Bodybuilders Don't Need To Get Strong

[BendtheBar]

Sorry I couldn't resist the thread title.

Elite natural bodybuilder Shaun Clarida doing 500x6 squats.

He is 5'2", 160.

Shaun "The Giant Killer" Clarida-500lb Squats - YouTube

Shaun "The Giant Killer" Clarida-500lb Squats - YouTube

[SeventySeven]

Insanity. This will be me in the future, only ill be a lil heavier haha.

[Jen]

[Soldier]

Awesome brute strength.

[BendtheBar]

Here's a pattern. Elite level natural bodybuilders Shaun Clarida, Layne Norton and Doug Miller are all insanely strong.

Discuss....

These guys all work hard. I mean really hard. When I interviewed Shaun I think he was training 2.5 hours a day.

[SeventySeven]

2.5 hours a day? thats overtraining!....kidding. I think our enhanced brethren can get away with being weaker, but as a natty i think you need to be seriosuly strong to build serious mass.

[BendtheBar]

Shaun said in his profile:

A typical day in the gym can last anywhere from 2-3 1/2 hours. I typically train 6-8 exercises per body part for about 4-5 sets. My rep range is from 20-6. In-season, I incorporate drop sets on pretty much everything.

Shaun Clarida Athlete Profile With Workouts & Pictures | Muscle & Strength

[Off Road]

2-1/2 hours a day of high intensity strength training? Seriously, who has THAT kind of natural recovery ability? That's some serious super-human ability right there.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by Off Road

2-1/2 hours a day of high intensity strength training? Seriously, who has THAT kind of natural recovery ability? That's some serious super-human ability right there.

No way I could ever do it.

After 60 minutes I start to think about food.

[BigJosh]

@160lbs that guy is insanely strong.
I always have to just shake my head when people say things like "you don't need to focus on strength if you are bodybuilding".
It's just such an excuse/line of BS.
And all I have to do is point to guys like this (clarida, norton, etc).

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Here's a pattern. Elite level natural bodybuilders Shaun Clarida, Layne Norton and Doug Miller are all insanely strong.

Discuss....

These guys all work hard. I mean really hard. When I interviewed Shaun I think he was training 2.5 hours a day.

I don't think there is any coincidence here. For a natural lifter to build muscle they have to get stronger. Let me rephrase so I'm not being absolute, a very effective way for a natural lifter to build muscle is to focus on incresing strength.

My thoughts on the 2.5 hour daily sessions:
I couldn't do it either.
I think the difference is that these guys are able to tune there whole lifestyle around recovering from these 2.5 hour sessions.
I am assuming they do this for a living, while most of us are distracted by careers and other things, they spend there days focused on diet and recovery.