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Cornish_Celt · #2 (**permalink**) 05-27-2012, 03:14 PM

Rep Range
This may go against what others have recommended, but I always found the optimal rep range for upper body exercises was 6-8. Occasionally I would go as high as 10 reps, but never more. For lower body training, I went just a bit higher: 10-12 reps, occasionally as high as 15 for the leg press. I never felt anything beyond that was effective, because it meant the resistance would be too light. And just to make it clear, I did train many others with all types of genetics, and these rep ranges still proved to be the most effective.

Training Intensity
While training at maximum intensity is a good thing, too much of anything can be detrimental. Eventually your nervous and adrenal system would burn out and you would become grossly overtrained. The remedy that I found for this was to cycle my training. I determined that I could train all-out, to failure and beyond, for periods of five or six weeks before starting to feel run down. At that point, I would take two weeks and stop my sets just short of failure. This was enough to allow full recuperation and 'recharge the batteries' so I could launch into another intense training phase. Still, it is important to note that without maximum intensity, maximum results in terms of growth can never be achieved.

Rest and Recovery Outside the Gym
Rest and recovery needs vary among individuals. In my competitive days, I always aimed for 8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night, plus an hour nap in the afternoon. This actually follows the natural circadian rhythm of the human body. You'll note that in many Mediterranean countries, businesses shut down for an hour or 90 minutes every afternoon for a nap. In Latin American countries they call it a siesta. They all recognize that we all experience a natural energy dip in the afternoon, and a nap is a perfect way to recharge. Of course, I recognize that as a professional bodybuilder, taking naps is a luxury that many people simply can't take advantage of. I always avoided any extraneous physical activity outside the gym, because my training and recovery were that important to me. I wouldn't do anything in particular that could result in an injury. My wife at the time was always on me to go skiing, but I couldn't take the chance of breaking a leg and being unable to train for a few months.

Whether or not you go to these lengths depends, first, if you are able to, and second, if gaining muscle is that critical to you personally. Keep it all in perspective. If you don't make your living bodybuilding and don't plan to, don't miss out on anything you'll regret later on in life.

Eating for Mass
Protein provides the raw building blocks to grow new muscle tissue, so make it your priority. I always aimed for 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. Take that number and divide it by six, and that's how much protein you should be consuming at each of your six daily meals. The remainder of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. To gain muscular bodyweight, you must consistently take in enough calories to support growth. Just as you shouldn't miss workouts, missing meals is a no-no and will definitely slow your progress. I always thought of my meals in terms of building a house. Every day I was laying more and more bricks down. Just as training heavy and hard over time yields significant results, so does eating quality food day after day. Treat your eating just as seriously as you do your training.

The Value of Patience
They say that patience is a virtue, and nowhere is that more true than in bodybuilding. A great physique is not built overnight. You can put on a great deal of weight in a short amount of time, but most of it will be in the form of useless, unappealing body fat. When it comes to gaining solid muscle mass, it takes time.

Many great workouts and many great meals, together with a lot of quality sleep, add up gradually into amounts of muscle that can transform an average person into a veritable Hercules. Along the way, it's important to set small-term goals to keep you constantly moving forward. You may want to add a half-inch to your arms, three pounds of bodyweight, or 20 pounds to your squat. Each one of these becomes a few more steps forward in your long journey.

Finally, I highly recommend that you keep a written record of your workouts and meals so that you can chart your progress, as well as note trends and see what's most effective for you. If you work hard, observe the above principles, and you're in this for the long haul, you will one day have an exceptional physique that's well worth the effort.