Training Methods Pro Bodybuilders Use
Training Methods Pro Bodybuilders Use
What was one training concept that you never believed in when you were starting out, but later learned to appreciate and use to your benefit?
Dexter Jackson
I didn’t believe machines were any good for building mass when I was younger, but it’s not something I regret. There is no substitute for the basic barbell movements when you’re starting out and you need to build size. I even go so far as to say that barbells are much more effective in that sense than dumbbells. A very strong guy can eventually bench press something like 500 pounds or more with a barbell. The biggest dumbbells you are going to find are 200s, and really you’re lucky these days if your gym even has sets that go up to 150. Which one is going to put more mass on?
I only learned to appreciate machines and use them more as I got older, starting in my late 30s but definitely by the time I hit 40. Machines can definitely help you build mass. I have been improving in both muscle size and quality over the last five to six years, and I haven’t done much with barbells at all. Again, though, I still believe the younger guys who need to build their base of mass need to put plenty of work into the free-weight basics and only use machines here and there. Once you get older and your joints have been beat up, machines will come in handy and allow you to keep growing and improving safely.
Dennis Wolf
I was always a fan of Dorian Yates in my early years, but I never thought his Blood and Guts training style was really any good. He only did one all-out work set, and I thought, this isn’t enough for a bodybuilder. We need more volume than that! But a couple of years ago, I gave it a try and it actually worked really well for me. I would do one warm-up set, one “feel” set that was closer to the weight I was going to use, and then one set to failure and beyond, per exercise. The thing about it is, you have to have a good training partner. There is no way you can do the one-set style on your own and get anything out of it. I wouldn’t do it all the time, but now I think for parts of the year, like maybe a couple of months out of your off-season training, it’s a great style to use.
Victor Martinez
When I was young, I didn’t believe in spending much time on warm-ups. One reason was that I didn’t feel I needed them, another was that I couldn’t wait to get to the heavy weights. Plus, the guys at the gym who were a little older and bigger didn’t seem to do much warming up. Most of them can’t even press 25-pound dumbbells now because they are so jacked up. So I used to walk into the gym on chest day and start off with 225. Same thing with squats. I didn’t bother with riding the bike or anything. I put 225 on the bar for a quick 10-12 reps before I started piling more plates on. As the years went by, I started getting little injuries and nagging aches and pains. All that made me rethink the whole idea of warming up. Eventually, I began taking a good 10-15 minutes doing lighter weights and taking things a lot slower and more carefully. With any exercise I do, I start off with a weight that isn’t too challenging and add more weight for each set. You will never see me walk into the gym and start lifting heavy right away— that would be stupid for me at this point in my life.