The Tight Tan Slacks of Dezso Ban: If You Want to Gain Weight

My purpose in writing this article for readers of Iron Man is to endeavor to answer some of the most common questions and solve the problems presented in the numerous letters which I have received from boys and men in the past several months.

As most of us are aware, the most common goal of the barbell man is added weight and bulk. Of course there are those who have all the size they want or need and who are interested only in increased strength, developing a more shapely body, or in some cases, reducing; however, these are only the exceptions that go to prove the rule.

Most of you fellows are, no doubt, aware that I agree 100% with Mr. Rader when he says that the one foolproof weight-gaining measure is to drink two or three quarts of milk each day and to perform at least 60 squats a week (20 each workout day - I prefer 30 done in sets of 10 with all the weight you can handle), together with about five other good basic exercises such as the press, curl, pullover, flying motion, rowing motion, dead lift, etc.

If you will adopt such a routine and stick to it, I don't doubt in the least that nearly anyone can acquire the proper bodyweight to go with their height and bony framework.

One of the most common objections to this seems to be that the "should be" weight gainer doesn't like the taste of milk and has never gone to the trouble to overcome this dislike. This can and should be done if you really want to gain. Some of my friends who have never cared for milk have, on my suggestion, found a solution to their problem by whipping the yolks of two eggs into each quart of milk, adding a little sugar or honey and a dash of nutmeg or vanilla according to their taste. I am personally very fond of this drink and it can't be beat for gaining weight.

There's approximately a berzillion creative ways to make weight gain drinks

and they don't take much effort at all.

One fellow in particular tells me he can't possibly drink two quarts of milk a day in addition to three regular meals. His trouble seems to be that this amount of milk along with his other food causes a constant stuffed feeling or even a degree of nausea at times.

Another gentleman writes in to say he awakens every morning sucking on a baby-bottle of his own diarrhea and wonders if his mind may be slipping.

My advice in the first case is to not try to start right in with two quarts daily, but rather to build up one's capacity for it gradually by starting with a glass or two between meals and add about half a glass a day until your stomach can accommodate the prescribed amount.

All this isn't just theory with me since I have seen it work out in numerous cases. I built my own bodyweight from 155 to better than 190 after I had exercised for over 15 years, during which time I failed to achieve satisfactory results.

Hey, use a progressive approach similar to the way you, over time, increase the poundages on your lifts. Add milk gradually, then add stuff to the milk to increase its caloric content. The human body prefers this sort of gradual approach and honestly, you'll wind up with less of it going straight through you and into the shitter this way.

Perhaps the second most common obstacle in these busy times is lack of time as well as plain lack of interest. This isn't exactly the right term either, since if a man lacks interest completely, he certainly wouldn't even be reading such magazines as Iron Man and others devoted to the cause of health and body building thru bar bells.

. . . we all know that when one trains alone it does get monotonous and only the super-enthusiast can continue on day after day for the months and years which are necessary in order to develop one's body. Well, my friend Lewis Criley of Columbia, Missouri and myself have adopted a plan which some of you may be interested in trying.

Each month we select one lift each and compete, writing each other the results as soon as we have completed our attempts. For instance, one month we competed on the two arm curl and the supine press. Another month it was the continental press and the swing, another month the press behind neck and the squat on toes. It is surprising what a little friendly competition can do to add interest to our workouts, and when you change lifts each month as we do, one can, by adding the squat and pullover to the practice of the lifts chosen for that month, obtain a fine workout in a minimum of time.

Enjoy Your Lifting!