A Discussion on Competitive Training - John Davis (1943)

 

The Author

Here is first-hand information from the greatest weightlifter in the world today, in which he explains his methods of training and his weightlifting positions. We are pleased to bring this valuable information to our readers. This is the first article in a series of three on the Olympic lifts. 

My contention has been for some time: 

1) No one method of training is suited to each and every individual, i.e. barring the exceptions, no two individuals can train alike.

2) Basically all training methods and approaches are the same, hence the eventual results are the same.

To facilitate a reasonably impressive lifting total you must concentrate on heavy lifting and heavy lifting alone. Under no circumstances must you deviate from such a plan. To mix body building with lifting and expect to draw the fullest benefit if foolhardy.

To cite an example: An outstanding lifter of the day offered his advice on request. He stated in reference to the Press that an excellent method of training was the following: 12 series (sets) of presses starting from one rep and adding one at every set-attempt until you reach 12. This could be reversed also. Working from 12 decreasing by one each attempt until he reached a single repetition. In addition to this he suggested a complete workout in see-saw presses and movements for the inner head of the triceps. 

The presses alone involved roughly 77 presses. This in itself is far too much, since the average lifter works out about 4-6 times a week. This suggestion was made without reservation. It proved to be an excellent routine for him but it didn't necessitate a similar reaction on the man who asked his advice. 

Again I say with reservation for the exceptions. 

No two men can employ identical routines. 

You mustn't do too little OR too much.

If you expect your quickest gains on any particular lift you must do that lift and nothing else or more. 

Dumbbell work, deltoid exercises and specialized muscle work won't make one iota of difference. A system involving nothing more than the lift you are training is the correct way to train. 

To sum it up briefly, the following is necessary for results. 

1) The use of the basic fundamental principles of the type of work concerned. 

2) Experimentation, rest or change of routine upon reaching the sticking point. 

3) To devote your energies principally and exclusively to the lift which you are concerned with. 

To adopt a definite system of training on any lift is to lay your foundation for steady advancement. Many of you have experienced the disappointment of failing to gain on a new routine. You persist and train incessantly for weeks and months. Finally you give yourself up to advice from someone more successful than yourself. Consequently your attitude becomes a "he knows what's best for me because he is a champion of an excellent competitor." 

Most lifters who are producing a reasonably consistent total, i.e., runner-ups, have been lifting 3-4 years. During this period they have covered all phases of lifting. They are acquainted with the exercises, lifting, specialization work, muscle control, etc. The components and all, subsequent information in regards to lifting is at their command.

Yet with this information at hand he fails to capture the full benefit of his knowledge upon reaching a sticking point. He immediately invites trouble by asking for incoherent, bewildering and confusing advice. 

Once again: Rest, experimentation or change of routine is the answer to your lack of progress. It is permissible, even advisable, to be original. To originate your own training routines, though it is not advisable to attempt to improve on the basic principles of weight-lifting. It is better to cling to the fundamentals with which you are already familiar, than to confuse yourself with scattered and conflicting ideas.

The first lift with which I will deal is the PRESS. The press is your initial concern, it will predominate, throughout your training period. It is a very special lift and when you perform it in faultless style, you command the respect and admiration of all concerned. 

To train every night of the week on the press would be too much for most lifters, and three nights a week wouldn't be sufficient. This must be your first problem to solve . . . how often and how long should we train on the press.

Since the prime interest is to gain in strength and press heavier weight, a system involving enough presses to build tenacity in all pressing muscles is necessary. After this is accomplished the correct pressing style must be brought out as close to the conventional rules as possible (1943). After these two very important factors is the amount of weight you use against your opponent. 

Now to make myself clear on these three definite and very significant points. By tenacity I mean to build that fighting quality or stick to it upon reaching the sticking point in the press. Many lifters have lost contests because their muscles wouldn't or couldn't stand the strain of following a press through. This was only due to a lack of training with heavy weights. 

Certain men, due to the construction of their arms in relation to their shoulder breadth, aren't capable of making these "fights," and to the best of my knowledge will never be able to make very good presses. 

How many presses should you do? This is a very difficult question to answer when you aren't able to deal with each individual case. However, my ideas have been put to use and proven on others. I have found as little as 20 repetitions and up to as many as 50 repetitions on each training night as not too many. 

In the case of 20 repetitions, 10 presses in series (sets) of 2's utilizing 60-80% of your best pressing poundage will do the trick. I myself have used 30 repetitions in sets of 3's, at which time my best press was 310 and 280 served as the training poundage. Working on the lift for an entire week is the system I have found to be best. 

Now the STYLE. Develop a style and stick to it. Pressing styles fall in three distinct categories. All three might be considered by flexible back and soft-suppled lower abdominal types.

The first types of pressers start their presses standing straight up and slowly bend as their presses go into the sticking area. At the termination of the lift the latter position is held. This may or may not constitute a legal lift, however, whether or not the lift is passed depends entirely on who is the referee. 

The second type is exactly like the first, with one exception. On the follow-through past the sticking point. the lifters start to straighten up to the original position. This does constitute a definite back bend and here again it depends on who is judging the lift. 

The last type is one which falls more closely to the rules than do the first two. The book states that the original position must be maintained throughout the lift. You start with your lower abdominal pushed to the front with a bend in your back. As the lift arrives to and passes through the sticking point there is no necessity to bend because you are already bent. You maintain this position throughout the lift. 

Drive and follow-through as essential elements in pressing. To get them you must use a minimum of energy in cleaning. Pull the bell in slightly and at an angle and very high so that it settles down in the correct position ready for pressing. Have the forearms situated so that they form a modified V. Thumbs behind bar. This is a tried and proven style in pressing. Pressing with the standard cleaning grip (thumbs in front) has a tendency to pull the bar in front of the deltoids resulting in a loss of that lift. Whereas, thumbs behind, you can guide your weight in any direction desired. 

A fast and smooth start with power follow-through will insure you a good lift; feet spread apart in a comfortable position.

Under competitive conditions a problem is how much to advance in pounds to your next attempt. The AAU rules state, you must advance 10 pounds from first to second attempt, 5 from second to final. You may forfeit your final attempt and advance 5 from first to second. Many lifters train themselves to do exactly that. 

Let us consider the possibility of encountering stiff competition. What have you in reserve to surprise your opponent, as he has surprised you? At any time during a contest I am prepared to jump up to 40 pounds to my next attempt. This will undoubtedly throw my opponent off guard. Save 5 and 10 pound jumps for the occasion when you have been pushed to full capacity output or competition is slow. 

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

          

 

Menus and Exercises for Gaining Weight - Frederick Tilney (1943)

 

Click to Enlarge

Have you heard that Homer is hard at work on a redo of Good Will Hunting? 

It has been my privilege during the past quarter of a century to have trained several hundred thousand men and women in every part of the globe. Anyone with such an extraordinary experience of that kind behind them is worthy to be recognized as an authority - and international authority. Of course, there are very few men who have had such an unusual experience. 

My followers, wherever they are, know that when I make statements they can be depended on. My teachings bring RESULTS, so they can be followed with absolute confidence. Anyone who has been following my various courses, books, writings, lectures and radio broadcasts must agree that I have always strived to be fair . . . in so far as I have never stressed ONE PARTICULAR METHOD to the exclusion of all others. 

I know, and have continuously urged that ALL NATURAL LAWS be followed and observed. It is because I stress the APPLICATION OF ALL NATURAL LAWS that my followers are able to secure what often seems like "miraculous results" when all other methods have failed. 

The author, on the lower right

I want you to grasp these facts, because by understanding them they will mean much more to you. Here is an illustration of what I mean. Hundreds of skinny, underweight fellows have bought barbells in the hope and expectation that they would quickly increase their weight around fifteen to thirty or so pounds. For some unknown reason to them, they do not make the expected gains and become discouraged, quit using the barbells and give up the idea of trying to gain in disgust. 

But hundreds of these fellows have written to me for advice and help - asking just what they can do to add the desired muscle. Well, I'm not condemning the use of barbells. It is simply that there are OTHER FACTORS which must be taken into consideration, and when these other measures are used, results are soon forthcoming. 

Therefore, I say - if you are not getting results, don't quit. Try to find out exactly where the trouble lies, and overcome it; or, that advantage of additional methods. 

Before giving any exercises or foods as a means of helping you to gain weight I want you to give these facts your full attention. 

In the first place, look yourself over critically in a full length mirror and see what needs attention and correcting. Decide how much you WANT to gain. Then, make up your mind you are GOING to gain. Allow yourself a reasonable period in which to make the desired gains. 

Remember, it is intelligently ORGANIZED efforts and a well-balanced plan you must have to secure the real benefits. Haphazard methods or spasmodic efforts or an indifferent attitude or half-hearted attempts won't do. And there is where so many fail, and blame the barbells or other equipment. 

I believe, throughout the years, I have stressed the importance of MENTAL ATTITUDE in training far more than any other instructor. The champion strong men, the top notchers, the contest winners will all assure you and confirm what I have said, that the made up their minds to win. They put their whole heart and soul into their training. They gave it everything they've got. They had a definite aim - one supreme objective - as unflinching determination to be a success at their appointed task. You can have what you want if you really want it intensively enough - assuming it is within the realm of probability for you. Plenty of upper case I omitted in that last bit.     

The "kernel of the nuts" - the "secret of success" in gaining weight (or achieving anything else) is in the above paragraph. So restudy it often - and BURN the facts into your mind. Put that spirit of thoroughness into all your efforts. 

Instead of doubting, fearing and wondering whether or not you will gain BELIEVE and KNOW that you WILL (good hunting). This inner conviction, this positive BELIEF, plus the intensified efforts persistently observed are the big factors in helping you secure RESULTS. 

I have never failed to stress vital facts among my thousands upon thousands of students and followers.

When you unlock this force within you, you realize the giant power within. When this force is used constructively it is really limitless in power, it is the god power within. Think that over. 

When you realize this tremendous force it automatically influences and commands all your body to do your bidding. They respond to your thought. So again I repeat - think the thoughts you WANT - intensively, powerfully, earnestly, enthusiastically (did I miss any?), ah yes, believingly. 

This type of thinking will help force cell-growth. All great achievers throughout the ages have used this power, all the way from Homer to Matt Damon but not Ben Affleck. No one ever attained greatness without it. 

Tell yourself, with the inner sincere conviction, with positive affirmations many times a day that you are now GAINING WEIGHT; that you ARE making splendid progress; your muscles are enlarging, becoming more shapely and strong. Tell yourself you ARE building a husky chest, massive shoulders, a mighty broad back, powerful thighs, shapely calves, ridges of muscle on your abdomen. 

Never mind what present appearances are, keep telling yourself these facts. Do so particularly every night just before going to sleep, and the instant you awaken in the morning - because at these special times your subconscious mind picks up that thought and influences the body cells to respond to that thought. Do it, now and persist with it. Prove it to yourself that it works. 

This is of course the first step. Like everything else, before it can be brought into PHYSICAL manifestation, it must first exist in someone's mind. Every ocean greyhound, every modern streamline train, airplane, etc. first existed in someone's MIND. It is the architects plan. Okay then! All aboard the dream train. 

Give this phase your special attention. Assuming you've now got the idea, we can progress. 

To gain weight you don't want to acquire mere bulk - what you need is healthy, muscular, stay-there flesh. To add 10-15 pounds of this muscular tissue isn't coming out of thin air. You've got to eat the right kinds of foods to put it there. Then you exercise like blazes to mold it to an attractive pleasing shape ("like blazes" would be around RPE 7 to 9). 

Here again your MIND comes into action. You use INTELLIGENCE in the types of foods you will eat and exercise POWER OF WILL in sticking to those particular foods - and avoid the stuff that isn't any good - the stuff you likely have been eating. It isn't helping you any, or you wouldn't be underweight - then WHY continue eating it? Be willing and eager to help yourself. Change your eating habits. 

I'm going to deal with the subject of FOOD first, for this obvious reason. If you do not eat ENOUGH and the RIGHT foods you are not supplying your muscle cells with that they need to make them GROW. The wrong foods build weakness, and to keep on exercising under those conditions merely tears down tissue faster than it can be rebuilt. Indeed, it doesn't get a chance to be rebuilt, and so you remain skinny and soon lack the energy and inclination to exercise, giving up the whole thing in disgust. 

If you are suffering with any particular illness - it may be a cold, catarrh, stomach ulcers, missing limbs, utter lack of hope or meaning, severe depression and a desire to stop fucking eating, shitting and bloody well breathing already  - NEVER MIND ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT - for the time being. Get back to NORMAL health first - for practical help regarding your condition, write me - now assuming you are in otherwise fair-to-middling shape except that you want to gain more weight be willing to eat some different foods. 

You may have to shop around quite a bit before you find stores that carry some of the foods I'll mention, but that's all right. Anything you can't get - some of you fellows located in small communities - order it from me, and I'll get it for you. I'll help you, so there is no excuse for saying you can't get certain items (the "health food" industry sure has changed). That barrier is removed. Just remember, I'm as near as your mailbox.

NATURAL foods help build NORMAL bodies. This means cut out the devitalized stuff (the "junk food" industry sure has changed), and the mucous-forming foods, and fat-forming foods. 

Natural foods mean fresh fruits, unsweetened juices, unsalted vegetable juices, raw salads, cooked greens, fresh lean meats, fresh fish and seafood, whole meal, rye, or soybean products, honey, egg yolks, raw unsalted nuts, herbs, fresh vegetables and soups and broths, dried fruits and the various approved food supplements (the "supplement industry" sure has changed.).  

White rolls and coffee, or a piece of white toast, or some pancakes, or some corn flakes for breakfast; a sandwich and pie and coffee or a coke at noon; with delicatessen meats, smashed potato, a few overcooked greens, with jelly, pie or sponge cake or doughnuts for supper are definitely NOT GOING TO HELP YOU GAIN. 

But in millions of homes such type meals are typical, with little variation each day. Hang on . . . 

was the "TV tray" preceded by some form of "radio tray" and before that a "book tray" and possibly earlier a small table set in front of a traveling minstrel? "Enjoy the wonder of cave paintings while you eat!" Were there restaurants back in the good old Neanderthal days? No matter! They all ate as we should back then and I ain't over-romanticizing being a hunter-gatherer who survived on rotted small animals, insects, red clay and the occasional roots of a bitter-tasting plant not yet named. 

But in millions of homes such type meals are typical, with little variation each day. No wonder we have a sick humanity! 

   Did he say "sick humanity" or 

"slick humanity" there?  

And the trash we have served in the average restaurant all over North America is atrocious! 

Doc Tilney, I presume?

Fat Tony wants to see you in the back. 

Okay, okay . . . happily, we do have many good eating places serving excellent nutritious meals. 

Start eating more of the natural foods. Eat slowly, don't bolt your food down, avoid eating in a rush and tip your waitress. Chew your food completely. Instead of eating only two or three meals, eat four of five a day; Fat Tony agrees. 

By eating smaller amounts and more often it usually helps. 

And sit up straight at the table, Soldier, both feet planted firmly on the floor. Relax a while after your meal instead of rushing off to work. 

LEARN TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF, give yourself some needed attention. 

Get a good substantial breakfast of foods which will help fortify you for the whole morning. You've got to EAT! You're not feeding a canary. There's no nourishment in a roll and coffee . . . but that's all millions have for their breakfast. 

Eat some dates, unsulfured black mission figs, raisins, shredded coconut, pecans, walnuts or almonds in a little mile or orange juice, or separate and all well-chewed. 

If that isn't enough get some lean bacon, well-done crisp and drained and have with an egg (discarding the white) with some fresh pumpernickel or rye bread sliced thin and buttered. Half an hour before breakfast have a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice with an egg yolk and teaspoon of honey stirred in, sipped slowly.

Cold mornings . . . the night before, soak some whole wheat kernel from a feed or seed store (buy in 100-pound lots) and have with raisins and honey in a little hot milk. Chew it well. Cut up some dates or figs and add those too. Now you really have a meal.

Or your wife or mother may wish to make some tasty whole wheat muffins (ya can't make yer own?) with nice fat raisins and chunks of nuts in them. Buttered, these are very tasty and satisfying . My "Cook Book" furnished hundreds of delicious, nourishing, health-building meals, menus and recipes and food formulas. It ran in six editions. 

Noon time - get a good hearty soup. If you enjoy it, get another. It's a big help in helping to gain weight. My vegetable puree concentrate and also 1/2 teaspoon of Vegex added to the soup not only improves the flavor, enriches it, but adds greatly to its nutritional value. They this, you'll like it. Then enjoy a substantial raw salad - celery hearts, lettuce, cucumber, watercress, chopped parsley, raw peas, raw washed spinach leaves, shredded carrot with raisins. Slice pineapple with cream cheese; or dates and figs stuffed with cream cheese. Whole wheat, Bohemian rye or pumpernickel bread, sliced thin, buttered. An apple, pear or grapes for desert. 

Supper - citrus juice or vegetable juice or tomato juice. If you wish, on chilly days, a big bowl of homemade soup with my vegetable puree and 1/2 teaspoon of Vegex added. Your choice of any lean fresh meat - steak, roast beef, roast leg of lamb, roast chicken, duck or turkey. Liver, lean chops, stew, ground chuck, fish, seafood, oysters, clams, canned salmon (avoid spiced, cured, smoked, pickled, salted meat and delicatessen meat mixtures - keep to the fresh lean meats. Your choice of greens, raw or cooked. Fresh fruit, berries, or piece of melon of your choice, and as in season for desert.  

More here: 

https://annas-archive.gl/md5/93645264915f5654e5d074a0606906e3 

If you are OVERweight you can safely eat these meals too, only in smaller portions. There is nothing in these meals to build puffy, abnormal fat. These meals re non-mucus-forming and they will help you avoid colds, coughs, catarrh, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, asthma and hay fever. Remember that. But such victims should avoid the bread and butter for a while. 

Those who are eager to gain; and have a good digestive system, and who are also indulging in heavy, intensive exercise can have another meal, such as a baked split potato with peanut oil and chopped parsley and watercress added. Its wonderful. 

To help gain weight I would take a capsule of food iodin and iron and food potassium and a goat milk capsule (obtainable from me) with each such type meal. The glands controlling the regulation of weight need food iodin. Food potassium is the element to help muscle growth, and you will note I have advocated lots of raw salad greens. These are rich in food potassium too. Food iron helps give strength, builds rich, red blood. Try taking at least two tablespoons of pure peanut oil daily. Don't confuse this with ordinary peanut butter, which is acid-forming. Peanut oil is tasteless, nourishing, excellent for the nerves and brain and beneficial all around. 

You do not have to "stuff." So many fellows have written me saying "I eat like a horse, and still I can't gain." It is not altogether HOW MUCH you eat, but WHAT KINDS of food.

Now, you will observe I haven't advocated any pies, pastries, a mass of baked good, starches (other than some whole wheat or rye bread). I have not advocated the drinking of a lot of cows' milk, as many do. This is usually mucus-forming or constipating. A very small amount as with fruits in the morning is enough.

Try to get plenty of good chicken, roasted. And lots of homemade chicken soup. Then, before toing to sleep, if you want a late snack have some slices of cold chicken with some raw salad greens, slices of tomato. But no bread. 

These foods help build a normal, healthy, happy, better YOU. In the grocery stores you'll see for sale scores upon scores of products which are not in my list of nourishing foods here. It is economical to secure the nourishing foods I've mentioned and avoid other corruption . . . the devitalized, junk foodless foods. Why pay out money to buy a mass of trash which creates sickness, builds a condition of disease - then have to pay out more money on doctor, dentist and hospital bills. That's senseless. Learn to be GOOD to YOURSELF. 

Apparently Tilney boasted about his role in designing the Charles Atlas Course to anyone within earshot. 

The white bread that made a patient out of Mac. 

Or as the indigenous types say,

To Each His Own, No One Way.

TIHO NO-way. 

The really tough times are yet to come, so prepare for them now while you can. The weakest go to the wall. Those with the resistance (meaning those who are well fortified with the food minerals, and have vigorous healthy cells throughout their entire bodies and are well nourished) will be able to withstand the epidemics and other distresses which a great war involves. We advanced thinkers can see what's ahead and coming during the next few years. A timely word to the wise is sufficient.

Now let us take up a few exercises. To gain weight quickly concentrate on the big-muscle areas of the body. These are the chest, shoulders, thighs, and arms. 

You are going to need some type of apparatus, so right a the start equip yourself with the best barbells, dumbbells and cables. Get all three, plus any others you can afford. It's an investment in a huskier, stronger, better looking, more efficient YOU. 

The exercises are simple and by following the easy instructions there is no chance of harm, strain or injury. After exercise periods you should feel a thrill and warm glow of aliveness which you'll agree is gratifying. So to to it. Lose no time in rushing in your order for all the apparatus you can, and start right away on a new, exciting adventure - molding your muscles to magnificent shapeliness, and week by week watch them bulge with beauty and power. 

As a word of warning: Do not get too enthusiastic at the start. Set yourself a definite goal to cover a 90-day period. You must make yourself form NEW habit patterns, doing the right things each and every day which will help you and not neutralize the benefits of your intensive exercise program. It would be silly to train like a beaver to build them then in other respects throughout the day do things which tear you down and ruin health. So give full attention to ALL your new correct daily living habits. 

There are, of course, dozens and dozens of different and wonderfully effective exercises which you can do with cables, dumbbells and barbells. 

Here he mentions the shortage article space and how he'll deal more with the exercise portion in a later issue. 

Stop frittering away those precious leisure hours. ORGANIZE your time and your efforts. Make your life count. Quit stalling and dilly-dallying. Don't go on being a human apology - that's bad advertising for yourself. Why advertise and tell the world you lack the gumption to make a real he-man of yourself - strong, fine, splendid, stalwart, husky, well-poised, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a loco motive formed earlier. 

Fire your soul with this new ambition and plunge into determined, enthusiastic ACTION AT ONCE. 

Enjoy Your Lifting! 

Why is it so enjoyable when we burn things and

break what's been built?

Hey, I love doing it in all my relationships! 

 

          

The Forming of Realistic Goals - Anthony Ditillo

 

Note: This article is likely already on this blog somewhere. No matter at all . . . it's a good one, one that  warrants re-reading especially after those Steve Reeves posts. 

THE FORMING OF REALISTIC GOALS

Don't know/care about your view but

personally I find the poorly constructed door jambs

and peeling wallpaper quite nice. 

We got shit to do, not

worry about all that crap! 

By using the information which is being brought to you in this brief yet, I feel fairly complete dissertation, you will be able to, in time, of course, completely change your mental outlook, physical ability, and to a certain extent your basic physical construction. 

Here, however, many an otherwise promising trainee makes one fatal mistake. He feels that for him "the sky is the limit" . . . and all he has to do is train correctly, eat correctly and obtain enough rest, coupled with the proper mental outlook and in a few years, at most, he too will reach the pinnacle of physical development or the lifting throne of achievement. 

I must admit that, at first glance, such an assumption appears to be quite logical. I mean, what else is necessary in order to succeed? Haven't all the so-called trainers of champions told us to expect such a future if we trained as they told us to in their varied and sometimes questionable publications? 

And the answer is yes. Yes, they have told us this very thing and, yes, most of us have at one time or another fallen for that very same line of malarkey. 

What then can the average trainee expect if he tries to follow all the laws of healthful living and training? Well, for one thing, he can definitely look forward to a more healthful life than the kind he would probably have if he never trained. 

Also, he can expect to more than double his initial strength on almost any exercise movement if he works at it long enough. And as far as muscular development goes, although only very few can develop themselves into physical giants such as Dave Draper or Bill Pearl, almost everyone who trains conscientiously can expect a great increase in the size, shape, and massive density of his entire physique. 

But the whole truth of the matter is somewhat complicated; quite a bit more complicated than most of the "experts" and trainers-of-the-champions would like us to believe.

 

Let us imagine, for a moment, that you are the average beginner who is interested in developing more bulk and power. Chances are you are somewhat underweight and physically weak. You have had the usual childhood diseases, and even though they have not had too great a dire effect upon you, they have left their mark. 

For one thing, you suffer every once in a while from gas and heartburn, these being due to a combination of things, among them an improper diet. Also, in times of stress, you suffer from occasional headaches. You are susceptible to colds in the winter and many times you miss days in school or at work due to being laid up with the flu. So you see, as far as your general health is concerned, you are quite a normal fellow, compared to other "slightly unhealthy" people. 

Now, on the other hand, let us compare you to a different sort of individual, the kind that could reach the top in almost any athletic field of endeavor. This is the "natural gainer." He can eat anything he wants; he never becomes ill; he is neither underweight nor overweight. Actually, he possesses quite a healthy physique even before he begins to train seriously. Now, his is the type of body that can jump to the top of the ladder, so to speak, with very little sweat, blood and tears on his part. 

Don't try to rationalize yourself into either a negative or positive point of view as to the justice of it all, for this shall most assuredly leave your mind in a state of constant flux. Better to merely accept such an occasional occurrence as being the "scheme of things," and after hashing and rehashing such pertinent facts in your mind you will sooner or later come to the conclusion that YOU ARE YOU, I am me, and "never the twain shall meet." 

One of the most important things any trainee can learn is that we must work with what we have, not what we imagine ourselves to own or that which we feel we shall indeed possess at some later time. In other words, if your body structure has great possibilities in the field of strength, and if your tendency is to constantly and easily put on weight, although fairly solid it is however fleshy and a bit unattractive, then you can come to a pretty valid conclusion that an attempt to develop yourself into a Steve Reeves will more than likely end in bitter disappointment and downheartedness. 

Such a condition will be greatly your own fault, however, because you failed to recognize the messages your body and intellect were trying to send, in preference to filling your own ego with dreams of conquest in a field which realistically speaking has no place for you, however noble your intentions. 

And what happens to such a disillusioned fellow when the truth finally hits him as to the finality and indiscretion of his great mistake? Well, in most cases he will stop training altogether, blaming his inability to gain as he would like, not on himself, the culprit, but the whole physical culture "scheme of things," so to speak, as being satisfying to only a "god chosen" few. 

Would it not be better for such a fellow to use his natural abilities rather than to pine and weep in his beer as it were? In the long run he would definitely be much better off. And he would also save himself a lot of heartache.

Just what is the point of torturing yourself? Is there some kind of secret pleasure involved subconsciously in our failures? Are there some people who try to knowingly attempt a feat which they know for a fact is way too high above their reach so they can give themselves a great big pat on the back when they fail? 

Don't you agree that there is a great possibility of many of these people being the bodybuilders who have the hips of Paul Anderson, the weightlifters who hate squats and presses, and most of all, underweight, scrawny power trainers who are afraid to gain a few pounds for fear of losing their definition? These men must definitely know all along the fact that they are kidding no one but themselves. Surely they could never truly be interested in vague goals they tell you they have set for themselves. 

I, myself, when I was a bit younger, deceived myself for quite some time as to the value in my basic physique. All my life I had been overweight. At the age of fourteen I weighed well over two hundred pounds. The sad thing was that most of this was just plain fat and I had about as much strength in my gross frame as a snail trying to move a pebble. And what was my initial training goal? 

Why, of course, being so opposite in disposition and natural ability, I told myself that I would train down my fleshy body and someday become Mr. America! 

And did I give a second thought as to just how it was going to be possible for me, a fat pudgy kid, to develop himself into a sterling example of physical power and beauty? The answer is, I did not! No, I was too "smart" for that. Why, all I'd have to do is copy Mr. America's program and in no time flat, coupled with a weight loss diet, I, too, would become one of bodybuilding's immortals.

At a height of 5'6" with a 42" waist and 47" hips, you can see I was truly wishing upon a star. And did I give up after a brief but rather useless struggle? Why, no, of course I didn't. Moreover, I became even more determined to succeed with every one of my defeats. And what did all this lead up to, you may ask? 

Well, after three to four years of this aimless struggle, I was left at a bodyweight of 185 pounds, with hips still very large, a chest that had hanging fat instead of pectorals, and arms of only 15-1/2 inches. 

And what did my friends, family and associates think of my tremendous transformation? Why, my mother was very glad; it meant she could begin buying me clothes of a more normal size. My friends at school thought that I had been going to a doctor to lose the weight; none of them ever guessed that I was knocking myself out lifting weights, trying to get someone to notice that muscular-wise, something was beginning to happen.

So you see, I, too, at one time in my life, tried to lie to myself as to the value or ability my natural frame granted me, and in my case, it took an accident most severe to finally bring me to reason. 

Even the power lifts themselves favor certain types of physiques more than others. Let us take the full squat for instance. Now here is a movement which in itself is not too difficult or involved to perform, for a man with rather short legs, or legs which are in direct proportion to the rest of his body. But just let some poor soul with extremely long legs try this same movement, and for him it becomes a nightmare. 

For one thing, his legs must really "fold up" under him, as it were, before he could even begin to reach parallel position. This would cause his back to nearly double up with the strain and upon attempting to rise once again to erect, he would have the tendency to round his back, almost to the point of either the bar rolling over his head, of he himself falling flat upon his face. 

The man with shorter legs does not have these problems. He can remain almost in an upright position all through this difficult movement and for him the full squat is a movement which he fully enjoys. 

The deadlift is another lift which favors one type of body over another. For one thing, a man with an unusually strong grip has a lot on his side. Also, the fellow who has a pair of extremely long arms can really gain on the deadlift if he has a mind to. This is because of the lack of distance he has to actually lift the bar compared to the fellow with short arms. Also, a fellow with a weak grip cannot even begin to hold onto the bar, let alone stand up with it. 

And what about the fellow with short arms? Well for one thing, he must pull the bar up to the height of the crotch instead of the usual height of the bottom of the training trunks. Also, his short arms cause him to have to squat down into quite a cramped position when in the initial stages of this most important lift. This cramped feeling at the beginning of this lift can cause many a good man to feel that he is risking a hernia or slipped disc every time he bends over to pick up the bar. 

Last but not least, we come to the champion bench presser. More than likely he is a short, stocky individual  who is very broad and also very thick (see Mel Hennessey on yer right). His chest is also very broad and spacious. A good deadlifter is very rarely a good bencher. The two lifts require different physical attributes and very few men can indeed satisfy fully both lifts at the same time. 

The poor squatter with overly long legs can sometimes excel at this lift since his extra-long legs can give him additional "boost" when he rams the bar off his chest while on the bench. But more likely, such men also have extra-long arms and this is a great detriment to successful bench pressing. 

So you see, not only are we governed  by our natural abilities as to the kind of physique we will eventually obtain, but also we are governed by such physiological laws as to what lift of lifts we are more suited to and will someday, with the proper training, really excel in. 

This more than amply shows just how important it is to really ponder over, in your mind, just where you STAND, just what you can realistically expect in the way of natural results due to these "natural abilities" you possess. 

Can you become another Paul Anderson? 

In all probability, no. 

The laws of averages are against it. But you can, if properly suited for it train along similar lines, and in all probability will become quite a strong man. 

On the other hand, if your natural tendency slants toward the Reeves type of body, you can still greatly add to the muscular bulk and power of your physique, just as others have. As far as your success in certain lifts is concerned, concentrate a bit more on the lifts you are weakest in, and in no time at all there will be a more rational relationship between all the varied lifts in your training regime. If, on the other hand, you are desirous of setting certain records, then you would be wise to put the greatest emphasis in your training on the lifts or lift in which you show the greatest natural ability and expressed strength. 

By using these opinions of mine as basic facts for the formulating of your future training goals, I feel that I am answering, for the most part, the most common problems facing the varied cross-section of aspiring trainees all over the country; for that matter, the entire world.  

And to further prove my point, let me ask a few questions. 

For instance: if Paul Anderson, Doug Hepburn, or any of the other heavyweight champions of power would try to change their modes of training to those of bodybuilders, and also change their diets from weight- and power-gaining diets to diets which would decrease the bodyweight and therefore increase the subjects' muscular definition, what do you think would happen? Do you think for one minute that such a change would change Anderson into a Mr. Universe? Or Doug Hepburn into a Larry Scott? 

Well, if you do, you couldn't be further from the truth. 

"But why not?" you may ask. "Don't these men have the largest muscular bodies in the world underneath all that fat?" 

Well, you're right part of the way, anyway. Yes, he would be able to carry such a relatively low bodyweight with relative ease, but no matter how solid he would become, he would still be lacking in that almost dogmatic requirement of bodybuilding enthusiasts, and that requirement is muscle shape. 

You see, men like Anderson and all the rest have such huge bones that they would never be able to develop that "finesse of line" which all the greatest bodybuilders have. And no matter what they tried to do, they could not change their basic muscle shape. It would not matter how strict a diet they followed. This would just not help enough (Bruce Randall had great shape underneath the excess weight he piled on then took off), no matter how high they increased their repetitions, training speed and volume. There would still be that shapeless mass which, however solid, could never be termed outside of Bear circles as "beautiful." 

On the other hand, if the average trainee incorporated both types of bulk and power training into his training routine, he would be able to reap vast benefits from both types of training and be only for the better after such an experiment was over. 

Perhaps you feel that I dwell too greatly on the small and easily forgotten aspects of training for bulk and power? I know many would like to find a book written on such a subject with many colorful pages and few, very few written pages. This would make it much easier to get through such a book but in the long run who would benefit? Certainly not the fellow who was looking for the training shortcut. No, it takes more than just picture gazing in magazines to guarantee one's success.

Believe it or not, it is in the little, less-dominant things that the average trainee goes astray. The larger, often-used terms and their important subjects are very easy to spot. "Squat for bodyweight and power." "Bulk up with bench presses." You know the kind of terms of which I speak. But have you ever read or seen, for that matter, an article dealing with the EMOTIONALLY UPLIFTING POWER which ALL forms of weight lifting can give you, if you will only open your mind to such possibilities? 

Yes, believe it or not, great emotional healing is possible through the use of properly performed athletics. Weight training is the most beneficial of all, since it is the only athletic function the main purpose of which is to add to the body, not take away. 

Weight training, especially power and bulk training, is by no means easy. Nothing about it is easy. The lifts are not easy, the men who perform these lifts are not easy to analyze, and the reasons behind why a man, any man, will dedicate his life to adding to his physical strength and muscle size is the most interesting and involved of all. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!