Stuff Learnt during last 1.5 Years
Thoughts on Bigger Arms
My arms were stuck at 35 cm forever. I just couldn't get them to grow at all. Weighing 175 lbs and having 35 cm arms is just pathetic. Well it's better than having 29 cm arms.
I wondered what's the problem, why won't my arms grow? I curled alot but never moved up in weights. These last few months have been really inspiring because most body parts have just shoot up like never before. The answer to why my arms didn't grow was lack of rowing and CG chinups. So if you want big arms I really recommend training with rows alot. Now I am around 170-172 lbs with 36.5 cm, the last month they have grown like 1.5 cm just from focusing alot on rows and SUPPLEMENTING with curls.
It's not the details
Don't get caught up in small details which will have very little impact on your training. Don't worry about when you should have that flaxseed intake or if you get a better workout if you eat 37 minutes before the workout or not. Focus on the things that really matter.
* Make sure you get enough calories
* Make sure never to talk yourself out of the basic exercises
* Make sure to eat as clean as possilbe
* Make sure you keep proper form and leave the ego at the door
That's about it.
Minimizing Plateaus
I've noticed alot thorugh trial and error that I can get a big new record every week for around four weeks before things start to even out. I used to continue and rep like a maniac to break through but it didnt work.
What I realized these last months is that I get alot better success if I cycle the exercises. Say I am making new records to say military presses for a four weeks and then it even out. Instead of continuing doing more military presses I focus on the db presses. This is a very easy way to improve faster. Sometimes it is just not good enough to change the order of the exercises, you need to add something new and remove even if it is only for a couple of weeks. Make a list of your major compound exercises and have a "backup" to use when you even out.
For example:
Triceps:
Skull crushers <-> Dips
Military press <-> Db Press
Db Bench <-> Standard Bench
Deadlifts <-> Power Cleans
Squats <-> not found good replacement
Barbell Rows <-> Db Rows
etc...
Squats
This is one of the easiest exercises to cheat in. It's so easy to think to yourself and say that you are going low enough or you rep with good form with monster weight.
Key to growing them legs is to have as little influence by the back as possible. For tall people this is hard because they will have to lean forward to stabilize, but pick a weight you can rep without getting help from the back.
On the depths, IMO the deeper the better unless you are powerlifting. Go ATG if you are agile enough, keep good form and the legs will soon start to grow.
Deadlifts
For a long time I did only touch and go deadlifts, reping a good rep the first time and then continuing to rep until failure without stop by just touching the floor and lifting it up again.
The major reasons this thing was flawed for me was I didn't have a good max compared to my rep weight. (repping 140, maxing 145). So I went over to singles. By this I mean lifting the weight once and then returning to the floor standing up and then immidatly go to the start position and do another rep. This is great for me because it build up the lower part of the lift which I neglected, and it is much easier to maintain a good form, thus saving your back from horrible form in the end of the last reps.
Great way of eating just the right amount
I used to follow diesels guide pretty much all the way... but I didn't have any clue of how much my body needed in terms of calories so I added alot of fat.
The best way I've found to eat just the right amount is to feel on the training.
If you are tired you are eating too little carbs.
If your lifts doesn't go up then you are probably eating too little protein
If your lifts doesn't go up and you feel tired you are probably eating too few calories.
Just following these three statements have helped me immense.
Growing Calves
Okey, another issue for me. My calves were stuck around 40 cm for a long while. Key to increasing calf size IMO is to cut down on the weight and do full reps and then start to increase again. the last part where you go up on your toes really help that sucker to grow. Another thing is to be really adamant with the willpower. Never give up when doing calf raises. Even if you are lifting 1 mm at a time, get that damn rep... it will burn and feel like ****.
My friend tried the little calf routine I put together. It's 1 set of 6-10 calf raises, then resting for 15 breaths (inhale and exhale 14 times and on the 15 inhale start lifting again). Do as many reps as you can with the same willpower. Then take some rest and then finish with a last set.
Tried some negatives last time and they gave extra feel the day after. Might work good to increase size.. I'm gonna check that out. A negative is when you get help to lift a weight up but control the negative part of the lift yourself. You can manage more weight in the negative part of the exercise most of the time.
On Whey
Personally I don't get the people who advocate alot about not relying on shakes and stuff... I don't eat much meat because I cannot simply afford it. Some eggs sometimes and meat when I am visiting people but mostly I chunk down six scoops whey a day in milk and live happily ever after. It is very possible to live on shakes and stuff and still grow pretty good. Maybe not the best way but if you cannot avoid it, it's okey.
Just wanted to clear my head. Maybe this is useful for some of you. =)
Thoughts on Bigger Arms
My arms were stuck at 35 cm forever. I just couldn't get them to grow at all. Weighing 175 lbs and having 35 cm arms is just pathetic. Well it's better than having 29 cm arms.
I wondered what's the problem, why won't my arms grow? I curled alot but never moved up in weights. These last few months have been really inspiring because most body parts have just shoot up like never before. The answer to why my arms didn't grow was lack of rowing and CG chinups. So if you want big arms I really recommend training with rows alot. Now I am around 170-172 lbs with 36.5 cm, the last month they have grown like 1.5 cm just from focusing alot on rows and SUPPLEMENTING with curls.
It's not the details
Don't get caught up in small details which will have very little impact on your training. Don't worry about when you should have that flaxseed intake or if you get a better workout if you eat 37 minutes before the workout or not. Focus on the things that really matter.
* Make sure you get enough calories
* Make sure never to talk yourself out of the basic exercises
* Make sure to eat as clean as possilbe
* Make sure you keep proper form and leave the ego at the door
That's about it.
Minimizing Plateaus
I've noticed alot thorugh trial and error that I can get a big new record every week for around four weeks before things start to even out. I used to continue and rep like a maniac to break through but it didnt work.
What I realized these last months is that I get alot better success if I cycle the exercises. Say I am making new records to say military presses for a four weeks and then it even out. Instead of continuing doing more military presses I focus on the db presses. This is a very easy way to improve faster. Sometimes it is just not good enough to change the order of the exercises, you need to add something new and remove even if it is only for a couple of weeks. Make a list of your major compound exercises and have a "backup" to use when you even out.
For example:
Triceps:
Skull crushers <-> Dips
Military press <-> Db Press
Db Bench <-> Standard Bench
Deadlifts <-> Power Cleans
Squats <-> not found good replacement
Barbell Rows <-> Db Rows
etc...
Squats
This is one of the easiest exercises to cheat in. It's so easy to think to yourself and say that you are going low enough or you rep with good form with monster weight.
Key to growing them legs is to have as little influence by the back as possible. For tall people this is hard because they will have to lean forward to stabilize, but pick a weight you can rep without getting help from the back.
On the depths, IMO the deeper the better unless you are powerlifting. Go ATG if you are agile enough, keep good form and the legs will soon start to grow.
Deadlifts
For a long time I did only touch and go deadlifts, reping a good rep the first time and then continuing to rep until failure without stop by just touching the floor and lifting it up again.
The major reasons this thing was flawed for me was I didn't have a good max compared to my rep weight. (repping 140, maxing 145). So I went over to singles. By this I mean lifting the weight once and then returning to the floor standing up and then immidatly go to the start position and do another rep. This is great for me because it build up the lower part of the lift which I neglected, and it is much easier to maintain a good form, thus saving your back from horrible form in the end of the last reps.
Great way of eating just the right amount
I used to follow diesels guide pretty much all the way... but I didn't have any clue of how much my body needed in terms of calories so I added alot of fat.
The best way I've found to eat just the right amount is to feel on the training.
If you are tired you are eating too little carbs.
If your lifts doesn't go up then you are probably eating too little protein
If your lifts doesn't go up and you feel tired you are probably eating too few calories.
Just following these three statements have helped me immense.
Growing Calves
Okey, another issue for me. My calves were stuck around 40 cm for a long while. Key to increasing calf size IMO is to cut down on the weight and do full reps and then start to increase again. the last part where you go up on your toes really help that sucker to grow. Another thing is to be really adamant with the willpower. Never give up when doing calf raises. Even if you are lifting 1 mm at a time, get that damn rep... it will burn and feel like ****.
My friend tried the little calf routine I put together. It's 1 set of 6-10 calf raises, then resting for 15 breaths (inhale and exhale 14 times and on the 15 inhale start lifting again). Do as many reps as you can with the same willpower. Then take some rest and then finish with a last set.
Tried some negatives last time and they gave extra feel the day after. Might work good to increase size.. I'm gonna check that out. A negative is when you get help to lift a weight up but control the negative part of the lift yourself. You can manage more weight in the negative part of the exercise most of the time.
On Whey
Personally I don't get the people who advocate alot about not relying on shakes and stuff... I don't eat much meat because I cannot simply afford it. Some eggs sometimes and meat when I am visiting people but mostly I chunk down six scoops whey a day in milk and live happily ever after. It is very possible to live on shakes and stuff and still grow pretty good. Maybe not the best way but if you cannot avoid it, it's okey.
Just wanted to clear my head. Maybe this is useful for some of you. =)
