Only The Strong Shall Survive TheThe BigBig Keep It Simple to Build Your Temple

by Bill Starr Photography by Michael Neveux

Bench Presses uring the past year I’ve received a pile of requests from 1 IRON MAN read- ers and friends to look over their 3 programs. They’re 3 all stuck and want some advice

DDon how to move forward again. Model: David Yeung In every instance I find the same problem—they’re trying to do far too much, either for their current strength level, their age or both. I look over a list of exercises 2 that would make top competitive weightlifters and bodybuilders cringe. Model: Chris Cook Model: Greg Blount Squats

154 APRIL 2005 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com Power Cleans www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2005 155 CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE Only The Strong Shall Survive 1 Concentration Curls Chins 2

When a program includes However, there are a few good a dozen or so exercises, you ancillary exercises you can 3 end up spreading your en- add to The Big Three program ergy too thin. without sacrificing your gains. Model: Tamer Elshahat Model: Tamer Model: Eric Domer

Even so, when I suggest that they recover from it. That’s due to the should eliminate at least half of fact that over an extended period of wondering, What is a beginner to the exercises, they insist that they diligent training they’ve established think? Most likely that the authors need to do them all if they want a a wide, firm foundation of strength. are experts and know what they’re complete full-body workout. Well, Most trainees who will read this are talking about. If they say that I need I reply, if you’re preparing for the not in that category. to do 15 exercises in a session, that’s Mr. Olympia contest or the Olym- The notion of simplicity in what I’ll do. And since the is pic lifting Nationals, then perhaps has gotten lost in filled with machines, it only makes you do need to hit all those groups recent years. Currently, any program sense to use all of them. individually. That is, if you have a worth its salt must include lots of So, instead of hammering away couple of hours a day in which to exercises done on specialized ma- on full squats, our beginner moves train, have a surplus of funds to buy chines, and, of course, there have from machine to machine, working all the supplements you’ll need to to be a few gimmicks such as large his legs in a variety of fashions. It’s aid your recovery and don’t have balls and chains thrown in for good a good idea on paper, but it doesn’t to worry about earning an income. measure. After all, that’s what the get the results that attacking a pri- Otherwise, you’re doing too much. modern athlete needs to be com- mary exercise and using a couple of When a program includes a petitive—which is pure bullshit. machines for auxiliary work does. dozen or so exercises, you end up The truth of the matter is, There’s also the point that few like spreading your energy too thin that feature only the most rudimen- to admit: Working on a machine is to allow you to make substantial tary equipment—like those found in easier than doing free-weight exer- gains. You can’t recuperate from the basements and garages—where the cises. long sessions in the gym, and since athletes build their routines around Understand that your body only you’re not giving enough attention a few primary movements, turn out has so much energy for training, to any one muscle group, everything stronger men than the multiexercise and once you’ve tapped that supply, stays the same. Or worse. In many programs in la-di-da facilities. you’re not going to make any fur- cases the numbers start slipping Another primary reason that so ther progress on that day. When you backward. many programs have so many ex- continue to pound away, even on Keep in mind that I’m referring ercises in them is the influence of the smaller muscle groups, all you’re to beginners and intermediates. articles that appear in fitness maga- doing is fatiguing the muscles and Advanced strength athletes can do a zines. I look at programs that fill attachments, which will adversely

Build Your Temple Build Your great deal more work in the gym and an entire page and shake my head, affect your next workout. In other words, you’re overtraining. 156 APRIL 2005 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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158 Build Your Temple Only TheStrongShallSurvive APRIL 2005 \www.ironmanmagazine.com three major musclegroups. exerciseone primary forthe To gainstrength, youneed Squats

Model: Marvin Montoya \ Equipment: Powertec , 1-800-447-0008 or www.home-gym.com

Model: Will Harris Model: Greg Blount Bench Presses Bench hard. and back der girdle your shoul These work - Power Cleans Power triceps. chest and work with der girdle More shoul Only TheStrongShallSurvive - www.ironmanmagazine.com \APRIL 2005 the managingeditorof onthesubject: thorities Tommy was ideal positionstobeconsidered au training tothemasses. We were in and preach thegospelofstrength I tookituponourselves togoforth was thethinking. Tommy Suggs and pros lifted weights, we shouldtoo, lege andhighschoolcoaches. If the influence onthemind-setsofcol coach AlvinRoy, hadatremendous Diego Chargers, understrength improve theirperformances. athletes usingheavyweights to teamsandindividual about sports in published due largely tothearticles athletes madeahugeleapforward the late1960sstrength training for machines cameonthemarket. In doingitlongbeforestarted the responsible, trainees butintruth finger atmachinesforbeingpartly a newdevelopment. Ipointeda many exercises inaprogram isnot couch andwatch TV. skip thenextworkout, floponthe lift,you’llon every beinclinedto session. In contrast, ifyou’re stuck to getbackinthegymforyour next a personalrecord makesyou eager lifts.one ofyourAchieving primary nothing—feels asgreat asimproving progress. Nothing—well, almost the weight room is makingregular mind thatthegreatest motivator in tently—and there’s nodoubtinmy that course, gainscomeconsis leave thegym. ments forthesmallergroups, and legs. moveThen addafewauxiliary shoulder girdle, backandhips of thethree majormusclegroups: exercise foreach do oneprimary were onamission. efforts. Even so, we surged on. We thing extra inourpaychecks forour should add,we never received any backed us100percent—although, I tions ofwhatwe were doingand understood thefinancialimplica colleges inthearea. Bob Hoffman tions andclinicsathighschools and we beganputtingondemonstra champion. That gave usanin,and Barbell Club, the national-team lifting andhadrepresented the York both wonnationaltitlesinOlympia Health Football ledtheway. The San I shouldmentionthatusingtoo Whenever abeginnerfollows To gainstrength, you needto Strength &Health , andIwashisassistant. We’d CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE and Strength & Iron Man

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160 Build Your Temple Only TheStrongShallSurvive Squats Machine Smith ing onamachine iseasier. Few liketo admitthatwork replace free-bar exercises. Machines can’t completely APRIL 2005 \www.ironmanmagazine.com Machine Squats Machine -

Model: Noel Thompson Model: Cesar Martinez that sincethese were athletes, the toyed with thedeadliftbutdecided pare withfull squats. For backwe a no-brainer. Nothing cancom and jerk. press,military snatchandclean with thecompetitive liftsinmind— legs andonefortheshoulders, all three: onefortheback, routines, butweightlifters didonly did multiplemovements intheir Olympic lifting.Bodybuilders often was basedonourbackground in cises rather thanfour, five orsix that ourselectionofthree exer job done. It goeswithoutsaying cises wouldbeenoughtogetthe learn. the exercises hadtobeeasy oftime. period and inashort Plus, with asmallamountofequipment could bedoneinalimitedspace simpleprogramwas avery that thatwhattheyneeded determined we’d received from thecoaches. We Tommy andIanalyzed alltheinput the busafterschool. Many ofthestudentshadtocatch time inwhichtotrain theathletes. two andsomeplates, andnotmuch equipment, usuallyjustabaror littleinthewayof they hadvery What theyallhadincommonwas, itwashitandmiss.the mostpart mulating astrength program. For toforhelpin they couldturn pens today, there were noresources and know-how. Unlike whathap letes with a minimum of equipment functional routines fortheirath doing theirutmosttoputtogether them. Those dedicatedmenwere agreatwe alsolearned dealfrom on muscularbodyweight. milkshakes tohelptheirkidspack told themofthevalue ofprotein beneficial fortheirathletes, andwe do liftsthatwe thoughtwouldbe coaches andtaughtthemhow to For 21/2dayswe talkedwith tional products toputondisplay. plus anarray ofHoffman’s nutri power rack, boxes ofmagazines lugged inweights, abenchand secured aboothfor York Barbell, ham Hotel in Washington, D.C. We a convention heldintheShore for footballcoachesintheeastwas The bestexercise forthelegswas We concludedthatthree exer On backto thedrive York, While we gave theminformation, One ofthebiggestgatherings ------six reps. Knowing thatmanyofthe was todofoursixsetsof fordeveloping strengthformula upper bodythoroughly. and itdidwork allthegroups inthe flat-—easy toteach, in thelockerroom. So we chosethe their benchpresses onthebenches coach toldushehadhisplayers do didn’t even have flatbenches. One benches attheirdisposal.Some the coachesdidn’t have incline ders. We alsoknew, however, that it putmore emphasisonthe shoul than theflat-benchpress because was abetterexercise forathletes lieved thattheincline-benchpress strength. For theupperbodywe be whileimprovingattributes back ful, asitactuallyenhancesathletic power cleanwouldbemore use to aminimum, nomore thantwo work coaches tokeep theauxiliary garage doorframes. We advisedthe tion. I’ve donethemoffrafters and where—if you useyour imagina chins. You candochinsalmostany bar, freestanding calfraises and pulloversarm andcurlswiththe extra equipment,suchasstraight- suggesting onesthatrequired no routine. We gave themsomeideas, exercises theymightincludeinthe wanted toknow whatauxiliary themaswell. Manycoaches totry do theliftscorrectly, allowing the on ademonstration toshow how to which wasallofthem. We alsoput coach whocametoourbooth, out copiesof The Big Three toevery Washington convention. We gave ing year, whenwe went backtothe ested parties. magazine andsentcopiestointer gram. We also wrote aboutitinthe exhibition, we handedoutthepro went toa highschooltoputonan and we got them. Whenever we a theory. We neededtestsubjects, it The Big Three. Still, itwasonly up withagoodprogram. We called we feltconfident thatwe’d come and-medium system. the athletesusingheavy-light- a week would getthejobdone, with calculation mucheasier. Three days the guidelinesandwouldmake simple aswell. Five setsoffive fit or more kids, we kepttheprogram coaches wouldbedealingwith40 Research revealed thatthebest The real boostcamethefollow By thetimewe gotbackto York, CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE ------3 2 1

162 Build Your Temple how topower clean. Andthat’s what if we’d teach himandhisathletes and agreed is, to give it a try—that more productive. than spreading itoutover 16was workout intothree exercises rather why we believed thatcondensinga Tommy andIgave himthereasons it’s too muchofagoodthing.” Then to work theentire body,” Isaid, “but done afinejobofselectingexercises exercise foreachbodypart. “You’ve toincludeone that hewastrying exercises, andthecaptainexplained him thathewasdoingtoomany and chuckled. Tommy informed Tommy andIlookedatoneanother us theprogram hewasusing, ing hisprogram. He askedustoassisthiminorganiz the United States Naval Academy. charge of strength conditioningat Captain Ed Schantz,who wasin sets offairlyhighreps, 15to20. Only TheStrongShallSurvive Incline Presses Incline APRIL 2005 \www.ironmanmagazine.com The captaingrasped theconcept When theMarine captainshowed A monthlaterwe gotacallfrom - Tommy and meandencouraged his The Big Three aftertalking with ofbeingreplaced.brink He installed had gone1–9,andhewason the Virginia. The previous year histeam came from ajuniorvarsity coachin season. which resulted inamuchbetter bigger andstronger thanbefore, successes. Their players were much booth withglowing reports oftheir gram. The coachespoured intoour that we’d agoodpro formulated tion inD.C. thatwe knewforcertain we returned tothecoachesconven routine waspositive, itwasn’t until ting from thoseusing The Big Three Hemorning. wasabeliever. he couldbarely getoutofbedthat sore from doingpower cleansthat told ushappilythathe’d gottenso received acallfrom thecaptain.He bench. The following we afternoon pointsonthesquatand with form we did,along withhelpingthem The mostimpressive account While thefeedbackwe were get - - - sis andvariety. for more shoulderempha in placeofbenchpresses You canuseinclinepresses dies intothecountry, where they and drove with someliftingbud barbell andsomeplatesinhis car loadeda ofwhenArnold the story exercise andbecamealegend. and squats. Hell, Milo onlydidone trained. Most onlydidthe three lifts way allthegreat Olympic lifters idea instrength training. It’s the notanew liftsiscertainly primary ting allyour energy intojustafew drawn outandcomplicated.Put the bestare plainandsimple, not is onethatproduces results, and for allofthem.Agoodprogram you canthinkof,anditworkssport The Big Three withathletesinevery to noend.Since thattimeI’ve used steroids—a factthatdelightedhim that hewasaccusedofgivingthem had gainedsomuchbodyweight an undefeatedseason.His players usthathe’dformed justconcluded tein milkshakes. With hein pride lotsofpro drinking team tostart I’d reader guessthatevery knows CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE - - - - - Models: Michael O’Hearn and Clark Bartram Only The Strong Shall Survive

spent the day doing full squats. more advanced movements, al- my former Hopkins athletes con- Now, that’s specialized training, though the principle of only work- tacted me. They were so busy and it got the results they were ing three primary exercises per with their jobs—always in the seeking. The concentrated work session remains intact. So you financial field—that they couldn’t jarred their legs into another level might do power cleans, squats and find the time to go to the gym of strength and growth. Had they benches at one workout; , three days a week and train for an gone to a gym and spent the same lunges and inclines at the next and hour and a half. I suggested that amount of time doing a variety of finish up the week with squats, they go to the gym as often as leg exercises, they’d never have military presses and shrugs—or possible, perhaps during lunch achieved the same benefits. any variation of that idea. hour, and do just one exercise for Keeping your program simple At the extreme end of the sim- 30 minutes. If they could manage doesn’t mean you have to do the plicity scale there are those who to get in four or five sessions a same exercises at every workout. thrived on doing only one exercise week, they would at least be able Even The Big Three graduates to per workout. At one point a few of to stay in decent shape. A few advanced strength ath- letes have taken this idea of one exercise per workout to a more radical level. George Hecter is a homegrown product who started training with me when he was in high school. After several years of training he did a routine in which he concentrated on one of the contested powerlifts for the entire workout, more than an hour and a half. They were extremely de- manding sessions and not for the fainthearted, but they paid huge dividends for him. He went on to win the heavyweight title in pow- erlifting and competed in the World’s Strongest Man competi- tion. A perfect example of the type of program I’m talking about can be found in the January ’05 IRON MAN. John Balik laid out a rou- tine for his 15-year-old son, Justin, that consisted of three core Ad exercises—, and bench press—along with four mild auxiliary movements and some ab work. The workload was low, which is an important con- sideration for any beginner. This is an ideal routine for any begin- ner, young and old. So if you’ve hit a wall in your training, try simplifying your program. It may mean dropping several exercises or shifting them around to enable you to apply your full energy to a few primary movements. Do that, and I assure you that you’ll start making gains once again.

Editor’s note: Bill Starr was a strength and conditioning coach www.muscle-link.com at Johns Hopkins University from 1989 to 2000. He’s the author of Visit for the weekly super special! The Strongest Shall Survive and Defying Gravity. IM

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