By Denie
Progressive weight and resistance training dates back thousands of years. A probably 6000 years according to some historians...long before adjustable
weight plate loading barbells found their male/female symbolic interactions...or muscle magazines and most modern training concepts were developed.
One of the earliest strength from applied resistance
stresses ideas which led to today's progressive concepts is attributed to Olympiad (6 times) super wrestler Milo of Croton.
As a young man around 550 B.C.E. or so. Milo reasoned while living in his agricultural society of the day...and proved his point : What would happen if you lifted a small calf everyday until it grew to the size of a complete grown bull (ox).
This concept made him into one of the strongest athletes in the history of the known world of that day.
Because he did just that. And in the Athletic Stadiums
of that time, Milo would parade his power when not
wrestling or fighting wars by walking the full length of the grounds with a fully grown ox draped over his
shoulder girdle much like a contemporary squat bar.
Progressive resistance training may stem from this
idea as a contributing origin.
In the early and mid 20th Century this Bull lifting concept was also used by various strongmen farmboys...who went to County Fairs and Circus Side Shows as strongmen performers.
What's interesting about this primative concept is it
can be applied to a barbell very effectively. If you select a specific training movement and or weak bodypart and apply it in the following way.
While you still train as usually...you select one move
that you want to use and develop power and size with specifically...this is a 'secret move' that you
perform everyday for 8 easy reps with no strain. This means you select a resistance that allows 8 comfortable reps to be performed...and go up from that
point as described here....
You will need the following:
1 1/2 (2) or 1 1/4 (2) pound plates....
VERY IMPORTANT: Large hardware washers which fit the bar. Usually these washers weigh about 8 ounces per six (weight them to make sure). You should have about 18-24 which cost about 60-75 cents a piece. To get the eight ounce load place three on each side.
Strap on wrist weights that can
weight in one pound jumps up to 5 pounds will also
work when strapped around the bar inside by the collars.
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You reason with yourself...If the muscle I'm
working is this size and it can handle this amount of weigh....when it can contract with 50-100 pounds
more-it will be so much more massive. Select a target
weight you ultimately want to reach. Than go for it
deciding on the amount of days it will take using
the 'secret method' daily system.
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1. You do the exercise you chose everyday by...adding
8 ounces....via the proper amount of washers on each side of the bar. And evenually translate that into weight plates as you plateau up in poundages.
2. The weight will never feel heavy because you're
nervous system will not detect such a minute change
in resistence when using large muscle masses to lift
with.
3. This exercise is 'never' included in your training
routine. It's best done in the morning to get it out
of the way....and never as part of the regular workout.
4. You may miss doing this single set if necessary
once every 7-10 day. You can miss regular workouts
for whatever the reason...but must do this one set always adding 8 ounces. Even if you do miss your
regular workouts-it won't bother you. Why ? That one
set move isn't missed...and you're still making progress
even though your regular workout was missed for
some reason.
5. No matter how you train...one thing will stand out
a specific change of power and size is taking place
and you're moving forward...and therefore will always
be satisfied with yourself. At some point in the regular
general workout...you'll notice a change in perfomance
because of what that one set is making happen in the
structures involved.
6. This method should only be applied to one movement...even though logic may lead you to think
how about if I did a couple of bodyparts like that.
Also doing one set in the morning...and having
the brilliant ideal of doing another set (with 8 more ounces) at night can only interfere with general progress. Never complicate or upset the simple
process.
7. If evenually 8 reps becomes a bit difficult all of a sudden...the reason is you have lost control of the weight due to contractile performance being done improperly, or excessive applied body momentum which has robbed the muscle and robbed it of direct stress factors.
Additionally ego factors may enter into the system
causing careless performance when you feel too good one day...and maybe not in the mood the next day.
When this happens...cut back to the 'weight actual'
that feels light at 8 reps and reapproach the goal.
8. In three months you can double a muscle's force
adding some real density.
In 6 months...use your imagination.
In one year...I won't bother to describe what will
have happened at all here. It's too bizarre.
9. Before you attempt to do the actual move at whatever time it takes place...stretch your muscles
a little bit...so you can make them pliable.
Russian Weightlifters have experimented with systems like this over the years...with great success.
However...they applied a great deal of body momentum to the process, and that eventually leads
to will power training...since force is lost.
But that is a whole other discussion point.
QUESTION
Denie, in using the daily 'secret' progressive resistance training which exercise do you recommend doing?
Answer: In a logical sense...Its recommended the exercise related to your weakest bodypart. Basically your weakest bodypart is the area you hate to train most...or it can be the area that responds least...or a power supplemental training action.
This is an easy way to bring that area up to par.
Over the years I've tapped into many bodyparts with this approach.
As an example:
Wrist Curls: I have had the ability to do wrist curls with 80-90 pounds seated with the weight off the top of my knee. In a few months this jumped to 170 with muscle density very apparent. I finally shot to 200 which was
where I as going.
Press Behind Neck: going from a decent performance of about 115-120 up ot 200.
Or putting 20 lbs, a 20 lb. gain on each dumbbell for deltoid side laterals in a very short period. In an attempt to get at the difficult deltoid lateral head.
Whatever move you chose...you never include that training action in your regular training routine. Because this would neurologically over train the area's leverage system taxing it's elemental recuperative levels.
Over time, say a month even 2 to 3 weeks as an example, you'll experience some very definite fiber density developing...But please remember true fiber density is not pumped size. A pumped muscle...is a muscle area with capillaries that are open and full of fluid.
If you don't train a muscle or skip a few workouts you lose a half inch or more of your general pump. Real muscle fiber density can take many weeks to lose in very low percentiles-as does the strength from conditioned in true contractions.
So again what move to chose...I have chosen at various times...Barbell curls, concentration
curls, deadlifts, reverse wrist curls, similtaneous
shoulder dumbbell presses, calf raises, various 'pre-warmed partial moves in quarters and half contractions, carefully performed upright rowing, certain finger and hand grip actions.
On hand and gripping actions I have taken about a 75 pound grip potential and raised the single hand grip close to 220 for reps.
I went up on non cheating or swinging alternate curls from 45's to 75's in a few months...which was quite thrilling because I liked the way it looked in the mirror using a dumbbell stacked with 10's on each side. Naturally I'd invite people over like my family or wife...saying: "Come ere, I want to show you something. Look at this !"
Now, I've been playing with this system off and on for 40 years. It works...if you don't abuse it... and you believe everyday that's it going to work. The funny thing is...your normal training begins to change radically when moves that include that bodypart are included. Doing a 'secret' tricep action skyrockets your bench at the sticking point.
So it's your choice...however, the more muscle masses are involved the less likely you are to stall out...but, also the more likely you are to cheat or add momentum which eventually leads to loss of contractile control.
Print this out for yourself so you have a training coordinate to visualize from. And that is the final key, the visualization of where this can take you in the time period you will apply it.
QUESTION
Denie, how do I know this will really work, and 8 ozs
doesn't really mean anything...can't I use more ?
Answer: You can use 1 lb. increments (8 ozs each side) when multi-muscle structures are involved Like squats or bench press.
However, I recommend 8 oz jumps (4 ozs on each side). You will never feel it. Therefore your mind will not block your continually going up.
Let me say that perceptually, this is a very stupid method...until you see it actually work.
The process can be supremely annoying...until the gains start rushing on-without having to go through the mental chaos of regular imposed routines and in many cases going stale due to overtraining or an attitude application problem in a long workout.
Train as usual...just keep the movement
away from your routine...hours away "before" the routine. Read this system again carefully. Than focus on what can be achieved here.
View this as ridiculous...and it won't work. Just do it...and you'll be laughing your ass off at how easy you can continually gain.
Because this is so simplistic...does not mean its worthless.
Read it, believe it, focus on it, act on it...than you will know.
Should you decide to use this training application... never discuss it with anyone. Discussion destroys necessary mental tension...leaving the way open for the criticism of others who are negative....and cause you self doubt which can amp down muscle contraction potential.
The point being...let others discover the changes in your development...rather than informing them to look for it.
It's far more satisfying.....and the backbone of a 'secret method'. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a secret !
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e-mail: Deniew@live.com