1. health and fitness
2. exercise

Section 1
Introduction; Why am I writing this?
Cheers for taking the time to download this eBook. Many of you – probably the longer in
the tooth trainers and particularly the over-thinkers among you - will be wondering why I
am writing this, you probably won’t get much from it truth be told.
The answer is simple. There are so many folks now – mainly young guys - joining the
gym and starting weight training, coming to it as complete and utter newcomers. Most of
them, through no fault of their own, don’t have a clue, and therefore, many don’t make
any progress. I also see a lot of folks who have been training for 2-3 years, yet hardly
look any different, or are hardly any stronger – despite over thinking diet, training and
even using potentially dangerous drugs.
I’m not going to tell you anything new – if you are looking for cutting edge drug
protocols, magical diets or next level training routines with fancy alphanumeric names
then close this right now, and go pay a pop up PT or internet scientist to draw you
something up.
The thing is they won’t tell you anything new either. They can’t. Maybe they will make it
sound new, technical – intelligent and appealing – but the fact is pretty much everything
we know about resistance training, regardless of goals, has basically been tried already.
The core principles are fairly simple. There is very little new – but of course that won’t do
because people need to sell stuff. So the old stuff gets rehashed, repackaged (given a
catchy name), and sold - to you.
And still, most of the people I see paying out hard earned cash for the latest newest
training system, supplement or diet, STILL don’t make much progress, well, none that I’d
be proud to shout about anyway. I reckon it is because they are doing all the “fancy”
stuff but are missing the core fundamentals.
So that’s why I decided to write a short book. The idea started when I realised how
often I answer the same questions over and over in my local gym – so I thought I could
maybe write something that might help people and also save me repeating myself so
much! Then I got thinking that if it applies to the new folks at my gym, then it might
apply to any new trainer at any gym – so I decided to put it out over the internet to
whoever wants it. Then, through chatting with a couple of folks I realised it probably
makes sense to put this out in sections, the first one being basic training.
I refer to young guys a lot during this – that is only because currently the majority of
newcomers to my local gym are indeed young guys. However, anything I say will apply
just the same to older chaps, as well as women. We are all more alike than different,
after all. That’s just to clarify that I am not a raging ageist or sexist!
These reasons I have for writing this might not be good enough for some people though.
You see, there is this proper bitter element in training circles right now. Maybe it has
always been there, I don’t know – people trying to cry others down for trying to help, or
trying to achieve something – you see it all the time, especially on Facebook and the like.
Some of those types will no doubt be reading this right now, getting bitter, and saying
things like: “who is he to think he can write a book – what does he know” – well, while I
am comfortable writing, I am the first to say I don’t think I know anything particularly
special. I’m just a guy who has trained a wee while, and achieved some progress and
success at my low level and within extremely limited means; I figure that qualifies me to
at least attempt to help folks who aren’t making any progress at all. There are many
around who know much more than me. Folks who have achieved way more – some of
them might slate my modest attempts here… all I can say is this; if you are questioning
my ability to write something useful and slating me for trying to help – then why don’t
YOU quit criticising, and try helping instead. It is the easiest thing in the world to sit
back from the front lines and criticise – all it takes is a big mouth and a small brain. It is
quite a different kettle of fish however, to shut your face and do something about it.
Anyway, what I am trying to say is that with anything I write here, I am NOT claiming it
as the ONLY way, or even the best way. I’m not a doctor, a qualified PT or a nutrition
expert. I’m only saying that these are some of the things that worked for me, and while
I’m nothing special, I made progress that a lot of the new guys these days don’t – so it
might be of some help. If not, no harm done - I am not charging anything for this book,
it is free to whoever wants it. And, because it is free, you don’t get to moan at the
various grammar and spelling mistakes that will no doubt be littered throughout!
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to email me; I don’t profess to have all the
answers, but sometimes it isn’t even about that. Sometimes we just need someone to
bounce ideas off of. Also, I am happy to write about my thoughts and opinions on other
topics if there is enough interest, so suggestions are welcome too. I can’t promise to
respond directly to every email – but I do promise to read them - honest!
[email protected]
R.Strachan © 2015
R.Strachan © 2015
2
My Own Beginning
I’m going to talk about myself often through this, not because I am vain or bumming
myself up, simply because it might allow you to relate – and therefore learn from what I
done right, and avoid what I done wrong. Many of those who have been training in any
discipline for a long time, genuinely forget what it was like to be a newcomer; I made a
point of promising myself all those years ago, that I’d never forget what it was like to be
completely new to training and to never sneer or look down on those in that position. It
is a shame many others don’t share this same viewpoint – they seem to forget that no
matter how far we get, we all started from modest beginnings.
Anyway at the time of writing, I’m fast approaching 37. I got my first weight set for my
13th birthday – a York no less – gold plates with chrome bars and red plastic (and hence
utterly useless) retention collars. It was one of those cheap starter sets where the
weights are made from plastic casings filled with cement, but I loved it anyway – to me it
signified the means for which I could start changing myself and shaping my own destiny
I suppose. It was summer, and I threw myself right into it with a motivation and
excitement I’ve rarely experienced since – I wish I could muster that again! For that
Christmas some 6 months later and after constant begging to my mum, I got a weights
bench complete with leg extension attachment which opened up a whole pile of different
exercises to me. It wasn’t long before I was making a little progress, with most folk at
school starting to take notice and asking me about weights. I wasn’t big, I was tiny in
fact – but amongst my peer group, people noticed the changes, and that was good
enough for me.
The point though, is that apart from a couple of years here and there where life got in
the way and I fell away from training for a while, I’ve been involved in weight training
one way or another for over 20 years.
So what motivated me to begin training in the first place, and keep going for that length
of time?
One word – and it will probably generate a snigger from the younger crew – Arnold. I
reckon it is fair to say he shaped a generation, this larger than life man, cartoon big, with
veins thicker than mains cable running down his huge arms. The first time I seen him,
the image was burned into my mind, and I knew that “when I grew up” I didn’t want to
be “normal” - I wanted to try and change my body like he did. I reckon I was around 7
years old at the time, and it was the opening scenes of Commando where he is carrying
a huge tree on one shoulder – it made that big an impression on me. It just can’t be
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3
overstated the effect Arnold had when he hit our screens – nowadays everyone has seen
huge muscle-bound guys, wrestling, strongman and even bodybuilding to some degree
have went main stream – but back then, when guys like Arnie, Stallone and Ferrigno first
hit our screens – the mainstream public had seen nothing like that before. For me
though, Arnold was always the best. Later, when I found out more about him, I learned
about his success in competitive bodybuilding, and that led me a little down the path of
competing myself.
I don’t know what motivates younger folks today – you guys have come up in a different
time. Maybe you want to be big, like the modern day bodybuilding champs. Maybe you
want to have an athletic physique - lean and muscular, but not too big. Maybe you just
want a six-pack for the summer. Or maybe you just want a good pair of arms so you can
look good in the club and get the birds – fact is it doesn’t matter. I couldn’t care less,
and neither should anyone else. Everyone has their own goals, and whatever motivates
you is your business. Sure some bitter types will criticise and look down on people for
aspiring to goals they themselves see as silly - but ignore them. Each to their own I say.
The only thing I’d like to see, is folk making more progress toward their goals – whatever
their goals are.
What I am getting at though is motivation. Without it, you will not go anywhere. You
need drive, you need to be prepared to put hard work in. I initially got mine from
idolising Arnold Schwarzenegger (as I’m sure many did!) – you’ll probably get yours from
somewhere else – but the main thing is you need motivation because progress for most
of us is not easily come by. It has to be fought for – so don’t come to the gym lightly;
you are wasting your time if you do – let me say that again – do NOT come to the gym
lightly. If you want results, then you are not here to fuck about.
Whatever your motivation – it doesn’t matter what it is or where you get it – just make
sure you have it, and use it. Any time I have not made progress – including now and the
last 4ish years since I competed last – it hasn’t been about injuries or personal
circumstances although both have caused me major problems. It has been through lack
of motivation. You can achieve some pretty special things if you have the correct
motivation. My own motivation just isn’t there like it was when I was younger and I’m at
peace with that – but if you want to make any steps toward your chosen goal, motivation
is the prime key.
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Magic Bullets
Everyone wants a magic bullet. Some kind of easy option that gives fast, effortless
results. A quick fix, if you like.
Get this in your head – read it over and over until it is your core belief – then read it
some more:
THERE IS NO SUCH THING.
Sure, you can use the new wonder supplement with the 6 page advert in Flex, or maybe
pay a small fortune for the latest “Training System” being peddled by the guru of the
moment. You can even jam yourself full of steroids that the local monkey with no morals
will be only too happy to sell you – too many of you jumping in far too soon and far too
deep on that score.
None of it is a quick fix. Every route you take that has the chance of good results at the
end of it, will require hard work and patience. Effort is the currency you use to pay for
your results. The sooner you accept that - embrace it even - the sooner you will stop
fucking around and move forward.
This is why I get so pissed off with Herbalife and all things like it. They all promise – even
as part of the advertising – “just” do this, “just” do that. The simple fact is you don’t
“just” do anything, and expect decent results. Life simply doesn’t work like that, nor
should you feel entitled to expect it to.
Of all the “magic bullets” used in gym disciplines, steroids must surely be the most talked
about though – probably the most used (most often with disappointing results or worse,
lasting side effects) - and definitely the most hyped.
But remember the rule. THERE ARE NO MAGIC BULLETS. However, they do merit
mention, if only because their use and the amount of people seeking information about
them are so widespread now.
Let me be clear; this book isn’t about steroids. Not because they don’t have their place –
like any tool, they have their use when used responsibly - assuming of course whatever
discipline you are involved in doesn’t have rules against such things. Hell I’ve used them
myself in the past, and would never lie about that as long as the person I am talking to
isn’t an ignoramus who believes the bullshit the papers print on the topic.
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No, the reason this isn’t about steroids is because training shouldn’t be about steroids.
Making progress shouldn’t be about steroids. Yet far too many people jump onto them
straight away, before learning the grass roots things that they NEED to know, to make
progress.
Hell I know a guy – let’s call him Dick. Dick was telling me that his mate had asked him
to help source some Dianabol tablets, a popular enough steroid. Thing is, Dicks pal had
no intention of going to the gym, or any thoughts about eating right. It is like he
thought that all he had to do was pop a few pills, do fuck all, and he’d grow. Ridiculous,
but there you are. What is it that has bred this sense of entitlement into so many people
these days? Why do they think they are entitled to quick solutions without putting in any
work?
You could take all the steroids you like – but unless you have the basics of training and
eating sorted, you’ll be lucky to see any positive results. You will see side effects though,
maybe not straight away, but they will come sooner or later. It just isn’t worth the risk
when starting out, especially if your goals are easily achievable without them anyway.
On the opposite side of the coin, if you DON’T use steroids, but DO nail your training and
eating, you WILL make progress as can be witnessed by the legions of natural trainers,
many of whom make a laughing stock of many trainers who do use performance
enhancing drugs. Steroids are only ever the last little bit of the puzzle; the average gym
user might need never consider them – and should certainly not start them until they
know they can train effectively, and eat correctly, day in, day out.
I may do a future part to this specifically talking about my thoughts and experiences with
performance enhancing drugs if there is any interest; but for now, that is ample
discussion on the topic.
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Training – Grass Roots
So you’ve been motivated to change your body in some way, and now joined the gym and you have some short term goals – you do have goals don’t you? I mean, you didn’t
just waft into the gym, with no real reason why you are there? If you don’t have a goal
– or your goals are very vague or too long term – you are struggling from the outset. If
you don’t know the destination you want to sail your ship to, how are you going to steer
it there? Isolate your goals clearly, identify them – and then you can make a training
plan how to get there. I used to set goals like putting a quarter inch on my arms. Of
course my overall goal was to get my arms as big as possible, but that is vague. To put a
quarter inch on is achievable and something tangible to aim for. And, when I got that
quarter inch on, I started again. In this manner I constantly teased myself to make
more and more progress without looking at the larger long term goal which could seem
overwhelming. So set smaller more achievable goals that will hopefully take you to your
main goal, in the fullness of time.
From now on in I am generally going to talk from the basic viewpoint of someone
wanting to grow muscle, evenly, over their full body; a bodybuilder. Obviously if your
goals are different you will need to investigate if that requires a different approach; but
my guess is for most the basic principles will still hold. Keep it simple. The things I am
about to cover do carry over pretty uniformly whether that be for muscle gain, strength
gain, fat loss – it all sort of applies, more or less.
The point of any training is to provide a stimulus – which will in turn cause a desirable
adaptation; a change that you want to happen. You might go running – the stimulus – to
gradually be able to run greater and greater distances – the adaptation. Or you may try
to run the same distance, but faster – in order to build up speed, same idea. Stimulus
followed by adaptation.
With weights, you lift to stimulate the muscle – hopefully – usually in order to get bigger,
stronger, faster, or to build endurance. Most people new to it however, will have no real
idea where to start or any measure of how hard they must train, never mind any real feel
for the individual techniques of each exercise – this is what my following pointers will
hopefully help address. I’m not a doctor, and I’m not officially qualified as a Personal
Trainer, all I have is my experience and logical mind – so if you want to dismiss any of
this and assume I’m talking bollocks so you can just instead go on the latest wonder
routine that promises easy results then there are plenty of reasons you can use – makes
no difference to me either way, its all good!
R.Strachan © 2015
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A Note on Form
Did you know, lifting weights correctly, is in itself a learned skill? It takes time and
practice, just to learn how to really hit the targeted muscles correctly. I mean think
about it. You wouldn’t walk into an ice rink having never been skating before, and
expect to strap on some skates and be gliding about the ice like a pro, would you?
Well you should approach your start in weight training with that in mind. You can’t
expect to just walk into the gym, and get it. It is not easy, and nor should you expect it
to be. Just balancing some weights in the starting positions can be extremely difficult!
This, by the way, is the core of my belief of why a beginner should NOT be considering
avenues like anabolic steroids. What is the point if they haven’t even learned how to
train correctly yet?
The way an exercise is done, is called form. If it is done badly, this is called bad form –
done correctly, it is said to be done in good form. Good form involves structurally correct
posture, and always aiming to use the weight to stimulate only the target muscle, as
much as is practical at least. We have all seen the guy at the dumbbell rack, using far
too heavy a weight, and swinging them all over the place when he is trying to do bicep
curls. He is using terrible form; don’t be that guy.
There is no excuse for bad form now – you all have smart phones, internet and
immediate access to sites like Youtube – there are plenty of videos posted there by
professionals showing you how to perfectly execute almost any exercise you can think of.
There are also loads of hilarious videos showing you how NOT to do them!
It will take time to learn exercises correctly – some people will get it quicker than others,
just like how some people learn to skate quicker than others. Some people – like me with
the skating – will never put in any effort and therefore never get it at all. It doesn’t just
happen – lots of practice, and lots of studying up on videos – and time. People who
expect to just “get it” are lazy, impatient and deluded.
As a beginner, you should be striving for the best exercise form you can on the exercises
you choose. Form first, weight second; always. You’ll get stronger, and weight will come
in time – but always try and use the weights correctly. Leave the ego lifting to the guy
with no gains and the tiny arms who is swinging his weights about like a crazy person
over at the dumbbell rack.
Later, when you are more advanced, you’ll find there are times where you can enhance
an exercise by occasionally letting form slip in a controlled manner… but for now just try
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and keep it good. Use the mirrors in the gym (they aren’t just for posing in!) and get
more experienced trainers to watch you, in order to ensure you are doing exercises
correctly. You have to learn the rules, before you can learn how to bend them.
Routines
Many beginners agonise over their training routines. They stress over every little detail,
confused with all the contradictory advice out there, particularly on the internet, and get
so swamped down that they destroy all chances of making progress. I done it plenty
myself, although there was no real internet when I started – all I had were magazines –
so in some ways it is even harder and more confusing now. I actually get a bit annoyed
now when I get someone wanting my opinions on the latest training system, DC, FST-7,
GVT ad infinitum – I find it boring if truth be told!
Don’t be confused though. Here is a fact of training as a beginner – within reason, it
doesn’t matter what you do, but more how you do it.
Yup, that’s right. Almost any training routine will produce results, if you train hard
enough with it and don’t just go through the motions. The gurus don’t want you to
believe this because they want you to believe that the system they are selling is the only
possible way you can make the progress you are after. All bollocks.
So don’t be stressing over every magazine article, every internet discussion forum. Pick
something basic and solid, keep it simple – but most importantly - commit to it fully. So
what if someone else is doing something else that they swear is the best routine since
Moses had to lug tablets of stone around – as I’ve said, almost any routine will give good
results if the application of it is good enough. So it is nothing to be confused over that
there are so many options. They pretty much all work, especially to a beginner. Just
pick one that suits your lifestyle, and get stuck in.
My first routine was a really basic Monday/Wednesday/Friday job, hitting the full body
over those 3 days. I can’t remember the fine details – it came with the York weight set I
got on that 13th birthday, a blue and white booklet that looked like it was straight from
the 1960s. By all accounts it was a dull routine and very “old school” even for the early
90s – but it worked. It worked, despite it being dull, because I totally committed myself
to it – as best I could as a 13 year old training in his bedroom and eating what his
mammy served up at least. It produced noticeable results – noticeable by other people
who didn’t really know what I was up to, not just noticeable to myself, so that rules out
personal delusions of grandeur!
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Around 5 years later – after going through a fair few training routines by big names
published in Flex magazine and such – including some fantastic stuff by Stuart McRobert
(you could do worse than track down a copy of his book, “Brawn”) - I started training
with a serious training partner in a proper gym. I adopted the routine he was using,
itself bastardised from Dorian Yates I believe - and it was entirely different – but I grew
just the same if not better (my knowledge of nutrition had came on leaps and bounds,
this is what makes the biggest difference). I used this routine right up until the start of
2011 – so maybe some 13-14 years. Without much modification, it gave me all I needed
to compete in bodybuilding for 3 seasons, with the odd successful placing thrown in too.
Again why? Was it a miracle routine?
No. I was just testing you – as we have already covered there are no miracle solutions. It
was in fact fairly basic, with many “issues” on paper that could get the armchair
broscience brigade very upset indeed. However, it fit into the rest of my life well which is
extremely important – and again I committed fully to it.
I’m going to type up that particular routine now – not because I am saying you should do
it (although, you could do worse), and certainly not because I am saying it is the best –
but simply to illustrate just one basic routine that worked very well for me. I’m nothing
special so there is no reason it couldn’t work for you too. It trained the whole body over
4 sessions as follows:
1. Chest & Triceps.
2. Back & Traps.
3. Shoulders & Biceps.
4. Legs.
I trained only every second day, so training and rest days would alternate. As a result,
the body was trained fully over an 8 day period rather than the usual one week.
Remember, your body doesn’t know what a week is – a week is simply a man made
measure of convenience only – if the routine you want to do fits nicely into a week hitting
the body fully and giving ample rest, that is fine – this one didn’t and that’s also fine.
For a period while competing I actually split legs into two sessions to give one for quads,
and one for hamstrings and calves – because if you have put full effort into training
quads, it floors you leaving no energy or drive to do anything else. Separating hams and
calves off meant they too could get adequately trained too. However the point is that
this took the number of training sessions per full body cycle up to 5 meaning that it took
even longer to hit the full body – 10 days – and it still worked great. So don’t stress
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about having to make your routine fit into a one week time period!
The routine itself was simple though – it is the application of the routine (any routine)
that determines whether you see results or not. It pays to keep it simple – it isn’t what
you do but HOW you do it, especially just starting out.
As for the training sessions themselves, they often varied depending on what exercises I
was in the mood for, but generally the format was always the same – 3 exercises for a
“big” bodypart like chest or quads, 2 maybe for a “small” bodypart like biceps or calves.
I’m going to make the assumption here that you know what “sets” and “reps” are – each
exercise would only be 3 or 4 sets max, with the weight going up each set until the last
set which would normally be to failure. Rep range varied over the years - I’ve done them
all and they all have something to offer – there is no “perfect” rep range. My advice
would be to experiment and change it up every now and then. Regardless of the rep
range chosen though, in my opinion each exercise should build up in weight with each
set, until the last set of each exercise where you should be going all out, in order to
generate a high level of training intensity.
That’s another classic beginner failure actually – they often never reach any level of
intensity. When you see a routine written down in a magazine or on a website, you’ll
often see instruction to do 3 sets of 10 reps (for example). And, often the trainee will
just do 3 comfortable sets of 10 reps. This achieves nothing. You need to deliver a
signal to the body that it is not up to the job – this is the stimulus that makes it change.
If you stress it enough, it will adapt, grow bigger, or stronger, or faster (all depending on
the nature of your training).
You NEED a high level of training intensity, you need to push yourself. You might even
sometimes need to push to complete muscular failure, so leave the ego at the door and
stop being scared of making a twat of yourself; get under that bar, and beast it. Beast it
until you can’t any more.
Another possible option for a training routine would be Push-Pull-Legs. Really simple and
(as we have already discussed) if you apply it correctly, will give good results. As the
name implies, you break the body up into 3 sessions – a “Push” session, where all the
“pushing” muscles are trained, a “Pull” session, where all the “pulling” muscles are
trained and a legs session which I’m going to assume I don’t need to explain, because if I
do, you have bigger problems than the gym!
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So typically it would look like:
Push day – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Pull day – Back, Traps, Biceps
Leg day – guess!
If you done this, say, on a Mon/Wed/Fri, straight away you have a nice compact training
pattern, that fits inside a week, if such things matter to you.
What exercises you choose for each of those body parts is of course up to you, but the
key is not to pick too many. Another common beginner mistake is doing far too many
exercises in a session - you don’t need to do every single machine when you are in the
gym. Just pick 3 exercises for the first body part then down to 2 possibly – or even 1
depending on fatigue (yes if you hit it hard enough, 1 set can sometimes be enough!) for
the other body parts. It is important to realise that more is NOT better, and if you are
training hard enough, you don’t actually need to do as many exercises as you might
think. Quality before quantity!
Rest between sets can be important too in any routine. Too short a rest period between
sets and your performance will suffer because your muscles haven’t had enough time to
adequately “recharge” – but too long a rest will also cause performance to drop off
because it derails the workout; you go “cold”. In short – take around 60-90 seconds
rest, that’s about right for most folk – it is basically the time it takes for a training
partner (if you have one) to do their set. If you are too busy playing with your phone (it
should be left in the changing room to be perfectly honest) and just sitting about – apart
from pissing off people who want on the equipment you are hogging – your body will just
down regulate thinking the workout is over.
Beyond all that, it is just a matter of repeating the training, session by session, week by
week. That’s why it is called a routine – and the more consistent you can be, the quicker
you will see results. Keep half arsed sessions to a minimum, and try not to get into the
habit of skipping sessions. Consistency is absolutely key – after all it doesn’t matter how
small the steps are that you take; as long as you keep making them consistently, you
can cover any distance you put your mind to. Many of the people who achieve their goals
or progress the furthest while others stand still are doing all the same basic things as
everyone else… they are just more stubborn, and don’t let things derail them – they keep
taking those small steps, day after day.
Another big mistake that beginners make, is training TOO MUCH. They are in the gym 6
days per week, thinking that is how progress is made. Fact is, for most of us who aren’t
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genetically elite – it isn’t. You’ll notice in the two routine examples I have given, there
are plenty days where no weight training takes place – days off. Put simply, this is
because you don’t grow in the gym – you grow when you take on nutrition, and rest.
This can take some effort to get into your head as a newcomer, I remember myself, at
13, not understanding how I could grow, if I wasn’t training every single day.
Sometimes I’d sit on my bench in my room watching TV, just curling dumbbells
constantly thinking the more I do, the more I’ll grow… wrong! When you think about it, it
is obvious that more is not better – as we discussed earlier, the goal of any training
system is to provide a stimulus, that’s all. So get in the gym, get it done, and get out.
Two people training together on either of the routines I’ve mentioned here could be in
and out of the gym in around an hour to an hour and a half. Get in, get out, go home
and eat – let your body recover then adapt. Rest is vital!
Summary
I’ve waffled on a fair bit there, so I’ll summarise it all in a few key points:
1. As a beginner, you should be striving for the best exercise form and technique
you can on the exercises you choose. Form first, weight second; always. Use
sites such as Youtube, to watch and learn how exercises should be done correctly.
If you are fortunate enough to have any experienced trainers in your gym, ask
them. You usually find that far from being unapproachable as many assume, the
more experienced guys are usually only too happy to help if you ask.
2. Keep it simple – when it comes to weight training routines, it isn’t so much what
you do - but HOW you do it. Spend more time trying to find ways to apply
yourself to training harder and more effectively, rather than stressing over what
routine to follow. Just pick a good simple training routine and go for it!
3. There is no “perfect” rep range – or number of exercises for that matter – it can
be a good idea to experiment and change it up every few weeks. Any time you
hear someone say you MUST do a certain number of anything, you should ask
yourself where that number has came from. I’ve grown doing sets of 20 reps, and
I’ve grown doing sets of just 4 – if you train hard you will respond regardless. I
used to change rep ranges fairly regularly (every few weeks) just to keep things
interesting!
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4. Intensity. You need it to cause your body to adapt. It doesn’t want to change;
you have to force it. You might not always need to push to failure, but you
always need to push hard. You need to push your comfort zone; comfort is a
mechanism used by your body for one purpose – to maintain the status quo.
Comfortable people do not change, so if you want to change, you need to
dispense with comfort! This is a big issue for new trainers – and some
experienced trainers! They simply do not train anything like hard enough…
5. Consistency. The more consistent you can be, day in, day out – the better your
results will be. If you are going to skip sessions, or train half arsed, you have no
right to expect results. If you seriously want to reach your goal, put the effort in,
and don’t make shit excuses.
6. Rest – you don’t need to train every day, and, in fact, for many it will hold back
progress. Pick days where you train, and days where you don’t. On the training
days, get in the gym and hit it hard; on the rest days, stay away from the gym,
recover, rebuild - and hopefully adapt. It might seem frustrating if you are just
starting out because you just want to train as much as possible, but it is even
more frustrating making no progress!
That’s Kinda it…
… for now at least. I’m guessing many of you might be disappointed with this but if you
are, ask yourself why. See I have this theory about fat people – stay with me here
because it is relevant. Most fat people claim they have no idea how they got fat, and
that they don’t know how to fix it.
Bullshit.
They know. The type I’m talking about, they just want everyone else to think that they
don’t. It’s a type of defence and reinforcement behaviour. They know fine well why they
got fat (eating too much, not moving enough) and they know fine well how to start
undoing it (eat less, move more) but they make bullshit excuses why they can’t and build
up false belief systems as defences (I don’t have time to train, it’s my hormones etc etc).
Basically, what it comes down to is not wanting to take responsibility for ones self.
Funnily enough many people who don’t eat enough for their goals are the exact same.
Same applies to people who are training but not really getting results. It is no doubt
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frustrating but nine times out of ten it is because they have gone all overcomplicated and
pseudo-scientific and don’t train hard enough. They know this. Deep down, they know it.
I did, and I do – and I’m at peace with it. But I don’t moan these days asking why I am
not growing when I know fine well.
So if you are annoyed, it is maybe because all I have done here is show what you really
already knew; most of the things you are grasping at are bollocks, and in fact you need
to strip it back, stop stalling and train harder, or more consistently. This is why I couldn’t
charge anything for this – I have not told you a single thing you do not know, or that
isn’t just common sense anyway. Besides, go back to paragraph 3 on the first page. I
told you right from the outset I wasn’t going to tell you anything new!
For the complete beginners I hope this has been of some use – you are my primary
target here; I figure if I can start you off by helping you see through some of the bullshit
then I might just have achieved something here. I’ve purposely stayed away from giving
detailed workout plans which many of you probably want – don’t be lazy – it isn’t rocket
science although some coaches might like you to believe it is. Just take one of the
training routines I’ve found and pick some exercises to slot into it.
Keep it simple, and train hard. Spend less time thinking about how to formulate your
post workout shake, and more on how you are going to isolate and train your targeted
muscles more effectively. Every time you come into the gym, don’t ask yourself “am I
training hard enough?” Instead ask “am I training as hard as I can?” or “am I training
harder than last time” – keep pushing yourself, and don’t get complacent.
Get this work ethic in place and you are on the right path – coupled with good basic
eating (the next part to this hopefully) you WILL make progress.
Questions/Suggestions/Abuse to [email protected]
Left: This shot from my competition prep in 2008 proves 2
things; I used to have at least a little bit of muscle – and I used
to have hair! Strange but true!
R.Strachan © 2015
R.Strachan © 2015
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