T NATION | Weight Training's Dirty Little Secret

Weight Training's Dirty Little Secret
by Chris Shugart

I'm going to tell you a secret. But before I do you have to promise not to tell any strength and conditioning coaches, fitness gurus, trainers selling books or DVDs, or even other T-Nation writers.

This is just between you and me, okay?

Okay.

Here's the secret: There is no best training program, top secret super routine, magical set and rep range, or "money" exercise. There is no best coach or trainer. There is no best philosophical camp with which to align yourself.

If you're a HITer, you're a dork. If you're a high-volumer, you're a dork. Worship Waterbury? Dork. Follow Thibaudeau? Dork. Swallow Pavel's lines? Dork. You name the expert and tell me you do only his workouts and train in only his manner and I'll respond the same way: You're a dork.

Why? Because the second part of the secret is this: The real power behind any program or training philosophy is the change. The best program, as the saying goes, is the one you're not currently doing... or at least the one you haven't been doing for a month for two.

Back in the 1970s and 80s, many bodybuilders got amazing results from Arthur Jones's (and later Mike Mentzer's and Ellington Darden's) High Intensity Training approach. Why? Because before they tried HIT most bodybuilders at that time trained with super high volume. Was HIT a wonder program? Had Jones et al tapped into the secret of hypertrophy training?

No. The change from one radical training style to another was the secret.

And it works in reverse too. Train low volume for too long and German Volume Training will be "magical" when you finally make the change.

There's an old trainer trick that reflects this brilliantly: When you get a new client/athlete, ask him what he's been doing in the gym as far as exercises, sets, reps, and splits go. Then, do the opposite with him. Chances are the change will reignite his progress. You will be called a "miracle worker." You will smile and accept this praise and cash his checks.

Now, I bet you think you already know all this stuff about "no best program," but you really don't. I think you should think again. And think a little harder this time. When's the last time you made a big change?

While most educated gym rats give lip service to the idea of change and variation, most are still stuck in the same stagnated patterns. And truthfully, this is often the fault of the training experts. We have told you over and over again about the "best" exercises, the "best" body part split (or lack of split), and the "best" sets and reps.

Sometimes we're so inundated with "money" exercises that we get stagnated on the big basics. Nothing wrong with big basic lifts, but change could lead to growth and progress, even if you do something that's not a money exercise.

Most lifters make changes in their training every four to six weeks, but the changes aren't big enough. Instead of squatting with a medium stance for three sets of ten, they switch to a wider stance for three sets of ten. Oooo. You rebel.

No, screw that. Instead, drop the squat entirely (gasp!) and do the leg press (double gasp!) for two sets (what?) of 25 reps (no way!) to total gallbladder bursting failure (*swoon*). It's so wrong... yet so right if you haven't done it for a long time. After a few weeks of this, go back to the squat.

Or how about this: If you're training the full body in one session, go to a split — a real split, the kind that would cause your full-body guru to flip the fuck out:

Monday: Back

Tuesday: Chest

Wednesday: Legs

Thursday: Arms

Friday: Shoulders

Saturday: Abs

Sunday: Off (Or say screw it and start over with the back!)

Nail the ever-lovin' shit out of each muscle group with tons of exercises, endless sets, and a mountain of reps.

Is this the "best" way to train? Maybe not, but if you've been a full-body junkie for a year, you might be surprised how training "wrong" will cause you to make a sudden forward leap in progress.

Hey look, high volume training works great!

Oh wait, so does low volume training. But with pro-bodybuilders' steroid use and mutant genetics, can we really train like them to look like them? Maybe a combination of both training styles works best for we mere mortals.

If you're a body part splitter who's been following Arnold's high volume contest prep program since "The Comeback" in 1980, then adopt an abbreviated, full-body, three times per week program. It'll be mentally torturous; you'll hate it... and you'll probably start growing again.

Getting the idea here? It's not program specifics; it's the change, the challenge of something new. A few more ideas:

• Most of us stay in the 6 to 12 rep range. How long has it been since you've gone to one extreme or the other: 20 reps per set? Super-heavy doubles only?

• Who said that every exercise must be performed for three sets? Everybody does it, but not many really know why. It's a habit. How about doing only one set per exercise, like this for chest:

Dumbbell bench press: 1 x 10

Dumbbell Flyes: 1 x 10

Dips: 1 x failure

That's still three sets, just three different exercises. Is this the "best" way? Again, it doesn't matter, as long as it's substantially different than what you've been doing.

• Do you already do multiple sets of multiple exercises, such as three or four chest exercises for the usually 3 x 10 each? Try this instead: Choose a single exercise, let's say weighted dips. Now do 30 reps. Doesn't matter how many sets it takes you, just get 30 reps. It's the same amount of reps as your previous chest workout, only using a single exercise.

• Take Chad Waterbury's advice: Doing 3 x 10? Try 10 x 3 for four weeks. Just reverse your normal sets and reps.

• Always do leg curls and stiff-leg deadlifts for hamstrings? Drop those exercises entirely and do nothing but hard, short sprints for a few weeks.

• Are all your exercises done bilaterally (with both legs or both arms at the same time?) Then switch to a few weeks of unilateral-only training: one-leg squats, one-leg leg press, one-leg stiff leg deadlift, one-arm bench press, one-arm overhead press, etc.

• Always use barbells for benching, squatting, and deadlifting? Then switch to only dumbbells for a few weeks. Always use dumbbells? Then swap them for bars.

• Find two strength coaches who disagree with each other and have polar opposite philosophies. Alternate their programs.

• Do the full monty. Pick new exercises using new equipment, a new split, and a new set and rep scheme. Go to a new gym and pretend you want to join. Get a one week free trial pass. Now, for the next week, put it all together into a spankin' new program that takes you miles away from your stagnated comfort zone. (I dare you.)

Here's an easy trick that'll help you take advantage of the power of change. It works like this:

List the top three "best" exercises for a given goal or muscle group. Let's assume that since these are the best movements, they're also the ones you use the most. For example, the three "best" triceps exercises are:

1) Close-grip bench press

2) Narrow-grip dip

3) Lying triceps extension (skull crusher) on decline

Hard to argue with that list, right? But how long has it really been since your triceps experienced a growth spurt? Do they look about the same as they did last year, assuming your body fat level is also about the same?

Yes, yes, those three exercises are the best according to most trainers and coaches, but if they're no longer working for you then why are you doing them? Oh, because someone said they're "money" exercises? Because you're afraid to be seen doing a wimpy isolation exercise?

Okay, stay stalled-out then. Look the exact same next year. Or, you could do something crazy and not use any of the "best" three exercises for six weeks. Instead try these:

1) Incline bench overhead cable pressdown

2) Single-arm reverse pressdown

3) Kickback

Yes, the dreaded kickback, the king of the "wimp" exercises! How long has it been since you've used them? Years? So do them... for a few weeks. You may be shocked at the soreness you'll experience. No, soreness isn't necessarily an indicator of progress, but it does tell you that you've challenged a muscle in a new way, and that's a good thing.

Do the Exercise Variation Challenge for every major muscle group. List the three "best" exercises for chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quads, hams, forearms, calves, and abs. Or just list the three you use most often. Then scan the T-Nation archives and find exercises you've either never used or exercises that you haven't used in a long time.

Finally, for at least a month, use only those "new" exercises, even if they're "wimpy" or not "money." Make a pact with yourself that you'll walk into the gym and choose not to do the same damn workouts with the same damn exercises. Don't worry, the change will lead to progress. Really.

So, change is good. But don't change too often. While rotating between high volume and low volume programs may be beneficial, don't jump ship every week. Use a variety of programs and exercises, but remember to give each a fair chance to do its thing.

Focusing on the physical while ignoring the cerebral is a lot like ignoring the nervous system and focusing only on the muscle. The mental side of things is crucial. To make changes on the outside you have to first look inside.

On that note, the psychological effects of drastic change in the gym can be enormous. For one, it's impossible to "go through the motions" when you're trying a new lift or a radically new set and rep range. You have to really concentrate again, and the ol' mind-muscle connection gets a much needed jolt. (And by the way, going through the motions with only token focus and effort is perhaps the most prevalent disease among regular gym-goers. Change is the cure.)

Second, you enter the gym cognitively awake and alert. You're challenged and a little out of your element. This is good. This is rut-breaking stuff.

Finally, trying new things in the gym is just plain fun. I think that's half the appeal of CrossFit, kettlebells, Swiss balls, and similar oddball training styles — they can be fun. If that's what you need to get you out of your stupor or help you break through a plateau, then go for it. After a few weeks of mental and physical revivification, you can go back to your more effective bodybuilding training or powerlifting.

I know, this is all crazy talk. Don't use the "money" exercises all the time? Don't fully adopt one coach's training philosophy, even those belonging to the world-class coaches here at Testosterone? Go to the gym and not squat?

Craziness. Heresy. Blasphemy!

And yet in my ten-plus years of working with the best strength coaches and trainers in the world, I believe that this is the real secret. It's not the program, it's the change from one program to another. (Good thing this site has a few hundred widely varying programs to choose from, huh?)

But I'll tell you what, if you disagree with me, think I'm nuts, and insist that such-and-such training style is The One and Only, then answer me this: Are you satisfied? Does your physique look like you want it to? If not, has it improved in a while? No? Then what have you got to lose?

Don't worry. I won't tell your meathead maharishi you're straying from his teachings.

I have slept on Chad Waterbury's couch. I've taught seminars with Dave Tate and Alwyn Cosgrove. I'm on the phone with Charles Poliquin all the time. In other words, I have access to the top coaches and trainers in this field. I could not only choose an expert, but work one-on-one with that expert and drink every last drop of his philosophical Kool-Aid.

So with all this info and opportunity, what do I personally do?

Well, I alternate between full body programs and split programs (much more hypertrophy-producing than arguing about which is best on the internet, by the way.) I also alternate between high volume and low volume. I use free weights and machines. Sometimes I train to failure. Sometimes I don't. I do "money" exercises and isolation exercises.

I do a Waterbury program, then I do a Poliquin program (or Cosgrove, or Dan John, or Ian King, or Thibaudeau, or Staley, or Darden, or... you get the gist).

Ever since I've dropped the dogmatism and strength coach loyalty, I've made some of the best progress in my life. And you can too. Just become a training philosophy floozy — hop into the bed of every training approach. Learn from them. Use them. Smack them on the ass a few times and pull their hair. Then hop into another bed (you info-bimbo you).

Once you see some new progress or faster progress, it's going to be tougher to get into forum arguments and penis-waving contests about the "best" programs, exercises, or coaches. I suggest you spend that extra time researching the nutritional aspects of body transformation.

Why? Because I have another secret for you: The relevance of the specific type of resistance training you do is overrated. Vastly.

Your diet is the primary determiner of your level of progress and what your body looks like. Training is necessary but it's a far, far second.

But that's another article, isn't it?

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