Harold Poole: There have been no secret exercises, no complex formulas - just the basic training. For you readers who are interested, Harold does the following exercises in the following order:
3 Sets Barbell Press Behind Neck 6 Sets of Barbell Bench Press, Wide Grip 3 Sets of Barbell Rowing 3 Sets of Chins Behind Neck 3 Sets of Cheating Barbell Curl 5 Sets of Triceps Kickbacks 3 Sets of Front Squats 6 Sets of Donkey Calf Raises 1 Set of Sit-ups Harold Poole: Train three times a week, every other day. Select one or two good exercises for each bodypart, then do them in logical sequence. That is, start with the largest muscles, muscles, the legs . . . then go to the back, the chest, and so on. Three to five sets of eight repetitions should be good.
---------George Eifferman: George’s Advanced Routine consists of 11 exercises that are done, in general, for 3 sets of 7-10 reps. George’s routine emphasizes mass and power building. He would use this routine 3 times a week and would rest for several (2 to 3) minutes in between sets.
His program included the set series, flushing, cheating, and peak contraction principles. The “set series” principle is pretty much what it sounds like – that exercises are done in a series of sets rather than just doing one set per exercise (which was the standard before the pre-roid Golden Age). The flushing principle refers to doing all the exercises for a body part together (one after the other). This is common practice today, but prior to the Golden Age, it was the practice to spread out exercises for the same body part in the routine in order to give that body part a chance to rest before doing another exercise for it. The cheating principle refers to using a looser style with a bit of body swing in order to use heavier weights to stimulate more muscle growth. The peak contraction principle refers to the practice of mindfully contracting the muscles hard at the peak of the movement. Aside from these principles, George would adjust his training poundages according to how he felt that day. If he had extra energy, he would use heavier weights. If he had less energy than usual, he would use a bit lighter weights. Of course, George also followed a high protein diet and got lots of rest between workouts so that he could put everything into his workouts! Here is his routine Exercise Sets Reps 1. Hack Squats 3 7-10 2. Bench Press* 3 7-10 3. Bent Arm Flyes 3 7-10 4. Standing Side Lateral Raise 3 7-10 5. Alternate Dumbbell Press 3 7-10 6. Cheating One Arm Rowing 3 7-10 7. Cheating Barbell Curl 3 7-10 8. DB Concentration Curl 3 7-10 9. DB Wrist Curl 3 7-10 10. Side Bends w/ Kettlebell 3 7-10 11. Sit Ups (bodyweight only) 3 8-12 * George would vary his grip at each workout from narrow, to regular, to wide grips.
This routine of George’s appeared in an article he wrote for the September 1953 issue of Muscle Builder magazine. In that article, George said that he followed this routine (or one like it) for most of the year until about 2-3 weeks before a contest – when he would train more frequently (i.e., he would use a split routine). He also indicated that he would strive to use heavier and heavier weights. So what can we learn from George’s Advanced Routine? Well, if you are a beginner or intermediate trainer and your volume of training (the number of sets and exercises) is equal to or more than what you see in advanced routines like George’s (and the other advanced routines you see in CPBzine), then you are probably overworking and are not making any gains. That can easily happen if you follow much of the advice found in the modern, steroid-based muscle mags of today. So train appropriately for your level. If you are a beginner, then use a beginner’s routine. If you are an intermediate trainer, then use a routine for intermediates. This routine above is for advanced trainers. So keep that in mind. But even if you are an beginner or intermediate, it’s good and necessary to learn about advanced training so that you will know what to do when you get there! For you advanced trainers, have fun with this routine! You can make a lot of good gains with this type of training. George certainly did! - CPB ------Leroy Colbert: Only by ignoring the experts, was I able to build the world’s largest muscular arms. I refused to be held back by baseless rules and psychological restrictions of the experts. I was a nine-year-old sickly, skinny kid who started boxing at the Catholic Boys Club, to build up his body. But instead, I got beat up. I knew then that boxing was not for me. Two years later I started bodybuilding.
One important tip I want to stress for your educational agenda is to beware of the experts. Give a man the title of expert forces him to be one; even if he doesn’t have any idea of what he is talking about. How about a few utterances of the so-called experts of old: the world is flat; man will never fly; weight training will make you muscle bound; nutrition has nothing to do with disease. Those were the utterings of self-style experts who didn’t have the foggiest idea of what they were talking about. Millions of people believed them as though they were gospel. Yet there were always people who didn’t accept the wisdom of the so-called experts and you know the results; rapid progress in all fields of endeavor, by people who refuse to be hampered by the experts. It is human nature to seek answers and bodybuilders head the list of seekers. I hear more crack pot schemes to build muscles overnight, from bodybuilders, than I can count. Hence, people out to make a buck will promise anything, knowing someone will buy into it. I hate to disappoint you, but there are no magic solutions to building your body. Please don’t waste your time seeking them, searching out self-style experts, who will claim to have all the answers is truly an exercise in futility. If diligence, hard work, and intelligent application to the science of training and diet is magic, then spread it as if was butter, because it will certainly work like magic. Of course there are experts in many fields, science, medicine, etc. I am talking about those “know-it-all, absent-offacts” experts. I look back to my active training days when my arms were really growing. There standing in front of me, was a guy with 12 inch arms pumped up, telling me I was doing the curls wrong according to what he read. Here was a guy with no appreciable development, telling me results do not matter, it was the expert who wrote the book. I read this story a while back and I thought I would pass it on to you as a graphic example of the blindness of the “know-it-all” experts. In the early era of auto making, the legendary pioneer of the auto industry, Henry Ford, was getting horrendous reports of severe injuries from shattered glass in auto collisions. He asked his company experts to produce shatter proof glass, but they told him it couldn’t be done. Ford’s answer was to go to the local universities where they hadn’t yet learned what “could not” be done. Consequently, shatter proof glass was invented. Listening
to the experts is fine but ask questions, it will help sharpen your common sense in detecting what may be real and what is self-serving fantasy. Not too long ago, you were at the top of your game with 16-inch biceps. Well-developed arms of 16 inches put you in the elite class of bodybuilders. It was almost an unwritten law that you weren’t going to get much bigger than that. The prevailing expert wisdom of the time was you were approaching your physical limit. At the time, being psychologically constricted by the experts, I was ecstatic when my arms reached 16 ½ inches. I thought, maybe I could get to 17, or the astounding size of 18 inches; now I am really dreaming because the experts say the human body is not designed to maintain muscles that large. The so called experts in bodybuilding had a laundry list of rules you dare not break if you wanted a muscular body. One unbreakable rule was not to do over three sets for a body part three times a week or you will over train and lose muscles instead of building them. We took the the self-help expert‘s advice to heart, and studiously avoided doing more than three sets. Everyone at the gym religiously followed the three sets per body part dogma. I was so obsessed with wanting big arms, I felt three sets might be enough, but my arms needed more work, yet I was fearful of breaking the three set rule. I decided I was going to try more sets and see what happens. I was only 15 years old, who am I to have the temerity to challenge the experts. I was frustrated with the prevailing wisdom. I decided to try doing six sets and see what happens. To my elated surprise, my arms responded almost immediately to the extra work. I became embolden by the progress; I jumped from 3 sets to 6 to 12 sets. I began to accelerate my entire bodybuilding routine to an intensity guided by my body’s response. After initially watching me train so hard, with disdain, the boys in the gym watched in awe as my arms grew from 16 inches to 17 ¼ in three months. Seeing my rapid improvement convinced everyone to eagerly reject the now discredited advice of the experts. We pushed our muscles to the extent we had not dared to do previously. Despite my success in dumping the overwork theory, I still hadn’t lost my awe for the experts. I heard that David Willoughby could scientifically tell your size potential by measuring key bones in your body. Dave got out the caliper and measuring tape, and in a very knowledgeable manner said, “Leroy, carefully measuring your bone size, the maximum biceps you could hope to develop is 18 1/2 inches. That is the largest size your bone structure could possibly handle. I advise you not to set your goal that high because that’s the max.” I was disappointed in Dave’s expert opinion because I had begun to dream of a record breaking 19 inches. Well, I built my arms to 21 1/2 inches. The bone size theory didn’t hold up, it looked and sounded good, but in the end, just fanciful theory. Ironically, David was the expert that officially measured my biceps at 21 1/2 inches. “Absolutely astonishing, beyond all calculations,” David embarrassingly said. I felt sorry to see David’s so called science collapse before his own eyes. The self-style experts have been attempting to predict man’s physical achievements for years, telling athletes what their maximum potential could be and what records will never be broken. Yet there is always someone who defies the experts and breaks the records that couldn’t be broken. The experts once emphatically said running a four minute mile was beyond human capacity, until Roger Bannister said, “I can do it” - and he did it. Today, running a mile under four minutes is taken for granted. The psychological barrier was destroyed. The experts scared off a lot of potentially great bodybuilders with the muscle-bound theory; if you lift weight you will become stiff and inflexible. None of this nonsense was based on fact. How about the so called supplements experts claiming the taking of vitamins was a waste of time, you don’t need them, you will just urinate them out. Now the so called experts have changed their tune, vitamins are drugs and you have to be careful overdosing on them. They are now saying the “worthless” vitamins must be regulated. If they knew what they were talking about in the first place, they would have not come to the conclusion vitamins were worthless. Are we suppose to believe them now that they claim vitamins are drugs? I have gotten to the point that I laugh at most of the pronouncements of the so called “experts.” Stick to the proven journals of knowledge, Flex and Muscle and Fitness, the magazines that will give you all the pertinent information
for you to digest and apply to your physical fitness. You must not look to be lead by the hand, just guided to fitness. Use all the information as a guide. It may apply perfectly for Ronnie Coleman but not for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but avoid at all cost, seeking the magic solution because there isn’t any! Most champions throughout their careers are constantly adjusting, improvising, and experimenting. Trying this and trying that, more reps - less reps, more hours - less hours, more intensity - less intensity, heavy – light, etc., they learned to fashion their program to their body’s response. Never give up your ability to reason and apply the knowledge you obtain. Never surrender your instinct and common sense to anyone. From the earth is flat, to man will never get to the moon, the experts were wrong. So keep focused and BEWARE THE EXPERTS! Leroy Colbert: YOU CAN ADD INCHES OF MASSIVE MUSCLES WITH THE BLITZ ROUTINE?
Every champion bodybuilder has frequently used the blitz to build additional muscle size. Without its scientific use the great physique stars we know today would be nonexistent. Physical work alone cannot build huge shapely muscles, if so ditch diggers, miners and general laborers would be champion bodybuilders. It is only the scientific applications of progressively hard weight training that builds the 19 inch arms, 50 inch chest and 26 inch thighs so prominent of the great bodybuilders. These men are not bound by the ancient three set theory, they know that you only get what you put in, no effort, and no results. But it wasn’t always this way, there was a time (and not many years ago), when to do more than three sets in any exercise was considered a tragic mistake. Many potential champions of that day were lost to the game because of that ancient work theory. A few hardy pioneers ventured to try a more diversified method of training, only those few rose above the multitude. Now the blitz routine is not a complicated or intricate routine, on the contrary, it is plain and simple to understand. First, understand a little of the nature of our muscles, why they grow, how they grow and how to induce continuous growth. As a beginner, we know that our muscles respond to the slightest bit of exertion. Our soft unused muscle tissues thrive and relish with any stimulation. Just one set of curls or presses will make the muscle ache. But after a few weeks of training, we find that one set fails to induce the same muscle ache as before. In order to force the muscle to grow and respond, we must increase the volume of work, not so much as to overwork, but just enough to provide additional stimulation. The fact behind slow progressive work is that you continuously shock the muscles into uninterrupted growth. That does not mean that the more work we do, the more our muscles will grow, because there is a limit to how long and hard we can work. When a muscle is worked, tissue is broken down, rest and protein rebuilds that tissue and adds a little more for future demands. Our muscle growth depends on how fast we can complete a cycle of work and recovery and how much tissue we can breakdown and repair at one time. The laborer fails to build healthy shapely muscles simply because his range of work is limited and non-progressive. Secondly and more important is he doesn’t permit the muscles to rest sufficiently before work is begun again. Now you have a pretty good idea of how and why muscles grow. But one of the most perplexing problems to most bodybuilders is how to induce continuous muscular growth. This is where the blitz routine comes to your rescue. With this method of exercising, you can build the size you have always dreamed of. You must first divorce your mind of all the ancient work theories. You must be willing to work hard, because the blitz routine is just that – Work! But your reward will be well worth the effort. As I mentioned previously, to the beginner, one set is plenty, then he must increase to two and three and five. But what after that is there a constant upsurge of sets until you reach 50 sets each exercise? No, there isn’t, but you will find that five sets workout after workout will fail to pump up the muscles and give it that ache as before. You can increase the weight which will help to shock the muscle into growing again, but you will still find the muscle a lot tougher than it was in the beginning days. It will take so much more exercise to stimulate your muscles than it did
before. The reason for this reaction is the muscles have become accustomed to the severity of the workout. They have adjusted to the demand you have put to them. In other words, they are waiting for the same old song and dance three times a week. This is when you throw in the shocker and blitz the “hell” out of them. Shock them right out of their boredom. Force them to readjust to the severe demand. Force them to grow and grow to become thicker and wider, to take this sudden load of work. Now to properly blitz them, you must select one, no more than two exercises for each body part and increase you sets from to a minimum of 10 to 15 sets. I can hear you now saying, “Wow! This guy is crazy.” I know it sounds like a lot of work and it is, but you will only have to train like this for 2 to 4 weeks. Make certain that you get at least eight hours sleep a night, preferably 10. Drink plenty of water try to get 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight you will need a good protein supplement to help you meet your protein needs in addition to your supplements, eat fish, meat, poultry, dairy, fruit and vegetable with this intensive routine you will need at least 4 grams of glutamine a day to hasten muscle recovery. Now after this month of the blitz routine, you take a week rest and resume training at your normal pace. Again there is a shock to the muscles, but not the same as when you started the blitz routine. The muscles are no longer accustomed to your regular workout for you have shocked it out. Neither is it accustomed to the blitz routine because you haven’t done it long enough. Besides, you have rested a week permitting the muscles to fully rebuild and store up additional energy. After a few months of conventional training, you may resume the blitz routine and start the cycle over again. Each time you do it much larger muscles will be yours. I can vividly recall the amazing results the champions achieve from regularly performing the blitz routine. They develop the strength, energy and perseverance to sometimes do as many as 15 sets of each exercise bench presses, curls dips and chins in one workout. Fantastic strength and muscle size speaks highly for such a hard program. Bill Grant sometimes works all day on one body part such as his shoulders or calves. The champions know about the blitz and how to use it. The results speak for themselves. I’m not suggesting that you necessarily train as hard. These were only given as examples of how our champions employed the blitz to shape their physiques. One must use this method according to your own individual situation. Some of you because of time and purpose may not be able to utilize the method exactly as I have outlined but you can use it with moderate improvising, increasing your sets as much as possible and varying the intensity of you workout. The beginner must not under any circumstances attempt to blitz his muscles until he has trained with weights at least one year. The blitz routine is very severe and only well conditioned muscles with plenty of reserve energy could take the pace. Keep in mind, the blitz routine is not a secret exercise or method, but a planned scientific way of intensified training for a short period of time. It has worked marvelously for others and it will do likewise for you. So go for it with gusto and watch those muscles bloom! For those of you who prefer to follow the routine of some of the champions here is an example: 1. Barbell bench press ........10 Sets 8 Reps 2. Bent arm lateral ...........10 " 3. Lat machine pull down ......10 " 4. Chin behind neck ...........10 " 5. Sitting press behind neck ..10 " 6. Standing lateral raise .....10 "
8" 8" 8" 8" 8"
7. Alternate curl .............10 " 8. Sitting barbell curl .......10 " 9. Bent arm pullover ..........10 " 10. Barbell squats .............6 "
8" 8" 8" 12 "
There you have it, nothing new in the way of exercising, but those sets make it really tough. Unless you have an abundance of drive and energy, the routines I have listed will really shake you up. Take a minimum of 2 days off before your next Blitz routine and remember recovery is the key, maximize your nutrition on your rest days. ----You Can Build Muscles Faster With a Home Gym By Leroy Colbert Many of you may not recognize the names of these bodybuilders of the drug free golden era of bodybuilding. But just remember the programs you use today were pioneered by the men of my era. My muscles thrive on the comfort, congeniality and relaxation of a home workout. No bright lights to blind me when I’m bench pressing. No waiting in line for equipment. No rules to adhere to but my own. No loud arguing and horse playing to contend with. No specific hours in which to train. Yes, give me the quiet self made muscle making atmosphere of a home workout. The sanctity of home training cannot be compensated for in a gymnasium. We all relax in familiarity and complete mental relaxation, free of tension is the best muscle making condition imaginable. It is pitiful to see the many bodybuilders who fail to get best results at the local gym. Their feelings of inadequacy are intensified by the better built boys going through their paces. So many fellows have such a strong feeling of self consciousness that they are hampered greatly in their workouts. You can often pick them out in the huge muscle factories standing around gaping in every corner, hesitating to perform one exercise in the fear that they will become the center of attraction. Thousands of potential great champions are lost to bodybuilding because of improper initiation into weight training. Huge brightly lighted gyms are not the place to build up a slightly built bodybuilder. He first must feel the confidence added strength and bigger muscles will give him, before being thrown in among hundreds of other bodybuilder. Some smart alecks with no intention of building their physiques, others are there just to kill time. These are certainly not the ideal conditions for a fellow who really wants to build a physique he can be proud of. Of course, there are thousands of fellows just the opposite from the ones we have discussed. There are fellows who can build muscles in almost any atmosphere or conditions. But these are not the boys who make champions. It is usually the unassuming fellows who are determined to assert themselves and cure their weakened condition, who eventually step into the shoes of Ross, Grimek, Parks, Reeves and other great champions. There are also some of us who need individual personal instruction each step of the way to make progress. The gym is the only place their needs can be met. But for the majority of us, better and quicker results can be had from home training. Once we have improved our health and strength appreciably, we can then derive additional benefit from the association of other bodybuilders in the gym. Champions like Bob Hinde prefer to do all of his training at home. Visiting the gym occasionally to chat with the boys or try out a new piece of equipment.
All or out great physique champions and strong men began their training in virtual isolation with only the instruction they could comprise themselves. Anderson, one of the strongest men of all times, was discovered training in a makeshift home gym. Marvin Elder, Clarance Ross, Arthur Harris and Tom Sansone all built the major portion of their physiques with home equipment and instructions. Only after they had achieved fame, did they ally themselves with various gyms to teach what they had learned from trial and error training in their private bailiwicks. I so vividly remember my beginning days in bodybuilding. A dark, poorly ventilated, dismal basement housed my training equipment. My only consolation to this atmosphere was the will to rebuild my physique, the encouragement of my training partner and a collection of training hints from Muscle Power and Your Physique magazines. Under these conditions, my ambition was so great that I trained harder and more dutifully than in any other period in my career. No matter how much you may deny it, inferiority is the motivating force behind every man who touches a barbell. Physical training has destroyed the inferiority of many men, rebuilding them into strong, confident champions. I needed the seclusion of home training quarters so that I could concentrate fully on building my body, free from self consciousness, and anxieties present when training in a group. Once I had built up my confidence, mixing came naturally. When you buy a home outfit, your have made a wise investment. The equipment you purchase will last a lifetime. Less that a years dues in a gym is all the money necessary to completely equip your home gym. Some of you will be fortunate enough to have a garage or a large basement in which to set up your equipment. Others may have to set aside a portion of their living quarters to train in. Which ever may be your case, better and quicker muscle building will be your reward. The most important equipment you will need is a set of weights, and adjustable bench, and a pair of adjustable stands. Later, you may add to this with other valuable accessories such as an abdominal board, multi muscle bar, portable lat machine, etc. A training partner will be an important part of your program. For he will add the necessary competitive spirit to spur you on to greater effort. Be sure you choose one who is on your physical level. Make certain that he is not too much stronger or weaker than you are, in this way you have a perfect balance to success. Besides presenting the ideal conditions for bodybuilding, home training gives you a tremendous pride of achievement. You know that the body you have developed will be entirely from your own efforts. And your equipment once bought will always pay dividends in improved health and build larger muscles. So why not try building your own home gym and watch your concentration and muscle growth improve overnight.
