Embryonic Bodybuilding

The Original Not the Imitation

By
Dennis B. Weis The Yukon Hercules

Distributed by
www.dennisbweis.com


2003 Dennis B. Weis


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Many years ago the late Don Ross (Pro Mr.
America, prolific bodybuilding writer and
author of the book MUSCLEBLASTING) and I
used to engage in conversations about the
many aspects involved in bodybuilding What I
would like to do now is share with you (the
reader) the insights and expressions that Don
and I had from these conversations (back in
the 80s and early 90s) about what we called
Embryonic Bodybuilding.. We agreed that one
of the greatest accomplishments in body building, aside from winning a big
title, is making outstanding muscular gains on a program of your own
planning. In this Rent-an expert 21
st
century age, even a few top-notch
competitors dont get to experience this. They have everything laid out for
them by personal trainers and advisors. If you fall into this category, you
dont know what youre missing.

Theres nothing wrong with consulting a reputable trainer in your
beginning or intermediate stages. It may be a good idea to employ an
accomplished trainer of champions from time-to-time when preparing for
a show. Dons main beef about personal trainers was that too many of them
are businesspeople first, and teachers last, if not at all. They put you
through programs without explaining the WHYS or HOWS, or without really
wanting to you learn. The more ignorant you remain, the more money they
make off of you.

In his three decades plus of training people, Don never once had a client
Clients are the customers of accountants, lawyers and those trained in
specialized fields remote from your own interests and experiences. After
several visits to a lawyer or an accountant, youd never be expected to
practice law yourself, or do your companys bookkeeping.

People he trained were always his STUDENTS. Theres a BIG difference. A
student is learning how to do it himself. He expected a student to
eventually graduateto become their own expert.

If youre content to be Mr. or Ms. Joe Average and just attend your training
sessions to prevent heart attacks and keep the gut down, you might not
mind being trainer-dependant. But being a TRUE BODYBUILDER means
being an expert unto yourself. Otherwise, you are just the BODY, while
your trainer is the BUILDER.

Many of you follow programs you read about in the magazines. This is the
reason for his ultra HIGH INTENSITY articles in the magazines. He provided
readers with new workouts each month, to experiment with and borrow
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from. These learning experiences should contribute their own training
programs.

You will learn the options and techniques that will eliminate years of trial-
and-error learning and set you in the right direction in becoming your own
instructor. I suggest you save this e-report to use as a guide in planning
your workouts in years to come.

Like most of you, he once thought there was a magic formula that would
create a championship physique. To reinforce this myth, ads galore appear
in the bodybuilding magazines offering you that magic formula. For the
first half of his bodybuilding experience, he was on a quest to discover a
unified field theory of bodybuildinga formula combining the best
techniques that would work for everybody. Some of the famous trainers of
the past claimed they found it (and many still do.) He tried all these
methods at one time or other, and many of his own. Don tried them on
others as well. What he discovered was unique in itself

EVERTHING WORKS!---but, at the same time, EVERYTHING
DOESNT WORK FOR EVERYBODY!

This paradoxical statement requires an explanation. You find people
growing on routines that all bodybuilding literature rejects as ineffective. A
lot is written about overtraining, for instance. Yet, some of the top pros
flourish on routines that last for 6-8 hours! Others obtain similar
muscularity on 45 minute barbell blasting sprints. Everybody knows that
more than 20 reps will tear the muscle down rather than build it, yet some
of the most muscular men of all time have grown from extremely high reps.

At the same time, each bodybuilder gets their best results from different
routines. There must be a factor that makes a specific routine work great
for one person, while another form of training works best for another.

That mysterious factor is the same element that makes one person a
champion, while another with the same potential never gets good enough
to compete. Its that force that allows a healer to place his hand on the
forehead of someone with an incurable disease and heal him. Simply
stated, its

FAITHABSOLUTE BELIEVE IN THE EFFECTIVNESS AND THE
END RESULT OF THE PROCESS YOURE USING.

If the bodybuilder is convinced that the method hes using works, hell
naturally apply that extra effort it takes to make it work. This theorem also
works in reverse. If you hate the routine or dont give it credit for
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effectiveness, youll end up going through the motions and spinning
your wheels.

In this way, a trainer is right convincing a student that the routine hes on is
the very best and cant fail to produce results. That is, provided the student
can follow the program safely within any physical limitations. Also, the
routine must be complete, leaving out no major muscle groups.

While he has seen the process of muscle building defined in a 200-page
dissertation, he said it could be simplified to a single sentence.

MUSCLE BUILDING IS THE PROCESS OF YOUR BODY ADAPTING
TO UNACCUSTOMED RESISTANCE.

From this simple fact, you can deduce the answer to many of
bodybuildings mysteries. For example, why will a workout produce
remarkable improvement, then one day, stop working? Your strength and
size gains have come to a grinding halt? Quite simply, your muscles have
adapted to the exercises, the reps, sets, and so on.






In This eReport
Youll Learn the 5 Vital Parts
Of
Embryonic Bodybuilding
That Are Necessary
To
Spur Your Muscles
To
Continuous Improvement.



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PART 1 PLANNING A ROUTINE THE BEST REP RANGE

UNACCUSTOMED RESISTANCE is often referred to as intensity. There
are many ways of achieving intensity in a workout. When we first began
training, we learned the first method progressively ADDING POUDAGE to
our exercises. Next, we gravitate toward INCREASING THE VOLUME of our
training by adding exercises and sets.

Eventually, your body adapts to these methods. Your routines become too
long to add any more to. At this point, we have to shock the muscles into
growth using new forms of intensity. Options include REDUCING REST
PERIODS between sets and CONTROLLING REP SPEED. When we study
set progressions and tempo, youll learn several techniques of achieving
this. Another way to change intensity is through your REP SCHEMES.

The truism that once dominated bodybuilding goes like this: Heavy
weights+6-8 reps = size, Medium weight+10-12 reps = shape, and light
weight+20 reps = definition. Less than 5 reps builds strength, but not
muscle size. More than 20 reps creates thin, wiry muscle.

In the beginning phases of bodybuilding, we generally respond best to the
6-12 rep range. Advanced bodybuilders who hit progress plateaus often
find higher reps increase both size and strength. Seems ironic, but there
are times when its best to use LIGHTER weights in order to get bigger and
stronger.

The 5-6 rep range is best for power-bodybuilding. It stimulates the deep
muscle tissues (Myofibrils). Many of the biggest bodybuilders in history
employed this rep range including Bill Pearl, Reg Park, the late Mike
Menzer, Jim Quinn, and Dorian Yates.

8-12 reps are the most common among past and present bodybuilders. The
higher reps provide more of a pump, which increases the capillaries. It still
allows fairly heavy weights to be used. Id guess that 65%-70% of the
contest winners train in this rep range.

15-20 reps, though often believed to be definition builders, have produced
some huge physiques. Steve Reeves, the late Jack Delinger, Sergio Oliva,
and Nimrod King are examples from several eras. Serge Nubret uses 20-25
reps to build his outstanding physique. High reps build the endurance
fibers of the muscle. Increasing poundage with this rep range must also
build myofibrils.

The tremendous pump you get from higher reps increases the number of
capillaries, (as it does with the medium rep range) and enlarges existing
blood vessels. This, in itself, increases the size of the muscle. More
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important, those vascular pipelines and continuous pumping action force
feed muscle-building nutrients into the muscle fibers.

Super-high reps DO play a role in muscle building. Years ago, Don suffered
an injury that would have forced most bodybuilders to lay off. Instead, he
continued training using extremely light poundage, doing one set of 100
reps per exercise. The weights were too light to affect the injury, (except to
speed the healing by brining blood to the area) and he hoped it would
maintain his muscularity during that time. This was the most challenging
routine he had ever done. To his surprise, his muscles grew from this
program!

When he thought about it, he recalled watching Sergio Oliva back in the
early 70s, training at the Duncan YMCA in Chicago using light weights fire
sets if around 40-50 reps. Englands Johnny Fuller, one of the most
muscular men in the 80s, trained in the 30 rep range. Today, the huge Rory
Leidelmeyer grows on sets of 40 reps. Gary Strydom and Tom Platz, at one
time in their careers, tried sets of 100 for the thighs to trim the area, but
obtained more muscle growth!

Realizing the different advantages of each rep system, some champions
derive the best of each of these. Phil Hernon and others following the
Bulgarian System, change their rep scheme every three weeks. Ive heard
of bodybuilders making this change weekly.

A few years back, Mike Quinn began using the BREAKDOWN system
devised by Dr. Fred Hatfield. Each exercise was done in three rep ranges.
The first set was 5-6 reps with a heavy weight. 20% of the poundage was
removed and a set of 10-12 followed. the weight reduced again to 40-50% of
the original poundage, was used for a set of 20. Soon Robby Robinson,
Rick Valente, and Dorothy Herndon tried it with much success. He added a
new dimension to it by adding a set of 9 between the 6 and the 12 rep sets.

Sonny Schmidt and Mike Sable do the reverse of this in their training.
Starting with a light weight, they squeeze out a set of 20 reps. With each
set, they increase the weight which lowers the reps, working to maximum
efforts.

More common than either of these methods is the practice of going heavy,
low reps for half of the week, then medium to high reps the second half.
Rick Gaspari, Vince Taylor, Ranel Janvier, Samir Bannout, and often Mike
Quinn and Robby Robinson work out like this.

Another popular rep-combining method is doing the basic exercises heavy,
and the isolation movements medium and high reps. Berry DeMay, Francis
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Benfatto and Joe DeAngelis use this method. Theirry Pastel often bounces
around to different rep ranges with each exercise.

When you hit an impasse and those muscles wont grow, its time for a
change. Changing only the rep range can produce amazing results.

PART 2 REST-PAUSES & REP TEMPO IMPORTANT GROWTH
FACTORS

MUSCLE BUILDING IS THE PROCESS OF YOUR BODY ADAPTING
TO UNACCUSTOMED RESISTANCE.

Quite simply, that is the secret to continuous progress in bodybuilding.
This may sound as simplistic as Kenny Rogers advice to the gambler,
Know when to hold em, know when to fold em which is meaningless
without the answer to the follow-up questionHOW do you know? When
youve invested every bit of energy and guts into those workouts and you
just hit a plateau that cements your progress like superglue, the next
question is HOW do you increase the intensity of the resistance when
youre already giving it all youve got?

The solution is to use another means of increasing intensity that your body
has yet to adapt to.

In Part 1, we explored three ways of increasing intensity: A) progressively
adding poundage to each exercise. B) Increase the number of sets and
exercises (volume training). C) Altering the resistance through varying the
rep range.

Two forms of progressive resistance that are very effective and practiced
among many world champions are:

ALTERING THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF THE REPS and
PROGRESSIVELY SHORTENING THE REST PERIODS BETWEEN
SETS.

These two methods of intensity have little to do with one another, though
they can be used simultaneously.

VARYING REST PERIODS

In the early days of bodybuilding, training wasnt much different than
competitive weightlifting. Theyd do a set, then take a long rest to recover
completely from the previous set. Some of the latest studies on strength
training show heavy weight, low reps, and five minute rest periods between
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sets produce maximum anabolic metabolism. It worked then as it does
now, producing thick, bulky physiques. World and national title winners
then looked much like todays bodybuilders do on off-season when they
weigh some 20-30 pounds above their competitive shape.

Some of the early pioneers including the late Vince Gironda and Jack
LaLanne, and later in the 60s, Bob Gajda, trained with very short rest
periods between sets. This kind of training carved deep muscular definition
that didnt come into style until later years.

In the 70s, the highly defined, vascular bodybuilders began to emerge.
Champs like Frank Zane, Pete Caputo, Mohamed Makkawy, Ed Giuliani,
Steve Davis and Don Ross discovered this method of adding muscle size
and deep definition at the same time. Using descending sets, (reducing
poundage for each set), or supersets and trisets (alternating exercises non-
stop). They reduced rest periods to ten seconds between sets. Though they
may have started the exercise heavy, the decreasingly lighter poundages
had the same effect on their muscles as a heavy weight.

At the same time that the reps for each maximum effort where low (usually
in the 6-8 rep range) working the deep muscle fibers much like power-
bodybuilding, the continuous movement provided the advantages of a
high rep workout (endurance fiber building and aerobic effect). Their
workouts were condensed to half the time theyd normally take to perform.
Along with their high protein diets, theyd get deep definition and size as
well. Contemporary proponents of this system are Charles Class, Renel
Janvier, Laura Beaudry, and Laura Creavalle. These bodybuilders get as
shredded as possible with this very tough training method.

Since the early 80s, the trend is back to longer rest periods and heavier
poundages. The aim is to train primarily for size. 30 minutes to as long as 2
hours of non-stop cardio exercise (stationary bike, treadmill, stairmasters,
etc.) are used for fat burning. Of course, a higher carbohydrate intake is
necessary to compensate for all the extra aerobic activity.

Most of todays champions still reduce their rest periods for pre-contest
training, but not nearly as severely. most cut back to 30-60 seconds, or
until the training partner finishes a set, which may be as long as 2
minutes.

If this method works for you, by all means use it, but I see so many
potential champions unable to etch out that super definition necessary to
win. For these people, I highly recommend the shorter rest intervals.
Everybody who gives it a fair trial gets ripped on it! This means NO
TRAINING PARTNER, unless the partner is following you, rather than
slowing you down by alternating with you. By supersetting, you could do
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exercise A while your partners working on exercise B (both working at
the same time). The time it takes for another person to complete a set is too
long. Progressively reduce your rests to 10 seconds on most muscle
groups and no more than 30 seconds on leg pressing movements (squats,
leg presses). Resting less than 10 seconds is ineffective because your reps
will be limited by lactic acid build-up.

Youll make amazing gains for a long time on this short-rest method, but on
every program, your muscles will eventually adapt. When this happens, its
good to return to a slower pace. Heavier weight training with a partner to
help with an extra forced rep or two at the end of a set is great for off-
season strength and size.

REP TEMPO

A novice may assume that there is a right way to perform a rep. Most
books and articles on the subject emphasize strict, controlled movements.
Walking into a hardcore gym with several top caliber bodybuilders working
out at the same time can certainly confuse the issue. Some bodybuilders
train extremely heavy without full movements in all exercises. Others do
everything ultra-strict and sometimes, not very heavy at all. Some speed
through a set like a Concord jet, others move at a snails pace. Dons two
favorite examples are Joe Bucci and Phil Williams. Both were world title
winners, both had similar development, but their workout methods were
day and night.

Bucci would fire the weight up, then let it fall, moving through each set at
tremendous speed. Hed use body momentum and swing the weights, yet
his physique responded tremendously. Experts would scratch their
heads, but Joe had the last laugh as these workouts build him those
famous 20+ arms.

Williams used light poundages and would move through every rep at an
extremely (exaggeratedly) slow speed. Each rep was done with full
extensions, and flexing the muscle for a full count at the point of
contraction. The results of this slow motion training for Phil, was a
massive, beautifully proportioned physique that won top professional
honors in IFBB Pro competition.

MEDIUM SPEED THE POPULAR TEMPO

While Joe Bucci and Phil Williams represent the two opposite extremes in
workout tempo, most champion bodybuilders train in the area that lies
between. When we first learn to workout, we are usually instructed to use
medium speed in both directions in all exercises. A majority of excellent
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bodybuilders find this is the most advantageous tempo for the positive
movement, with a slightly slower, more controlled return movement.

This is far easier on the tendons and attachments than quick burst training
and targets the muscle fibers that contribute most to size. The list of
champions that use the medium tempo would take up many pages. It
includes Lee Haney, Sonny Schmidt, Robby Robinson, Rich Gaspari,
Mohammed Benaziza, Lenda Murray, Dorothy Herdon, Sandra Blackie, and
Shelley Beattie. The ultra-ripped Andreas Munzer, considers tempo most
important. His partner is instructed to assist him when the reps start
slowing down below the pace of the first few, keeping the pace steady
throughout. WBF stars Aaron Baker and Vince Comerford use medium
speed with a pause and a hard contraction at the completion of each.

SLO-MO INTENSITY

Very little controversy surrounds medium speed training. Slow motion and
speed training have their die-hard critics and advocates. Years ago, Don
spoke to an exercise physiologist promoting a heavy-duty type system who
stated emphatically that slo-mo training limits your poundages and doesnt
attribute to muscle growth. He smiled at such truisms, knowing scores of
huge, powerful bodybuilders who make their best gains on this system.

By slowing down the movement, you create intensity with CONTINUOUS
TENSION. Lighter weights become as hard to lift as heavier weights,
creating much the same effect on the muscles but with far less trauma to
muscles and tendons. The low impact of slow, ultra-controlled movements
eliminates the shock to joints and connective tissues. Practitioners of Slo-
mo training experience fewer injuries as a result. In fact, this is an excellent
way to train through an injury or work a frequently injured body part.

Slo-mo training was popular in the 1940s. One reason may have been the
metal shortage due to World War II. Bodybuilders often had to make due
with the weight sets they had. When they outgrew these, they could
increase their workout intensity with slower movement. Don Rosss first
instructor, Tony Armento, 1945 Mr. Michigan, used this method to build 19
arms in an era when 17 arms were winning world titles.

Steve Reeves did all his movements slowly and very strict. Bodybuilders of
this day would sometimes criticize him for lack of power in the heavy lifts.
Reeves would silence these critics by challenging them to working out with
the same poundage he used, using the same strict movement and slow
speed. This never failed to bring a cringe of frustration after the challenger
would be forced to submit after a few sets. Slo-mo training DOES build
strength, but a sustained, rather than explosive strength.

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The late Mike Menzer, one of the most massive bodybuilders in history,
strongly believed in slo-mo training. By regulating movement, you bring
more muscle fibers into play, he explained. Faster movement creates
momentum, completing the reps with less muscular exertion.

Eddie Robinson uses his own version of slo-mo training he calls The Slow
10. He performed ten slow reps per set. If the weight feels too light by the
4
th
or 5
th
rep, he would slow the movement. Though he used the same
weight for all sets of an exercise, and never more than ten reps, every tenth
rep is a maximum effort through regulating the speed.

The beautiful International Pro Champion, Tonya Knight and thickly
muscled National Champion, Kevin Levrone, find they make the best
improvements using slow, concentrated movements. The ultimate Slo-mo
trainer is Phil Williams. Each set is performed so extremely slow, it takes
several minutes to perform each one. A workout of 12-18 sets takes him 2
to 3 hours to complete!

RAPID-FIRE METHOD

Even more controversial than Slo-mo training is Rapid-fire training: fast
movement in both directions. This high impact method puts tremendous
stress on muscles and connective tissue and is more likely to cause injury,
even when lighter poundage is used, than more controlled work regardless
of the weight.

The effectiveness of rapid-fire training is the result of stimulating fast-
twitch muscle fibers which compose the largest ratio of muscle cells in the
bodybuilder.

Aside from Joe Bucci, who flings up the weight, then quickly lowers it to
fire up the next rep, others build huge muscles from fast movement. Shawn
Ray and Renal Janvier use fast, but full, strict movements. During Sergio
Olivas reign as Mr. Olympia, Id watch him do very rapid, partial
movements on many of his exercises. He seemed to inflate like a balloon
with each rep!

Anyone using this method should ALWAYS start with a good warm-up and
some stretching. Don strongly felt that a weight should ALWAYS be
controlled on the return movement, and never just dropped into the
starting position.

EXPLODE WITH SLOW RETURNS

Toward the end of the 60s, weight training was being accepted by
coaches as a means of improving the strength, hence the performance of
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their athletes. Universities began conducting experiments to discover what
weight training methods worked best for various goals. Most of their
conclusions were known by bodybuilders for decades already as a result of
experience. We knew that the ideal speed of movement differed from one
individual to the next for the goal of muscularity. Studies implied that
explosive movements worked best for speed and lifting power. Slower
movements developed stamina and sustained strength.


Don Ross performing a repertoire of Strongman Stunts, and as Pro-Wrestler
The Ripper

Don wanted the best of both worlds. Aside from his bodybuilding goals, he
was also a performing strongman and was about to enter Professional
Wrestling (as The Ripper), so he needed it alla world caliber physique,
short-burst power, heart and lung stamina, and sustained strength. So, he
combined explosive initial movements with slow, controlled return
movements on every rep. This training was in sync with an important
finding of that time: the discovery of fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers.
That was the era of Art Jones and his much-publicized Nautilus Principles,
emphasizing the slow return movement.

For years to come, he taught the fast-up, slow-down method. Two men he
introduced to it were Samir Bannout, who used it to win the Mr. Olympia,
and Tom Platz, who went beyond his genetic limitations to build his super-
freaky physique.

While the explosive positive movement does the same as the rapid-fire
method, building those fast twitch fibers, the controlled returns make it far
less dangerous to joints and tendons. It may also eliminates momentum,
increasing direct work on the muscle. Many bodybuilders and athletes find
this the best tempo for building big, strong, highly functional muscles.
Dorian Yates, Joe DeAngelis, Jim Quinn, and Bev Francis are just a few
who used this tempo.



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MULTI-TEMPO FORMULAS

One way to derive the advantages of several different formulas is to
combine the formulas. Berry DeMay, Francis Benfatto, and Gier Paulsen
used different tempos for different exercises.

A method he used years ago that produced notable improvement in
muscularity and was tried successfully by several top bodybuilders. Three
sets were used for each exercise. The first set was done with a heavy
weight for 5-7 reps. Each rep was a fast, explosive movement (limited in
speed by the heaviness of the weight, of course). The return movements
were controlled to prevent injury. Set 2 was done with a medium weight in
the medium rep range, 10-14 reps, at a medium speed in both directions.
The final set, done with a light weight for 20 reps, was performed at a slow
speed. Those final sets were killers! Talk about a muscle burn!

Charles Glass, shredded Pro competitor and top trainer, often uses a multi-
tempo program thats the reverse of the one Don just presented. The first
set is done heavy and slowly in both directions. With each set, poundage is
reduced and the action is sped up. Glass used this method to get Mike
Christian into the best shape ever for top placing in the last Mr. Olympia he
entered before signing with the WBF. He also taught it to Vicki Sims, who
used it to win her class in the Nationals and North American Bodybuilding
Champions. All three of these bodybuilders pulled out of a progress stand-
still with multi-tempo training.

TEMPO, REST-PAUSES, AND GREAT WORKOUTS

Which tempo will work best for you? What is the factor that makes one type
of training work better for one person, while another training speed works
best for another? A popular theory is the ratio of fast-twitch to slow-twitch
muscles in the individual. Yet, Ive seen people who made great gains with
one tempo for a number of years. When they reached a progress plateau,
they tried a complete opposite tempo and started growing again. Certainly,
their muscle fiber ratio didnt change.

Don noticed a factor years ago that lends to a more logical conclusion.
Those with more animate personalities seem to prefer faster training.
Calmer, more meditative types seem to gravitate toward slower training. In
the extreme cases of Joe Bucci and Phil Williams, you can see this clearly.
Bucci had an aggressive, highly energetic, out-going personality. Williams,
a laid-back, easy-going personality. Bucci admited hed go crazy if he had
to do ultra-slow, long rest training. Williams thrives on taking lots of time
on just about everything he does. As we discussed before

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WHAT WORKS BEST IS THAT WHICH WE BELIEVE IN AND
THEREFORE APPLY THE MOST EFFORT TO.

Once your body adapts to your favorite exercises, rep range, and/or tempo,
its not as enjoyable to train without results, so a change will make that all-
important difference both physically and mentally. Take this into account
when you plan your routine. Whatever tempo youve been using, try
another, or a combination of two or more. The music of your muscular
gains can come to life by changing the beat.

PART 3-EXERCISE SET PROGRESSIONS FOR PROGRESS

When planning a routine for renewed progress, it is vital to find new ways
of achieving muscle-building intensity. We studied REP RANGES, REST-
PAUSE VARIATIONS and REP TEMPO in Parts 1 & 2. The fourth important
consideration is your EXERCISE SET PROGRESSION.

Exercise set progressions, simply defined, is what you do after your first
set. Do you ADD poundage, DECREASE poundage, use the SAME
poundage, etc.? As with the other factors we looked at, changing this
aspect of your workout alone can result in dynamic new progress.

ASCENDING SETS BASIC AND POPULAR

Your first workouts most likely fell into this category. Most of the many
bodybuilders and athletes Ive interviewed over the years use this method.
Its standard in strength training, Olympic-style lifting and powerlifting. The
ascending set is the most tried and proven, having been around for at least
a century, hence its popularity.

You may know it as Progressive resistance, Light-heavy training, or the
Weider Pyramiding principle, but ASCENDING SETS is a far more
descriptive and less confusing term.

Ascending sets begin with warm-up poundage for an easy set of medium to
high reps. With each set, you add weight. Your final set is a maximum effort
with the most weight.

You can subdivide Ascending Sets into two categories:

A) The Stable Rep Method Keep the reps the same with each set.
Begin your warm-up with (for example) ten reps, but with a weight
you can do twenty reps with. Increase the weight in increments
where each gets more difficult and the final set is a maximum effort.
A list of champs who use this method is endless. Most of the old-
time champs (from the late John C. Grimek to Reg Park and Bill
15
Pearl) to modern wonders (including 8-times Mr. Olympia, Lee
Haney, Vince Taylor, Mike Matarazzo, and Mohammed Benaziza)
prefer it.

B) The Descending Rep Method Starting with the high-rep warm-up
set, or the second set,, do as many reps as possible with each set.
As you add poundage with each set, your reps will naturally
decrease. Your rep range on your sets might look like this: 20 reps,
15 reps, 10 reps, and 6 reps.

Method B is more advanced and intense, giving you the advantage of
several rep ranges and multiple maximum-effort sets. Ask muscular Sonny
Schmidt, the huge Gier Paulsen, or ripped Mike Sable who use it. Method A
is great for back-cycling after a contest or for power-bodybuilding.

DESCENDING SETS GETTING TOUGHER

Youve heard these referred to as Down-the-rack, Step-bombing, Reverse
Pyramiding, Railroading, and Heavy-light training. Descending sets are for
the serious muscle-blaster. Tougher than ascending sets, this super-
intense method allows less rest between sets and every set is a maximum
effort.


Jack Delinger

The method was first popularized by 1956 Mr. Universe, Jack Delinger who
learned it from the true FATHER OF MODERN BODYBUILDING, the late
John C. Grimek. It has since produced some of the most deeply defined
and vascular bodybuilders. Its practitioners include Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Charles Glass, Renel Janvier, Paul DeMayo, Anja Langer,
Laura Beaudry, and Laura Creavalle.

Early in his bodybuilding career, Don had often heard that it was that last
rep on the final setthat rep you have to fight to complete, that actually
caused muscle growth. It seemed logical that the best muscle building
method would provide this maximum effort on EVERY set. He used this
16
method to build both deep cuts and muscle mass enabling him to win
National and International titles and three-times Americas Most Muscular
Man. This was in the 70s when few bodybuilders did aerobics and many
of his contemporaries found it impossible to build both size and definition.
Those who used descending sets discovered you could build both without
specific cardio work. Two methods of Descending sets are:

A) Classic Descending Sets Proceed your workout with a
light, warm-up set of the first exercise. Perform your first set
with the most poundage you can use for your intended rep
range. Do as many reps as possible. Take a 10-20 second
rest as you decrease the weight by just enough to keep your
reps the same as the previous set. Continue this
progression, doing maximum efforts with every set. Do
between 3-5 weight drops to complete your descending set.

B) Breakdowns We took a look at this method in Part 1.
Breakdowns are essentially the same as descending sets,
except the poundage is reduced by 20% or more, changing
the rep range.

As you did with descending sets, start with a light warm-up, then go
directly to a heavy poundage for a maximum effort of 6 reps. Reduce the
weight by about 20%, which should enable you to squeeze out 12 reps. do
this again for a final set of 20 reps.

You can either do a second cycle of the same exercise, or a similar
movement for the same muscle. Different muscle fibers are engaged in
each rep range. This is evident in the surprising fact that you can go back
to the heavy, 6 rep poundage after a set of 20 and have almost the same
strength as you did on your first set!

Strength coach, Dr. Fred Hatfield (www.drsquat.com) considers this the
most effective bodybuilding workout, since it works all muscle fibers with
its multi-rep range. He introduced it to Mike Quinn, who in turn, showed it
to Robby Robinson, Dorothy Herndon, and others.

He quickly adopted this great method and added a set of 9, so an exercise
consisted of sets of 6, 9, 12, and 20 reps.

PYRAMID SETS THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS

If Ascending sets are the most popular set progression, Pyramid sets must
be #2 in popularity. Ms Olympia, Lenda Murray uses it, as do Victor Terra,
Kevin Levrone, Shawn Ray, Vince Comerford, Tonya Knight, Shelly
Beattiethe list goes on and on.
17

The attraction to Pyramid sets is the double benefit of providing a warm-up
as well as the tremendous intensity of several maximum efforts. The
process begins with ascending sets. Starting with warm-up poundage, add
weight for two or three sets. When you reach the set of maximum effort,
decrease the poundage for two or more sets to failure.

As with ascending sets, pyramid sets can all be done to failure for an even
more intense workout. The standard method using warm-ups is, by far, the
most popular.

INVERTED PYRAMID SETS WHERE ONLY THE TOUGHEST DARE
VENTURE

If youve tried the other set progressions and want something even
tougher, the INVERTED PYRAMID is the most intense set progression yet
devised. Few bodybuilders use it, and only for short periods of time.
Francis Benfatto and his trainer, Rene Meme, occasionally use inverted
pyramids in their training.

National lightweight champion, Dean Tornabene, was the first person Don
knew to use it. Dean came up with this progression to increase his strength
on basic lifts, where he hoisted near-record poundages. He cautioned that
the method may overtrain small muscles like arms. However, Don used to
train his entire body using reverse pyramiding with outstanding results. He
always alternated these workouts with high rep, standard set workouts to
allow proper recuperation.

Begin with one or two warm-up sets, then proceed to the heaviest weight
you can use for six to eight reps. Drop the poundage for three or four
descending sets of maximum effort. Conclude with three more sets
working back up using the same increments you used in the descending
part of the pyramid. You will only be capable of doing one or two reps on
the final set and may need assistance in completing that final rep. What a
workout!

SAME-WEIGHT SETS MODERATE WEIGHTS CAN GET VERY HEAVY

This progression employs the same poundage for every set of the exercise.
There are three sub-divisions of same-weight sets where intensity is
created in ways other than adding weight.

A) Same-Rep Method Like ascending sets, this provides warm-up
sets for bodybuilders who respond best to one maximum effort
per exercise. Do the same number of reps on each set. Start with
a weight where you can complete these reps with moderate effort.
18
On the last set, the final rep should be close to, if not an all-out
effort. When you can exceed your target rep range on the final
set, add weight to the exercise on the next workout. Gary
Strydom, Eddie Robinson, and Robby Robinson use this method
frequently to build their incredible physiques.

B) Ascending Reps This is the training method used by the
fabulous ageless wonder, Serge Nubret. Nubret credits this style
of training for enabling him to maintain that physique that won
him numerous Mr. Universe and Mr. World titles, past the age of
50. The gradual increase of intensity makes it the safest form of
training. Staying free of injury assures continued progress and
longevity in bodybuilding.

Use a weight you can do twenty reps with. Begin with a set of ten,
increasing the reps with each set. Do a set of 12, 15, 18, then
conclude the set with an all-out effort of as many reps as
possible. Nubret goes as high as 25 reps on that last set.

C) Descending Reps The diametric opposite of ascending reps and
much more forceful, along the lines of descending sets. Phil
Williams, Steve Brisbois, and David Hawk use this method. Ive
come to using it a lot because of its high intensity, yet lower
impact on the joints and tendons due to lighter weights being
used. (Remember its INTENSITY, not poundage, that builds
muscle!)

Start with a weight you can do twelve to twenty reps with,
depending on the rep range you prefer. (Try different ones for
variety). Do as many reps as possible with each set. Of course,
your reps will decrease with each maximum effort. Your rep range
during an exercise will look something like this: 15, 12, 9, and 6.
This variety of rep ranges is another benefit of the descending
reps system.

MULTI-PROGRESSION TRAINING VARIETY, THE SPICE OF LIFE

When assembling your next workout, you might decide to specialize on
certain areas by using a more intense set progression on that area, or favor
an easily injured area by applying a less intense method to the body part.
You may even decide to combine different progressions for each exercise.
This is Multi-progressional Training.

Thierry Pastel and Francis Benfatto use many progressions with each
workout. Pastel shifts his set progressions around from exercise to
19
exercise, from workout to workout for the sake of variety. Her uses
continuous change to prevent progress barriers due to muscle adaptation.

Benfatto also uses a different progression with each exercise, but each
movement is assigned a specific progression. Each body part, he found,
responds best to a certain rep range and combination of set progressions.
He reminds other bodybuilders that his best combinations are individually
formulated and might not work for everybody. We each have to discover
our own training pattern.

USING EXERCISE SET PROGRESSIONS

When planning your new workout, its a good idea to try a different
exercise set progression, preferably one thats new to you. Use it as long
as it works and keeps your interest. While some champions stick to a set
progression they found works best, others change it with every workout.

Intensity changes stimulates muscle growth, but this doesnt necessarily
mean to increase that intensity. Following a period of extremely high
intensity, like descending sets, inverted pyramids, or descending reps, a
program of ascending sets or ascending reps can lead to renewed
progress by allowing muscles fiber recuperation.

PART 4-LAW (OF MUSCLE GROWTH) AND ORDER


Don Ross poses for photo
journalist Denie Walter

After reading and assimilating parts 13, youre almost ready to put a
workout together. Youve decided on your rep range, tempo, and set
20
progression. Now we come to our next considerationWHAT ORDER to
arrange your exercises.

When training beginners, Don usually arranged their exercises starting
from the legs and working upward. He did this for two reasons. First,
because lower body work is the hardest and its psychologically better to
get the tough part out of the way first. Just as important, you want to give
the beginner the exercises that require the highest energy output in the
beginning when their strength is at an optimum. Later, as their condition
improves, this is less important.

Beginners routines are generally done in SYNERGETIC order. You have to
look in the unabridged dictionary to find that one. It can be defined as the
dynamics of movement where one body part assists another to do the
exercise. For example, you do your bench presses, pec machine, and
incline flyes for your chest, but this also involves the deltoids. Since the
delts are warmed up and ready to go, it makes sense to work shoulders
following chest. Synergetic order, then, would begin with calves, work up
to thighs, abs, chest, shoulders, back, arms, and maybe forearms.
Sometimes abdominals are done in the beginning as a warm-up.

As you advance and your routine becomes longer, you divide it into a split
routine. The first step is usually a two-way split. Upper body one day, lower
body the next, and the third day off. Since there are more body parts in the
upper body and that workout would be longer, you may find it more
convenient to do the chest, shoulders, and back one day and arms, legs,
and calves the next. Abs can be done on either or both days.

In his youth, Don would train chest and legs together, and the rest of the
body the next day. The two seemingly unrelated body parts did have an
important element in common. Squats left you breathless. As he gasped for
air between sets, he did deep-breathing pullovers to expand his rib cage.

Later, as he intensified his leg workouts, they became so tough that he had
to do them by themselves. Upper body was a longer, but easier workout.

As your routines continue to expand with your advancing knowledge and
experience, you will split your routine three ways. Those with nothing to do
in their lives but body build split it further by training twice a day. (Some
bodybuilders train their body over four, or even five days. These are
usually long workouts per body part that provide secondary work for some
of the muscles that are resting.)



21
SYNERGETIC VS. NON-SYNERGETIC

Whats the best way to organize a 3-day split routine? You have a choice of
SYNERGETIC or NON-SYNERGETIC order. Each has its advantage. The
synergetic workout provides added intensity by pre-exhausting a body
party by training an adjacent area with similar movements. A popular
pattern is chest, shoulders, triceps one day, and back, biceps the next.
Chest and shoulder work engages the triceps while the pulling motions for
the back, involves the biceps.

In a non-synergetic training pattern, the intensity comes from the second
body part being fresh and rested so harder work can be applied. A typical
example of this pattern is: chest and biceps the first day, back and triceps
the second day, and shoulders and legs the third day (split into A.M. and
P.M.). Don has seen both methods used successfully by top pro
champions.

TRANSITIONAL EXERCISES

Don recommended a synergetic training order. It intensifies the work and,
while it requires more energy, it also takes fewer sets and exercises to
accomplish the same muscular stimulation. When planning the order of
exercises in a synergetic routine, plant an exercise in between the two
muscle groups that either works both areas, or isolates a small muscle
lying between the two areas. These are TRANSITIONAL EXERCISES. Here
are some examples of these transitional exercises:

Transitional exercise Transition between
Front Raise chest and deltoids
Pullover chest and back
Wide grip rows back and delts
Bent over flyes (or read delt machine) delts and back
Dips (leaning forward) chest and triceps
Dips (body straight) delts and triceps
Rev. grip chins or pulldowns back and biceps

Transitional exercise Transition between
Reverse grip curls biceps and forearms
Hyperextensions back and hamstrings
Leg press (feet forward) quads and hamstrings

Transitional exercises play an important role other than a lead-in warm-up
for the next body part. They create deep furrows of separation between the
muscle groups that completes a physique. When you see an experienced
bodybuilder who lacks this separation, you can bet his routine consists of
heavy basic mass movements with few, if any, transitional exercises. Not
too long ago, there was a heavy duty fad, where several bodybuilders
22
went back to very few sets of one or two of basic exercises per body part to
failure. Though they reached very low body fat levels through dieting and
cardio exercises, they lacked that deep separation between the muscles
seen in those who isolated those areas through specific exercises.

THE PRIORITY PRINCIPLE

When organizing your exercises, how do you determine the order of body
parts? The successful bodybuilder uses the PRIORITY PRINCIPLE. Train
the areas that need the most work first.

If youre lacking chest and back development, youd train chest and
shoulders on day 1, back and arms on day 2, legs and calves on day 3. If
you need more width, train shoulders and arms on day 1, back and chest
day 2, legs and calves day 3. If you have weak hamstrings, train them first,
before your quads. Train calves first if theyre lacking. You might even train
weak calves or abs three days a week, before the rest of your routine.

Arms present a different problem. Since these muscles are involved in all
your upper body exercises (and some lower body movements), it would be
counterproductive to your large body parts to work arms first. He tried this
long ago for super-specialization. Arms preceded chest work, since that
was a strong point for him. It worked fairly well, though he had far better
arm than chest workouts. Since then, Don found the very best way to
specialize on arms. Train them by themselves. Such a workout would look
like this back, chest, shoulders day 1, triceps, biceps, forearms day 2,
legs, calves day 3.

Womens bodybuilding is somewhat different in its emphasis. Though most
women competitors learned from men and do the same programs, other
realize that womens physiques should be structured differently than
mens. When women train on mens program, they often get those
physiques that Mr. and Ms. general Public always criticize for looking like
men.

Women need to emphasize leg, gluteus, and hip structure work. A typical
mens 3-day split routine is two upper body days and one leg day. A typical
4-day split is three upper body days and one leg day. Womens programs
have to be about 50-50 between upper and lower body. A 3-day workout
would like this: Chest, shoulders, triceps day 1, back, biceps, hips and
glutes day 2, legs, calves day 3. Orchest, glutes, leg pushing movements
day 1, back, shoulders, leg extending and adducting (front and inner thigh)
day 2, arms, hamstrings, calves. Abs every other day.


23
AN IMORTANT CONSIDERATION

Before putting a pen to paper to write your new workout, let me remind you
of another consideration. It seems obvious, but the best of us have
designed new programs only to realize that they have to be considerably
altered when we get to the gym.

YOU MUST ADAPT YOUR PROGRAM TO YOUR WORKOUT
ENVIRONMENT!

If the gym is always crowded, the equipment spread out rather than
organized according to body parts, or suffers poor management where
weights and handles are strewn about rather than kept in order, you
obviously cant plan a workout utilizing super-sets, tri-sets, or rapid-fire
descending sets. If you have a choice of gyms in your area, youre better
off joining one without those problems, even if its a smaller club. Youll
still have a larger variety of workout options.

In smaller cities, gyms are often tiny establishments with only the basic
equipment. With some imagination, you can work around anything a gym
lacks. If you move, or are traveling and have to settle for a small gym,
analyze the movement of the exercises you did on your favorite machines
and what direction the resistance is coming from. You can always figure
out a way to create similar resistance with free weights or pulleys.

During his wrestling days, Don often ended up in facilities with little more
than a lat machine, and a rack of free weights. There were times he felt
lucky when a hotel had a universal circuit and a rack of dumbbells going up
to 50 lbs. Sometimes, Don made do with less than that. In various places,
he had to use the ab board for incline and decline chest work, the leg press
or hold a dumbbell in one hand for calf work, a chinning bar for both pull-
ups and rows (by placing my feet against a wall in front of the bar) because
of lack of pulleys. But he always had a good workout. Always let necessity
breed creativity.












24
PART 5 CHOOSING THE BEST EXERCISES


Don checking out
his six pack

So far, Don has outlined the considerations and steps you have to take to
plan the most effective, muscle-building routines. While youve probably
spent lots of time reading bodybuilding stars training articles searching
for those secrets to championship muscularity, Dons revealing them all
to you in this 5-part e-report. Its now up to you to try each technique and
discover which works best for your particular physique. Only one question
remains unansweredWhich exercises are the best for each body part?

During his consultations with amateur and professional bodybuilders, Don
always requested that they write out their exactly routine so he could
trouble-shoot and suggest improvements. The most frequent error he
found in their routines was EXERCISE REDUNDANCY. Too many
exercises that are basically the same.

When you work a muscle, you want to pick exercises that put an emphasis
on different areas of that muscle. This makes for a thorough workout and
builds correct shape and balance to the area.

He has been handed routines that look like this:

Chest
Bench Press 4 sets of 10-12
Dumbbell Bench press 4 sets of 10-12
Seated Bench Press Machine 4 sets of 10-12
Bent Arm Flyes (on flat bench) 4 sets of 10-12

Shoulders
Barbell Press 4 sets of 10
Press Behind the Neck 4 sets of 10
Dumbbell Press 4 sets of 10
Press on Smith Machine 4 sets of 10
25
Can you see whats wrong wit these pec and delt workouts? They consist
of 16 sets of essentially the same movementexercise redundancy. Four
sets should suffice for any one aspect of a muscle. Change the angles on
the chest work and substitute some of those overhead pressing
movements with laterals or upright rows and throw in some front and rear
delt work and you have a good routine.

The exception to this rule is the application of UNI-ANGULARTRAINING. If
you are specializing on one area of the muscle thats lagging in
development, you do this by hitting all your exercises for that body part
with exercises that isolate the weak area.

Lets say you have bottom-heavy pectoral muscles with lacking upper pec
development. (This is common in those who follow routines consisting
primarily of flat bench work. I call this condition benchers pecs.) The
way to correct this is to do all your pec work on an incline:

Incline Barbell Press 4 sets of 10
Incline Dumbbell Flye 4 sets of 10
Incline Flye (between low cross-pulleys) 4 sets of 10

Notice that even in uni-angular training, we chose one exercise that works
the muscle belly (Incline Presses), one that works the outer area (dumbbell
flyes), and one that puts the tension on the inner pec area (Incline cross-
pulley Flyes).

If you arent specializing on re-shaping a muscle group, or back-cycling to
advanced basics on off season, its essential to work each muscle from
various angles.

Look at your current routine. Take each exercise and pantomime the
movement as if you were performing it in the gym. Think about what your
limbs are actually doing. If you do this with the chest routine in my first
example, youll see that the upper arms are doing the exact same thing
during each movement. Make sure the exercises in your routine
incorporate movements in different directions.

Youll notice that many exercises you thought were different are actually
the same. Here are some examples:

1) Bent over flyes, and Wide Grip Barbell Rows (with elbows out to the
sides).
2) Leg extensions and Lean back Sissy Squats
3) Dumbbell Pullovers and Close Grip Lat Pulldowns
26
4) Medium Grip Bench Presses (with elbows moving close to the body
like many power lifters do), Barbell Front Raise, and Dips (with
elbows back and body straight)

As you can see, its important not only to select exercises that differ from
each other for a more complete workout, but to pay attention to how you
perform the exercise so you work the body part you intended to. Using the
bench press described in example #4, many think they are working their
chest when in fact, they are doing more for the front delt and triceps. This
is one reason you see men who can hoist tremendous poundages in the
bench press with poor chest development. By bringing the bar down higher
on the chest and keeping the elbows out to the sides, the pecs get a
workout. Don suggested 3 to 4 sets per exercise.

In one simple sentence, here is the secret of exercise selection:

DO AN EXERCISE FOR EACH MOVEMENT THAT THE MUSCLE
PERFORMS.

THE BEST EXERCISES FOR EACH BODY PART

Entering his fourth decade of bodybuilding and having done virtually every
exercise and training program in existence, Don had found what he
considered the very best exercises for each muscle group. He reveals
these with an explanation as to why each is the best. Remember, though,
that there are reasons to use other exercises that perform similar action.
Certain injuries may make an exercise he recommends painful and limit
your progress. By using a barbell rather than a dumbbell, or a machine
rather than a free-weight exercise, you may find that you can make better,
pain-free gains. Also, an exercise is only as effective as the effort you
apply. You will, therefore, show more improvement with a movement you
enjoy doing rather than a similar exercise that you have a mental block
against. With this in mind, here are the ultimate bodybuilding exercises:

CHEST

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS This builds
muscle mass in the upper chest. Using
dumbbells allows an extra 15 of movement at
the top than youd get with a barbell. The
steeper the incline, the more the deltoids, rather
than the pecs, are performing the lift. Too many
bodybuilders use a 45 incline. This is too
much. 30 to 35 is perfect for upper pec
development.

27
PEC DECK (SQUEEZE-TOGETHER CHEST MACHINE)- Works the central
pec with an emphasis on the inner area, building depth between the
pectorals (cleavage). Don prefers to do this with arms straight in front
rather than the forearms angled upward. This takes stress off the shoulder
joints. These are better than flat bench dumbbell flyes. Since dumbbells
rely on the pull of gravity, tension decreases at the top the movement. This
is precisely where you want the most resistance to carve that inner pec
detail. If your pec machine is under repair, substitute flyes between the low
cross-pulleys on a low bench.

DECLINE DUMBBELL FLYES Since you worked the inner pecs with the
last exercise, the decline fly works the outer pec as well as outlining the
lower pecs. Use a 35 decline bench and do the exercise with arms slightly
unlocked. Start with palms up. Keep this hand position throughout the
exercise.

SHOULDER

LYING FRONT RAISE Sit in front of the low pulley and attach a straight
bar. Lie back. Take a 6 inch grip on the bar, palms down. Keeping your
elbows slightly unlocked, raise the bar up to forehead level. This is the
same as a barbell front raise, only you cant use body momentum nor put
strain on the lower back. This is the very best movement for isolating those
front deltoids.

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISES Start with the
dumbbells in front of you, all four sides
touching. Keeping the elbows slightly
unlocked, raise them out to the sides to ear
level. This brings out the medial delt and
widens the shoulders. Unlike the lateral raise
machine, you can give yourself forced reps at
the end of a set by bending the arms more,
turning them into L-laterals.


PRESS BEHIND THE HEAD This completes the movement you did in the
previous exercise. On a Smith or press machine, start with the bar behind
your head, about level with the tops of your ears, forearms parallel with
each other. Push the bar completely overhead. You will be able to handle
more weight in this partial movement, working the strong area of the delts
with some residual trap work.

REAR DELTOID MACHINE Seated, facing the machine, do a set with your
hands above shoulder level, two sets at shoulder level, and a final set
slightly below shoulder level. Keep your elbows slightly bent. You can
substitute bentover flyes for this one. Do these with your forehead braced
28
against a high bench, a stool, or lying prone on a high bench. This prevents
you from using body momentum and takes strain off the lower back. This is
an important shoulder exercise since underdeveloped rear delts are so
common among bodybuilders.

TRAPEZIUS


Don displays his traps
With
A Most Muscular Pose

SHRUGS ON THE STANDING CALF MACHINE Unlike barbell or dumbbell
shrugs, you are not limited by your gripping strength. Stand under the calf
machine. Raise your shoulders straight up as high as possible. Hold for
second, lower slowly. You dont have to move your shoulders back, as
your rowing and rear delt work gets the muscles that make that movement.

UPPER BACK

LAT MACHINE PULLDOWN TO NOSE Take a medium-wide grip on the
bar, just beyond shoulder width. Too wide a grip limits the degree of
movement. Youve always been taught to pull the bar all the way to your
chest. Its time to unlearn this. By doing that, you limit your poundage to
the amount you can bring down that far, working only the weaker aspect of
that muscle. By pulling to your nose, you can pull much more weight,
working with the strong outer area of the lats, packing on tremendous size
and width.

45 ROW If your gym doesnt have a seated pulley slightly above your
head, you can do this on a seated lat machine leaning back. Use a close
grip handle. The first two exercises worked the first function of the back
muscles, bringing the arms down to your sides. This one works the second
function, bringing the arms in front of you. The pullover machine utilizes a
similar movement. Keep your back straight. Pull the handles to your solar
plexus. Not only does this exercise work the inner area of the upper back,
but widens it as well by working the infraspinatus under the armpits.
29


LOW PULLEY ROW You can also do this on a lever
row, raising the seat. While the 45 row worked this
angle along with the upper front pull, you have more
strength from this position and can add thickness to
the inner lower lats by isolating the area.



LOWER BACK

HYPEREXTENSIONS This and the lower
back machine where you sit back against a
padded arm, are the best exercises for
working the erector muscles without undue
strain on the spinal structure. While
deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts, and good-
mornings are great strength builder, they
should never be done by those with existing
or previous lower back injuries.
Hyperextensions also tighten and tone the
gluteus muscles. Be careful not to hyperextend too much.

BICEPS

DUMBBELL SUPINATING CURLS One of the very best size-builders, this
exercise engages two functions of the biceps muscles, curling and
supinating (turning the hands upward). Hold a pair of dumbbells at your
sides, palms toward your body. Curl them simultaneously, turning your
hands upward as you do so. Your palms should be up about half way
through the movement.


CLOSE GRIP VERTICAL CURLS Since dumbbell
curls are essentially a wide grip exercise effecting
the outer biceps head, the second exercise is done
with a close grip working the inner head. Use a
curling bar taking the inside grip, or a straight bar
with a 4 hand spacing. Lean over a vertical curling
bench. On the angled bench, you lose tension at the
top. Vertical curls provide resistance at the point of
complete contraction, building that much-sought-
after high biceps peak. Brace your upper arm firmly
against the pad. Do full movements, holding the bar at the top for second.
Lower slowly.



30
HAMMER CURLS This exercise works the brachialis, the muscle between
the biceps and triceps. If you havent done this for a while, youll notice
instant size gains within days of including hammer curls. Do these
standing or seated. Don preferred simultaneous curls, but you can
alternate arms for variety. Start the same as you did the supination curls,
palms toward you. Curl the dumbbells keeping the thumbs-up position.

FOREARMS

PULLEY WRIST CURL Attach a revolving bar to a floor pulley cable.
Squat in front of it, bracing your lower arms on your thighs. Lower the bar
to your fingertips. Bring it to your palms by curling your fingers, then curl
your knuckles toward your wrists. Hold and lower slowly. The pulley gives
you continuous tension while the tension varies with a barbell. Youll feel a
tremendous pump in the forearm flexors.

REVERSE GRIP WRIST CURL Sit on the end of a bench holding a barbell.
Lower your hand forward, then bring it up as high as possible. Youll feel
this in the forearm extensors level with the backs of your hands. These two
exercises isolate and stimulate stubborn forearm development.

(Incidentally, reverse curls are NOT a forearm exercise, except in a
secondary way. It would be like doing military presses for the triceps, or
bent over rows for the biceps!)

TRICEPS


PUSHDOWNS Elbow injuries frequently result from heavy
triceps movements where the upper arms are raised. This is
because the tendons at the elbows are stretched to their
fullest, creating tremendous pressure during the movement.
The tendon stress is much less when the arms are in line
with the body, making this the best movement to start with.
For variety, you can vary the grip width. Youll feel the wider
grip on the inner head and the standard close grip on the
outer area. Stand directly in front of the cable, keeping the
elbows pointed down. This is a different movement from the
pushdowns you see where you lean into the bar with the
cable to one side of the head.


REVERSE GRIP PUSHDOWNS This is very similar to the first exercise,
but you take a palms-up grip on the bar. Step back a few feet to create
more tension at the lockout. Hold the lockout position for a full second at
the end of each rep. While pushdowns provide the most resistance at the
center of the movement, reverse grip pushdowns done as described are
31
hardest at the point of contraction, bringing out the lower triceps. Again,
you are warming up the elbows.

SEATED TRICEPS PRESS MACHINE Now that the elbows are warmed up
and the triceps pre-exhausted, proceed to this great size builder. Use a
seated tricep machine, either the pulley or cam style. You could substitute
EZ-curl bar or single dumbbell French presses, but these will eventually
cause elbow problems. Take a thumbs-spaced grip on the bar. Lower it
behind the head, then press it to a full lockout. Keep the elbows close to
the head to work the inner area, and the elbows out to the sides to work the
outer triceps.

ABDOMINALS

INCLINE KNEE-UPS The lower abs are the hardest to isolate. Since leg
raises work the hip flexors more than the abs, they dont come close to
working the area like this exercise. Lie in an incline position on a steep
abdominal board. Hold onto the foothold, elbows bent. Bending the knees,
bring them up toward your head. Raising your hips and exhaling hard,
touch your knees to your elbows.

DECLINE CRUNCH On that same steep ab board, lie in a decline position,
knees bent. Put your hands on your waist to feel your abs workingNOT
BEHIND YOUR HEAD, as this puts too much pressure on your neck
vertebrae. Keep the small of your back down as you curl your upper body
forward as much as possible exhaling hard as you contract your abs. This
builds deep upper ab separation.

ROLL-UPS Finish your frontal ab work with
this over-all midsection blast. Lie face-up on a
flat bench, mat or ab board. Hold your hands at
the sides of your head. Bring your knees
toward your head, and at the same time, crunch
your upper body. Bring you elbows to your
knees, exhaling hard. Deep breathing is vital to
an ab workout. Deep inhalation energizes you
and helps with fat-burning. Hard exhalation
allows maximum muscle contraction at the end of each movement.

SIDE CRUNCHES This is best done standing for maximum contraction.
Unlike dumbbell or pulley side bends, this will tone and build deep
separation in the oblique area without thickening the waist. Stand in front
of a mirror. Hands on your waist. Turn to your right, bending downward in
that direction at the same time. Flex the oblique and intercostals as you
EXHALE HARD. Inhale as you stand back upright, then repeat on the other
side. Alternating left and right, do two or three sets of 20. Work up to sets
of 50.
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QUADRICEPS

HACK SQUATS There are several reasons Don preferred these to squats.
You have back support and are much less likely to injure your lower back.
Because of balance, you end up bending forward during squats which
make it only 20% a leg exercise, and 80% hips and lower back. Hacks focus
on the thighs. the further back you place your feet, the closer to the knee
you work. The further forward, the more you work the glutes. If you have
knee problems, or need to specialize on the glute-thigh tie-in, place your
feet far forward. I suggest a foot placement at the half-way point of the
platform. To build the outer sweep of the thigh (vastus lateralis), perform
this with feet apart, toes out. To build the inner tear drop (vastus
medialis), keep your feet together, toes forward.


LEG EXTENSIONS For over-all frontal thigh
development, the leg extension is a must. This
strengthens the knees and brings out cuts all the
way to the hips. By holding the lockout and
flexing, you develop that impressive mid-thigh
(rectus femoris) definition.


ADDUCTORS Todays championship thighs arent complete without
deeply defined sartorius crossing the thighs from the hips and adductors
of the inner thighs. To isolate these areas, the adductor (squeeze together)
leg machines cant be beat. Before these machines became standard in
gyms, Don would place a bench between the cross-pulleys. Strapping a
weight belt around each thigh and hooking them to the low pulleys, he
would bring his thighs together.

HAMSTRINGS

SEATED LEG CURLS This was the great invention for the thighs since the
hack machine. It isolates the thigh biceps by holding you in place. Unlike
the lying leg curl, the pressure doesnt let up with unconscious raising of
the hips, nor is there any lower back tension. Bring the legs as far back as
possible, hold for second, then return to the start position slowly.









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STANDING LEG CURL These are the vertical curls for the
legs. They provide resistance at the point of complete
contraction, increasing the peaks of the biceps femoris
muscles. Use a light weight. Hold it and contract it at the
top of each rep.




CALVES

DONKEY CALF RAISE MACHINE This is the best size-builder for the large
upper calf muscle (gastrocnemius) because the bent forward position
stretches the tendon where the calf attaches to the thigh. Though many
exercise physiologists tell us that toe positions dont matter, Don
conducted an experiment with five gym bodybuilders proving that using
toes forward and toes out positions work different heads of the muscles.
Don suggested sets with both toe positions. Go down into a deep stretch,
then come up as high as possible. Avoid bouncing.

SEATED CALF RAISE Calf raises with bent knees engages the soleus
muscles under the gastrocnemius, lengthening the calf development. Do
these with toes forward.

STANDING STRYDOM CALF RAISE Gary Strydom taught Don
this variation after adding considerable size to his calves. Youve
never experienced a more thorough exercise for bringing up
stubborn calves. Use a fairly light weight on a standing calf
machine. Toes forward, feet 4 to 6 inches apart. Lower to a deep
stretch. Hold this position for a second, then come up slowly. At
the top of the movement, bend the knees. This allows you to come
up even higher. Hold this flexed position for a second, then lower
slowly. Oooow, the pain! Wow, the results!!!



GLUTEUS SPECIALIZATION

LYING LEG PRESS, FEET FORWARD In todays tough competition, there
are no minor bodyparts. Women bodybuilders especially need solid,
muscular glutes. This is one reason for the fairly recent popularity of an old
Olympic lifting exercise, the lunge. The problem is that the lunge is
awkward and takes extra time and energy. Analyzing the exercise, the front
leg does a foot-forward squat while the back leg does an extension. While
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you can isolate the glutes much better with feet-forward squats on a smith
machine, the same movement is much more controlled with less stress on
the back if done on a lying leg press machine. Use a medium, toes forward
foot spacing, with your feet as close to the top of the platform as possible.

HIPS

ABDUCTORS While widening the hip structure would destroy a mans
physique, its essential for a womans body. Without a curvaceous,
feminine hip structure, a muscular physique looks masculine and
unattractive. Hip development on a man thicken the waist, while on a
woman, they minimize the midsection by contrasting with it. When the hips
dont flair out beyond the width of the waist, the woman looks blocky.
Correct this with abductors (bringing the legs apart) on the machine. While
this machine is now standard in most gyms, you can use an ankle strap
and do one-legged standing abductors on a low pulley otherwise.

As explained previously, you may find other variations of these movements
more effective for your particular physique. Half the adventure of
bodybuilding is discovering what works best for you. What works best now
might not work as well as something else once your body adapts, or once
you tire of the exercise. This also applies to your rep schemes, exercise
order, set progressions, speed of movement, frequency of workouts and
length of rest between sets.

Save this e-Report for future reference. With it, youll be your own expert,
never having to hire a trainer or buy other expensive courses.




BONUS
A LETTER FROM DON THE RIPPER ROSS




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