I am almost 65 and have been lifting weights since I was 20. I don't look like what most people think weightlifters look like, but I do look muscular. Over the 40 years, I have done many stupid things to add more muscles. What I added was pain and injury. These are some of the lessons I've learned:
1. Weightlifters go to extremes. If some protein is good, then lots of protein is better. If a little of some drug is good, then drink the whole bottle. Moderation in all things just doesn't seem to go with weightlifting.
2. Always start slow. I never do and I am always finding out I have muscles and tendons that I never knew existed! Pain is a great teacher.
3. There is a maximum you can gain. No one in the whole of existence ever had 500 pounds of muscle. I found my limit within one year. For the next 39 years, it has been fun to play around and try to gain. Who knows, you may be one of those persons who recovers quickly and who can easily add muscle. But if it isn't easy, it probably isn't going to occur.
4. Lots of weight, few reps. All the variations (such as hitting a muscle in different areas, and the latest, muscle confusion) is just window dressing.
This sure isn't going to sell any books.
negged. crappy advice. disregard.
Wtf? Did you read it?
1. "Moderation" isn't any special good. If you "moderate" yourself from doing a good thing to doing less of that good thing, you are making a pointless sacrifice. Real, long-lasting progress requires
a lot of hard work, and you will achieve nothing over the long term if you "moderate" blindly.
2. Just not that interesting or helpful for anyone with common sense... it's just more of this "moderation" attitude.
3. This is ridiculous and false. Nobody be fooled into thinking that hard work over a long time won't add up... seriously, it's almost as if this guy is out to cut you down and limit your progress. I've seen videos of guys bench pressing 600 pounds, and their explanation on how they got there? They worked their ass off for ten years in the gym. Suggesting that you will reach your "limit" in one year of "moderate" work is completely moronic nonsense.
4. Yeah, high weight low reps is half the story. The rest is NOT window dressing. I have found that volume lifting is absolutely, critically essential to making gains in any reasonable amount of time. Two months of only doing high weight, few reps lifting made me meager gains. Two weeks of switching off one session high volume, less weight, and one session high weight, less reps, and suddenly I'm making real gains again. I have repeated this experience multiple times in the past few years.
So yeah, this advice is awful. Pay attention to someone who actually knows what they are doing. This guy is practically telling you he has no idea what he's doing, so believe him on that mark.
Edited by RighteousReason, 26 August 2010 - 01:06 AM.