Basic Power Equipment Increases Lifting Power - Charles A. Smith (1951)

 

"Whenever I enter in a weight-lifting meet, it seems I always end up with a back muscle injury, mainly to the lower back and sometimes to the upper back around the shoulders. I am okay in training where I don't have to handle limit poundages. Can it be possible there is some fault in my training. A prominent coach says my strength as a whole isn't sufficient . . ." 

". . . and in view of the above, would like to know what you consider the more important: training for Olympic lifting from the start, or laying the foundations by training first for strength and then perfecting my lifting style?" 

The two letters quoted in part above, to my mind typify all that is wrong with the training of the beginner in competition lifting. So many of our youngsters start off straight into Olympic lifting without laying any strong FOUNDATIONS OF POWER. 

The young untrained muscles are subjected to all sorts of unusual stresses and strains, and sometimes injuries are incurred that remain with the athlete until the end of his competition days and sometimes beyond. 

I cannot too strongly point out that it is the height of folly to engage in any task, or aim for any goal without careful preparation. 

So many of us regard the business of weight training as merely a hobby, a pastime for idle hours. There are, of course, others who take body building and lifting all too seriously and chatter long and loud of pecs, lats, traps and other abbreviations that do nothing but indicate how little they know and how much they have to learn. 

It isn't a bit unusual that I received two letters containing within them questions requiring the same answer . . . POWER! We have the newcomer to lifting, bemoaning the fate of sore muscles, wondering why, and doing nothing about it. We have the enquiring novice, obviously intelligent, seeking truth, and refusing to take a step without knowing where he is going. 

There is but one solution to the two problems confronting these men. The lifter should forget all about competition and embark AT ONCE on  program of dead lifts and squats. The WOULD BE Olympic man must do the same. 

Squats and dead lifts, despite the heap of abuse thrown at them from certain quarters, are the exercises that lay the foundations, the basic power. These are the lifts, the exercises, that pack the thighs and entire back with STRENGTH. It is useless for a would-be lifter to think of entering Olympic lifting unless he already HAS power of back and thigh. 

And it is just as foolish for experienced men to exclude these squats and dead lifts from their training. 

Both men, if they persist in neglecting these basic power-building exercises will be poorer lifters because of that neglect. 

NO MAN CAN HOPE TO APPROACH HIS ULTIMATE UNLESS HE HAS A STRONG FOUNDATION ON WHICH TO BUILD. 

The rise of American lifting can be traced and tied directly to the popularization of the Deep Knee Bend and actual POWER equipment that was the outcome of that popularization. There are plenty of authorities who are not inclined to agree with this statement but its truth cannot be denied, for the more bodybuilders who used it, the greater the number who suddenly realized their hidden powers, strength that was brought to the surface by the DKB. 

Countless millions throughout the world will never know the debt of gratitude they owe to Mark H. Berry and Joseph Curtis Hise. These men pushed the deep knee bend. The squat, a lowly exercise, previously neglected and used only as another way of testing one's strength, became the God of Lifting with Hise and Berry as its prophets. 

Henry Steinborn introduced the squat to America and "rocked" the weight across the shoulders and into position himself.  

     

However, not every guy was as super a strongman as Henry and poundages were limited to what you could clean or "rock" across the shoulders. 

Mark Berry . . .  

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. . . started to use two new developments . . . children of his fertile brain . . . the DEEP KNEE BEND STANDS and the BOUNCING SQUAT . . . and so was born the first of two POWER APPLIANCES . . . yet it remained for Joe Hise to put the basic principles of lifting into a formula that, applied by the strength athlete saw a vast and steady improvement in every branch of weight training! SPEED plus STYLE plus STRENGTH equal SUCCESSFUL LIFTING. 

First build up your leg and back power and then get used to moving quickly with heavy weights. 

Hise used the "bouncing" or "rebounding" deep knee bench, taking the weight off squat racks and employing a pause of three to six breaths between each squat. This enabled him to handle more weight and grind out more reps with a resulting increase in POWER. But the thighs and lower back were the main groups benefitting. The pulling muscles, the latissimus dorsi, the trapezius and the lower sections of the deltoids did not come in for much work. 

Hise "invented" the Hopper . . . 

. . . His research was thorough; his line of reasoning complete. Not only did he devise an apparatus that was of immense benefit, but he eliminated practically every drawback attached to "back exercise." 

You will observe from the illustration that the weight is rested on two large pieces of timber and the back is at an angle of 90-degrees or greater. The weight is dead lifted first in the orthodox manner and then the remainder of the reps are performed stiff legged. The weight is dropped dropped forward and bounced off the timbers and the body brought to upright position again. The muscles of the entire back and shoulder girdle were immensely affected and weight trainers found themselves cleaning and snatching poundages that were previously beyond them. 

Not only were the effects physical, but there were, in my opinion, definite psychological advantages. Limit cleans and snatches felt as wispy as a feather after handling 400-500 pounds in bouncing dead lifts continually, day after training day, and the weight trainer developed a contempt for snatching and cleaning poundages that were previously beyond him. No longer was there a mental block when it came to a question of a limit attempt or a snatch 10 or 15 pounds beyond his previous record. The barbell felt lighter than it ever than it had ever and the fact that poundages two to three times heavier had been handled with relative ease . . . in a different lift it is true . . . gave him great confidence.

The increased pulling power and strength of the lower back and upper thighs that came from the use of the hopper, combined with the thigh power developed from the deep knee bend, made all quick lift records soar as the years went by, and more and more bodybuilders entered the competitive lifting field. 

It is of course true that lifting was bound to improve somewhat due to increased competition, yet this competition was the DIRECT outcome of the INCREASE in numbers of MUCH MORE POWERFUL weight trainers. 

Yet the hopper still did not exploit the full possibilities of Power Apparatus. Altho it deeply affected the back and shoulder girdle . . . built up pulling power . . . 

. . . in positions where weights were held overhead. In other words, the apparatus wasn't a comprehensive one in that it could NOT be used in ALL types of power movements.

Another important advance was made with the advent of the HARVEY MAXIME BAR. In this power apparatus, two bars stand upright, joined by another running between them.    

This bar can move up and down the upright ones on whose base barbell plates are fitted. Thus all types of squats could be used, from the deep knee bend (a.k.a. full squat) to half- and quarter-squats, as well as the type in which the weight is held across the front of the shoulders (front squat). 

All types of deadlifts could also be used from the regular position where the weight was required to be lifted just off the ground, because of the position of the lifter approaching a near upright stance. 

It could also be used in overhead work. 

Few people realized the enormous potential is contained . . . they are simply immense and I personally regard the Harvey Maxime Bar as one of the greatest advances ever made in weight training. The terrific scope of this apparatus will one day be marked as historic. It is a great pity that the originator never was given the acclaim that was justly and rightfully his. 

There is an objection the the Harvey Maxime Bar . . . COST! At the moment the bar is a little too expensive. In the illustration below, and the one up top . . . 

I give a "cheap" version of the Harvey Bar. You will see that all you need are two lengths of chain, each length equal to the height of the exerciser with arms stretched straight overhead, four collars, and four chain shackles. Ah hell, here's a couple more illustrations . . . I used a similar simple setup so I could lift overhead in a place with a low-ish ceiling. Be the first bright-boy on your block to mention that the plates will, yes, move about somewhat while hanging from the chains. Duh, yep. You is oh so smart! 

The shackle should be big enough to pass through the link of chain and then allow the bar to be passed through the shackle itself. The shackle is then put on the bar and kept in place by the collars. Another shackle is clamped onto the end link of the chain AFTER it has been threaded through what plates are required for the exercise. 

The height of the bar from the ground can be regulated by unscrewing the shackle and taking it so many links of the chain down. This apparatus, simple and crude it is true, has all the values of the Harvey Bar and none of its monetary disadvantages. 

The uses to which such an apparatus can be put are practically without limit. It can be used for squats, holding heavy poundages overhead at arms' length, all types of dead lifts, power presses - both standing and supine varieties - jerk exercises, second pull developers and a host of other power movements. No gymnasium should be without it. It is cheap, easy to construct and the manifold weightlifting blessings it can confer on the owner are worth a million times the cost of it and other kindred expensive equipment. 

I venture to say that once this equipment is installed in any gymnasium and used, the totals of EVERY lifter in the place will jump 15-40 pounds in the first three months. 

Next month I will start a basic power series. This will be short, informative and will embrace the hopper and the basic power bar as described. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!   

Forearms of Steel - Abe Goldberg (1951)

 

John Davis was speaking. Whenever this great strength champion voices an opinion, it's a good idea to listen and learn. John is a man of few words, but he can pack more facts into one sentence than many others can in 500 words. He was paying me a visit at my gym, along with Joe Weider, and the conversation drifted toward strong arms. 

Johnny said . . . "Abe, when I think of strong arms I don't visualize 19" bulging upper arms only, as so many do. I think of the arm as a complete unit, right from the tip of the fingers to the curve of the deltoids. 

"If I were a judge in a contest I would pay as much attention to the size and shape of a man's forearm as I would to his upper arm. Regardless how big his upper arm was, if his forearm wasn't a match, he wouldn't get my vote. In my opinion too many bodybuilders are specializing on their upper arms at the expense of their forearms, never realizing that forearm power is a great aid to complete physical development. Without it they will never reach the top." 

Johnny continued . . . "In weightlifting, forearm power is a tremendous asset. A weightlifter who has a weak grip will have trouble cleaning and snatching heavy poundages. Regardless of how strong his lower back and legs are, he will always be handicapped, worrying about losing a lift because his gripping power is poor and he will never lift the greatest poundage he is capable of. 

"I have seen many huge upper arms in my time, but I am never impressed by them unless the forearm is in balance. I will always admire the arm of Leo Robert, for besides a great upper arm, his forearm is completely developed. His whole arm has that impressive look, sometimes lacking in other arms which may boast a larger biceps measurement." 

Of course every word John Davis had said was true. I began to think of the famous arms of history . . . Louis Cyr, with his huge wrist and muscular forearm of 18". Cyr didn't care what crude grip his strong fingers caught whether it was the rough ridges of a rock or an awkward thick-handled dumbbell . . . if he could get even a little hold, he would lift the weight, creating records with clumsy equipment which have endured for years. 

Louis Uni, the immortal French Apollon who one day staggered the strength world by not only lifting a heavy, thick-handled dumbbell off the ground, a feat only one man before had ever succeeded with, but he ripped this weight off the ground as if it was a stick. So great was his pull that it slipped out of his hand, sailed over his head and landed ten feet behind him.

I thought of Cyclops who bent and tore coins the size of our American dime as though they were made of paper. How John Grun Marx took the strongest horse shoe and ripped it asunder to the applause of kings. How genial Mac Batchelor takes four beer bottle caps, places them between his fingers, and PRESTO . . . they are all bent in two. Malcolm Brenner lifts 650 pounds off the ground with one hand. How little Adrian Schmidt, never weighing more than 130 pounds, could lift the crudest weights off the ground, with handles so thick that you swore it was impossible, and he stumped the best men of his time. It is claimed that he never lost a finger pulling contest in his life. I thought of Charles Vansittart, slimly build, but with the devastating power in his wrist, fingers and forearms to tear tennis balls in two as easily as the average person would puncture a toy balloon.

I recalled how I had read about the great Turk and Indian wrestling champions who spent hours in grip and forearm training, squeezing thick mud into tight balls, with the result that they could leave you powerless once they placed hands upon you. 

Frank Stranahan, the famous golfer, once told me that one of the greatest benefits he obtained from weight training was the strength in his wrist, fingers and forearm, which aided him tremendously in the game. Ted Williams, the baseball slugger, has large, muscular forearms and a lot of his power comes from here. Bill Tilden's right wrist and forearm was tremendously developed, and Joe Louis' crushing blows would have been mere taps if his wrists and forearm muscles hadn't been made out of living steel. 

In feats of strength and athletic sports your full ability very often rests in the power of your grip and forearm. This part of your body is the vital link which spells  either outstanding performance or just ordinary performance. In bodybuilding this is even more true, yet few bodybuilders pay as much attention to their forearms as they should. 

Proof of this is common. I have had more than one pupil come over to me and say, "Abe . . . when I perform dumbbell curls I get a pain in my forearm. Sometimes this is so bad that I have to miss curling for a couple of workouts. What should I do?"

The answer is simple, for all that need be done is to strengthen the forearm and the condition will be corrected. In fact, because the forearms are stronger, more weight can then be used with comfort in the curl, and the upper arm benefit tremendously. 

There is a distinct tie-in between between forearm development and upper arm power and size. Quite often the answer to larger upper arms does not lie in more direct upper arm work, but in more forearm exercise, to strengthen this part and make it grow. The upper arms almost automatically keep pace with this growth and become larger than ever before. 

About a year ago Leo Robert spent considerable time specializing on his forearms. He did a minimum of upper arm work, and spent most of his time on the forearms. He gained over an inch on his forearms and his upper arms increased an equal amount in size. Now they are even larger, thanks to his never-ceasing attention to his forearms. 

Marvin Eder is another example. Recently Marvin has been spending a lot of time on his forearms, and today his upper arms hit 18-1/2", much bigger and more impressive than they ever were. 

As a final example . . . take a look at the recent pictures of Clarence Ross. Look at the way his forearms have grown in the past year or so, proof that he is doing a lot of hard work for them Now look at his upper arms. I understand that they pump up well over 19", the very largest they have ever been.  

  

   

In addition to assisting the development of the upper arm, forearm strength helps the bodybuilder in dozens of exercises which he must practice for all-around physical perfection. Some while back I wanted to specialize on my lower back. I had been neglecting my forearm work a bit and imagine my surprise when I found that in power deadlifts and other important lower back movements my grip gave out before my lower back was thoroughly exercised. I had to specialize on my forearms before I could completely exercise my lower back. The same holds true of many important exercises for the chest, shoulders, legs or even the abdominal area. You can't hang from a chinning bar and raise the legs up to the bar many times if the grip is weak, and every bodybuilder knows that this is a very important abdominal movement, practiced by champs and chumps alike, with longer lines of trained chimps trying to work in every day. Oh, these modern times. Why, when I was a lad we'd rape dinosaurs just for the fun of it, then toss 'em into a flaming pit guts and all, which is of course how vomit was invented. 

Neither can you perform heavy side bends, shrugs, straddle lifts, bent-arm pullovers, one-arm rowing and a hundred different movements . . . if your forearm power is lacking. That hundred-and-oneth is, however, a charm. 

Of course most bodybuilders realize this, for they have had the experience at some time or another of finding their grip too weak to perform a certain exercise correctly. They realize the importance of forearm exercise, but because they train the forearm wrong and get little results, they conclude that this part of the body is difficult to develop and forget about it. Foogedaboudit! This is not true!  

The forearms are not particularly hard develop, but of course you have to know how. 

If you have ever studied the anatomical construction of the forearm, you would see why so many fail. 

Click 'n' Large(™)  

Each finger of the hand has one or more sinews or strands of muscle going right from it, through the wrist into the forearm and in some instances attachments extend right up into the humerus bone of the upper arm. Whenever we move a finger, the wrist, or bend the arm, there is some forearm work. The seat of action however is at the wrist. This means really successful forearm development is impossible if there is not a lot of wrist action.

It is for this reason that ordinary squeezing exercises so often advocated for forearm development do not bring about complete results. Such exercises will develop the strength of the fingers and are valuable for finger strength, but they do not influence the belly of the forearm, and build no bulk there. You should not neglect such movements, and the use of hand grips or squeezing rubber balls should be a part of your forearm training. But do not rely on such exercises for complete development. 

The Iron Shoe is also a good piece of supplementary apparatus. Because of the pulling action and the position of the hands and wrists, it does influence the meaty section of the inner forearm to a marked degree and will build some bulk.

Finger lifting will strengthen the fingers, but because there is no action at the wrist there will not be too much increase in forearm size from this practice. Lifting heavy, thick-handled dumbbells is better, since the span of the fingers brings more of the forearm muscles into work and considerable development will result. All of these forearm exercises should be practiced from time to time, but those which have wrist action build the most all-around power and bulk.

Here is one that Marvin Eder likes a lot. It is too advanced for most, but I am mentioning it for it is a good one. Marvin hangs from a high bar, arms stiff, and with wrist action alone he raises and lowers his body a few inches, curling the wrists to raise it. He performs this exercise with palms facing both towards him as well as away from him. You can work into this movement by standing on a low stool and keeping some of the weight of the body on your toes, to make it easier. Marvin has such powerful forearms that he attaches extra weight to his body when he does this movement. 

Because of their intricate construction, the forearms are capable of a lot of variety of motion and also can stand a lot of hard work. Just a set or two of some exercise won't do them much good. Not even for a beginner. I place my pupils on the flushing system as well as sets at once for forearm training. It is not unusual for them to gain as much as an inch in a month. With such fast results I can't see how anyone can say that they are stubborn parts.

I am listing here five exercises. 

Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions each. Don't be afraid to make the forearms fairly scream with pain. If you can get them sore, they will grow, so make that your aim. You'll notice more size quickly. 

Here are the exercises; don't forget, perform 10 repetitions of each, 3 sets each. 

As a warmup perform the gooseneck, bent-over curl. Curl the weight as high as you can, keeping the wrist bent down as you do so. 

The Zottman Curl is still a standard "great" for forearm development. This movement involves all the major forearm muscles, making them large and powerful. Start the movement by holding a dumbbell in each hand, at the thighs. Now, curl one arm towards the chest, up to the shoulder, twist the wrist away from the body, and lower the weight down to the side. While lowering it start the other arm in the curl, making the exercise alternate and continuous.  

Face the pulleys, and pull them down until the arms are straight at the sides. Now, curl the wrists up as high as you can, and then lower them. You can also vary this movement by standing with your side to the pulley, or facing away from them. Use the variation explained for your regular workout, but practice variations from time to time. 

The wrist curl on knees, palms facing down. Sit on a bench, forearms resting on the thighs and knees as shown above. Raise the weights as high as possible, and then lower them. 

Lying long bench wrist curl. Lie on a long bench, with arms extended over the head, with only the wrists and hand extending over the end of the bench. Let the wrists drop down as far as they can go and then curl them up as high as they will go. Do not move the arms. Keep all the action at the wrists. 

This will wind up your forearm program. Do not use too much weight at first, but from the start perform all the exercises rather quickly and with rhythm. Concentrate strongly on the muscular action and the more your muscles swell and feel the tight, the more benefit you are getting from the exercise.  

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

Gaining Weight - Dale Adrian (1975)

 

I can gain weight very easily. 

Would you believe as much as nine pounds in a single day? Or 14 pounds in a week? Of course with such quick gains not all of it is muscle. In fact, over the past five years, my muscular bodyweight gains have been slow by the standards of many, going from 160 to 200 during that time period.

In actuality, though, a gain of 10 pounds of muscle a year can make some fantastic changes in a body. I gained about that much last year, receiving in the process a Miss, er, Mister America title and many compliments about my "incredible" improvement. 

Buy a lean 10-pound roast some time when you can actually afford it and try to imagine that much meat cut up and blended into your delts, pecs, arms, legs and back. What a difference it would make and doesn't that just speak to the possibility of the closeted cannibal lifestyle so nicely. 

Unfortunately, many beginners get impatient for quick gains and end up out of the sport if they don't gain 30 pounds in 30 days. Even though my gains don't seem to be slowing down at all, I'd still be happy with only a true five-pound gain of muscle each year for the next five years. At a muscular 225 I'd be tough to beat. 

Think about what you'd look like 25 pounds heavier in five years. It would make some difference!  

Many bodybuilders do not realize that they can make fine improvements in their physiques without actually adding bodyweight. It is not difficult to improve the delts, forearms, abs and abs - all key muscle groups for bodybuilders - without putting on weight. And of course by trimming and cutting up, you can add muscle to even bigger groups such as the thighs, chest and back without gaining bodyweight. 

Personally, I may never bulk up again, because it is easier for me to gain weight than to get cut up. I've come to the conclusion that a 5 or 10 pound bulk cushion over your actual best bodyweight is going to help your training leverages, but more than that is just too much. I'll get into the reasons for that later in this article.   

Diet is vitally important in any weight-gaining program. If practical, you should eat six times a day, but don't be a douchebag about it while professing to be some great martyr to the cause of what . . . body-fucking-building? Get outta here with yer "sacrifice" horseshit. It don't play around here. An ego-stroking goon is just that and no more, thank you so much. 

Eat a fair amount each meal, with no one meal any larger than another. If six-a-day is not for you, eat three big-ish meals and add a few snacks in between (even though your body won't likely absorb more than it chooses to no matter your childish desires). This manner of eating allows for a heavy food intake without overly filling oneself and stretching the stomach out of joint while others wonder about the possibility of their kids' next meal within a block or two of you. Hey, you look great on the outside, ya fucking clueless child. 

There are several key weight-gaining foods. Protein intake should come from meat, fish, chicken and eggs, along with dumpster-bread and overripe fruits and veggies found in a bin. No. Wait. You're livin' a bitta the high life now and on a roll . . . that will never be you. Right? Look at you fuckin' go on that roll! Please die now, self-righteous know-nothing. Thanks BIG! 

When bulking up, though you can also go heavy on peanut butter (the amazing jar that never gets completely empty, always another tablespoon in there!), cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, nuts of all kinds but the human and tuna ears. 

Eat plenty of fruits if you have the money that others do not, including bananas, apples, peaches, plums, prunes, pears . . . fucksake just list every fruit on earth . . . Vegetable intake can come from sweet potatoes, corn, peas . . . and again with the endless list. 

For me, milk is a secondary bulking food, and I drink mostly skim milk. Eat fats as your appetite dictates, but don't go overboard on them. 

How much should you eat? 

What are ya, a three-year old? 

This depends on your bodyweight. I eat four to six pounds of protein a day. Pardon me? Good grief, such nonsense and for what! Bulkers should shoot for a minimum of two grams of protein per day for each pound of bodyweight. Bullshit. Complete bullshit. Carbohydrates should fall in the four grams per pound range. Okay, I weight 200 pounds in decent shape. If I want to gain muscle I should be eating 400 grams of protein per day along with 800 grams of carbs a day. What are ya . . . a plumber pumping up his business? The majority of that food won't be anything near assimilated. Just No. That's bullshit. 

Beginners should train . . . finally . . . the training end of it. 

Three days a week. 

Four to six heavy sets of each exercise per bodypart. 

Here's a good novice schedule: 

Squat:

1x20

1x12

1x8

1x3

1x1-3

alternate with  light breathing pullovers x 20 reps each set.

Bent Row:

4-6 x 6-8.

Bench:

same.

PBN or Press of some sort:

same.

Curl variety:

you guessed it, Champ. 

I don't recommend any abdominal work, but if you have the energy left after the above schedule, toss in four or so sets of calf stuff. 

When seeking bulk, the main keys are to go heavy with strict form and eat plenty. Do not go to too-far with this or you'll regret it while you're attempting to drop the flabby shite you now have to haul around 24/7.

Intermediates need not do much differently from this. Eat the same as the beginner. The only difference is the amount of exercise that can be done while still making gains and not going stale like that dumpster produce/bread. Stick with three times a week, or if you are capable of it physically (not just mentally), add on several exercises if energy permits. Here are the additions: 

Leg Press, 4-6 x 12

Incline Press, 4-6 x 6-8

Deadlift, 4-6 x 4-6

Triceps Extension, 4-5 x 4-10

DB Curl, 4-6 x 6-10

Upright Row, 4-6 x 6-10.

An advanced bodybuilder definitely has to split his schedule up, even when trying to gain weight. The number of sets per bodypart is up to the individual and what he has learned about his body's capabilities. 

I'd recommend going with whatever exercises you have found tend to work best for you, but go heavy with lower (bodybuilder) reps. 

Now, on the other side of the golden calf, er, coin, however, excessive bulking can be hazardous to your health and can actually retard progress. Fat is dangerous to the circulatory system and excessive bodyweight usually results in reduced energy levels with less training drive and oopsie, those mildly inconvenient heart issues one may encounter a wee bit later down life's glorious road. 

There are several ways that you can tell if you are getting over-bulked. Yo, Tubby! Look for the needing of sleep (not depression-based), shortness of breath, lack of energy, enormously disgusting flatulence, excessive sweating or your pants ripping out in strange places. These are sure signs that your muscle gains are slowing up and are nonexistent because of over-bulking. Essentially, your body is attempting to tell your will's little desires, "No. Hard fucking NO!" 

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

Please like and subscribe to this channel, and I hope 

Douglas gets that sponsorship one day. 

He's a beautiful guy. Yes, 

I finally found a channel I like! 

Play It Loud! 

Improving Your Squat - George Frenn

The squat has been called the basic exercise of all strength. The true test of a strength athlete is to put him under a loaded bar and check his leg power. Without powerful legs and hips, the athlete is severely lacking.

Ask any champion like Hugh Cassidy, Jim Williams, Russ Fletcher or Jon Cole and they will tell you that the secret to a massive physique that boasts the ultimate in muscle size as well as physical strength is heavy unrelented work on the legs. Heavy, intensive leg work will effectuate the building of your physique far more quickly than any other form of exercise. 

 

Russell Fletcher

This one exercise is called the granddaddy of them all because it brings into play more muscles than any other single leg exercise. Leg work, intensive leg work, triggers your body's metabolism so dynamically that every muscle group gains in additional power and strength which, in turn, permits you to perform more exercises, use more sophisticated training principles and techniques and handle heavier exercise poundages. 

Doing The Lift Properly

There are basic rules for performing the squat. Briefly, you take the weight on your shoulders, your head should remain looking slightly upward, and your feet should be shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. You then take a breath and with as much relaxation as possible, lower yourself down until the tops of your thighs have dipped below parallel with the floor, then without hesitation come up to a standing position again. You can then exhale your air.

The most crucial part of the lift is getting the tops of the thighs below parallel. It can be a crushing disappointment in national meets if you get turned down with a lift that was passed locally, so it's best to practice the lift correctly. The rule states that the thighs must be below parallel to the floor. This means that the thigh at its highest point must be below the highest point of your knee in order for the lift to be legal. 

As in the bench press, the weight cannot stop on the way up. There shall be no dropping with the weight. You cannot take the weight out of the rack, drop with the weight, bounce out of the lower position, and then come up on the rebound. You must go down in a controlled matter and then arise. You may not move the feet in a contest and you should not move your feet in practice either. 

It is advisable to wear a lifting boot that has a slight heel. It is generally a good idea to stand still for a second or two after the completion of the lift because in a contest the judge will hold you momentarily to make sure that you have your balance.

Squatting Tips

There is more to squatting than just going up and down with a weight on your shoulders. 

Put the weight on your shoulders comfortably. That is, have adjustable racks so that you can get under the weight easily. Make sure the racks are placed out near the revolving sleeve. Furthermore, make sure the weight is set on your trapezius muscles and shoulders comfortably as you start the lift. Adjustments cost energy to the lifter. 

The bar may be padded but this should be minimal. 

Keep your head up. Balance is a vital problem in doing the squat. In coming up with the weight, you have to be at just the right angle with your body to get the most power out of your legs and back. Keeping your balance and keeping your head up are two of the most important things to remember in doing this lift. 

In addition to the thighs, other muscles help in creating a great squat style. Powerful and thick calves will help you to control your descent and give your thighs a base to move back upward. A large, paunchy abdomen will interfere with squatting and getting down to the below-parallel position, and powerful abdominal and back muscles will help you to keep your body in the proper position while coming back up with the weight. 

As with the other power lifts, the squat is a basic exercise that has few really valuable assistance exercises. This means that the way to improve your squat is to squat, Squat, and SQUAT some more. Usually 3 to 5 reps beings best results in building great power, and proper style should be a habit in training as well as competition.

Try some squatting variations for added power. Try doing the movement very slowly, up and down, and try the movement with your back as straight as possible. Experiment with heavy half-squats for more power, but don't fall into the habit of not going to parallel with realistic competition poundages. Use the half-squat as a power builder with overload, not as a substitute for proper squats.

Exercise the calves and abdominals as noted, to improve total fitness for overall body development. 

Make sure your trapezius muscles get enough exercise so that they will thicken up and cushion the weight with comfort. 

Don't train heavy if your knees are bothering you, but do work with light weights to warm them up gradually. 

Your thighs are made up of the largest and most powerful muscle masses in your body, and the squat is the exercise that will strengthen them best. So, if you want to squat to show your power, or if you want added strength to help you excel at your sport, consider the squat. The immense leg power developed by training on squats will help you with any form of athletics.   

Training Schedules

In an attempt to avoid workouts of excessive length, many lifters employ split routines which are very popular with their bodybuilding cohorts. They perform upper-body exercises on one day, and lower-body movements on another day. Now, while it may be true that split training allows the trainee to space and reduce his workouts, it is also a fact that energy will still be down from the previous day's workout. The result is fatigue. You will be lacking in motivation, although the muscles being worked that day seem rested.

Bodybuilders tend to use lighter weights and higher repetitions than powerlifters; they do not drain their overall nervous energy level to the same degree as powerlifters. Powerlifters are consistently handling limit and near-limit poundages. And that is why bodybuilders are able to make great gains on the split method of training.

In my experience, and a great majority of other lifters agree with me, trying to lift limit poundages more than once a week in any particular lift will retard progress. This is not to say that an athlete could not have a set of special assistance exercises that he could do on another workout day which are similar to the main set of exercises. I find that it is not a good idea to attempt limit poundages more than once in any 14-day sequence.

The problem, or rather the answer to the problem, is to devise a squat program that will give maximum results and at the same time have no adverse effect on your bench press and deadlift training sessions. I used the following program and found it to be of excellent value in gaining on this lift.  

Tuesday 

Full Squat:

135x10

315x5

425x2

515x1

605x1

Power Rack Squat:

650x2, slightly above parallel

715x2, ditto

785x2, half-squat

855x2, ditto

Full Squat:

605x5

Saturday

Full Squat:

135x10

315x5

425x2

515x1

605x1

705x1

755 x 3 singles

605x5

Exercise and reps should be limited to basic power exercises which work large muscle groups. A lot of specialized exercises will only fatigue the lifter and retard his progress.

Leave bombing and blitzing to the bodybuilders. 

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

https://www.le-tamis.info/media/uploads/ressources/documents/textes/le_squat_de_a_a_z_version2014-cahier.pdf