Goosey
.
That's how I feel.
-
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That's how I feel.
Goosey
.
Thanks mate.
Goosey
.
I have a DVD and During an interview with Dr. Stephen Langer on the show Medicine Man in the early 1980′s, Arthur Jones said,
(this was when aerobics was beginning to emerge) I would have loved to hear his view on crossfit.
“…the lifting of weights is so much superior for the purpose of improving the cardiovascular condition of a human being that whatever is in second place is not even in the running, no pun intended.
That is to say, running is a very poor, a very dangerous, a very slow, a very inefficient, a very nonproductive method for eventually producing a very limited, low order of cardiovascular benefit.
Any, ANY, result that can be produced by any amount of running can be duplicated and surpassed by the proper use of weight lifting for cardiovascular benefits.
Now I realize that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people in this country who don’t understand that, who don’t believe that, who will not admit that.
Now these people are simply uninformed.
Certainly, it’s possible to run with no benefit, it’s possible to lift weights with no benefit.
I’m talking about the proper use of weight lifting; and properly applied, weight lifting will improve your cardiovascular benefit to a degree that is impossible to attain with any amount of running.”
(this was when aerobics was beginning to emerge) I would have loved to hear his view on crossfit.
“…the lifting of weights is so much superior for the purpose of improving the cardiovascular condition of a human being that whatever is in second place is not even in the running, no pun intended.
That is to say, running is a very poor, a very dangerous, a very slow, a very inefficient, a very nonproductive method for eventually producing a very limited, low order of cardiovascular benefit.
Any, ANY, result that can be produced by any amount of running can be duplicated and surpassed by the proper use of weight lifting for cardiovascular benefits.
Now I realize that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people in this country who don’t understand that, who don’t believe that, who will not admit that.
Now these people are simply uninformed.
Certainly, it’s possible to run with no benefit, it’s possible to lift weights with no benefit.
I’m talking about the proper use of weight lifting; and properly applied, weight lifting will improve your cardiovascular benefit to a degree that is impossible to attain with any amount of running.”
Goosey
.
The Arthur Jones Collection
Nautilus Bulletin #1
24 Professional Medical Attitudes on Training
Throughout the medical profession a whole, a widespread – although by no means unanimous – attitude of doubt exists on the subject of physical training of any kind; and even if understandable, this is regrettable – leading, as it does, to a great number of confrontations between coaches and doctors.
Part of this situation has arisen from the fact that the field of medicine has simply grown too broad for much more than a general knowledge outside the rather narrow limits of various subfields of specialization; but in no small part, it is also due to a prejudicial attitude not unlike that of the average layman.
While a few doctors have made rather limited attempts to investigate the possibilities of exercise, most of these efforts have been narrow in scope and shallow in depth – and very little in the way of widespread attention has been called to the few published reports that have been produced; as a result, it is extremely difficult to find any published reports on such investigations – and almost impossible to find any such reports with real significance.
Part of this apparent lack of interest is obviously a direct result of the presently widespread concentration upon attempts to discover specific chemical treatments for every sort of illness or injury; but it is also a result of the fact that a number of practitioners of fringe branches of medicine have attached themselves very firmly to some types of physical training – and members of the American Medical Association have shied away from exercise in a rather natural, if unjustified reaction to the statements of people that they look upon as quacks.
In many cases, such an attitude is perfectly justified – within the last six months, I read an article by a man calling himself a doctor, in which he made the flat statement that colds were not a result of "germs", that colds were attempts on the part of the body to rid itself of mucus that resulted from eating the wrong type of foods; he then went on to say that such mucus would eventually work its way out through the top of the head, and would then be called dandruff. In the face of such published statements as that, it is certainly easy to understand the attitude of the average doctor; but in this case, the baby has almost literally been thrown out with the bath water – since most doctors seem to be totally unaware of the possibilities from physical training.
And while such ignorance is at least understandable in this age of greatly specialized medicine, the average doctor is not at all hesitant about giving his opinions on the subject – obviously considering himself an expert, even though totally unaware of any of the significant developments that have taken place in the field of physical training during the last fifty years. Nor is that an exceptional attitude – on the contrary, it is a far too typical attitude; and in a high percentage of cases, doctors are almost violent in their opposition to exercise of any kind.
There are exceptions, of course, but one encounters them very rarely indeed. To at least some degree, this attitude is changing – but it is changing very slowly; another two centuries of such change might produce a situation where the average doctor would admit that exercise was not "entirely bad."
In spite of simply enormous evidence that such treatment is almost the worse possible type of treatment, the average doctor still favors total immobilization of injured body parts – which, in some types of injuries, is the treatment of obvious choice; but which, in the case of most minor muscular injuries, is exactly the opposite approach to full recovery.
More than this, the average doctor still supports the same myths and superstitions encountered in the average layman – in regard to physical training, at least; and in most cases, their advice will be very brief on the subject of exercise, "... don't."
I can offer no constructive advice on this situation – except to say that great care should be used when selecting a physician.
In any sport involving violent body contact, numerous minor injuries will inevitably result – and as any coach knows, many good athletes will play an entire season with some sort of minor injury.
And while I am certainly not suggesting that anyone should engage in violent activity while suffering the effects of a serious injury, I am trying to clearly say that many muscular injuries can and should be exercised.
Nautilus Bulletin #1
24 Professional Medical Attitudes on Training
Throughout the medical profession a whole, a widespread – although by no means unanimous – attitude of doubt exists on the subject of physical training of any kind; and even if understandable, this is regrettable – leading, as it does, to a great number of confrontations between coaches and doctors.
Part of this situation has arisen from the fact that the field of medicine has simply grown too broad for much more than a general knowledge outside the rather narrow limits of various subfields of specialization; but in no small part, it is also due to a prejudicial attitude not unlike that of the average layman.
While a few doctors have made rather limited attempts to investigate the possibilities of exercise, most of these efforts have been narrow in scope and shallow in depth – and very little in the way of widespread attention has been called to the few published reports that have been produced; as a result, it is extremely difficult to find any published reports on such investigations – and almost impossible to find any such reports with real significance.
Part of this apparent lack of interest is obviously a direct result of the presently widespread concentration upon attempts to discover specific chemical treatments for every sort of illness or injury; but it is also a result of the fact that a number of practitioners of fringe branches of medicine have attached themselves very firmly to some types of physical training – and members of the American Medical Association have shied away from exercise in a rather natural, if unjustified reaction to the statements of people that they look upon as quacks.
In many cases, such an attitude is perfectly justified – within the last six months, I read an article by a man calling himself a doctor, in which he made the flat statement that colds were not a result of "germs", that colds were attempts on the part of the body to rid itself of mucus that resulted from eating the wrong type of foods; he then went on to say that such mucus would eventually work its way out through the top of the head, and would then be called dandruff. In the face of such published statements as that, it is certainly easy to understand the attitude of the average doctor; but in this case, the baby has almost literally been thrown out with the bath water – since most doctors seem to be totally unaware of the possibilities from physical training.
And while such ignorance is at least understandable in this age of greatly specialized medicine, the average doctor is not at all hesitant about giving his opinions on the subject – obviously considering himself an expert, even though totally unaware of any of the significant developments that have taken place in the field of physical training during the last fifty years. Nor is that an exceptional attitude – on the contrary, it is a far too typical attitude; and in a high percentage of cases, doctors are almost violent in their opposition to exercise of any kind.
There are exceptions, of course, but one encounters them very rarely indeed. To at least some degree, this attitude is changing – but it is changing very slowly; another two centuries of such change might produce a situation where the average doctor would admit that exercise was not "entirely bad."
In spite of simply enormous evidence that such treatment is almost the worse possible type of treatment, the average doctor still favors total immobilization of injured body parts – which, in some types of injuries, is the treatment of obvious choice; but which, in the case of most minor muscular injuries, is exactly the opposite approach to full recovery.
More than this, the average doctor still supports the same myths and superstitions encountered in the average layman – in regard to physical training, at least; and in most cases, their advice will be very brief on the subject of exercise, "... don't."
I can offer no constructive advice on this situation – except to say that great care should be used when selecting a physician.
In any sport involving violent body contact, numerous minor injuries will inevitably result – and as any coach knows, many good athletes will play an entire season with some sort of minor injury.
And while I am certainly not suggesting that anyone should engage in violent activity while suffering the effects of a serious injury, I am trying to clearly say that many muscular injuries can and should be exercised.
Goosey
.
A favourite quote from the old bastard.
Ive learnt over the years...you don't concern yourself with whether you like the person or not, just listen to what they have to say and use it to your advantage.
"So, if you can't trust or believe anybody else, then why should you believe me? You should not believe me, but it might not hurt to at least listen to what I have to say; having done so, then think about it, and then put it to the test.
Then, if it works, keep it up, and if it does not work then try something else.
In the field of exercise nobody can tell you just what is best for you, but some of us can at least point out a few things to avoid: things like plyometrics, explosive movements, marathon workouts and a long list of other stupidities."
Ive learnt over the years...you don't concern yourself with whether you like the person or not, just listen to what they have to say and use it to your advantage.
"So, if you can't trust or believe anybody else, then why should you believe me? You should not believe me, but it might not hurt to at least listen to what I have to say; having done so, then think about it, and then put it to the test.
Then, if it works, keep it up, and if it does not work then try something else.
In the field of exercise nobody can tell you just what is best for you, but some of us can at least point out a few things to avoid: things like plyometrics, explosive movements, marathon workouts and a long list of other stupidities."
Last edited:
Goosey
.
25 The Significance of Muscular "Pumping"
The Arthur Jones Collection
Nautilus Bulletin #1
25 The Significance of Muscular "Pumping"
During the performance of any type of muscular work, the involved muscles demand increased circulation – for two primary reasons, in order to provide the additional fuel requirements, and for removal of the larger than normal amount of waste products being produced; in all cases, this increased circulation will result in temporary enlargement of the working muscles –and in any sort of work that can be maintained for a prolonged period of time, a point of balance is quickly reached where the increased circulation can meet the requirements of the muscles without leading to a condition of extreme "pumping".
But when several repetitions of a near maximum intensity of effort are performed consecutively, such movements will quickly produce a condition of extreme muscular congestion – and eventually the muscles will fail, simply because the circulatory system is unable to meet the momentary requirements.
A pumped upper arm may temporarily measure a full half-inch more than it normally does – an increase in size that is far out of proportion to the increase in circumference, an increase in bulk on the order of about twenty percent (20%).
When pumped to that degree, an arm will feel stiff and very heavy – which is not surprising, since its actual weight has been greatly, if temporarily increased; flexibility will be temporarily reduced and the arm will hang in a slightly bent attitude when relaxed.
In most cases, the degree of apparent muscularity will be reduced – the muscles will look much larger, and will be much larger, but will appear round and smooth, less defined than they normally do. However, in some cases – particularly in an individual with an extreme degree of muscularity – a pumped muscle may actually appear more defined than it normally does.
In most forms of normal work and exercise, the effects of pumping usually occur without being noticed – for example, very few people are aware that their lower legs are usually at least a half-inch larger at night than they are early in the morning; as a direct result of pumping, the calves markedly increase their size during the course of the day.
Nor is this a result of poor circulation – it is a result of normal circulation; the calf muscles are working, and require increased circulation – during the night, when they are not working, the circulation requirements of the calves are greatly reduced, and the size of the calves is reduced accordingly.
Insofar as pumping is concerned, weight-training exercises are in no way different from any other form of exercise – the number of repetitions performed and the relative intensity of effort are the only involved factors; but in most forms of exercise, movements are discontinued long before any great degree of pumping is produced. For this reason, many new trainees feel that weight-training exercises are "somehow different" from other forms of exercise – simply because, for the first time within the limits of their experience they notice the effects of pumping.
Their limbs feel "tight" and heavy – and many such new trainees are immediately convinced that they are already becoming "muscle bound", as a result of their first workout.
But rather than being something to avoid, muscular pumping is a very clear indication that worthwhile efforts are being expended; if no noticeable degree of pumping is produced by an exercise, then it will do very little in the way of building muscular size or strength.
However, although a very noticeable degree of pumping is an unavoidable result of any really productive exercise, it does not follow that even an extreme degree of pumping indicates correctness of performance of an exercise. It is easily possible to produce a really extreme degree of pumping – from exercises that will do little or nothing in the way of building either size
Fairly light movements performed in sets of very high repetitions –especially if such movements are restricted to partial-range movements –will produce the maximum possible degree of muscular pumping; but will do little or nothing in the way of building size or strength.
Two or three sets of about ten repetitions of a heavy movement will produce almost – if not quite – the same degree of pumping; while also inducing maximum growth stimulation.
Assuming an upper arm measurement of 16 inches prior to a workout, a man would probably pump his arm to a measurement of 16 1/2 inches during the course of a proper workout; but two hours later – measured properly and accurately – his arm would be somewhat smaller than it was before the workout, probably about 15 7/8 inches. Measured "cold" (without being pumped) twenty-four hours later, his arm would be back to its normal measurement of 16 inches – or slightly larger, if growth resulted from the workout.
Accurate measurements of various body parts will clearly prove that measurements vary rather widely during the course of an average day – even when you are not training; for example, your upper arms are slightly larger than normal when you first get out of bed in the morning – and slightly smaller for an hour or more after you have eaten a heavy meal.
Temperature will also affect your measurements – your arms are usually a bit smaller on cold days, and larger on hot days. Thus – for any sort of accuracy – measurements should always be taken under precisely the same conditions; but in practice, that is very difficult to do.
For that reason, pumped measurements have a very real significance –because the conditions will always be, or should always be, exactly the same at the end of each workout.
Secondly, as long as your training program remains unchanged, your pumped measurements will clearly indicate future growth in advance; if your upper arm normally pumps only one-half inch during a workout, and then shows an increase of three-quarters of an inch as a result of the same type of workout, this is a clear indication that your arm will grow during the following forty-eight hours.
The ability to pump a muscle to a particular size precedes the growth of a muscle to the normal size that would usually be required for the pumped measurement indicated.
Among the ranks of bodybuilders, a great number of outright myths and superstitions on this subject are currently being accepted as a proven fact; for example, many bodybuilders sincerely believe that they can maintain a permanent state of "semi-pump" as a result of their workouts – which, of course, is a literal impossibility.
To at least some degree, such a patently false belief is probably due to outright fraud in some commercial advertisements; various products are offered that will supposedly "promote circulation" and "maintain a pumped condition."
And, quite obviously, the two conditions are mutually exclusive – with normal circulation, no degree of pump will be evident – and when any degree of pumping is evident, it is simply an indication that the circulatory system is momentarily unable to meet the requirements of working muscles, or muscles that have been working until a short time earlier.
The Arthur Jones Collection
Nautilus Bulletin #1
25 The Significance of Muscular "Pumping"
During the performance of any type of muscular work, the involved muscles demand increased circulation – for two primary reasons, in order to provide the additional fuel requirements, and for removal of the larger than normal amount of waste products being produced; in all cases, this increased circulation will result in temporary enlargement of the working muscles –and in any sort of work that can be maintained for a prolonged period of time, a point of balance is quickly reached where the increased circulation can meet the requirements of the muscles without leading to a condition of extreme "pumping".
But when several repetitions of a near maximum intensity of effort are performed consecutively, such movements will quickly produce a condition of extreme muscular congestion – and eventually the muscles will fail, simply because the circulatory system is unable to meet the momentary requirements.
A pumped upper arm may temporarily measure a full half-inch more than it normally does – an increase in size that is far out of proportion to the increase in circumference, an increase in bulk on the order of about twenty percent (20%).
When pumped to that degree, an arm will feel stiff and very heavy – which is not surprising, since its actual weight has been greatly, if temporarily increased; flexibility will be temporarily reduced and the arm will hang in a slightly bent attitude when relaxed.
In most cases, the degree of apparent muscularity will be reduced – the muscles will look much larger, and will be much larger, but will appear round and smooth, less defined than they normally do. However, in some cases – particularly in an individual with an extreme degree of muscularity – a pumped muscle may actually appear more defined than it normally does.
In most forms of normal work and exercise, the effects of pumping usually occur without being noticed – for example, very few people are aware that their lower legs are usually at least a half-inch larger at night than they are early in the morning; as a direct result of pumping, the calves markedly increase their size during the course of the day.
Nor is this a result of poor circulation – it is a result of normal circulation; the calf muscles are working, and require increased circulation – during the night, when they are not working, the circulation requirements of the calves are greatly reduced, and the size of the calves is reduced accordingly.
Insofar as pumping is concerned, weight-training exercises are in no way different from any other form of exercise – the number of repetitions performed and the relative intensity of effort are the only involved factors; but in most forms of exercise, movements are discontinued long before any great degree of pumping is produced. For this reason, many new trainees feel that weight-training exercises are "somehow different" from other forms of exercise – simply because, for the first time within the limits of their experience they notice the effects of pumping.
Their limbs feel "tight" and heavy – and many such new trainees are immediately convinced that they are already becoming "muscle bound", as a result of their first workout.
But rather than being something to avoid, muscular pumping is a very clear indication that worthwhile efforts are being expended; if no noticeable degree of pumping is produced by an exercise, then it will do very little in the way of building muscular size or strength.
However, although a very noticeable degree of pumping is an unavoidable result of any really productive exercise, it does not follow that even an extreme degree of pumping indicates correctness of performance of an exercise. It is easily possible to produce a really extreme degree of pumping – from exercises that will do little or nothing in the way of building either size
Fairly light movements performed in sets of very high repetitions –especially if such movements are restricted to partial-range movements –will produce the maximum possible degree of muscular pumping; but will do little or nothing in the way of building size or strength.
Two or three sets of about ten repetitions of a heavy movement will produce almost – if not quite – the same degree of pumping; while also inducing maximum growth stimulation.
Assuming an upper arm measurement of 16 inches prior to a workout, a man would probably pump his arm to a measurement of 16 1/2 inches during the course of a proper workout; but two hours later – measured properly and accurately – his arm would be somewhat smaller than it was before the workout, probably about 15 7/8 inches. Measured "cold" (without being pumped) twenty-four hours later, his arm would be back to its normal measurement of 16 inches – or slightly larger, if growth resulted from the workout.
Accurate measurements of various body parts will clearly prove that measurements vary rather widely during the course of an average day – even when you are not training; for example, your upper arms are slightly larger than normal when you first get out of bed in the morning – and slightly smaller for an hour or more after you have eaten a heavy meal.
Temperature will also affect your measurements – your arms are usually a bit smaller on cold days, and larger on hot days. Thus – for any sort of accuracy – measurements should always be taken under precisely the same conditions; but in practice, that is very difficult to do.
For that reason, pumped measurements have a very real significance –because the conditions will always be, or should always be, exactly the same at the end of each workout.
Secondly, as long as your training program remains unchanged, your pumped measurements will clearly indicate future growth in advance; if your upper arm normally pumps only one-half inch during a workout, and then shows an increase of three-quarters of an inch as a result of the same type of workout, this is a clear indication that your arm will grow during the following forty-eight hours.
The ability to pump a muscle to a particular size precedes the growth of a muscle to the normal size that would usually be required for the pumped measurement indicated.
Among the ranks of bodybuilders, a great number of outright myths and superstitions on this subject are currently being accepted as a proven fact; for example, many bodybuilders sincerely believe that they can maintain a permanent state of "semi-pump" as a result of their workouts – which, of course, is a literal impossibility.
To at least some degree, such a patently false belief is probably due to outright fraud in some commercial advertisements; various products are offered that will supposedly "promote circulation" and "maintain a pumped condition."
And, quite obviously, the two conditions are mutually exclusive – with normal circulation, no degree of pump will be evident – and when any degree of pumping is evident, it is simply an indication that the circulatory system is momentarily unable to meet the requirements of working muscles, or muscles that have been working until a short time earlier.
perhaps the only thread you've posted this in, where it does actually apply
lolol Well done Naughty. Good post Andy!
Goosey
.
Goosey
.
26 The Significance of Muscular Soreness
The Arthur Jones Collection
Nautilus Bulletin #1
26 The Significance of Muscular Soreness
When a muscle that has not been accustomed to heavy workloads is worked intensely – or for a prolonged period of time at a normal level of intensity – then some degree of muscular soreness will usually result; in some cases, this can be literally crippling in its effects – for as long as a week.
There are a number of rather involved theories regarding the actual physiological causes of muscular soreness; but a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical factors involved is not necessary if we are aware of the cause/effect relationship concerned.
Extreme degrees of muscular soreness almost never result from the execution of a single movement – probably because the muscles involved in the movement are not warmed-up enough to make a maximum effort, and thus are momentarily unable to work hard enough to cause much in the way of soreness, even though the movement may be carried to the point of muscular failure. But some soreness will result from such a movement – and if properly understood, such soreness can be a valuable clue to training progress.
Most bodybuilders sincerely believe that the bench press is a direct exercise for the pectoral muscles – and if an untrained individual performs several sets of bench presses, his pectorals will certainly become sore; but if, instead, the same individual performs only about three heavy sets of one repetition each, little or no soreness in the pectorals will result.
Instead, the anterior portion of the deltoids will become sore – with the possibility of a very slight amount of soreness, simply an "awareness", in both the pectorals and triceps.
And while the bench press is not a direct exercise for any of the muscles of the body – in no sense of the word direct – it will thus be clearly demonstrated that the deltoids are receiving the most nearly direct work from this exercise.
Similar tests can be conducted in order to determine the effects of most types of exercises – with little or no possibility of error; for example –recently, in an attempt to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new type of exercise for the latissimus, we made use of several previously untrained individuals.
Some of these subjects performed only regular chinning movements – others performed only behind-neck chinning movements – a few executed "pulldowns" on a conventional latissimus machine – and so on; the entire spectrum of possible exercises for the latissimus muscles was covered, and a few individuals performed one heavy set of each of the various exercises.
Forty-eight hours later, none of these subjects reported much in the way of muscular soreness in the latissimus muscles – and quite a number of them did not even experience an awareness of their latissimus muscles; however, without exception, all of the subjects were sore in other areas –especially in the arms.
In many cases, this degree of soreness was so great that the subjects were almost unable to use their arms for several days.
Another group of subjects performed several sets on a new type of latissimus machine – and without exception, these subjects were sore in the latissimus muscles; other areas of soreness occurred in gradually reducing degrees in the pectorals, the trapezoids and the abdominals – which is exactly the result we anticipated.
Several subjects reported soreness in the triceps muscles of the upper arms, but they were in understandable error in this belief; the apparent triceps soreness that they reported was actually soreness of the latissimus attachments at the points where these muscles join the upper arms – directly below the mass of the triceps muscles.
In this last group of subjects, no actual arm muscle soreness of any kind was reported – in strong contrast to the results produced in the other groups. Thus, should you have any question about the effectiveness of a particular exercise, it is quite easy to make use of muscular soreness as a means of testing the exercise; simply avoid any sort of exercise for that particular muscular area of the body for a period of at least ten days, then perform only three heavy sets of one repetition of the exercise in question.
Within forty-eight hours, you will have a clear answer to the question. If a muscle is being exercised regularly, it will quickly become so accustomed to heavy workloads that it will be almost impossible to induce even a slight degree of muscular soreness; thus, if muscular soreness is produced in an area of the body that has been trained for as long as a week, this is a clear indication that you have not been training hard enough – or that you have been performing the movements improperly.
The Arthur Jones Collection
Nautilus Bulletin #1
26 The Significance of Muscular Soreness
When a muscle that has not been accustomed to heavy workloads is worked intensely – or for a prolonged period of time at a normal level of intensity – then some degree of muscular soreness will usually result; in some cases, this can be literally crippling in its effects – for as long as a week.
There are a number of rather involved theories regarding the actual physiological causes of muscular soreness; but a detailed understanding of the physical and chemical factors involved is not necessary if we are aware of the cause/effect relationship concerned.
Extreme degrees of muscular soreness almost never result from the execution of a single movement – probably because the muscles involved in the movement are not warmed-up enough to make a maximum effort, and thus are momentarily unable to work hard enough to cause much in the way of soreness, even though the movement may be carried to the point of muscular failure. But some soreness will result from such a movement – and if properly understood, such soreness can be a valuable clue to training progress.
Most bodybuilders sincerely believe that the bench press is a direct exercise for the pectoral muscles – and if an untrained individual performs several sets of bench presses, his pectorals will certainly become sore; but if, instead, the same individual performs only about three heavy sets of one repetition each, little or no soreness in the pectorals will result.
Instead, the anterior portion of the deltoids will become sore – with the possibility of a very slight amount of soreness, simply an "awareness", in both the pectorals and triceps.
And while the bench press is not a direct exercise for any of the muscles of the body – in no sense of the word direct – it will thus be clearly demonstrated that the deltoids are receiving the most nearly direct work from this exercise.
Similar tests can be conducted in order to determine the effects of most types of exercises – with little or no possibility of error; for example –recently, in an attempt to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new type of exercise for the latissimus, we made use of several previously untrained individuals.
Some of these subjects performed only regular chinning movements – others performed only behind-neck chinning movements – a few executed "pulldowns" on a conventional latissimus machine – and so on; the entire spectrum of possible exercises for the latissimus muscles was covered, and a few individuals performed one heavy set of each of the various exercises.
Forty-eight hours later, none of these subjects reported much in the way of muscular soreness in the latissimus muscles – and quite a number of them did not even experience an awareness of their latissimus muscles; however, without exception, all of the subjects were sore in other areas –especially in the arms.
In many cases, this degree of soreness was so great that the subjects were almost unable to use their arms for several days.
Another group of subjects performed several sets on a new type of latissimus machine – and without exception, these subjects were sore in the latissimus muscles; other areas of soreness occurred in gradually reducing degrees in the pectorals, the trapezoids and the abdominals – which is exactly the result we anticipated.
Several subjects reported soreness in the triceps muscles of the upper arms, but they were in understandable error in this belief; the apparent triceps soreness that they reported was actually soreness of the latissimus attachments at the points where these muscles join the upper arms – directly below the mass of the triceps muscles.
In this last group of subjects, no actual arm muscle soreness of any kind was reported – in strong contrast to the results produced in the other groups. Thus, should you have any question about the effectiveness of a particular exercise, it is quite easy to make use of muscular soreness as a means of testing the exercise; simply avoid any sort of exercise for that particular muscular area of the body for a period of at least ten days, then perform only three heavy sets of one repetition of the exercise in question.
Within forty-eight hours, you will have a clear answer to the question. If a muscle is being exercised regularly, it will quickly become so accustomed to heavy workloads that it will be almost impossible to induce even a slight degree of muscular soreness; thus, if muscular soreness is produced in an area of the body that has been trained for as long as a week, this is a clear indication that you have not been training hard enough – or that you have been performing the movements improperly.
Goosey
.
You might be able to tell by now that Arthur was growing an extreme dislike for bodybiulders.
At this time Arthur was moving into sport, in particular football, Arthur was introduced to the famous tackler Dick Butkus who at the time injured his knee, Arthur trained him and got him back on the field for another two years, there was no formal strength training done by any sport at that time.
He's sold nautilus in 1988? To devote his time and personal fortune to the research of treating at the time, America's most costly and debilitating affliction, low back pain.
At this time Arthur was moving into sport, in particular football, Arthur was introduced to the famous tackler Dick Butkus who at the time injured his knee, Arthur trained him and got him back on the field for another two years, there was no formal strength training done by any sport at that time.
He's sold nautilus in 1988? To devote his time and personal fortune to the research of treating at the time, America's most costly and debilitating affliction, low back pain.
Goosey
.
27 "Break-in" Training
Nautilus Bulletin #1
27 "Break-in" Training
Extreme degrees of muscular soreness can be – and should be – avoided by following a carefully outlined "break-in" program of training for at least a week; and in some cases, as much as ninety days of break-in training may be required. Although, in such cases, prolonged break-in training will not be required because of any considerations due to muscular soreness.
During the first week of training – if at all possible – a trainee should exercise daily for a period of about thirty minutes; during that first week of training, only one set of one exercise should be performed for each of the major muscle masses of the body – and these sets should be terminated before reaching a point of muscular failure.
However, it is necessary to work the muscles fairly hard – no amount of light movements will prepare the muscles for the heavy workloads that will follow in the normal course of training.
At least some degree of muscular soreness is almost unavoidable, but it is neither necessary nor desirable to work a new trainee so hard that he will become extremely sore; but should extreme soreness result, then it is absolutely necessary to work the muscles quite hard until such a time that a normal condition returns.
If a muscle is worked hard enough to produce an extreme degree of soreness within twenty-four hours, then that muscle should be worked heavily every day until no traces of soreness remain; if not, then the subject will probably be crippled for at least a week.
But while that is certainly true, it is almost impossible to convince a new trainee that he should heavily work a muscle that is already extremely sore; he will tend to feel, rather naturally, that hard work got him into that condition – and when you suggest even harder work as a cure, it may appear that you are suggesting pouring gasoline on a fire as a means of extinguishing it.
But if extreme muscular soreness results within twenty-four hours after a workout – and if no exercise is performed on the second day – then a literally crippling degree of soreness will result on the third day, and the fourth day will usually be far worse.
The worst form of muscular soreness involves the attachments of the tendons and ligaments, and in extreme cases it may be literally impossible to straighten the arms or stand in a normal manner with your heels flat on the floor; in such cases, more exercise – heavy exercise – is the only possible solution.
Without additional exercise, normal activity may be impossible for as much as ten days or two weeks.
But such a situation can be – and should be – avoided; if a new trainee suffers that sort of results from his first workout, you have probably seen the last of him – although he might be tempted to come around a month or so later and burn your house down, with some possible justification.
Some years ago, a man I knew suffered such a degree of muscular soreness as a result of one hard workout that he spent the next five days in the hospital – and was unable to resume his normal activities as a flight instructor for a period of more than a week after he got out of the hospital; and this man was in fairly hard muscular condition at the time of his first workout – or at least thought he was.
But, if he had returned for a second hard workout on the following day, then most of the prolonged effects would have been avoided – and his degree of soreness would never have approached the point that it actually reached. But trying to tell him that had no slightest effect – with the results mentioned above.
Thus – since new trainees usually cannot, or will not believe that heavy exercise is capable of reversing the effects that were caused by previous heavy exercise – it is best to avoid any sort of training that might produce extreme soreness.
During the first week of training, a new trainee should perform the following basic program of exercises – every day for five consecutive days:
1. Full squats 1 set, 20 repetitions
2. Standing press with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
3. Regular grip chinning on bar 1 set, 5 repetitions
4. Bench presses with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
5. Regular grip curls with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
6. Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 set, 15 repetitions
7. Calf raises on one leg 1 set, 10 repetitions
8. Sit-ups with bent knees 1 set, 10 repetitions
The actual resistance employed should be light enough to permit the designated number of repetitions without exhausting the working muscles –and the first week of training should be conducted under careful supervision, in order to assure that the trainee is performing the exercises properly and is not working to a point of exhaustion.
During the second week of break-in training, the same basic exercises should be employed in the same order – but only three workouts should be performed, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
And two sets of each exercise should be performed during each workout; the first set of each exercise should be performed exactly as that exercise was performed during the first week of training – with the resistance previously used – and the second set should employ approximately ten percent (10%) more resistance, and should be carried almost to the point of momentary exhaustion.
The actual number of repetitions performed during second sets of the exercises will depend upon the recovery ability of the individual trainee – but in most cases it will be found that the subject will be able to perform about as many repetitions during second sets as he performed during first sets.
After two weeks of such break-in training, most subjects will be ready for a regular training program – but exceptions will occasionally be encountered; most such exceptions will involve trainees that are either extremely overweight or very thin – and great care is required in the supervision of the training of either type of individual.
While a thin individual may appear to be in good muscular condition, such subjects will almost never have much in the way of recovery ability, and if they are worked too heavily during the first two or three months of training, losses in strength and muscular size may be produced; in such cases, keep the trainee on a basic program of one set of each of ten exercises – movements designed to involve the largest muscular masses in the body – until such time that the subject is obviously gaining weight at a rate of at least one pound per week.
The number of repetitions in each set should be limited to about ten – with the exception of squats, which should be performed for twenty repetitions; but after a normal break-in period, each set of each exercise should be a maximum possible effort, leading to a point of momentary muscular failure.
Unless a thin subject is suffering from an undetected illness, he should gain at least thirteen pounds during the first three months of training –at a rate of one pound per week for thirteen weeks; and if so, then his training program can be increased to two sets of each exercise during each of three weekly workouts after the first three months of training.
But some thin subjects will respond to almost any sort of training in literally spectacular manner – they may gain twenty or thirty pounds during the first month of training; and in such cases, their program can be intensified after they have gained twenty or more pounds of bodyweight.
With overweight subjects, the situation is very similar – with the obvious difference of the weight problem; such individuals desperately need to burn up as many calories as possible, but are almost never in condition to stand much in the way of heavy exercise without a prolonged period of break-in training.
Their diet should be reduced to the minimum point that is capable of maintaining a reasonable level of energy – while providing daily nutritional requirements in the way of protein, vitamins, and minerals; and they should be encouraged to start in a daily program of jogging in addition to their regular workouts.
But nothing spectacular in the way of results should be expected – such an individual may require a full year of regular training to reach a condition of reasonable muscularity.
With badly overweight subjects, as many as four sets of ten basic exercises should be practiced – as soon as they are able to perform that number of sets without becoming totally exhausted; repetitions should be on the high side, from fifteen to twenty in each set – and as many as fifty in each set of squats.
Nautilus Bulletin #1
27 "Break-in" Training
Extreme degrees of muscular soreness can be – and should be – avoided by following a carefully outlined "break-in" program of training for at least a week; and in some cases, as much as ninety days of break-in training may be required. Although, in such cases, prolonged break-in training will not be required because of any considerations due to muscular soreness.
During the first week of training – if at all possible – a trainee should exercise daily for a period of about thirty minutes; during that first week of training, only one set of one exercise should be performed for each of the major muscle masses of the body – and these sets should be terminated before reaching a point of muscular failure.
However, it is necessary to work the muscles fairly hard – no amount of light movements will prepare the muscles for the heavy workloads that will follow in the normal course of training.
At least some degree of muscular soreness is almost unavoidable, but it is neither necessary nor desirable to work a new trainee so hard that he will become extremely sore; but should extreme soreness result, then it is absolutely necessary to work the muscles quite hard until such a time that a normal condition returns.
If a muscle is worked hard enough to produce an extreme degree of soreness within twenty-four hours, then that muscle should be worked heavily every day until no traces of soreness remain; if not, then the subject will probably be crippled for at least a week.
But while that is certainly true, it is almost impossible to convince a new trainee that he should heavily work a muscle that is already extremely sore; he will tend to feel, rather naturally, that hard work got him into that condition – and when you suggest even harder work as a cure, it may appear that you are suggesting pouring gasoline on a fire as a means of extinguishing it.
But if extreme muscular soreness results within twenty-four hours after a workout – and if no exercise is performed on the second day – then a literally crippling degree of soreness will result on the third day, and the fourth day will usually be far worse.
The worst form of muscular soreness involves the attachments of the tendons and ligaments, and in extreme cases it may be literally impossible to straighten the arms or stand in a normal manner with your heels flat on the floor; in such cases, more exercise – heavy exercise – is the only possible solution.
Without additional exercise, normal activity may be impossible for as much as ten days or two weeks.
But such a situation can be – and should be – avoided; if a new trainee suffers that sort of results from his first workout, you have probably seen the last of him – although he might be tempted to come around a month or so later and burn your house down, with some possible justification.
Some years ago, a man I knew suffered such a degree of muscular soreness as a result of one hard workout that he spent the next five days in the hospital – and was unable to resume his normal activities as a flight instructor for a period of more than a week after he got out of the hospital; and this man was in fairly hard muscular condition at the time of his first workout – or at least thought he was.
But, if he had returned for a second hard workout on the following day, then most of the prolonged effects would have been avoided – and his degree of soreness would never have approached the point that it actually reached. But trying to tell him that had no slightest effect – with the results mentioned above.
Thus – since new trainees usually cannot, or will not believe that heavy exercise is capable of reversing the effects that were caused by previous heavy exercise – it is best to avoid any sort of training that might produce extreme soreness.
During the first week of training, a new trainee should perform the following basic program of exercises – every day for five consecutive days:
1. Full squats 1 set, 20 repetitions
2. Standing press with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
3. Regular grip chinning on bar 1 set, 5 repetitions
4. Bench presses with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
5. Regular grip curls with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions
6. Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 set, 15 repetitions
7. Calf raises on one leg 1 set, 10 repetitions
8. Sit-ups with bent knees 1 set, 10 repetitions
The actual resistance employed should be light enough to permit the designated number of repetitions without exhausting the working muscles –and the first week of training should be conducted under careful supervision, in order to assure that the trainee is performing the exercises properly and is not working to a point of exhaustion.
During the second week of break-in training, the same basic exercises should be employed in the same order – but only three workouts should be performed, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
And two sets of each exercise should be performed during each workout; the first set of each exercise should be performed exactly as that exercise was performed during the first week of training – with the resistance previously used – and the second set should employ approximately ten percent (10%) more resistance, and should be carried almost to the point of momentary exhaustion.
The actual number of repetitions performed during second sets of the exercises will depend upon the recovery ability of the individual trainee – but in most cases it will be found that the subject will be able to perform about as many repetitions during second sets as he performed during first sets.
After two weeks of such break-in training, most subjects will be ready for a regular training program – but exceptions will occasionally be encountered; most such exceptions will involve trainees that are either extremely overweight or very thin – and great care is required in the supervision of the training of either type of individual.
While a thin individual may appear to be in good muscular condition, such subjects will almost never have much in the way of recovery ability, and if they are worked too heavily during the first two or three months of training, losses in strength and muscular size may be produced; in such cases, keep the trainee on a basic program of one set of each of ten exercises – movements designed to involve the largest muscular masses in the body – until such time that the subject is obviously gaining weight at a rate of at least one pound per week.
The number of repetitions in each set should be limited to about ten – with the exception of squats, which should be performed for twenty repetitions; but after a normal break-in period, each set of each exercise should be a maximum possible effort, leading to a point of momentary muscular failure.
Unless a thin subject is suffering from an undetected illness, he should gain at least thirteen pounds during the first three months of training –at a rate of one pound per week for thirteen weeks; and if so, then his training program can be increased to two sets of each exercise during each of three weekly workouts after the first three months of training.
But some thin subjects will respond to almost any sort of training in literally spectacular manner – they may gain twenty or thirty pounds during the first month of training; and in such cases, their program can be intensified after they have gained twenty or more pounds of bodyweight.
With overweight subjects, the situation is very similar – with the obvious difference of the weight problem; such individuals desperately need to burn up as many calories as possible, but are almost never in condition to stand much in the way of heavy exercise without a prolonged period of break-in training.
Their diet should be reduced to the minimum point that is capable of maintaining a reasonable level of energy – while providing daily nutritional requirements in the way of protein, vitamins, and minerals; and they should be encouraged to start in a daily program of jogging in addition to their regular workouts.
But nothing spectacular in the way of results should be expected – such an individual may require a full year of regular training to reach a condition of reasonable muscularity.
With badly overweight subjects, as many as four sets of ten basic exercises should be practiced – as soon as they are able to perform that number of sets without becoming totally exhausted; repetitions should be on the high side, from fifteen to twenty in each set – and as many as fifty in each set of squats.
Goosey
.
28 Age as a Factor
Nautilus Bulletin #1
28 Age as a Factor
Insofar as age is considered as a factor in the production of the best possible rate of gaining in strength and muscular mass as a result of heavy exercise, it will almost always be found that an individual will gain most rapidly at an age of about twenty-five to thirty – at a point well after he has reached physical maturity.
An immature individual may well – and usually will – require several years of training to produce the same degree of results that can be produced by the same individual within a year if training is delayed until after the age of twenty-five.
Over twenty years ago, I helped produce the most striking physical improvement in an individual that I have ever witnessed; this man was a regular army officer then over thirty years of age – and he increased the size of his normal chest by six full inches in a period of three weeks, as a result of only eight workouts, while gaining twenty pounds of solid muscular bodyweight.
From all available evidence, it seems perfectly clear that almost anyone can greatly profit from heavy exercise up to an age of at least sixty – and in fact, it seems that an individual past the age of forty has more to gain than a younger person.
However, certain factors are obviously determined by age; for example, during the Second World War, a large number of wounded servicemen were treated for facial injuries with skin transplants – and in most cases, the skin for these transplants was removed from the buttocks or upper thighs.
Now, twenty-five years later, it is obvious that this was a mistake; many of these individuals are now clearly displaying heavy deposits of fatty tissue in areas where such deposits are not normal.
Thus it appears that skin from an area that normally shows increasing deposits of fatty tissue with advancing age is not changed by being moved to another area of the body – and this is clear proof that such fatty deposits are simply an unavoidable result of age.
While some individuals can – and will – display a high degree of muscularity at any age, other individuals will find it almost impossible to remove all of the fatty deposits from some areas of the body when they are past the age of about forty.
Nautilus Bulletin #1
28 Age as a Factor
Insofar as age is considered as a factor in the production of the best possible rate of gaining in strength and muscular mass as a result of heavy exercise, it will almost always be found that an individual will gain most rapidly at an age of about twenty-five to thirty – at a point well after he has reached physical maturity.
An immature individual may well – and usually will – require several years of training to produce the same degree of results that can be produced by the same individual within a year if training is delayed until after the age of twenty-five.
Over twenty years ago, I helped produce the most striking physical improvement in an individual that I have ever witnessed; this man was a regular army officer then over thirty years of age – and he increased the size of his normal chest by six full inches in a period of three weeks, as a result of only eight workouts, while gaining twenty pounds of solid muscular bodyweight.
From all available evidence, it seems perfectly clear that almost anyone can greatly profit from heavy exercise up to an age of at least sixty – and in fact, it seems that an individual past the age of forty has more to gain than a younger person.
However, certain factors are obviously determined by age; for example, during the Second World War, a large number of wounded servicemen were treated for facial injuries with skin transplants – and in most cases, the skin for these transplants was removed from the buttocks or upper thighs.
Now, twenty-five years later, it is obvious that this was a mistake; many of these individuals are now clearly displaying heavy deposits of fatty tissue in areas where such deposits are not normal.
Thus it appears that skin from an area that normally shows increasing deposits of fatty tissue with advancing age is not changed by being moved to another area of the body – and this is clear proof that such fatty deposits are simply an unavoidable result of age.
While some individuals can – and will – display a high degree of muscularity at any age, other individuals will find it almost impossible to remove all of the fatty deposits from some areas of the body when they are past the age of about forty.
Goosey
.
29 Time as a Factor
Nautilus Bulletin #1
29 Time as a Factor
Time is a necessary factor in any measurement of power – and strength is the ability to produce power; thus time must be considered in measurements of strength – and it must also be considered as one of the most important factors involved in training.
If a given training program is performed over a period of two hours, the results will be far different from those that would have been produced if the same program had been performed in one hour.
A trainee should start breathing much more rapidly than he normally does within the first minute of his workouts, and his breathing should not return to normal for at least ten minutes after his workouts have been completed.
If not, his training pace is much too slow – and worthwhile results will not be forthcoming as fast as they should be.
Very few bodybuilders are willing to work at such a pace, and as a direct result, many such individuals are actually in rather poor physical condition – in spite of their muscular bulk; most such trainees are under the mistaken impression that fifteen or twenty hours of weekly training are required for building great muscular mass, and they cannot – or will not –work at a fast pace for such long periods. But in fact, a greater degree of results can be produced by only about four hours of weekly training – if such training is conducted at the proper pace. But, personally, I have about reached a point where I no longer even try to convince bodybuilders of this simple fact; most of them are absolutely – if mistakenly – convinced that nothing less than five or six weekly workouts of three or four hours each will produce much in the way of results.
And while such individuals never fail to be literally amazed at the results which we consistently produce from a small fraction of that weekly training time, most of them simply refuse to believe the truth even when it is carefully explained to them.
Personally – if twenty hours of hard weekly training were required for the production of the best results – I would consider any possible results badly overpriced, and simply not worth the cost; but in fact, such prolonged training will actually retard progress – rather than promoting it.
The weight of all available evidence clearly proves that the best results will always be produced by less than five hours of weekly training – and in most cases, by less than four hours of weekly training; but such training must be intense, and fast paced.
The only allowable periods of rest during a workout should occur between the performances of consecutive sets of the same exercise – and if the workout is properly outlined, even those rest periods can be avoided in many cases, and should be avoided whenever possible.
Nor is this merely a matter of saving time – in fact, the saving of training time is the least important consideration; for building overall condition – improving the heart action, breathing, circulation, and muscular endurance – a fast pace of training is an absolute requirement.
If exactly the same training program is performed in twice the proper amount of time, then some – but not much – muscle growth stimulation will be induced, but practically nothing in the way of improved condition will result.
The muscles will grow – very slowly – but breathing, the heart action, the circulation, and endurance will remain almost unchanged.
And while several years of such training can – and probably will – produce a great degree of muscular size, such an individual would probably be in very poor physical condition.
Far faster muscular growth – and simply enormous improvements in condition – could have been produced, and would have been produced, by performing exactly the same training program in half the time.
Obviously, there is a limit to the speed of training; since it is impossible to perform a second set of an exercise immediately following a first set of maximum-possible intensity.
But a properly conditioned individual should be able to perform a second set of an exercise within a period of four minutes following the start of the first set – and a third set four minutes later; and his performance should increase set by set – he should perform better in the second set than he did in the first set, and even better during the third set.
In many cases, it is possible to alternate exercises between various body parts – and in this way rest periods can be almost entirely eliminated; in some cases, this type of training is an absolute requirement for the production of best results – this being true in regard to the chest, the lower legs, and the forearms.
No other type of training for those body parts will produce anything even approaching maximum possible results –regardless of how long such training may be continued.
The largest muscles of the upper body should be exercised immediately after a set of heavy exercise for the thighs – while the rate of breathing is still very high; with no slightest rest between the leg work and the upper body movements.
The calves and forearms should be exercised without rest for a period of several minutes – as soon as a set of one exercise is completed, a set of another exercise for the same body part should be started.
And every set of every exercise should be carried to the point of absolute – if momentary – muscular failure.
In later chapters devoted to exact training routines, a time factor will always be included as an essential part of each training program, and close attention should be given to this factor; if it is not, then results will be far below what they should be.
Nautilus Bulletin #1
29 Time as a Factor
Time is a necessary factor in any measurement of power – and strength is the ability to produce power; thus time must be considered in measurements of strength – and it must also be considered as one of the most important factors involved in training.
If a given training program is performed over a period of two hours, the results will be far different from those that would have been produced if the same program had been performed in one hour.
A trainee should start breathing much more rapidly than he normally does within the first minute of his workouts, and his breathing should not return to normal for at least ten minutes after his workouts have been completed.
If not, his training pace is much too slow – and worthwhile results will not be forthcoming as fast as they should be.
Very few bodybuilders are willing to work at such a pace, and as a direct result, many such individuals are actually in rather poor physical condition – in spite of their muscular bulk; most such trainees are under the mistaken impression that fifteen or twenty hours of weekly training are required for building great muscular mass, and they cannot – or will not –work at a fast pace for such long periods. But in fact, a greater degree of results can be produced by only about four hours of weekly training – if such training is conducted at the proper pace. But, personally, I have about reached a point where I no longer even try to convince bodybuilders of this simple fact; most of them are absolutely – if mistakenly – convinced that nothing less than five or six weekly workouts of three or four hours each will produce much in the way of results.
And while such individuals never fail to be literally amazed at the results which we consistently produce from a small fraction of that weekly training time, most of them simply refuse to believe the truth even when it is carefully explained to them.
Personally – if twenty hours of hard weekly training were required for the production of the best results – I would consider any possible results badly overpriced, and simply not worth the cost; but in fact, such prolonged training will actually retard progress – rather than promoting it.
The weight of all available evidence clearly proves that the best results will always be produced by less than five hours of weekly training – and in most cases, by less than four hours of weekly training; but such training must be intense, and fast paced.
The only allowable periods of rest during a workout should occur between the performances of consecutive sets of the same exercise – and if the workout is properly outlined, even those rest periods can be avoided in many cases, and should be avoided whenever possible.
Nor is this merely a matter of saving time – in fact, the saving of training time is the least important consideration; for building overall condition – improving the heart action, breathing, circulation, and muscular endurance – a fast pace of training is an absolute requirement.
If exactly the same training program is performed in twice the proper amount of time, then some – but not much – muscle growth stimulation will be induced, but practically nothing in the way of improved condition will result.
The muscles will grow – very slowly – but breathing, the heart action, the circulation, and endurance will remain almost unchanged.
And while several years of such training can – and probably will – produce a great degree of muscular size, such an individual would probably be in very poor physical condition.
Far faster muscular growth – and simply enormous improvements in condition – could have been produced, and would have been produced, by performing exactly the same training program in half the time.
Obviously, there is a limit to the speed of training; since it is impossible to perform a second set of an exercise immediately following a first set of maximum-possible intensity.
But a properly conditioned individual should be able to perform a second set of an exercise within a period of four minutes following the start of the first set – and a third set four minutes later; and his performance should increase set by set – he should perform better in the second set than he did in the first set, and even better during the third set.
In many cases, it is possible to alternate exercises between various body parts – and in this way rest periods can be almost entirely eliminated; in some cases, this type of training is an absolute requirement for the production of best results – this being true in regard to the chest, the lower legs, and the forearms.
No other type of training for those body parts will produce anything even approaching maximum possible results –regardless of how long such training may be continued.
The largest muscles of the upper body should be exercised immediately after a set of heavy exercise for the thighs – while the rate of breathing is still very high; with no slightest rest between the leg work and the upper body movements.
The calves and forearms should be exercised without rest for a period of several minutes – as soon as a set of one exercise is completed, a set of another exercise for the same body part should be started.
And every set of every exercise should be carried to the point of absolute – if momentary – muscular failure.
In later chapters devoted to exact training routines, a time factor will always be included as an essential part of each training program, and close attention should be given to this factor; if it is not, then results will be far below what they should be.
Goosey
.
30 Developing Speed and Flexibility
Nautilus Bulletin #1
30 Developing Speed and Flexibility
While speed is not a result of flexibility – great speed of movement is impossible without extreme flexibility; thus training for speed must involve training for increased freedom of movement and increased ranges of movement.
Freedom of movement is primarily determined by two factors – the existing power-to-weight ratio, and the muscular fiber to fatty tissue ratio.
Ranges of movement are primarily determined by two other factors – the type of exercises employed, and the amount of resistance used in such exercises.
In both cases, several other factors are involved as well – but these are factors that little or nothing can be done about, so they need not concern us here; most such factors are hereditarily determined – nuero-muscular reaction time, bodily proportions, tendon attachment points (which affect leverage), and other factors.
Short of outright starvation, it is literally impossible to remove the last visible trace of intramuscular fatty tissue – but this is neither necessary nor desirable; however, excessive amounts of such tissue must be removed if great freedom of movement is desired.
And the removal of such tissue will be a long step in the direction of improving the power-to-weight ratio –although it is only one of several required steps. Fortunately, the additional steps required for removing excess fatty tissue also result in power increases – as well as increasing possible ranges of movement.
And the exercises that are required for building great strength also produce increases in ranges of movement.
Thus it is easily possible to concentrate on one goal – the building of a very high power potential –while also increasing both freedom of movement and ranges of movement.
Having improved all three factors – power, freedom of movement, and ranges of movement – as much as possible within the limitations imposed by bodyweight restrictions, speed of movement will then be at its optimum level.
At least insofar as directly involved physical factors are concerned; thus additional improvement will depend upon improvements in "form" and the development of conditioned reflexes, so-called "muscle memory."
While it is certainly true – as I have tried to make clear in preceding chapters – that there is no significant difference between strength and endurance, that most such "differences" are merely apparent differences which fail to stand up to the light of careful investigation, it does not follow that exactly similar results will be produced by light forms of exercise and heavy forms of the same exercise.
To a large degree, this is true simply because the resistance employed in light exercises is not sufficient to force the body parts into positions that will produce increases in the existing ranges of possible movement.
For example: when performing bent-arm pullovers on a flat bench with a light weight, the elbows will seldom be forced much if any beyond the forehead –and little or no improvement in the possible range of movement will be produced.
Likewise, since the involved muscles will not be working throughout their entire possible range of movement, it will be impossible to induce a maximum demand for either muscular mass or strength increases.
However, if a much heavier resistance is employed in the same exercise, then the elbows may be forced to a point well behind the head – and much greater increases in power, freedom of movement, and ranges of movement will be produced.
An even more striking example is immediately apparent if we consider the stiff-legged deadlift; many heavy individuals find it impossible to touch their toes with their finger-tips without bending their knees – and no amount of light exercises will do much to correct this condition.
However, after a few months of practice of heavy stiff-legged deadlifts, most subjects can reach a point at least several inches below their feet – and some subjects can touch their elbows to the floor from a standing position without bending their knees.
And the practice of the movements required to build such great flexibility will simultaneously result in great increases in both power and freedom of movement – the muscles will become stronger because they are being worked over a greater range, and the fatty tissue which previously restricted freedom of movement will be removed to a great degree.
Thus – directly contrary to widespread popular opinion – it is obvious that vary heavy movements are actually a requirement for developing speed of movement, rather than a practice to be avoided.
A particular individual might be quite fast in spite of the fact that he has never practiced any sort of heavy exercise – but the same subject would have been markedly faster if he had engaged in heavy exercises.
During one of the Olympic games, careful testing of the involved athletes clearly proved that a weightlifter was by far the fastest man competing in any sport – and that most of the weightlifters were considerably faster than the non-weightlifters.
Great power is literally impossible without great speed of movement; and the higher the power-to-weight ratio, the faster the resulting speed – all other factors being equal.
Nautilus Bulletin #1
30 Developing Speed and Flexibility
While speed is not a result of flexibility – great speed of movement is impossible without extreme flexibility; thus training for speed must involve training for increased freedom of movement and increased ranges of movement.
Freedom of movement is primarily determined by two factors – the existing power-to-weight ratio, and the muscular fiber to fatty tissue ratio.
Ranges of movement are primarily determined by two other factors – the type of exercises employed, and the amount of resistance used in such exercises.
In both cases, several other factors are involved as well – but these are factors that little or nothing can be done about, so they need not concern us here; most such factors are hereditarily determined – nuero-muscular reaction time, bodily proportions, tendon attachment points (which affect leverage), and other factors.
Short of outright starvation, it is literally impossible to remove the last visible trace of intramuscular fatty tissue – but this is neither necessary nor desirable; however, excessive amounts of such tissue must be removed if great freedom of movement is desired.
And the removal of such tissue will be a long step in the direction of improving the power-to-weight ratio –although it is only one of several required steps. Fortunately, the additional steps required for removing excess fatty tissue also result in power increases – as well as increasing possible ranges of movement.
And the exercises that are required for building great strength also produce increases in ranges of movement.
Thus it is easily possible to concentrate on one goal – the building of a very high power potential –while also increasing both freedom of movement and ranges of movement.
Having improved all three factors – power, freedom of movement, and ranges of movement – as much as possible within the limitations imposed by bodyweight restrictions, speed of movement will then be at its optimum level.
At least insofar as directly involved physical factors are concerned; thus additional improvement will depend upon improvements in "form" and the development of conditioned reflexes, so-called "muscle memory."
While it is certainly true – as I have tried to make clear in preceding chapters – that there is no significant difference between strength and endurance, that most such "differences" are merely apparent differences which fail to stand up to the light of careful investigation, it does not follow that exactly similar results will be produced by light forms of exercise and heavy forms of the same exercise.
To a large degree, this is true simply because the resistance employed in light exercises is not sufficient to force the body parts into positions that will produce increases in the existing ranges of possible movement.
For example: when performing bent-arm pullovers on a flat bench with a light weight, the elbows will seldom be forced much if any beyond the forehead –and little or no improvement in the possible range of movement will be produced.
Likewise, since the involved muscles will not be working throughout their entire possible range of movement, it will be impossible to induce a maximum demand for either muscular mass or strength increases.
However, if a much heavier resistance is employed in the same exercise, then the elbows may be forced to a point well behind the head – and much greater increases in power, freedom of movement, and ranges of movement will be produced.
An even more striking example is immediately apparent if we consider the stiff-legged deadlift; many heavy individuals find it impossible to touch their toes with their finger-tips without bending their knees – and no amount of light exercises will do much to correct this condition.
However, after a few months of practice of heavy stiff-legged deadlifts, most subjects can reach a point at least several inches below their feet – and some subjects can touch their elbows to the floor from a standing position without bending their knees.
And the practice of the movements required to build such great flexibility will simultaneously result in great increases in both power and freedom of movement – the muscles will become stronger because they are being worked over a greater range, and the fatty tissue which previously restricted freedom of movement will be removed to a great degree.
Thus – directly contrary to widespread popular opinion – it is obvious that vary heavy movements are actually a requirement for developing speed of movement, rather than a practice to be avoided.
A particular individual might be quite fast in spite of the fact that he has never practiced any sort of heavy exercise – but the same subject would have been markedly faster if he had engaged in heavy exercises.
During one of the Olympic games, careful testing of the involved athletes clearly proved that a weightlifter was by far the fastest man competing in any sport – and that most of the weightlifters were considerably faster than the non-weightlifters.
Great power is literally impossible without great speed of movement; and the higher the power-to-weight ratio, the faster the resulting speed – all other factors being equal.