Strength and Physique

Q:  I looked in the side bar of your page and didn’t find anything about deadlifts, so I figured I’d email. I’ve read that DL’s should not be performed with a high number of sets or high frequency. What is your take on it?  Thanks,  Mike (Michigan) My Answer: Deadlifts should be performed no more than once a week.  Plus you should perform them at reps no higher than 6.  The exception is the Romanian deadlift, which you can perform at higher repetitions. The reason why you should perform conventional deadlifts with low frequency and low repetitions is that the lower back muscles (the spinal erectors) take a long time to recover from training, especially from a heavy compound movement like the deadlift.  This is why I don't recommend doing squats and deadlifts in the same workout, since the spinal erectors bear a large load in both exercises. The reason I don't recommend higher reps on deadlifts is that the smaller muscle groups (such as...

So is this diminishing sets approach intended to be done once per body-part? Twice? If I usually follow a typical bodybuilding workout of 4 exercises for each body part (3-4 sets, 6-10 reps), I have an average of 32 reps per exercise, 128 reps per body part. 70 is sort of in no-mans land. Thanks for your help,  Jon My Answer: Yes diminishing sets are to be done for one exercise per body part. If you're incorporating the technique into a program where you're performing 4 exercises per body part, however, then that is a sure way to overtrain. What I would suggest is reduce the number of exercises per muscle group to two: one heavy compound movement followed by diminishing sets of a different exercise. So if you were to incorporate diminishing sets into the chest portion of your workout, then it would look something like this: Bench press- 4 sets of 6-10 reps Push-ups- diminishing sets totaling 100 reps

Q: How often would you recommend to change the program of training? In terms of a change I understand varying amount of sets/reps, pause between sets, exercises. Usually I follow my individual program for 8 weeks after I stay off the gym for 1 week and start a new program afterwards. I would appreciate to receive an answer again.   Regards,  Karim My Answer: I've answered this question before.  Please take the time to look through my blog, as you will find answers to many of your questions. I'm a big believer in changing routines often. How long you stay on a program and how often you change it up will depend on a couple of things: Is the program a block program?  In other words, is it the same workout every time you hit the gym, or does the program require you to rotate through a series of different workouts?  If it is a block program, then your training will get stale very quickly.  You can't stay on a block program longer than 3...

Hi there! I am Karim from Germany. I've read many articles from you at Bodybuilding.com. I have a question. I couldn't find any answers on the internet. I am training for muscle size performing usually 3 sets at 8-12 reps. My question: I increase the weight with each set, performing the last set at maximum weight. So I do just 1 set with maximum weight on a particular exercise. Do you recommend increasing the weight with each set until you reach maximum weight or would you perform each set at your maximum weight? I am looking forward to your response. Kind regards, Karim My Answer:  Either way would be fine.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods.  If you're new to weight training, then the first method would be appropriate.  Working up to your max weight is less taxing on your body. However, if you've been training for awhile, then you should perform each set close to max weight.   I don't believe in training at max weight all...

Q:  Sir, I could use some assistance: I need to gain muscle, as I am 6'2" and around 155 lbs. I'm an extreme ectomorph, and my doctor proclaims me at 3-4% body fat. I have an 8 pack, and when I flex it is all muscle and striations, but I know I am underweight for my height. Or at least could use some more strength and size for my activity level. I eat completely clean: only veggies, lots of protein (meat, eggs, and whey etc.) and very little fruit. I am 30 years old and have been training non-stop for 9 years. I have been hospitalized three times: First was in the service as a Navy SEAL/rescue swimmer. I got injured overseas, shrapnel leading to a ruptured bowel, removing my small bowel. I spent two months in the hospital and had two emergency surgeries to resection the bowel. I lost twenty pounds of muscle gained over five years of training. Then a year later I got hit again (IED) leading to a shattered collar bone and scapula.  This had to be replaced w...

Hey James, I am an officer with CBP down at San Ysidro guarding the border and have really wacky hours. I have the drive for workouts and love working out, but my schedule doesn't always promise a lift everyday. I want to make sure my officer presence and size remains high, so I can take care of myself in a very hostile environment.   Do you have any advice/routines/diet plans for me to build mass? I'm 6', 210 and fairly solid, but I feel to have plateaued. I was attracted to your article about LEOs and workouts and got your email from there. Thank you for your time looking forward to hearing from you. Ben My Answer: I actually wrote a book specifically about how to train for an unpredictable schedule like that of law enforcement.  It's called Strength and Physique: Training for the Busy Bodybuilder . In this book I show you the least you can do to achieve mass and muscularity while still living a life outside the gym. It's meant for the modern d...

Hey James, I just received High Tension Exercises for Muscular Growth for Christmas, and I like it a lot, so thanks! I also have 3 other books of yours, so I am a big fan.   My question is would you recommend combining the more advanced or different pushup, pullup, and deadlift variations from your most recent book, with the MMA routine from Tactics and Strategies ?  For example, instead of doing regular pushups in the MMA routine, could I replace them with one-handed pushups or side to side pushups? Could I replace regular pullups with sternum or side to side pull ups?   You should probably also know that I am not doing MMA training other than your routine.  I just like the fact that your MMA routine is dense, quick, hits most major muscle groups and gives me some conditioning as well.  I'm a busy guy, so I like the MMA routine and wonder if it would be appropriate to make this routine even more challenging and beneficial by using higher tension exerc...