Copyright©2014HatfieldResearch&DevelopmentCorp.,JoshStrength,LLC.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisinformationmaybereproducedorutilized in any formorbyanymeans, electronic ormechanical, includingphotocopying, recording, distributing, emailing, posting on forums or byanyinformationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromboththeauthors.

ISBN:9781483539614

Disclaimer

Thisbookisinformationalonly.Theinformationisnotintendedforuseinconnection with the sale of any product. Any claims or presentationsregarding any specific products or brand names are strictly theresponsibility of the product owners or manufacturers. This summary ofinformation from unpublished sources, books, research journals andarticles is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health careprofessionals. It is not intended to direct their behavior or replace theirindependentprofessionaljudgment.Ifyouhaveaproblemwithyourhealth,or before you embark on any health, fitness or sports training programs,seekclearancefromaqualifiedhealthcareprofessional.

CoverModel:Gary Strydom is a SouthAfrican/Afrikaner and an accomplished IFBB professionalbodybuilderwhosecareerspansthreedecades.At54yearsold,Garymadeacomebackin2006,settingtheworld abuzzwith his dynamic new look proving that the sport of bodybuilding is “ageless.”ReadmoreaboutGary’samazingbodybuildingcareerat:

http://garystrydom.com/index.php/about-gary-strydom/

TableofContents

CHAPTERI:HISTORY

CHAPTERII:INTROTODUMBBELLTRAINING

CHAPTERIII:DESIGNVARIATION

CHAPTERIV:FORGOTTENDUMBBELLEXERCISES

CHAPTERV:SCIENTIFICPRINCIPLESOFWEIGHTTRAINING

CHAPTERVI:ADVANTAGESOFDUMBBELLTRAINING

CHAPTERVII:SYSTEMSOFTRAINING

CHAPTERVIII:DUMBBELLTRAININGGUIDELINES

CHAPTERIX:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHELEGS

CHAPTERX:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHELOWERLEG

CHAPTERXI:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHECHEST

CHAPTERXII:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHESHOULDERS

CHAPTERXIII:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHEBACK

CHAPTERXIV:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHEUPPERARMS

CHAPTERXV:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHEFOREARMSANDWRISTS(GRIP)

CHAPTERXVI:DUMBBELLEXERCISESFORTHEMIDSECTION

CHAPTERXVII:TRAININGPROGRAMS

ChapterI:History

BriefHistory

Itwouldbenicetosaythisisthefirstbookwrittenondumbbelltraining,butwe

werebeatentothepunchbynearly1800years!

In 200 A.D., Galen, a Greek physician, wrote a text detailing the virtues of

dumbbell training and the potential healing power of trainingwith dumbbells.

The book was calledDe Sanitate Tuenda. De Sanitate Tuenda served as the

proverbial“dumbbellBible”forthenext1,500years!Overthelastfewdecades,

freeweighttraininghasgainedacceptanceamongmedicalprofessionalsandthe

masses as a way for women to improve their health and aesthetics. Roman

women gained these benefits nearly twomillenniums ago.Recently, amosaic

dating back to the second century A.D. was discovered depicting a Roman

womantrainingwithasomewhatcontemporary-lookingdumbbell.

In 1569, physician Hieronymus Mercurialis wrote De Arte Gymnastica Aput

Ancientes, a compilation of theories on medicine and exercise. Mercurialis

advocated exercising with halteres levels in the pectoralis major and anterior

deltoidsan(dumbbells)andheavysand-filledbags.

NameOrigin

Theword“dumbbell”originatedinEnglandinthelate1600s,duringtheStuart

Period.Initially,thisreferredtoapieceofequipmentsimulatingtheactionofa

bell rope for developing technique and especially strength for the purpose of

practicingEnglish bell ringing, butwithoutmaking a noise (hence dumb).As

strongmen started to make their own equipment, they kept the name, even

thoughtheshapeandformchanged.

Ontheothersideofthepond,thegreatBenjaminFranklin,inletterstohisson,

wrotethat,“Ilivetemperately,drinknowine,andusedailytheexerciseofthe

dumbbell.” Thomas Jefferson trainedwith dumbbells to strengthen an injured

wrist and quite possibly to deal with the stress of 9,999 missed attempts in

developingthelightbulb.

Oldie But Goodie For thousands of years, dumbbell training has benefited

generalhealthandhelpedconstruct thestrongestandmostmuscularphysiques

ofall-time.InthewordsofStrengthSenseiCharlesPoliquin,“Everythingoldis

new again, but sometimes those old things are still the best!” We both

wholeheartedlythankyouforlettingusbeapartofyourtrainingjourney.You

will nowhave onemoreweapon in your arsenalwithTheCompleteGuide to

DumbbellTraining:AScientificApproach.

FrederickC.Hatfield,Ph.D

JoshBryant,MS

ChapterII:IntrotoDumbbellTraining

Youmaythinkthateveryoneinthegymknowshowtousedumbbells.Theword

itselfseemsto imply thatevena“dumbbell”knowshowtouse them.Andfor

themostpart, that’s true.However,afterbothgrowingup in theweight room,

we’vegrowntoknowdumbbelltrainingfromamoreeclecticvantagepoint.

Consider first that there are several different kinds of dumbbells, each having

unique features. There are also literally hundreds of dumbbell exercises for

practically everymuscle in thebodyand joint ormulti-jointmovements in all

planes.Somekickass,andsomeareasinine!Itisimpossibletodiscussallofthe

variousdumbbelltrainingmethodsandexercisesinasinglebook,sowe’llstick

to themostvaluableandeffectiveones,plusa fewuniqueoneswe’ve learned

from decades of experience in the trenches. Some of themwill surprise you.

Explicit instructions,principlesandphilosophiesarecovered in thisbook.Our

objective is togiveyou tools todesignyourownroutines,but ifyouprefer to

followour listedroutines,wehavealso includedplentyof innovative,detailed

programs.

DumbbellSuperiority

PatCaseyinclinepressing220-pounddumbbells

ContrarytothehogwashspewedatthelocalCurvesorbythedwindlingArthur

Jones nautilus “theocracy,” dumbbell training is the ultimate form of weight

training!Thereisaplethoraofreasonswhywebelievethis,andthey’redetailed

inthisbook.Dumbbellsreignsuperiortomachinesformanyofthesamereasons

thatbarbellsdo.

Theprimaryadvantagedumbbellsholdovermachinesaretheyallowsynergistic

(helping)and stabilizermuscles tocome intoplaymuchmoreeffectively than

does machine training. Taking things a step further, this is also the major

advantagethatdumbbellshaveoverbarbells.Simply,stabilizersmustactinall

directions with dumbbells, whereas the barbell connects your two hands

together,therebyofferingameasureofgreaterstability.

ScienceAgrees

In one study, muscle activity in the free weight barbell bench press, Smith

machinebenchpressanddumbbellbenchpressweremeasuredandcontrasted.

The study was conducted on 12 healthy, resistance-trained young men.

Researchersrecordedone-repetitionmaxandelectromyographic(EMG)activity

of the pectoralismajor, deltoid anterior, biceps, and triceps brachii during the

movements. EMG activity in the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid was

similar during all three lifts.But as stability requirements increased, electrical

activityinthebicepsincreased.

Inotherwords, theSmithmachinehad the lowestactivationof thebicepsand

the dumbbell bench press had the highest activation of the biceps because of

stabilizingtheload.Thestudyconcludedthathigh-stabilityrequirementsinthe

dumbbellbenchpressresultedinsimilarEMGlevelsinthepectoralismajorand

anteriordeltoidsandhigherbicepsactivation.Saeterbakken,A.H.,VanDenTillaar,R.,&Fimland,M.S. (2011).Acomparisonofmuscleactivityand1-RMstrengthofthreechest-pressexerciseswithdifferentstabilityrequirements.JournalofSportsSciences,29(5),533-538.

Science and anecdotes both agree dumbbells have the greatest stabilityrequirements.

ChapterIII:DesignVariation

VariationsinDumbbellDesign

Let’s identify some of the types of dumbbells that have found their way to

marketandthenlistafewuniqueexercisesthathavebeendonesincethedays

whendumbbellswerereintroducedintothemoderneraoffitnesstraining.

Kettlebells

In the last decade, kettlebell training has amassed a following of biblical

proportions.Manydie-hardkettlebellzealotsbelievetrainingwithkettlebellsis

superior to free-weight training. To the surprise of many, some mainstream

professional and college strength coaches have embraced the kettlebell. Some

seem to be drinking the Kettlebell Kool Aid; others have logical arguments

worthexamination.

Kettlebellslooksortoflikeashotputorcannonballwithahandleweldedtoit.

For hundreds of years, they have been used for strength training in Eastern

Europe. Ifyouarenotsurewhatakettlebell is, thinkofold-timecartoons like

Bugs Bunny, where strongmen tossed around those odd-shaped cannon balls

withhandles.Inthedaysofyesteryear,circusstrongmenusedtheseimplements

aspartoftheiracts.Today,manyeliteathletesandoverweightsoccermomsare

integratingkettlebelltrainingintotheirstrengthandconditioningregimens.

Some basic exercises like the “swing” certainly can be effective for a general

populace.Thekeytosuccesswithkettlebellstrainingisevaluatingthelearning

curve,therisk-to-benefitratioandthedesiredtrainingeffect.

SolidDumbbells

These were common in hotel fitness centers, until the lawyers got involved.

They come with spherical ends, cylindrical ends or, more recently, octagonal

ends.Theoctagonaldumbbellsdonotrollawaywhenplacedonthegymfloor.

While some lifters prefer the cylinders because they aremore compact, there

appears to be little difference in the “feel” or ease ofmanagement among the

differentshapes.Sotakeyourpick!

Themainadvantageofsolidsisthefactthattheyarepracticallyindestructible.

More recently, the ends have been coveredwith rubber to prevent rusting and

increasesafety.Anunfortunatebyproductisthelamentablelossoftheclanging

sound of the iron. Sort of like the loss of the much-beloved “thwack” sound

whenhittingabaseballwithanaluminumbat.

FixedPlateDumbbells

Untilrecently,thesebadboyshadthemarketmonopolized.

Thinkof dumbbells you startedwith at theYMCA,or hell, evenbehindbars.

Thesedumbbellsarethesameassolids,exceptthattheweightsarecomprisedof

regularexerciseplatesrangingfrom10poundsdownto1.25pounds.Theyused

to have sleeves to fit over the handle, but nowadays the handle is made

anywhere from1.25 inches in diameter to 3 inches in diameter (seeoversized

grip dumbbells below). The plates are retained on the ends of the bar with

screws.

The singledisadvantageof this typeof dumbbell is that the set screws almost

always become loose or strippedwhen the dumbbells are dropped frequently.

Keepthesetightenedupandenjoythesoundofthose“bells”ringing!

OversizedGripDumbbells

Alan Calvert, one of the important forefathers of modern weight training,

recommendedthickhandlesinhis1924book,Super-Strength.So they’vebeen

around awhile. In the last 20 years, with his book,Dinosaur Training: Lost

SecretsofStrengthandDevelopment,BrooksKubikhelpedignitearesurgence

inthick-handledtrainingbytalkingabout thebenefitsofusingdumbbellswith

2-3-inchdiameterhandles.

Kubikbelievesthatthelargediameterhandlesarebetterforimprovinggripping

strength(forearmmusclesaswellasmusclesintrinsictothehand),animportant

factorinmanysports.Nottomention,bigforearmsradiateapersonaofpower!

Furthermore, Kubik believes that in the muscles targeted with the dumbbell

exercises,moremotorunits(groupsofmusclefibers)areactivatedbyusingthe

thickerhandlesincomparisontostandard1.25-inchhandles.

ScienceQuestionsFatHandles

A landmark 2008 study entitled, “The influence of bar diameter on

neuromuscular strength and activation: Inferences from an isometric unilateral

bench press” concluded: “Our data does not support the hypothesis that bar

diameterinfluencesperformanceduringanisometricbenchpressexercise.Our

data does not support the use of a fat bar for increasing neuromuscular

activation.” This has caused some to totally dismiss fat dumbbell/barbell

training.Takeeverythingwithagrainofsalt;thisstudyusedjustabenchpress,

an isometriccontraction (static)withabarbell.Clearly, further investigation is

warranted.

ScienceAffirmsFatHandles

Admittedly, fat handlebarbell anddumbbell training is scarce.That’s howwe

endedupstumblingacrossa1992studypublishedinTheInternationalJournal

of Industrial Ergonomics. Not directed at weightlifters, this study provided

invaluable insight to strength training enthusiasts by exploring the

neuromuscular activity of three different diameter handles. Researchers

examinedthesizeofanindustrialhandleandhowitaffectedmuscularstrength

and neural drive, contrasting a handle matched to the inside grip diameter, a

handle1cmsmallerthantheinsidegrip,andahandle1centimeterlargerthan

the insidegripandtestedelectromyographic(EMG)activity(electricalactivity

ofmuscles).

Researchers learned the smallest handle required the greatest amount of

voluntary muscular contraction but the lowest neuromuscular activation as

assessed by EMG, in comparison to the thickest diameter handle, which

triggered the greatest neuromuscular response but the smallest maximal

voluntarycontractionthantheothertwosizes.

Inanutshell, this isexactlywhatKubikbelievedwouldhappen.At thispoint,

additionalresearchisveryscarce.

FatGripz

SettingupFatGripzondumbbells

In the last decade, Fat Gripz have been used by thousands of athletes and

militaryaroundtheworldforweight lifting,strength trainingandpowerlifting,

including members of the U.S. Special Forces, teams in the NFL, topMMA

fightersandotherelite-levelathletes.FatGripzareauniquetrainingdevicethat

wrapsaroundstandardbarbells,dumbbellsandcableattachments,instantlyand

easily converting them into thick bars. FatGripz aremade from a proprietary

compoundthatmakesthemfeelsecureonthebar.Theyaredesignedtohaveno

“give”orslippagewhatsoeverandtomaintainthethickbarshapeatalltimesso

onecanperformheavycompoundmovements.

With the exception of those training for a contest that uses a specific thick-

handledbarbellordumbbell,almostanyeliteathletecanuseFatGripz.They’re

are small, light and fully portable so they can be taken anywhere; you could

carrytheminyourpocketsontoaplane.Costingless$40,theyaremuchmore

costeffectivethanpurchasingthick-handleddumbbells.

MoreBenefits

Trainingwithfathandledumbbells,orFatGripz,works theweakest link(grip

and forearm strength) that’s holdingmany folks back. In theory, thismodality

could decrease the risk of injury because the weight’s spread more evenly,

puttinglesspressureonindividualjointslikethewristsandelbows.Itmayalso

minimize existing joint pain. Some top-level strength coaches anecdotally

supportexpeditedmusclehypertrophy for theentireupperbodywhile training

withFatGripz.

Fat-handle trainingoffers ahostofbenefits, but remember,donot let targeted

musclesbecome robbedof intendedworkbecauseofaddedgripdifficulty.Do

notsacrificerowingandshruggingpoundagesinthenameoffat-handlework.If

thegoalisgripdevelopment,bothoftheseexerciseswithfathandlesareagreat

choice.Iftheobjectiveistoworktheupperbackandtraps,don’tletgripbethe

Achillesheel;yes,evenstrapswouldbeokay.

OlympicDumbbells

The bearing-equipped, rotating ends of an Olympic dumbbell bar offer the

distinctadvantageofbeingfarmoreeasilymanagedwhenthelifterispullingthe

dumbbell(s) to the shoulders or overhead. This is because they eliminate the

inertiaofthemovingendsofsoliddumbbells.Ifyouareperformingcompound

(multi-joint)movements, thisfeatureisvaluableformaximizingtheamountof

weightyoucanhandle.

Butbecareful!Makesurethecollarsaretightbeforeeveryset.

Adjustable(HomeUse)Dumbbells

Of course, themain advantage of adjustable dumbbells is their extremely low

cost in comparison to a set of fixed-weight dumbbells, and they take up little

space.Butbecareful!Makesurethecollarsaretightbeforeeveryset.

IronMindnowmanufactures“BigBoyDumbbellHandles”thatcanhold300-

pluspoundsoneachdumbbell, similar to theones legends likePatCasey (the

firstmantobenchpress600pounds)and“TheMightyMinister”PaulAnderson

used.Regardlessofstrengthlevels,dumbbellsarenon-discriminatory.

DumbbellStabilizer/Extender

Here’sanotherinventionthathit themarketsomewhatrecently.Itconsistsofa

built-inforearmsleeveattachmentonthedumbbellhandles.Slipyourhandsinto

thesleeveandgraspthehandle.Thesleevehasacrossbarthatplacestheweight

onyour forearms insteadof inyourhands.Thedevicehasoneadvantage that

makesitworthmentioning.Ifyouhavearthritisorotherhandorwristproblems

that make dumbbell training difficult or impossible, you can still do your

dumbbellwork.Becauseoftheincreasedleverarmandpoorpositionalstrength,

lessweightcanbeusedtogetasimilartrainingeffect.

Rackbells

Rackbells,inventedbyAnthonyValentino(RackbellSystems,Inc.)in1996,are

arefreshingimprovementoverregular,fixeddumbbellsonatleastthreecounts.

First,thereisabuilt-incurvedrodthatspansthehandlesothatitisfarsaferand

easier to spot the user. Second, the dumbbell set comes with a unique rack

overhangingtheusersoheorshecanbeginbytakingthedumbbellsofftherack

andreplacingthemattheendofthesetinafashionquitesimilartowhatisdone

withabarbell.Thisissignificantbecauselyingdownandgettingbackupwitha

heavysetofdumbbellsisachorenonerelishes,particularlynovicestotheiron

game. It’s downright scary to novices and perceived to be a task fraughtwith

danger. The third advantage is that the dumbbells are rarely dropped, keeping

them(andthefloor)frombeingdamaged.

PowerHooks

Made byNewYorkBarbell of Elmira,NewYork, this simple hook device is

easilyretrofittedtofixeddumbbellsoradjustabledumbbellsforself-spottingor

forweighteddipsorpull-ups.

PowerBlockDumbbells

An early prototype of an adjustable dumbbell was first patented by David

Shields,ofJacksonville,Florida,duringthelate1980s.ThePowerBlockconsists

ofafullyadjustable(in2.5-poundincrements)setofcube-shapeddumbbellsand

stand.Puttingtheconnectedretainerpinsinthedesiredholeseasilyadjuststhe

weight.

Therearesomecoolfeaturesthatbearmention.

First, because there are four stabilizer bars spanning the two ends (with the

paddedhandle in themiddleof them),anyonecaneasilyspot theuserwithout

having to hold the user’s wrists or elbows. Simply hold onto one of the top

stabilizerbars.Thatsinglefeature,inandofitself,makesthePowerBlocksafer

thanconventionaldumbbells.

Next, with several sets of PowerBlocks in your commercial gym, all of the

traineescanusethesameamountofweightiftheychoose.Nomorewaitingto

doyourset.Theyalso takeupfar lessspace thanaconventional rackoffixed

dumbbells,canneverbemisplaced,andareconsiderablylessexpensivethana

fullsetoffixeddumbbells.Theseareadvantagesinawell-equippedhomegym

aswell.And,ifthey’reinadvertentlydropped(whichhashappensonoccasion),

theyareverydurable.Forthetraineewithlimitedtimetoputdumbbellstogether

andlimitedspace,butthedesiretomaximizeresults,PowerBlocksarethegame

changer!

ChapterIV:ForgottenDumbbellExercises

The inventor of the lead-shot-filled dumbbells and kettlebells was Professor

AnthonyBarker.In1911,hemarketedawallpostercoursecalled“AComplete

CourseinHeavyDumbellExercises,ToObtainStrong,HealthyMuscles.”Note

thatit’sspelledwithjustone“b.”

The chart included the startling necessity towear a “well-made jock strap...to

protectthebackandthewallofthestomach,eliminatingalldangersofstrainor

rupture.” However, more startling was the array of dumbbell, kettlebell and

barbellexercisesthegoodprofessorchosetoincludeinhiscourse.Lookatsome

oftheuniquedumbbellexercisesthattheprofessor’swallchartdepicted.Some

oftheseexerciseshaveseenresurgencerecentlyby“functionaltraining”gurus.

Like legendary strength coachAlVermeil says, “You showme the exercise, I

willshowyouwhatweusedtocallit.”

Make no bones about it, each and every one of these movements requires

tremendousstabilizerstrengthandcontroltoexecute,afeaturesorelymissingin

thespandexandoil-clad,machine-infestedgyms.Insteadofshowingoffonthe

legpress,followthegreatVaudevillianCircusStrongmanandgiveoneofthese

exercises a shot.Wehave tried themwith aweight thatwas as close to those

depicted aswe couldget, and theywerenot duplicatedby a couple ofworld-

classstrengthathletes.

TheExercises

One-armDumbbell Bent Press (great for shoulders, triceps, and serratus

anterior)

This was a staple of the old-time strongmen such as Eugene Sandow, Arthur

Saxon,andLouisCyr,butlostpopularitybecauseofpotentialrisksposedbythe

contortionofthebodyandstressesplacedontheshoulder,jointandspine.Like

most difficult exercises, the bent press has long been branded “unsafe.”

Practitionersoftheexercisearequicktopointoutthatsinceitusestheleverage

ofthebodytolifttheweight,ifdonecorrectly,itcanbequitesafe.

ExerciseDescription

•Liftthedumbbelltoeithershoulderbyaone-ortwo-handedclean,orby

lifting one end and “rocking” it onto the shoulder. If using the right

hand,whichwearefor thisexample, theright legwillbestraightand

directlyunderneath theweight,with the left legbentataslightangle.

(Lefthand isopposite.) •Now,bend to the left,holding theweight in

the same position. The bent position, hence the name “bent press,”

allows the arm to hold theweight in positionwithout dropping down

becauseofthebody’sleverage,creatinganimaginarylinebetweenthe

bellandthefloorthattravelsthroughtherightarmandrightleg.

•Next, continue tobend to the left until the arm is fully extended.The

weightisnotpressed,butheldaloftwhilethebodybendsunderneathit.

• To complete the lift, after the arm is fully extended, do a slight

corkscrewtogetunderneaththeweightinahalforfullsquatposition,

withoutpressingtheweight.Onceunderneaththeweight,withthearm

lockedoutoverheadholdingtheweight,standupstraight,stillholding

theweightoverhead.

LegendarystrongmanpioneerArthurSaxonholds theworldrecord in thebent

presswith371pounds.Unofficially,reportssurfacedofSaxonbentpressing410

pounds.

Lying One-Arm Dumbbell Support, and Then Stand Up

This is an unbelievable exercise in stability and control, let alone strength!

Remember,showanold-timeranexerciseandhewilltellyouwhattheyusedto

call it.Yes,wearefamiliarwithTurkishGet-Upbutfeelit’sveryimportantto

payhomagetothepioneers.

ExerciseDescription

•Lieonthebackwithdumbbellinrighthandheldinextension•Rollon

toleftsidewhilethearmisheldinextension

•Extendtheleftarmonthefloorwhilerestingonthehip,asseeninthe

photo•Getontheleftknee,likeinphoto18,armremainsinextension•

Stand up to a fully erect position with arm held in extension • Do

oppositeforleftside

One-ArmDumbbellTableCurls

For great arm development, we have to think past just modern-age, glossy

musclemags;thesesourceshavesomevalue,butsodotheclassics.Let’slookto

theheroesofold,inarmwrestling,toguysliketheamazingMacBatchelor.This

exercise has cult-like allegiance amongst arm wrestlers! All you need is a

dumbbellandatable.Makesurethetableissturdy.

The table curl is performed by placing your arm on a table or bench with a

restingdumbbellinyourhand.Fromthispoint,curluptowardyourchest,and

thenrepeatthemotionbylettingthedumbbellgobacktothetableasyourarm

stretchesbacktothestartingposition.

For arm wrestlers, the transfer to the table is huge because the movement

simulates the pulling movement utilized in some arm wrestling techniques.

Forearm andwrist strength is expedited by curling up and downon the table.

Youcan take thisastepfurtherbygrasping thedumbbellby theendof“bell”

andeverymuscleinyourforearmswillcry“Uncle!”

Hereiswhereanimportantdistinctionneedstobemade—thestartingpoint.For

bodybuilding and general strength purposes, start this exercise at the end

positionwithdumbbellatendrangeofflexion(touchingshoulderorascloseas

mobility allows). From this point, lower the weight and perform the exercise

repetitively.Whystartfromthetop?Youareahellofalotstrongereccentrically

(negative)andonthedownwardmovement,yourmuscleswillstoreelastic-like

energythatwillassistinliftingthedumbbellbacktothestartingpoint.Thereis

notaneedtoovercomedeadweightbyeliminatingthestretchshorteningcycle.

For thearmwrestler,overcomingdeadweight ishuge; starting fromabottom

and top position is advised in training. His movement provides a hellacious

overloadforthetophalfofacurl;ofcourse,wehavetotrainthefullrangeof

motionforfulldevelopment.

NextBicepWorkTryThisRoutine

•TableCurlsfor4setsof6-10repsasheavyaspossible

•1/2rep—InclineDumbbellCurls(bottomhalfonly,emphasizestretch)4

setsof8-12repsasheavyaspossible•HammerCurls(FullRangeof

Motion)3setsof12-15repsasheavyaspossible.

•Yourbicepswillbescreaming!

ExerciseDescription

•Sitorstandatatable,andwithelbowatchestlevel,grasponedumbbell

inhand•Startwithdumbbellinafullflexedelbowposition

•Fromthisposition,lowerdumbbelltotableundercontrol

•Forcefullycurldumbbellbacktostartingposition

•Repeat

AhrensPress

The largestmammothof the earlyMuscleBeach erawas the immortalChuck

Ahrens.Ahrens has been called everything from the reclusive power house to

themysteryman.Hewasquiet, reservedandneverwould takeoffhis shirt to

poseforcameras.Ahrenspreferredtodohis400-pluspoundtricepextensionsin

aflannelshirt. Inhisprime,heweighed330poundsat6feet inheight,witha

non-expanded measurement of nearly 60 inches and 28-inch-wide shoulders.

Ahrenswasnotjustamirageofmeateither;hepossessedsuperhumanstrength!

IronmanMagazinefounderPerryReaderandothernotableiron-gamewritersof

thedayallcommentedthathehadthewidestshoulderofanymanalive.

Half-man,Half-legend,ChuckAhrens

Besidesextremelyheavylateral raisesandHerculeanoverheadbarbellpresses,

manybelievethesuperhumandeltoiddevelopmentofAhrenswascatalyzedbya

liftthatistodayaffectionatelyknownasthe“Ahrenspress.”

TheAhrenspress isavariationof theoverheaddumbbellpress,but insteadof

pressingthedumbbellsstraightup,youpressthemupandawaylaterally,sortof

likemakingaVwithbotharms.

Necessitywasthemotherofinvention,inthiscase!Ahrenshadnochoicebutto

pressthedumbbellsinthisstylebecauseheusedspecialloadabledumbbellsthat

wereverylong;inotherwords,itwasimpossibletopressthemstraightbecause

theywouldhiteachotherwiththemassivepoundageshehoistedoverhead.

Forthebodybuilder,becauseofthelateralpressingmotion,thisexerciseforces

themedialdeltsor“caps”toworkharder.

ExerciseDescription

•Grasptwodumbbellsandliftthemtoshoulderlevelwithapronatedgrip

•Fromshoulderposition,pressthedumbbellsoutlaterally(awayfrom

you)•Finishwitharmslockedandata15-to30-degreeangle

•Returntostartingposition

FinalThoughts

It’snotoutwiththeoldandinwithnew,andtoanswerMerleHaggard,thegood

times are not over for good. The key to success with dumbbell training is

synergisticallyblendingthemosteffectivemethodsofthepastwiththenewest

innovations,usingscienceastheguidinglight.

ChapterV:ScientificPrinciplesofWeightTraining

ThePerfectly-DevelopedMan

Professor Barker developed the chart below. When you compare the

measurementsofthe“perfectly-developedman”ofhisdaywiththoseoftoday’s

bodybuilders, youwill smile. But youwill laugh out loudwhen you read the

instructionsforgainingandlosingweight!Weareborrowingmanyideasfrom

theoldschoolbutstillultimatelyrefertoscienceasourguidinglight.

Let’stakealookatthescientificprinciplesguidingstrengthtraining.

Frequency, Intensity and Duration of Exercise The darlings of late night

infomercials may believe that dancemoves, or whatever other snake oil they

hawk,willsolvetheobesityepidemic,butremember,thereisnomagicpotionor

program—thereareonlyprinciples.

Principles are universal laws. Adherence to principles results in the most

favorableoutcomesin trainingor life.Thereisnolast-minutecramminglikea

collegekidbeforeanexamwhowantstopassaclassratherthantrulyreceivean

education.Youreapwhatyousow;thinkofthelawoftheharvest.Thereareno

shortcuts,butfollowingprinciplesallowsthemostdirectpathtoexceedingyour

physicalgoals.

Therearemyriaddefinitionsforthewords“exercise”and“fitness.”So,let’sget

straighttothepointofeachofthesecommonwords.Without“challenge”there

isnoexercise,andwithoutexercisetherecanbenofitness.Thekeyisthatwhen

you exercise—any form of exercise you choose to engage in—you must

challengeyourphysicalcapabilities,andyoumustdoitconsistently.Insodoing,

your body will adapt to a higher and higher level of physical stress. This

statementapplies toweight training, running, stretchingandallother formsof

exercise!

Exercisevs.Training

If you’re not challenging your physical ability, you are not exercising!You’re

justkillingtimeor“maintaining.”Furthermore,youneedtobetraining,notjust

exercising.What’s the difference? Exercise is performed for the effect it has

today;trainingisperformedwithalong-termperformancegoalinmind.Feeling

the burn, busting a sweat, doing an activity for its own sake or the feeling it

immediatelyproducesisexercise.Exerciseisnotbad!Remember,thereisgood,

betterandbestwhenitcomestoexercise.Butwewantthebest,andthat’swhy

wearegoingtoteachyouhowtotrain.Byallmeans,however,alwayschoose

exerciseover a sedentary lifestyle.Training is performed to reach a long-term

performance goal, one that can be quantified. The series of acute adaptations

overthecourseofthetrainingcycleproducesthelong-termtrainingadaptionsor

desired trainingeffect. Improvementover time tomeeta long-termgoal is the

objectiveoftraining.Andyoushouldrememberthissageadviceasyouprogress

towardyourtraininggoal:Noonehaseverbenchpressed500poundsrawand

concurrentlyrunafive-minutemile.Bottomline:Youhaveoneass,sodon’ttry

andridetwohorses!

ClearlyDefiningTraining

“Gettingfit” isnotagoal;weighingaspecificamountis.Achievingaspecific

amountofstrength,bodyfat,orflexibilityareallrealgoalsthatcanbeachieved

withtraining.

Training is long term; exercise is immediate.Many folks are not competitive

athletesbut canbenefit froma training regimen.And,yes, this alsoapplies to

dumbbelltraining!

Bearinmindthatthechallengethatyouimposeuponyourmusclesmustbein

smallincrements,asyatfirstandgradually—overweeksandmonthsoftime—

increasinginintensity.Nowyouknowthatchallengerelatestointensity.If the

weight you’re using doesn’t challenge you, it’s not heavy enough. Putting it

anotherway,ifyou’retrainingatanintensitylevelthat’stoolowforyou,amp

uptheintensity!

StoryofMilo

MiloofCrotonwasawrestlerwithseveralancientOlympictitlesunderhisbelt,

consideredbymosthistorianstohavebeenthegreatestwrestlerofantiquity.His

heydaywasthesixthcenturyB.C.,but to thisday,hisnameisassociatedwith

strength.Milobuilt his strengthbyusingprogressiveoverloadbefore itwas a

categorizedasaGranddaddyLaworprincipleatall.Milohadababybullora

calf;Milo lifted that calf every single day, and as the calf grew bigger,Milo

becamestronger.Milodid thisall thewayuntil thecalfwasa full-grownbull

andthenhewasthestrongestmanintheworld.Miloeventuallycarriedtheadult

bullonhisshouldersaroundtheColiseum.

Milostartedsmall,usedmicroprogressionsdailyandbecamethestrongestman

intheworld.

Progressiveoverloadworkedthenanditworksnow.

Thelawofoverloadisoneofthefirstprincipleslearnedinexercisephysiology.

It means: Mother Nature overcompensates for training stress by giving you

biggerandstrongermuscles.

Noresistancetrainingprogramwillbesuccessfulwithoutprogressiveoverload

atitsfoundation.

OverloadMisapplied

It’s common to hear, “If something isworkingwell, don’t change a thing.” If

trainingisgoingwellnow,thismindsetwillhaltprogressinaNewYorkminute.

Changingsomethingmeansintensifyingtrainingandthishasbeenbastardizedto

theumpteenthdegree.Thinkofallthecrazyexerciseslikedoingsquatsonbosu

balls;ifyou’reanalpineskier,wecanseetherationale.Butiftheobjectiveisto

get stronger or gain size, that’s downright stupid and dangerous. Science and

commonsenseconcur.

Unfortunately, at the expense of results, celebrity trainers perpetuated

entertainmentoverwhatworks inorder tokeep clients interested;maybe they

arehoping sinceConey Islandwasput on themapbybizarre tricks, they can

followsuit.Theyshouldrealizetheirclientswillstayinterestediftheyhelpthem

getgreatresultswithwhat’sproventowork.

Think about it. If you constantly change things and totally randomize your

training, how in the hell will you continually overload? It’s as logical as the

temperancesocietyinvitingPopcornSuttontogiveaspeech.

Overloadingneedssomesortofquantitativeassessment.

ProgressiveOverloadMisapplied

Overloading your training is not just our opinion, it’s aGranddaddyLaw.We

don’tmake the rules.Many times the bizarre “functional training” realmwill

dismissprogressiveoverloadwithrandomization.Afterall,whysquatwhenyou

candoone-leggedoccludedgoblet squatsona trampolineholdingakettlebell

overhead?

The bodybuilding crowd will attempt to dismiss progressive overload with

constantly changing exercises for “confusion.” Because of the repeated bout

effect,thislogichasmorevaliditythanthefunctionaltrainingcrowd’scharades,

butmisapplicationwasseenrecentlywhenaprobodybuilderwashavingclients

dolegpresseswithslidersonthelegpresstoactivatedifferentpartsofthequad.

Forthebodybuilder,morefrequentexerciserotationisneededbutwhencycling

exercises, you need to overload them from when you performed them last.

Keepingatrainingjournalmakesthissimple.

ProgressiveOverloadOutdated?

Afewprominentstrengthcoacheshavetalkedaboutprogressiveoverloadbeing

outdated, which is downright silly. If you do not constantly overload your

training,youwillnotgetstronger.

Their idea is that if someone bench pressed the bar today and improved five

poundsaweekforthreeyears,theywouldbenchpress825pounds,103pounds

overthemostweighteverbenchpressed.

Butlinearprogressionwithoutdeloads,usingtheexactsamerepschemeandset

scheme,willrunsomeoneintoawall.MelSiff,elaboratingonthegreatSoviet

sportsscientistYuriVerkoshansky,offeredasolutionwithwhathecalledperiods

ofincreasedloading,inessence,cyclingtraining.Youdoa12-weeklinearcycle

by gradually decreasing reps; every time you use eight reps, usemoreweight

thanlasttimewitheightreps.

Westsidebarbellusesprogressiveoverload.Thinkaboutit.Byrotatingatonof

specialtyexercises, let’ssayforamaxeffortsquatordeadlift,onedoessafety

boxsquatsoffa14-inchboxforamaxdouble,andtheobjectiveistobeatthe

record set last time.Say this exercisewas lastperformedsixmonthsagowith

405 for amax double, then it better be 406 ormore now.Any system that is

effective at building strength progressively overloads. Training, meaning

working toward a long-term goal with purpose and long-term adaptations in

mind,requiresprogressiveoverload.Removeprogressiveoverloadandyouare

working out. Thismeans exercising for an immediate feeling.Working out is

finetoslightlyimprovehealth,butifyouhavetheslightestdesiretotakethisto

thenextlevel,trainingisrequired.

ProgressiveOverloadAppliedtoDumbbellTraining

Sincewecannotjustcontinuetopileweightonthebarwithoutstallingout,let’s

exploresevenalternativeoptionstooverloadtraining.

1.Load (resistance) increases—This is the most obvious way. Don’t

think in terms of 10-pound dumbbell jumps.You can buy one-pound

magnetic dumbbells plates online, so don’t be like bodybuilders with

smallIQsandbigegos.

2.Increasevolume—Simplydomore.This couldbean increase in the

amount of sets performed, weight lifted or repetitions performed.

Volume is (sets x x rep x x weight lifted). Do not do this with light

weightsunder65percentofaone-repmax.Obviously,dumbbellbench

pressing100poundsfor10setsof10providesadifferenttrainingeffect

thandumbbellbenchpressing500for10setsof2reps,althoughboth

are10,000poundsofvolume.

3. Increase range of motion—Doing a snatch grip deadlift with 75

percentofaone-repmaxdeadliftismuchmoredifficultthanaregular

deadlift. Try dumbbell deadlifts off the floor over barbell deadlifts or

deep dumbbell bench presses over barbell presses. Dumbbells allow

more free movement and make it much easier to increase range of

motion.

4.Alter repetition speed—Slow down the eccentric and prolong time

under tension; speedup the concentric and take force production to a

wholenewlevel.

5.Shortenrestintervals—Dothesameamountofworkin less timeor

do more work in the same amount of time. Both increase training

density,alegitimatewaytooverloadtraining.

6.Change exercises—More frequent changes in exercises are needed

whenhypertrophyistheobjective,butpurestrengthaccessoryexercises

canbechangedeverycoupleblocks.

7.Increasefrequency—Trainmoreoften.

Theideaistoloadlinearlyaslongaspossible,thenstartpullingmoretricksout

of the hat as you journey from beginner to intermediate, then to advanced

trainingstatus.

Consistency

Consistency is key. “Howoften should I train?”The simple answer is always

goingtobe“consistently.”Don’tmissworkouts!

Let’ssayyou train20daysamonth, fivedaysaweek.Everyotherweek,you

miss one workout. Most people think that’s good, but IT SUCKS! You are

missing10percentofyourworkouts!Ifyouwork250daysayear,yetmiss25

daysofworkyearly,youwillreceiveapinkslipinrecordtime.

When you train, every workout has purpose; every workout builds on the

previous one.Missingworkouts throws everything out ofwhack.Don’t do it.

Trainingthriceweeklyconsistentlytrumpsfourorfivetimessporadically.

FrequencyGuidelines

Anothersimpleruleofthumbfollowedforyearsistohiteachmuscleormuscle

group three times aweek.We reject this simplistic approach because: • Some

musclesrequiremoretimethanothersforcompleterecovery.

•Themoreexplosiveyouare inmoving theweight, themore timeyou

requireforrecovery.

• Lowering heavy weights slowly increases your need for recovery

becauseoftheslightdamagedonetothemusclecellsincontrollingthe

descentoftheweightandincreasedtimeundertension.

• Applying maximum intensity in your training efforts may require a

longerrecoveryperiod.

•Externalfactors,suchassleeppatternsandnutritionalstatus,weighon

yourrecoverytime.

•Womentakeabitlongertorecoverthanmen.

•Agingslowstherecoveryprocess.

Bottomline:AllthesethingsshowclearlyhowthisDarkAgenotionisingrave

violationofthePrincipleofIndividualDifferences.

TheMostEffectiveSystemforYou

The following chartwill be helpful in establishing themost effective training

programforyoupersonally.

We have provided sample dumbbell workouts later in this book, as well as a

discourseontrainingsystems.

TrainingtoIndividualNeeds

“I can pass by the weight room, smell the iron inside, and instantly begin to

grow,”mightsaysomeonewhothrivesonverylittleexercise,whileothersseem

tobe incapableofmakinggainsnomatterhowhard, longand frequently they

train.Thisisreferredtoasone’s“tolerancetoexercise,”atermcoinedbyArthur

Jonesyearsago.

One’s“tolerance”ishighifmoreexerciseisneeded,andlowiflessisneeded.

There are many variables that can affect your exercise tolerance. Of course,

geneticsrankshigheston the listbelow,andyou’llnoticeseveralsuchfactors.

Others,ontheotherhand,areabletobemanipulatedinvariousways.

•Redvs.whitemusclefiberratio

•Toleranceofpain

•Levelof“psych”

•Amountofrestsincelastworkout

•Perceivedexertion

• Amount of eccentric stress (which causes connective tissue

microtrauma)•Incentivelevel

•Strength-to-weightratio

•Timeoflastmeal(energy)

•Typeoffoodseatenatlastmeal(glycemicindex)

•Useofergogenictechniquesorsubstances

•Musculoskeletalleveragefactors

•Motorunitrecruitmentcapabilities

•Skilllevelatexercisebeingperformed(ifsuchisrequired,e.g.,cleans)•

Equipmentqualityanddesign

•Environmentalfactors(e.g.,heat,cold,etc.)

•Sizeofmusclebeingexercised

•Variousintra-andextracellularbiochemicalfactors•Howcloseyouare

toyourmaximumpotentialinsizeorstrength•Theuseofbanneddrugs

such as anabolic steroids (we do not condone their use!) All these

factors,andperhapsseveralmoreasyetundreamedof,willaffecthow

frequentlyyou should traineachbodypart andhowbest to split your

routine.

FastGainers,SlowGainersandInBetweenSeveralyearsago,afterchatting

withArthurandreadingsomeofhisthinkingonthetopic,Fredbegancharting

other lifters’ reps at 80 percent max. He found that guys who were so-called

“fast”gainerswereonlyable todo four tosix repsat80percent,while lifters

whoseeminglynevermadegreatgainswereabletorepoutataround15-20reps

with 80 percent of theirmax.Apparently, so-called “fast gainers” have rather

pooranaerobicstrengthendurance.This isexplainable, inpart,bythefact that

they probably have mostly white muscle fiber, which has fast twitch/low

oxidativecapabilities.Conversely,slowgainersareprobablymostlyredmuscle

fiber (slowtwitch/highoxidative)and thereforemaypossessgreaterability for

rapidduring-setrecovery.

The problem is, however, that each muscle group’s tolerance of exercise

probablydiffers.Eachexerciseyoudoforeachbodypartcan—andoftendoes—

possess an entirely individual rep ability at 80 percent max. To discern your

specific tolerance level foreachbodypart, follow thesesimple instructions:1.

Determineyourapproximateone-repetitionmaximum(1RM)foreachexercise.

2.Load80percentonthebar(machine)andrepoutwithitforoneall-out

efforttoseehowmanyrepsyoucando.Testingisrecommendedona

barbellormachine,andresultswillcarryovertodumbbells.

3.Applythisinformationtothetablebelowtodetermineeachbodypart’s

exercisetolerance.

4.Take into accountall of the factors listed above that can affect your

exercisetolerance.

5. Critically evaluate whether your predicted exercise tolerance levels

standuptowhatyouknowfromexperiencetobetrue.Remember,“low

tolerance”meansthatyouprobablymakeeasygainsforthatbodypart,

and“hightolerance”meansthatyou’reprobablyahardgainerforthat

bodypart.

Hereisanexampleofwhatwe’vefoundinregardstoexercisetolerancesforfast

gainers,averagegainersandslowgainers.Perhapsyou’llfindthesefigurestobe

pretty close estimates. But perhaps you won’t. One thing is clear: You must

look!Yourcontinuedprogresstowardyourmaximumpotentialmaywelldepend

onit!

SlowGainers (Usually predominantly redmuscle fiber)Days ofRecovery

Required for Each Body Part before Training it Again

*Slow Gainers often benefit from 10 or more sets of 15-20 reps Average

Gainers (usually a mix of red and white muscle fiber)Days of Recovery

Required for Each Body Part before Training it Again

*Averagegainersoftenbenefitmostfrom5-8setsof10-12repsFastGainers

(usuallypredominantlywhitemusclefiber)DaysofRecoveryRequiredfor

Each Body Part before Training it Again

Fastgainersoftenbenefitmostfromthreetofivesetsoffourtoeightrepsdone

explosively. By critically evaluating your individual muscles’ tolerance to

exercise, you can more easily “fine tune” your training regimen to provide

maximumgainsintheshortestpossibletime.Butdon’tforgettheotherfactors

thatmayaffectyourrecoveryrate.Lookatthelistagain(above).Howhaveyou

accountedfortheeffectofeachofthesevariablesonyourprogress?Haveyou

raised or lowered your reps and sets accordingly? Have you increased or

decreasedthefrequencyofyourworkoutscommensurably?Haveyouincreased

training intensity?Haveyou taken into account your ratio ofwhite versus red

fiberandadjustedyourexerciseloadandmovementspeedaccordingly?

WhyCan’tYouJustCopyThePros?

Why is it thatmost newcomers to bodybuilding, and evenmost intermediate-

level bodybuilders, can’tmake continued gains using a split they copied from

oneofthepros?It’squitesimple,really.

First of all, you must be truthful with yourself in answering some basic

questions.Areyouas fastidiousas theproyouseek toemulate inall thatyou

do?Your supplement schedule?Your use of anabolic or ergogenic aids?Your

diet?Haveyouasmuchtime“inthetrenches”asthepro?Howlonghaveyou

beenforcingyourbodytoadapttostress?Mostproshaveforcedadaptationsto

theirmusclesandotherbodilysystemsthathavetakenyearstoaccomplish.As

yourbodychangesovertime,yoursusceptibilitytofurtherchangedoesaswell.

New forms of stress force different adaptive processes to occur, and each

adaptation requires different stressors and training schedules in order to take

yourbodyonemorestepclosertoitsmaximumpotential.

Soasyouchangeyourbody,yourbodydemandsdifferentschedulingforfurther

adaptation to takeplace. It isn’t simply amatterofpilingonmorepig iron to

satisfytheprogressiveoverloadprinciple.It’smorecomplicatedthanthat.One

ofthebiggestmistakesseriousweighttraineestendtomakeisthattheydonot

buildtheirprogramswiththisimportantfactinmind.

Asyou change, somust your trainingbecauseyour body’s “tolerance” to that

levelor typeofstresshaschanged.Andhowyousplityour trainingcanbean

importantsourceofnewadaptivestresstowhichyouhavenotyetadapted.

GainerVariability

Mostofyouarenot“hardgainers”or“fastgainers”inallbodyparts.Further,as

yougetclosertoyourmaximumpotential—whereallprofessionalbodybuilders

and powerlifters are—youmay become a hard gainer,whereas earlier in your

career your gains seemed to come easy. Or maybe you’ve remained an easy

gainerbuthaveyettodiscoverthetypeofstressyourbodynowrequirestoforce

continuedgrowth.

Through experimentation, we assure you that finding your own level of

“tolerance" (body part per body part) will make a big difference. Where to

begin?Here are a few examples of how you can split your training program.

Adjustthematwill.

Thatwas indepth look, ifyoureallywant to“train”andfine tune thissucker.

Fortheintermediatetrainee,thebelowchartisagoodstartingguideline.

FinalThoughts

Youarenotthemasterofyourowndestiny,principlesare!Byadheringtothese

universal laws,youcanultimatelydetermineyour trainingfate.Younowhave

thetoolstocustomtailoratrainingprogramtoyourneeds.

Aboveallelseremember:consistency+overload=synergy.

ChapterVI:AdvantagesofDumbbellTraining

Co-authorJoshBryant

Don’t worry about the latest trending topic on Twitter or updating your

Facebook status at the gym; the tools you are given in this bookwillmake it

obviousyouarehammeringthepigiron.

BeCareful

The injury rate in commercial gyms is higher around the dumbbell rack than

anywhere else in the gym, not so much from improper exercise technique

(although this factor certainly can be a problem) as from dropped weights,

tripping,distractions,bumpingcausedbypassers-by, and improper cradlingof

dumbbellsontherack.Applyingabitofcommonsenseandfocusingonwhat’s

goingonaroundyourenderthesehazardsinsignificant.

DumbbellTrainingvs.MachineTraining

1.Becauseyou’reconstantlyforcedtoadjustandreadjustthepositionof

thedumbbells,synergistic(helping)musclesandstabilizermusclesact

moreprominently,overallstrengthisimproved,andyouareabitmore

“injury-proofed.” This is because the “weak link”muscles in various

movements are strengthened more easily and thoroughly with

dumbbells.

2. Dumbbell exercises can be tailored easily to more closely match the

neurological patterns of sports skills owing to improved joint

kinesthesis (position awareness), leverage similarities and total body

involvement.Machinesforceonetosuccumbtopresetmotorpatterns,

settothe“average”user.Whatthehellisaverageanyway?

3.Dumbbellsaremoreversatilethanmachinesorbarbells.Anymovement

can be done with dumbbells, whereas machines restrict you to their

movement, and barbells typically require symmetrical movement

between left and right sides.Dumbbells help one identify and correct

imbalancesbetweenlimbs.

4. A set of adjustable dumbbells (e.g., the PowerBlock dumbbells or

adjustable dumbbells) is less expensive and takes up less space than

otherhomegymmachines,makingitidealforhomegymsaswellasfor

commercialgyms.

5. No time, no space, no problem! Minimalist training programs have

soared in popularity over the past decade, and dumbbells are the

ultimateminimalist training tool.Aholisticbodybuildingworkoutcan

beaccomplishedinawalk-incloset.

6.Youcan trainalone!Spotting is literally lifeordeathonmanybarbell

exercises.Withdumbbells,it’saluxury,notanecessity.

SafetyandEfficiencyinDumbbellTrainingisaMust

1.Becausesmallersynergistsandstabilizermusclesaremoreprominently

targetedwith dumbbells thanwithmachines or barbells, they tend to

fatiguebeforetheprimemover(s),andcontrolofthedumbbellsiseasily

lost.

2.Dumbbellswithfreeplatesandremovablecollarscancomeapartifcare

isnottakentotightlysecurethecollars,socheckthembeforeeachset.

3.Adjustmentsinweightrequireaffixingorremovingplatesandcollars—

oftenatime-consumingandtediousordeal.Clearly,thisspeakswellfor

having either an entire rack of fixed dumbbells or a PowerBlock set.

(But if you are training at homeyouare saving timeby cuttingout a

commutebothwaysandnothavingyuppiesoncellphoneshoggin’all

the“bells.")

4. Going up and down the rack trying to find the right weights is a

common and exasperating experience in most gyms, so put the

dumbbellsbackintheirproperorderwhenyou’vecompletedyourset.

Waiting for someone to finishwith the set of dumbbells you need in

ordertocontinueyourworkoutisalsoaproblematmanygyms.Gather

dumbbells ahead of time. This is not an exercise in Dale Carnegie’s

HowtoWinFriendsandInfluencePeople;actmorelikeAttilatheHun.

You need an open, clutter-free space to use dumbbells. It can be

hazardous for large groups of unorganizedor inexperiencedpeople to

usedumbbells inasmallarea.Sokeepasharp,peripheralperspective

forwayward passers-by or training paraphernalia lying around on the

floor.

SpottingDumbbellExercises

The most common spotting technique for dumbbells (dumbbell bench press,

inclinepress, andmilitarypress) is to cradle the elbowandprovideassistance

fromthere.Excellent,experiencedspotterscanusethetechniqueeffectivelyas

theyfollowthenaturalcurveofthelifter’splaneofmovement(positivelyadding

toandnotadverselyaffectingthelifter’smovement),andmanylifterspreferto

bespottedwiththismethod.

However, we said, “experienced spotter"; most spotters do not fall into this

category,therebymakingcradlingtheelbowoneofthemostdangerousformsof

spotting dumbbell exercises. It may even be more dangerous than having no

spotteratall!Atleastwithoutspotters,it’seasytodumpthedumbbells.

Push the elbow and the elbow moves toward the body. If the elbow isn’t

extendingwhileyoupush theelbow, theweightgoes toward thebodyaswell

andeventuallyfallsonthelifter!Notasafetechnique,isit?

Formostspotters,grabbing thewristsof the lifternear thedumbbell isasafer

spotting alternative.On exercises like dumbbell pullovers,which require both

handsgraspingthedumbbell,spotthelowerhalfofthedumbbell(closesttothe

floor).

ProblemswithMachineTraining

Dr.PatO’Shea,authorof the first college texteverwrittenonweight training

(Scientific Principles and Methods of Strength Fitness, Addison-Wesley

PublishingCompany, 1976), elaborated on the benefits of freeweight training

versusmachinetraining.Helisted"10perilsofmachinetraining":

1.Nomachinecanprovidefull-range,multiple-jointmovementsascloselyas

freeweights.Dumbbellsaresuperior tobarbells;barbellsaresuperior to

machines.

2. Motor skill engrams aren’t established with machines as well as free

weights.Theoretically,regressioncanhappenswitchingfromfreeweights

tomachines.

3.Thecarry-overvalueoffreeweighttrainingissuperiortothatprovidedby

machinetraining.

4.Machine trainingwon’t helpyoudevelopahigh level of fluid, dynamic

fullrangeofmotionandathleticstrength.

5. The body is a homogeneous unit that engages in ballistic movements,

particularlythosegeneratedbystronghipthrust.

6.Machinetrainingdoesn’tprovidefortrainingvarietyandvariability.

7.Machinesdon’tpermitthemindandbodytodevelopinsynchronization.

8.Machinetrainingdoesnotstressthepsycho-endocrinesystems.

9.Machinetrainingdoesnotprovideforpositivetrainingexperience.

10.Machinetrainingdoesnotprovideforcontinuouslong-termmotivation.

These10pointsareelaboratedoninthelegendaryPower:AScientificApproach

(ContemporaryBooks,1989).Theyexplain, inlargepart,whysomanypeople

fail to get themselves in peak condition if all they do is trainwithmachines.

Theyalsoexplainwhypeoplegetinjuredsomuch:Movingthroughprescribed

patternsandrangesofmotionjustisn’tthewaythegoodLordintendedforyou

tomove!

DumbbellsareFunctionalTraining

Wehave only hinted at the one important point that needs to be addressed. It

brings us even closer in understanding the injuries and drop-out rates. The

simplefactisthat,withtheuseofmachines,you’realmostalwayssitting,lying

orleaning.Why?Thepussificationofmodernhumanity!

Overweight soccermoms and corporate softies justwant to “exercise”

andwantthepathofleastresistance;unfortunately,theroadtohellispavedwith

goodintentionsandthat’sthepathofleastresults.Sittingiseasy,lyingdownis

easy,justlikeleaningonamachine.

PTBarnum/L.RonHubbardModel

Youhavetowonderwhysomeproponentsofcircuittrainingsetupmachinesin

this manner: Simple adherence to the PT Barnum philosophy of “there is a

suckerborneveryminute,”ortheL.RonHubbardphilosophyof“thebestway

to make a million dollars is start a religion,” i.e., Arthur Jones and his

“disciples.”Plainandsimple,it’sdollar-driven;resultstakeabackseat.

InjuryRates

Thechancesofinjury,bothduringandasaresultoftrainingonmachines,isfar

greater than when lifting free weights and standing on your own two feet.

Admittedly,thisseemsodd.Mostofusassumethatmachinesoffertheuserabit

moresafetythanfreeweights.Youknow,limitedrangeofmovement,carefully

hiddenmovingparts, total lackofballisticstress,nostabilityrequirementsand

soforth.

Notsoaccordingtotheliterature:

•Weightliftershave less thanhalf the injury rateper100hoursof training

than do those engaged in other forms of weight training: 17 vs. 35.

(Hamill,B.RelativeSafetyofWeightliftingandWeightTraining.Journal

ofStrengthandConditioningResearch,8(1):53-57.1994)

•RetiredOlympicweightliftershadlowerlifetimeincidenceandprevalence

oflowbackpainthanacontrolgroupofnormalactivemenofsimilarage;

23 percent vs. 31 percent. (Granhed, H. et al. Low back pain among

retiredwrestlersandheavyweightlifters.TheAmericanJournalofSports

Medicine,16(5):530-533.1988)

•MikeStone,etal,providedanexcellentreviewoftheresearchliteratureon

this topic. The inescapable conclusion was that weightlifting (free

weights)isindeedthesafestmethodofweighttraining.(Stone,M.H.,A.

C.Fry,M.Ritchie,L.Stoessel-Ross,andJ.L.Marsit.Injurypotentialand

safety aspects of weightlifting movements. Strength and Conditioning.

June:15-21.1994).

WisdomofO’Shea

ItisclearnowthatDr.O’Sheaknewwhathewastakingabout.Theveryforms

ofstressthatmachinesforceyoutoavoidaretheonesthatproducethedesired

trainingadaptations,becausetheysimulatehowwemoveaboutPlanetEarth.

How Can I Make Dumbbells Safer and More Effective Than Machine

Training?

Theanswertothisinnocentquestionisthattheyalreadyare!Scientificresearch

says it quite clearly.On the other hand, itwould be irresponsible to not leave

these few points of caution.Youwill not experience the benefits of dumbbell

trainingunlessyouknowafewthingstoavoid:

• Poor technique in executing the movement (placing too much stress on

connective tissuesandthesmallersynergistsorstabilizersbygettingout

ofthe“groove")

•Prematureuseofanintensetrainingmethod(goingballisticbeforeasolid

foundationisdeveloped,i.e.rest-pausing,mechanicaladvantagedropsets

oranyotheradvancedbodybuildingtechnique)

• Improper frameofmindwhile lifting(lackof focus, intensity,dedication,

nottweeting,textingorbird-doggin’theoppositesexwhiletraining—have

adefinitivepurpose)

• Repeating a movement until fatigue forces you to fail (predisposition to

focusproblemsaswellasinjury)

This last technique can benefit an advanced bodybuilder in the acquisition of

hypertrophy,butwithitshigherreward,thereisahigherrisk.

ShouldIAbandonMachines?

Absolutelynot!Afterall,ifyouusethemcorrectly,somemachinescanbequite

effective. Further, some machines allow movements that you cannot perform

withdumbbells.Justexpandyourhorizonsabit!

ChapterVII:SystemsofTraining

GaryStrydom,destroyingthedeltswithdumbbells

AVERYpracticaldefinitionoffitnessisyourabilitytomeettheexigenciesof

your lifestylewith ease—and room to spare for life’s little emergencies.What

constitutes fitness foroneperson isn’tnecessarily fitness foranother.Laborers

needadifferentleveloffitnessthandoofficeworkersbecausethedemandsof

theirlifestylesaredifferent.Coachesneednotbeasfitastheathletestheytrain,

generalsneedn’tbeasfitasthesoldierstheycommand,andolderadultsrequire

adifferentsetofstandardsforlifestylefitnessthandoyoungeradults.

Withthat,hereisonesmall,butimportant,pieceofwisdom.Regardless

of your fitness goals, the fastest,most efficient and safest way to accomplish

themisgoingtoincludefreeweighttraining.Anditbehoovesyoutoknowabit

aboutsomeofthemoreeffectiveweighttrainingsystemsbeforeyoubegin.

TheSetSystem

Thesetsystemisperhapsthesinglemostpopularsysteminuse.Thisissofor

athletes,fitnessenthusiastsandbodybuildersalike.Itderivesitspopularityfrom

itssimplicity.Many,manyoffshootprogramscanbeaccommodatedwithinthe

generalconfinesofthesetsystem,andoftenare.Thesimplicityofthesetsystem

ishardtomatch.Allthatisrequiredisthatyouexercisefortheappropriatereps

andsets,restappropriatelybetweensets,andthenmoveontothenextexercise,

continuingthisuntiltheendoftheworkout.Itisnotadaptabletocardiovascular

training,generally,sincerestperiodsarefrequent.Itis,however,thebestsystem

for improving limit strength, owing to the ample rest intervals. For review:

“Reps”istheabbreviationforrepetitions.Repetitionsdefinethenumberoftimes

anexercise is tobeperformed.Forexample ifyoudo10one-armeddumbbell

rowsandthenstop,the10rowsareconsidered10reps.

Performingarepetitionoragroupofrepetitionsandthenstoppingisaset.After

performing10rowsthenstopping,doingthatexerciseagaininthesametraining

sessionwouldbeasecondsetregardlessofsequence;stopandstartagainwould

beathirdsetandsoon.

SetSystem:ExampleTrainingRoutine

LungeSquats (Rest1-2Minutes) LungeSquats (Rest1-2Minutes)

Lunge Squats (Rest 1-2 Minutes) Dumbbell Bench Press (Rest 1-2

Minutes) DumbbellBenchPress(Rest1-2Minutes) DumbbellBench

Press (Rest 1-2Minutes) ...and so forth throughworkoutThe Superset

System/ComplexTraining

Supersetting (A “super set” is a very big set) is a termoften used to describe

alternatingtwoexercisesforthesamebodypart(moreappropriatelyreferredto

as “giant sets"), or alternating two exercises for different body parts (more

appropriately referred to as “compound sets"). The traditional description of

supersetting is that two anatomically antagonistic movements are alternately

performed,andeachmovement is repeatedalternately for the requirednumber

ofreps;intheliteraturetheyarecallingthis“complextrainingforuniformity,”

we will stick with that term when referencing agonist/antagonist paired

supersets.

Forexample,benchpressesaresupersettedwithbentrowsintheexamplebelow.

There is no rest between the two exercises comprising each super set. Do all

repetitions back-to-back. Below is an example of a full superset workout.

Betweeneachsuperset, takeabrief rest, justenough toallow theheart rate to

fallbacktoamanageablelevel(approximately100-120beatsperminute).Then

goontothenextsuperset.

ScienceSpeaks

A 2009 study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences entitled “Effects of

agonist-antagonist complex resistance training on upper body strength and

powerdevelopment”demonstratedtheefficiencyofcomplextraining.Overthe

courseofeightweeks,agroupthattrainedthebenchpresswithbenchpulls(an

opposing pulling movement for the upper back) did improve bench press

strengthslightlyoveragroupthattrainedthebenchpresswithtraditionalsets.

Whilethecomplextraininggroupdidnothaveastatisticallysignificantsurgein

bench press strength over the control group, the study did demonstrate the

efficiencyofcomplextraining:thesameamountofworkcouldbasicallybedone

in half the time without compromising strength gains. This demonstrates that

complex training is an effective means of cutting down time in the gym and

continuallymakinggains.

A2005 studypublished in theJournalof StrengthandConditioningResearch

entitled“Acuteeffectonpoweroutputofalternatinganagonistandantagonist

muscleexerciseduringcomplextraining”suggestedthatnotonlydoescomplex

trainingsavetime,butitpotentiallyenhancespower.Thestudyfoundthatrugby

playerswithstrength trainingexperience increasedpowerby4.7percentwhen

trainingthebenchpressthrowinacomplex,asopposedtodoingthebenchpress

throwalone.Sciencesayswewillsavetimeandnotsacrificestrengthandpower

gainsfromworkoutsand,quitepossibly,evenenhancethem.

TheLabMeetstheRealWorld

Itisimportanttonotethatmostadvancedstrengthathletesdonottrainthisway.

The subjects in the aforementioned studies were not competitive lifters. We

believe this isbecauseoffatigue.Strength isaproductof theCentralNervous

System (CNS). Elite strength athletes have very efficient motor recruitment

patterns.So,inlayterms,theyaresoskilledatthemovementstheyperformthat

theyfatiguefaster.Studieshaveshownthestrongeranindividualis,thelonger

rest intervals need to be between sets. Remember, we are talking about elite

strengthathletes,notthevastmajorityofexperiencedgymlifters.

Ifthisisyou,thereareacoupleofwaysyoucanhandlethis.Continuetraining

with straight sets; the strongestmen in theworldhavedone this for centuries.

ThesecondoptioniswhatIcallmodifiedcomplextraining(MCT).MCTsimply

meansyoupairanagonistandantagonisttogetherlikecomplextraining.

Buthere’s thekicker!Emphasizeoneof themovements. Ifyouarecapableof

doing dumbbell overhead presses (OHP) 200 pounds and a pull-up with 80

poundsoveryourbodyweightforeightreps,emphasizingshouldersmightlook

likethiswithMCT:Set1MCT

OHP170Pounds×5Reps—Pull-upsBodyweight×5reps

Set2MCT

OHP170Pounds×4Reps—Pull-upsBodyweight×5reps

Set3MCT

OHP170Pounds×3Reps—Pull-upsBodyweight×5reps

TheinverseofMCTplacingtheemphasisontheupperbackwouldlooklikethisSet1MCT

Pull-Up80PoundsOverBodyweight×8Reps—OHP110x8

Set2MCT

Pull-Up80PoundsOverBodyweight×6Reps—OHP110x8

Set3MCT

Pull-Up80PoundsOverBodyweight×5Reps—OHP110x8

This still allows extra stimulation of the antagonist muscle group without

annihilatingit.

Complextrainingistheultimatemethodtoincreasetrainingdensity.Iftimeisof

the essence, or if you just are looking to try something new, give complex

trainingashot!

Furthermore, antagonistic exercises alternating back and forth in the manner

described will do two things. First, it will ensure that the blood supply is

confinedtoarelativelysmallanatomicalarea,rather thanhavingtoalternately

traverse the length of the body. This facilitates speedy recovery of the

protagonistwhiletheantagonistisworking,andviceversa.

Second,byexercisingthemusclesonbothsidesofthejoint(s),normalflexibility

will be maintained, owing to a balance in the resting strength (muscle tone)

betweeneach.

henexercisingtheentirebody,eachsupersetshouldprogresstoanarea

ofthebodyfarremovedfromtheprevioussuperset.Thisistoensurethatsome

of the same muscles aren’t being used in back-to-back supersets, thereby

preventingunduefatigue.

The Peripheral Heart Action Training System Peripheral Heart Action

Training (PHA) is circuit training on steroids! This was a favorite cutting

strategyofbodybuildersinthe1960s.Wearenottalkingpinkdumbbellsorthe

circuit training at your local Curves. Famous English philosopher, Thomas

Hobbes,woulddescribePHAtrainingas“nasty,brutishandshort.”

Sittingdowniseasierthanstandingup;that’swhymostcircuittrainingstations

consistofmachineswhereyousit.Believeme,thisisnotaboutresults,safetyor

efficiency.Simply,thisisthepathoftheleastresistancebutalsothepathofthe

leastresults!

Burningcaloriesmaybeyouronlygoalbut Idon’t thinkanyonewouldargue

that a lot more calories are burned using compound movements with free

weightsstandingupthatallowforfreemovement,requireforceproducedacross

multiple joints and require stability. This is harder and has a much higher

metaboliccostduringtheworkoutandpostworkout.

Let’stakealookatasystemthatdoeswhatcircuittraininghopestodowhenit

growsup.

PHAHistory

This systemofbodybuildingcircuit trainingwaspopularized to themassesby

BobGajda, aMr.Universe andMr.Americawinner in the 1960s, but it was

actually thebrainchildofChuckCoker, the inventorof theUniversalMachine

andmentortocultbodybuildinglegend,ChuckSipes.

The idea is to keep blood circulating through the body throughout the entire

workout,whichisdonebyattackingthesmallermusclesaroundtheheartfirst,

thenmoving outward. This system is vigorous and requires continued intense

exercise for a prolonged period of timewithout any rest. Because of this, the

poorlyconditionedbodybuilderandthefaintofheartwillnotdowellwiththis

trainingsystem.

Theideaistouseprimarilycompoundmovementsforefficiency.Thegoalisto

“shunt” blood up and down the body; this is extremely taxing on the

cardiovascularsystem,buttheobviousbenefitsareareductioninbodyfatand,

ofcourse,improvedmetabolicrate.

Becauseeachsequentialbodypartcoveredineachsequenceisgettingadequate

restbetweeneachcircuit,strengthwillbeconserved,allowingclosetomaximal

strength to be exhibited on the sequential bout. Even though your heart will

likelybeatatover150beatsperminutethroughouttheentireworkout,thisdoes

notgiveyoualicensetolowerweights;ifyouhavethetesticularfortitude,you

shouldstillbeabletoliftheavyontherestedbodypart.

HereisaPHACircuit:

Sequence1

•DumbbellOverheadPress—8-10reps

•LegRaises—10-15reps

•Pull-ups—8-10reps

•DumbbellDeadlifts—10-12reps

•Repeatthissequencethreetimes.

Sequence2

•WeightedDips—8-10reps

•DumbbellBentOverRows-8-10reps

•DumbbellFrontSquats—6-8reps

•DumbbellFrenchPress—10-12reps

•ZottmanCurls—10-12reps

•Repeatthissequencethreetimes.

*Perform the exercises in Sequence 1 for the required number of reps

sequentiallyanddonotstop!Repeatthesequencetwicemore,thenmoveonto

Sequence2,performingitthesamewayyouperformedSequence1.

Do not rest during a sequence and do not rest between sequences unless

absolutely necessary; after all, long breaks defeat the purpose.Maintain your

heartrateat80percentofyourheartratemax;wearamonitorsoyoucanadjust

thepaceaccordingly.Ifyouareinshape,youwillnothavetotradeheavyweight

foraslowerpaceorlongerrest.

VariableManipulation

Yourbodyisprettysmart, ifyoutrain thesamewayoverandover,yourbody

will adapt pretty quickly. With PHA training, to make progress, you have to

continually overload. A variety of parameters can be manipulated to induce

overload: increase the numbers of reps you have done with the same weight

previously,increasethenumberofsequences,addweightonthebar,addchains,

or increase frequency. The possibilities are endless. You will need to use a

varietyofreprangesandtrainingweightintensities.

LimitStrength

PHAtrainingusescompoundcoreexercises,sounlikemachinecircuittraining,

strengthisyourbaseregardlessofendeavor.Itisnotthesacrificiallamb!

Freeweightcompoundexercisesarethemostenergy-demandingmovementsin

the weight room. These are simply multi-joint movements that necessitate

severaldifferentmusclegroupstoworktogethertothelifttheweight;examples

arepull-ups,overheadpresses,dips,squats,deadliftsandbenchpresses.These

movements burn more fuel because they involve more muscles and allow

heavier weights to be used. Try a maximum intensity set of 20 dumbbell

deadlifts,andthendothesameintensitywith20cablebicepcurls;itshouldbe

obviousthatyouexpendalotmoreenergywiththedumbbelldeadlifts.

Compound movements catalyze a cascade release of the good hormones like

testosteroneandgrowthhormonenaturally,whichfacilitatesmusclegrowthand

fat loss.Whether bulking up or cutting down, compound movements are the

“base”ofyourtraining.CompoundmovementsneedtobethemainstayofPHA

training.Aslongasyouareingoodshape,youstillhavetotrainheavy!

PHA traininghas fallenout of favorwithmanymainstream fitness authorities

andcelebritypersonaltrainers.Clientretentionwouldbeminisculefor“general

fitness”traineeswithsuchademandingmethodology.Butbeforeillegalanabolic

drugs hi-jacked many sound training principles and systems, PHA training

helped construct many championship-caliber, lean andmuscular physiques. If

youare lookingforsomethingnew,wantachallengeandarepressedfor time,

givePHAtrainingashot.

ThebelowPHAsequence,designedbyFredHatfield,caughtonlikewildfirein

the1990s.

ThePeripheralHeartActionTrainingSystemExerciseSequence1

•DumbbellPartialPress

•Crunches

•LungeSquats

•FrenchPresses

ExerciseSequence2

•ForearmCurls

•One-ArmDumbbellRows(elbowclosetoside)

•DumbbellBackRaises

•Dips

•BicepCurls

ExerciseSequence3

•ReverseForearmCurls

•SideBends

•LegExtensions

•KeystoneDeadlifts

ExerciseSequence4

•DumbbellBenchPresses

•BentRows(elbowsout)

•Shrugs

•ForearmSupinations(Thor’sHammer)

Performance

Perform theexercises inSequence1 for the requirednumberof reps,working

nonstop.Repeat thesequence twomore times,andprogresson toSequence2,

performingthissequencethreetimesaswell.Then,progressthroughSequence3

andSequence4inthesamefashion.Gononstopthroughout,exceptwhenyour

heartrateexceedstherequired140-160beatsperminute, inwhichcase,either

slowdownorrestbriefly.

The principle functions of the PHA system are to increase cardiovascular

efficiency;tomaintainflexibility(S1is“supersetted”withS2,andS3withS4);

toincreasestrengthandsizeinsynergists,stabilizersandprimemovers;and,in

anencapsulatingeffect,toaffordyouwithasoundfoundationofoverallfitness.

Thekeyistomaketherepsofeachsetrhythmic,withabrief(1-2seconds)rest

pausebetweeneachrep.Thiswillreducethe“pressorresponse”usuallyinherent

inweighttraining,whichtendstonegatecardiovascularbenefit.

Notice that the exercises in each sequence are chosenon thebasis of how far

removedoneisfromtheother.Theexercisestraverseyourentirebodyineach

sequence, forcingblood tobeshuntedupanddownyourbody.Thiswilloffer

cardiovascularbenefits,butalsoallowrecoveryofeachareabefore“blitzing”it

again. For while the heart is working hard, the refreshed muscle can endure

maximaloverloadagainandagain,duetothelongperiodsofactiverestbetween

eachexercise.

CircuitTrainingSystem

Circuittraining,“thelittlebrotherofPHAtraining,”isstillanexcellentsystem

for beginners aspiring to improve general fitness. The main objective in

completingallofthestationsinthecircuitisdecreasedtime.Youshouldchoose

the exercises most important to your sport or those exercises most important

from the standpoint of eliminating your weaknesses. The most important

exercisesareplacedearlyinthecircuitandtheleastimportantoneslaterinthe

circuit.

Youthenperformeachexerciseinsuccession,attemptingalwaystobetteryour

“targettime.”

Themainobjective isdensity; insteadofblindly tackingexercisesyouhave to

continuallystrivetodothesameamountofvolumeinlesstime.Theideaisthat

cardiovascularefficiencyandincreasedstrengthandtonuswillresult.Astarget

timesareachieved,orasnewweaknessescropup,youshouldchangethecircuit

accordingly.

ExampleCircuit

1.LungeSquats

2.DumbbellBentRows

3.Curls

4.CleanPulls

5.DumbbellBenchPress

6.TricepsKickbacks

7.Crunches

8.OverheadDumbbellPresses

The circuit may be repeated for as many sets as desired, either by resting

between sets at each station or by going through the circuit nonstop several

times.

Naturally,theamountofresistanceusedateachstationwillvarydependingon

individual differences in strength and stamina. Make the reps of each set

rhythmic,withabrief (1-2seconds) restpausebetweeneach.Thiswill reduce

the“pressorresponse”usuallyinherentinweighttraining,whichtendstonegate

cardiovascularbenefit.

Notice also that each station in sequence tends to involve body areas far

removed from each other, a practice designed to avoid undue fatigue in any

given muscle or muscle group, hampering your efforts to derive maximum

overload.

Achievingelite-levelsof limitstrengthoraerobicconditioningwillnothappen

with circuit training. However, both objectives can get more possible very

quicklyfortheuntrainedindividualorgeneralfitnessenthusiast.

MixedSystems

Remember,thesesystemsarenotputinheretoplayfollowtheleader;theyare

simplyguidelinestohelpyoudeveloptheoptimaltrainingprogram.Manyofthe

systemspresentedcanbemixed,dependingontrainingobjective.Youcanalso

easilyincorporateonesystemintoanother,aswasthecasewith“supersetting”in

thePHASystem.

Asyougettoknowyourlimitationsandidiosyncrasieswithrespecttohowyou

respond to these systems, you’ll seewhatworksbest for one aspect of fitness

maynotbesoeffectiveforanother.Differentbodypartsmayrespondbetteror

worsetothedifferentsystems.Bythetimeyouhavetrainedforaboutayear—

less for some—you will have picked out those systems that best serve your

needsandmaydecidetomixsystems.Thisisourgoalforyou!

Asoneprogressestowardtraininggoals,youmightoutgrowasystem.Thatis,as

amuscledevelopsandadapts to thechallengeyouhave imposedupon it, you

maybeobligedtochangesystemsinordertoforcecontinueddevelopment—do

notallowprogresstowane.

Remembertohavefun!

ExtremeStrengthandHypertrophyMethods

Someofyouareadvancedbodybuildersandneedextrememethodstopushpast

strength and muscle-building stalemates. The following methods offer a high

reward,buttheyalsocarryahigherrisk.Thesemethodsshouldbereservedfor

injury-free, advanced trainees with at least two years of consistent weight

trainingexperience.

CompensatoryAccelerationTraining

Two people can do the exact same workout program, but one gets superior

results!No, it isnotbecauseofgenetics.Thesecret lies inperformanceof the

repsduring training.Onegetsmaximumoverload each set, each rep and each

workout. The superior lifter does this 100 percent of the time, while most

traineesareluckytodothesame20percentofthetime.

MovementIntention

Ifyouwishtomovebigweights,youneedtohavetheintentionofmovingthe

dumbbellsasfastaspossibleoncompoundmovements.Wecallthis“movement

intention.”Liftinglighterweightsfastprovidesmanyofthebenefitsoftraining

heavy.Unsurprisingly,liftingheavyweightswithintenttomovethemfastbuilds

explosivestrength.Ultimately,yourbodywilladapttotheintentofyourCNSto

moveweightexplosively.

ImprovingLeverage

Performingdumbbellbenchpressesisthemostdemandingatthebottomofthe

rep.Somanygymratsbelievethatoncetheyreachthehalf-waypoint,theycan

cashinontheimprovementinleverageandpositionalstrengthtocoastthrough

therepuntillockout.Wrong!

With improved leverage at the half-way position you want to compensate by

moving theweight faster—this isCompensatoryAccelerationTraining (CAT).

TheoverridingtrainingbenefitofCATisthatitforcesyourmusclestoproduce

maximalforcethroughtheentirerangeofmotion.Thinkthissoundsdangerous?

As published in the International Sports Science Association (ISSA) personal

trainingcertificationmanydecadesago,“Slammingaweighttotheendpointin

therangeofmotioncertainlywouldcauseinjury.The‘learningcurve’involved

in slowing themovementdown just before lockout is very small.Anyone can

learnhowtodoitonthefirsttry.”

Example

For your nextworkout, say that you are dumbbell benchpressing four sets of

fivereps,usingthesameweighteachset.Mostfolksstarteachrepexplosiveout

ofthebottom,butcoasttothefinish.

Hereisatypicalscenario.

Set 1—No dumbbell bench presses were heavy enough to stimulate

anyoverload.Thatisazeropercentefficiencyrating.

Set2—The bottom half of the last rep required enough intensity for

overload,whichisa10percentefficiencyrating.

Set3—Thebottomhalfofthelasttworepsprovidedoverload,andthat

isa20percentefficiencyrating.

Set4—Thebottomhalfofallfiverepsproducedoverload.Thatistwo

andahalf,stilla50percentefficiencyrating.

Theworkoutwas 20 total repetitions; only eight halves produced overload or

helped you get stronger. This equates to a 20 percent efficiency rating. That

sucks!Trytellingyourbossthatyou’re20percentefficientandyou’llbeinline

atthesoupkitchen.

Overweeks,monthsandyears,twopeopleontheexactsameprogramwillget

totallydifferentresults.Oneisaphysicalspecimen,theotheriscannonfodder!

If all 20 repswere pressedwithmaximal force, you’d bemuch stronger over

time.Force equalsmass× x acceleration.Lifting lighterweights inCAT style

enablesyou toproducemaximal forcewith lessstrainonyourcentralnervous

system.

The slow and controlled dogma has haunted the fitness establishment for

decades.Next timethepersonal trainerat the“chromepalacegym”putsdown

hissoylatte tomakedoctrinalclaimsaboutgainingstrength,callhisbluffand

tellhimtotakehis“broscience”toamoregullibleaudience.

Bottomline—sizeandstrengthisgainedbytrainingcoreliftsinaCATstyle.

Rest-PauseTraining

With“threehotsandacot,”recoverytimeandallthepigirononecouldhandle

on the jailhouseweight pile, JimWilliams (a.k.a. “The Scranton Strongman")

resided behind prison walls. While serving time for a string of youthful

indiscretions,Williamsturnedhisjailsentenceintoanopportunitytoexperiment

with new iron game ideas and transformed himself into the prison’s strongest

inmate. Hisweight lifting innovations paid enormous dividends, as illustrated

when he became the first person to surpass a 650 pound bench press in

competition.Williamswasn’taone trickpony.Hetotaledanastounding2,240

poundsinafullmeetfollowingtimeserved.

Prisonsdon’tboaststateoftheartequipmentorpeoplewithPh.D.sinexercise

physiologyrunningaroundtoensurethatconstraininaccordancewiththelatest

labstudy.Whatprisonsdooffer isasignificantamountof timefor inmates to

exchange physical culture knowledge and to develop their own strategies for

gettingbiggerandstronger.

Jim Williams never had a world-class strength coach; he wore prison-issued

denim instead of spandex and didn’t have access to bands or chains.

Nevertheless, hewas able to develop legendary strength and size via the rest-

pausemethod.

According to numerous interviewsAdambenShea and JoshBryant conducted

for their best-selling book, Jailhouse Strong, prison bodybuilding legends

MichaelChristianandTookieWilliamstrainedwithahigh-repvariationofthe

rest-pausemethod.

So,whydidtherest-pausemethodevolveoutofthejailhouseweightpile?The

answerissimple:Withlimitedweightsontheyard,youcan’tgiveupyourspot

onthebenchpress.

Hence,doasmanyrepsaspossible...takeashortbreak...repeat.

Onceagain,weseethatnecessityisthemotherofinvention!

Rest-PauseTrainingExplained

Rest-pause trainingbreaksdownone set into several sub-setswith abrief rest

betweeneach.Dependingontheintensitylevelandtrainingobjectives,several

differentvariationsmaybeused.

Ifstrengthisyourpriority,takeanotefromthe“ScrantonStrongman.”Williams

took 90 to 95 percent of his one-repetitionmax,waited 20 to 60 seconds and

thenperformedanothersingle.Herepeatedtheprocessforthemaximumamount

of sets that he could do that day. Typically, he did six to eight singles. This

method is extremely taxing on the central nervous system. So, proceed with

caution! The training adaptations with this variation are more neurologically

drivenforstrength,ratherthanmusclesize.

Doingheavysingleswithadumbbellisnotpracticalbutwecantakeaplayout

ofMichaelChristian’splaybook.

If hypertrophy is what you’re after, lighten the load butmaintain the training

intensity.Selectyourchosendumbbellexerciseandloadaweightthatyoucan

performfor six to10 repetitions.Lift theweight forasmany repsaspossible,

takea20-secondrestinterval,anddothesameweightagain.Thisnextsetwill

probably be two to three repetitions. Repeat this process twice, for a total of

threesubsets.

WhyItWorks

Eachlifterhasdifferencesthateventuallydictatehowmanyrepsandsetshecan

perform,howoftenhecantrain,andhowmuchweightheshouldbeusingwhile

training. The nature of rest-pause training allows it to be custom tailored to

individual differences! Regardless of one’s ability to perform reps, maximum

intensityistheingredientthatinducessizeandstrengthgains.

FastGainer/SlowGainerRepRanges

Tocompletelydevelopthephysiqueyou’relookingfor,youmusttakeaholistic

approach to training. In otherwords, volume, tempo, reps and setsmust vary.

For themostpart, fastgainerswillexperience theirbestgainswith lower reps

and slow gainers with higher reps The five sets of five repetitions strength

programwith85percentofalifter’sone-repmaxwouldbeextremelydifficult

for a fast gainer, yet impossible for some. For a slow gainer, this would be

moderateintensityandprovideverylittleadaptiveoverload.

A rest-pause set on the dumbbell bench press for a true fast gainer with 85

percentofhisone-repetitionmaxcouldlooksomethinglikethis:85percent×3

reps, rest30 seconds,85percent×1 rep, rest30 seconds,85percent×1 rep.

Bottom line is the fast gainer performed five repetitions over threemini sets;

that’sthemosthecan.Sincefastgainersmaketheirgreatestgainswithlowreps,

hewillgetbiggerandstronger.

The true slowgainerwith the sameweight over threemini setswith identical

restintervalsmayhaveperformedasequencethatwent13reps,sevenrepsand

fivereps;thatisatotalof25reps.Sincethatismaximumintensityandtheslow

gainerthrivesonhighreps,hewillgetbiggerandstronger.

Unlike traditional single-repetition rest pauses that old-time strength athletes

swear by, open ended rest-pause training (i.e. doing asmany reps as possible

each mini set) allows the athlete to adapt the weight to his individual

capabilities.Aprimarilyslow-twitchlifterwillgetmorereps;afast-twitchlifter

will get fewer reps. Both experience an adaptive overload since maximal

intensityistailoredtotheirindividualdifferences.

Bottomlineisboththeslowgainerandfastgainerareperformingtheirsetswith

an all-out effort;maximum intensity tailored to individual geneticmake-up is

synergyforgreatresults.

Hereisanexampleofarest-pausedumbbellbenchpressworkout.

Rest-PauseDumbbellBenchPressworkout:

•Set1—80percentAsManyAsPossible (AMAP), rest20-30 seconds80

percentAMAP,rest20-30seconds80percentAMAP

•Rest2-5minutes

•Set2—70percentAMAP,rest20-30seconds70percentAMAP,rest20-30

seconds70percentAMAP

Rest-pausing is taxingon thecentralnervoussystem(CNS)andshouldnotbe

used every workout, or every set. Also, avoid using this method for highly

technicalmovements(i.e.,Olympicliftingvariations).

Nonetheless,undertherighttutelage,rest-pausetrainingcanoffersomeamazing

results.Fortunately,youdonothavetobeajailhousedenizentotryit.Sogiveit

ashot!

TimeUnderTensionTraining

Thisain’tyourdaddy’s“SuperSlowTraining!”

Getthroughtheset.Getthroughtheset.Getthroughtheset.Thisisusuallywhat

runsthroughyourmindwhentryingtohitatargetnumberofreps.Theproblem,

however, is that you becomemore concernedwith reaching rep 10 thanwith

crushingrepsonethroughnine.Ifyou’reconcernedatallwithmusclegrowth,

thisisabadpractice.Bysimply“gettingthrough”theset,you’refailingtotake

advantageofallthebenefitseachrephastooffer.

MakeUseofTime

Toslowthingsdown—whilespeedingupgrowth—trytakingstockofyourtotal

musculartimeundertension.Repswillstillcountbutnowtheywillcountfora

lotmore.Readon to learnhowtomake timeunder tension,orTUT,workfor

you.

Research

Scientistshavehypothesizedthatmusclehypertrophyisnotpurelyafunctionof

rep rangesbut theactualdurationof theset.One recent study fromMcMaster

UniversityinCanadapublishedintheJournalofPhysiologyseemedtoconfirm

thatprolongedmusclecontractionwasthemostimportantvariableforincreasing

musclesize.Thestudycomparedlightloadsusingatempoofonesecondupand

oneseconddownorusingslowrepsof six secondsupandsix secondsdown.

Thestudyfoundtheslowrepsweresuperiorbecauseoftheamountoftimethat

workingmuscleswereundertension.

However,thefindingsofarmchairacademicsandlabgeeksmustbeinterpreted

withagrainofsalt.Studiescanhaveflaws,typicallybecausetheyareperformed

onmalnourished,sleep-deprived,hard-partyingcollegekidslookingforresearch

dough,nottheoldheadsthathavebeenslingingironinthetrenchesforyears.

Theaforementioned studycomparedexplosive repetitions and slow repetitions

with 30 percent of the subject’s one-rep max. No one serious about getting

strongerorpackingonasmuchmuscleaspossibleisdoing30percentoftheir

one-repmaxforseriousworksets.Toputit inperspective,thatwouldmeanif

youbenchpress200pounds,youwouldworkoutwith60poundswithagoalof

packingonseriousmuscle.

TUTisKing

Sowhat’s the right approachwhen it comes to time under tension?We favor

lookingatitinthefullcontextofgrowth-influencingfactors.

Mechanicaltensionisrelatedtoexerciseintensity(theamountofweightyouare

lifting). In other words, to get big you have to train heavy. Eight-time Mr.

Olympia,LeeHaney,oncesaid,“Thekeytobuildingmassive,powerfulmuscles

istodoggedlyincreasethetrainingweightsyouuse.”SciencebacksHaney,as

does anecdotal evidence. I am not going to argue with Mr. Haney— neither

shouldyou.

Muscledamageisassociatedwithmusclesoreness;thisinflammatoryresponse

aids in the muscle-building process, of course, assuming the lifter recovers

properly.

Metabolicstressisaresultofthebyproductsofanaerobicmetabolisminthe30-

to60-secondrangeofsetduration.Inotherwords,liftingall-outforthisduration

of time, scientists believe, causes a huge spike in the anabolic hormones—

growth hormone and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor). Adding icing to the

cake, metabolic stress increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or

EPOC,allowingyou toburnmorecaloriesat restandexpediting fat loss.The

previouslymentioned study isn’t a total farce.However, it only sheds lighton

metabolic stress.To get the full beef-building payoff, you have to utilize time

undertensiontraining,withacloseeyeonmechanicaltension,muscledamage

andmetabolic stress.The followingworkoutgivesyou thechance todoallof

that.

TheWorkouts

ChestandBackTUTWorkout

SupersetIDumbbellInclinePress—Neutral-GripPull-Up

SupersetIIDip--DumbbellPullOver

SupersetIIIDumbbellFly—One-ArmDumbbellRow

LegandBicepTUTWorkout

SupersetIDumbbellSquats—InclineDumbbellCurl

SupersetIIDumbbellKeystoneDeadlift—KeystoneDeadlifts

SupersetIIIBodyweightSquats—ZottmanCurls

ShouldersandTricepsTUTWorkout

SupersetIDumbbellMilitaryPress—DumbbellReverseFly

Superset II Dumbbell Incline Lateral Raise—Decline Dumbbell Triceps

Extensions Superset III Dumbbell Front Raises—Lying Dumbbell Triceps

ExtensionPerformthefirstexerciselistedfor30secondsthenbeginthesecond

one immediately and go for another 30 seconds. Take a two-minute rest after

eachsuperset.

TUTExploitsHypertrophyMechanisms

Muscle hypertrophy is a product of muscle damage, mechanical tension and

metabolicstress.Thetimeundertensionmethod,donewithmaximumintensity,

exploits all three hypertrophic mechanisms. Remember, keep on moving the

entiretime—evenaneighthofaninchqualifies!Timeundertensionisonemore

weaponatyourdisposalinthemuscle-buildingwar.

TUTGuidelines

1.Controlthenegativereps(2-3secondnegative)andexplodeonpositives.

2.Thegoalistokeeptheweightmoving;ifyoureachmomentarymuscular

failure (MMF)continuewithpartials.DONOTDROPTHEWEIGHT!!

Onemillimeterismovement.

3.Startwithweightsyoucandoforatruerepmaxof8-12reps,shootfor10-

15includingpartialcontractions.

4. On each set, reduce load by approximately 1/3, so if you start with 90

pounds,settwowouldbewith60poundsandsetthreewith40pounds.

5.Thistechniqueisveryhighintensity.Doitforamaximumofthreetofour

weeksbeforetakingalightdeloadweek.

6.Weeklyprogressioncanadd5-10secondsperset,keepingtherestinterval

thesameorkeepingthetimeconstantbutincreasingweight.

7. Use primarily bilateral movements with dumbbells (ones that use two

limbs),i.e.bothlimbscontractingsimultaneously.Thereareexceptionsto

thisrule;itismajorityofthetimenotallthetime.

FinalThoughts

Thereareaplethoraofhigh-intensitytechniquesfortheadvancedbodybuilder:

traditionaldropsets, rackand run, forced repsandahostofothers. Insteadof

haphazardly offering a couple sentences about every possible technique, we

wanted to share theoneswehaveusedmost effectivelywith clients andoffer

detailedexplanations.Additionally,thesearemethodsthatcanbedonebythose

that train alone. These techniques are highly intense and highly effective.But

anytimeanythingistakentotheextreme,theinherentriskinvolvedincreases.

ChapterVIII:DumbbellTrainingGuidelines

For someof you, thismay serve as a reviewbut still read it. Following these

basicguidelinesdecreasesthechanceofinjuryandincreasestheprobabilityof

yourdesiredoutcome.

Weight

Beforestartinganexercise,besurethatyouhaveafeelfortheexercise.Never

“load up” an exercisewithwhich you are unfamiliar orwhile in an extended

body position. Increasing the resistance should always be done, but after you

haveathoroughlycomfortablefeelfortheexercisemovement.

Machines

While this isadumbbell trainingmanual,weoffer someadvicewhen training

withmachines.Weofferthiswordofcaution.

Ifyouareunfamiliarwithhowthemachineyouareabouttousecanbeadjusted

toyourbody,checkwiththecertifiedtrainerworkingatthegym.Somanynew

modelsofgymequipmentareonthemarketnowadaysthatyoucan’tknowthe

ins and outs of how to use all of them. Always make certain that all your

equipmentworksproperlybeforeusingit.

Breathing

Twogeneralrulesaboutbreathingshouldbefollowedwhenworkingout:1.Do

notholdyourbreathcontinuouslyforseveralconsecutiverepetitions.

2. Try to develop a rhythmic pattern of breathing that corresponds to the

exercise cycle.Exhale during themost strenuous (concentric) portionof

eachrepetitionandinhaleduringtheleaststrenuous(eccentric)portion.

Holdingyourbreathduringanentiresetofrepetitionscanleadtodizzinessand

possiblefainting,amongothermoreseriouscomplications.Hereisanexample

ofproperbreathingduringamilitary(overhead)pressrepetition:Inhaleasyou

bring the dumbbells toward your shoulders during the eccentric phase of the

repetition.Exhale as your arms extendupwardover your head.Exhale slowly

and continuously.When you finish the press, you should have nomore air in

your lungs and should be ready to inhale for the eccentric (down) phase.For

advanced lifters using large amounts ofweight on compoundmovements like

rows,pulls,presses,squatsoranyothermulti-jointmovement,werecommend

theValsalvamaneuver.

HowtoperformtheValsalvamaneuver:1.Inhalebeforeorduringthenegative.

Onceinhalationiscomplete,holdyourbreathandcompletethenegative.

2.Exhaleagainstclosedglottisatstartofthepositive.Thepositivestartsby

exhaling against the closed glottis (structure in windpipe, prevents air

frompassingifclosed,allowspassageofairwhenopen).Yourabsshould

bebracedtight.

3.Exhaleafterstickingpointandcompletethepositive.Youarenotholding

your breath until you pass out. Once you pass the sticking point or

completetherepetition,youcanbreathe.

4.Repeattheprocessfortheremainingrepetitionsinyourset.

WhytheValsalvaManeuver?

Increased intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressure reduces the load on the

lowerandmiddlebackandeffectivelyenhancesbothof theseareas’ ability to

transmitforce.

Studies have shown higher force production capabilities with the Valsalva

maneuver. Themiddle-aged businessmanwith high blood pressure looking to

get healthy is advised against this technique. Consideration is for the serious

physiqueorstrengthenthusiast.

OutcriesagainsttheValsalvamaneuverarespeculativebroscience.

Warm-ups

Peopletendtotakewarmingupforgranted.Pumpafewweights,joginplace,

andWHAM!Hittheheavystuff.Well,it’snotthatsimple.

The theoretical purposes of warm-up exercises include: 1. increased

muscle temperature associatedwith enhanced dissociation of oxygen from red

blood cells, 2. improved metabolic adjustment to heavy work, 3. increased

velocity of nerve conduction, 4. greater numbers of capillaries opened in the

muscles,and5.severalpsychologicalfactors.

Skilledperformancesimprovewithwarm-upsusingactivityidenticalordirectly

relatedtothesport.Priorphysicalactivityimprovesthe“mentalset”orattitude

oftheathlete,especiallywhentheactivityis identicalordirectlyrelatedtothe

skill. Warm-ups cause an increased “arousal,” or enthusiasm, eagerness and

mental readiness. But there is one potentially negative effect of warm-ups—

fatiguefromtheprioractivitycandecreaseperformance.

Most people who work out have accepted the need to warm up as dogma.

Clinically, there appears to be some support forwarming up as a deterrent to

injury, but it certainly doesn’t apply in all cases. For example: 1. Athletes

engaged in short, explosive types of sports such as powerlifting benefit from

warmingupforimprovedperformance.

2.Athletesengagedinprogressive-typesportsorenduranceeventsdo

notbenefitfromwarmingup.

3.Warming up before an endurance-type sport often will decrease

performancebecauseoffatigue.

4.Directwarm-ups(exercisedirectlyrelatedorthesameasthesport)

of moderate intensity and duration prior to explosive sports

enhance trained athletes’ performance, but not necessarily that of

untrainedathletes.

5.Indirectwarm-ups(exercisenotdirectlyrelatedtothesport)often

canaidperformance,ascanbicycling for four to fiveminutesor

flexibility(stretching)exercises.

6.Almostallstudiesshowingadetrimentaleffectfromwarmingup

used untrained people as the subjects, who apparently cannot

toleratehigh-intensitywarm-ups.

7.Heavy,unrelatedwarm-upsinterferewithone’sabilitytoperform

sportsskillsrequiringcarefulcontrol.

8. Your warm-up should ensure improved performance, and only

careful experimenting will yield the best type, intensity and

durationforyou.

Overview

Ingeneral,itseemsthatthewidelyheldbeliefinwarminguppriortotrainingor

competitionneedstobecarefullyconsideredbeforeaspecificwarm-upprogram

isadopted.

Inweighttraining,thereappearstobelittlejustificationforwarmingupatany

vigorous level. Typically, the exercise itself serves as sufficientwarm-up.But

unlikeinothersports,there’sprobablynogoodreasonnottowarmupeither.If

youdecidetouseamildwarm-up,uselighterweightsforthetargetedmuscles

orageneralwarm-upuntilyou’relightlysweating.

One final point on warm-ups: Never do flexibility exercises as a warm-up.

Vigorouslystretchingacoldmuscleistheeasiestwaytoinflictmicrotraumaor

(worse)macrotrauma—full-blowninjury.

Generallyonetotwowarm-upsetsoftheexercisewillsuffice,butsomepeople

needmore.Ifthisisyou,trythisdynamicstretchingroutineafterafive-to-eight-

minute warm-up. We do recommend dynamic stretching prior to training.

Dynamic stretching before your workout reduces the chance of injury and

enhancesproprioceptors,whichallowsyoutoproducemorepowerandstrength.

Dynamic stretching should be performed after a 10-minute general warm-up

suchasabriskwalkorrideonanexercisebike.

SampleDynamicStretchingRoutine -Walkon toes—2sets15yards -Arm

Swings—2setsof10clockwiseandcounterclockwise -ArmHugs—2sets10

reps-StraightLegKicks—3sets15yards-LegSwings—2sets15reps

-HighKnees—3sets15yards

-WalkingLunges—3sets15yards

-ButtKicks—3sets15yards

-WristSways—3sets15eachway

-Twistsinplace—3sets15eachway-Clockwiseandcounterclockwise

hulahoophipswings,2sets10bothwaysUponcompletingthiswarm-up, the

athletewouldstarttomoveintolighterweightsoftheexerciseoftheupcoming

routineatagraduallyincreasingpace.

Cool-Down

At the end of each exercise session, perform some cool-downmovements for

five or 10 minutes. This is especially important after high-intensity exercise,

which contains an anaerobic component (for example, very high-resistance

trainingsuchasbodybuilding).

SampleCool-DownProgramStaticStretch(Doeachstretchfor30seconds)

•PectoralisStretch•LatissimusStretch

•BicepStretch

•TricepsStretch

•ForearmFlexorStretch

•ForearmExtensorStretch

•StandingQuadricepsStretch

•PsoasStretch

•RectusFemorisStretch

•AdductorStretch

•SumoSquatStretch

•FrogStretch

•ErectorSpinaeStretch

•PiriformisStretch

•Hamstrings90/90Stretch

•Hamstringw/Adduction

•Gastrocnemius

•Soleus

PeronealStretch•SFMR(FoamRolling)

•Rolltenderspotsfor20seconds,1seteachspot•HamstringsandCalves•GluteusMedius

•ITBand/TensorFasciaLatae

•Quadriceps/HipFlexors

•Adductor

•Low-Back/ErectorSpinae

•Rhomboids

•LatissimusDorsi

FinalThoughtsThepoorestwaytorecoveristosimplyfalltothegroundorsit

around!

The rhythmic contractions of yourmildly activemuscles help return blood to

yourheart.Manypints of blood aredistributed, supplyingneededoxygen and

nutrients (especially glucose for replacement of spent energy from muscle

glycogen,andaminoacidsforrepairandgrowth).Sogiveyourheartsomehelp

withlightaerobiccool-downactivities.

Thecool-downshouldalsocontainmildstretchingexercisesforthemusclesyou

justfinishedtraining.Thiswillassistinavoidingpost-exercisemusclesoreness

by breaking up tiny adhesions resulting from the “microtrauma” they’ve just

suffered during training. For all these reasons, it’ll also assist your working

musclesduringexercise,andwilltendtopoolthere,ratherthanaidinginswift

removalofwastesandaffectedmuscles’recovery.

Remember, Romewas not built in a day; follow these guidelines to optimize

gainsandminimizerisks.

ChapterIX:DumbbellExercisesfortheLegs

1. Gleuteus Maximus 2. BicepsFemoris 3. Semitendinosus 4.Gastrocnemius5.Gracilis

6. Semimembranosus 7.Semimembranosus 8. GluteusMedius 9. GluteusMinimus 10.Piriformis

11.QuadratusFemoris

12.BicepsFemoris

13. Tensor Fascia Latae 14.Pectineus

15.AdductorLongus

16.AdductorMagnus

17.Iliopsoas(Sectioned)18.TensorFasciaLatae19.Pectineus

20.AdductorLongus21.Sartorius22. Vastus Lateralis 23. RectusFemoris

24.VastusLateralis

Nothing looks as silly as the bodybuilder with a massive upper body and a

massivelyunderdevelopedlowerbody!

Leg development, while important to aesthetics, is paramount for athletic

success in anything from schoolyard scuffles to lawn bowling; very powerful

legscanbedevelopedwithdumbbells.

While there aremethods of isolating the individualmuscles of your legs and

hips, my experience tells me that functional strength and sports performance

abilities are more effectively developed using compound exercises. That is,

exercises that require all of themuscles of your upper legs and hips to work

synchronously.

Therearemanygreatlegexercises;let’stakealookatafewofourfavorites.

DumbbellLunges

Withfrontlunges,you’reactuallysimulatingaone-leggedsquat.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standwithyourtorsouprightholdingtwodumbbellsatyoursides.Thisis

thestartingposition.

2.Stepforwardwithyourrightlegaroundtwofeetorsofromthefootbeing

heldstationaryandloweryourupperbodydown,whilekeepingthetorso

upright andmaintaining balance.Do not allowyour knee to go forward

beyondyourtoesasyougodown.Keepyourfrontshinperpendicularto

the ground. The dumbbells are now hanging alongside the forward leg

insteadofatyoursides.

3.Usingprimarilytheheelofyourfoot,pushstraightupwardandgobackto

thestartingpositionasyouexhale.Acommonmistakeistoleanforward

asyou“stride”forwardwhileascendingbacktothestartingposition.This

createsundueshearontheforwardknee,andlowbackstress.

4.Repeatfortheprescribedrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:

Alternate legs going right, left, right then left. For advanced athletes,walking

dumbbell lunges canbe aviableoption:Perform the samemovementwalking

forwardinalungingpattern.Optforasetdistancelike15-20yards;thegoalis

toaccomplishthisinasfewstepsaspossible.

AnInterestingVariation: Insteadof steppingdirectly forwardwith each rep,

trysteppingslightlyleftandrightalternately.

Youcanalsomovelaterally,backwardandforwardwhiletwistingleftorright.

Step-Ups

Alsocalledthe“simulatedmountainclimb,”step-upsareanoffshootoftheold

“HarvardStepTest.”This testwasoriginallydesigned toassessphysicalwork

capacity(PWC),andinvolvedsteppingupontoabench20incheshighforfive

minutesandatacadenceof30step-upsperminute.

Well,youcanimaginehowdifficultthistestwouldbeforashorterperson!So

let’s forget the cadence and time limit and lower the height to a normal gym

bench(usually14-16inchesinheight).Ifsuchabenchisstilltoohigh,youcan

performthisexerciseusingtheshorterblockstypicallyusedinaerobicsclasses

(e.g.,theReeboksteps).

ExercisePerformance

1.Grabapairofdumbbellsandholdthemdownatyoursides.

2.Standupstraightinfrontofaraisedplatform,facingstraightahead;thisis

thestartingposition.

3.Liftyourleftkneeandstepontotheplatformwithyourleftfoot.

4.Firmlyplantyourfootontheplatform,useyourleftheeltoliftyourbody

upandplaceyourrightfootontheplatformaswell.Importantnote:Allof

the force should be produced with the left leg; this is a single-leg

movement. Also, you may find it more comfortable if you allow the

dumbbellstohangalongsideyourforwardleginsteadofatyoursides.

5.Briefly pause at the top of themovement and then step backwith your

rightlegandsafelyreturntothestartingposition.

6.Repeatprescribedrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:

Never allow your back to round. Keep your head up and back straight

throughout the exercise. A higher platform is a more intense exercise. Think

beyondjustweight,sets, reps, rest intervals.Startbyusing justbodyweight.A

greatdealofbalanceisrequiredandcautionshouldbeused.

KeystoneDeadlifts

So-named because the position you assume resembles that of the old-time

“KeystoneCops,”with your butt and belly protruding (lower back is arched).

This position causes your hamstrings (back of thigh) to become pre-stretched.

Then,whilekeepingyourbackarched,lowerthedumbbellsalongsideyourlegs

untiltheyreachyourknees,andstandbackup.Itisanexcellentexerciseforthe

hamstrings.

ExercisePerformance

1.Grasptwodumbbells,holdingtheweightinfrontofyou.

2.Bend the knees slightly and keep the shins vertical, hips back and back

straight.Thiswillbeyourstartingposition.

3.Keepingyour back and arms completely straight at all times, push your

buttbackandbendatthewaist.

4.Lowerthedumbbellsbypushingthehipsback,onlyslightlybendingthe

knees; think a hinge not a squat. The dumbbells remain in contactwith

yourthightheentiremovement.

5.Lowerthedumbbellstojustrightbelowtheknees.

6.Extendhipsbacktothestartingpoint.

7.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Avoidthismovementifyouhavelowerbackproblems;avoid

roundingofthebackatallcosts.

BulgarianSplitSquats

This movement hammers the quadriceps and glutes and provides some

stimulation to the hamstrings and calves.More andmoremainstream strength

coachesareadvocatingtheBulgarianSplitSquat.

ExercisePerformance

Grabapairofdumbbellsandholdthematarm’slengthnexttoyoursides.

1.Standinastaggeredstance,yourleftfootinfrontofyourright.Setyour

feettwotothreefeetapart.

2.Placejusttheinstepofyourbackfootonabench.Whenyou’redoingsplit

squats,thehigheryourfootiselevated,thehardertheexercise.

3.Yourfrontkneeshouldbeslightlybent.

4.Braceyourcore.

5.Beginthedescentbyflexingyourkneeandhiptoloweryourbodydown.

Maintain a braced, upright posture the entiremovement.Keep the front

kneeinlinewiththefootasyouperformtheexercise.

6.From thebottomof themovement, drive through theheel to extend the

kneeandhiptoreturntothestartingposition.

One-LegRomanianDeadliftThisexercise isanoldfavoriteof fabledsprints

coach, the lateCharlieFrancis.This isoneof thegreathamstringexercises in

existence and should be considered essential in the repertoire of any serious

speed training athlete or, hell, anyone who wants some beautiful “strings of

ham.”

TherewasareasonwhywhenCharlieFranciswasatthehelmoftheCanadian

Sprintsprogram, injuryratesofsprinterswerecomparable to thoseofdistance

runners.

Legendary sprinterBen Johnsonperformed thismovementwithapairof150-

pounddumbbellsforsixreps.

ExercisePerformance

1.Holdadumbbellineachhand.Positiondumbbellsdowninfrontofupper

thighswitharmsstraight.Standwithyourfeettogether.

2.Liftonelegslightlysothefootisjustofffloor.

3.Keepingthecoretight,lowerthedumbbellstothefloorwhileraisingthe

liftedlegbehindyou.

4.Keepyourbackstraightandthekneeof thesupportinglegslightlybent.

Keepthehipandkneeofliftedlegextendedthroughoutmovement.

5.Onceagoodstretchisfeltorthedumbbellsmakecontactwiththefloor,

come back to the starting position. Repeat desired number of reps

subsequentlyonthesamelegorinanalternatingfashion.

DumbbellSquats

YouAin’tBeenSquattinByDaleClark1983WayDowntheRoadinaGymFarAwayAYoungManWasOnceHeardToSay

“I’veReppedHighandI’veReppedLow”“NoMatterWhatIDoMyLegsWon’tGrow”

HeTriedLegExtension,LegCurlsandLegPressesTooTryingtoCheatTheseSissyWorkoutsHe’dDoFromTheCorneroftheGymWheretheBigMenTrainThroughACloudofChalkandtheMidstofPainWheretheBigIron

RidesHighandThreatensLivesWheretheNoiseIsMadeWithBigFortyFivesADeepVoiceBellowedAsHeWrappedHisKneesAVeryBigManwithLegslikeTreesLaughingAsHeSnatchedanotherPlatefromTheStackChalkingHisHandsandHisMonstrousBackSaid,“Boy,StopLyingandDon’tSayYou’ve

Forgotten”“TheTroublewithYouIsYouAin’tBeenSquattin”

Mostmeatheads,strengthcoachesandgeneralfitnessenthusiastsagree—squats

areking!Fortunately,thelackofabarbellisnoexcusenottosquat.Dumbbell

squatsandtheirvariationswillblastvirtuallyeverymuscleinyourbody.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standupstraightwhileholdingapairofdumbbells,one ineachhand

facing each other. Set your feet approximately shoulder-width apart

withyourtoesslightlypointedout.

2.Keepyourheadlookingstraightahead.

3.With your core braced and chest up, lower your torso bypushing the

hips back and bending the knees, maintaining an upright posture.

Continuedownuntilyourthighsareparalleltothefloor.

4.Fromthebottompositionstandbackup.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Thedumbbells canbeheldwithaneutralgrip forahybrid

squat/front squat or in the front of the body for a front squat. Dumbbell box

squats,oneortwo-legged,areeffectivelyutilizedbymanytrainees.

ChapterX:DumbbellExercisesfortheLower

Leg

1. Gastrocnemius(Sectioned) 2. Soleus 3.PeroneusBrevis4. Flexor LongusHallicus

5. TibialisPosticus

6. Flexor LongusDigitorum 7. PeroneusLongus

8. TibialisAnticus

9. Extensor LongusDigitorum 10.Gastrocnemius(Sectioned)

In thewordsof the1980s rapgroupPublicEnemy,“Don’tbelieve thehype!”

When it comes to calf development, your genetics do not hold you prisoner.

Sure, some people are blessed with great calves, but Arnold Schwarzenegger

wasbornwiththecalfdevelopmentofapigeon,andthroughyearsofdiligent,

hardwork,developedsuchimpressivecalvesthathewaserroneouslyaccusedof

gettingcalfimplants!Thiswastotallyfalse,butagreatcompliment.

CalfRaises

Theprimaryactionofyourcalfmuscles(gastrocnemius)istoextendyourankle

joint.However,someofthefibersalsospanthekneejoint.Inseatedcalfraises

(shownhere),thosefibersarenotactivated.Therefore,seatedcalfraisesareonly

a“good”calfexercise,anditisbettertodothemwhileyourlegsarenotbentat

theknee(i.e.,whilestandingupright,holdingthedumbbellsatyourside).

StandingCalfRaises

Ifwehadtopickonecalfexercise,thiswouldbeit.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standwithyourtorsouprightholdingtwodumbbellsatyoursides.Place

theballsofyourfeetonasturdyandstableboard(approximatelytwoto

threeinches)withyourheelsextendedoffandtouchingthefloor.Thisis

thestartingposition.

2. With the toes pointed straight ahead, raise the heels off the floor by

contractingthecalves.

3.Gobacktothestartingpositionbyslowlyloweringtheheels.

4.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes: To emphasize the outer head of the calves, point your toes

inward and to emphasize the inner head, point your toesoutward.Theway to

make this exercisemore difficult is do it with an eccentric emphasis. This is

donebyperformingtheconcentricwiththesametechnique,buttheeccentricis

performedwithonelegfordurationoffiveseconds.Nextperformtheconcentric

again with two legs repeating the eccentric with one leg. Do this for the

prescribednumberofrepetitions.

An Interesting variation: You can also go old-school while working your

gastrocs.“DonkeyCalfRaises”areperformedwhileleaningontoahighbench

or table top with your training partner straddled on your hips. Like riding a

donkey!

ChapterXI:DumbbellExercisesfortheChest

1. Pectoralis Major 2. PectoralisMinor3.Subclavius4.Clavicle

5.Sternum

Awell-developedchest isastatussymbolon theprisonyardweightpileor in

thefancypantshealthspa.

A physique that lacks a developed chest lacks completeness and an aura of

power.Manyofthestrongest,mostpowerfulandmuscularmenofall-timehave

hadheavydumbbelltrainingatthenucleusoftheirchesttrainingregimens.

DumbbellFly

“TheAustrianOak,”ArnoldSchwarzenegger,largelycreditsthedevelopmentof

his chest, undoubtedly the greatest chest in the history of bodybuilding, with

performanceofthedumbbellfly.

Thedumbbellflyisnotanegolift.Thepurposeofthemovementistooverload

thepecsthroughtheprincipleofisolation.Isolationmovementshavefallenout

ofvoguewithsomeso-calledfunctionaltrainingexperts.Thisisamistakeifthe

objective is to maximize muscular development or even create a balanced

physique.

Even working and eliminating weak points can be accomplished with some

isolationmovements.Bottomline,faultymovementpatternsareexacerbatedby

noteliminatingweaklinksforcingcompensatorymovementpatterns.

ExercisePerformance

1.Liedownonaflatbenchwithdumbbellsineachhand.

2.Liftthedumbbellsaboveyourchestwithaveryslightbendintheelbows,

nomorethan15to20degrees.

3.Lower the dumbbells to your sides in an arcing motion until the chest

muscles are stretched, keeping the elbows in the same fixed position.

Elbowpositiondoesnotchangeduringtheentiremovement.

4.Bringdumbbellstogetherinabearhuggingmotion.Keepinmind,thisis

notapressoranextension;itisagianthug.

5.Stopdumbbellsapproximatelytwoinchesshortoftouching.

6.Repeatprescribedrepetitions.

Importantnotes: The stretch and technique ismuchmore important than the

weight used.CharlesPoliquin advises trainees toworkoutwith10percent of

theirbenchpressmaximum ineachhandwhenperforming flys.Thismeansa

400-poundbenchpresserwouldperformdumbbellflyswith40poundsineach

hand.Youcanshiftemphasistotheupperchestregionbyperformingflysonan

incline bench. The bench should be inclined to 15 to 40 degrees. The lower

portionofthechestcanbeattackedona15to20degreedeclinebench.

DumbbellBenchPress

Fordevelopingupperbody limit strength, thismovement isking!Someof the

mostmuscular,strongestmenofalltimehavepreferredthedumbbellvariation

ofthebenchpress.Thiselitelistisnotlimitedto,butincludes:RonnieColeman,

BranchWarren,PatCaseyandJohnnieJackson.

ExercisePerformance

1.Sittingontheendofaflatbench,withthedumbbellsrestingagainstyour

abdomenandthighs,carefullyliebackontothebench.Liftthedumbbells

toapositiondirectlyoveryourchest.

2.Lowerthedumbbellsuntiltheyareslightlybelowthelevelofyourchest

andpressthedumbbellstoarm’slength.

3. After performing the prescribed number of repetitions, lower the

dumbbells back to your abdomen and sit back up so the dumbbells are

againrestingagainstyourthighsandabdomen.

ImportantNotes:Asyoumayhaveguessed, it takesabitofpractice to learn

howtocomfortablyliedownandsitbackupwiththedumbbells.Youwillfindit

helpful to get assistance from a training partner until you’ve mastered the

technique.

You can emphasize your pecsmore if your elbows are away from your sides

(perpendicular to your torso) during the movement. Your front deltoids are

involvedmoreifyourelbowsarekeptclosetoyoursidesduringthemovement.

Tofurtherincreasedifficulty,youcanperformthismovementagainstresistance

bandswithoneresistancebandaroundyourback,heldinyourhandsalongwith

thedumbbell.Thiswouldapplytoanypressingorflymovement.

InclineDumbbellBenchPresses

Theyaredoneexactly the samewayasdumbbell benchpresses, butwithone

importantdifference.Thebenchisraisedfromparalleltothefloortoabout15to

25degrees.Thisangleallowsyou to target theclavicularportionofyourpecs

(yourupperchest).

DeclineDumbbellBenchPresses

Thismovementisdonethesamewayasadumbbellbenchpress,butwithone

difference.Thebenchisatadeclineof15to20degrees;thisangleallowsyouto

targetthesternal(orlower)portionofyourchest.

ReverseGripDumbbellBenchPress

Fordecades,theinclinebenchpresshasbeenthego-toexerciseforbuildingthe

upper chest. The lab-tested justification for this preference lies in an almost

statistically irrelevant 5 percent increase in muscle activation of those upper

chestfibersascomparedtotheflatbenchpresswhileactivityinthefrontdelts

increasesbyabout80percent.

ArecentCanadianstudyshowedthatthereversegripbenchpressproduced30

percentmorefiberactivationontheupperpecsthantraditionalbenchpress.

Everything is bigger in Texas! Not surprisingly, the twomost well-developed

upper chests hailed from the Lone Star State: 1990s powerlifting bench press

championsandrecordholders,AnthonyClarkandJimVoronin.Bothsetrecords

withareversegripbenchpressExercisePerformance

ExercisePerformance

1.Setupfor theexercisebygraspingasetofdumbbellsandsittingon the

endofaflat

benchwiththedumbbellsagainstyourabdomenandthighs.

2.Liebackonthebenchandplacethedumbbellsaboveyourchest.Twistthe

dumbbellssoyourpalmsarefacingyourshoulders.This isyourstarting

position.

3.Lower thedumbbellsuntilyourpalmsare in linewithyourchest,pause

forhalfasecondandpressthedumbbellsforcefullybackuptothestarting

position.

4.Repeatforthespecifiednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Don’t let thedumbbells touchat the topofeach rep.Usea

fullrangeofmotionatthebottomandthetopoftherepetition.Tofurthershift

emphasistotheupperpecs,trythismovementata15to20°incline.Anyroutine

inthisbookthatspecifiesaninclinepressforchestdevelopmentcanbeswitched

tothereversegripbenchpress

DumbbellPullover

ThedumbbellpulloverwasafavoriteofArnoldSchwarzenegger,RegParkand

virtually any old-timerwith great chest development. Pulloverswork not only

thechest,butalsothelatsandtheintercostalserratusanterior(themusclesofthe

ribcage).Maximallydevelopedintercostalmusclesgivetheillusionofabigger

rib cage when taking a deep breath and holding a pose because the ribs are

pulledupbytheintercostalmuscles.

Theeliminationofpullovermovements,webelieve, isoneof thereasonswhy

chestdevelopmentinthemoderneralagsbehindthedevelopmentofotherbody

parts.Recentresearchhasrevealedthatbarbellanddumbbellpullovervariations

emphasizechestdevelopment,whilemachinesmoreeffectivelytargetthelats.

ExercisePerformance

1.Lieperpendiculartothebenchpress,withonlyyourshoulderssupported.

2.Yourfeetshouldbeflatonthefloor,shoulder-widthapart.Yourheadand

neckshouldhangover thebench.Yourhipsshouldideallybeata lower

anglethanyourshoulders.

3.Graspadumbbellwithyourhandscrossedinadiamondshapewithyour

thumbsandpointerfingers(palmsshouldbefacingtheceiling).

4.Withthedumbbelloveryourchestandelbowsbent10to15degrees(do

not let this angle changed throughout the entiremovement), take a deep

breath,holdandslowly lower theweightbackwardoveryourheaduntil

the upper arms are in line with torso, parallel to the floor. The weight

travelsinanarc-likemotiontowardthefloor.

5.Exhaleandpullthedumbbellbackoveryourchest,purposelycontracting

thechestmuscles.Holdforasecond,andrepeatprescribedrepetitions.

Importantnotes:Dothismovementinamuscle-intentionstyle,focusingonthe

stretch and feeling themovement.Keep reps in the 12+ range. If you have a

history of shoulder problems, more than likely you will need to avoid this

movement.

ChapterXII:DumbbellExercisesfortheShoulders

1.Supraspinatus*2.Infraspinatus*3.TeresMinor*4.Subscapularis*

5. Spine ofScapula

6.Clavicle

7.Humerus

8. Biceps Brachii –Long Head 9. BicepsBrachii–ShortHead

10.TeresMajor

* Muscles of the Rotator Cuff Broad, developed shoulders scream masculine

virility.Wideshouldershelpcreate the illusionofaVtaper thatwillcausethe

samesextoenvyyouandtheoppositesextofindyoumoreattractive.Virtually

every sport and recreational activity will be enhanced by increased shoulder

strengthandfunction.Thereisnobetterwaytomaximallydeveloptheshoulders

thanwithdumbbells.

InwardRotations

Bothinwardandoutwardrotationsareexercisesthatfewincorporateintotheir

schedulebecausecommercialgymsrarelyhave theappropriateequipment.Yet

rotatorcuffinjuriesareamongthemostcommoninjuriesamongweighttrainees.

Inwardrotationoftherotatorcuffisaccomplishedbythesubscapularisandthe

teresmajor,withthesupraspinatusactingasastabilizer.

OutwardRotations

Outward rotation of the shoulder joint is accomplished by action of the

infraspinatus and teres minor. As with inward rotations (described above),

outwardrotationsareessentialinpreventingrotatorcufftears.

SeatedDumbbellPresses

Aplethoraof the strongestpowerliftersandmostwell-developedbodybuilders

considerthistheirbread-and-buttershoulderexercise.

ExercisePerformance

1. Grab two dumbbells and sit on a military press bench that has a back

support.

2.Haveacompetentspotterassistyouinbringingthedumbbellstoshoulder

heightorcleanthedumbbellsuponeatatimewiththeassistanceofyour

thighs.Rotate yourwrists so your palms are facing forward.This is the

startingposition.

3.Fromthestartingposition,pushthedumbbellstofullextension.

4.Lowertheweightundercontrolandrepeatfortheprescribedrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Advancedbodybuildersmayoptforstoppingthismovement

about threequartersof theway to lockout.Thiskeeps constant tensionon the

deltoidswithoutlettingthetricepstakeover.Otherusefulvariationsarethehalf,

half,full.Thisisperformedbydoingtwobottomhalfrepsconsecutivelyandon

the third rep going to full extension; this sequence of three individual

movements constitutes one repetition. This movement can also be performed

withaneutralgripandathletesshouldconsiderperformingitstanding.

ArnoldPress

TheArnold presswas developed by none other thanArnold Schwarzenegger,

a.k.a. “the AustrianOak.” Arnold devised thismovement to help develop his

medialdeltoidsusingheavyweight.

ExercisePerformance

1.Sitonamilitarypressbenchwithabacksupportandholdtwodumbbells

infrontofyouatcollarbone-levelwithyourpalmsfacingyourbodyand

yourelbowsbent(thisshouldlooksimilartothetopcontractedpositionof

abicepcurl).

2.Raise thedumbbellsasyourotate thepalmsofyourhandsuntil theyare

facing forward (like a regular seated dumbbellmilitary press).Continue

liftingthedumbbellsuntilyourarmsareextendedaboveyou.

3.Fromtheseatedposition, lowerthedumbbellstotheoriginalpositionby

rotatingthepalmsofyourhandstowardyou.

4.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

Important Notes: Keep in mind, as the existentialists say, “Form before

function.”

Uprightrows

Many with Herculean shoulder development at least partially credit that

development to the upright row. This movement has fallen out of favor with

some in recent years and we do advise avoiding this movement if you have

shoulderailments.

Uprightrowsofferfunctionalbenefitstoanyoccupationthatcontinuouslyloads,

likelongshoremanorshelfstackers.

ExercisePerformance

1.Holdtwodumbbellswithashoulder-widthgrip.Thedumbbellsshouldbe

resting on top of your thighs with your arms a few degrees shy of

extension.

2.Using your shoulders, lift the dumbbells to chest level with the elbows

driving the motion and pause for half of a second at the top of the

movement.

3.Lowerthedumbbellsundercontroltostartingposition.

4.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Keep this exercise strict; toomuchweight can lead to bad

form,whichcanleadtoinjury.Traditionalrecommendationshavecalledforan

even narrower grip than shoulder-width grip. Some new research from the

University ofMemphis demonstrated that a wide grip enhances the electrical

activity of the medial and posterior deltoids by more than 20 percent when

comparedtoatraditionalnarrowrep.Furthermore,thewidergripdecreasesthe

activityof thebiceps,but increases theactivityof theupper traps tomaximize

shoulderdevelopment.

Lateralraises

Well-developedmedial (side) deltoids cap that look of complete development

and power. Lateral raises have been the go-to exercise for middle deltoid

development for decades. It would be very rare to find any successful

bodybuilderwhohasnottrainedwithlateralraisesatonetimeoranother.

ExercisePerformance

1. Grab two dumbbells and stand up with your torso erect, and hold the

dumbbellsbyyoursideswithyourelbowsslightlybent,approximately10

to15degreeswithyourpalmsfacingyou.Thisisthestartingposition.

2.Keep the torsopositionstationary through theentiretyof themovement.

Lift the dumbbells to your side, maintaining the same elbow position

throughouttheentiremovement.

3. Continue lifting the dumbbells with your shoulders until your arms are

paralleltothefloor.

4.Undercontrol,lowerthedumbbellsbacktothestartingposition.

5.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

Important Notes: One way to increase the intensity of this exercise is to

performitseatedonaninclinebenchbecauseofthestretchatthebottomofthe

movement. This provides a huge overload component, so lighter weightswill

have to be used. The standing variation can be effective with some slight

cheating.Usejustenoughmomentumtoaidinpushingpast thestickingpoint,

but still control the eccentric. Some recent reviews in the literature have

concurredwiththeeffectivenessofcheatingonstandinglateralraises;donotdo

thisontheinclinevariation.

FrontDumbbellRaises

FrontdumbbellraiseshavebeenafavoriteofAlDavis,BigJimWilliams,Bill

Kazmaier, Jeremy Hoornstra and a host of some of the other greatest bench

pressesofall-time.

ExercisePerformance

1.Holdtwodumbbellsrestingonthefrontofyourthighs.Yourarmsshould

havea10to15-degreebendwithyourhandsfacingyou(pronatedgrip).

2.Withyourrightarm,lift thedumbbell infrontofyourbody,maintaining

10 to 15degrees of elbow flexion throughout the entiremovementwith

yourpalmfacingthefloor;liftyourarmupuntilthedumbbellisparallel

tothefloor.

3.Lowertheweight,undercontrol,tothestartingposition.

4.Performfrontraisesinanalternatefashion.

5.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes: Some cheating, or use ofmomentum to get past a sticking

point,isokayonthismovement.DonotmakeitintoabastardizedOlympiclift.

Apotentiallymoreeffectivevariationof thismovement is toperformitwitha

leanbefore raising thedumbbell.Whenworkingyour rightside, lean20 to30

degrees to the right. Before raising the left side, lean to the left in a similar

fashion.The dumbbells are raised about at arm’s length in front of your face.

Therationaleforthisdeparturefromtraditionaltechniqueisyourfrontdeltoids

originate and insert at about that angle from the vertical plane of your body.

Bendingsidewayswhileperformingthedumbbellfrontraisesplacesthetargeted

frontaldeltoidperpendicular to the floor, therebymaking itscontraction (force

output)moreefficient.Dothatandadaptivestressisincreased.

DumbbellShrugs

From prison politics to a sermon from the pulpit, possessing well-developed,

strong trapsscreamspower.Strong,powerful trapsmakeone less likely toget

injuredinsportslikerugbyandfootballandevenlesslikelytogetknockedout

trading fists at the local watering hole. Your traps elevate and support your

shouldergirdle(i.e.,pulltheshoulderstowardyourears).Shruggingbuildstraps

bymovingjuststraightupanddownwithnoneedforrotationalmovement.

ExercisePerformance

1. Grab two dumbbells. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand

(palmsfacingyourtorso);yourarmsshouldbefullystraightened.

2. Lift the dumbbells by elevating your shoulders to the highest possible

position.Holdthecontractionat thetoppositionforonesecond.Elbows

shouldbefullystraightenedthroughtheentiremovement.

3.Lowertothestartingposition.

4.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Averyeffectivevariationof thismovement is toperformit

seated on a military press bench. This movement can also be performed

unilaterally.

ChapterXIII:DumbbellExercisesfortheBack

1. InternalOblique

2.Ilio-Costalis*3.SpinalisDorsi*4. LongissimusDorsi*5. TransversalisCervicis*

6. Quadratus

7. Trapezius(Sectioned)8.LatissimusDorsi9. Levator AngluiScapularis10. RhomboideusMinor11. RhomboideusMajor

12. SerratusPosticus

Lumborum Inferior

*Musclesof theErectorSpinaeRonnieColeman,LeeHaneyandDorianYates

have the three best backs in the history of bodybuilding, and combined, these

threeownnearlyhalfofallMr.Olympiaprizeseverwon.

“Strongman equals strong back,” said two-timeworld’s strongestmanwinner

andformerchampionpowerlifter,BillKazmaier.

Astrong,well-developedbackepitomizesfunctionalityandprojectsapersonaof

power.

InvertedFly

The inverted fly primarily targets your rhomboids. However, your posterior

deltoids,trapeziusIIIandoutwardrotatorsarealsoactivated.

ExercisePerformance

1.Grabtwodumbbellswithaslightbendinyourknees;getinpositionwith

aflatback

and your torso parallel to the floor. Dumbbells should be held palms

facing(neutralgrip).

2.Yourarmsshouldbenearlystraight,approximately10degreesshortoffull

extension.

Maintainthispositionfortheentiremovement.

3.Move your arms away from each other laterally (to the side), in an arc

motion

,attempt to squeeze the shoulder blades together to maximize the

effectivenessofthe

contraction,andholdthecontractedpositionforonesecond.

4.Lowertheweights,undercontrol,backtothestartingposition.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Thisexercisecanalsobeperformedfacedownonanincline

bench press to avoid stress on the lower back. Do not make this a “cheating

exercise.”

One-ArmDumbbellRows

This exercise has been a part of many no-nonsense power lifting and

bodybuildingregimens.

ExercisePerformance

1.Placeadumbbelltothesideofaflatbench.

2.Placeyourleftlegonthetopofthebench;placethelefthandontheother

end of the bench for support.Get in positionwhere your upper body is

paralleltothefloor.

3.Pick up the dumbbellwith your right handwith your palm facing your

torso(neutralgrip).Thisisthestartingposition.

4.Usingyourupperback,liftthedumbbelltochestlevel.

5.Undercontrol,lowerthedumbbellbacktothestartingposition.

6.Repeatforspecifiednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Make sure you produce the force to lift the dumbbellwith

your back, not your biceps or forearms. Some bodybuilders prefer this

movement standing up holding on to the dumbbell rack with the non-lifting

hand.

Head-SupportedDumbbellRows

Head-supportedrowswerepopularizedamongstfringebodybuildingcirclesby

noneotherthanthegreatBillPearl.Pearlwasoneofthelasttruebodybuilders

from the erawhen strengthmattered and performing feats of strengthwas an

expectation,notanexception.Thisisoneofthebestmovementstothickenthe

upperandmiddleback.Thismovementeliminatesanypretenseofcheating.

ExercisePerformance

1.Place twodumbbellson the floor in frontofyour feet,which shouldbe

approximatelyshoulder-widthapart.

2. Bend down and grab the dumbbells so that your palms are facing each

other(neutralgrip).

3.Placeyourforeheadonacomfortableobjectthatisaboutwaisthigh(well-

padded incline benches work well). Keep a slight bend in the legs

throughout the entirety of themovementwith your torso parallel to the

floor.

4.Withbothhands, lift theweightsupusingyourupperbackmuscles.Lift

theweightupasfaraspossibletoyoursides.Donotalterthepositionof

yourlegsandback.

5. Lower the weight back down to the starting position in a controlled

fashion.

6.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Keepyourbackflatandnevercheatonthismovement.

DumbbellDeadlifts

This is not a popular exercise, probably because it is so dang difficult! Some

powerliftershaveusedthismovementtohelpbuildstartingstrength;othershave

useditlikebodybuildersandotherphysiquespecialiststoincreaseoverloadby

increasingtherangeofmotion.Nomatterhowheavythedumbbellsare,theyare

muchcloser to thefloorcompared toplatesonabarbell.Themovementstarts

withahugeleveragedeficit,makingitmuchharder.

ExercisePerformance

1.Setdumbbellsonthefloorandstandfacingthedumbbells.

2.Bendatthehipsandkneesandgrabthedumbbellswithanoverhandgrip.

3.Withoutallowingyourbacktoround,standupwiththedumbbells.

4.Lowerthedumbbellsbacktothefloorafteryou’veachievedafullyerect

position.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Increasedrangesofmotiondeadliftvariationswereafavorite

ofbodybuilderGustavoBadell,whohadoneofthemostdevelopedbacksinpro

bodybuilding in his prime. Make sure you have the mobility to perform this

exercisewithgreattechnique.Donotbeafraidtousewriststraps.

WeightPull-UpswithDipBeltandDumbbell

This manual is about the most effective methods to train with dumbbells.

However,itwouldnotbefairnottomentionyoucandoanypull-uporchin-up

variationwithadipbeltandaddadditionalweightwithdumbbells.

Ifyouarenotdoingpull-upsnow,start! Ifyouareunable todoapull-up,we

recommend the book Jailhouse Strong, which offers a number of progression

plansforthebeginnertobuildupthestrengthtodopull-ups.

ChapterXIV:DumbbellExercisesfortheUpperArms

1.BicepsBrachii–LongHead2.BicepsBrachii–ShortHead3.HeadofHumerus4.Brachialis5.Triceps–ScapularHead6.Triceps–LateralHead7.Triceps–MedialHead

Biceps

Fromtheimmortalbodybuildinglegend,ChuckSipes,“Theappreciationofbig,

powerfularmsisanAmericanfolkcustom.BythisImeanthatthiscountrywas

developedby the laborsofall thevariouspioneersandexplorersover thepast

300-400 years.As they pushed into thewilderness and afterwards,wresting a

living from the land, thesemen had towork hard,workwith their hands and

arms and whole body, to get along. The settler, the village blacksmith, the

lumberjack, the carpenter andbuilder ... all neededpowerful arms to ply their

tradewell,and in timethosewith thegreatest,mostpowerfularmsgrewtobe

respected for their contributions.Bodybuilding today,with the glorification of

the entire well-developed physique, is still influenced by this great American

heritage to the extent that big arms and powerful arms are themost respected

partofthebody.”

Thisheldtrueahalf-centuryagoandstillholdstruetoday.

PreacherCurls

This was a favorite amongst bodybuilders in the golden era. This movement

removesanysortofchanceatcheating.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standbehindaninclinebench.

2.Restthebackofyourupperarmandelbowontheinclinebenchholdinga

dumbbellinyourhand.

3. From the fully flexed position (dumbbell at shoulder level), lower the

weighttothefullextendedposition.

4. From this position, using the bicep, flex the dumbbell back to starting

position.

5.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Don’t start from thebottompositionunlessyouareanarm

wrestler looking to develop sport-specific strength. Do not cheat the range of

motion.

ZottmanCurls

Zottmancurlsofferaterrificbangforyourbuck.Basically,youareperforminga

regular curl with an eccentric overload reverse curl, blasting the biceps and

forearmsintooblivion.

ExercisePerformance

1. Start with one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward. Stand up

straightwithyourelbowsclosetoyourtorso.

2.Curlthedumbbellstoyourshoulders.

3.Atthetopofthemovement,rotateyourwristswithpalmsfacingforward

again.Lowertheweighttothestartingpositionusingapronatedgrip.

4.Atthebottom,rotateyourwristsagainwithpalmsfacingforward.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNote:Toreallyblasttheforearms,trythismovementwithFatGripz.

InclineDumbbellCurls

Thismovementisanextendedrangeofmotionmovement.Yes,thatmeansit’s

harder and no, youwon’t be able use asmuchweightwith the added stretch

component.Thisisapurposefullyaddedoverloadcomponent.

ImportantNotes

1. Lie back on an incline bench with the incline set at approximately 45

degrees,lettingyourarmshangfullyextendedatyoursides.

2. Keep your arm supinated (palms forward) throughout the entire

movement.

3. Keep your shoulders and torso stationary; curl both arms toward your

shouldersashighasyoucango.

4.Lowertheweighttothestartingposition.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Sinceyourarmsareangledbehindyou,therangeofmotion

isgreatlyincreased,addingahugestretchcomponent.Shorteningthismovement

destroysthedesiredtrainingeffect;fullrangeofmotionforfulldevelopmentis

the name of the game here! This exercise can be performed with both arms

simultaneouslyorinanalternatingfashion.

HammerCurls

Hammercurlshavebeenafavoriteoftoppowerliftersfordecades.Notonlyto

helpbuild strongbiceps,but alsohelp strengthen the forearms to a significant

degree.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standwithyourtorsouprightandadumbbellineachhandwithyourarms

extended,keepingtheelbowsclosetothebody.

2.Palmsshouldbefacingthetorso.Thisisaneutralgrip(that’swhythisgrip

isnicknamedHammergrip).

3. Holding the upper arm stationary, maintaining a neutral grip, curl the

weight forward contracting the biceps; continue curling to a fully

contractedposition.Holdthecontractedpositionforhalfofasecond.

4.Lowertheweight,undercontrol,tothestartingposition.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Thismovementcanalsobeperformedseated,reallyfocuson

keeping the elbows stationary and onlymoving your forearms.Hammer curls

canbeperformedbilaterallyorinanalternatingfashion.

Triceps

Bicepsmaygetalltheglory,buttricepsareresponsibleforstretchingthetape!

Manypeopledonotrealizethat thetricepsaccountfor twothirdsof theupper

arm,sopoortricepsdevelopmentisarecipeforspaghettiarms.Wanttodevelop

big,beautifularmsorpressbigweights?Ifyouansweredyestooneorboth,you

havetodevelopthetriceps.

FrenchPress

This is an oldie but goodie! The French press exercise has been partially

responsible for some of the greatest horseshoe triceps to ever grace the

bodybuildingstage;ithasalsohelpedbuildsomeofthebiggest“backarmson

theprisontierandhelpedvaudevillianstrongmenbuildhugeoverheadpresses.

ExercisePerformance

1.Standinginanerectposition,grabadumbbelloverheadwithbothhands

undertheinterplate(heart-shapedgrip).

2.Withtheelbowsoverhead,lowertheforearmsbehindtheheadbyflexing

theupperarm(keepthemovementattheelbow,nottheshoulder).

3. Lower the weight until you feel a stretch in your triceps (top of the

dumbbell should be lower than the top your head,minimally).Hold the

stretchedpositionforhalfofasecond.

4.Extendtheelbowsbacktostartingposition.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

Important Notes: Full range of motion is imperative on this exercise; the

stretchedpositionispartoftheoverload.Folkswithbackissuescanperformthis

movementseated.Thismovementcanalsobeperformedwithonearm.

Tri-set-Triceps

Wewere first introduced to this exercise by Joe Giandonato,MS, one of the

wellness coordinators atDrexelUniversity,who’s also one of the top strength

and conditioning coaches in the Philadelphia area. This movement gives new

meaningto“tricepspump.”

ExercisePerformance

1.Grabapairofdumbbells.Liedownonaflatbench.

2.Movementone:Performaneutral-gripdumbbellbenchpress.

3. Movement two: From the top lockout position, lower your dumbbells,

hingingat theelbows, to thesideyourhead.Extendback to the lockout

position.

4.Movement three:Fromthe lockoutposition, lower thedumbbellsbehind

yourhead(sortoflikeapullover).Extendbacktothestartingposition.

5.Thisthree-movementsequenceconstitutesasonerep.

6.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNotes:Joerecommendsstartingwith35percentoftheloadthatyou

candumbbellbenchpressfor10reps(ifyoucando50s,youneed17.5-pound

dumbbells;inmostgyms,thesewouldnotbeavailablesoyoucanroundupto

20sortry15s).Thismovementcausestheextremefatigue!

DeclineTricepsExtension

Decline bench presses reduce range of motion when compared to flat bench

presses.Declinetricepsextensionsincreaserangeofmotion.MRIstudiesshow

thismovementsignificantlytaxesallthreeheadsofthetricepswhenperformed

with a barbell and there is no reasonwhy the samewould not hold truewith

dumbbells.

ExercisePerformance

1. Lie on a decline bench press with two dumbbells held at arm’s length

extension.

2.Keepingyourupperarmsclosetoyoursidesandelbowsstationary,bend

yourarms.

3.Bring the dumbbells down to the side of your head at a controlledpace

untilyoufeelastretchinyourtriceps.

4.Extendtheweightbackuptothestartingposition.

5.Repeatfortheprescribednumberofrepetitions.

Important Notes: Use a 15-to 20-degree decline and keep your elbow

stationary.Thisisanextension,notanoffshootofapress.

DumbbellFloorPausedTricepsExtensions

This is a great exercise to break up the eccentric/concentric chain. In other

words,your tricepshave todoall thework,withnohelp from theelastic-like

energystoredontheeccentric.

ExercisePerformance

1.Lieflatonthefloor,holdingadumbbellineachhand.Extendyourarms

straightaboveyourshoulders,palmsfacingeachother.

2.Keepyourupperarmstationary,bendyourelbowsandlowertheweight,

controlled,untilthedumbbellstouchthefloorslightlybehindyourheador

tothesidesofyourforehead.

3.Pauseonthefloorforonesecond.

4.Afterthepause,extendthedumbbellsbacktothestartingposition.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ChapterXV:DumbbellExercisesfortheForearmsandWrists(Grip)

1. Flexor Profundus Digitorum 2. Extensor CommunisDigitorum3.FlexorCarpiRadialis4.FlexorCarpiUlnaris5.Extensor Carpi Radialis Longior 6. Extensor Carpi RadialisBrevior7.SupinatorLongus8.PronatorQuadratus9.PronatorRadiiTeres10.Radius11.Ulna

12.Elbow

A legitimately strong individual proudlywearswell-developed forearms like a

knight wears armor. Some of the genetically blessed get pretty good forearm

developmentwithoutmuchdirectwork.Fortherestofus,todevelopthisbadge

of honor (big-ass forearms), we need direct work. Some of the modern day

miragesofmeatget theirdevelopment frompumpinguponchromemachines

and taking scrupulous amounts of anabolic drugs. At certain poses this looks

okay,butanybodywhoknowspower,knowsthisfacadeisbuiltbytrainingon

justmachinesandneverhavingreallygrippedanyheavyiron.

Topossessthelookofpower,youhavetohavedevelopedforearmmuscles.

WristCurlsandReverseWristCurlsA lotof sports require strong forearm

muscles for grabbing, pulling, pushing or gripping.Debt collectors need these

musclestomakealiving,andmoreimportantly,stayalive.

ExercisePerformance

1.Sittingdown,restyourrighthandonyourrightthighwithyourwristjust

beyondyourknees,withadumbbellinhand(palmsup/supinatedgrip).

2.Allowthedumbbelltorolloutofyourpalmstoyourfingers,flexingatthe

wrist.

3.Lift thedumbbellbacktothestartingpositionbyflexingtheknucklesto

thehighestpossibleposition.

4.Lowerbackdown.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions(alternatesideseachset).

ImportantNotes:Thismovementisveryimportanttodevelopforearmflexors.

Remember,thestretchispartofthemovement.Thisisashortrangeofmotion

movement,sodonotcutitshorter.

WristExtension

Frequently, trainees work their forearm flexors adequately, but neglect the

extensors.Toavoidelbowpainandnotshortchangefulldevelopment,itisvery

importanttokeepabalancebetweentheextensorsandflexors.

ExercisePerformance

1.Sittingdown,restyourrighthandonyourrightthighwithyourwristjust

beyondyourknees,withadumbbellinhand(palmsdown/pronatedgrip).

2.Allowthedumbbelltorolloutofyourpalmstoyourfingers,flexingatthe

wrist.

3.Liftthedumbbellbacktothestartingpositionbyflexinguptheknuckles

tothehighestpossibleposition.

4.Lowerbackdown.

5.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions(alternatesideseachset).

Important Notes: To really increase overload, try this movement with Fat

Gripz.

Ulnar/Radial Deviation A forgotten fact is that forearms do more than just

extendandflexthewrist.Theyabduct(moveawayfromthebody)andadduct

(move toward the body). For complete development, these functions must be

trained.

UlnarDeviationExerciseTechnique

1.Grab a half-loaded dumbbellwith theweight on the pinky side of your

hand.

2. Using your wrist, move the dumbbell toward the midline of the body,

moving the little finger side of the hand toward the medial side of the

forearm3.Gobacktostartingposition.

4.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

RadialDeviationExerciseTechnique

1.Grabahalf-loadeddumbbellwith theweighton the thumbsideofyour

hand.

2.Usingyourwrist,movethedumbbelllaterally(awayfrom)themidlineof

yourbody,moving the little fingersideof thehand to the lateralsideof

theforearm.

3.Gobacktostartingposition.

4.Repeatforprescribednumberofrepetitions.

ImportantNote: This is your ace in the hole!Ninety-nine percent ofweight

trainersdonotworktheforearmsholistically.

ChapterXVI:DumbbellExercisesfortheMidsection

1.PectoralisMajor2.RectusAbdominis3.ExternalObliques4.InternalObliques5.Transversalis6.LineaAlba7.LineaTransverserae8.LineaSimilunaris9.Psoas10.ErectorSpinae11.QuadratusLumborum

12.Serratus

First, stop thinking of your midsection as being comprised of just your

abdominals.Ofcourse,thatisoneofthemusclesofyourmidsection.Butasthe

illustrationaboveshows,thereareseveralothermusclesthatarequiteimportant

indevelopingastrong,shapelymidsection.

Let’s face it, when you’re scrutinizing someone else’s body—especiallywhen

much of it is exposed—your focusmeanders a bit, going from here to there.

However,italmostalwayscomesbacktotheabs.Whethertheylookrock-hard

orpillow-soft,theyarethemostobviousmeasureofhealthandfitness!

Any doubts?Compare two peoplewhomyou’ve nevermet before.One has a

slovenly looking lump for a midsection, and the other has a midsection

resemblingcorrugatedsteel.Now,givennoadditional information,whowould

you say is in better shape? Hell! These two people look like species from

differentplanets!’Nuffsaid.

AnatomyisDestiny

The answer to achieving that much-desired washboard appearance lies in

studying theanatomyof spinalmovement.This is also trueofamelioratingor

preventing low back pain, a condition of epidemic proportions in our culture.

The particular shape any given muscle attains through the administration of

progressiveresistanceisaresultofgeneticpredisposition.

The spine is comprised of 33 vertebrae, only 24 of which form the flexible

portionlocatedabovethesacrum.Therearesevencervicalvertebrae,12thoracic

vertebraeandfivelumbarvertebrae.Withtheexceptionofthefirsttwocervical

vertebrae, theextentofmovement at anyvertebral joint is slight, although the

totalmovementofalljointsappearstobelarge.Theextentofmovementinany

given vertebral joint is due to 1) the thickness of the intervertebral discs (the

larger intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine allow more movement there

becausetheycompressmore),and2)thetightnessoftheligamentsholdingthe

vertebraetogether(theyappeartobeslightlylesstightinthelumbarspine).

Flexion,lateralflexionandhyperextensioninthethoracicregionarelimitedby

the presence of downwardly deflected spinous processes (posteriorly) and the

ribs (anteriorly).Andboth rotationand lateral flexionaresomewhat limited in

thelumbarspinebecauseof thepresenceof interlockingprocesses.Rotationis

fargreaterinthethoracicregion.

Within these anatomical constraints, performing crunches for abdominal

developmentinvolvesflexionatallofthethoracicandlumbarvertebrae.Study

TableOne.You’llnotethattherearefivemajorspinalmovementspossible:

•FlexionandDiagonalFlexion

•ExtensionandDiagonalExtension(andHyperextension)

•LateralFlexion

•RotationtotheSameSide

•RotationtotheOppositeSide

TABLEONE

MOVEMENTSOFTHETHORACICANDLUMBARSPINES

*Thepsoasmayattimesbecomealumbarspinehyperextender.

In thecaseof thespine,rotationisalwaysaccompaniedbylateralflexion,and

lateralflexionisalwaysaccompaniedbyrotation.Circumduction(themovement

of any body part that describes a “cone") is a combination of flexion, lateral

flexion, hyperextension and lateral flexion to the opposite side.There is some

rotationinvolvedinspinalcircumductiontotheextentthatitaccompanieslateral

flexion.Allofthesemovementsareaccomplishedbyseveralmusclesactingasa

team,eachassumingoneofsixpossibleroles:

•PrimeMover(themusclethatproducesthemostforcetomoveabone)

• Assistant Mover (the muscle that assists a prime mover in overcoming

resistance)

•Antagonist(themusclethatactsinoppositiontothemovementoccurring

atthejoint);

•Stabilizer(themusclethatstabilizes,orfixes,abonesothatmovementcan

occuratanotherbonearticulatingwith thestabilizedbone.Forexample,

the rectus abdominus contracts isometrically in a leg lift to stabilize the

pelvisandkeepitfromtiltingforward)

•HelpingSynergist (twomuscles are helping synergistswhen they cancel

eachother’snormalmovement,allowingthedesiredmovementtooccur)

•TrueSynergist (cancels theundesiredmovementofaprimemoverwhile

notparticipatinginthedesiredmovement)

Innervation for the abdominals is from the anterior divisions of the seventh,

eighth, ninth, 10th and 11th dorsal nerves ("lower intercostal nerves"). They

terminate in subcutaneousbranches (called theanterior cutaneousnerves)near

the linea alba (the abdominals’midline).The left and right sides of the rectus

abdominusare separated fromoneanotherby the lineaalba, andare therefore

independently innervated, just as are all left and right sets of muscles of the

trunk(e.g.,leftandrightpecs).

Thetendonousintersectionsyougetafterstrippingawaysomefatandputtingon

somemusclearecalled the linea transversae.These intersections(whichrarely

extend across the entire abdominal wall) are located on the front of the

abdominal wall only—the tendonous tissue does not separate the left or right

recti into functional units. It only appears that way when viewing the

“washboard” effect on an in-shape person. They are not innervated separately

either,asissometimesassumed(probablybecausethat’sthewayitlooks).Nor

do they contract separately. Electromyographic studies have demonstrated that

theupperportionof therectiproducemoreactivitywhendoingcruncheswith

noweight,butwhenaslittleas10poundsisadded,activityisequalthroughout

themuscle. The same studies demonstrated that reverse crunches can produce

greater activity in the lower abs than in the upper abs, but they also produce

activity in the obliques.When resistance is applied to the crunch movement,

differences in electrical activity disappeared and contraction became relatively

uniform throughout theentire rectusabdominus.Socontrary topopularbelief,

all abdominal exercises in which substantial resistance (weight) is being

overcomewillproduceequallystrongelectromyographicactivitythroughoutthe

entiremuscle.Insimpleterms,noupperorlowerpartofamuscleis“isolated".

InTableOne,wehavelistedonlytheprimemovers(PM)andassistantmovers

(Asst.), as these are the roles in question for developing the midsection,

particularly the internal obliques, external obliques and rectus abdominus

muscles.

There aremany variations of abdominal exercises, and there are just asmany

abdominal exercise devices. All with any value, however, have one thing in

common: inonewayoranother, theybring theribs(originof theabdominals)

and pelvis (insertion) closer together (spinal flexion) by contracting the

abdominalmuscles.Your internal and external obliques aid in thismovement.

Thesesimpleactionsallowyourabstobecomeapowerful“link”foryourupper

and lower body. With this in mind, your abs suddenly have a much more

importantrolethansimplyflexingthespineorstabilizingyourpelvis.

Strongabshavebeenwell-documentedtoprotectandsupportthelowerback.In

fact, the only longitudinal muscle responsible for maintaining a proper and

healthy lumbar curvature (by stabilizing the pelvis) is your rectus abdominis.

Furthermore, tight, firmabsareresponsibleforholdingyour internalorgans in

theproperplace.Thisalsohelpssupportthespine.

Okay,bynowyougetthepoint.Yourabsareimportant!Theproblemis,what

canbedone about it?Listen to100people, andyou’ll get 100 answers!Let’s

lookatsomemythsthatsurroundabdominaltraining.

•Myth:Youcan“isolate”upperandlowerabsbydoingcrunchesorreverse

crunches.Not necessarily.A study done several years ago demonstrated

that the upper portion of the rectus abdominis produces more activity

whendoingabcruncheswithnoweight,butwhenaslittleas10poundsis

added, activity is equal throughout the muscle. The same study

demonstrated that reverse crunches can produce greater activity in the

lower abs than in the upper abs, but they also produce activity in the

obliques. In simple terms, all abdominal exercises produce activity

throughoutthemuscle;noupperorlowerpartofamuscleis“isolated.”

•Myth:Youshoulddohighrepetitionsforyourabs.Likeallothermusclesin

yourbody,theyrespondbesttoprogressiveresistancetraining;youmust

trainyourabslikeyoudotherestofyourmuscles!Andsincetheprimary

function of your abs (other than taking on the prized washboard

appearance) is to stabilizeyourpelvis,yourprimary trainingaimshould

be to develop the “limit strength” of your abs. So you should use

resistance. Endlessly doing reps isn’t going to give you any more of a

washboardappearance.

•Myth: If you use heavyweight, you’ll never have a smallwaistline.The

abdominalwallisasheetofmuscle,unlike,say,yourbiceps;they’renot

prone tobulge like abicep is.Peoplewith largewaistlines tend tohave

eitheralargepelvicgirdle,abeerbelly,lotsoffatoracombinationofthe

three.

•Myth:Eachof theabdominalsegments(i.e., thewashboardeffect)visible

on a fit individual individually flexes a different part of the spine. In a

1990s issue of a popular bodybuildingmagazine, itwas said that “each

segmentoftherectusabdominismovesorrotatesasmallpartofthespinal

columnaboutapointknownasa‘pivotpoint.’Therearefourpivotpoints

[relating to the visible segments] along the spine. As the ab muscles

contract, the pivot pointmoves down.” This is definitelywrong!While

some vertebrae flex more than others, it’s a function of the anatomical

structure of the spine, and not the result of a small portion of the abs

contracting. In fact, each of the moveable vertebra in the thoracic and

lumbarspineisapivotpoint,andtherearemanymorethanfour!

Many exercises have been developed over the ages to build abs. Some are

downrightharmful.Somearebetterthanothers.Butaswithallthingsinlifethat

canbegood,betterorbest,thereisalwaysgoingtobeonlyonebestway!But

first,let’sgiveduecredittoalltheothers.

Crunches

Here’s the most common crunch exercise: Lying on the floor with your legs

draped over a bench, curl your head toward your knees and contract your

abdominal wall so that your abs pull your ribs closer to your pelvis. Your

shouldergirdle andupperbackwill riseupoff the floor in theprocess.Don’t

raiseyour lowerbackupoff thefloor.Useaweightplatebehindyourheador

restingonyourupperchestifthismovementistooeasyforyou.

There are many crunch machines on the market nowadays that simulate the

crunchtechniquedescribedabove.Thebetter-knownonesarelistedinthetable

below.Mostare“good.”Thebestones,however,adda feature to theexercise

that was first seen during the early 1970s (in the first generation Nautilus

machines) and again a few years ago (Scorpion Equipment)—a head-support

feature.

Whysupportthehead?Well,sincemostheadsweight14to16pounds(moreor

less),itcanbeprettystressfulonthemusclesandcervicalvertebraesupporting

that ponderous globe! The sternocleidomastoid, assisted by the three scaleni

muscles and the prevertebralmuscle group (longus coli, longus capitis, rectus

capitisanteriorandrectuscapitislateralis),isresponsibleforcervicalflexion—

bringing thehead forward (or up if you’re lyingdownonyourback).Among

detrained individuals, this action can cause neck strain resulting in vertebral

subluxation.

ReverseCrunches

Thisexercisehasthesamebasiceffectascrunches.However,yourkneescome

towardyourfaceinsteadofviceversa.Somebodybuildersbelievethattheycan

getbetterlowerabdominaldevelopmentwiththisexercise.Wepersonallydoubt

it because the research tends to refute this age-old myth. So does empirical

observation.Everseeaguywithgreatwashboardupperabsbutasaggylower

abdomen? Or vice versa? No such thing! It’s more tenable that the entire

abdominalwallbenefitsequallyfromeitherexercise.

Youcanmakethisexercisemoredifficultbyraisingtheinclineboardthatyou’re

lyingonabithigher.Beginwithyourkneesandhipscompletelyflexed.When

raisingyourknees towardyour face,youshouldn’tswing themupward,as the

ballisticmovementwilltendtoremovesomeofthedesiredstress.Instead,raise

themup.

RussianTwists

DuringtheSovietera,theRussianswerefamousfortheirgreatathletes.Oneof

theexercisesthatallRussianathletesdofortheabdominalmuscles,theinternal

oblique muscles and the external oblique muscles has become known as the

Russian Twists. Every time you twist, swing a bat, or throw, you use these

importantmuscles.As for itsusefulness tobodybuilders, thisexercise tightens

theentiremidsectioninagirdleeffect.Yourobliqueswillprobablynevergrow

solargethattheybulgeout(called“Apollo’sGirdle").Butit’spossible,provided

yourgeneticspredisposesuchmassivegrowthpotential.

Your lower back remains in contactwith the ground (or, better yet, in contact

withan“S.I.pad”tuckedunderyoursacroiliac,orlowerback),andyourfeetare

positionedclosetoyourbuttocks(kneesbent).Holdingasmallweightdirectly

overyourfaceatarms’length,twistallthewaytotherightandthentotheleft

severaltimes.Donotallowyourtorsoorshoulderstocomeincontactwiththe

ground while twisting left and right. And don’t deviate laterally from your

longitudinalaxis.

HangingLegRaises

Themythisthathangingwhileraisingyourkneesupwardisgoingtoselectively

developyourlowerabs.Actually,hanginglegraisesaretheultimateversion(the

highest stress version) of reverse crunches. Reread the description of reverse

crunches, and then attempt to do hanging leg raises. Bet you can’t! The only

people we’ve ever seen capable of doing this exercise correctly are

accomplishedgymnasts.

Yourbestbetistodoreversecrunches.Remember,flexingyourhipsduringthe

knee raise is developing your hip flexors (iliopsoas) and your grip (forearm)

muscles,notyourabs!

Sidebends

Here’s yet another preventive exercise for your spine! This time, you’re

exercising twovery largemusclegroups thathelp stabilizeyour lowerback—

your obliques and your quadratus lumborum muscles. Both are extremely

important to bodybuilders and athletes alike in that they must be strong to

preventbackinjuries.

Ofcourse,bodybuildersbenefit fromthefact that (aswithRussianTwists) the

“Apollo’sGirdle”effectcomesintoplay.Yourtonedobliqueswilltendto“trim”

yourwaist.Simplybenddirectlysidewardtowardthesideholdingthedumbbell.

Theotherarmisbehindyourheadtopre-stretchyourtargetedobliques.

Some of these exercises are good,meaning they’re better than doing nothing.

Someoftheseexercisesarereallygood.ButI’vesavedthebestforlast.Allof

theaforementionedexercisesinvolvepartialmovementsormovementwherethe

rectusabdominus,internalobliquesorexternalobliquescontractinastaticstate.

Theseconditionsdonotproducethe“best”results.

PartialMovementsvs.FullRangeMovements

Partialmovements have their place inweight training.Bodybuilders use them

whenworkingon limit strengthor stickingpoints,andathletes inmanysports

use them for both these purposes as well as in simulating sports-specific

movements.However, it’s safe to say that full-rangemovements are generally

moreproductive in improving strength, toneandmass.So let’s exploreoneof

the reasonswhy full-rangemovementsare soproductive. Ithas todowith the

amountofworkbeingaccomplished.

Let’ssayyousquatwith500pounds,butonlygohalfwaydown.Yournormal

“stroke" (distance overwhich youmove theweight) equals two feet, but you

onlygoonefootdown.And,let’ssaytheupwardmovementtakesonesecond.

Power=force×distance÷time

P=500×1foot÷1second=500

Now,let’ssayyoudidthefullsquatmovementoftwofeetinthesameamount

oftime:

P=500×2feet÷1second=1000.

Clearly,you’vedonetwicetheamountofwork:

Work=force×distance

Work=500×2=1000

Even if it took you twice the amount of time to perform the full range of

movement,you’vestilldonetwicethework:

P=500×2feet÷2seconds=500,but

Work=500×2feet=1000.

Youdon’thavetobearocketscientisttounderstandthattwicetheworkmakes

foramuchmoreefficientworkout!But,let’slookatonemorereasonwhyfull-

rangemovements are oftenmore productive in bodybuilding and sports. This

time,we’ll lookatwhat’sgoingonat thecellularlevel—insidethecontracting

muscleitself.

Whenyoustretchamuscletoitsfulllength,themyofibrillarelements(actinand

myosin)are fullystretched.Thatmeans that theoverlapbetween theactinand

myosin myofibrils is minimal, and you’re not as capable of producing force.

Remember,thecross-bridginggoingonbetweentheactinandmyosinstrandsis

whatcausescontraction.

The light anddark stripes are a result of thegreateror lesseroverlapof these

myofibrils.Thus,afullycontractedmusclewouldappeardarker thanamuscle

thatwasfullystretched.

Over a fewweeksof time, however, the actin andmyosinmyofibrils adapt to

thisnewrequirementofhavingtoproduceforcewhilestretched.Theydosoby

growing longer inanattempt to increase theamountofoverlapbetween them.

This, of course, has the net effect of increasing the amount of force you can

generateevenwhilestretched!

Thephotobelowofaspinebeingmanipulatedillustratestheamountofflexion

each of the vertebrae is capable of. You can see that there is a two-to three-

degreemovementcapabilitybetweeneach thoracicvertebral joint and three to

five degrees of movement possible between each lumbar vertebral joint. It’s

clearthatafullrangecrunchmovementfromabout30degreeshyperextension

toabout30degreeshyperflexionisquitepossible.Youcanaccomplishthisby

placingafewrolleduptowelsbehindyourlumbarspinewhiledoingfullrange

crunches.

Ofcourse,anotheristhattheamountofworkyou’reaccomplishingisvirtually

doubled.Your thoracicvertebral jointsarecapableofa fewdegreesof flexion

and hyperextension, and the lumbar vertebrae slightlymore. The curvature of

yourpadded“bench”closelymatchestherangeofmovementintendedforyour

thoracic and lumbar spines. This ensures non-traumatic movement from an

unforced hyperextended position to an unforced flexed position. And this

ensuresthegreatestpossiblerangeofmotionandtheleastpossibleintervertebral

trauma.For thoseofyouwithbadbacks(almostallofyou, ifstatisticscanbe

trusted), it has become axiomatic that ab work is the best therapy for your

condition. And for those of you whose backs are virgin to troublesome

herniations,subluxationsandruptures,itisasmuchthecaseforprevention.

Afewpointstoponder:

• You can’t put your obese client on the ground to do crunches without

causingseverepsychologicaltrauma(it’sembarrassingtothemwhenthey

trytogetupordown).

• The ab machines on the market are difficult to get into and out of, are

principallyhip flexors (theabsare forced tostaticallycontractwhile the

iliopsoascontractstobringyourtorsoforwardoryourkneestowardyour

chest),and-theyinvolveonlyahalfrangemovementcapability.

• Full-range crunches are 100 percent more productive than half range

crunches.

•Decompressionof the intervertebraldiscsduring thepre-stretchedcrunch

movementisdesirable.

• Abdominal muscle cells are no different from other muscle cells, and

therefore will respond optimally based on the specific fiber type(s)

comprisingthemuscle.

•Prestretchedabcrunchesaretheonlyexercisecapableofsolvingallthese

problems.

•Don’t neglect the critical importance of diet andnutrition!Theonlyway

you(oranyoneelse)willevergettoseeyoursix-packisifyoustripthe

uglyfataway!Thatmeanscarefuldieting!

•Now for thebigquestion:What todowith those sensitiveobese clients?

Have themdo theircrunchesonan inclinebench!Adjust itupordown,

dependingontheirability,andfashionapad(arolledupbeachtowel,for

example)fortheirlowbacksothattheycangetsomehyperextension(to

increasetheirrangeofmotionduringexercise).Voila!

ChapterXVII:TrainingPrograms

ABCSystemofPeriodizedBodybuilding

The ABC system of bodybuilding training is a program based on the Seven

GranddaddyLawsoftraining.Theserulesarenotnew,norcananyoneclaimto

have discovered them. Over the years, these rules have gained acceptance as

“laws";theyaresetinstone.

WhileDr.HatfieldandtheInternationalSportsSciencesAssociationhavenoted

them, every other credible expert in the training sciences acknowledges them,

eveniftheyhavedifferentnamesforthem.

THE ABC SYSTEM IS NOT SET IN STONE—THE PRINCIPLES

BEHINDITARE!

Forexample,wewillpresentprogramsthataremeanttobeappliedthreedays

perweekandfivedaysperweekandABCapproachesthatfocusonmovements

ratherthanbodyparts.

Theprogramoutlinedbelowisdefinitelydoable,evenforfolkswithbusylives.

Sure,youwillneeddedicationandyoumayhavetotrainintheeveningorearly

in themorning to fit it in. It is sevendaysaweekandwedon’t feel sorry for

you! As we said, we will give you alternatives that follow the universally

accepted rules of training. But 99 percent of the population can, if they are

dedicated,followthisprogram.Noneoftheworkoutsinthisprogramshouldbe

longerthan90minutes.Mostofthemare20to35minuteslong,unlessyouare

exercisingyourjawmusclestoomuchbetweensets!

Tables1and2giveyoua28-dayschedule.Followingthataretheworkoutstobe

doneoneachday.

Legs

Forthisbodypart,ourstapleexercisewillbetheKeystoneDeadlift.Withthatin

mind,youcanbreakthelegsdownintohamstrings,quadriceps,glutesandlower

back, in the same fashion we did with the upper body (chest, shoulders and

triceps,withthemainexercisethebenchpress).Ifyoudecidetodoso,givethe

sameamountofresttimetoeachmuscleaslistedinthechartforlegs.

Examples

A.Workout—KeystoneDumbbellDeadlifts65percent÷6reps×3setsB.

Workout—KeystoneDumbbellDeadlifts75percent×6×3,SissySquats

8x2

C.Workout—2 iant sets: Keystone Dumbbell Deadlift 80 percent × 5,

DumbbellLunges65percent12,FreeSquatsBW×40

chest

Weunderstandit’sastoughtoisolatethepecsfromtheshouldersandtricepsas

itistoisolatethevariouslegmuscles.Wewilldoourbest,butrealizeitwillstill

cut into recovery time of the other muscles. In the general notes section, we

pointoutthatyoucanmoveworkoutsaroundsothattheyworkinharmony.

Itmaybeadvantageoustouseawidergrip(elbowsout)onthebenchpressso

thatthepectoralsgetthebruntandnottheshouldersortriceps.Youcouldeven

useexerciseslikethepecdeckordumbbellflysinstead.

Examples

A.Workout—DumbbellBenchPress65percent÷6×3

B.Workout—Dumbbell Bench Press 75 percent ÷ 6 × 3,Chest Flys 65

percent÷12×2

C.Workout—2giantsets:DumbbellBenchPress80percent×5,ChestFlys

65percent×12,DumbbellReverseGripBench35percent×40

Shoulders

Shoulders,liketriceps,mustcoincidewiththechestexercisesifweareusingthe

benchpressasourmainchestexercise.Movingexercisesadayaheadoraday

laterisnotthatbigofadeal.Ifyouarebenchingwithawidegrip,youshould

stillbeable to fit theseexercises inon theirprescribeddays. Ifyoudon’t feel

comfortablewiththat,thenbyallmeansmovethemtoanotherday.

Examples

A.Workout—FrontRaises6×3

B.Workout—FrontRaises6×3,LateralRaises12×2

C.Workout—2giantsets:FrontRaises×6,LateralRaises×12,Dumbbell

OverheadPress×40

Triceps

Thecommentaryprovidedinthechestandshouldersectionalsoappliestotricep

work. Here are the workouts: Examples A. Workout—Decline Dumbbell

TricepsExtension12×3

B.Workout—DeclineDumbbellTricepsExtension12×2,BarDips6×2

C. Workout—2 giant sets: Bar Dips × 6, Decline Dumbbell Triceps

Extension×6,TatePress×40

Back

Thereare twoapproachesyoucan take in training theback.Youcanusebent

rowsandwork theposteriordeltoidsandrhomboids,oryoucanwork the lats.

Ofcourse,youcoulddothemboth!Likethebenchpress,yourbicepswillalso

be trained with some of the movements. Keep that in mind and make

adjustmentsasneeded.

Examples

A.Workout—DumbbellBentRow6×3

B.Workout—Pull-ups 6x3, Dumbbell Bent Row 6×3, Seated Dumbbell

Shrugs12×2

C.Workout—2giantsets:Pull-ups×12,DumbbellBentRow×6,Reverse

Fly×12,Pullover×40,SeatedDumbbellShrugs12×2

Biceps

Onthe40×2sets,usedumbbellswithbotharmsworkingtogetheratthesame

timetoensureconstanttension,whichisamustforwhatyouwanttoachieveby

doingthem.

Examples

A.Workout—DumbbellCurls6×3

B.Workout—DumbbellCurls6×3,ZottmanCurls12×2

C.Workout—2 giant sets Dumbbell Curls × 6, Zottman Curls × 12, Incline

DumbbellCurls×40

Forearms,Calves,Abs

Thesemusclesarepredominatelyslow-twitchandthereforecanbetrainedoften,

soyoucanworkthemintheABCapproachorinstaggeredsetsthroughoutthe

week,i.e.,whenit’sbestforyou.

Guidelines

Youmay find it advantageous tomove aworkout up a day or back a day.A

general rule of thumb is to move workouts that work larger muscles like the

pectoralsbackandworkoutsusingsmallermusclesliketheshouldersortriceps

upaday.

1.This system isvery intense!Proper sleep,nutrition and supplementation

areamust.

2.Listentoyourbody.Youmayfindthatyoudon’tneedasmuchrecovery

aswesuggestedoryoumayneedanextraday.Listeningtoyourbodyisa

goodthing—justdon’tletitlietoyou!Lazinessisnotareason!

3.Agiantset(Cworkouts)isasetoffivereps,asetof15repsandasetof

40 reps done without rest between sets. Furthermore, there is no rest

betweengiantsets.Thismeansyouwillbedoing130repsinarowwith

no rest.Of course, you can take time to changeweights andmove to a

different exercise,but that is amatterof5 to10 seconds.Yes, it canbe

done!Youmayneedtolowertheweightusedabit,butnotmuch.

4.The40repsinagiantsetareslow(2/2cadence,butthatisnotastrictrule)

andcontinuous.Don’tstopbetweenreps!Aslightpausebetweentheother

setsisokay.

5.Realizewe are presentingmerely guidelines, so the percentages are not

contradictorytowhatwasdiscussedearlier;theyareaverages.AnAdayis

slightstimulation,BdayisstrongstimulationandaCdayisannihilation.

Adjustasneeded.

Othersmaynotwanttotraindaily.HereisanABCtrainingguideforthreedays

aweek.Remember,aswiththeotherprograms,thisoneisnotsetinstone,only

theconceptofperiodsofhighintensityfollowedbyperiodsoflowintensity,as

wellastheothersixrulesoftraining.

Tables 1 and 2 outline an eight-week program using a three-day per week

trainingroutine.

ProsandCons

The pro of this format is it can be easier to fit into a rigid schedule. A big

complaintofmanytraineeswiththeABCapproachistheyclaimtheycan’tget

intothegymeveryday.Thisformatismucheasiertoputintoaregularandbusy

weeklyworkschedule;thisiseasiertoschedulearoundlife’sevents.

Theconofthisformatisthatitisn’tasproductiveasifyouhaveamoreflexible

schedule.Notallmusclesrecoveratthesamerate,yetifyouaregoingtostickto

asetschedule,youmaybeforcedtowaitadaybeforetrainingwhenyoumay

notneedit.Forexample,youmayneedfourfulldaystorecoverfromyourCleg

workout, but perhaps only three full days are needed for arms. That is not

optimaltraining,butitcanbeafairtradeofftohaveafixedscheduleoftraining.

Withthistrainingprogram,youshouldmakeadjustmentsasyouseefit.Listen

towhatyourbodyistellingyou,unlessyouhaveatrackrecordofbeinglazy!

NothingissetinstoneaslongastheSevenTrainingPrinciplesaren’tviolated.

CanABCtrainingbeused ina format thatonlyuses twoworkoutsperweek?

Sure!MondaycouldbeanAorBworkoutandThursdaycouldbeaCworkout.

It’llwork,but remember:Strengthandsizecomewith training frequently.For

maximumresults,youmusttrainashardandasoftenyourabilitytorecoverwill

allow.Youcan’talwaystrainhard,whichisoneofthemajorreasonsforusing

anABCapproach.Regardless,trainingformaximumresultsoftenmeansgetting

enoughrest,eatingproperlyandsupplementingyourdiet.

Some of the high-intensity techniques talked about earlier for advanced

bodybuilders can most certainly be integrated into the ABC program; these

wouldhavetobeintegratedintoaCday.

SevenGranddaddyLawReview

In case you are not familiarwith the SevenGranddaddy Laws of training, or

needareview,hereisashortrecap.

1. The Law of Individual Differences: We all have different abilities,

bodiesandweaknesses,andweallresponddifferently(toadegree)toany

given system of training. These differences should be taken into

considerationwhendesigningyourtrainingprogram.

2.TheOvercompensationPrinciple:MotherNature overcompensates for

trainingstressbygivingyoubiggerandstrongermuscles.

3.TheOverloadPrinciple:TomakeMotherNature overcompensate, you

muststressyourmusclesbeyondwhatthey’realreadyusedto.

4.The SAIDPrinciple: Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands—Each

organandorganellerespondstoadifferentformofstress.

5.TheUse/Disuse Principle: “Use it or lose it”means that yourmuscles

hypertrophywithuseandatrophywithdisuse.

6.TheGASPrinciple:TheacronymforGeneralAdaptationSyndrome,this

lawstatesthattheremustbeaperiodoflow-intensitytrainingorcomplete

restfollowingperiodsofhigh-intensitytraining.

7.TheSpecificityPrinciple:You’llgetstrongeratsquatsbydoingsquatsas

opposedtolegpresses,andyou’llgetgreaterenduranceforthemarathon

byrunninglongdistancesthanyouwillbysaycyclinglongdistances.

SampleWorkoutsUsingDumbbells

Intheexampleprogrambelow,youwillseerelativelycommonexercisesthatare

routinelyperformednowadaysbygymfolkeverywhere.Asa testament to the

fact that the scienceof dumbbell traininghas advanced considerably since the

early 1900s, none of the exercises below was included in Professor Barker’s

amazingcourse!

AnExampleofaDumbbellTrainingProgram(6DaysperWeek)Monday

(Chest,Shoulders,UpperBack)•DumbbellBenchPresses(Chest)

•LateralDumbbellRaises(MiddleDelts)

•OneArmDumbbellRows(PosteriorDelts,Lats)

•DumbbellShrugs(Traps)

Tuesday(Legs,Arms,Midsection)

•FrontLungeWalkingwithDumbbells(Quads,Gluteals)

•KeystoneDeadliftswithDumbbells(Hamstrings)

•DumbbellToeRaises(Claves)

•DumbbellCurls(Biceps)

•FrenchPresseswithDumbbells(Triceps)

•ForwardandReverseWristCurls(Forearms)

•Dumbbell Side Bends Left and Right (Internal and External Obliques) •

Crunches(Abdominals)Wednesday(Chest,Shoulders,UpperBack)

•DumbbellFlys(Chest)

•FrontDumbbellRaises(AnteriorDelts)

•InvertedDumbbellFlys(Rhomboids)

Thursday(Legs,Arms,Midsection)

SideSquatswithDumbbells(Quads,Gluteals,Adductors)

•DumbbellStiff-LeggedDeadlifts(Hamstrings,SpinalErectors)

•DumbbellToeRaises(Claves)

•DumbbellHammerCurls(Biceps,Brachialis)

•DumbbellDips(Triceps)

•ForwardandReverseWristCurls(Forearms)

• Crunches (Abdominals) Friday (Chest, Shoulders, Upper Back) •

Dumbbell Bench Presses (Chest) • Lateral Dumbbell Raises (Middle

Delts)

•One-ArmDumbbellRows(PosteriorDelts,Lats)

• Dumbbell Shrugs (Traps) Saturday (Legs, Arms, Midsection) • Front

LungeWalkingwithDumbbells(Quads,Gluteals,Hamstrings)•Keystone

DeadliftswithDumbbells(Hamstrings)

•DumbbellToeRaises(Claves)

•DumbbellCurls(Biceps)

•FrenchPresseswithDumbbells(Triceps)

•ForwardandReverseWristCurls(Forearms)

•Dumbbell Side Bends Left and Right (Internal and External Obliques) •

Crunches(Abdominals)VariableSplitSystem

Note:whileit’sokaytoworkthelowerbackonthesamedayaslegs,youshould

neverdolowerbackworkoutthedaybeforeorthedayfollowinglegworkouts.

Note:whileit’sokaytoworkbicepsonthesamedayasupperback,youshould

neverdobicepsthedaybeforeorthedayfollowingupperbackworkouts.

FinalThoughts

Wereallyappreciatetheopportunitytobeapartofyourfitness-trainingprocess.

Youhavebeengiventhetoolstobeable“tofish.”Ifyourappetiteistoeattoday

andyou’rereadytogotothegym,youhavebeenprovidedtheblueprint.These

techniqueswehavepresentedhavebeenusedbyworld-classathletesunderour

tutelage for decades. We believe in providing you, the reader, with the best.

Goodluckwithyourjourney!Timetohitthepigiron!