5 Comments

  1. Kelly-Fitness Overhaul
    April 4, 2011 @ 7:10 pm

    I checked out Anabolic Again a few months ago. It is a good read for sure. Anything that Brad puts out is going to be backed by a bunch of scientific evidence. He really knocked it out of the park with Eat-Stop-Eat, so anything that he puts out, I buy!
    -Kelly

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  2. Sam- Look Like An Athlete
    April 8, 2011 @ 2:28 pm

    Trying to overcome a plateau can be difficult and discouraging when you see your gains stop.
    Some things I recommend:
    1. Go heavier
    2. Take an entire week off from workouts
    3. Switch the rep ranges every couple of months (as you mentioned above)

    In the last 6 months I have put on 20 pounds of muscle and my fat percentage has not increased following the third approach. Like you I do 8-10 reps per set for 2 months, then switch to 4-5 reps for a couple of months and down to 3 reps for a few weeks.

    This approach shocks my system to avoid plateaus. However it is important to use proper rest. It is easy to overtrain and that is what you have to watch out for. So I have to pay attention to my body just so I take a day off here and there when I feel it is necessary.

    -Sam

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    • Kevin - Fitness B&W
      April 9, 2011 @ 8:15 am

      Solid advice Sam! Thanks for stopping by… Adding 20 pounds of muscle in 6 months without increased body fat is awesome!

      Reply

  3. Dave - Not Your Average Fitness Tips
    April 10, 2011 @ 4:21 pm

    I think it’s an important point you made that your body is only intended for so much muscle mass. I see too many people just trying to get as big as possible when their frame would actually look much better with a little less mass. It’s funny how easy muscle building seems in your teens and early twenties.

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  4. Michael @ somebodylied.com
    April 2, 2012 @ 3:40 pm

    I personally think that newbies should milk the shit out of beginner strength programs. There exists a high correlation between strength and muscle mass. Once these gains slow down and the trainee becomes an intermediate a split workout should come into play as they find it hard to recover from total body workouts. It is all about being humble and I can admit myself that I have gone back to a beginner strength program as I am not as strong as I thought. Overcoming plateaus I feel should mainly come from the overload principle not doing these “muscle confusing” techniques that many gurus advocate. I do feel that once you hit genuine plateaus you have probably just reached your muscle potential.

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