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i'm super excited, gonna start P/RR/S in two weeks, can't wait, like a giddy lil school girl over here , haha
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Overtrain For No Gain
By Eric Broser
We are a society with a "more is better" attitude. More money, more convenience, more luxury…more, more, more! However, when looking to build more muscle, sometimes more is less. One of the major reasons that trainees fail to build the physique they desire is they do too much in the gym! They either do too many sets, work out for too long, or train too many days per week. The result? OVERTRAINING…and with it comes little to no gains in size or strength (and in severe cases, muscle loss, illness, and/or depression).
What many trainees fail to realize is that every time we workout, we make massive inroads into our recovery abilities. We put ourselves in a situation where our bodies need to actually "heal" before it can grow. And this does not only go for our muscles, but our CNS (central nervous system) as well. Not only does the body need to repair the microtrauma that occurs within muscles during training, but it must also restore hormonal and neurotransmitter balance, reboot the immune system, and clear free radicals from the system. Think of a workout as digging a large hole in the ground, complete recovery as filling the hole, and muscle growth as creating a mound of dirt on top of the filled up hole. When you overtrain you will be digging a whole that is too big for your body to fill, which means you will never have the opportunity to pile dirt on top! No extra dirt means no extra muscle!
Myfeeling is that the problem lies in most of today’s bodybuilding publications. We see the professionals looking freaky and massive, and read how they train twice per day, six days per week, and do 20 or more sets per body part! Most figure, "If that’s how they got that massive, the same principals must work for me!" What many fail to realize, however, is that because of steroids, growth hormone, and a plethora of other drugs, coupled with ideal genetics, and quite possibly no 9 to 5 job to worry about, the pros are able to train far more than most without suffering any ill effects. In fact, their bodies actually thrive on it! That is not the case for the genetically average, drug free trainee, with a regular job to tend to daily. Trying to follow the routine of a pro bodybuilder will spell disaster for most of us, leading many down a road of frustration, and some to even quit altogether! So, what is the ideal way to train for maximum gains in size and strength? Well, there are several effective ways to train, but to list them all goes beyond the scope of this article. However, there are some general rules that I feel should be followed by the drug free bodybuilder in order to avoid overtraining and to optimize gains:
1) Train no more than 4 days per week: There is simply no need to train more than 4 days per week Some people with poor recovery ability might be better off with only three training days per week Train on the days that are most convenient for you, but make sure you pay attention to rule # 2.
2) Train no more than 2 days in a row: In my experience, with myself and with those I have trained, after two straight days in the gym there is a need to take 1-2 days off. I have seen how time and again, strength and muscular endurance take a large dip after 2 straight days of intense training. Also, I have noticed that when the average person trains 3 or 4 straight days, that the immune system becomes compromised, making you more susceptible to illness or injury. Remember, we do not grow in the gym, but at home while we rest.
3) Workouts should last no more than 60-75 minutes: There is scientific evidence that after this period of time, that testosterone levels begin to drop and cortisol begins to rise dramatically. This will drag your body down by making it more difficult to achieve an anabolic (growth-inducing) state once the workout has ended. Besides, there is no reason a workout should take longer than this. If it is, chances are you are doing to many sets and/or exercises, or, you are being far too social in the gym. If you are serious about getting big, get in the gym, do what you have to, and get out.
4) Work sets for larger muscle groups should be between 7 and 9: If you focus and concentrate 100% of your mental and physical effort into each working set there is no reason you need any more volume than this. Those that do 12, 15, or 20 sets for large body parts are obviously not training very hard, or there would be no way they could withstand this many sets. Once you have stimulated a muscle to grow, doing more sets will not stimulate the muscle any further, but will only take away from your ability to recover from your workout.
5) Work sets for smaller muscle groups should be between 5 and 6: See above rule.
6) Mostly free weight compound movements should be used: While I have nothing against machines and cables, there is no doubt that the best muscle builders are free-weight compound exercises. Huge physique were built in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s with little more than barbells and dumbbells. The balance and concentration is takes to lift free weights activates more muscles, more muscle fibers, and "excites" the nervous system more than machines or cables do. If you talk to most of the biggest guys around, almost all of them will tell you that they built most of their mass with basic exercises like bench presses, deadlifts, squats, military presses, bent rows, barbell curls, and lying tricep extensions. There is nothing wrong with using machines or cables, but if you want to get huge, make free-weights the cornerstone of your program.
7) Most work sets should be in the 6-12 rep range: Studies have shown that lower reps (1-5) tend to build strength and higher reps (13 -20) muscular endurance. That does not mean that they cannot build ANY muscle, just that those rep ranges are not optimal when hypertrophy is the main goal. The rep range of 6-12 keeps the muscle fibers under tension for an ideal amount of time, and with enough resistance to affect growth. For your work sets you should shoot to reach momentary muscular failure somewhere between the 6th and 12th rep.
8) Strict form must be used: Using strict form on all of your exercises will assure that you are stimulating the muscle that you are wishing to target. Those that "throw" the weights up when doing side laterals or barbell curls, for example, are only cheating themselves out of growth. The primary reason that people do this is to create the illusion that they are stronger than they are. But take anyone that can "cheat curl" 150 lbs and make them do the movement strictly and you will find that they might barely be able to curl 110 lbs. Interestingly, if someone were to strictly curl 110 lbs for 6 reps vs. swinging up 150 lbs for 6 reps, they would receive much more biceps growth with the lesser weight. Once you reach failure using strict form, THEN it is ok to use momentum (to a reasonable degree) to try and extend your set a bit further.
Combine the above guidelines with a proper diet, sufficient rest, and a solid supplementation program, and you will build the best physique that your genetics has to offer.Comment
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By the way, I have no clue why the post came out like it did above
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Hey coach, did you let LilArny edit that post? LOL
J/J
Great stuff as always...
Hey, btw, how you been brother?Comment
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I hope a mod can edit it. And not Lil Arny, LOL!Originally posted by hossjob View Post
I have been good. Back has been torturing me a bit. Hoping to still compete in Nov, but we will see. Right now working with tons of clients, writing my articles and looking at offers from a couple of supplement companies. Oh yeah...AND TRYING TO GET A COLUMN IN MD!
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Eric what do you feel is the best protein to take on a regular basis? I am considering trueprotein.com and wondering what you thought. Hope the back gets better.
Thanks
If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always gotComment
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yeah ill let you guys know how this works out, i regularly use rep range and drop set, supersets in my training but the power is all new and doing nothing but each style for an entire week is knew as well, really into this because eric writes it out so well and it makes sense and he doesn't make it hard to understand, i have a hard time using a technique i don't understand, so thanks again eric
going into this at 5'8" 185lbs approx 12% and been seriously training for just over 3 yearsComment
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A little behind with this one.
Friday would be my last day of Power week and what better way to send it off than to do legs. Interesting enough I have found that the entire P/RR/S regimen confuses my body like high school dating used to. They are no other option for your body but to send out massive amounts of hormones to cope with what you are putting it through. I weighed myself Sunday and was stunned to see that I had lost 1 1/2lb, but yet when I measured to make sure I wasn't wasting away all...and I mean all numbers were up. My caloric intake has been much higher since I started, yet the muscle detail is far more pronounced and strength on Power leg day went up 20% over my way of doing a power workout. I went to a friends going away to grad school party on Saturday night and I even got a 'Man Todd you've got tons of muscles...like a bodybuilder'. This was from someone who I see every few weeks. P/RR/S built baby!
Friday's quest for Tank like legs.
I must first say that I have been inspired by everyone’s support. It truly makes me work harder and therefore better stories.
Since squats are the hardest for me, I’ll start with them first. I really don’t know anyone who thinks squats are easy for that matter. My legs seem much looser than my last legs workout. All of that hip tightness is gone. Good thing since I plan on crushing them. Warm ups go really good and feeling strong today. Strength for me seems to be more of a mental than physical game. If I can get my mind in it fully then the strength comes. If not, then I tend to be a bit weaker. Of course I always try to be an animal in the gym. Just sometimes it seems to fall a bit short. That’s why there’s another workout to redeem myself.
Now it’s my opportunity to make Power pay off. I can’t wait to get into the working weight and get my keester down low. First set goes off without a hitch. Very smooth, nice and deep. Good that means that I can put some more weight on. On squats I am always very critical of getting low for myself. Whenever I see guys or gals with great legs, they always go deep on squats. I mean just look at Shawn Bellon aka Future. Guy goes so deep he almost smashes his hands on the rack stops and TADA his legs are tree trunks. So I emulate what works in form. I add 20lb, cinch the belt down and get ready again. The 20lb sure makes a difference I can feel it in my back trying to make me give up. Not today Mr. Iron. You and I got some traveling to do.
I believe the thing that saves me on doing these heavy is going down slow. It makes it where I have to have total control of the weight, both vertical and horizontal. 1-4 are not bad and I feel like I have room for more. 5-6 start to bring on some serious difficulty. It’s taking as much time going up as going down. Perfect! That’s where I want to be. If I can drive it up fast and easy, it’s just to light. Add 5lb more total. This is where the weight will stay for the last 2 sets. 2 sets of absolute leg slamming squats. Right when I’m getting ready to start my last set who shows up, but my lovely Sarah to give me some encouragement. Good thing to because I used every last ounce of it to get out each solitary repetition. When I finished my first question was ‘how deep was I going?’ She showed me by doing a squat motion. ‘WOW that deep!?’ Very cool. Not only was it very heavy for me, but I stayed deep the whole time. My muscles would reassure that in the following days by the amount of soreness set on.
Next on ‘Tank’s list of leg crippling’ would be leg press. Now for some reason the leg press at my gym has a nice smooth action, but is just crazy heavy and my legs are already feeling rather squishy. I feel like I need 2 warm up sets to get the motion down for going heavy. Seeing as how this is a Power day and all other poundage’s are really history. I load up the leg press and get down with 6 reps. I’m going to be doing 2 working sets of this so each one really counts here. I have put a full plate on each side more than I have ever done before. Down slow and in control, 1,2,3,4,5,6. Cool! I’m really excited about this. It was hard but not impossible. 20lb more and that should be what I’m ready for. Although the rest is well needed and deserved at this point. I’m also chomping at the bit to break yet another PR. Time’s up! I have to admit that looking at that much weight was a little leery for me. I mean I’m solo here, no stops on the machine (well not until the foot plate was well through my chest). So the only option is to get this load moving so it isn’t my last time doing it…ever. On the first 3 reps I can feel really no difference in the weight from the last set, but good ol’ number 4 come around and it’s very apparent that this is a maximum effort for me. I’m clinching my teeth so hard that I can hear them creaking. Better knock that off or I’ll be headed to the dentist after this. The weight goes down slow and push like hell through the heels. This is what keeps going through my head. Number 5. Once again down slow, but on the way up the progress is very slow, and I take a rest at the top to gather myself. 6 is right there. Just take it…own it. Let’s go! With a huge cry out the last rep is on its way up. Steady it all I need here. I’m starting to run out of breath and take another. It’s still going up. No pushing from the hands. This isn’t a happy hands routine. Up and finished. I rack and drop the weight and just sit there for a minute getting myself together. Then the sweat comes. It was going pretty good during the last set, but now it’s flowing like the river of life. Salty life, but life none the less.
I was originally planning on doing straight leg dead lifts after this, but the squats hit my hamstrings so much than another standing movement would have been fairly dangerous for my back at this point. So lying hamstring curls would be next.
I tend to get the most amazing contraction on these. No other hamstring exercise compares for me. 1 warm up and I’m ready. Doing 4-6 reps on this movement is weird. You simply have to reprogram yourself that this is the routine. In doing 4-6 reps you can move some weight on this movement. The contraction is so deep I feel it all the way up to my lower back. 2 more sets like this and my hamstrings are feeling Kentucky fried. One last exercise and I’m finished. Standing single leg hamstring curls. Now I rarely do these and by my performance I should incorporate them more often. These are very difficult for me. I really need to work on these.
By the end I feel tar and feathered. I’m smoked. Walking is just not that much fun right now. I later figure out that my total weight moved (yes I am a nerd) was 17.9 tons. That statistic did nothing to delay or repel the soreness I would be feeling the next few days. So all in all my quest for Tank like legs is one literal step closer to becoming a reality.Assistant to the regional manager.
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Eric, sorry I'm a bit slow to respond. Thanks so much for putting together a sample P/RR/S plan. I plan to tailor one and try this out myself in the next week.
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Here's a tid bit. I did back on Monday. I saw Ron Harris do this for real T-bar rows. Most gyms will have some kind of shrug machine or other type of machine that has a raised foot platform. Place one end of the barbell under the platform and you'll be ready to work on the other end. It doesn't move around and it's totally secure. Also the gym will appreciate you not digging a hole in the corner wall.
I just started doing this and what an amazing exarcise. Using varing grips It just murders your back.Assistant to the regional manager.
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go for it buddy! time to get P-RR-Shocked!Originally posted by Viperspit View PostEric, sorry I'm a bit slow to respond. Thanks so much for putting together a sample P/RR/S plan. I plan to tailor one and try this out myself in the next week.Comment
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Todd, your posts continue to amaze and inspire me. You have made this thread just so much better with your outpouring of passion and enthusiasm!Comment
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