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Amongst
the vast publications of the exercise genre, whether in the online
community or in printed magazines and books, there are those in the
strength and conditioning profession who debate many extremely complex
issues. Training protocols, unique exercise choices and highly
complicated theories are hashed over endlessly in theoretical terms,
with little consideration for what is actually going on in the gyms
around the world. As you take part in exercise forums and visit public gyms, few topics dominate interest more than the often mystical pursuit of mass development.
For all the mystery that “mass development”
appears to be steeped in, the endless magical exercises and unique
protocols that are often suggested, it is far simpler than explained.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking. First I said “diet was simple,” as
well as supplementation, and now I am telling you that packing on the
mass is “simple” too. While I am likely committing a cardinal sin in an
industry that likes to self-promote and make things sound far more
complicated then they really are, a simplified approach will help you
attain much of your mass development goals. Maybe I
should re-phrase that because after decades of first-hand experience, a
lot of “this” seems remarkably easy and I wish someone in the exercise
media would actually say things a heck of lot more simply, particularly
because the readers are often very young impressionable individuals
with modest training experience.
You have to understand that “mass training”
really isn’t quantum physics. A well laid-out training plan that takes
into account the physiological basics of human movement and exercise
science, applied in a manner to promote maximum muscular development
is, in fact, quite “basic”.
Let’s first put aside the complex notions and general hypotheses
and instead deal in real world observations, primarily dealing with the
evolution of the exercise world and diet. While you can point fingers
at who’s to blame for confusing the public, this much is certainly
true. Many who market themselves as coaches (likely to hide their
complete lack of athleticism) have shrouded mass training in secrets in
order to sell underlying products. Hopefully this article will answer
all your questions, And while this could be a solid template for a book
(and likely will for a variety of the afore-mentioned coaches), it is
free.
Long time readers of mine know that I visit public gyms to train
in. Wherever I am traveling, I’ll just visit a local gym and pay my
“day -rate” for a training session without any fanfare or introduction.
It’s a simple procedure and likely some of the most beneficial “market
analysis” you could ever find. (A number of facilities ask for my
independent audit and recommendations.) This approach allows me to
truly understand the gym-going public. What is striking, is that while
gyms’ amenities, general décor, and equipment may differ considerably
from location to location, there is an outstanding amount of common
denominators amongst gym-goers.
First of all (and this might seem like an odd point to make
straight off), as I audit facilities whether they are in lush
surroundings off of Rush St in Chicago or the gym-chain / palaces in
Southern California, it is evident that the public needs the use of
professional trainers more and the training industry needs to enhance
the educational process for said professionals. As I visit public gyms
across the country individuals are gazing lovingly into the mirror
performing a seemingly endless array of curling exercises or moving
from station to station on well appointed machines while never (please
excuse my generalization) lifting a weight from the floor, putting one
on their back or probably more importantly simply working hard. Whether
it is the remarkably short attention span of this era that necessitates
very unusual “catchy” exercises or the well marketed “secret” exercise
tool, people are utilizing questionable movements (it would seem that
the cable machine half twist with one foot on an unstable surface is
now being used at epidemic proportions) without ever being able to
maintain posture. Today’s typical exercise facility is full of gleaming
machines of questionable value, emphasizing immaterial actions and is
devoid of an understanding of the general lack of physical development
of the public as well as the basics of the iron-game. Originally, the
intention of weight room machines was to assist in isolating a muscle.
This certainly has its place but over time they replaced the classics
of the iron-game. While weight-rooms will be full of individuals
training to pack on “mass” they will be equally spending their time
with endless sets of immaterial supplemental lifts and their training regimes are devoid of the great mass building exercises.
In the modern gym, power cages and squat racks are rarely an
appropriate portion of a facility and have been disgraced into becoming
“curl” stations or anything other than then their original intention.
Free weight areas, much less lifting platforms, are virtually
non-existent and the option of pulling a weight from the floor is not
only discouraged but logistically difficult. Now in a general audit
when the value received isn’t appropriate for the time invested we have
to question what is happening, why it is happening and what can be
done. In this specific situation, gym goers aren’t receiving the
benefits they should and much can be learnt from the past.
Exercise selections have radically changed over the last decade of
training and barely resemble the same pursuit thirty years ago. The
basics of the iron game, whether intentionally or not, have slowly been
extracted from the modern exercise world. The role of machine-based training
along with very poor general athleticism, sub-standard work thresholds
and reliance upon isolationist movements have changed the standard
weight room profile but none more profoundly than the role of
“marketing” to the public and education of the profession. My earliest
lessons in training came from weightlifting giants Tommy Kono and Norbert Schemanski as well as legends from the golden age of bodybuilding such John Grimek, Steve Reeves, the awe inspiring Reg Park and the Blonde Bomber himself, Dave Draper, who built remarkable physiques using classic tried and true exercises.
And let me say this isn’t one of these old tales of “things were better
back then.” With all the magic of science and the advancements in the
industry, those old classic exercises that were used
to build legends, still out-perform the rest and are sorely needed if
we are to reverse the obesity epidemic. Trust me on this, exercise
solutions are not going to come from an infomercial that you see at 3pm
but from what worked in the past.
To understand “mass development” better, we
first have to consider the basics of resistance training, how to
manifest maximal gains and even the typical mistakes that are made. And
if you haven’t already guessed, I like to consider things in the
simplest manner so please excuse me for a wild paragraph or two as I
give a phenomenally short synopsis that is generally thrown together as
a book.
Let’s first consider that in essence all weight room work is simply
pushing, pulling, squatting or pressing (with of course actions such
lunging, reaching and extending). To add to this simplified look there
really are only three forms of muscular contraction; isometric,
eccentric/yielding and contraction/static. It’s really that simple and
from yet another standpoint, external resistance is either heavy,
constant or a volume based system. Each has been shown as effective in
some manner for our concern of “mass development”.
Constant tension requires, as the name would suggest, long slow
tempo sets of roughly 45 to 60 seconds in duration. This type of
approach will result in increased HGH and IGF-1 release. Heavy loading
is generally performed at the 85% level of 6 repetitions with more
advanced lifters working at a higher level with lower reps. This type
of approach will cause muscular growth through heightened recruitment
of motor units as well as hormonal impact. The Volume method is one
that many are very familiar with, using high reps ranges of eight to
fifteen and rest intervals in the forty-five second mark.
Moving along quickly, as you consider the aspect of tension, it is
important for you to first recall the early physics classes where you
learnt that force is defined as F = ma (Force is equal to mass times
acceleration). This is a critical point for our purposes and it should
signal to you very quickly that the greater muscular contraction, the
greater generation of force. Yet equally as quick you should also note
that to increase force we can either increase the load or likely more
important, increase the speed of the lift which is obviously done with a lighter load.
It needs to be heavily stressed that the load isn’t performed light but
with a ruthless ferocity with every repetition in every set in order to
recruit the highest amount of motor units. Remarkably what this complex
summary establishes in highly simplified manner is that it isn’t the
weight you lift but the speed in which you lift it. The manner in which
you do it as it relates to proper postural alignment / muscular
recruitment. Postural alignment must always be maintained and the
moment technical form suffers the athlete should stop performing the
lift. While for most my career, the notion of deriving size and
strength gains in using maximal bar speed with a lighter load wasn’t
accepted and was actually completely scoffed at, now it seems the tide
has turned and speed of movement is now recognized as supreme.
Now this is where it gets somewhat exciting because as you throw all of
that together with the understanding that fast eccentric / yielding
actions (as fast as the concentric but always with the highest quality
technique and postural alignment) promotes greater muscular growth
/ fast twitch hypertrophy than that of slower action, we are then able
to produce a training approach that is remarkably effective, utilizes
movements with the greatest amount of muscles recruited and is a highly
economical use of training time. This consideration is most appropriate
for compound “total body lifts”.
In our program we’re going to look at a series of basic total body movements as “Focus Lifts” and then supplement them with important “supplemental exercises”,
each with consideration of appropriate tension for the exercise and the
overall training theme. However I should note that great care will be
placed on the development of stabilization mass of the shoulder
capsule, lower and mid-back as well as the glutes, hips and hamstrings
to avoid injuries when using power movements. I think this is one of
the greatest weaknesses of the modern training environment and the
reason why many injuries occur as well as the lack of carryover to a
“functional” strength in real-life situations. While I prefer not to
use the phrase, it is somewhat unavoidable that the training will have
a “functional” side to it in the sense that exercises will always have
a responsible element to understanding preventative care in them. It is
thus crucial to understand that all lifts are to be executed with
perfect technical form and proper postural alignment. One of the
gravest errors with both short and long term repercussions is when a
lifter performs a movement with poor posture. This results in a myriad
of different problems from not deriving the intended (muscular) benefit
of the exercise to causing a series of exercise induced injuries.
It should be also be noted that this program requires only a modest
lifting background and utilizes exercises that can be quickly learnt.
In essence, this is a time-sensitive approach that any individual can
make use of with immediate impact and virtually no learning curve as it
relates to movements. For those familiar with Renegade Training™ my terminology of “focus” and “supplemental” lifts will be no surprise but one difference you will quickly notice is that I have omitted the more “complex”
lifts given that many individuals will not that have the dynamic range
of motion and athletic background to learn these lifts in a time
sensitive manner.
We will use the following lifts:
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Each
weight training session will contain two to three total "Focus lifts",
of four sets of six repetitions for a total of eight to twelve total
sets and twenty-four repetitions. Lifts are executed using a weight at
65% of 1 rep max. |
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Supplemental lifts consist of four total lifts divided equally between "hybrid" and "pre-hab" movements.
Supplemental "Hybrid" movements will consist of two lifts of 3 sets
each in the 80-95% range of maximal effort with rest periods between 45
to 60 seconds.
Supplemental "Pre-Hab" movements will consist of two lifts of 3 sets
each in the 70-75% range of maximal effort of rest periods between
35-45 seconds. |
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Focus Lifts \ Squat
Performing
the basic Squat is relatively simple if you follow this approach. As
you walk into the rack, grasp the bar firmly with complete and absolute
control and allow it nestle along your traps. Do not pad the bar, as it will change the angle of movement;
do not use a weight belt unless under strict orders by a physician or
medical practitioner. With a good inhale of the lungs, the chest up and
back strong, walk out of the rack under control. Initiate the movement
by pushing the buttocks back and ensure the angle of the hips and knees
are the same as you descend to parallel or rock-bottom position, and
then begin to reverse the motion in your ascent as you push your knees
outwards and drive up your feet “through” the floor. Pay particular
attention that the torso lean isn’t too far forward as this will have a
dramatically different (negative) impact upon your training. Generally
because of weak hips, hamstrings and lower back, many well intentioned
lifters lean over too much and the lift becomes more of a back lift.
Focus Lifts \ Bench Press
While
the Bench Press is quite possibly the most common lift in gyms today
next to the holy “curl,” it is one that also consistently is done
incorrectly. Lie flat on your back on a weight bench, your feet flat
and firmly planted on the floor tucked underneath you so you feel tight
if not loaded and ready to “drive” off through the Bench Press. To
begin the movement, firmly grasp the bar and intensely pinch your rear
delts. Your grip width should vary from shoulder width to one in which
the elbow-to-wrist joint is 90 degrees to the bar at the bottom of the
lift. Disengage the bar from the rack either by yourself or preferably with a training partner
as it is difficult to get proper position without this and “pull the
weight down” with your lats under control to your chest at nipple
level. Keep your elbows in tight and at no time allow the bar to bounce
off your chest. As the bar touches your chest, drive it upward, pushing
the bar off as you drive away from it (into the bench) in an explosive
manner.
Focus Lifts \ Deadlift (Snatch grip)
To
perform the Snatch grip Deadlift, align your feet flat beneath the bar
and squat down to a neutral back position (i.e., 45 to 60 degrees), as
in the clean lift, with shins against bar. Grip the bar with a classic
Snatch grip (distance is equal to span of elbow to elbow joint with the
arms raised to the sides and parallel to the ground). Pull the bar up
and by fully extending your hips and knees. Throughout the lift, keep
your hips low, your shoulders high, your arms and back straight by
pinching your rear delts back and the bar close to your body.
Top
Supplemental Lifts \ Hack Squats
Stand
in front of a loaded barbell. Address the bar with your feet about
shoulder width apart and a proud chest with the shoulders pinched back.
Squat down to reach the bar behind you with a grip the same
width as when performing Cleans. With your back straight and
shoulders pinched back, drive the bar up by pushing heels through the
floor. Maintain an angle of ascent with the bar near the calves and as
the bar nears your hamstrings, punch the hips forward. Return the
weight to the floor by reversing the motion with a fast tempo up and a
slower controlled tempo down. Do not bounce the weight. While noted as
a “supplemental” lift, this exercise will be added to the Focus section
of the training regime.
Supplemental Lifts \ Front Squat
With
the bar sitting on your collarbone / shoulder region known as the
“rack” position. The lifter may in fact allow their hands to open yet
have total control of the bar. Elbows turn under the bar, basically
with the upper arm parallel to the ground and the torso staying taunt
and firm. The feet are spaced roughly shoulder-width apart and turned
out slightly. Drop into the squat by pushing the butt back into a full
rock-bottom squat then push, drive up and thru. While noted as a
“supplemental” lift this exercise can be substituted with standard
Squats to suit individual needs.
Supplemental Lifts \ Glute Ham Raise
With
your knees pressed against the pad, raise your body from the knee
joints by driving up with your hamstrings and exerting pressure against
the toe plate of the machine.. To perform the lift on the floor, apply
significant padding to the floor so your body is in biomechanical
alignment similar to that of using the machine. In this situation your
toes will be pressed against the floor and a spotter will need to apply
significant pressure to your heels (heels not the achilles!) Lower your
body toward the floor, keeping your hips forward and your feet firmly
planted. Then explode upward just before you touch the ground.
Supplemental Lifts \ Bent Press
I
brought out some old-school dumbbells for the Bent Press because this
one really takes the iron-game back a few decades. However this is a
powerful upper body developer and will thicken up the back incredibly.
With the weight in one hand, position your feet slightly more than
shoulder width apart with your opposite foot turned out. Hold the
weight at shoulder height with your palm facing in and begin the lift
by making a corkscrew movement underneath to the side and turning your
hand clockwise and upward. When your hand is extended completely,
straighten to a standing position.
Supplemental Lifts \ Bent Over Rows
A
classic exercise that you rarely see performed today but is still one
of the best back developers. As the photo demonstrates I prefer to grip
the bar underhanded as it is less likely for an individual to deviate
from the neutral back position or “throw” the weight with the overhand
version. While in a neutral back position and with hands slightly wider
than shoulder-width apart, pull bar into body slightly below solar
plexus.
Supplemental Lifts \ Pullups
Grasping
the bar with hands facing away from you, pull up until chin is above
bar. Lower with control. Once this loading is easy, place the
appropriate Iron Woody band on hips and wrap the opposite band around
heavy dumbbell on ground. This will increase tension on the
all-important eccentric portion and take this exercise to another
level. This is significantly more challenging than adding a weight
(i.e. dip belt or holding dumbbell with legs). As a supplemental lift
this exercise is performed at 80 – 85% intensity of 3 sets of 6
repetitions. As an individual advances we will create a cluster
super-set with this lift with adding "Drag" curls.
Supplemental Lifts \ Chin-Ups
Grasping
bar with hands facing away from you, pull up until chin is above bar.
Lower with control. Once this loading is easy, place the appropriate
Iron Woody band on hips and wrap the opposite band around heavy
dumbbell on ground. This will increase tension on the all-important
eccentric portion and take this exercise to another level. This is
significantly more challenging than adding a weight (i.e. dip belt or
holding dumbbell with legs). As a supplemental lift this exercise is
performed at 80 – 85% intensity of 3 sets of 6 repetitions. As an
individual advances we will create a cluster super-set with this lift
with adding “Drag” curls.
Internal External Rotation:
With bands looped under feet and upper arm parallel to ground, rotate
hands down so that it is level with the elbow and back up with constant tension. Perform 3 sets x 12-15 reps, at roughly 70% intensity. This is shown using Iron Woody bands.
Cuban Press; as above, holding bands at sides, pinch shoulders back, then pull weight up such that upper arm is parallel to ground and constant tension . Perform 3 sets x 12-15 reps. This is shown using Iron Woody bands.
Cuban Press, step 1 Cuban Press, step 2
Cuban Press, step 3
Rope pulls – With
the bands held suspended to object above, allow for a downward pull
while the hands are kept in the visual field above the head. The hands
are then pulled to the side with the emphasis placed on pulling from
the inferior border of the scapula. This is shown using Iron Wood bands.
Core / Trunk postural exercises
The
following static holds will be performed at the conclusion of session’s
1 and 2 as per the training program. While seemingly simple they will
have a dramatic long term impact upon your training and cannot be
underestimated. Be diligent with this as it will take slightly under
twenty minutes.
Rx, position 1 Rx, position 2
Rx, position 3
The basic Plank
is a “simple” exercise that can have an extraordinary impact. It
remains one of best movements to strengthen the entire core area and is
easily coached within a team environment. With toes and forearms on the
ground, keep back flat and bring navel in.
The side plank
is one of the best exercises for strengthening and stabilizing the
trunk. Plank movements are extraordinary for strengthening the
transverse abdominus that wraps around the entire core. To perform with
either forearm against the ground, or with arm outstretched straight,
stack top leg atop the lower one and in essence create a 45 degree
angle of the top. I remind myself to push the top high, while drawing
the navel in.
The Horse pose: From
the all four’s position, raise leg up and opposite arm up, maintaining
at parallel position. Thumb should be pointed up and navel drawn in
again.
The “Superman”
is a simple yet remarkably effective exercise for the entire posterior
chain. To perform while lying on your stomach, raise hands / legs off
the ground as high as possible. This can be performed with one hand/leg
or the more demanding version with both hands / legs raised.
One arm Superman
Two arm Superman
Bar hang
Long before the “exercise evolution” and the development of a multitude
of expensive machinery the issue of “decompression” (of the spine) was
a standard part of every training regime. But as machines moved in,
even hi-bars were replaced with less demanding pull-up stations. Bar
hang’s will do wonders for overall back health and should be a regular
part of every training session with 1-2 minute holds at the end of each
session.
Now
with this “simple” block of exercises we can put it together for a
basic training regime. What you should have noticed about this program
is its “no-nonsense” approach, its very programmable nature (very easy
to add additional movements in light of weaknesses) and its lack of
wasted motions. In many ways it recognizes the physical needs of
efficient training and draws more upon classic scientific ideas such as
the “path of least resistance” and the “80-20 rule” named after the
neo-classic economist Vilfredo Pareto. While it is difficult to resist
the temptation of a historical review of micro-economics, our training
protocols reflect this basic rule that most of your results (80%) will
come from a smaller portion of your efforts (20%). I think this is the
case for most people training today, so we have trimmed the fat if you
will, for a highly intensive program.
Of course I would
be remiss not to comment on diet given this article’s focus on mass
development. I won’t waste your time on bellowing vibrato statements to
“get big you have to eat big” and instead tell you to eat “right” and
make it a simple plan that you can sustain.
From my three part “Simplicity” diet series on ProSource (“Simplicity”), I will suggest these following basic rules:.
- Eat
healthy balanced meals with finely marbled meat, and fresh vegetable
and fruit sources. Proportions of each, should be roughly the size of
your palm and make use of natural marinades (i.e. olive oil).
- Consume
10-15 Vegetables a day as a minimum stress including cruciferous
vegetables. They enhance protein efficiency and amongst other “little”
things are known to radically reduce the incidence of many types of
cancer and other health issues.
- Emphasize
the quality of the meat / fish and produce sources. While more
expensive than cheaper alternatives, where possible make use of ethical
and hormone / pesticide-free ranchers / farms as well as your local
farmer.
- Add fruit with every meal as well as a real snack food that’ll sustain life such as nuts and olives.
- Never consume man-made items and yes that means no boxed items or soft drinks – not once, not ever and yes that includes driving by the drive-thru.
A
proper supplementation must emphasize the basics first. For a full
reading of supplementation choices, please refer to “Simplicity, Part
3” (http://www.prosource.net/article-simplicity-part3.jsp).
A proper regimen needs to include the following five standard items to
assist in recovery in addition to increased protein consumption (i.e.
NytroWhey & Supreme Protein bar);
- Phosphatidytalserine
Acetyl-l-carnitine 
Alpha-lipoic-acid
"Omega-1250"
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (please refer to table in Simplicity Part 3)
The Program
It should be obvious that this program is void of direct isolation work
to areas (i.e. biceps / triceps / calves) that are unfortunately
all-too-often the focus of most programs. Exercises to isolate these
areas can easily be added once the individual successfully is
maintaining the program but the focus must always be maintained on the
basics. In the event they are added, they should be prior to the
shoulder capsule work.
This
program uses 2 basic training sessions that could be utilized six to
ten times (with the exception of an elite lifter who will assimilate
much quicker) prior to revising the session. As noted previously
individuals must apply themselves with all their might when executing
the lifts – make every lift count as if everything in your life depends on it. These aren’t light loads but loads you should explode through.
For
our purposes, training sessions are labeled “session 1” and “session 2”
and should be performed with 48 to 72 hours “active rest” between them.
The actual time between sessions will depend upon the individual’s
recovery pattern and based upon a myriad of factors including diet,
supplementation, and general rest as well as training history. I also
stress the phrase “active rest” as in days between each session the
individual should perform the “recovery workout” excerpt from my recent
book on Hockey “More than a Game” that is posted on ProSource. In this
situation “rest” is never passive but always quite busy to promote
blood flow.
Finally in addition to this, it is strongly
urged that at the conclusion of the training session and prior to the
core / trunk postural holds the individual engage in 15 to 30 minutes
of rigorous weighted GPP. Please refer to “General Physical
Preparation” found at http://www.prosource.net/article-general-physical-prep.jsp
| Session 1 |
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| Squat |
4 sets x 6 reps @ 65% |
| Hack Squat |
4 sets x 6 reps @ 65% |
| Bent Press |
4 sets x 3 reps @ 80-85% |
| Olympic Good Morning |
3 sets x 5 reps @ 85% |
| Bent over Row |
3 sets x 5 reps @ 85% |
| Pull Up |
3 sets x 6 reps @ 85% (approx) |
| Cuban Press |
3 sets x 12 reps @ 70-75% |
| Internal / External Rotation |
3 sets x 12 reps @ 70-75% |
| Session 2 |
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| Deadlift (snatch grip) |
4 sets x 6 reps @ 65% |
| Front Squat |
4 sets x 6 reps @ 65% |
| Bench Press |
4 sets x 6 reps @ 65% |
| Glute Ham Raise |
3 sets x 5 reps @ 85% |
| See – Saw Press |
3 sets x 5 reps @ 85% |
| Chin Ups |
3 sets x 5 reps @ 85% |
| Internal / External Rotation |
3 sets x 12 reps @ 70-75% |
| Rope Pulls |
3 sets x 12 reps @ 70-75% |
| Post Training Core / Trunk postural exercises (perform at the conclusion of each session) |
| Rx, position 1 |
hold for 30 seconds, change legs |
| Rx, position 2 |
hold for 30 seconds, change legs |
| Rx, position 3 |
hold for 30 seconds, change legs |
| Perform the above movements without rest in a circuit fashion. Repeat 3 continuous times. |
| Session 1 |
|
| Plank |
2 sets x 60 seconds |
| Side Plank |
2 sets x 30 seconds (each side) |
| Horse |
2 sets x 30 seconds (each side) |
| Superman (single arm / leg) |
1 set x 30 seconds (each side) |
| Superman (double) |
1 set x 30 seconds |
Good luck and its time to get to work!
John
Davies, Founder Renegade Training has just published 8 book including
“Mastery on the Gridiron” – a 300 page opus on training for Football
and “More than a Game” - the Renegade approach to dominating in Hockey
