To those who wish to GROW i ask : Do you still challenge yourself?

[TooPowerful4u]

Many of us if not all made good gains when we started. If you think back it was difficult. We werent strong or in shape. I can remember battling to finally bench 225.

Now here we are present time. We hit the gym......

- we sweat
- we lift heavy
- it hurts, it burns
- we get exhausted and we get fatigued
- we even try new exercises and splits

BUT.... how often do we push PAST out comfort zone. Before you say "i work out hard, lift heavy, it burns, etc... realize this. After so many years that IS your comfort zone.

Think to yourself for a moment... how many times do you try something where your thought process is.....

- man this is going to suck
- i dno if il get this but il try
- im a little afraid, but lets do it!

I realize some of us are older and dont have this in us any longer. I realize not everyone has these extreme grow at all costs goals. I realize some just cant push like this. I know i try to do some things every workout where one or more of the above thoughts pops in my mind. When your thought process and approach becomes similar to this (within safety parameters) then i guarantee your growth accelerates!

 

[Big Dave Smith]

I don't know how to grow otherwise.

Every session in my log book is designed to be beaten or improved, even by a fraction. After weeks and months of setting new standards, the pain threshold becomes pretty intense, but it's the only logical way I see it.

I'll never understand the guys who go in and consistently do the same things. They use the same weights and routine, expecting a new result. The definition of insanity.


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[Dragos]

I try to always switch up my workouts to keep my body guessing and to challenge myself

 

[Tom]

Something I don't understand is the concept that if a person does a very hard set of 10 in a given exercise for the first time ever, is that repeating that very hard set of 10 in the next workout accomplishes no growth.

 

[heavyhitter]

Something I don't understand is the concept that if a person does a very hard set of 10 in a given exercise for the first time ever, is that repeating that very hard set of 10 in the next workout accomplishes no growth.

Yeah but at some point that set shouldnt be that hard anymore and then how can it still equal growth?

 

[Tom]

Yeah but at some point that set shouldnt be that hard anymore and then how can it still equal growth?

Sooner or later you reach the heaviest weight you're ever going to get those reps with or we'd be capable of getting 10 reps with 900 lbs on curls. It's never going to happen therefor the max set of 10 you can possibly reach should support growth indefinitely. Way more to growing than that single concept I know but the theory of progressive resistance has a ceiling on every exercise at some point.

 

[need4tren]

amount of weight lifted has nothing to do with muscle gain. training for the pump does, if ur constantly training delivers the biggest pump u can get u will simply grow. break the muscle down, fill it full of blood and nutrients and grow

lifting heavy weights can lead to injuries, if u tear a muscle badly ur career is done. 2 nat level bodybuilders ripped there chest right off, they both will never be the same. i rather drop the weight and control it so that doesnt happen, even if it does slow down the muscle gain.

want to get big? eat a lot of good food and stimuate the muscle, wreck it. whatever, but u dont need heavy weight to do that

 

[beastmode121]

amount of weight lifted has nothing to do with muscle gain. training for the pump does, if ur constantly training delivers the biggest pump u can get u will simply grow. break the muscle down, fill it full of blood and nutrients and grow



lifting heavy weights can lead to injuries, if u tear a muscle badly ur career is done. 2 nat level bodybuilders ripped there chest right off, they both will never be the same. i rather drop the weight and control it so that doesnt happen, even if it does slow down the muscle gain.



want to get big? eat a lot of good food and stimuate the muscle, wreck it. whatever, but u dont need heavy weight to do that

Good post.. I injured my rotator cuff lifting heavy ass weight.. I feel stupid cause now I can barely do certain movements. I wish I played it safe but it's hard to get in the gym n not push past your limit.. it doesn't feel right


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[Pumped Up Ya]

I think the best way to look at it is the intensity.. you can change exercises, sets, reps, positives, negatives angles, holds the whole nine yards yea you can change it but the fact remains you can do the same exact workout but if the iintensity changes you will grow.. to me atleast its all about intensity and that comes from your heart

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[TooPowerful4u]

amount of weight lifted has nothing to do with muscle gain. training for the pump does, if ur constantly training delivers the biggest pump u can get u will simply grow. break the muscle down, fill it full of blood and nutrients and grow

lifting heavy weights can lead to injuries, if u tear a muscle badly ur career is done. 2 nat level bodybuilders ripped there chest right off, they both will never be the same. i rather drop the weight and control it so that doesnt happen, even if it does slow down the muscle gain.

want to get big? eat a lot of good food and stimuate the muscle, wreck it. whatever, but u dont need heavy weight to do that

You and a lot of others mistook my reference for purely WEIGHT and STRENGTH related.

When i say challenge yourself maybe it was very high rep squats today. Maybe it was 10 sets of 10 squats under 30min. Maybe a huge drop set. it could be ANYTHING that is extremely challenging.

Also, i will COMPLETELY disagree and STRONGLY disagree that pump is the be all end all for building muscle. I trained that way for a while and gained dick. My body needs intense contractions and weigh increases (i dont mean 1RM, but whatever rep range im in which is always 8/11/14/19, yes i know im a weirdo with my #'s). Also peak and strong contractions are needed for me to grow. That cramping, intense, ready to tear squeeze you can even get with light weight. Iv come to find this holds true for MANY people and emphasizing this BEFORE (not negating) the pump accelerates or restarts growth.

 

[TooPowerful4u]

I think the best way to look at it is the intensity.. you can change exercises, sets, reps, positives, negatives angles, holds the whole nine yards yea you can change it but the fact remains you can do the same exact workout but if the iintensity changes you will grow.. to me atleast its all about intensity and that comes from your heart

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This is true, but we sometimes mistake intensity for us pushing our limits. You can be intense inside your comfort zone. It can burn, hurt and fail. It can even be heavy. If its similar to what you ALWAYS do, regardless of pain/sweat/effort, then you arent truly challenging yourself. For you to be outside your comfort zone you need to have even the smallest of doubts and fear of the set.

DEFINITION

• enter into competition with or opposition against.
You vs. the task and only one can win

• invite (someone) to do something that one thinks will be difficult or impossible; dare.
Dare yourself. Can i do this? Im going to try!

• test the abilities of.
Attempt something BEYOND what you can normally do.

Example... if i took your 10 rep max for squats and said in spotting u to 15 i want you to imagine it and think about what your first thought is. PROBABLY doubts or fear or at least "this is gonna suck". THAT is outside your confort zone.

 

[Big Dave Smith]

You can improve a training session without strength, but if you're suffering injuries from training "heavy", you're lifting weight instead if training a muscle.

Improvements can be made by finding/focusing on better contractions, slower negatives, increasing TUT, better stretch points, increasing volume in (x) time, partial reps, pause reps, static holds, etc.

Most people will have better success in the long run by training, collecting data (log book), and trying to outperform the data in SOME way (not necessarily just by 5 more lbs).

Muscles don't get "confused". Mixing it up can provide new stimulation for growth, but after long enough, there has to be a logical path towards improvement. A constant variety will eventually lead to "wtf did we start with anyway" and an inability to properly analyze your performance.


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[ALLEX]

Unfortunately, I do not challenge myself.

Did for a little while and couldn't deal with being too heavy, lifting too much weight, the apnea that came with it, sore joints or higher doses of AAS. Also, had to work, travel, etc... Feel much better on lower doses and high-rep workouts nowadays.

It was a little too taxing on my body and life and the desire didn't last that long, but I do admire those who accomplish it.

 

[Mini Truck]

Looks like some guys should jump on board with Scott Stevenson's
Fortitude Training.

Welcome to the Big Leagues :headbang:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You WILL be challenged.
And you will GROW.

Scott Stevenson Fortitude Training Shop


-MT

 

[Big Dave Smith]

Phil Viz and Scott Stevenson are two of my favorite minds to pick info from.


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[flexdurden]

Looks like some guys should jump on board with Scott Stevenson's
Fortitude Training.

Welcome to the Big Leagues :headbang:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You WILL be challenged.
And you will GROW.

Scott Stevenson Fortitude Training Shop


-MT

Amen MT! The stimulation varrying from the metabolic aspect to the intensity, to the workload... it builds fortitude

Phil, talking about, the idea of "Oh man, this is going to suck..."

That was exactly my thinking last heavy leg day:


Supersetting in zig zag fashion: Squats, Sissy hack squats and lying leg curls without resting aside from the time it takes to go from station to station to station.

Was this out of my comfort zone, fuck yeah. Was I dying of breath after finishing it yeah, you bet. Was my body shaking after this, damn right. I feel like freaking death today... I do my sets until I bottom out. Nothing left and before I finish a set, I do partials. Even then, I have my girl assist me on the negative to make it super slow. And I do the same for her... She knows my goals and she won't let me off easy. Last week I was going for 10 reps on DB press and got something like 8... she called me a pussy and told me to pick them back up. That's love right there...

Gong back to, "I don't want to do this, but I am going to do it anyway.." I know I need to add some serious size... I never dedicated myself fully to this for a long period of time. I always said, "No, I ate enough today..." Well, that has changed, I stepped out of my comfy little box and said, "fuck it, I gotta eat..." I'm downing between 4,800-5,400 kcals per day. I wake twice in the middle of the nite to have 120g carbs from granola or chex and 72g protein from a whey casein blend and greek yogurt and once again to have a shake with some peanut butter. During the day, I just get sick of eating.. not that I'm not hungry, I just get so sick of eating and chewing.... I do it....

Do I think I am someone special, fuck no, I'm a nobody, but I'm a nobody who has my own ambition and own goals and I am not going to stop until my body says so.

 

[Marvel3203]

I totally get what you mean, some workouts I dont push or challenge myself as much as I should for fear of injury or focus on pump/contraction/mind muscle connection. But I starting to have certain exercises thrown in during each workout where I get that fear or intense feeling. Usually the 2nd or 3rd exercise. Keeping this in the back of my mind for all workouts.

 

[flexdurden]

amount of weight lifted has nothing to do with muscle gain. training for the pump does, if ur constantly training delivers the biggest pump u can get u will simply grow. break the muscle down, fill it full of blood and nutrients and grow

lifting heavy weights can lead to injuries, if u tear a muscle badly ur career is done. 2 nat level bodybuilders ripped there chest right off, they both will never be the same. i rather drop the weight and control it so that doesnt happen, even if it does slow down the muscle gain.

want to get big? eat a lot of good food and stimuate the muscle, wreck it. whatever, but u dont need heavy weight to do that

You and a lot of others mistook my reference for purely WEIGHT and STRENGTH related.

When i say challenge yourself maybe it was very high rep squats today. Maybe it was 10 sets of 10 squats under 30min. Maybe a huge drop set. it could be ANYTHING that is extremely challenging.

Also, i will COMPLETELY disagree and STRONGLY disagree that pump is the be all end all for building muscle. I trained that way for a while and gained dick. My body needs intense contractions and weigh increases (i dont mean 1RM, but whatever rep range im in which is always 8/11/14/19, yes i know im a weirdo with my #'s). Also peak and strong contractions are needed for me to grow. That cramping, intense, ready to tear squeeze you can even get with light weight. Iv come to find this holds true for MANY people and emphasizing this BEFORE (not negating) the pump accelerates or restarts growth.

I'm going to use one of Dante's references here... No, strength is not the ultimate determining factor in getting bigger, but if you take someone who went from squatting 185lbs for 10 reps to 405 lbs for 10 reps there is going to be a huge difference in size going from point A to point B. If you progressively overload your muscles on a continual basis the muscle is forced to grow... It needs to adapt to the new stimulus... and it will given you provide the right nutrients and allow for recovery. Strength and weight lifted is relative... If you continue to go up in weight and or reps in a given exercise and stay withing a given rep range, the muscle is going to grow. When you push your limits with a given weight, the muscle has to respond accordingly and will grow to accommodate that.

At one point when the body can no longer handle any heavier weight, well then the stimulus must change... But I believe in training progressively until you reach that plateau. (premise of DC training and rotating exercises)

And Phil, the challenge is still on... Do not underestimate the amount of food I can eat my friend lol

 

[TooPowerful4u]

I'm going to use one of Dante's references here... No, strength is not the ultimate determining factor in getting bigger, but if you take someone who went from squatting 185lbs for 10 reps to 405 lbs for 10 reps there is going to be a huge difference in size going from point A to point B. If you progressively overload your muscles on a continual basis the muscle is forced to grow... It needs to adapt to the new stimulus... and it will given you provide the right nutrients and allow for recovery. Strength and weight lifted is relative... If you continue to go up in weight and or reps in a given exercise and stay withing a given rep range, the muscle is going to grow. When you push your limits with a given weight, the muscle has to respond accordingly and will grow to accommodate that.

At one point when the body can no longer handle any heavier weight, well then the stimulus must change... But I believe in training progressively until you reach that plateau. (premise of DC training and rotating exercises)

And Phil, the challenge is still on... Do not underestimate the amount of food I can eat my friend lol

Has to be carb based or junk based. I cant do steak or burgers. I hope you are ready for a 7-10,000 calorie meal bud haha i can hammer those pretty consistently every few days if needed

 

[flexdurden]

Has to be carb based or junk based. I cant do steak or burgers. I hope you are ready for a 7-10,000 calorie meal bud haha i can hammer those pretty consistently every few days if needed

I'm the same way... I polished off a whole box of granola yesterday... 18 servings per box, 44g of carbs per serving. It was so good.

This will be epic... I'm going to go keto for days leading to it so my glycogen stores can handle it lol