Growth Principles for Beginners

[Big A]

This is a general guide for beginning and intermediate bodybuilders that don't know the principles behind muscle growth yet or are not happy with the results that they are currently getting.

We will go through training, diet and gear. I will
tell you the principles behind everything that I
recommend for you to do, so you can understand why
certain things happen, so in the future you can fix
problems yourself.
Bodybuilding is a very simple and logical endeavour.
Everything that you do has to be logical. Only logical
actions will give you results. Every time that you
come across a new principle, always ask yourself it it
makes logical sense. If it does not, dump it!

TRAINING

Why does a muscle grow? Because it has to adapt. When
does it have to adapt? When you expose it to something
that it has not done before. When is something that it
has not done before? When the muscle is taxed 100%.
That's 100% effort. What's 100% effort? When you train
to 100% PHYSICAL, not mental failure. So, to make the
muscle grow, you have to train with 100% effort
otherwise, the muscle will not adapt/grow.
Now, using the above logic, for a set to be beneficial
to your growth, it needs to be 100% effort. So, a 100%
effort set of an exercise, will make you grow. Then,
what is the point to do a second set of that exercise?
You cannot go more than 100%. The muscle already has
been taxed by 100% from the first set, so why should
you do a second one? You will just eat into your
recovery ability.
So, you should only do one set to failure per
exercise. Later on, I will describe the training
program and how exercises and warm-ups are involved.

A muscle will not grow until it's recovered. The
muscle will not begin to recover until the nervous
system is recovered. It takes roughly 24hours for the
nervous system to recover from a workout. Only then
will the muscle begin to recover and grow. So, you
should never train 2 days in a row. Even if you train
different bodyparts, you still use the same nervous
system. You train 2 days in a row, your nervous system
recovers, but by the time the muscles begin to, you
train again, so the body has to concentrate again on
recovering the nervous system.
A training frequency of 3 days per week (Mon, Wed,
Fri) is more than enough. Numerous pros, including
myself, train like this offseason for maximum growth.
Even if you use streroids, you still have to train
like this. Steroids increase your recovery ability,
but they also make you stronger at a quicker rate. The
extra strength will give you the ability to train
harder/tear more muscle tissue, so you will need the
extra recovery that the steroids will give you.

The following is a great training program that I
recomend:

Mon - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
* Incline press - warm-up sets, 1 work set
* Flat flyes - 1 work set
* Millitary press - 1 warm-up, 1 work set
* Lateral flyes - 1 work set
* Rear delt machine - 1 work set
* Tricep pushdowns - 1 warm-up, 1 work set
* Lying tricep extensions - 1 work-set

Wed - Quads, Hams, Calves
* Squats - warm-ups, 1 work set
* Leg press - work set
* Leg extension - work set
* Leg curl - warm-up, work set
* Stiff leg deadlift - work set
* Standing calf raise - work set

Fri - Abs, Back, Bis
* Rope crunches - warm up, work set
* Lat pull down - warm-ups, work set
* Deadlift - warm-up, work set
* Bent-over rows - work set
* Shrugs - work set
* Standing BB curls - warm up, work set
* Concentration curl - work set

You do a lot of warm-ups for your first exercise of
the day. You do one warm-up for the first exercise of
each bodypart, only to optimise the firing of te
neuropathways.
Let's use chest as an example - if for example your
max (work set) in the incline press is 3 plates, then
you do 2 warm-ups with the bar, 2 warm-ups with one
plate, 1 warm-up with 2 plates and then your work set
with 3 plates. The work set is a set where you fail at
about 6 reps. Every workout, you have to do more reps
or increase the weight in that work set (remember, the
muscle has to do something that it has not done
before). So if one work out you fail with 6 reps, the
following nothing less than 7. When you reach 8 reps,
the following workout you should do (increase) a
weight where you can do minimum 4 reps. Then increase
your reps again every workout until you reach 8 again,
and so on. Each rep has a tempo of 2-1-1. That is 2
seconds in the negative, one second in the contraction
and 1 second in the positive.
Then, after you fail in the incline press, you move
straight to flat flyes. You do not need a warmp now
because your chest is more than warm after you failed
on presses.
And that's it for chest. The basic routine stays the
same. If you want variety, small changes as using DB's
instead of BB or doing flat presse and incline flyes
for example, is mor ethan enough variety to keep the
muscle 'confused'.

DIET
VERY simple. Very important that you try to get as
close to 500g of protein per day. Easiest way to do
that is to have a whey protein shake in water with
every meal. Fats and carbs don't matter. Calories
don't count, macro nutrients (protein, fat, carb) do.
If you get to add fat on, just cut out the fats and
keep your carbs bellow 300g/day. That's all it is!
Very simple, but hard to stick to, so not many people
get results. On gear, the more protein you eat, the
more you grow. Is as simple as that. Gear maximises
protein synthesis.

GEAR
You need a testosterone base. 750mg/week is plenty.
You need an anabolic - deca or Eq at 400mg/week is
plenty. You need for optimum growth, a good oral like
d-bol at 30mg/d or A-50 50mg/d.
You use the test and the anabolic non stop. The oral
is 4 weeks on 4 weeks off. Every 6th week (the half
way point between the off oral period - so 2 weeks
after you finish the oral) you have a blood test. If
the blood test is OK, then you can begin your next 4
weeks on oral. There is no reason for you to come off.
The only 2 reasons are health or your receptors are
saturated. If the regular blood test is OK, your
health is OK. If you are still making progress, your
receptors are OK. Coming off, will just sabotage your
gains. That's why I do not believe in set time frames
for cycles. Listen to your body. When you use the
oral, you need to use all the liver aids available - Synthergine,
Milk Thistle, L-methionine, Liv-52, etc. Of course you
cannot drink or do rec drugs during that time. Using
these precautions, your blood tests will be OK.
You also need to use an anti estrogen like Nolvadex at
10mg/d throughout the whole time. Also, you have a
choice between HCG every 4 weeks at 5000IU or Clomid
at 50mg EOD. These will make sure that your balls will
stay at a decent size and they will not forget how to
function.
The blood tests that you need are: full blood count,
liver and kidney function tests, FSH, LH, TSH,
cholesterol.
If the Total protein test in the liver tests is high,
that is because of your diet. You need to keep an eye
on the Billirubin and Urea test results. Your FSH and
LH will be suppressed - that's normal because of the
gear. If the TSH is low, add 20mcg/d T3. If the kidney
function is off, then drink more. Protein stresses the
kidneys, so you need more fluids.
When you eventually come off the gear, you make sure
that you are off the orals. Then cut out the anabolic
over 2 weeks. Then the testosterone over 3 weeks. One
week after that, you need to add primo tabs or anavar
(oxandrin) for 3 weeks. That will ensure that you will
keep your gains.
Ideally do a gainkeeper's formula that is outlined in another article.

These are the basic principles behind muscle growth. You do the above you will GROW, no matter what.

 

[modizzle]

good read bigA...nice that it's also a sticky,,,

 

[Chaps]

FAR too much gear to be using for a beginner.

 

[crank]

Great Info for everyone. Thanks Big_A



That was something I definatley needed to read.

 

[MdTNT]

FAR too much gear to be using for a beginner.

chaps i think what BigA is saying is that for a begginer or an intermediat BB'r those levels will be plenty. I dont think he is saying that for a begginer that they should jump into 750mg wk of test but i have to admit that it is perectly fine depending on the person. Md

 

[Chaps]

Well it's growth principles for beginners and some of the info just looks TOO advanced for a beginner, like staying on that long, they should get their feet wet before just going on some long 6 month cycle.

 

[Big A]

Well it's growth principles for beginners and some of the info just looks TOO advanced for a beginner, like staying on that long, they should get their feet wet before just going on some long 6 month cycle.

And why just get their feet wet and waste the benefit of being on their first cycle and growing like mad?

If their regular blood tests say that everything is perfect (health is fine), and they are still growing (receptors are fine), why shortchange themselves and come off?

You guys are too hung up in a certain way of doing things and not listening to your body. Oh shit, I am supposed to be on for 8 weeks only. Oh shit, I am supposed to be doing only 8 reps for this set.
You're supposed to tailor everything to your body.
So if you're body says it's ok to stay on, why come off? Because you are 'supposed' to??

 

[Chaps]

Well Big A it may work for you but i personally would not try the gear section of the plan that was mapped out. I like Author L, Rea's approach, smaller doses, shorter more frequent cycles.

 

[megatron]

there is no way i the workout section would be enough for me , i consider myself a beginner. how much experience are you aiming this advise for.1 year 2 years experience with weight training.or someone just starting out.

 

[Big A]

Well Big A it may work for you but i personally would not try the gear section of the plan that was mapped out. I like Author L, Rea's approach, smaller doses, shorter more frequent cycles.

Yeah, just like some of his 'new' theories are exactly what I have been writing articles on the net about for years
And all those were originals of mine.

 

[Big A]

there is no way i the workout section would be enough for me , i consider myself a beginner. how much experience are you aiming this advise for.1 year 2 years experience with weight training.or someone just starting out.

That means that there is no way in the world you know how to train properly and know what hard workouts and intensity are about.

If you think that those workouts are 'easy' you have NEVER trained properly in your life, because those workouts will bury you if you do them properly.

Regarding the 'Beginner's' tag - that was just so sensitive types that have been at this sport for many years don't start crying when they read how to do things properly and finally realise why they haven't got proper results over the years.

I have been training for 16 years and I have been a pro for 5 years. To this day, I still train the way it's written up there. As a matter of fact, that is exactly what my workout is.

 

[da_Fonz]

Gotta agree more isnt always better, and that stidma seems tohave been ingrained in ppl's minds when it comes to lifting.

 

[megatron]

i would like to know more on the work out section i am interested in the 3day principle . i agree with the rest between workout days i just dont know how 1set on each exercise is enough and how you can work chest and shoulders in the same day.im allways open for advise i would like to to talk with you some more big A if you would i think the rest thing would be something that could help me i think i might over train a bit.

 

[Chaps]

Forgive me if i don't believe you about you coming up with his theories first, just reading your suggestions on AAS use tells me that. The fact is just because your pro (present company excluded), doesn't not mean that you know how to train or use aas. Prime examples: Paul Dillet, Flex Wheeler. Just like how ridiculous it is to see an article on calf training written by Mike Materazzo, everyone knows that he's had huge calfs form the start and barely even trains them. I"m not knocking you bro, i totally agree with your nutrition and training advice, i just find it hard to believe that you came up with L. Rea's theories first.

 

[crank]

The fact is just because your pro (present company excluded), doesn't not mean that you know how to train or use

Yes it does.

That statement just doesn't make any sense.....

Anyhow...

I also get the best results from the less is more approach to weight lifting and in my triathlon training. I could go out and swim/bike/run every single day but unless I give my body time to recover, the workouts are useless and I'm not getting the benefit from them.

I used to train 5-6 days a week and now it's more like 3-4 and I am getting much better results in all my training.

I think everything Big_A has said makes perfect sense and is dead on accurate. People make things too complicated these days and forget the basics.

 

[Chaps]

Yes it does make sense, you ever read how Flex Wheeler used to use AAS, or eat or train, his training video is pathetic. He looks like he's more interested in joking around than training. Paul dillet is also known for having NO workout intensity, but both of them look big and freaky. See my point?

 

[crank]

Yes it does make sense, you ever read how Flex Wheeler used to use AAS, or eat or train, his training video is pathetic. He looks like he's more interested in joking around than training. Paul dillet is also known for having NO workout intensity, but both of them look big and freaky. See my point?

They both know exactly what works for them to build muscle and that's the only point that matters.

 

[Chaps]

Your totally missing the point :moon: .

 

[buildit303]

Wow. I've heard of this kind of training in the past. Think it was on trulyhuge.com.

Is this split into two workouts per day? Or all done at one time? How long does it take to get thru it?

Big A, do you use this routine, with variations of exercise to keep from stagnating, all year round, i.e. same 3-day per week schedule all year round?

Thanx.

 

[Big A]

Forgive me if i don't believe you about you coming up with his theories first, just reading your suggestions on AAS use tells me that. The fact is just because your pro (present company excluded), doesn't not mean that you know how to train or use aas. Prime examples: Paul Dillet, Flex Wheeler. Just like how ridiculous it is to see an article on calf training written by Mike Materazzo, everyone knows that he's had huge calfs form the start and barely even trains them. I"m not knocking you bro, i totally agree with your nutrition and training advice, i just find it hard to believe that you came up with L. Rea's theories first.

You're entitled to your opinions

How old is Rea's book? A simple internet search would simply show a lot of my artcile's preceeding his book by many years.
I didn't say ALL his theories, I said some.
And he's written a book? So? I have had three published so far and another two are coming out this year. Whoopty doo.

Don't judge me by other pros. I don't fit any stereotype out there. You're a bodybuilder, so you fit the stereotype of dumb, stupid, muscle bound full of drugs and roid rage? Is that correct?
Don't judge/criticise others when you have no idea about them!

Anyone that believs what is written by or about how pros train is a fool. No pro writes any of the article's in the mags or any of the 'advice' columns that they do. A magazine happens to have photos of a pro doing certain exercises as directed at a photo shoot. The magazine has to use those photos, so they get a writer to make up a training article that incorporates those photos, and then asign the pros' name to the article.
Numerous pros have 'their' training routines and diets written up in mags or even on their own videos which are NOTHING like what they actually do in real life.

Let's use some logic here. Short cycles are supposed to not allow the body to shut down. But it takes the body about 4 weeks to shut down and it takes some steroids at least that long to build up in the body in order to get results.
Sure you could use short esters, but even then, the body generally adds water weight for the first 4 weeks as it's trying ot protect itself from the hormonal imbalance that you are trying to create. Then, once it realises that the new hormonal imbalance is there to stay, it achieves homeostasis and finally starts building new muscle tissue.
Because of that, short cycles don't work.

Again, I'll ask the question that you haven't answered yet - if you're blood tests show that your health is fine, and your still growing (receptors are fine) what is the point of coming off??