TIP 07

tip of the month archive

TIP # 07

This month's tip isn't something you can exactly go to the gym and apply to a specefic exercise or body part, and after a while see the results in your physique.

It isn't a nutritional tip for more engery, greater fat loss or more muscle gain.

It's just a general tip that for many, could prove to be the most valuable training advice they ever get... if applied to their training efforts.

For some of you, this is gonna be a no-brainer. For many of you, it will be a true revelation, but for legions of others, it will be totally ignored.

The idea for this tip comes from a reader in the 'Land-Down Under' named Terry. I've been helping Terry and his son, Jamie with their training. (Hi Jamie!) Anyway, Terry writes;

"The training routines suggested in most of the muscle and fitness magazines... are all good and fine, however, they would destroy the 'Average Joe' both physically and mentally. (Especially motivational wise when they don't see the supposed results they are going to expect.) So, how about explaining the K.I.S.S. theory? I realize you cannot create a routine to service the entire public, but you could give some sensible and broad suggestions on training... "

I wish I had a nickel for every over-trained individual I've seen in my life. Over-training is the BIGGEST mistake you can make in the gym, and it's the mistake that's made most often. a real progress killer!

One of my clients recently subscribed to one of the popular muscle mags, and as a bonus, he got a detailed beginner's workout. It called for 10 sets for each body part . . . this is for a beginner, mind you.

Well, this guy's been training at The Dungeon for about 6 years now. (He's a double organ transplant recipient, and doing just great, thank you very much!) His training is very similar to many others that I train and consider to be ADVANCED TRAINEES: twice a week, most body parts once a week, 10-15 sets each WORKOUT! Then, he bellyaches about his clothes being too small and about how sore he gets after a workout.

The routines you see in the muscle mags are often no where near what the physique stars actually do. And you can bet they can do more in the gym than you can!

These guys are not only genetic freaks, a ridiculously high percentage of them take a truck load of performance enhancing drugs too. Sorry, but it's true. (And quite often, they don't write the articles with their name on them either.) And you have to also consider the fact, that a lot of these elite bodybuilders do NOT have day jobs!

I had a guy come to me a few years ago that was doing Rich Gaspari's, (remember him?), level 1 beginner's routine. After 2 weeks of this, he'd lost his appetite, couldn't sleep at night, couldn't stay awake at work, felt awful and was losing weight . . . fast!

I had him take 10 days off . . . to recover from all the over training . . . and put him on a twice a week whole body routine consisting of 8 total sets EACH workout. He grew faster than my 5 year old grandson, and we call him "Monster"! He weighed in at 10 lbs. 10 oz. when my youngest daughter spit him out, and has been costing her a fortune in clothes ever since.

The point to all of this is: be very wary of what you read. Most of the training routines in the mags would kill your genetically average, working stiff. I've seen it happen a zillion times. (Let's see . . . 1 zillion times 5 cents . . . Hey . . . I'd be outta here!)

So, keep those routines SHORT, INTENSE & FEW & FAR BETWEEN.

Thanks, Terry. I should've hit on this subject months ago. It's that important. And maybe later, I'll go more in depth.

Until next time . . . train hard, but train smart!

Try this month's tip for 30 days. Then [ E-mail ] me and tell me about your progress.

- Poppa