TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword
Proper Mental Attitude
Concentration
Seven Steps
Safety in Exercise
Keys to Effective Organization of a Training Program
Maximum Training Effort
Recovery Ability
Ways of Increasing Your Training Effort
Rest Between Sets and Exercises
Selecting Poundages
Proper Exercises and the Training Groove
Choosing Sets and Reps
Workout Frequency
How Long Should a Workout Last?
Best Time of the Day to Train
Importance of Sleep
How to Warm Up Before Exercise
On Muscle Injury
Tendon and Ligament Strength
Thoughts on Proper Breathing
Muscular Soreness
Notes on Training Staleness
How the Older Man Adjusts
Training the Teenager
Steroids
Metabolism and Notes on Nutrition
Digestion and Workout Frequency
Best Exercises
Training Programs
Final Comment
The theory of progressive resistance is to work your body within its capacity, while gradually increasing the workload. As the poundages are increased, the size and strength of the muscle also increases, providing you have the proper nutrition and rest.
There are definite limitations to the amount of size and strength an individual will obtain due to the fact that we are all born with a certain number of muscle fibers, which vary from muscle to muscle. These numbers are different from person to person. It is these fibers which will determine how large our muscles grow, but with the application of the proper training principles you will reach the limit which is within your heredity boundaries.
One of the main hereditary aspects that causes most individuals to fail at achieving success in bodybuilding is the mental attitudes and habits that were instilled in them by their parents or other persuasive persons, in the formative years of their thinking-reasoning development. As a result, their later preconceived ideas about how things must be done, plus not being openminded about new ideas, etc., is the main culprit halting their development.
The right type and amount of exercise and nutrition, depending on the individual, will make any aspiring bodybuilder achieve his goal -- if he doesn't constantly get in his own way and keep tripping over himself -- which is usually what happens.
So many bodybuilders simply don't follow directions and are constantly changing and/or adding to a good workout, and getting nowhere as a result. This can be overcome with an openminded attitude that is devoid of stubborn, preconceived ideas, etc. "When everything else fails, follow directions." It is with these thoughts in mind that I have written a text on "The Best Form of Bodybuilding."
THE PROPER MENTAL ATTITUDE
Next to proper nutrition, the MIND is one of the most important factors in relationship to successful weight training. The MIND controls our bodies and every action. In relation to weight training it is the man who BELIEVES that he will SUCCEED (provided he is following the proper training and nutrition guidelines), who will succeed.
To achieve this SUCCESS and reap superior results you must first visualize and set some GOALS for yourself. WHAT ARE THE GOALS? They are the end toward which you will be consciously exerting the powers of your Mind and Body (EFFORT).
Presently if you are new to weight training (a beginner who is in his first year of bodybuilding and still learning about the sport) you may be one of these two types of GOAL SEEKERS.
1) One who wants to put on additional muscular bodyweight and also increase muscular size coupled with MAXIMUM STRENGTH especially for sports.
OR
2) One who desires to limit his overall body fat (lose weight) and acquire better physical proportions.
BOTH OF THESE GOALS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISE AND A REASONABLE DIET.
Goals will cause an excitement or ENTHUSIASM of feeling within your Mind and Body about what you are doing to achieve one of these goals. Now if this driving power of MOTIVATION which causes you to act is strong enough, you will find that nothing will stand in your way toward realizing one of these eventual GOALS.
It would be a great idea to obtain a permanent, loose leaf record book. Its primary use would be to list your daily workout schedule of exercises, sets, reps, poundages, as well as the gains and losses in bodyweight. Also, during your first year of bodybuilding (a beginner) it would be all right to record your body measurements (biceps, chest, waist, thighs, etc.) at regular intervals of every 4 to 6 weeks. These measurements should only be taken during this first year of training. After that period one should train for appearance rather than trying to achieve certain measurements.
REVIEW THIS LOGBOOK FREQUENTLY because:
1) It will show you the gains you have made in SIZE and STRENGTH and as well, it will constantly remind you of your eventual GOALS.
2) It will prove invaluable in the years to come in your training endeavors because it will show you the types of exercise programs that seem to work best for you individually.
3) It will show the REGULARITY and DISCIPLINE that you have applied to your training.
ALL OF THESE GOALS WILL CARRY YOU MUCH CLOSER TOWARDS YOUR PRIMARY TARGET.
Don't be afraid to set some realistic FUTURE GOALS. The higher you set your goals, the more dissatisfied you will become with your present state; this dissatisfaction will drive you on toward greatness within yourself. It is a very good idea to set a goal each training session; maybe adding more poundage to the bar, or adding 1 or 2 reps more in a certain exercise. At this point these are just used as an example and will be dealt in more detail further in the test.
Next: Concentration.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
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