As I have been in this beautiful Iron Game since the age of fourteen I truly miss the old magazines, waiting for the issues to show up at local bookstores ( well before B&N became the only bookstores), the mail order supplement companies that would ship my Beverly liver tabs, Aminos and Protein (giving me a head start with it shipping COD- thats cash on delivery kiddies…yes cash or check). I miss the shorter competition lists and the lack of #Pro’s I see cluttered on IG today offering their “Expert” coaching whatever that means. Quite frankly I miss “gear” being a right to only those with intent on competition and even so after they have initially embarked on that journey being boosted only by training acumen and learning how foods effect their personal physiology.

I miss hard work in the gym and I miss fewer gyms. I miss bodybuilding Gyms being a different place than fitness centers. I miss bodybuilding being a right to those who have had the audacity to stand in front of a small crowd of close friends and strangers in shiny trunks Vulnerable and confident at the same time. I miss oriningal MetRx, I miss Original Blairs protein, I miss Phosphogen HP (Fruit Punch please ), I miss Ironman magazines, I miss TMicheal tops and Platinum everywhere. I miss the bonds that came along with being in the Tribe. We totally fit Seth Godins “People Like US do things like THIS”.

We are not Powerlifters, crossfitters, strongmen or ladies, or the endless training modalities I see online today.

We are bodybuilders. Now instead of being concentrated where we go we are divided into misery all separated and in local facilities.

I still believe that there is something special in digging deep and making a special place just for us. Its not a bad thing. Everyone is welcome but with that welcome and cordiality comes the acceptance that we do things this way here. We are bodybuilders and this is our spot.

Sorry for the off daily focus rant above. See, I began this journey daydreaming in high school about being Mr.Universe, about designing my gym. Drawing equipment plans. Designing floorplans til wee hours in the morning. I walked 3 miles a day to train until I could no longer walk. I cannot help at 47 to believe it can absolutely full circle.

From Boodleys gym at Olney avenue shopping center to every awesome gym I have trained in its still alive in me. The question is If I build it…..Will they COME?

and Do they silently miss that community we let slip away?

As I have begun embarking on the Heavy Duty journey I am going to write this post to serve the purpose of

1. Providing the starting point for my journey
2. Providing the iteration that my particular HD will take on.

*I gave serious consideration to performing the routine verbatim however upon reflection I am choosing to not ignorantly abandon progress and evolved insights. These considerations should prove to impact in many facets of HD version T2 ( nice ring to it ).

The starting point and the scale I shall use at waking point once per week has me at 198.2lbs

I will be doing weekly Sunday morning weigh ins in conjunction with Progress pictures ( just to keep in check that indeed weight gain is not fat gain which I do not desire).

I am ultimately looking to naturally find a good weight that allows me to keep making steady refinements and progress.

As for the training framework I am going to begin posting workouts, all poundage’s and reps (to my best ability as I do lose track when in that zone of torturing myself to the limit)

The split I plan to follow is as follows

• Back Traps Delts
• Chest Biceps Triceps
• Quads Hamstrings Calves

I plan to train by instinct when it comes to days off with limits

• No more than 2 consecutive training days
• No more than maximum 4 weekly training sessions

Workouts are going to incorporate Old and New, traditional failure, rest pause and pre exhaustion principles, new innovative exercises and equipment plus standby Nautilus iconic pieces.

The difference will be in the laser focused adherence to HIT principles.

The entire journey will be very interactive and very open to rational iteration IF and when progress should halt.

So, that is my start point. Today May 19th 2019 my workout was as listed below.

7am ( gym doors open time)

• Cybex Leg press ( 4 second negative cadence , no bounce, 4 second positive ) worked 4 increasing weight sets to final 1×820/13
• Hammer Hack Squat (superslow) warmup 2x then 1x 250lb/15
• Leg Extension 1×145/12
• Seated Hamstring curl 1×145/9
• Calfs on hammer raise 4x superslow

That is IT

Next workout Tuesday 21st Back Traps Delts

Till then keep INTENSE

As I prepare to embark on a 6 week course of Heavy Duty training there are some subjects to cover as well as a plan to lay out so I can document the results and post a program snapshot.

First and foremost is the need for a training partner. I will be going to war with longtime friend and competitor Monte Plumb. The need as our mentor Mr.Universe Greg Long attests is that a good training partner pushes us to go beyond on a daily basis and is absolutely essential when digging deep into the mental part of the game that comes with pushing into the realm of true Heavy Duty training!

Selecting the workout days/ and exercises and further which exact units will be used is key as well since it will allow us to best record and measure progress.

The split Monte and I have chosen is a slight iteration on the Heavy Duty posted program.

Training days will be Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

The split will be

Day 1 Chest/ Lats/Traps

Day 2 Deltoids/Biceps/Triceps

Day 3 Quads/ Hamstrings/Calves

This allows one day to be hit twice in a week rotation and that to change weekly. That second workout is where we plan to deploy extra intensification tactics such as:

Rest Pause sets- by resting or taking a 10- to 15-second pause between each rep you can actually help increase your strength Opens a New Window. and muscle hypertrophy Opens a New Window. . Rest–pause training. Opens a New Window. breaks down one set into numerous mini-sets, with 10- to 15-second rests in between.

Eccentric only sets- (also known as negative training) is a technique that allows you to push your muscles past their normal point of failure. This allows you to lift, eccentrically, 30 to 40 percent more weight that you could normally handle (concentrically).

Giant Sets- ( a Milos Sarcev influence) Giant sets are an advanced weight training technique used to shock the muscles and increase the rate at which muscle strength, density, and size are realized. …Giant sets are performed on one muscle group at a time and generally consist of performing 3 or more exercises per muscle group.

This weeks friday workout will be at the home gym for Monte and I with Greg Longs Gym just outside Philadelphia. We plan to train there every Friday to do Photo and scale updates and the final workout of each week.

Having the guidance and insight of Greg and Dennis Long will prove extremely valuable and that gym- the best energy and equipment if you are truly seeking to make amazing goals a reality!

Next post I will outline the diet- The “180 Diet” which is the Champion maker and developed over 50+ years by Greg Long and we plan to cover it inside and out both here and in the podcast- stay tuned and empoewered!

https://youtu.be/JV-HxzUwfz4 Your Sacrifice- Greg Long, Champion, Icon, Legend, Friend

One thing that remains a absolute cult favorite and justifiably so is the attachment many Old Schoolers’ have for the Nautilus Pullover machine which has developed a mystique for its role as a core element in some of the sports greatest backs namely Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates.

If you can locate a Old School gym with some of the early Nautilus pieces especially the “combo” units you will absolutely be able to minimize transition time in the pre exhaustion sequences .

Pre–exhaust, as the name implies, is pre-fatiguing or pre-tiring a certain muscle of a body part (e.g., chest, legs, deltoids) using an isolation or “single-joint” exercise first and then finishing with one or two compound or “multiple-joint” movement(s).

In the case of the Lats this comes from a brutal super set of Nautilus Pullovers to Underhand Lat Pull down (Both to momentary muscular failure or beyond)

Next post I will dig into what momentary muscular failure looks like, why this program more than any requires a training partner and some of the intensification techniques to pull out periodically.

As for workout 2 Tuesday/Friday:

Lats:

1. Nautilus Pullovers
2. Close grip underhand Pulldowns (2 cycles to Failure)
3. One arm Rows ( Strict and to Failure)

Traps: ( Often trainers use the term BACK for the entire posterior – WRONG! ..The Traps as the illustration shows are a major muscle group with a entirely separate movement pattern than Lats.

Traps:

1. Dumbell or Nautilus Shrugs
2. Upright Rows 2 supersets to Failure

Delts:

1. Side Lateral raises (Strict)
2. Shoulder Press ( Strict) 2 superset cycles with rep ranges 10-15 to Failure
3. Rear deltoid laterals 2 sets to failure ( 10-15 repetitions)

Biceps:

1. Preferred Curl (for me it is Standing alternate dumbell curls) Reps 8-12 superseted with
2. Close grip Chin ups (Once 8 strict repetitions are able to be performed with body weight add additional poundages) 2 supersets

If you cannot perform a strict Chinup following curls, jump into contacted position- Hold and control superslow eccentric lowering for 4-6 reps

Til next time!