Things to think about

[thumpinos]

Found this at Elite.

This Is Silly: An Outlook on Training, Part 1

Things to think about for success

There are things in life that need to take place in order for them to work. Squat to poop, propose to marry, eat to live, read to learn, gravity to fall, strength to stand, and a hand to shake. There are some things in training that must be done in order for you to succeed and for you to keep your mind off the so-called rules.

* Practice what you preach. This is number one. Be the example.
* Keep it simple. What can we do that will provide the greatest effect to the body in the least amount of time.
* Lift or press something heavy. I learned this from Jason Ferrugia. Perform 1–5 sets of 1–5 reps on the main lifts followed by 6–15 reps on the assistance lifts, pushing to a density style training. Finish in an hour to an hour fifteen minutes.
* Training should be instinctive, not always planned. Listen to your body. If you randomly hit a set of deadlifts because your co-worker had 225 lbs on the bar and it feels like a piece of cake, work up to a heavy triple and call it. Don’t just say, “Well, I squatted two days ago and I shouldn’t deadlift” or better yet, “Even though my shoulders feel horrible, I’m going to try to bench.”
* The conjugate method is handy when…you understand it and have athletes under your guidance for multiple years, not two months.
* Do not buy into what others say is the next best thing. Folks, TRX is not a godsend and neither is a Bosu ball or kettlebells, although kettlebells are pretty useful. Look up Dan John.
* Warming up is great and so is stretching.
* Stop BSing yourself. If you don’t like the way you look, change it.
* Stay with a program. If you just purchased an ebook or whatever, stay with it for awhile—for at least 4–6 months. Don’ hop around doing randomly implemented programs. The best way to find out what works best in attaining your goals is to stay with it. A hybrid of programs would work such as 5/3/1 with three assistance exercises followed by a fat loss/Tabata/Strongman circuit. Just commit to it. Stop trying everything or better yet, stop doing nothing.
* Find a mentor. Currently, I’m learning from a man who is an absolute genius. He’s a smart man and a freaking beast! He trained, learned from, and knows the likes of Lee Haney, Matt Mendenhall, Fred Hatfield, Rachel McLish, Bertil Fox, Mike Christian, Bob Paris, and Richard Sorin. You need someone like this in your life. He or she can change everything you know about training and may just have an impact on who you become or know in this field.
* Perform squats. High rep squats work well for putting on mass. Don’t believe me? Look up Tom Platz repping out 500 lbs 23 times ass to grass. Use caution with these, as it will kick your ass for a week.
* Do hill sprints. These are the best exercise second to clean eating for fat loss.

[MikeC]

Like this.

* Stay with a program. If you just purchased an ebook or whatever, stay with it for awhile—for at least 4–6 months. Don’ hop around doing randomly implemented programs. The best way to find out what works best in attaining your goals is to stay with it. A hybrid of programs would work such as 5/3/1 with three assistance exercises followed by a fat loss/Tabata/Strongman circuit. Just commit to it. Stop trying everything or better yet, stop doing nothing.

[Mr.Silverback]

* Stay with a program. If you just purchased an ebook or whatever, stay with it for awhile—for at least 4–6 months. Don’ hop around doing randomly implemented programs. The best way to find out what works best in attaining your goals is to stay with it. A hybrid of programs would work such as 5/3/1 with three assistance exercises followed by a fat loss/Tabata/Strongman circuit. Just commit to it. Stop trying everything or better yet, stop doing nothing.


this is epic...we should run elect this statement for PRESIDENT!!!

[glwanabe]

* Keep it simple. What can we do that will provide the greatest effect to the body in the least amount of time.

This has become my main focal point when writing out a program. I've found that where I used to have a goal of 10 movements for a complete program, I now look at between 5-7 as a goal number. I also think on terms of sequence and how movements will flow within the program.

[BendtheBar]

So far we have:

--Keep it simple
--Stick with a program
--Squat and Press

All rocket scientists and brain surgeons are hereby given their letters of termination, effective immediately.

[glwanabe]

I have a few more thoughts, but I'm not ready with a complete thought process yet.

Basically, I've been contemplating what the industry would look like if Hoffman's message had become the main voice, instead of Weider's?

[Off Road]

Originally Posted by glwanabe

Basically, I've been contemplating what the industry would look like if Hoffman's message had become the main voice, instead of Weider's?

That has all the markings of a great thread. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it...when you get them sorted out

[Chillen]

Things to think about for success

There are things in life that need to take place in order for them to work. Squat to poop, propose to marry, eat to live, read to learn, gravity to fall, strength to stand, and a hand to shake. There are some things in training that must be done in order for you to succeed and for you to keep your mind off the so-called rules.

I understand the simple context the RP is putting the above paragraph in, but in real life, it is not this simple (refering only to the last underlined portion).

Personally, I can live just fine with keeping my mind on the rules (such as the basic mechanics of calories and macros, resistence training, and how these basic/advanced rules apply to me personally), because by these rules being applied allows me to make adjustments (under an educated eye) as I obtain bodily feedback.

The problem with some, are the fact that when one wants a goal or when personal trouble surfaces (say weight loss), they do not know what to do because they do not make enough of a personal-education investment.

Basically they do not "apply enough of themselves" "for a long enough period, to learn "what" works for them to get to the point where its like riding a bike and one can eventually forget the rules (so-to-speak).

But even then there are problems for some: it becomes more of application than knowledge of the application. It is a personal fight with the self, the fitness goal, and one's evironmental circumference (living life) that people fight the most when having personal fitness goals.

If it were so simple as fogetting the rules (that fit our fitness goals) we would have a lot of people in shape. And, we simply do not. Because, it isnt as simple as that, when applying it to a per person persepective.

We have to apply "enough of ourselves". And, it will always (IMO) begin and end with the self, our choices and responses to our enviorment and personal charactoristics (personality).

Master self-competition its all around you.

* Practice what you preach. This is number one. Be the example.

I agree; however, even good coaches/trainers who are out of shape can train one into shape and extaordinary fitness levels.

* Keep it simple. What can we do that will provide the greatest effect to the body in the least amount of time.

This is the problem when someone is first starting. How can one provide the simplest method with the greatest effect in the least amount of time, when personally ignorant (uneducated); influenced by the marketing BS because of this uneducation, can not afford to hire a trainer......and have to effectively be their own trainer?

The garden weed eater isnt working so good here.

* Lift or press something heavy. I learned this from Jason Ferrugia. Perform 1–5 sets of 1–5 reps on the main lifts followed by 6–15 reps on the assistance lifts, pushing to a density style training. Finish in an hour to an hour fifteen minutes.

Heavy is a reletive term and is dependent on the personal situation of the individual. As is the training type and length of each session.

* Training should be instinctive, not always planned. Listen to your body.

Personally, I like planning my workouts and training sessions around work and anticipate the unanticipated. In this sentence the most important thing he said (IMO) is: Listen to your body. However, anyone training and dieting long enough KNOWS........the body sometimes lies and tells you the absolute truth.

Anyone feel sluggish, have low energy, and feel not like training, only to have a kick-ass session? The body was being a lazy ass and lied to you. If you went to train why did you? Likewise, anyone feel sluggish, have low energy, and feel not like training, and the training session sucked? It told you the truth. Sometimes its very difficult to figure out and there is no explaination; however, at other times, it may be a combination of your diet, frequency of training, volume, etc, where the answer is.

So the point is........is listening really enough?

* Warming up is great and so is stretching.

Agreed.

* Stop BSing yourself. If you don’t like the way you look, change it.

Agreed.

............The best way to find out what works best in attaining your goals is to stay with it. ........Stop trying everything or better yet, stop doing nothing.

Agreed.

* Perform squats. High rep squats work well for putting on mass. Don’t believe me? Look up Tom Platz repping out 500 lbs 23 times ass to grass. Use caution with these, as it will kick your ass for a week.

To blanket this for all, is in error, for a variety of personally applicable reasons. Not "everyone" should do them--it depends on the person and their applicable goals and personal condition. I do squats in my routine, but understand if another does not--dependent. In addition, there is no doubt the squat builds lower body mass...........but to "explicately" say without any doubt it builds upper mass--the jury is--still out on the research. There are reputable research for and against it stimulating "additional hormone production", and assisting upper body mass.

In either case, training the "wheels" that takes you through life is a no-brainer.

The converted: They do well most of the time and occasionally say F it. I believe the majority of folks we see fall into this category if we’re doing a good job. The converted believe in you, listen to what you say, and are willing to make sacrifices to achieve their idea of success. They are conscious and choose to keep their eyes open to benefit their body.

The ass kickers: These folks are wired to not give in to normality, neither are they born to it. They eat clean, get to bed on time, and are in better shape than you if you’re doing your job correctly. These are the folks you train with to push yourself and challenge yourself. My 47-year-old female client can bust out 15 legit chin-ups. There aren’t too many guys doing that. Sack up guys. I must add a side note—she is a genetic freak anyways and crazy strong, so she would fall into the category of you work with them and try not to get them hurt. It’s like Buddy Morris said, “You don’t train Curtis Martin. You work with Curtis Martin.”

So what does this mean? This means choose your battles and don’t break your own heart. I learned this from my colleague Ryan Burgess. It pissed me off because I want all my clients to be ass kickers and not settle for anything but their best. However, if they don’t want to be ass kickers and are happy with breaking a sweat, so be it. Swallow your pride and ego. Let them be happy being them. You be happy being you. You have control over yourself and staying in the ass kicking zone, and when they decide to get serious, they can

Love this portion.

Thanks for the post, Thump!



Best to all of you!


Vitality!

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by glwanabe

I have a few more thoughts, but I'm not ready with a complete thought process yet.

Basically, I've been contemplating what the industry would look like if Hoffman's message had become the main voice, instead of Weider's?

Good topic. One of my favorite.

I know Hoffman didn't like bodybuilding, but was actually involved with bringing it back to life. Author Gordon LaVelle shared this with me:

Gordon LaVelle: Hoffman was in charge of the weightlifting division of the AAU. He thought that bodybuilders were men who should be competing in weightlifting but were wasting their time and energy. He knew that couldn't stop bodybuilding however, so he decided to control it. That's why he formed the bodybuilding division of the AAU in 1939.

He staged a national championship in 1939 and renamed it "Mr. America" in 1940. Since my book is also an analysis, I offer the conjecture that this name was partly chosen for cynical purposes - because it made the contest sound like a male beauty pageant. Of course, this is just my own theory.

Hoffman mandated that the contest be held at the tail end of the national weightlifting championships. In at least the first installment, bodybuilders were also required to enter the weightlifting championship in order to compete. Both these things were done for the purpose of increasing interest in weightlifting. Neither worked.

At about the same time, Joe Weider started his magazine business. I've looked, and I've yet to see any type of explanation for how he was able to avoid serving in WWII. For example, John Grimek got a waiver because of an eye injury. Joe's brother Ben joined the army (although he gave no details about what role he had in WWII). Clancy Ross was in the Air Force. Armand Tanny was in the Coast Guard. Steve Reeves joined the army, saw combat in the Philippines, and contracted malaria. Joe Weider meanwhile stayed home and printed muscle magazines.

Because of this, by 1946 Weider had the wherewithal, and enough clout, to start holding contests. According to him, the Weider brothers obtained an AAU sanction for their first contest, the 1946 Mr. Montreal, but the AAU yanked the sanction at the last minute and threatened to ban anyone who competed. The brothers on the spot invented the IFBB. This story has been subject to some dispute, but the IFBB, though tiny, was now very real. It was also on Hoffman's radar, because he now had competition.

In his magazine, Strength & Health, Hoffman repeatedly bad-mouthed Weider and the IFBB. This gave the Weiders free advertising. However, the writing was already on the wall. Not only did the Weiders actually like bodybuilding, their organization was bodybuilding-only. There were no weightlifting contests before shows, and no weightlifting requirements for competitors. The AAU also appeared to render racist judging decisions. Not until 1970 did a black competitor win the AAU Mr. America. The AAU told guys like Harold Poole and Sergio Oliva that they weren't good enough to win. The IFBB in comparison seemed far more fair. Poole won the IFBB Mr. America on his first try. Oliva won the Olympia on his second. And say what you want about the Weiders - and there's plenty to say - those guys worked their butts off.

The book doesn't delve deeply into the particulars of the Hoffman/Weider feud, because that would be getting a little off-topic. The important thing is the transition of leadership from from Hoffman to Weider, and the transition of the world's top contest - from the AAU Mr. America to the various Mr. Universes to the IFBB Mr. Olympia.