Weightlifting Tenets, Principles and Guidance; and breaking plateaus in your training.

20 Important Tenets for the dedicated Weightlifter.

 

1.       Make each workout count; make it have a Purpose…towards a Goal. Stop going to the gym to waste time and space.
 

2.       Each workout must have a purpose, a sense of Meaning…you must focus on the value you  hope to gain by your goals.

3.       Use Dedication & Commitment to your training and your diet--make it a lifestyle.

4.       Have Determination & Perseverance & Passion--make it a way of life.

5.       Have Patience for the gains that will inevitably come. Hard work DOES pay off.

6.       Exert Physical Courage during your heavy lifts. Stop being afraid of 300 pound bench presses and 400 pound Squats and 400 pound Deadlifts. Don't be afraid to barbell curl 150 pounds. It CAN be done!

7.       Be a Warrior in the gym--have Controlled Rage and Fury.

8.       Have an "Olympian Complex": an Innate striving towards excellence and self-actualization. You strive to achieve  greatness.

(quoting Mike Mentzer from his Heavy Duty book)

9.     You must have goal-directed Passion and Proper training to make achievements.

10.   The greatest resistance encountered on the road of achievement is the Mind, not the body.

11.   Push hard, break through the pain barrier. Pain is temporary.

12.   Go to failure on at least 1 set, 100% Intensity!

13.   If you want to get Bigger, then you must get STRONGER. This is undeniable.

14.   To gain Size, then you must gain Strength.

15.   So...make your workouts a Strength-Building Program.

16.   Your workout must be better than your last one. Do one more rep or 5 more pounds.
 

17.   Must have a Visual Image of how you want to look, and an Objective to aspire to.
 

18.   When you train properly, your strength will keep increasing.
 

19.   If you keep doing the same thing, then you will look the same way…month after month,

year after year.

20.   To get something you have never had, then you must do things you’ve never done before.

 

 Breaking a Plateau: How can we break a plateau? It can be done by adding Variety to your training--using different techniques, different styles and different equipment.

1.       Take a week long break from your training--to allow all muscles to recover, joints, tendons and your mind to rest. Not only do we get physically exhausted from endless months of training, but we encounter Neural Fatigue, too--our CNS (Central Nervous System) gets exhausted from the rigorous demands we place on our mind and body.
 

2.       Lighten the weight = focus on form, execution, and concentration.
 



3.       Slow the cadence = 2 second concentric / 2 second static
          hold and squeeze / 4 seconds down with this lighter weight.
 



4.       Use machines for Super Heavy negatives. The Smith machine is great for some heavy bench pressing.
 



5.       Use very, very heavy weights: do 1-2 reps, then rest for 10-15 seconds; repeat 3 more times.
            This works great on the free weight barbell curl. Pick a heavy weight, i.e. 115 lbs,
            and do it 2 times. Then rest 10 seconds, and repeat that 3 times!
 

6.       Do Rest-Pause Training with your 5 RM (5 Repetition Max). Find your 5 RM, and then do as
            many 2-3 rep segments with 10-15 second rest until complete muscular failure. Do 3-5 sets  
            of that.
 

7.       Do Reverse Pyramids. After your warm-up, do your heaviest set of 6 reps. Then rest drop the
            weight by 10-15% and do 10 reps. Then rest one more time and reduce it a further
            10-15% and do 15 reps.
 

8.       Fascia Stretch Training: "FST-7". Do heavy workouts on your body parts, but finish each
            workout with a single-joint isolation exercise with 7 sets of 12 reps, with 30-45 second rest
            b/n sets. In other words, after doing your 3 working heavy sets of Squats, then follow the
            Squats up with 7 sets of 12 reps each with leg extensions, w/ just 30 seconds rest b/n those
            sets. Talk about a massive pump!
 

 

Why pursue weightlifting?              How can it improve my life or benefit me?

Here are some thoughts....
Weight lifting--whether you are a bodybuilder that competes on stage, or a Power Lifter that prepares for his meets a few times per year--is a wonderful sport for anyone. It is not what it seems like on the surface! I.e. that you have some mindless troll that picks up heavy objects and moves them from one position to another position, and then returns it back to where he started.

Actually, Weight training is the perfect sport for anyone that likes to challenge himself! It is ideal for someone that is willing to Work Hard to change their body's appearance (decrease fat, increase lean muscle); for someone that needs to get faster in a particular sport (football, soccer); or that needs to build specific muscles for playing basketball or pitching in baseball. For the non-athlete, however, weight lifting can indeed become a "thinking man's" game. How? Well, the intelligent weight lifter must constantly try to force his body to do something it inherently resists, which is change! The human body loves homeostasis. Bodybuilding and progressive weight training forces the body to change and to adapt to the stressors and increased resistance that is applied to it.

Gaining muscle does NOT come easy, especially for the Natural weight lifter. We have to intelligently develop training routines that will encourage and foster muscles to grow in size; and you must be patient! This is not a sport for those that like immediate gratification. This is the perfect sport, however, for a man or woman who loves to challenge their mind, challenge their body, and has patience, determination and courage. And, yes, you must challenge your MIND, too! Because the greatest resistance to lifting the heavier and heavier weights is your mind--your brain will tell you "that is too heavy. You can’t do that!" So, you must have the Mental Fortitude to over-ride that erroneous, primitive emergency warning system, and PRESS ON!

I have 13 years of formal, higher education after high school: 5 years of college plus other graduate schools and post-graduate programs.  So, with all of my background in Science, and the Scientific Method, I am applying formulas, theories, hypotheses and experiments (in the gym) for all my Weight Training. There are a few Stages for the educated Weight Lifter. 

The 1st stage is PLANNING: you must develop a sound Workout Routine. The routine needs to be about 3-4 months, and you must stick to it. Moreover, in this stage, you have to write down your Diet and Supplementation, so that you have all the macro and micro nutrients to meet the demands of your training PLUS foster growth of new muscle tissue. Without your proper and planned Diet and Supplementation, you wont grow! Nothing comes from Nothing.

The 2nd stage is EXECUTION: here, you are enacting your workout routine--putting it into action...putting it to the test. You follow it and adhere to it. The same applies to the Diet (your food intake, quality of food, quantity of food), and your Supplementation (consuming multivitamins, fish oils, etc). Lastly, Rest/Recovery is so vitally important and neglected by the masses. Why in the world do everything perfectly (Train hard, Eat well, take supplements), yet stay up late most nights of the week till 2 am playing video games or riding 4 wheelers in the woods. You MUST sleep to recover and grow. Always try to get at least 7 hours of sleep.

Successful Weightlifters/Bodybuilders and Power lifters do indeed have Courage--as courage is required when  you are lying flat on a bench and staring at 350 pounds and are about to attempt to unrack it and let it descend downwards towards your chest and then press it back up again! The same can be said when you step under 405 pounds and rest it on your back, behind your neck, step outside the rack, and start Squatting with it!

Most importantly, building up your body to become physically fit with lean muscle and low fat is as important as enriching your mind by going to college, post-graduate school, nursing school or even Medical School like myself. Why have a brilliant mind, yet have a weak, flabby, useless body? Enrich both! Develop your Mind and your Body. Neglect neither.

 

The evolution of a weightlifter: Dec 2013 to May 2015...about 18 months.

Starting weight: 198 (fall 2013)

Recent weight: 212 (May 2015)

Dec 2013...3 months after starting Heavy Duty Training
a.k.a. High Intensity Training.
Flexing 16 3/4 inch arms.
bodyweight of 198 lbs.
 

March 2014: sporting some 17 1/4 inch
arms here.
bodyweight about 208 lbs.

March 2014

March 2014



 

Nov 2014: standing next to my workout partner--a
police officer for the city of Crowley.
We both have over 18 inch arms here.
Corey weighs about 230 lbs; I weigh 222 lbs here.

Dec 2014.
Weighing about 224 lbs.
Biceps at 18 1/4''.

 

February 2015
weighing 212 lbs
Trimmed down, dropped 10 pounds to
get leaner, harder. Veins!

March 2015
weighing 215 lbs.
Added about 3 pounds for size and strength
Big powerful chest and arms, thick shoulders--
the end product of HEAVY bench pressing and
HEAVY barbell curls.

May 2015
weighing 212 lbs: lean, cut, strong,
full, and vascular!
Upper pecs are split, thick, and full:
bulging out the top of my tank top.

May 2015:
weighing about 212 lbs, with 18 inch
hard, lean, vascular arms.

 

Late night workout at the gym on a Friday night...the
only person hitting the weights!
Dedication and Commitment. Passion.
The results bespeak of hard work for 18 months.

 Cajun Muscle.

Cajun Power.

 

Go heavy or go home.

Shut up and Train.

Shut up and Squat.

January- May 2015 lifts:

Flat Barbell Bench Press.     275 x 10.  315 x 5.                   

Reverse Grip Bench Press.   225 x 12.  275 x 10.  315 x 3.

Incline Barbell Bench Press 225 x 10.  275 x 5.    300 x 2.

Incline DUMBELL bench   100 pound dumbells x 18 reps.

Barbell Curl.                         135 x 9.    145 x 5.

Deep Squat.                          365 x 10.  405 x 8.  455 x 3.

These are just *some* of my lifts, not all. I focus on compound, multi-joint, basic lifts with heavy weights.

I don't compare myself to anyone nor compete with anyone--just compete against my last workout to make it better than the last one.

Thoughts on Supplementation/Diet:

All weightlifters, power lifters, body builders are forcing their bodies to change by adapting to progressively heavier weights and progressively harder, more elaborate training routines. Because of the demands on the body to grow and adapt, to build new muscle tissue and to grow thicker ligaments and tendons and tougher bones, there is a stress and strain on the human body. So, this is where Diet/Supplementation is so greatly important! Look: nothing comes from nothing. Very simple. So, if you don't train/exercise/workout, then you look the same. Also, in line with that, if you don't feed your growing body the nutrients it needs to grow, then you will also look the same. So, the two go hand-in-hand: Training & Diet. The 3rd pillar is rest/sleep/recovery, which is a different topic.

In regards to Diet/Supplementation, I keep it simple, too. Here is an outline of my intake every day.

1. Wake up at 6:15am and eat Oatmeal with Whey Protein Isolate mixed in it after I heat it up (I don't want to microwave or heat up my protein to super hot temps, as it may denature it). On top of my oatmeal/whey protein, I place about 10 Walnuts or Pecans (from my own Pecan trees on my property).

2. eat breakfast and follow it with MultiVitamin pack, as well as Omega 3/6/9 pack. I cant emphasize enough how vitally important vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids are for your entire body: brain, heart, organs, joints, skin, hair, eye sight, and even lowering your cholesterol.

3. Before I go to the gym at 7pm: I drink Whey Protein Isolate with 5 grams of Creatine and 5 grams of Glutamine. The creatine, of course, provides ATP (energy) for muscle fibers to contract. The glutamine is very anti-catabolic and is an immune system booster.

4. Workout from 7:30 till 9pm.

5. On the drive home, I am drinking another Whey Protein Isolate (fast acting) shake, and it too may have creatine added to it and glutamine. If I don't have any Whey Protein in my truck, then I grab a pack of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), which are essential amino acids for muscle growth, and swallow a few of those capsules down with water. BCAAs are critical immediately after you train to jump start the anabolic phase--new muscle growth.

6. I come home and eat a decent, healthy meal. Jennifer cooks great meals: chicken, salmon, Cod, turkey, lean steaks, and lots of vegetables.

7. Before bed, I will sometimes drink a Casein Protein shake (slow digesting protein) with one tablespoon of peanut butter--for the fat and protein....to keep my muscles fed while asleep for seven hours.

**So, that is it for supplements: Multivitamin, Omega 3/6/9, Whey Isolate Protein, Casein Protein,  

     Creatine and Glutamine.

I don't take any pre-workouts, as I hate feeling jittery or having a racing heart while training. I don't take any testosterone boosters or prohormones--that is all crap and seems dangerous for your health.