Maximum

Maximum Weight For Maximum Growth

M.J.Morgan, CFT

                                                                     My Belief

     Let me start by saying that what you are about to read may go against the "grain" of traditional training philosophies. My beliefs are exactly that, my beliefs. I grew up with weight training being a part of my life since age ten or eleven.
     It started with my step-father, a competitive power lifter and bodybuilder, continued to my uncle, cousins, and peers with whom I played organized sports. I am now thirty-three years old, and feel that I am just now starting to "get it".
     What follows is what I have found works best for me, and I believe, what works best for the majority of people training in today's world, who want to build quality muscle mass the most efficient way possible.

                                                              Volume vs. Intensity

     Traditional thought tends to lend towards volume training as the accepted rule of thumb. I took this approach for many years simply because I was closed minded to the information that was available. Lord knows, every publication promoted volume training and the "Weider Principles".
      Naturally! If you wanted to make it in the world of bodybuilding, then you wanted Weider. After all, that's where the money was at! NEWS FLASH...Most of us have a life that demands more than eating, training, sleeping, and subjecting our bodies to huge amounts of anabolic steroids that speed up the recovery process.
     "Joe Blow" bodybuilder with his daily grind can't and won't progress with workouts that take up hours in the gym on a daily basis. First, it requires to much time commitment and will therefore reduce the consistency of which you train. Second, your body will not recover in time for your next workout, leaving you tired and unmotivated. Brief and INTENSE training sessions will produce the fastest gains in the majority of cases.
     How do I define brief? Your weight training session should take no more than 45 minutes to complete. If you are taking longer, then you are wasting time or trying to do too much.
     What defines intensity? Getting MAXIMUM results in MINIMAL time, period! To get MAXIMUM GROWTH, you must lift MAXIMUM WEIGHT!!

                                                   What Defines Maximum Weight?

    Maximum Weight is an amount of weight that allows you to perform between 4 and 6 repetitions per set. If you can do more than 6 reps, then the weight is too light. Less than 4 reps, then the weight is too heavy. Maximum Weight will allow you to perform you sets with the required level of intensity, while keeping your concentration time at a minimum. Humm... sounds efficient doesn't it?
     The more efficient your workout becomes, the faster you will see the results of your labor. A good starting point for this kind of training is the MAX OT Workout that AST Sport Science's founder Paul Delia created. This is a great starting point and will give you step by step workouts for the first 12 weeks.
     In future articles, I will discuss how to modify the basics of these principles for even faster gains through the use of cutting edge supplementation and slight twists on core exercises. Until then...Keep pushing Maximum Weight!!

M.J. Morgan is an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, who has trained and consulted with the likes of Quincy Roberts (Mr. Universe, IFBB Pro), Sonja Haithcox (Ms. North Carolina, NPC National Competitor), Jeff Haithcox (Jr. National Middleweight Champion) as well as other top athletes.