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Bodybuilding
Program Basics
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Isolated Muscle Training
THE
SECRET TO LEGS WITH SIZE, STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE by
Aaron Anderton
There are countless <font color=red>Leg workouts</font>
in magazines and books that promise big results. Many
are good workouts, but the secret to continued progress
is to keep your muscles from adapting, while building
on what you have already done. What I mean by this is
that mixing and matching great workouts just doesn't
work very well. You do need to change your workouts
frequently to keep your muscles growing, but if you
don't plan properly, you could be wasting time.
When you plan your workouts properly, each workout
builds on what you accomplished the workout before,
so that you keep moving forward, instead of taking steps
back each time you change workouts. A good example of
this is how many Powerlifters have trained for decades.
They begin a training cycle by using lighter weights
for higher reps. The first week or two they might do
3 sets of 8 repetitions. The next couple of weeks might
be 5 sets of 5 reps. Then they add weight and drop their
reps each week until they are ready to test themselves
for a single maximum repetition. This is usually done
in a contest, with judges and strict rules. This works
well if your goal is to lift as much as possible in
one lift for one repetition.
In bodybuilding, the weight you use does not need to
be as heavy. It is more important to use muscle tension
and volume of training to stimulate the muscle to grow.
A Bodybuilder might choose 4 different exercises for
a muscle group and do 4 to 6 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions
for each exercise. You won't build as much strength
training like this, as you will training like a Powerlifter,
but you should increase your muscle mass and improve
your muscle shape and definition more.
A Triathlete has fantastic endurance, especially in
their legs. They can swim, run and ride their bikes
for hours on end, with great intensity! They do not
have much muscle size, and most cannot lift much weight.
They train so that they can move their bodies as fast
and as far as possible, so great strength is not necessary,
and size is counterproductive.
All of these sports have something in common. They
train with a very specific goal in mind. To achieve
the best possible results in these sports, they have
to. This is even more obvious in the case of the Triathlete,
than it is for Bodybuilding and Powerlifting. I believe
that Bodybuilders and Powerlifters should cross train
once in a while to break through their plateaus.
I have competed in Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Strongman,
and Highland Games, not to mention several mainstream
sports. I trained differently for each of them, except
for the Highland Games, which I just did for fun while
I was training for <font color=red>Powerlifting</font>.
Out of all of those sports, I have been most successful
at Strongman. One of the things I like the most about
it, is that you have to be well rounded. Without enough
strength, you don't stand a chance. If you are too small,
you won't be able to move some of the implements. If
you can lift a weight, but get tired too soon, you will
be left in the dust. You also have to have unbelievable
mental toughness and desire to be successful. I mean,
let's face it, Strongman events hurt.
The point I am making is that, as a <font color=red>Strongman
competitor</font>, I need Size, Strength and Endurance.
That is truer for the legs than for any other part of
the body. This is also true for other sports that involve
both quickness and power. Football, Baseball, Rugby,
Soccer, and Sprinting all come to mind. To do that,
I can't afford to focus on Strength only, like a Powerlifter.
I can't spend my time building size for the sake of
size either. I certainly can't spend hours running,
swimming and biking if I want to have the power and
size that I need. I believe that I have come across
a good leg workout that helps me build Size, Strength
and relative Endurance for my sport. I still do specific
event training, but that is mostly for technique.
This workout involves doing just Squats for your legs,
and doing it once a week only. The first two weeks you
perform 10 sets of 10 repetitions with only one to two
minutes rest between each set. The 10 sets of 10 routine
is more commonly known as German Volume Training and
it is BRUTAL. I only do this for two weeks, because
I want strength as well. This training is excellent
for improving your endurance and it will stimulate muscle
growth as well. Be aware, that you will be very SORE
for a few days after the first week. The second week,
you should be able to add some weight to the bar and
you won't be as sore. I won't go into details about
<font color=red>nutrition</font> here, but
if you want to take advantage of the muscle growth potential
of this workout, you had better eat enough protein and
good quality food.
The following two weeks you squat for 8 sets of 8 repetitions.
This is great for muscle growth because it is lower
in both sets and reps than the first two weeks, so you
can use more weight, but it is still a high volume of
work to stimulate muscle mass increases. Just like the
first two weeks, you should be able to add some weight
to the second week of 8 sets of 8 reps.
Weeks 5 and 6 will be about going heavier and making
the transition from training for size, to training for
strength. The workout will be 5 sets of 5 reps of Squats.
Now that we are going heavier, it is especially important
to pay attention to proper form. Make sure to maintain
an arch in your back and sit back and down into the
squat rather than allow your knees to go out in front
of your toes. I explain proper form for the Squat in
more detail on my <font color=red>Powerlifting
Squat</font> page. You will want to do a couple
of warm-up sets before you get to the first of your
5 heavy sets. If you haven't been wearing a lifting
belt, it is time to start when you get to this part
of the program. Just as in the other sections, you should
be able to add at least a little weight on the second
week (week 6) of this part.
The 7th and 8th week are true power training. The workout
will be 3 heavy sets of 3 reps. Warm up and then get
to it. Think pure power and get psyched up for each
set. After these two weeks, you will have completed
your 8-week cycle to increase the Size, Strength, and
Endurance of your Legs. If you have done this in preparing
for a Powerlifting contest, take another week to do
3 sets of 1 repetition, and then rest for at least 10
days before contest day. If you are not trying to peak
for a strength contest, start over with the 10 sets
of 10 and do it all over again. You should be stronger
the second time through, and well on your way toward
dramatic improvements in Size, Strength, and Endurance.
Good luck with your training, and make sure to save
some money for some new pants with bigger legs!
Aaron Anderton No Limits Physique <font color=blue>www.nlpbodybuilding.com</font>
About the Author
For those who are not familiar with my name, I am a
National Level Strongman competitor in the United States.
I lift stones that weigh just under 400 pounds, flip
a 900+ pound tire routinely, and lift logs overhead.
I eat regular food and drink a protien powder, that's
it. My strength comes from my training, and that is
why you can benefit from my programs.
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