Common Sense in Strength Training - By Vincent Bowers

Originally posted on NaturalStrength.com on November 11, 2006

I recently visited my older sister and whilst there got into a conversation with my nephew.I went into the kitchen where my nephew was preparing his evening meal, as I watched him prepare to grill his approximately 4oz steak and make ready his green salad I asked him how his training was going. He told me he was presently training at a local gym that I had heard of but never actually trained at. He was training for size at the present time,training three days a week on a three way split, training each bodypart once a week.

My nephew is 21 years of age and weighs around 175 solid lbs. When he told me he was trying to gain weight he told me he ate six small meals a day,consisting of his 4oz steaks, chicken and fish with baked potatoes,pasta and brown rice as his main carbohydrates.He mentioned he had shown his diet to some Mr. Somewhereortheother who trained at his gym and he had told him he was on the right lines. I looked at my nephew and thought back to the way I myself was at his age (20 years ago now I'm sad to say). If you want to gain weight I told him, drink milk, lots of milk. I then asked how he trained his legs. Leg extensions, hack squats and leg presses were his main exercises he replied.

"Do you ever squat" Iasked him,"every now and again" he answered "they dont pump my legs much". Listen I told him you're eating like a bird and not doing the correct exercises to gain weight.My nephew looked at me the way you look at a mixed up elderly relative who you dont wish to be rude to. OK he said "how should I train". To get big you need to eat big and lift big, and you cant lift big weights on isolation exercises. Do multi joint compound exercises and you`ll be able to hoist some impressive poundages, look after the major muscle groups and the smaller muscles will take care of themselves. He didn`t look convinced but I kept on. "dont you think that when you can deadlift 400lbs for 10 reps you wont have a lot of meat on your upper arms?, you have to have an impressive amount of muscle all over your hips, legs and back to be able to squat with double your bodyweight for 15 reps".

"Concentrate on your legs and back and on squats, deadlifts, rows, bench presses and overhead presses, by all means do some curls and tricep extensions but only as finishing pumping moves." And always try to get an extra couple of reps or try and add 5lbs to the bar, progressive poundages are one of the secrets of successful training". "What about my diet" he asked, "Overload your body with calories and protein and it'll soon realise that you're trying to add weight. Eat steak, liver, chicken and fish by the pound not by the ounce, eggs are also high on the list, but the undisputed #1 source of protein and calories is milk, drink it by the bucketful, at least 6 pints a day and preferably double that, also if you want to use supplements, use a multi vitamin and mineral". "Thats a lot of food " mumbled my nephew,"Yes it is but you`ll get a lot of results"."OK,I`ll give it a try " he answered. How did he get on? Thats for next time.

Physical Culture Books.com