What? Less is more! Yes, less is more! For the first three bodybuilding competitions I over trained. I thought the more weight, the more sets and the more the fat that was cut out of my diet the better the finished product would look. This mind set ended up costing me championships.
In 1987 after training in Florida with Mr. Universe Brian Silk, I learned a valuable lesson. Brian was doing half the weight, half the sets in half the time I was known to do. He taught me the importance of allowing the body to rest, recuperate and rebuild. It just did not seem logical to me, I thought. “What if I lose all this muscle I worked so hard to develop?” But if he looked that way, I was willing to try. One year later I won the Mr. Michigan Bodybuilding championships. Remember these things if you want to become a bodybuilding champion:
Workout Cycling (Periodization):
Set a time frame of ten to twelve weeks on a workout plan, and then take a week off.
Body Part Cycling:
Train each body part twice in seven days. There are different opinions about this, but my experience tells me to teach you to train body parts twice in a week, one heavy day and one lighter weight day.
Less is More:
Over training body parts can do more damage than good. Be careful not to think the more you do the better.
Heavy vs. Light Training Days:
In order to achieve a balanced looking physique, less joint aches and better muscle recuperation, training should consist of heavy – strength days and lighter – shape days. In other words, in your rotation of body parts work certain muscles heavier on some days and lighter and more repetitions on others. This allows better quality of rest between training days in the short term.
Body Language:
While this may be the hardest to master, it may be the most important. Learn to listen to your body and not your ego. Rest is important. In the short run you will not lose what you have worked so hard to develop. However, if you do not learn to listen, you will eventually be forced to take a break by the body shutting down. If your joints ache, sleeping patterns are off, more sore than usual after a workout or irritable, then chances are you need a short rest.
Mastering the art of recuperation may be the biggest obstacle you will have in becoming a champion.
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Greg Ryan is a best selling author, former employee of Kathy Smith, and high profile fitness expert.
