Random Thoughts - Specific Training, Specific Results

If I was trying to find a way to train my body to be good at doing something high endurance, with lots of reps, something like 100 press ups or anything resistance exercise. I would look to do the following:

- Minimise muscle tension - to reduce fatigue

- Minimise time under tension – to reduce fatigue

- Minimise range of motion as much as possible – less movement, less work

- Maximise use of biomechanical leverage – free power

- Spread the load over as many muscles as possible – less stress on any individual muscle

- Make use of momentum and elastic energy – free power

I am sure that will make perfect sense to anybody looking at this. However, this is how most people train when trying to gain muscle, not increase endurance. To gain muscle you must do near enough the exact opposite:

- Maximise muscle tension – to increase fatigue

- Maximise time under tension – to increase fatigue

- Maximise range of motion as much as possible – More movement, more work

- Minimise use of biomechanical leverage –No free power

- Isolate the load over the smallest amount of muscle whenever possible – More stress on individual muscle(s)

- Eliminate the use of momentum and elastic energy – No free power

Results are specific, so training must be specific

Learn From The Winners

Learn From The Winners

If you want to be the best, you need to learn from the best.  There is an amazing amount of high quality and free information out there on the www.  However, 95% of the information out there is a total and utter cr@p.

How to you spot the cr@p?

Understand

-  A lot of bodybuilders are sponsored or own supplements companies so will always push these things on to you.

-  A lot of bodybuilders are trying to sell you a training plan/DVD.

- A lot of bodybuilder portray an image on YouTube that does not necessarily represent the way in which they actually train.
- Bodybuilders get paid to add their name to other peoples products.

With the power of Youtube I hope to show you several different bodybuilders who offer great advice and I have learnt a lot from.  Each person is different in style and presentation.

1. The No-Nonsense approach from 6 times Mr Olympia Dorian Yates:

Here Dorian explains some training concepts in support of his Blood and Guts workout (available free here).  Many people in the gym fail to grasp these concepts.

2. The Scientific Approach from Ben Pakulski

I highly recommend his ITunes Podcast

In this video, like many, Ben explains the simple, but mostly understood, process of isolating then training a muscle.  He does this by showing 2 similar looking exercise that work 2 areas. 

3. The Spiritual Approach with Kai Greene

Kai has an approach that is rarer these days, although he trains hard there is no doubt that training is more of a spiritual journey for him.  Here he trains arms with a novice trainee.

The main message is to find the approach that suites you as a person, but not to ignore the other approaches.  There are times when you need to go no-nonsense and just lift the weight.  There are times when you need to really think about what you are doing in order to hit the targeted muscle.  There are also times when you just need to go were your body takes you and not over think it.

There are times when the 2 approaches collide as when Kai and his training partner went to Birmingham to train with Dorian.  The sound quality is a bit off on this one but I recommend you turn the volume up to hear Dorian’s comments (some swearing).

As much as you can learn from youtube etc there is no substitute for learning from proper textbooks such as:

Supertraining
Science and Practice of Strength Training
Periodisation for Sports