am often
amused by peoples signature lines. I realize that it is mostly a by product of the age we live
in, but is it disheartening to see so many that are obviously so caught-up in their macho
trip that it is their intent to portray themselves as the savage killer of men and other
bullshit like that. Are you guys that are sporting this moniker really that insecure you need
to go that far? Are you really savage killers of men. Have you REALLY ever killed
anyone, or even hurt anyone REALLY bad? If you have you will know its not cool, and
its not something to be all proud of even if they were the instigators.
Who are you really impressing with this? Other young guys that have never really thought
out this attitude much like yourself. Its not hard to be an insensitive asshole and hurt
people at every turn. It is really hard to be someone that cares about others lives and
feelings and tries to have empathy and compassion for those we share this world with. Do
you try to help people when you can? Or do you try to hurt them? If your signature line is
one of the kill em all let god sort em out types it would go to reason that you must be
happier doing harm to others. Is that how you want your life fashioned? If you are not a
brainless idiot bent on pain and destruction, maybe you should rethink how you are
presenting yourself. And if you really do stand for all that..well you ought to rethink your
outlook.
Iron Addict

Outside the box thinking

How does your analytical process function? Are you a conventional inside the box
thinker? Or are you one of those that can go outside the box, and their selves for solutions
to problems and in developing your own philosophy. You don't need philosophy?
EVERYONE has their own philosophy, but most are muddled with contradictions, halftruths and old stale beliefs that should have been discarded long ago, but are still held as
the "truth".
Most people use little imagination and creativity in their life because they are caught up in
holding onto their old beliefs and sticking to conventional wisdom because.....well
because "everybody knows that". Everybody is often wrong........
We are learning so very much about the world on a daily basis and science has made
HUGE groundbreaking strides in understanding the very fabric of the universe. And
MOST people have NEVER even heard of these discoveries let alone taken some time to
understand them and ponder the meaning and implications.
Quantum Physics has truly opened the door and has given credibility to things that would
have just been considered plain CRAZY, and quite frankly in most circles are STILL
considered plain crazy because people are simply not willing to go outside themselves and
do some self and external inquiry.
There have been extremely well conducted studies that have proven things like remote
viewing, mind reading, and ones mental infuence on the external world to be true. Now
quantum physics has given us the mechanics of how this could actually be occurring. WE
HAVE not only the results, but the model that shows how it is likely to occur. If you
would have asked me 15 years ago if any of these things were possible I would have likely
told you to quit smoking whatever you were smoking because it was wreaking you.
Now I believe these things and many more are possible. I used to be a devout atheist.
Now I am extremely religious (Zen Hinduism for lack of a better defnition). And while I
once saw the Newtonian model of completely causal "dead" universe that was set into
motion and held in motion by purely random events that came out of complete chaos, I
now see a living universe with perfect order that works in perfection by design.
I see the magic in everything and life is beautiful. And I think thats how its supposed to
be.
Iron Addict

At the deepest level

I wrote this today to a member of another board that is CONSTANTLY posting things
about everything from the end of the earth to conspiracy theories about.....well, about
everything. He is really a great guy, and bright, and he cares about what is happening at
the political level, and about all our lives, and the freedoms we are losing daily. But
sometimes, you really need to just stand back and let it be what it is.
At the deepest level, we are pure "Being", we are bliss and perfection. At the outer level,
the "I", ego level, we are our thoughts. If our thoughts are fragmented, we are
fragmented, if our thoughts are disturbed we are disturbed. If our focus is on disharmony,
we are disharmony. All the focus on what is wrong with everything brings constant
turmoil to our minds. More focus on what is right brings more peace and harmony to our
minds.
Until you can live as pure "Being", a state very few achieve, the least one can do is to make
the what we think of more complimentary to a peaceful state of mind.
Just a thought.
Iron Addict

Taking the time to do it right

Many people, if not most, just dont want to take the time to do things right. And I am
not just talking about training and diet and mind training. I am talking about in all things
they do. I know because I used to be, and still fnd myself with the tendency to do this.
Here is a simple example. Every girlfriend I ever had up until not too long ago would
always bitch because I would take my stuf out of the dryer and just toss the t-shirts into
the drawer without folding them. Who cares if they are folded they are t-shirts right? Well
yeah, but to fnd the one you want when not folded sure takes a lot longer then when they
are and you can ID them easily. So I would toss them in the drawer saving a couple
minutes of folding time, and then end up spending more time looking for them than I
saved folding.
Dont most of us do things like that in all our activities large and small? There is never
enough time to do it right, but you then have to make time to do it again all too often.
Taking the time to do the little things right gradually will carry-over to the big things in
life, and vice-versa. But why not just take the time to get it right every time? Most people
will simply state that they are too busy and just dont have the time. But if you weigh out
what it costs to do the right things in ALL areas of your life, you will simply fnd that you
dont have time to do it any other way.
Start looking at all things you half-ass because you just dont or wont take the time to be
bothered with it. If you start light and work-up like in training you will gradually fnd a
shift in your focus occurring that will keep moving you in the right direction. There is
truly never enough time in our lives. So quit wasting yours doing less than you are capable
of.
Iron Addict

A Mini IA Philosophy Rant (post response on another board)

All empires rise, then crumble, usually very disgracefully
We all look for everything to be "just so", and when it's not we are disappointed
The wise ones understand it is not supposed to be "all good, all the time"
Nature works on ebb and fow, darkness and light, heat and cold, feast and famine
Without evil good is....just something else
Times are good.....for a time, and then get worse, sometimes horribly so. Being wise is
not to despise the bad times and rejoice only when things are as we would like. Being
wise is seeing the need and value in the misfortune that meets man, empire, and all
creatures large and small.
We fear misfortune, and we fear death, but misfortune is the greatest teacher and without
death, there is no new life.
You can't escape times of turmoil and peril, but you can ignore that which does not efect
you. I tuned-out of the media machine years ago. It took about a month before my level of
serenity ascended to levels I couldn't imagine previously.
I am a drop-out of society, but care more than most do about its comings and goings and
others mis-fortunes.
Unless it is accidental, or absolutely required I harm NOTHING and spend much time
daily carefully helping anything that few or crawled into the house out, and practice nonviolence in word and action to the best of my ability, but sometime I lose it, but I'm
trying.
I'm with ya, ya can't save the world, or even your own sanity if you get too wound-up in
the daily media, slanted, perversion of the "way of the world".
You can keep your peace though if you let it bounce of you and understand that it all
happens for a reason, and the yin and yang at all levels from the sub-atomic to that galactic
level is always keeping things in the perfect balance even it appears one side of the scale is
out of balance.
Iron Addict

Its non-negotiable
Here is a trick that can help everyone. Sit down, and write down 2 to 5 things you MUST
do, but currently either dont do, or do inconsistently. These to-dos must be:
Something believable, and achievable
Things that will truly better your life.
When I say believable and achievable, it must be something that you are capable of doing,
and will see at least some type of progress on. If you decide that you must build 20 inch
arms and you now sport 14s this goal will be so far of your mind will not accept it as an
immediate goal. Now if you are sporting 14 inch arms and your immediate goal is 16, you
have a winner. You get the idea, make it something you know you can accomplish. Dont
worry; you can shoot for more lofty goals next time.
Whether your must do is to learn to meditate, pray, spend more time with your children,
stick to your diet, stick to your cardio plan, be more productive at work, learn about
something you have always wanted to study, whatever. You are to write the must dos
down, and make them non-negotiable. That means you do them for the pre-selected
number of days each and every day for the next 6 months. Non-negotiable means no one
talks you out of doing them, and more importantly YOU dont talk yourself out of doing
them.
If you are not well disciplined, take 1-2 items that are very realistic, and start from there.
When you make the 6 month mark, and have actually done your tasked items, devise a
larger more comprehensive list and start the process all over again.
Put your list in at least 3 places that you look at on a continual basis. Tell your signifcant
other and friends and family that these items are non-negotiable, and go for it! You will be
surprised at how efective something as simple as this can be for getting you of your butt
and in gear.
Iron Addict

Would you rather be huge or happy?

Would you rather be huge or happy?
I see a lot of people on a daily basis that spend a large percentage of their days
TOTALLY involved and obsessed with Bodybuilding and Powerlifting. And while
there is nothing wrong with this if it is your livelihood or you plan to make it your
livelihood, many, if not most of these guys and girls would be well advised to start
spending more of their time working on what will really make them happy.
What is it that will make them really happy? While I sure cant state what that will be for
all these people, I can surely state that if they are of the belief that as soon as they get the
body they want they will be happy, they will likely be disappointed. Instead they will
probably:
1. Want to take it to the next level, thereby starting the process anew.
2. Still will probably not be truly happy.
Being happy comes from within, not from without, and if you truly believe that you will
be happy once you get the body you really want I can assure you are going to be
disappointed. We go through life believing that we will be happy when. The when is
when we get the body we want, when we have our children, when we buy the house of
our dreams, when we get the job of our dreams, when we get the car we really want,
when we retire, and on and on. And while all of these things are great, and will give us
temporary happiness, none of them will truly make us happy in the long-term. As soon as
they are achieved the ego WILL ask for more, and will make you damn uncomfortable
until the next rung of the latter is achieved.
This is what keeps us going, this is what makes us achieve, and this is what has made
America great you say. This is what inspires us to always push the envelope and want
more. That is true.but its also true that this is what binds us, and stops us from being
truly happy. Look at all the lavishly rich people that have EVERYTHING. They have
fame and fortune. All the money and material wealth anyone could ever ask for. And look
how many of them are drug addicts, alcoholics, or live abusively in untold ways. Why?
They dont train their minds. A mind left untrained and untamed without a philosophical
or religious base, or belief system that is supportive to happiness will always end up
disappointed with life and unhappy. For every hour I spend on lifting, I spend at least fve
hours devoted to training the mind. This has done so much more for me than
ANYTHING I have ever achieved, bought or owned.

How to train your mind? There are a HUGE multitude of ways. The frst thing needs to
be cultivating a belief system that works for YOU. I once listened to a self-help tape years
ago where the author of the tape asked a friend of his how it was he was always upbeat,
smiling and energetic. The guys response was: Im above ground, any day Im alive and
above ground is a great day because I know any of us could be dead tomorrow and I am
100% thankful that Im still here and able to enjoy this life. Pretty simple huh? That
technique is not likely to work for too many people, simply because it gets awful easy to
lose sight of what we really have, but it sure was efective for the person in question. It
starts with key beliefs that are supportive to a state of overall happiness, and then is built
on one branch at a time.
Religion is a great ay to fnd deep and lasting happiness if you REALLY believe and
apply the teachings. I am Buddhist and Buddhism is called many things. Some call it a
Philosophy, others religion. But the bottom line is Buddhism in most forms is simply
mind training through various forms of physical, contemplative, and various states of
mediation, Other religions are much the same, but many simply ask for true faith in their
deity. Andthese religions are WONDERFUL for those with the psychology that this
type of religion appeals to. Every single study has shown that deeply religious people are
much more happy than those that are not.
If you do not have a religious bent, philosophy is a great way to put together an integrated
belief system that can ultimately defne and determine your happiness. There are a myriad
of self-help systems out there that have happiness as the primary goal and many of these
systems are likely to be of real beneft for at least some of you.
The basic goal of humans is to be happy, and avoid sufering. But if you are under the
illusion that happiness comes from external sources you will forever be frustrated. Time
spent working on disciplining your mind and developing a belief system that will
ultimately lead to being happy regardless if your external environment is what you would
like it to be is the key to long-term happiness.
Live long and be happy
Iron Addict

Free Form Qigong (Chi Kung)

Here is a method of Qigong that anyone can do anywhere without any formal training
and if done in a fashion suitable for you, can yield remarkable results.
Stand in loose ftting clothing (I like naked, but thats another story ) in an area that will
allow at LEAST a few steps an any direction. Stand in a loose horse stance and get
grounded and relax. Take a few minutes and breath deeply (and relaxed) until you are
starting to loosen up. Now the fun begins--MOVE! Just move your body in whatever way
feels comfortable and "right". I do a lot of fying type motions and crouching stances that
turn into sweeping gestures, and lots of chi cultivation visualizations while doing the
movements. In other words I visualize chi (energy) fowing into my body.
If you are tight and tense 5-15 minutes of this can loosen you up like you just got a
massage. The key is doing movements that feel fun, light and energizing. Avoid
movements that cause discomfort.
Oh yeah, you will look like a total freak if you are really having fun with it and doing it
productively. I wouldn't recommend doing it in front of the girl you met last week that
doesn't know you yet.
Iron Addict

Desiderata, words on how to live

This is something I have had either in my room or by my desk since I was 13. Great words
of wisdom!
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste
and remember what peace there may be in silence
As far as possible without
surrender, be on good terms with all persons
Speak your truth quietly and clearly
and listen to others
even the dull and the ignorant
they too have their story
Avoid loud and aggressive persons
they are vexations to the spirit
If you compare yourself with others
you may become vain and bitter
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans
Keep interested in your own career, however humble
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time
Exercise caution in your business afairs
for the world is full of trickery
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is
many persons strive for high ideals
and everywhere life is full of heroism
Be yourself
Especially, do not feign afection
Neither be cynical about love
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass
Take kindly the counsel of the years
gracefully surrendering the things of youth
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness
Beyond a wholesome discipline
be gentle with yourself
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars
you have a right to be here
And whether or not it is clear to you
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be
and whatever your labors and aspirations
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful
Strive to be happy
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

Nowhere to go, nothing to do

One of the most important things you can do in life is cultivating a nowhere to go,
nothing to do" attitude that you can turn on and of when needed. As long as your mind is
busy focusing on all the things you need, and would like to do, it will never be at peace.
Many people try to spend quiet time thinking about pleasant things and things they
want to do someday. This almost always ends up with the mind in an excited state,
which is the opposite of what you need to accomplish to bring a more peaceful serene
state into being.
This nowhere to go, nothing to do state can and should be followed by a meditative
techniquetake your pick of which one. But without getting into the nowhere to go,
nothing to do mindset before your practice, it is likely your mind will wander incessantly
while trying to meditate. Take all your hopes, dreams, and worries and set them on the
backburner for awhile and just be in the moment. Bliss awaits.
Iron Addict

On the path to self mastery

If you are on the path to self mastery, one of the frst, and most important things you will
do is lose your sense of self importance.
I am not aware of a single "great" tradition that does not state this in no uncertain terms.
Iron Addict

How to fall asleep

I have a lot of clients with mild to chronic insomnia. Here is one of the best ways I have
found to fall asleep. Downside is unless you are comfy with headphones, or have a VERY
understanding wife/girlfriend, it can be a problem.
Get any instructional tape/cd. It can be self help or any topic you want to learn about, but
it must be all talking. Turn the cd on get comfy and just start listening very intently not
letting your mind wonder. Really pay attention to what is being said. As you do your
internal chatter will slow then stop. Once that occurs, if your body is tired it's just a short
matter of time until you wake up many hours later not knowing when you fell asleep. This
is truly one of the best methods I have found for the majority of people.
Iron Addict

Meditation Simplicity
As humans we tend to want to complicate anything we do. And we are truly grand at
doing so. Look at bodybuilding/PLing. We most often take what can be a simple
endeavor and complicate it to the point it doesnt work anymore. This is also very often
done with meditation. Buddha reached his awakening with simple breathing meditation,
so have a large majority of the Masters past and present. Simple Mantra meditation is
time proven. But, oh no, we want esoteric forms that boggle the mind. When I frst got
into Zen I read the simple breathing meditation techniques usually used. WTF?? Thats
it? There MUST be more to it than this. Never mind the fact that I could not be steady
with it for more than 5 minutes. I bought book after book, got instruction from people
that KNEW, and they always wanted to just do the basics and I wanted something
diferent.
Since the basic premise is to still the mind you need not do anything complicated. I tried
Tibetan concentration techniques till I was blue in the face and got NOWHERE. YOU
DONT NEED ANYTHING COMPLICATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN JUST
STARTING, YOU JUST NEED SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO
ANYWHERE AND DO REPEATEDLY UNTIL YOU SLOWLY GET
BETTER AT IT. I now use a lot of self-inquiry techniques also, but when it comes
down to meditation time I still use simple breathing meditation 90% of the time and
mantra meditation for the frst 10 minutes or so if my mind is turbulent.
Start a simple meditation program, do it everyday, and watch your mind unfold.
Iron Addict

Everything is perfect
IF you can truly accept the following as a guiding principle in your life I PROMISE your
life will get a LOT easier, be more enjoyable, and feel more free.
Here goes:
EVERYTHING that happens is supposed to happen and could not have happened any
other way, and it is all "perfect".
There, that pissed a bunch of you of. But lets look at it logically. Tonight you can decide
to eat out, or stay home. Your choice, your decision. But which ever you choose was the
correct and only choice and whether you had even thought of going out yesterday it was
already going to happen. You can decide to go to work tomorrow morning or stay home.
Irregardless of your choice it was destined to happen and could not have happened any
other way. Everything that occurs is truly supposed to, and as good or as bad as a choice
or situation seems at he time it was truly all that could have happened and you must
accept it as so. You can be as disgruntled, pissed, or disappointed as you like. DOESN'T
CHANGE A FUCKING THING!
This does not mean you cannot make choices that determine your outcome for any given
event. It only means that that choice was destined to occur and everything is happening
according to the universes plan.
You can call it free will; Gods will, chaos, cosmic consciousness in action. Or by whatever
name or concept you so choose. But I absolutely assure you that tomorrow, and the next
day, and the next eon will all happen exactly as they are going to happen. Make choice A
instead of choice B, and it was the right choice and the only one that could have occurred.
When you live with this principle lifes ups and downs are very much evened out. After all,
it happened exactly as it was going to happen and exactly as it was supposed to. Why get
uptight?
Whether it is clear to you or not the universe is unfolding EXACTLY as it should be.
You can fght the fow, or go with it. Just understand fghting the fow CHANGES
nothing but you state of consciousness. And if you choose to fght it and live in
disappointment and anger often, thats fne too, because that is what is supposed to
happen.
Iron Addict

Complete Incompleteness
In this world, and in this sport particularly most are driven to reach a level of
"completeness". In other words to attain some pre-set goals and then you believe you will
be "complete". When you bench 315 for the frst time you will have "arrived". I got news
for you buddy--your frst 315 lb bench press will be an elation and 10 minutes later you will
start thinking about 365. Or if I could only get to 10% bodyfat, I'd be happy--it simply does
not work that way, and even if you truly achieve all your strength and physique goals you
still have you fnancial, family, relationship, success--whatever goals that will continually
push you further. If you are always waiting to feel complete once a goal is achieved you
will be forever frustrated. The key is feeling complete in your incompleteness knowing
there will always be more to do, but it is time to stop and be happy NOW while working
towards you always expanding set of goals. Until you can adopt this mindset you are
allowing much more frustration into your life than needed.
Iron Addict

How to immediately make your life easier

This little bit of knowledge and change of viewpoint will make your life immediately a
whole lot easier and will end a lot of your daily frustration if you can truly integrate it.
Now I'm going to make a statement that very few people understand and most people
when they are told the statement will still not believe it and will fnd a million ways to
contradict it and will continue to live in a state of perpetual frustration with others.
PEOPLE CANNOT BE ANY WAY EXCEPT THE WAY THEY ARE.
Everybody is the sum total of their intelligence, environment, everything they have been
exposed to, basic level of consciousness, genetic, and environmental programming.
People cannot be any way except the way they are at the time.
Now I am not stating that people cannot change, and that people do not change their
viewpoints, outlooks, level of compassion, and basic understanding. Mean people can
become very kind, just as kind people can become very mean. People can be extremely
dogmatic, or extremely open-minded and this is all subject to change.
But at the very moment when you are dealing with somebody-and especially if that person
is not behaving or responding in a fashion that you believe is correct for the situation, you
need to understand that that person cannot be any way except for the way they are at the
moment. We are the sum total of everything we have experienced, our basic IQ, nature,
and nurture. Many people have had horrible past experiences that shaped their lives in
ways that you cannot imagine. Others have lived such wonderful lives that again it is
unimaginable. Either of these types of people can be extremely easy to deal with or as
pigheaded as possible. Regardless of how that person comes of to you you need to
understand that that is exactly how they are at the time and whether you believe their
viewpoint is right or wrong it is the only viewpoint they could possibly hold at the
moment. That viewpoint is subject to change in time, but at the moment you are dealing
with them you can't expect them to be any way except the way they are.
Once you have integrated this into your dealings with people your life will become much
easier. What people say that would normally hurt you, or aggravate you will bounce of.
Life gets a lot easier.
Now that I have said this the vast majority of you would just start fnding reasons why
other people could be diferent or should be diferent or should agree with what you're

saying, and how it is their fault. And you know what? That is the only way that you can be
at the moment.
If you can integrate this into your psyche, you will fnd a much easier and smoother
existence. If you can't you are not ready for it and the point made above has just been
given another example that people can't be any way but the way they are in the moment.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Reexamining your beliefs and knowledge

Many of us never really inquire within to examine if what we believe is valid or not. This
occurs on all levels of knowledge and though processes. From an intellectual point of
view, this is bad policy, from a point of pure curiosity it is death. I question all my core
beliefs frequently and quite often this questioning leads to new beliefs and dropping away
of old ones. Anyone that thinks they know all they need to is in deep stuf. One thing I
frequently do is read old books that I have read years ago and fnd meaning that I simply
was not at a point in my understanding previously to make use of. I am in the process of
reading I Am THAT, a book I reviewed here a few years ago and its meaning and my
understanding of it is night and day diferent than what it was just a few short years ago. I
thought it was good then, its meaning has expanded many, many levels as my
understanding has grown.
Keep looking, keep inquiring, keep learning about yourself and the world around you, no
matter what your interest base, and never let what you think you know become so
entrenched that you are not open to change.
Iron Addict

Nutrition and Fat Loss

Warrior Diet
This concept just fat out works and again the BB'ing community has been fooled with
dogma all these years by the super-freaks genetically, and those on steroids.
If you have well above average genetics the eat all you can all day is the best plan--no
dispute here. Doing steroids? You are going to be anabolic most of the day--same game
plan makes sense. If not......
What we have been trying to do is stay anabolic 24 hours a day. Anyone that has been
lifting awhile realizes that they are NOT building a bunch of mass on a daily basis.
Slamming your nervous system into para-sympathetic mode all day, never lets it work to
it's fullest. Running on sympathetic then letting the regeneration occur on a timed basis is
what our bodies (Joe, Jane average) is meant to do. Sensitivity to key hormones and biochems down regulate when stufng your face 6 times a day--even on reduced calories.
My next book will be on principles of this and how to do warrior diets for BB'ers and
strength athletes. I am using this diet with about 1/3 of my trainees now and nothing has
worked better for fat loss but keto which is impossible for most to pull of. Now I am
using it for recomp and massing and voila--it works wonders there too.
Iron Addict

More Warrior Diet

I have been on my modifed version of the warrior diet since last October. Simply put, it
blows every other diet I have ever done out of the water all things considered. And by that
I mean quality of life, ease of diet, overall energy level, and gym performance. If I wanted
to weigh 250 again, I would likely be dieting the way I have the guys I work with that are
200+ and trying to get to 250-270. LOTS of food, stay on the fat side (under 15-16%, but
most of the year 12%+) and with the understanding that you are not going to look as good
as possible year round.
But.......for the guys that this diet works for, it is simply the best approach I have found for
cutting, recomp, and LEAN massing.
I have only asked 3 people to try the diet. I haven't had to, client after client has been
asking me if they could try it. I have written 3 modifed WD's today. I am now getting
new clients that are hiring me because they want to do the warrior diet under my
supervision.
I have about 50 people doing the diet now and feedback has been insanely positive.
Increased energy, WAY more time in the day due to almost zero food prep time and
eating time during the day. AWESOME gym performance, and body comp going the
way they want at a very satisfying pace.
Want a pro-bodybuilder physique? This isn't the diet, and you don't likely have the
genetics anyway. Want to be 175-225 and lean and healthy. This diet will be perfect for
those that respond to it, and want to have a life while they get there. That is goes against
most of what I "believed" as dieting "truth" is now irrelevant to me. Results trump dogma
any day of the week.
There are more than enough threads on the forum if you want to try the diet, this is just a
report--not a request for everyone to ask questions that have already been asked 10 times.
If you want to use the diet for fat loss. It is extensively covered in my fat loss book.
I would love to have time to go into the mechanisms on why it works, but you can read
Ori's books (especially maximum muscle minimum fat) and the way it is looking, I will
likely write a book about how to use the diet for recomp and massing. That is how much I
believe in the diet for its intended purpose--keeping you lean year round while building
muscle, that was Dan Ducaines "Body Opus" goal that was never realized. Not that it
could not have been, but Dan overcomplicated it to the 9th degree. And keto year round
just doesn't work for most people. This is the diet that never feels like a diet.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Pre-Workout Carbs
Any carbs that are not already in muscle glycogen stores long before the event won't help
with performance. You need to carb up the day before, not right before. Kinda like all the
yo-yo's drinking their pre-workout carbs to get "swole". All those end up being are PWO
carbs because if it isn't in the cell, it can't help, and the workout is over before it hits the
muscle. Then they have their PWO carbs and just end up fat-asses.
What you had in the morning and afternoon may help with an evening workout, but what
you slam right before the workout doesn't do jack.
Iron Addict

On Low Carbs
One would think this would be common knowledge--it's apparently NOT. If you are
doing a low carb diet, be it a TCD, a keto, or just a very low carb diet you are going to
look fat. Most guys will initially lose 5-15 lbs of WATER as soon as they deplete carbs
(girls 3-8 lbs) and this will LOOK like muscle that has come of. Each gram of carbs in the
muscle cell brings 3-4 grams of water with it, and takes it away when it goes away. Until
you FULLY carb-up, which will take most people 3-5 days depending on amount and
type of carb and insulin sensitivity you will be fat. If you can't handle that do a higher carb
diet and expect to lose muscle when restricting calories and keeping carbs high.
You will look fuller on a high carb low calorie diet, but you will be forcing your body to
burn muscle as fuel. Unless you are genetically gifted you simply can't have it both ways-being full while dieting and losing fat and retaining muscle, not going to happen with the
average lifter.
Iron Addict

Common Sense Dieting

I peruse the lifting forums and read posts from extremely frustrated and confused lifters
on a daily basis regarding dieting. While it can take some trial and error to get things
dialed in, setting up a great diet is extremely easy to do. Once setup, it may not necessarily
be extremely easy to do every day as willpower and discipline are required, but fguring
out what to do is the easy part.
First I will dispel the need for fad type diets that are USUALLY based on lousy science
or faulty premises. I assure you a peanut butter or grapefruit diet is not what you are
looking for. You need balanced nutrition that does not revolve around some trendy food
or supplement. Then ask yourself what is the purpose of a diet? A sound answer is that it
is to change body composition and provide all the nutrients needed for both body
composition changes and health.
The next need will be to defne your goals. Almost all of us want more muscle and less
bodyfat. A good percentage of the lifters out there go about it in a diferent fashion. They
bulk and get more muscle and way more bodyfat. Then they cut and get less bodyfat and
lose hard earned muscle. There is a better way! Do a recomp and add muscle while
SLOWY dropping bodyfat. If you somehow are of the belief that this is an impossibility
you simply do not understand the way the body works very well. You can lose some fat
doing cardio, or part of the day by carb/caloric restriction, and add some muscle during
another part of the daythat simple. Or you can have some days where you are slightly
under maintenance levels, and some days over. On the days you are under (provided
macro-nutrient ratios and timing is correct) you will drop a bit of bodyfat while preserving
all your muscle. On the days you are over (again, provided macro-nutrient ratios and
timing is correct) you will add a BIT of muscle. While that is a bit of a simplifcation, it
gives the basics of how it works. Nothing complicated about thatno voodoo involved.
But..most people want to see results faster than that so they do bulks and cuts. The
way these are typically done are.well..lets just say done less than intelligently. Why?
Because most people let the scale be their guiding light. They start their bulk jump on
the scale in a few days and it still hasnt gone up. Answer? Eat more. And damn its hard
to get those big calories when eating clean, so..they eat everything in view, and a lot of
very calorie dense crap. And guess what? The scale starts shooting up and they are
stoked! They start getting bigger and stronger and it is generally only when someone else
says something that bursts their bubble that they realize they are headed in the wrong
direction. Here is a bit of a conversation between me and a girlfriend had about 16 years
ago when I did bulks.

Sheri: I thought you were trying to build muscle?

Me: I am building muscle, Im a lot bigger and stronger.
Sheri: Well you may be stronger, but you dont look better, youre just getting REALLY
fat.
Me: Well I gained 22 lbs, and most of it is muscle.
Sheri: It looks like mostly fat to me babe, but if that makes you happy, Im OK.
Me: Well Ium.yeah, maybe I did gain a bit too much fat.
There is absolutely no reason to just eat like a damn pig to put muscle on your frame.
Once you are over maintenance calories (assuming macro-nutrient ratios are correct) you
are doing all your body needs to add muscle and having a huge surplus of extra calories
does very little for your ability to add muscle, but a lot for your ability to add fat.
There are a few times in a lifters career when it is very possible to accrue a bunch of
muscle mass in a short period of time:
1. When they frst start training,
2. If they have been of of training and are rebuilding mass they had previously.
3. If it is the frst time they have trained properly for THEIR body type irregardless of
how long they have trained.
4. When doing a steroid cycle.
5. Early on (frst few years) in the lifting career of someone with great genetics.
Unless you are at one of those points in your training career dont look for muscle to be
fying on at a super fast rate. Newbies typically gain 20-60 lbs in a year, and 50 is defnitely
on the high side for most. So lets say you are a brand newbie and are going to gain 50 lbs
of muscle this year, and are not going to do it totally clean, but let 15 lbs of fat come along
for the ride to ensure you are always fed well enough for maximal mass accrual. That is 65
lbs and 65 divided by 52 = 1.25. So you are going to gain all of 1.25 pounds a week. A
number that for all intents and purposes is not readable on a weekly basis on a normal
bathroom scale taking into account water weight variations. Do any of you see the utter
foolishness of jumping on the scale and being thrilled with your 2-3 pound a week
increases while bulking? You are in almost all cases just getting damn fat, damn fast.
Past your frst year a 20-30 lb gain in lean mass is fantastic. Lets call it 25 for example sake
and that means a .48 lb gain a week. Again, nothing you can see on a bathroom scale. And
I know on the internet and in the cell-tech ads everyone gains that much every 16 weeks or
so, but this is the real world and guys that can put on 25 lbs a year consistently are soon
FREAKS, and well, most people are not freaks so you fgure out what is reality and what
is fction.

So why do so many of you eat until you can see the scale go up 2-3 lbs a week? Mostly
because you are bound and determined to do a big aggressive cut where you lose 2-4 lbs
a week and a lot of muscle with it because again, you are too damned impatient and gauge
your progress by what the scale says instead of the mirror and tape measure/calipers.
What is a reasonable amount of bodyfat to expect to lose a week? 1 to 1-1/2 pounds for
under 200 lb lifters, and 1.5-2.25 for 200-250 lb lifters. Go much past that and a lot of bad
things happen metabolically.
The better way is to just do a recomp. No, the scale wont be moving fast enough for most
of you. In fact, it may stay static for weeks on end as muscle is slowly built and fat is slowly
removed. The downside is you have to be way more detail oriented to pull this of. Doing
a traditional bulk you just eat like a pig. Doing a traditional cut calories are restricted
so low there is lots of wiggle room. But on a recomp more precision is needed which
brings up a most important topic-the need for precision.
WHY MOST OF YOU FAIL DIETING
There are three BIG reasons why people fail with their diets:
1. Caloric and macro-nutrient levels and timing are of kilter
2. They dont log their diets/weigh food when needed.
3. They are inconsistent and or lack discipline
Calorie levels are very often of as a result of the trainee using USELESS formulas to
determine caloric needs. As someone that works with a large number of trainees I can tell
you that two 200 lb lifters with approximately the same bodyfat levels may have baseline
maintenance levels that are of 1000-1500 kcals from the other guy. How well can you do
with a diet 1000 calories of? EXACTLY, you cant progress like that!!!
Everyone I train is required to log their EXACT CURRENT diets and then tell me if
they are:
Adding/maintaining/losing bodyfat
Adding/maintaining/losing muscle
I make my calculations based on known numbers, not some retarded formula. That is
how you should go about setting up a diet also.
Assuming your diet is thought out properly and the correct calories and macros are
planned its still USELESS if what you are eating doesnt hit those numbers reasonably
close, and consistently. That is done by logging your diet along with weighing your food
for at least long enough to KNOW what your serving sizes look like. After that, you can
eyeball them, but not before. I assure you that what looks like 8 ounces of chicken to one

person looks like 4 to another, and 12 to another. At this point I know I am losing a bunch
of youthis is too complicated, why bother when I know a lot of people that do great and
dont log their diet or ever weigh their food? You are correct, a LOT of people never go
through this trouble and succeed. But as many or more failis this you?
So to start your common sense dieting you frst log your food for long enough to get a
baseline number. Once done, calculate a starting point, dont worry if it is perfect or not.
It just has to be close. Why is perfection not a requirement? Because the perfection will
come with the next step. And the next step is to start logging everything you eat for at
least LONG ENOUGH THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE PORTION SIZES
ARE AND ARE EATING A REGULAR DIET AND HAVE ALL THE FOODS
YOU GENERALLY EAT WEIGHED AND LOGGED. There is a lot of software
out there that can be purchased for this. You can buy a cheap calorie/macro nutrient
counter at a bookstore or online and log on paper or in a spreadsheet. Or use one of the
online free services like www.ftday.com
After you have logged for awhile and reviewed your results, you can make a precise
change in the direction you need to go and rest assured that since it is logged and precise,
the change will be going in the right direction.
DETAILS
At this point I know many of you are wanting to know something like:
If I am cutting how many calories under maintenance should I go? Or, if I am bulking
how many over maintenance should I go? Or if recomping how many? The short answer
is some. I cant give you exact numbers because there is a bit more to it to factor in when
I make the calculations for training clients. The long answer is to start and make
adjustments as needed while logging and weighing if need be.
Protein requirements are a stumbling block for many of you. The good news is the word
is getting out and the old wives tales of bygone days are slowly being replaced by what
works in the real world. And that is simply put, 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight (unless you
are very fat) as a MINIMUM and 2 grams per lb is more optimal for most hard lifting
trainees. I dont care what study you read, or the fact that you read in a muscle magazine
your body can only assimilate 30 grams at a time, or that your friend Fred does great
eating 1 gram per lb. He is the exception I assure you.
You can debate all you want, or step up to the dinner plate and start eating and see for
yourself. I have people enter online debates about this all the time and when questioned
about their results when trying the higher numbers more often than not the response is
they have never tried it, but they read a study that said..Well, studies are great, but

when they dont match up to what occurs in the real world with real lifters, they are
useless. And most studies of this nature are not done with REAL liftersusually
untrained college students.
Types of diets
There are a LOT of diferent diet types and they all work for SOME people. Without
going into a lot of detail here (Ill save that for another article) the general types I
recommend are LEAN bulks, and recomps for adding mass, and Timed carb diets (both
full TCDs and day TCDs) for cutting. Keto diets work fne, but are deprivation diets
and have some serious drawbacks. Simply stated, the general guidelines for these diet
types are as follows:
Lean Bulk
You will be over maintenance calories by a bit and have enough carbs that energy levels
are good and glycogen stores are adequate. Protein at 1.5-2 grams per pound of
bodyweight, and fat at at LEAST 20% of overall kcals. Low intensity and high intensity
cardio should be done according to your time schedule and work capacity.
Recomp
You will be over maintenance calories by a bit, but will either zig-zag calories some days
under maintenance, or have an earlier carb cut-of, and will do daily low intensity cardio.
You will have enough carbs that energy levels are good and glycogen stores are adequate.
Protein at 1.5-2 grams per pound of bodyweight, and fat at at LEAST 20% of overall
kcals. Diet supplements can be used to create a further defcit.
Half day timed carb diet
You will be under maintenance levels, cut-of carbs 5-8 hours before bed, and do low
intensity cardio daily. Diet supplements can be used to create a further defcit.
Full TCD
You will eat zero carbs EXCEPT post workout 4-6 days a week, and have 1-2 carb up
days a week. Under maintenance on no carb days, over on carb-up days. Low intensity
cardio daily. Diet supplements can be used to create a further defcit.
There are all kinds of other diets out there. Many fad and trendy others time proven and
efcient, the ones listed are easy to do and simply work if you will do your part.
Carbs and fat
All carbs are not created equally. Its real simple to get fat eating high glycemic carbs. Eat
a bunch of processed or even non-processed fast carbs and you can bet a large percentage
of them are going to head straight to your waistline where you will pay hell getting them

back of. Go to Google and type in glycemic index. Now fnd a GI index that has the
foods you like to eat and bookmark it. Unless it is post workout, the foods you eat as the
vast majority of your diet should be 50 or below on the index.
That doesnt mean you can never eat any higher GI foods, it just means they are the
exception, not the rule. Most people truly get fat from carb intake, not from fats unless
they eat a very high fat diet. Combining lots of carbs and fats in meals is also a sure way to
ensure you are continually laying down bodyfat. And that can happen even while
UNDER maintenance if you eat big fat/carb, or very high carb/high glycemic meals.
You NEED essential fatty acids. The ESSENTIAL part should be your frst clue that it
is a requirement, not an optional component. A tablespoon of olive oil and 1-2 of fax oil,
or better yet, 4-8 grams of fsh oil is a good starting point for most of you.
Carb-cutofs
I recommend every single lifter do a carb-cutof at night before bedtime, no matter the
type of diet used.
Cardio
Morning cardio works for fat loss and mass accrual. If done while massing you WILL be
hungrier throughout the day as a result of the cardio. If dieting, you will drop weight
faster doing morning cardio, but anytime you can ft it in will be benefcial. Either way
there are a slew of benefts to doing it and it should be done irregardless of what type of
diet you are doing.
All pretty commonsense stuf that WORKS if you will work it.
Good luck!
Iron Addict

More timed carb diet options

More timed carb diet options
Many people here do time carb diets to drop body fat and preserve or build muscle while
dieting. As previously stated in my timed carb diet article, no, or low carbohydrate diets
with periodic carb ups, and always ensuring post workout carb ups are completed are the
best way to get lean while not sacrifcing muscle. And if implemented properly, strength
and mass will be built while dieting.
The way these diets are typically structured is to have a set amount of days where low or
no carbs are consumed unless it is a workout day, and then have specifc carb-up periods
to replenish glycogen stores, help keep thyroid output high, and give the trainee a break
from the low carbs. This keeps performance good and keeps a trainee sane while dieting.
Some people though can have a problem with having three to fve days with low or no
carbs. While I do feel that the standard plan is the best approach to doing this, and the
fastest way to drop body fat, I also understand it is not for everybody, and modifcations
can be used for some of these trainees that won't do it the traditional way.
A typical time carb diet might be four days without carbs (training days get carbs PWO,
and a normal meal after) and three days where carbs are consumed. This can be kind of
rough on some trainees for various reasons. And some guys just don't have the mental
fortitude to go if three to fve days without consuming signifcant quantities of carbs. If
they stick with it after approximately a week and a half to two weeks they will fnd energy
levels are fne and performance stays good. But. getting some people to do the
whole two weeks can be difcult. And I have heard every excuse in the world as to why
can't be done some very valid some absolutely horrible. I had one guy tell me if he went
more than fve hours without carbs he would pass out. What I pointed out that it was a
miracle that he woke up after sleeping for fve hours he backed of on his exaggeration
about how bad it made him feel. And the reality is no one no one will pass out after not
eating carbs or not eating for fve hours. But some people like to be dramatic.
Here are some options for people that won't or don't want to take the traditional
approach to a time carb diet:
An every other day timed-carb diet. Yes, this is exactly what it sounds like. On day one
you consume low or no carbs. On day two, you have a normal carb day. Repeat process
indefnitely. Pretty simple huh? It works, and works well as long as you understand that
the rate of fatloss will be half or less than half of a normal timed carb diet. And of course

you can play with the ratios indefnitely, so you can do two days no carbs, one day carbs or
vice versa.
Another approach, and one that works well for people that tend to be somewhat
hypoglycemic is doing a half-day no carb, half-day carb. What works best is consuming
carbs in the morning and then having a carb cut-of at a specifed time, say two o'clock in
the afternoon. After your carb cutof, no carbs are consumed and the diet consists of
protein and fat. This will allow fat to be burned at a more rapid pace than if carbs are
consumed during those hours. Of course it is a compromise, but signifcant amounts of
body fat can be lost over time, and it is a pretty comfortable diet to do. That is unless you
get visions of ice cream dancing in your head about eight o'clock while watching TVlol.
Remember low-calorie moderate to high carbohydrate diets will drop scale weight. The
problem is, a lot of the weight lost will be muscle because insulin shots down the
enzymatic process that allows body fat to be liberated. Insulin control is really what we
are after here, no carbs = no insulin= body fat liberated = muscle preserved--simple as
that! I hope these options gave you a couple more ideas for those that are hesitant or just
don't have the willpower to go too long without their favorite carbs.
Iron Addict

The unknown determinate

I was just sitting here thinking about insulin and fat loss, and fat gain. It is well
established that insulin blunts liposis. Or does it.........? Here are a couple of facts we
KNOW.
1. Pretty much everything you eat causes an insulin response. The diference is how much
and how sustained. You get an insulin response with proteins, and you get an insulin
response with fats.
2. Some things provide a big response like BCAA's, but ask anyone that has done high
dose BCAA's and wasn't on a wacky super bulk diet and they will tell you that it helped
with fat loss. Dr. Eric Serrano has stated this many times and says that even he is not sure
why/how this occurs, but it is undeniable that it does.
What is the one factor that is missing with an insulin response to proteins or fats?
BLOOD SUGAR. Could it be that insulin AND higher blood sugar are what send the
response to stop liposis? Or is it just that the insulin response to fats and proteins is that
much smaller and less sustained?
Great food for thought and further research.
Iron Addict

Timed Carb Dieting

Most of the people that come to me seeking personal training advice have their number
one priority listed as dropping bodyfat. And when I say most, I am talking about 75-80%.
The sad part is a big percentage of those people were NOT fat when they started
bodybuilding. Yes, they got that way trying to bulk up. I guess you can say they were
successful at bulking if you consider fat to be bulk. What they should have been doing
is muscling up. That is rarely done until the trainee is quite experienced. The yo-yo
approach can work well if you are blessed with a great metabolismfew are. Had they
done it right they wouldnt be in that situation. But, past mistakes are best left in the past.
This article is about how to leave those mistakes in the past where they belong, and give
you some general guidelines about timed-carb dieting, which I FIRMELY believe is the
best approach to dropping the bodyfat while at a bare minimum retaining 100% of your
muscle mass, and in the VAST majority of cases, adding some muscle and lots of strength
while shedding the unwanted fat.
Before I outline the timed carb strategy, I am going to go over the typical types of diets
followed by those in search of their abs, and talk about the pros and cons of each
technique. Lets get started!
Low calorie, low fat diets
This is probably the #1 approach taken by those that have taken the plunge into the realm
of dieting and it also happens to be the #1 reason many are afraid to diet. Why are they
afraid? Because past experience has taught them that when dieting, they lose hard-earned
muscle. And with this type of diet you can EXPECT at least a 50/50 muscle to fat loss
ratio! YES! You lose 10 lbs and at LEAST 5 is usually muscle!!! Why? You frst need to
understand a bit about bodyfat metabolism. Your body stores bodyfat as reserve fuel in
case of famine. Which is not much of a problem in todays world in industrialized
countries. OK, now youre fat and you decide to drop it using this approach. The problem
is, that when carbs are present, the fat burning pathways, which are driven by an
enzymatic process are SHUT-DOWN, because carbs produce the release of insulin in
your system, and insulin stops the enzymatic processes that allows you to burn bodyfat as
a fuel source.
But wait! Calories are too low to fuel basal metabolism, and since your body cant burn
fat what is left? Ahhhh, you guessed it! Protein! Where does this protein come from? Well
frst your body will convert the recently ingested protein to glucose, but that still doesnt

cover daily caloric demands. So what next? Yup, your body starts catabolizing its own
muscle to use as a fuel source, and..you LOSE!
ISO-Caloric Diets
This is the diet made famous by Barry Sears of the Zone Diet fame. The idea here is to
make the diet as balanced between protein/carbs/fats as possible and reduce insulin
secretion as much as possible. These types of diets do quite a bit better at holding onto
muscle while beating down the fat than low-cal, low-fat diets, but once caloric levels get
low enough to drop bodyfat levels at a reasonable rate, you will still be chewing up a
bunch of muscle unless on a LOT of gear, and you wont really be on an ISO ratio if you
are going to be getting enough protein to build/maintain muscle. These types of diets
(with additional protein skewing a true iso-caloric profle) are GREAT while adding
mass, but not really what the bodybuilder needs to get rid of bodyfat. Same problem as
listed above arises since carbs/insulin are still present.
Keto Diets
These diets are based on the fact that when you reduce carbs to ZERO, and keep it that
way for a period of anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours (dependant an a variety of factors)
your body will shift from frst burning carbs, to then burning fats, to ultimately converting
fats into ketones, and using the ketones as the primary fuel source. The name given to this
process is ketosis, hence the name keto-diet. Keto diets are protein sparing, which means
your body will tend to hold on to protein (muscle) which is exactly what we want when
dieting.
These diets do work extremely well for dropping bodyfat while holding onto muscle. Just
what the aspiring bodybuilder wants. So whats the catch? Wellthe catch is that to
achieve and stay in actual ketosis, you usually have to be carb-free about 2 days. These
diets are typically done by going without any carbs for 5 days (sometimes 6) and then
doing a 1 or 2 day carb-up and repeating the cycle. Sound simple? Try it and then tell me
how easy it is. If you can breach that stumbling block, you then reach the second problem.
Without ANY carbs for so many days performance in the gym sufers. So while these
diets are protein sparing, they dont allow you to go all out in the gym, and you end up
losing strength because you are held at reign in the gym. The third big reason they fail
many is because with zero carbs, and low calorie levels, thyroid metabolism tends to get
S-L-O-W-E-R. Bad thing! Even with these drawbacks, this is not a bad diet for dropping
bodyfat and defnitely many notches above the previously mentioned diets. Butthere is
a better way! Enter timed-carb dieting!
Timed Carb Diets
A timed carb diet works on the same basic principle as a keto-diet. Take away the bodies
preferred fuel source (carbs) and provide enough fat in the diet that the body will switch

to using fat as the fuel. But instead of going 5-6 days without ANY carbs, this diet allows
you to take in carbs when they are most needed, and least likely to spill over into fat stores
right after the workout. Also, since we are not worried about actually hitting ketosis
and staying in ketosis, if you slip, or just feel the need to bump up carbs a bit to replenish
glycogen stores, you didnt just bump yourself out of the ketogenic state you just spent 2
days to achieve.
What do these diets accomplish?
Fat is burned as the preferred fuel source and protein (read that muscle) is spared.
Performance in the gym stays good.
Thyroid function remains higher for a longer period of time.
You dont go out of your head waiting 5 days to eat some damn carbs!
OK, now the how-to of a timed carb diet. Again, we are trying to get the body to switch
from being a carb or protein-burning machine into a fat burning machine. Remember, if
caloric levels are low, and carbs, thus insulin is high, your body will convert protein to
carbs via glucogenisys and that is to be avoided at all costs. Anyway, to get on the path of
burning fat as fuel, we simply remove the carbs out of the equation, AND keep fat in the
diet at (at least) a 40-50% ratio. This lets the body know there is still a primary fuel source
(fat) and allows it to be burned as fuel, while sparing protein
So, we decide to start a timed carb diet on Monday. Sunday night you cut out the carbs
about three hours before bed. When you wake up in the morning blood sugar levels will
be very low, and your body will be wanting some carbs---too bad, it doesnt get any! You
will eat only fat and protein. Ensuring fat makes up at LEAST 40% of the caloric profle.
You may have a leafy green salad with oil based dressing, or some string-beans, or other
such low-carb veggie, BUT NO MORE THAN 6-8 grams of carbs per feeding. You
keep this up right until pre-workout, where an apple is allowed IF you feel the need to put
a few carbs in your system to raise energy levels. MOST guys do not fnd this to be
necessary and if it does not provide a big advantage DONT do it. If the carbs dont help
much, have a small protein drink and proceed with the workout.
Post-workout, and its time to replenish the carb-stores in the muscles you just worked. As
the vast majority of you already know, immediately after a hard weight training session
there is a window of opportunity in the muscle cell when insulin sensitivity is very high
and the body is most receptive to nutrient uptake. So..you slam down 65-100 grams of
fast liquid carbs (malto-dextrin, dextrose, and yes, even sucrose will work). About 10
minutes later follow it up with a 65-100 gram whey protein drink. As soon as you are
hungry again, you can eat a small regular meal with a 40/30/30 protein/carb/fat profle to
top of the tank of glycogen stores in the muscle. Then, you are back to zero or trace
amounts of carbs until the next workout.

You then repeat the this format for a maximum of fve days, and then have a 1-2 day carbup. On days that you dont train, you dont eat any carbs except for a green salad or two.
You do not have to run these no carb to carb days for the full fve days and for many of
you, having a lower ratio of no carb Vs. carb days will be advantageous. Also you do
NOT have to do the carb days back-to back. You may do a couple of no carb days,
followed by one or more carb days. This is determined on YOUR metabolism and how
fast you want to drop the bodyfat.
Pretty simple huh? Well, I havent given you ALL the details, but close enough to get
most of you at least much closer to being able to put together a successful diet plan on
your own, and if you want to have ALL the details in place, consider having me train you!
Dos and donts:
If you dont keep the fat ratio AT LEAST 40% your body will just continue to use carbs
as fuel. How does this happen if all you are eating is chicken breasts as an example? Well
your body has no problems converting protein to carbs and WILL do this if it doesnt
sense an alternate fuel source (fats.)
This type of diet tends to work best with lower overall workout days, so if you are a
volume trainer who is in the gym 6 days a week (bad idea in any case IMO) you will see
decreased results since every day will be a carb day. It will still work however.
Log your food intake for at LEAST a week to ensure you are hitting your numbers for
both macro-nutrient profle, and overall kcals. You might just fnd out how far of you are
from where you thought you were.
Your carb-up days are designed to refll the glycogen stores in the muscle, and bump up
caloric levels a bit to keep your thyroid of balance. They are not go all-out berserk pig-out
days. MANY, MANY lifters make this mistake and cancel out all the fat loss they
achieved up until the carb-up day(s).
Do cardio when dieting. No it is not mandatory, but it makes such a big diference for
such little efort and time expended that is extremely short-sighted to not include it as part
of your fat-loss plan.
Dont be in a big hurry to drop the bodyfat. You didnt get fat overnight (well, some of you
almost did) so dont try to lose it overnight. You should work along the lines of about this
much fat loss a week:
150-200 lb trainees, 1.5 lbs a week
200-250 lb trainees, 2 lbs a week
250+ 2 to 2-1/2b lbs a week

Going much more aggressive than that and strength gains will slow or stop, and
catabolism may set in.
If you are just starting a reduced volume (or realistic training program) the scale may be
worthless at frst. Many people are able to gain a signifcant amount of muscle when
dieting like this. Use the mirror and calipers (or better yet hydro-static weighing) to
determine your rate of success.
You WILL end up looking fat by day 3-4, this is NOT representative of what you will
look like when fully carbed-up. Remember, each gram of glycogen in the muscle brings 3
grams of water with it. When glycogen stores are down (and they will be) when doing
low carbs you will appear smaller. Its just water, dont sweat it!
This type of diet lends itself well to getting a large percentage of daily caloric levels from
protein powder and EFAs (essential fatty acids), and that makes it convenient to do.
I will at some point put out another article aimed at how to stay lean while adding mass,
and as you might guess it is a variation of this basic format.
There you go, get that damn bodyfat of you and become a true bodybuilder. You know,
one who isnt afraid to take his shirt of-lol.
And, again, If you want ALL the pieces of diet/routine and supplementation laid out for
you including exact macronutrient and kcal requirements, consider having me train you!
Iron Addict

Dieting Levels
Here I am going to talk about diferent types/levels of dieting and suggested applications.
I am often very amused when I see someones choice of type and level of aggressiveness
with dieting. I see guys that have 5-7 lbs of fat to lose doing full keto diets frequently and
while it will certainly work, it most certainly isn't needed. So many mistakes are made it is
no wonder dieting has such a bad name. You should NOT be losing size and strength
while dieting, it really is just that simple. Doing so is making the statement that I dont
know what the hell I am doing, but Im doing it anyway. And while it is good to learn
from mistakes what often happens is the trainee makes even worse choices next time, or
becomes so gun-shy of dieting that they stay in bulk mode foreverlol.
If you have a bit of bodyfat to lose there is absolutely no reason to go on a full out diet.
But most people do just that. Two very simple approaches to the guy that needs to lose 510 lbs are either a slightly below maintenance, or maintenance 40-30-30 diet
(protein/fat/carbs) while adding cardio (low intensity) 1-2 times a day. Or simply just
doing morning fasted low intensity cardio and continuing your normal high protein diet
while cutting of carbs a couple hours before bed. In a bit more of a hurry? Add one more
low intensity cardio session a day at least 3 days a week if you were previously only doing it
once a day. As long as you are at maintenance and werent previously doing cardio daily
the bodyfat will come of quite nicely.
If you really need to diet and want to maximize performance and comfort, doing a day
timed carb diet is a great way to go and not very far behind doing a more traditional
TCD. This is the type of diet I am currently using with the majority of my trainees in
need of fat loss. It is as simple as adjusting your numbers as much under maintenance as
you need/want to be aggressive with the fat loss, doing cardio, and cutting of carbs at a
prescribed time of day. Again the timing with be adjusted to how fast you want to drop
the bodyfat. Slow means closer to maintenance and a 2-4 hour cutof, fast/aggressive
would be farther from maintenance levels and a 6-9 hour cutof. With this type of diet
performance stays as good as you can expect while dieting, muscle is preserved or built,
thyroid levels stay good, and since you get carbs daily, you dont feel too deprived. Cardio
is done also.
Full TCDs are done when you really want to step up the fat-loss pace. This means 4-6
days a week you consume nothing but trace level carbs unless it is post-workout. How far
you go under maintenance and how much cardio you do determines rate of fat loss. If the
numbers are adjusted correctly, performance stays good, thyroid stays high (but not as
high/long as when doing a day diet) and you only have to go until post workout to have
some carbs or until your carb-up days. Cardio is done also.

Keto diets are for when you want to diet hard-core. They are very efective at fat loss, but
performance sufers for many and thyroid can take a big hit when doing them. They are
deprivation diets in every sense of the word. I do not use them with clients nor
recommend them, but will state they can be very efective. If you are still interested, they
are typically done by consuming ZERO, yes ZERO (other than trace amounts) for 5-6
days, then carbing up for 1-2 days. Again cardio is done doing a keto diet in most cases,
but is less needed than with other types of dieting, and less often done since energy levels
sufer for many.
What do I recommend? I recommend always taking the least aggressive approach
considering the trainees bodyfat levels, patience levels, and level of discipline. The average
dieter has poor discipline and almost zero patience. If you had any idea how common it is
to get a call from a new training client after 1-3 weeks of dieting and listening to them tall
me that they are not lean yet and want to get more aggressive you would be amazed.
Iron Addict

One of the biggest problems dieters face

Here is an ongoing theme with dieters, and with me as I train the dieters. Joe dieter
decides its high time to drop some ugly body-fat. He puts together a plan (or pays a
trainer to do so) and starts his/her quest to a leaner body. Unless said dieter is already
very lean, it is very hard to se progress at frst. Here is a typical call 2-3 weeks after said
trainee starts a fat-loss diet.
Trainee: I cant see body-fat coming of.
IA: you have only been at it a few weeks.
Trainee: Yeah, but I should see something by now, right?
IA: Like what?
Trainee: Like a smaller waist
IA: That is the LAST place you will likely see it come of. Look at your legs, arms, and
face frst.
Trainee: Yeah, my face looks leaner. When will my stomach look leaner.
IA: What is your bodyfat?
Trainee: Well it was 23% when we started.
IA: And how much of that did you expect to lose in three weeks?
Trainee: 3-5 lbs I guess
IA: well if you lost 4 lbs do you REALLY think that is something you could see in the
mirror?
Trainee: I think so?
IA: No, likely not.
Trainee: Well I measured my waist and its the same size.

IA: That is the LAST place the tape is going to move. Use skin-fold calipers on your legs,
upper chest, and arms for now.
Trainee: OK, but it seems like its going slow.
IA: We are on track, relax.
Eight out of ten trainees are extremely impatient when it comes to fat-loss. It took some
of them years to gain it, and they want it all of in 5 weeks. Sorry, it doesnt work like that.
I design diets to take of the body-fat at a reasonable pace, while the trainee builds
strength the whole time they diet. IF the trainee is in a big damn hurry, I will at times put
together a diet that is extremely aggressive with the understanding that all we will likely
be able to do is maintain strength levels, not add to them. And frankly, I hate doing it this
way because unless the trainee has a show coming up, all they are doing is showing their
impatience with the process. How long did it take you to gain the excess bodyfat you are
carrying? Understand that it is WAY easier to add bodyfat than to shed it. With that
understanding, why do you feel the need to drop it so damn fast?
Under 200 lb trainees should aim for 1.5 lbs of fat-loss a week, and 200-300 lb guys should
aim for 2-2.5 a week. These are upper numbers that that will allow the fat to come of and
strength to be gained while dieting.
The next big problem is the same that people have when adding mass. While adding
mass, or dropping bodyfat the trainee is usually the last person that sees the results. They
look in the mirror every damn day (sometimes for God knows how longlol) and just
cant see the changefrom yesterdaylol. And in a never ending process of seeing
themselves on a daily basis, and only comparing themselves with how they looked the day
before, all they can ascertain is that it isnt working. And then..their friends, family,
girlfriend, or wife will start making comments on all the weight they have lost, and then
damned if they dont start seeing it themselves. Taking regular pictures of videos in the
SAME lighting and environment is the way around this.
Why not just use the scale? Because you may be adding muscle, and on low carb diets
most trainees weights will fuctuate wildly. I have many trainees lose ffteen lbs of fat, gain
13-15 pounds of muscle, and guess what? While they look night and day diferent, the scale
didnt say shit. The tape measure works..after a time. But initially may say nothing, and
often a trainee that is measuring their waist they are trying to reduce, is also measuring
the abs, obliques, and spinal erectors they are expanding.

In the end, a combination of using pictures, the mirror, skin-fold calipers, the tape
measure, and the scale are the tools you need to gauge your fat-loss progress. And
patience..
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

I will state this as simply and to the point as possible

You have two options if you are not willing to look "fat" while dieting.
1. Do a slow recomp with frequent above maintenence level days, and only slightly below
maintenence level caloric restriction.
2. Don't diet, stay a lardass.
If your diet is aggressive enough to see weekly, or bi-weekly "mirror" progress you are
going to be fat if you have a macro-nutrient profe that will preserve/add muscle. It is that
simple. So many of you want to drop bodyfat at the absolute fastest pace possible, be
totally carbed up, and gain lean mass while doing so at the most rapid pace. You simply
cannot have it all.
You can gain muscle/strength while cutting at a reasonable pace, but you most certainly
won't look "full" the whole time doing so. So many of you are never willing to take a 1/2
step back to go two steps forward--to the extent that you go nowhere at all.
Iron Addict

I am stuck
Mr. IA,
I am frustrated in my attempts to lose bodyfat, I am 5'11 247 lbs and have been dieting for
the longest while. I have made progress, but it looks like I have lost a lot of muscle. I do
high intensity cardio 6 days a week and eat 1800 calories a day. What do you suggest?
I get these types of emails and PM's all the time. PISSES ME OFF. Why the hell would
a 250 lb guy be eating 1800 calories a day. Invariably when I get these guys to check
morning body temp they are 94-95 degrees, and I have seen 93!!!!!! They have
TOTALLY screwed their thyroids because they are eating starvation diets trying to
knock down the bodyfat overnight. I am going to keep pounding this into peoples heads
until more people start to "get it".
Iron Addict

Cofee/Cafeine
Cafeine Many people out there are looking for an advantage to drop bodyfat, or help
keep it of. They search high and low for the newest miracle supplement that is
guaranteed to be the greatest fat buster to have ever some along. Some of these supps do
OK, most suck. One that is often overlooked is simple cafeine or cofee. It is simply
wonderful at helping your body liberate fat. It also boosts basal metabolism a bit and is an
appetite suppressant for many. Wonderfully efective, available anywhere and dirt cheap.
Got cofee?
Iron Addict

Fast Carbs
I normally only drink water or tea. Well, recently burned out on this. I just couldn't look
at another gallon of tea, or another glass of water. I dehydrate fairly easily so fuid intake is
crucial. After noticing that I wasn't drinking enough because I just didn't want a stomach
another glass of tea, and not being a fan of any of the artifcial sweeteners. I decided a
short break of Gatorade and water was in order. I didn't intend for it to be a long-term
solution I just wanted a break from either feeling dehydrated or having to deal with
another glass of water or tea. so I bought a boatload of Gatorade. And I must say within
days I felt I was fully hydrated and felt great. I was also extremely full due to the carb
loading.
After eight or nine days tea was looking good again. which is more than I can say for me. I
noticed nothing until about day fve, it looked like I put on a little bit of body fat. well by
day 8, it was apparent, I had a new layer. an unwanted layer at that. Gatorade has about
as little calorie and carbohydrate as you can get without resorting to artifcial sweeteners.
and in fairness to me I wasn't taking in all that much. but when you are lean every little bit
shows and it took a short eight days to add a layer of fat now must be pounded of cardio
and diet. how much weight did I gain? three or 4 pounds maybe. but when you're lean
and it all goes right to the stomach guess what? it looks like a ton. just a warning for you
guys you think it's OK to drink save this and other fast carbs unless it's post workout.
Iron Addict

Eating big to get big

Every lifter has heard this, and most have tried it. MOST people have discovered it
simply didnt work. Is the premise wrong? Or is the application being done incorrectly? I
will simply state that the premise is 100% correct, but the application is wrong, AND
people do not use proper context. And by improper context, I mean joe average weighing
175 thinking he needs to follow pro Xs 295 lb of season bulk diet. Or just having the
macro nutrient profle and overall kcals out of kilter
Here is where application goes wrong more often than not. Joe average trainee decides
hes really going to go all out and eat like the big boys. Calories are king, and he know
protein is important. Well, he already got it a bit incorrect, Protein is king and calories are
important. Hell, if protein is high enough and calories are at least at maintenance level
AND the training is balanced to his needs, he will at least do a slow recomp. If protein is
too low, nothing much will happen.
Figures and generalities are usually not worth much but I will throw out a couple anyway.
If the trainee is relatively lean he should be getting 1.5 grams MINIMUM for each lb of
bodyweight, and for most lifters, 2 grams works better. Carbs need to be high enough
that energy levels are good, glycogen stores in muscle is good, and a bit extra just to be
sure is consumed. Fats should be at least 15-20% of overall kcals. The trainee, if in
absolute all out bulk mode should be adding bodyfat SLOWLY, not by leaps and
bounds.
Most lifters think a see food diet is the way to bulk, eat all kinds of pure crap food that is
usually high glycemic carb laden, and full of fat. High carb/fat meals do little to put on
muscle, but are extremely good at putting on bodyfat. Once you are past a threshold of
calories and carbs/fat (and to a certain degree protein also, adding more does nothing but
make you fat. Is that what you really want?
Eat big to get big, but eat big protein, and enough carbs and fats to fuel energy needs
and the growth process, not the fat growth process either.
Iron Addict

Cold Drink Anyone?

Water or other liquids will sit in your stomach until they are almost warmed to body
temperature. If you are someone that always drinks everything almost ice cold, you
probably have a hard time drinking enough if your hydration needs are high. Since
moving to the desert my water needs went way up, and since changing to drinking cold
water to room temp water getting 2+ gallons a day is a breeze compared to the chore it
was drinking cold water.
Iron Addict

Teens and keto diets

Lots of young guys come here and see that many of the experienced guys do keto diets for
fat loss, contest prep, and some even when bulking. Let me state this abundantly clear:
I HAVE NEVER TRAINED A SINGLE TEENAGER USING A KETO DIET
AND NEVER WILL UNLESS THEY ARE OBESE AND AT RISK FOR
DIABETES. THAT SIMPLE.
If you can't drop bodyfat doing a normal low carb slightly restricted calorie diet and
cardio. You are either doing something or many things wrong, or have screwed your
insulin sensitivity up so bad, you may be pre-diabetic.
Keto's are extremely efective for fat loss, but I do not beleive a teenager that is trying to
mature a young body should be on a diet this restrictive and it is frankly just not needed.
And lots of the young guys are frustrated with their mass levels and keto diets are simply
not a good way to mass for most people.
Iron Addict

Waxy Maize Weight

If you have not weighed your WM or dextrose or have a scoop that you KNOW how
much it throws.......you are probably taking in too much. The same scoop that 2 scoops
equals 50 grams of whey, throws 110 grams of waxy.
Iron Addict

Glycogen Storage
The "average" persons muscles hold 300-400 grams of glycogen in the muscle cell. Liver
holds 70-100. A large bodybuilder will of course hold a lot more. But.......most of you
reading this are NOT large bodybuilders yet.
So........why do so many of you think you need 300-600 grams of carbs a day?
I am not saying that amount won't work, I have plenty of mostly YOUNG--18-25 lifters
that can and do that amount without getting too fat. And some VERY LARGE
bodybuilders that can do those amounts. But the majority of you simply are not carb
tolerant enough to do anything with those numbers but get fat.
Iron Addict

I'm going to throw up

I'm going to puke the next time (which will likely be next week) I get yet ANOTHER
200 lb guy that logs their diet for me and is eating 1400-1800 calories a day. I get this
CONSTANTLY. C'mon guys, this is bodybuilding. You can't build muscle on air and
Cheeto's.
I got a very intelligent female client last week that weighs about 135 at 5'7. She has been
keeping track of her diet for a long time now and her maintenance is about 2200 kcals.
Why are all these guys coming to me with 1800 cal maintenance numbers? Simple-THEY HAVE NEVER EATEN PROPERLY FOR A LONG TIME AND
THEIR METABOLISMS ARE SQUASHED.
Step up to the dinner plate guys, this is weight training we are doing here.
Iron Addict

Can't eat? Here is why

I am going to fx about 50% of your "I just can't eat enough" guys "issues". No, I can't
promise that if you struggle to get 200 grams of protein a day you will magically be able to
pound 400 grams, but your capacity will go way up.
Here was a conversation I had last week with a training client.
Client, I just can't see how I am ever going to get to 250 grams of protein a day, I am just
not hungry (his diet BEFORE working with me was UNDER 100 grams a day).
Me: After asking a few questions, I asked the big question. "How often do you shit"?
Client, about once every other day.
Me, quick diet review, no veggies, no fber, nothing that will help elimination, and we
have backup.
How the hell are you going to eat 5-7 meals a day when you only take a dump once every
other day. If you are not shitting 2 x at least every day, you are not eating enough, or are
backed up and can't eat enough. This truly solves a LOT of those guys issues that can't
seem to stomach at least a reasonably heavy eating schedule.
This really should be common sense--but it isn't.
Iron Addict

I will state this as simply and to the point as possible

You have two options if you are not willing to look "fat" while dieting.
1. Do a slow recomp with frequent above maintenance level days, and only slightly below
maintenance level caloric restriction.
2. Don't diet, stay a lardass.
If your diet is aggressive enough to see weekly, or bi-weekly "mirror" progress you are
going to be fat if you have a macro-nutrient profle that will preserve/add muscle. It is
that simple. So many of you want to drop bodyfat at the absolute fastest pace possible, be
totally carbed up, and gain lean mass while doing so at the most rapid pace. You simply
cannot have it all.
You can gain muscle/strength while cutting at a reasonable pace, but you most certainly
won't look "full" the whole time doing so. So many of you are never willing to take a 1/2
step back to go two steps forward--to the extent that you go nowhere at all.
Iron Addict

Trying to diet with a crashed metabolism

People need to understand that the bodies frst and primary goal is survival. Your body
doesn't care if you have a six pack and are lean mean machine. It just cares that you
continue to survive. One of the biggest mistakes people make when dieting is to be too
aggressive and try to lose 2 to 2 1/2 pounds a week. Most people with average
metabolisms simply cannot pull this of without very quickly crushing their metabolisms.
As an example the typical trainee that has a 3500 calorie BMR, will decide the diet and
cut calories by 1000 to 1500 calories a day, on top of that they will often implement an
aggressive cardio schedule. When you do this the body simply sees this as being in a
starvation situation. To counteract this your body simply lowers your basal metabolic
rate. Thyroid is a key player in this, but there are other bio-chemicals involved with the
metabolic slowdown such as adrenaline.
I am a big advocate of using body temperatures to track and determine metabolic rate. I
learned this in 1995 from Dan Duchain. Many other diet and nutrition gurus also use this
method. The general method consists of taking body temperature frst thing in the
morning. I soon noticed that many people with lower morning temperatures were still
losing weight at an appreciable pace. I changed my method to morning and afternoon or
early evening body temperatures to determine metabolic slowdown.
Simply put if you're trying to diet with a metabolism that is severely shut down, you're
making a tough job much tougher and in many cases impossible.The unknowing trainees
solution is simply to drop calories lower. All this accomplishes is further metabolic
shutdown, and at some point loss of muscle mass. If you do not maintain a daytime or
evening temperature of at least 97.2, in my opinion it's time to do a re-feed to bring
metabolic rate up. Here are some symptoms of low thyroid complements of Tominator
who is an extremely well researched Doctor, and also an extremely strong trainee. He is
one of the few strength and IA verifed people on the forum.
Body temperatures values certainly do vary between people, and can vary by up to a
couple degrees within the same person depending on time of day, activity, meals, etc. You
want to look for an overall pattern not a single reading. Either that, or be consistent and
measure only at a specifc time such as morning.
I assume you take your temperature using the under the tongue thermometer method.
98.6 is the "normal" core temperature value, which is measured via rectal, vaginal, or ear
methods. Oral (mouth) readings run slightly lower, with commonly accepted average
value/range being 98.2+/-1.3. Either way, readings in the 96 are certainly low.

Are they an indicator of poor thyroid function? No way to say defnitively without a
thyroid test (TSH test) result, however, low body temperature is one symptom. Some
other common symptoms are listed below. If you have several of these, I'd recommend
you get tested.
* Fatigue
* Sluggishness
* Increased sensitivity to cold
* Constipation
* Pale, dry skin
* A pufy face
* Hoarse voice
* An elevated blood cholesterol level
* Unexplained weight gain/inability to lose weight
* Muscle aches, tenderness and stifness
* Pain, stifness or swelling in your joints
* Muscle weakness
* Brittle fngernails and hair
* Depression
The best way to get around this is to simply not be so aggressive in your attempts to lose
body fat. Another way people end up with the thrashed metabolisms is simply those
people that are hungry and don't eat much at all on a long term basis. At least 20 to 25% of
the people that come to me with the intent of dieting for fat loss are told that they must
frst bring their metabolic rate up before we have a good chance of the body fat coming of
at a fast pace without muscle loss.
Iron Addict

Sleep - Is going to bed too late making you fat?

Our cells are sensitive to light and dark, so late nights disrupt cortisol rhythms, which
raises night-time blood sugar, which gets stored as fat.
Many of our hormones are intimately related to circadian rhythms, and their function gets
thrown of when we completely ignore the fact that night follows day, and day follows
night. During the longer days of summer, mammals are hardwired to fnd sustenance to
store as fat, to help them last the shorter days of winter where they will be either
hibernating or eating less due to lack of food availability.
In humans, this hardwiring shows up as a desire for carbohydrates. By choosing to stay
up with the lights on, watching TV or doing computer work late at night long after the
sun has gone down, our hormonal system is fooled into believing that it is still day,
resulting in increased cortisol and insulin levels, which makes you want to snack, and
most likely on carbohydrates. In today's wealthy countries, winter does not mean a lack of
food availability, so late night snacking is often the result.
Even if you do not snack, staying up late regularly causes cortisol to release a nightly dose
of sugar into the bloodstream for energy, insulin then rises to store that sugar as fat.
Constantly high levels of insulin are an important factor in developing insulin resistance
and type 2 diabetes. And if you are insulin resistant, smelling a pastry will make you fat!
Therefore, fat storage is largely controlled by the amount of light you are exposed to and
the insulin resistance it causes.
Going to bed by 10pm lowers your night-time cortisol and insulin levels, and raises your
melatonin levels, which prevents this whole cycle from developing. In the summer, when
the light is long, we can get away with staying up a little longer, but when the sun goes
down, bed should soon follow. In the winter most of us need about 9.5 hours of sleep.
Iron Addict

Extremely Stubborn Fat Loss People

For most people getting down to 10-12% bodyfat for guys and 18-22% for girls is an
extremely easy process. I am not saying it does not require hard work and dedication and
correct eating habits--it does! But, it is a pretty easy and predictable thing to do from a
diet and cardio protocol standpoint. Do the right things. Do them for long enough, and
the bodyfat goes away--simple as that.
Some people are simply not that fortunate. About 3-5 in 100 trainees I get are the
guys/girls that have bodies that are extremely fat loss resistant. I will give an example of a
recent client. He came to me eating about 5,000 calories a day maintenance diet, he said
he was "maybe gaining a bit of fat on the diet", and about 400-500 grams of those were
carbs. He did not do cardio. I cut his diet by removing 200 grams of carbs which is an
800 calorie defcit and put him on low intensity 6 days a week with a carb cutof. This
alone should have resulted in pretty decent fat loss. It did......for about 3 weeks. I told him
to try riding it out for three more weeks to see what was really happening. He said he lost
no more fat and sent pictures to back that up. I reduced carbs to 150 on training days and
to only 50 on non-training days. he lost a tiny bit of fat and was once again stuck. I
reduced protein/carbs and fat until less than 3 months later he was eating a bit more than
1/2 of his previous maintenance diet--this is a HUGE defcit and not something I would
ever do in normal circumstances unless we are talking about getting a competitor ready
for a show and then it would be done on a step format AND most importantly the
competitor would have shown very good fat loss from each step. He did not. We took
body temps and thyroid was still good even at the extremely reduced caloric level.
What is going on here? Without blood work it is hard to know. Do I think the trainee is
at fault and was cheating--NO, this guy is one of the most dedicated and detail oriented
guys I have worked with in a long time. Also one of the most extreme fat loss resistant
guys I have worked with in a very long time. Thyroid is still good, but thyroid is only part
of the fat loss puzzle. Adreniline, epinephrine, C-amp, beta receptors, insulin, growth
hormone, IGF, testosterone, estrogen glucogen, prostglandlins and a whole array of
various cathecolamines, and many other chemicals regulate fat loss.
What is the answer for these type of people? Well, it's not a pretty one. I think most of
them require a keto diet with minimal carb-ups, and if they want to get the fat of with a
minimal amount of trial and error, shotgunning fat loss chems. Here is where it gets ugly.
Unless the trainee wants to spend a lot of time fguring out which NON-STIMULANT
(and in extreme cases perhaps stimulant) fat loss supps work, if they are the extreme fat
loss resistant type, they should likely throw everything they have at the problem. I won't
lay out a stack, but a bit of research will give you the answers.

A warrior diet is also a very suitable way to do this if a keto is not something you can pull
of.
Keto/warrior diet/fat loss supplement that hit as many pathways as possible/cardio while
NOT being super aggressive with caloric restriction and ramping down calories only
when fat loss stalls AND only dieting for a maximum of 16 weeks before at least 4 weeks
of refeeds is the answer here for many of these people.
Now that I wrote that I will have to end it with saying that MOST of you likely consider
yourself extremely fat loss stubborn because you half-ass diet for 6 weeks and don't see a
lean physique in the mirror. That is not fat loss stubborn, that is poor execution and lack
of patience.
Iron Addict

Fat Loss Pace

No one is ever losing fat fast enough except guys that have been at this a very long time.
Or guys with freakshow fat metabolisms, or guys doing drugs. You can get a freak doing
test, tren, another anabolic, some t-3, clen, and all the nastiest over the counter stims and
watch the fat melt. Joe average sees this, doesn't understand the drug component, and
thinks he can go from 14% to 6 in 16 weeks like Mr competitor did. All he gets is a crushed
metabolism and no more fat loss until e is at starvation level calories and then he is losing
more muscle then fat.
Iron Addict

Is extreme protein needed?

I know and work with a lot of talented BBers and PLers and every SUCCESSFUL one
will tell you the body needs EXTREME protein intake levels if you are to ever do well
lifting and adding mass. Of course there are plenty of buck-sixty pound guys out there
that will quote studies telling you that it is not needed.
I am constantly bombarded with posts from under 200 lb guys saying things like I heard
that the body can only assimilate 30-35 grams at a time or the super MORONIC
statement that is even more frequently heard I dont want to waste protein. Oh really?
Its OK to drive to the gym, workout 2-6 days a week, spend countless hours lifting and
prepping meals and spending God knows how much a month on mostly USELESS
supplements (there are great ones, most guys buy the fashy crap ones though because of
the marketing hype), and then after all that time, money and efort, they are worried
about wasting a bit of protein? Please, get real.
You need to understand that before a single gram of protein will be used for growth, frst
overall metabolic needs must be attended to. Then you need to take in to account all the
micro-trauma that heavy training creates. Your body must use the ingested protein to frst
just synthesize protein just to heal what was damaged and get you back to square one
before any additional mass will be accrued.
Now comes the big kicker that almost everyone here reading this is CLUELESS about
how little actual protein content is in the food you eat. When many see a
recommendation that a 200 lb guy trying to add mass should get 375-400 grams of protein
a day many fip-out. That is nuts! No one could use or possibly have a need for that much
protein---WRONG! Just because 8 ounces of steak with fat has about 60 grams of
protein, the average guy assumes that 400 grams of actual protein is a HUGE amount.
IT IS NOT! 8 ounces of steak is mostly water and other constituents that do NOT count
as the protein count.
But instead of taking my word for it, you do the math and fnd out how much ACTUAL
PROTEIN is in an amount you would consider HUGE, and then think about what your
overall bodyweight is and how tore-up a hard workout makes you feel.
http://www.sciencelab.com/data/conversions/weight.shtml
Did you do the math? What do you think now?
Iron Addict

Timed Carb Dieting

I almost feel like erasing all the FULL TCD threads on the boards. People are still
asking almost all questions about full TCD's when in most cases they would be better of
using 1/2 TCD's A full defned as:
5 days no carbs except PWO, and two days carb-ups
A 1/2 defned as LOW carbs taken in every day with cut-of at a certain point--usually 4-8
hours before bed.
It has been about a year since I switched my clients to doing 1/2's and the results have
been across the board much better. Fat loss is a bit slower, but strength/size gains are
better, and compliance is WAY, WAY, WAY, up. People don't binge on 1/2 days
anywhere near as bad. I still use full TCD's with certain clients and some competitors
getting ready to do shows, but for Joe average that wants to lose some bodyfat, and get a
LOT stronger while doing it, and add mass while dropping bodyfat genetics willing the
1/2 day works extremely well with way less hassle. Quit making it harder on yourselves. I
tried to make it easier on you
Despite many posts about this, almost all questions are directed to full TCD's and I
constantly get new clients that have been doing fulls.
There is nothing wrong with the full version, but the 1/2 is MUCH easier to do and
works AWESOME if your kcals and macro's are plotted correctly.
Iron Addict

Another way to do timed carb dieting

The best, most efective way to run a timed carb diet is to run a certain number of days
carb-free unless you are working out on those days. In which case you only consume carbs
pre/post workout. Then after the pre-ordained numbers of days are past you do a carb-up.
Using this method glycogen stores stay relatively high, so gym performance stays good,
thyroid stays relatively high so you dont hit the old Im stuck wall, and its not a total
deprivation diet like keto diets. Great way to go. Except.some guys just have strange
metabolisms, or I think in some cases, just tell themselves how horrible it will be..and it
is. I have heard people say things like:
I will pass-out if I go more than 5 hours without carbs
My vision gets distorted, and I can barely tell where I am at
I break out into a sweat and cant drive
I got so dizzy I fell down just walking across the room
Well, I could go on and on, but lets just say some people dont tolerate low carbs well.
What percent? In my experience its less then 5% that have any probs other than some low
energy days when frst transitioning over to low/no-carbs.
So..a diferent approach is a good idea for these people, and also for people with a
family that want to appear to be semi-normal when hanging out with family and friends.
So what is the approach? It is simply to eat zero carbs after a certain time before bed (at
least 3 hours.) And only have carbs either pre/post workout on workout days. For nonworkout days, only have carbs at dinner, and maybe a LIGHT snack afterwards or before
dinner.
The rate of fat-loss will NOT be as fast as a normal timed carb diet, but it is much more
painless, and liver gylcogen levels should never drop to the point that blood sugar gets so
low you feel beat-up.
How to determine the correct kcals? That is something that cannot be done with any
formulas, and besides. That is part of what personal training clients pay me forlol. But
if you are willing to experiment, you should be able to get fairly close on your own.
BEWARE, most people get too aggressive and shut their metabolism down FAST.
Slow and steady wins the diet race. It didnt go on overnight, nor should you try to lose it
overnight.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Why Whey SUCKS!

You want a STEADY infux of amino acids, not a big dump of them and nothing. A piece
of steak or chicken is leaching out amino's into your blood for 8-14+ hours. Casein 6-7,
whey, 1-2. Do you REALLY think you are synthesizing that much muscle tissue in 1-2
hours. Because that is what you are trying to do with whey. It is very insulingenic also.
THAT is the short answer--believe what you will, but whey is a CRAP protein for
anything except PWO, OR, to add to a WHOLE FOOD MEAL. As a meal
replacement the way most people use them, it just leads to an epic failure for most lifters.
Iron Addict

Basic Diet Information

The forum gets plenty of brandnewbies that have absolutely zero idea how to go about
dieting to add muscle or lose bodyfat. This article will not be an in depth summary of all
the diet types and how to implement them, but a very basic overview of how to get started
with a diet. There are plenty of articles on actual diets if you will take the time to do a few
searches on the forum.
The numbers given are basic starting points and will NOT be correct for all lifters--they
are starting points and will work for getting you in the ball-park. Everyone has diferent
metabolisms and some people are quite frankly gifted metabolically and some are genetic
trash. That is reality.--deal with it.
First, I will put in a shameless plug and tell you that the easiest way to get started on a
diet is to sign-up for an account on Redpointftness.com. I am part of the design team and
Redpoint will truly take the guesswork out of both diet and training for you. That said,
lets get started!
Part one, and the most important part is determining your maintenance level caloric
number. This is easiest if your current diet is neither adding or losing scale weight. If that
is the case, go to ftday.com or one of the other free calorie counters on the web and
WEIGH and enter your EXACT diet WITHOUT CHANGING ANYTHING. Do
5-7 days of this and take the totals and average them. That will be your starting number.
If your diet is slowly adding weight, or slowly losing weight, do the same thing and then
add or subtract 200-400 calories a day from the number you get. That will be your
starting point.
If you are trying to add mass, the guidelines are simple:
1. Protein at 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight unless you are over 20% bodyfat. If you are
over 20% bodyfat you should not be massing and should lose the fat frst.
2. Complex carbs and fats make up the rest of the diet. Complex carbs should be 60 or
under on the GI scale. If you are an ecto, mesomorph, teen or in your early 20s you may
do well on 40% or even more carbs. If you are and endomorph, or 23+ you will likely do
better on 20-35% carbs.
3. You need essential fatty acids. 5-8 grams of fsh oil will do. The rest of the calories will
come from fats, these can be mono, poly, or saturated depending on what you believe
about saturated fats.
4. You need a caloric surplus of 200-400 calories a day depending on how long you have
been lifting. If you are a newbie, you may be able to eat 500-700 extra calories a dayI

said MAYnot can. Most people will just get fat doing this. Muscle is built relatively
slowly and adding lb of muscle a week will result in gaining 24 lbs in a year. How many
people other than pure beginners actually do this?
If you are trying to reduce bodyfat, the guidelines are also simple:
1. For MOST people trying to reduce bodyfat, carb control is an extremely big part of the
equation. Unless you are a teen, or an extremely fast metabolism ectomorph, carbs should
not be more than 20% of overall calories when trying to lose fat, SOME people are
exceptions to this, but if you want to go with the odds, assume you are not
2. You need to coax the body into losing fat, not force it. The biggest mistake people
make is trying to lose fat too fast. This usually results in the metabolism just slowing
down so much it matches your caloric defcit. A 200 lb male should NEVER attempt to
lose more than 2 lbs a week and that is an absolute maximum, and only works for people
with good fat burning metabolisms. 1.5 lbs a week is a better goal for a 200 lb male, 1 or
1.25 for a lighter guysorry, most of you simply dont want to hear this, but that is the
reality. And BTW, this is not MY standards, but the standards of every single good
strength and conditioning coach and dietician you will fnd that has any credentials.
3. If you create a 500 calorie a day defcit AND carbs are reasonably reduced, you will lose
approximately 1 lb a week. If you are going to be doing cardio, factor the calories used
doing the cardio into your defcit. A 4 mile per hour walk for 45 minutes burns
approximately 300-350 calories for a 200 lb male.
4. Fat loss will NOT be linear and you will lose the most weight when frst starting the
diet.
5. Dieting for more than 16 weeks without a break is NOT recommended for Most
people.
6. Diet types for MOST people should work around the principle of having long periods
of the day where carbs are low or not included. This can be a day timed carb diet, a
timed carb diet (TCD) or a keto. Teens should NOT be doing a keto diet unless they are
obese and very insulin resistant. Most teens can just cut carbs to 20-30% of the diet, create
a calorie defcit and do some cardio to drop fat. They should NOT be doing any kind of
drastic diet like a keto and should not do an aggressive caloric defcit diet.
The concepts are all simplethe discipline is what is usually lacking.
Iron Addict

Digestive Capacity

After working with well over a thousand personal training clients over the last 10 years I
have come to the frm conclusion that digestive capacity, or lack thereof is one of the
prime causes of failure in the lifting world. If you dont fuel it, it will never happen, and
while a large segment of the lifters out there dont fuel it well enough due to pure neglect
on their part, many lose because of innate capacity to process large amounts of food well.
And while many, if not most peoples digestive capacity improves over time, some peoples
improve only very little, and as the lifter gains more mass, it then makes it even harder to
hit the daily caloric and protein level needs. Take a guy that started out at 175 and could
barely eat enough at that bodyweight and get him to 225 and many times it just makes it
that much harder to get past the next bodyweight hurdle. I have a great combo, fast
metabolism and slow digestive capacity. From the time I wake-up to the time I go to bed
its a struggle to cram enough food in, and after Im in bed its not over because I have to
get up and slam a shake in the middle of the night often if I didnt get the daily allotment
in before bedtimegreat!
Some guys tell me they can eat all there allotted kcals and 300 grams of protein before
noon and still be hungry, and some guys complain that 300 grams a day almost kills them
trying to get it and they are bloated all day. And 300 grams is for the little guys. Many of
the bigger guys need 400-500 grams a day.
What can you do about this? The biggest thing is to REALLY try and troubleshoot the
foods and food combos that cause you problems. I know guys that bloat like pigs from a
glass of milk and then mix all their protein (with lactose usually) with milk and wonder
why they are bloated and not hungry. Food allergies are extremely common and yet, some
people never put 2 and 2 together and eliminate foods that cause them problems. Some
food combos just dont work for certain people and should be avoided. I can eat a
HUGE steak and a potato and be hungry again in a few hours, Eat a hue steak and a
salad and it takes MANY hours before it goes down. So, I shit-can the salad. Pretty
simple.
Digestive enzymes can be extremely helpful too. Dont overlook them if you are having
problems processing food. If you dont fuel it, it will never happen. If you cant seem to eat
enough without almost exploding analyze what and when you are eating it and make
some smart changes. I see posts all the time where guys ask for routine advice and then
admit their diet sucks and they dont/wont/cant eat enough. If you cant support the
growth process at the diner table, you might as well stay home on gym day.
Iron Addict

Timed Carb Dieting

Most of the people that come to me seeking personal training advice have their number
one priority listed as dropping bodyfat. And when I say most, I am talking about 75-80%.
The sad part is a big percentage of those people were NOT fat when they started
bodybuilding. Yes, they got that way trying to bulk up. I guess you can say they were
successful at bulking if you consider fat to be bulk. What they should have been doing
is muscling up. That is rarely done until the trainee is quite experienced. The yo-yo
approach can work well if you are blessed with a great metabolismfew are. Had they
done it right they wouldnt be in that situation. But, past mistakes are best left in the past.
This article is about how to leave those mistakes in the past where they belong, and give
you some general guidelines about timed-carb dieting, which I FIRMELY believe is the
best approach to dropping the bodyfat while at a bare minimum retaining 100% of your
muscle mass, and in the VAST majority of cases, adding some muscle and lots of strength
while shedding the unwanted fat.
Before I outline the timed carb strategy, I am going to go over the typical types of diets
followed by those in search of their abs, and talk about the pros and cons of each
technique. Lets get started!
Low calorie, low fat diets
This is probably the #1 approach taken by those that have taken the plunge into the realm
of dieting and it also happens to be the #1 reason many are afraid to diet. Why are they
afraid? Because past experience has taught them that when dieting, they lose hard-earned
muscle. And with this type of diet you can EXPECT at least a 50/50 muscle to fat loss
ratio! YES! You lose 10 lbs and at LEAST 5 is usually muscle!!! Why? You frst need to
understand a bit about bodyfat metabolism. Your body stores bodyfat as reserve fuel in
case of famine. Which is not much of a problem in todays world in industrialized
countries. OK, now youre fat and you decide to drop it using this approach. The problem
is, that when carbs are present, the fat burning pathways, which are driven by an
enzymatic process are SHUT-DOWN, because carbs produce the release of insulin in
your system, and insulin stops the enzymatic processes that allows you to burn bodyfat as
a fuel source.
But wait! Calories are too low to fuel basal metabolism, and since your body cant burn
fat what is left? Ahhhh, you guessed it! Protein! Where does this protein come from? Well
frst your body will convert the recently ingested protein to glucose, but that still doesnt
cover daily caloric demands. So what next? Yup, your body starts catabolizing its own
muscle to use as a fuel source, and..you LOSE!

ISO-Caloric Diets
This is the diet made famous by Barry Sears of the Zone Diet fame. The idea here is to
make the diet as balanced between protein/carbs/fats as possible and reduce insulin
secretion as much as possible. These types of diets do quite a bit better at holding onto
muscle while beating down the fat than low-cal, low-fat diets, but once caloric levels get
low enough to drop bodyfat levels at a reasonable rate, you will still be chewing up a
bunch of muscle unless on a LOT of gear, and you wont really be on an ISO ratio if you
are going to be getting enough protein to build/maintain muscle. These types of diets
(with additional protein skewing a true iso-caloric profle) are GREAT while adding
mass, but not really what the bodybuilder needs to get rid of bodyfat. Same problem as
listed above arises since carbs/insulin are still present.
Keto Diets
These diets are based on the fact that when you reduce carbs to ZERO, and keep it that
way for a period of anywhere from 12 hours to 48 hours (dependant an a variety of factors)
your body will shift from frst burning carbs, to then burning fats, to ultimately converting
fats into ketones, and using the ketones as the primary fuel source. The name given to this
process is ketosis, hence the name keto-diet. Keto diets are protein sparing, which means
your body will tend to hold on to protein (muscle) which is exactly what we want when
dieting.
These diets do work extremely well for dropping bodyfat while holding onto muscle. Just
what the aspiring bodybuilder wants. So whats the catch? Wellthe catch is that to
achieve and stay in actual ketosis, you usually have to be carb-free about 2 days. These
diets are typically done by going without any carbs for 5 days (sometimes 6) and then
doing a 1 or 2 day carb-up and repeating the cycle. Sound simple? Try it and then tell me
how easy it is. If you can breach that stumbling block, you then reach the second problem.
Without ANY carbs for so many days performance in the gym sufers. So while these
diets are protein sparing, they dont allow you to go all out in the gym, and you end up
losing strength because you are held at reign in the gym. The third big reason they fail
many is because with zero carbs, and low calorie levels, thyroid metabolism tends to get
S-L-O-W-E-R. Bad thing! Even with these drawbacks, this is not a bad diet for dropping
bodyfat and defnitely many notches above the previously mentioned diets. Butthere is
a better way! Enter timed-carb dieting!
Timed Carb Diets
A timed carb diet works on the same basic principle as a keto-diet. Take away the bodies
preferred fuel source (carbs) and provide enough fat in the diet that the body will switch
to using fat as the fuel. But instead of going 5-6 days without ANY carbs, this diet allows
you to take in carbs when they are most needed, and least likely to spill over into fat stores
right after the workout. Also, since we are not worried about actually hitting ketosis

and staying in ketosis, if you slip, or just feel the need to bump up carbs a bit to replenish
glycogen stores, you didnt just bump yourself out of the ketogenic state you just spent 2
days to achieve.
What do these diets accomplish?
Fat is burned as the preferred fuel source and protein (read that muscle) is spared.
Performance in the gym stays good.
Thyroid function remains higher for a longer period of time.
You dont go out of your head waiting 5 days to eat some damn carbs!
OK, now the how-to of a timed carb diet. Again, we are trying to get the body to switch
from being a carb or protein-burning machine into a fat burning machine. Remember, if
caloric levels are low, and carbs, thus insulin is high, your body will convert protein to
carbs via glucogenisys and that is to be avoided at all costs. Anyway, to get on the path of
burning fat as fuel, we simply remove the carbs out of the equation, AND keep fat in the
diet at (at least) a 40-50% ratio. This lets the body know there is still a primary fuel source
(fat) and allows it to be burned as fuel, while sparing protein
So, we decide to start a timed carb diet on Monday. Sunday night you cut out the carbs
about three hours before bed. When you wake up in the morning blood sugar levels will
be very low, and your body will be wanting some carbs---too bad, it doesnt get any! You
will eat only fat and protein. Ensuring fat makes up at LEAST 40% of the caloric profle.
You may have a leafy green salad with oil based dressing, or some string-beans, or other
such low-carb veggie, BUT NO MORE THAN 6-8 grams of carbs per feeding. You
keep this up right until pre-workout, where an apple is allowed IF you feel the need to put
a few carbs in your system to raise energy levels. MOST guys do not fnd this to be
necessary and if it does not provide a big advantage DONT do it. If the carbs dont help
much, have a small protein drink and proceed with the workout.
Post-workout, and its time to replenish the carb-stores in the muscles you just worked. As
the vast majority of you already know, immediately after a hard weight training session
there is a window of opportunity in the muscle cell when insulin sensitivity is very high
and the body is most receptive to nutrient uptake. So..you slam down 65-100 grams of
fast liquid carbs (malto-dextrin, dextrose, and yes, even sucrose will work). About 10
minutes later follow it up with a 65-100 gram whey protein drink. As soon as you are
hungry again, you can eat a small regular meal with a 40/30/30 protein/carb/fat profle to
top of the tank of glycogen stores in the muscle. Then, you are back to zero or trace
amounts of carbs until the next workout.
You then repeat the this format for a maximum of fve days, and then have a 1-2 day carbup. On days that you dont train, you dont eat any carbs except for a green salad or two.

You do not have to run these no carb to carb days for the full fve days and for many of
you, having a lower ratio of no carb Vs. carb days will be advantageous. Also you do
NOT have to do the carb days back-to back. You may do a couple of no carb days,
followed by one or more carb days. This is determined on YOUR metabolism and how
fast you want to drop the bodyfat.
Pretty simple huh? Well, I havent given you ALL the details, but close enough to get
most of you at least much closer to being able to put together a successful diet plan on
your own, and if you want to have ALL the details in place, consider having me train you!
Dos and donts:
If you dont keep the fat ratio AT LEAST 40% your body will just continue to use carbs
as fuel. How does this happen if all you are eating is chicken breasts as an example? Well
your body has no problems converting protein to carbs and WILL do this if it doesnt
sense an alternate fuel source (fats.)
This type of diet tends to work best with lower overall workout days, so if you are a
volume trainer who is in the gym 6 days a week (bad idea in any case IMO) you will see
decreased results since every day will be a carb day. It will still work however.
Log your food intake for at LEAST a week to ensure you are hitting your numbers for
both macro-nutrient profle, and overall kcals. You might just fnd out how far of you are
from where you thought you were.
Your carb-up days are designed to refll the glycogen stores in the muscle, and bump up
caloric levels a bit to keep your thyroid of balance. They are not go all-out berserk pig-out
days. MANY, MANY lifters make this mistake and cancel out all the fat loss they
achieved up until the carb-up day(s).
Do cardio when dieting. No it is not mandatory, but it makes such a big diference for
such little efort and time expended that is extremely short-sighted to not include it as part
of your fat-loss plan.
Dont be in a big hurry to drop the bodyfat. You didnt get fat overnight (well, some of you
almost did) so dont try to lose it overnight. You should work along the lines of about this
much fat loss a week:
150-200 lb trainees, 1.5 lbs a week
200-250 lb trainees, 2 lbs a week
250+ 2 to 2-1/2b lbs a week
Going much more aggressive than that and strength gains will slow or stop, and
catabolism may set in.

If you are just starting a reduced volume (or realistic training program) the scale may be
worthless at frst. Many people are able to gain a signifcant amount of muscle when
dieting like this. Use the mirror and calipers (or better yet hydro-static weighing) to
determine your rate of success.
You WILL end up looking fat by day 3-4, this is NOT representative of what you will
look like when fully carbed-up. Remember, each gram of glycogen in the muscle brings 3
grams of water with it. When glycogen stores are down (and they will be) when doing
low carbs you will appear smaller. Its just water, dont sweat it!
This type of diet lends itself well to getting a large percentage of daily caloric levels from
protein powder and EFAs (essential fatty acids), and that makes it convenient to do.
I will at some point put out another article aimed at how to stay lean while adding mass,
and as you might guess it is a variation of this basic format.
There you go, get that damn bodyfat of you and become a true bodybuilder. You know,
one who isnt afraid to take his shirt of-lol.
And, again, If you want ALL the pieces of diet/routine and supplementation laid out for
you including exact macronutrient and kcal requirements, consider having me train you!
Iron Addict

Protein Drinks Vs. real food

An on-going raging debate in the lifting community is about the relative importance of
having the majority of your diet coming from real food Vs those people that for
convenience sake and ability to consume adequate protein like to base a large percentage
of their diet around shake based feedings.
To make this argument on fair terms a couple of qualifers need to be determined frst.
One is the very nature of the argument that whey, calcium caseinate, or egg protein since
it is dried is somehow not food. It is, it is just very complete protein that has been
processed to eliminate undesired portions and dried.
The next thing that needs to be determined is if the trainee is ONLY having a shake and
calling it a meal, or is having it along with some other whole food. If the trainee has a
couple of chicken breasts and a sweet potato we call it a real food meal. If the trainee has
a whey shake and a sweet potato many do not call it a real food meal. I beg to difer.
Having a salad, and a couple of pieces of whole grain bread and a shake is a meal minus
the dead animal portion that needed to be prepared. In my opinion this is a fne way to
ensure you are getting the protein you need in an easily consumed and digested format. If
the trainee is just having 5-6 shakes a day, then I can easily see the argument that he is not
consuming a reasonable diet and should get things in order.
Am I saying every meal with a shake and food is the way to go? No, not at all. A balance
of regular meals should be consumed. But if it is the only way the trainee is going to get
the allotted protein along with some other nutritious food is by having a large percentage
of shakes with other whole food, it works just fne.
My preference is no never go over 40% protein powder.
Iron Addict

Cholesterol, the enemy?

It is a given that what you want is normal cholesterol. But many are unaware that
cholesterol is THE key hormone that is REQUIRED for production of a LARGE
variety of all key hormones. If you had no cholesterol as an example you would have no
test, or cortisol or DHEA, or well.......here is what cholesterol eventally becomes in
normally functioning humans:
Choleterol frst converts to pregnenolone, which converts on one side to progesterone,
and the oher to 17a-hydroxypregnenalone, which converts to DHEA-S and DHEA
which converts to Androstendione, and Androstendiol, which converts to Testosterone,
which converts to DHT and Estridiol, and Estrone, and Estriol. On the other side after
Progesterone, you get 11-Deoxycorticosterone, cortisterone, aldosteron, and between
them is 11-Deoxycortisol, that then converts to cortisol. And oops, I left of a conversion
on the other side (this is a very basic explaination and there is feedback and indirect
conversions among these groups) from DHEA 16a-HydroxyDHEA, to 16ahydroxyandrostenendione, to 16a-Hydroxyesterone.
All that from Cholesterol, so the next time you wish you had no cholesterol, wish again
Iron Addict

Waxy Maize
Well, I fnally cuaght up to the rest of the world and tried waxy maize. For those that
don't know, it is a "fast" carb used for post workout recovery. For a fast carb, the frst
thing noted is.....it doesn't very "carb like". As per my usual with all proteins and carb
mixes I got plain no sweetener, so I am not sure how well it sweetens, but the "plain" is
very plain tasting. Not sweet at all. One of the benefts is supposed to be less bloating,
which I do get from dextrose or malto-dextrin. Well the waxy doesn't bloat me! I have no
idea what the GI rating is, nor can I fnd it anywhere, which was one reason I held of so
long trying it. Now for the real test--the glucometer. But so far, after a couple hard sled
pulling sessions, and the waxy for PWO carbs, I like it and will continue to use it unless
the glucometer says something I am not feeeling. And it doesn't seem to be crashing me.
Here is what True Protein has to say about it:
http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_D...id=23&pid=6737
Iron Addict

Breakfast wrecks the day

Like most people, I have things to do in the morning and like breakfast to be quick and
convenient many days when I don't have time to cook. Here was one I ate a LOT
because it was so quick and easy:
1 banana
2 pieces whole grain bread
60 grams whey
10 grams fsh oil
The efects? My blood sugar crashed badly and I felt like shit, but didn't know why. Felt
like death until lunch
This is an example of another quick and easy breakfast for when I don't have time to
cook:
1 pear
2 pieces of Ezekiel bread
60 grams egg protein
10 grams fsh oil.
The efects? No blood sugar crash, great energy, feel great.
Not a giant change, but a giant change in results.
Iron Addict

Protein/Carb Exchange
IF, and I mean IF you are carb tolerant you can to SOME DEGREE swap some carbs
for protein to help with ensuring caloric demands. If you are not carb tolerant, you will
just get fatter.
Iron Addict

Reducing Bloating
This is a pain in the ass to do but works.
Start by doing a 1-2 day fast.
Eat ONLY ONE FOOD AT A TIME. Start with proteins, see which ones digest easily
and which ones bloat you and at what quantities.
After a couple of days you should be getting an idea of what proteins you can eat well.
In the mornings have some carb only meals. This may crash some people if the carbs are
too fast. make note of that, and notes of which carbs bloat you. The ones that don't, try
combining with proteins. You will fnd things that work and things that do not. DON'T
keep eating things that bloat you too much.
If over a certain quantity of protein bothers you, try taking digestive enzymes with it.
Fats are usually not problematic unless you do not produce enough bile. If fatty meals
bother you, either take digestive enzymes with them, or ovoid those quantities.
On a true mass diet, you WILL likely be a bit bloated.
If you have the money, reduce total protein intake by supplementing BCAA's and EAA's.
5-10 grams of each with each meal will allow you to eliminate a LOT of whole food
protein, or shakes that bloat you.
Pay attention to what your nose, sinuses, and throat are doing. Your nose may slightly
run, your sinuses may get a bit congested, and your throat may get a bit scratchy, or swell
a bit when eating foods you are not compatible with.
Iron Addict

Fat on a keto
If you are doing a REAL keto diet, having too much fat is better than not enough. I have
learned this the hard way a few times. If you are doing a timed carb, or very low carb diet,
this is not necessarily the case. It applies more so to keto's.
Iron Addict

Keto addiction
After my carb up days I absolutely can't wait to get back into ketosis. On re-feed days
regardless f I eat clean or dirty I just feel funky and lazy. Once solidly in ketosis energy
levels are stable and mental alertness is always spot on--even when well under
maintenance. It really sucks that adding mass is MUCH easier when doing carbs. When
I am done dieting I am going to diet using the absolute lowest carb levels that will add
mass and keep me as lean as possible. When calories are not high enough fat and protein
will be added-not more carbs. Human skeletal muscle holds 400-800 grams TOTAL
carbs, liver another 100 or so. If you have enough fats in your diet for energy I believe you
can keep glycogen decently full on a smaller amount of carbs than most people possible. I
have a lot of clients that have their goal to stay as lean as possible doing 100-150 grams of
carbs a day mostly PWO and they are growing fne considering their genetics and natural
status. Cabr cycling, and refeed days can keep glycogen full enough for gym sessions to be
optimal.
Remember though, for the 'average" trainee, best results from a size standpoint will
almost always come from a diet with carbs. But consuming large quantities to meet
overall energy needs usually just results in the lifter getting fat while dieting. If you are not
gaining muscle and protein is high enough, experiment with adding fat before more carbs
to meet caloric requirements IF you are taking in at least a reasonable amount of carbs
while massing. Many young guys can bypass this. I have young lifters that do 400-900
grams of carbs a day and stay lean. This does not usually last much past 22-23, unless we
are talking about a 230-290 lb lifter/.
Iron Addict

Acidic Blood, Muscle Catabolism

I just read yet another study that shows chronic acidic blood PH levels promote muscle
catabolism in the long-term. My best guess is 50-70% of the people reading this are acidic.
SOME is genetic, the rest can be STRONGLY infuenced by diet. Bodybuilders and
weight trainees in general mostly eat acidic foods.
That is just another extremely strong reason to be eating your veggies and LOW
glycemic fruit. I had 5 servings of spinach and broccoli yesterday--how many did you have?
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Protein powders while on a keto

I have done keto's while trying to take in 40-50% protein from whey and oil, or whey and
nuts. For ME, it did not work well at all. Pulumbo structures his keto's with one meal
whole food, one meal whey and fat for convenience sake. I cannot argue with his results
so the answer is that it can work well. Recently I have been trying a variation of using
powders and it WORKS!. However it is not done using whey, but micellar casein
(regular casein will work also). My diet looks like this:
Meal 1
micellellar casein
Almonds
Fish oil
Meal 2
Steak/chicken or fsh
Broccoli or spinach
fsh oil
Meal 3
micellellar casein
macadamia nuts
Fish oil
Meal 4
Steak/chicken or fsh
Broccoli or spinach
fsh oil
Meal 5
Either meal choice depending on what I feel like. At the moment I am down to 4 meals a
day--not optimal, but what I need to be at to get 2000 calories a day. Each meal is a
metered and measured 500 calories, and on WO days I get about 300-400 calories more
from the WO, and PWO feedings.
Some days diferent things are subbed and I will make an egg and cheese omelet, or
throw some omega-3 eggs into the blender with the casein.
During the workout I take 20 grams BCAA's, and near the end 10 grams of EAA's, that
is followed by casein and nuts PWO.

I think all the great diet guys (Poliquin, Di Pasquale, Palumbo, Barardi, and the rest) are
spot on about the importance of high EFA's all the time and especially on a keto.
Palumbo thinks they preserve mass, increase fullness, and allow lower protein intake
while still preserving muscle--I think so too.
Now having said that, I think you can do better subbing the powder for whole food, but I
do know that it can work very well with a SLOW digesting powder such as casein or egg.
Iron Addict

Fat ratios of oils

Oil Type Poly Mono Saturated Fats
Macadamia Oil 4 84 12
Almond Oil 25 65 10
Animal Oils 5 45 50
Butter 7 36 57
Canola Oil 30 63 7
Olive Oil 10 76 14
Palm Oil 10 39 51
Peanut Oil 36 45 19
Pecan Oil 34 55 11
Safower Oil 77 14 9
Soyabean Oil 62 23 15
Sunfower Oil 66 23 11
Iron Addict

Palumbo on Carbs
Dave trains a lot of pretty elite level bodybuilders. Lots of NPC and some IFFB guys.
Here is his "blanket statement" about of-season carbs:
I LIKE MY ATHLETES TO HAVE ABOUT 200-300G CARBS PER DAY IN
THE OFFSEASON.
These are BIG bodybuilders, not 170 lb wanna be's. How many carbs do YOU need?
Iron Addict

If you are lost about how to diet

Many of you are truly lost and are swimming in a sea of confusion about how to go about
dieting for fat loss, or muscle mass accrual. LOTS of things work, but fguring them out
can be time consuming and frustrating. If you want it all fgured out for you as best as
possible without hiring a trainer, go to www.redpointftness.com and sign up. It is truly
state of the art diet and training software.
If you are not inclined to do so, at least go to www.ftday.com, get a free account and
actually start logging what you are consuming. You will then at least have an idea of
which way to adjust overall calories if nothing else.
Iron Addict

The worst diet

Ok, now that I have your attention I will admit there are worse diets. But.......one of the
very worst diets you can do is the U.S. RDA type diet. This is a surefre recipe for obesity
and diabetes. That sad part is most of the sheep.....or should I say cows have fell for it and
try to eat at least somewhat along these guidelines. U.S. government should be held liable
for this kind of CRAP.
Iron Addict

Allergy Testing
Something I recommend to a lot of clients is allergy testing as most of us regularly eat
foods we are intolerant to. I say intolerant because many times a true allergy causes
outright overt symptoms. But then again, lots of allergies don't show symptoms even
though bad metabolic actions are occurring.
Also, if you constantly eat foods you are intolerant too, you will have a VERY HARD
time dropping bodyfat.
If you look around you can fnd the new blood testing (as opposed to the old scratch test
method) fairly cheap. I just had a 90 food allergen test done for 109 dollars. This is run by
a company that goes from town to town, sets up in large stores like safeway, Fry's, or
Wall-Marts and sets up a small testing booth where blood is drawn. Many large cities
have this available. I just found an independent lab that many doctors use in this area that
will do just about any test you want also without a doctors order. Very cool. They do over
2000 tests and the only downside is you have to interpret the results. Which is actually
quite easy as the ranges are listed.
Iron Addict

If they would only eat.....

I would guestemate that the average daily calories of all clients over the last 6 months of
lifters at all weights would be 2600. This includes all the 200+ lb guys.
I won't even get into protein intake/defciency.
I would be less in need as a trainer if people understood PTOR (protein turnover ratio)
and the need for a caloric abundance if massing, or not too much of a defcit if cutting.....
Iron Addict

Acidifying/alkalizing Foods
ACIDIFYING
VEGETABLES
Corn
Lentils
Olives
Winter Squash
ACIDIFYING
FRUITS
Blueberries
Canned or Glazed Fruits
Cranberries
Currants
Plums**
Prunes**
ACIDIFYING
GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS
Amaranth
Barley
Bran, wheat
Bran, oat
Corn
Cornstarch
Hemp Seed Flour
Kamut
Oats (rolled)
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Rice (all)
Rice Cakes
Rye
Spelt
Wheat
Wheat Germ
Noodles
Macaroni
Spaghetti

Bread
Crackers, soda
Flour, white
Flour, wheat
ACIDIFYING
BEANS & LEGUMES
Black Beans
Chick Peas
Green Peas
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Soy Beans
Soy Milk
White Beans
Rice Milk
Almond Milk
ACIDIFYING
DAIRY
Butter
Cheese
Cheese, Processed
Ice Cream
Ice Milk
ACIDIFYING
NUTS & BUTTERS
Cashews
Legumes
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Pecans
Tahini
Walnuts
ACIDIFYING
ANIMAL PROTEIN
Bacon

Beef
Carp
Clams
Cod
Corned Beef
Fish
Haddock
Lamb
Lobster
Mussels
Organ Meats
Oyster
Pike
Pork
Rabbit
Salmon
Sardines
Sausage
Scallops
Shrimp
Scallops
Shellfsh
Tuna
Turkey
Veal
Venison
ACIDIFYING
FATS & OILS
Avacado Oil
Butter
Canola Oil
Corn Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Flax Oil
Lard
Olive Oil
Safower Oil
Sesame Oil
Sunfower Oil

ACIDIFYING
SWEETENERS
Carob
Sugar
Corn Syrup
ACIDIFYING
ALCOHOL
Beer
Spirits
Hard Liquor
Wine
ACIDIFYING
OTHER FOODS
Catsup
Cocoa
Cofee
Vinegar
Mustard
Pepper
Soft Drinks
ACIDIFYING
DRUGS & CHEMICALS
Aspirin
Chemicals
Drugs, Medicinal
Drugs, Psychedelic
Pesticides
Herbicides
Tobacco
ACIDIFYING
JUNK FOOD
Coca-Cola: pH 2
Beer: pH 2.5
Cofee: pH 4
ALKALIZING
VEGETABLES

Alfalfa
Barley Grass
Beets
Beet Greens
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Caulifower
Celery
Chard Greens
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Dulce
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fermented Veggies
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Peas
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Nightshade Veggies
Onions
Parsnips (high glycemic)
Peas
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radishes
Rutabaga
Sea Veggies
Spinach, green
Spirulina
Sprouts
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Watercress

Wheat Grass
Wild Greens
ALKALIZING
ORIENTAL VEGETABLES
Maitake
Daikon
Dandelion Root
Shitake
Kombu
Reishi
Nori
Umeboshi
Wakame
ALKALIZING
FRUITS
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana (high glycemic)
Berries
Blackberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries, sour
Coconut, fresh
Currants
Dates, dried
Figs, dried
Grapes
Grapefruit
Honeydew Melon
Lemon
Lime
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Orange
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Raisins

Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Tropical Fruits
Umeboshi Plums
Watermelon
ALKALIZING
PROTEIN
Almonds
Chestnuts
Millet
Tempeh (fermented)
Tofu (fermented)
Whey Protein Powder
ALKALIZING
SWEETENERS
Stevia
ALKALIZING
SPICES & SEASONINGS
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Mustard
Chili Pepper
Sea Salt
Miso
Tamari
All Herbs
ALKALIZING
OTHER
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bee Pollen
Lecithin Granules
Molasses, blackstrap
Probiotic Cultures

Soured Dairy Products

Green Juices
Veggie Juices
Fresh Fruit Juice
Mineral Water
Alkaline Antioxidant Water
ALKALIZING MINERALS
Cesium: pH 14
Potassium: pH 14
Sodium: pH 14
Calcium: pH 12
Magnesium: pH 9
Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying efect on the body, the
citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing efect in the system.
Iron Addict

Diets I like
Here is a list of the diet types I like, use with training clients, cover everyone from very
bad discipline levels, to extremely disciplined, and work very well for fat loss for their
INDIVIDUAL intended use. These are the diets I am including in my fat loss book.
Most of them can also be used for massing if the macro's and overall caloric levels are
changed:
Zone Type Diet
Timed Carb Diet
Half Day Timed Carb Diet
Carb Cycling Diet
Keto Diet
Warrior Diet
Paleo Diets
Defnitely not all inclusive but if you can't lose fat using one of these, you aren't likely to
lose it with another diet type.
Iron Addict

Digestive Enzymes
I task all my new clients to test to see if they have digestive enzyme defciencies. Most are
fne, but a good percentage do fnd it to be an issue. When these people start taking
enzymes their whole outlook and ability to eat changes. They can truly make that much of
a diference. There is a post titled "You are what you assimilate". Do a search, read and
apply if you walk around gassy and bloated all day. Enzymes will NOT cure the gas and
bloat that comes from eating the wrong type of foods for YOUR body, but they will fx
the issues that come from not digesting well.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Routines
Volume Training for the Genetically Typical Trainee
Most people that follow popular bodybuilding are aware that the large majority of the
pro's use a training protocol aptly termed volume training. It's called volume training
because you do a LOT of it9-20 sets a bodypart. Unlike HIT training where each set is
done with extreme intensity, volume training is done withwell.less than extreme
intensity. The old saying that you can train hard, or you can train long, but you can't train
long and hard (and we're not talking about porn star training here) really is spot-on.
Show me someone that says they are doing 12 working sets per bodypart at high intensity
levels and I'll show you a liar or a SEVERELY overtrained person that is making ZERO
progress on their lifts.
So in order to get through the many, many sets to be completed, sets are terminated long
before failure. There is nothing wrong with this type of training except for the fact that
the VAST majority of trainees make little or no progress doing it. WAY too much work
being done WAY to frequently for Joe average to recover from. What to do? Well as
everyone reading this no doubt knows I advocate HIT/Hardgainer training as the best
way for people with average genetics to make progress. Well, what if you gave HIT a try
and it didn't work for you, or at least not as well as you would have liked? Mike Mentzer
used to state that HIT was unequivocally the best way for everyone to train, and to that I
state BULLSHIT! While I do believe it's the fastest and only way for most BB's to
achieve their goals, I also know it doesn't work for everyone.
If volume training doesn't work because of too much workload and if HIT doesn't work
for whatever reason for you (I'll go into details about potential causes in another article)
where does this leave you? With Hardgainer volume training! I won't call it HIT because
the intensity just isn't that high compared to a typical HIT routine.
The frequency will stay the same as with a HIT/Hargainer routine. That means twice a
week, three times a week, three times in 9 days, or even less, NO MORE
FREQUENTLY! Without going into a lot more discussion about routine structure I'll
just outline a few routines and let the routines do the talking.
This is a fairly traditional volume hardgainer routine in the 5 x 5 format. There are a
couple of ways to do it, how well you recover will determine which works best for you.
The frst way is to do your warm-ups and then do 5 sets of 5 reps with a weight that allows
you to get all your reps for every set, although the last rep of set 5 should be BARELY
made. If you only get 3-4 reps repeat with the same poundage next week, If you get all

your reps go up in weight next week. The other way is to do the frst two sets as a warmup and the last 3 sets of 5 as your work sets. The trouble with this is if you are say,
squatting 365 for 5, two sets of 5 reps will NOT get you warm enough to complete your
work sets. In this case it's best to do a couple warm-ups and have the frst two sets of 5 at
a lower weight. Routine layout could be:
Monday
Bench Press 5 x 5
Military Press 5 x 5
Bench or Regular Dips 5 x 5
Wednesday
Squat 5 x 5
Stif Legged Deadlift 5 x 5
Calf Raise 5 x 5
Abs
Friday
Chins 5 x 5
Bent Rows 5 x 5
Barbell Curls 5 x 5
Here is a 3 times in nine days routine I have had work well with a few trainees. Make sure
the weight is light enough to make all your target reps. Only the last couple reps of the
LAST set should be extremely hard reps.
Day One
Dips 5 x 12
Incline Fly's 3 x 12

Military Press 4 x 10
Day Two
Chin 3 x 12
Row 3 x 12
Hammer Curl 3 x 10
Abs
Day Three
Squat 4 x 10
Stif-legged Deadlift 3 x 10
Standing Calf Raise 4 x 15
Here is a Routine to be done 3 days a week or 3 times in 9 days. Every rotation the lifts
change. Again only the last couple of reps of the LAST set will be extremely hard to
complete.
Day One
Bench Press 4 x 10
Dips 4 x 10
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Day Two
Pull-Ups 4 x 10
Bent Row or Hammer Row 4 x 10
Hammer Curl 3 x 10

Day Three
Squats 4 x 8
Stif Legged Deadlift 3 x 8
Weighted Abs 4x 15
Day One, Week Two
Incline Dumbell Press 4 x 8
Military Press 4x 8
Tricep Push-Downs 4 x 8
Day Two, Week Two
Wide Grip Pull-Ups or Pull-Downs 4 x 8
Dumbell Curls 4 x 12
Rack Pulls 3 x 10
Day Three, Week Two
Hanging Leg Raises 4 x 15
Leg Curl 2 x 15
Leg Extension 2 x 15
Leg Press 3 x 10
If you are an EXTREME hardgainer and NOTHING else has worked try this:
Day One
Deadlift, Conventional or Trap Bar 3 x 10
Lateral Raises 4 x 10

Abs
Day two
Bench Press or Dips 4 x 10
Close Grip Pull-up or Pull-Downs 4 x 10
There you go, again I would only recommend these routines if you have REALLY tried a
few variations of HIT/Hardgainer training and they didn't work, or if you need a break
from what your doing and need to try something diferent. For everyone else it's back to
HIT!
Iron Addict

Routines I Like
I structure routines for trainees a variety of ways, dependent on the trainee's goals,
recovery ability, and to a lesser degree psychological makeup and lifestyle/work schedule.
I am frequently asked what kind of routines I do, and what types of routines I put my
trainees on, and as you will see below there is no pat answer because they really do vary a
lot. I have other routines posted on my website www.ironaddicts.com if you care to look.
Now on to a brief view of some favorites:
Here is a two day a week routine that I have absolute confdence in for myself, and many
hardgainers and easy-gainers alike that want to devote time to bread and butter training.
If you have never done a two day a week routine you have no idea how much better you
fll fre due to the time between workouts and the CNS recovery it allows.
Day One:
Bench Press, or Dumbbell Bench Press
Dips
Military Press, or Dumbbell Press
Heavy Abs
Day Two:
Wide Grip Chins
Barbell Curl
Trap Bar Deadlift Or Conventional Deadlift
Calf Raise
If using a Trap Bar I don't do any other leg-work. When using a strait bar, I will do, or
have trainees do leg presses also. Sets can be anywhere from one to ten sets a lift, but are
usually closer to 1-3 per lift.
A solid 3-day a week routine format I use a lot is.

Day One:
Dips or Bench Press
Incline Press, or incline Fly
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press
Day Two:
Hammer Pull-Down or Pull-Up
Hammer Iso-Row, or Barbell Row
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl
Heavy Abs
Day Three:
Squats
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift
Calf Raise
Sets can again be anywhere from one to ten sets a lift, but are usually closer to 1-3 per lift.
This is done Mon/Wed/Fri, or Tues/Thur/Sat. It also works well doing a 3 in 9 day
rotation with 2 days rest between workouts.
I also like DC style routines, but I structure the bodypart/days diferently than Dogg. To
see Dogg does his magic see the cycles on pennies thread on the realm of Doggcrap
and Iron Addict on: http://www.animalkits.be/
For people that recruit fairly well, people with slightly above average genetics, or those
that want to shift the focus slightly to more size as opposed to strength gains (strength
gains are almost always the frst priority and size follows) I use a lot of double rotation
routines. This is a fancy term for saying the workout changes every other week such as:
Day One:

Bench Press
Incline Press
Military Press
Skull Crushers
Day Two:
Wide grip Pull-Up
Barbell Row
Dumbell Curl
Heavy Abs
Day Three:
Squats
Stif-Legged Deadlift
Calf Raise
Day One, Week Two
Incline Dumbell Press
Dips
Hammer Shoulder Press
Tricep Push-Downs
Day Two, Week Two
Supinated Grip Pull-Up/Down
Hammer ISO-Row

E-Z Bar Curl

Hanging Leg Raises
Day Three, Week Two
Deadlifts
Leg Press
Leg Press Calf Raise
And yet again, sets can be anywhere from one to ten sets a lift, but are usually closer to 1-3
per lift.
Here is my favorite way to do volume work for those that are suited to it. I will list the
sets here because it is what defnes it as volume.
Day One, Week One
Dumbell Bench Press, 8 sets
Hammer Incline Press 4 Sets
Skull Crushers 5 sets
Lateral Raise 6 sets
Day Two, Week One
Wide Grip Pulldown 8 sets
Chest Supported Row 4 Sets
EZ-Bar Curl 5 sets
Heavy Abs
Day Three, Week One

Squat 8 sets
Stif legged Deadlift 5 sets
Calf Raises 8 sets
Day One, Week Two
Dips 8 Sets
Fly 5 sets
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 8 sets
Tricep Push-Down 6 sets
Day Two, Week Two
Hammer Row 8 Sets
Supinated Grip Pull-Up/Down 5 sets
Dumbbell Curl 3 sets
Reverse Grip Curl 3 sets
Day Three, Week Two
Deadlift 5 sets
Leg Press 8 sets
Leg Press Calf Raise 6 sets
Hanging Leg Raises 3 sets
All sets are done with a constant weight, and only the last set is to failure.
My Modifed Westside Barbell approach is a favorite of mine when all-out strength is the
goal. Please note this is NOT how Louis sets up his Westside Routines, but my

modifcation of it for less than gifted lifters. Louis setup works like magic for lifters who
recover well though. The max efort lift CHANGES EVERY 2 weeks.
Bench Day:
3 board press. Work up to a max single.
speed bench using 60% of shirtless max 9 sets of 3
tricep pushdown 4 x 10
lateral raise 4 x 10
Squat/Deadlift Day:
good mornings work up to a max single (Louis recommends doing some form of good
mornings 60-70% of the time for max efort work. Many variations are done.
Speed squat 9 sets of 2
Glute ham raise 4 x 10
reverse hyper 3 x 10
Upper Back/Assistance Day:
Wide Grip Pull-Up/Down 4 x 10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Heavy Abs 2 x 8
Grip Work
OK, there are some of my favorites of mine. Which one is right for you? And in what
set/rep structure? Hard to say without knowing a lot about you. But I can say this in full
confdence, showing this to 10 lifters, 8 out of ten of them will not pick either of the frst
two listed, and 8 out of 10 would probably do best doing the frst two, or a modifed to ft
DC style routine. Which do I use? All of them at times. What am I doing at this moment?
One similar to the frst one.But that will change soon too.
Iron Addict

HIT/Volume
Many people that train using HIT have the opinion that something just isn't right with
those guys that spend day after day in the gym doing endless sets of every lift under the
sun. A common opinion is the volume guys don't understand the scientifc approach to
building muscle, and just don't push themselves hard enough to get the job done in a few
sets. While many volume guys look at the HIT'ers as not being as devoted as they are,
and truth be told, maybe a little lazy. They fgure if you really want it you'll do as many
damn sets as required as many days of the week as possible. It doesn't interfere with life,
it is life!
While there are lot's of in between trainers that do moderated versions of one or the
other training styles, the HIT guys and volume trainers make up an extremely large
segment of the training populace. Both of these almost diametrically opposed training
styles have a large following for the simple reason they are both very efective for those
that are suited to each method. While most new trainees end up sampling a good variety
of diferent training modes while learning what works best for them, many never get past
the same old, same old they learned through haphazardly watching everyone else do the
same thing. This is especially true of guys that start with volume, if you don't mind me
saying so. Even those that experiment often experiment around a extremely narrow
portion of what seems to work for them. In a good majority of the cases this is well and
good if the trainee has found a system that works for them, but a waste o time and energy
if they are mostly spinning their wheels making little or nor progress from week to week,
and month to month. What I'm going to discuss this time are those that play both sides of
the street, and also go over some ways that may make volume, and HIT more agreeable
for those that strictly choose one or the other.
To say that volume work is responsible for the largest percentage of the top physiques is
an understatement. But by and large, it tends to overtrain the average person. What many
average Joe's fnd out is that doing a little gear (or these days, some of the more efective
pro-hormones like (insert your product) makes them no longer average. For many people,
gear/PH's can greatly increase the trainee's ability to recover from sessions that would
have left them hopelessly overtrained while clean. Knowing this, many methodical lifters
train HIT, or low volume while clean, and then gradually ramp up the overall workload
when they go on, then ramp back down as the cycle ends.
My usual rule of thumb for people that don't have either a lot of gear experience, nor
overall training experience is to pick a routine that you KNOW is efective for you while
training clean, and then let the gear amplify the results. But if you know by experience you

get a big boost in recovery while on, or know volume works wonders for youbut not
for very long. Doing this as a planned approach makes a lot of sense these trainees.
All newbies out there reading this take heed. One of the biggest mistakes people make is
getting on a cycle, believing that now they can train just like the pro's, and overtrining so
badly they hardly grow. I have seen COUNTLESS people blaming their lack of
progress on bogus gear, when the truth of the matter is they never had a chance on their
newfound six day a week 20 sets a bodypart routine.
Even the most dogmatic HIT'er has to admit that SOME people, even those that
respond well to HIT while clean often don't grow as well as when combining a volume
approach with good gear. And if it works
OK, so you train clean (at least most of the time) and want to hear something that applies
to you? Here are some approaches that can allow the HIT trainer to get some potentially
productive volume work in without too much of a chance of overtraining, and will
conversely allow the volume guys a break from the endless sets, stalled poundage
progression, and will usually spark some new growth.
The simplest method, and the one most often used in a haphazard way is to do either the
volume, or HIT routine until progress stalls and then either slowly work into the
higher/lower volume routine, or do a sudden switch. Given the choice I like the quick
switch to the new format, as it tends to result in better gains. The problem with the way
this is usually carried out is the trainee waits WAY past too long before it fnally occurs to
them that they are truly stuck, and by then they not only have wasted valuable time, they
have made their body less apt to be responsive.
Better ways of doing it start with having a game plan in place with some structure to the
switch, or at least be truly aware of what your body is telling you and transit from one
mode to the other while not totally burned out on either method.
Ways of doing this include:
One on, one of. That means doing a volume routine week one, and switching to a low
volume/hit routine the next. Lifts can stay the same and only the number of sets change,
and days spent in the gym. Conversely you can change all the loading parameters each
week. This method usually results in less strength gains since there is less nerve
innervation improvement, but tends to provide more size. Guys that are not naturally at
least fairly strong do best keeping the lifts constant and modulating the volume and rep
count/cadence instead of doing diferent lifts. This simple hi/low schedule truly works
great for many people. The loading is constantly changing (if you are smart). 50% of the

time volume and frequency is something that can be recovered from, and the high volume
is kept from being a constant stressor and leaving you stuck.
And as an aside, please keep in mind volume is relative. The 10 sets that would leave a
true hardgainer totally overtrained may be a reasonable load for someone with fairly good
recovery ability, and may in fact be a low level loading for the guy that can be progressive
doing 16 sets a bodypart. And of course that same 10 sets is a mountain of a load for
hargainer/or HIT style trainees that usually only do 1-2 sets a bodypart.
Of course you can make the switch frequency a lot longer than a week, and doing 2-10
weeks of either format before changing works well for some.and much worse for
others. The key here is not waiting until you are totally had before transitioning, and
understanding why the switch can be a big boost over what you might have achieved
running either style constantly. And while this defnitely qualifes as a form of cycling
strategy, it is really not intensity cycling in its truest form. But that is another article for
another day.
If you respond well to volume, yet fnd yourself stuck way too long at the same
poundage's, you may fnd that doing volume for 60-75% of a given period, and inserting
HIT/low volume/power training (call it what you will) as a means to reduce overtraining
tendencies, and boosting strength levels goes a long way towards a bigger, better you.
Say whatever you want, but an exceedingly large percentage of those doing volume
experience very irregular poundage progression. If the volume and frequency is right for
YOU when doing a low volume routine, strength increases are usually like clockwork, so
we do some volume, make progress on the weights, and size gains, and BEFORE we are
hopelessly stuck, we switch to HIT and rack-up some solid poundage increases, and then
HIT the volume (ha-ha) with more weight on the bar and climb another rung.
It also works for those that don't tolerate volume well, and tend to overtrain, yet get good
size gains for short periods doing volume before they hit a wall. Doing your HIT routine
for 60-75% of the time, and volume the remainder gives some people just the balance they
need to get the best of both. Doing just enough volume work to spark some additional
size gains, and then getting away from it while the getting's good!
For those with attention to detail, and more importantly the ability and willingness to log
their training (this should be everyone, but you'd be surprised) another efective method is
waving the workload. This can be a great long-term routine structure for those that
don't grow well, provided you don't go too high with the volume, or stay at the high end
of the scale too long. And it's also useful in the short-term to provide some additional
growth stimulus.

This is done by starting out with a low workload volume, and each week gradually
increasing the loading (sets/lifts, in some cases frequency) until a you are at a max (for
you) load, and then work your way back down again, or begin the process from the
beginning. The key once again is to not go over the edge and end up severely overtrained.
If your work capacity (i.e., ability to recover well) is fairly good, you can make the
progressions relatively fast, and stay in the higher loading level zones for the larger
percentage of the time. For those of you withwell lets just say less than ideal genetics
(the vast majority of trainees) the best approach is to ramp the load slowly, and more
importantly, don't go all too high with the workload. Hanging out on the brink of
overtraining can be result producing for those people who recover fairly well, but ends up
being counterproductive for most folks that thrive on less workload. We are trying to
change the stimulus, get some additional size gains that volume often promotes, and then
close the door before we hit the wall.
If you are a HIT trainer that does 1-2 sets a bodypart you could do:
Week 1-2, normal level, 1-2 (work sets, warm-ups not counted) sets per bodypart
Week 2-4, increase to 3-5 sets per bodypart, while decreasing the intensity
Week 5-6, jump to 6-8 sets, again decreasing intensity levels (for many, this is as high as
you need, or should go).
Week 7-8, Top out at 9-12 sets. This will be enough for the majority.
And this same layout works for volume trainers too, although it is a given that many
volume guys won't stop at 12 sets.
Repeat, or go back to another training mode. This is also a great way to see where your
threshold lies.
A few things to keep in mind:
HIT advocates have a hard time letting go of the intensity when adding sets and it
doesn't take long to realize just how beat-up you become doing many, many all-out sets.
As the volume goes up, intensity needs to come down. This is the opposite problem of
volume guys switching to an abbreviated routine, and then doing their sets like they still
have 15 more left to do. The intensity must match the workload. HIT/low volume
training doesn't work if the sets aren't pushed pretty hard. Does anyone out there really
think a couple of wishy-washy sets will really make you grow? REALLY? And while it
may not be common sense that you can't do lots of all-out sets day in, day out, it sure

doesn't take long to fnd out from practical experience that it just doesn't work. Another
caveat is that if you are TRULY a hardgainer, leave all this alone and realize this was just
some easy reading and not practical instruction.
If you have read any of my writings/rantings before you probably know that I favor a low
volume work for myself and most of the people I train. Why? Because as a personal
trainer that ofers a money back guarantee if not satisfed I HAVE TO provide results, or
its on me. Joe average, with average genetics for recovery and growth characteristics
USUALLY does much better on a long-term basis on HIT/Hardgainer style routines.
But in the end, all that matters is what works, and be it volume, HIT, Powerbuilding,
HST, OT-Max or any other favor of training you can name, the results are all that
matters. Using some of the techniques described here will often allow those that fall fat
on their faces doing volume to get in some result producing workouts without tipping the
recovery scales too far out of balance, or get the volume guys recovered, and progressing
with their poundage's again.
Iron Addict

Routines
After reading about H.I.T./Hard-Gainer style training the average reader should
understand that the primary reason growth does not occur is because the overtraining
threshold has been reached and the body simply cannot tolerate the stress imposed by the
workouts and still have ample resources to recover, and then MORE
IMPORTANTLY, super-compensate (add additional muscle). Once people truly grasp
this concept and see the magic in, they seek to streamline their training and eliminate
extra redundant exercises, sets and days spent in the gym. The problem that arises is
typically; they STILL do WAY too much and fail to achieve the results they seek. Being
brainwashed into thinking that every aspect of the muscle must be fully stimulated lest
you become un-balanced makes the average guy do so much that he is an un-balanced
bag of bones without much muscle. Here is something I have written before that I will
state again before I get into the actual routines.
What if, instead of doing so much you never grow, those 3-4 exercises per body-part to
ensure complete development of all aspects of a muscle. What if all you did was:
Squats 400 x 20
Stif-legged deadlifts 375 x 15
Bench Press 315 x 12
Pull-Up with 100 lbs extra weight x 12
Military Press Body-Weight x 10
Calf-Raise 700 x 15
Weighted Sit-Up 175 x 12
How much bigger would you be than you are now, and what muscle would be underdeveloped?!?!?!?!?!?
What if that was ALL THE LIFTS YOU ACTUALLY DID ON A WEEK-TOWEEK BASIS, BUT ACTUALLY DID THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT? AND
SINCE THAT WAS ALL YOU DID YOU NEVER OVERTRAINED AND
YOU WERE ALWAYS ABLE ADD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT TO

THE BAR. HOW MUCH FUCKING BIGGER WOULD YOU BE THAN YOU
ARE NOW???????
Am I stating that the above lifts are all that should be done by all trainees? Absolutely not,
but I am trying to illustrate that you don't need to do a lot of diferent lifts to get big all
over, and lets face it. Complete development isn't what most people lack, it's adequate
mass that most folks lack, plain and simple. Some people can truly tolerate no more
training than the above lifts and grow. Many can do LOTS more productively but most
people on a percentile basis fall at the low end of the recovery scale and should train
accordingly.
Let's dive into some routines and take a look at what productive training for real people
is, not the BULLSHIT hype you see in the bodybuilding magazines that ONLY works
for genetic marvels doing more growth enhancing pharmaceuticals than you will ever
dream of doing.
Here is Peary Radar's (former publisher of Iron-Man magazine) favorite routine for
people that just could not gain on any type of expanded routine. Don't just dismiss this as
an asinine routine that couldn't provide any tangible results because of its brevity. I have
trained a few EXTREME hard-gainers that gained NOTHING until they were put on
a routine such as this. And once done, they put on 20 lbs bodyweight in a short amount of
time. These were people that had gained NOTHING in years of training the
conventional way.
Day one:
Squat
Bench press
Row
This is repeated 3-7 days later depending on recovery.
A more balanced routine for the average person is along the lines of this:
Day one:
Squat
Stif-legged Deadlift

Pull-up or Pull-down
Barbell Curl
Day Two:
Bench Press or Incline Press
Dip
Military Press
Abs
Training Days are regulated by recovery ability, NOT the calendar. As long as the
weights are going up all is well, if not add rest days. For most people a Tuesday/Friday
schedule works, but again, if it doesn't it means you need to insert rest days.
Here is a three day rotation done either with one days rest between days one and two and
two days after day three (three days a week) or with 2 days rest between each training day,
which makes it a 9 day rotation. By the way I have NEVER had anyone on a 9 day
rotation that didn't make ASTOUNDING GAINS! I have had people that respond
better to the once a week format, and all things being equal, the more frequently you can
train, the faster your results will be. BUT, and this is the big BUT, training before you
have recovered is COMPLETELY USELESS and forcing the issue to get more
growth periods will not work.
Day one:
Bench Press or Dip
Close grip bench press
Military or dumbbell press
Day two:
Squat
Deadlift

Calf Raise
HEAVY Abs
Day three:
Pull-up or pull-down
Bent Row, Dumbell Row, or Hammer Row
Barbell or Dumbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Here are a couple of full body routines, These are not very popular anymore but if you can
productively get through them and are able to tolerate only being in the gym every 4-7
days they can work WONDERS.
Workout one:
Squat
Row
Bench press
Dumbbell press
Abs
Workout two done 4-7 days later
Deadlift
Pull-up
Dip
Military press

Abs
Here is Mike Mentzers fnal H.I.T. incarnation out of Heavy Duty II, Mind and Body.
It is VERY similar to the routine Mike had me doing when he was training me
personally. After each day training there are THREE FULL DAYS REST! Not
enough training you say? Well I NEVER failed to go up on weight or reps or both while
doing it. The size gains did not always follow the strength gains as much as I would have
liked but in retrospect I was not eating anywhere enough protein at the time and was on a
fairly low gear dose. I can HIGHLY recommend this routine for anyone with enough
balls to buck traditions and give it an honest shot.
Workout A
Flat Dumbell Flies Super Setted 1 with Incline Press
Close Grip, Palms Down Pull Down
Reguar Deadlift
Workout B
Leg Extension Super Setted 1 with Squats
Calf Raise
Workout C
Dumbell Laterals
Bent Over Dumbell Laterals
Curl (Straight Bar)
Tricep Pressdown Super Setted 1 with Dips
Workout D
Leg Extension (static hold 2 ) Super Setted 1 with
Leg Press
Calf Raise

Here is Doggcrap's (A 295 lbs wall of a man that is a very successful personal trainer and
who will probably make a BIG splash in BB circles soon) I did a copy-paste because I'm
lazy, but it will give you the idea. ALL Dogg's training principles are SPOT-ON and if it
doesn't work for you all that need be changed is frequency and for some people only doing
mostly strait sets instead of rest-pause. ALL body-parts are trained with ONE SET
ONLY, performed in rest-pause fashion.
DAY ONE
CHEST
SHOULDERS
TRICEPS
BACK WIDTH
BACK THICKNESS
DAY TWO
BICEPS
FOREARMS
CALVES
HAMSTRINGS
QUADS
DAY THREE OFF
DAY FOUR-REPEAT CHEST DAY ONE AND SEQUENCE BUT WITH
TOTAL DIFFERENT EXERCISES
DAY FIVE-REPEAT DAY TWO AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES
DAY SIX OFF
DAY SEVEN-REPEAT DAY ONE AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES THAN DAY ONE AND FOUR
DAY EIGHT --REPEAT DAY TWO AND SEQUENCE WITH TOTAL
DIFFERENT EXERCISES THEN DAY TWO AND FIVE
Example Day one
frst exercise smythe incline presses (ill use the weights i use for example)
135 for warmup for 12--185 for 8 warmup--225 for 6-8 warmup-----then 375 for 8 reps to total
absolute failure (then 12-15 deep breaths) 375 for 2-4 reps to total absolute failure (then 12-15

deep breaths) 375 for 1-3 reps to absolute total failure (then a 20-30 second static hold)
DONE!--thats it 375lbs for 8+4+3= 375 for 15 reps rest paused..... next week I go for 385
(again rest paused)-----directly after that rest pause set I go to extreme stretching fyes as
described earlier in this post and thats it for chest and on to shoulders, triceps and
back........the next day I come in to do chest would be day 4 and i would do hammer fat
presses in the same rest paused manner (and then extreme stretching again)---the next day
i come in to do chest is day seven and I would do my third favorite exercise rest paused
and then the cycle repeats. Three chest workouts in nine days with low enough volume to
recover in between workouts and high enough intensity and load to grow rapidly--my
workouts last an hour--im doing one exercise for one all out balls to the wall rest pause set
(i dont count warmups only the working set) ---so in simple terms I am using techniques
with extreme high intensity(rest pause) which i feel make a persons strength go up as
quickly as possible + low volume so i can (recover) as quickly as possible with as many
growth phases (damage/remodel/recover)I can do in a years time.
Dogg's philosophy is correct except that people with average genetics will have to spread
things out a LOT more to recover in time. Here is a Iron Addict/Dogg style routine I am
currenly using. It is a 9 day rotation for each three workouts.
Bench
2
15
Dips
2
10
1 Arm Upright Row
1
25
Neck Work
1
10
Day Two
Shrugs
1
15

Pull-Ups
1
5
Bent Row
2
10
Hammer Curls
1
15
Day Three
Glute Ham Raise
2
15
Leg Extensions
2
15
Squats
1
15
Abs
1
15
Day One, Week Two
Incline Dumbell Press/BP
1
15
Incline Fly
1
15
Lateral Raises

1
25
Tricep Push Downs
1
20
Day Two, Week Two
Pull-ups/Downs, Vary Grip Every Wk
1
15
Dumbell Curls
1
15
Reverse Curls
1
15
Rack-Pulls
1
10
Day Three, Week Two
Hanging Leg Raises
1
15
Resistance abs
1
15
Hammer Leg Curl
1
10
Leg Extension
2

10
Leg Press
1
30
All lifts noted as 15 reps are done rest-pause fashion which means you fail at 8 and rest
JUST long enough to do a couple more reps, then a couple more, until the full 15 have
been reached
Here is a modifed Westside Barbell routine that worked very well for me when I was
power-lifting. Westside Barbell's system calls for a max efort day (one for bench, one for
squats/deads) where you work up to a single in an assistance exercise that closely
resembles the lifts themselves, examples are.
Bench Assistance:
close grip bench
foor press
board press
rack press
incline press
Squat/deadlift Assistance:
good mornings
low box squat
good morning squat
dead lift of pins
safety bar squat
The max efort work is followed by assistance work for reps using exercises like tricep
extensions, close grips for reps, tricep pushdowns, glute/ham raises, reverse hypers, front

squats, pullthroughs, various lat and shoulder work, various sled dragging. Their
repertoire of assistance work is long and varied. Max efort exercises are rotated every two
weeks for intermediates and every week for advanced trainees. Rep assistance work is
rotated as needed. The one constant with this system is change. Very few workouts are
ever the same.
Another day a week (again one day for bench, one day for squats/deads) is dedicated to
"speed" work. The speed work is done by using a percentage of you max squat or bench
and moving the weight as fast as possible to build explosive strength. The percentage
varies but is in the 45-65% range. Thus a 400 lb bencher using 55% would do his sets with
220. The sets for bench are 3 reps as fast as possible. The idea is to try and generate 400
or more pounds of force on the bar by moving as fast as possible. For squats sets of 2 reps
are done. 9-12 sets are done for both squat and bench. The squats are all done of a box set
at below parallel. Regular squats are only done at the meet. Both days various assistance
work for reps are done. The focus is always on weak points.
As you can see the schedule has one training four days a week, benching twice, and
squatting twice. Louis gym, Westside Barbell has produced over 20 550 + benchers and
20 something 800 + squatters. Louis himself made a 920 lb squat this year at age 52!
Westside and its methods has dominated powerlifting for years now. Obviously Louis
has a lot of talent at his disposal, and well I'm not that talented. Training squats and
bench twice a week over trained me pretty bad. I did a recommended 9 week routine
pretty much verbatim, and when that didn't work I reduced the volume some while
sticking with the 4 day schedule. No dice. Knowing I over train easy even while on gear,
and also knowing Westside techniques had merit, I simply went to benching one day
doing max efort work frst, followed by speed work and then assistance exercises. Same
for squats. I do back/bi on the third training day.
both speed and max efort day you also do assistance excercises so it's not just a 50/50
split. Here is an example of a bench and squat w/o. It takes me an hour to and hour and 15
minutes to get through usually.
Bench:
3 board press. work up to a max single
speed bench using 60% of shirtless max 9 sets of 3
tricep extensions
tricep pushdown
lateral raise
Squat/Deadlift

good mornings work up to a max single (Louis reccomends doing some form of good
mornings 60-70% of the time for max efort work. Many variations are done.
Speed squat 9 sets of 2
Glute ham raise
reverse hyper
I do back/bi and abs on a third day of the week. Let me emphasize this is NOT how
Louis lays out his programs. He insists that speed and max efort work be done on
separate days of the week. As mentioned in the previous post I attempted that and
overtrained badly so modifed it to suit my needs. IT WORKED ABSOLUTELY
FANTASTIC. I ADDED WEIGHT EVERY WORKOUT (except speed work) TO
ALMOST EVERY EXERCISES! The downside of it was it really tore my joints up
bad and if your joints are not very robust you may have problems.
I could go on and list a hundred variations of productive routines for the AVERAGE
person (not genetic freaks that can get away with training that kills Joe average) but I will
leave you with this. The average person should NEVER train more than three days a
week. IT JUST DOESN'T LEAVE ENOUGH OF THE BODIES RESOURCES
LEFT FOR RECOVERY. DO NOT POST THAT IT WORKS WONDERS
FOR YOU BECAUSE ALL YOU ARE STATING IS THAT YOU HAVE
ABOVE AVERAGE GENETICS. MOST PEOPLE FALL FLAT ON THEIR
FACES TRAINING FOUR OR MORE DAYS A WEEK AND STAY DOWN AS
LONG AS THEY PERSIST TRAINING THAT FREQUENTLY. You will note I
didn't list how many sets to do nor how many reps, nor if they should only be to failure, or
use intensity enhancing techniques such as rest-pause, super-sets, etc. Here is the quick
answer. IF you are capable of training with intensity one set AFTER warm-ups to failure
is all that is needed. And as an example if you were going to squat 405 for 10 reps your
warm-ups might look like this:
Free Weight Squat 20, 135 x 10, 225 x 8, 315 x 5, 365 x 3, 405 x 10
The 405 x 10 would be your single work set and if you do it correctly there is damn sure
no need to do more. If you cannot generate much intensity doing two work sets will work
fne, but will give you more to recover from. If you need to do more than two WORK
SETS per lift your just being a pussy and should stay home.
Intensity enhancing techniques can be used productively by many people but should be
used sparingly by most people and ONLY in conjunction with a very abbreviated
program. If you do a search by Iron Addict you will fnd articles that cover these types of
details.
Iron Addict

Doing Less As Opposed To Doing More

Let me say that if you always err on the side of doing to little you are probably on the right
track. Everyone can grow well on very abbreviated routine and the more you push your
ability to recover the less your actual results will be. If your training is correct you will add
weight or reps or both EVERY time you hit the gym until you are VERY advanced. As
always I will leave you with a shameless plug that I am available for personal training
consultation online and ALL my trainees that will listen make astounding progress.
Iron Addict

Westside Barbell Sample Routine

Here is a sample of ONE of my 4 diferent Westside Barbell modifcations. This format
is for guys that have average to above average recovery ability. If you are a hardgainer or
extreme hardgainer this is not the format to attempt. I will post a sample of that soon.
What will this type of routine do for many if not most of you? Build strength faster than
any BB program you have ever tried by a long shot. Just strength? Nope! For most of
you, size will be awesome to. It may be the fastest way for many of you to reach your
lifting goals, .Whether you are a BBer or PLer. I CHALLENGE ANY OF YOU
THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF
PROGRESS TO TRY THIS FOR 4 WEEKS! If it works, you can do more studying
and put together something on your own, or have me design a full routine and diet for
you. A few things to keep in mind:
It is only a SAMPLE and is not laid out exactly like I write them for clients for a few
reasons. I wanted to make sure EVERYONE had access and ability to do the lifts listed,
and everyone that has even a modest gym can do these. I used a 3-week (it ends up being
closer to 4 actual weeks because of the rotating format) on the ME lifts for simplicity
sake. SOME lifters do get a 3 week rotation on ME lifts and other get 2 weeks, or even
one. There is no waving of the weights or volume for either the DE work or the repetition
work. Again this was done for simplicity sake, and I also cant give it all away-lol. And last
but not least, not knowing who will be attempting it, it is quite generic. But I will bet that
anyone that recovers even remotely well will do extremely well on it. After just 4 weeks
you WILL have a higher bench, squat and deadlift.
Monday ME Squat,
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10

Thursday Of
Friday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat Pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10

Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Triceps Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ _________________
Monday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF

Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
* NTF means NOT to Failure
If you have just read this and are totally unfamiliar with WSB DO NOT POST A
BUNCH OF BASIC QUESTIONS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DE OR
ME MEANS, OR OTHER SIMILAR STUFF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE TO ATTEMPT THIS. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST A
BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WESTSIDE BARBELL PRINCIPLES
BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS. Go to the WSB section of my site:
http://ironaddicts.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=113
Especially read this post:
http://ironaddicts.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=7335#7335
Please dont take that to mean I dont want questions and comments, but please keep then
above the most basic level.
Bring the bar down to the safety bars (pins) in the rack for the good-mornings.
Always attempt to increase the weights on the assistance lifts.

DONT go to failure on the assistance lifts except for the last set where noted.
If you cant or wont do the heavy good mornings you can substitute box squats for the
ME work and take out the 2 x 8 sets of box squats and do 2 x 8 of good mornings instead.
The DE work is done with 55% of your best 1 rep max shirtless and suit-less bench and
regular squat. YOU MUST TAKE A MAX PRIOR TO TRYING THIS
ROUTINE TO CALCULATE THE PERCENTAGES. IF YOU GUESS
FORGET IT!!!
Iron Addict

Making Westside Work for You

I always have a few guys I train that are more into strength than bodybuilding. I train
some powerlifters and a few guys doing strongmen events, and some guys that just want
to get a s strong as possible. When that is the goal, they are USUALLY put on a
modifed Westside Barbell program. In case you haven't been exposed to Westside BB
and their methods, here is a brief intro, and more importantly away to make Westside
work for YOU if the suggested original format fails you. For more info on Westside see:
http://elitefts.com/
In the world of powerlifting one gym, and it's system of training pretty much dominates
the sport. That gym is Westside Barbell, and the man that came up with the system is
none other than the grand Guru of strength training Louis Simmons. Westside training
is a complex system that takes the best of many diferent types of training protocols and
fuses them together into a system that has proven to have no peers in the realm of pure
strength training. And as an aside, there is enough hypertrophy specifc training that size
results also.
The System calls for a max efort day (one for bench, one for squats/deads) where you
work up to a single in an assistance exercise that closely resembles the lifts themselves,
examples are.
Bench Assistance:
close grip bench
foor press
board press
rack press
incline press
Squat/deadlift Assistance:
good mornings
low box squat
good morning squat
dead lift of pins
safety bar squat
The max efort work is followed by assistance work for reps using exercises like tricep
extensions, close grips for reps, tricep pushdowns, glute/ham raises, reverse hypers, front
squats, pullthroughs, various lat and shoulder work, various sled dragging. Their

repertoire of assistance work is long and varied. Max efort exercises are rotated every two
weeks for intermediates and every week for advanced trainees. Rep assistance work is
rotated as needed. The one constant with this system is change. Very few workouts are
ever the same.
Another day a week (again one day for bench, one day for squats/deads) is dedicated to
"speed" work. The speed work is done by using a percentage of you max squat or bench
and moving the weight as fast as possible to build explosive strength. The percentage
varies but is in the 45-65% range. Thus a 400 lb bencher using 55% would do his sets with
220. The sets for bench are 3 reps as fast as possible. The idea is to try and generate 400
or more pounds of force on the bar by moving as fast as possible. For squats sets of 2 reps
are done. 9-12 sets are done for both squat and bench. The squats are all done of a box set
at below parallel. Regular squats are only done at the meet. Both days various assistance
work for reps are done. The focus is always on weak points.
As you can see the schedule has one training four days a week, benching twice, and
squatting twice. Louis gym, Westside Barbell has produced over 20 550 + benchers and
20 something 800 + squatters. Louis himself made a 920 lb squat this year at age 52!
Westside and its methods has dominated powerlifting for years now. Obviously Louis
has a lot of talent at his disposal, and it is a given that the system was developed using the
best of the best, of the best lifters Louis could fnd.
Here is an EXAMPLE of how many Westside routines are structured. Please keep in
mind many of Louis guys do things diferently, and his top guys, and himself tend to do
LOTS of extra workouts and GPP work. But this is an example of the basic framework.
Week 10
Day 1 (max efort squat day)
Pin Pulls: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no longer perform
three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up to a one rep max
High Pulls: 3 sets of 6 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Incline Sit Ups: 4 sets of 8 {pause at midpoint for 2 sec. then come back up}
Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets to failure
Day 2 (max efort bench day)
Close Grip Board Press: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no
longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up
to a one rep max
Decline Barbell Tricep Extensions: 4 sets of 5 reps

One Arm Reverse Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10reps

Dumbbell Upright Rows: 3 sets of 8 reps
Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises: 4 sets of 10reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Day 3 (dynamic efort squat day)
Box Squats: 10 sets of 2 reps with 50% of 1RM (45 to 60 sec rest between sets)
Arch Back Good Mornings: 4 sets of 3 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Rainbows: 4 sets of 10 reps each side
Pull Down Abs: 5 sets of 10 reps
Day 4 (dynamic efort bench day)
Bench Press: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM; use three diferent grips; (45 to 60 sec
rest between sets)
Skull Crushers on Swiss ball: 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Side Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
Front Plate Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Week 11
Day 1 (max efort squat day)
Pin Pulls: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no longer perform
three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up to a one rep max
High Pulls: 3 sets of 6 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Incline Sit Ups: 4 sets of 8 {pause at midpoint for 2 sec. then come back up}
Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets to failure
Day 2 (max efort bench day)
Close Grip Board Press: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no
longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up
to a one rep max
Decline Barbell Tricep Extensions: 4 sets of 5 reps
One Arm Reverse Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Upright Rows: 3 sets of 8 reps
Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Day 3 (dynamic efort squat day)
Box Squats: 10 sets of 2 reps with 50% of 1RM (45 to 60 sec rest between sets)

Arch Back Good Mornings: 4 sets of 3 reps

Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Rainbows: 4 sets of 10 reps each side
Pull Down Abs: 5 sets of 10 reps
Day 4 (dynamic efort bench day)
Bench Press: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM; use three diferent grips; (45 to 60 sec
rest between sets)
Skull Crushers on Swiss ball: 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Side Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
Front Plate Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Week 12
Day 1 (max efort squat day)
High Box Manta Ray Squat: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can
no longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working
up to a one rep max
High Pulls: 3 sets of 6 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Incline Sit Ups: 4 sets of 8 {pause at midpoint for 2 sec. then come back up}
Hanging Leg Raises: 4 sets to failure
Day 2 (max efort bench day)
Close Grip Board Press: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no
longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up
to a one rep max
Decline Barbell Tricep Extensions: 4 sets of 5 reps
One Arm Reverse Pushdowns: 3 sets of 10reps
Dumbbell Upright Rows: 3 sets of 8 reps
Rear Delt Dumbbell Raises: 4 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Day 3 (dynamic efort squat day)
Box Squats: 10 sets of 2 reps with 50% of 1RM (45 to 60 sec rest between sets)
Arch Back Good Mornings: 4 sets of 3 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Rainbows: 4 sets of 10 reps each side
Pull Down Abs: 5 sets of 10 reps

Day 4 (dynamic efort bench day)

Bench Press: 10 sets of 3 reps with 60% of 1RM; use three diferent grips; (45 to 60 sec
rest between sets)
Skull Crushers on Swiss ball: 4 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell Side Raises: 3 sets of 12 reps
Front Plate Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets of 15 reps
Week 13
Day 1 (max efort squat day)
High Box Manta Ray Squat: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can
no longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working
up to a one rep max
Pull Down Abs: 5 sets of 10 reps
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets of 6 reps
Pull Downs: 3 sets of 10 reps
Cable Side Bends: 4 sets of 10 reps each side
Day 2 (max efort bench day)
Close Grip Incline Press: warm up doing sets of three reps until you feel that you can no
longer perform three reps. At this point drop the reps to one and continuing working up
to a one rep max
? Dips: 5 sets 5 reps
Rope Push Downs: 3 sets 10 reps
One Arm Dumbbell Press: 3 sets 12 reps
Reverse Hypers: 2 sets 15 reps
Day 3 (dynamic efort squat day)
Box Squats: 10 sets of 2 reps with 60 % of 1RM; (45 to 60 sec rest between sets)
* after your sets of box squats work up to a heavy double. This is not a maximum attempt
so do not miss the attempts.
Reverse Hypers: 4 sets 6 reps
Pull Down Abs: 5 sets 10 reps
Rainbows: 3 sets 10 reps each side
Well I'm sure a lot of the bodybuilders out there are looking at this and saying WOW,
they don't do very much. CORRECT, and that is one of the prime reasons they make
continual progress.
After I did a lot of studying I put together my frst true FULL Westside routine (I had
done quite a bit of experimentations with PARTS of it in the early 90?s),

My results? Well after a period of gaining literally 50 lbs on my bench and 75 lbs to my
squat in a very short time, I fell FLAT ON MY FACE and stagnated and ended up with
extreme joint problems. I consequently took time of and found a way to make Westside
work for the genetically typical trainee. I have trained many people using my abbreviated
Westside format with great success. That the original style of training works wonders for
Louis guys and LOTS of folks out there has little relevance for guys like me that aren't
that talented.
Training squats and bench twice a week over trained me pretty bad. I did a
recommended 9 week routine pretty much verbatim, and when that didn't work I
reduced the volume some while sticking with the 4 day schedule. No dice. Knowing I
over train easy even while on gear, and also knowing Westside techniques had merit, I
simply went to benching one day doing max efort work frst, followed by speed work and
then assistance exercises. Same for squats. I do back/bi on the third training day.
Here is an example of doing both speed and max efort work on the same day:
Bench:
3 board press. Work up to a max single.
speed bench using 60% of shirtless max 9 sets of 3
tricep extensions
tricep pushdown
lateral raise
Squat/Deadlift
good mornings work up to a max single (Louis recommends doing some form of good
mornings 60-70% of the time for max efort work. Many variations are done.
Speed squat 9 sets of 2
Glute ham raise
reverse hyper
I do back/bi and abs on a third day of the week. Let me emphasize this is NOT how
Louis lays out his programs. He insists that speed and max efort work be done on
separate days of the week. As mentioned in the previous post I attempted that and
overtrained badly so modifed it to suit my needs. IT IS WORKING ABSOLUTELY
FANTASTIC FOR MYSELF AND THOSE I TRAIN FOR PURE
STRENGTH.
The other way, and perhaps simpler, and probably more true to Louis intents, is to simply
insert rest days as needed until everything continues to go up every week, and stays that
way. Please keep in mind most everyone when starting a unmodifed Westside routine
sees some huge strength gains that rapidly decrease. And the joint problem from a
combination of heavy singles one day and the speed work a couple days latter is a real

problem for guys without robust joints. Either of the two methods above solves this
problem for most people. This training style isn't for everyone, but can add up to some
sick gains in strength, while adding size at the some time. If you are more interested in
strength than size, you should give Westside a shot sometime.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

My Split Preferences
Let me preface this by saying these are my preferences only, and ones I like to use myself
and with training clients. If your super-duper 18 way split isnt represented here that
doesnt mean I think its crap. All that matter is what works. Here is what I have found to
be very efective over the last 10+ years of training people.
If I had my way, everyone would do this spilt.
Sunday
Upper Body
Monday
Lower Body
Wednesday
Upper Body
Friday
Lower Body
This is the standard Westside Barbell format and allows hitting lifts/body-parts twice a
week. It could also be done as a Mon/Tue, rest Thur/Fri, but not having rest days
dampens CNS for most people. I just stated that if I had my way everyone would do this
split, so why dont I just use it for everyone? Because I know from experience that
everyone cannot recover from it well enough to use it. LOTS of guys simply do not have
the work capacity/recovery to handle it. Optimal is only optimal if it works.
So, the option down the rung, and the one I start most training clients with is:
Mon
Upper
Wed
Lower
Fri
Upper
Mon

Lower
Wed
Upper
Fri
Lower
This format allows MUCH more recovery time while still hitting everything frequently
enough that productive workouts add up fast. This format works well for the majority of
trainees in my experience and even hardgainers do well on it if the volume and frequency
is well regulated.
If you cant recover well enough to do the last listed format, or like to really beat the shit
out of a muscle with tons of volume and relatively high intensity a simple push/pull/leg
split works great.
Mon
Chest/shoulders/triceps
Wed
BackbBiceps/abs
Fri
Legs
This type of format is losing popularity and many high frequency gurus will tell you its
worthless, but if all things are balanced you can make awesome gains doing something as
simple as this.
If you are an extreme hardgainer, or do other sports that suck-up your schedule a simple
two day a week routine can be the absolute bomb. Many of you are likely thinking
bullshit, no one trains like thatwell you would be very wrong and two day a week
routines are time honored traditions that fat out work for people that have poor CNS or
overall recovery issues, or are just pressed for time. I have put quite a few guys that could
never break a 265 lb bench press no matter what they did and had them hitting 315 within
6 months on a simple 2 day a week routine. Simply because that is what their body needed
to recover. They can be done as:
Mon
Chest/shoulders/triceps

Thur
Back/biceps/legs
Or
Monday
full body
Thursday
Full body
A couple things to keep in mind.
No routine works without diet to back it up. 1.5 grams per lb of bodyweight
MINIMUM. Full micro-nutrient support, and good sleep habits with a low stress
lifestyle.
The upper lower splits listed are often done with the lower consisting of
Back/biceps/legs.
These formats are not made for training to failure in most cases. I like Louis Simmons
guideline of 195 sets out of 200 NOT to failure. One rep short is fne, and that is only on
the last set of multiple sets lifts.
Sets per bodypart can be anywhere from 1-16, but are typically on the lower end unless the
trainee has already built a solid strength base. And that IMO is a 300 lb bench, 400-450
lb squat and deadlift, and 275 lb row.
Iron Addict

My Top 10 Lifting Routines

My Top 10 Lifting Routines
Someone asked me the other day that even though I trained people so many diferent
ways I must have a favorite way to train. And I told them that I do have a favorite way to
train myself, but not a favorite way to train everyone because everyone is quite diferent
and there truly is no one size fts all when it comes to training protocols, since what may
be absolute magic for one guy, will be the worst possible option for another. That said I
do have 5 diferent formats (and sub routines within them all) that ft an extremely large
percentage of the lifters out there. Here they are if anyone is interested.
Hardgainer/Low Volume/Frequency Routine
This format is one that after everyone reads the routines, not one in 20 will pick this one,
and the truth is, many of the 20 will do better on this one than any of the others. Why will
no one pick it? Its not fashy it doesnt have a fancy name, nor will most guys ever believe
it could be enough work after reading Flex and the like seeing the routines of the
pros. Well the truth is those damn routines of the pros work for a select few and most
guys reading this are not likely to one of those guys.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2-3 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2-3 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2-3 x 10-12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2-3 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1-2 x 10

Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Sub-Routine:
Here is another Hardgainer Style Routine done three days a week. TRUE hardgainers
will do MUCH better on the two-day, as will many lifters with fairly good recovery.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers
Here is a routine that most anyone can pull of except for real hardgainers, that rotates
every week. This allows more lifts to hit, allowing less monotony, and longer progress
before a wall is hit from recruitment pattern burnout. You can also add a 3rd rotation of
lifts if you like. This is an extremely solid way to train and is efective for a large variety of

lifters. Again, many variations of this basic format are possible, and used dependent on
the individual trainee.
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10
Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stif-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10

Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10

Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
DC (Dogg Crap, AKA Dante) Training. You would have to be hiding under a rock to
not know about Doggs training system. Here are a few reasons why it is so productive.
Its obviously very low volume. Say what you will about HIT, it works wonders for
MANY, MANY trainees. Most lifters simply do too many sets, of too many lifts way too
often. They overtrain horribly, and dont grow. DCs system has you doing 4-6 WORK
sets a session, usually no more than 3 days a week. That is a great formula for success for
the previously perpetually overtrained.
For those that can take it, the rest-pause sets provide the fastest path to hit the muscle
fbers deeply with the least amount of sets (one). The system has a built in intensity
cycling schedule. These are the so-called cruise weeks. I believe they were originally
built in the system primarily to scale back the androgen use for a short time (four or more
weeks heavy, two weeks low dose with clomid to help HPTA recovery) and were then
also used to scale back the intensity, and take a slight break from the grueling chore of the
extreme eating required to build extreme mass. What is beautiful about this system is that
it works wonders for both the gear user, and ESPECIALLY well for those training

clean. Most peoples bodies just dont stand up well to a constant high intensity pounding
and this system provides just the active rest break that so many need, but so few get on
other systems.
The loading changes every week. Doggs system of picking 3 diferent lifts for each
bodypart and rotating them each week stops the neural adaptation burnout that occurs
when doing the same lifts week-in, week-out. On the down side people that dont recruit
well sometimes dont progress on individual lifts as fast as they would when the neural
adaptations are allowed to progress on a weekly basis. But this is ofset by the fact that
most people get better size gains when the load is varied, and it takes quite a while for
most people to hit a wall with this type of loading.
DCs routines are setup a variety of ways, with perhaps the most popular and appilicale
being splitting the body up like this:
a)
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back width
Back thickness
b)
biceps
forearms
calves
hams
quads
Three lifts are picked for each bodypart, and each training day you do ONE of the lifts in
either rest-pause, or strait set fashion. That means after warm-ups, you do ONE lift per
body-part for a total of 5 sets per workout. If you are not familiar with the details of this
system do NOT attempt it based only on the routines presented here. The extreme
stretching and other details are part and parcel of the system and must be used as a whole.
Here is a list of DC approved lifts. I do NOT approve of all of the lifts myself, but know
they work well for many people:
CHEST
incline smythe
decline smythe

hammer strength press (incline and decline)

other good machine press
incline barbell
decline barbell
incline dumbbell press
fat dumbbell press
decline dumbbell press
SHOULDERS
smythe presses to front
smythe presses to back of head
hammer strength press
other good machine press
barbell press to front
barbell press to back of head
dumbbell shoulder press
TRICEPS
close grip bench in smythe
reverse grip bench in smythe
skull crushers
dips (in upright position)
BACK WIDTH
rack chins to front
rack chins to back of head
reverse grip rack chins (close grip)
assisted pullups
hammer strength "pulldown" machines
other good "pulldown" machines
pull downs to front
pull downs to back of head
BACK THICKNESS
deadlift
rack deadlift
T-bar rows
smythe rows
barbell rows
BICEPS

barbell curls
alternate dumbbell curls
barbell preacher curls
hammer strength machine curls
other good machine curls
cable curls
incline db curls
close grip ez-bar preacher curls
standing medium grip ez-bar curls
FOREARMS
hammer curls (alternated)
pinwheel curls (alternated)
reverse grip one arm cable curls
CALVES
calves on a leg press
standing calf raises
calves in hack squat
seating calf raises
any calf machine with a good range of motion
HAMSTRINGS
seating leg curls
standing leg curls
lying leg curls
stif leg deadlift
sumo presses
QUADS
squats
smythe squats
hack squat
leg press
Here is a sample routine:
Monday
Hammer Bench Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Military Press in Rack x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Skull Crushers x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause

Wide Grip Pull-Down x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause

Bent Row x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Wednesday
Barbell Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Hammer Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Press Calf Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Glute/Ham Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Press x 1 set 10/20 Rest-Pause
That would be considered the frst rotation. Now using a DIFFERENT set of lifts, the
next is done. Again, there are three sets of lifts, and after the third rotation, you start
again, such as:
Friday
Incline Bench Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Hammer Shoulder Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Dips x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Supinated Grip Pull-Ups x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Rack Pull x 1 set 10 reps
Monday
Dumbbell Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Grip Machine x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Standing Calf Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Squat x 1 set 10/20 Rest-Pause
Here is another variation of the format that I have used with great success myself, and
with trainees of mine.
DC, IA style with all weights
Day One, Week One
Dips Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Incline Fly Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Lateral Raise Reps 15/30 One 15/30 rest-pause
Skull Crushers Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Day Two, Week One
Wide Grip Pull-Down Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Chest Supported Row Reps 8/16 Rest-pause

EZ- Bar Curl Reps 8 Both sets done with same weight
Resistance Abs Reps 10 Machine of your choice as long as it fts you well and you can go
heavy, or see my ab article
Day Three, Week One
Leg Press Calf Raise Reps 20 2 Straight sets to failure
Deadlift Reps 10 1 set of 10 to one rep short of failure
Leg Press Reps 10/20 Rest-pause
Day One, Week Two
Dumbell Bench Press Reps 10 Both Sets Done with same weight
Incline Press, in rack Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Machine Lateral Raise Reps 10/20 Rest-pause
Tricep Pushdown Reps 8 Both sets done with same weight
Day Two, Week Two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Pull-Up Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Dumbell Row Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Incline Bench Dumbell Curl Reps 8 Both Sets Done with same weight
Resistance Abs Reps 10 Machine of your choice as long as it fts you well and you can go
heavy
Day Three, Week Two
Leg Press Calves Reps 15/30 2 rest pause sets. One to 15, the next to 30, fail at 8 for the
frst, 15 for the second
Leg Curl Reps 10 1 straight set to failure
Leg Extension Reps 10 1 straight set to failure
Squat Reps 20 Rest-Pause, Puke, go home
Here is a sample of ONE of my 4 diferent Westside Barbell modifcations. This is may
all time favorite way to train as it gives SUPERIOR strength gains, and size gains are
great also. I have been working on the modifcation of the basif WSB format for a couple
of years now and have FINALLY got all the pieces together to make this system work
WONDERFUL for trainees at all levels. The format shown is for guys that have average
to above average recovery ability. If you are a hardgainer or extreme hardgainer this is not
the format to attempt. I will post a sample of that soon. What will this type of routine do
for many if not most of you? Build strength faster than any BB program you have ever
tried by a long shot. Just strength? Nope! For most of you, size will be awesome to. It
may be the fastest way for many of you to reach your lifting goals, .Whether you are a
BBer or PLer. I CHALLENGE ANY OF YOU THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED
WITH YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF PROGRESS TO TRY THIS FOR 4

WEEKS! If it works, you can do more studying and put together something on your
own, or have me design a full routine and diet for you. A few things to keep in mind:
It is only a SAMPLE and is not laid out exactly like I write them for clients for a few
reasons. I wanted to make sure EVERYONE had access and ability to do the lifts listed,
and everyone that has even a modest gym can do these. I used a 3-week (it ends up being
closer to 4 actual weeks because of the rotating format) on the ME lifts for simplicity
sake. SOME lifters do get a 3 week rotation on ME lifts and other get 2 weeks, or even
one. There is no waving of the weights or volume for either the DE work or the repetition
work. Again this was done for simplicity sake, and I also cant give it all away-lol. And last
but not least, not knowing who will be attempting it, it is quite generic. But I will bet that
anyone that recovers even remotely well will do extremely well on it. After just 4 weeks
you WILL have a higher bench, squat and deadlift.
Monday ME Squat,
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat Pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Saturday Of

Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF

Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Triceps Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ _________________
Monday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Thursday Of

Friday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
* NTF means NOT to Failure
If you have just read this and are totally unfamiliar with WSB DO NOT POST A
BUNCH OF BASIC QUESTIONS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DE OR
ME MEANS, OR OTHER SIMILAR STUFF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE TO ATTEMPT THIS. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST A
BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WESTSIDE BARBELL PRINCIPLES
BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS. Go to the WSB section of my site:
Many people do WONDERFUL on volume routines. Many have never been able to get
volume to work for them in the least. By waving the volume you can get a volume
responder to do MUCH better both in terms of size, and strength. And can very often
get guys that have NEVER been able to make gains using volume do extremely well.
This is only one of an endless number of possible variations, and one that is not the best
wave for guys with poor recovery ability. For guys with less than good recovery more
weeks should be spent on lower volume and the ramp up should be fairly steep, and only
held a few weeks. If you are creative you can do a lot with this system and get size gains
you were never able to gat on lower volume in some cases. I could post 10 sub-styles. But
you probably get the basic idea. The wave loading can be peaked, and dropped back
down immediately, or waved back down slowly. Waving it back down slowly is best done
with a shorter, steeper duration ramp.
Waved Volume
WEEK 1-2
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 2 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 2 sets 8 reps
Dips 2 sets 10 reps
Lateral Raises 2 sets 12 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 2 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 2 sets 8 reps

Dumbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps

Grip Work Your Choice 2 sets 10 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 3-4
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 3 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 3 sets 8 reps
Dips 3 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 3 sets 8 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 3 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 3 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 3 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 5-6
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 3 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 3 sets 8 reps
Fly 3 sets 10 reps
Dumbell Overhead Press 3 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets 8 reps
Skull Crushers 3 sets 8 reps
Tricep Extensions 3 sets 8 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps

Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 3 sets 8 reps

Barbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 4 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Squats 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 7-8
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 4 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 4 sets 8 reps
Fly 4 sets 10 reps
Dumbell Overhead Press 4 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets 8 reps
Skull Crushers 4 sets 8 reps
Tricep Extensions 4 sets 8 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 4 sets 8 reps
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 4 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 4 sets 8 reps
Barbell Curl 4 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 3 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 4 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Squats 3 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 3 sets 10/15, 15/30
5 x 5s are a classic way to add size and strength and have been in popular use since the
50s. There are many, many variations of them, some very good, some.well, not so good
at least for the average lifter. I experimented with quite a few volunteer trainees looking

for a sweet spot that had peanty of loading, but not the crushing 3 x a week
squatting/benching many of them use. Here is the basic outline:
Monday
A chin or lat pull-down using 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 10 x 3 No rowing done this day as deadliftts
follow
A curlbecause, well, everyone expects themlol.
Deadlifts 5 x 5 using either a pyramid or fxed weight. Fixed weights are better tolerated
by people with good/great recovery
Ab or calf work
Wedesday
Bench press 5 x 5 using a periodized model starting light on week one working to a peak
and unloading. Uses a pyramid starting light and working to a top set. Also done s a
reduced ROM bench movement for 1 x 3- 3 x 4
Shoulder rep work
Tricep rep work
Friday
Rowing movement using a static weight 5 x 5VERY demanding during the latter
weeks.
Squatting using a static weight 5 x 5VERY demanding during the latter weeks.
Glute/hams for some lifters.
Ab or calf work if desired
Sunday
Bench press using a static weight for 5 x 5
Shoulder rep work
Tricep rep work
Can do additional chest rep lift if needed.
After 3-5 weeks a deload is done for all 5 x 5s, either reducing reps or sets. Rep work can
stay the same but at my discretion may be reduced.
Simple as shit huh? Works REALLY good though. There are more variables to it than
listed here in this simple description but it will give you an idea if you want to toy with it.
I also have a 3 day version that is used with people that simply dont have time to hit the
gym 4 days a week. This version has them benching 2 x a week, and squatting and
deadlifting 1 x on the same day, or spread out over two diferent days. Both versions work
well.

10 X 3
Here is an overview of the way my 10 x 3 routines are USUALLY laid out. I am not going
to give it all away and go into set percentage, and performance or intensity cycling or any
of the fner details, but it will give many of you curious guys a starting point on which to
make mistakes or improvements
Day one Legs/back/posterior consists of a:
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3)
rep set
An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar
lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus
Calf work if desired
Rest
Day Two:
Chest/shoulders/tri
A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-efort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs
Rest
Day three Legs/back/posterior consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN
DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day one
Diferences on this day may include some non-bar squat leg work such as leg presses,
hack squats, or possibly using the bar and doing front squats. Only 2-4 sets of these for 615 (one rep range only).
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3)
rep set
An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar
lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus

Calf work if desired

Rest, either take of two days and start with day four on monday (how I usually lay it out)
or take a day of and continue.
Day four Chest/shoulders/tri consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN
DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day two:
Diferences are a bit of limited weak point training ( example, fys done for chest) or a few
higher rep sets of a diferent compound lift in addition to the major lifts.
A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-efort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs
I also have some frequency abbreviated versions for the recovery challenged, but almost
everyone is doing well on this version.
4,3,2
This is as simple as doing routine with a volume/intensity level that is suitable for the
individual lifter, and instead of using fxed number of days per week, it varies. Some lifters
get two weeks at 4 days a week, two at 3, and 1-2 at 2 daya a week and then repeat. The
theory is much like dual-factor, you load the lifter heavy, in fact heavier than they can
handle on a long-term basis, then as they are unloaded from the volume/frequency,
delayed super compensation occurs. It works wonders for many lifters, and I frequently
have trainees tell me they have fnally found the frequency that works best for thema
varied one, and the results are often extremely good.
German Volume.
I use this for various reasons. Either to unload the joints from the heavy pounding of low
reps, or to get some fast growth. Works for both. I only use ONE lift when doing the 10 x
10 version and it looks something like this most often:
Monday
Dumbbell Bench Press 10 x 10
Chin-up 10 x 10

Wednesday
Squats 10 x 10
Calf 5 x 10
Friday
Dips 10 x 10
Incline Dumbbell Curls 10 x 10
Strength Volume
This is done by running a volume style BBing routine with lots of sets and reps and high
TUT, for 3-4 weeks, then switching to a WSB variant for 3-4 weeks. Strength goes up
and the lifter is unloaded while doing the WSB variant, size goes up along with some
strength gains when doing the volume work. BTW, it is not Flex magazine level
volume. 9-12 sets a bodypart, 3-4 days in the gym maximum.
Iron Addict

Increased Frequency Workout Split

Many trainees want to hit bodyparts more frequently than once a week, but every time
they go to twice a week training they fail to make any meaningful progress. What to do?
Well the options go up some if you don't mind the training days falling on diferent days
of the week, which means some days you might have to be in the gym on a Saturday or
Sunday. And even if you must have the days be consistent for planning purposes and to
make it ft your job/family obligations there are still ways to do it.
A simple way to accomplish this is to split your body in half, and train every other day,
with two days of after day three. This looks like:
Monday
Chest/shoulders/triceps/Abs
Wednesday
Back/biceps/legs
Friday
Chest/shoulders/triceps/Abs
Monday
Back/biceps/legs
Wednesday
Chest/shoulders/triceps/Abs
Friday
Back/biceps/legs
This allows you to hit everything once every fve days, fts within the calendar week, and
allows plenty of recovery time. The biggest downside is it is tough to hit back/bi's/legs if
you like to do volume work.
This format works extremely well and is a favorite of mine for those that ft the criteria
stated above.
Iron Addict

Another DC (Dogg Crap) Variation

DC's training protocol works wonders for many people, myself included. MANY, if not
most found the original 4 day a week WAY too much and DC modifed it to a 3-day a
week with the body split 2-ways. This means 1/2 of the body is worked on Monday, the
other 1/2 on wed, and the frst 1/2 on fri, and it rotates the following week. This was a
HUGE improvement for most trainees and a large percentage can make great progress
like this. But.......some.....many actually need less. For those it doesn't work for a frst step
should be to reduce or eliminate the rest-pause, and if that doesn't work, what are the
options? Simple. Go to a 2-day a week. This will work for most anyone hardgainer or not
and many that do well on the three day will actually do better on a 2-day.
Iron Addict

DC Training System Tip

DC's system is a wonderfully thought out comprehensive low volume system that has
truly made a mark as one of the absolute best ways to pack on mass for trainees of all
levels, even though DC himself will tell you it is best suited for advanced trainees.
The volume and frequency is low enough to work well for people with so-so recovery, and
also works great for people with awesome recovery. It just fat works. But.....many try it
and fall short. From experience I know that one of the problems many face is doing ALL
sets rest-pause. While the framework is structured like this. If you read DC's writings
thoroughly you will see that for many trainees, he uses only some rest-pause, and in some
cases will even start a trainee out with all straight sets to failure.
I have trained many people using DCs system, both as a whole, intact as DC structures
it, and with my own modifcations, and for guys with average recovery, I rarely start them
out on more than about 50% rest-pause. If results are good, I keep adding RP sets until
the trainee is either doing all RP sets, or hits a recovery wall. This is a far better method
IMO than to start too high, over-tax CNS and overall recovery, and fail to make good
progress from the start and have to scale back.
Iron Addict

Percent Training
Here is a variation of percentage training that I use with many of my personal training
clients. It works very well for people that need more workload for growth without beating
up CNS too badly. It also works wonders for guys that have a hard time generating high
intensity levels, and depending on the percentages used and work set number it works
well for trainees that can handle more volume than most. The basic premise is to either
work up to a one rep max and use that weight to base the percentage numbers on that, or
use your previously known one rep max number. Lets say the trainee worked up to 300 x 1
in the bench press. Here is a sample mini-cycle that can be used:
Week one: 300 x 1
75% x 4 x 6, that means the weight used for the sets of 6 will be 225.
Week two: 305 x 1
80% x 3 x 5 @ 245
Week three: 305 x 1
85% x 3 x 3 % 260
Week four: 310 x 1
90% x 2 x 2 @ 280
Week 5 repeat cycle
That is a short cycle and I often write them similar to this and vary the rep range and
percentages dependent on the trainees goals and lifts being worked. Longer, 8 week
cycles are used for many trainees also. Some people are plain afraid of doing singles and
that is fne if that describes you. In that case you would just use your known or estimated
one rep max, but from experience I KNOW that if you use some lame formula to estimate
your one rep max, you will be wrong as often as not. Also while many shy away from low
reps from experience I know that most people can do them productively.
The reps and sets are scaled to each trainees goals and some get higher reps than those
listed, but generally this method is targeted at pure strength even though size gains are
materialized. It should be used on bench pressing, upper back and squatting type
movements only, and I would NOT recommend this type of training for deadlifts.
This method works extremely well for MANY trainees with the caveat that the %
numbers are such that you ALWAYS make all of your % sets never missing a rep or going

to failure. If you do the percentage numbers are simply too high and should be scaled
back.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Sled for leg day

If you are having an of day and still want to hit your legs, or your lower back or knees are
bothering you, HEAVY sled pulling is a great option.
Louis used to have many of his guys pull the sled heavy as ME work over 4-5 weeks as an
alternate movement and I keyed on that when my back was acting up. It truly is an
awesome way to get in some heavy leg work without low back stress, or just as an
alternate to break things up. Doing 4 50 yard passes is plenty if you are using a weight
heavy enough to pretty much grind you to a halt every 25 yards or so.
Iron Addict

Compound Assistance Lifts

Many, if not most of you simply do not have access to the better posterier chain
movements that don't require your spinal column to be loaded heavily, nor impact the
metabolic systems as much as heavy bar movements. I am talking about reverse hypers,
glute/ham raises, 45 degree hypers, etc.
This forces many of you to turn to things like good-mornings, SLDL's, and various
deadlift variations for this work.
A couple of points are:
Don't forget about pull-throughs as they can be done in any gym, and glute/hams can be
rigged. Weighted regular gypers can be used also.
If you do bar movements, make sure that you don't push too hard, and keep the reps in at
least the 5-10 rep range if you are using the lift as an assistance lift, instead of a main lift for
the day.
Iron Addict

Bodypart Split Info

Many of you do 4 day a week routines and some of you do absolutely great on them, while
others do..lets just say not so great. One of the big reasons some do less than optimal is
simply because with back to back days CNS isnt fresh and if it isnt you will never
perform optimally.
Here is an example of a four day layout that most will be familiar with; Westside Barbell.
The standard WSB layout is:
Monday
ME Squat
Wednesday
ME Bench
Friday
DE Squat
Sunday
DE Bench
Looks fne, and works wonders for those it works for, but for those CNS challenged like
myself, my ME squat day tends to sufer after doing only DE bench the previous day.
The solution? Well for me its simply to add an extra day rest and for me, and many of
those I train the diference is night and day. This solution can be used on any 4 day split
and can be a real revelation for those that struggled when doing back to back workout
days.
The standard BBing
Mon
Upper
Tue
Lower
Thursday
Upper

Friday
Lower
Is even worse as two days are done back to back.
Most 4 day splits run days back to back and this simple solution of having a rest day
between all lifting days makes a big diference for many lifters.
Iron Addict

Purposeful Overtraining
Many of the best lifting systems include periods of overtraining on purpose to illicit a
growth response followed by a period of less stressful training to allow the body to adapt.
Lots of lifters end up doing this by total accident and in spite of their lack of
understanding of what is actually occurring do very well. This is the basis of dual factor
training, Westside Barbell includes this, and many of the various periodized systems
include this in their basic structure.
How long should the overtraining period be before a period of less stressful sessions be?
Good question and it really depends on who you talk to for answer. In my opinion and
experience 3-5 weeks is a pretty good number for most people, followed by 1-3 weeks
sessions with less volume and intensity, or even frequency.
This doesnt mean anything goes on the higher volume/intensity weeks, but it does mean
workload can go up considerably. Jumping from 6 sets a bodypart to 26 will get most
people nowhere, but a reasonable increase above and beyond what you can normally
tolerate well can set your body up for some pretty good gains. Setting up the reduced
stress weeks can be anything from taking time of, to well under the workload you
KNOW you can recover and grow on well, to you about your normal workload that you
use during most training.
This method can work extremely well, but if you consider yourself an extreme hardgainer
leave it alone. Trainees with average recovery can beneft from it well though.
Iron Addict

If you are a true hargainer

If you have tried almost everything under the sun training wise WHILE eating at
LEAST 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyfat and still have failed to grow signifcantly,
quit doing the popular routines and get on a simple 2 day a week routine. There are some
posted here. They truly are the answer to the hardgainers woes. Once you have
something you are progressive on, SLOWLY work at bringing your conditioning level
up and increasing work capacity. You will eventually be able to add more volume that
way. Never mind that "no one trains that way". Lots of people actually do train that way.
It is standard hardgainer protocol.
Iron Addict

Paralyzed about routine change

I talk to new training clients all the time that are the total opposite of the constant change
guys. You know, the ones that start a new routine, do it until they have ONE bad
workout, decide the routine quit working and switch to the newest thing they read on a
forum or muscle mag.
These are the guys that have done the same basic routine since Clinton was in ofce.
When asked about why they dont change it they almost always say something about how
well it worked for them BEFORE and then of course say they havent made progress in
forever. And many of them add that they wanted to change it, but were afraid doing
something diferent wouldnt work and they would be wasting their time.
1. How could going from something that didnt work to something that didnt work (in
worse case scenario) be any diferent?
2. It takes about 3 weeks to fnd out if a new routine will work for you (at least in the short
term)
3. Once past the beginner stage the body thrives on change.
Bottom line is if/when it stops working, doing more of the same wont get you growing,
and you have absolutely nothing to lose by changing up to something intelligently
planned.
Iron Addict

Leg Work
First things frst. Losers don't do leg work, they do the double B's, bench and biceps.
Men, that want to and do get big and strong all over work legs and back as priorities
knowing that the heavy full body work is the fastest way to transform your body into the
physique you want.
Now I will go out on a limb and state what I have stated in the past. Until you can squat
at least 315 (which isn't much of a squat) the only leg work you should and need to be
doing are squats. I see the average beginner doing:
Squats 3 x 10
Leg Press 3 x 8
Leg Extensions 3 x 10
Leg Curls 3 x 12
What a waste of time for a new guy. All he is doing is slowing down his progress to a big
squat. A guy that still can't squat at LEAST 315 need do nothing more than squats, and
one lift for whatever is weak on his squats. In other words if hams are weak, he might
squat and do glute/ham raises, or pull-throughs. If his glutes are weak, good-mornings, If
low back is weak, stif-legged deadlifts, or good-mornings, If quads are weak, leg preses,
or narrow squat stance squats. It should take no time for joe average lifter to hit 315 this
way and then it starts getting a bit harder for some, but most people can and should just
keep going until they squat at least 405 before needing or doing "more work" for the sake
of hypertrophy. Foundation frst always.
Iron Addict

Being Creative
At the moment because of injury my main heavy chest movement is limited to dips (which
hit my pecs well). That is all well and fne, but an advanced lifter just cant go to the gym
and expect to make progress doing the same thing week in week out. I know from
experience I stall about 4 weeks into almost any upper body lift if everything is kept the
same. Sowhat to do? Most lifters would just keep banging away at dips, get stuck and
frustrated. Here is what Im doing (example only the sequence may change).
1. Weighted dips with 4-5 seconds negative TUT, high reps
2. Band dips with high TUT, low reps.
3. Band and weighted dips medium reps regular cadence.
4. HIGH rep, FAST rest periods, cumulative failure
5. My dip bar has fxed spacing between the handles so not to much variance is available
for grip spacing. No problem. By using bands to secure two Olympic bars to the safety
bars/catches of my power rack I have whatever degree of hand spacing I want from super
narrow to very wide, with whatever degree of V angle I want.
6. That gives me over 16 variations using 4 grip widths and each of them is likely to
produce enough variation to keep progression moving, and guess what? Using a deep
low incline for benches gives me another lift I can do that has direct carry-over to dipping.
Iron Addict

My Four Westside Barbell Variations

Here are my basic templates of modifed Westside Barbell Routines. These are only the
basic structure and they are each modifed to meet the individual trainees goals,
weaknesses, and recovery. This is accomplished by the specifc lifts done and the volume
and intensity levels of the lifts. What will these types of routine do for many if not most of
you? Build strength faster than any BB program you have ever tried by a long shot. Just
strength? Nope! For most of you, size will be awesome to. It may be the fastest way for
many of you to reach your lifting goals. Whether you are a BBer or PLer. I
CHALLENGE ANY OF YOU THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH YOUR
CURRENT LEVEL OF PROGRESS TO TRY ONE OF THESE FOR JUST 4
WEEKS!
Band work is only added after one or two 8-week cycles. After the frst 8 weeks weak
points and sticking points are reviewed and the next routine designed accordingly.
The frst and perhaps the one most suited for average/hardgainer trainee is a two-day a
week routine done on a Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday type split. After 6 weeks or
so, 2 days a week GPP work is added either on the workout days, or the days following.
Speed work is included after a time for most trainees, but most start without it. I use this
template a lot, and while I know most guys will automatically dismiss it as not enough
work, and days in the gym, but it is EXTREMELY efective and probably the best bet
for guys just starting out with a real strength oriented routine. Here is an example:
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
2-board BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
Box Squat x 1

SLDL x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Bent Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday
Of
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
GCBP BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
GMs x 1
Box Squat 1 x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday
Of

Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Dumbbell Bench 2 x 6, PUASE EVERY REP
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
Tricep PD 2 x 10
Lateral Raise 4 x 15
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Deadlift x 1
SLDL LIGHT 2 x 10
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday Of
The second variation is much like the second but with a third day added for upper back
work. It is better suited to Bodybuilders that need a bit more volume for some lifts since
by adding the third day there is less work done on the primary lift days. Again, speed
work optional at frst, and added in time.
This is a great format for those that don't recover that well, but are not super-hardgainers.
As you can see there is no speed work. This is OK for those frst starting WSB, or in my
case, someone that needs a break.
Speed work can be added if preferred by either doing them before, or after the ME lift.

I have only shown one week, because I change my ME EVERY week, and accessory
work every 2-3 weeks and quite frankly, for me every workout is diferent regardless of
what I have planned as I go by feel most days.
It should give you an idea about another option for routine structure.
Monday, Back/Biceps/Abs
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 2 x 8
Tuesday GPP
Wednesday, ME BENCH
Board bench press, one MAX set of 1 rep
Skull Crushers 3 x 10 PAUSED on power rack pins
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10 PAUSE EVERY REP
Lateral raise 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday, ME Squat
Band Pull-down Abs 2 x 10
Safety Squat Bar box Squat with bands x 1 rep max
SLDL 1 x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Saturday GPP
Sunday Of
_____________________________________________________________________
This format is for guys that have slightly above average to well above average recovery
ability. If you are a hardgainer or extreme hardgainer this is not the format to attempt.
It is only a SAMPLE and is not laid out exactly like I write them for clients for a few
reasons. I wanted to make sure EVERYONE had access and ability to do the lifts listed,
and everyone that has even a modest gym can do these. I used a 3-week (it ends up being
closer to 4 actual weeks because of the rotating format) on the ME lifts for simplicity
sake. SOME lifters do get a 3 week rotation on ME lifts and other get 2 weeks, or even
one. There is no waving of the weights or volume for either the DE work or the repetition

work. Again this was done for simplicity sake, and I also cant give it all away-lol. And last
but not least, not knowing who will be attempting it, it is quite generic. But I will bet that
anyone that recovers even remotely well will do extremely well on it. After just 4 weeks
you WILL have a higher bench, squat and deadlift.
Monday ME Squat,
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10
Lateral raise 4 x 10
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat Pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 6
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8
Dumbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises

Hanging leg Raises 3x 10

Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8
Barbell Row 3 x 8
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10
Thursday Of
Friday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pull-down, wide grip 4 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 6
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Triceps Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10

Thursday Of
Friday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8
Barbell Row 3 x 8
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ _________________
Monday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 6
Thursday Of
Friday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
The standard Westside Barbell format is this:

ME Squat day on Monday

ME Bench on Wednesday
DE Squat on Friday
DE Bench on Sunday
Of course the lifts are done according the lifters goals, weak muscles/sticking points, and
recovery ability. This format overtrains a lot of people, but nothing works better for those
that can recover from it.
If you have just read this and are totally unfamiliar with WSB DO NOT POST A
BUNCH OF BASIC QUESTIONS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DE OR
ME MEANS, OR OTHER SIMILAR STUFF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE TO ATTEMPT THIS. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST A
BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WESTSIDE BARBELL PRINCIPLES
BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS. Go to the WSB section of my site and read up and
then ask away about how to make it work better for YOU.
Iron Addict

Hardgainer Training Manual Updated PT 1

Training Manual (unfnished)
Updated 10/26/06
Here is a portion of a hardgainer training manual I was working on. It is unfnished and
the nutrition sections are not attached but it is pretty good reading anyway and a way to
burn some time. It was written years ago and some of the sections do not 100% refect my
current views as they were written years ago, but its still pretty close.
The material is primarily aimed at hardgainers, but is also the type of training that works
wonders for a very large segment of the training populace.
The Voice of Reason
How did we get so lost?
Note: This information is geared towards genetically typical trainees not using steroids.
It also works extremely well for gear users of cycle, and the Many people while on,
although most people can increase the volume and frequency somewhat while on cycle. It
is a given that anabolic steroid use increases the threshold point at which overtraining
occurs and gear users can USUALLY tolerate more training without overtraining. Even
while on gear the single biggest reason people do not grow is due to the fact they
overtrain. What follows is excerpts and a compilation of articles I have written for
Hardgainer magazine. Most of this information was also on a web site I produced geared
toward hardgaining trainees. The web site is now closed but I am sharing this info for the
board readers beneft. Dont dismiss this information because you use steroids. It could
have more impact than anything you have read if you take its advice to heart.
Weight training is a truly unique pastime, in that for an activity as popular as it is, there is
an EXTREME OVERABUNDANCE of information that is ENTIRELY
UNSUITABLE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE THAT
PARTICIPATE. It would be almost acceptable if the information given in the popular
books and periodicals clearly stated that the information contained within them was only
appropriate for those that are genetically gifted at building muscle tissue and in many
cases also using massive amounts of steroids. This fact is never (or rarely) mentioned. It
would also make the situation better if there were popular publications catering to
alternative techniques suitable for the masses. Unfortunately this is not the case. The
publishers go with what sells, and since the public is mistakenly under the assumption

that those with the biggest muscles must know the most about how to build an awesome
physique the problem propagates itself. The training information in the popular books
and magazines works spectacularly well FOR THE GENETIC WONDERS (usually
using steroids also) that garner all the publicity. What these methods don't do is deliver
the results for the masses (yes, you and me).
For the VAST majority of trainees that make little or no progress it is their training
methods that are responsible for the lack of progress. What you say? You train just like
everyone else in the gym, even the huge guys that out-lift three of the typical trainees. The
fact of the matter is that the popular training methods that have created most of the world
class physiques DO NOT WORK FOR THE AVERAGE TRAINEE. Look around
you in the gym and you see countless members slaving away week after week, year after
year and for all their efort barely look like they workout at all. And often those that do
look like they train are usually stuck at the same weight, lifting the same poundages, for
months, sometimes years on end. I once read a pretty good defnition of insanity, "doing
the same things over and over and expecting a diferent result". If your training is not
working for you now, how is supposed to "magically" start working one day?
Before you just go to the routine section and look at the suggested routines and decide
that they can't possibly work, wait until you have read everything before making your
decision as to whether this style of training will work. Let me give you an example of why
it's important to get all the facts before making a decision. If I promised you $5 million
dollars to jump out of an airplane without a parachute, would you do it? If you quickly
answered "no" you lost an easy $5 million. You see, the plane I was asking you to jump
from was parked on the ground.
Don't lose again by "jumping" to conclusion about the concepts you are about to read.
Please read everything before making any judgments.
A letter out of time
This letter was written in 1992 to the Editor and Publisher of Hardgainer, Stuart
McRobert. For those of you that have never had the pleasure of being exposed to his
writings or having read his wonderful bi-monthly publication "Hardgainer", Stuart is the
person I credit with showing myself and countless others the real-deal on productive
weight training. He has had over 300 articles published in almost every major weight
training magazine and has had ongoing columns in IronMan and MuscleMedia 2000.
Never heard of him, or saw his articles and skipped over them because a major title
winner didnt write them? Well you did yourself a huge disservice. I too had skipped over
his articles for a long time before I was exposed to the basic training techniques that fll
the pages of Hardgainer. What is a Hardgainer? A simple yet fairly precise defnition
would be the vast majority of the weight training populace. Do you go to the gym and
experience great gains on almost any type of training program you try? Do you watch
those around you in the gym make huge gains (drug free) on a consistent basis. Well,

welcome to reality land. While you cant change your genetic make-up, you can apply a
training methodology that will allow you to reach your genetic potential.
Below is part of my story:
Stuart,
I am not a very experienced writer but I'm experienced in what does, and does not work
for me. And pretty well versed in training principles that work for the average person,
thanks to Hardgainer, Super Squats, and Brawn. I have trained of and on since age 14,
I'm 31 now and most of the time I gained next to nothing. The only time before 1991 that I
made meaningful progress was a period of about a year and a half when I was in the Army
and trained very inconsistently. I was trying to do a full-body workout three days a week.
Due to my inconsistency I ended up training once every 5-10 days, at best I trained twice a
week. This was just what I needed! I made some great gains and did what most do, I got
excited and started training more often, and increased my work-load. Of course this killed
my progress. With no progress I lost desire.
Every couple of years I would repeat this process. I would become interested in training,
make gains when frst starting, increase the load, and sure as night turns to day, all
progress would cease as would my desire to train. I was like many people are, a virtual
warehouse of knowledge about every aspect of training except that which would work for
me. It wasn't until 1990 that I decided I would begin training again and would fnd
methods that would work for me. This time I had decided I would continue no matter
what. I was starting to feel as though my youth was slipping away (well of course it was,
but now it was really starting to feel like it). I had learned a lot about persistence through
other areas of my life and I realized I fnally had the maturity to persist, no matter what. I
started training again. I was once again wasting my time, but not for long.
I received a free copy of Super Squats with a subscription to IronMan. I did a shortened
version of the routine twice a week and life has never been the same! It was during this
time period that I started to notice the Hardgainer department in IronMan. Things really
started to click for me. After only 1 issue I sent for my copy of "Brawn" and between the
three, a whole new training world had opened up for me. At last, training methods that
plainly stated they were for the average person that had problems making gains. This was
a real revelation for me as everything I had read in the past basically said, do this, and this,
and the result would be that. Of course they all said you had to make sure you gave all
body-parts equal attention or soon some body-parts would grow out of proportion and
wreak your symmetry. Give me a break, I'd have killed to have some big out of
proportioned muscles. Even one would have been great! Needless to say, almost every bit
of so called training information I had read since 1977 was worthless.
By the way it wasn't the six day a week 20 sets a body-part, or even the four day a week
twelve sets a body-part routine that was responsible for my failure to make gains all those
years. For the most part I used a three-day a week total body routine. I had from the

beginning sought out information on training so I could train efectively and not waste
my time. What a joke! I at least knew I was a beginner (a look in the mirror could confrm
this any time) and should train like one. Almost all the glossy magazines had a beginners
column in them and they all wanted you to train three days a week until you put on some
size. And if you read the articles by the champs they often stated beginners should do a
three-day a week routine before working their way up to the type of routine they were
doing. In fact I still have my copy of Education of a Bodybuilder by Arnold. Once again
the beginners section said three days a week, and after all Arnold should know.
I guess you probably know what I think about three day a week full body routines after all
these years. What a terrible shame this kind of program has been so universally promoted.
It's almost as bad as the high volume train every day of the week garbage. No average
person has a chance on this type of routine. Train your whole body hard then, one days
rest then do it again? Come on!
Addendum: These 3 day a week full body routines were typical of the time and had a
LOT of lifts, many sets, and WERE NOT PERIODIZED. There ARE good 3 day full
body routines hardgainers can use and do well on. Extreme hardgainers will not do well
on them though. Madcows/Rippetoes versions are quite good if followed correctly.
I also tried a few other routines throughout the years, I think everybody from this time
period gave Mike Mentzers theories a try. I know I did, at least I didn't lose too much
time with this as even I knew something was wrong when I dreaded the next training
session, started getting injured, and worst of all started losing weight fast. I could hardly
aford to lose any weight being 6"1 155lbs at age 19 when Mentzer was at the height of his
popularity.
Like you and so many others, I lost what could have been my most productive training
years because of a lack of proper information. For some reason in my area (northern
California) I had never seen a copy of Peary Raders IronMan or any other magazine or
book that had a message of reason. All I had to go by were the glossy
magazine/catalogues full of useless B.S. and a few books written by big names that didn't
have anything to do with reality, or at least the reality of training a Hardgainer.
Since fnding my way I have made more progress than I would have thought possible. I
have come to realize that most people fall somewhere between hardgainer and extreme
hardgainer not further up the scale.
I believe anyone that has to limit their training to two-three times a week, can only train
body-parts/lifts once a week, has to do a very limited amount of movements for one or two
sets at most, and has to watch their nutrition/rest habits very carefully to make gains
would be classifed as a Hardgainer. Well, the above statement describes me perfectly. In

spite of all these limitations my progress has been great. I owe this to fnding the right
training information and applying it correctly.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Please read on. The answer to your training
problems lay ahead. Since the proceeding was written in 1992 I have learned a lot more
about efective training and have trained many who had genetics ranging anywhere from
excellent to those you looked at and thought, "have you really lifted weights before".
During this time I have NEVER had Hardgainer style training fail. Transform yourself
from a "before, to an after".
The Genetic Factor
While the big names may know a whole lot about what is required to build their
physiques to EXTREME levels they more often than not know ALMOST NOTHING
about the requirements of those less genetically inclined to add muscle tissue. What is
almost never mentioned is that in addition to having been blessed with out of this world
genetics they also use massive amounts of steroids and other growth enhancing drugs.
That this type of training is the type responsible for the top name physiques is of little
relevance for the typical trainee trying to add bodyweight and strength. In fact, it is about
as opposed as day and night for those that have difculty getting big, here is why:
More is not better
The average competitive bodybuilder does anywhere from 9 sets on the low end to 20-25
sets per body-part. Why so many? And if 20 sets are good why not do 40 sets and double
the results? The reason is many, if not most have tried this approach and found out it led
to over training. It wasnt because growth wasnt stimulated during the course of the
workout, it was, but because so much of the bodys resources are being used to merely
recover from the workout nothing is left for additional growth. In fact, in MOST cases
the trainee will actually become progressively smaller and weaker on such a schedule. If
the sheer volume of training were the factor responsible for weight training success the
workouts would need to become progressively longer until the only factor that would
limit ones growth would be the availability of gym time. This is clearly not the case as the
top names are usually paid to train and have no other responsibilities, yet they do their
two or three hour routines and get out of the gym.
Frequency
It goes to reason that if doing too high a volume of training leads to over training, that
training to frequently will also hamper growth. If training four days a week produces
good gains why not train twice a day 7 days a week? Once again, this has been tried by
many and positive results were not achieved. Once you come to grips with the fact that

OVER TRAINING IS THE BIGGEST POSSIBLE MISTAKE YOU CAN

MAKE, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE BODYBUILDING FAILURES
THAN ALL OTHER FACTORS COMBINED, you are on your way to becoming
"all you can be", to quote the popular Army slogan. Once you adjust your training volume
and frequency to the correct levels you will have done more to increase your ability to gain
than any thing else short of taking growth-enhancing drugs and I assume you are not
taking that route.
The Growth Factor
So we know that sheer volume of training is not the factor responsible for growth, what
is? Simple, increase your strength signifcantly and muscle size will go up accordingly.
This simple concept is left out on most articles in the glossy magazines. Why? It should
be included in bold print capitols in every article printed. There should be a statement
such as; IF YOU ARE NOT USING PROGRESSIVELY HEAVIER
POUNDAGE'S IN ALL YOUR LIFTS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS EVERY
OTHER DETAIL IS IRRELEVANT. SEEK TO GET STRONGER AND SIZE
WILL FOLLOW!
How to unlock your potential
The key to getting stronger on a consistent basis is fnding the correct volume and
frequency of training YOUR BODY can handle and then always training well within
these confnes. This is so simple it is almost laughable, yet so few ever really consistently
apply it, even after being exposed to proper training techniques. The most common
reasons for not staying the course are always fnding a reason (excuse) to add exercises,
and being swayed too easily by others. Going into a commercial gym and watching others
train, and often times even being told by others that; "you cant possibly gain on a routine
like that", and "thats not the way so and so trains" more often than not leads the trainee to
add exercises and training days to the routine to the extent that the growth process is
short circuited. Dont be another failure that gives up on lifting because it doesn't work!
The REAL Requirements
From reading the above, the uninitiated trainee is probably beginning to get the picture
that Hardgainer style training consists of training less frequently, and doing less sets per
body-part to ovoid what they now understand to be the reason for their lack of progress
over training. The uninitiated are probably thinking something like great, Ill cut back to
three days a week instead of four and only do eight sets per body-part instead of sixteen.
Then WHAMinstant buf! This volume and frequency will still lead to frustration and
stagnation.

What few are willing to grasp is just how severe heavy lifting is to the body. Not only
must localized (in the muscle trained) recovery occur before growth will take place, but
systemic recovery (the body as a whole) must occur also. Once recovery has occurred
guess what? You are still no stronger than before the workout took placeadaptation
(growth) only occurs after your body has fully recovered. Only after both of these events
have occurred has the muscle grown bigger.
Most people short circuit the growth process by training before full recovery and
adaptation has occurred. Thats why they fnd themselves doing the same weight workout
after workout. Here is what happens: they do so many sets the body is in a state of
constant depletion, then before their poor beat-up body has even had a chance to
recuperate from the last work out the body is hammered again. True, diferent body-parts
are worked, but the systemic depletion is only made worse. Your body is chronically overtrained and growth does not occur.
The solution to the problem of over training is shocking to most trainees who have only
been exposed to the training techniques of the "champions". Be that as may, your only
hope of developing a good physique is to ensure you ALWAYS train within your bodys
ability to recuperate between workouts. How will you know if you are recuperating
adequately? Simple, you will be able to add weight or reps workout to workout. There
may be days when you are feeling down and the energy level is just not there, but days like
this should be the RARE exception not the rule. How much weight should be added?
One-half to two pounds on the smaller movements such as military presses or curls and
one to fve pounds for the big movements like squats and deadlifts. Not enough you say?
Assuming the trainee bench presses one day a week and is able to add but one pound to
the bar each workout. Also assuming a couple of weeks were missed due to illness or
other commitments, this still amasses a 50 pound increase in bench press ability. Do even
this small increase over two consecutive years and the trainee that was previously "stuck"
at 185 x 6 is now doing 285 x 6 and has a better bench than almost all the other members in
the gym. Of course not all progress will be linear and there will be times when the trainee
will have to cut back the poundage's for a time in order to let the body fully recuperate.
But there will also be times when the increases are much higher than the suggested
increments. In fact, if you are new to hardgainer style training 5 pounds a week for small
movements and 5-10 pounds a week for the big movements may be attainableand bodyweight may skyrocket also. Most trainees (if truly training within their limits) will add
from 10 to 30 pounds during the frst three months. Please keep in mind that the 30-pound
fgure is not the norm, but 10-20 pound body-weight increases are.
Small Gains are Sustainable

Once you are past the beginner stage, or the beginning three or four months of training
correctly, its time to start looking at training for the long haul. By that I mean structuring
your routine inside and outside the gym to ensure that all the requirements of growth are
being met. One of the key ingredients of the growth recipe is ensuring that you do not try
to add weight to the bar faster than your body is actually building strength. Adding
weight to the bar by loosening your form and speeding up your rep speed does nothing
but stoke your ego, and set you up for injury.
Your Potential
Sorry to say this, but for the vast majority of you reading this you are not going to be the
next Arnold, Dorian Yates, or Ronnie Coleman. The chances are, if you are reading this
you are reading out of the desperation of trying everything and getting little or no results.
I cant and wont promise that hardgainer style training will make you the next Mr.
anything, or even make you the biggest guy in your gym. What I will promise you is that
these techniques, applied with passion and persistence will deliver results that will
astound you.
Your Goals
While no one can defne your strength training goals for you some basic guidelines are
necessary to ensure you achieve them.
1. If your reading this and are thinking: I dont want to be some huge guy who scares
people because of his sheer size and cant even scratch his own back. Keep this in mind;
you can only do one of three things to a muscle. A) Make it smaller/weaker through
improper/no training. B) Keep it the same size through improper training or deciding
you are as big/strong as you want to be. C) Make it bigger through proper training.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TONING A MUSCLE. If you ever reach a
point where you are satisfed with your size and strength you can easily maintain that
condition by ensuring you never increase the poundage you are using. How many of you
are really worried about getting too big/strong?
2. Trying get a big chest and arms while neglecting to work hard on the big muscle
groups, i.e., legs/back is a surefre formula for failure for Hardgainers.
3. If you want to be big and impressive by any standards (other than competition oriented
bodybuilders) you had better fx your sights on aiming high on the poundages used in
your training. I will quote Stuart McRoberts guidelines for strength based on the
average 59 190 pound successful Hardgainer: bench 300, squat 400, deadlift 500. You
should allow 10% leeway high or low, and take into consideration body type, as some will
be natural squatters and others will be far better at deadlifting. Some may also (if

educated) substitute the parallel bar dip for the bench press if they are not structurally
suited to bench press. Although the dip doesnt get anywhere near the recognition the
bench press does, it actually works more muscle than the bench. Lighter or heavier
bodyweight lifters will need to adjust their goals accordingly.
If these fgures seem out of reach take heart, they seemed an impossibility to me also when
frst exposed to them after reading Stuarts frst book; Brawn. That I reached these goals
within approximately 2-1/2 years seemed like a dream to me. My transformation physically
was equally startling. I went from an experienced (so I thought) trainee with years of
training under my belt that had reached the pinnacle of 175 pounds at 61 to a 235 pound
trainee experienced in what really works. I eventually hit 270, but to hold 270 it takes
TONS of gear and thats not where I am at currently. 235 at 8-10% is where I try to stay
most of the time these days
4. If you are trying to trim down and get bigger at the same time you are asking your body
to make a very difcult task almost impossible. Either lose the excess fat before trying to
get big or plan on losing it after you have added some serious size frst. And if you are
happy with your body-fat level dont be afraid to let some fat come along when adding
muscle. Trying to get big and stay very lean is a task difcult for even the genetically elite,
and next to impossible for the hardgainer.
How Hard to Train, This is an update:
I USED to believe that very low volume and training to failure was the key to hardgainer
success. Why? Its what I used after reading Super Squats and Brawn. I did very well on
this style of training and it took me quite a ways, but knowing what I know now after
working with literally hundreds of hardgainers successfully I have changed my stance.
CNS fatigue for many becomes a real issue and the volume and frequency must be kept
unnecessarily low. I now recommend on any multiple set lift that the trainee ONLY
TAKE THE LAST SET TO ONE REP SHORT OF FAILURE. I dont train a
single hardgainer to failure anymore and the results have been WAY better. There is
nothing wrong with a lifter doing SOME failure training at SOME time in their training
careers, but a hardgainer building their strength and conditioning base will do MUCH
better leaving a bit in the tank. This allows more recovery, more sets, usually more
frequency, and CNS fatique is very minimized if the loading is cycled.
The Path to Excellence
In order for you to achieve all that your genetic endowment will allow you must
understand and APPLY the following guidelines on a consistent basis until you have
achieved your physical potential or are as big as you care to be.

The "Driver"
Please read the following carefully, the need to include a heavy full body movement in
your routine is crucial to your lifting success!
The typical hardgainer can forget about making big gains throughout the body until they
get the thigh/back musculature growing. Think about it this way, if your body is not very
efcient at growing muscle tissue and your current routine is like that of most trainees,
(what I call the double Bs, bench and biceps) how much of a demand have you placed on
your body to become more efcient at growing? Working chest, delts, tris, and biceps
works approximately 10% of your overall lean body mass. Working hard on deadlifts (bent
legged, Trap Bar, or sumo) or squatting (not necessarily at the same time) works more
like 70% of your musculature at once and sends a STRONG message to your body to
GET BETTER AT GROWING NOW! Because the demands on your metabolism
are so great when doing these movements the results are also great. But like anything
worthwhile in life it comes at a price: brutally hard work done consistently with ever
increasing poundages.
The original "recipe" for success for those that were previously unable to register
signifcant gains in size and strength was the 20 rep squatting routine with one set (after
warm-ups) to failure done along with a handful of other basic exercises, no fuf, just
brutally demanding hard work done infrequently with an emphasis on heavy eating. If you
have never done high rep squatting or deadlifting with limit poundage's you will no
doubt be amazed at how difcult they are. They will probably be the most demanding
things you have ever done inside or outside of the gym. They will for sure be the most
productive thing you've ever done in the gym.
Twenty Rep squats are not done by putting a light-weight on the bar and doing twenty
quick reps and racking the bar. They are done by using a weight that the trainee will have
to almost kill himself to get 15 reps with. By rep 10 or so you will be breathing like a horse
and gasping for your breath. You will fght to get the 15 reps, then instead of racking the
bar you keep it on your shoulders and rest/breath long enough to get the next rep, and the
next, then the next. You will have to fght every fber in your body telling you to dump the
bar. But you persist and make it to rep 20. Rep 21 should be impossible should you have
attempted it. If you are able to do another set after this one you werent trying hard
enough. For this reason I always do high rep squats (or deadlifts) as the last movement in
the routine. Try them and see why!
Many times I have trained people who swore they worked like animals in the gym and
had them on the foor gasping like fsh out of water, unable to continue with any
additional work after one limit set of squats. These were people that swore they trained as
hard as possible and were sure the proposed workout could not possibly be able to

stimulate growth in so few sets. By the way these were usually people that were
previously unable to add bodyweight and went on to become quite big and strong by
applying Hardgainer techniques to their training.
The Heritage
High rep squatting has a history going back to the early days of the Iron Game. For a
detailed history and training program promoting high rep squatting I suggest you
purchase the book "Super Squats" by Randall Strossen. While the main routine
contained in this book will prove to be too much for most Hardgainers, the abbreviated
routine given is excellent (contained in this manual, see description) for those needing to
cut back to the bare bones in able to gain. This routine was promoted by Peary Radar
(IronMan Magazines previous Editor/Publisher) as a surefre routine for those unable to
gain on even the basic 20 rep squatting routine consisting of squats, barbell curls, bench
presses, rows, and military presses. Peary championed the 20 rep squatting routine for
years during his time as publisher of IronMan. Unfortunately his voice was drowned out
by the Weiders "champion" routines. His magazine also did not have the exposure of the
Weider publications at the time. When IronMan was procured by the current owners the
newer formula (big names, long routines) was ushered in and the tradition of basic
training with heavy squats as the core of the routine was almost lost to future generations.
Were it not for Stuart McRobert, Randall Strossen and a handful of others that had
learned this most productive method of training and promoted it to all that would listen.
UPDATE
Now that you have read about the benefts of 20 rep squatting which can be very
benefcial for some lifters during some phases I will tell you that I havent written a 20 rep
REST-PAUSE squat for a trainee in over 3 years. Why, too many people get injured
doing them, and they are absolute hell on CNS. If you are already quite strong and want
to do high rep squatting for leg size, do them as a continuous set the way Dante has his
lifters do them. I more often than not have the lifter do a combination of low rep (1-3)
squats and higher rep (6-10) and this works way better for strength and just fne for size.
The Deadlift
While there has been more exposure given to the squat in bodybuilding circles than
deadlifting it is time this changed. For many trainees, especially the long limbed type that
Hardgainers tend to be, the deadlift may be the single most productive movement that
can be done. Even surpassing the mighty squat that has become famous for making
strongmen out of people that previously could not make signifcant gains. I strongly
recommend some type of deadlifting in everyones routine (physical limitations not

withstanding). Not only will you have gone a long ways towards achieving your physical
potential, you will also help yourself avoid lower back injuries.
How could that be? You have been told that deadlifts will wreak your back. Consider
that most lower back injuries occur when someone (weight trainees included) with little
lower back strength bends over to pick up something relatively light and something "lets
go". Building a strong lower back through deadlifting will go along way towards insuring
you dont have the same thing happen to you. As long as structural weaknesses are not
preexisting, you maintain perfect form while deadlifting (this applies to ALL exercises),
and if you are new to deadlifting, you start VERY light and build up your poundage's
slowly while perfecting your form, you should be able to never be injured by deadlifting.
Almost all weight-training injuries are preventable.
Trap Bar Deadlift
I could write pages praising the advantages of the Trap Bar and its value in assisting the
trainee to reach their physical potential. This piece of equipment, when used correctly has
the ability to transform physiques. Muscles worked when using this movement are thighs,
hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back (lats, mid back, traps), forearms, and
abs/obliques. In other words, the same muscles used a when performing the bent legged
deadlift. So what makes the Trap Bar so special, and makes it a superior movement to the
strait bar deadlift? Simple, works the same muscles as the conventional deadlift while
making it a safer movement by avoiding undue stress to the lower back and providing
more stress to the thighs. Because it reduces the need for extreme technical profciency as
required during the strait bar deadlift most trainees are able to push harder and move
more weight. The sum total is a super productive movement that works approximately
70% of your lean body mass relatively safely. To top it of, this piece of equipment sells for
under $200.00 U.S. dollars.
Performance of the movement is relatively simple, stand inside the bar and hold onto the
two parallel handles. Keeping your lower back slightly arched and your head up push
down into the foor with your feet trying to keep the weight on your heels. Do not round
the lower back, and do not take the movement to absolute failure (stop one rep short),
and you can rest assured you will have sent a strong signal to your body to grow
If fnances allow, this is a must purchase item for the home gym trainees. Unfortunately
most gyms do not have a Trap Bar. If possible talk your gym owner into purchasing one,
or allowing you to purchase one and deduct the price from your membership. After using
my Trap Bar only one time, my brother purchased his own and carried it in the trunk of
his car to the gym on leg/back day. This option should not be overlooked.
What if you cant squat or deadlift?

Let me frst start of by saying that there are very few of you out there that legitimately
cant either squat or deadlift, especially using the Trap Bar. I will also go out on a limb
and state that most readers will have many excuses why they cant and also add that many
HAVE NEVER EVEN TRIED TO DEADLIFT. Most trainees will have at least
tried squatting and after realizing the tremendous efort required to squat heavy weights
decided leg extensions and maybe a couple of half efort sets of whatever leg training
apparatus is handiest and easiest will sufce on leg day. The thought being.well, after
all, we dont want to use up all that energy that would be best applied to endless sets of
curls.
This is the road to nowhere! Get competent instruction on how too properly squat and
deadlift. I highly recommend the book "The Insiders Tell-All Handbook on WeightTraining Technique" even if expert coaching is available. You may need to work on your
fexibility to become a more profcient squatter. If this is the case invest the time needed
on a proper fexibility routine performed twice a week. This will pay of big dividends
once you are able to squat correctly and will go a long way towards making you more
injury proof.
Safety Squats
For those of you that are not familiar with this bar (probably the majority of readers) it is a
bar with a padded yoke that has the weight-bearing portion of the bar angled forward.
This moves the center of gravity forward and in conjunction with the padded protrusions
of this strangely shaped bar allows "hands free" squatting. This allows the hands to be
used to hold onto a squat or power rack and stabilize the upper torso. In fact proper use
of this bar will allow almost any trainee to squat in any position from a "lean forward"
powerlifting style to an actual "lean back" position, something that is impossible with a
regular bar.
The Tall Hardgainers Curse
A common complaint of many tall Hardgainers is the amount of forward lean necessary
to stabilize the bar makes the squat a great hip and back movement while leaving the legs
only moderately worked. The Safety Squat Bar has the potential to mitigate these factors
and provide a frst class leg workout with minimal knee and back stress. With the Safety
Squat Bar I am able to squat upright and move my stance in, my legs and hips get
hammered while my back is only moderately worked.
I have trained a tall (63") novice who due to extreme infexibility and body mechanics
could not get much past the half squat position without his heels coming of the ground
and almost falling down forward. He was so tight he had difculty bending down to pick
up a standard Olympic bar with 45lb plates loaded, yet with the safety squat bar he was
able to fnd a pain free squat position with this bar and squat to almost parallel.

Performance
Heres how it works. The bar is loaded (preferably in a power rack, although a squat rack
will sufce) and the trainee dips under the bar and removes it from the rack. Because of
the padded lateral stabilizer bars and the forward cant of the bar it stays in place on the
traps/shoulders without assistance of the hands, the hands are used to hold onto the
power rack. Special handles that attach to the rack are included with the bar, but it works
fne just using the posts of the rack for support. By using the hands/arms to stabilize your
torso you will fnd you are able to maintain a very upright position while squatting thus
allowing your legs to take the brunt of the work.
Stance width and foot angle are only limited by what is comfortable and safe. The one
reservation I have about the use of this bar is the extreme fexibility of positions that one is
able to use. If you set up in an unnatural position and attempt to use heavy weights you
are asking for trouble. It is possible to use positions with this bar that will put extreme
stress on the knees, dont do this! Common sense should tell you when youre about to put
yourself in harms way. Find a comfortable stance and position that is an improvement of
your normal squatting position and work with that.
One of the variables to keep in mind is foot placement relative to the rack posts you are
holding onto. The closer you place your feet to the posts the more upright your torso will
be. Setting up well back of the uprights will have you leaning forward more and will put
more pressure on the back.
Most trainees will fnd they can use much more weight with the Safety Squat Bar than
they can with a regular bar. The factors involved that makes this possible are the ability to
fnd a natural "strong" posture and stance, and the ability to use the arms to pull past the
sticking point. The use of the arms can be a help or a hindrance dependent on how they
are used. If one always uses arm strength to pull through the difcult portion of the lift,
little will be gained and the sticking point will only be made worse. However if arm use is
kept to a minimum and used only during the last very tough reps of a set, one is able to
really up the intensity and get in some very productive reps that would be impossible
otherwise.
The Safety Squat Bar can be found by many venders online. Im confdent once enough
trainees give the Safety Squat Bar a try it will become a very popular piece of equipment,
especially with tall Hardgainers who have sufered under the squat bar for many years. It
has many advantages unique to machines, yet has the fexibility of free weights.
Leg Press
If you can fnd a leg press that doesnt put your knees in peril by providing to great of a
range of motion, and doesnt place undue stress on the lower back or potentially "crush
you" by having the weight carriage come down to far when failure/fatigue is reached you
will get good results as long as you are able to push like your life depended on it.
However you need to keep in mind that the leg press should be used as a last resort if all

eforts to squat and deadlift productively have failed. You will have to expect decreased
results, but if the choice is leg press or no heavy leg-work at all the choice is easy.
That being said, I think the leg press is a valuable piece of equipment for all trainees. In
fact I think enough of it to have purchased my own. Why own a piece of equipment I truly
believe to be inferior to the squat and deadlift? For me the reason is to be able to continue
with leg work during times when my lower back needs a rest from continual heavy squats
and deadlifts, or when just needing a change of pace. I also use it when training someone
who cannot squat or deadlift due to prior injury or physical limitations. It can be a
refreshing break from squats and deadlifts, but not a substitute.
DO NOT USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE TO NOT SQUAT OR DEADLIFT. Used
by those that can use them safely bent-legged deadlifts and squats are the most productive
movements you can do, bar-none. If they are done in a fashion that leads to injury they are
also a liability. Learn to do these movements correctly and learn to savor the satisfaction
of knowing you have done what is needed to stimulate big gains throughout the body.
Squat Machines
There are many other machines that approximate the squat in body mechanics that will
allow those that may be otherwise unable to perform free weights squats to get in a good
workout.
"Volume, Frequency, and "Overlap"
Here is part of my experience learning how to properly modulate training volume,
frequency, and exercise overlap to fnd what worked best for me. And while we are all
diferent in our ability to recover from workouts the following formula has been the most
successful for almost every hardgainer I have trained.
It was during the course of a heavy 20 rep squat routine cycle that I hit the wall after only
four weeks of maximum poundage training having taken three weeks to build up to a
weight where rep 20 seemed like a "fght for life". I decided to cut back to squatting once
a week and see how I did on this new frequency. I was hard to mentally make the change
as even many hardgainer routines are designed around twice a week squatting.
Fortunately every once in a while common sense prevails, and the right choice is made.
Immediately after going to once a week squatting my poundage progression took of! It
was only after going to once a week that I started to notice that many respected
authorities recommended squatting once a week. Why hadn't I noticed this before?
I then decided I would try training all my lifts once a week to see if this was also the
answer to upper body progression. I made the change and have never looked back! The
results were immediate and consistent, which brings up a point that cannot be stated

strongly enough, if you are training efectively within your ability to recuperate you should
be seeing progress in the form of strength increases from workout to workout. This
should be either weight or rep increases. These don't have to be (and should not be) big
increases. A one-repetition increase with the same form is signifcant. One half or one
pound increases for small movements and one to three pounds on big movements is about
right for most trainees. Early on in a cycle you can add fve pounds a week to big
movements but this rate of increase is not sustainable.
What is the correct frequency and training volume? You will have to fnd out for yourself,
but if you always err on the side of doing less instead of more your training will be more
productive. Everyone can gain on abbreviated routines (and very abbreviated routines)
but once you start training outside your ability to recuperate real progress stops.
There was a wonderful article in Hardgainer #29 by Jack Stocks describing his training
experiences. Jack found he could only maintain meaningful progression on two
movements, and He has to do these movements on diferent days of the week. Some may
be asking, what kind of strength and development can be achieved by such limited
training? Well, anyone who read the article knows that Jack is very strong on the
movements he does. As far as development goes, I am sure he is not as balanced as
someone whose recuperative abilities allow them to do more movements, so what! He
has found his limits and trains within them. He is far more successful than those that slave
away for months and years on end using puny poundage's with little development
anywhere.
Hopefully your tolerance for training volume will allow you to do more movements for
more complete development, (if this is what you are trying to achieve) the point is, you
need to determine the volume and frequency that works for you and train within these
confnes. Knowing I am a Hardgainer and will only respond to a limited amount of
training, one of the biggest mistakes I have made in the past is trying to fnd the limits of
my ability to recuperate. Gains come at a snails pace when compared to the progress that
is possible when training well within your limits. Grasp the last sentence and apply it,
NO, REALLY APPLY IT! Dont keep adding exercises until you are on the edge, or
worse yet, over your ability to recuperate.
Before coming to grips regarding proper frequency and duration of training load, the
goals often stated in Hardgainer of 300/400/500 bench, squat, and deadlift seemed as
though they would be defnite, limit lifts for me, when and if I reached them. After
applying the techniques contained within these pages these goal, adjusted UP because of
my higher bodyweight were achieved. Had I continued training using the popular
methods I am quite certain I may have achieved a 225 pound bench and 275 pound squat,
and probably would have never deadlifted. Of course I would have only achieved a
physique to match. The worse part is after a time I would no doubt have done what
MOST lifters do; quit, because weight-training just did not work for me.

UPDATE, the preceding was written when I still was doing only to failure training.
Many, if not most of you will be able to add more frequency in if intensity is regulated.
Exercise Overlap
This section is very important for extreme hardgainers. Hardgainers that fall a few
notches up do NOT need to resort to reducing overlap to the extreme.
One of the other factors to take into consideration is avoiding as much "overlap" as
possible. By overlap, I mean doing movements on diferent days of the week that directly
or indirectly afect a body part. The goal for most trainees should be to hit all body
parts/lifts only once a week or less once very advanced or in the cases of extreme
Hardgainers. In fact once you are willing (or able if work or family obligations are not a
factor) to throw out the notion of following a weekly schedule and train only when YOU
ARE FULLY RECOVERED from the prior workout you may fnd your progress
increases many fold.
Many times someone will suggest training body parts once a week and will then go on to
outline a routine that has the trainee squatting and deadlifting heavy on diferent days of
the week and doing bench presses for chest on Monday, behind the neck presses for delts
on Wednesday, and close grip benches for triceps on Friday. Take a close look; delts and
triceps are hit hard three days a week. Squatting and deadlifting on diferent days of the
week has a long tradition behind it, but for those that use a lot of back in their squats, this
ends up putting a lot of stress on the lower back two days a week. That this works for
many has little relevance for the Hardgainer struggling to make progress in the big lifts
that have the most impact on overall musculature.
If training three days a week, doing all pulling movements on one day, all pressing
movements the next session, and leg/lower back work on the third day will pretty well
keep overlap to a minimum. I RARELY recommend any Hardgainer train more than
three days a week, but this schedule will work if the person in question has a track record
of making fair gains on an expanded routine and is "stuck". FOR MOST TRAINEES A
TWO DAY A WEEK (OR EVEN LESS OFTEN) ROUTINE IS THE WAY TO
GO. If you absolutely have to be in the gym three days a week, ensure one of the days is
only "accessory" work for abs, calves, neck, and forearms. Break this rule and you will also
be breaking your bodys ability to grow. You dont grow in the gym, you grow when
resting between workouts. Ensure you are getting enough rest!
When doing a two-day a week routine any combination that doesn't have the trainee
doing redundant work will do just fne. What works best for most is doing all upper body
pushing movements on day one, and doing squats or deadlifts, (or both) on day two. I

also recommend including upper back/bicep training on the same day as deadlifts are
completed as deadlifts involve the lats tremendously. Anyone having difculty picturing
how deadlifts involve the lats will have to experience it to believe how brutal deads are on
the lats and mid-back. This schedule prevents overlap of upper bodywork and provides a
whole week of undisturbed rest for the lower back. Doing squats and deadlifts on the
same day works best if only one "work" set after warm-ups are completed. One of these
lifts will sufer relative to the poundage's that can be moved if these movements are done
on separate days of the week, but it's a good compromise for most people as they should
be able to add weight to the bar for both movements, as opposed to when doing the lifts
on separate days of the week.
A better option for many, is to focus on only one of the lifts per training cycle, Or as Stuart
McRobert has suggested, pair up the squat and stif legged deadlift for one cycle and
rotate with the bent-legged deadlift and leg press combo for the next training period.
Help, Im Stuck! A Short Course on Intensity Cycling
Of course you will eventually get to a point when repetition or weight increases are no
longer possible. What then? There are four basic ways you can get yourself "unstuck".
Which method you prefer to use will have something to do with your personality. You
will have to experiment to fnd out what works best for you, but you HAVE TO APPLY
ONE OF THESE METHODS IF YOU ARE TO GET TRULY BIG AND
STRONG. Do not think you can somehow get around this. To do so is trying to cheat
your body out of what it needs to consistently improve.
1. The frst tried and true method is to cycle your intensity somewhat the way powerlifters
do. To do this you have to be willing to train with light poundages at least some of the
time to let your body heal and build up training momentum as Stuart calls it. Take a few
days of, then when you resume training start out using 65%-85% of your previous best
workout poundage's and take from three to eight weeks to work back up to where you
were.
Once you have built back up to using your previous best poundage's it's time to get out
your small plates and gradually work your way into new poundage territory. Make sure
you have a good selection of small plates at your disposal. Not just a pair of 1-1/4's but also
some 1/2 and 1/4 pound discs, so you never have to add weight to the bar faster than you
can build strength. Rest assured, the more aggressive you are with your poundage
increases the shorter your gaining period will be. Be patient, small increases over the long
haul are far more productive than continually going stale and having to start over again.
There are many factors that determine how long you will be able to continue gaining after
you have surpassed your previous best. If you are truly training well within your ability to
recuperate you will fnd it much easier to keep continued weight increases coming along.
As long as you keep the increases small enough you may fnd you can progress for months

at a time before hitting the wall. Although many (myself included) have found that
extremely long, slow cycles can become too monotonous and changes are needed to keep
one mentally fresh.
What I have found to work best for me and most trainees is to spend three to fve weeks
building up and then spending 4 to 12 weeks in new poundage territory. The short
building period works for me because if I continue to a point where increases are
impossible in all or most movements I fnd I have to take a very long slow building period
to get back up to my past best poundages.
You will have to experiment to fnd out how much to cut back and how long to take to
build back up. I found out the hard way that if I cut back too far and take too long to
work my way back up it is much harder for me to get to my previous best poundage's.
Others have found the opposite to be true, and a long building period is needed to build
gaining "momentum." The important thing is once you are training fat out that you are
progressive with your poundages. If you are not training too much or too frequently you
will be able to add weight or reps.
2. The second method is to add rest days between your workouts to allow for recovery
and growth to occur. This is an excellent way to ensure the growth process is never shortcircuited. As you grow bigger and stronger you may also fnd this to be the only way you
are able to consistently make gains. Why? Because as you continue to add weight to the
bar you also increase the demands each workout places on your metabolism.
If you absolutely must keep your workout within a weekdayweekend cycle, the best
alternative may be to split your workload into two separate workouts. Then instead of
doing the frst one Monday, the second on Friday and continuing on this schedule, you
would complete Fridays workout, and then, instead of doing Mondays workout, you do
the workout Wednesday. The next workout would take place on Monday, the next on
Friday. This amounts to training three times every two weeks, or hitting each muscle
every 9 days. Not enough? For all of you that read the popular training magazines that
cover the routines of the "champions" you no doubt know that while they do LOTS of
sets and work out very frequently, many still only train each muscle once every seven days.
If once a week works for genetic wonders on huge amounts of steroids do you really think
that giving yourself two more days of recovery wont work for you?
The alternative method is to discard the notion of the calendar week and train whenever
you are fully recovered. You will have to fnd out by trial and error how many additional
days to add, but it is simple to know when you are regulating your training frequency
enough. How to know? You will slowly but surely be adding weight or reps. As long as
this is occurring all is well. FORGET THE NOTION ONCE AND FOR ALL
THAT YOU WILL LOSE SIZE IF YOU WAIT MORE THAN 72 HOURS, OR
MORE THAN A WEEK, OR WHATEVER PRECONCEIVED NOTION YOU
HAVE ABOUT TRAINING FREQUENCY NEEDS. IT SIMPLY IS NOT

TRUE. Everyone recovers at diferent rates, and as you grow stronger time needed to
recover from workout increases.
3. Reduce the number of movements or the number of work sets in each workout. This
method also works well, the only limitation being that if the trainee is already performing
an abbreviated routine there may be little to eliminate. What does have a signifcant efect,
is for those that have always believed that one work set after warm-ups could not possibly
stimulate growth is to try the method you previously condemned. You may fnd yourself
mistaken. There is more about one set training below. Just let me tease you by saying it
may be the most productive method for many of you willing to give it a fair shake.
4. Change the makeup of your routine. By this I mean change the exercises performed,
the rep range, the time you rest between sets, or any combination of the above. Just make
sure you dont substitute isolation movements for compound movements or replace safe
movements with those that are bound to injure you eventually. Just make sure the
movements you pick are at least somewhat similar to your "core" exercises.
Using myself as an example, my core movements are squats, trap bar deadlifts, pull-ups,
dips, and the seated press. When I need a change my substitutes are: safety bar squats,
conventional or stif legged deadlifts, pull-downs, bench or dumbbell bench press, and
seated dumbbell presses. By making my alternate exercises so closely related there is
transference of gains when switching between routines. This is something that does not
always occur when doing dissimilar movements.
Deloading
A simple method to cycle intensity is to simply spend a week or two using reduced
volume, intensity, or frequency. These deload weeks should be inserted every 3-5 weeks
for most lifters using a full schedule. It is a simple, easily managed system that works
wonders for keeping progress solid.
Periodized methods
There is not enough room here to discuss the various periodized schemes used in the
lifting world. Sufce to say that of all the knowledge I was lacking back when I was
training hardgainer style, this would have been the NUMBER ONE THING I
COULD HAVE DONE TO INCREASE MY PROGRESS WHILE
ALLOWING MORE WORKLOAD. The simple method I used worked, but other
methods allow more precision. Study on this!
Exercises
If you use nothing but the exercises listed below you will have more than enough exercises
at your disposal to make you big as you'll ever be and still have enough variety to keep you
excited about your workouts. The exercises listed are not only there because they are
efective, they are also listed because they are safe performed properly. Including

movements like behind the neck presses, behind the neck pull-downs, hack squats, bench
presses to the neck, and others too many to name WILL EVENTUALLY INJURE
YOU. IF YOU ARE INJURED YOU CANNOT TRAIN, IF YOU CANNOT
TRAIN YOU CANNOT GROW.
Machines are fne as long as they do not put you in over-stretched positions or are not
suited for your body type. I especially like the "Hammer" line of machines. Machines are
fne for a change of pace, and if your gym has a few "favorites" that you are fond of using
by all means continue with their use. But you cannot beat free weights for overall size and
strength gains.
Select your movements primarily from the "major movements" list. Just be sure to include
ab, calves, and grip work to your routine. I made the mistake of neglecting calf work for
years because it just didn't interest me. Guess what? When I got good at squatting my
thigh size went through the roof, of course I didn't pay a lot of attention to it until I
started getting positive comments about my thighs and it was usually followed up with
"but how come your calves aren't growing".
Arm Work
Everyone wants big arms, few people have them. The best way for the Hardgainer to
focus on their arms is to forget about them. What's that? Simple, we've already
established that over training is the reason for lack of progress, and for best gains the
minimum amount of training that can be done and still cover all body-parts will result in
the fastest gains. So how to best accomplish the task? Use compound movements that hit
many muscle groups at once. I assure you once you can do chins with your palms facing
you with body-weight + 35-60 pounds strapped to your waist for 6-8 reps you will have
biceps about as big as their going to get. Once you can dip body-weight + 75-100 pounds
for 6-8 reps or do close grip bench presses with 100% of body-weight for 6-8 strict, you will
indeed have big triceps. This is the way for a hardgainer to get big arms. The 12 sets for
biceps 12 for triceps routines are the fast-track to failure for all but the most gifted.
Compound/Major Movements
Squat, Safety Squat, Leg Press
Deadlift, Trap Bar Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift, Stif Leg Deadlift
Bench Press, Dumbbell Bench Press, Incline Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Parallel bar
Dip, Close Grip bench Press
Pullup/Chin, Pull-Down, Bent Row, Dumbbell Row, Cable Row
Seated/Military Press, Dumbbell Press
Accessory Movements
Barbell Curl, Dumbbell Curl
Triceps Pushdowns

Calf Raises
Neck Work (Machine or Manual))
Grip Work (various)
Crunch Sit-up, Hanging Leg Raise, Pulley Crunch
L-Fly (for external shoulder rotators)
UPDATE, here is a list of more lifts on the recommended list
Quads/Glutes/Hams
Squat
Box Squat
Band Squat
Band Box Squat
Front Squat
Narrow Stance Squat
Wide Stance Squat
Safety Bar Squat
Manta Ray Squat
Cambered Bar Squat
Leg Press
Hack Squat (for SOME people)
Hip Belt Squat
Back, Upper/Lower, Glutes.Hams
Deadlift, Conventional
Deadlift, Sumo
Deadlift of blocks
Rack Deadlift
Band Deadlift (tensioned)
Band Deadlift (lightened)
Chain Deadlift
Trap Bar Deadlift
Stif-legged Deadlift
Zercher Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Low Back/Glutes/Hams
Good-Morning
Safety Squat Bar Good-Morning
Pull-Thru
Glute/Ham Raise
Reverse Hyper

Hyper Extension
45% hyper
Chest/Front Delt/Triceps
Bench Press
Close Grip Bench Press
Band Bench Press
Chain Bench Press
Lightened Band bench Press
Board Press
Band Board Press
Floor Press
Rack Lockouts
Incline Press
Decline Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Hammer Grip Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Floor Press
Dumbbell band Press (requires power-hooks and bands)
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Reverse Grip Bench Press
Reverse Grip Smith Machine Press
Hammer Bench Press
Hammer Incline Bench Press
Dips
Fly
Band Fly
Upper Back (Lats/Mid back/Traps)
Bent Row
Supinated Bent Row
Cable Row
Band Row
Dumbbell Row
Chest Supported Row
Hammer Strength ISO Low Row
Hammer Strength Pull-Down
Chin, supinated, wide, and neutral grip
Lat Pull-down, supinated, wide, and neutral grip
Band Pull-Down
Face Pulls

Barbell Shrug
Dumbbell Shrug
Shoulders
Military Press
Band Military Press
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Lateral Raise
Band Lateral Raise
Upright Row
Band Upright Row
Hammer Shoulder Press
Cable Lateral
Triceps
Dip
Close Grip Bench Press
Reverse Close Grip Bench Press in Smith Machine
Tricep Push-Downs
Skull Crushers
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
JM Press
Biceps
Supinated Grip Chins and Lat-Pulldowns
Supinated Grip Row
Barbell Curls
Band Curls With Bar
1 Arm Olympic Barbell Curl
EZ-Bar Curl
Preacher Curl
Dumbbell Curl
Hammer Curl
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Drag Curl
Forearms
Wrist Curls
Static Holds
Captain of Crush Grippers
Grip Machine

Wrist Roller
Calves
Standing Calf Raise
Donkey Calf Raise Machine
Leg Press Calf
Seated Calf Raise
Hip Belt Calf Raise
Abs
HEAVY Weighted Sit-Ups
Standing Pulley Crunches
Hanging Leg Raises
Various Machine Crunches
Number of work sets and warm-ups
Each exercise should be done for one or fve work sets and then move on to the next
movement. If you are truly training hard there is no reason to do any more work and in
fact, it will be counter productive if you do. Before the "work" sets are completed warmups MUST be done until YOU are sure that the muscles (and joints) being worked are
fully warm and you are able to do your set(s) as hard as possible without injury.
That said, the minimum amount needed is best as it will leave you as strong as possible
for your sets and reduce the chance of over training. Remember, as far as your body is
concerned all training is a negative as far as depleting your body's reserves. Only when the
minimum amount of training possible to stimulate growth occurs will your body be in the
maximum state to achieve growth.
Routines,
After reading about Hard-Gainer style training the average reader should understand
that the primary reason growth does not occur is because the overtraining threshold has
been reached and the body simply cannot tolerate the stress imposed by the workouts and
still have ample resources to recover, and then MORE IMPORTANTLY, supercompensate (add additional muscle). Once people truly grasp this concept and see the
magic in, they seek to streamline their training and eliminate extra redundant exercises,
sets and days spent in the gym. The problem that arises is typically; they STILL do WAY
too much and fail to achieve the results they seek. Being brainwashed into thinking that
every aspect of the muscle must be fully stimulated lest you become un-balanced makes
the average guy do so much that he is an un-balanced bag of bones without much

muscle. Here is something I have written before that I will state again before I get into
the actual routines.
What if, instead of doing so much you never grow, those 3-4 exercises per body-part to
ensure complete development of all aspects of a muscle. What if all you did was:
Squats 400 x 20
Stif-legged deadlifts 375 x 15
Bench Press 315 x 12
Pull-Up with 100 lbs extra weight x 12
Military Press Body-Weight x 10
Calf-Raise 700 x 15
Weighted Sit-Up 175 x 12
How much bigger would you be than you are now, and what muscle would be underdeveloped?!?!?!?!?!?
What if that was ALL THE LIFTS YOU ACTUALLY DID ON A WEEK-TOWEEK BASIS, BUT ACTUALLY DID THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT? AND
SINCE THAT WAS ALL YOU DID YOU NEVER OVERTRAINED AND
YOU WERE ALWAYS ABLE ADD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT TO
THE BAR. HOW MUCH FUCKING BIGGER WOULD YOU BE THAN YOU
ARE NOW???????
Am I stating that the above lifts are all that should be done by all trainees? Absolutely not,
but I am trying to illustrate that you dont need to do a lot of diferent lifts to get big all
over, and lets face it. Complete development isnt what most people lack, its adequate
mass that most folks lack, plain and simple. Some people can truly tolerate no more
training than the above lifts and grow. Many can do LOTS more productively but most
people on a percentile basis fall at the low end of the recovery scale and should train
accordingly.
Lets dive into some routines and take a look at what productive training for real people
is, not the BULLSHIT hype you see in the bodybuilding magazines that ONLY works
for genetic marvels doing more growth enhancing pharmaceuticals than you will ever
dream of doing.
Here is Peary Radars (former publisher of Iron-Man magazine) favorite routine for
people that just could not gain on any type of expanded routine. Dont just dismiss this as
an asinine routine that couldnt provide any tangible results because of its brevity. I have
trained a few EXTREME hard-gainers that gained NOTHING until they were put on

a routine such as this. And once done, they put on 20 lbs bodyweight in a short amount of
time. These were people that had gained NOTHING in years of training the
conventional way.
Day one:
Squat
Bench press
Row
This is repeated 3-7 days later depending on recovery.
A more balanced routine for the average person is along the lines of this:
Day one:
Squat
Stif-legged Deadlift
Pull-up or Pull-down
Barbell Curl
Day Two:
Bench Press or Incline Press
Dip
Military Press
Abs
Training Days are regulated by recovery ability, NOT the calendar. As long as the
weights are going up all is well, if not add rest days or look at overall volume and intensity
leves. For most people a Tuesday/Friday, or Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule
works, but again, if it doesnt it means you need to insert rest days.
Iron Addict

My Top 10 Lifting Routines

Updated 3/21/07, 5 more favorites added.
IA
Someone asked me the other day that even though I trained people so many diferent
ways I must have a favorite way to train. And I told them that I do have a favorite way to
train myself, but not a favorite way to train everyone because everyone is quite diferent
and there truly is no one size fts all when it comes to training protocols, since what may
be absolute magic for one guy, will be the worst possible option for another. That said I
do have 5 diferent formats (and sub routines within them all) that ft an extremely large
percentage of the lifters out there. Here they are if anyone is interested.
Hardgainer/Low Volume/Frequency Routine
This format is one that after everyone reads the routines, not one in 20 will pick this one,
and the truth is, many of the 20 will do better on this one than any of the others. Why will
no one pick it? Its not fashy it doesnt have a fancy name, nor will most guys ever believe
it could be enough work after reading Flex and the like seeing the routines of the
pros. Well the truth is those damn routines of the pros work for a select few and most
guys reading this are not likely to one of those guys.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2-3 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2-3 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2-3 x 10-12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2-3 x 8

EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1-2 x 10

Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Sub-Routine:
Here is another Hardgainer Style Routine done three days a week. TRUE hardgainers
will do MUCH better on the two-day, as will many lifters with fairly good recovery.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers
Here is a routine that most anyone can pull of except for real hardgainers, that rotates
every week. This allows more lifts to hit, allowing less monotony, and longer progress

before a wall is hit from recruitment pattern burnout. You can also add a 3rd rotation of
lifts if you like. This is an extremely solid way to train and is efective for a large variety of
lifters. Again, many variations of this basic format are possible, and used dependent on
the individual trainee.
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10
Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stif-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12

Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
DC (Dogg Crap, AKA Dante) Training. You would have to be hiding under a rock to
not know about Doggs training system. Here are a few reasons why it is so productive.
Its obviously very low volume. Say what you will about HIT, it works wonders for
MANY, MANY trainees. Most lifters simply do too many sets, of too many lifts way too
often. They overtrain horribly, and dont grow. DCs system has you doing 4-6 WORK
sets a session, usually no more than 3 days a week. That is a great formula for success for
the previously perpetually overtrained.
For those that can take it, the rest-pause sets provide the fastest path to hit the muscle
fbers deeply with the least amount of sets (one). The system has a built in intensity
cycling schedule. These are the so-called cruise weeks. I believe they were originally
built in the system primarily to scale back the androgen use for a short time (four or more
weeks heavy, two weeks low dose with clomid to help HPTA recovery) and were then
also used to scale back the intensity, and take a slight break from the grueling chore of the

extreme eating required to build extreme mass. What is beautiful about this system is that
it works wonders for both the gear user, and ESPECIALLY well for those training
clean. Most peoples bodies just dont stand up well to a constant high intensity pounding
and this system provides just the active rest break that so many need, but so few get on
other systems.
The loading changes every week. Doggs system of picking 3 diferent lifts for each
bodypart and rotating them each week stops the neural adaptation burnout that occurs
when doing the same lifts week-in, week-out. On the down side people that dont recruit
well sometimes dont progress on individual lifts as fast as they would when the neural
adaptations are allowed to progress on a weekly basis. But this is ofset by the fact that
most people get better size gains when the load is varied, and it takes quite a while for
most people to hit a wall with this type of loading.
DCs routines are setup a variety of ways, with perhaps the most popular and appilicale
being splitting the body up like this:
a)
Chest
Shoulders
Triceps
Back width
Back thickness
b)
biceps
forearms
calves
hams
quads
Three lifts are picked for each bodypart, and each training day you do ONE of the lifts in
either rest-pause, or strait set fashion. That means after warm-ups, you do ONE lift per
body-part for a total of 5 sets per workout. If you are not familiar with the details of this
system do NOT attempt it based only on the routines presented here. The extreme
stretching and other details are part and parcel of the system and must be used as a whole.
Here is a list of DC approved lifts. I do NOT approve of all of the lifts myself, but know
they work well for many people:
CHEST

incline smythe
decline smythe
hammer strength press (incline and decline)
other good machine press
incline barbell
decline barbell
incline dumbbell press
fat dumbbell press
decline dumbbell press
SHOULDERS
smythe presses to front
smythe presses to back of head
hammer strength press
other good machine press
barbell press to front
barbell press to back of head
dumbbell shoulder press
TRICEPS
close grip bench in smythe
reverse grip bench in smythe
skull crushers
dips (in upright position)
BACK WIDTH
rack chins to front
rack chins to back of head
reverse grip rack chins (close grip)
assisted pullups
hammer strength "pulldown" machines
other good "pulldown" machines
pull downs to front
pull downs to back of head
BACK THICKNESS
deadlift
rack deadlift
T-bar rows
smythe rows
barbell rows

BICEPS
barbell curls
alternate dumbbell curls
barbell preacher curls
hammer strength machine curls
other good machine curls
cable curls
incline db curls
close grip ez-bar preacher curls
standing medium grip ez-bar curls
FOREARMS
hammer curls (alternated)
pinwheel curls (alternated)
reverse grip one arm cable curls
CALVES
calves on a leg press
standing calf raises
calves in hack squat
seating calf raises
any calf machine with a good range of motion
HAMSTRINGS
seating leg curls
standing leg curls
lying leg curls
stif leg deadlift
sumo presses
QUADS
squats
smythe squats
hack squat
leg press
Here is a sample routine:
Monday
Hammer Bench Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause

Military Press in Rack x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause

Skull Crushers x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Wide Grip Pull-Down x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Bent Row x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Wednesday
Barbell Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Hammer Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Press Calf Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Glute/Ham Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Press x 1 set 10/20 Rest-Pause
That would be considered the frst rotation. Now using a DIFFERENT set of lifts, the
next is done. Again, there are three sets of lifts, and after the third rotation, you start
again, such as:
Friday
Incline Bench Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Hammer Shoulder Press x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Dips x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Supinated Grip Pull-Ups x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Rack Pull x 1 set 10 reps
Monday
Dumbbell Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Grip Machine x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Standing Calf Raise x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Leg Curl x 1 set 8/15 Rest-Pause
Squat x 1 set 10/20 Rest-Pause
Here is another variation of the format that I have used with great success myself, and
with trainees of mine.
DC, IA style with all weights
Day One, Week One
Dips Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Incline Fly Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Lateral Raise Reps 15/30 One 15/30 rest-pause
Skull Crushers Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Day Two, Week One

Wide Grip Pull-Down Reps 8/16 Rest-pause

Chest Supported Row Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
EZ- Bar Curl Reps 8 Both sets done with same weight
Resistance Abs Reps 10 Machine of your choice as long as it fts you well and you can go
heavy, or see my ab article
Day Three, Week One
Leg Press Calf Raise Reps 20 2 Straight sets to failure
Deadlift Reps 10 1 set of 10 to one rep short of failure
Leg Press Reps 10/20 Rest-pause
Day One, Week Two
Dumbell Bench Press Reps 10 Both Sets Done with same weight
Incline Press, in rack Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Machine Lateral Raise Reps 10/20 Rest-pause
Tricep Pushdown Reps 8 Both sets done with same weight
Day Two, Week Two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Pull-Up Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Dumbell Row Reps 8/16 Rest-pause
Incline Bench Dumbell Curl Reps 8 Both Sets Done with same weight
Resistance Abs Reps 10 Machine of your choice as long as it fts you well and you can go
heavy
Day Three, Week Two
Leg Press Calves Reps 15/30 2 rest pause sets. One to 15, the next to 30, fail at 8 for the
frst, 15 for the second
Leg Curl Reps 10 1 straight set to failure
Leg Extension Reps 10 1 straight set to failure
Squat Reps 20 Rest-Pause, Puke, go home
Here is a sample of ONE of my 4 diferent Westside Barbell modifcations. This is may
all time favorite way to train as it gives SUPERIOR strength gains, and size gains are
great also. I have been working on the modifcation of the basif WSB format for a couple
of years now and have FINALLY got all the pieces together to make this system work
WONDERFUL for trainees at all levels. The format shown is for guys that have average
to above average recovery ability. If you are a hardgainer or extreme hardgainer this is not
the format to attempt. I will post a sample of that soon. What will this type of routine do
for many if not most of you? Build strength faster than any BB program you have ever
tried by a long shot. Just strength? Nope! For most of you, size will be awesome to. It
may be the fastest way for many of you to reach your lifting goals, .Whether you are a

BBer or PLer. I CHALLENGE ANY OF YOU THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED

WITH YOUR CURRENT LEVEL OF PROGRESS TO TRY THIS FOR 4
WEEKS! If it works, you can do more studying and put together something on your
own, or have me design a full routine and diet for you. A few things to keep in mind:
It is only a SAMPLE and is not laid out exactly like I write them for clients for a few
reasons. I wanted to make sure EVERYONE had access and ability to do the lifts listed,
and everyone that has even a modest gym can do these. I used a 3-week (it ends up being
closer to 4 actual weeks because of the rotating format) on the ME lifts for simplicity
sake. SOME lifters do get a 3 week rotation on ME lifts and other get 2 weeks, or even
one. There is no waving of the weights or volume for either the DE work or the repetition
work. Again this was done for simplicity sake, and I also cant give it all away-lol. And last
but not least, not knowing who will be attempting it, it is quite generic. But I will bet that
anyone that recovers even remotely well will do extremely well on it. After just 4 weeks
you WILL have a higher bench, squat and deadlift.
Monday ME Squat,
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat Pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF

Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8

Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF

BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Triceps Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ _________________
Monday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF

Thursday Of
Friday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
* NTF means NOT to Failure
If you have just read this and are totally unfamiliar with WSB DO NOT POST A
BUNCH OF BASIC QUESTIONS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DE OR
ME MEANS, OR OTHER SIMILAR STUFF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE TO ATTEMPT THIS. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST A
BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WESTSIDE BARBELL PRINCIPLES
BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS. Go to the WSB section of my site:
Many people do WONDERFUL on volume routines. Many have never been able to get
volume to work for them in the least. By waving the volume you can get a volume
responder to do MUCH better both in terms of size, and strength. And can very often
get guys that have NEVER been able to make gains using volume do extremely well.
This is only one of an endless number of possible variations, and one that is not the best
wave for guys with poor recovery ability. For guys with less than good recovery more
weeks should be spent on lower volume and the ramp up should be fairly steep, and only
held a few weeks. If you are creative you can do a lot with this system and get size gains
you were never able to gat on lower volume in some cases. I could post 10 sub-styles. But
you probably get the basic idea. The wave loading can be peaked, and dropped back
down immediately, or waved back down slowly. Waving it back down slowly is best done
with a shorter, steeper duration ramp.
Waved Volume
WEEK 1-2
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 2 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 2 sets 8 reps
Dips 2 sets 10 reps
Lateral Raises 2 sets 12 reps
Day Two

Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 2 sets 8 reps

Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 2 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 2 sets 10 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 3-4
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 3 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 3 sets 8 reps
Dips 3 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 3 sets 8 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 3 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 3 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 3 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 5-6
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 3 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 3 sets 8 reps
Fly 3 sets 10 reps
Dumbell Overhead Press 3 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets 8 reps
Skull Crushers 3 sets 8 reps
Tricep Extensions 3 sets 8 reps
Day Two

Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps

Supinated Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 3 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 3 sets 8 reps
Barbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 2 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 4 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Squats 2 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 2 sets 10/15, 15/30 reps
WEEK 7-8
Day one Sets Reps
Bench Press 4 sets 8 reps
Low Incline Dumbell Press (15-30 degree) 4 sets 8 reps
Fly 4 sets 10 reps
Dumbell Overhead Press 4 sets 8 reps
Lateral Raises 4 sets 8 reps
Skull Crushers 4 sets 8 reps
Tricep Extensions 4 sets 8 reps
Day Two
Overhand Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 4 sets 8 reps
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/pull-up 4 sets 8 reps
Chest Supported Row, or Cable Row 4 sets 8 reps
Barbell Curl 4 sets 8 reps
Dumbell Curl 3 sets 8 reps
Grip Work Your Choice 4 sets 12 reps
Day Three
Rack Deadlifts 2 sets 6-12 reps
Squats 3 sets 6-12 reps
Leg Press 2 sets 15 reps
Resistance Abs 2 sets 10 reps
Leg Press Calves 3 sets 10/15, 15/30
5 x 5s are a classic way to add size and strength and have been in popular use since the
50s. There are many, many variations of them, some very good, some.well, not so good

at least for the average lifter. I experimented with quite a few volunteer trainees looking
for a sweet spot that had peanty of loading, but not the crushing 3 x a week
squatting/benching many of them use. Here is the basic outline:
Monday
A chin or lat pull-down using 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 10 x 3 No rowing done this day as deadliftts
follow
A curlbecause, well, everyone expects themlol.
Deadlifts 5 x 5 using either a pyramid or fxed weight. Fixed weights are better tolerated
by people with good/great recovery
Ab or calf work
Wedesday
Bench press 5 x 5 using a periodized model starting light on week one working to a peak
and unloading. Uses a pyramid starting light and working to a top set. Also done s a
reduced ROM bench movement for 1 x 3- 3 x 4
Shoulder rep work
Tricep rep work
Friday
Rowing movement using a static weight 5 x 5VERY demanding during the latter
weeks.
Squatting using a static weight 5 x 5VERY demanding during the latter weeks.
Glute/hams for some lifters.
Ab or calf work if desired
Sunday
Bench press using a static weight for 5 x 5
Shoulder rep work
Tricep rep work
Can do additional chest rep lift if needed.
After 3-5 weeks a deload is done for all 5 x 5s, either reducing reps or sets. Rep work can
stay the same but at my discretion may be reduced.
Simple as shit huh? Works REALLY good though. There are more variables to it than
listed here in this simple description but it will give you an idea if you want to toy with it.
I also have a 3 day version that is used with people that simply dont have time to hit the
gym 4 days a week. This version has them benching 2 x a week, and squatting and

deadlifting 1 x on the same day, or spread out over two diferent days. Both versions work
well.
10 X 3
Here is an overview of the way my 10 x 3 routines are USUALLY laid out. I am not going
to give it all away and go into set percentage, and performance or intensity cycling or any
of the fner details, but it will give many of you curious guys a starting point on which to
make mistakes or improvements
Day one Legs/back/posterior consists of a:
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3)
rep set
An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar
lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus
Calf work if desired
Rest
Day Two:
Chest/shoulders/tri
A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-efort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs
Rest
Day three Legs/back/posterior consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN
DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day one
Diferences on this day may include some non-bar squat leg work such as leg presses,
hack squats, or possibly using the bar and doing front squats. Only 2-4 sets of these for 615 (one rep range only).
Horizontal or vertical lat movement done for 5 x 5, 10 x 3, 4 x 6, or 2 x 8-10
Isolation Bicep lift (humoring everyone) for 1-6 sets of 5-12 reps (one rep range picked
A squat/deadlift variation for 10 x 3, 8 x 3 (I like 8 sets for squat and deads) or a low (1-3)
rep set

An posterior chain movement that has less CNS and metabolic fatigue than a heavy bar
lift. Examples are reverse hypers, glute/ham raises, pull-trus
Calf work if desired
Rest, either take of two days and start with day four on monday (how I usually lay it out)
or take a day of and continue.
Day four Chest/shoulders/tri consists of a DIFFERENT SET OF LIFTS THAN
DAY ONE FOR THE SAME MUSCLES than day two:
Diferences are a bit of limited weak point training ( example, fys done for chest) or a few
higher rep sets of a diferent compound lift in addition to the major lifts.
A bench press variation for either 10 x 3, or a 1-3 rep max-efort lift
If low reps are done, a repetition bench assistance exercise is used for 5 x 5, 4 x 6, or 3 x 10
An isolation or compound tricep lift
A delt lift, usually an isolation, but presses are done also
HEAVY Abs
I also have some frequency abbreviated versions for the recovery challenged, but almost
everyone is doing well on this version.
4,3,2
This is as simple as doing routine with a volume/intensity level that is suitable for the
individual lifter, and instead of using fxed number of days per week, it varies. Some lifters
get two weeks at 4 days a week, two at 3, and 1-2 at 2 daya a week and then repeat. The
theory is much like dual-factor, you load the lifter heavy, in fact heavier than they can
handle on a long-term basis, then as they are unloaded from the volume/frequency,
delayed super compensation occurs. It works wonders for many lifters, and I frequently
have trainees tell me they have fnally found the frequency that works best for thema
varied one, and the results are often extremely good.
German Volume.
I use this for various reasons. Either to unload the joints from the heavy pounding of low
reps, or to get some fast growth. Works for both. I only use ONE lift when doing the 10 x
10 version and it looks something like this most often:
Monday
Dumbbell Bench Press 10 x 10

Chin-up 10 x 10
Wednesday
Squats 10 x 10
Calf 5 x 10
Friday
Dips 10 x 10
Incline Dumbbell Curls 10 x 10
Strength Volume
This is done by running a volume style BBing routine with lots of sets and reps and high
TUT, for 3-4 weeks, then switching to a WSB variant for 3-4 weeks. Strength goes up
and the lifter is unloaded while doing the WSB variant, size goes up along with some
strength gains when doing the volume work. BTW, it is not Flex magazine level
volume. 9-12 sets a bodypart, 3-4 days in the gym maximum.
Iron Addict

How to train yourself

This is perhaps one of the most important articles I have written in a long time. It is about
how to fnd the basic framework of routine structure that works best for YOU. As anyone
that has been exposed to bodybuilding knows there are countless diferent training styles
out there that all promise to give you the physique of your dreams. And they are all
WRONG! And they are all CORRECT also. How can this be? Well what I meant by
that is that they all work for some people at least some of the time. And MOST of them
fail most of the people. Most bodybuilders continually sway back and forth, at least in
their minds if not in the gym about how to train. They are lost in a sea of confusion about
who is right and what the reality of efective training really is. Everyone has a very unique
metabolism and what is pure magic for one person may be pure poison for another.
Without going into too much detail I will just say that most guys out there in search that
huge ripped physique just dont have the genetics to make it happen. But..almost
everyone can build a physique that will impress about anyone except competitive level
bodybuilders. How fast you get there, or if you ever get there at all depends on training
and diet. Saving diet for another day lets discuss how to fnd an efective training protocol
for you. In order to keep this from becoming the book it very well could be, we are going
to keep the parameters limited. Instead of going into all the sub-categories of each basic
training style we will just touch upon the big picture styles, because within them are the
volume and frequency that is the guiding factor of whether progress is made or not. Once
you understand your basic needs there will still be much work and experimentation to be
done to fne tune everything to make it ft you. But at least you will be in a position to
make gains while this occurs. Lets face it, MOST people out there pouring their heart
and souls into training are making marginal at best gains.
The categories to be covered here are:
Volume Training, be that traditional or GVT
3 Day a week full body training
Power style bodybuilding
Hardgainer style training
In order for this experiment to be efective and work for anyone out there that might be
willing to try it I am going to establish some guidelines for each training protocol to be
followed. I ABSOLUTELY KNOW that the guidelines will not stand-up to criticism
from many proponents of each categories training style. SAVE IT GUYS! I know its not
perfect, and if you have a training style that fts you well and is efective great. MANY,
MANY people are absolutely lost, and this will help them fnd their way if they are willing
to take the time and take some risks. Those risks being that they absolutely will do some

training that doesnt work well for them. My guess though is that the people that havent
put the pieces of the growth puzzle together yet are already not making progress so they
have nothing to lose.
Lets also clear up something else to make sure the trainee is not spinning their wheels.
The most perfect routine is WORTHLESS if rest and nutrition are not there to back
things up. You need to be getting 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight EVERY
DAY, 2 grams if on. Other basics required are:
1 mega-dose multi-vitamin and full spectrum mineral packs
2000 mgs vit C a day
300% calcium/magnesium/zinc a day
4-10 grams of fsh oil
Please understand this in the MINIMAL supps a trainee should take and far from
optimal. THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTATION
SCHEDULE, BUT I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT MANY LIFTERS
TAKE NEXT TO NOTHING. This will provide a minimum base that most any lifter
will do OK on. There are LOTS of other items that are both inexpensive, and result
producing. But this is far better than most people do for themselves.
I am also going to ask that the trainee attempting this does not try it while they are trying
to reduce bodyfat. While I can honestly say that I do not have a single trainee I personal
train that doesnt build strength the whole time they are cutting I do know that most
people simply just dont know how to make this happen so dont attempt this while
cutting. Also if you are say, just starting a new physical labor job, or going out for a sport
that requires large physical exertion expenditures this isnt the best time to experiment.
Try to keep all the variables to a minimum.
OK lets start, here are the basic parameters of each training style to try.
Volume training. Pick three exercises per body-part and do 4 sets each. This is 12 sets per
body-part and while it isnt as high as the 16-20 sets some volume trainers do, its still high
enough to get an adequate growth response if volume training will work for you. These
sets are not to be done to failure but they should be done fairly heavy. Keep the reps in the
8-12 range with 2 to 3 minutes rest per set (always time it so you are consistent). Train 4
days a week using a split that has you only hitting each muscle group once a week. And
yes volume guys I know some of you hit muscles more frequently than that with good

results, but this experiment is made to get the trainee there as soon as possible and once a
week volume training works fne if volume training will work for you. This section is
probably the easiest one to be listed because almost all trainees try volume training at
some point in time. It does NOT work well for the majority of the trainees out there
because its just too much to recover from, but for those it works good for nothing is
better and they should be doing it!
Something like this is a decent test.
Monday Chest/Back
DB Bench 4 x 6-10
DB Incline 3 x 6-10
Flys 3 x 12
Wide Grip Chins 4 x 5
Chest Supported Rows 4 x 8
Neutral Grip Pull-Downs 3 x 15
Tuesday Legs
Squats 4 x 6
Hack Squat 3 x 10
Leg Press 2 x 20
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Standing Calf Raise 4 x 8
Seated calf raise 3 x 10
Thursday Shoulders/Triceps
Military Press 4 x 6-8
Lateral Raises 3 x 10
DB Upright rows 3 x 8
Weighted Dips 4 x 8
Skull-Crushers 4 x 10
Overhead Dumbbell Extensions 2 x 15
Weighted Abs 3 x 10
Friday Back
Deadlift 4 x 6
Pull-Ups 2 sets un-weighted, 2 sets weighted, AMAP unweighted, 2 x 5 weighted
Bent Row 4 x 8
Hammer Strength Pull-down 3 x 15
There can be a LOT of diferent variations on this, and as long as the volume is not much
higher, this will be a decent test if you can recover enough for volume work.

Full Body Routine 3 x a week

This is simple enough to fgure out, do starting strength if you are a beginner, or HST, or
Bill Stars 5 x 5. HST will be a better choice perhaps if you dont want to do a core level of
the workload doing 5 reps.
Power Style training.
Monday
Squat or box squat 2-3 x 5
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10
Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
Wednesday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10
Friday
Deadlift or rack deadlift 2-3 x 5
Leg press 2 x 10
Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
Monday
Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10 Monday
FOR THOSE THAT ARE READING COMPREHENSION CHALLENGED
THE SCHEDULE GOES LIKE THIS:
1st workout
Monday
Squat or box squat 2-3 x 5

Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10

Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
2nd workout 1 day later
Wednesday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10
3rd workout 1 day later
Friday
Deadlift or rack deadlift 2-3 x 5
Leg press 2 x 10
Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
4th workout After TWO DAYS OFF
Monday
Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10 Monday
next workout sequence repeat 1st through 4th workouts
Sets are NOT taken to failure, at least 1 rep short, or to the point RIGHT before form
starts to break down. If you do not recover well, reduce 1 set from each of the lifts.
Rep cadence is explosive on the positive, controlled on the negative, no need to count
cadence.
After warm-ups use the same weight for all sets. If you cannot get all the sets with the
same weight, the weight is too heavy.

If you want to substitute something like dumbbell skull crushers for pushdowns, or
hammer curls for barbell curls go ahead. DO NOT SUB OUT BIG COMPOUND
MOVEMENTS FOR ISOLATION LIFTS. IF YOU CAN SQUAT AND
DEADLIFT, DO THEM. THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFTS IN
THE ROUTINE.
Rotate the lifts to something else every 4-8 weeks or whenever a lift stalls.
DELAOD BY DOING 1/2 THE SETS, OR 85% OF THE WEIGHT EVERY 4-8
WEEKS (4-5 WEEKS WORKS BEST FOR MOST PEOPLE.
Suitable substitute lifts:
Squat or box squat, you can front squat, or smith squat (smith ONLY if that is all you can
do) You can leg press ONLY IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DO
REAGULAR SQUATS AND THE RESULTS WILL NOT BE AS GOOD.
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs
Bent Row or Chest Supported row, you can dumbbell row or machine row
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl, you can do any curl variation
Calf Raises, you can do leg press calfs, standing barbell calf raises, or 1 arm, 1 leg
dumbbell calf raises if you don't have a machine
Bench Press or low board press, you can do dumbbell presses or dips
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, Dumbbell inclines, or smith inclines (use the SMITH
ONLY IF THAT IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press, NO SUBS
Skull Crushers, you can do dumbbell skull crushers, overhead tricep extensions with a
bar or dumbbells, or tricep push-downs if any of these movements bother your elbows.
Ab work, you can do a weighted sit-up, hanging leg raises, ab-wheel, or an ab machine
Deadlift or rack deadlift, you can do romanian deadlifts, or good-mornings
Leg press, you can front squat
Chin or lat pull-down, NO SUBS
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl, any curl variation
Calf Raises, you can do leg press calfs, standing barbell calf raises, or 1 arm, 1 leg
dumbbell calf raises if you don't have a machine
Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press, NO SUBS
Dumbbell Bench Press, You can do dips
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press, you can do upright rows

Tricep pushdowns, you can do a skull crusher, or overhead tricep extension with a barbell
or dumbbells
Ab work 3 x 10, You can do a weighted sit-up, hanging leg raises, ab-wheel, or an ab
machine
If you can't sub any of these lifts fgure it out yourself and quit asking endless questions
about what you can sub. The sub list just posted was created after over 100 questions
have been asked about "can I do lift B instead of lift A.
Hardgainer Style Training. There are many people on these boards that have absolutely
ZERO knowledge about this style of routine. And unfortunately they are most often the
ones that spout of about how it could never work. One of the objections often quoted is
there is no way you could build a competitive physique with a routine like that. To that I
will say no fucking duh. No you are right you cant build a competitive physique on a
routine like this. But duh Einstein the VAST majority of the trainees out there will
never build a competitive physique no matter what they do. That takes great genetics and
unfortunately most people just have it. But with proper training most guys can get damn
big and strong. Big enough to turn heads wherever they go. For MANY people out there
Hardgainer style training is the one and only thing that will get them there. I cant even
count the number of trainees I have seen add 20-40 lbs in a few months after YEARS of
making little or no gains. I know, I was one of them! I will make this category really
simple on everyone. Do this:
Split your routine up into 2 or 3 days and after warm-ups do:
Bench Press or Dips 2 x 8-12
Bent Row or Pull-up 2 x 8-12
Military or Dumbell Press 2 x 8-12
Squat 2 x 8-12
Stif Legged Deadlift 2 x 8-12
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
DONT worry about detail here. The idea is to actually get brutally strong on a core
group of lifts instead. Here is something I posted awhile back:

For you people that are always concerned about balance and symmetry, yet dont grow,
yes, you guys.always doing 3-4 exercises per body-part to ensure complete development
of all aspects of a muscle. What if all you did was:
Squats 400 x 20
Stif-legged deadlifts 375 x 15
Bench Press 315 x 12
Pull-Up with 100 lbs extra weight x 12
Military Press Body-Weight x 10
Calf-Raise 700 x 15
Weighted Sit-Up 175 x 12
How much bigger would you be than you are now, and what muscle would be under
developed?!?!?!?!?!?
What if that was ALL THE LIFTS YOU ACTUALLY DID ON A WEEK-TOWEEK BASIS, BUT ACTUALLY DID THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT? AND
SINCE THAT WAS ALL YOU DID YOU NEVER OVERTRAINED AND
YOU WERE ALWAYS ABLE ADD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT TO
THE BAR. HOW MUCH FUCKING BIGGER WOULD YOU BE THAN YOU
ARE NOW???????
Enough ranting about Hardgainer style training. Let me just add that if you have even a
passing fancy about weight training and you have never read Stuart McRoberts book
Brawn you are really missing something.
Well we have four basic categories and ways to go about testing them, and while
admittedly the formats and methods of implementing them are far from perfect they will
do for someone that is really determined to be successful at bodybuilding. So how to go
about putting them to the test, and how to determine if they are working? Well, we could
start at doing the volume training frst and work down. But I will simply say this. On a
percentile basis more people fail at volume training than succeed. Dont believe me? Go
to your gym and closely observe. MOST people there will be doing a volume routine.
And most will be the little guys you see spinning their wheels looking the same month
after month. Volume guys, dont take this as a knock because as I stated volume works

spectacularly for those it works for. If you are one of them count your blessings, but dont
get rufed and say that if it doesnt work for someone its because they are doing
something wrong. Actually you are right in a way, what they are doing wrong is
overtraining.
In my opinion it would be best to start at the bottom and work your way up. The big
problem here is 80% of the people that decide to try a Hardgainer routine add shit until
its not a Hardgainer routine. LISTEN TO ME! THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW
PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WILL NOT MAKE GREAT PROGRESS ON A
HARDGAINER STYLE ROUTINE, DONT ADD A THING AND IF IT
DOESNT WORK YOU WILL AT LEAST KNOW IT DOESNT WORK
BECAUSE IT DOESNT SUT YOU, NOT BECAUSE YOU BASTARDIZED
IT. Everyone owes it to themselves to try a routine like this at least once in their lives to at
least see what it can do for them. Why have I spent so much time and words about
Hardgainer style training? Do I think its the best way to go? Absolutely not, but I do
know that it is the most misunderstood, and least likely to be tried method. I also
absolutely KNOW that for the extreme hardgainer its the ONLY way they will ever
develop an impressive physique.
Again, I would suggest starting at the bottom and working up. By doing so you WILL
make gains until you run into your overtraining threshold. If you make it to volume
training and volume is working for you add a few sets and keep going till a wall is hit and
back down. I would suggest trying each method for 6 weeks. Judge your results by
strength and size gains. Strength gains should occur on about every lift every week until
you get to volume training. It is common for volume trainers to not have consistent
strength gains, but they do add size consistently. Still, slow strength gains are needed
because if that is not occurring you are just continually repeating the last workout. You
MUST be progressing! I know some people are probably saying 6 weeks! Thats 24
months, almost half a year. Let me put it to you this way. What were your gains like over
the last 6 months. What if in 6 months from now you had a great handle on your training
and could then devout your time to a training protocol that actually worked for you?
I had a few people asking me why as a personal trainer I would write something like this
and asked if I wasnt concerned that I would lose business because of it. My answer was
simple. I get a great deal of satisfaction helping people achieve their lifting goals and
know that those people I help are more likely to come to me for assistance when they get
stuck, or are ready to take their training to the next level. This is what these boards are
about. People sharing knowledge and everyone benefting from it!
Iron Addict

Beginner Routines
Beginner Routines, more will be added, but it is a good place to start for most.
Starting Strength:
The program is as follows:
You alternate Workout A and Workout B every other day, 3 times a week. So you could
either do Mon, Wed, Fri or Tues, Thurs. and Sat. Depending on what works best for
you.
Example:
Week 1:
Monday - Workout A
Wednesday -Workout B
Friday - Workout A
Week 2:
Monday - Workout B
Wednesday - Workout A
Friday - Workout B
Etc.
For the actual workouts read below:
Note: This doesnt include warm-up sets
**Means this is OPTIONAL**
Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift
**2x8 Dips (if you cant do these or no assist machine then do Decline Dumbbell Bench
Press with your hands Facing each other)

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Pendlay or Bent Rows (or power cleans)
**2x8 Chin-ups (recommended mainly if doing the cleans)
Here is a routine a LARGE percentage of the lifters (not just beginners either, beginners
to advanced) here could make great gains doing.
Monday
Squat or box squat 2 x 5
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10
Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
Wednesday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10
Friday
Deadlift or rack deadlift 2 x 5
Leg press 2 x 10
Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6
Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
Monday
Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10 Monday
Wednesday
Squat or box squat 2 x 5
Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10

Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6

Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Calf Raises 3 x 15
Friday
Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8
Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8
Skull Crushers 3 x 10
Ab work 3 x 10
Sets are NOT taken to failure, at least 1 rep short, or to the point RIGHT before form
starts to break down. If you do not recover well, reduce 1 set from each of the lifts.
Hardgainer/Low Volume/Frequency Routine
This format is one that after everyone reads the routines, not one in 20 will pick this one,
and the truth is, many of the 20 will do better on this one than any of the others. Why will
no one pick it? Its not fashy it doesnt have a fancy name, nor will most guys ever believe
it could be enough work after reading Flex and the like seeing the routines of the
pros. Well the truth is those damn routines of the pros work for a select few and most
guys reading this are not likely to one of those guys.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2-3 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2-3 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2-3 x 10-12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2-3 x 8

EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1-2 x 10

Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Here is a routine that most anyone can pull of except for real hardgainers, that rotates
every week. This allows more lifts to hit, allowing less monotony, and longer progress
before a wall is hit from recruitment pattern burnout. You can also add a 3rd rotation of
lifts if you like. This is an extremely solid way to train and is efective for a large variety of
lifters. Again, many variations of this basic format are possible, and used dependent on
the individual trainee.
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10
Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stif-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8

Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30

Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
, 3 x 15
Push, Pull, Legs
I don't care what those high frequency fanatics say, a simple Push, Pull, Leg Split works
great for most beginners. If you can squat 3 x a week on a periodized program and make
progress by all means do so. But.......many beginners don't have the work or CNS

capacity to have that work and just get frustrated and quit. I would rather see them do
something that works and add on as time goes by. An example is:
Monday, Chest Shoulders Triceps
Bench Press or Dip
Incline Bench BB or DB
Military Press
Skull Crushers
Wednesday
Chin-Up or Lat Pull-Down
Row
Barbell or DB Curl
Abs
Friday
Squats or Deadlifts
Leg Press (optional if squatting that day)
Standing or Leg Press Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise (optional)
Iron Addict

If you have something that is working

If you have a routine that is working and you are a beginner there is usually NO
REASON to do anything but make minor changes for a long damn time. How long?
Most beginners can run a routine that fts their recovery for 3-12 months with just minor
changes. Something like the simple power based routine:
Or:
Here is a routine that most anyone can pull of except for real hardgainers, that rotates
every week. This allows more lifts to hit, allowing less monotony, and longer progress
before a wall is hit from recruitment pattern burnout. You can also add a 3rd rotation of
lifts if you like. This is an extremely solid way to train and is efective for a large variety of
lifters. Again, many variations of this basic format are possible, and used dependent on
the individual trainee.
Day one, week one
Dips 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 6
Lateral Raise 4 x 10
Laying Tricep Extensions 3 x 8-10
Day two, week one
Wide Grip Pull-Down/Up 3 x 8
Chest Supported Row, or Barbell Row 3 x 8-10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Resistance Abs 3 x 10
Day three, week one
Squat 3 x 6-10

Leg Press 2 x 15
Good-Morning or Stif-Legged Deadlift 2 x 8
Calf Raise RP 2 x 15/30
Day one, week two
Bench Press 3 x 6-10
Incline DB Press 2 x 10-12
Military Press 3 x 10
Tricep Pus-Downs 3 x 8-10
Day two, week two
Supinated Grip Pull-Down/Up 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8
Reverse Curl 2 x 10
Hanging Leg Raises
Day three, week two
Deadlift 1 x 8
Safety Squat, or hack squat, 2 x 6-10
Glute/Ham Raise 3 x 8
Leg Press Calf Raise
, 3 x 15
Push, Pull, Legs

I don't care what those high frequency fanatics say, a simple Push, Pull, Leg Split works
great for most beginners. If you can squat 3 x a week on a periodized program and make
progress by all means do so. But.......many beginners don't have the work or CNS
capacity to have that work and just get frustrated and quit. I would rather see them do
something that works and add on as time goes by. An example is:
Monday, Chest Shoulders Triceps
Bench Press or Dip
Incline Bench BB or DB
Military Press
Skull Crushers
Wednesday
Chin-Up or Lat Pull-Down
Row
Barbell or DB Curl
Abs
Friday
Squats or Deadlifts
Leg Press (optional if squatting that day)
Standing or Leg Press Calf Raise
Seated Calf Raise (optional)
Any of these routines can be run for a long time by MOST beginners. The problem is
most beginners will take a routine that is working well, and since the grass is always
greener on the other side, seek to improve it by changing it constantly. if it is NOT
working by all means change it, but if it is keep milking it.
If you are doing starting strength, Bill Starrs 5 x 5, or Madcows 5 x 5, reset it a few times,
but understand that at some point for average lifters squatting 3 x a week just becomes
too much once your squat gets decent.
As often as not when you think your routine is stalled it just needs minor changes, and
what is really stalled is your diet.
Iron Addict

2-DAY Westside Barbell Routine

After only a couple weeks on the last WSB routine I posted I decided I needed more
recovery time at the moment for a variety of reasons. Here is my new one, and It is
somewhat like some of the 2-days I write for trainees. The diferences being the volume of
assistence work is somewhat higher than I write for most people, and the ME lifts change
every week for me, while for most trainees they rotate every 2-3 weeks. No speed work
now, but it can be added at 5-6 sets max.
This routine and the prvious one posted will likely give BETTER results for most
trainees as opposed to the 3 full WSB workouts posted in the frst sample version.
Have fun!
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Lightened BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
Box Squat x 1
SLDL x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8 Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday

Of
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
GCBP BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
GMs x 1
Box Squat 1 x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday
Of
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Dumbbell Bench 2 x 6, PUASE EVERY REP
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
Tricep PD 2 x 10
Lateral Raise 4 x 15
Tuesday
GPP

Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Deadlift x 1
SLDL LIGHT 2 x 10
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday Of
Here are my basic templates of modifed Westside Barbell Routines. These are only the
basic structure and they are each modifed to meet the individual trainees goals,
weaknesses, and recovery. This is accomplished by the specifc lifts done and the volume
and intensity levels of the lifts. What will these types of routine do for many if not most of
you? Build strength faster than any BB program you have ever tried by a long shot. Just
strength? Nope! For most of you, size will be awesome to. It may be the fastest way for
many of you to reach your lifting goals. Whether you are a BBer or PLer. I
CHALLENGE ANY OF YOU THAT ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH YOUR
CURRENT LEVEL OF PROGRESS TO TRY ONE OF THESE FOR JUST 4
WEEKS!
Band work is only added after one or two 8-week cycles. After the frst 8 weeks weak
points and sticking points are reviewed and the next routine designed accordingly.
The frst and perhaps the one most suited for average/hardgainer trainee is a two-day a
week routine done on a Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday type split. After 6 weeks or
so, 2 days a week GPP work is added either on the workout days, or the days following.
Speed work is included after a time for most trainees, but most start without it. I use this
template a lot, and while I know most guys will automatically dismiss it as not enough
work, and days in the gym, but it is EXTREMELY efective and probably the best bet
for guys just starting out with a real strength oriented routine. Here is an example:
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10

2-board BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
Box Squat x 1
SLDL x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Bent Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday
Of
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
GCBP BP x 1
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
DB Bench 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday

Weighted Abs 2 x 10
GMs x 1
Box Squat 1 x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday
Of
Monday
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Dumbbell Bench 2 x 6, PUASE EVERY REP
Bar Extensions in Rack 3 x 8
Tricep PD 2 x 10
Lateral Raise 4 x 15
Tuesday
GPP
Wednesday
Of
Thursday
Deadlift x 1
SLDL LIGHT 2 x 10
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Friday
GPP
Saturday
Of
Sunday Of

The second variation is much like the second but with a third day added for upper back
work. It is better suited to Bodybuilders that need a bit more volume for some lifts since
by adding the third day there is less work done on the primary lift days. Again, speed
work optional at frst, and added in time.
This is a great format for those that don't recover that well, but are not super-hardgainers.
As you can see there is no speed work. This is OK for those frst starting WSB, or in my
case, someone that needs a break.
Speed work can be added if preferred by either doing them before, or after the ME lift.
I have only shown one week, because I change my ME EVERY week, and accessory
work every 2-3 weeks and quite frankly, for me every workout is diferent regardless of
what I have planned as I go by feel most days.
It should give you an idea about another option for routine structure.
Monday, Back/Biceps/Abs
Weighted Abs 2 x 10
Dorian Row 4 x 8
Dumbbell Row 2 x 8
Tuesday GPP
Wednesday, ME BENCH
Board bench press, one MAX set of 1 rep
Skull Crushers 3 x 10 PAUSED on power rack pins
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10 PAUSE EVERY REP
Lateral raise 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday, ME Squat
Band Pull-down Abs 2 x 10
Safety Squat Bar box Squat with bands x 1 rep max
SLDL 1 x 8
Pullthroughs 3 x 8
Saturday GPP

Sunday Of
__________________________________________________
This format is for guys that have slightly above average to well above average recovery
ability. If you are a hardgainer or extreme hardgainer this is not the format to attempt.
It is only a SAMPLE and is not laid out exactly like I write them for clients for a few
reasons. I wanted to make sure EVERYONE had access and ability to do the lifts listed,
and everyone that has even a modest gym can do these. I used a 3-week (it ends up being
closer to 4 actual weeks because of the rotating format) on the ME lifts for simplicity
sake. SOME lifters do get a 3 week rotation on ME lifts and other get 2 weeks, or even
one. There is no waving of the weights or volume for either the DE work or the repetition
work. Again this was done for simplicity sake, and I also cant give it all away-lol. And last
but not least, not knowing who will be attempting it, it is quite generic. But I will bet that
anyone that recovers even remotely well will do extremely well on it. After just 4 weeks
you WILL have a higher bench, squat and deadlift.
Monday ME Squat,
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat Pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF

Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ __________
Monday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure

Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8

Lat pull-down, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF
BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Triceps Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
Thursday Of
Friday ME Squat
Arched Back Good Morning in Rack, 2 inches above parallel, 1 max set of 3 reps
Box Squat 2 x 8 at parallel, should have 2 reps left in you for all sets.
Glute/ham raise 3 x 8 to failure
Barbell Row 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Curl 3 x10, NTF
Saturday Of
Sunday Of
__________________________________________________ _________________
Monday ME Bench
CG bench press in rack 4 inches from chest, 1 max set of 1 reps
Skull Crushers, straight bar 3 x 10, only last set to failure
Dumbbell bench press 2 x 10, only last set close to failure
Lateral raise 4 x 10, NTF
Abs, HEAVY 3 x 10
Tuesday Of
Wednesday DE Squat
DE Box squat at parallel 2 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
Pull-Throughs 3 x 10 Only Last set close to Failure
Glute/ham 3 x to failure, or reverse hyper 3 x 8
Lat pulldown, wide grip 4 x 6, NTF

BB Curl 3 x 6, NTF
Thursday Of
Friday DE Bench
Speed Bench press 3 reps x 6 sets, 45 TIMED seconds between sets
JM Press 3 x 6, NTF
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8, NTF
Dumbbell Shoulder press 3 x 8 OR lateral raises, NTF
Hanging leg Raises 3 x 10
* NTF means NOT to Failure
The standard Westside Barbell format is this:
ME Squat day on Monday
ME Bench on Wednesday
DE Squat on Friday
DE Bench on Sunday
Of course the lifts are done according the lifters goals, weak muscles/sticking points, and
recovery ability. This format overtrains a lot of people, but nothing works better for those
that can recover from it.
If you have just read this and are totally unfamiliar with WSB DO NOT POST A
BUNCH OF BASIC QUESTIONS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT DE OR
ME MEANS, OR OTHER SIMILAR STUFF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE
KNOWLEDGE TO ATTEMPT THIS. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST A
BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF WESTSIDE BARBELL PRINCIPLES
BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS. Go to the WSB section of my site and read up and
then ask away about how to make it work better for YOU.
Iron Addict

Tips
I feel bad for you
The last couple of days I have been watching where the MAJORITY of forum users are
spending their time. Answer=supplement forum.
Extrapolation=these guys are putting their training and diet application and/or
knowledge on the back-burner seeking the magic solution to their physique/ strength
issues.
I have news for you guys, even high dose AAS will not iron out shitty diet and training.
Until you have your diet and training dialed, supps should be far down on your list of
"must know/must do".
Iron Addict

Stalling Lifts
Most of the readers here are clueless about what a stalled lift is. They think every-time
they go to the gym they will hit a PR on every lift and every time they do a lift it should be
as easy as the last time.
I get calls CONSTANTLY from lifters that tell me their XXXXX lift is stalling. When I
ask for details a LOT of them tell me it's getting REALLY hard to get extra reps and the
lift is stalling--NOT A STALL
I hear people tell me lift XXXXXX is stalling. When I ask for details I am told "I am only
getting a rep or two more", and not every single time--NOT a stall.
I hear people tell me their lift is stalling because they tried adding 5 lbs and missed so their
lift is stalled--NOT A STALL.
I hear people tell me their lift is stalling because they tried adding 5 lbs and missed and
then the next week they only got 2 more reps with the same weight--NOT A STALL.
I hear beginners and low level lifters that CONSTANTLY that don't undertand that
just because when they started a new routine or new lift they got 5-10 lbs a week on the lift
and now they are getting half that band the lift is stalling--NOT A STALL AND ONE
OF THE MOST TOTAL LACK OF COMMON SENSE THINGS IN THE
LIFTING WORLD. GUYS THAT THINK THEY SHOULD BE GETTING 510 LBS EVERY TIME THEY HIT THE GYM. IF YOUR SQUAT IS 200, AND
YOU GOT 10 LBS A WEEK FOR 1 YEAR (10 X 52) YOU ARE A 720 LB
SQUATTER IN ONE YEAR. DOES THAT SOUND REALISTIC?? REALLY.
GET 5 LBS A WEEK AND IN ONE YEAR YOU ARE A 460 LB SQUATTER
IN ONE YEAR--ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT--REALLY.
It's a stall when you go 3 weeks in a row at the high beginner/low intermediate level
IMO. I see guys that call me after two weeks freaked out and I tell them give it one more
week, and on week 3 they hit a big PR.
If you are not patient enough for this sport do something else or at least learn the reality of
it.
Iron Addict

Beginner weight gains

Beginner muscle gains frst year if training and consistency is at leasy reasonably good are
usually 10-35 lbs, with 40 lbs not being unheard of. Best case scenario is you gain 40 lbs.
That 3.3 lbs of muscle a MONTH. No one expects a beginner to just gain muscle, so lets
say for each 2 lbs of muscle you gain, you gain a lb of fat. That puts you at 5 lbs each
MONTH. And yes, the majority of the weight will come in the frst 3-6 months and taper
from there. So it becomes pretty obvious that if you are gaining more than 2 lb a week
even at the brand newbie stage over time (Yes, you may have some weeks where you go
up 2-3 lbs, but if the average over 3 months or so is more than 2 lbs a week) you will get
very fat indeed. 2 lbs a week is 96 lbs in a year and maybe 1 in 10,000 gain 50 lbs of actual
muscle the frst year, so 2 lbs a week, even if you are one in 10,000 or so (that is just a
guesstimate) will result in you gaining 50 lbs of FAT. You won't be happy with those
results.
Iron Addict

Deadlifting and straps

I am always amused, yet in a state of disbelief when I see people, especially good strength
coaches tell people to not worry if their grip fails when pulling, just keep doing it. You
then fail to work your entire body so you can work your grip a bit harder. First try chalk. If
that doesn't work, or your gym doesn't allow it:
Use straps for any weight you can't hold. After your sets, take the same weight that you
could NOT hold long enough, and just do some static holds with it. Hold it as long as
you can for 3-4 sets. ALL A DEADLIFT DOES FOR YOUR GRIP IS
STATICALLY CONTRACT YOUR GRIPPING MUSCLES
(HAND/FOREARMS). You can do that just by holding a bar. Missing a deadlift
because you can't keep your grip is foolish considering that you can replicate EXACTLY
what a deadlift does for your grip doing static holds. But do NOT put the straps on until
you absolutely have to.
If you are a competitive powerlifter, you have to be able to hold whatever you can pull, but
you can truly get in all the grip work you need AFTER you have pulled in straps.
Iron Addict

ONE Workout
One bad workout is a big part of what makes my job as a trainer the hardest. New guys to
this sport seem to think every single workout they will hit PR's the weights should feel
like feathers, and they should not only hit PR's but big ones. Also the other big bummer
for these guys are the workouts where they actually DO hit PR's, but....the weights felt
soooo heavy--NO SHIT.
After that ONE workout, Mr. OCD trainee is sure that (pick one or more, or all of the
following):
The program quit working--he needs a new routine.
The volume is too high.
The frequency too low (these guys usually want to squat 3 x a week).
They need a deload (often times even if they just had one)
They are not getting enough calories carbs--whatever.
They KNEW they couldn't gain any strength while dieting (self fulflling prophecy)
Their stress is just too high
They just read an article about XZY training and maybe they should try that.
Whatever.....
Past the very beginner stage, and even then, you are going to have bad days when the
weights feel heavy and you don't lift well. It almost ALWAYS CNS mediated and is
simply not a big deal other than all the stress you attach to it.
I will NEVER change anything based of of one bad workout. Anyone that does (most
guys) is a damn fool.
Iron Addict

Pull-Up Progression
Once a reasonable level of pull-ups have been reached, it makes progression easier if you
focus on adding weight instead of reps. Heres why:
if the trainee weighs 210
210 x 12 = 2510 lbs
The next session he can either:
210 x 13 = 2730 lbs
or add 10 lb
215 x 12 = 2580
While the extra rep is a much bigger gain, but for some people, at some point it's just not
sustainable, and then they should focus on adding weight.
Iron Addict

If NOTHING else has worked for you in your training

If NOTHING else has worked for you in your training, and you are TOTALLY lost as
to what might work, and have never TRULY tried a very abbreviated routine based on
the bread and butter lifts almost exclusively, you may have only scratched the surface of
your potential. I am not at all dogmatic about training protocols and I train people using
everything from EXTREME hardgainer SUPER ABBREVIATED (like 5-7 lifts
spread out over a week or more for the WHOLE body, to volume routines.
Here is what I absolutely KNOW about basic low volume and frequency routines. For
some people THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL EVER DEVELOP A
GOOD PHYSIQUE WITH A GOOD SRENGTH LEVEL. Many, many people
just have to do a minimal amount of work if they are to recover and grow. Trying to force
the issue ends in failure, and if they keep to a pace they can recover from they grow quite
well, but once past their recovery boundaries (like everyone) progress stops.
Try this:
Day one:
Bench Press or Dips
Close grip bench or incline dumbell press
Military Press
Abs
Two days rest
Day two:
Pull-Up, or lat pull-down, or Hammer Strength pull-down
Barbell Curl
Squat
Stif-leg deadlift
Three days rest, repeat.
Everything done for 2 sets (after warm-ups) for 8-12 reps. This means get 8 reps the frst
session, 9-10 the next, and 11-12 the next, add weight and repeat.
This is NOT an optimal routine for everyone, so please don't think that is what this post
is about. This routine is for extreme hardgainers that just won't grow from anything else
they have tried.

Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Appetite
If your volume and frequency is correct you should be a HUNGRY MO FO most of the
time. Overtraining tends to kill the appetite and under training or not training should
leave your appetite at normal levels that you should be accustomed to.
While this rule of thumb does not apply to all, it sure does work for most people out there.
It should be blatantly obvious after leg day especially that you have imposed some huge
demands on your system that need to be met with lots of nutrition. If youre not hungry
something is wrong!
Iron Addict

Gauging Progress
This time of year a lot of people are in the process of dropping bodyfat to get in shape for
when the sun comes out. Cutting or adding mass it's a good idea to get a good accurate
assesment of "where you are at". It's difcult at times to see the changes in yourself since
you see yourself every day. Taking pictures periodically can really give you a good idea of
how far you have come. Take the time to do this and you may be surprised at the progress
you couldn't asses as well without doing this.
To make it as accurate as possible, make sure the lighting and poses are the same. If you
REALLY want to see yourself in the best circumstances. Tan before taking the pics.
MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE for most people that are light skinned.
Iron Addict

5X5
There are diferent ways that 5 x 5's are done and the diferences can make or break
whether or not it is an efective protocol for the person doing it. Some versions have you
do warm-ups, then pick a weight that JUST allows you to get 5 sets of 5 reps with a
constant poundage. Others have the frst 2-3 sets as warm-ups, thus they could be 135 x 5,
225 x 5 275 x 5, 315 x 5 , 315 x 5 as an example. And I have seen many do 5 sets to pretty much
all out failure where they have to drop the poundage to get their sets. And yes, there are a
couple other renditions.
What does a 5 x 5 do for you? If properly applied, (the version you use fts your ability to
recover) doing 5 sets gives you LOTS more time under tension, and will be the make or
break diference as to whether many people gain strength and size, or just strength when
doing low reps. A large percentage of the population can make dramatic increases in the
their poundages when doing a set or two of low (1-5) reps and get very little size to go
along with the strength. At least until there is a LOT more weight on the bar. And while
there is nothing wrong with that approach, most people want the size to strength ratio to
be a little more consistent along the way. 5 x 5's can do this. One thing you need to keep in
mind is that a 5 x 5 routine necessarily has a very limited number of lifts done. You don't
do 5 x 5 bench press and 5 x 5 squats on chest and leg days and then follow up with 2-3
other lifts for the same bodypart(s).
BTW, I think the frst rendition is the best way to do this, and even Joe average recovers
well enough, and in many cases grows well. As always, the more sets you do, the lower
the intensity they must be if you are to recover.
Iron Addict

Are You a Bodybuilder?

A very large percentage of trainees that guide their eforts towards and profess to be
bodybuilders have a little secret they try to keep to their selves. WITH THEIR SHIRT
OFF, NO ONE WOULD EVER BELEIVE THEY WERE BODYBUILDING!!!
Why is this so? Because they carry way too much bodyfat! Why do they do this? Because
they know they are not big enough yet. Why do they feel the need to walk around fat to
build muscle? Hell if I know??
There are plenty of "little guys" that weigh 180-200 that are very lean that look great
compared to the 230 lb guys that don't have any abs showing. While it is easier to build
muscle when taking is massive calories and macronutrients there is no need to do this to
the extreme that you are adding massive bodyfat while doing so.
Summer will be upon us soon. Would you rather be 210 and lean with a body that looks
good with your shirt of, or a "big guy" at 230 that looks big in a shirt, and like a pig
without one? Well of course the right answer for many is 240 and lean, but.......until you
have the muscle to be there, it will probably make you much happier along the way
staying relatively lean while getting there.
Iron Addict

A tale of two trainees

Here is a tale of two diferent trainees that have the same goal. While it is purely fctional I
see posts and talk to people constantly that repeat the same thing time and time again.
They are both trying to lose bodyfat and have decided to try a timed carb diet to get them
there. They both start the diet and within a few days they both notice energy levels are
down and worst of all they LOOK FLAT!!!! The mirror tells them they are shrinking!!!
So..the frst one decides that it just isnt acceptable and adds the carbs back and
reduces calories even lower. And damn if he doesnt notice that the scale is going down,
and even more importantly he looks FULLER! He is on to something and those low
carb diets just dont work worth a damn.
The other trainee decides he is going to stay the course and tough it out. By week two
energy levels are great, but he still looks fat. Unlike the other guy, he understands that
each gram of glycogen stored in the muscle brings 3 grams of water with it, so the fat
look he is seeing in the mirror is only a temporary event, and once he is carbed back up he
will see the reduced fat, AND will be full and muscular. He also understands that carbs
produce an insulin response, and insulin shuts down the fat burning pathways of the
body, and as long as carbs are present the body will not give up the fat and will be as
prone to burn muscle as a fuel source as fat.
Eight weeks later the two trainees again look in the mirror. They have both lost 16 lbs and
have decided they are done with their diet phase. The frst trainee is frustrated with his
attempts to drop bodyfat because while he is 16 lbs lighter, its clear he still has way too
much fat left and LOTS less muscle. It was easy to tell the muscle was coming of
because his lift were either static, or in many cases went down.
The second trainee is lean, and actually gained some muscle. This was easy to tell was
happening because his lifts all went up the whole time he was dieting.
Which would you rather be?
Iron Addict

A tale of two more trainees

Here is another tale of two more trainees that sufer the same delusion from the illusion of
looking fat like the last two I wrote about. Only diference is this time their goals are
diferent. They are both actively trying to add mass. Lets see what happens to these
two.
Both of these trainees are low-intermediate level trainees that made pretty good gains
when they started, but have struggled big-time since then. They go to the gym week after
week and lift the same poundages again and again rarely moving up in weight, both on
the bar, and on their frame. After much studying they have both decided they are simply
training using too much volume, and training too frequently so they both decide to do a
low volume/frequency routine.
Two weeks into it all their lifts are up, butthey look in the mirror and they look
fat!!! It LOOKS like they are actually getting smaller!!!! The frst trainee does what
MANY, MANY trainees do in this situation, he immediately freaks-out and goes right
back to the high volume, high frequency work that was failing him. The second trainee
understands that since he is no longer doing so many sets and diferent lifts that the
muscles will not be as full since nutrient loading will decrease with the decreased volume,
so he keeps at it.
Six month later the guy that went back to what didnt work before is still struggling. His
lifts have barely budged, and he looks about the same as he did six months prior. The
second trainee has made remarkable progress. All his lifts are WAY up and he has put on
a bunch of solid bodyweight and is getting compliments wherever he goes.
Which would you rather be??
Iron Addict

A CNS Snippet
Everyone varies a HUGE degree as to how fast CNS recovery occurs. This is the reason
why many people never make much progress in the gym for at least some bodyparts. If a
routine is structured so some bodyparts receive a day or two rest from ANY lifting, the
lifters CNS ability to recruit muscles is usually high, and they do well on these
bodyparts/lifts. The bodyparts that are trained a day after a heavy session in the gyn,
EVEN THOUGH THE PREVIOUS DAYS TRAINING HAD NOTHING TO
DO WITH THE BODYPART BBEING WORKED THAT DAY, they fnd they
are unable to add weightt or reps, and just feel "of", when the fact of the matter is the just
had a depleted CNS.
Yes, MANY guys can train every day, or many days in a row even at a fairly high intensity
level and do well. SO FUCKING WHAT? The number of these guys on a percentile
basis of the overall population is VERY low. Most guys just can't do it and should not.
With VERY, VERY few exception all the routines I write have at least a day between
sessions, and this is primarily done for CNS recovery purposes.
Iron Addict

DOMS
Delayed onset muscle soreness is something that leads many people to the "no gain zone",
and then forever keeps them there. Many wrongly believe that unless they are "tore up"
they didn't stimulate growth.......they are in most cases WRONG! While there is nothing
wrong with being sore, you need to understand that after you have done a lift for more
than a few sessions you are likely to be less and less sore. Also some muscles rarely or
NEVER get sore. My biceps and delts are some examples. I could do 50 sets for my delts
and never feel a bit sore. Regardless they still grow well.
You have no doubt noticed that some muscles don't get very sore, while others always feel
way beat-up. And almost everyone notices that when you do a lift you havent done in a
long time you tend to get sore as hell the frst time or two, then less and less each session.
This leads many to either change their lifts CONSTANTLY (which can be benefcial to
SOME people) or do more ad more sets/lifts/or use more intensity to ensure they get
beat-up enough. In most cases this is simply not needed. Some trainees get sore every
time they train, others only when changing lifts, and some people almost never, yet all
these categories of trainees can all grow extremely well if the training and diet is properly
laid out.
Your barometer of success in the gym should be an ever increasing load on the bar, not
how pumped you get, or how sore you are the following days.
Iron Addict

Calories in, Calories out

Here is one of the most simple, simple things you can imagine that a HUGE number of
trainees TOTALLY MISS!!!
If your goal is adding mass WITHOUT concurrent fat loss (yes, you can add muscle
while losing bodyfat, more about that later) you should be seeing regular scale increases.
If the training load and macro-nutrient ratio is correct these increases will be mostly in the
form of muscle mass. If the workload is not correct, and the macro-nutrient ratio is
incorrect you will see fat-gain and less muscle gain. But irregardless the DAMN SCALE
SHOULD BE MOVING UP! Do you REALLY expect to get bigger without the fuel
to do so???
Iron Addict

Bench Presses, Rotator Cuf/Shoulders

If you are a bodybuilder and fnd strait bar benches bother your shoulders/rotator cufs,
QUIT DOING THEM! This is an extremely common problem, and more shoulders
are wreaked and training careers ended because of this than you would ever imagine. If
you don't powerlift you really do NOT need to do strait bar benches. I realize that when
John Q public asks how much you lift they are referring to your bench. Next time they
ask, just smile and give them your squat poundage, or tell them you don't lay down to
train-lol.
You can get fne pec/front delt/tricep development from dumbbell benches/incline DB's
or dips.
Iron Addict

Creatine
I am always amazed at how few trainees take advantage of one of the cheapest and most
efective supplements available--creatine. While it doesn't work well for everyone, for
those it works for, it provides exceptional benefts for the dollar spent. Many who have
treid it and were not happy with the results simply did not dose it correctly. The
"formula" is usually 30 grams a day pre-loading for a week, then 5 grams a day after that.
For most people a much better approach is simply 15 grams a day every day. Be sure to
get the micronized types for better absorption and decreased stomach upset.
Iron Addict

The Truth
I am going to devote todays tip of the day to the truth.
Everybody is looking for the truth about what bodybuilding/powerlifting/weight
training for ftness, is really about. If I only had a nickel for every post I have read about
that describes what constitutes the absolute ultimate reality of efective weight training.
Everyone is looking for the defnitive program that lays everything out for them, step by
step, at least within a reasonably defnable framework of a system that is the system of all
systems. Guaranteed to make you the god or goddess you yearn to be..
And the absolute truth is.I hold the truth. Problem is so do MANY, MANY others.
And the so very interesting thing about this absolute truth is we are all right!!!! And all
wrong at the same time!!! Some of you might have guessed that I was going to get
philosophical here, and I am. Because I truly believe that unless we all can share more
than how to get bigger and stronger, we are only achieving a part of what can be
accomplished in this arena of information exchange. We then are operating more like a
raft and not the river. The raft may get you to the other side of the river, but the river is
the power and energy that makes it all possible. Unless the articles and posts are helping
one not only build their bodies but their minds and spirits as well, only a small percentage
of the possible beneft has been achieved.
Lets take a peek at the truth. Ask anyone of respected authority about what constitutes
efective training for size and strength and you are sure to hear the truth. While there is
nothing wrong with what most of the experts in the feld have to say, the component that
is usually lacking in their version of the truth is that it is their truth, and it will be a nontruth for many others as long as they are dogmatic in the application of their pet theory.
Many of these truths are an absolute lie (or failure of progress) for a big percentage of the
trainees seeking the truth.
Weight training, is somewhat like religion, art, and many other activities that throw in
that totally unpredictable wildcard of human individuality into the equation. Ask 10 deer
hunters what the best caliber for deer is. You may get 10 diferent answers. Ask 10 Harley
riders, or street rodders what the best way to go fast and look cool doing it is and you
may get WAY more than 10 answers. And they are all right!! Dogmatism and limited
perspectives are some of the many human conditions that keep us as a species from
growing and fulflling our almost limitless possibilities. And I will tell you it is damn hard
to fnd an activity as ruled by dogmatism and generalities carved in stone, as the various
branches and systems of weight training.

We look at the world through our own eyes, and while it is plainly obvious that we all
have eyes, it is apparently not so obvious that what we see is fltered through our own
unique perspective that colors all that is experienced by our individual bodies, minds, and
spirits. The way we interpret and react to any stimulus is the totality of our physical
bodies, our minds, and the experiences that came before every second of now that have
shaped how we perceive things to be. The reality of my perceptions, your perceptions,
and the next guys, are the sum total of the mind, body, and spirit (for those, that believe
they possess one (myself included) (can I do parenthesis in parenthesis) (yes, I guess I can
lol).
What you should avoid as much as possible is the belief that your belief is the only truth,
and that the way that is most productive for you is the only path to the destination. If you
have read much of my writings you know that I am an advocate of lower volume training.
I would bet it all that if you picked someone at your average gym in anywhere USA, or
the country of your choice. Then blindfolded them, spun them around like a contestant in
a piata bash, and told them to start walking blindly until they ran into someone, and kept
doing the same thing in this blind and impartial fashion until they has 100 picks, they
would fnd that the greatly larger percentage of this selectively unselected group would
do much better on low, or lower volume and frequency training than what is popularly
advocated by the glossy magazines that showcase the genetically elite.
These are the role models that have set the so-called standard as the best way to get huge.
Be that as it may, my opinion in no way refutes the fact that some people of the group
would thrive much better on high volume and frequency workouts. So..we are back to
the fact that for every truth, there is a lie. In this case the lie being all those that did
better using the other guys truth. And I understand that my experience with this may be
totally diferent than others, I can and do accept this.
Opening yourself to see that the other training and diet philosophies are valid can have
more impact than you would imagine. The impact will be scaled by how you apply it. If
only taken in the context of how it can be applied to your understanding of training and
application to your routine and diet, it will be worthwhile. It will have signifcant benefts
of helping you better understand what might be potentially productive options training
and diet wise. Hell, if the only beneft was to stop some of the never ending theory
bashing that goes on at many of the online forums the training world would be much
improved.
But if you can use this little shift of thought to open yourself to the notion that in any
human interaction there is bound to be difering viewpoints on any topic or issue of
discussion you will reap the real benefts. It is absolutely amazing how much energy is

wasted by peoples need to be right. People alienate themselves from those with difering
views, confict and struggle at all levels from two people in a hostile debate, to wars being
fought because of peoples absolute need to be right at all costs, and inability to see that
others viewpoints, no matter how whacked they seem to be, are still right for them. This
doesnt mean to adopt an attitude of anything goes, nor does it mean that you should
refrain from trying to show people your point of view. It does mean that when you
disagree, you agree to disagree and understand that even the most diametrically opposed
viewpoint is valid for the person holding it, and you should not spend inordinate amounts
of time and energy trying to beat your perspective into others.
I often fnd links to boards I have not been to yet and will sign-up as a board member,
answer a few posts, or post an article or two, and the reaction at some boards is often
downright hostile. Simply because my posts didnt go along with the prevailing experts
on the forum. And so it goes with life too.
Cant we all just get alonglol, Rodney King
Iron Addict

Training small bodyparts on a more frequent schedule

Some people go through all kinds of trouble to design their routines so small bodypart
like arms can be trained more frequently than larger ones like chest or back.
Training to train some bodyparts sooner than others can be a good idea for SOME
people but I am not much in favor of the idea here are some reasons why.
Reducing overlap does WONDERS for making most people make rapid gains. Some
say small bodyparts recover faster and thus can be trained more frequently.
Well...........here are my thoughts on this subject. Small bodyparts are less systemically
demanding than doing, say, legs and back, and yes, if the overall metabolism is not very
impacted, recovery should be faster.
But........lifting causes micro-trauma, which is basically a way of saying the muscle fber at
the cellular lever is damaged. Diferent people recover (READ THAT HEAL!!!!) at
diferent rates. Cut two peoples fngers and one may be good as new in 6-7 days, and
another may be still healing 10-12 days later. THIS is the level you need to train at, YOUR
ability to recover/heal/regenerate, call it what you will. Cuts, and resistance training
induced micro-trauma will all take a certain amount of time to "heal", and while there are
MANY things that can accelerate this process, like diet, gear use, stretching, and
massage, damaging a "small" muscle, takes almost as long to heal as "damaging" a larger
one. And yes, if the overall metabolic system is strained because of "too" much damage,
recovery/healing will be slower, but most all of us hit everything once in 5-9 days (many
MUCH less) anyway.
Iron Addict

Multiple Sets
If you are a trainee that responds well to multiple sets here is a tip that might make you
respond even better. Once upon a time it was popular to take one lift and do many sets for
that single lift. We still see this method used with GVT a lot, and there are many
bodybuilders and powerlifters alike that use this method. Vince Gironda used to use his 6
x 6, or 8 x 8 routines with many of his trainees with great success. If you currently are
doing:
Bench Press 3 x 10
Incline Bench Press 3 x 10
You might consider doing the following instead:
LOW incline Dumbbell Presses 6 x 10
Many, many successful trainees have taken one lift per bodypart and hammered the hell
out of it instead of doing multiple lifts.
A couple things to keep in mind if you decide to do this are:
Pick lifts that hit as much of the muscle as possible. For instance many, many popular
bicep and tricep movements predominantly only hit one head of the bicep, or two heads
of the triceps. Bad idea if it is to be your only lift for that muscle.
And if you are a true hardgainer this is a bad format for you, but you may fnd it is
EXACTLY what you need to work ONE, or at most two lagging muscles.
Iron Addict

Rack and Box Squats

For all you guys out there with knee problems, or guys that just can't seem to peg how
deep to squat, or keep shortening the range when you start to fatigue, rack squats my help
a ton. As I um....age, my knees are truly not what they used to be, and lately full range ass
to the foor squats are just counterproductive for me. What allows me, and many in my
situation to squat relatively pain free is squatting in the rack with the bars set about 1 inch
above parallel.
Yes, this would be a bad idea for a powerlifter to do on a long-term basis, but if you are
bodybuilding really won't hurt a thing. One inch above parallel is still WAY deeper than
most people squat, and with the pins you KNOW for a fact (same with a box squat) that
every rep is the same depth.
This is makes the lift much kinder to the knees, and since each rep is taken to the bars,
they are preformed SLOWLY and deliberatively, no bouncing, no ballistic reps. If any of
the above conditions sound like your situation give them a try. All this applies equally to
the use of a box also. And if your gym has boxes, or even a padded bench that is the right
height, boxes or bench squats ala Louis Simmons are even easier on the knees if you learn
to sit BACK when descending.
Iron Addict

Farmers Walk
For all you strongman event trainers, dinosaur types, and guys that just like to push
themselves to the edge of sanity, a trap bar works pretty damn good for doing "the
farmers walk" Much better than heavy dumbbells at least for me.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Powder "scoops"
I am often asked how the hell someone can aford some of the pricier supplements and
how a person can swallow so damn many capsules a day. Well if you make good money
and don't mind a bunch gel caps going down the gullet, it's no problem. Now for cheap
bastards like me, there is a better solution. Most supps can be bought in powder form in
bulk. This is WAY, WAY cheaper than pre-capped product. The problem then becomes
how the hell do you know how much to take. My solution is a grain scale that I use for
reloading rife/pistol cartridges and powder scoops available from Lee Precision
http://www.leeprecision.com/catalog/browse.cgi
Once you try the various size scoops and fnd what dose they hold you never have to
weigh again. Just scoop into your bulk powder and throw the dose in your mouth, into a
gel cap, or for real economy wrapped in a small bit of tissue paper. Most powders go
down well enough just tossed on the tongue and chased with something to drink.
DON'T try this with ALA---WOW!!!!!!!!! Only have to try that once.
Iron Addict

A picture is worth a thousand words

Ok, we have all heard that clich. But one place it is ever so true is gauging your progress.
We see ourselves every day. And as a lot of guys out there will have to admit to their selves
even if they wouldn't to anyone else. They are in front of the mirror every damn chance
they get trying to "see" how much they grew from yesterday-lol Or how much fat they
have stripped. Problem is we see ourselves so much the day to day changes are almost
imperceptible.
It's funny how many people tell me something to the efect of how it all hits home about
their progress is when their girlfriends, wifes and friends/families all start freaking about
how much they have grown (or how much bodyfat they have dropped) but to them they
just keep looking a little better than a few days ago.
One of the best ways to REALLY see how startling the transformation is, is to have
regular pics taken in the same pose(s)/or non-pose for those guys that feel silly doing one.
Using the same lighting, and as many consistent factors as possible. Over 6-8 weeks is a
good timeframe.
Then your progress (or in worst case scenario lacktherof) will truly have a whole diferent
perspective than trying to remember "exactly what you looked like 10-20 pounds ago.
Iron Addict

The ultimate solution to cardio?

I fnally found the ultimate solution to cardio for me and thought I'd share. My
qualifcations for cardio are: Must be able to provide whatever degree of heart/lung
stimulation that is desired from low intensity long duration to that stimulation that can
best be provided by wind sprints or all out running. The big qualifer for me is that is
must be easy on the joints because like a few board members here I'm older (OK OLD)
and my joints have been pretty abused throughout the years.
The work also must be maintainable even when doing gear/PHs. Its almost impossible
to slow jog half a mile when doing some gear/PHs without the pumps stopping all
activity in your tracks.
The solution came from Westside Barbell and Louis Simmons specifcally. They pull a
weighted sled various ways to provide a "general physical preparedness" base as they call
it. The sled rocks! I can blowtorch my heart and lungs without the pump stopping me. I
can pull for time, distance, weight, or restoration. The various upper and lower body pulls
provide freedom from boredom and the equipment takes up little space.
I pull in the street in front of my house so you don't need to go to the gym or even have a
great running trail. ZERO joint pain and it even seems to be helping the joints recover
better. My sled cost me $25 bucks to build as my friend had some plate available but for
$40 you should be able to by stock at a scrap yard and have a shop weld it together for
you. They sell them at Westside for $115. Check this link out for a intro to dragging.
http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_146gpp.html
Iron Addict

Being a Hardgainer
If you are a "Hardgainer", this means you must change your approach if you are going to
get good gains. it does not mean you can't build a great body, and work up to very
respectable strength levels. It does however mean your approach must be suitable for
your body type and metabolism. No, you will never stand on the posing dais with the big
boys, or total elite in powerlifting, but you can still get damn big and strong. Stuart
McRobert's goals of 300-400-500 (meaning bench, squat, deadlift maxes) are within most
trainees reach. But you will NEVER get there doing endless sets and a bunch of lifts per
bodypart. In fact for many of you one lift per bodypart will need to be the rule. If your
current routine isn't working QUIT waiting for it to somehow "happen". Start training
smart!
Iron Addict

Damn the bar feels heavy today!

If you are doing a particular exercise using big weights and the bar feels extra heavy, or
extra light, it may be because it is. Some 45 lb Olympic plates will be of as much as 7 lbs
from my experience in weighing many. put one that is 4 lbs over on one side, and another
that is 5 lbs of on the other and your load is 9 lbs heavier than you thought, and it feels
like a ton heavier. It goes to reason if they are light, you will feel like superman. What is
the answer to this?? There really isn't one if you workout in a commercial gym. If you
workout at home like I do, weigh all your plates and always use the matched pairs.
Iron Addict

Volume Stuck
If you respond well to volume from a size standpoint, but have an extremely difcult time
adding strength while doing it, you will SOON fnd yourself STUCK. How to get out?
Well, you can try decreasing the volume and frequency some. This may work perfect, but
many people grow fast on a relatively high volume routine, but the gains are just not
sustainable because the trainees strength level rarely budges.
A good approach to solve this problem is to simply insert some LOW volume weeks into
the mix. Many will fnd strength absolutely skyrockets with the volume and frequency so
low. Add a chunk of strength to all your lifts for a short time, then jump back on the
volume. I use this system quite a bit with training clients and when you get the volume to
low volume ratios dialed results can be nothing short of fantastic.
Iron Addict

Scale Up, Scale Down

Let's talk about gaining and losing weight for a minute, and what "realistic" goals consist
of, and how to potentially stay out of trouble doing it. The big problems here as most of
you have either experienced or watched others get into trouble doing is either trying to
add mass to fast (read that, getting FAT) or dropping fat to fast (read that losing muscle.)
Lifter A decides it's damn strait time he sees what's underneath that layer of bodyfat he's
been hiding under for so long. He didn't gain it all overnight (OK in some cases yes, the
lifter does, but we'll get to that in a minute) but damned if that isn't going to stop him
from trying to dump it all overnight. Sooo..the crash diet begins. Week one he drops 5
lbs and is elated. Week two he drops 4. And a week later another 4, he keeps this up
fguring it will take no time at this rate to be sliced and diced and the king of the
beach........but......since he is carrying so much bodyfat and not doing any precision testing
to determine how much bodyfat he is losing vs how much muscle he really can't see how
badly he is catabolising his body. At this rate he is probably losing at least a 50-50 fat to
muscle ratio....bad news in any lifters book.
If the trainee diets using the correct macro-nutrient profles, and isn't too aggressive with
cardio they should at least be able to build a little muscle while dropping bodyfat and
strength should go up the whole time. If you are a 150-200 lb trainee fgure about 1-1/2-13/4 lbs fat loss per week 200-250 2-2-1/4, and the big boys 250+ can often get by with 21/2+ per week without catabolism becoming a problem.
Lifter B decides its time to get serious about adding mass and to that end decides it time
for some serious eating. Well he often ends up right where lifter A is PRONTO. If you
are new to PRODUCTIVE training using volume and frequency correct for YOU and
have never experienced the "frst time" gains most people make when they start training
you may add 20-30 lbs to your frame in a short while. If you are past this point, it's time to
get real and understand the gains will come at a much slower pace. If you are a natural
trainee that has already experience the "newbie" gains and are adding more than about a
lb of scale weight a week, I'll betcha your getting fat doing it.
And if you are doing a cycle DON'T expect to add 30 lbs of muscle. Regardless of what
the unknowing are posting and you reading. Yes, frst time users of a good solid cycle (not
these damn 2 week specials that are in vogue now) MIGHT put on 30 lbs, but 15-20 solid
lbs is much more realistic. Most of the guys you see posting about 30-40 lbs of muscle just
ate their way fat.

This post is not going to be a "how to", but a "what not to do". Don't let the above
scenarios be you.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Backwards Cheat Day

For some of you folks out there the problem is not eating too much, but eating enough.
Pounding 450-500 grams of protein a day can be real drag day in day out as in my case.
When it comes to a cheat day for me, it's often eating light and only consuming 250-300
grams protein and not eating any meals to capacity. For guys out there without a big
appetite, doing this once a week instead of being a total pig for a day can be more
productive. The following day or twos appetite is usually much higher and allows
anything potentially lost to more than made up for.
Iron Addict

Cardio Work
Unless you are an EXTREME hardgainer you should be doing some type of CV
training.....period! And even if you are an extreme hardgainer and are over 35 you should
still be doing cardio. Ken Leistner stated it perfectly when he said:
Nobody ever dies because their arms are not big enough, but lots of people die every day
because they are not in good enough CV shape. If you don't gain well, 2 sessions a week is
probably your best bet. Most people that gain at a reasonable clip can handle 3 weight
training sessions and 3 cardio sessions a week without problems.
The suggested target heart rates of between 60-80% of maximum is a pretty wide range
and if you gain well you will be more likely to thrive on the high end and if you gain slowly
should stay at the low end and work up SLOWLY to the higher end of the scale. There
are a zillion target heart rate calculators on line that will apply and calculate the formula
for you based on your age and perceived ftness level. Just do a search on google using
"target heart rate calculator" as the search words.
If you are a heavier athlete or older, make sure your choice of CV work is compatible with
your joints. Sled pulling
http://www.ironaddicts.com/phpbb/php...topic.php?t=38
Bike riding or swimming are good choices to keep joint stress minimal. And if you are
lighter/younger, or have robust joints jogging is a fne option and can be done anywhere
without equipment. My favorite is the sled for a variety of reasons.
Iron Addict

The Importance of a Training Log

Do you record your gym sessions in written format? If you don't I can guarantee that you
are cheating yourself. I don't care how well you "think" you recall your reps/sets/training
poundages, from your last session, you will be of. Being able to go back and not only
review what you did last session, but what you did 6 months ago, and 6 months previous
and so on is an invaluable tool. Don't overlook this!!!!
Iron Addict

Want to ride my bicycle

Do you own a bicycle? Canches are, if you don't you are doing yourself a huge disservice.
Bikes are:
Dirt cheap
Can be used most anywhere, no need to go to the gym to do cardio
Are EASY on the joints
Are easy on the mind. Few things are as peaceful as watching the scenery go past on a
bicycle. Way better than watching the TV in the gym while on the treadmill.
I own a CHEAP bike I bought 7 years ago that gets ridden almost every day rain or
shine. It cost about 150 bucks and aside from a chain, and a couple of tires I haven't paid a
penny more. A good seat can go a long ways towards making it a more enjoyable
experience.
Got bike?
Iron Addict

In a rut
Upon fnding a basic format that provides a lifter to become progressive in the gym, most
lifters think they have struck the mother lode. Then after a time the gains dry up. If you
thrive on volume there are many avenues that will work because it is a given that you have
more work capacity than joe average hardgainer. If you are a hardgainer your options are
more limited. But nonetheless, their are MANY, MANY ways to change things up
enough to get growth going again while still staying within a framework that will allow
growth.
You can:
Change the rep cadence
Rep format
intensity techniques
Lifts performed
order in which the lifts are performed
basic routine structure (body part breakdown)
rest days
intensity cycling
and the list goes on..............
Bottom line is, if you are stuck, get out of the rut NOW!!!
Iron Addict

Range of motion
YOUR body should dictate the range of motion for any lift. Arbitrarily picking a set
ROM for any lift may put you in a position where injury is not a matter of if, but when.
Full ROM movements for some lifts just don't work for some people because of their
body proportions/muscle insertion points/fexibility. All you young guys take heed.
Whether you believe it or not someday you will be old, and I can tell you from experience,
and the experience of working with a large cross section of trainees that the most
important thing you can do in regards to training is not get injured. No one ever thinks it
will happen to them until it does. Whack your shoulders or lower back and you will soon
fnd how little can be done. You can't train if you are injured and MOST long-term
trainees eventually end up injured. The sad part is, almost all of the injuries that occur
could have been prevented had the knowledge been there, and the ego been absent.
Iron Addict

Throw away your fucking scale!!!

If you are a bodybuilder and don't have to worry about weight classes, one of the most
important things many of you could to is toss your scale in the nearest garbage can. I have
some trainees that when they frst start working with me send me their weight........taken
every day!!
I know well about this obsession because I used to do it myself. I'd get on the scale daily,
sometimes twice a day. When talking candidly with lifters I have had a few admit they
didn't want to take a shit at times because they hadn't weighed themselves yet..........
This makes people do all kinds of stupid things that are best avoided. The scale isn't
going up fast enough so they gorge themselves silly....thats better, the scale is going up!!!
And they quickly end up fat. When dieting the scale isn't going down fast enough, so they
cut cals WAY low and turn cardio WAY up and lose a bunch of muscle and still don't end
up lean.
All this is avoidable if you use the mirror as your guide, or use the mirror and use the scale
in a REASONABLE fashion with a solid understanding of what realistic weight loss,
and muscle gains consist of.
Iron Addict

My Pecs SUCK!!
I hear this from trainees constantly. And in many cases when I meet them, or they send
pics the reason is obvious. They just have too damn much fat to REALLY see the fne
lines they posses. You will never really know what you look like under that "layer". Pecs
are particularly hard to asses.
Iron Addict

ATF Squats
I am sometimes asked why I seem to be so obsessed with squatting and deadlifting. Well
the simple reason is that I KNOW if I can get the trainee gaining by leaps and bounds on
their squats and deads, upper body will follow along for the ride. Trying to get big arms
and a big chest while neglecting the lower body is a surefre recipe for failure for all but
the most genetically elite trainees. Now lets talk for a minute about squat depth. You read
a lot about "ass to foor" squats and that doing them any other way is cheating yourself.
And to that I say "BULLSHIT!"
Some folks do have a body structure that makes ATF squats a doable proposition, but
quite frankly these are the people that are built to be natural squatters anyway. They
usually have robust joints, and don't sufer from the stresses that ATF squats tend to put
on most people. I will use an example of someone dear to me. Myself--lol, I am extremely
fexible due to a focus on fexing and martial arts training when I was younger.
When I used to squat ATF people would freak about how low I could go. And you know
what I got for all the extra range of movement? Back injuries that still haunt me to this
day, and knee's that creak at age 41. Squats if done correctly will help strengthen your
knees, done too deep or too fast and they will make them hamburger. People that really
believe you must squat ATF have never paid any attention to the world of powerlifting
where MANY, MANY lifters ALWAYS squat to parallel, but never deeper, so they are
always "on" when they hit the meet.
If you have a hard time pegging how deep to go, get an experienced lifter to watch you
squat, or set the pins in the power rack and squat to the pins. You will go to the correct
depth this way and will not do any ballistic squats like this. After working with countless
athletes over the years I absolutely know that squatting to parallel is all that is needed to
get the great results this 'king" of lifts provides.
Iron Addict

Using Rep Speed for Weight Increases

For many trainees the limitations of fxed plate barbells, dumbbells, selectorized plate
machines, and plates that are just too damn big often make it extremely difcult to go up
to the next increment on smaller lifts such as lateral raises or dumbbell curls. Also many
people are inefcient once they hit a certain rep range. For many people going up (with
the same poundage) from 6 reps to 10 is a snap, but trying to go from 10 to 14 is a
monumental task. One of the solutions to this dilemma is simply to S-L-O-W down your
rep speed some until enough additional strength is built to make the jump to the next
weight increment available.
Lets use a relatively new trainee using 70 lbs for his dumbbell curls for 2 sets of 8 reps
(after warm-ups.) as an example. If he then uses the next increment available, the 80s, he
only ends up getting 4-5 reps. For many people the solution is simple, just keep adding
reps until able to make the next jump. Butas stated, many trainees do very poorly once
past a certain rep range, and trying to add enough reps to make the jump just takes too
long. An alternative is just to slow down the rep speed enough, say from a 3 second
negative to a 4 second negative, until you are strong enough to make the jump. This
method doesnt work well for all lifts, nor for all trainees, but is another useful tool to have
in your bag of tricks.
Iron Addict

An Insiders Secret
Please do not misinterpret me when I slam volume training from time to time. I am not
anti-volume work. Only anti-volume for those that can't handle the workload. And the
truth is, most can't unless it is very strategically "waved" or intensity/volume cycled. I train
some of my personal training clients using volume work. BUT........ONLY THOSE
THAT BODIES CAN HANDLE IT WELL. THEY ARE A SMALL SEGMENT
OF THE TRAINING POPULACE. I train a LOT more using strategically "waved"
or intensity/volume cycled volume training. And of course, most get fairly low volume
work because it is what they respond best to, and is at the limits of their bodies recovery
ability.
That was no secret. So what is the "insiders secret" I was alluding to? Well the secret is
that a LOT of the guys you see on the boards going on and on about volume training, or
how overtraining is a fallacy, are guys that are quite new to the lifting game. They decide
to get started bodybuilding. Read the shiny muscle mags about the pro's, start doing
volume work just like the big-boys, and BAM! They make some good newbie size and
strength gains! They go on the boards and talk all-up how well this type of training
works, and some time later BAM again. They fall fat on their faces and all progress
stops. Some of these guys end up being personal training clients of mine. Since I have
followed many of their posts on various boards throughout time, I see where the volume
illusion ended up popping, and they decide to make a change.
Don't listen to anything but your OWN body. If volume works for you use it! It's a great
tool for those it works for. But if your not growing now, how is it supposed to "magically"
start working one day??
Iron Addict

Taking Time Of
I have rarely spoken with a TRUE veteran trainer, or trainee that didnt understand the
importance of taking periodic breaks from training to let the body (and mind) heal from
the onslaughts of training. It is very rare indeed though to fnd a relatively new trainee
that understands the importance of doing so. In fact, to talk to many about this topic,
brings to light how TOTALLY OBSESSED many lifters are, but that is a topic for
another day.
Many of these guys are totally convinced that they will shrink to nothing if they take a
week of, that strength will go down XX% (you name it, I have seen the number-lol) and
they will seriously hamper their progressnothing could be further from the truth. Most
people actually come back as strong, or stronger after a week of, and those taking two
weeks are usually close to as strong as they were before the break, and some will still come
back as strong, or stronger. Yes, after 2-3 weeks, SOME people fnd a little, and other a
signifcant strength decrease, but it is usually caught back up in a couple weeks. And then
the trainee is in much better position to go all out again.
For some people it is needed after about 6 weeks, and for others 8, 10, 12, or even once
every 16 weeks is the right time. But if you havent taken a week of after 16 weeks of all out
training, you are fooling yourself if you think its not needed. Are there any ways to avoid
this time of? VERY LOW volume work can circumvent the need for some people, as can
a very sound intensity cycling format, but for the most part its just a necessary part of the
game, and if you really think you will lose a big chunk of size and strength during a one
week hiatus, you more than likely need to see a sports physcologist-lol.
What should you expect during this time of, and how should it be spent? Well expect
that you are mending your body some and will be growing during the time at least a little
bit, maybe a lot. That means your diet should not go to hell, and if you are on an extended
cycle, you keep your PH, or gear levels at least reasonably close to what they were. Eat
good, sleep good, take a break from the mental output needed to go all-out in the gym,
and enjoy yourself. You are doing your body a great favor, and it will repay you with
increased dividends for your efort-and lack of efort during the time of.
Iron Addict

Protein quality

It's hard to get the amount of protein that is REALLY needed to grow. Trying to do it
without using a protein supplement is fnancial and gastric suicide for most people......and
for some, doing it WITH a protein supplement is the same. MANY, MANY protein
powders mix, and digest terribly. If your current supplement leaves you bloated and
unable to eat for hours how are you going to get enough protein to fuel the growth
process? The answer is, you probably wont. If it doesn't taste reasonably good, mix
extremely well, and go down, and digest easily, CHANGE IT NOW! You are wasting
valuable time!!!!
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Weight Gainer Drinks

The supplement market is still fooded with "weight gainer" formula's gauranteed to
make all those ectomorphs turn into mounds of muscle in no time........
What they should REALLY be called is "waist gainer" drinks. Most all of these formulas
are 75+ percent carbs. For MOST everyone getting enough carbs are not an issue.
getting enough protein is, and if you need more kcals after getting you protein issue, you
should be doing it by adding more fats and carbs, not mainly just carbs. The trainee that
can use these carb/protein ratio style drinks without getting fat is few and far between.
DON'T add useless fat to your frame just to stoke your ego about how fast you are
growing.
Iron Addict

A GREAT leg routine

I see posts all the time with people showing the world their latest greatest leg routine.
While there is nothing wrong with any routine as long as it is delivering the goods, most
don't. Lots of these routines look something like this.
Squats 3 x 8
Leg Press 3 x 10
Leg extension 3 x 10
Leg curl 3 x 12
This is all well and good if you are an ADVANCED BB THAT SQUATS AT LEAST
375-450 FOR REPS. if not WTF are you doing all this work for unless your progress is
going up by leaps and bounds. For MOST trainees leg work progress, at least until they
have a good amount of iron on the bar will be ALMOST linear if the volume and
frequency is correct unlike upper body that tends to be more sporadic. Most of the guys
doing these routines are squatting 150-250 for 8-10 reps and are terribly stuck.
I have guys I train frequently add 100-150 lbs to their squat (these are the guys that are
doing the silly-assed stuf above before working with me) within a short period of time
when doing something like:
squat either 3 x 5, 2 x 10, or 1 x 20 (NOT AT ONCE BUT ONE OF THESE
FORMATS
stif legged deadlifts 1-2 x 8-10
Or
Conventional Deadlift 1-2 x same format as listed above for squats.
Leg Press 1-2 sets
Until all your work sets are 300 lbs + these are the types of routines that are most likely to
make you, Joe average grow.
Iron Addict

More HIT/Volume Training Techniques

Here is another great way to get some volume work in your schedule without beating
yourself into a state of overtraining. Before I start, I want to make it clear that unless you
KNOW you respond well to volume work, or have already built at least a minimal
strength base and are not happy with the size you have to go along with your strength,
you should NOT bother using volume techniques. Why? Because the trainee is few and
far between than will build strength as fast doing moderate to high volume work, as
compared to keeping the volume much lower than what most would consider as volume
training.
What constitutes a MINIMUM strength base? I will give some numbers that I think are
pretty fair for Joe average trainee with a height between 58 and 510 or so, weighing at
LEAST 190 or so in lean condition (not 190 and fat.) Joe average, after a fair amount of
time focusing mostly on medium reps (6-12), using a volume and frequency level that
allows relatively fast strength gains has built his bench to 275-315, squats to 350-400, and
deadlift to 400-450. Those numbers are for singles, done with powerlifting contest form.
Now, if he is not happy with how the size followed the strength gains, it can be time to do
some hypertrophy specifc work. Please understand these are approximate numbers and
there can be a little leeway on either side, and of course if one of the lifts is a poor
responder, and the other two are good to-go, thats OK also, but these are good solid
numbers that most any dedicated trainee can, and will reach in time IF they dont train
too often, with too much volume.
I also know that many reading this regardless of their current strength level are absolutely
convinced they must do a boat-load of work because they think it will make them bigger
faster than lower volume work, and will be using as much volume as possible. So since
they are going to indulge anyway, I will give them another option
I already went over how to wave volume work in a previous article, so this time I am
going to discuss another way to get the volume without falling fat on your face and
ending up STUCK!
OK, you have your body split 3-4 ways and are currently hitting every body-part once in 7
days. Pretty standard for many trainees. Now you decide its time to do some volume (or
in some cases, your doing volume and want to make it actually work for you) so now
instead of just doing every session as volume, what if we do some days, as volume, some
days as low volume? How about this as a couple examples:

Day/Body-Parts Protocol
1) Chest/Shoulders/Tricep Volume
2) Back/Biceps Low-Volume
3) Legs Volume
Then every 2-4 weeks, you change the sequence.
If you are a fairly hardgainer, it may be best to only have one third of the routine be
volume based, such as:
Day/Body-Parts Protocol
1) Chest/Shoulders/Tricep Low-Volume
2) Back/Biceps Volume
3) Legs Low-Volume
The task then becomes to determine how long to stay on each volume sequence, and how
much volume to do on volume days, and how low to go with the low volume work.
Ill go out on a limb here and state that for MOST guys, there is little reason to do more
than 9-12 sets a body-part when doing volume. I see all kinds of posts on a daily basis by
guys about their 16-20 set workouts, and know they are usually based on what the pros
do. Do any of these guys ever reason-out the fact that they are expecting themselves to be
able to do what the guys with the best of the best, of the best, genetics are doing? Do they
take into consideration that the pro they are trying to emulate is doing anywhere from 3
to 7 GRAMS a week of gear in many cases and every other growth enhancing drug they
can get their hands on. The pro, on all that gear handles the 16-20 set workload well. Do
you REALLY think you are as talented as him and need to do his routine?
For the low volume work, anywhere from 1-4 WORK sets a bodypart will be enough if
you are training hard. Dont think its enough, or can work well, ESPECIALLY for
strength? You are WRONG!!!
Determining how long to run each volume, low volume sequence is another task that is
more like an art if you have never tried it. To begin using this method keep it simple, I
would start out with 3-4 weeks max volume time per muscle group before switching over
to the low volume work. You can play with the variable with this method till doomsday
and still have time left over so it works well for guys that like a lot of change in their
routines to keep them fresh mentally as well as physically. Give this method a try IF you
qualify with the outlined strength numbers. You may fnd it works extremely well for you
and adds some size to your frame without burning you out.
Iron Addict

More on "sled pulling"

I can't believe that pulling the sled isn't MUCH more popular than it is. Even though
about everyone that has ever pulled one raves about it, yet few own or pull a sled.
It is an EXCELLENT way to do your cardio, and is basically stress free on the joints as
long as you are not pulling too heavy a weight. and it can be EXACTLY what is needed
when a brief reprieve from leg work needs to be taken to keep the back and CNS fresh,
but the trainee still wants to get in some quality leg work.
It's Monday as I write this and after heavy squatting and rack pulls on Friday for the last
6 weeks I know from the feel of my lower back it needs a rest, or reinjury is a distinct
possibility. What should I do? Leg presses beat up my lower back as badly as squats, leg
extensions? Lunges? No thanks. This Friday, I will simply do a brief warm-up and load
the sled up heavy, and do 6 passes of 200 feet each. ZERO low back stress, almost no
knee stress, and a screaming leg/cardio workout that will provide a well-deserved break
from loading my spinal column heavy every week.
PULL!!!!
Iron Addict

Are you willing to trade monotony in eating for a great body

If so, you will fnd once you get a basic caloric and macro-nutrient profle pegged, AND,
are willing to stick with a basic format and make your protein mostly shake based--you are
SET! Yes, you will have to make adjustments as you grow, and if you are dieting to strip
bodyfat, you will need regular changes as bodyfat levels go down and you get into single,
and particularly low-single digit numbers. But aside from the situations listed above, if
you are willing to eat a simple, basic format diet, that does not vary a lot, you will fnd it
incredibly simple to add muscle at a "real world" pace, while keeping bodyfat levels in
check year-round.
This doesn't mean every meal need be the same, nor every day be the same as the previous
day. It does mean that you structure your diet within a basic format, and around foods
that do not vary a lot in overall caloric or macro-nutrient structure from what you usually
eat. And it also means you pre-plan to a degree, those "cheat" meals or days that are
needed for sanity purposes. I work with many people that are long-term training clients
that between us have dialed in diet to the extent that once we have them lean, we keep
them there within a few percent bodyfat year round, and allow them to add quality muscle
on an ongoing basis. I keep myself a between 6-10% year round and would never in a
million years go back to bulk/cut dieting. Yes, it takes a bit of juggling to get everything
setup, but once there you are set, and changes that need to be made as you grow are
simple and basic "no brainers". If you are not using a similar approach, you are probably a
t-shirt bodybuilder, you know the guys who only look good with a loose ftting t-shirt and
are ashamed to take it of.
Iron Addict

If you eat shit!!

Well, today I took a girlfriend out to lunch and she wanted to go get a hamburger instead
of wait at a restaurant. A 1/2 lb burger with cheese, a large order of fries and a chocolate
shake later I was in heaven.
And now.......almost 6 hours later I am FINALLY hungry again. I turned a what would
have been a period of consuming almost 200 grams of protein into a period of getting
about 65 grams. This is all well and good if you are happy with your size or like in my case,
it is done every now and again, but many do this sort of thing CONSTANTLY. Why?
because they "think" they are doing themselves a favor getting all those extra cals to add
"bulk". What they are REALLY doing is slowing down their growth by not getting
enough protein.
Iron Addict

High Reps, no REALLY high

When people think mass, they tend to think low reps and HEAVY weights are the best
and only way to get big. And....in many cases they are right. But what consitutes a low or
a high rep, and can really high reps be efective? Here is a quick defnition on rep ranges:
Low Reps
When people spend time doing low reps, like 1-4 reps, they are generally focusing on the
strength component. Yes, some people build great size doing reps this low, but for most
people the time under tension (TUT) is too low to signifcantly contribute to size gains.
What? Dont strength gains = size gains? Well, yes and no. Strength gains using a rep
range that is high enough to keep the muscle loaded long enough to stimulate mass gains
are what you are looking for, but when you are only putting the muscle under a load
lasting from 3-15 seconds you are primarily training the neural system to become more
efcient at fring the signal that tells your muscles to contract. These high loads also help
stimulate ligament and tendon growth.
Low-Medium Reps
In bodybuilding circles low reps are generally thought of as 5-8 reps. This rep range
works very well for strength, and size is also built as long as the reps arent done too fast.
This means that the weight is controlled throughout the complete rep, i.e., it isnt heaved
up, and then allowed to drop during the descent. Like all things bodybuilding/weight
training related, some people respond better than others to this rep range, some people
build incredible size doing 6-8 reps, and for others, mostly strength is built. This has a lot
to do with muscle fber composition unique to the individual, but can also have a lot to do
with how the individual rep is performed. More on this to follow.
Medium-High Reps
Reps from 8-15 are what are traditionally done in bodybuilding to focus on size at the
expense of strength. It is the range most often used by people doing volume training,
and training for the pump. Because the time under tension is increased this range works
very well to help accrue mass. As we will see in a minute any rep range other than very low
reps can all be very efective at stimulating size goals dependent on how they are
performed.
High Reps

Most trainees do not do high reps that start at 15 and go up to 50 or even more. This is a
shame because depending on how they are completed they can be absolutely the best way
to go for some muscle groups, for some people. Legs especially respond well to higher
reps, as do some peoples muscle groups that have primarily slow twitch fbers.
OK, with that quick defnition, and the understanding that this isn't a full article, I will
just state that if you have an upper body muscle that just wont budge in size even when
strength goes up reasonably, or of it is an ABSOLUTELY WEAK bodypart. You might
do well trying some high rep (as in 20-50) sets. Another tactic can be multiple as in 3-12
sets of 12-20 rep sets. This is with the understanding that unless you have great genetics,
you can't do the 12 set, high rep thing for all bodyparts without asking for some
overtraining trouble.
And it's just a given that the high rep thing is THE BOMB for lots of trainees leg work.
Iron Addict

Making the change from high to low volume training

Many people eventually become disillusioned about spending so many hours in the gym
with so little to show for their eforts. It becomes blatantly obvious that they just dont
respond well to many, many sets, of many lifts on a high frequency basis. Sothey study
and study and fnd out that the problem is common, and truth be told more people are
hardgainers than are easy-gainers. They then learn that lowering the volume and
frequency is usually the best approach for genetically typical trainees to allow themselves
to recover from the demands of resistance training. And also learn that lower volume
work is usually the best approach to add strength at a rapid pace.
So, they implement a reduced volume and frequency training regimen and BAM!
Strength starts to skyrocket! And in many cases the trainee fnds..they are
SHRINKING! What?!?! How can this be? Well, when the trainee gets done doing their
12-20 set volume workout glycogen stores and other nutrients are depleted by the sheer
volume of the workouts. Since each gram of glycogen in the muscle carries 3 grams of
water along for the ride, not depleting the muscle as much, and thus not re-compensating
as much when switching to a 1-6 set workout gives the trainee the impression that they are
losing muscle on the lower volume routine. And of course they panic, and go right back to
the previous routine that wasnt working. But at least they regain the nutrient loading
component of their workouts and are temporarily appeased.
What they should have done is understood that while they may lose some temporary size
that is attributed to nutrient loading and NOT to the amount of real muscle they are
carrying. As strength levels rise new muscle tissue will eventually be accrued and they will
soon surpass their previous size levels, but with newfound strength to go along with the
size. Most people though just dont have the mindset to tough it out and arent willing to
accept any short-term setback even it will lead to long-term success. We live in a culture of
instant gratifcation where any and all shortcuts are seen as viable routes along the path.
After making the above statement about the cause and efect of the transitory reduction of
size some experience when drastically reducing volume, and understanding that the
correct course of action for most trainees should be to stick it out, Ill now go into a few
methods to reduce or eliminate the potential size loss.
Lost some cell volume? Volumize the cell! Creatine and or Taurine both do a good job of
doing this and are cheap and readily available. Of course gear and PHs do a remarkable
job of cell volumization, but of course thats cheating-lol. And if you switch from high
volume no gear, to low volume and gear the results will be skewed.

Want to deplete the cell without depleting CNS and impacting overall recovery? One
HIGH rep set of 50-100 reps with a light weight can do a wonderful job of this while
actually helping with recovery for many individuals.
Another, and probably my favorite method is pulling the weighted sled for time. Use pulls
that hit the targeted muscles and make sure you dont get too carried away and impact
recovery. The best time for this is anywhere from RIGHT after your workout, or anytime
from a few hours after, up to 24 hours after the workout. If the intensity isnt too high and
you dont pull too long, many will fnd recovery is actually enhanced.
If you are truly a hardgainer the last two approaches should be broken into VERY
SLOWLY and should be tried only AFTER you have implemented your low volume
plan and have already established its efectiveness. That way if you add the additional
work and progress stops you know the cause. Reducing as many variables as possible is
always the best way to implementing a new approach to your lifting and dieting. It sure
does make troubleshooting easier.
Iron Addict

Damn I'm Tired

I am dog-dead tired. I mean whupped. Why? Well like many of you out there I have been
working my ass of in the gym and at cardio. While keeping body-fat levels in-check for
this beutiful summer weather.
And, I need a break! I'm taking a week of of training starting tomorrow. My body says
it's time. Do you listen to your body when it's telling you enough already? You should!
The time you spend either cycling intesity levels, or taking full breaks are some of the
most essential and productive periods of any training cycle.
When your body says enough listen. And if you are too hard-headed to know when to take
a break, schedule one. For most people a week of after 8-12 weeks does absolute wonders.
I'm going to bed now...
Iron Addict

Wrist Straps
If you are not using wrist straps and your grip is what is giving out frst when doing your
deadlifts STOP AND BUY SOME DAMN STRAPS AND START USING
THEM! I am all for going as high as possible without the straps, but sacrifcing working
your glutes/hams/spinal erectors/lats/midback/traps (and quads when doing regular or
trap bar deads) is a poor way to get in grip work.
Iron Addict

More low carb info

Let me reemphasize a VERY IMPORTANT point so many people miss about doing
low, timed, or keto diets. You WILL be "fat" when doing them! The carbs go away, they
take the water with them, and you end up defating! Most guys don't understand this is a
temporary situation. They FREAK-OUT about it, and quit the diet and tell themselves
and anyone that will listen that low carbs will make them lose muscle. If you consider
glycogen and water muscle, so be it. If you stick with it, ignore the temporary "defation"
long enough to drop a bunch of bodyfat, you will look great when the carbs come back.
The periodic carb-ups will put back MOST of the carbs lost during the non-carb days,
but most don't full carb up unless they take more than 2 days to do it, or go to extremes to
push the carbs in the muscle cell. If you bail at the frst sign of looking fat, the loser will
be YOU.
Iron Addict

A Response to a HIT Basher on another Board

People that bash HIT are clueless, and those that bash volume are clueless. Because they
both work extremely well for those people that they work for. For all the guys out there
saying HIT doesn't work. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CLUELESS and are showing
your inexperience. And if you are on the other side of the coin saying volume only works
for guys with freak genetics you are LOST.
AND BY THE WAY, MY DEFINITION OF HIT IS THE GENERIC ONE OF
LOW VOLUME HIGH INTENSITY. IT IS NOT AURTHOR JONES, MIKE
MENTZER, OR ELLINGTON DARDEN HIT, BUT LOW VOLUME 1-4
SETS A BP, AT HIGH INTENSITY.
They both have their place. Now that that was said, I'll tell you something some of you
probably don't know. A good percentage of the people making posts on one side of the
arguement or another have right next to zero experience and many of these guys saying
how well this or that works are benching 150 and squatting 185 or so and raving about
how this or that works.
Now I'll cut it a little cleaner. MOST by far or the guys that are in the gym 5-6 days a
week doing lots of sets make slow or negligible progress. Most guys just don't have the
genetics to recover from this type of work and they mistake the pump, and the 1 or 2 rep
increases they get now and again for progress. While a lot of the BIG boys do high
frequency, high volume and grow like weeds. Why? Because they aren't the other guys
that aren't growing with the less than great genetics.
I train people for a living and use both methods when called for. And it doesn't have to be
a HIT or volume thing. For many people, higher volume than HIT, and lower than
volume works WONDERS.
The deal is, as you go up in volume and frequency, you go down in the number of people
that respond well to it.
Out of 100 people that I train (I usually have about 50-75 training clients at any one time)
about 15-20% get pure Hardgainer style very low volume using BB'ing or a WESTSIDE
BARBELL Variation, about 40% get HIT, or using DC style, or lower volume westside
barball, using slightly more than many HIT people advocate, 20% get mid volume, using
traditional BB'ing Or a modifed westside barbell format, and the remaining
approximately 20% get volume (and I always have a few percent powerlifters or

strongman, and these guys are almost always trained using a modifed WSB format with
more volume than joe average would ever tolerate).
Why that kind of breakdown? Because on AVERAGE, that is about the percentage of
trainees that respond well to the various loading parameters.
Notice about 80% use lower, or low volume training. If you are in the 20% that respond
well to volume DO IT, chances are nothing will work as well for you. Another 20% or so
do well on slightly higher than most can handle. But look at those numbers and ask your
self if your genetics are really upper 80 percentile???
Am I bashing volume? Not in any way shape or form. But if someone isn't making
progress with their current routine how is it supposed to suddenly "start" working one
day. I you are a relatively new trainee, you should go up in weight, or reps, or both damn
near EVERY lift, EVERY time you train for quite some time.
Since I ofer a money-back guarantee that if a client isn't satisfed with their progress in 8
weeks, I will refund their money, I HAVE to produce results. And for most people, the
better results come from lower volume training (not necessarily HIT).
Use whatever style suits you best. As long as it works, that is all that matters. But to say
one method or another is wrong is simply showing a lack of understanding about what is
really going on using a base sample of more than one. Which is how most people make
their judgments on what is correct and what is BS.
Iron Addict

Pulldown Types
If you are stuck on using either a wide (palms facing away) or narrow (palms facing you)
grip while doing pulldowns try one of the bars with a neutral grip. You will probably fnd
you are able to hit the lats harder than the wide grip, with less bicep involvment than
supinated grip pulldowns. And if you never use the hammer strength pull-down machine
if your gym has one, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Protein Thresholds
Many of you experinced trainees have no doubt noticed that there are thresholds in
regards to protein intake. Under the required amount and NOTHING happens in the
gym. Too high, and growth isn't better than when taking a lower dose.
So the question becomes what is the right amount? Well let's just say it's probably a lot
higher than people that haven't tried extrem protein are used to, or belive can be
benifcial.
More on that later, but if you aren't getting at least 1.5 grams per lb of lean body-mass, you
are probably doing yourself a disservice.
Iron Addict

Diferent lifts, diferent days

Probably the majority of the people reading this structure their routines by picking a
group of lifts and dividing them over their preferred split and then doing the same lifts
week in and week out. This is a great way to train, and will provide good results for a
large segment of the lifting population. Recruitment pattern gains are best when doing
this, and it is a time proven method. However some will do much better by "rotating"
their lifts on a predefned basis.
You don't have to do the same lifts for strength and size to go up. There are many proven
systems that work along these lines and as long as the lifts mimic your core lifts at least
reasonably close there is a fair amount of strength transfer from one to the other. Look at
Westside Barbells approach to this using the conjugate method. The usual Westside
approach is to never do a max efort lift for more than two weeks in a row and the
advanced guys rotate ME work every week, and rarely is the same workout performed.
DC has the trainee pick 3 diferent lifts a muscle and has the trainee perform a diferent lift
every week. And of course it is a given that many good BB's train by the "instinctive
approach and just do whatever feels right each particular workout. However instinctive
training should be reserved for very advanced lifters only in my opinion, and the vast
majority of those reading this should leave that approach alone.
The way I usually perform this type of workout is to pick two diferent routines, and do a
diferent one each week. This means all the lifts are diferent each week, and on week
three it repeats. I believe recruitment pattern gains are somewhat better than having more
lifts spread out over more weeks, or just doing something diferent every time, while still
providing much more variation than doing the same thing over and over. Every 6-12
weeks a diferent set of routines is inserted if it is decided to stay on this type of format.
The primary benefts of this system are:
More variety is performed providing a more balanced physique without resorting to
extreme volume loads.
The trainee is less likely to get stuck on the lifts performed.
More variety tends to keep the trainee mentally fresh.
Size gains tend to be a bit better, though strength may sufer somewhat for some trainees
due to decreased recruitment pattern gains.
Its simple, efective, and it works!
Iron Addict

Double Splits
This tip isnt going to be about how to bomb and blitz yourself into oblivion doing a
double split as its usually done using high volume workloads that are so high in fact its
best to spread it out over 2 sessions a day. Instead Im going to discuss a way to do a
double split for the guys out there with average genetics and recovery ability, that are
running a typical push/pull/leg split and fnd the smaller muscles hit at the end of the
workout sufer.
Its pretty common to fnd that by the time you get around to doing biceps after back, tris
or delts after chest, or even hams after quads that there just isnt that much left to give.
Many people in an attempt to solve this problem work shoulders on a separate day, or do
chest and back together and then bis/tris on another day of the week. While this works
extremely well for many. Some people just dont recover well enough for it to be efective
for them.
Another scenario a double split can be efective is for those with extremely low energy
levels. I have met many trainees that are beat to hell after doing only a few hard sets.
While it is clear they need to get on with GPP work, a short-term solution is to do the
workout in two parts. This solution is applicable for those that:
Have a home gym
Are VERY close to the gym and have a lot of time
Have a LOT of time on their hands.
The solution is to plot out your workout and split. And do it without adding more
volume than you know you can recover from well. Hit the frst part of the workout early in
the day, and come back in the gym and do the work that is either tough to do because of
what was previously done, like shoulders after chest, or bis after back. I often do all my
chest tricep work in the afternoon and then do shoulders in the evening. Another favorite
is when doing back/bis/legs is to do the upper back work in the afternoon, and then bis
and legs in the evening.
Iron Addict

Digestion Efectiveness
Anyone that says the human digestive system is 100% efective has never eaten corn--lol.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

If I had my druthers
You have probably noticed that most of the mod staf here has a background in
powerlifting, or in the case of EXMGQ, is a powerlifter extraordinaire. There is a good
reason for that because I want a staf that KNOWS how to get people strong, size will
follow. And........if I had my druthers, EVERY new lifter would at least START their
training carreer as a powerlifter.
Why? Because when most start lifting they mostly just want to get bigger. But most are
also weak as hell, and they train using too much volume and frequency and it reduces or in
many cases totally stalls their strength gains. Until you are squatting/deadlifting at least
350+ for your rep work and benching 250+ your primary focus should be getting
stronger.
When I train relative new trainees, or those with strength levels below this threshold, my
main goal is to get strength levels up to this point, while providing as much hypertrophy
as possible while getting there. They would also be served well indeed if they were doing
a pure powerlifting routine.
Don't put the cart before the horse in your lifting career. Pure hypertrophy work has its
place. But frst, you must build the base!
Iron Addict

Dont Sweat The Small Stuf

I talk to guys on an almost daily basis that are walking encyclopedias of all things
bodybuilding related. They know the stats of most of the pros, exotic gear stacks, efects
and contradictions of a huge array of supplements. They can go over the pros and cons of
most of the currently popular, and many of the popular routine styles of the past. They can
quote vast tomes of bodybuilding literature past and present. But yet they still dont have
a handle on the basics of what it takes for THEIR bodies to respond to their training and
nutrition/supplement program. They know everything except what they need to know to
grow.
Many of these guys are paralyzed into inaction because they are so confused by all the
information (most of which is TOTALLY irrelevant to them) they rarely break out of the

rut they are in. And while they may change their approach constantly, it is always within
the confnes what wasnt working before.
They analyze everything to the ninth degree and fret over EVERYTHING except what
is REALLY important. The basics MUST come before the minutia. All the intricacies
are useless unless the foundation is in place frst. These are:
1. Having a routine structure that is suitable for THEIR body. Doing Cutlers routine till
they are blue in the face will be USELESS for the vast majority. When in doubt start low
and work up in volume and frequency, not the other way around.
2. Rely on basic compound moves for the bulk (90%) of your training until you have a
solid strength base. That means squatting/deadlifting at LEAST 350 for reps and
benching 250+ and rowing/pull-downs with 200 plus.
3. Have a diet plan that is suitable for the goals at hand that includes extreme protein.
MOST guys simply get nowhere near enough protein to grow well, plain and simple!
4. DONT eat yourself fat in the hopes of bulking up. It should be called muscling up
and useless fat gained now will come back to haunt you when it comes time to get lean.
5. Dont consider gear/PH use until you are at the close to or at the aforementioned
strength levels.
6. While there are a lot of good supplements out there, and some truly great ones, most
people can get extremely good results with a bare minimum of supplementation. I talk to
people that spend 200-300 dollars for supplements all the time. Until you are at least
reasonably advanced this is just a foolish waste of money.
7. Rest and sleep make it all come together. If you constantly burn the candle at both
ends, expect nothing more than to be burned out
8. It takes time, and if you really are expecting bodybuilding to be a eight weeks to a new
you thing like you see in the ads in all the glossy muscle mags, you are in the wrong sport.
Iron Addict

Rack Pulls
Don't overlook using rack pulls as a deadlift substitute at times. They are less systemically
demanding than regular deads, but most trainees can use much more weight than they
can when doing stif legged deads. They can be easier on the spinal column as long as the
trainee doesn't go hog wild with too low of reps and too high a starting position. Knee
level, or an inch or two below is a good starting point for most trainees. They will build
your whole backside up quick with less potential for injury and burnout than regular
deads in many cases.
Iron Addict

Cable Rows
An often-overlooked lift for back thickness is good old cable rows. They have some
particular advantages over plain barbell rows that make them a great choice when setting
up a program. Some advantages are:
Less low back stress. Because of the bio-mechanics of this lift there is way less lower back
stress imposed when doing this lift.
An almost endless array of cable handles and thus new recruitment pattern gains. This
variety will equal more growth for most people.
Easy weight adjustments. This makes it work well for strip sets.
Easy to rack between sets, this makes it work well for rest-pause sets.
You dont feel as if your head is going to pop during the sets like when doing bent rows.
Give them a try next time you need a change!
Iron Addict

When it quits working

Many people get hung-up on training protocols that have provided them good results in
the past. Since so many struggle so badly to add strength and size, when they fnally fnd
something that worksthey are hooked. Many in the worst way, because when their
training stops working they are loath to abandon it, or modify it enough to make it again
stimulate gains--so they founder.
There are two extremes that come to mind. Those that continually fx things that
ARENT broke about their training, and take an efective routine that is working for
them and continually butcher it until it loses efectiveness. And then there are those that
will hang-on to a routine that is no longer working like their life depended on it. They are
hopelessly trapped never understanding they hold the key. I understand that part of the
problem is usually created by the long search that got them to the routine/protocol that
was working for them. Many, if not most trainees try a LOT of diferent things that fail
terribly until they strike upon something that works, they then are so reluctant to move
outside of the confnes of their beloved protocol that they endlessly continue doing more
of the same that is now marginally or totally inefective.
Most peoples bodies need signifcant changes made to the loading parameters over time
in order to force their body into adaptation mode. I am often amazed by how long
SOME people can use the same routine and remain progressive. I have a few trainees
that have been doing the same routine for anywhere from 6 months to 1-1/2 years and they
are still progressive almost every workout!!! They are NOT the norm. Most people need
change every 6-12 weeks, and many advanced trainees much more often than that. In
many cases EVERY workout needs to be varied to keep the growth response in motion.
When it quits working what EXACTLY should you do to get the gains moving again?
Great question, and a LONG topic I will save for another day
But the bottom line is, unless you are seeing progress in the gym, you NEED a change,
and you need it NOW!
Iron Addict

Volume up, intensity down

If you are doing low volume high intensity training (HIT) and decide to shift to a higher
volume routine (a good idea for certain phases for SOME people) the intensity MUST
go down as volume goes up if you are to be succesful. Many people that are a long-term
HIT'ers have an extremely difcult time changing their mind-set that a set isn't
terminated until failure is reached, or at least damn close to it. While this serves well when
the sets are low, it will stalemate progress FAST when the volume level goes up. Perhaps
the easiest way to assure this is done is by using a fxed weight (after waermups) for each
set, and making DAMN SURE you get the prescribed number of reps for ALL of your
sets.
As am example, if you are doing 3 sets of barbell rows for 10 reps each, you pick a weight
that allows you to ACTUALLY get all 10 reps with the same weight. This will mean the
frst two sets will be quite easy, and the third set will be a little hard, but not 100% all out.
Iron Addict

More info on change

Change is good! If you are to succeed as a lifter you will need to change your training as
your body adapts to the current workload. This is a given and all successful lifters
incorporate this and the most successful training protocols all have loading parameter
changes built in, or it is a given that a switch to a new style of training will be needed
when progress stalls.
That much is simple and is a most people understand this. What is often overlooked is the
need to keep the loading within a framework that YOUR body can recover from. Many
people do DRASTIC sweeping changes when they get stuck, and this is a great thing to
doas long as you dont swing to an extreme your body will not tolerate. A hardgainer
who has been making great progress on a 2-3 day a week routine using 1-4 sets a bodypart
will fare poorly on a 6 day a week volume routine. And someone that has been doing great
doing a 6 day a week volume routine may lose a lot of size if they switch to an extremely
low volume routine and do not include some loading that incorporates enough sets/reps
to induce glycogen/nutrient loading in the muscle cell.
You dont need to do anything extremely drastic to get unstuck, but it can be helpful..
But at least make sure when plotting your next move, it is well thought out and at least
reasonably along lines that you know fts your body and current needs.
Iron Addict

Hammer Strength Equipment

I always ask training clients if they have hammer strength equipment in their gym. Some
are surprised by me asking, having always believed free weights are "better" than
machines.
Well it's not really a matter of "better", in this case, but a matter of diferent. Hammer
Strength equipment fts most people well, the resitance curves are great, and they are well
thought out with the biomechanics of the muscles involved in mind. Like most machines
they are great fro doing rest-pause and training to failure with, or without a spotter.
They are damn sure not perfect. The bench and incline bench machines require a spotter
to get into if your chest is even the least bit deep, and like anything else, all machines do
not ft all people well. But they are great pieces of equipment nonetheless. I especially like
the shoulder press, and front pull-down, iso-low row, and the pullover machines.
Try them when you get a chance and you may be surprised at how great they feel.
Iron Addict

Castles made of sand

Its pretty common to speak to and hear of people that state that if they take two-three
weeks of of training they shrinkA LOT! How can this be? Because its plainly obvious
that this phenomenon does NOT occur for most trainees. In dissecting these peoples
training methods and experience levels closer, a couple things become painfully obvious.
1. These people tend to be..wellweak.
2. They generally train at extremely low intensity levels doing higher reps and LOTS of
volume.
So what is happening here? Well a BIG chunk of the so-called muscle they are carrying is
primarily hypertrophy due to increased nutrient loading (sarcoplasm hypertrophy). While
this is well and good, unless it is backed up by hypertrophy of the muscle itself (sarcomere
hypertrophy) the trainee becomes the incredible shrinking man when training is
discontinued even for a short time.
The solution? Well its pretty obvious. A fair amount of your workload must directly
target the muscle fber hypertrophy itself and this is best done with sets of 6-10 reps
(dependent on rep cadence) with a fairly high intensity level. If most of your size is due to
nutrient loading you mostly have non-functional muscle and will quickly revert back to
your small(er) self when you take time of. A comprehensive training system takes all of
the components of muscle size/strength into consideration. But for many hardgainers this
is difcult to put into place without running into the overtraining wall.
More on this to follow
Iron Addict

Hip Belt Squats

Here is another item that EVERY gym in the country should have--but doesn't. And
every home gym trainee should have, but usually doesn't. A hip belt works by going
around your hips, and squatting with a barbell suspended between your legs. You can
also do calf work like this if you are a home gym trainee, and the hip belt is the bomb for
pulling the sled.
They are only 119 bucks at ironmind:
http://www6.mailordercentral.com/iro...=1&mitem=6
Since your back is unloaded during the movement, they can be done even if your back is
sore or inured and while they are surely not a full back squat in terms of overall muscular
activation they are way better than doing leg extensions and curls. They are great for
doing high reps since breathing is non constricted in any way, and are just a good all
around alternative leg movement.
Iron Addict

Muscle "research"
Be very careful about where you get your "cold hard facts" research about what does, and
doesn't work in the world of size/strength training. Much research is very poorly
conducted. Much is slanted towards achieving the researchers pet theories, and did I
mention much is VERY POORLY conducted?
Some use animals. And while our metabolisms are remarkably close to many other
mammals, that is often where the similarities end and what proves true in a mouse may
mean NOTHING in a man. A big factor in human studies is who the humans are that
are being studied. In America we very often use college students with little or no previous
training experience. Shit ANYTHING works well at that point. On the other end of the
spectrum are those studies using elite level athletes. WOW! How many reading this are
Olympic level, or elite caliber athletes with the best genetics supported USUALLY by
performance enhancing drug use? Do these studies tell Joe average training clean what is
likely to happen in his or her body? Or even Joe average doing gear? Not likely.
I like studies and read a lot of them. If you are able to read discriminately and understand
that what is true in the lab may or may not hold true in the real world with real people
they can be of value. But if you get hung-up on their worth and hold dogmatic views
because the "study says", well you are backing your self against the wall of unreason.
Iron Addict

Set Points
Something bodybuilders and other strength trainees have noted anecdotally for a long
time is the notion that the body seems to have set-points that the body will try to
maintain. They are often also viewed as plateaus. You build up to 200 and then damn if
you can hit 205. After a time and many radical changes to training and diet you move up
to 225, only to be stalemated again. And to make matters worse, its extremely common to
have a hard time to hold these milestone weights as the body tries to maintain a point of
homeostasis.
This condition is especially pronounced when the trainee is doing extreme (meaning fast
cut/bulk or short duration gear use) periods of dieting to cut, add mass, or when using
gear. Here are a few examples. The trainee does a quick cut period and manages to knock
of 15 lbs of bodyfat pretty fast. They quit their diet, and BAM most of the weight is back
in a SHORT time. Of course some of this has to do with the trainees metabolism no
doubt being lowered from the caloric restriction. And some more because well, people
tend to get out of hand coming of a diet, but SOME is attributed to the bodies belief
that it needs to carry that higher bodyweight. Usually because the trainee was heavy for a
long time prior to the diet, and didnt hold the lowered weight for any length of time
before resuming semi-normal eating habits.
The same occurs when gaining mass, especially when doing gear. The trainee does a
cycle and gains fairly 20 solid lbs. Comes of and loses a HUGE part of it. Now we can
easily attribute some of it to improper post-cycle procedure, but that is not always the full
story. I have seen countless people do the EXACT same PCT they did after staying on 612 months (and in many cases longer) than they did when doing 8-10 week cycles. And
while they of course gained more weight while on longer, they also retain a LOT higher
percentage after being on so long. Why? The bodies perceived set-point had been raised.
After being big for the longer period of time the body gets accustomed to the higher
weight over time and it does not go through the changes that typically occur with a
trainee that has a constantly fuctuating bodyweight.
This also holds true for those that CONSTANTLY see-saw between bulking and
cutting phases. While it is fne to take BRIEF cutting periods to keep bodyfat in check,
constantly going from one extreme to the other never gives your body the time to
acclimate to your hopefully ever increasing muscle mass.
Iron Addict

My Friend Jimmy
I had a buddy named Jimmy that looked kinda like Paul Anderson. He had the biggest
joint structure you can imagine and was thyroid "challenged" In fact I'm not even sure he
had a thyroid. No, he didn't eat very healthy, and what little he did eat was shit and went
to fat, but he had a pretty girlfriend and it didn't seem to bother him much that he was fat.
And did I mention strong? With ZERO training, Jimmy could bench 465, and squat 650.
Jimmy pissed of some law enforcement ofcials and they sent him to county for a couple
of months to think about the error of his ways. This gave Jimmy a little time to play with
the weights and by the time he got out he was benching in the low 500's and squatting
almost 750. And this was eating junk jail food. And his training.....well let's just say Jimmy
didn't know shit about training. he never read one single book on lifting, nor hung out
with any experienced lifters except for me, and I never told him shit about training
because Jimmy said he didn't need to know anything about it except how much weight
was on the bar. He did whatever he felt like when he went to the gym.
Jimmy and a few friends rode out to my place on their bikes (Harleys) one day as I was
squatting. Jimmy casually suggested I put a little weight on the bar instead of the "girl"
weights I was using. We loaded the bar to 615 and Jimmy blew out an EASY triple with
no warm-ups and no belt or wraps or any support gear (BTW the poundages listed above
were all done the same way except he did warmups for them). He then did 675 and said
he would do more but didn't feel like warming-up. Everyone immediately started asking
Jimmy how he trained and of course he told them when he did train he did 4-5 sets of 4 or
5 diferent lifts a bodypart, and basically laid out a volume extreme routine. When I
explained to them that that kind of a routine was likely to fail them, one of them countered
me, stating he didn't see me just squatting 675. He then asked me what I knew about
lifting as Jimmy could obviously blow me away squatting. I told him I trained a lot of
people, and then took of the loose ftting sweatshirt I was wearing. It shut him up, but he
still went back to asking Jimmy about how to get so strong.
The moral of the story is: Be careful about where you get your training advice. The
biggest, or strongest guy in the gym, or in the magazines is likely (though defnitely not in
all cases) to NOT be your best bet for information if you are a genetically typical trainee.
Iron Addict

Bench Press Back Arch

We are all taught to arch our lower backs when attempting a heavy bench press, be it for a
single or for reps. The bio-mechanics of this position is optimal for most to move big iron.
But.it can be extremely stressful to your lower back. Ill use an example of a guy who
goes by the screen name of Iron Addict here. This Iron Addict guy is has a couple of bad
disks in his lower back. Despite that, he can still train heavy (with a few limitations) on
squats, deadlifts, good-mornings, and other big full body back dominant moves with little
lower back pain while working out, or in the days following his back workouts.
But..after doing heavy bench presses his back often screams for days on end. Why?
Because of the back arch. My solution? I usually bench with my feet up on the bench
(dont laugh EXMGQ) I still have pain often when I go heavy, but its much less than
with feet on the foor. If the reps are higher as is often done in BB you really dont need a
big arch to grind them out, so if you sufer after bench day, you might try consciously
reducing the arch and subsequent disk compression to see if it alleviates the problem.
Iron Addict

A Recovery Snippet
While it is obvious that the more frequently you can train a muscle productively
(progressively), the faster you will reach your goals. What is not so obvious is that try as
you might, you will not be able to force your body to recover faster than it can (I could
write a full book on all the ways to increase recovery time, but for the sake of this post, we
will assume all factors are constant and you are doing all the correct things within your
means to assure you are up to the task). As an example, if using routine X, you are able to
recover and be progressive with the weights in 5 days, but reducing the rest days to
hitting the muscle in 4 days doesn't allow you to progress, chances are slim you will ever
be able to do it in only two days regardless of what you do to enhance recovery, including
gear use.
That your best friend can do the same routine and be progressive in only 2 days is
FUCKING IRRELIVANT if you can't, wouldn't you agree? All things being equal, if it
takes you 5 days to recover, it takes you 5 days. Do whatever possible to allow a faster
recovery, but don't continue to endlessly train without signifcant progress, as so very
many do
Iron Addict

Bicipital tendonitis
Many sufer from this and believe its root of origin is from upper back and bicep work.
Many times back and bicep work can be done pretty pain free, but the bicep insertion is in
pain when benching, and yes, when squatting. The truth is that its origin is very, very
often from squatting even if it isn't noticed when squatting. Holding the bar in position is
extremely hard on the biceps tendon. A cambered bar can help a lot, but few gyms have
them.
This injury can be an extremely persistent one because the area is stressed on leg, day, on
chest day, and again on back day. If your split is like many BB's it is pretty much nonstop
stress to the biceps tendon--not good. The solution of course is to give the area some rest.
In my case, when it fares up, I switch to the safety squat bar for squats and good
mornings and within a week or two the pain is gone. Leg presses are good substitutes to
take the stress of, as are some of the better designed machines, and of course hacks don't
cause problems.
Like all injuries the best way to deal with them is preventing them from occurring in the
frst place, so pick your lifts and splits carefully and be aware when an area starts feeling
tender, and DON'T have the "work through it" mentality.
Iron Addict

Never Run
Never run when you can walk
Never walk when you can stand
Never stand when you can sit
Never sit when you can lie down
This was a popular saying in the bodybuilding world when I was in my late teens. I never
forgot these so-called words of wisdom. And in all honesty after hearing them and other
such advice about never using your bodily resources for anything other than growing
muscle, I took them to heart. I tried to become the laziest, most useless bastard I could
be. My only real energy expenditure other than basal metabolism was when I was at the
gym. I turned down jobs because of potential physical activity, would turn down
invitations from friends for outdoor activities and was generally useless. But, oh, was I
ever in a great position to grow! But.I didnt.
As a trainer I come across people all the time that have the same mindset I had in my
youth. They are dedicated bodybuilding bums. Cardio? AHHHHHHHHHH, you
will shrink like a new cotton shirt on the highest dryer setting. Recreational sports? Are
you kidding? It will interfere with recovery. Dancing with the girlfriend? Are you nuts? I
did legs two days ago
And it goes on and on. People trade in lots of what makes this life enjoyable for a
perceived beneft of extra anabolism. THAT THEY DONT RECEIVE! Your body
was made for motion. If you believe lying on the couch sets you up for big gains in the
gym think again. IT SETS YOU UP FOR FAILURE! All you get from this approach
is a weak sluggish metabolism and poor overall health. Unless your job has at least a
reasonable physical component to it such as walking, bending, intermittent lifting, you
should be doing at least low intensity cardio 3-6 times a week. Yes! This means all you
guys out there with desk jobs.
When I say low intensity, Im talking about a brisk walk, or a reasonable paced bike ride.
If walking at a fair clip for 45 minutes interferes with recovery, might I suggest
bodybuilding gains are the least of your concerns.
Yes, there is defnitely a point where too much activity will adversely impact your training.
Especially if you are an extreme hardgaining ecto. Hard physical labor for long hours in
the hot sun beats most people up pretty bad, but I have worked with LOTS of trainees
over the years that still manage to do well in the gym despite the harsh job demands. Lots
of HIT cardio is a killer of gains for many trainees also. But between these extremes of

doing nothing and working yourself into the ground a balance should be met. Daily
physical activity will go a long way towards making your gains INCREASE, and
providing the balance so essential for a healthy life. If you are lying on your ass waiting to
grow, get your ass moving and you will see increased results in the gym, and in your life.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Are single reps dangerous?

Powerlifters and Olympic lifters do lots of low reps in the 1-3 range, most BBers do not. I
have known BBers that have lifted for 5-10 years and have NEVER taken a single rep
max, even benching. Ask most of these guys why and they will tell you its just an ego lift
and doesnt build muscle. And they will usually follow up with how dangerous they are.
Are these allegations valid? Lets look a little closer to see.
Are they truly just an ego lift that doesnt build muscle? Well if they are only being done
once in a great while the answer is yes. Taking a max every so often just to check what you
are capable of is mostly just stoking your ego and obviously doing 1 rep with the most
weight you can handle every three months will not contribute to strength gains. But what
about using low reps to build strength? For many bodybuilder brought up on high rep
volume training this probably sounds like heresy. Whats the point? The point is that the
fastest strength gains will occur when doing extremely low reps, and the strength gains
will be to a large part transferable to your lower-medium range hypertrophy reps. That
means you will soon be able to use heavier weights in the rep ranges that build muscle.
Does that make it sound like extremely low reps dont build any muscle? Well for most
people the answer will be very little compared to mid-and high rep hypertrophy sets. But
again, if you can get a lot stronger doing low reps, what happens when you do the higher
reps with a lot more weight? Bigger you is the answer.
Charles Poliquin: http://ironaddicts.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1131
has long been a big advocate of using low reps by boudybuilders and you need only look
at what Dexter and Ronnie to see what some low rep training can help provide to your
physique.
Now onto the question of safety. Are low reps really the body wreakers they are often
made out to be? Well, the answer is sometimes. The potential is defnitely there IF your
form isnt good. Get out of the groove, or just have plain bad form to begin with and you
are likely to get hurt. If your form is good, and you are using a solid power rack and/or
competent spotters I think the dangers are grossly exaggerated. Do you know when
people most often get hurt? When they are at the end of a high rep set and are
compromising their form to get in those last few reps. When doing a singe or three rep
set, you only have 1-3 reps to give your TOTAL focus to form to. This means for should
be PERFECT! When I miss a single I am always still in perfect form, but the weight just
doesnt make it up and is lowered back down on the pins in the rack or on the foor. It

really is that simple, unlike the almost enevitable small form breakdown that occurs on 820 rep sets done all-out.
If you are new to low rep work I suggest you start with 5s for a few weeks before doing
some 3s and then fnally going for a max. Beware! Using the same lift for more then 4
weeks WILL result in a decrease in performance so if it is your intent to us them on a
long term basis, the lift must be rotated to a diferent lift that targets the same prime
movers every 1-3 weeks as per Westside Barbell. Does this type of training work? Ask
those competing against the WSB crew. They usually do quite well!
Iron Addict

How long do you rest betwen sets?

Do you actually know? Many, if not most guys kinda "wing it". Some use the clock on the
wall at the gym, which works sort of OK when and if you are in posistion to see
it......which usually isn't always. So........they guesstimate, and if they are doing multiple
sets, or more than one lift per bodypart, they are also guesstimating their actual progress.
There is usually a pretty big diference in how many reps, or how much weight that can be
used when last week you rested 2 minutes, and this week you rested 4. You are thrilled at
your progress because you got three more reps than last week.......but all you did was rest
longer. It also accounts for those dissapointments when you get 2 less reps...OOOOPS!!!
I task all my training clients to use a stopwatch to time their rest between sets. I have a
wonderful little stopwatch that cost all of $6.43 at wall-mart and I have been using since I
stepped on the last one. If used properly, the watch is one of the best "cheapest"
investments you will ever make in your quest for more muscle. USE THE WATCH!!!
Iron Addict

Doing what you are bad at

If you have lifts (everyone does) that you are absolutely horrible at that seem like should
be much higher, take a moment to analyze how that like may be identifying weaknesses
that may help other lifts progress. Does your bench suck yet your triceps and pecs are
strong AND you cant military press beans? Weak delts could be holding back your
bench. No but, no squat? You may need some direct glute work like glute ham raises,
partial deads or pull throughs. I could go on and on but sufce to say if you always neglect
doing things you are weak at, you may stay weak :wink:
Iron Addict

It doesn't always have to be crushing heavy

Yesterday I did Dimmel deadlifts. These are a WSB staple that was invened by the late
Matt Dimmel, the frst WSB guy to squat over 1000. These are done using a relatively
light weight and pulling a deadlift to knee level and then lifting it fast until lockout, then
lowering it a bit past knee level fast, then repeating. 20 times.
The key is to initiate the lift with your glutes and to do the reps in a consectutive style at a
fast pace with only a little rest between sets, pulling 2-3 sets.
If your best rack deadlifts are 400 x 8, use 225 x 20 or therabouts. If you pull 600 x 8, use
350. They are done fast with little rest between sets are PROMISE that if you haven't
done them for a while they will absolutely tear up your backside with little spinal column
stress. Do them for 2-4 weeks and rotate them out with another lift.
It doesn't always have to be heavy to be efective.
Iron Addict

That "Noise"
Many if not most of you make "that noise" when doing an all out rep. If you are one of
those that make "that noise" and you are not generating "that noise" when doing your DE
work, you are simply not pushing hard enough.
Iron Addict

Going through my records

I just went through and glanced at the records of the last 50 people I have trained 9 out of
10, yes NINE out of ten are here to drop bodyfat. A large percent got fat due to
misguided attempts at bulking. DON'T LET THIS BE YOU. Gaining bodyfat while
adding mass is fne. GETTING FAT is not.
Iron Addict

A common WSB implementation problem

As many of you know I have been working hard to come up with solutions for some of the
problems many people have when doing a WSB routine. An extremely common one is
with exercise selection. If you have studied WSB at any length you know that the reverse
hyper and glute/ham raises are staples of those applying the system. The average trainee
understands that these lifts hit the whole backside hard, but quickly realize that their gym
doesnt have these machines so.
They substitute lifts that target the same muscles. Common substitutes are stif-legged
deadlifts, good mornings, and partial deadlifts. Makes sense right? Well, right and
wrong. These lifts are a LOT harder on CNS and overall metabolically demanding than
reverse hypers and glute/hams, AND they load the spinal column heavy unlike RHs and
GHs. I have already went in to detail about how anyone that is willing to be a bit creative
can do glute/ham raises so I wont spend a lot of time on it here. There is just no excuse to
not do them. But GHs primarily work the glute/hams and dont hit the spinal erectors
anywhere near the way reverse hypers do. The solution? Use the aforementioned lifts.
But do NOT do them the to anywhere near to failure, and vary the rep range a lot
keeping it at 6 and above at all times. You need to keep reps in you, and you need to rotate
them frequently if they are to serve in this capacity. This is one of the factors why many
people fail when doing a WSB routine. They sub lifts that are extremely demanding
compared to the ones that Louis and Daves guys use, and then they work them too hard.
Dont let this be you. This system is scalable for anyone that wants to try it, but
modifcations must be made on the basic format for MANY lifters.
Iron Addict

And I'll say it again

Ask your average BB what they consider their primary focus to be and they will tell you
SIZE. And from my experience at least 7 out of 10 will say size is the #1 priority with
strength coming in a distant 2nd. And you know what? That is well and good if they are
already lifting some big numbers.......most are not. I see people all the time benching 155
and squatting 200 saying they just want to get bigger. And while I have seen quite a few
really big bodybuilders that lift TEENY weights, the vast majority of the great BB'ers all
lift BIG ASSED poundages. You lift little weights, your gonna have little muscles.
Until you have a lot of weight on the bar by most peoples standards you need to be
worried about getting stronger--period! The size will follow as long as there is at least a
reasonable amount of work being done with medium range reps. Simple huh? Get with it
then!
Iron Addict

Getting the most out of the lifting forums

Many, if not most of you miss GREAT information on a daily basis on the lifting forums
you frequent. Why? Because of the thread title. If it doesn't say "blast your biceps" or have
"chest" in many just don't even bother looking. I have written articles titled something
like "putting the pieces together" that have ton of info in them and on most boards they
get barely a look. Call it "tricep solutions" and BAM! 300 views in a few days.
I look at the view count on countless threads on a daily basis on 10-15 diferent boards and
much of the best info is never even looked at because the meatheads that need it most
won't open it up unless it has a simpleton title.
Iron Addict

Bands for DE Work

If you are using bands for your DE work, it is usually a good idea to do a few less sets. Go
to hard on DE day and you will fnd ME sufering. If you are doing them on the same
day, I'd suggest ME frst if you will be using bands for the DE.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Beware the "formula:

There are many standard "formula's" out there in the lifting world that some take as
gospel.
X calories for each lb of lean muscle when cutting, and X calories when bulking.
Or, X grams of carbs for each XXXX.
These are a couple of examples, and I'm sure most of you have seen MANY.
THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY USELESS FOR MOST PEOPLE
AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED LIKE THE PLAGUE. THEY DON'T
WORK!!!!!
One of the few that will help is a MINIMUM of 1.5 grams of protein for each lb of lean
mass, or even each lb of bodyweight if you are reasonably lean.
Iron Addict

It Doesn't Work
This will be the most obvious of statements, yet I can say with 100% certainty that
MANY of those reading this are guilty of doing it.
Doing more of the same thing that isn't working, will not somehow "start working".
If your training and diet are not working now, what makes you believe that it will
somehow magically start? If you are not seeing regular strength increases what the hell
are you doing it for? This is weight lifting. The point is to lift progressively heavier
poundages and you will get progressively bigger.
And before you counter that it is possible to get bigger without getting stronger, I will
just state that while that is absolutely true, it's also true that you will cap out FAST like
this.
If it's not working fx it dammit!
Iron Addict

Shaving
If you are a "furry" guy, you will never have a good idea of what your body "really" looks
like until the fur goes away and you can actually see the lines the fur was hiding. I know
the shaving concept may seem a little foreign. Especially if you are not yet big enough to
really consider yourself a bodybuilder. Nonetheless it will really help you gauge your
progress. And if you are REALLY furry, like myself, the only problem will be the fact that
you probably won't want it to grow back out. So make sure your wife or girlfriend knows
what she's in for.
Iron Addict

Troubleshooting
I change my routine a LOT. No two workouts are ever the same, but it's common to
have parts of them remain constant for at least 3-6 weeks. This is especially true of core
work. Something has been bothering my back a bit lately and it has been puzzling as my
back has been great over the last couple of months. Monday I missed my ME squat WO
for various reasons. So today I decided to do some extra work. I did heavy weighted abs
with a 190 lb dumbbell on my chest, a bit of mountain climbing (nice to have 5 acres on a
mountain) at a FAST pace, and a few sets of chins. And BAM! A few hours later my back
has that same "funky feeling" it has been getting after ME day.
I thought it was another lift, and had taken it out and it didn't help, and was worried it
might be the heavy singles, so i left them out one session and it felt the same. Today I
KNOW, it has been the weighted sit-ups keeping my legs too straight. If you are to
remain injury free, and make long-term progress after you stall, you need to learn how to
troubleshoot. Even if your answer comes by luck--lol.
Iron Addict

Are you taking the long path to your goal?

Most bodybuilders take the long road instead of the short one. Why? They always do too
much and are always trying to ensure "complete development" of each muscle. Usually to
the point of getting little or no development. How many reading this do three lifts or
more for your chest? WHY?? Unless you are benching at least 300 for reps WTF is the
point of doing so??
I train a lot of people and one of the questions on my questionnaire is about what the
lifters primary focus is, and about 75% of the time the answer is SIZE. Thats all well and
good, but many of those stating this bench 150-175 and squat 200-250. These guys should
not give a damn about size until they have some strength. But.......the mainstream BB
mags distort the truth about efective training so much the message is usually lost.
The shortest route to your goal will be to frst get a solid strength base going, THEN
worry about "complete" development once you have something to refne. This is
accomplished the fastest doing a strength-based routine, not a BB'ing routine with many
sets, many lifts, and many days in the gym each week.
The fastest way to build a solid strength foundation is to do a conventional, westside
barbell, or hybrid powerlifting routine. But tell a guy this that wants to be a BB'er, and
they will always say, I'm a bodybuilder not a powerlifter (not that you can usually even tell
if they lift weights by looking at them--lol) so that falls on deaf ears. But powerlifting
routines build strength at the fastest pace, and enough size to keep most anyone happy.
Want something you can call BB'ing? Do a 5 x 5, an abbreviated low-mid volume,
routine, or DC style training. Call it "Powerbuilding" and you are on your way.
Why take the long road? This is a synopsis of an article I'm writing. Look for all the
details in the article soon.
Iron Addict

Eating Precision
I was over at a friend of mines house who trains the other day, and he excused himself to
go into the kitchen and make a protein shake. Like many people that need lots of cals but
are carb sensitive he takes a couple of tablespoons of olive or fax oil with his shake. As I
watched him scoop out the protein I noticed the scoop had fairly drastic diferences in
volume. Then, when he got to the oil, he was using a regular "eating" tablespoon. I
mentioned it was nowhere near a "real" tablespoon that his serving size was based on. He
said no way, I said way, and before the whole thing degraded into a Bevis and
Butthead like no way, way thing, I challenged him to get a real measured tablespoon
and check.
He scratched his head and said he wasnt sure if he had one. He called his girlfriend who
was in the front yard doing girl things with the fowers and she found the tablespoon.
Turns out 2 of the so-called tablespoon he was using were about one real tablespoon
serving size. And he was wondering why my macro-nutrient and kcal suggestions just
were not putting the size on fast enough.
While I am not suggesting that all trainees need weigh and measure every last thing they
eat. Many that are having problems will need to do that for at least a time while they get
their diets nailed down. When I write a diet for someone the trainee often has a tough
time make it happen for them. It is often just because they are guessing so wildly when
preparing their meals. Here are a few simple suggestions to make things a little easier.
Have a good reference book, or online reference site that tells you the macro-nutrient
caloric count of a wide variety of foods.
As stated above a tablespoon, teaspoon, and so fourth should be the actual items, not
silverware.
Your drinking cups should hold a KNOWN amount of fuid for when you take in
anything liquid that has calories.
When buying meat/fsh/chicken, I almost always buy packages that weigh 1 lb each. Its
then easy to either eat the full pound, or a lb serving. Either way I am damn close to
getting the proper serving size.
Take the time to weigh some sample sizes of the foods you commonly eat. After you have
a good visual image of what the size/volume of a particular item is, you are likely to be

extremely close from that point on without having to go to the trouble of weighing it.
Weighing food is a pain in the ass, but often needed by trainees that are having a tough
time cutting, or gaining mass.
I have trainees tell me that their schedule forces them to eat out a fair amount and they are
totally at a loss for the macro-nutrient profles and caloric count of the food they are
eating. Probing a bit deeper, I usually fnd the quick-fx meal is fast food. While I certainly
cannot praise the choice, I know we all must do what we must at times. When I tell them
pretty much every fast-food place in the country has the caloric and macro-nutrient
profles of the foods they serve posted or in take with-you pamplets they usually go..oh, I
never noticed.
If you dont have a food scale you are lost. BUY ONE! They are cheap. You wont need to
use it for everything you eat, nor for even a small portion once you know what a proper
serving size consists of. But unless you have used one at least a little bit, you are probably
only guessing.
Iron Addict

Are You Recovered If Youre Not Sore?

Many trainees base when they should hit the gym again, or hit a certain bodypart again
based on if it is still sore or not. If its not sore it certainly must be recovered, right?
WRONG! As most experienced trainees know, muscle often just dont get sore no matter
what you throw at them and the more frequently you train, the less soreness there usually
is. A guy that hits a bodyparty once every 9 days will almost always be sore, the one in 7
guys quite often, and the 2-3 day a week guys often rarely or never. Does this mean they
are recovering faster and micro-trauma is not occurring? Not at all, it just means you are
not feeling it.
Our current understanding of DOMS is that DOMS is caused by nerves being irritated
by the micro-trauma and infammatory cytokines / CA+2 Leak. But.eventually the
nerves lose sensitivity to the stimulus, even though the amount of micro-trauma can
remain constant. You are still not recovered, not feel sore, train again, and make slow or
no progress. YOUR barometer of recovery should be if you are bale to add a bit more
weight to the bar, or get another rep or two. If you cant you are endlessly repeating the
prior workout. What is the point in that?
Iron Addict

Get fat bulk diets

Here is something many of you don't realize about the bulk at any cost diets and those
that espouse them. MANY of the guys, including a lot of the EXPERTS that talk about
how its OK to let quite a bit of bodyfat come along when adding mass, have NEVER, or
at least not since they were beginners dieted without the use of drugs. Yes, a clean trainee
can diet down while adding muscle and dropping bodyfat. But its a lot slower, and
necessarily more refned process than the guys that do gear/accessory drugs. And if you
don't know exactly what you are doing, you will likely shrink. The guys that do a lot of
gear while dieting can drop bodyfat FAST, while often adding a good bit of muscle.
While there is nothing wrong with adding a bit of bodyfat while bulking, if it's more fat
than muscle, which is VERY OFTEN the case. You might want to rethink your plan.
Especially if you are training clean.
Iron Addict

Low spinal column stress low back work

If you want to get in some low back work without having a heavy-ass bar on your back,
and you don't have a reverse hyper or 45 degree back raise machine, and you are sick of
pull-throughs. Give seated good-mornings a try. You wont be able to move anywhere
near as much as when doing then standing, and they isolate the spinal erectors quite well
since they take out most of the glute/ham involvement. If you are um........fat, you will
likely not be able to lean forward enough, but the leaner guys will fnd it a great move to
sub for heavier barbell lifts from time to time.
Iron Addict

I could buy a mansion if

I could buy a mansion if I got a thousand bucks for every time a new training client has
said something like:
It's been two weeks and I still look the same
Its been two weeks and I still weight the same
It's been almost 3 weeks and I just measured my arms and they are still the same size
I added 20 lbs to me squat and 10 lbs to my bench the last two weeks and my legs still
look the same, when will they grow.
NO ONE dramatically alters their physique in 2-4 weeks. EVEN if they do TONS of
steroids in 2-4 weeks most gains are simply water. it takes time to build muscle, and if you
are dropping bodyfat, even if it is coming of at a PERFECT rate, you will see little in the
mirror in 1-4 weeks unless you are quite lean to start with.
It takes time people. be patient and you WILL see the results in the gym and out of the
gym. But don't spend endless time looking at yourself and expect to see a change from
one day to the next. Some people weigh their self EVERY DAY. WHY? Complete lack
of knowledge about how the body works. Keep on course and reap the rewards, but don't
expect it overnight.
Iron Addict

Band Rows
Since I moved my high/low cable pulley setup has been relegated to collecting rust in the
back-yard. It was part of a half-rack setup and was very old and way to big to put in the
house to just use as a pulley setup. So, I'm doing almost everything I would have normally
done with the pulley's with bands. And all I can say is I wish I would have ditched it
before. Don't get me wrong, the pulleys are a solid way to do things like pull-downs,
tricep pushdowns, cable rows. But.......the bands are actually better IMO for some
things. Cable rows being one of them.
Wrap a band (don't ask me what strength, we are all at diferent strength levels) around
an upright. I use my power rack for the upright. Then back-up, either sitting on a bench,
standing, or sitting on the foor like doing a regular cable row. Now with a band in each
hand (you can alternatively attach the bands to a cable bar) and ROW!
Why is this a superior movement? Because the resistence curve is so much closer to your
bodies. When you put enough weight on the pulley machine to provide adequate
resistance for the middle and contracted part of the lift, most lifters need to give the pulley
a heave to get the weight moving. With the bands, where you are weak, the bands provide
less tension. Where you are strongest, the bands are at peak tension. You end up with a
nice slow even pull, and a peak contraction like you never felt doing regular cable rows.
When you get stronger you need only back up a bit more to provide more tension, wrap
the bands around the upright to shorten them and create more tension, or add a mini
band, or go to the next level band.
Iron Addict

Advice not taken

All of the staf and vets here truly do our best to help those that are looking for info and
advice on how to improve their diet and training. The toughest part is often knowing
how few will actually listen and apply what is being said. A board member here has
recently made a couple posts looking for a good routine. He emailed me and asked also.
When I told him at his stage of the game one of these would likely be best:
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2 x 6-8
Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12
Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbell Curl 1 x 10
Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Sub-Routine:
Here is another Hardgainer Style Routine done three days a week. TRUE hardgainers
will do MUCH better on the two-day, as will many lifters with fairly good recovery.
Day One:
Dips or Bench Press 2 x 6-8

Incline Press, or incline Fly 2 x 10-12

Military Press, Or Hammer Shoulder Press 2 x 6-8
Tricep (skull crushers) Extensions or Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Day Two:
Pull-Up 3 sets to failure
Barbell Row 2 x 8
EZ-Bar Or Dumbbell Curl 1 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Day Three
Squats 2 x 10
Deadlifts, or Stif-Legged Deadlift 1 x 10
Pull-Troughs, Glute/Ham Raises, or Reverse Hypers
His response was:
Great, but can I do the routine twice a week, I just got used to training 4 times a week
and don't want to cut back.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Sure dude go right ahead. Maybe try Cutler's routine too while your at it.
You can lead the horse to water, but you can't make it think.....or something like that...
Iron Addict

The Dark Ages of Bodybuilding

Guess what? We are still living it! Even with all the so-called scientifc studies directed at
training and diet the average Bodybuilder is living in the dark ages. I am almost surprised
there are not articles about: Leeches for bloodletting to supercharge your gains or is
your gym owner a heretic? I am absolutely dumbfounded at all the lies, myths and halftruths that are still taken as gospel in the BB magazines, online forums, and in the gym.
Things like:
There is no such thing as overtraining, only under-eating and under-sleeping
Your body can only digest 25-30 grams of protein at a time
You must hit a bodypart from every angle at every session to ensure complete
development
Im a bodybuilder not a powerlifter so I dont need to lift heavy weights
All machines are useless for real muscle growth, you must use free weights to build
muscle
Anyone can build a championship physique if they just fnd what works for them
All ab work must be done without involving the hip fexors to be efective
Squats and deadlifts give you a big waist
Arnolds routines will work for anyone as long as they eat and sleep enough
The pros are only pros because of all the steroids they use
You will have to sacrifce a lot of muscle and strength to get really cut
Shit, I could go on for pages, but the point is I have NEVER witnessed another popular
activity that was as flled with pure nonsense as the bodybuilding scene. Every day on the
lifting forums I see countless posts with absolutely horrendous advice that is endlessly
parroted from on person to another. I can almost understand some of it that takes a bit of
deductive reasoning or experience to see the error, but much should be just plain
common sense.

It is no wonder the FAILURE rate in bodybuilding is almost 90%. YES, 90% OF

THOSE THAT TAKE UP BBING END UP QUITTING AFTER A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME! While there are a myriad of reasons why, the number one reason is
the trainee simply doesn't get results. And judging by some of the advice I see given on a
daily basis I sure understand why. This isnt rocket science people. Almost everyone
makes it more complicated than it needs to be, leaves out key components (like not doing
leg/back work because they only want big arms/chest), does WAY too much work, and/or
fails miserably at diet.
Quit living in the dark ages, or under the spell of what the pros do. Most reading this
are about as close to a pro bodybuilder as a Ford Escort is to a Ferrari. Training like
them usually results in nothing but disappointment and failure.
Iron Addict

For all you home gym box squatters

Here is a MUST have. It's about 70 bucks less than elitefts' and shipping is included!!
I love mine!
http://www.newyorkbarbells.tv/7610.html
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Don't call it Powerlifting

Here is a tip for some of the guys out there that are doing "powerlifting" routines and
want to get your training partners to switch routines. DON'T CALL IT A
POWERLIFTING ROUTINE. As soon as you do this, most bodybuilers will fatly
state, I'm a bodybuilder, I don't need to lift that heavy, or some other nonsense.
I have been calling most of the lower volume strength routines I write "powerbuilding"
for many years now, before the term started to become popular, and most BB'ers will do
a powerbuilding routine (even if it is mostly a PL'ing routine).
Now that you have converted your training partner, watch them grow. The reality is
there are no bodybuilding or powerlifting, or HIT routines. They are all about
progressivly lifting heavier weights--period. There is nothing in the name, only in the
results, and low(er) volume heavy training is what most people need for most of their
training carreers. If you are going to be a competitive level BB (95% of you are NOT) you
will possibly (probably) eventually need some detail work training, but that comes
AFTER you are already damn big and strong, and the best way to get damn big and
strong is by PL'ing/powerbuilding.
Iron Addict

More on "studies"
I read.....a LOT. Most of what I read isn't even lifting related. I don't even have a TV that
plugs into anything except a VCR for when I want to watch a movie. 2-3 200-500 page
books a week is pretty normal. The subjects are varied, and some is about "research".
Here is a bit of information that echos what most people say about studies out of a book I
am reading now, on the Quantum "Field" from the book "The Field".
Much as the feld purports to encourage experimental freedom, the entire structure of
science, with it's highly competitive grant system, coupled with the publishing and peer
review system, largely depends upon individuals conforming to the accepted scientifc
world view. The system tends to encourage professionals to carry out experimentation
whose purpose is primarily to confrm the existing view of things, or to further develop
technology for industry rather than to serve up true innovation.
And so it goes.
Iron Addict

Shoulder Work Options

A smart trainer knows that doing the same lifts and routine over and over again week in,
week out will leave one STUCK pretty damn fast. When it comes to changing lifts,
having a lot of options at your disposal sure helps. This is not easy to do if you are a home
gym trainee, and not even easy for some bodyparts if you work out in a commercial gym.
A set of stretch bands opens up a lot of options. And just to cover the basics of bands for
those that dont know, they are 41 inches in length and made in various tensions that can
be adjusted by either going to the next size band, or choking/tying, or taking up tension
for part of the length. They are NOT a gimmick and are used by MANY of the strongest
lifter on the planet for the advantages they provide. And what are these advantages?
They accommodate resistance. That means as the range of motion increases, the band
tension increases. Most of the bodies strength curve works like this. Using bench presses
as an example, as the bar is moved further up, you are stronger/have better leverages, so
when using bands, where the body is weakest, the bands have the least tension. Where
the body is strongest, the bands provide the greatest amount of tension. They are easy to
use, and can be implemented on a wide variety of lifts. By simply using a set of bands on a
lift that you were doing previously without them the recruitment pattern, and stimulus
will be diferent enough to invoke new gains.
Today Ill talk about shoulder work with the bands. To cap your shoulders lateral raises
are a great lift, BUTafter a time, like any lift they quit working. What to do? Use
bands for your laterals. To use the bands all you need to do is stand on the bottom of the
band, and wrap the top part over the upper portion of the band. Bands are FAR superior
to weights for this lift IMO, as the resistance curve matches your bodies MUCH closer
than a dumbbell does. To get anywhere close to matching the curve you need to use a
machine and then you take the stabilizers out of the liftnot always a good idea. To
increase resistance, just wrap more band around your hand, or stand on the band further
up. That simple! Most people will do will with a number #1 or #2 band for these
Another great shoulder builder is upright rows. Butfor many people, myself included,
the fxed hand spacing on the bar is hell on both the rotator cufs and wrists. Enter band
upright rows. Because you hold on to the fexible band instead of a fxed barbell shoulder
stress is reduced---a LOT, wrist stress too! Performance is basically the same as for the
laterals as far as where to lock the bottom of the bands, the big diference being
wrist/forearm position. This is another GREAT move to provide variation from either
regular upright rows, or just allowing those that have shoulder/wrist problems from

doing bar rows to be able to do a rowing movement. The recruitment pattern is diferent
enough from bar rows to stimulate new gains if you have stalled on rows. And again, the
resistance curve with the bands is much closer to your bodys natural strength curve. A set
of # 2s or a #3 or #4 is the right choice for most people for this movement.
The last move needs to be approached with caution, and I will recommend most use part
bands, part weigh instead of all band tension. You can use the bands for military presses if
you put a seated bench in front of the power rack, and set the safety bars at chin level. Put
a barbell on the safety bars and take one end of the bands and loop them over a dumbbell
heavy enough to keep the dumbbell on the foor, and place the other end of the bands over
the bar. Now add plates and your band of choice. Start the movement from the bottom
and it will beat your delts HARD. The reason this move needs to be treated carefully is
the bands can be hard on the joints and many people can move some serious weight/band
tension on this lift, so make sure band tension isnt too high, and cycle this lift in and out
of your training.
Bands can be purchased here: http://www.prowriststraps.com/bands_...t_lifting_band
Iron Addict

I want more work

Here is a problem that is typical of young aspiring bodybuilders. And I know that the guy
will probably read this, so please understand, I'm not capping on you. I get the same
response from many lifters. You are not alone.
Here is some background. The guy is a young BB and fairly advanced. Getting close
enough to start competing soon. So we are not talking about newbie gains. I put him on a
real strength based routine, and after 8 weeks he put 40 lbs on his bench and 60 on his
rack deadlifts (because of prior injury limitations he can't do them from the foor). These
are great gains in anyones book and he didn't just get stronger, he got bigger too.
Now that it's time to write the next 8 week routine.....he wants to do more work and add
another day in the gym so he can workout more days a week. Why? Because he likes
being in the gym. I of course told him that we would only be compromising the routine
but he was adamant. After a discussion, I fnally talked him out of the extra day in the
gym. But he of course wanted to add lifts. I obliged. I am quite certain the new routine
will not be as efective as the last, but never mind helping one learn for themselves.
He is a bright guy with a good amount of talent and I expect him to do well. But there are
still some lessons to be learned.
Most people base their training on fnding out the maximal amount of work they can do
and still make some gains instead on fnding the optimal level for optimal gains.
OPTIMIZE your training, don't compromise it!
Iron Addict

Yates Rows
When Dorian was on his Olympia winning streak his yearly progress was nothing short of
dramatic. He just kept getting bigger and better, much like Ronnie today. Perhaps his
best bodypart was back, and he always attributed a lot of it to his HEAVY rowing done
with a supinated grip. This is a very overlooked lift, and not only does it hit the whole
back extremely well, it's a great bicep lift, much more so than when rows are done with a
pronated grip. Don't neglect this lift in your pursuit of a thick, wide back!
Iron Addict

How much can I lift

Doing box squats compared to regular squats?
Doing rack deads compared to regular deads?
Doing incline presses compared to bench presses?
Doing stif-legged deadlifts compred to regular deadlifts?
Doing board presses compared to bench presses?
Doing close grip benches compared to regular benches?
Doing Good-Mornings with a rounded back compared to an arched back?
Doing Dumbbell presses compared to regular bench presses?
OK, you get the idea. I am asked these questions CONSTANTLY and there is no ratio.
It is diferent for EVERYONE. While it is a given that most can bench press more than
they can dumbbell press I have known people that could do more with bells. I have met
people that's stif-legged deadlift is more than their squat, that foor press more than they
bench, and on, and on. THERE ARE NO PAT ANSWERS TO THESE
QUESTIONS! They are only learned by trying.
Go try! And have fun doing it.
Iron Addict

Music and CNS Stimulation

Most people know intuitively or have read studies showing music (that pleases the
individual) has a stimulatory efect on the central nervous system. Some people are more
than sufciently aroused when hitting the gym. Others are not, or on of days can use
some additional help. I would rather see someone put in some screaming loud
rock/metal, or music of choice than take a stim drug. If you gym plays elevator music, but
a portable cd player. If you train at home put in what you like and have at it. Being a Zen
practitioner I mostly live in silence. I try and train in silence. But when it needs a little
help, I put in the tunes and hammer away. I am typing this between sets and Led Zepplin
is blazing in the background. I KNOW my next set is going to be good!
Iron Addict

When someone stalls out

When someone stalls out, the frst thing that needs to be checked is diet. If diet is good,
the second thing that needs to be changed is routine structure. Sweeping changes are
often needed every 4-12 weeks for most guys unless you are on a conjugated periodized
routine (Westside, MM, JA), or another form of rotation such as waved volume, DC
training, or other rotational format. Once that is done, if it doesn't get back on track, the
frst logical thing to do is cut back the volume, and perhaps overall workdays/frequency.
Most guys do the opposite and add a bunch of shit and end up stuck again. If the lower
volume works, you can always add additional sets/lifts and fnd the point where
performance falls of. But starting too high and working down is fools work.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Simple Squat Tip

This one should be something that everyone "knows" but is not, and many people need
lots of conscious practice to make it part of their squat technique. When squatting the
majority of the weight should be on your heels, NOT the ball of your feet, nor evenly
distributed between the heel and ball. It should be MAINLY on the heel. This reduces
stress to the knee joint and more importantly makes sure you are squatting with the
muscles that are responsible for moving the most weight--your hams/glutes and spinal
erectors. Your backside is what squats, not your quads. Don't worry, your quads will not
shrivel doing this, but will likely grow better as you will ultimately be able to use more
weight.
Wearing shoes with fat soles like chuck taylor's helps squat form a LOT. If you are
squatting in shoes with heals, dump them and get some shoes without them.
I get trainees all the time that swear they can't squat because of their knees. By getting
their form down, and shifting the weight to their heels and usually widening their stance,
voila! They can squat, again. Using a box is also a key to making it work for many
trainees.
Squat using the muscle that REALLY squat and you will move more weight with less
knee and back stress.
Iron Addict

Deadlifts All the Time??

If you are doing trap bar or conventional deads from the foor, it will behoove most of you
with average recovery ability to take them out of the rotation from time to time. Doing
one week squatting, one week deadlifting. Or one week conventional/sumo DL and
another stif-legged. Or any other lift that hits the prime movers for DL/Squats.
This can really help keep you DL moving by preventing too much CNS fatigue. I do
realize I'm mostly talking to myself here because most of you will read this and think
"good idea" and keep blasting your deads week in week out and frequently getting
"stuck".
Iron Addict

Laying Triceps Extensions (Skull Crushers)

This is a lift that gives many people big troubles and many people big gains. The big
gains come from the movement being particularly good at developing the muscle around
the elbow region and giving a big transfer to your bench press and other pressing moves.
The downside is that many people get extreme pain in the elbow joints from this lift and
cant reap the rewards. And I know, because I am one of them. Here is my solution and I
bet it works for many of you also.
I used to be able to do lying triceps extensions just fne. When I was in my 20s, and early
30s. Well those days are gone as is apparently some elbow integrity. I tried of and on to
bring laying tricep extensions back into my routine and the same result always occurred,
with super-light weights they were fne, as soon as there was enough on the bar to matter
it felt like I had screwdrivers twisting in my elbow joints. That wasnt going to work.
So I played with the idea that it might have been the angle of the wrists being locked into
a fxed position with the strait bar. Tried the EZ-Curl barno dice, same probs. So.I
broke out the dumbbells and did them with these, better, but no cigar. Then I noticed
that if I did a partial with the dumbbells it was OK. So back to the bar and trying a
partial. BAM! No pain, and a lot of triceps work being done despite a somewhat limited
range of motion. I then decided to try them in the rack with the bar started on the pins at
a few inches above where the elbows are parallel and again, no pain! Despite the range of
motion being slightly less than full the triceps are hammered and I am again able to do
this lift. Triceps look better and my bench is going up well.
The rack isnt really needed as long as you fx the range of motion in your head and dont
go past where it is comfy for your elbows, but it sure makes it a lot easier to deal with, and
if you pause the bar on the pins before ascending, it really helps build starting strength.
I also have some Ironmind Dumbbell handles that hold 180 lbs of weight. Needless to say
the handles are LONG. I use these for my dumbbell triceps extensions and by resting the
end of the dumbbell bar on the foor the range of motion is fxed and doesnt go so low the
elbows are aggravatedworks for me. I hope you can integrate these ideas if you have a
hard time doing these lifts with a conventional range of motion.
Iron Addict

Deadlift touch and go

For many years my sticking point on the deadlift was on the foor. Because of this I did all
my rep work touch and go. Why? Because by using a touch and go I could use a LOT
more weight for my rep work 50-60 lbs as a mater of fact. What did this do for me? Well it
stoked my ego. We all like that. It allowed me to train the upper portion of my DL with
more weight. Andit forever kept my sticking point on the foor, and kept my overall
DL poundages lower than they could have been.
If you constantly focus on what you are strong at and avoid your weaknesses you will
remain weaker than you could be and will never get past what is holding you back. If your
sticking point is higher up a touch and go can be acceptable for bodybuilding purposes.
In powerlifting your goal is always to fgure out what muscles are holding a lift back and
focus on the weak points. In BBing lifters normally just keep banging away at the big lifts
and get stuck a lot, but thats another story.
Iron Addict

Smith Machines
I can think of one reason to use a smith machine, and that is if you are doing rest-pauses.
If not, and even if so, they are generally a BAD idea. They lock your body into a fxed
plane of motion. Your body does NOTHING like this in the real world. regardless of if it
"feels" like it or not, they are hard on the joints and continuous heavy use will cause joint
problems for a large percentage of trainees. They are useless in my mind and if someone
gave me one today, I'd give it away tomorrow. The only good use for them is IF you do
DC training and MUST train by yourself.
Iron Addict

A shitty subject
I often have new trainees tell me something must be wrong because since they started the
new routine and diet they seem to be on the toilet at least twice a day, where in the past
once a day was usual and some days they didn't go at all. Well I will plainly state that
unless you are "downloading" at least twice a day you are probebly not eating anywhere
enough for optimal growth.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Testing at your maximal lifts

When I start a new training client on a diet and routine one of the frst things I do is get a
baseline of what their current strength levels are. If the trainee is comfortable doing low
reps I will have them do singles, if not, triples, or even fve rep maxes are suitable.
Depending on the trainees experience level they are again tested at week fve if it is
warranted, and always on week nine. Of course what we know what we hope to see are
some big number increases. And that is what we almost always get.
Sometimes though there are pretty dismal failures, is very discouraging to see all lifts go
up every week and then have the trainee bomb out on testing day. Why does this occur?
In probably 90% of the cases, it's because a trainee either has form issues, or what occurs
most frequently is a trainee takes much too big of jumps.
It is very common for a trainee to do a weak one testing and get numbers somewhat like
this.
Bench 250 x 1
Squat 330 x 1
Deadlift 355 x 1
Then on week fve when I have them test again to monitor progress, they will do
something like this:
Bench 250 x 1, 275 x 1 MISS, 270 x 1 MISS, 260 x 1 MISS
Squat 335 x 1, 370 x 1 MISS, 365 x 1 MISS, and so on.
I ask everyone that can to video tape their max lifts so I can correct form if needed, and
see where sticking points are, etc. And it is very common for a guy to BARELY, and I
mean BARELY make a lift, and then slap another 50 lbs on for his next attempt! As you
can guess he just gets pinned and that gives us ZERO useful information except how
gracefully he can go down to the safety pins, or how well his spotters save the day.
The trainee that got:
Bench 250 x 1
Squat 330 x 1
Deadlift 355 x 1
On week one should have tried:

260 x 1, and if that went easy, then bump it to 265, instead of hitting 275, missing and
working back down. For squatting, 345 x 1, then if that went easy, add 5-15 lbs as
determined by the ease of the frst set. Same basic idea with deads. Making huge jumps
unless you are WAY under you max is just crazy, but is what is most often attempted by
inexperienced guys.
As far as what weight to attempt on max efort day goes. The rule is to always try to get 5
lbs more on your big lifts (that is unless you are a beginner and have very low numbers, in
which case 2.5 is a better number, especially for ME bench lifts) if the 5 lb PR goes easy.
Then add more weight rest 5 minutes, and try again. I would much rather see a guy get a
5 lb PR, than try for 25 lbs more (guys do this all the time) and get pinned. If the 5 lbs goes
easy, add weight and try again! But dont start at a number you will likely never get!
Iron Addict

Brawn and Beyond Brawn

If you don't own the books "Brawn" and the newer "Beyond Brawn" by Stuart
McRobert you are doing yourself a great disservice. These two books are simply modern
day classics and are must haves for anyone that even considers themselves remotely
interested in weight training.
These books are written by a drug free hardgainer for drug free hardgainers and there is a
wealth on information in them that can be applied to you regardless of if you train drug
free, use PH's, or are a gear user. Stuart calls it hardgainer style training because it is one
of the few training methods that actually work well for the guys with poor genetics for
weight training, but many of the methods work wonders for those with better than
average ability to get big and strong. Most of the routines I write are a synthesis of
hardgainer/HIT/and conventional powerlifting rolled up into "powerbuilding" for lack of
a better term. Or for those that can take a little more heat, hardgainer volume training.
Stuarts sometimes rantings and raving about the evils of steroid use may come across as a
bit harsh for the gear and PH users out there, but everyone is entitled to their opinions.
He misses the mark on nutritions and supplements by miles, but that is a not enough to
keep these books from receiving a best of the best rating. I also started my weight training
writings and rantings with Stuarts "Hardgainer" magazine. Stuart was kind enough to
publish four or fve articles I wrote for Hardgainer magazine. And for getting me
interested in expressing what I have learned about training, and for all the information I
learned from Stuart, I truly owe him a huge debt of gratitude. His writings have truly
changed many lives, including mine.
BTW, if you can only aford one of these books, I recommend the original Brawn, but
that is only my personal preference. Beyond Brawn actually has more information in it,
but the frst is still a masterpiece, and the original.
Iron Addict

The most important factor for growing

The most important factor for growing is changing your routine up when, or before the
body adapts. No, thats not it, because if the volume and frequency isnt right, it wont
work in the frst place.
OK, the most important factor for growth is having a routine with a volume and
frequency level that YOU can recover from. Not the level some pro does, or your friend
does, but the amount of work YOU can recover and grow on. No, thats not the most
important part either, because if you dont have enough protein you wont grow.
OK, the most important factor for growth is assuring you get enough protein EVERY
day to grow. I cant say how much that is, but can say with all certainty that if you are
getting less then 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight (assuming you are at least
FAIRLY lean) it is NOT ENOUGH. And most everyone will do better consuming
more than this. No, wait a minute, if all you are getting is enough protein and over all
Kcals and carbs/fats are too low, you still wont grow.
Ill try again. The most important factor for growth is ensuring that you are getting
enough protein to grow (at LEAST 1.5 grams per lb BW) and getting enough overall
kcals to fuel the growth process. Dammit! But without the proper micro-nutrients
(vitamins/minerals) nothing will happen either.
OK, once again, the most important thing to the growth process is having a routine that
works for YOU, that is changed when the body adapts, consuming enough protein and
overall kcals to grow, along with the proper micronutrients.
SHIT! Forgot about sleep, bad sleep habits will WREAK your gains. No sleep, nogrow. Gotta sleep good.
And supps, yes, supps. Trying to get the proper micronutrients from whole food just isnt
going to happen, and if you think you can get all the vitamins and minerals you need from
just whole food, you are sadly mistaken. You dont need a huge cupboard flled with
supps, but things like fax oil and vitamins/minerals HAVE TO BE PART of your daily
intake if you want it to happen.
OK, once again, the most important thing to the growth process, is having a routine that
works for YOU, that is changed when the body adapts, consuming enough protein and
overall kcals to grow, along with the proper micronutrients/supplementation, and enough
sleep to let it occur

OK, that is better. As you can see it is ALL the most important thing, and if any pieces of
the puzzle are left out, you will NOT get the results you are after. So many guys put some
of it together and just cant understand why they dont grow. Its all or nothing here!
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Single Set Training

I got an email from a trainee that said they had tried very low volume (single set) training
and it did nothing for them. When I asked if they were doing rest-pause, drop sets, or just
to absolute failure they said no, that they had heard training to complete failure was too
hard on CNS.
Well, it makes me wonder where they got the idea that that would work. If you are going
to try single set training, all sets must be to failure, or in some cases beyond failure as in
DC's wonderful method.
Just doing one wishy-washy set is going to do very little to set the growth machine into
gear. The only real exception are squats and deadlifts, as one set of squats or deads not
taken to complete failure can be very efective.
Iron Addict

It's CNS Dammit!

We have all had days when we got to the gym feeling like a million bucks and after warmups we get buried with a weight we EASILY got the week before, or even less than last
week. What happened? Well, many, if not most trainees take it to mean they lost muscle.
And while in worst case scenario that could have occurred, in 95% of the cases, it's just
that CNS wasn't up to the task, or you have got to the point for that particular lift where
neural adaptation is degenerating. Whenever you do a particular lift your body builds
neural recruitment patterns for that particular lift. when you frst start a new lift most of
the gains are from recruitment pattern adaptations. After a time though the bodies nueral
adaptations slow, and will then actually degenerate and a loss of coordination and force
development occur. If you have only been doing the lift a short time, it's likely your body is
just not "fring" well that day. We are not machines and our bodies ability to generate the
CNS drive to lift heavy loads is not static, but a very dynamic process. If its been a long
time since you have been doing the lift though, change is what you need.
Iron Addict

A good "fnisher" for chest day

All you guys that love the pump, here is one for you. For your last lift when doing chest,
take a band, run it around one palm and around your back, and to your other palm. Get
into a push-up position and do as many push-ups as you can with that particular band,
when you are done, drop the band and fnish with body-weight--WOW!
Iron Addict

uscle memory and simple little routines

Before I moved from Califronia to Oregon I basically quit working out for a couple of
months. I had a LOT to do. And quite frankly, I just didn't care if I lifted or not because
of all I had to do, and the fact that I wanted to spend some time partying with old friends
before I left. By the time I actually got in and had the house half-way unpacked I had
went from about 245 to 225. I was pretty lean, but had lost a good bit of muscle obviously.
Because I still had a lot to do, and was in unfamiliar territory working out was still not
real high on my priority list, but I knew I had to start lifting again. Knowing diet would
not be perfect and recovery not the best I made it short and sweet with LOTS of rest.
Here was my routine.
Day one
Military presss (did these frst for low reps) 2 x 3
Bench Press 2 x 5
Dips 2 x 10
THREE WHOLE DAYS REST
Day two
Weighted Chin-Up 2 x failure
Barbell Curl 1 x 10
Squat 1 x 10
Trap Bar deadlift 1 x 8
FOUR WHOLE DAYS REST
Repeat!
What did that do for me? In 6 weeks I weighed almost 250 and had only gained a bit of
fat. Diet was far from perfect and my criteria was as much protein as possible along with
whatever came with it.
Simple little routines like this work when regaining lost muscle, or gaining it in the frst
place. Most people will NOT need as many rest days as I did, as they likely recover better
then me. But the principles are the same.
Iron Addict

Safety Squat Bar Tip

You can use a safety squat bar by holding on to the bar like a regular squat bar, by the
yokes, not holding onto the bar at all, or by using the handles that attach to the powerrack, or just by holding onto the rack.
They all have their place. I often like using the handles because they allow you to squat
very upright with very little lower back stress. When I was younger and didn't have a bad
rotator cuf, this wasn't a problem. It is now, and I have had quite a few other trainees say
it bothered their shoulders too. What is the solution? I fnally found a GREAT one!
I hake the handles and bolt them BACKWARDS on the rack. Then I take a couple #4
bands and wrap them across the rack. Holding on to the bands give you LOTS of
fexibility as to hand position and it is a given that they stretch as you are in the hole, but
my shoulders are not bothered in the least this way except for the heavy ass SSB on them.
Iron Addict

Bicep Blasting
Never thought you'd see me write that huh!
Take a band and loop both ends over the camber on an EZ-Curl bar. Now stand on the
band loop. BAM! pounds the bi's! Too much tension when standing on them? Use a
dumbbell, it will give you more slack and less tension. Still too much? Use a bar loaded
with 45's, even less tension there. Need more tension, either use a heavier band, choke a
mini band, or use a dumbbell and stand away from it. In a regular barbell curl there is no
real tension on the bi's at the top of the movement. If you use a heavy dumbbell or barbell
and stand back away from the anchor point you will have tremendous tension on the bi's
even at the top of the lift. I did 2 heavy sets yesterday and can barely bend my arms today.
Iron Addict

The Most Important Thing

The "MOST" important thing you will ever do with your training is quit worrying about,
or comparing your training with what others can do, or do, and start only worrying about,
and doing what works for YOU!
Iron Addict

Is CNS ready?
It is an often occurring event that someone goes to the gym ready to give it there all, and
the frst (usually the prioritized lift) lift of the day goes shitty. PR's are made on all other
lifts, but the frst and most important one for most people bombs. Why is this? Especially
when the frst lift is something like pull-downs, and then the trainee gets a PR with
Rows, or incline bench, and then the trainee gets a PR with dumbbell presses.
In many cases, it's just because the trainees CNS system wasn't ready to go, and the frst
lift that they bomb on primes it for the subsequent lifts where they get PR's.
It's important to do a quick 5-15 minute full-body warm-up before lifting and then SOME
people do best by picking a lift that is not related to the primary lifts being done that day
(like calfs or abs) and doing a few all-out sets. That often will awaken CNS to the point
that the frst primary lift of the day goes well.
Iron Addict

More Bench Press Tips

Many BBers have the common sense to look into the powerlifting world and get some
good bench press tips from the guys at the top of the game that are moving HUGE iron.
Now in bodybuiling, bench press form is little talked of and not much practiced other
than the usual very wide grip, elbows fared out as wide as possible, and, and the bar
traveling a path that brings it high on the chest in the lowered position. Look around you
in the gym and you will see the VAST majority of lifters benching this way, which has
lead many to believe that this is correct, and possibly even the only bench form that is
practiced.
Why do most lifters bench like this? It is a feeble attempt at making the bench press
something it is NOT, an isolation chest movement. This benching style is not the best
way to move the biggest poundages for most trainees, and it is an injury waiting to
happen for many lifters. Somany wise up and look at how powerlifters train the bench.
Problem is, they dont really watch powerlifters train, nor get coaching from a powerlifter
or trainer that knows how to bench correctly. What they do instead is go online and read
away. Good idea? Absolutely! As long as the trainee is astute enough to understand when
the lifters writing the info are talking about training their raw bench, or shirt training, or
performance shirted lifting.
Benching in a shirt and shirted benching technique is night and day diferent than raw
benching, and techniques that are da bomb for shirted benchers are not always the best
deal for guys benching raw. I have personally training clients call me and proceed to tell
me about their attempts at trying technique XXX they read about the day before and then
tried at their benching session, with poor results. Without going into real depth and
detail (Ill save that for a full article) here are a few good ideas most raw benchers can
incorporate that will USUALLY help their bench.
1. Bring your grip in somewhat. I get videos of training clients sometimes that have their
arms spread so wide you would think they were not benching, but trying to appease their
pissed of girlfriend by showing her how much they love her. oh baby.I love you this
muchlol. Bring the grip in. How much depends on how wide you are already used to
benching. But at least experiment with a narrower grip.
2. Tuck your elbows in during the descent, you will be MUCH tighter, and in a better
position to use your lats when blasting the bar of your chest.
3. USE YOUR LATS. Many lifters are clueless about how much using your lats when
benching will help your bench. And most of these guys have never consciously tried it, just
hemmed and hawed about how it couldnt possibly help much.

4. Bring the bar lower on your chest. QUIT TRYING TO ISOLATE THE PECS
WHEN BENCHING. If you want to isolate, use dumbbells. When barbell benching
use the form that allows you to push the most iron!
Make sure when adopting new techniques that what you are attempting is compatible
with your bench style, and raw, vs. shirted benching are to night and day diferent styles.
More to follow.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Best Chest Isolation Movement

The best chest isolation movement (well yes, triceps and front delts are worked also) I
have EVER done are band fys these are done by taking a heavy band and running it
around the upright of a power-rack. Then reach around your back and loop the ends in
your hands. Where you are weak, the bands are, where you are strong, the bands are, and
your hands are TOTALLY free to pick the path and you can get a contraction like a
barbell or dumbbells could never provide.
TRY THESE PEC FREAKS!
Bands are: http://www.prowriststraps.com/bands...ht_lifting_band
Iron Addict

Cross Platform Lifting Information

Looking at the lifting game from the two most popular sides of it an informed trainee
soon notices that most powerlifters have a pretty good grasp of how most bodybuilders
train, while most bodybuilders are clueless about how powerlifters workout. The most
common answer heard is why do I care, Im a bodybuilder, not a powerlifter. The ironic
part is the guys most likely to make that statement have itty-bitty tiny lifts, and itty-bitty
tiny bodies.
While I am not suggesting you jump platform and train like a powerlifter exclusively,
most trainees that still dont have a solid strength base should be powerbuilding, that is
a cross between pure strength training, and bodybuilding. Westside barbell is perhaps
the most balanced system in terms of giving both size and strength and most
bodybuilders are clueless of what the system consists of.
Powerlifters often incorporate bodybuilding techniques in their training, And most
bodybuilders would be wise to do some pure power training at least until they are
stronger than 90% of typical gym trainees. And in most gyms that doesnt take much to
do. Look around at the other style lifters. You might just learn a thing or two.
Iron Addict

Assisted Pull-Ups
It's common for new trainees, heavier trainees, and trainees that do other lifts prior to
doing their pull-ups to have a hard time getting enough reps. Some people just do pulldowns instead, other use the gravitron. But....but if you really just want to do pull-ups
instead? Get a few jump-stretch bands and you can.
It's simple, choke a band (a monster mini, or a light is enough for most people) around
the pull-up bar, and put your feet in the bottom of the band. BAM! now you can get the
reps you want. Another plus is the resistance curve of the band is just about what your
bodies is for the movement.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so here one is:
http://www.ironaddicts.com/pics/bandpull-up.jpg
Iron Addict

Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is no doubt the 2nd most popular chest movement BBers do in
search of pec size. With the bench press of course holding the number one spot. Whether
done with a strait bar, or dumbbells, it is a wonderful lift to shift the emphasis somewhat
to the upper pecs, and provide diferent neural and muscular stimulation from the same
old, same old bench press. Now comes the down-side. MOST of the equipment that is
setup for this movement is all wrong and makes what could have been a good chest move
into a so-so front delt movement. Most of the fxed incline benches are set at 45 degrees,
some even higher. This is truly much too high too keep your pecs in the game optimally.
Yes, there will still be some upper pec stimulation at the degree of incline, but it is much
less than if the bench were set lower. Electro-magnetic imaging studies show the fat
bench press hits all areas of the pectorals..and hit them hard. Inclines, done on electromagnetic imaging studies show the upper pecs are well stimulated, but the lower pecs are
either not hit very hard, or barely at alldependent on incline angle.
You dont need a tall incline to make an incline bench press a great upper chest
movement. 15-30 degrees is about right for most people. God know front delts are the
most abused body-part and making the incline bench just another front delt move is
surely not the intent of doing inclines for most people. Look at your equipment and adjust
if needed, and if possible. I used to workout at a gym that had one incline bench that was
fxed at about 60 degreesgreat. Thats what happens when you let some engineer that
has never lifted a weight design equipment.
Iron Addict

I hear this many times a week

I hear this many times a week from people who should know better in many cases.
"I went for a PR and I felt GREAT so I put on 20 lbs more than last week and got
crushed".
DUH! Better to break it by 5 lbs, and maybe take another attempt with more weight
than get pinned with too much weight.
Iron Addict

FAST Rest Period Training

It is popular among many in bodybuilding circles to recommend very short rest periods
between working sets. Just pick up a copy of Flex and you are bound to see a routine by
a pro BBer expounding the benefts of training fast to get a pump, stimulate growth
hormone production, and maximize hypertrophy response. And while that is all well and
good, it needs to be taken in context. Those that use it productively are using it with big
weights usually, but you can bet that isnt the method they used to build up to those bar
bending poundages. Most of the guys that end up using this method
PRODUCTIVELY are already extremely advanced and built their strength base by
doing lower rep, long rest period workouts. There is just no way to give each set justice
and use maximal poundages while only resting 60-90 seconds between work sets.
I have personal training clients that come to me all the time after having used this method
with tiny poundages that are frustrated by their physiques, and when I lay out a strength
routine that specifes longer rest periods, the frst thing out of their mouths is something
like: I dont like to rest that long between sets, if I do I dont get a good pump. You can
pump yourself to oblivion, but as long as you are doing it with tiny weights you better
not be expecting muchcause its not gonna happen.
There is a time and place for all training methods, and the time for super fast rest period
training is NOT while building your strength base. And listen buddy, if you think a 200
lb bench and 300 pound squat qualifes you, you better think again, and think of some
numbers that are WAY higher.
Iron Addict

A Personal Observation
I have RARELY ever made as proportionate strength increases as I have recently made
doing band tricep push-downs.
Rate of increase has been PHENOMINAL and much more band tension and I am
going to have to anchor myself down--lol.
I use two diferent bars, one strait, one bent, and rotate them every week. When I can get
15-20 reps I add band tension with either a number 1 or 2 (mini, or monster mini) or go to
the next band. They are doubled over the top of the power rack and both ends looped
over the bar.
Iron Addict

Of days and CNS

Yesterday I went to pull. Aside from it being about 90 in the house and humid I hadn't
slept real well and was pretty beat-up by the heat. My frst move, T-bar rows felt like a
ton. I kept going, up next were deads. warm-ups felt like a ton. Now normally, I would
have just blown the day of and tried again the next day, but I knew today was bokked
solid, so I kept going. Getting warm, when I was with 80 lbs of what I did last week, I
couldn't break the foor wih the WARM-UP weight. EIGHTY POUNDS LESS than
lst week.
Guess what? Doesn't mean shit except CNS wasn't up to the task. Anyone here
REALLY think I got 80 lbs weaker in one week? Not likely. I get calls from trainees all
the time that have an of day and think the sky is falling. When I lift is a LOT down from a
prior session it can mean it's time to rotate that lift out. But if everything feels superheavy, it's more often than not a CNS issue. I can't count the trainees that have called
thinking the sky was falling, and after being told what was likely going on, and advised to
ty again the next day, or next week, they blew-out a PR.
What did I do about the workout? I dropped the weight a LOT and did a 20 rep set of
deads, some bicep work and called it a day.
Iron Addict

Deadlift Form and Back Pain

Many people complain deadilifts hurt their lower backs. If done incorrectly yes, that will
likely be the result. I watch a LOT of videos that training clients and non-clients send me
and often back pain from deads is the direct result of form being of so bad. Deadlifts are a
FULL body lift and many make it mostly a lower back lift.
You must use leg drive to start, and follow through with it all the way through the lift.
Many start with leg drive and their ass comes up and from their its low back all the way.
Many of the most impressive stif-legged deadlifts I have ever seen are from guys sending
me CONVENTIONAL deadlift video--lol.
If your form needs work, get help. But don't quit deadlifting because it hurts your back,
or keep on lifting with poor form.
Iron Addict

I puked all over the power rack!

I often have trainees ask me if its true that I, and some of the trainees on my board have
really puked after a hard set of squats or deadlifts? Hell yes, I have lost my lunch many
times squatting, deadlifting, and even doing high rep leg-presses. Of course the next
question that is asked is if it is important to train that hard? The answer is no, defnitely
not. I know many extremely advanced lifter in BBing and PLing that have NEVER
throw up while training throughout their whole career.
Then why does it happen and when? In almost all cases it is a result of high rep squatting
or deadlifting. Never heard of anyone puking doing lat-pull-downslol. High reps are
not a requirement though. Pushing hard enough when doing squats and deads can make
you hurl doing lower reps. I have puked doing 8 rep squats, and, well it came up but I
swallowed it once doing 5 reps deads, too many pretty girls watching thenlol.
EXMGQ/PullinBig has puked doing a single. Course he benches almost 600 and squats
800. Many hardcore gyms keep puke buckets by the squat racks. Something you are not
likely to fnd at your local Golds or Ballys.
If you work into higher rep squats/deads slowly, either by rep count or intensity level and
do them consistently you will fnd that puking is minimized or eliminated. People with
superb conditioning generally do not have the problem, or at least less frequently. Since I
have been pulling the sled it has become a very infrequent thing.
What is the mechanism? Hell if I know. I dont believe it is possible for a lifter with low or
mid level overall conditioning to do an ALL-OUT set of 20 rep squats and not puke.
What does this tell us? Mostly that most people that do 20 rep squats never REALLY go
all-out. And quite frankly that is fne and preferable for most people as the overall
metabolic and CNS stress when pushing that hard is too much for most trainees.
Iron Addict

Lightened Deadlifts
Lightened Deadlifts are done by attaching a set of bands to the top frame rails or safety
pins of the power rack, and the other end over the bar ends (snug up against the inside
collars of the bar, where the frst plate would usually be) and then loading the bar with a
load that is typically heavier than you would use doing a regular deadlift with. What are
the advantages, and why the bother? Well, in my mind the advantages are many:
They provide overload by allowing you to move a heavier load than you can break from
the foor. I set mine up about 60 inches high in the rack and at that level I get a fair boost
at foor level, but when I near knee level, and then pass it there is little, then ZERO band
tension at lock-out.
Unlike rack deadlifts there is a full range of motion so you are still pulling from the foor.
This TENDS to provide a better carry-over then rack pulls from the knee level. Yes, the
bands no disturb the groove quite a bit compared to a regular dead, but IMO, there is an
easier transition going from heavy lightened deads to regular deads, than from rack-pulls
to deads.
They can be a lifesaver for people with touchy backs as you can vary the band tension
and height of tension release almost infnitely.
They can really teach you to drive with your legs when deadlifting. Many people use all
back when pulling a regular dead. I have found lightening the weight in the lower portion
of the lift, then SLOWLY adding weight (and/or lessening band tension) on the bottom
teaches many to get good leg drive when pulling.
If you are new to pulling, they make the movement less technically difcult. No, this is not
an excuse to not learn good pulling technique, nor will lightened pulls teach you good
regular pulling technique, but for a guy that has struggled for a long-time with the
mechanics of pulling, they sure can make it a more natural feeling movement.
A good rule is to not get too hog wild with the tension, just use enough to help break the
foor and provide increased overload up top. Louis has discussed using band tension that
makes a 135 lb barbell almost weightless on the foor. But he is using that with his 600900 lb deadlifters. Adjust yours accordingly.
Iron Addict

Consistency
Here is a typical scenario that applied to a large percentage of the lifters reading this post,
and a SUPER LARGE percentage of the guys reading this that get piss-poor results.
You get all psyched up about your training. By the latest copy of your favorite lifting mag,
go to the online forums, read the success stories about others, and decide this time you
are going to REALLY make it happen. You put together the ultimate routine and have
at it. And it starts working! The weights are going up and you are stoked! Then, little
Jenny has to go to the doctors and your wife cant take her, or you get behind on studies in
school and have to miss your workout, or one of the million things that come up in life.
So, you miss a workout, no big deal. Next week something else comes up and just as fast
as you built up all the excitement about your new routine, you lose momentum
psychologically. And all of a sudden you fnd yourself trading the protein shake and
banana for a big-Mac and fries, and..right down the toilet things go.
The good part is, it doesnt last long, and you soon fnd yourself getting excited about
your training again and take another pass at the big results you know you can achieve.
But the same old vicious circle starts again. Most guys end up doing the right thing about
or less of the time and then bitch about results. This game is about doing the right
things each and every day on a consistent basis. The gym is the easy part. Fueling the
process is a full-time job that most never really get into the groove of.
Most of you would be totally amazed at the results you could achieve if you put just a
whole year back to back of doing the right things every day. Many of you never put a
month together of doing the right things. Get consistent, get results!
Iron Addict

Tricep pushdowns and anti gravity

Well I did it, a number 4 band doubled over the top of the power rack, and a number one
choked tight and in the bottom position I am achieving lift-of, Gotta add some
bodyweight or anchor myself if I want to add tension.
And no, it's still nothing compared to EX's 250 x 20 because he has 250 lbs tension at the
top, while I am only getting it at the bottom. Don't think I could get 250 moving at the
top.
Iron Addict

Lift Carryover and why its important

I am going to talk about an extremely common mistake that a large percentage of lifters
make when designing lifting program--not taking carryover into account. What is carryover. It is simply how well strength gains from one lift translate into increased poundages
when doing another. I will list a couple of examples I see many lifters do and make
mistakes on.
Here is an example I have seen many times, and one I have done myself. The trainee
burns out on benching and decides to do Hammer Strength Benches for a change. He
makes the switch and is jazzed. His Hammer press is going up every week and he is
stoked. After a time he has added 50 lbs to his Hammer bench and decides to go back and
hit the bench, only to fnd its up a whole 10 lbs!!!!!
Another guy decides his back needs a rest from the heavy squatting he has been doing. So
he decides to devote some time to a heavy leg press program. His leg press goes up 75 lbs!
And when he hits the squat rack again, he only manages 15 lbs more than the last time he
squatted. And I have seen far worse in this instance, I have seen guys squat 25 lbs LESS
after putting 75 lbs on their leg-presses. It is a case of a lift having very poor carry-over,
and most fnd this to be true with leg-press to squats.
That doesnt mean there is anything wrong with Hammer Benches and Leg-Presses. It
just means that the lifts are dissimilar enough that an increase in one may not necessarily
help increase the lift on another. Use of stabilizers and inter and intra-muscular
coordination are two primary reasons, along with neural recruitment pattern gains that
dont apply well to the other lift.
While there is a lot of truism that if you get a muscle stronger, it will be stronger doing
most tasks, you need to understand that strength is also type and lift specifc to a large
degree.
Now with all that said, I will have to tell you that it cannot be defnitively predicted as to
what lifts provide good carry-over. Dips to bench presses are a good example. For
MOST people, carry-over is not very good. But..I know some guys that get a
tremendous boost on their bench from dipping. Most machines do NOT translate well
to free weight movements. But again that is a generality and some people, using SOME
machines get a good boost.
What you dont want to do is spend a bunch of time doing a lift or lift that doesnt
translate well to the next lift you do next program, have a horrible carry-over, then spend a

bunch of time building up the next lift, and start the process all over again. And THAT is
exactly what MANY, MANY trainees do. Ask a Powerlifter about what lifts they get
good carry-over from and you will likely get a long list of things that work, and things that
dont ask most Bodybuilders about the same topic and they will likely stare at you blankly.
And I am not capping on BBers, just noting that most PLers are much more in tune
with what actually works to make the bar weigh a little more each week!
Dont spend needless time going back and forth ending up back where you began.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Lightened Military Presses

If you have bad shoulders and still want to use some heavy weight pressing, or just want
another shoulder lift in your arsenal here is one for you.
Put the bar in the power rack at about chin level. Double a band over the rack upright
supports. A #1-3 band will handle most any trainees strength level. Add weight, and using
a seated bench (preferably with a back-rest) press away. In most standard hieght rack
(dependent on YOUR arm length) the bands will take a lot of weight of at the bottom,
will be partly unloaded half way up, and all the way unloaded 3/4 to lock-out. You will be
able to move a lot more weight with little shoulder stress for most people.
Iron Addict

Sunken Small Chest?

I see posts, pics, and work with people that complain (rightly so) that their chest is
sunken. Analyzing these people more often than not their pecs are VERY tight, and pull
so much their backs end up somewhat concave. The solution? Extreme stretching! At the
END of your chest workout on the last set, when you have a good pump (if your last set is
a low rep set or rest periods are long do a high rep fnisher then immediately do an
extreme stretch like so:
Chest: Take a pair of dumbbells and with a chest full of air lower them into the position
that is kind of a cross between the bottom of a dumbbell press and a fy. Hold for 60
seconds.
This will likely do WAY more to help it than you would ever imagine. And QUIT overworking it. That is likely NOT the answer.
Iron Addict

Time of day and CNS

Lifters that dont understand, or downplay the importance of full CNS capacity are often
trainees that have a tough time with overall progress. Simply put, if your mind cannot
send a STRONG signal to the neural net and the motor units, you just will not lift to
your capacity. Like anything else related to the body, CNS capacity is a fnite thing, and
there are limits to what you can do, how hard you can do it, and the frequency of time it
will take you to recover from it. Without going into all the factors involved, Im going to
address one simple aspect of CNS fring capacity--time of day.
There are many neurotransmitters and various metabolic systems that determine CNS
capacity as it applies to weight training. You likely know many morning people, as well
as vampires. Some of this has to do with personality of course, but much of it is also
related to levels of neurotransmitters. Some people start the day fring on all cylinders at
full power, and others need a warm-up. Some a LONG warm-up.
As a trainer, I frequently get calls by clients that are dismayed by a bad days lifting
performance after changing their lifting session time by a large time-span. The most
typical is an afternoon or evening trainer that has to do an early morning session because
of job or family requirements. Often performance is HORRIBLE. And I speak from
experience on this one because I can only be described as a vampire. I wake up SLOW,
and it takes a couple hours for me to feel totally awake, and me trying to lift before I have
been awake at LEAST 4-5 hours is just a waste of time. For me, the longer I have been
awake the better the session usually is. For others, once they are awake, or past a certain
time threshold, more time doesnt make any diference in performance.
On the other end of the spectrum are the morning guys. I train a lot of lifters that get
right up and are in the gym 45 minutes to an hour or so after waking, and do spectacular.
CNS is at a peak for these guys in the morning, and they capitalize on it.
Though most of you are locked into when you can train because of work and family
obligations, it will pay of for the ones that have options to fnd the best time of the day to
hit the gym and be at full capacity. And if you are forced into fopping your schedule for a
time, especially to an early morning schedule, dont be surprised if you do less than
anticipated.
Iron Addict

Getting Unstuck
Many of you get stuck in your lifting and make HUGE sweeping changes when many
times all that was needed to get training moving again is a couple of weeks de-loading or
cruising. By all means if you need a total revamp do so, but dont neglect de-load weeks
because NO ONE can train fat-out all the time. This is another prime reason for failure.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Band Dips
Many of you are on the edge or have been injured doing heavy weighted dips. Having 50150 lbs or so strapped to your waist while dipping can make the movement extremely
technical, and if the weight starts moving the wrong way at the wrong time either the set
is through, or you are in potential injury zone.
Using bands for the increased tension solves this problem in a big way and actually
increases overload and makes the move more stable. Just choke the appropriate band
around a barbell or dumbbell, loop the other end over your neck, and have at it. If you are
too weak to do full dips you can put your feet in the band after anchoring it to the dip
station and viola, you can do full range dips.
Iron Addict

Lift number/duration for rotational routines

For all you guys and girls out there that do routines where the lifts are rotated week to
week such as DC, westside barbell max efort work, or other routines where the lifts
rotate from session to session, here is a quick tip about how many moves to put in your
rotation and how often to rotate them.
The less experienced trainee will USUALLY do better with less lifts and longer rotations
then the more experienced lifter. Advanced guys often do best changing the loading every
week, while newer lifters, due to motor learning/recall tend to do better with less lifts and
longer rotations. While this doesn't hold true for everyone it fts most pretty well IME.
Iron Addict

Getting the protein in

Here is a simple tip that is invaluable for some people and one I use daily. Many people
simply dont keep track of what they ate very well, or even have a good idea about what
the days diet is going to consist of. Number one thing to ensure is that protein needs are
taken care of. Here is a simple way to keep track.
Go buy some of the cheap Tupperware or Ziplock plastic food containers in a reasonably
small size. I have the ziplock ones that are about 3 bucks at any big grocery chain.
First thing in the morning I set out the amount of meat I am going to eat and the amount
of whey I am going to take goes into the food containers. If its going to be a 500 gram day
2-1/2 pounds of meat goes on the top shelf of the fridge and 250 grams of protein in the
containers. I DO NOT STOP EATING UNTIL I AM DONE AND IF
BEDTIME COMES AND THERE IS MORE TO EAT, THAT WILL BE
DONE WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
Pretty simple huh. Makes a HUGE diference for many.
Iron Addict

Narrow dogmatic thinking and restricted gains

I was on a board recently and a trainee was asking how they could get their bench press
moving again. He complained that he was strong in the bottom of the lift, but half way, or
a little further up he ran out of steam. A board member suggested some board presses our
chain/band work, which was a WONDERFUL suggestion.
But out came one of the board moderators (which by the way is a pretty bright guy) and
slammed the idea. He said it was useless as he had never seen anyone do that and since
no one did, it was worthless. The original poster that brought up the board/chain work
idea cited references as to how it had helped his training, and how popular this work was
with advanced strength athletes. Mr Super Moderator would have none of that outside
the box thinking on his watch and brutally slammed the guy stating that full range of
movement is needed for complete development and bands and chains are gimmicks.
Unless the stuck lifter addresses his weak points his bench will languish as will his
enthusiasm. Most lifters opt out of things that could help their training most because they
do the popular lifts, the popular way. And after their body quickly adapts to the same
old same old, they are in the popular rut most lifters are in.
Get outside the box with your thought process on analyzing and adapting your lifting to
what YOUR body needs when it needs it. As you progress new weak points will develop
and must be addressed if you are to succeed. I often write programs and have the trainee
tell me that they have never done half the lifts on it. Why? They do the same thing
EVERYONE else does, the same way with minute variations week to week and their
progress is usually minute also until they break free of the dogma that has held them
stunted
Iron Addict

Cell Volumization
Anytime you can get a muscle cell fully volumized or expanded, that muscle cell is a lot
more apt to grow after being stimulated by a hard workout. This is one of the many
advantages that steroids provide, increased nutrient and creatine loading makes the
muscle much fuller even if the lifter doesnt lift. Butwhat if you, like most lifters dont
want to do steroids? Well you can at least volumize the cell and one of the simplest
cheapest ways to do so is with creatine and or taurine.
Everyone knows what creatine is and does, but most people are clueless about how to
make it work. Many years ago after I had tried creatine I saw an article by Charles
Poliquin where he stated that many people respond poorly to creatine unless they use
LOTS. And by that he meant 2-3 times what most manufactures recommend. The
standard 25-30 grams a day for 5 days and 5 grams a day works very poorly for many
people. And LOTS of these same people get great results by merely upping the dose to
15-20 grams a day as Charles suggested. And you know what? It truly works wonders for
many people. Now that we have creatine ethyl ester there is much less reason to use that
much and many trainees are getting great results, including many that dont respond to
any amount by using anywhere from 3-8 grams a day of CEE. Some of you are no doubt
balking about having to take so much of either of these products, but they are both dirt
cheap and whats better, taking a dose that doesnt do jack and saving a few pennies, or
having something that can really help your training?
Many non-responders do AWESOME with taurine as their primary cell volumizer. Like
creatine it is dirt cheap and if you have done creatine and found it did little for you, give
taurine a shot, for many people it simply blows creatine out of the water with its ability to
enlarge the muscle cell. What doses for taurine? 5 grams 3 x a day works great. I often
have guys put on 10 lbs or so within week of starting creatine and taurine together. Sure
its only water, but in the long run, having the muscle cell volumized WILL help it grow
in response to heavy workloads and a sound diet.
Iron Addict

Band Dumbbell Benching

Well, this post will not apply to lots of lifters because of lack of equipment. But for those
that can do it--WOW.
You need a set of power-hooks and bands.
http://www.prowriststraps.com/power_...ell_power_hook
http://www.prowriststraps.com/bands_...t_lifting_band
After the dumbbells are setup on the power-hooks anchor a band on a dumbbell on the
foor, then loop the open ends over the dumbbell handles outside of where your hands go.
WOW!!!
Be careful though as too much band tension is a BITCH to control.
AWESOME for both strength and size!
Iron Addict

Grip/Forarm Work
If you are REALLY serious about forearm work, go to www.ironmind.com and get their
Go-Really-Grip Machine
It's plate loaded so you can put on 5 lbs or 500. I have an earlier version and it is hard to
beat for strength or size.
If your on a budget at least pick up a set of their "captain of the crush" grippers Beware,
the number 1 stops most people in their tracks. Most people should truly start with the
trainer.
A balanced forearm routine should have you working on your crushing, as well as holding
strength. Heavy deads take care or the static. If you are not deadlifting, or need straps to
do them, do 3 sets of static holds, where you hold onto a pair of heavy dumbbells for 45-60
seconds until they fall from your hands. A couple of sets on the grip machine, or gripper,
and then some reverse wrist curls, or use the wrist-roller. As hokey as it seems, a wrist
roller done INTENSLY is damn good for forearm SIZE for many people.
Ever see a 600+ lb deadlifter with small forearms??
Iron Addict

Something I just read

I just read this and pretty much agree with it. I always tell people to fnd your strongest
positstion and use it to test with, and train with SOMETIMES, but vary your hand
spacing always:
First of all, there seems to be an endless debate about what the proper bench-press grip is.
There's a wide grip school, a medium-grip school, and an in-between grip school. For our
purposes here, I want you to try a little test that will help determine the best bench-press
grip for you, not Tom, Dick, or Harry. Get on the foor, and without thinking about it,
assume your natural push-up position. Have someone measure the distance between your
two forefngers. That's probably your optimum bench-press grip. Remember it, and use it
during this program.
This may seem simple and unscientifc, but the body will almost always assume the
position that gives it the best mechanical advantage. Trust your body.
Iron Addict

How anal are you with your diet?

I am pretty bad. I tend to not drink enough fuids, so.....everything goes into a premeasured container and I count how many I have had. Not enough? I WILL make sure
daily requirements are met. hard to tell how much meat you are getting? Not me, all my
beef, chicken and fsh are either weighed, or bought in 1/2 or 1 pound packages. hard to
mess that up. Had three one pound packages and I ate 3 pounds. oatmeal is always
measured and fruits/potatoes are always bought that are about the same size. makes it
damn sure close enough without weighing but is still plenty precise. I don't log and count
cals everyday, but do periodically to make sure I'm on track.
Many of you use a household spoon as a tablespoon. Most household spoons hold less
than 1/2. Trying to get extra cals from olive or fax oil. You are coming up half short this
way.
Iron Addict

Check your premises

A trainee on another forum asked me a question about an old routine he pulled of my
forum. Upon looking at it, I realized while it was quite functional and better than lots of
the crap that people use, it was far from something I would recommend these days. It was
written a few years ago, and like anyone that works with a lot of people, hopefully your
methods and philosophy change for the better.
I look back and almost cringe at some of the stuf I used to write. Hell, seemed cutting
edge at the timelol. Many people fnd something that works and hold blindly to it and
never question its usefulness. In my case, I USED to use intensity WAY too much. I
remember writing that if you can do more then 2 sets of an exercise, you are a
pussy..well, perhaps. But perhaps I was just wronglol.
Because I have been willing to check my premises my training has evolved to an extent I
would not have believed possible, and of course, this is something that is passed on to
training clients, and in fact, most of the best lessons have come from experiences working
with training clients.
I am not stating that you should discard things that work great for you in exchange for
questionable ideas. I am stating that you should question your methods from time to time
to see what can be improved. And there is ALWAYS room for improvement.
Iron Addict

10 x 3
I am continually blown out of the water at how well my 10 x 3 variations have been
working. They are giving an awesome blend of size and strength and are working for
people without great recovery as long as the intensity is throttled.
Mike1107 called me today and told me his bench is up 60 FRICKEN lbs since starting
the 10 x 3. All I can say is WOW! Others have been getting some big bumps on the big
lifts and solid bodyweight gains.
Something to look into when planning your next routine.
Iron Addict

Absolutely KEY, but missed by most

This is one of the most fundamental things possible, but TOTALLY missed by so very
many.
If you are trying to add mass, there will be an overabundance of kcals to the extent that:
You add lean mass
You add bodyfat
If the training stimulus is correct you will add muscle, if it is not, you will add fat. If you
are not doing either you are simply not eating enough for solid mass gains. If you are new
to efective training, it may be possible to add 10-15 lbs in a 2-4 month period, if your
training is already solid and you are at least an intermediate level trainee you should NOT
be looking for weekly scale increases unless you are on gear. It is real hard to see 1 lb on an
average bathroom scale and bodyweight for most people can fuctuate 2-8 lbs on a daily
basis dependent on hydration levels. So if you are watching the scale go up 2-3 lbs a week
expect on ending up damn fat damn fast. You should be seeing small increases every 2-3
weeks and if you are not, you are either recomping (adding muscle and losing fat) which
may very well occur but is still far from an optimal state of massing.
Iron Addict

Eating While Deloading

Many people seem to think that they should be eating less when doing deloading weeks.
Nothing could be further from the truth. While the loading will not be as heavy as a
regular week, THAT IS THE TIME THE BODY MAY ACCOMADATE BY
INCREASING SIZE AND STRENGTH. If you are trying to add mass, your
delaoding weeks should be fed the same as full workload weeks minus a BIT of carbs.
Iron Addict

Supplements
First let me state that I take a lot of supplements. Mostly ones for improved health and
longevity.
Now let me state that I regularly have training clients that come to me for help that are
spending 200+ a month on supplements not counting protein. The interest in
supplements for bodybuilding performance is a HUGE market.
Finally I will state that UNLESS you already have your training and diet dialed, OR are
taking a supplement for purely health or longevity purposes, YOU ARE WASTING
YOUR FUCKING MONEY.
All the supplements in the world are useless unless your training and diet are dialed. If
you dont create the need for growth with proper workouts that both stimulate growth
and no do overtrain/overreach your bodies ability to recover, and you do not fuel the
growth with correct nutrition you are wasting your time and money simple as that!
Iron Addict

One of the most important things

One of the most important things many of you will learn is the importance of doing what
you NEED to do, and in many cases will be poorest/weakest doing instead of the things
you like to do or are best at.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

GREAT Deadlift substitute for of days

If you hit the gym and are having an of day, just taking the day of is a good idea. But
most will persevere anyway. If it becomes obvious you are not going to perform well
lifting heavy, and it's deadlift day, load the bar with about 60-65 % of your 5 rep max and
do 1-2 sets of 20 from knee level up. These should be done as a continuous motion, no restpausing, but you will likely need at couple very short rests to catch a couple quick breaths.
They can also be done in the power rack at knee level. Despite not being done with a
relatively heavy weight, they are very demanding. Great size movement also.
And of course, they can be used anytime, not just of days--GREAT method IMO.
Iron Addict

Another CNS Tidbit

Here is an excerpt from and email to a trainee that was trying to understand CNS
fatigue.
The easiest analogy to understand CNS as related to strength gains is looking at CNS
output like a battery. When you push extremely hard in the gym you drain the battery so
to speak and it must have time to recharge before hitting it again. How depleted it gets
is relative to the intensity and overall workload. Intensity, in this context is defned as
training to very high percentages of momentary capacity such as sets to failure and
beyond. This type of work is extremely hard on CNS, but you can overwhelm it just as
easily by doing lots of workload at lower intensity levels.
The problem is some people have AWESOME CNS capacity and recovery. They can do
a LOT at high levels of intensity and recover very quickly. They can do it, so others
believe they should be able to also. These are not your average lifters. Most people have
average CNS capacity and recovery. The key is balance between workload, intensity, and
frequency of sessions.
To answer your question, yes, you can absolutely CRUSH CNS output in a couple of
sessions or even one. It is cumulative for the most part, but enough can and usually is
done by hard headed people to dampen CNS output to the point that strength gains are
just not going to happen. Muscle recovers fairly fast for most people, CNS does not. I
structure most peoples routines with a rest day between every session and it does
wonders for allowing maximal CNS output. People that train 5-7 days a week usually
have extremely good genetics, are chemically assisted, or are not interested in getting any
stronger as they already have a great strength base. Or they are like the zillions of guys in
gyms everywhere that show up 6 days a week and NEVER grow.
Iron Addict

Extreme Stretching
I use extreme stretching as per DC style training with many of my trainees. One thing I
have the majority of them to before there stretches is, irregardless of the lift being done,
they do a back-down 20 rep (not full out) set IMMEDIATELY following their last
movement for the bodypart being worked and IMMEDIATELY before their stretch.
This is especially helpful if you have been stretching for a while and the fascia has already
loosened up some.
Iron Addict

Set rep format for legs

A great set and rep format for legs I use a lot with training clients is having them work up
to a heavy triple, and then after a good rest period (3-4 minutes) following up with an 8-20
rep set. You get great strength gains from the low rep set and good size from the high rep
set. DC uses something similar with his clients, but the reps are higher in many cases. It
is a very solid way to get strong at a fast pace while keeping size gains good also.
Iron Addict

Extremely Lean Guys With Little Muscle

As a trainer one of the biggest challenges I face is dealing with extremely lean guys with
little muscle. Most of the time they are ectos or have lots of ecto tendencies. Take a 175 lb
guy that is hovering at about 8% bodyfat and guess what happens if they add 2-3 lbs of fat?
They can see it immediately. Compound this with the fact that many, if not most of these
guys tend to carry the fat right around the waist and you have a guy that usually freaks out
when they gain the slightest amount of fat.
Please, next time you are in the supermarket pick up a 3 lb package of hamburger or steak.
Now frst understand that 3 lbs of fat will take up more volume because it is not as dense.
Hold the package next to your stomach (never mind the looks you are getting) and
visualize what that would look like if it were 3 lbs of fat there. OK, as you can graphically
see it can really make a diference.
Next thing to understand is that 3 lbs of fat can be dieted of by almost anyone in less than
2 weeks. Its no big deal. BUT..many of you see the slightest bit go to your mid-section
FREAK-OUT and then either want to switch to diet mode, or you quit eating the
macro-nutrients and kcals you need for mass gains. And you FAIL..or at least make the
process of accumulating mass WAY harder than it need be.
I train 70+ people at a time and many of them are yo-yos in regard to this. They see just a
couple of pounds of body-fat and immediately want to do a cut or mini-cut cycle. Since I
have shown many of them just how easy it is to drop body-fat and maintain or build
muscle while doing so they are constantly going back and forth. While there is nothing
wrong with it, it is not as productive as eating a SLIGHTLY over kcal diet with tons of
protein and adding muscle at a faster pace. Sometimes you need to take a step back to
go 2 steps forward.
I see guys all the time that are 8-10% bodyfat that think they are fat, and many of these
guys just are afraid to eat enough to grow, slight anorexia and lifting dont go together
very well.
I dont do traditional bulk diets for anyone. I think its a misguided approach for anyone
except for those VERY genetically prone to EASY body-fat loss, and usually doing gear. I
always want the muscle to go on with a minimal amount of bodyfat accompanying it. But
being extreme about ZERO bodyfat gain when seriously trying to add muscle does make
the job harder. If I have my way the trainee cuts to about 8% lean bulks to maybe 12% and
then does a quick cut to get back down. This has the trainee looking damn good year

round while making the job easy for everyone, but those that freak-out about the slightest
bodyfat gain.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Pretty Good Results

As I take calls from training clients and ask questions a repeating them comes up.
How is diet: pretty good
How is training: pretty good
How is sleep: pretty good
How are you about taking your supps? pretty good
And you know what? The guys that tell me this get pretty good results. Contrast this
with the guys that tell me their diet is spot on, training done as specifed, no additions or
subtractions, sleep perfect, and they never forget to take their supps. These guys get
AWESOME results and progress is consistent week to week, month to month and they
are truly on track to having the body and strength levels they desire.
What kind of progress do you want? Pretty good, or AWESOME!
Iron Addict

It can't get in
It can't get in if it can't get out.
This is a polite way of telling many of you that you are (literally) full of shit
Many of you guys never eat any veggies, never get near enough fber, and are always right
on the edge of being constipated. More often than not, it is these same guys that complain
that they just cannot eat enough. Any wonder why?
Iron Addict

Ask Yourself
OK, time to get serious. How about asking yourself how TRULY consistent you are
with your eforts to build a better physique. A LOT of you have one major stumbling
block--your lack of being consistent. Some of you get excited, go a few weeks, sometimes
months.......then something comes up, or you miss a few sessions due to a cold, injury, or
job/school responsibilities and it takes weeks or months to get back on track.
It takes twice a long if you put in efort half the time.
Iron Addict

The most anabolic product

The most anabolic product you can consume is food, and by that I mean lots, and mostly
protein. The sooner many of you fgure this out the better of you will be. I have seen well
over a 100 pics of guys that have done TONS of gear and BARELY look like they train.
When I see their diets, I know why.
Iron Addict

What REALLY Matters

What really matters with your training is not doing the latest fad routine, taking the
newest supplement, or using the latest equipment. What matters is being progressive
with your lifts on a consistent basis. I see people arguing on the forums on a daily basis
about various lifting systems. One would think they were talking about religion or politics
by the passion and intensity generated. The truth is as long as your training is working for
you, thats all that counts. Doesnt matter if its 5 x 5, 10 x 10, HST, Max-OT, DC,
Westside, Hardgainer, Volume, or anything under the sun. But you MUST be
progressive with your lifts over the long termmost lifters simply arent.
Having said that it doesnt matter what training system you use, I will say I am
opinionated. I dont believe very low volume along the lines of Mike Mentzers last
renditions are good. Nor is very high volume, high frequency training doable for most
lifters. But..if it works for you thats all that matters. You should use as much frequency
as you can recover from and make consistent strength gains OVER THE LONG
TERM. And IMO as much volume as possible WHILE STILL MAKING SOLID
STRENGTH GAINS. Go too high with volume and strength tends to sufer for many,
go too low and size sufersbalance is what most lifters past the beginner stage needs
until they are extremely advanced. And please keep in mind this is written from a BBer
perspective, not PLing where the goals are diferent.
You are also going to have some big problems unless your training is periodized or has
planned deloading/cruise phases built in. Past the beginner stage you MUST have times
of increased and decreased loading if you are to recover and grow on a long term basis.
But this is not problematic if you use any intelligence when designing a program. ANY
routine/training system can be periodized.
Having a long term plan and programming is very important too, but most lifters dont
think that far out. Hell most guys dont think past next weeklol. In the end all that
matters is that your training is working for YOU. Arguing endlessly about training
systems is simply mental masturbation since all training systems work for at least some of
the people at some of the time. Is your working?
Iron Addict

As long as there is pain

As long as there is pain in any joint or muscle you are working, the body WILL dampen
output. Something you "I'll work through it" guys need to understand.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Guys, be careful out there!

I can't ever emphasize the importance of staying injury free. I see posts constantly about
guys doing things that "seem" to be just fne for them today, but will one day bite them
bad. There is just no reason to be doing behind the neck presses, ultra wide bench
presses, bench presses to the neck, low platform leg-presses/hack squats, and any damn
thing on the smith machine with a full range of motion, and MANY other lifts that put
you joints/connective tissue in a compromised position.
People say "I don't feel a thing" no stress at all. Until one day............
When you are young, you can get away with this stuf.....for a time. It will catch up for
many of you if you persist long enough. This is on my mind today as I weigh my options
for todays workout. I can do 4-baord presses, 5 boards, rack lockouts, but not much else
today because my old torn rotator cuf is is bothering me today as it has been for the last
few weeks.
How did this happen? many years ago all my bench presses were WIDE grip, elbows
fared out to the sides and HIGH on the chest, for MAXIMAL pec stimulation. WHAT
A BUNCH OF BULLSHIT! If you need to hit your pecs harder do dumbbell benches
or dips. I also included the ever popular "press behind the neck". Why? Because Arnold
himself said it hit the side delts much harder.
One day doing a set of 8 or so benches with my shitty BB isolation style I heard and felt a
POP in my shoulder.
Fast forward 10 or so years later and it still fares up and keeps my pressing numbers low
and limits me. You have one body. Don't wreak it doing stupid things that some guys
with HUGE ROBUST joints get away with and recommend to everyone regardless of
their joint structure or drug use.
Iron Addict

A Common Mistake
An EXTREMELY common mistake made by lifters across the globe is this one:
Lifting is going well and lifts are going upprogress is fne. Then they have a few
(sometime only one) bad workouts and think the sky is falling. Their solution? Change
their routineoften to a totally diferent format. Why? Well, the routine quit working,
anyone could tell that! Well, anyone would be wrong in a lot of cases. All that is
happening a good percent of the time is the trainee is due for a deload, or cruise. As long
as you havent been hammering the same exact format for an extended period of time, (as
in same lifts, not rotation on lifts, same sets and reps) what you likely need is a week or
two of deloading, not an entire new routine.
Iron Addict

If you are a low back/good-morning squatter

If you are one of those guys that thinks squats are more of a low back lift than anything:
1. Start working your low back with good-mornings, deadlifts, and stif-legged deadlifts.
2. Lower your squat weight and start working on your form.
3. If you are primarily a bodybuilder and want to work your legs with squats while
preserving your low back, get some bands.
Double them over the TOP of the power-rack. A set of monster mini's or mini's will be
enough for most of you. In MY rack at MY height the bands have about 10 lbs of tension
at the TOP of the lift, at the bottom 65 at parallel. This means you are doing a
LIGHTENED squat. It is lighter at the bottom and almost full weight at the top. that
isn't the beneft we are looking for in this casse though. What the bands to is stabilize the
bar, and while they do not lock it into a track like a smith machine does, they make it
WAY, WAY easier to squat upright. With a safety squat bar its even better.
This is NOT a way to improve your squat a ton if you are weak in the hole like most
lifters, but will allow you to pound your legs harder than you "all back squatters" ever
thought possible, while you work on bringing up your core.
Iron Addict

Every Single Week

I answer at LEAST 3-4 questions from training clients that can easily be solved by having
a set of bands.
My dumbbells in the gym top out at XXX and I can't do anymore=get some bands.
The stack tops out at XXX ad I can't add weight=get some bands.
I can't hold the dumbbell on my chest when doing weighted situps=get some bands.
There is no way to strap weight to my belt at the gym=get some bands.
I won't bother going on, I do it all week, get some bands. They are so fucking versatile
being without them is just plain silly. And if you work out at home, its not silly, its stupid.
Iron Addict

Your Experience/Work Capacity Level

Simply put, a huge number of you fail because you continually insist on doing routines
outside your current ability level. Work capacity is built over time, as is strength. No one
likes to believe they are beginners when they have been lifting for years (in many cases)
but if their strength and physique levels are still beginner level doing all the advanced stuf
in the world only slows progress. AGAIN, for the 10,000th time. You need to be doing
strength based routines until you have at least a reasonable strength base. That doesn't
mean a powerlifting routine necessarily, but it sure doesn't mean a 16 set a bodypart 5 day
split either. I am working on a full length article on this, but don't wait until then if you
are spinning your wheels.
Iron Addict

One of the reasons

One of the reasons many of you need digestive enzymes is you simply do not chew your
food enough. Most of us are thoughtless when eating and take big bites, chew the
minimal amount needed to make it go down the hatch, and take the next bite. That is not
how we were designed to eat. We are not dogs despite many of our actions that would
lead one to believe otherwise.
Iron Addict

Nerve Compression
Many of you have week lifts, or weak areas of the body. In some cases it is genetic as in
very little muscle fber in the area, mostly slow twitch fber, poor neural distribution/low
motor units in the area.
In some cases though, many of you simply have nerve compression from either fualty
lifting technique, poor posture, or cumulative damage done by many years of heavy lifting.
I know, I fall into the last category.
Ken Kinakin has some excellent info about this in his book "Optimal Muscle Training"
which is a book about bio-mechanics of lifting, and comes with a great DVD.
For this and other reasons I sought out a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. What
they do makes a chiropractor seem very meek and timid. They do a combination of ART,
adjustments, acupuncture, and deep tissue massage. They said the adhesions I have in my
neck and upper back are very tough (shit I can feel them) and they are working the hell
out of it and I am slowly getting some relief.
This is something to think about and look into if you sufer any sings. my most telltale
sighs were my pinky and ring fngers constantly falling asleep and some lifts actually going
backwards even with good training, delaods and diet. I have a lot of compression from
too much time with a heavy bar on my back or in my hands. Don't let this become you.
The Kinaken book describes this and discusses diferent forms of therapy for it. It is a
boo/DVD Poliquin makes his interns watch the frst day they are there.
Iron Addict

One of the hardest things to know

As a trainer one of the hardest things to predict BEFORE testing it with a routine is who
responds to change and who needs very static loading to do well. On a percentile basis it's
easy, most people thrive on change and I like to at least change all lifts every 4 weeks, and
often rep set brackets as this has proven to work best and it's pretty common knowledge
that a routine is only as good as long as it takes your body to adapt to it.
Most people as an example can go from doing 4 x 6 on regular squats to 5 x 5 box squats
and when either of the lifts go up, the other one typically will. Without pretty signifcant
changes in sets/reps/TUT/lifts most people stagnate pretty fast. Butthere are many
guys, and I use many to describe there are lots out there, but they are not the majority that
have such poor motor learning recall, that changes like this are a disaster. I sometimes get
trainee that receives almost zero carry-over from lifts that are extremely similar, and even
switching rep brackets too much as in going from 5 reps to 10 reps, or vice-versa, causes
major downgrades in performance. Keeping most guys on the same lift, set rep bracket is
a surefre plan for failure for most people, yet I have a handful of trainees that make
continual progress (within the confnes of their routines being periodized for weight
increases/unloads) while keeping the lifts, and even loading patterns very consistent.
These guys bodies literally forget how to do a lift unless the recruitment pattern is
continually entrenched an while most people regress on loading like this these guys make
progress as long as they are doing the same old same old. This is also not generally an
easy thing to fgure out because if a routine fails to provide satisfactory progress the frst
thing looked at is typically overall loading volume and intensity and rep ranges/TUT.
Change is best for the vast majority of lifters, but there are always those that refute the
general rules.
Iron Addict

Your bodyweight and squats

Studys of bio-mechanics have determined the average person is squatting 75% of their
bodyweight when squatting. Calfs and the lowest part if the knee don't count. So if you
are a 225 lb lifter squatting 405, the actual weight moved is 574. Nice to know, but
extremely useful if doing a program that advances by percents.
Iron Addict

If you are to train yourself

And are not a raw beginner, one of the most important distinctions you need to make is
how much carry-over you get from doing diferent lifts and if getting stronger on lifts is
actually getting you stronger overall. Remember all progress on lifts is initially neural. At
some point in time, as long as the reps are high enough for YOUR muscle fber type, your
body will grow with the increased demand (more weight on the bar). Most of the better
lifters, and best lifting systems are built using a wide variety of lifts. Most peoples squat
will help build their deadlift, and vice versa. That is not always the case and I work with
many lifters that get about zero carry over from one lift to another. Close grip benches
will generally drive your bench press up. I work with some guys that can increase their
close grip 50 lbs and then try benching and their bench will be at the same place it was.
That is because ALL these guys are getting is neural adaptations SPECIFIC to the
movement. In many cases as the lifter evolves and becomes more advanced this problem
diminishes. But if you are not aware of it and continually go from routine to routine
switching lifts and modalities (machines vs free weights are the WORST way to NOT
get good carry-over) you will shortly fnd your progress is minimal.
For most trainees I change their lifts every 4-6 weeks and progress is great. For those that
neural recruitment pattern recall sucks, they get the same lifts served up with MINUTE
variations, and when the loading is changed sets, reps and TUT is what is changed, not
the core lifts. These guys tend to not be very good lifters compared to those that switch
things up a lot and continue to get stronger, but that doesnt mean the guys that are stuck
in same liftsville dont, or cant do well for themselves.
Iron Addict

If you have a bodypart that needs work

If you have a bodypart(s) that needs extra attention (all newbies this excludes you,
everything needs work at your stage despite your perceptions) you will be best served
doing that bodypart following whatever day on your split has the most days of. For most
lifters, that is when CNS will be at its prime and you will typically lift more weight and
make faster progress lifting fresh. The simplest example is many lifters, irregardless of
their routine format take the weekends of. Unless you spend the weekends partying,
Monday will typically have more CNS potential than any of the back to back training
days you do, or days with only one day of between workouts.
Most bodybuilders don't realize that the majority of the powerlifters that compete take an
entire week of before the meet and that is how they come in strongest. Strange concept
for the obsessed BB'er that truly believes if he misses even one workout he becomes X %
weaker and shrinks all over.
Iron Addict

Dumbbell Rack Deads

Anyone that has done rack deadlifts will attest to their efectiveness. However, like any lift
you can quickly adapt to it and have it stall. Or you may be a home gym trainee without a
rack. Well here is a good alternative. Dumbbell rack deads. Two caveats, though, one you
need heavy ass dumbbells and many ftness centers only have bells that go up to 100 or
so. Two, you need a bench or benches that put your hand grip starting point at at least
knee leveloops, one moreyou are going to need straps.
Pretty simple, warm-up, put the loaded bells on a bench in front of you, or two equally tall
ones at your sides, and do a partial dead. Because of DB weight limitations these are best
done for higher reps (6-20). Have fun!
Iron Addict

Another reason it is easier to improve on low reps

Another reason it is easier to improve on low reps is simply because each jump in weight
adds less total tonnage. Before any of the guys that don't understand low reps jump to
conclusions, I frst need to state that the PRIMARY reason low rep improvement is
easier to achieve for most lifters is that the primary adaptations are neural. While that is
also the case with all INITIAL gains for any lift whatever the rep range, most of the
continual gains of very low reps (1-3) are always neural.
Now lets look at what happens from a tonnage standpoint when Joe average lifter tries to
increase poundages in a couple of rep ranges using the smallest plates normally available
(2.5) in most gyms.
Joe can bench press 275 x 3, and next week he attempts 280 x 3. His tonnage went up 15
lbs.
Joe can bench 230 x 10, and next week he attempts 235 x 10, his tonnage will have to go up
50 lbs if he is successful.
Just another reason why low reps progression is faster for MOST lifters that are not
extremely slow twitch fber type.
Iron Addict

Being Creative
At the moment because of injury my main heavy chest movement is limited to dips (which
hit my pecs well). That is all well and fne, but an advanced lifter just cant go to the gym
and expect to make progress doing the same thing week in week out. I know from
experience I stall about 4 weeks into almost any upper body lift if everything is kept the
same. Sowhat to do? Most lifters would just keep banging away at dips, get stuck and
frustrated. Here is what Im doing (example only the sequence may change).
1. Weighted dips with 4-5 seconds negative TUT, high reps
2. Band dips with high TUT, low reps.
3. Band and weighted dips medium reps regular cadence.
4. HIGH rep, FAST rest periods, cumulative failure
5. My dip bar has fxed spacing between the handles so not to much variance is available
for grip spacing. No problem. By using bands to secure two Olympic bars to the safety
bars/catches of my power rack I have whatever degree of hand spacing I want from super
narrow to very wide, with whatever degree of V angle I want.
6. That gives me over 16 variations using 4 grip widths and each of them is likely to
produce enough variation to keep progression moving, and guess what? Using a deep
low incline for benches gives me another lift I can do that has direct carry-over to dipping.
Not using this line of thinking is why so many of you remain stuck, continually doing the
same lift over and over.
Iron Addict

Another reason it is easier to improve on low reps

Another reason it is easier to improve on low reps is simply because each jump in weight
adds less total tonnage. Before any of the guys that don't understand low reps jump to
conclusions, I frst need to state that the PRIMARY reason low rep improvement is
easier to achieve for most lifters is that the primary adaptations are neural. While that is
also the case with all INITIAL gains for any lift whatever the rep range, most of the
continual gains of very low reps (1-3) are always neural.
Now lets look at what happens from a tonnage standpoint when Joe average lifter tries to
increase poundages in a couple of rep ranges using the smallest plates normally available
(2.5) in most gyms.
Joe can bench press 275 x 3, and next week he attempts 280 x 3. His tonnage went up 15
lbs.
Joe can bench 230 x 10, and next week he attempts 235 x 10, his tonnage will have to go up
50 lbs if he is successful.
Just another reason why low reps progression is faster for MOST lifters.
Iron Addict

3 on 1 of
Dan Duchaine, the steroid guru who was also a pretty damn good trainer at one point
towards the end of his career came to the conclusion that for maximal results natural
lifters should train 3 weeks all out and take the 4th week of. While people on steroids
could train up to 8 weeks before taking a week of.
While I won't go as far as saying this is the solution, I will say in no uncertin terms that
many, and I mean a good many lifters both natural and using do best training 3 weeks all
out and deloading 1 week.
You don't have to believe you are in need of a deload after only 3 weeks, but a LOT of the
best strength coaches in the world all believe in 3-4 weeks hard, one week deloaded, and I
can vouch that it plain out works.
Iron Addict

Something Vince Gironda Said

Many, many years ago when Vince Gironda was a training guru he made a statement
(among MANY) that is still very valid. If you want to truly fnd out what portions of a
muscle or muscles that a given exercise works, do 8 hard sets of 8 reps and the DOMS at
that workload should be sufcient to tell you whats being worked.
There are exceptions as for SOME people, SOME muscles simply are DOMS proof.
My delts are an example. I once did 30+ sets to see if I could get them sore--no go.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Quad Size
Unless a lifter is VERY fast twitch dominant, I can't think of a better way to add quad
size then 20 rep squats, or even 20 rep leg presses for SOME people. I would always go
with squats over the leg presses, but they both can have their place. That is provided the
trainee can do them without their form going to hell.
Iron Addict

Forearm Training
Many guys need to do exactly zero forearm work to develop massive forearms. After all
pretty much every lift you do requires you to hold the bar statically. The zero forearm
work approach works especially well for guys that do pretty high volume work. For
others, it takes a lot more than that to make them budge much in size even though it is
obvious they have gotten much stronger such as the example of a guy that went from
being able to deadlift 200 x 10 to 400 x 10 and while their forearms got bigger, they still
arent big.
The simple fact is forearms tend to take a lot of time under tension and tonnage to grow
for a lot of people. This means extra forearm work, and the sad truth is, most gyms have
little or nothing in the way of equipment for forearm work. My favorite way to work
forearms is using IronMinds grip machine: http://www6.mailordercentral.com/iro...sp?
number=1242
Its a sad state of afairs that most gyms will have 2 or 3 $4,000 adductor machines but
wont have a 200 grip machine. Other great options include their captain of crush
grippers: http://www6.mailordercentral.com/iro...sp?number=1401
And/or just doing static holds on a barbell or dumbbell. Wrist Rollers work good too
even though they seem hokey. So what does it take to make them grow if your normal
training load doesnt do it? 5-10 sets in my experience of extra grip work using at LEAST
50 seconds time under tension per set is the way to make it happen. If you are a beginner
reading this, wait until you are deadlifting 400 for some reps before you dive into 10 extra
sets of grip work though.
Iron Addict

PWO Feeding
I am always amused at many of the PWO feeding guidelines and "formula's" in
circulation. The fact is that unless you are 260+ and lean and have good insulin
sensitivity, or do MEGA-MEGA-volume all the mega dosing of carbs PWO will do is
get you fat. One of the most used "formula's" on the net says that at 230 I need 185 grams
of carbs PWO.
Well I can tell you 185 grams of carbs PWO does nothing for the average 230 lb guy but
get them fat. This is something myself and SB have discussed in detail and we have both
trained a shitload of people and have both found that the usual PWO carb
recommendations are simply stupid. And please don't ask me what the exact number is
because it varies from person to person due to age, insulin sensitivity, lean mass, workload
volume, etc. But it is a lot lower than a lot of you guys imagine or are doing.
Iron Addict

Trap Work
I get new trainees that frequently ask if we can add in some direct trap work. Now if the
trainee has a big deadlift and still has issues with his traps I will oblige him, but when I
got a guy that is deadlifting 275-350 the last thing he needs is extra work to make his traps
grow, if anything, he likely needs some extra posterior chain work to help his deadlift go
up.
I used to have shitty traps. So.every week after deadlifting I did shrugs. I did dumbbell
shrugs, I did barbell shrugs, I did trap-bar shrugs. I shrugged my little ass of. And you
know what? My traps still didnt grow. Finally I kind of gave up and just focused on my
deadlifts. When I was deadlifting 405 for 10 damned if I didnt have a nice set of traps.
When I pulled my frst 500 lb dead, WOW, they were lots bigger, and since then going to
a 600 lb pull damned if they didnt grow more without doing a single damn shrug.
My experience is exactly what I see with training clients and in exchanging info with
lifters all over the country. Until you are doing your deads with about 4 bills on the bar
your sole trap concern should be making that dead go up and you will likely fnd traps
take care of themselves. If they dont? Add a few sets of shrugs. It aint rocket sciencelol.
Iron Addict

That funky back arch thing

I watch a lot of lifters videos. One thing that is almost a given is that beginners and
sometimes....well....not so beginners do their deadlifts and once they are locked out, they
do some funky ass back arch, lean way backwards and kind of TRY and shrug at the same
time. Once you are standing straight up and are locked out you are done hyper-extending
your low back while shrugging does nothing but put you at injury risk.
Iron Addict

Email Excerpt -- OCD

Here is an excerpt from an email to a reader I sent today. It describes what I see as often
as not with OCD, overanaylitical trainees.
You are being overanaylitical and OC at the moment. That thinking is what wrecks
training careers. It leads to shit choices and doing the wrong things WAY more often
than not. I see it constantly. You guys make up about 15% of my lifters and as a whole do
good for awhile and then just burn yourself out with either the thinking process, in which
case you have broken the cycle and get on with just lifting and eating and growing. If you
dont, your diet/lifting usually ends up so fucked up you quit. Not always the case, but
what I see in most examples. Just watched two drop out from their lifting careers in the
last week. Both said something like: I just dont have the time or energy to devout to
lifting and eating well anymore so I am going back to a normal lifestyle. Both of these
guys spent about 20 hours a day obsessing and analyzing all the shit that didnt make
much diference.
Iron Addict

I've never heard of

That statement drives me nuts. I get it from trainees at all levels that will question a
technique strictly on the grounds that "I've never heard of that before". Well I gotta tell
you. The majority of lifters have heard of very little outside of "fex" and the mainstream
forums.
Just because "you have never heard of it" doesn't invalidate it and only means your
knowledge base isn't as wide as you might have imagined, not that it doesn't work.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Stubborn Muscles
Some people have a bodypart or two that almost defy growth. In many cases its just
genetics and a bad luck of the draw leaves the trainee with a very unresponsive bodypart
no matter what is tried. But.sometimes the bodypart is unresponsive because the
muscle fascia refuses to expand to allow the muscle to grow bigger. The fascia is part of
the muscles connective tissue and for lack of a better description is like a girdle that keeps
the muscle together. It also can keep it from enlarging if it is tough enough!
There are a few ways of stretching the muscle fascia. It can be done with synthol
injections (not a good idea), with an extreme pump, or with extreme stretching, or of
course, any combination of the above listed.
DC, and a few others have really brought extreme stretching to the forefront of the lifting
world. And while the stretches are not applicable to every trainee using every routine, they
sure can be helpful under many situations. The goal is to get a big pump going in the
muscle, and then put it into an extreme stretch condition for 30-60 seconds. Without
writing a small book on when and who should be doing them (anyone on a true DC style
routine) I will just state that the stretches can work wonders, and often a trainee with a
stuck bodypart will fnd it magically un-sticks when extreme stretching is employed.
Here is a description of how to do some extreme stretches. These are by far not the only
ones that can be done, and you can use your imagination, or do some searching to fnd
other descriptions, but it is a start.
Chest: Take a pair of dumbbells and with a chest full of air lower them into the position
that is kind of a cross between the bottom of a dumbbell press and a fy. Hold for 60
seconds
Triceps: Sit on a bench, use one with a fat back rest if possible and hold a dumbbell as if
you were doing an overhead triceps extension. Lower the dumbbell and position your
body until a full stretch is achieved. Hold for 60 seconds.
Shoulders: (DCs description verbatim) This one is tough to describe--put barbell in
squat rack shoulder height--face away from it and reach back and grab it palms up (hands
on bottom of bar)---walk yourself outward until you are on your heels and the stretch gets
painful--then roll your shoulders downward and hold for 60 seconds

Biceps: Sit facing away from a power-rack and reach the arm to be stretched back and
over your head. Grab on to the power-rack and slowly turn away until the bicep is
screaming. Hold 60 seconds
Back: With a fairly narrow grip grab a chinning bar and hold yourself in the lower
position. Relax arms and lats until you get a full stretch. Hold for 60 seconds.
Hams: Put your foot up on a barbell in a rack at about waist high and lean forward until
your hams stretch. You may also sit on the foor and with the leg to be stretched out in
front of your body and the other bent behind you,, lean forward until a full stretch is
achieved. Hold 60 seconds.
Quads: facing a barbell in a power rack about hip high --grip it and simultaneously sink
down and throw your knees under the barbell and do a sissy squat underneath it while
going up on your toes. then straighten your arms and lean as far back as you can. Hold 60
seconds.
Calves: Lower the weight on the carriage on the leg press using the ball of your feet until
a full stretch is achieved. Hold for 60 seconds. You can do the same on a standing calf
machine also
Iron Addict

Keto Diets for mass

This question comes up from time to time, and most people automatically associate keto
diets with cutting. But......keto diets can be used efectively for mass gains IF they are
executed properly. Are they optimal? Not for the average trainee, but for the very carb
intolerant trainees they can work very well.
Iron Addict

Belly Breathers and High Rep Squats

There are two types of breathers. Belly breathers that breath intto their abdomen, and
chest breathers that breath into their chest. Chest breathers are by far the most prevalent
and belly breathers are supposedly uncommon, although I think the numbers are higher
then realized.
I am a belly breather--always have been, never tried to make it happen. From a health
standpoint it is supposed to be extremely benefcial. From a high rep squat standpoint--it
is hell. When I used to do high rep squats exclusively I kind of taught myself how to chest
breath while squatting. let me tell you, it isn't like riding a bike, you (I anyway) forget
how.
When I realized I hit a wall on deads and wasn't going to rack pull 590 x 10 as planned I
decided to do high rep safety bar squats of a box. My goal was 315 x 30. I kept my belt one
notch looser so I could breath better. Not wearing a belt is not an option for me as I have
herniated disks, and a herniated belly button--both sides fucked.
I did continuous reps until 20 taking LITTLE TINY breaths, at 20 I stopped and tried
to rest pause, I forgot how to chest breath so I was breathing into the belt which got me
very, very little oxygen when I needed a LOT. After about 20 seconds of this foolishness I
buckled down and did 5 more reps, my legs were not done, but the oxygen debt was
sufocating. I missed putting the bar in the saddles and almost had a BIG accident
because I was so out of breath.
I racked it, hit the stop watch and waited 90 seconds and banged out 15 reps and missed
the saddles again.
Moral of story, if you are doing high rep squats and are a belly breather and can get by
without the belt, don't use it. If you need it, don't be afraid to rack the weight, get some
oxygen debt settled and go on. The key is stimulating growth, not BB orthodoxy.
Iron Addict

Conditioning level, running and lifting.

This is a response to another post that I thought was important enough to include here.
I want all my lifters to have a solid conditioning level. Let me frst defne what I mean by
that. The goal is to have a level of cardio vascular and muscular conditioning that allows
relatively high intensity work to be done for a reasonable amount of time. We are not
looking to be marathon athletes, but to have at least a solid level of high intensity work
capacity. If I took an average BB'er or just average non-training person and asked them
to pull the sled for 20 minutes with base weight for their size, or run a mile at a good clip,
or get on the eliptical, or stairmaster and do 20 minutes or so it would about 911 their ass.
They have no conditioning base. So I want someone to work up to being able to do that
amount of work 2-3 times a week and NEVER HAVE IT INTERFERE with the
weights they use and then KNOW that it will help their training and allow them to use
more workload in the gym and recover better than if they were not doing it, while
providing very tangible health benefts.
To get there, I prefer the pulling sled. Knowing many simply wont use the sled, I have
those people us the eliptical. I very often have people tell me they want to just run instead.
Because it is conveinent, doesn't require equipment, and in some cases the trainee just
likes to run. I then tell them what my experience has been working with countless lifters
over the years with running has been. And that simply put is that it makes a very large
percentage of them too catabolic to make good gains. If they still want to run, I tell them
go ahead. Know what happens? Most of them stop making progress in the gym Whereas
the guys that pull the sled or do the eliptical keep making progress. SOME do just fne
running as long as it is kept to 20 minutes or so 2-3 times a week. But I would never setup
a lifter to run intentionally that I wanted optimal mass gains from.
Iron Addict

10 x 10
I have my own version of 10 x 10 that brings surprising results (not saying Poliquins or
SB's version would do worse or better) for a LOT of lifters. If you work with me in the
long term you will do a 10 x 10 with me--even if you are a hardgainer. The biggest reason it
works is it is such a total change in the trainees workload, and--they are fnally doing
volume work without going to failure--or close to it like the majority of guys do that
attempt volume and fail.
I have guys I think will do OK on a 10 x 10 do AWESOME all the time and outdo both
our expectations. BTW, for those that don't know this is a short term training style. 3-6
weeks at a time usually, and not going back to it for at least 12-16 weeks unless you are
doing a 10 x 5 or other advanced GVT.
Iron Addict

Calculating Band Unload Weight

It's pretty damn hard to calculate band tension. There are charts that give approximates,
but it varies a lot by how the band in anchored and it's placement on the bar, such as next
to the collars or outside the plates (outside USUALLY adds tension.
However for most band lifts that are done with the bands unloading, checking weight is
as simple as putting the bands on the bar where they will be situated for the lift, and
slowly adding plates at the bottom portion of the lift until the bar just hangs with almost
zero weight (you should be able to raise the bar with 2 fngers) and then slowly taking
plates of until the bar is hanging in the upper position (at times there may be ZERO
tension at top done purposely) in which case the weight is the bar weight ultimately used.
Iron Addict

The Neglected "Big Lift"

One of the most overlooked "big lifts" in body-building is the "good-morning". It's safe to
say that many of the people reading this will have not even heard of it, let alone have done
it. For as neglected as it is in bodybuilding, it gets it turn in powerlifting, where some of
the best, including Westside Barbell, use a variation of it in 70% of their workouts--and
their workouts, and lifts change CONSTANTLY, yet the for all the change, GM's are a
mainstay.
The simplest version is the arched back version with a regular barbell. You shoulder it
like you were going to squat, and then lean forward at the hips. It works your backside
like few other things do, and many powerlifters do them INSTEAD of deadlifts. And I
am talking about Elite level guys squatting and doing deads with 600-1000 lbs. They save
the deads for the meet.
If anyone is going after absolute strength,, and not a mix of size, strength like most BB's
want. You can bet I will have them doing GM's. The drawback with them for
bodybuilders is they do not hit the lats, mid-back, and rear-delt's, traps as hard as deadlift
variations. So to get the most work in with the least amount of sets, a deadlift variation is
best for those with limited recovery ability (most people). But it really pays to spend some
time doing pure power-lifting type training to boost your strength base, and GoodMorning cant be beat for doing just that. They are probably THE best single lift to boost
your squat and deadlift poundages.
Iron Addict

Set Point Theory

As far as I am concerned, there is no "theory" to it. It is a cold hard fact and I don't know
of any prominent strength coaches that haven't seen and believe in it. It is as simple as
this:
Keep your body at a constant weight for at LEAST 6 months to 2-3 years and it will want
to maintain that homeostasis. You will literally have to force a reduction in bodyweight or
an increase as the body "knows" it is supposed to be at that weight. I just realized it again
when after my bike wreak I went rapidly down to 213 from 225-230 and gained a bunch of
fat while doing so. After a couple of weeks of not only not training--but eating like a
normal human for a few weeks=3 square meals a day including plenty of junk food, my
bodyfat has went down considerably and without lifting a thing muscle mass went up.
Stepping on the scale today right after my workout I was straight on 225. And I have been
225-230 for about 3 years now and even radical dieting just drops fat and I stay at 225-230
and just get leaner--albeit with a lot of diet and cardio work. If I quit lifting I lose some
muscle mass and gain some fat--but am right on 225-230. When I spent years at 250, it
literally took a couple of years to get to 225, and that was without trying--just a result of
injuries and not training for a LONG time.
Once at set-point--you truly must force the demand for either more size or less fat. And
that means doing everything right-doing it consistently--and in the long term quite often
using a radical approach with diet and training.
Iron Addict

Can't do bodyweight dips yet?

Run a jumpstretch band (a light or average) over the dip bars, put your feet in and dip
away. Unlike a gravatron or even a bench assisted dip the resistance curve matches your
bodies. Where you are weak the band is strong. Where you are strong the band is weak.
PERFECT!
Iron Addict

20-50 Rep Leg Presses

I have already stated that when I was much younger, I built the majority of my leg mass
doing 20 rep squats. Quads for many trainees respond very well to high reps. Well after
losing a LOT of leg size over the last year and a half due to injuries I am again able to
squat with a safety squat bar, do partials in the rack, rack pulls, and leg presses.
The last two weeks I have done 30, and 50 rep leg presses. Looking in the mirror today I
am astounded at how much diferent my quads look--night and day diference. I would
call it nutrient loading except I am on a 1K a day under maintenance pure keto diet. Some
visual diference is also likely from bodyfat losses. And yes, I am totally aware that it is
nothing more than muscle memory and I am still nowhere near where I used to be quad
size wise, but thought I would make a post telling you that some of you may do very well
on high rep squats and leg presses. And BTW, these were rest-paused.
Iron Addict

Treadmills
How many of you still haven't fgured out that on a treadmill you are just following a
MOVING track. Not saying you do not work doing so, but it is not like working against
resistance by any means.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Why Squat or Deadlift frst?

In most of the routines I write I have the trainee squatting or deadlifting last in the days
workout. This very often prompts new training clients to ask why they are squatting frst,
when they have been taught that they should always do the hardest lifts frst when they
have the most energy. Well the answer is pretty simple--unless you are simply unable to
generate a lot of intensity or are purposely training with very sub-maximal weights, you
will not have much CNS left after heavy squatting or deadlifting. All subsequent lifts will
be done very sub-par for anyone that is squatting or deadlifting heavy unless you have
freak-show CNS and metabolic recovery.
I have written routines both ways and most people tasked with squatting or deadliftng
frst either outright claimed they were too beat-up to do anything else well, or their
numbers showed the defcit. Despite dogma to the contrary, most lifters will do best
doing these incredibly demanding movements last in their routine.
If you KNOW this does not apply to youignore. For some people it wakes up the
CNS, for others, it just crushes it.
Iron Addict

Admit it's broken

I get new training clients, and non-clients that email or PM me constantly defending their
method of training that they ADMIT are not getting them any results. But.....they read
about how it's the "best" way to train. Or in LOTS of cases, it's how they "like" to train. I
get new clients all the time that bitch and moan when I put them in the gym only 3 days a
week. Never mind they can't bench 200 or squat 250, but they "like" to train 6 days a
week. I just got an email from a kid that is convinced training to absolute failure is the
only way to train because he saw some guy go from 135 to 200 training to failure. Never
mind he has been training to failure for over a year with NO results.
All methods work for SOMEONE. If they don't work for YOU they are pretty useless
don't you think?
Iron Addict

Dehydration
Many of you are constantly dehydrated. It is often hard trying to ft in all the food
required to grow and drink enough fuid at the same time, and for many of you, the bigger
you get the worse it gets. At high bodyweight you not only have a much higher food
requirment, but a much higher H2O requirement also. Large quantities of water do not
go well with large meals if you want to digest optimally.
One way to help combat this is to start your day by hydrating yourself. Every morning as
soon as I wake up I drink either a quart of water, or usually a quart of decaf green tea. 15
minutes later I have my frst meal. This goes a long way towards helping hydration. Also,
once the last meal has gone down, drink some fiuds 10-15 minutes before your meal, then
the minimal anount with your meal you need to stay hydrated. Consuming large
quantities of fuids with high protein meals is BAD for digestion.
Iron Addict

Giving the client what they want

Sometimes it is the trainees best interest to give them what they want, not unnecessarily
what they need. As time goes by and I work with more and more lifters I am less inclined
to tell them to just suck it up and see the long term picture (even though that is exactly
what they need to do.
Here is a good example. I have a training client who is well......not very big or strong. We
were getting him strong at a decent pace but he kept telling me he just wanted to be
bigger. When I explained to him that at his stage of the game he just needed to get a lot
stronger, he counter pointed he didn't want to be that big. If he could just add 10 or 15 lbs
and get his arms bigger he would be happy.
So........I put him on a 3 day a week volume routine with arm specialization. In about 12
weeks he added 3/4 of an inch to his arms and then of course wanted more volume. I
wrote him another volume routine-then explained to him this was the last one for awhile,
because while he was getting bigger, he was getting stronger at a very SLOW pace, and
we were at the limit of how much volume I know he can handle. THAT is the problem
with volume. Unless you are getting stronger, you can only ad so many sets, or so many
hypertrophy techniques (compound sets/strip sets/fast paced sets, etc) to achieve more
size. At some point if you are not getting stronger, you are in for a long ride at the some
body level.
Iron Addict

If you want big arms

If you want big arms---SQUAT! Want your chest to grow? SQUAT! Shoulders??
SQUAT! If you don't understand the relationship, and how squatting (or deadlifting)
could possibly make your arms grow, one day you will. Or you may never learn, and your
arms, and upper body may never reach their potential. The bulk of my arm work (and
MANY) of those I train is actually done when doing chest or back. Then one or at most
two diferent direct arm exercises are done to fnish the job. I have never seen a guy that
does full range dips with 100+ LBS strapped to his waist, or close grip benching 300+
lbs with little triceps. Nor have I witnessed the guys that does pull-ups with 50-100
around their waist, and rows with 250-350 lbs with small biceps. Do that frst and all you
need are a few good sets of some type of curl, and a few sets of skull crushers, or pushdowns to fnish the job. The big compound lifts are where it's at.
I have a trainee that does dips with sets of ten SLOW reps with 200 lbs strapped to his
belt. He stops everyone walking near him in their tracks when doing this, and sometimes
when he's just standing there. After the dips (which are done as a chest movement
primarily) he does a few sets of skull crushers, or some other isolation lift (we change it
up) and that is it.
Yes, many people will get better results doing lots more moves, for lots more sets. No,
they are NOT the majority of the people. Most people don't need, nor can tolerate as
many sets as you are doing.
But, in the end, all that matters is what works.
Iron Addict

You can't do it all at once!

Here is something I hear pretty commonly from new training clients. It goes along the
lines of:
I want to run 3-5 days a week for 3-7 miles--I like to run.
I also want to do MMA (you can substitute basketball, baseball, soccer, mountain biking,
whatever) 3-5 times a week.
I want to get as big and strong as possible as fast as possible.
DAMN, you can't do that all at once--as simple as that. I never try and persuade someone
to give up their sports. Lots of lifters use the weights to help their sport performance.
And I do encourage all my clients do to both low intensity and high intensity (usually
HIIT) cardio. But running 5 miles 3 times a week is a diferent thing altogether.
You need to fgure out what you want most and make that your primary focus and other
interests secondary. If a guy wants to do MMA 5 days a week he simply isn't going to be
as massive as possible as if he just weight trained and did a reasonable amount of cardio.
If a guy wants to run 5-7 miles 3-5 days a week he is likely going to fnd a very rough road
ahead if he is trying to accrue muscle mass at a fast pace--running and mass accrual are
NOT complimentary.
In other words, fgure out what is most important to you and work on that with the
understanding that your other interests and goals will be secondary. You can do MMA
multiple days a week and gain size and strength. You will not however gain at anything
near an optimal pace if your fght training is vigorous. If you want high endurance, by all
means go for it with the understanding that you will be compromising your ability to gain
size and strength at a fast pace. If you want to gain muscle at a fast pace 5 or so low
intensity cardio days and 2-3 20 minute HIIT sessions is about the max for most lifters
tolerate well in my experience.
You can gain muscle well at 10-12% bodyfat--you cannot in most cases do so at 6-8%
While you certainly can try and do it all at once, you will soon fnd that everything sufers
with this approach.
Iron Addict

Why many of you gain so slowly

I am very often frustrated trying to inform people that their goals are not realistic and
compatible. What goals am I talking about? The guys that are 10% bodyfat and want to
build muscle and get a LOT leaner. From experience with countless lifters, the average
guy, with average genetics can build muscle at a good pace at 10-14% bodyfat. The
average lifter does poorly at adding muscle at an appreciable rate when at 6-8%--but that
is exactly what soooo many guys want to/are attempting to do.
I get a constant infux of guys that are truly about 10% bodyfat and they see themselves as
fat because they don't have rippling abs. Most of these guys won't have abs at 6% either
because despite what MYTHS you may have heard that EVERYBODY has abs under
the fat--it is simply not the case that everyone has DEVELOPED abs that will show well
even at very low bodyfat percentages.
Most of these guys do not have any appreciable muscle or strength, yet they have an
illusion of being able to muscle up fast while staying at 8% year round--this will simply
NOT happen for most guys. If you are not willing to spend some time at 10-14% (10-12
really for most guys) you are going to fnd some very slow going. Do you really want to
work a year to gain 3-4 lbs of muscle when you could have gained 10-15 (or more for
beginners) by allowing yourself to be a little smoother?
Iron Addict

Filling out the body with muscle

It is "generally" easier for a shorter guy to fll out the muscle bellies than a tall lanky guy.
Want some extreme examples? Here is the 2008 Olympia line-up. These stats are preOlympia and do not necessarily compare to where everyone came in.
Melvin Anthony 5'8 240
Gustavo Badell 5'8 245
Jay Cutler 5'9 267
Moe Moussawl 5'9 235
Kevin English 5'5 202
Toney Freeman 6'2 286
Phil Heath 5'9 230
David Henry 5'5 207
Dexter Jackson 5'7 230
Johnny Jackson 5'8 240
Craig Richardson 5'7 215
Ronnie Rockel 5'6 225
Silvio Samuel 5'7 220
Sergey Shelestov 5'11 270
Branch Warren 5'7 245
Dennis Wolf 5'11 267
See all the six foot plus guys in there? Oh yeah exactly one. See a lineup of guys mostly 5'55'10? Yup.
Iron Addict

Common Sense Bodybuilding

Anyone that has read about my training history knows that I started lifting when I was 13.
Of course I was lifting the way most 13 year olds do, all out for a week, of for 2 months. At
18 after boot camp I started getting serious. To make a long story short I trained of and
on without any signifcant results to show from it until I was 30. At age 30 after all those
years of training I fnally got my newbie gains and went from 6'1 185 to 235 in a very short
time--drug free. Yes, I gained a good amount of fat, but a good amount of muscle too. I
started squatting 20 reps for 155 and made it to 20 x 315 in less than 2 years.
OK, enough background. What point am I trying to make? The point is even though I
did all the stupid routines from the BB'ing magazines and never ate enough, two points
were always TOTALLY OBVIOUS to me. These are points that a LOT of the young
lifters today seem to totally somehow miss. The saying that common sense isn't really
common is very true. The two points?
1. The entire point of lifting weights was to get strong at lifting them. it didn't take a
rocket scientist to fgure out that the guys that were benching 300+ lbs were always a lot
bigger and had WAY better physiques than the guys that benched 135. It was always frst
and foremost in my mind that the goal was to lift heavier and heavier poundage's. Despite
the fact I did not know how to accomplish this, it was never in question. These days
LOTS of the young guys totally gloss over this point and make some dumb-ass reference
to lifting like "bodybuilders" because they just want to be huge, and they don't care about
strength.
2. If I was not gaining "some weight" be it muscle or fat, I was not eating enough. There
was NEVER a question about this in my mind. Despite the fact I lacked the discipline to
do so on a long term basis, the need to do so was never lost on me. Forums are littered
with posts by skinny guys that bitch all day about not being able to gain and can't seem to
get their head around the fact that they are simply not eating enough. When asked they all
say they eat like horses--horse shit they do.
If you can't grasp these most basic of concepts please take up bowling.
Iron Addict

What got you fat

Most of you that got, or get fat while bodybuilding/PL'ing dieting do so simply because
you let your ego get the best of you and NEED to see the scale going up at a fast pace
when massing. This tells you (you think anyway) that you have everything your body
needs for massive muscle gain. And you know.......you really know that THIS TIME,
with THIS ROUTINE, or with THIS SUPPLEMENT it is going to be somehow
diferent than the last time when you mostly got fat. Well the reality is that it likely won't
be.
You get fat because you eat way to many carbs or carbs and fats together. Protein is NOT
making most of you fat, but it certainly is helping if you are taking in way more than you
need AND carbs and fats are high. Fat and protein is much less likely to go to fat stores if
eaten together and carbs are very low--this is seldom done. What is done is either super
high carbs, or high carbs/fats/proteins together in an attempt to grow muscle "super fast".
Well the reality is most people do not build muscle "super fast", but almost all of us have
the ability to store bodyfat "super fast".
If you are once again using you last "mass" protocol that got you fat last time you used it,
you might rethink your approach. Once protein needs are covered, EFA needs are
covered, and you have enough excess energy cals from carbs or fats, or both, most of you
will fnd you are doing everything you need to be doing from a dietary standpoint to
ensure maximal mass gains. Eat a diet that see's you S-L-O-W-L-Y adding extra fat to
ensure you are covered from a caloric standpoint and you will be growing as fast as your
body will grow.
If it got you fat last time, it will get you fat this time.
Iron Addict

Cortisol Snippet
Almost everyone knows cortisol breaks down muscle tissue, not everyone realized what it
does to fat metabolism
Whenever we are under stress, our bodies release its primary stress hormone - known as
cortisol. In the body, cortisol is a potent signal to do two things - increase appetite and
store fat. This means that whenever we're under stress, the increased cortisol in our body
tells our brain that we're hungry, while at the same time telling our fat cells to store as
much fat as they can (and then hold on to it as tightly as possible).

Mass Increases
As a trainer here is an example of something I hear quite often by new trainees a few
weeks into their new programs. OK, I gained 20 lbs on my bench press, how come my
chest isnt bigger yet?
Well the answer has a few parts to it. The frst one is that most initial gains on a new
move or new loading pattern of an old move are mostly neural adaptations.
The second part of the answer is that after going up in weight, you must do workouts for
a period of time with the higher weight before your body builds more muscle to
accommodate for the additional weight.
The third part is that for many trainees, a good amount of weight to the bar has to be
added before more muscle is accrued, and a sub-category of the third part is that MANY
trainees simply do not add mass on a linear scale, by that I mean as the amount of weight
lifted continues to climb, mass does NOT accumulate in a straight-line fashion. MANY
people grow in spurts and the weights will climb and climb, and the trainee keeps looking
in the mirror wondering WTF? And BAM, over a short period of time, he will add a lot
of mass. Thats just the nature of how things work for a good percentage of the trainees
out there. So dont despair if you just added 15 lbs to your bent rows and your back isnt
any bigger, or 30 to your squat and your legs arent the size of tree trunks. As long as diet
is there to back up the training the growth WILL occur. Just keep your focus on adding
weight to the bar and you will succeed!
Iron Addict

Training Variables
Everyone wants a cookie cutter routine while not understanding that everything that
factors in to a proper setup needs to take everything into context. Here are just a few
quick of the top of my head GENERAL guidelines:
Beginners can usually train at higher levels of PERCEIVED intensity for longer periods
of times than can intermediates or advanced guys.
The more volume the lower the intensity must be.
The more frequency, the lower the intensity must be (sheiko's are good examples).
If volume is low enough intensity can be high for reasonable lengths of time (DC is a
good example).
While you can train to failure it should be a small % of your lifting or volume must be very
low.
EVERYONE once past the BRANDNEWBIE stage must deload/cruise, periodize, or
take time of. Most will not do this.
Routines that use lots of sub-maximal workload take disciplined lifters. Not 3 in ten lifters
will do workload at 70-85% of their rep maxes if tasked to because.......well.......because
they read bodybuilding magazines. If you can't or won't do that you need to delaod
frequently--most won't do that either.
Lots of guys would be ahead of the game if they took more days of but won't and they
burn out and blame everything but their stubbornness.
Iron Addict

An often made training mistake

Many lifters do programs that use back to back training days. IMO this is a mistake for
MOST lifters and aside from Olympic lifters, most of the programs with the highest
success rates have a day of between sessions, or only one session done back to back.
Having said that many lifters will still structure their routines with back to back days out
of desire or need.
One of the ways to make this work as well as possible is to ensure there are no lower body
days followed by upper body days. Trying to get a good chest workout the day after doing
heavy legs is a recipe for failure as an example. Why? CNS will usually be dampened from
the heavy leg work. So if you must do back to backs, do the light stuf followed by the
heavy leg/back work. A chest/arm day will not impact a leg workout much the following
day, but doing legs and then looking to recruit muscles optimally the next day is making
things way more difcult than need be.
Iron Addict

Recommendations for Bicep Freaks

For you bicep freaks out there, here are my recommendations.
1. The best bicep work is your heavy back work. What do you assume is going to provide
more overload, 315 lb bent rows, and heavy weighted chin-ups, or 115 lb curls?
2. After your back work is the time to do biceps. People try to do biceps after back and
after they fnd out they cant move much weight then, instead of coming to the conclusion
that their biceps are already worked and just need to be fnished, they usually move them
to a completely diferent day. That means a couple days later, BEFORE they are
recovered, they are hammered again. Now I am not saying this method does not work
well for some. Because it does. But if you are having problems getting them to grow, its
likely because of overuse, not under use.
3. In order to maximize work done, its best to use lifts that hit both heads of the bicep at
once. Lifts that do this are standing dumbell curl with supination, incline seated dumbell
curl with supination. Incline seated dumbell curl with palms up. The moves that hit
EVERYTHING HARD including the brachialis are standing barbell curls and hammer
curls. Hammer curls do not hit the inner head of the bi extremely hard, but they are well
activated and more importantly the brachialis is pounded. In case you are not aware the
brachialis is the muscle underneath the bicep and it is a large muscle that accounts for a
large portion of upper arm size. People that dont target their bracialis are usually those
with a big frown on their face when they stretch a tape around their arms.
4. OK, what is a good are program to do assuming you have already pounded them with
upper back work? Well you can really get it done with just 1-2 sets each of barbell curls
and hammer curls. I have known countless guys with 18-20 inch arms over the years that
have done something as complicated as that. Now doing the same thing week in week
out will soon lead to stagnation. You can either run both lifts until they stop working, and
then rotate them, or rotate them with another lift or two at predefned periods of 3-6
weeks or so. I like the latter method. DCs method of picking three and rotating them
every week doing one set rest-pause fashion is also a great way to get the job done.
5. If you have less then great recovery just doing one or two sets of bicep isolation work
after your back work will work just fne.
Yes, this is a far cry from what you see in the glossy magazines showing the routines of the
pros. And its also a far cry from what you see all the 13-16 inch armed wonders doing in

the gym with their incessant sets of curls, but it is a solid way to train bis that will give the
average trainee all the arm size they are likely to be able to build.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

Why leg curls SUCK!

Leg Curls and extensions are crap movements that will have little carryover to real world
activities. Not sure why anyone thinks a leg curl does anything next to a stif-leg deadlift, a
good-morning, a glute/ham raise, or even a pull-through. Here is what happens when you
do a leg curl:
There are SEVEN separate distinct muscles that make up the hamstring complex.
Granted, technically the largest mass ones are adductors, but when someone says
hamstrings, you think back of the leg. Leg curls work 3 or 4 of the SMALLEST
muscles in the hams. It may "feel" like you are doing a lot of work, and you may indeed be,
but you are doing a lot of work for the LITTLE muscles. A stif leg deadlift or goodmorning works 5 of the BIGGEST muscles in the hams. What do you want? Big strong
hams, or little weak ones?
Iron Addict

Pausing Reps for Bench Pressing

Talk to 10 lifters and ask them where their sticking point for bench presses is and in 7-8
out of 10 cases they will tell you in the bottom. Ask these same guys what they are doing to
correct it and they will just tell you they bench press and do incline preses and then some
fys or cable crossovers. DUH! No wonder they are forever stuck. You will never be any
stronger than your weakest areas, so to get stronger, its key to work on weak points.
While there are MANY, MANY ways to address a weakness in the bottom position of
the bench press, this piece will be about a simple to use method that works WONDERS
for a large percent of the guys and girls that implement it--pausing lifts.
All paused lifts amount to is bringing the bar down to your chest, or to your sticking point
if using boards or the power-rack pins to regulate range of motion, and pausing for at
least a full second which is long enough to eliminate most of the stretch refex. If you use
the power-rack or boards, you can ALMOST relax the pressing muscles to further
eliminate the stretch-refex. Eliminating the stretch refex will reduce (in many cases
drastically) the amount of weight you can use. That is fne, as the results will pay for
themselves when you go back to regular benching and fnd the bar moves much more
explosively in the bottom position after a period of paused rep benching.
Pauses can also be done when doing your dumbbell benching, close grips, and even much
of your tricep and shoulder pressing movements. Another key to making this work well
for you is to be very explosive on the positive portion of the lift, and of course, to control
the negative portion with care.
I often put my trainees with bottom benching weaknesses on all benching and bench
assistance work paused and within 8-10 weeks or so their sticking point has not only
moved way up, but their bench poundages have moved way up too!
Iron Addict

Something so simple, but you lose

I don't know a single good or elite strength coach outside a few in powerlifting that
advocate eating anything that isn't bolted down that do not recommend greens in your
diet. IF YOUR BLOOD IS ACIDIC MUSCLE GROWTH IS COMPROMISED
AND A WIDE VARIETY OF HEALTH ISSUES OCCUR. This is remedied by
something as simple as eating your green veggies and other alkalizing foods. I look at
diets from new trainees that are "before" diets. In other words what the trainee is eating
before we start working together. It is totally common to see not a single alkaline food in
the trainees diet. Yes, SOME people's metabolism will balance blood PH even without
alkaline foods. Do you know if you are that lucky. Lots of you bitch about how slowly you
grow and miss things as simple as this constantly. There is study after study that shows
acidic blood slows muscle growth. Strength coaches see it and recognize it, but all you
wanna be bigger guys continue to ignore it.
If you don't grow well you need all the help you can get. I was talking with a new client
the other day and when I told him he needed to eat greens he told me it wasn't going to
happen. When I asked why he stated in a matter of fact voice that he didn't like them. He
also was complaining about not growing well and being way overweight and his diet
proved why this was occurring beyond any shadow of a doubt.
Iron Addict

Low testosterone levels

The posts on this topic is TOTALLY out of control. Some guy posts that he has low test
levels and now every swinging dick has a phobia that he has low test levels and that is why
he can't get big and strong. One of the Admins on Redpoint Fitness (Molly) is a very lean
girl and deadlifts 315 for reps. How much test do you think she has?
QUIT OBSESSING OVER ALL THE WHAT IF'S AND GET YOUR DAMN
DIET AND TRAINING CORRECT AND KEEP IT THERE FOR A COUPLE
OF YEARS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. MOST OF YOU THINK IN 2-3
MONTHS YOU ARE GOING TO BE FRICKIN HUGE AND WHEN IT
DOESN'T HAPPEN YOU ARE SURE EVERYTHING IS TO BLAME
EXCEPT FOR YOUR CRAP DIET AND ROUTINES.
If you absolutely must, get it checked, but quit obsessing about how it MIGHT be
efecting your training.
Iron Addict

Do the damn thing

I am going to make a new routine. Called the "you know what you want to do, do the
damn thing". It is going to be for the "special people" that need someone to give them a
routine because they don't yet know what to do yet, but will leave everything wide open
so they can just put whatever the hell they want for all the days, lifts, sets, reps, and then
perhaps, just perhaps, they will quit asking if they can change everything. And if they do,
we can just say sure dude, that is written right into it. This should be extremely popular
with the OCD, ADD guys.
Iron Addict

Do the damn routine

We have tons of very solid routines posted here. Seems every time we get new members
the frst thing out of their keyboards are something like "looks great, but can I do powercleans instead of deadlifts" or can I substitute lift B for lift A.
The answer is you can do whatever you want, quit f'ing asking, but if you change up key
aspects of a routine that is designed for a purpose and has key lifts in place for a reason
YOU ARE NOT DOING THE DAMN ROUTINE ANYMORE, YOU ARE
DOING YOUR BASTARDIZED VERSION OF IT.
DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, QUIT ASKING IF YOU CAN CHANGE
EVERYTHING, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER YOU LIKELY DON'T
NEED ANYONE TO PROVIDE A ROUTINE IN THE FIRST PLACE. BY
ALL MEANS DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUT BY ALL MEANS QUIT ASKING
IF YOU CAN CHANGE THINGS--IT IS GETTING VERY, VERY OLD.
I am not stating that no lift substitutions can or should be done. Doing something like
subbing incline bench for bench press, a cable row for a barbell row, or a dumbbell curl
for a barbell curl can be fne, but if you do not have the training knowledge or common
sense to fgure this out yourself, you should just be doing the routine as written.
Iron Addict

All Initial Gains

ALL INITIAL GAINS ARE NEURAL. You, and all lifters need to understand that
that. People add 25 lbs to their bench, look at their pecs and say, but how come they aren't
any bigger? The answer is why would they be when all that happened was the
brain/neural pathway/motor units improved their ability to send a strong signal to fre.
Recruitment pattern gains frst, then only after a certain amount of threshold weight has
been achieved does the body adapt with new muscle mass. Strength vs size gains are
rarely linear.
Iron Addict

If you are a bodybuilder

If your primary interest is in bodybuilding it doesn't matter if you NEVER do another
single squat without a box. The paradox is that powerlifters are the ones most likely to
use a box, but as a bodybuilder, you can use a box to just set depth and ensure better
form, or as a traditional paused box squat. Powerlifters MUST free squat at times to get
in the groove of squatting, although it is rumored Louis only has his guys free squat at
meets, they still free squat in their equipment.
You can use a box for everything from ass to grass to above parallel and form is almost
always better and depth is never a guess. It is a superior way to squat IMO.
Iron Addict

Bench Vs Squat/Deadlift
I am not sure why this is such a commonly made mistake and it would seem like common
sense, but it surely is not. I CONSTANTLY have training clients and see posts by
people complaining that their bench press does not go up at the same rate as their squats
and deadlifts. Without being an asshole (OK, I will) NO SHIT!!
When you deadlift 85%+ of your musculature is being used. When you squat 75%+, when
you bench, maybe 20%. Using that much more muscle gives that much more potential for
strength gains and growth. I just had a client say these exact words on a routine update
form (and I get the same basic thing said EXTREMELY frequently).
My bench isnt going up as my deadlift,squat Plus I dont really like doing bench
because I never make great gains doing it.
BTW, his bench went from 335 to 350, and his deadlift went from 405 to 425.
From my perspective his deadlift gain sucked. From his, his bench press gain sucked
because it was only 15 lbs.
When I say this mentality about these lift percentages is common, I mean it is
EXTREMELY common.
What is not common is common sense......
Iron Addict

You CANNOT (rep calculators)

You cannot determine a 1 RM from a rep max. Why? Men and women posses diferent
muscle types. The more fast twitch the worse one will be with reps because they hold less
oxygen per cell. Someone that has an abundance of slow twitch fber will have more
endurance because they can't contract the muscle as intensely. In addition a novice cannot
use as much muscle fber as an advanced lifter.
Louis Simmons--things you should know
I don't and won't use calculators with clients because for every person they work for,
there is one they fail. One size fts few.
Iron Addict

I don't have boards

Whenever I write board presses into a trainees routines it immediately results in the same
phone call or email from the types that fnd reasons why everything won't work and by the
types that just seem lacking something to really make weight training work for them.
The guys that are driven never call or email, they just go make some boards and I never
hear from them, or at most they ask how to make boards.
The other types immediately either want a substitute lift, or start making excuses. People
will say almost anything to get out of going to a damn lumber yard and buying a f'ing 6
dollar 2 x 6.......
I wasn't born with a set of boards either. I went to a lumber yard and 7 bucks later had
boards and screws. They have lasted me 10 years and have no end in sight.
Iron Addict

The dirty little secret

Dirty little secret. Not everyone is built to bench. People think anyone can pull of a big
bench with enough time and efort, but due to bio-mechanics, muscle fber makeup, and
other issues that would take a lot of writing, some people will always be poor benchers
relative to other lifts. I hate to use pres-fad (Mick Manley) because I really like him, but he
is a great example. he squats almost 800 lbs and benches in the mid 200's I believe. Is it
his training? He is DIRECTLY trained by one of the most elite powerlifting coaches in
America. Is it lack of efort--HARDLY, the guy is a work horse. It is poor genetics for
benching--and some people have just that.
On the bright side, these guys usually do very well at dips, and if I get a guy that makes
horrible progress on a few bench variations that work for the rest of the world I usually
start them dipping and we get weekly progression.
Iron Addict

Tonnage
135 x 15=2025 lbs
405 x 5=2025 lbs
Think about it a moment........
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

What you NEED to understand

Qoute by Anglefre2007:
If you only go up 1 rep per workout on a 4-6 program, and only workout once a week:
52 / 3 = 17.3~
17 x 5 (going up 5 pounds each time you get 6 reps) = 85 lbs.
That's an 85 lb gain in a year on shoulder press, which is just crazy. The little things add
up fast.
Iron Addict

Reverse Grip Bench Press

If you are a DC'er or read Dante's stuf you know Dante is a big fan of reverse grip bench
presses for triceps. It is an awesome movement that really pounds the tri's. But for some it
is awkward and really requires either a Smith machine, or dragging the bar against the
rack uprights to make the movement work for most people.
Here is another way to do it without a Smith, or damaging the bar/uprights. Choke a
monster mini band around the top uprights--one for each side. Get it setup either with the
pins a couple inches (or more depending on YOUR body) or without pins at a point that
makes the movement feel natural. Voila! The bands keep the bar tracking well enough
that a smith isn't required for most people and they allow a ton of overload mid-way and
at the top of the movement as the bands lose tension and the bar gets relatively heavier-HAVE FUN.
Iron Addict

If you are sick

You should not be training until you are recovered. THAT simple. Personal training
clients constantly ask me if they should be training during the acute stages of a cold or fu.
Common people, that should be common sense.
Iron Addict

Diet, training, sleep, stress

I tell people that succeeding in weight training consists of four basic things, diet, training,
sleep, stress. They hear that and most assume they all account for 25% of the equation.
Having any one of them out of whack can reduce result 80%+ easily. Best diet, good
sleep/stress, shit training, nada, best diet and training, shit sleep or stress=nada, best
training, great sleep, and stress, shit diet=nada.
THEY ARE ALL HUGE PARTS OF THE EQUATION, not small parts.
Iron Addict

Pull-Overs
I was reading a thread over on IM about a poster talking about how great pull-overs are
for tricep work. I fashed back to my 20 rep squat days when it was part of the routine to
do a set of pull-overs to "expand the rib-cage" by doing them IMMEDIATELY after
your 20 rep squats. I recalled that I quit doing them because my triceps would get so
damn sore it interfered with my chest day.
The light came on in my thick skull and it makes sense that they can be a great overload
movement for the triceps, kind of like rack pulls are for your traps. Think about it. Your
lats are prime movers for pull-overs and the pecs kick in also. The triceps have to statically
hold the weight in place at the start of the movement, then contract as you complete the
ROM. They primarily work the long head of the tricep. I have done them on my last two
arm days and can barely extend my arms.
Iron Addict

The ab "MYTH"
There is a total "myth" in most bodybuilding circles that says if you are lean enough you
will be able to see all your abs--the magical, mythical "6-pack".
This is pure bullshit and anyone that says this is clueless about anatomy and simply hasn't
seen that many lean physiques. I often get new training clients that are truly 8% or so, have
almost no muscle mass, and have been chasing their tails forever trying to get "the 6pack".
To have a 6 pack you need three things:
1, Low enough bodyfat for them to show. That according to dogma is all that is needed.
2. Well developed abs. Many people simply work them so improperly they never develop.
3, Anatomically structured abs that have genetically shaped "ridges" between each section
of the abdominals.
Take a CLOSE look at this picture of Steve Reeves as a classic example. While he was
never totally "shredded" he was certainly lean enough to have a 6 pack if he were built that
way--or PERHAPS, trained abs diferently. But they are not there.
I feel sorry for the walking bags of bones I see all the time and frequently train that come
to me trying to fnd the abs they haven't built yet, or can't posses because of genetic shape.
Iron Addict

Wear The Belt!!!!

I will assume responsibility for not emphasizing enough to my trainees to WEAR A
BELT when doing low rep work. My fault for making the assumption that everyone
knows a belt is needed when doing heavy 5's, 3's, and singles. Yes, you will get some guys
that will state that not wearing a belt helps build your core. THAT IS WHAT CORE
WORK IS FOR! When you are doing heavy low rep work you need the intra-abdominal
stability the belt provides. You will be MUCH less likely to get injured, and in the BIG
lifts for 95 % of trainees, more weight will be used. Often MUCH more.
Every sports doctor, physiologist, and sports research expert like Sif, Zatsiorsky, etc, will
state that the belt is a beneft when using high loads. Go to a powerlifting meet and see
how many guys are taking a max without a belt on.
WEAR THE BELT!!!
Iron Addict

One of the biggest mistakes

One of the biggest mistakes most trainees, and even most trainees of mine make are
taking to many sets at too high of intensity levels. A LOT of you do basically all your sets
almost as hard as they can be done, and unless you are doing something like DC, this is a
HUGE mistake and usually ends in failure.
I just had a client that used a routine with the percents laid out--he did phenomenal. I put
him on a routine with the same level and tasked him to keep the intensity regulated--he
could/would not. He got crushed. I lowered the volume and he still took too many sets
too hard. So.........I gave him percentages.
I have to do this too often............
Iron Addict

CNS Warm-Up
I have written about this many times before, but it is worth repeating. It is very common
for lifters to put their most important (to them) lift frst in their routine. They then often o
on to fnd that all their lifts progress well except for that frst and most important lift. This
USUALLY occurs on upper body day. Why? The reason is the CNS is not warmed up.
The very nature of lower body lifts like squats, deads, good-mornings, and to a lesser
degree leg presses TENDS to adequately warm up the CNS is a proper warm-up
protocol is done. Since so many more motor units are fring doing the big low body lifts,
CNS tends to get hot enough to do well. Do something like a bench press or military
press or chin as movement number one and you may not be ready to send a strong signal
to your muscles to fre.
What to do? Some good options are a few passes with the sled. Doing some heavy ab
work (if that wont interfere with the lift you are going to do) some heavy calf work, or
anything that you can get in some workload and warm-up the CNS without impacting
the main lift. Even a brisk walk on the treadmill or Stairmaster for 5-10 minutes helps a lot
for many people. You will never lift maximally if your CNS is not hot and primed.
Iron Addict

Military Presses
Here is a question asked about military presses today by a reader
IA, on the 3 day split, all you have listed for Delts is Lateral Raises. In your professional
opinion, you don't believe an Overhead Press should be added? I know you added it on
the 4 day workout though.
Thanks IA!
In my professional opinion front delts are the most overworked bodypart and the most
likely to break. I have two torn rotators to testify for this. If you just did bench press and
incline press where are you going to put your military presses? Jim Wendler has the right
idea. One of his max lifts is military presses. Most yahoos can't military press anything but
girl weights after they bench so they make a "shoulder day" then they overwork their
already pounded front delts again. I do write them in many routines. But lately when I do,
they are done frst and then a dip is done next which is not front delt dominant. Go over
to to EliteFTS and see how many of the guys are doing military presses in their routines
relative to the guys that are doing laterals or face pulls.
If you do something like DC training they ft in nicely, if you do multiple chest presses,
the front delts will be pounded before you get to MP's, then you option is to make it a key
lift on another day, or have a "shoulder day" ala volume bodybuilding routines
They are a great lift, but if you have average recovery, where they are inserted is a huge
factor of if they help or hinder your routine.
Iron Addict

Time Of
It cracks me up that if a bodybuilder takes a week of he is absolutely certain he will come
back smaller and weaker. EVERY good or elite powerlifter I know takes the week before
the meet of, some take two weeks of and that is how they come in strongest. The power
of the mind is amazing because from a physiological standpoint taking time of is what
will allow your CNS to lift the heaviest weights, which is why powerlifters take the time
of. Psychologically, BB'ers beat themselves by shear belief.
Iron Addict

On squatting to above parallel

Here was a response I made today in a training journal that may be of use to other lifters.
It was stated in response to someone wondering if they were squatting to parallel.
No, your box squats are not quite to parallel but here are my thoughts on this and while
they confict with some "purists" attitudes so be it. But they are based on results and not
just some "ideals". Many will say it is not a true squat unless it is parallel. Others will say
that is bullshit and is not a true squat unless it is ass to grass. My standpoint is unless you
are powerlifting and NEED a parallel squat, or unless you have some notion based on
your "feelings" that it need be ass to grass, it doesn't really need to be either. Close is good
enough and I would rather see a guy doing a slightly high box squat and be progressive
and injury free than squat ass to grass if he gets hurt doing so frequently (like I used to
when I held the illusion that ATG was the only way to squat). In my opinion close to
parallel and injury free and progressive beats injured or not progressive. My .02
This does not mean a 1/2 or 1/4 squat is OK like you see many people doing in gyms all
over the globe, but being a bit above parallel especially on a box squat will do what a
bodybuilder is looking to accomplish just fne thank you.
Iron Addict

My favorite back movement

OK, have to qualify this frst. My favorite back movement(s) are of course deadlifts, trap
bar deads, and even Romanian deads. These will beef your back and lats more than any
other back movements. But these are really full body movements.
My favorite non-full body back lifts are Krock rows by a long shot. NOTHING other
than a dead works so much back muscle IMO and done properly, they actually kind of
become a full body movement.
I just did 180 x 15, then rest-paused 3, then 1 rep. It has been 5 minutes and I am still
breathing like I just squatted. My arms, entire back, including spinal erectors, are
hammered. My glutes are stif and my hams are almost as pumped as doing a set of
Romanians. It is a great movement as long as you are not scared of by the momentum
and its injury potential and the pure pain of doing them.
Kudo's to Krock for making these popular. I used to do them a lot more strict. They work
way better with some heave-ho IMO.
Now I am of to six sets of squats.
Iron Addict

Training Vs Meet Maxes

Louis very clearly defnes a training max, Vs a meet max. At a meet every bit of
psychological "push" will be attempted and most lifters work themselves into a frenzy to
make a meet PR. Do this every gym session like a lot of meat-heads do, and all you get is
burned out adrenals and over-trained into the ground. They are for a meet.
Iron Addict

Potential "Bad" gym day saver

I have been using this for awhile and am now using it with some clients. If I am having a
tired dragging day and it feels like the weights are going to be heavy. Or if I feel like I'm
just too tired to train, or it is too early (my CNS is cool until mid-afternoon). I simply pull
the sled for 5-6 passes before the workout and BAM! CNS awake, no impact on lifting
other than making it a LOT better. If you are not in shape for HIIT cardio, 2-3 passes
will likely be better. But this has been a real game changer for me on "of days". I almost
always use it for warm-up on leg days now too.
Iron Addict

Military Presses and Dips

A combo I use myself and with a lot of clients is doing military presses frst, then dips. If
you military press frst, MOST people fnd their dip weights unafected. If you dip frst,
you end up pressing girl weights. Diferent people's bio-mechanics don't make this work
universally, but it works for a LOT of people.
Great way to get in two key lifts on the same day without one taking a big hit.
Iron Addict

Dips
I get questions all the time about dips. Elbows in? Elbows out? Close grip? Wide grip?
Lean forward? Stay upright as possible? Weights, bands or bodyweight? You name it.
This is EXACTLY what most lifters do to bastardize a bench press. They take a big
compound movement that hits multiple muscles and attempt to make it an isolation
movement. I tell everyone the same thing about dips. Find your strongest position. The
one where you can move the most weight, or get the most reps. Don't worry if it "feels"
like its hitting your triceps harder than your chest, or your chest harder than your triceps.
Just your best position and work on strapping 100+ lbs to your waist. When you can do
reps with 100+ bodyweight everything will be bigger.
Iron Addict

Your bodyweight and squats

Studys of bio-mechanics have determined the average person is squatting 75% of their
bodyweight when squatting. Calfs and the lowest part if the knee don't count. So if you
are a 225 lb lifter squatting 405, the actual weight moved is 574.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal
trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his career he has trained thousands of people from all walks
of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a
little, to competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty
diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent web forums have been
dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more
information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

The Log Book, USE IT!

I had a great reminder watching the video with Kroc talking about how he looked back
over his log book and found the things that worked and what did not and how he noticed
that all the times he made great progress were times he pulled little and did HEAVY DB
rows.
Made me think about where my sweet spots of training have been.
What worked best for me? WSB without upper body DE worked made me the strongest
the fastest. Also worked wonders for size. Got me to a 620 pull, 555 raw squat and 385 lb
bench on two torn rotators. But......my 47 year old body won't let me do ME or DE work
anymore.
So.......I went back over my journals for the last three years over the last couple of days,
and I remembered where the fastest progress came, but I wanted to make sure. I was
correct. Over the past three years the fastest overall progress by far was doing DC with
only a two exercise split using high(er) reps. Why not a 3 lift split like Dante uses? Part of
it is limited by what lifts my body still does without pain, and the other is......just because
it works so well for me.
I'm going back to that this week with a few tweaks and I know the lesser volume will
make my joints feel better.
I have done this in the past, went back to what was working extremely well and got great
results. You have journal--use it!
Iron Addict

SAMPLE ROUTINES
These are a few of my favorite routines for lifters at diferent levels. Each of them has proven to be efective for my clients.
Iron Addict
Wesley Silveirabetter known as Iron Addictis a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)-certifed personal trainer who has been training people for a living for over twelve years. In his
career he has trained thousands of people from all walks of life and with a wide range of goals. His clients range from Joe and Jane average, who just want to lose a few pounds and tone up a little, to competitive
bodybuilders and powerlifters with extreme muscle mass and elite-level lifts. He has moderated over twenty diferent weight training and ftness-related web forums through the years. Additionally, seven diferent
web forums have been dedicated solely to his diet and training philosophies, and hes earned worldwide Internet recognition for his expertise. For more information contact him at ironaddict@ironaddicts.com or
visit his forum at http://www.IronAddicts.com.

4/3/2
Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Monday
Chest/shoulders/tri
Bench Press 2 x 3
DB Bench 3 x 5
Tricep PD 4 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8

Tues

Wednesday

Legs/back/posterior
Ab Machine 2 x 10
Chin-up 5 x 5
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 8
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Legs/back/posterior
Ab Machine 2 x 10

Chest/shoulders/tri
Bench Press 2 x 3
DB Bench 3 x 5
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8

Chin-up 5 x 5
Box Squat 1 x 5
Deadlift 1 x 3
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Thursday

Friday
Chest/shoulders/tri
Incline DB Bench
3x5
Dip 4 x 5
Military press 4 x 8

Sunday
Legs/back/posterior
Supinated GripRow
4x6
Box Squat 2 x 5
Leg Press 1 x 15 Biceps 3
sets of 8

Chest/shoulders/tri
Incline DB Bench
3x5
Dip 4 x 5
Military press 4 x 8

Legs/back/posterior
Ab Machine 2 x 10

Chest/shoulders/tri
Bench Press 2 x 3
DB Bench 3 x 5
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 8

Chin-up 5 x 5
Box Squat 1 x 5
Deadlift 1 x 3
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Chest/shoulders/tri
Close Grip Bench Press
3x3
Incline Dumbbell Bench
4x6
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Legs/back/posterior
Bent Row 4 x 6 Biceps 3
sets of 8
Squat 2 x 6
Leg Press 1 x 10

Chest/shoulders/tri
Dumbbell Bench 3 x 5
Dip 3 x 5
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 4 x 8, or can do
laterals if triceps are
cooked

Chest/shoulders/tri
Close Grip Bench Press
3x3
Incline Dumbbell Bench
4x6
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Legs/back/posterior
Wide Grip Rack Chins 4
x8
Squat 2 x 8
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Chest/shoulders/tri
Bench 1 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 3 x 8, or can do
laterals if triceps are
cooked

Legs/back/posterior
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
12
Wide Grip Rack Chins 3
x8
Rack Dead 8 x 3
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Saturday

Chest/shoulders/tri
Close Grip Bench Press 1
x3
Incline Dumbbell Bench
2x6
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Legs/back/posterior
Ab Machine 2 x 10
Wide Grip Rack Chins 4
x8
Biceps 3 sets of 8
Rack Dead 1 x 8

Legs/back/posterior
Chest Supported Row 4
x6
Squat 2 x 3
Leg Press 1 x 10
Biceps 3 sets of 8
Heavy Abs 2 x 15

Chest/shoulders/tri
Dumbbell Bench 2 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 4 x 8, or can do
laterals if triceps are
cooked

Legs/back/posterior
Hanging Leg Raises 3
x 12

Legs/back/posterior
Chest Supported Row 4
x6
Squat 1 x 3
Leg Press 1 x 10
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Chest/shoulders/tri
Dumbbell Bench 2 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 4 x 10

Legs/back/posterior
Hanging Leg Raises 3
x 12

Legs/back/posterior
Wide Grip Rack Chins 3
x8
Deadlift 1 x 3
Bicep 3 sets

MAX TESTING
WEEK

Chest/shoulders/tri
Close Grip Bench Press 1
x3
Incline Dumbbell Bench
2x6
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Wide Grip Rack Chins 5

x8
Deadlift 2 x 3
Biceps 3 sets of 8

Chest/shoulders/tri
Close Grip Bench Press 1
x3
Incline Dumbbell Bench
2x6
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Wide Grip Rack Chins 5

x8
Deadlift 2 x 3
Biceps 3 sets of 8
Chest/shoulders/tri
Bench Press 1 x 3
Incline Bench Press 2 x 8
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Test Squat/deadlift Max

Test max bench and 5 rep

lat lift

4 day 5 x 5
Intermediate, advanced.
Week One, 5 x 5's done ramped up to ONLY 80% of your 5 RM.
Week Two, 5 x 5's ramped to ONLY 90% of your 5RM
101% in week three, and at LEAST a 10-15 lb PR in week 4.
On week 5 you repeat the numbers, and then after that, you increase the weights on the big lifts 2.5% a week. On accessory work to 1 rep short
of failure, go up whenever you can, but the focus is really on the big lifts.
Monday
Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 5 x 5

Tues

Wednesday
Ramped Bench Day
Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Thursday

Friday
Static Squat Day
Row 5 x 5
Squat 5 x 5

Saturday

Sunday
Bench
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 5 x 5

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Row 5 x 5
Squat 5 x 5

Bench
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 4 x 5

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Bench
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 4 x 5

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 3 x 3

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Row 5 x 5
Squat 5 x 5

Row 5 x 5
Squat 5 x 5

Row 3 x 3
Squat 3 x 3

Bench
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 3 x 3

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 3 x 3

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 1 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 3 x 3

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 1 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

Deadlift Day
Chin 5 x 5
Curl 3 x 8
Dead 3 x 3

Ramped Bench Day

Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 1 x 3
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Static Squat Day

MAX TESTING
WEEK
Test Bench Press
Max

Test max bench

Row 3 x 3
Squat 3 x 3

Row 3 x 3
Squat 3 x 3

Row 3 x 3
Squat 3 x 3

Row 3 x 3
Squat 3 x 3

Test Squat/deadlift Max

Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 10
Military press 4 x 10

3 day 5 x 5
Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
Week One, 5 x 5's done ramped up to ONLY 80% of your 5 RM
Week Two, 5 x 5's ramped to ONLY 90% of your 5RM
101% in week three, and at LEAST a 10-15 lb PR in week 4.
On week 5 you repeat the numbers, and then after that, you increase the weights on the big lifts 2.5% a week. On accessory work to 1 rep short
of failure, go up whenever you can, but the focus is really on the big lifts.
Monday
Upper
Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
3 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Tues

Wednesday
Lower
Squat 5 x 5
Deadlift
3x5

Thursday

Friday
Upper
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Row 5 x 5

Saturday

Sunday
1

Upper
Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
3 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 5 x 5
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Row 5 x 5

Upper
Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
3 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 5 x 5
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Row 5 x 5

Upper
Bench 5 x 5
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
3 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 5 x 5
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 5 x 5
Dip 3 x 8
Chest Supported
Row 5 x 5

Upper
Unload Starts
Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3
Chin 2 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Unload Starts
Squat 3 x 3
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Unload Starts
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Row 5 x 5

Upper
Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
2 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 3 x 3
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Row 3 x 3

Upper
Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
2 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 3 x 3
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Chest Supported
Row 3 x 3

Upper
Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
2 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 3 x 3
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Chest Supported
Row 3 x 3

Upper
Bench 3 x 3
3 Board Bench 2 x 3 Chin
2 x AMAP
Tricep PD 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 5 x 10

Lower
Squat 3 x 3
Deadlift
3x5

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Dip 3 x 8
Chest Supported
Row 3 x 3

MAX TESTING
WEEK
Test Bench Press Max

Test max bench

Test Squat/deadlift Max

2 Day hardgainer, squat dead, diferent weeks.

This is for true hardgainers, people with very busy schedules, or people involved in sports such as MMA or in season football/baseball. All lifts
are done 1 rep short of failure. You can either use straight weight sets (using the same weight for ALL sets and getting ALL the prescribed
reps, or 80-90-100% pyramiding up.
Monday
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Hanging leg Raises
Bench press 3 x 6
Incline DB Bench 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Weighted abs 3 x 10
Military Press 3 x 8
Dips 3 x AMAP
Incline Fly 1 x 20
Tricep Push-Downs 3 x
12

Tues

Wednesday

Thursday
Legs/back/posterior
DB Rows 3 x 15
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Donkey Machine
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
SLDL 1 x 8
Calf raises 3 x 12
Legs/back/posterior
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
DB Curls 3 x 10
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 10
Leg Press 1 x 20
Calf raises 3 x 12

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
1

Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Hanging leg Raises
Bench press 3 x 6
Incline DB Bench 3 x 10
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Weighted abs 3 x 10
Military Press 3 x 8
Dips 3 x AMAP
Incline Fly 1 x 20
Tricep Push-Downs 3 x
12

Legs/back/posterior
DB Rows 3 x 15
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
SLDL 1 x 8
Calf raises 3 x 12
Legs/back/posterior
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
DB Curls 3 x 10
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 10
Leg Press 1 x 20
Calf raises 3 x 12

Unload at 80% and then

repeat routine

Unload at 80% and then

repeat routine

2 Day Squat and Dead Same Day

This is for true hardgainers, people with very busy schedules, or people involved in sports such as MMA or in season football/baseball. All lifts
are done 1 rep short of failure. You can either use straight weight sets (using the same weight for ALL sets and getting ALL the prescribed
reps, or 80-90-100% pyramiding up.
Monday
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 10
DB Bench 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10

Tues

Wednesday

Thursday
Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
Deadlift 1 x 8
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Machine Calf raises 3 x 12

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
1

Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 10
DB Bench 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 10
DB Bench 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 10
DB Bench 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10

Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
Deadlift 1 x 8
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Machine Calf raises 3 x 12
Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
Deadlift 1 x 8
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Machine Calf raises 3 x 12
Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
Deadlift 1 x 8
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Machine Calf raises 3 x 12

Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Bench press 3 x 10
DB Bench 3 x 8
Lateral Raise 3 x 12
Skull Crushers 4 x 10

Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 5, 1 x 15
Deadlift 1 x 8
Lat-Pull-Down 3 x 10
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 10
Machine Calf raises 3 x 12

Unload at 80% and then

repeat routine

Unload at 80% and then

repeat routine

2 Day Sports Circuit

This is for people who want to build a conditioning base while lifting, and still build some basic strength on the big lifts.
Monday
Chest/Shoulers/Tri
Bench press 2 x 3 ME,
THEN:
Lat Pull-down 1 x 12
Military Press 1 x 12
Leg Press 1 x 20
Dips 1 x AMAP
Barbell Curl 1 x 10
Pull-down abs 3 x 10
Repeat anything needed
in sequence to get you to
5 minutes total. Do
TWO circuits to start
and then lets discuss

Tues
GPP

Wednesday

Thursday
Legs/back/posterior
Squat 1 x 3, ME THEN:
Chins 1 x AMAP
Dumbbell incline or incline
BP 1 x 10
SLDL Deadlift from knees
up. 1 x 10
Push-Ups 1 x AMAP
Dumbbell Curl 1 x 10 Calf
raises 1 x 30
Repeat anything needed in
sequence to get you to 5
minutes total. Do TWO
circuits to start and then
lets discuss

Friday

Saturday
GPP

Sunday

2 Day MINIMAL
Equipment, no equipmentno problem. Not optimal, but still efective. Can be done with kettlebells.
Monday
Dips 3 x AMAP
Chins 3 x AMAP, but not
going over 15, assisted is
fne
Dumbbell Floor presses 3
x AMAP
Ab roller, 3 sets

Tues

Wednesday
Pushups 60 total reps in
as many sets as needed
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 3 x AMAP
Band Squats 3 x AMAP,
hold the dumbbells too

Thursday

Friday
Dips 3 x AMAP
Chins 3 x AMAP,
Sandbag Carry 15
minutes
Curls, 3 x AMAP

Saturday

Sunday

TUT 2 way split

Beginner, intermediate, advanced.
TUT stands for time under tension on the NEGATIVE PORTION ONLY. Positive is explosive. AMAP stands for as many as possible
without failure, MR stands for minutes rest between work sets. If all lifts are still going up, there is no need to switch at week 6.
Monday
Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chin 3 x AMAP, 3 MR
Hammer Curls 3 x 8 2 MR
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 8, 4 MR
Pull-Thrus 3 x 10, 2 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 15,
90 seconds Rest

Tues

Wednesday
Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Bench Press 3 x 3, using 9095-100% of your 3 RM, 4
MR
Incline DB Bench
3 x 5, 3 MR
Skull Crushers 4 x 10 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Lateral Raise 5 x 8, 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Thursday

Friday
Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Dumbbell Row
3 x 15, 3 MR
Barbell Curl 3 x 6, 2 MR
Box Squat 3 x 5, Ramp to 1
top set of 5, using 80-90100% of your 5 RM, 4 MR

Saturday

Sunday
1

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x
8, 3 MR
Dip 5 x 5, 3 seconds TUT, 3
minutes rest
Upright Rows 4 x 12 3
seconds TUT, 2 minutes
rest
Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2 MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chin 3 x AMAP, 3 MR
Hammer Curls 3 x 8 2 MR
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 8, 4 MR
Pull-Thrus 3 x 10, 2 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 15,
90 seconds Rest

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Bench Press 3 x 3, using 9095-100% of your 3 RM, 4
MR
Incline DB Bench
3 x 5, 3 MR
Skull Crushers 4 x 10 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Lateral Raise 5 x 8, 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Dumbbell Row
3 x 15, 3 MR
Barbell Curl 3 x 6, 2 MR
Box Squat 3 x 5, Ramp to 1
top set of 5, using 80-90100% of your 5 RM, 4 MR

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x
8, 3 MR
Dip 5 x 5, 3 seconds TUT, 3
minutes rest
Upright Rows 4 x 12 3
seconds TUT, 2 minutes
rest
Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2 MR
Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Dumbbell Row

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chin 3 x AMAP, 3 MR
Hammer Curls 3 x 8 2 MR
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 8, 4 MR
Pull-Thrus 3 x 10, 2 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 15,
90 seconds Rest

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Bench Press 3 x 3, using 90-

95-100% of your 3 RM, 4

MR
Incline DB Bench
3 x 5, 3 MR
Skull Crushers 4 x 10 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Lateral Raise 5 x 8, 3
seconds TUT, 90 seconds
rest
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

3 x 15, 3 MR
Barbell Curl 3 x 6, 2 MR
Box Squat 3 x 5, Ramp to 1
top set of 5, using 80-90100% of your 5 RM, 4 MR

Test Squat/Deadlift
Maxes

8, 3 MR
Dip 5 x 5, 3 seconds TUT, 3
minutes rest
Upright Rows 4 x 12 3
seconds TUT, 2 minutes
rest
Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2 MR

Test Bench/Upper Back

Maxes
Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chest Supported Row 4 x
8, 3 seconds TUT, 3 MR
E-Z Curl bar 4 x 6, 2 MR
Regular Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 10, 4
MR
Seated Calf Raises 4 x 10,
90 seconds Rest

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Pull-Ups 3 x AMAP 3 MR
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 x
10, 2 MR
Rack Deadlift 3 x 5, 3 MR
Leg press 2 x 10, 3 seconds
TUT, 3 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 25,
90 seconds Rest

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Decline bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR
DB Bench 4 x 8, 4 Seconds
TUT
Dumbbell Skull Crushers 4
x 10 3 seconds TUT, 2 MR
Upright Row 5 x 10, 3
seconds TUT, 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Incline Bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR
Dip 3 x 12, 3 seconds TUT, 3
MR
Dumbbell Shoulder press 4
x 8, 2 MR
Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2 MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Pull-Ups 3 x AMAP 3 MR
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 x
10, 2 MR
Rack Deadlift 3 x 5, 3 MR
Leg press 2 x 10, 3 seconds
TUT, 3 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 25,
90 seconds Rest

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Decline bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR
DB Bench 4 x 8, 4 Seconds
TUT
Dumbbell Skull Crushers 4
x 10 3 seconds TUT, 2 MR
Upright Row 5 x 10, 3
seconds TUT, 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chest Supported Row 4 x
8, 3 seconds TUT, 3 MR
E-Z Curl bar 4 x 6, 2 MR
Regular Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 10, 4
MR
Seated Calf Raises 4 x 10, 90
seconds Rest

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Incline Bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR
Dip 3 x 12, 3 seconds TUT, 3
MR
Dumbbell Shoulder press 4
x 8, 2 MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Pull-Ups 3 x AMAP 3 MR
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 x
10, 2 MR
Rack Deadlift 3 x 5, 3 MR
Leg press 2 x 10, 3 seconds
TUT, 3 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 25,
90 seconds Rest

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Decline bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chest Supported Row 4 x
8, 3 seconds TUT, 3 MR

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Close Grip Bench Press 5 x
5, 3 MR

Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2

MR

DB Bench 4 x 8, 4 Seconds
TUT
Dumbbell Skull Crushers 4
x 10 3 seconds TUT, 2 MR
Upright Row 5 x 10, 3
seconds TUT, 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

E-Z Curl bar 4 x 6, 2 MR

Regular Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 10, 4
MR
Seated Calf Raises 4 x 10,
90 seconds Rest

Dip 3 x 12, 3 seconds TUT, 3

MR
Dumbbell Shoulder press 4
x 8, 2 MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Pull-Ups 3 x AMAP 3 MR
Incline Dumbbell Curl 3 x
10, 2 MR
Rack Deadlift 3 x 5, 3 MR
Leg press 2 x 10, 3 seconds
TUT, 3 MR
Standing Calf raise 4 x 25,
90 seconds Rest

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Decline bench Press 3 x 5, 3
MR
DB Bench 4 x 8, 4 Seconds
TUT
Dumbbell Skull Crushers 4
x 10 3 seconds TUT, 2 MR
Upright Row 5 x 10, 3
seconds TUT, 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Chest Supported Row 4 x
8, 3 seconds TUT, 3 MR
E-Z Curl bar 4 x 6, 2 MR
Regular Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 10, 4
MR
Seated Calf Raises 4 x 10,
90 seconds Rest

10

Chest Shoulders/Tri
Bench Press 1 x 3

Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Incline bench Press 2 x 5, 3
MR
Dumbbell Skull Crushers 4
x 10 3 seconds TUT, 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

11

Dip 3 x 12, 2 MR
Weighted Abs 3 x 10 2
MR

Upper Back/Bi/Legs
Neutral Grip Pulldowns
4 x 8, 3 seconds TUT, 3 MR
Deadlift 1 x 3 seconds
Standing Calf raise 4 x 25,
90 seconds Rest

MAX TESTING WEEK

Test max bench

Weighted Abs 3 x 10, 2

MR

Test Squat/deadlift
Max

12

Low Volume Power routine

Probably my most-used routine for frst time beginner and intermediates.
Monday
Lower
Deadlifts or rack pulls 3 x
3, 3 x 1, or 3 x 5 reps at 8090-100%
GH Raise 3 x AMAP
Calf Raise rest-pause 4 x
15
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Tues

Wednesday
Upper
LOW Decline, Incline,
or Flat Bench 3 x 1, 3 x 3,
or 3 x 5 using 90-95-100%
CG bench press, or
Hammer Grip DB Press,
or foor press 3 x 6, 3 x 8,
or 3 x 19, PAUSED
Lateral raise 4 x 10-5 Pulldowns 4 x 6
BB or DB, or Hammer
Curl 3 x 8

Thursday

Friday
Lower
Box Squat, or Regular
Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 8, or 1 x 6, 1
x 15, or 1 x 8, 1 x 20
Good Morning or
Romanian DL 2 x 5. or 2
x 8 using 80-95%, or 85100%
Pull-Trus 3 x 12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Dips 3 x AMAP, or
Steep Decline Bench
Dumbbell or Flat Bar
Incline bench 3 x 5, or 3 x
8, or 3 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers or Push-Downs
3 x 8-12
DB Row, Barbell Row,
Cable Row, or Chest
Supported Row, Pick
One 3 x 8, or 3 x 15-20
Upright Rows or Face
Pulls 3-4 x 12

Lower
Deadlifts or rack pulls 3 x
3, 3 x 1, or 3 x 5 reps at 8090-100%
GH Raise 3 x AMAP
Calf Raise rest-pause 4 x
15
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper

Lower
Box Squat, or Regular
Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 8, or 1 x 6, 1
x 15, or 1 x 8, 1 x 20
Good Morning or
Romanian DL 2 x 5. or 2
x 8 using 80-95%, or 85100%
Pull-Trus 3 x 12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Dips 3 x AMAP, or
Steep Decline Bench
Dumbbell or Flat Bar
Incline bench 3 x 5, or 3 x
8, or 3 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers or Push-Downs
3 x 8-12
DB Row, Barbell Row,
Cable Row, or Chest
Supported Row, Pick
One 3 x 8, or 3 x 15-20
Upright Rows or Face
Pulls 3-4 x 12

Lower
Deadlifts 3 x 3 rep at 8090-100%
GH Raise 3 x AMAP
Calf Raise rest-pause
20/30
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Saturday

Sunday
1

LOW Decline, Incline,

or Flat Bench 3 x 1, 3 x 3,
or 3 x 5 using 90-95-100%
CG bench press, or
Hammer Grip DB Press,
or foor press 3 x 6, 3 x 8,
or 3 x 19, PAUSED
Lateral raise 4 x 10-5 Pulldowns 4 x 6
BB or DB, or Hammer
Curl 3 x 8

Upper
LOW Decline, Incline,
or Flat Bench 3 x 1, 3 x 3,
or 3 x 5 using 90-95-100%
CG bench press, or
Hammer Grip DB Press,
or foor press 3 x 6, 3 x 8,
or 3 x 19, PAUSED
Lateral raise 4 x 10-5 Pulldowns 4 x 6
BB or DB, or Hammer
Curl 3 x 8

Deload

Lower
Box Squat, or Regular
Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 8, or 1 x 6, 1
x 15, or 1 x 8, 1 x 20
Good Morning or
Romanian DL 2 x 5. or 2
x 8 using 80-95%, or 85100%
Pull-Trus 3 x 12
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Dips 3 x AMAP, or
Steep Decline Bench
Dumbbell or Flat Bar
Incline bench 3 x 5, or 3 x
8, or 3 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers or Push-Downs
3 x 8-12
DB Row, Barbell Row,
Cable Row, or Chest
Supported Row, Pick
One 3 x 8, or 3 x 15-20
Upright Rows or Face
Pulls 3-4 x 12

Deload

Deload

2 Way With Percents

TUT 2 way split, beginner, intermediate, advanced. Use 70-80-90-100% for all multiple set work. That is based on your rep max, NOT 1 RM
max. This REQUIRES you to frst ESTABLISH your REPITION MAXES before using the percents. If you cant use 100 or more lbs
(meaning at least 2 50 lb DBs, a 100 lb bar, or 100 lb stack) use straight sets.
Monday
Lower
Lat Pull-Down or Chin 4
x 10, 3 MR
Curl Variation 3 x 6, or 3
x 10, 2 MR
Deadlift, or Rack Pull 3 x
1, or 1 x 3, then 1 x 6, or 1 x
10
Pull Thrus 3 x 10, 3 MR
Standing or Leg Press
Calf Raise 4 x 25, 90
seconds rest

Tues

Upper
Military Press, or DB
shoulder Press 1 x 3, or 1 x
5 then 3 x 10, or 2 x 15, 4
MR
Dips 4 x 6, or 4 x 10, or 3
x 1 3 MR
Dumbbell Bench Press,
or Fly 4 x 10, 2.5 or 3 MR
DB Skull Crushers, or
Tricep Push-Down 4 x
10, or 3 x 15 90 seconds or
2 MR
Weighted abs, ab wheel,
or ab machine 3 x 12

REPEAT, starting with

frst day, deload on week
fve (after four weeks
training) buy using 80%
of your previous
poundages

Wednesday
Upper
Bench Press, Decline, or
Incline Bench Press 3 x 1,
or 1 x 3, Then 2 x 6, or 2 x
10, 4 MR
Incline Bench Variation 3
x 10, 3 MR
Lateral Raise or Face
Pulls 4 x 10. 90 seconds
or 2 MR
Skull Crusher Variation,
Or Tricep Push-Downs
4 x 10, or 3 x 15, or 100
total reps in as few sets as
possibl 2 MR
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
as many as possible
without failure, or Ab
Wheel 3 x 10

Thursday

Friday
Lower
Row Variation 3 x 15, 3
MR between sets for the
same arm
Curl Variation 3 x 10, 2.5
MR
Squat, or box Squat 1 x 1,
or 1 x 3, or 1 x 5, ten 2 x 10,
or 1 x 20, 4 MR
Romanian or StifLegged Deadlift Or
Good-Morning
Deadlift 2 x 5, or 2 x 8
Standing or Leg Press
Calf Raise 4 x 15, 2 MR

Saturday

Sunday
1

GVT 10 x 10, TUT

Intermediate, advanced. You can run this with either of the formats. The second one will get you in an extra WO in the month we are going
to run this for. But scheduling is important. So use the one that fts best. If not sure, start with the lower frequency one
10 x 10s done with a 18 rep weight. 90 seconds after EACH lift between antagonistic movements (DB Bench/chins).
Monday
Chest/Back
Dumbbell Bench Press
10 x 10
Supinated Chin, or Latpull-Down
10 x 10

Tues

Wednesday
Legs
Squats or box squats 10 x
10
Calf work, ab work, your
choice

Thursday

Friday
Arms
Dips 10 x 10, or 10 x 8, or
6, depending on ability
Incline Hammer Curls 10
x 10
Lateral Raise 10 x 10

Saturday

Sunday

Monday
Arms
Dips 10 x 10, or 10 x 8, or
6, depending on ability
Incline Hammer Curls 10
x 10
Lateral Raise 10 x 10

Tues
Legs
Squats or box squats 10 x
10
Calf work, ab work, your
choice

Wednesday

Thursday
Chest/Back
Dumbbell Bench Press
10 x 10
Supinated Chin, or Latpull-Down
10 x 10

Friday

Saturday

Sunday
Repeat Arms

4 Day ADVANCED TUT Routine

Intermediates, advanced. Only intermediates with high work capacity should attempt this.
TUT, means time under tension on the NEGATIVE portion of the lift. If it says 4 seconds TUT, you lift explosively, and lower in 4 seconds.
This is for advanced lifters.
Monday
Chest
DB Bench 4 x 6-10, 4
TUT
DB Incline 3 x 6-10, 4
TUT
Flys 3 x 12, 3 TUT

Tues
Legs
Squats 4 x 6
Hack Squat 3 x 10
Leg Press 2 x 20
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Standing Calf Raise 4 x 8
Seated calf raise 3 x 10

Wednesday

Thursday
Weighted Dips 4 x 8, 4 sec
TUT
Skull-Crushers 4 x 10 4
seconds TUT
Overhead Dumbbell
Extensions 2 x 15
Reverse Grip EZ-Bar
Curls 4 x 8 4 seconds
TUT
Zottman curls 4 x 8 4
seconds TUT
Incline DB Curls 2 x 15
Lateral Raises 3 x 10, 4
seconds TUT
DB Upright Row 3 x 8 4
TUT

Friday

Saturday
Wide Grip Chins 4 x 5, 4
TUT
Chest Supported Rows
4 x 8, 4 TUT
Neutral Grip PullDowns 3 x 15
Hanging Leg Raises 2 x
12

Sunday
1

3 Day Volume BBer

Intermediate,

Advanced. Only intermediates with high work capacity should attempt this.

Sunday
Dips 3 x AMAP
Overhead Double
Dumbbell Extensions
(both arms at once, 2
DBs) 3 x 12 3 TUT
Tricep Pushdowns 3 x 8
Barbell Curl 3 x 8
hammer curls 3 x 12
Concentration Curls
(really) 3 x 10
Hammer Strength
Lateral Raise Machine 3
x 15,
Upright Cable Row 2 x
12

Monday
Legs
Squat 1 x 30
Leg Press Machine,
Preferably Hammer
Strength 2 x 10
Glute/Ham 2 x AMAP

Tues

Wednesday

Thursday
Bench 2 x 3
Incline 4 x 10
Cable Crossover 3 x 12
Chins 3 x AMAP
Wide Grip Hammer
Strength PD 3 x 12
Rack Deads 1 x 20

Friday

Saturday

4 Day Intermediate/Advanced High/Low

On the heavy days, you go all out and break PRs whenever possible. On the light days, you need to go for PRs perhaps every other week, and
you only use 60-90 seconds on the light days. If you cant get ALL your reps for ALL your sets with the same weight and are continuously
dropping reps, dont expect this routine to work well unless you have AWESOME recovery. IF YOU CANT GET ALL YOUR REPS
WITH THIS AMOUNT OF REST, THE WEIGHT IS TOO HEAVY AND YOU WILL, I REPEAT, WILL FAIL ON THIS
ROUTINE AS IT WILL BECOME 4 ALL OUT DAYS.
Monday

Tues

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Heavy Leg/Back
Supinated Chins 3 x 10
Bent Rows 2 x 6
DB Rows 2 x 8
Incline Curls 1 x 10/16
Squat 1 x 3, 1 x 10

Heavy Upper
Bench 3 x 3 using 9095-100%
Incline DB Bench 2 x
6
Skull
Crushers 1 x 8/16
Lateral Raise 1 x 10/16
Hanging Leg Raises 3
x 10

Light Lower
Pronated Chins 5 x 10
Supinated Rows 3 x 10
Barbell Curl 3 x 10
Reverse Curl 3 x 10
Leg Press 3 x 20

Heavy Leg/Back
Pronated Chins 3 x 6
Nuetral Grip Row 3 x
6
Hammer
Curls 1 x 12/20
Deadlift 1 x 3, 1 x 10
Pull-Thrus 3 x 10

Heavy Upper

Light Lower
Supinated Chins 3 x 10
Pronated Rows 5 x 10
Incline DB Curl 3 x 12
Reverse Curl 3 x 10
Box Squat 2 x 15
SLDL 3 x 10

Repeat

Close Grip Bench 3 x

5
Military
Press 3 x 6
Floor Press 3 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Saturday

Sunday
1

Light Upper
Dips 3 x 15
DB Bench 3 x 15
Incline Fly 3 x 10
Overhead Barbell
Tricep Extensions 4
x 12
Lateral Raise 5 x 10
2

Light Upper
DB Floor Press 5 x
10
Incline Fly or Pec
Deck 4 x 10
Tricep Push-Down
4 x 12
Upright Row 5 x 10
3

4 Day Advanced
Monday
Chest
Bench Press 4 x 6, 3
minutes rest
Incline Barbell OR DB
press 3 x 10-12, 2 minutes
rest
Fly,
incline or fat, wherever
you think you need the
most work 3 x 12 60
seconds rest

Tues
Back
Wide Grip Chins or rack
chins 4 x 8 3 minutes rest
Krock DB rows 2 x 15
Rack Pulls 1 x 10 Band
Pull aparts, 2 x 10-15

Wednesday

Thursday
Shoulders/Legs
Military or DB Shoulder
Press 3 x 6 3 minutes rest,
ramp to one top set, then,
do 4 x 10 with 60-90
seconds rest
Lateral Raises 4 x 12 60
seconds rest Squats 1 x 5,
4 minutes rest 1 x 20, leg
press 2 x 15
Glute
Hams 4 x AMAP
Leg curls 3 x 10 (optional)

Friday
Arms
Dips 4 x 8, 3 minutes
rest, ramp to a top set
Overhead Tricep
extensions with a bar 3 x
10 2 minutes rest
Decline DB Skulls 3 x 12
60 seconds rest
Preacher Curls 3 x 8 3
minutes rest Incline
DB curls 3 x 10 2 minutes
rest
Hammer Curls 3 x 10 60
seconds rest

Saturday

Sunday

DC Split Rest-Pause with free weights

Advanced. Top number is purely hypothetical. If you dont know how to do DC style training DONT attempt this. First failure points can
be anywhere from 6-20 reps.
Day One, Week One
Incline bench press

8/15

Rest-pause

Rack Seated Military Press

8/15

Rest-pause

Close Grip Bench Press in Rack

6/12

Rest-pause

Pull-Down

6/12

Rest-pause

Rack Pulls, From knee level

10

Strait set

Standing BB Curl

8/15

Rest-pause

Standing Calf Raise

8, 15/30

One Set of 8,then a 15/30 RP Set

Glute/Ham Raise

6/10

Not sure if you will be able to get 6 reps the frst few times you try. Do the best you can

Squat

8, 20

Straight Set

Static Barbell or Dumbbell Holds

45 secs

Hold a barbell or dumbbell until they drop from your hands

Decline Bench

4/8

Rest-pause

Shoulder Press

10/16

Reverse Grip Bench Press in Rack

10

Rest-pause
Strait Set

Wide Grip Chin or Pull-Down

8/15

Rest-Pause

Strict Reverse Grip Barbell Row

8/15

Rest-Pause

Hammer Curls

8/15

Calf Raise

8, 15/30

Rest-Pause
One Set of 8,then a 15/30 RP Set

Arched Back Good-Mornings

10

Hack Squat

10

Strait Set
Strait Set

Wrist Curls

10/20

RP

Bench Press in Rack

6/12

Set the bar on the safety stops in the power rack 2-3 inches of your chest. If/when you miss your rep, you wont get crushed.

Upright Rows

10/18

RP

Day Two, Week One

Day Three, Week One

Day One Week Two

Day Two, Week Two

Dip

8/15

Rest-Pause

Pull-Down with neutral grip, palms facing each other

8/15

Conventional or Sumo Deadlift from the foor

Rest-Pause
Straight Set

Dumbbell Curl

10/18

RP

Calf work your choice

8, 15/25

Same deal as above

Pullthrough

8/15

Rest-Pause

Leg Press
Get a pair of grippers and do 3 sets of 10 to failure. You
can do these at home.

5, 12

10

Day Three, Week Two

Strait sets to failure

Rest-Pause with Free Weights IA Split

Advanced. Top number is purely hypothetical. If you dont know how to do DC style training DONT attempt this. First failure points can be
anywhere from 6-20 reps.
Day One, Week One
Incline dumbbell bench press

8/15

Rest-pause

Military Press

8/15

Rest-pause

Hammer Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses High Reps

15/25

RP

Hanging Leg Raises

10/18

RP

Wide Grip Chin

8/15

RP

Dumbbell Rows

8/15

Rest-pause

Standing BB Curl

12/20

RP

Leg Press

20/30

RP

Dips

8/15

Rest-pause

Incline Flys

15/22

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

10/15

Rest-pause
Strait Set

Overhead Tricep Extensions

10/17

RP

Heavy weighted abs

20/30

RP

Narrow Grip Rack Chins

8/15

RP

Hammer Curls

10/17

Rack Pulls

10

Rest-Pause
Strait Set

Grip Work

Day Two, Week One

Day Three, Week One

Day One Week Two

Lets Discuss

Day Two, Week Two

Decline Bench Press

10

SS

Close Grip Bench Presses

10/17

RP

Upright Rows

15/22

Rest-Pause

Heavy Abs

20/30

RP

Day Three, Week Two

V-Handle Rack Chins

8/15

Dumbbell Curl

Squat

Static Hold

8/15
RP
3 reps, 4
minutes rest, 1 x
20
SS
As long as
possible

RP

4 Day WSB with Speed Work

Intermediate, advanced. This is probably my most used Template for 4 day Westside for people that we dont switch things up
CONSTANTLY.
Monday
ME Squat
Deadlifts 1 rep Max, with
2 sets over 90%
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Squat
Free Squat 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

Tues

Wednesday

ME Bench
LOW Decline Bench 3 x
3 using 90-95-100%
Seated Military Press 3 x
6-8 reps
Tricep PDs 4 x 10
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10

ME Bench
Bench 3 x 3 using 90-95100%
Seated Military Press 3 x
6-8 reps
Tricep PDs 4 x 10
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10

ME Squat
Deadlifts 1 rep Max, 1 rep
Max, with 2 sets over
90%
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Squat
Free Squat 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

ME Bench
Floor Press 3 x 1 using

Close Grip Decline

Bench 3 x 1 using 90-96100%
Seated Military Press 3 x
6-8 reps
Tricep PDs 4 x 10
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10

90-96-100%
Seated Military Press 3 x
6-8 reps
Tricep PDs 4 x 10

Thursday

Friday
DE Squat
Squat 8 x 2 with 55% 1
RM box squat

Saturday
1

Sunday
DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 55%
Board Bench Press @
Sticking Point 3 x 5
Decline Skull Crushers 4
x 10
Chest Supported row 4 x
8
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Reverse Curls 3 x 8

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 60%
Board Bench Press @
Sticking Point 3 x 5
Decline Skull Crushers 4
x 10
Chest Supported row 4 x
8
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Reverse Curls 3 x 8

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 65%
Board Bench Press @
Sticking Point 3 x 5
Decline Skull Crushers 4
x 10
Chest Supported row 4 x
8
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Reverse Curls 3 x 8

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 55%
Board Bench Press @
Sticking Point 3 x 5
Decline Skull Crushers 4
x 10

Good Morning 2 x 5
@ 90-100% of 8 RM,
hit PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
DE Squat
Squat 8 x 2 with 66% 1
RM box squat

Good Morning 2 x 5
@ 90-100% of 8 RM,
hit PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
DE Squat
Squat 8 x 2 with 65% 1
RM box squat

Good Morning 2 x 5
@ 90-95% of 8 RM, hit
PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Heavy Abs 3 x 10
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
DE Squat
Squat 8 x 2 with 65% 1
RM box squat
Speed pulls 6 x 1
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Standing calf raises 4 x 15

Krock Rows 2 x 15
Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10

Deload using 80% of

usual weight
ME Squat
Box Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
SLDL, 2 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

Deload using 80% of

usual weight

ME Squat
Box Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
SLDL, 2 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Squat
Deadlift 3 x 3 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
SLDL, 2 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Squat
Free Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%
SLDL, 2 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Bench
Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

Floor Press 3 x 1
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

Bench Press 3 x 1
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

CLOSE Grip Bench

Press 3 x 1
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide

Chest Supported row 4 x

8
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Reverse Curls 3 x 8
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Reverse Curls 3 x 8

Deload using 80% of

usual weight
DE Squat
Speed Pulls 6 x 1
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12
Leg press calf 3 x 15

Rest

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 55%
Wide Grip Bench 3 x 6
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

DE Squat
Speed Pulls 6 x 1
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12
Leg press calf 3 x 15

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 60%
Wide Grip Bench 3 x 6
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

DE Squat
Speed Pulls 6 x 1
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12
Leg press calf 3 x 15
2 x 15/30 rest-pause

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 65%
Wide Grip Bench 3 x 6
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

DE Squat
Speed Pulls 6 x 1
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12
Leg press calf 3 x 15

DE Bench
Speed Bench 8 x 3 @ 55%
Wide Grip Bench 3 x 6
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x

grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

MAX TESTING
WEEK

Test Squat/deadlift Max

Calf

10

Test bench/upper back

4 Day WSB without Speed Work, Changing Lifts

Intermediate, advanced.
Monday
ME Squat
Wide grip Pull-downs 5 x
6
Dumbell Curls 3 x 10
(optional)
Deadlift work up to 5
RM
Leg Press 2 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

Tues

Wednesday

ME Bench
LOW Decline Bench 3 x
1 using 85-90-100%
Incline DB Press 4 x 8
Skull Crusher 4 x 10
Lateral raise 5 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

ME Squat
Wide grip Pull-downs 5 x
6
Dumbell Curls 3 x 10
(optional)
Deadlift work up to 3
RM
Leg Press 2 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Squat
Wide grip Pull-downs 5 x
6
Dumbell Curls 3 x 10
(optional)
Deadlift work up to 1
RM
Leg Press 2 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

ME Squat
Good Morning 2 x 5 Max
Leg Press 2 x 10
Standing calf raises 4 x 1

ME Bench

Bench 3 x 1 using 90-96100%

CG bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Skull Crusher 4 x 10
Lateral raise 5 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 5 x 6
Dumbell Curls 3 x 10

Floor Press 3 x 1 using 8590-100%

Incline DB Press 4 x 8
Skull Crusher 4 x 10
Lateral raise 5 x 10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

CG Bench 3 x 1 using 9096-100%

CG bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED

Thursday

Friday
RE Squat
Squat 3 x 6

Saturday
1

Sunday
RE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Dumbbell bench 3 x 5, 1 x
20 and stretch
Tricep Push-Downs 5 x
10
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

RE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Dumbbell bench 3 x 5, 1 x
20 and stretch
Tricep Push-Downs 5 x
10
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

RE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Dumbbell bench 3 x 5, 1 x
20 and stretch
Tricep Push-Downs 5 x
10
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

RE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Dumbbell bench 3 x 5, 1 x
20 and stretch
Tricep Push-Downs 5 x

Good Morning 3 x 8
@ 90-95% of 8 RM, hit
PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Reverse Curls 3 x 8
(optional)
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
(optional)
RE Squat
Squat 3 x 6

Good Morning 3 x 8
@ 90-95% of 8 RM, hit
PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Reverse Curls 3 x 8
(optional)
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
(optional)
RE Squat
Squat 3 x 6

Good Morning 3 x 8
@ 90-95% of 8 RM, hit
PR every 2nd or 3rd
week
Krock Rows 2 x 15
Reverse Curls 3 x 8
(optional)
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
(optional)
RE Squat
Squat 3 x 6

Good Morning 3 x 8
@ 90-95% of 8 RM, hit

Skull Crusher 4 x 10
Lateral raise 5 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 5 x 6
Dumbell Curls 3 x 10

PR every 2nd or 3rd

week

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight

Rest

ME Squat
Box Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%, 1 x
15
Chin-Ups 4 x AMAP
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

DE Squat
Box squat 8 x 2 wave
from 55-65 over 3 weeks
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Bent Row, or DB Row 3
x 15
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause

DE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Board press at sticking
point 3 x 5
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10
Weighted Abs 3 x 10

ME Squat
Box Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%, 1 x
15
Chin-Ups 4 x AMAP
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

DE Squat
Box squat 8 x 2 wave
from 55-65 over 3 weeks
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Bent Row, or DB Row 3
x 15
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause

DE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Board press at sticking
point 3 x 5
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

ME Squat
Box Squat 1 x 1 rep Max,
with 2 sets over 90%, 1 x
15
Chin-Ups 4 x AMAP
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

ME Bench

DE Squat
Box squat 8 x 2 wave
from 55-65 over 3 weeks
Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Bent Row, or DB Row 3
x 15
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause

DE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6
Board press at sticking
point 3 x 5
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

ME Squat
Rack Pull 1 x 1 rep Max,

ME Bench

DE Squat
Box squat 8 x 2 wave

DE Bench
Military Press 3 x 6

Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10
Barbell Curls 3 x 12 Pulldown Abs 3 x 10

CLOSE Grip Bench

Press 3 x 1
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

Floor Bench Press 3 x 3

Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

CLOSE Grip Bench

10
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Krock Rows 2 x 15
Reverse Curls 3 x 8
(optional)
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause
(optional)

with 2 sets over 90%, 1 x

15
Chin-Ups 4 x AMAP
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Standing calf raises 4 x 15

Press 3 x 1
Incline bench press 2 x 5,
PAUSED
Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 20
Lateral raise 3 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 6
Barbell Curls 3 x 12

from 55-65 over 3 weeks

Good Morning 2 x 5 1 set
at 90%, 1 at 100%
Bent Row, or DB Row 3
x 15
Leg press calf 1 x 8, 2 x
15/30 rest-pause

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight, can test maxes if
you want this week

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight

Unload, using the

volume or 85% of the
weight

Board press at sticking

point 3 x 5
Dumbbell Skull Crushers
3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 6
Upright Rows 3 x 8
Incline Hammer Curls 3 x
10

10

Rest

3 Day WSB With Speed Work

Beginner, intermediate, advanced. If you are still hitting PRs on week 4, dont switch to the next routine if you are a beginner or intermediate.
Monday
Lower
Box Squat 3 x 1 rep at 8090-100%
Good Morning 2 x 5
Calf Raise rest-pause
20/30
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Tues

Wednesday

Upper
Close Grip Bench 3 x 1
%90-95-100%
CG bench press 3 x 8,
PAUSED
Lateral raise 5 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 5 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 8

Thursday

Friday
Lower
Speed Squats 8 x 2 @ 55%
Speed pulls 6 x 1
Romanian Deadlift 1 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Saturday

Sunday
1

Upper
Bench Press 8 x 3 @ 55%
Dumbbell Incline bench
3x8
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 12
DB row 3 x 10
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Lower
Box Squat 3 x 1 rep at 8090-100%
Good Morning 2 x 5
Calf Raise rest-pause
20/30
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper

Lower
Speed Squats 8 x 2 @
60%
Speed pulls 6 x 1
Romanian Deadlift 1 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Bench Press 8 x 3 @ 60%
Dumbbell Incline bench
3x8
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 12
DB row 3 x 10
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Lower
Box Squat 3 x 1 rep at 8090-100%
Good Morning 2 x 5
Calf Raise rest-pause
20/30
Hanging Leg Raises 3 x
AMAP

Upper
Close Grip Bench 3 x 1
%90-95-100%
CG bench press 3 x 8,
PAUSED
Lateral raise 5 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 5 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 8

Lower
Speed Squats 8 x 2 @
65%
Speed pulls 6 x 1
Romanian Deadlift 1 x 8
Heavy Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Bench Press 8 x 3 @ 65%
Dumbbell Incline bench
3x8
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 12
DB row 3 x 10
Upright Rows 4 x 8

Deload or max test

Lower
Regular Squat 3 x 1 at 8090-100%
Leg Press 2 x 10
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

Deload or max test

Deload or max test

Lower
Speed Squat 8 x 2 @ 55%
Good Mornings 2 x 8 at
85 and 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12

5
6

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 3 x 10
Overhead Tricep
extensions with 2
dumbbells 3 x 12
Lateral raise 4 x 10 Wide

Close Grip Bench 3 x 1

%90-95-100%
CG bench press 3 x 8,
PAUSED
Lateral raise 5 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 5 x 6
BB Curl 3 x 8

grip Pull-downs 4 x 8
BB Curl 3 x 8
Upper
Bench 8 x 3
Board press at sticking
point 2 x 5
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 4 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 8

Lower
Sumo Dead 3 x 1 at 8090-100%
Leg Press 2 x 10
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

Upper

Lower
Speed Squat 8 x 2 @ 60%
Good Mornings 2 x 8 at
85 and 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12

Upper
Bench 8 x 3
Board press at sticking
point 2 x 5
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 4 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 8

Lower
Squat (no box) 3 x 1 at 8090-100%
Leg Press 2 x 10
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

Upper
Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 3 x 10
Overhead Tricep
extensions with 2
dumbbells 3 x 12
Lateral raise 4 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 8
BB Curl 3 x 8

Lower
Speed Squat 8 x 2 @ 65%
Good Mornings 2 x 8 at
85 and 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12

Upper
Bench 8 x 3
Board press at sticking
point 2 x 5
Dumbbell Shoulder
press 4 x 10
Dumbbell Skull
Crushers 3 x 10
Bent Row 4 x 8

Lower
Squat (no box) 3 x 1 at 8090-100%
Leg Press 2 x 10
Pullthroughs, LOW, 2 x
10
Pull-down Abs 3 x 10

Upper

Lower
Speed Squat 8 x 2 @ 55%
Good Mornings 2 x 8 at
85 and 100%
Glute/Ham 3 x 10
Ab Machine Abs 3 x 12

10

Test Squat/Deadlift Max

11

MAX TESTING
WEEK

Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 3 x 10
Overhead Tricep
extensions with 2
dumbbells 3 x 12
Lateral raise 4 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 8
BB Curl 3 x 8
Test Max Bench/Lat
Movement

Bench Press 3 x 3
Incline bench press 3 x 10
Overhead Tricep
extensions with 2
dumbbells 3 x 12
Lateral raise 4 x 10 Wide
grip Pull-downs 4 x 8
BB Curl 3 x 8