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concepts that had already been in existence. Television is an extension of the technology obtained
from radio and photography. Computers are a progression from television. The music we listen to is
still based on the formulas used hundreds of years ago. Even most of the movies we see are really
rewritings of classic literature. So why as bodybuilders do we reject our own heritage? Is there
nothing that can be learned from those whom have come before us?
Perhaps the dismissal of training techniques past is due simply to the fact that the bodybuilders
of yesteryear don't have the freaky musculature of today's ironmen. A fair analogy would be to say
that a modern day race car driver wouldn't compete in a model T, so why go back to a less
productive approach?
Although on the surface that may seem logical, it's imperative to keep one thing in mind. Despite
the fact that bodybuilders from 20 and 30 years ago did not have all the technological
advancements we now enjoy, some of them were still pretty ripped! Sure, they didn't have the
overwhelming mass that most of today's men (and women) possess, but besides the outrageous amounts
of growth promoting drugs taken by bodybuilders today, it is important to realize that
bodybuilding then was an activity taken up mostly by people who had a deficiency of some sort.
Guys that were small or skinny used weight training as a form of compensation for their
shortcomings. Big men didn't lift weights. They didn't need to! It wasn't until Sergio Oliva hit
the scene that it became apparent how awesome a naturally large man can appear if developed to his
maximum potential. When Arnold came along, the rules were changed forever. Bodybuilding became a
sport of giants. Only the most genetically gifted need apply. Steroid usage went from being an
"occasional aid" to the main constituent in developing one's body. It isn't uncommon these days to
see people using drug dosages that would make Dorian Yates' stack seem conservative, yet they
couldn't take fifth place in a Mr. Northern New Jersey contest. What's going on here?
It would seem the problem is that so many of today's bodybuilders have forgotten that bodybuilding
is an art form. As odd as that may seem in this "size at any cost" era, there is an artistic
component to bodybuilding that would be advisable to reinvestigate. Case in point, the first Mr.
Olympia, Larry Scott, had a pair of arms that rival anyones today, but he also had narrow
shoulders and a wide waist. It seemed unfathomable that he would one day be considered the best in
the world. But Larry worked extra hard to sculpt ( an old fashioned word if ever there was one)
his shoulders and perfect a series of twisting poses that would diminish the size of his waist and
accentuate the size of his arms. Illusion, presentation, art. These days, someone with Larry's
disadvantages could simply take as many steroids as he could afford (or that his metabolism could
tolerate, depending on his affinity for receptor site acceptance), shoot some Esciline into his
shoulders and, well, pretty much wind up looking like everyone else -- but with bigger arms. Throw
in some liposuction, synthol injections, calf implants and... you get the picture.
Having been around this sport for almost 30 years, I find it fascinating when I pass along a bit
of information that has been a part of my training protocol for years and it's received as
something ingenious. I love it when clients ask, "where did you come up with this?" Well, the
cat's out of the bag as they say. And an old cat he is. Here are a few of the training tips from
the lost archives of the great sages of bodybuilding that were the staple of former weight lifters
repertoire.
INSTINCTIVE TRAINING...
The old time bodybuilders depended on "feeling" what was right to do on any given day. The current
train of thought is that we cannot trust our instincts. The standard cliche' is "if you listen to
your instincts, they'll tell you not to train!" By developing one's instincts, or "sense of
intuition" if you will, it can prove more trustworthy than a training journal. Years ago, everyone
had something that set them apart, be it Zabo Koszewski's shredded abs, Harold Poole's
unbelievably dense muscle separation or Steve Reeve's perfect proportions, all these men had what
I'd call a "finished product" -- a result of fine tuning through experimentation. Instead of
blindly following a routine, try thinking like a sculptor constructing a masterpiece. Use your
imagination in the gym. Experiment with different angles and rep ranges. Why not vary the speed of
each rep? Go heavy and light in the same workout? Work more if you want. Less if you want. Trust
your instincts.
Here's a trick attributed to the late, great Vince Gironda.
GAIN 10 POUNDS IN ONE WEEK...
Every waking hour drink 12 ounces of water along with 6 desiccated liver tablets. Also, snack on
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