For those of you who know me and my methods of strength training these days, it is no hidden secret that I feel that our conventional knowledge of strength training and weight lifting literally makes no sense. Our conventional methods of weight training and strength training are basically to split up your body parts and to work them on different days.Also we were to isolate the movements using only one plane of motion. Example....Chest/Tri's, Back/Bi's..Legs/Arms or Shoulders/Abs. However you want to look at it. This is our typical body builder routine using only a select few exercises and attacking basically only one body part during a workout and during an exercise. I will be the first to tell you that I was one to follow these typical boring conventional routines. I will also be the first to tell you now that I was wasting my time and more than likely you are wasting your time as well.
Our conventional knowledge were methods that were developed however many decades ago and there is not a whole lot of physiology behind these methods.Physiologically speaking, our muscles and body all work together. Key word there is "logically." If physiology tells us that muscles groups work together, then it would be safe to say that our entire body is working together. For us to simply isolate a muscle group or to isolate a movement you are limiting yourself to only so much success. Not only that, but you are going against out physiological make up.
If you ever walk into a gym on a Monday you will be witnessing "International Chest Day." It's probably one of the funniest things you could every see. Literally you will see all guys doing bench press, chest press, Dumbbell Press, Flys, or whatever other chest exercise you could think of. For this particular example we will just talk about bench press. Athletes, body builders, or power lifters have used the bench press as test to measure pure upper body strength. They are always trying to increase the weight they push because apparently it will help you live a longer life. Anyway, week after week guys will come in and do their bench wondering why they are struggling with the weight they are already using or why they are not increasing their weight.
So why aren't they getting stronger? Well, my key to getting stronger in the bench press is simply this. DO NOT BENCH! I said it. Do NOT bench. When I say that I do not mean to never bench press. I just mean maybe you should restructure your program to develop other things. Mainly you should develop your entire body and work on movement. My rule of thumb has been that if you cannot perform 15 perfect push ups, then you have no business trying to bench press. Another example..If you cannot perform 5 perfect chin ups then you have no business performing biceps curls.
Nobody wants to take time to develop their body. Everyone wants to rush in and start training muscles right away. The notion of a full body resistance training program using good quality movement (push, pull, lift, squat,twist,lunge, and balance on 1-leg) is apparently not cool enough for people. Mostly guys. The training rule that I use is...train the movement..train the joint...train the muscle. To get stronger in the main lifts such as your bench, squat, dead lift does not mean that you need to work on these lifts. Start developing good quality dynamic mobility and body alignment. If your movement patterns suck. Then you are going to suck at your lifts.
I have not bench pressed in probably about 8 months. That would be a safe guess on the last time I have actually got into the rack and performed a barbell bench press. No BS. I have constructed a routine for my through the holidays where I am implementing my bench press now. I am bench pressing more now in my life than I have ever benched before. I am no way an the greatest bench guy there is, but I have increased my bench press by 35lbs with out even performing one rep of any bench press. Even back in my football days I was around 185lbs on the 5 x 5 chart and I have surpassed that with ease now.
My success to my strength gains has been so great because I have tossed out the conventional routines. I perform 3-4 full body routines each week where I work on my body. 1) Movement Prep 2) Core 3) Strength-Push, Pull, Lift, Squat, Lift, Twist, Lunge, Balance on 1-Leg 4) Metabolic Conditioning.. The body is a systematic response. Again, it means that muscle groups are all working together. Isolating movements, body parts, and routines are only a set up for lack of success.
In final thought. Drop the split routines. Drop the isolated movements. Work your body in all three planes of motion..frontal, sagital, and transverse planes. Develop proper movement patterns and good body alignment.Train with more frequency during your week. Hit every muscle group 3 times a week. And think about this. If you are only working one part of your body you are sacrificing the rest of your body to not develop and to be at rest. Which is probably the reason why are not getting any stronger, leaner, or faster.
JP
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