Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

HOW TO DESIGN YOUR OWN TRAINING PROGRAMS
mum environment for the production of progressive training poundages while
using consistently good exercise form. To ensure that the strength gain yields
growth, you may, however, need to avoid very low reps, partial reps, low-rep
rest-pause work, and overly infrequent training.
12.66 If at the end of a training cycle you are the same bodyweight as you were at
the start of that cycle, and you are only capable of handling poundages that
are the same or just marginally more than they were at the start, then you
cannot expect to have bigger muscles.
Training diversity
12.67 e need for training diversity varies among trainees. Training diversity for
its own sake is a mistake. As-the-mood-takes-you training is a recipe for
ruin because there is insufficient structure and consistency to it. ere are
so many productive ways to train that there is no reason why anyone should
ever get bored with weight training—even within the constraints of abbreviated
training. But results are what will satisfy you most of all. Training
diversity is only valuable if it helps your overall progress. So use diversity
and variety intelligently, and judge the changes you experiment with by the
results they produce.
Caution!
12.68 Many people only turn to recovery-dominated abbreviated training as the
final resort. ey seem to insist on first wasting years of their lives on other
methods before finally finding the courage to swim against the training tide.
But once they put recovery-dominated abbreviated training into determined
practice they start making great progress. en they become annoyed with
themselves for having used as the last resort what should have been the first
resort.
12.69 But even within the philosophy of abbreviated training there is a “more is
better” mentality. Because the difference between conventional training
methods and abbreviated training is so great, many people think that they
cannot possibly overtrain on abbreviated routines of just 6–8 exercises at
any single workout. But the reality is that many people will still overtrain on
such routines (which are at the upper end of abbreviated training programs).
In fact, many hard gainers need to use super-abbreviated programs in order
to make decent gains. You may need to use ultra-abbreviated training programs
in order to experience your fastest possible rate of gain.
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