Encyclopaedia of Bodybuilding
by David Gentle
The Amazing Human Body
We have 206 bones, 650 muscles, and over 100 joints. We have an estimated
60,000 miles of arteries, veins and tiny capillaries, with over 13,000 million
nerve cells. During an average lifetime, we breath 500 million times.
An average person has 10 gallons of water in his body, plus enough fat for 7 bars of soap, enough lime to whitewash a small shed, enough phosphorus to make over two thousand matches, and enough iron to make a small one-inch nail.
The normal person in the course of a life time consumes approximately 50 tons of food and 11,000 gallons of liquid. (This includes protein drinks!!)
The skeleton can be considered as an arrangement of levers. These levers (bones) are moved by MUSCLE. The range by power and type of movement is governed by the nature of the joints and length of the bone levers, the arrangement of the muscles, and the weight of the load to be shifted.
The structure of bones and muscle is such that terrific strains are able to be withstood. The long bones are constructed of concentrated CANCELLI which add great strength whilst minimizing their weight.
An example the durability of the body is the fact that tendons anchoring muscles to the bone are strong enough to withstand a stress of 8 tons.
Muscles: You Have More Thank You Think!
We have approximately 650 muscles, made up of pairs of muscles which, together with their tendons account for about 40 percent of a person's bodyweight. Each muscle has a FULL RANGE, INNER and OUTER range of movement.
We have approximately 650 muscles, made up of pairs of muscles which, together with their tendons account for about 40 percent of a person's bodyweight. Each muscle has a FULL RANGE, INNER and OUTER range of movement.
The FULL RANGE is when a muscle carries out a movement from its extreme stretched position of its extreme contracted position.
The INNER RANGE is when a muscle works midway between its two extremes of movement to its full contracted position.
The OUTER RANGE describes the muscles movement from extreme stretched position of the midway point of its range.
Muscle tissue consists of 3 forms...
STRIATED VOLUNTARY MUSCLE present in all the common muscles of the skeletal system, and all under the control of the WILL.
Nonstraited INVOLUNTARY MUSCLE occurring in those muscles NOT under the control of the WILL, i.e. those carrying out AUTOMATIC functions of the vital organs such as the veins, arteries, alimentary canal etc.
CARDIAC muscle; an INVOLUNTARY muscle specific to the HEART. Muscle is composed of approximately 72 percent water and 28 percent protein and minerals. A muscle contracts in three different ways; they are.... ISOMETRICALLY (statically) CONCENTRICALLY and ECCENTRICALLY.
(i) ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION is a static i.e.... unmoving contraction. When antagonistic muscles contract against each other with equal tension, resulting in NO MOVEMENT this fixation or static contraction is known as ISOMETRIC contraction. If you hold your arm with the elbow half bent and unmoving with the BICEPS tensed, then this would be an ISOMETRIC contraction.
In recent years much research has been carried out with evidence that brief isometric contractions maintained for short periods of 5 or 6 seconds endeavoring to achieve maximum contraction, can actually result in measurable STRENGTH increase.
Most muscle controls are isometric contraction, combined with controlled isolated RELAXATION.
(ii) CONCENTRIC contraction consists of the muscle fibres working against RESISTANCE throughout any of the normal muscle ranges as in everyday weight training exercises.
In concentric work, about 30 percent of the energy set free by the oxidation processes is used on actual work, the remainder of the energy going to raise the temperature of the muscle, and if large muscle groups are involved, the general temperature of the body.
(iii) ECCENTRIC work is also carried out by performing against resistance, except in this instance the resistance OVERCOMES the action of the muscle fibres, pulling the origin and insertion points apart, and although under contraction, the fibres are lengthened.
Muscular tissue is the only issue having the power to contract. Muscles provide the motive power of the body, moving the bones to which they are attached by lengthening and shortening, passing over the joints. For a muscle to be DEVELOPED, it has to be exercised using both CONCENTRIC and ECCENTRIC work in the inner range.
Muscles work as (a) PRI-MOVER, (b) ANTOGONIST or (c) FIXATOR or SYNERGIST. To illustrate these terms, if you were curling a dumbell to the shoulder, you would employ the BICEPS (and Brachialis) muscles, these being the PRIME MOVERS.
The ANTAGONIST muscle in this example would be the TRICEPS whilst the need to maintain the position of the arm in the curling position would involve the contraction of the shoulders, these being the FIXATORS. All movements made by the body are of leverage with muscles PULLING.
The muscles are always known by their LATIN names; however, for convenience bodybuilders often shorten Latin names for muscle groups, for example 'pecs' for pectoralis major, 'lats' for latissimus dorsi and so on.... Your best way to learn them, and thereby help you with your training when you wish to concentrate, is to obtain a good muscle chart, one of which is obtainable from George Greenwood.
The movements of the body have specific names. When one part is bent upon the other it is called FLEXION, when they are straightened out it is termed EXTENSION.
Only about 100 pairs of muscles are used in general posture and movement of the body and limbs, with the majority of muscle pairs being smaller and involved in the nose, throat, mouth, eyes, etc. Exercise breaks down tissue, rest builds it up. The rest interval required for a body builder's muscles to recuperate after a heavy workout, ranges from between two to four days.
Experience shows that best results occur when you train each muscle group on average three times a week, with rest periods spaced in between training sessions.
Naturally, certain individuals will break this rule, according to their genetic advantages. You will need to experiment to find your own unique requirements.
A muscle will HYPERTROPHY with exercise, i.e. grow, and ATROPHY with disuse, that is lose size. HYPERTROPHY or growth in muscle results from an increase in the size of each individual muscle fibre.
You cannot increase the NUMBER OF muscle fibres, as this is controlled genetically (meaning fixed at birth). Muscle HYPERTROPHY results form an increase in INTENSITY of work, i.e. only when a muscle is OVERLOADED will it respond by undergoing hypertrophy (growth).
The AMOUNT of work has no significance.
Exercise Rules
How Best to Start Pumping Iron
Before you embark upon any system of bodybuilding, it is sensible to undergo a basic physical check-up from your doctor. Check for example if you suffer from any of the following symptoms which may need medical attention:
- History of heart disease in the family;
- High blood pressure;
- Diabetes;
- Hypertension;
- Dizziness or faintness after exertion;
- Difficulties in breathing;
- Pains in the chest after mild exertion;
- Constant gastrointestinal upset;
- High temperature of "flu" symptoms after training.
Providing you get the 'all clear', then you can get cracking on your training.
For Best Results You Must...
- Exercise regularly. Your body responds best to routine.
- Concentrate on the muscles you are exercising , train with single-mindedness.
- When NOT training, relax and forget muscles and bodybuilding. Do not become a 'muscle bore'.
- Always warm up. Failure to warm up before vigorous activity can lead to serious injuries including the possibility of an actual tearing loose of muscle fibres from their tendinous attachments. The efficiency of a muscle improves when its temperature is raised.
- Keep moving between exercises, don't waste time.
- Train in warm, pleasant conditions.
- Aim to wear good training clothes, a clean tracksuit and soft flexible footwear. Pay attention to personal cleanliness and hygiene.
- Train to a DEFINITE purpose or plan.
Principles and Systems
There are many, many systems, with an often complicated and bewildering terminology. I will now attempt to list and explain MOST (but not all) of them, although somewhat briefly, to enable the average bodybuilder the chance to find a path through the muscle jungle.
IT IS MAINLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CREDIT THE GENUINE ORIGINATORS OF INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS AS OFTEN TRAINING IDEAS AND PRACTISES WERE USED FOR YEARS WITH EXCELLENT RESULTS BEFORE BEING ATTACHED WITH A 'LABEL'.
It is true to state that AMERICAN magazines were mainly responsible for introducing most of the terms used for bodybuilding systems popular today, especially JOE WEIDER'S magazines....
BRITISH magazines are just as inventive, but perhaps less brash in their salesmanship, with normally a more conservative outlook on training. For IN-DEPTH explanations of the various systems mentioned, I suggest you purchase some of the courses from their advertised sources.
The First Step
The first step is to understand the real basics. A normal schedule is usually of about a dozen exercises, aimed at training all of the main muscle groups. Most beginners would train for three nights a week, for a period of about one and a half hours.
A good schedule should contain exercises for arms, shoulders, chest, legs and back, with some abdominal or waist work thrown in.
All exercises should start off with a period of warming up using light free exercises or CALISTHENICS. The individual bodybuilding exercises are performed as explained in the many books or muscle magazines available. Each full movement of the exercise is done for so many REPETITIONS. For convenience this is shortened to the term REPS.
Reps for exercises vary in number according to the results required. Years of experiment has shown that low reps of around 3 to 6 favour increases in strength, thus powerlifters always train on low reps.
Average reps of 8 to 12 encourage muscle size and high reps of 15 and over are used for the purpose of definition (cuts), weight loss, and endurance training.
If you do an exercise for ten reps, it becomes known as one SET of ten or written 1 x 10. Beginners are advised to do just one SET of each exercise for the first few weeks of training, gradually adding extra SETS as their training capability improves.
A weight trainer of 6 months' experience normally uses for most exercises about four sets of ten or 4 x 10. SINGLE PROGRESSIVE SYSTEM whereby the trainee increases the number of repetitions without increasing the weights.
Or the DOUBLE PROGRESSIVE SYSTEM which consists of adding repetitions until a given number is reached, after which the poundage is increased, turning to the original reps, which in turn are again gradually increased, and so on.
This double system is the basic progression for beginner/intermediate trainers.
Fitness & Condition
For FITNESS and conditioning you are required to practise cardiovascular exercise or AEROBIC exercise. Aerobic, simply means 'with air' the object being to improve the systems involved in the body's processing of oxygen, i.e. the heart, lungs and blood vessels.
Whilst running, cycling and swimming are superior for this type of exercise, weight can be used for the same target if you practise high repetitions using exercises which involve large muscle groups such as SQUATS and practise CIRCUIT TRAINING.
In this system you normally pre-set the various weight in advance, after which you go from one exercise to the next (with a single set) without resting until you have completed a CIRCUIT.
On the same fitness theme, before we enter the world of super pump and muscle mass, a system appeared a few years ago popularized by a former Mr. American, namely BOB GAJDA, called P.H.A. or peripheral heart action training. Going against all trends, P.H.A. consisted of doing one set, say 10 reps barbell curl, followed by an exercise for a totally distant muscle group, for example calves. Its devotees claimed great fitness values from this type of training.
TYPE TRAINING or anatomic training, was popularized in early British magazines, yet mainly ignored in the U.S.A. Type training resulted from SHELDON'S classification of the three basically inherited physique groups, name ECTOMORPH ( or THORACIC, the thin person)., MESOMORPH (or INTERMEDIATE the naturally muscle athlete) and ENDOMORPH or ABDOMINAL, the fat person.
The basic theory, with lots of supported evidence is that to put it bluntly, fat people should do high reps, perhaps with the idea of using up more calories and burning off excess flesh, the natural muscular type stayed in the middle range really being fortunate enough to gain on ANY system; and the skinny individual e.g. the ectomorph, was advised to use just a few basic exercises with low reps to encourage 'bulk'.
He was also advised to attempt to relax and give up needless worries. Those principles are still all basically sound with the only real advancement being the almost scientific application today of food supplements and dietary practises.
It is a fact that food supplements have had a greater influence on training than any other system with the possible exception of the SET SYSTEM.
The Set System
The most common and successful method used in weight training is called THE SET SYSTEM. In simple terms this means after performing one set of ten reps, you have a brief rest and then commence again with another set. Most bodybuilders of experience use approximately 4 to 6 sets finding this sufficient for muscle pump and growth.
Incorporated within the set system is the practise of PYRAMIDING the weights. This means you start your first set with light weights for about 12 reps, next set add poundage and do fewer reps, next set, again add weight for less reps, with the last couple of sets lowering the weight and again adding reps. Thus you go up and down, like a pyramid.
Some of the top stars favour GIANT SETS with some training on as many as 30 sets. For most people this would be OVER TRAINING, a condition which will exhaust the body's reserves of energy and hinder muscle growth.
We next come into SUPER SETS, another system popularized by the WEIDER stables. In this idea of training you intersperse one set of opposing muscle groups with another. For example you would do one set of BARBELL CURLS for BICEPS followed immediately by a set of FRENCH PRESSES (for triceps extensions) for the TRICEPS.
You then return to the curls and so on until the required number of sets are completed. Again an advanced system, one superb for massive muscle pump.
For greater intensity training you may decide to train on the SPLIT SYSTEM. With this idea you split your body workouts into two separate training periods. Usually lower body one day and upper body training the next. Or you could consider the 'push pull' split routines: one session devoted to the extensors, and one to the flexors.
Professional bodybuilders with the time and energy, often train on the split system doing one session in the morning and the opposite routine in the afternoon. I must continually stress, most bodybuilders (i.e. those who have to work for a living) make better progress with far LESS training.
Muscles continually get into a rut. To gain size even faster, you must from to time force the poundage and one way to do this is to use FORCED REPS. Basically this means you have to force out those last two or three reps at the end of each set, as it is those which really count for building muscle and strength.
A continuation on this theme is ASSISTED REPS. The term is self descriptive, requiring the help of a training partner to aid you often with just a finger or two to complete the last couple of repetitions.
Often a partner can assist by giving VOCAL ENCOURAGEMENT. Scientific experiments have proved what coaches and cheer leaders have always know, that vocal encouragement, i.e. cheering of coach or team mates or training partners, actually increases the strength of athletes, extends their endurance and raises their threshold to fatigue.
Trained athletes usually perform far better in competition than in normal practice. In lab experiments athletes performed one and half times more work in competitions, increasing to two and a half times when cheered and encouraged vocally.
Next time you wish to achieve a maximum (say) bench press, get your training partners to encourage you with loud shouts of 'PUSH', 'PUSH', 'PUSH'. And just watch those weights soar!
After completing basic training for about six months, certainly not before, you may find that some body part is below par in comparison to the others. Perhaps, as is common with many bodybuilders, your legs are not up to scratch, in which case you would give them special attention, by adopting the MUSCLE PRIORITY SYSTEM.
This means training your weak points, or those under par, at the beginning of your workout while you are still fresh and at your strongest, with our interest level at its best.
When training on a particular isolated muscle, for example the biceps, it helps to concentrate your mind on the muscle group involved. A fine and obvious example of this is the dumbell concentration curl. Isolated pure muscle work is best for use in this the CONCENTRATION form of training.
The MENTAL aspect of training with a positive approach must not be overlooked with the extreme concentration of self HYPNOSIS often employed. Hypnotized subjects have been observed to improve on physical performance and strength with the accepted explanation that hypnosis removes any inhibitions.
Without FEAR of failure, you can always lift more. This philosophy of overcoming fear is part of MIKE DAYTON'S 'CHI' system.
A further idea is the FLUSHING SYSTEM, named because of the flushing effect of the blood vessels. An illustration of this, again using the arms as an example is to perform sets of similar exercises in quick succession.
For example, barbell curls, followed by any other form of dumbell curl, again followed by concentration curls. Another example - for the chest you may do bench presses, followed by dumbell flyes, followed by vertical dips and so on.
Going to the opposite extreme many trainers get great results from the SINGLE EXERCISE PLAN. It is obvious that if you direct all of your energies into a single exercise, then on that chosen lift, you will make rapid progress.
POWERLIFTERS usually decide on a combined muscle mass exercise such as deadlifts or squats, performing endless sets and many repetitions always attempting to increase the poundage used.
On the subject of SQUATS it is interesting to note that many famous physique stars have build excellent legs by doing hundreds of FREE SQUATS each day, normally in groups of fifty or so. This one exercise plan has resulted in a large body weight gains for anyone who practised it regularly.
A derivative of this exercise is the so-called BREATHING SQUAT system. So called because great concentration is required to take exceptionally large breaths of air between repetitions. The poundage used on this system must only be light, never more than your own bodyweight.
The MULTI POUNDAGE SYSTEM was a name for a system whereby you removed weight after each set, starting off with a reasonable poundages, but you continue to maintain the same repetitions for each set.
Certainly good for muscle pump, but recommended for power, with the more usual system of adding weight after each set, and reducing the reps slightly being proven more resulting in growth for most.
Another term used from time to time is PEAK CONTRACTION. This is a short range movement concentrating on tensing to extremes the muscle involved, many special cramping exercises were devolved for this system, using light weights.
The opposite to this became popular under the name of the CHEATING SYSTEM. A much used method of training as you were encouraged to use lots of weight, you were instructed to adopt a loose exercise style, the idea being that with a cheating style more weight could be used and more muscles brought into play.
It may be good for the ego, but it won't make muscles grow if you use momentum instead of muscles to raise a weight. There is also a danger of injury if you attempt to use weights too heavy for you capabilities.
The NAUTILUS system refers to specialist equipment designed by ART JONES. These specially designed machines allow full range movements to be performed against a variable resistance. Their main drawback is they are very expensive and outside the range of most weight trainers.
Whether they are superior to free range weight training is a controversial issue. If you do get the opportunity use them, then go ahead and discover for yourself....
Current Training Systems
HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING ... An advanced system advocated by top stars like MIKE MENTZER and marketed under his name, simply involves the use of maximum weights, using strict style working to your limit, forcing out the last reps often needing slight assistance from a training partner who can give finger tip help to keep the bar moving.
Similar, or even the same as the pre-mentioned FORCED ASSISTED REPS system explained earlier. Many people are of the opinion that it is only the last few hard pushed reps that count, the easier first reps serving just as a 'warm-up'.
MODERATE WEIGHT/HIGH INTENSITY means using moderate training poundages, but concentrating highly on every part of the movement, contracting the muscles fully throughout and at the end of the exercise. SATURATION PUMPING is the practise of keeping a muscle group continually pumped by training several days in success with high reps.
MAXI ANGLE TRAINING was devised to attach the muscles from all angles, e.g. bench press with all of its varieties of hand spacing and incline/decline angles, then on to dumbell flyes, cable cross-over etc.
HEAVY/LIGHT SYSTEM ... A mixture of both exercise and reps combing multi group low rep exercise with isolated muscle high reps movements. For example heavy barbell curls, combined with light concentration curls.
TOTAL INTENSITY TRAINING ... Like heavy duty training, low reps working to absolute failure and then trying some more... Definitely not for beginners or intermediates.
PRE-EXHAUST ... Invented/popularized by BOB KENNEDY of Hardcore Bodybuilding fame, this is where the bodybuilder isolates a muscle, working it to failure, e.g. lateral raises for deltoids, and then you perform another exercise using surrounding muscles to work it to 'exhaustion' i.e. press behind neck. Another good example would be to do 'flyes' followed by heavy bench presses.
If you discover a system or routine or exercise that really brings results to you personal regardless of what others may say, the STICK TO IT. Do not swap or change routines just for the sake of it. You must, of course, devote plenty of time to BASIC training before attempting advanced systems.
It is interesting to note that after having a period where top trainers were advocating if not practising multi sets, that a more common sense approach has materialized.
The best result-producing routine of all for the MAJORITY of trainers is a schedule of eight to ten exercise, with repetitions from six to fifteen, sets from three to six and training sessions of just three times a week.
Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding © Copyright by David Gentle All Rights Reserved