The Bodybuilder's Friend: The Deep Knee Bend -- Peary Rader (1947)

 

From This Issue. 

In case some of you think that we overdo the emphasis on the squat program, let us repesat that it has been proved beyond a doubt (by those of us on whom all else failed), to be the most foolproof bodybuilding program yet discovered. 

Those not familiar with The Rader System can find it here in two parts: 

http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2008/02/reder-system-part-one.html  

http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2008/02/rader-system-part-two.html 

And the one on Isometronics: 

http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2009/03/rader-isometronic-course-peary-rader.html

It incorporates all the basic principles necessary for the promotion of growth of the muscles, strengthening the internal organs and in some cases growth even ofthe bones. This is largely due to the fact that the squat most efficiently works the large muscle masses of the body. As has often been stated, the strenuous use of the great muscle masses of the thighs, hips and back, and even of the chest, causes the greatest acceleration of all the physiological processes -- namely,j circulation of the blood and respiration. We also find greatly increased activity of all other organs of the body, and improved metabolism. 

To be sure, there are other methods of exercise that will affect the body almost as desirably as does the squat, but not in all cases. It is also found that in a very small percentage of cases the squat in any of its various forms of application fails to give desired rresults. 

For these cases we have other methods. However, this is such a small percentage that it merits little consideration. 

Most failures are not failures of the squat, but rather failure of the bodybuilder to apply it properly. We advise you to get out your old copies of VIGOUR or IRON MAN and review this. 

It was popularized in the United States in its specialized form by Henry Steinborn. Then Siegmund Klein became enthusiastic as a result of Henry's apparent good results. From here we find Mark Berry, who was a frequenter of Klein's Gym and also editor of the old Strength magazine, taking it up with great enthusiasm and pushing and developing it through the magazine. 

Now, before toing on we will give you Steinborn's program in general, for he had no set program. He just used the squat with whatever program he happened to be following. He still follows the same style of exercising with the weights when his wrestling engagements will permit. 

Henry seemed to favor low reps (usually not over 10), with very heavy weights. Quite possibly he may have done many more, but not as a regular thing. He usually rocked the bell across the shoulders . . . 

      

. . . did his squats, and replaced the bar on the floor unassisted. He always used well over 400 pounds in his workouts, and has performed a single with 530. It is also claimed that he has used 550. 

Our friend Klein, always a stickler for correct performance, evolved his own style of squatting. His system is to do round 15 reps with a poundage of not much over bodyweight. He is very strict about how it is done. The movements are slow and rhythmic; the back is kept quite flat and erect, all the strain being thrown on the thighs. He performs about 15 flat-footed, then as many more on the toes. By this method he can get a very vigorous workout with but little weight.

However, thet area of strain is more limited to the lower front thigh muscles or three different heads, and most specifically the inner head of the quadriceps femoris. Little effort is felt in the back, hips and back of thighs. 

Therefore, it is not as good a style for weight gaining due to the fact that it does not use so large a group of muscles and consequently is not as stimulating an organic activity. 

Note: Duh, ya means I can stimulate organic activity without jamming sharps into my butt? Yeah, all this kind of experimentation basically went out the window and was forgotten once we sold our souls to science and its madmen lacking any sense of the magical in life. Aw, such a shame for a naive halfwit like me who would appear to be lost in the dream of life and not the reality of its horrific and neverending schtruggle to attain great glory, die, and be mercifully forgotten . . . ba dump bum. Contact Dit2 management for soap box rentals. We has 'em! In abundance! Also, our latest book effort is set for publication in the blink of a few large eyes. . . "The Ten Tight Tan Commandments of Lifting." At failing bookstores everywhere soon! Digital stone tablets ain't easy to come by, Mister. 

It is, however, a very excellent method of developing the muscles in the thigh. Mr. Klein used the squat in connection with a number of other upper body exerises. 

MARK BERRY likewise made a deep study of the squat, and had perhaps the widest field for experimenting, being the editor of a magazine of wide circulation . . . 

here's a listing of the Strength mag run . . . unfortunately, if you want info on what articles are in each one, you'll have to ask around: 

https://vintagemusclemags.com/mags.php?c=276

Mr. Berry himself gained from being 126 lb. National champion to about 180 lbs. bodyweight. Mark was the real pioneer in this squat business, and with the aid of some of his pupils has done much to bring squat specialization to its present state nearer to perfection. 

It was through Mark that we were inspired to start the squat, which we have since studied deeply. 

Due credit must be given to J.C. HISE, who was the first big success, and perhaps most enthusiastic squatter and experimenter. 

Note that back then these men ACTUALLY DID the experiments over long periods of time and had their pupils do likewise in order to gain more knowledge of the processes, as opposed to sitting on their asses quoting short term research studies as if they were law. Yawn. Non-involvement and modern man do seem to go hand in hand. Here's one for ya . . . en route home last night from work, on the train going over the Fraser River. A gorgeous brilliant-red sunset! The few who even noticed it seemed to have something stuck in between them and the glory of this down-heading flame from far away casting shade and texture on all things. I believe it's what's called a cellphone. Anyhow, I could give a shit how others choose to view their lives . . . the concept of an event not being "real" unless it's recorded and plopped on social media is an interesting one, ya gotta admits! "How can my social status and media profile be improved by this sunset? Is there a way I can do nothing but click a pic and make it seem that I've somehow voiced my reaction to this event almost in front of my eyes?" Fuck 'em. Ya can't skin 'em and gotta live with 'em. 

Mark Berry's style of squatting was very similar to that which we believe currently to be the best, and was the foundation on which the present and close-to-perfection squat program is based. 

Mark recommended the use of a flat back in squatting, and use of plenty of weight with 20 repetitions. He it was, who decided that an abbreviated program was best wigh wirh with the squat in order to gain fastest.

He cut other exercises down to about five or six . . . presses, curls, etc., for the upper body. Sometimes the dead lift was included, but it was found by many exercisers, and most surely by Hise, that a combination of the squat and dead lift in the same program was to strenuous for greatest gains when one had progressed to use of heavy weights in the squat. 

Note that he mentions dropping the dead lift AFTER you become able to handle heavy weights in the squat. Less is not more, and more is not less. The SDL, the form of dead lift used in these programs, can improve your squat as you're building up the poundage. Will you be sore? Duh. Don't avoid it. You are not overtraining, are not overtrained owing to two workouts. 

Rudy Gambacorta . . . 

. . . was perhaps Berry's first outstanding squat pupil. His program, on which he gained 20 lbs. in three months (from 151 to 171) while working in a pressing establisment in hot summer, was a follows: 

Curl | Press on Back | Squat | Chin with Weight on Feet | Abdominal Raise | Dead Lift | Calf Exercise | Winding Weight a.k.a. Wrist Roller | Press Behind Neck | Muscling Out Weights and | Straddle Lift. 

You will note that this is quite a good-sized program. 

Note: If you're familiar with the advent of the "Set System" and its occurence in history, this layout will not seem quite so large.

From now on, however, we find that they are cut down a great deal. 

J.C. Hise was about the next big gainer with the squat. His program, on which he gained from 200 to 229 in one month, was very abbreviated. It consisted only of the Press Behind Neck and the Squat. If I remember right he used about 15 reps in the neck press. 

Hise used around 365 lbs. at this time in the squat, with which he squatted 8 times, rest, then 8 more with this weight, then after another rest he reduced the poundage by about 100 lbs. and did 20 more. 

It was about this that the value of PAUSING BETWEEN SQUATS FOR DEEP BREATHING became evident. 

Hise drank a great deal of milk and ate lots of meat at this time. Gambacorta also emphasized the importance (as Berry long had) of a full diet of nourishing foods, and especially plenty of fluids in the way of milk and soups -- lots of rest and sleep and care to avoid over-working. 

But back to Hise who soon found he gained best on the 20 reps or more system. He eventually worked up to 277 lbs. 44 times, but found this number a little excessive and fell back to 30 reps. His bodyweight meanwhile going to near 300 lbs. 

Joe recommended squatting with ROUND BACK, which was fine for fellows with short backs, and game magnificent back development, but would not work with fellows with long backs, as their leverage was so far forward that they had to sit up streight and with flat back in order not to fall on their faces. 

It soon became the fashion to get a REBOUND FROM THE BOTTOM of the squat. This would be a MUSCLE REBOUND, as otherwise one may injure either the lower back or calf. 

Now we find another man coming on the scene with a gain from 145 to 245 lbs. in a short while. This was William Boone. 

His program (and he was but 19 years old), conssited of the following: 

Squat | Dead Lift and | Dipping on Parallel Bars. 

He once in a while did a few more for the upper body. 

At a still later date we find him weighing 260 and performing the following: 

One day per week was devoted to pressing and curling. He would press: 

240x5, 240x7, 250x4, 260x3, 270x2, 275x1, 240x4, 212x6, 212x4, 182x6, 182x4. 

Then Reverse Curl 136x12 and Regular Curl 160x10. 

On two other nights per week he performed nothing but squats with the following: 

405, 435 and 410 for a single each, then

515x3

400x16

400x8

Another outstanding gainer who gained from 160 to 225 pounds in three months was Howard Jacobson. His system was to do 20-30 squats with a heavy weight along with 11 other upper body exercises. 

From now on the successes from the squat program become too numerous to mention. Suffice it to say that they all began to follow about the same style program. That is, heavy squats and 6-8 upper body exercises. The repetitions varied . . . 

Those who found they could gain well by doing about 30 reps in three sets of 10 used this method, while many others used the 20-30 continous repetitions. 

ALL USED THE PAUSE BETWEEN SQUATS FOR SEVERAL DEEP BREATHS. 

It now became the habit to include the pullover in the routine in order to hasten the enlarging of the rib box. 

We find JOHN GRIMEK making great gains with a short session of the squat. In fact, when I saw Grimek recently he told me that he had squatted with 500 lbs. (1947), though he seldom does many squats now since he has no desire to gain more weight. 

LOUIS ABELE comes on the scene with some marvellous gains in both bodyweight and strength from the squat. 

WELDON BULLOCK made very rapid gains through the use of the squat and became able to handle heavy poundages. 

Some have been told that the American champions never squat. 

JOHN TERRY is an early product of the squat and has squatted clear down and relaxed at the bottom with 380 [he was in the featherweight class). Quite likely he could do over 400 now. 

TERLAZZO broughgt his weight from the 132-lb class to a heavy 150 lbs with  sessions of squats. He is capable of squatting with 425, and I believe if he specialized on heavy squats as he does presses he would squat with 500 lbs. 

TERPAK has done some squatting, though not so much perhaps as the others. 

DAVIS is a great squatter, as he has done 500 lbs. or more. 

I could go on and On and ON and name about all the rest, but enough is Enough. [upper case is great to play with for a writer!] True, there have been a few good lifters who did few squats; however, they did some other exercises that had a similar effect on the thighs. 

Of course, some of these fellows used the squat for strength and others for weight gaining, and some for both. 

In the interest of truth I must state that not all of the best gainers or strongest men found it necessary to use high repetitions. Some can gain on low reps. Only those known as "hard gainers" have to resort to high repetitions.  

One other outstanding example of the squat is ROGER EELLS. He started out as a consumptive with but a short while to live, and built his weight from 121 to his present weight of 200. He, too, has his own preference in squatting methods. He prefers to use and teach the use of NO MORE THAN BODYWEIGHT in most cases and to concentrate upon deep breathing between squats, his upper body program being similar to that used by everyone else. He has had good results from this method on both himself and some of his pupils. 

Certainly, if you can gain with bodyweight puff-and-pant squats [a.k.a. "peewee squats in Hise lingo], you will find it easier to perform them, as it takes somewhat less effort than to perform puff-and-pant squats with heavy weights. 

Most recently Mr. Eells brought his weight up to its present 200 lbs. by gaining 25 pounds in 25 days by a very strenuous program of squatting. Such a program should not be attempted by any but an advanced man, and even then he should have most of his time free for resting. 

Mr. Eells at this time exercised EVERY DAY (25 days) and performed at least three sessions of squats of 20 or more repetitions each and from 8-20 deep breaths between each squat. In addition he performed the rowing exercise, press, curl, and one or two other exercises, each being performed a high number of reps in series of 10 reps each series (set). 

We have studied all these squat programs and tried them all, and have at last built what we consider the most successful progrm for weight gaining and body-building presented to this point. 

Each exercise has been carefully selected for a specific purpose. Nothing is done without a very definite reason. Certain variations of the program are sometimes (but seldom) necessary regarding the system of repetitions and poundages for some cases where difficulties are encountered. 

Following is the program which appears simple, but is very result-producing if followed carefully: 

First perform the Press Behind Neck (standing, you fool) 12 repetitions, then the regular Two Arm Curl the same number of reps. Now the Military Press 12 reps. Then the Rowing Exercise 15-18 reps. Follow this with the Press on Back (on box) for 12 reps. Now the squat, loaded to WHAT YOU CAN COMFORTABLY HANDLE for 20 reps . . . 

Take it off the standards. Perform two or three (not over five) squats with one breath between each squat. This will create a necessity for deep full breaths and many of them. From there on stop or pause between eacy squat and take about 3-6 deep full breaths. Hold the last breath and squat. As you near the bottom of the squat begin tensing the muscles to come back up (muscle rebound). This will stop you before you hit bottom (where the danger point is with heavy weights) and will give you a slight MUSCULAR REBOUND in coming erect. When about 3/4 erect expel the breath and repeat the whole thing over again. Add weight to the bar as often as you can (usually once per week). Work out three times per week (some exercisers get better results get better results from but twice a week). 

In performing the upper body exercises be sure to do them strictly and in good style. Remember that the squat is the growing exercise and the others are to direct the points of growth. If you have calves, forearms or neck that are below par you might add a special exercise for them. Also follow each squat set with the two arm pullover at least 20 repetitions with a light weight. 

Don't forget that exercising is only half a training program. You must have a full diet of good food of wide variety and include plenty of liquids, especially milk. Sleep and rest all you can. Encourage a surplus energy. Naturally, this does not mean quit your job, but relax in every spare moment. Engage in no other athletic activity until your bodyweight and development are satisfactory. Do not increase your exercise program beyond 8 exerices. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!