Beginners' Troubles, Part Two - Thomas Bruno (1948)

 

Roger Eells at 135 and 205 pounds 

Note from Peary Rader: 

This article is the conclusion of an article started last issue aimed at helping the man who is new to the Iron Game solve the problems he may encounter and to help him begin with the right program for greatest gains. In this installment Mr. Bruno, who is manager of the Eells Health Studio in Columbus, Ohio tells you how to get past the sticking point in your program. 

As you go along you will come to sticking points. Don't let these deter you as you can easily circumvent them. All you need to do is add a set of 20 squats and a set of 20 pullovers. These will generally start you to gaining again. 

Learn to use your own brain, write to prominent men in the field; most of them are sincere and will help you as much as possible by mail. 

Never jump your weights to a high range of poundage as long as you are gaining on the lower range. 

Correct exercise will make you gain and when you find a routine that produces results FOR YOU it is correct - all experts to the contrary! It is not how much you can do but the right amount you can do and still gain that counts. You wouldn't drive your car in second gear when it will roll along easily in high would you? 

From my experience it has been found that besides having been started on a good bodyweight-gaining course, the average beginner will need to overhaul his personal habits - vis, eating and resting. The average "thin man," you will find, doesn't eat enough to cause him to gain and what he does eat, he will gulp down instead of masticating his food properly. 

Properly speaking, digesting begins in the mouth and thorough chewing of your food will help you to assimilate the maximum amount . You thin fellows have a below-average assimilative system to begin with. Why not cooperate with your organs of assimilation. You will be the gainer by do doing. 

It is not what you eat that causes you to gain, but what you assimilate from what you eat that turns the scales upward. You will need to drink more liquids than you have been accustomed to in the past and the best liquids you can drink are milk and fruit juices. Lacking juices and milk, drink water any time you want it and as much as you want. 

To insure your partaking of large amounts of liquid you will find it ideal to salt your food heavier than you have been used to in the past. Also, salt is an appetizer and will cause you to eat more heavily than you have been doing, which you must do in order to gain.

You should eat plenty of the following foods: honey, four or more tablespoons per day. Plenty of meat of all kinds, lean beef, pork, fish or fowl. Raisins, prunes, dates and figs are all good as are eggs - never less than two each day. If you like deserts of pie, cake, puddings, ice cream and malted milks just help yourself [but first peruse a few cookbooks from this era and earlier and note the difference in ingredients used then and now]

You will need all the calories you can pick up. One more thing I might mention which I know will help you and that is to buy yourself a small booklet called, "Pocket Guide for Calorie Counters." This is by Marion Brown. It is an investment of 25 cents which you will never regret.  

By its use you can assure yourself the proper calorie intake for each day you are on your weight-gaining schedule. You should get 3500 to 4000 calories or more per day. If you work at heavy labor you will need far more than this. 

Now we come to the questions of rest and relaxation. This is something of which the average thin man knows little about. Most of them are fidgety and nervous and inclined to worry and dissipation. 

These you must learn to overcome if you are to gain, 

and you should lie down whenever you have chance. 

You must sleep at least 8 hours every night, 9 or 10 would be better, and always try to make your sleeping hours regular. 12 hours of sleep on day and 4 the next may average up to 8 but don't fool yourself as your body doesn't operate on such schedules. 

Summarizing everything up in a few words we can say this: Watch your poundages and repetitions carefully. Check your measurements regularly. See to it that you get enough food and plenty of liquids, preferably milk and fruit juices, also honey and eggs. You should get plenty of rest and maintain a tranquil mind and keep ever in mind a picture of the man you want to become. 

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

  

June 2026. 280 pages. 

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