theIronTherapist
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This guide is designed for those new to bodybuilding or intermediate lifters who are still struggling to grasp the fundamentals of muscle growth or aren’t satisfied with their current progress. We will explore essential elements of training, nutrition, and supplements (or “gear”). The goal is to explain the principles behind everything I suggest so you can understand why certain things work, enabling you to solve issues independently in the future. Bodybuilding is a straightforward and logical pursuit. Every action you take must be rooted in logic. Only logical decisions will lead to real progress. Whenever you encounter a new principle, ask yourself if it makes sense—if not, discard it!
Training Principles: Why and How Muscles Grow
Why do muscles grow? Because they have to adapt. When do muscles need to adapt? When they're exposed to a stimulus they haven’t encountered before. And when does this happen? When the muscle is pushed to its absolute limit—this is what we call 100% effort. But what exactly is 100% effort? It’s when you train to the point of total physical failure, not mental failure. To stimulate muscle growth, you must train with maximum effort. If you don’t, the muscle won’t be pushed enough to adapt or grow.
Now, considering the logic we just discussed, if one set already reaches 100% effort, why do a second set? You’ve already taxed the muscle to its full capacity in the first set. Doing a second set won’t provide additional benefit and may actually hinder recovery. Your body has already expended all its resources during the first set, so adding another set would only prolong recovery time without adding growth.
For this reason, you should only do one set to failure per exercise. I’ll explain the full training routine and how warm-ups and exercises fit in, but keep in mind: muscles grow only after they’ve fully recovered. Recovery starts with the nervous system, which takes about 24 hours to recover from the stress of training. Once the nervous system has recovered, the muscles can begin their recovery process. This is why training every day isn’t recommended, even if you’re targeting different muscle groups. The same nervous system is involved in all exercises, and if you train every day, your body has to prioritize recovering the nervous system, which delays muscle recovery.
Training three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) is more than sufficient for maximum growth. Many professional bodybuilders, including myself, follow this approach during the offseason for optimal muscle development. Even with the use of anabolic steroids, you must adhere to this recovery principle. Steroids help improve recovery and increase strength at a faster rate, but they also allow you to train harder and tear more muscle fibers, necessitating more recovery time.
Recommended Training Program
Monday – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Wednesday – Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Friday – Abs, Back, Biceps
Warm-up Strategy
It’s essential to do proper warm-ups for your first exercise of each muscle group. This primes your nervous system and prepares your body for the heavy work ahead. For example, if your working set on the incline press is three plates, your warm-up might look like this:
The working set should bring you to failure around 6 reps. Each time you train, your goal is to either increase the number of reps or add more weight to your working set. This progressive overload is key to muscle growth.
Additional Tips for Effective Muscle Growth
By following these principles and understanding the logic behind each element of training, you’ll be able to break through plateaus and continue to grow. Just remember: muscle growth requires time, effort, and patience. Stick with it, and the results will come.
Training Principles: Why and How Muscles Grow
Why do muscles grow? Because they have to adapt. When do muscles need to adapt? When they're exposed to a stimulus they haven’t encountered before. And when does this happen? When the muscle is pushed to its absolute limit—this is what we call 100% effort. But what exactly is 100% effort? It’s when you train to the point of total physical failure, not mental failure. To stimulate muscle growth, you must train with maximum effort. If you don’t, the muscle won’t be pushed enough to adapt or grow.
Now, considering the logic we just discussed, if one set already reaches 100% effort, why do a second set? You’ve already taxed the muscle to its full capacity in the first set. Doing a second set won’t provide additional benefit and may actually hinder recovery. Your body has already expended all its resources during the first set, so adding another set would only prolong recovery time without adding growth.
For this reason, you should only do one set to failure per exercise. I’ll explain the full training routine and how warm-ups and exercises fit in, but keep in mind: muscles grow only after they’ve fully recovered. Recovery starts with the nervous system, which takes about 24 hours to recover from the stress of training. Once the nervous system has recovered, the muscles can begin their recovery process. This is why training every day isn’t recommended, even if you’re targeting different muscle groups. The same nervous system is involved in all exercises, and if you train every day, your body has to prioritize recovering the nervous system, which delays muscle recovery.
Training three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) is more than sufficient for maximum growth. Many professional bodybuilders, including myself, follow this approach during the offseason for optimal muscle development. Even with the use of anabolic steroids, you must adhere to this recovery principle. Steroids help improve recovery and increase strength at a faster rate, but they also allow you to train harder and tear more muscle fibers, necessitating more recovery time.
Recommended Training Program
Monday – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Incline Press – warm-up sets, 1 working set
- Flat Flyes – 1 working set
- Military Press – 1 warm-up, 1 working set
- Lateral Flyes – 1 working set
- Rear Delt Machine – 1 working set
- Triceps Pushdowns – 1 warm-up, 1 working set
- Lying Triceps Extensions – 1 working set
Wednesday – Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Squats – warm-up sets, 1 working set
- Leg Press – 1 working set
- Leg Extensions – 1 working set
- Leg Curls – warm-up, 1 working set
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts – 1 working set
- Standing Calf Raise – 1 working set
Friday – Abs, Back, Biceps
- Rope Crunches – warm-up, 1 working set
- Lat Pulldowns – warm-up, 1 working set
- Deadlifts – warm-up, 1 working set
- Bent-over Rows – 1 working set
- Shrugs – 1 working set
- Standing Barbell Curls – warm-up, 1 working set
- Concentration Curls – 1 working set
Warm-up Strategy
It’s essential to do proper warm-ups for your first exercise of each muscle group. This primes your nervous system and prepares your body for the heavy work ahead. For example, if your working set on the incline press is three plates, your warm-up might look like this:
- 2 warm-up sets with the bar
- 2 warm-up sets with one plate
- 1 warm-up set with two plates
- 1 working set with three plates
The working set should bring you to failure around 6 reps. Each time you train, your goal is to either increase the number of reps or add more weight to your working set. This progressive overload is key to muscle growth.
Additional Tips for Effective Muscle Growth
- Rest and Recovery: Growth doesn’t happen in the gym—it happens during recovery. Ensure that you get plenty of sleep, as it’s crucial for muscle repair and growth. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
- Nutrition: Proper nutrition is just as important as training. To maximize muscle growth, you need to provide your body with the right fuel. This means eating sufficient protein (roughly 1 gram per pound of body weight), complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Don’t forget to hydrate well and supplement as needed (e.g., with creatine or BCAAs).
- Consistency: Results don’t happen overnight. Consistency is key, both in your training and your nutrition. Stick to your program and make gradual progress over time.
- Listen to Your Body: While pushing yourself to failure is important, be mindful of your body’s signals. If you’re feeling unusually fatigued or dealing with pain, it’s okay to back off for a day or two. Your long-term progress depends on avoiding injury.
- Focus on Compound Movements: Incorporate compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups, as these movements engage multiple muscle groups and are more effective for building overall muscle mass.
By following these principles and understanding the logic behind each element of training, you’ll be able to break through plateaus and continue to grow. Just remember: muscle growth requires time, effort, and patience. Stick with it, and the results will come.
