Growth principles for beginners

Big A · Oct 23, 2003

byggern said:
Ehh

I'll try to get around to it!!!!!!

Big A · Oct 23, 2003

Iabadman said:
Big A , wow! What can I say .Probally one of the best articals that I have ever read [ only even a couple of doggcraps even come close] and I have been in the game for a long time .I am 33 and I know my stuff but it is nice to see someone put it into such a clear cut simple manner.And it is really is that simple isn't,people make bodybuilding way more complicated than it needs to be .And I really enjoyed your artical on compitition prep as well.[ great stuff , keep them coming bro, I can't wait until your next one]
I making a return to bodybuilding after an 8 year layoff.[ After getting arrested , my dreams got crushed , lost will to train and eat right.]i am now working with a member of your board [Skip] I doing a natural contest prep to see where I am at . I should be shredded at the Arnold .[ I might even ask you to take look at me to see what you think my potential is if you are there and don't mind.After the arnold I plan on totally reconstucting my physique using a plan very similar to what you have outlined in you artical .Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge.I was once hard at 290 w/comp weight of 245. I want that back and then some.With your tid bits and Skips help I plan on getting this done in a year or so. In couple couple of years hmm.......we will just take one step at a time........

Thanks for the compliments

Yes, well, I am trying to be on the comeback trail too. I decided now, that since summer is just comming up, I will cut down to about 230ish, and have that beach bum, six pack look, and then slowly add some size over summer without getting fat. Straight after the A'hnold I have my trail - 3 weeks long. Once that is over, and with God's help I won't be in jail, I'll start adding serious size and I'll see about doing a show at the end of the circuit, late next year.

Iabadman · Oct 23, 2003

Goodluck ,with that bullshit my friend .I have been there and done that .[not fun stuff] May i ask ,what you are on trial for? If not , I totally understand . I will pray for you either way .Goodluck! But what is the worst case senario that you are facing?Keep training and keep up with the great articals don't let bullshit side track you either way.Thanks for the great board and products .let me know if there is anything that i might be able to for you here in the states.Ivan sayes you are a way cool guy and that goes along way as far as I am concerned. Take care of youself Big A and bad ass little kitty of yours......Keep your head up!

IronMike · Nov 5, 2003

...

Couldn't agree more with what is written in all the posts on this thread.

What gets me a lot is you have guys at 180lb, 17% BF who are asking whether they should use tren, EQ, test enth, test prop, A-bombs, primo and God knows what else, and whether on Mondays they should cut the dose then in the PM on Tuesday bla bla bla...

Unless you're at a top level, this is the shit that works, and even if you are at a top level, STILL works. Training breakdown is almost the same as mine, except I separate them out to a 4-day split.

Although if a lot of guys read this, I bet there'd be less posts on the boards! lol

Summed up to the letter. Bewdiful! IronMike

PS - particularly the part about gear not compensating for laziness, poor diet etc.

j18extreme · Jan 4, 2004

THANK FOR INFO BIG A.......

Vegeta · Jan 19, 2004

Man great post BIG A ! I know its been said before but just had to say it again ! Very informitive ! Just found this place and wonder how I lived with out it already ! Thanks bro ! You guys are great !

Conan21 · Feb 5, 2004

BIG A,

Do you ever do pre-exhaust?

I just read mentzers latest book and he is big on the pre-exhaust principle.

Or do u always do straight sets?

For those of you who would might be stagnant in gains give something like this a try. I have been doing a routine that is similar to Dorian yates. slightly less sets though. HIT training really works. The gains are amazing. I may eventually go to more of a true HIT routine but what i'm doin now seems to be really working. One important thing is to keep a training log so that following week you have a number to shoot for and beat. It makes training alot funner too. your in competition with yourself.

Big A · Feb 12, 2004

Conan21 said:
BIG A,

Do you ever do pre-exhaust?

I just read mentzers latest book and he is big on the pre-exhaust principle.

Or do u always do straight sets?

For those of you who would might be stagnant in gains give something like this a try. I have been doing a routine that is similar to Dorian yates. slightly less sets though. HIT training really works. The gains are amazing. I may eventually go to more of a true HIT routine but what i'm doin now seems to be really working. One important thing is to keep a training log so that following week you have a number to shoot for and beat. It makes training alot funner too. your in competition with yourself.

No pre exhaust required. Straight sets, maybe with a slow negative on the last rep is all that is needed.

Big A · Aug 15, 2004

Bump 'cause it's a good thread.

KTT · Aug 16, 2004

Question to Big A

I am natural. Is this system (training and lots of protein ) for me good too ?

Big A · Aug 16, 2004

KTT said:
I am natural. Is this system (training and lots of protein ) for me good too ?

Of course. All that gear does is speed up your results.

rauljimenez · Aug 16, 2004

bump for a great article BIG A, I am loving the baord everyday.

Big A · Aug 17, 2004

Conan21 said:
Best way to get BIG over night

good nutrition and juice will make your gains almost too easy...LOL

one thing I think people need to keep in mind when doing this is the controlled rep speed. if you don't perform the sets correctly then 1 set won't be enough for you. you gotta think of the weights as merely tools to stimulate growth. Don't get caught up in trying to lift too heavy of weights.

4 second negative. controlled non explosive postive. flex the muscles in the contracted position and repeat.

I think its so funny when people argue with me about this is not enough exercise but when i tell them to try it; most people can't even go to failure because the pain level is too high for them when performing exercises in this manner.

That's right. People don't realise what failinf physically means. They fail mentally in set and they think they worked hard enough. What I tell everyone is that if they don't fail physically, they are wasting their time, so instead of being in the gym, just go home and watch TV - at least it's more enjoyable, rather that being in the gym wasting their time.

diskey · Aug 22, 2004

BigA, I'm wondering about how much carbs and fat would you roughtly recommand to eat in the off-season to not turn too fat ? Also what about cardio in off-season?. -I'm considering no gh-use.

And whats your thoughts on EFA's in general?

Big A · Aug 23, 2004

diskey said:
BigA, I'm wondering about how much carbs and fat would you roughtly recommand to eat in the off-season to not turn too fat ? Also what about cardio in off-season?. -I'm considering no gh-use.

And whats your thoughts on EFA's in general?

I like EFA's.
Offseason carbs and fats are individual. It all depends how your body processes them.
Personally, I eat anything I see off season because I am a soolk and I feel since I tortured myself with a diet for a comp, I am entitled to eat anything I choose off season

I always have a protein shake with every meal though.

Cardio off season is good, about 3 times a week. No more than that is required. Allit's good for is to keep you aerobically fit.

powerforward · Aug 23, 2004

this is probably the single best thread i've ever read on bodybuilding.
simple, but effective. no b.s. no wasted theories like fluff magazine articles.
thanks for posting big a.

diskey · Aug 23, 2004

thx for replying bigA ! this thread is just awesome. Hope it stays a live for a long time. I have three more questions about your methods that I'm quite wondering about

1. Why check FSH and LH at the doc when on a cycle, and you know they are both supressed?

2. What do you think of being on just test when bulking (say 600mg sust) ? will an anabolic besides like deca (say 600mg sust + 200-400mg deca) yeld much better gains ?

3. When you really hit a strength plateu, and eating and protein is in check. For example you can't get through a certain strength point in the incline and military-press with your program. What would you do?

Big A · Aug 24, 2004

"1. Why check FSH and LH at the doc when on a cycle, and you know they are both supressed?"
So I always know how suppresed they are, so I have no surprises when unprotected sex is concerned

Plus I know how my HPTA is doing and how my recovery would be.

"2. What do you think of being on just test when bulking (say 600mg sust) ? will an anabolic besides like deca (say 600mg sust + 200-400mg deca) yeld much better gains ?"
I do that as well. Most times I don't use the anabolic. I just use test up to 3g/week and the orals 4 weeks on 4 weeks off. With so much test, an anabolic is not going to make much difference.

"3. When you really hit a strength plateu, and eating and protein is in check. For example you can't get through a certain strength point in the incline and military-press with your program. What would you do?"
That is when you switch exercises. If you reach a plateau on incline BB presesses, switch to incline DB presses until you reach a plateau on DB's, then go back to BB's.

MR.BICEPS · Aug 27, 2004

BIG A can you give a routine that you'd reccomend for advanced bodybuilders trying to gain more mass in the offseason?

Big A · Aug 28, 2004

MR.BICEPS said:
BIG A can you give a routine that you'd reccomend for advanced bodybuilders trying to gain more mass in the offseason?

Actually, the same things is what I recomend for 'advanced' trainers.
What I wrote is an exact copy of what I did from 180lbs to 280lbs and I still do.
The reason why I called it for 'beginners' is because they are more open to new ideas/principles than 'advanced' trainers.