The 10 commandments

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Jul 27, 2011
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The 10 commandments.

1. LIFT BIG - Give your muscles a reason to grow. Don't do endless sets, be intense. Go heavy, but don't remain much longer than an hour. Train 3-4 days a week. Hit failure and make that last set count.
2. EAT BIG - You must eat to grow. For gaining, take 20Cal/lb bodyweight daily. Get 30g protein per meal. Eat 6 meals a day. Don't be scared of fats. Cut junk food. You will crave chicken breasts, tuna shakes, pasta and chocolate milk.
3. SLEEP - Recovery is key. If you're an meso/endomorph, get 8-9 hours a day, an ectomorph needs at least 6-7. You grow outside the gym, not in.
4. WATER WATER EVERYWHERE - Carry that gallon jug with you at all times. Drink 8 litres a day. Keeps you well-hydrated so you can train at your best and have your caloric needs in check.
5. COMMIT - If you're not sick or injured, you must train. You start skipping... you might as well forget those dreams. You must want to become that impressive physique before you can begin building it. Get yourself a reliable training partner.
6. YOU AIN'T SQUAT 'TIL YOU SQUAT - If you have legs, a desire to grow and your back is OK, you must squat. Without the king of exercises, your growth is going to suffer. Squats develop more than just legs.
7. CHANGEUP FREQUENTLY - Change your routine around frequently. Every 3-6 weeks, vary the order that you do your routine, or change your whole style altogether. Try HIT, super-slow, negative training, high volume, etc.
8. DON'T OVER TRAIN - A good routine is brief, intense, and only has a couple exercises per bodypart. Limit the total number of sets you do. If your progress is slowing, you're getting injured or sick frequently, then it's time to take a break. Take 4-6 days off, and then go back at it. Don't be surprised if you're stronger after your layoff.
9. HEAL - Once you're injured, take a break. Lose 2 weeks training now, or prepare to keep those injuries forever.
10. FORM - Anyone can throw around the weights. Concentrate on good form, and then let the numbers follow. Get a full range of motion and be proud that you're one of the few who actually trains properly.
 
10. FORM - Anyone can throw around the weights. Concentrate on good form, and then let the numbers follow. Get a full range of motion and be proud that you're one of the few who actually trains properly.

i tell people this all the time, it really gets to me.
perform the movement correctly or dont perform it at all!
 
very good post, and Im with you dleato, perform the movement correctly, use a full range of motion with the excercise or you wont be working much
 
Not being a hater here, just sayin'...

2) - "For gaining, take 20Cal/lb bodyweight daily. Get 30g protein per meal. Eat 6 meals a day."

The cals will vary depending on an individuals metabolism - one guy may need 20cal/lb to grow, another may need 25, another may get fat on anything over 17, etc etc. This is trial and error to nail it individually. Also, the old gig of 30g protein per meal is well...old. :p That theory of the body only being able to assimilate 30g of protein at a time has been around forever and never proven. You gonna tell me a freak weighing 275 and cut can only assimilate the same amount as a 160 lb n00b? :eek: Not. Lastly, 30g protein per meal at 6 meals per day is only 180g protein daily - the amount needed will vary dramatically depending on how much muscle they are carrying.


5) "If you're not sick or injured, you must train."

Sounds like a recipe for overtraining fosho. While this concept may hold true for the n00b or intermediate iron pumper to keep them from missing workouts, its not the best idea for the advanced guy. For the advanced guy, using ones instinct is best. How many times have you felt completely drained mentally or physically - be it from work, life stress, or the ball busting workout you had the day before and just didn't have the motivation to kick it that day? Much better to take the extra day of rest, and the next day you will be extra charged to bust ass. I for one don't dig just going to the gym to go through the motions when I'm not in it - useless. Try to stay on schedule when you can, but if shit happens and your mind ain't in it, use your instincts to rest & recover before hitting it again.


7) "CHANGEUP FREQUENTLY - Change your routine around frequently."

This is also one that has been around the past several years and has been taken to extremes, so much to the point that some guys never do the same workout twice and you hear n00bs talking about "shocking the muscles". :eek: I couldn't disagree more. One of the most important things that indeed constitutes a change is the progression of strength itself. Example, if you squatted 315 x 10 last week, and you get it for 11 or 12 this week, you have made a change! Thats THEE most important change you want! This game is all about progressive overload, yet some forget that that is a change in of itself, and the best one you can make to grow. Look at Coleman, Yates, etc - these guys was doing the same exercises they did when they was starting out, but the change is they was using a shitload more weight on each exercise after years of kicking it. You keep changing exercises up so frequently, and your body has no time to get stronger on said exercise! It's ok to throw some shit in different sometimes, but always keep the basic compound, Mac-Daddy's as your core movements, and always try to get stronger on them. ;) I do agree that when one hits a plateua or gets stale, a change is certainly welcome. However, to make a change when the results are still coming and you're still making strength gains - just to change for the mere sake of it is the last thing you want to do.


8) "...only has a couple exercises per bodypart"

Typo perhaps? Most would agree that a couple exercises isn't gonna get it done for larger bdpts like back or quads - hell even chest for that matter. However, if your name's Mike Mentzer (RIP), you might get away with it. :D
 

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