Researched
and Composed by
Adam “Old School” Knowlden
1. Thou
shall train with the utmost intensity.
We’ve all
heard the phrase "work smarter, not harder." The bodybuilder thinks just the
opposite, "Train smarter AND harder."
If you want
to be freaky you have to approach each workout as a test to push yourself out of
the comfort zone. And have the determination to get as much muscular stress as
possible into your workout. Reach for new heights with each workout and don’t be
satisfied with 2nd best.
Perhaps you
aren’t going to be the next Mr. Olympia. And maybe others around you progress
faster. A true warrior won’t use others as an excuse! Or for that matter make
excuses at all! A true warrior will strive to be the best they can be! Never just
go through the motions. This is the main philosophy behind shock techniques. By
constantly cycling your shocks and changing your workouts around, your brain
will never be able to adapt to your workouts, and as a result you will have to
increase your intensity to keep up with your routines! Destroy the weights and
wreak havoc on your muscular system!
2. Thou
shall stay Consistent.
You can't
make continuous improvement by training and dieting in spurts. Unless you're
sick or injured, there's no excuse not to go to the gym.
I’ve heard
them all from, “I’m just too busy” to “It’s just too hard with my schedule”,
blah, blah, blah. If you really want to you can make the time. And that’s the
key to being a champion in anything…you really have to want it!
Bodybuilding is a difficult sport. You have to have the desire! You just
have to plan and organize your time better.
Make up a
routine and stick to it! Of course breaks are good, but they should be
pre-planned and never longer than two weeks.
3. Thou
shall eat often.
You need a
consistent supply of nutrients to achieve maximum growth. Eat a meal every 2-3
hours. I know it can be tough, but you have to pre-plan your meals if you live a
hectic lifestyle. I understand how tough this can be. I recently graduated, but
I understand the “working over-time, going to school full-time” life style. I find the
easiest thing to do is on your off day, bake a whole bunch of chicken breasts
and sweet potatoes. This way if worse comes to worse and you’re in a huge hurry
you always have a body building meal for on the go. Remember your muscles grow
at the dinner table and in the sack, not in they gym. Food is the most anabolic
compound on the planet. Don’t cut your gains short by lacking in this area! Protein is
the #1 friend of the body builder. Protein builds muscle, and keeping it readily
available for your body at all times is crucial for consistent gains. It’s what
builds muscle during a bulk, and spares it during a cut or maintenance cycle. Aim to get
20-40 grams of protein with each small meal, or at least get one gram of protein
per pound of bodyweight per day. If you are bulking I’d recommend 1.5 to 2 grams
of protein per pound of bodyweight!
4.
Remember to Sleep and keep it Sacred.
When you are
asleep, growth hormone is released and this is when a lot of the muscle recovery
takes place. A lot of people have the working out and nutrition aspects right
but severely lack in the sleep department. If you are getting insufficient
amounts of sleep, you're depriving your body of its best chance to grow. To
avoid this, make sure to get at least 8, preferably 9 hours of sleep every
night. Lack of
sleep can quickly lead to overtraining. I’ve experienced this myself several
times. You bust your ass in the gym all week and run on 4 or 5 hours of sleep a
night. This is terrible on the body. You can’t expect to demolish your body,
then not give it the chance to re-heal! This can often make you sick and
sluggish. Sure, your muscles grow during the day when you rest, but the majority
of growth happens during REM sleep, which only occurs during deep sleep.
Another important thing about sleep is when its
over and you wake up! When you've been asleep
for 8 hours, you haven't eaten anything and you are in a severe state of
catabolism (anti-growth). This means your body is really low on amino acids and
carbohydrates. This is a huge no-no if you expect to get any results from your
workouts.
The best way to smash the
starvation of your muscles is to have a big breakfast as soon as possible when
you wake up. Even if you like to get ready and get things done around the house
before eating breakfast you should at least have a protein shake as soon as you
wake up. Make it a habit! I too am one of those that can’t eat as soon as I wake
up, but shoveling down a quick shake is no big deal, and can aid in restoring
your anabolic state big time! Also, if you work out early, I’d recommend getting
a lot of carbs with your breakfast for workout fuel.
5. You
shall have no other liquids before me….Drink water!
Staying
hydrated is important for everything from digestion to endurance. Don’t expect
to eat 2 grams of protein per day and go skimpy on the water. If so you’re
flushing your protein down the drain…literally! The bottom line is that
your body depends on water to remain in top condition. Just like a car needs
gasoline. As soon as you get dehydrated you're weaker, less mentally alert, and
in general in less than perfect condition.
Water =
Anabolic state! Aim for a gallon per day! Of course more is better!
6. Thou
shall Stretch.
By taking
stretching seriously you can maintain and improve your flexibility. In
addition to getting better blood flow (which gives better pumps) and decreasing
the risk of injury, your flexibility will help your workout form as well. It
will also let you get a fuller range of motion which can lead to more muscle
growth! Tom Platz was infamous for this and was more flexible than most Olympic
gymnasts! I recommend stretching before, after, and in-between sets! A body
builder should never just be sitting there looking off into space while in the
gym! Also utilize the fascia stretching program Jacob describes in his
article about muscle memory! The results of this are nothing short of a miracle!
7. Thou
shall not use supplements in vain.
Supplements
like creatine, multi-vitamins, chromium and glutamine are great! But you
can never depend on supplements alone to carry you forward in this sport. In
other words, don’t use them as an excuse for a lacking diet. Supplements should
be just that. Just supplements to a balanced diet. Supplement with whey and
casein, but don't expect it to bail you out if your diet is lacking in solid
protein sources. You need a variety of protein sources in your diet such as
beef, chicken, steak, salmon, and tuna. Just like with your workouts, switch
your protein sources around for optimum growth!
8. Thou
shall not ignore cardio.
Cardio
increases your overall cardiovascular state, which is crucial in compound
exercises such as squats, pull-ups and dead lifts. If your lungs can't process
enough air, you'll be exhausted by oxygen depletion, not muscular failure, by
the end of your set. Your heart is
the strongest muscle in the body, train it as such. Cardio sessions WILL
increase your stamina in the weight room. Nothing looks more ridiculous than a
200 lb. body builder who gets winded after he walks or jogs for five minutes.
(Except maybe a 200lb. body builder with a huge upper body and chicken legs.)
Try to get at least 2-3 cardio sessions per week. During a bulk, the idea
is to save energy for growth, but you still need some cardio. Other wise when
cutting time comes around you dread it and you have a hard time getting in 10
minutes worth. During a bulk I aim for around 2, 20 minute sessions per week.
This can also keep body fat levels in check during a bulk! As for cutting
I may include 3-4 sessions a week when I am trying to get really ripped. Again,
just like your weight lifting routines, change your forms of cardio around. This
week walk fast on a treadmill, next week use a stationary bike, next week swim,
the next week run outside. This can actually shock your body into new levels of ripptitude!
9. Thou
shall continue to obtain knowledge.
Learn as
much as you can about body building! Read books, articles, and essays about body
building, the muscular system, human biology, etc.
Observe in
the gym, talk to more experienced lifters! There is always more to learn!
Use positive
thinking to keep things enjoyable and new. Test and try new things.
If you get
bored easily switch your routines around on a regular basis, or try a new
exercise or shocking principle.
Remember
body building is supposed to be fun!
10.
Thou shall have no other exercises before me!
Of course……SQUAT!
Squats are
perhaps the kings of all exercises. Not only does it build superior
muscular and cardiovascular strength and stamina, but it releases an insane
amount of growth hormone in the body! Not to mention it will increase bone
density, mental toughness, and produce legs that will blow the competition away!
Don’t be a
poseur!
Keep these
commandments sacred and you will prosper!
O.S.
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