The REAL way to train...

LA Muscle receives a great deal of emails from customers who are just not training right. If you don't train the right way, you don't gain. In fact, you can LOSE strength and muscle. So if you want to put more muscle size on and you find it difficult, then listen up!

Many people who do weight-training have a tendency to "over-train". This over-training syndrome is the biggest cause of you not making gains in the gym. Whether you follow a magazine routine, your own crazy routine or you just don't know what you are doing, over-training is not the way.

Doing incline, decline, flat bench, flyes, cable crossovers and dips in one session for your chest is NOT the way to go; MORE IS NOT BETTER. CV & ab. work are not good "if you are trying to put size on".

If you find that you are not making the gains you want, then follow the suggestions in this article for 2-4 weeks and you will see a dramatic difference. So forget about what your "personal trainer", your buddy at the gym and your skinny mate says; stick to what is said below.

TRAINING WITHOUT OVER-TRAINING

This is a classic "split" routine that works:

MONDAY:
Chest = 3 x sets of flat bench press using the heaviest weight you can handle for 8-10 reps
Shoulders = 3 x sets of overhead barbell OR dumbbell press using the heaviest weights you can handle for 8-10 reps
Triceps = 3 x sets of pushdowns OR close-grip bench-press of the heaviest weight you can handle for 8-10 reps

TUESDAY:
Rest. No aerobics, no CV, no ab. work. Just eat, drink, rest and sleep.

WEDNESDAY:
Back = 3 x sets of barbell rows OR pulldowns using the heaviest weight you can handle for 8-10 reps
Lower back = 3 x sets of deadlifts using the heaviest weight you can handle
Biceps = 3 x sets of dumbbell curls using the heaviest weight you can handle

THURSDAY:
Rest. Yes REST.

FRIDAY OR SATURDAY:
Legs = 3 x sets of squats, using the heaviest weight you can handle for 8-10 reps
3 x sets of stiff-legged deadlift using the heaviest weight you can handle for 8-10 reps
SUNDAY:
Yes, it's the "r" word again, REST.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND TRAINING FOR THE NATURAL BODYBUILDER

It takes a "natural" bodybuilder at least 5-7 days for each bodypart to recover from a heavy training session. So when you train chest and triceps Monday and then arms Wednesday and chest and triceps on Friday again, you better believe you are over-training. This kind of training is a quick road to nowhere! You will not increase strength or muscle size (especially if you are not a beginner). Your body will be tired, over-trained, sore and in a high catabolic (muscle-eating) state.

All these extra exercises, sets and reps do nothing but sap your motivation and energy levels. After all, Growth Factor and Male Hormone start declining after around 45 minutes of exercising. Wise trainers try and keep their training within this time period. So don't train over 45 minutes and try and stick to basic exercises with heavy, compound movements.

Think about it this way: if for chest you are bench pressing and bench pressing alone, you will be concentrating fully on this one exercise. You will try and perform it to the best of your abilities, in perfect form, using the heaviest weight you can handle. Say you can bench 120kgs today. If in 3 weeks' time you are benching 140kgs, there is NO WAY you are going to have the same size chest and triceps. As long as you have been eating, you will have a bigger arm and a bigger chest.

The same principle applies to all bodyparts. If you are doing heavy, basic, compound movements without these side "definers" like wrist-curls, side-raises etc., then every week you will be lifting more and growing more.

TO SUMMARISE:

1. Follow the above 3 day split routine
2. Stick to the above "basic" "compound" movements
3. Don't train more than 45 minutes each session
4. Take minimum rest between sets
5. No chatting and time-wasting between sets
6. No CV work or ab work if you are trying to put muscle size on - they are counter-productive

MORE TIPS

1. Drink at least 2 litres of water every day
2. Take Creatine immediately before training
3. Take Creatine and a recovery carb/protein drink immediately after training
4. Take whey protein within 45 minutes after training
5. Get adequate sleep every night
6. Reduce alcohol/ cannabis intake
7. Don't get stressed - Stress releases cortisol which goes straight to your muscles and breaks them down!

Give the above a try for a few weeks and you should start seeing muscle-size coming on in a big way.