Note from Vic: This is a guest article from my good friend John Doe Bodybuilding.
John Doe is one of the most knowledgable guys I know. I even went to him for some diet planning a while back.
His knowledge is real, his physique speaks for itself, and he talks openly about the realities of bodybuilding.
But I'll let him do the talking…
Enter John Doe…
Hello, I'm John Doe, and I represent bodybuilding for the every man.
I'm the guy that uses bodybuilding to enhance life, not hamper it.
Life is never just perfect, but I fight through everyday trials and struggles to adapt and overcome.
I'm the everyday guy out there trying to do what he can and make some headway in the gym and in life.
I'm the everyday guy doesn't forget where he came from…
…and I will share with you some of my tips that took me where I came from to where I got today.
10 WAYS TO GET BIG AND STRONG!!
1) Keep your training, diet and supplementation basic
There is no secret involved when it comes to building muscle, and sometimes the simplest plans are the most effective.
I could sit here and give you a workout with 5 different isolation exercises for biceps, but would it be more effective than a few sets of barbell curls and hammer curls? Probably not.
Basic is best when it comes to diet and supplementation.
I can remember trying this diet I saw online one time, and I swear every time I needed to eat, I had to pull the diet back up to see what the hell I was supposed to eat again.
There was so much variety in the diet that you couldn't possibly stick to it unless you had $400 a week for groceries and all the time in the world to live in the kitchen.
It was certainly not a realistic approach and after only 1 week into the diet I knew it wasn't for me.
There is so much information available it can become overwhelming and confusing.
The way I do things is usually basic. I have found this to be best for me and I have a hunch it's best for most people too.
Keep it basic - Supplementation
When it comes to supplements, pick a couple supplements to use for a cycle of 8 wks or so and then switch to something else. Hell, if they're working you may not need to switch at all.
Try something like just creatine and protein for 8 wks, then switch to L-carnitine and arginine, then maybe stack Osta-shred and anafuse for 8 wks.
But for God sakes, there is no reason to use 10 different products at any given time; you are wasting money.
Remember, it's hard work and consistency that prevails over anything you could take, even steroids!!
2) Develop a schedule and routine
Everything I do on a normal day to day basis is on a set schedule.
I eat breakfast around the same time, I get to the gym around the same time, I call my friend at the same time, I eat around the same times (most of the time), I even shit around the same times.
Call it too mundane, call it what you want, but how many people who are successful only work when they get around to it? Hardly any.
A barber doesn't get good at cutting hair when he only does one haircut per day, a real estate agent doesn't make money when they're always at home, and a bodybuilder certainly doesn't build a great physique by doing things spontaneously and only when he feels like it.
If you need to start off simple then by God start off simple.
A typical post workout meal for me back in the day was a large glass of whole milk, a hamburger, and a bowl of macaroni. It may not have been a perfect post workout meal, but I did this consistently EVERY NIGHT after I worked out in my bedroom.
Consistency prevails when it comes to building a body.
The guy who eats 3 whole eggs every morning with a bowl of corn flakes will be better than the guy who spontaneously decides to eat egg whites, protein powder, and plain oatmeal for one week, and then slacks back off.
Remember, CONSISTENCY PREVAILS.
Develop a schedule for yourself, and make it realistic. Take into consideration work, school, time with family, and other obligations first, then work the gym and diet into your schedule!
Make bodybuilding work into your life, not the other way around.
3) Let it go every now and then and have fun
When I say “let it go” I'm talking about the obsession with nutrients and macros.
Sometimes you just have to say fuck it and eat something.
This is even more critical in the beginning of your bodybuilding career. I built a lot of my mass on high caloric meals like pizza, pasta, burgers, and subs.
If you have any sort of life at all, you are not going to get all of the calories you need through skinless chicken and rice.
I'm not telling you to not eat healthy the majority of the time, but certainly do not be afraid to go off the diet a few times each week to get some high calorie food into your body.
Trust me, I didn't get to a lean 225 lbs at 5'9″ by counting calories and watching my carb count 24/7.
You cannot have a food phobia when it comes to packing on size.
So every now and then you need to just let it all go. Start eating a little more lenient from time to time, ESPECIALLY if you aren't at your maximum size potential.
If you've been walking around at 200 lbs now for the past 4 years, then I'd say to transition to a cleaner diet, but if you're only 6 months into this then, dammit, you need to eat, eat, and eat some more!
4) Slow down your rep speed
I understand that every guy wants to see how much he can bench press, hell I'd be a damn hypocrite if I wasn't the same way as a teenager.
But just listen to me for a few minutes here; weight is only a tool to work the muscles.
Look, you are trying your best right? You are eating more often, eating more protein and caloric dense foods, and training on a regular basis.
If you cannot bench 225 lbs yet then who fucking cares?
What you need to know is that it's going to come, but if you want it to come faster then you need to drop that ego right now. You may need to scale it back to benching with 175 lbs or 135 lbs if you're focusing on a slower rep speed and better form.
But I'm going to tell you what will happen here; you will consistently increase work weight every week rather than just throwing on your 225 lbs and crashing on each attempt.
You will walk out of the gym feeling like you actually did something and you'll have an incredible pump going when you start training smarter, and part of training smarter is slowing down your reps.
There are 3 phases of a muscular contraction:
- positive
- negative
- static
The negative phase is actually the phase that is going to yield more growth than the positive, yet so many guys are dropping the weights on them rather than working this part of the movement.
(There is a faster rep speed that is “pump training” but this is more of an advanced principle you won't need until you develop your foundation and raw size.)
5) Use the 80/20 rule for your first 5 years in the gym
What I mean is live 80% dedicated to eating and training and 20% dedicated to life experiences and fun.
Living by the 80/20 rule will not hurt gains in the gym and it will allow you to still have a life.
Part of growing isn't always physical, it's about life experiences. I would not have gotten laid, not had fun, and not met new and interesting people if I had been solely about bodybuilding and nutrition 100% of the time.
I see no personal and social gain from living like a hermit when you're in your teens and 20's, all because you want bigger muscles.
There are ways to gain size and strength while still having a life at the same time.
If you don't have enough fun and life experiences when you're younger it's going to be easier to stray from your path when you're older.
Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint. You have decades to develop your body. Abide by the 80/20 rule and you will have no regrets when you look back.
Your first 5 years in the gym should be more about raw size and foundation development rather than physique refinement and definition.
Yes, you can be defined and large, but if you do not put size first during this time period then you're only short changing yourself.
Putting on this size does not mean you need to be exclusive to eating lean foods 24/7 in your first 5 years, but you will need surplus calories.
You'll have plenty of time to shape the diamond after you get the raw size.
Pictured: John Doe Bodybuilding
6) Train frequently in the beginning, train intensely when you're seasoned
You should always train hard, but you simply aren't going to develop the same level of intensity in the beginning that you will once your body is more developed.
The more you become accustomed to muscular contractions, the more intensity you can bring to the table. With more intense workouts comes more needed down time.
Yes, I believe overtraining is a real issue, but not as much in the beginning.
What you need at first is frequency!
The reason is because it's still new to you and practically any sort of stimulation to your muscles will yield growth.
I see nothing wrong with doing pushups on a daily basis, training arms almost every day, or being in a gym 6 days a week when you're new to it all.
I trained like a mad cat the first year I was into the weights, and what a lot of people would call “overtraining” put 36 lbs of quality muscle on my frame in my first year!
I couldn't do that now, but I'm using much bigger weights now and my muscular contractions are harder than they used to be.
My training now would be considered much more intense, but I truly believe in the beginning it's all about frequency and consistency.
7) Use high rep training
Everywhere you look it's the same routines with the same exercises and the same rep counts. Typical reps are anywhere between 4-12 reps in the majority of workout routines.
But how many times have you grabbed a lighter weight and taken your reps to 40 or 50 reps/set?
How many times have you done push-ups for 80-100 reps a shot?
For many guys probably never.
When you push outside the realm of norm, abnormal things can happen; things like increased growth and pump, a higher threshold for pain, and increased muscle hardness and muscle control.
I'm not telling you to make high reps an ordinary thing here, but every once in awhile it's a good idea to push for a much higher rep count with a lighter weight.
I've been bodybuilding almost 20 years now, and do you know what kind of weight I used on leg extensions? I start with 50 lbs, then 70 lbs, then 90 lbs. Light weight right? Yes, I do 40 reps per set.
Occasionally I perform curls with 15 lb dumbbells for higher reps, and I'm certainly not a small guy by any means.
The weight is simply a tool for working the muscle.
At the end of the day who really gives a shit how much you're lifting?
It's not like you're walking into public with a barbell and telling everyone “Hey, watch this!!”
But you are walking into public with your physique, and dropping the ego at the gym door can help build a good body faster than almost anything!
8) Use as little supplementation as possible to make gains
Yes, there comes a point when you need to take things to get beyond what nature intended.
However, there is no reason to use anything until you've exhausted the bare minimum!
My 36 lb. muscle mass gain my first year came solely from food and hard work, no supplements and no steroids.
My additional 20 lbs of mass on my first steroid cycle came from only 1 vial of testosterone.
From that point on to my next set of gains, steroids were limited to 2 compound stacks at moderate dosages.
Cycles of more than 2 compounds at any given time from then on were limited solely to training for bodybuilding competitions.
Looking back on things I probably could have done it with half the amounts I was using.
When you start by using everything, there is simply no room to go any further.
If your ultimate goal is being as large as you can be and still be healthy, then you should think long-term and use as little as needed.
9) Rotate through your food sources
When it comes to building size you need calories.
While abiding by the 80/20 rule we want the majority of calories to be quality and provide some sort of nutritional value.
A pizza or a cheeseburger here and there is fine, but what you're going to find is that you will be eating a lot of the same healthier foods on a routine basis.
But there is going to come a point where you grow tired of eating lean beef, eggs, and oatmeal.
My advice is to rotate through different food sources. Example…
One week I will eat baked chicken with seasoning, the next week I will switch to a different seasoning, then the following week I'm on to eating Tilapia instead of chicken.
The week after that it may be lean steak, then the next week it might be lean ground beef.
Then I may be back on chicken, but this week I'll cut it into small pieces and pan fry it in olive oil rather than bake it. If I'm sick of eggs with salt and pepper then I'll use hot sauce, and when I'm sick of hot sauce I'll use salsa, and when I'm sick of regular salsa I'll use pineapple salsa.
One week it might be rice, and the following week it's on to potatoes.
You guys get the idea.
Don't think that you need to eat everything plain, I use seasonings and condiments right up to competition time.
Do not be afraid of sodium, the body holds water from sodium fluctuations, not solely sodium count.
For example: if I'm eating 1,000 mg of salt a day, and then I randomly jump to 3,000 mg one day, then I may hold a little more fluid. But if I were to stay at 3,000 mg per day on a routine basis, then my body would level back out.
Do not develop a food phobia.
If using seasonings and condiments becomes the difference in hitting enough calories and nutrients vs. not enough, USE THEM.
Remember, you do not need to be nit picky, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NEW TO IT ALL!
10) Shoot for realistic goals
Forget about what you ultimately want to look like and focus on making progress in small increments.
You aren't going to do everything at once and you're going to find that, as you get further into developing your physique, you will constantly be taking 2 steps backwards to take another leap forward.
My goals in the beginning were basic things like getting my chest to stick out more, building broader shoulders, bigger legs, and bigger arms.
Never once did I think of having 20″ arms, a 30″ waist, and 5% bodyfat.
You have to take smaller bites in the beginning or the process can seem overwhelming.
If you're moving forward then you're moving forward, and that is all you need to focus on. Nobody gets to the pinnacle of anything without taking proper steps and smaller steps in the process.
Your body is no different and what you need to do is focus on yourself and not what everyone else is doing.
Be proud of your gains and remember to have fun with this.
There is no reward in building your body for anyone else besides yourself, and this is not a team sport.
This is all about you, so don't worry what everyone else is doing.
I've seen guys with the worst genetics for bodybuilding get over 200 lbs naturally.
With hard work and persistence your time will come, I promise.
Over and out.
John Doe Bodybuilding
PS - I hope this helps some of you guys out. Be sure to check out JohnDoeBodybuilding.com to get real life, no bullshit knowledge on training, nutrition, and performance enhancement. I don't pull any punches and I don't sugar coat anything!
Off topic questions for Mr Pride.1.How old is Miss Pride? 2.How old is Mr Pride? 3.How many years has she been yours? Keep kickin ass Mr Pride. I sure will!
Keep it on topic Xavi. There’s a time and a place for all questions.
Hey John Doe,
You suggest doing 40-50 reps per set with a light weight once in a while to promote increased muscle growth and pump. But will this stimulate muscle growth? I have read that beyond 15-20 reps it’s just endurance training. Is this a truth or not?
Regarding point 2), let’s call “left siders” those who live in a 100% unchanged routine and “right siders” those who do things spontaneously or when they feel they should do it.
I think there is a sweet spot between having a program that is 100% a mundane routine and not having a program at all. If you do things when you don’t feel like that way, you may end up in a position that you hate doing them.
Being somewhere in the middle tilting to the left side is the best approach for me. You execute those important tasks first based on your program and you leave some space for a little spontaneity. It’s all about prioritizing.
By the way this passage must be a quoted or made a sign in every gym around the world. It was the best part of the article.
“At the end of the day who really gives a shit how much you’re lifting?It’s not like you’re walking into public with a barbell and telling everyone “Hey, watch this!!”But you are walking into public with your physique, and dropping the ego at the gym door can help build a good body faster than almost anything!”
Hi Damian,
You’re right about 40-50 reps a set being just “endurance training”. Doing a set that lasts that long won’t do anything to trigger the process that leads to greater muscle growth. Unless you’re a total beginner at strength-training or weight-training.
And that’s because a set with that many reps would be so long in duration, that the intensity would be too low to trigger the process that leads to greater muscle growth.
It’s important to know that “exercise intensity ” is the #1 key to muscle growth stimulation.
To get a muscle to grow, you need to subject the muscle to a higher level of “intensity” than what it’s currently accustomed to. Doing so triggers a response in the central nervous system ( CNS ), that causes the muscle to grow bigger and stronger, in order to “adapt” to that higher level of intensity.
And the higher the intensity of the exercise, the greater the muscle growth is likely to be. So for “maximum” muscle growth, especially ” maximum muscle growth in minimum time “, you need to generate “maximum intensity” in the working muscle.
It’s also important to know that intensity is inversely proportional to duration. So the higher the intensity of the exercise, the shorter the duration has to be. That’s simply a law of nature.
So nobody can achieve maximum intensity, or even high intensity, by doing a set of 40-50 reps. That would take so long that it would have to be a very low-intensity exercise. Which means that for most experienced lifters, it would do nothing to build muscle.
The only way a 40-50 rep set would work to build more muscle would be if you’ve never lifted weights or done any strength-training before. In which case almost any weight-training exercise that you do can trigger an anabolic response.
And that’s because when you’re a total beginner, almost any weight-training exercise that you do will be more intense than what you were doing previously; which was nothing!
But even if you’re a beginner, you still won’t achieve MAXIMUM intensity, or obtain maximum results, by doing 40-50 rep sets. That would be impossible.
In fact, if you can do an exercise for longer than 6 seconds, you don’t have “maximum” intensity; because nobody can sustain maximum intensity that long.
And that’s actually a good thing. Because it turns out the the “most effective” way to build muscle naturally is actually the “least time-consuming” way. If you know and apply the secrets to achieving maximum intensity, for any strength-training exercise that you do.
So as much as I admire this article and what John Doe Bodybuilder says, I don’t recommend using the 40-50 rep strategy at all. Even if you’re a beginner.
Hey james. Thanks a lot for taking time to write this extensive response on my question.
You’re welcome Damian. I hope it helps you.
So like the late, great Mike Mentzer said,
You can train “hard”, or you can train “long”. But you can’t do both simultaneously. That’s impossible for anyone to do.
And which one leads to greater muscle growth: training hard, or training long?
The answer is obvious.
And what does it mean to get a muscle to work hard anyway?
The “intensity ” that you generate in the muscle is the measure of how hard the muscle is working.
So for “maximum ” muscle growth, you need to generate “maximum” intensity in the working muscle.
You can’t get any harder than that!
I believe challenging your muscles in any way can promote growth. This is proven with people who do a ton of push-ups, look at prisoners. Going with those high reps pushes you to new pain thresholds and promotes more blood flow to the muscles which is what carries nutrients. I’m not saying go high rep exclusively, but yes, every now and then it’s good. Take guys like Tom Platz or Branch Warren for example, is it pure irony that they have/had the freakiest quads in bodybuilding and went high rep frequently?
Hi John,
I wouldn’t attribute the physiques of Warren and Platz to the fact that they went “high rep” frequently. I’m sure they did a lot of other things that got them the bodies they had.
For that matter, Mike Mentzer had huge forearm muscles. Yet he claimed that he seldom did any direct training for his forearms.
In any case, I believe that the only way you can “challenge”your muscles is to subject them to a ” higher level of intensity” than what the muscles are currently used to.
That’s what gets the muscle to grow bigger and stronger; because the muscle has to do that to “adapt” to that higher level of intensity.
That’s the only way you can trigger an anabolic response in the central nervous system that leads to greater muscle growth.
And high rep sets with light weights are insufficient for that purpose, because the intensity would be too low. Unless you’re a beginner.
That said, there’s no harm in trying the “high rep” approach, for people who think it might work. It just takes time.
It isn’t that their is anything ‘magical’ about 40-50 reps.. it’s that you are doing something out-of-routine. Flushing blood and building lactic acid in the muscle in a way that is out of the normal routine. As bodybuilders we do this almost as a shock method. You can only tax the central nervous system so much through heavy training.. you can only do the standard 6-12 hypertrophy range so much until you are very adapted. The point is this… everyone once in awhile shock your system. Whether it be Myo-reps, High rep flush sets, Triple drop sets, Static Holds, etc.. The legendary strength coach Dan John said “The program that works is the one your not on…” he also said “everything works…until it doesn’t!”
Hi Josh,
Doing something “out of routine” works to build muscle, only if you’re subjecting the muscle to a “higher level of intensity” than what the muscle is currently used to.
That’s the only way you can trigger an anabolic response in the central nervous system ( CNS ) that leads to greater muscle growth.
Doing 40-50 rep sets with lighter weights won’t do a thing to build muscle, for experienced weight-lifters. Even if it is “outside of routine”. And that’s because the intensity would be too low for the purpose of muscle growth stimulation.
The 40-50 rep strategy should work for beginners though.
Right I’m not saying any high reps above 20 should be anything “normal” to use. What I am saying is a body use to the typical heavy weight or hypertrophy work can benefit from 1 week of something like that.. All for the same reasons lifters use Deload weeks or lighter weeks. Same concepts is what I am thinking about here. I know in my 20 years of training when I thought “taking it easy” for a week or 2 would make me lose gains, it usually allowed me to grow even more due to recovery being elevated. This all depends on how you normally train.
You’re right Damian, who cares how much weight you’re lifting? And JDB is right too.
What more people need to know is that ultimately, it’s not just how much weight you lift that determines how much muscle you build.
As far as your workout plan goes, it’s the level of “intensity” that you generate in the working muscle, that ultimately determines how much muscle you build.
And the amount of that you lift is just 1 out of 5 variables that determine intensity. And some of the other variables (such as leverage ) can be just as important as weight, in regards to intensity.
Damn good article, thanks! I’ve been lifting just over 5 years now, consistent and heavy, and have recently made really good strength and size gains by REALLY switching up my routine, while only lifting 3x/week (chest/bi, back/tri, legs/shoulders, ab stuff thrown in and 2-3 runs per week) and doing lots of super sets, which I’d never done before.
I fully agree that once you have some years under your belt, you’re much better able to stress the fuck out of your muscles. Your mind becomes much more connected to them. Watching an interview with Arnold really helped me with the mind-muscle connection. He said something like, “You have to get your mind INTO your muscles on each rep,” and just thinking of that while lifting has really helped.
Good stuff!
I remember the first time I was able to rep 225 lbs. once on the bench press; I felt like superman. It took me a while to get there though so I strongly agree with your points of being patient and persistent. Switching up the diet every week is also a great idea to prevent boredom. Good article, Victor.
-Alex
Alex, you need to stop putting your website link in comments. If people want to click over they will click on your name.
I filmed my first 225 press and felt like hercules. I was a lean 143lb spartan machine!
If you combine these philosophies with Body of a Spartan, you’re guaranteed to get mean and lean as fuck, thanks Vic and Joe.
This should be the study manual for being allowed to purchase a gym membership!
I’m going to work on my rep speed today. I’ve been getting a little sloppy since trying to push weight and reps the past couple of months.
Great work John!
Vic and John
Would you recommend a 22 year old who’s been in the gym (following Body of a Spartan) to rather push his limits in the first two years for perfect form or pushing to lift the heaviest weights with less respect to form?
Keep it up guys both of you are doing a great job, I value your content for almost two years now and it never lets me down.
Greetings from the NL
You don’t get stronger by using perfect form. It simply doesn’t happen. But don’t go overboard and throw form out the window. You have to find that balance.
Solid, thought I’d add 11. Make half of your workout calisthenics.
If you want athletic abilities and functional muscle. A lot that do weight lifting alone get tired climbing up some stairs.
its a top 10 to get big and strong.
How strong are you if you get tired climbing up some stairs??
ho yeah like you need to do calisthenics to be able to climb stairs
Great article John. I can back up the Anafuse/Osta shred stack - they fucking work. Anafuse is best when used at max dose (4 pills a day). I didn’t notice any results at 2 a day.
Question:
I have a bottle of dmz 2.0 I plan to run with Osta shred. Is the arimistane enough to suppress the possible sides or am I gonna need something stronger? I’m not naturally prone to gyno.
Nah man, I feel like the arimastane is enough
Keep in mind, Osta Shred has Arimistane in it as well. If you are running Super DMZ and Osta Shred start Osta Shred first since it is an 8 week product, and then run Super DMZ for weeks 5-8 since it is a 30 day supply.
You don’t really need anything else to support you when you are taking Osta Shred by itself, but when you run Super DMZ make sure to use a liver support with it as it is liver toxic.
Once you are done with both of these products start a PCT.
3) Let it go every now and then and have fun
I did this last weekend. Friday - Sunday…..after 2 months…today is where the routine starts again…and yea for sure it works!
After learning a few major life changing pursuits you begin to see how succeeding at each of them are very similar.
This article proved exactly that. Working out is a huge lifestyle improvement and what it takes to over come plateaus, boundaries, and personal beliefs is exactly the same as what it takes to succeed it business, dating, life, and just creating an overall successful life.
It’s no surprise why some of the guys who “seem to have it all” like Vic, John, and Mike are where they’re at.
The personal attributes these guys have is all the same. It’s what it takes to become great.
Not wanting to work out and create something amazing is a perfect sign that you’re simply not cut out for become a winner.
- Alan
Another great no BS write up from John Doe.
100% agree with using spices and condiments to get your food down. I’m a skinny mofo and I used to sit there and nit pick over not using ketchup or syrup cause of the sugar. Then I realized as a hard gainer none of that shit matters. Its way more important for me to put down as much food as possible. A little sugar won’t matter.
I have been following Serge Nubret’s workout routine for almost one year now. Several principles you mentioned are found in his routine as well and I’ve had massive results from it.
Three questions:
1. Contrary to light weights and very high reps, do you also vary your training by going heavy once in a while (around 3 reps)?
2. Did you ever try performing static holds? I started doing them occasionally recently and I’m still unsure about their effectiveness.
3. Do you believe workout programs should be changed? My thinking on this is: find a workout that works well and brings results. Keep the workout and make slight changes regularly to shock the body.
I’d like to hear opinions on these questions.
Cheers
Hi Jeff,
Static contractions are very effective, if you do them the right way.
In fact, static holds are actually the only exercises that enable you to build “maximum muscle in minimum time”. And that’s because static holds are the only way you can achieve “maximum intensity ” for any weight training exercise that you do.
And since intensity is the #1 key to muscle growth stimulation, and because intensity is inversely proportional to duration, maximum intensity is the only way you can build “maximum muscle in minimum time”.
The truth is that you can’t achieve “maximum intensity” when doing reps of any kind; even partial reps in your “strong range” of motion.
And that’s because whenever you do reps, the intensity constantly fluctuates, sometimes dropping down to zero. That’s inevitable when doing reps. And when there’s zero intensity, there’s zero muscle growth stimulation.
So that explains why you’ll never build “maximum muscle in minimum time ” by doing reps.
That can be accomplished only by doing static holds. And the static holds have to be done the right way, so that you generate maximum intensity in the working muscle.
And to accomplish that, you need the correct definition for exercise intensity, as it relates to strength-training and muscle growth stimulation.
Hi Jeff,
In regards to your question # 3:
The only way you can “shock” your muscle into growing bigger and stronger, is by subjecting the muscle to a higher level of “intensity” than what the muscle is currently used to.
Doing so triggers an anabolic response in the central nervous system, that causes the muscle to gradually grow bigger and stronger, in order to “adapt” to that higher level of intensity.
Then once the muscle has gotten used to that level of intensity, you need to go through the same process again, and subject the muscle to an even higher level of intensity, to induce further muscle growth. And so on.
So you won’t trigger the process that leads to greater muscle growth by doing an exercise at a lower level of intensity than what the muscle is currently used to. Or even at the same level of intensity that the muscle is currently used to. How would that “shock” the muscle into growing bigger and stronger? It won’t.
That’s why doing 40-50 reps in a set won’t work to build muscle, for experienced weight-lifters. The duration of the exercise would be so long, that the intensity of the exercise would be too low to trigger an anabolic response in the central nervous system.
And that’s simply because “intensity is inversely proportional to duration”. So the higher the intensity, the shorter the duration. And the longer the duration, the lower the intensity will be.
And the ultimate way to “shock” a muscle into growing bigger is to subject the muscle to the MAXIMUM level of intensity.
That’s the only way you’ll build maximum muscle in minimum time.
1. Yes, I do train heavy about once every 3 wks or so. I usually try incorporating some sort of high intensity technique into lower reps, so for example if I’m hitting a set of 3 reps it may be a crazy slow negative and positive (which fresh I’m still stronger than high reps with a faster rep tempo) it’s just safer for me and still gives me more time under tension than a quick powerlifter type lift of low reps.
2. Yes, static holds are excellent!!! I usually go with 1 minute static holds and perform it as it’s own set, AFTER work sets. This is one of the HIT techniques I utilize frequently
3. I’m constantly changing a routine, but using the same principles. I frequently change a workout routine on a week to week basis. Part of why is because my gym is so crowded that I have to start on other exercises sometimes if someone is using something, and another part of it is to train a lift first so I can be stronger there and excel on that particular lift. There is no perfect routine, perfect order, perfect workout. All the routines you read about pro’s doing, it’s mostly bullshit man. They are always changing it up, they write up some horseshit to put in a magazine for something to write and sell you on
Thanks for the feedback guys.
Its interesting that you perform the static holds as a set on its own and I will try that. I normally do them at the end of my last set but I guess that depends on your preference.
Big muscles from lifting light weight? Really?? Thats so anti-bold and determined.
Im amazed.
Has this site turned “gay”??
JDB what would you recommend for a first cycle to build mass, test only or anafuse?
take a look at his website, the guy can deadlift over 500 lbs, bench over 300, etc etc. but it comes a time when you need to slack off the heavy weights and train smarter.
Can you read?
At the end of the day who really gives a shit how much you’re lifting?
Yes, I’ve just done it, mate.
Hi Jeff,
Sometimes you can build big muscles by using light weights. It depends on “how the the weight is used”.
If the weight is used in a way to achieve ” maximum intensity ” in the working muscle, then yes, using a light weight can lead to big muscles.
And that’s because there are other variables that determine the intensity of an exercise, In addition to the amount of weight used.
Those other variables include the amount of leverage that the muscle has to work against, the speed at which you execute the reps, and the amount of dynamic contraction that you generate in the muscle, per unit time.
But you won’t build big muscles by using light weights to do 40-50 rep sets. That’s using light weights the wrong way to build maximum muscle, because you’re using the weights to achieve a lower level of intensity, in that case.
A 40-50 rep set would have to low intensity for experienced weight-lifters, because nobody can generate ” maximum intensity ” or ” high intensity” for that long a period of time.
And that’s because “intensity is inversely proportional to duration “. So the higher the intensity of the exercise, the shorter the duration has to be. And the longer the duration, the lower the intensity has to be.
That’s simply a law of nature that applies to everyone.
This is a brilliant article
Victor write “varinder singh ghumman” in google and click on images. have a look at his body. He is from India and is super heavyweight champion and is pure vegetarian.(gives credit to white diet, Most of the diet include milk). There are millions of people who are vegetarian(not vegan but vegetarian), and about beef- there are 1.2 billion Hindus who don’t even touch beef. At world level you have to think at world level
humans are omnivore. You need meats to be at your best, end of the sentence..
What a stupid fucking example of a vegan bodybuilder. You were better off to say ‘Here is a guy using steroids’.
No one can look like that naturally. No matter your food perfere preference.
I’ve lived the vegan lifestyle. I had no energy and I felt like a little bitch when I ordered a salad in a steakhouse. Never again.
nobody asked for your fucking comment boy. it was addressed to vic
So don’t eat beef.
JDB what would you recommend for a first cycle to build mass, test only or anafuse?
That is a difficult question to answer but I’ll try my best. #1- Test if you don’t mind a longer recovery and crash when you get off
#2- Anafuse if you’re willing to accept slightly smaller gains but you’re able to recover and use it more frequently. I’d say Anafuse if you don’t want to use hormone replacement later on in life.
Finally :)
Hey Victor quick question ,
would Anafuse or Osta be okay for a 19-20 Year old to do take because they work in a different way to dmz
Thanks
yes, I believe it’s fine, they don’t hamper recovery when you come off them.
Hello John an Victor ! Great hosted article. I would like to know whats your take on drinking alcohol while training properly and maintaining healthy nutrition. I personally feel It helps my central nervous system recover faster. What your stance on the matter ? Thank you !
Hi Marian,
It’s been shown that drinking alcohol interferes with muscle growth. So if you’re goal is to build muscle, don’t drink. Unless you value the alcohol more than the muscle.
And if you must drink alcohol, there are some supplements that can weaken the effect of the alcohol, in regards to inhibiting muscle growth.
N - acetyl cysteine (NAC) is one of them.
In fact, some people claim that if you take enough NAC just before and right after drinking, it can prevent a hangover.
But that’s another matter.
I’m not sure about that. Studies always say a bunch of things that change all the time. What I do know is that when I drink (mostly vodka) my testosterone increase, no doubt about it. Beer is shit though, its estrogenic and makes me feel like shit, but vodka raise my test I would bet on it. Who have never felt super horny when hung over? just saying.
Thanks for comments guys. I feel the same - super horny in the morning. Beer does me batter than spirits, I dont get dehydratated and I cant get very drunk. Also good beer has a lot of B group vitamins. Regarding NAC first time I have heard about it, I did some research and I will give it a shot.
You probably feel super horny in the morning, simply because that’s when you’re testosterone levels are highest. That true whether you drink or not.
Actually alcohol, in excess amounts, is known to lower testosterone levels.
And even if it were to raise testosterone levels, that doesn’t mean it can’t interfere with muscle growth.
I’ve never heard of anyone being super horny when hungover. Or at least not as a result of being hungover.
You’re super horny in the morning, because you’re testosterone levels are highest in the morning.
That’s true whether you drink or not.
By super horny I mean more horny than without some drinks. I never get hangover - I wasnt hungover for years, it is just dumb to drink that much. When hungover I just feel flat wihout any drive whatsover. Hangover should be reserved for teenage boys. Today I bought myself NAC I will let you guys know what is my experience. rgards.
It’s true that studies provide us with a lot of conflicting info, so much so that in can be bewildering.
In any case, I have yet to come across any study showing that alcohol raises testosterone levels. And I’ve never heard of being an aphrodisiac either.
In any case, I’m sure there are much more effective and safer testosterone boosters and aphrodisiacs than alcohol.
You don’t need any stupid studies to know that alcohol can be an aphrodisiac. You’d have to come from another planet to not know that.
I think on chaosandpain is some good article of alcohol use as testosterone booster by old school weightlifters and badasses, it is pretty conclusive. For me alcohol definetely is an powerful aphrodisiac.
The ultimate aphrodisiac may very well be your mind; if you use it the right way.
The thoughts that you focus on, and how you focus on them, can have a powerful effect on your libido than alcohol ever will.
What happens physiologically when you entertain extremely erotic thoughts?
Do I need to spell it out?
Can alcohol have that effect?
Of course not! If anything, excess amounts of alcohol will do the opposite, and turn you into a “limp fish”.
Of course, you have to have the “desire” to entertain such erotic thoughts.
And that’s where your hormones come into play; especially testosterone.
So what’s the ultimate testosterone booster?
Well, it certainly isn’t alcohol.
If we’re to believe researchers at Boston State Hospital, and anti-aging experts like Dr.Al Sears, the ultimate testosterone booster has been right under our noses for thousands of years! And it’s free.
In fact, I’m writing an article about it now.
However, it’s not for die-hard moralists. Unless they too want to boost their testosterone levels naturally.
And no, it’s not sex.
Iam on test prop 100 mg EOD for about 6 months - even though my natural levels vere still high. I gave it a shot and Iam not planning to come back. My test levels are therefore extremely high constantly. therefore Iam always horny. After few drinks some strange magic happens anyway. I just want to do orgy all the time. I cant sleep because I need to fuck. Regarding natural ways I have always done it. from posture exercise, compound exercise to almonds and coconut oil. Regarding sex is not mental form me. I just want it I do not need to exercise focus on erotic thoughts. I just go.
it’s all about moderation bro, I occasionally have a few light beers here and there myself. ESPECIALLY when cutting up, because it’s better to have a few low calorie drinks rather than eating junk when you need a release. Just keep to the diet and don’t drink in excess
Thanks Man !
Cool post from John Doe. As a powerlifter I do not agree that strength doesn’t matter. Lifting big weights means more to me than anybodies bicep pump. Still I see the underlying principle which is to get a stretch and squeeze to force the muscle to grow.
Chase, it’s definitely great to be strong, no doubt. Powerlifting has aspects I like as well, it’s just not as much of a longevity deal as bodybuilding is because all that heavy weight eventually takes it’s toll. But it’s very impressive to see humans handle poundages like that and to each his own, I still respect it a lot though
JDB, when is your new book on gear coming out? I’m really looking forward to it
soon man, real soon. Its tied up in editing rt now
I enjoyed this article by John Doe Bodybuilding. And I appreciate all the great advice he has to share.
I don’t totally agree with him on #7 though (Do High Rep Training).
I do agree with him that you want to do something “outside the norm”, to produce “abnormal results”; meaning greater muscle growth.
But he seems to imply that almost “anything” that you do that’s outside your normal routine will trigger an anabolic response that leads to greater muscle growth.
But that’s not how muscle growth stimulation works. The only way you can get a muscle to grow bigger and stronger is by subjecting the muscle to a higher level of “intensity” than what the muscle is currently used to.
Doing so triggers a response in the central nervous system ( CNS ) that causes the muscle to grow bigger and stronger, in order to “adapt ” to that higher level of intensity.
Then once the muscle gets used to that higher level of intensity, you have to put the muscle through the same process again:subject it to an even higher level of intensity, to get the muscle to grow even bigger and stronger. And so on.
So yes, doing something “outside the norm” can get your muscles to grow bigger and stronger. Or, as is often said, it can “shock” your muscles into growing.
But that strategy works only if you’re subjecting the muscle to a “higher level of intensity” than what the muscle is currently accustomed to. As I explained above.
And that’s why doing a set of 40-50 reps, using lighter weights, will do nothing to build muscle for experienced weight-lifters. Even if it is outside their norm.
The “duration” of a set like that would be too long, so the “intensity” would be too low to trigger an anabolic response that leads to greater muscle growth.
And that’s simply because “intensity is inversely proportional to duration”. So the higher the intensity of an exercise, the shorter the exercise has to be. And the longer the duration of the exercise, the lower the intensity has to be.
The 40-50 rep strategy that JDB recommends can work to build muscle for beginners, however.
And that’s because if strength-training or weight-training is totally new to you, almost any weight-training exercise that you do will be more intense than what you were doing previously; which was nothing!
But even beginners won’t build MAXIMUM muscle doing 40-50 rep sets. Because the intensity is too low.
When you are not performing multiple work sets and you do a set of 40 or 50 reps then its pretty intense to me. I remember one time a few yrs back I hit a set of 50 reps on hack squats with 4 plates per side, then fell onto the floor when I was done. My legs were shot for over a week. I understand what you are saying about high intensity but you are only referencing high intensity to the amount of weight lifted, not muscular contractions. Im telling you man, I have worked with a lot of huge guys who have thought outside the box on rep ranges and it works .
Thanks JD,
It’s good that you brought up the ” amount of weight lifted” vs the “amount of muscular contraction generated ” issue.
Ironically, one of the things I emphasize the most in my book and workout plan (Maximum Intensity Strength Training) is that the intensity of a weight-training exercise is a lot more than just the amount of weight lifted.
In fact, there are actually 5 different variables that determine intensity. And the amount of weight that you use is only one of them.
And some of the other variables can be just as important as the amount of weight used.
One of them is the amount of “leverage” that the muscle has to work against.
That’s why you can generate a greater resistance, and thus more muscular contraction, and thus a higher level of intensity using a light weight with a long lever, than you can by using a heavy weight with a short lever.
So the reason I doubt that the 40-50 rep sets would work for muscle growth stimulation is not because it uses light weights.
I’m sure you can generate a lot of muscular contraction by doing 40-50 reps with light weights.
However, all that contraction would be spread out over such a long period of time, that the intensity would be too low to trigger an anabolic response that leads to greater muscle growth.
Except for people who are beginners, or who are used to an even lower level of intensity.
I eat like a horse and still don’t gain weight. Also Irish so 8 beers go back like it’s nothing. And a runner, but not for competition.
Guess I need to eat like a horse and a bull.
stop running so much and u will start growing
Also, the general consensus is that alcohol can interfere with muscle growth.
And it’s believed to do so in at least 2 ways:
1) alcohol interferes with the action of leucine, which is a branched chain amino acid , that’s considered the most anabolic of all amino acids
2) it’s believed that alcohol in excess amounts can deactivate the testosterone receptors of your muscle cells.
Also, if you ever run marathons: one study shows that running a marathon can double your cortisol level, and cut your testosterone level in half.
Certainly not something that you want, for the purpose of building muscle.
So running a lot and drinking a lot is a really bad combo for muscle growth. Those two combined will definitely have a ” catabolic” effect; certainly not an anabolic one.
Hi John!
I’ve been doing a lot of “this and that” and “on and off” when it comes to lifting, but generally I think I’ve got a lot of the basics down. My question is about training frequency for forearms. I have a strong grip from heavy deadlifts, shrugs, rows, ect. but you wouldn’t know it looking at the size of my forearms. To try and remedy this, I started doing daily direct work at home like wrist roll ups, hammer curls, and farmers walks, with a fairly light volume/intensity but enough to feel it. I gained a bit of strength on these things but no real size gains, and the fatigue became too much and started ruining my big pulls, and gave me a slight wrist injury so i had to give it up What are your thoughts on forearm training in terms of frequency, direct Vs. indirect work, and intensity?.
Hi Chris,
The forearm muscles have a reputation for being probably the “most stubbornly difficult” muscles to build.
And that’s because most people don’t know that there are actually “7 different types of motions” that work the forearm muscles.
And since each motion recruits a unique combination of muscle fibers, some of which don’t come into play for any other motion, all 7 of those motions must be done; if you want to fully develop your forearm muscles proportionately.
Plus, you need to do each one of those motions so that you generate ” maximum intensity ” in the forearm muscles, if you want to build maximum muscle; especially ” maximum muscle in minimum time “.
And that’s because intensity is the #1 key to muscle growth stimulation. The higher the intensity, the greater the muscle growth is likely to be.
So for ” maximum” muscle growth, you need to generate ” maximum intensity ,for any strength-training exercise that you do.
High intensity training ( HIT ) is great. But it doesn’t go far enough.
Also be aware of the fact that there are no compound exercises that will effectively work and develop your forearm muscles. And that includes the deadlift.
The only way you can effectively work and develop your forearm muscles is through isolation exercises; based upon the 7 different types of motions I mentioned.
when it comes to actual forearm size, I have found it almost as beneficial to focus on the brachialis muscle (muscle on outside of forearm near elbow) as it is to work on grip. Start performing more hammer curls and reverse grip curls. A larger brachialis will help the top of forearms look bigger. Unfortunately forearms sort of fall into the same category as calves, a lot is genetic. My forearms arent that big myself
Go to my site and read up on approved resources and you will see “fat gripz”these help too
I see. I did notice the biggest jumps from hammer and “wonder woman” curls in tems of added thickness. Today I picked up a weight that was obviously too much for me to do with strict form but i believe that let me achieve maximum intensity trying. My arms sure feel it now lol. Anyways I bought your book. It’ll take some time for me to digest it all but then I’ll come back with a review. Looking good so far.
Alright one more. I’m guessing this will be in your next book but what are your suggestions(if any) for pct on anavar?
yea i do lot of heavy lifting etc and my forearms are big anyway i cant argue with 14-15 inch forearms naturally im more of a larger boned type than a asthetic type
I have been doing a beginner/intermediate workout working each bodypart 6 days a week. Just this week I finished reading Four hour body by Tim Ferriss and I am hesitant to take any of his advice. Basically, he suggests that each movement should last a minimum of 80 secs to 120 secs. He only works out like 2 hours a week with 2 exercises per body part. He is done in a half an hour each workout. He also recommends initially taking one day off between workouts days then two and eventually three. He stresses going to failure and kettlebell swings. Of course, I could do his routine for 6 weeks, but I was curious if you had any thoughts?
How often do you change up your routine? Do you think a 3 week or 9 week course of high rep would be appropriate for a beginner?
Thanks, hope it makes sense.
Hi Tariq,
If you’re a beginner, you can build some muscle by doing the exercises in Tim Ferriss book. And that’s because at that point, almost any weight-training exercise that you do will be more intense than what you were doing previously; which was nothing.
But if your goal is to build maximum muscle, especially ” maximum muscle in minimum time “, you’ll never accomplish that by using the workout plan in Tim Ferriss book.
One big problem with his book and workout plan is that he never defines “exercise intensity ” correctly. In fact, he doesn’t define exercise intensity at all.
And considering the fact that “intensity” is the #1 key to muscle growth stimulation, that’s a big shortcoming for a book like that. Especially since he claims that he put on 34 lbs of muscle in 28 days by using that workout plan.
So not surprisingly, none of the exercises in Ferriss book will enable you to achieve
” maximum intensity “. Because the author obviously doesn’t know what intensity is, as it relates to strength-training, and muscle growth stimulation.
And the only way you’ll ever build “maximum muscle in minimum time” is by achieving “maximum intensity “, for any strength-training exercise that you do.
Also, if you’re doing exercises that last 80-120 seconds each (as Ferriss recommends), you can be sure that you don’t have maximum intensity. Or even “high” intensity, for that matter. Nobody can generate and sustain ” maximum intensity “, or “high intensity” for that long a period of time.
And that’s because intensity is inversely proportional to duration. So the higher the intensity of an exercise, the shorter it has to be. And the longer the duration of the exercise, the lower the intensity has to be. That’s simply a law of nature that applies to everyone.
So theoretically, any exercise that really is “maximum intensity ” would last no longer than 6 seconds at the most. Anything longer than that would not be “maximum” intensity. Because nobody can generate and sustain maximum intensity for longer than 6 seconds.
Yet Tim Ferriss claims that he put on 34 lbs of muscle in 28 days, without steroids or other growth - enhancing drugs, simply by following the workout plan in this book!
And he promises his readers that they can do the same.
Well don’t believe it for a minute. Nobody can build that amount of muscle naturally, in just one month. Even the fastest and most effective workout plan (which is Maximum Intensity) won’t enable you to do that.
So you certainly won’t do it using the relatively low-intensity exercises described in Tim Ferriss book.
That doesn’t mean that Ferriss’ workout plan sucks. Certainly it’s better than not working out at all. It just won’t give you “maximum results in minimum time”, regardless of what Ferriss claims.
Thank you for responding, I figured as much. If intensity and failure are such that a guy is ready to puke with completion of a set, i am not there yet, for whatever reason. I consider myself an endomorph and even with training to failure to the best of my ability, I am literally fine and normal within a few hours, no soreness. I am presuming this will take time to develop and maximize my contractions. I have read that endomorphs can take alot of punishment and recover quicker.
My goal despite recs for 5-12 or 3 sets is to just do the exercises till I am blue in the face and losing form, then I add another rep or two and recover to a rest period of less than 1 minute. the high reps are going to be good for me becuase I will be able to become more functional with MTBing and losing weight.
This is an article I will hopefully keep coming back to in order to ground myself.
You’re welcome Tariq.
If you’re goal is to generate maximum or high intensity, and thus achieve maximum muscle growth, you need to know that there are 5 different variables that determine intensity, as I explain in Maximum Intensity Strength Training ( MIST ):
1) The amount of “weight” that the muscle has to work against
2) The amount of “leverage” that the muscle has to work against
3) The “speed” at which you execute the reps; if you’re doing reps, as opposed to static holds
4) The amount of “dynamic contraction” generated in the muscle
5) The “amount of time” it takes to do all of the above
I emphasize this, simply because most people think that intensity is all about ” how much weight you lift”.
But as you can see, there’s a lot more to intensity than just the amount of weight you use.
In fact, some of those variables (such as leverage) can be just as important as the amount of weight used, when it comes to generating high or maximum levels of intensity, and building maximum muscle.
In any case, that’s my opinion about Tim Ferriss’ workout plan. It would be interesting to know what JDB has to say about it, if he’s familiar with it.
Manipulating your hormonal response maximally is what causes maximum growth when you weight train. You can do that either naturally or via exogenous compounds. The proprietor of this site and the author of this article currently do so via exogenous compounds. If you take that route then high rep training Is effective as those substances overwhelm any negative hormonal stress responses. If you go the natural route then high rep training with high intensity will cause adverse hormonal responses. So will poor nutrition and inadequate rest.
I am on Test cyp by my doctor. I am on therapeutic doses. At this stage of my life, I will try anything for a couple of weeks and be sure that “whatever” is good or bad for me, rather than hearsay. Thanks for caring thefourfaces.
Manipulating your hormonal response can help, in the process of muscular hypertrophy.
But it certainly doesn’t take the place of “intensity”, when it comes to muscle growth stimulation.
And that’s because the only way you can get a muscle to grow bigger and stronger is by subjecting the muscle to a higher level of intensity than what the muscle is currently used to.
Doing so triggers an anabolic response in the central nervous system, that causes the muscle to grow bigger and stronger, in order to adapt to that higher level of intensity.
And that’s true, regardless of what your hormone levels or balances are.
In fact, that was proven by German researchers almost a century ago. But amazingly, a lot of people still don’t know it today.
So your hormone levels are certainly important when it comes to building muscle. But they don’t take the place of intensity.
I stated for MAXIMUM growth I never said your hormonal profile replaces muscle intensity. However if you subject your muscles to the maximum amount of intensity possible and your hormonal profile are out of whack you won’t grow maximally. Hormones optimize your intensity effect. If they didn’t no one would take exogenous hormones or try to optimize their levels naturally with the best recovery and nutrition.
You go ahead and lift 4 hours a day for 7 days a week doing High Intensity Training and no exogenous compounds and see how much you grow. Since according to your statement higher intensity is what matters right? Hell make it 6 hours a day each day of the week for even MORE GROWTH. Hell why not lift every hour on the hour. You’ll pack on 200 pounds of muscle in no time!
Of course, you’re right: hormones optimize the anabolic effect of intensity.
So both intensity and hormones are important for muscle growth.
And if you want to build “maximum” muscle, especially ” maximum muscle in minimum time “, you need more than just High Intensity Training ( HIT ); you need
MAXIMUM Intensity Training ( MIT ).
And since intensity is inversely proportional to duration (the higher the intensity, the shorter the duration has to be), why would I spend 4-6 hours a day working out?
That wouldn’t be MIT or HIT. That would be “
Working out for 4-6 hours a day certainly wouldn’t be Maximum Intensity Training ( MIT ), and it wouldn’t be High Intensity Training ( HIT ) either.
That would be “high volume training”. And “volume” and “intensity” are not the same.
And if you did train that many hours a day, you’d produce so much cortisol, it would probably cancel out the anabolic effects of the weight training.
The truth is that you can build maximum muscle simply by doing weight-lifting exercises that take only 1-6 seconds each. If you actually generate “maximum intensity ” for those exercises.
So with exercises like that, who needs to spend 4-6 hours a day working out?
Working out for 4-6 hours a day certainly wouldn’t be Maximum Intensity Training ( MIT ), and it wouldn’t be High Intensity Training ( HIT ) either.
That would be “high volume training”. And “volume” and “intensity” are not the same.
And if you did train that many hours a day, you’d produce so much cortisol, it would probably cancel out the anabolic effects of the weight training.
And since intensity is inversely proportional to duration, you can actually achieve “maximum intensity ” and maximum muscle growth, simply by doing weight-lifting exercises that last only 1-6 seconds each!
So who needs to spend 4-6 hours a day working out, when you can just do exercises like that?
According to your logic EACH time you apply Maximum Intensity Training to your muscles it grows but that is false. Muscle growth is a synergistic effect and no one action causes muscle growth. You claim that a Muscle that undergroes Maximum Intensity Training always undergoes an anabolic effect which is false. If I apply MIT training to a muscle group and reach full fatigue you will only get an anabolic response if your hormones are in check. And according to your logic if I rest an hour or so till my muscles are no longer fatigued I can workout that muscle group again and achieve even more growth. Which is false because then you will hit a threshold where MIT training causes a stress response and actually hinders growth.
You do realize the anabolic response is the release of hormones that cause the muscle growth right? And the most growth occurs naturally while you are sleeping?
In order to understand the logic here and why both Maximum Intensity Training ( MIT ) and High Intensity Training ( HIT ) work to build maximum muscle, you would need to know the correct and complete definition for “exercise intensity”, as it relates to strength-training and muscle growth stimulation.
So, do you know that definition? Well, if you’ve read the article on my blog, where I do define exercise intensity correctly and completely,probably for the first time in history, then you should know that definition.
If you don’t know what exercise intensity is, as it relates to strength-training and muscle growth stimulation, then you probably won’t fully understand what I’m saying here.
Just know that as far as your actual workout plan goes, the only way to get a muscle to grow bigger and stronger is to subject the muscle to a higher level of ” intensity” than what the muscle is currently accustomed to.
Doing so triggers an anabolic response in the central nervous system ( CNS ), that causes the muscle to gradually grow bigger and stronger, in order to adapt to that higher level of intensity.
And the higher the intensity, the greater the muscle growth stimulation is likely to be.
So for “maximum” muscle growth, especially ” maximum muscle growth in minimum time”, you need to generate ” maximum intensity ” in the working muscle, for any strength-training exercise that you do.
So once the “maximum intensity stimulus” has been generated in the central nervous system and sent to the brain, your muscles grow bigger and stronger after your workout (especially during sleep) not during your workout.
And that’s when your hormones come into play. However, your hormones are not what triggers the whole anabolic process. It’s the level of intensity that you generate in the working muscle that does that.
I actually developed both the Maximum Intensity Training ( MIT ) and Maximum Intensity Strength Training ( MIST ) workout plans years ago, based upon the correct and complete definition for exercise intensity, as it relates to strength-training and muscle growth stimulation.
But I never published my book on those workout plans.
In any case, you need to know the correct and complete definition for exercise intensity, in order to understand what MIT really is, and why it works to build ” maximum muscle in minimum time ” naturally.
Dude, if you have high levels of Cortisol and low Nutrition you do not have the building blocks for any growth to happen by whatever response you generate from any workout be it MIT or HIT or whatever maximum intensity workout you perform. No matter the maximum amount of Intensity you subject a muscle to if your hormones aren’t in balance you won’t get maximum growth and you may get no growth at all. It’s that simple. Any Muscle training generates a hormonal release but it is only anabolic if your hormone levels are in check.
Strength-training is anabolic only if you subject the muscle to a higher level of intensity than what the muscle is currently used to; AND if you have the right levels and balance of hormones.
So as I said, both intensity and your hormones are crucial to the process of muscular hypertrophy.
If you don’t subject the muscle to a higher level of “intensity ” than what the muscle is currently accustomed to, the muscle will have no reason to grow bigger and stronger.
And that’s true regardless of what your hormone levels and balances are.
So “intensity ” is the trigger needed to set the whole anabolic process in motion.
And the higher the intensity, the greater the muscle growth is likely to be.
Then once that’s done, your hormones determine how much muscle you grow.
Can’t make it any simpler than that.
And although it’s good that you emphasize the importance of hormones in the process of building muscle, just be aware of the fact that I’ve known about the effects of hormones, nutrition, sleep and stress on muscle growth for many years.
So that’s not néw to me.
I emphasized the role of exercise intensity, simply because most people still don’t know what intensity is, as it relates to strength-training and muscle growth stimulation.
And how can you expect them to know? Throughout the history of strength-training, weight - training and bodybuilding, none of the experts ever defined exercise intensity correctly and completely. Or if they did, they sure kept it a secret.
Mike Mentzer came close to defining intensity correctly and completely. But he wasn’t quite there.
And while on the topic of hormones, it’s important to note that even if your hormones are at optimum levels and balances, other factors might inhibit the anabolic effects if some of those hormones.
For example, one study indicated that excess amounts of alcohol can prevent the testosterone receptors of your muscle cells from utilizing testosterone.
So if that’s true, too much alcohol would theoretically negate the anabolic effects of testosterone. Even if your T levels are high.
This is just one example of how “lifestyle” plays an important role in the anabolic process.
And to clarify some of the issues you have with Maximum Intensity Training ( MIT ), consider the following:
1) Generating “maximum intensity” in the working muscle does not guarantee that the muscle will grow bigger and stronger. But neither does ” high intensity ” guarantee that result.
Generating maximum intensity does guarantee that you will be sending the most powerful trigger that you can to your central nervous system (CNS ), to get the muscle to grow maximally, in as little time as possible.
And that maximum muscle growth will occur after you workout, while you’re resting and sleeping. And it will occur only if you have the right levels and balances of hormones, and if you have the proper nutrition, and get enough high quality sleep.
Plus, you have to avoid things like alcohol, that can interfere with the anabolic process.
2) The weight-training exercises in MIT are done only once or twice to failure, and that’s it. And they last only 1-6 seconds each, due to the maximum level of intensity. Nobody can generate and sustain maximum intensity for longer than 6 seconds. That would be impossible.
So contrary to your assumption that I’m saying that you can wait an hour or so, do the same MIT exercise again, and build even more muscle, that’s not how it works at all.
Doing an MIT exercise only once or twice to failure is all you need to trigger the anabolic process in the central nervous system, that can potentially lead to maximize muscle growth.
Then you wait a week or more (sometimes several weeks), before doing the exercise again, with the objective of achieving an even higher level of intensity, to induce even more muscle growth.
And during that time in between, your muscle should grow maximally, if all of the variables (hormones, diet, stress, sleep, etc.) that effect the anabolic process are optimum and conducive to the process of maximum muscle growth.
Yeah, as JDB says, who cares if you can’t bench press 225 lbs yet? Or ever, for that matter.
The truth is that the bench press is the most overrated weight-training exercise there is. And it’s not ” the king of chest exercises”, as Arnold Schwarzenegger would have you believe.
You’ll never build maximum muscle in your pectorals by doing the bench press. And that’s because you can’t achieve “maximum intensity ” in your pectorals by doing the bench press.
And that’s because you can’t generate maximum “dynamic contraction ” in the pectorals when doing the bench press. In fact, you can’t even come close. And maximum dynamic contraction is a requirement for achieving maximum intensity, and thus maximum muscle growth.
In fact, the bench press limits you’re range of motion so much, that it would be akin to doing the biceps curl and lifting the weight only about 2-3 inches, and then lowering it.
Do you think you’ll ever build maximum muscle by doing the biceps curl that way? Of course not! And likewise, you’ll never build maximum muscle by doing the bench press that way either. But that’s the only way you can do the bench press, due to the nature of the exercise.
But wait; the bench press enables you to lift more weight than any other chest exercise. So it must be the best for maximum muscle growth, right?
Wrong! The bench press enables you to lift more weight, not because your chest muscles are any stronger when doing it as opposed to other chest exercises, but because the “leverage” that your muscles have to work against is a lot less than for other chest exercises, such as the dumbbell flye.
And when doing rotary - type motions, such as that done for the bench press, the “leverage ” that the muscle has to work against is just as important as the “amount of weight” used, when it comes to generating intensity.
That explains why you can achieve a higher level of intensity and build more muscle by using a light weight with a long lever, than you can by using a heavy weight with a short lever.
So all that extra weight you lift when doing the bench press may be good for your ego. But it’s all just an illusion. Nobody’s chest muscles are that strong!
Now, that doesn’t mean that the bench press is a waste of time. Certainly it’s better than not
working your chest muscles at all.
But if you really want to fully develop your chest muscles, there are much better ways to pack on the pecs!
goes 13 paragraphs talking how bench press is not the best for pecs, does not say what’s better.
There are actually 7 different types of motions that use the pectoral muscles.
And since each one recruits a unique combination of muscle fibers, some of which don’t come into play for any other motion, all 7 of those motions must be done, in order to fully develop your chest muscles.
Plus, you have to do each of those motions so as to achieve maximum intensity in the pecs, for maximum muscle growth.
The standard bench press uses only one of those 7 motions; and it doesn’t enable you to achieve maximum intensity for the one that it does use.
Obviously, I can’t describe all 7 of those chest exercises here, and explain how to achieve maximum intensity for each one. Some of them don’t even have common names that people would recognize.
”Obviously, I can’t describe all 7 of those chest exercises here”
Lets try.
1.flat bench press (I almost only do that and my chest is full)
2.incline bench press
3.decline Bench press
4.flat fly
5.incline fly
6.decline fly
7.Dips
wasn’t hard
Good try! That’s 7 different exercises that you listed though; not 7 different ” types ” of motions.
The flat bench uses the same motion as the flat bench, for example.
I meant that the flat “fly” uses the same motion as the flat bench.
Plus, you didn’t say how to achieve maximum intensity for each exercise that you listed.
But that’s no surprise. Because amazingly, you can’t achieve maximum intensity for any of those 7 exercises you listed. It’s impossible.
Also, the incline fly uses the same type of motion as the incline bench. And the decline fly uses the same type of motion as the decline bench.
Notice that I said you need 7 different” types ” of motions; nor just 7 different exercises, to fully develop your pecs.
James Herried,
Where can one find your ebook on Maximum Intensity Training?
Thanks.
JLMA
WTF you’re 5’9 and 225? That’s impressive. Every guy I know who’s 5’9 and over 200lbs is a fat ass. For me, I find my body and energy levels best at a weight of 162-165. Anything over that, I start looking fat and anything under that I feel “low” is probably the best way I could describe it. I’m 5’10 myself
Alright, if anybody could help me that would be appreciated.
I’ve been working out seriously for 2 years, I’m 5’11 195 pounds and 12-15% BF, I’ve been working out 5 days a week on average with each body part 2x per week most of the time. But for a little while now I feel tired all the time and get fat easier if I try to gain more weight, I wonder if my body is now past the beginner stage and if I should switch to a 1 body part per week routine.
I believe that the bes way to get a MONSTER endurance is training with kettlebels. Old school, ass kicking, tremendous shit from empire Russia. Check out more on my blog. This stuff is real!
Completely agree with the 1 vial and half the amount, so many people take so much and look like complete shit. If you have your diet and training on point you’ll blow the fuck up on basic compounds in low doses.