TRAINING: THE NUTS AND BOLTS

The first rule that must be established when it comes to proper training is, there are no steadfast rules. The following is the schedule I use because it's easy to follow. It alternates days of pushing movements and pulling movements. In this way, the muscles that were worked previously won't come into play during the following workout, allowing for more recuperation time.

Each workout also incorporates a major muscle group and an assisting muscle group. For example: on Monday, it's Chest and Triceps. When you work your chest, you're also using your triceps so there's no need to warm them up before working them. The same goes for Back and Biceps. Train legs by themselves because "leg day" is the most exhausting of all workout sessions. The abs and calves are the "left over" group which don't require as much work so they're all done on the remaining day of the schedule.

(Note: You may on occasion want to do some specialization on either the abs or calves.)

This plan hits the entire body in one week. For example:

Monday: Chest and Triceps

Tuesday: Thighs (Quadriceps and Hamstrings)

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Back and Biceps

Friday: Abs, Calves, Traps and Shoulders (Shoulders are also worked when training chest and back so a lesser workload is required. )

Saturday: Off

Sunday: Off

Keep in mind, you'll need to pick a day or two where you devote some time to stretching. Since stretching isn't taxing to the adrenal system it can be done either in conjunction with your training or on an "off" day.

You can take additional days off if you feel you need them but this program works well on a consistent basis. I also feel it's better to go into the gym and do a light workout just to maintain the habitual aspect. It's harder to come back from a long layoff than to just keep the momentum going. Nevertheless, after several months of constant training, it's a good idea to take a full week off from training. If you have a vacation planned, it would be the perfect time to relax and enjoy it.

WHAT TO WEAR

What am I, your mother? Wear whatever the hell you want! Just please avoid those clown pants that were popular in the early 90's or you're going to embarrass yourself. You can keep the weightlifting belt at home as well because it does nothing.

THE FOUR VERY BEST EXERCISES

You'll notice a similarity between each of these movements. They all require moving the body through space. That's what makes them so effective. Whenever the entire body is in motion, there is a greater anabolic stimulus. The stabilizing muscles are also working.

The greater stress secretes more growth hormone. And what may be most significant, any exercise that requires balance activates neural activity which in turn demands more concentration. More concentration equals more intensity.

Since every major muscle is stressed, it's feasible that anyone can make marked improvements in their physique implementing nothing other than these four movements.

They work great as a "quickie" workout or when circuit training. (Working the entire body in an "aerobic" fashion).

I'm not advocating that these be the only ones you ever use. As mentioned, anything and everything works. And variety is essential to stave off boredom. It's just been my experience that these four movements are far superior to all others and should be the mainstay of any successful program. The first is...

Squats:

Squats are often referred to as the "king of exercises." They're also considered the most "anabolic" of all exercises because their execution releases more growth hormone than any other movement. A lot of people hate squatting, with good reason. They're tough.

They separate the men from the boys and the women from the girls, yet without them, no exercise program is complete. It's their difficulty that makes them so effective. Squats will also raise your basal metabolic rate making them the greatest diet aid imaginable! Excuses for not doing squats are just that -- excuses. Got bad knees? Do partial squats.

Can't go heavy? Go light and do more reps. If you have no one to spot you, the Smith Machine squat is a viable alternative. Working out at home? Squat with no weight for one minute sets. There's always something you can do to generate intensity. The proper form for the squat is like so...

Lift the bar off the rack, placing the bar solidly across your shoulders and step away. Adjust your feet to shoulder width and point the toes slightly outward. Keeping your head up and back straight, bend your knees and lower yourself until your thighs are just below parallel. Come back up stopping before locking the knees and without pausing, descend again. Repeat the movement until the desired rep range is achieved.

The Hack Squat is a suitable alternative but no less displeasurable. The Hack places less emphasis on the glutes but adds a little more onto the quadriceps. (Though some people find them to be harder on the knees.) Whichever form you choose, squatting is a must. Unless squats are an integral part of your program, you're just going through the motions and you'll never achieve optimum results.

There's an old bodybuilding poem of unknown origin that says it all.

Down the road in a gym far away

A young man was heard to say,

"No matter what I do, my legs won't grow!"

He tried leg extensions, leg curls, leg presses too.

Trying to cheat, these sissy workouts he'd do!

From the corner of the gym where the big guys train,

Through a cloud of chalk and the midst of pain,

Where the big iron rides high, and threaten lives,

Where the noise is made with big forty-fives,

A deep voice bellowed as he wrapped his knees,

A very big man with legs like trees,

Laughing as he snatched another plate from the stack,

Chalked his hands and monstrous back,

Said, "Boy, stop lying and don't say you've forgotten!

Trouble with you is... you ain't been SQUATTIN'!

Another "best" exercise is...

The Clean and Press:

More than any other movement, the clean and press works virtually every muscle of the body -- top to bottom. It may be the optimum exercise for developing functional strength due to the fact it utilizes an explosive movement (the lift) as well as concentric control (pushing the weight overhead) and static holding (holding it above your head). It's also the only movement which incorporates both pushing and pulling. In other words, it's every muscle building principle wrapped into a single exercise. Yet, if you were to take a look around the gym, it's a safe bet that within an hour's time, you won't see a single person doing the clean and press.

Beyond its strength enhancing capabilities, the clean and press is an outstanding muscle builder and overall body shaper. Not only is it terrific when on a muscle building program, it'll also enhance definition. It is most definitely a body sculpting exercise, and a great one.

Now that we've established the merit of the clean and press, let's outline its proper technique. If you've never before attempted the clean and press start with a weight light enough to handle easily in order to get a "feel" for the movement.

• Start by grasping a loaded barbell with an overhand grip and the hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your heels down, your butt low, and your back as upright as possible.

• In one swift motion, straighten the legs and jack the bar upward to your shoulders until the palms are facing forward. This portion of the lift works the legs (mainly the hamstrings and glutes), the lower lumbar regions, the rhomboids, the anterior delts, the traps, the biceps and the forearms. It even brings the calves into play since they become the "anchor." Not bad for a single move, eh?

• Once the bar is positioned at the shoulders, press it overhead. It's okay to cheat a little by hoisting with your legs but be sure not to bend too far backward in order to gain leverage. This portion of the lift hits the anterior and medial delts, the upper pectoral and most specifically, the triceps.

• Lower the weight back to the shoulders and return the barbell to the starting position, again keeping the back straight while bending the legs. If you're coming off a layoff, the clean and press is an ideal choice for "waking up" the entire system. It's also perfect when time is of the essence. A few sets of cleans and presses along with some specified isolation moves can provide a total body workout in under 20 minutes. Naturally, this isn't recommended on a long-term basis but it's certainly preferable to missing a workout.

Next up is...

Chins:

Notice I didn't call them "chin-ups" because the technique of jutting the chin over the bar is incorrect. The proper way to do a chin is to lift the body, keeping an arched back, your legs bent, and your elbows out to the sides, and raise your chest to the bar. Keep the head back, away from the bar as you ascend and descend.

I'm not going to recommend reps because that's up to you. If you can easily do more than 15 reps, you'll need to add weight for greater resistance.

If you're a woman, this can be a tough movement at first. But even if you can do only one -- do it. Then do it again. You'll get stronger. A viable option is the "Gravitron" machine which allows you to offset some of your bodyweight with a counter weight. If your gym has one, use it and try to lessen the counter weight each workout. One might make a good argument that barbell rows and dead lifts are comparable in effectiveness as chins and I'm not sure I'd disagree with that. But chins are a must.

And lastly there's...

Parallel Bar Dips:

Dips, like the other movements, are very difficult and very effective. Keep your chin on your chest, round the back, and hold feet forward under your face. Dip downwards and raise upwards into a straight-arm position. Make a point of stretching as low as you can at the dip part of the exercise. Don't bounce up and down, but perform the exercise under strict control.

This is another movement where the Gravitron can be an assist to women. If no Gravitron is available, pushups are an excellent substitute. In fact, I believe good old fashioned pushups may be the very best exercise for the chest. If pushups are too hard, (I'm presuming you're a women if that's so, otherwise I might have to bitch slap you) do them with your knees on the floor until you start building up strength.

OVERRATED EXERCISES

Preacher Bench Curls: Once the arms are vertical, there's no longer any resistance to this movement. People think it works the "lower" bicep. What it does is induce stress only in the first half of the movement. Larry Scott had great success with them but I think Larry would have killer guns if all he did was jumping jacks.

Concentration Curls: This movement allows for too much torque and deltoid involvement. The opposite of this position would be steep incline curls which removes the deltoid assistance and places the stress more deeply into the bicep.

Leg Extensions: Nowhere in life do your legs move against resistance in this manner. This exercise is commonly used by physical therapists as a rehabilitation device for patients with bad knees, yet, it is the most knee shearing, unnatural stress you can ever put on them! A squat is the natural direction the knees were designed to move. It's the basis of all leg movement from picking something off the floor to getting out of a chair, yet some trainers are still regurgitating the old wives tale that "squats are bad for your knees." Partial squats with a light weight are the best knee rehabilitation exercise around. Leg extensions are best used as a warm up or a "finisher" (a final light set) or as part of a superset or tri-set routine.

Overhead Presses While Sitting: You would think a seated position would eliminate cheating because you can't hoist the weight up. Be that as it may, lifting while seated puts pressure on the spine. You're better off standing.

• Incidentally, all shoulder exercises will cause some erosion to the scapula and rotator cuff. There's always somebody who will tell you not to do "this or that" shoulder exercise. The best rule of thumb to follow is, if it hurts--don't do it. If it doesn't hurt, don't worry about it.

Leg Presses: This is more of a glute exercise. It also puts stress on your spine. It isn't terrible, it just shouldn't constitute the bulk of your leg training. Has that been the case with you? Come on...has it? Bet your legs haven't been growing either. Give the leg press a break and start squatting again.

Wrist Curls: The wrists tend to get plenty of work from any movement that requires gripping a bar.

Hammer Strength Machines: These machines attempt to simulate free weights because each handle requires separate balance. The problem is, you have to adjust to the machine's balance. For some people, it works out nicely. For others, (like me) it feels unnatural.

Rope Pulldowns: Not bad. Not great. They're the most popular triceps exercise because they're comfortable. Skull crushers and rope pull "forwards" where you're kneeling away from the cable station and the rope starts from behind your head are much better exercises.

Bench Presses: Bench presses are simultaneously the most popular and most useless of all exercises. They're hard on the shoulders because that's where the majority of the stress is and there's a tendency to overdo the poundage when bench pressing because the support of the bench allows for it. Bench presses can also build a "bunchy chest." Dips and/or push-ups are far superior. Many of the pros have abandoned benching. (See, Vince Gironda was right again.) Keep bench pressing to a minimum.

Any Circular Movement: Rolling the shoulders or spinning the arms in circles can be abrasive to the joints and rotator cuff. Use such movements sparingly.

Dumbbell Flyes: These provide more of a stretch than anything else. Cable crossovers are a similar movement with more continual tension throughout the movement. Incline flyes are even worse. The direction of the movement isn't in a direct line against gravity in that your arms are moving "sideways" against gravity, making it a contraindicated movement. All you wind up working are a few of the tiny muscle fibers in the deltoid.

Front Squats: I don't see how placing the bar across your clavicle works the thighs any more effectively than having it across your back. The legs are still moving in the same direction. I think some people believe front squats must be good because they're so unbelievably uncomfortable. But the discomfort has nothing to do with what the exercise is supposed to work!

Side Bends With Weights: I HAD to mention this one because, as everyone knows, the obliques build up quickly and the last thing you want is a bigger waist. Having said that, I'd still suggest not ignoring oblique work. A little muscle on the obliques can provide a nice curve, as well as aid in strength moves involving the hips such as squats and deadlifts.

The Pec Deck: Once again, you're stuck with the range dictated by the machine. The one's where the arms are bent are better than those where the arms are outstretched because it's less stressing to the anterior deltoid.

The Swiss Ball: The most idiotic invention of the century. These oversized beach balls are okay for stretching but using them to lift weights is nothing short of ludicrous. The theory is, more balance is required, therefore more stabilizer muscles and neuron activity is incorporated into each movement. There may some truth to that, but the risk of slipping and having a dumbell landing on your teeth far outweighs the minute advantage in muscle stimulation. A fad that hopefully will soon die. Okay, this is the nuts and bolts of effective training. But what about some stuff that's a bit off the beaten path? Thought you'd never ask. The next posts will be a culmination of unusual training routines for every muscle group. Check 'em out.