Researched
and Composed by
Jacob Wilson, BSc. (Hons), MSc. CSCS
Abstract
Conflict can yield two specific fruits. The first, as some affirm to say is
called the folding effect. A human being is subjected to turbulence, and
crumbles under like so many fine grains of sand. I have news for you, if you
have this mentality, you might as well hang up your weight training gloves,
because this ain’t the sport for you!
The second however, is a mirrored opposite. Which in every right reflects the
extreme durability of the warrior. A professional soldier if you will. It is
this iron willed person that not only thrives on conflict and competition, but
seeks it out!
A question therefore presents itself. Why would someone seek a conflicting
situation? The answer is that deep down inside, they realize that competition is
the fire that refines a man. And the hotter the fire, the harder he will become.
Compete – To be in a state of rivalry
If you are to reach your full potential, you must understand that
bodybuilding is a day in and day out competition. The term progressive
resistance, applied only to a weight will never afford you a prize physique, but
when applied to the entire sport, it most certainly will. It was this
realization that was displayed in the Austrian Oak when he stated
I have no fear of fainting in the gym. I've thrown up many times while I was
training, but it doesn’t matter, because it’s all worth it. – Pumping Iron
This can be translated to mean, that every minute in the gym was a conflict.
Man against an unseen enemy if you will. With this thought in mind, I would like
to analyze different aspects of competition. It is up to you, to do battle with
them:
Competing against Your Own Fear
Every athlete gets butterflys in certain events or challenges. List what
effects you most fear on a sheet of paper and study them. Do twenty repetition
squats strike fear in your heart? It is a human tendency to flee from what we
perceive as being above our current pain threshold, or even what we cannot fully
grasp. I suggest listing the top three aspects within this zone, and pick one to
completely conquer! You may fear going on a bulk, because you are too pretty to
lose your abs. Whatever it is, face it and tackle it.
The day you do this, will be the day you have added one more weapon to your
arsenal! And along with it, a body that has adapted to a new stimulus!
Competing Against The Impossible Workout!
Another method in driving yourself to the next level,
is to begin to view your body as a battle field as Old School has pointed out.
Choose one body part, and begin to map out your plan. The Oak had this to say in
regards to the importance of this:
"I lived by the training program. I was always master of writing out the
programs. I knew that as soon as I put it down, the last thing I wanted to do
was disappoint myself. I knew that I had to look in the mirror every day, and I
could not look in the mirror and say, 'You know something? You're a loser. You
cannot do the kind of sets and exercises that you write down.' I didn't want to
face that."
The Six time Olympian beast was simply stating, that if he wrote a workout on
paper, that it was sealed in stone! My suggestion to you, is to write on paper,
what seems to be an absolutely impossible routine. Next, place check marks next
to each section of that routine and bring it to the gym with you. Check the list
off as you complete it. If you can’t cope, you will know that you need to add
some guts to your demeanor! I am not going to lie to you as countless supplement
companies, trying to outdo their opponents will. This sport is flat out
hardcore, and it’s not for the faint of heart. Which means that you will have to
test your limits to realize what you are made of. If we never reach for the
ceiling, then we can expect to stay on the bottom. Continually test how your
progressing. What are your mental limitations in this sport? It is your job to
not only find them, but to destroy them!
Case and point. In the Oaks day, the more hardcore the workout, the more the
athlete sought after it. I often hear people review routines, with the following
statement:
" Too many sets, too many reps. That’s just asking to over train. "
My question is always. Did that person conclude that, because he knows that a
hardcore
split will not enhance his gains, or because deep down inside, he doesn’t have
what it takes to even take on a routine of this caliber? If it is the latter,
then I would seriously suggest enhancing your limits.
Note: There is only one
attitude that yields optimal results. And that is balls to the wall. There is no
middle ground in a champion’s book.
Basic Competition Against Your
Training Partner
There are several avenues in which you can use a training partner as a
competitive ally. The most basic is the method, in which yourself, and fellow
athlete, make a bet on a certain lift. Perhaps whoever pushes themselves harder,
has to buy the other person dinner.
When getting more advanced however, you can use a square up method.
Essentially you choose the exact same exercise, and go back and forth with it,
until one of you quits! For example, you might choose upright rows as a
movement. You would reach failure, and immediately hand the weight to your
partner. This would continue, until one of you can’t take the pain any longer!
The point, is to use each others will power, to excel to new levels of mass.
Climb The Ladder!
The ladder method, has been utilized for years. In fact, its chief popularity
took place in the Soviet Union, and was used to increase strength in the
Military. Pavel Tsatsouline, the Russian coach, is a great influence for
popularizing its use in the United States.
The technique, is in my opinion, one of the most painful ever invented.
It works incredibly though!
Instructions for use
I. Yourself and your training partner, will choose an equal weight( for
this example, lets say that this is the barbell curl ). I would suggest choosing
a weight that you can lift for 12-15 repetitions.
II. You will grasp the weight and perform one rep. Immediately after,
hand the weight to your partner and he will repeat the effort.
III. He or she, then hands the barbell back to you, and you perform 2
repetitions. Your partner will then immediately match you.
IV. You will continue this process until one of you reaches failure! The
other will then reach failure, at whatever range causes this. I guarantee that
after 5 reps you will be in big time pain! And by 12, your eyes will be
watering! It is that intense!
Variations to a Theme!
We here at abc, aren’t satisfied with hardcore, but rather
beyond hardcore shocking methods!
And this, flat out takes the cake! When you both reach failure, you will climb
back down the latter! For example, if you reached failure on 13 reps, then you
would grasp the barbell again, immediately after your partner, and get 11
repetitions( I like to drop by 2 initially due to the lactic acid build up ).
Your partner will then get 11, then you will get 10, he will get 10, then 9,
then 8, all the way to one!
Variation of a Theme 3!
If you want to take it to a new level. On the last rep, you can make the
negative last 30 seconds!
Variation of a Theme 4!
This is quite possibly my favorite. Lets say you choose a weight, that causes
you to fail at 15 repetitions. Once you fail, hand the weight to your partner,
and allow them to finish. Then start over at one! You will obviously be able to
get at least back up to 10! You will be drenched in a pool of sweat. However,
this may be the absolute best pump of all time!
Variation 5
I call this the flusher. Essentially, once you reach failure, you will
perform one extra set to failure, using the concentric overload principle. For
those of you not familiar with this,
click here.
This method can be used with any exercise there is, and growth is guaranteed!
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, each athlete must ask themselves this question: " Did
I suck the life out of the last 24 hour period. " My challenge to you, is to
always make this an unequivocal yes.
Keep it Hardcore
Jacob Wilson
jwilson@abcbodybuilding.com
President Abcbodybuilding / Beyond Failure Magazine
© ABC Bodybuilding Company. All rights reserved. Disclaimer
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