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The Best Way to Train

Best Way to Train for Muscle Growth

To clear up any confusion, there is a basic, fundamental approach to training that anyone should start with. The basic exercises, sets and reps scheme, etc. Over time, individuals personalize their training. Some thrive using heavier weights, some not so heavy, training more days or fewer, more sets or not so many. Often the reasons why these variations work are as much psychological as physical.

The variations tried need to be within certain limits. Most bodybuilders would find that Mike Mentzer's "Heavy Duty" system, for example, makes a good change for a few weeks but by itself doesn't produce the long-term gains they are looking for. For the same reason, bodybuilder John DeFendis' recommendation of doing a very high number of sets for each body part ("Intensity or Insanity") has never become popular with competitors except, once again, as something to do for a short time to introduce variety into a workout program.

If you look at the approaches to train of top bodybuilders you will find that they are more alike than different. Quite often when you see a bodybuilder with a completely different way of training who is nonetheless successful, that individual may well be succeeding in spite of his or her different approach rather than because of it. There's nothing like great genetics to cover a multitude of mistakes.

I see all kinds of questions being posted regarding complex and often esoteric approaches to training. In my experience, the best gains are made by kids who go into the gym determined to get big by challenging themselves with heavy weight and who are very little interested in theory. That doesn't mean you shouldn't learn what you need to know to train smart as well as hard, but at least when you're staring out the three most important elements are:

1. (1) Good genetics

2. (2) Hard training

3. (3) Good technique

in that order. The longer you train and the more advanced you get, the more important technique becomes. But in the beginning what makes for progress is a lot of hard, consistent and basic training.

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The Best Way to Train for Muscle Growth