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THII N K B I G TH POWERBUILDING METHOD FOR SIZE & STRENGTH

EVERYBODY WANNA BE A BODYBUILDER AND LIFT HEAVY WEIGHT If you’re reading this, you’ve probably

but who wants just one of those? Most

struggled at least a little bit nding a

people want to be big and strong and

program that really suits you. None of

lean, and with so many goals, it often

them really cover all the bases -- some

seems impossible to even know where

look good for getting really strong, or

to start.

gaining lean muscle, or getting ripped,

I’ve got good news: you can work towards getting stronger, gaining muscle, and losing fat, all at the same time. It’s not easy. Most programs only focus on one thing at a time because it’s very dicult to do otherwise. But it’s not impossible, either. The secret is all in how you use the right training strategies and eat the right things at the right times to support those training strategies. Obviously, it takes careful planning and sometimes, it requires sacrices, like pushing yourself through a hard training session

IT’S TIME TO START THINKING BIG

when you’re exhausted, and saving the pizza for a cheat meal. And it requires that you learn a lot about your body and how it works.

EFFICIENCY IS KEY If you’ve seen a professional powerlifter or bodybuilder train, you know their sessions can take upwards of 2, even 3 hours at a time. It’s not possible to combine all that work into a single session -- but it’s also not necessary. Instead, by focusing on the components of training and diet that produce the most “bang for the buck,” you can develop a ton of size and strength without spending your life in the gym.

Finally, keep in mind that I can’t give you self-discipline or motivation -- that comes with practice. I can help you to learn how to train to reach your goals. That takes practice, too, but this book will make the process a lot faster and a lot easier.

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3

This book is structured a bit dierently than most ebooks

surplus to gain muscle, getting good nutrition around your

that just give you a simple program to follow. That’s be-

workout, and so on. I’ve also included a diet template in

cause everyone is dierent! Especially when it comes to

the spreadsheet that might help you get started, but unlike

building muscle, the diet and training strategies you’ll have

the training program, the diet is just a guide. It won’t work

to employ to reach your full potential will very likely be dif-

for everyone, you’ll denitely need to adjust it to t your

ferent than the ones I use, or the ones anyone else uses.

body and your lifestyle, and if you’re an outlier who needs an outrageously high or low number of calories to grow,

Don’t worry: there is a detailed, 16-week p rogram for build-

the spreadsheet numbers might be way o base. Still, for

ing size and strength included with Think Big. It’s in the

most people, it’s a starting point.

spreadsheet that came with thi s book, and I encourage you to glance over it before before you read any any further. In fact, you

That’s all the info you you should need to dive in. Good luck,

could probably just jump right into training without read-

train hard, and Think Strong!

ing the book, but I think you’ll be much better o under standing some of the principles behind the program. In particular, you’ll have many opportunities to choose which exercises you’d like to perform, and this book will help you choose appropriately. It will also explain the best style of training to use for dierent types of exercises, and how to structure your diet to support your training.

And man, when it comes to diet -- everyone is so dierent that it’s very hard to make recommendations that apply to everyone. One 200-pound guy might need four, ve, even 6,000 calories to grow; another guy with the same size and structure might only need 2500. In fact, even the same person can have dierent caloric requirements dur ing dierent times in his life, based on training age, activity levels, metabolism, and a whole host of other complicating factors. And that’s just calories! We’ve got to consider macros, too: some people respond well to high-carb diets, others don’t. The same goes for fat and protein.

So it’s complicated. Still, I’ve tried to focus focus on the points that do apply to (almost) everyone: eating a small caloric

4

Ben

THE SECRET TO GETTING BIG AND STRONG Let’s explore this idea of eciency a little more. Strength training has come a long way since the days of legends like Eugen Sandow and even John Grimek. Modern powerlifting protocols often call for scarily complex systems of sets, reps, and percentages; toplevel bodybuilders use similarly rigorous schedules for the amount and even timing of the foods they eat. Those programs are highly specialized: they’re designed to maximize one’s performance on the platform or appearance on stage.

CHAPTER 1 BUILDING STRENTH & MUSCLE

5

On the other hand, I know a lot of pro powerlifters who laugh at the idea of counting macros; and if you ip open a bodybuilding magazine, most of the training programs list exercises, sets, and reps -- but that’s about it. Plenty of great bodybuilders have never heard of programming principles like using RPEs and couldn’t guess at their 1RMs. Those things  just aren’t important to how they look on stage.

Sports today require this kind of laser-like focus, because they’re so competitive. Look at the dierence between Phil Heath and some random guy who’s been training for a few years: there’s no comparison. It’s the same thing if you compare the numbers of a top powerlifter to a casual gym-goer. The size and symmetry of a Phil Heath and the strength of a Yury Belkin don’t happen accidentally: they’re the result of a very careful, narrowly-dened plan and years of consistency (not to mention one-in-a-billion genetics).

THE PARETO PRINCIPLE: FOCUS ON WHAT WORKS Ever heard of the 80-20 rule? In academic circles, it’s called

20% to really invest yourself in. So many people fail to

the Pareto Principle, and it says, basically, that 80% of your

reach their goals because they waste enormous amounts

results are going to come from 20% of your work. When

of time on the things that don’t matter, and gloss over the

it comes to getting big and strong, that means that 80%

things that do.

of your muscle and strength are coming from 20% of the things you do at the gym: squats, bench presses, and

In Think Big , the goal is to maximize size and strength, and

deadlifts. All the other curls, pushdowns, rows, ab circuits,

that balance requires eciency. So, as much as possible,

handstand tricks -- all that other stu only adds up to 20%

we’ll spend our eorts on that 20% that will produce big

of your gains.

results. We’ll touch on a little from the remaining 80%, but the emphasis is always on bang for the training and diet

This is fantastic news if you want to get really big and really

buck.

strong, really quickly. Go take a look at a picture of Heath or a video of Belkin lifting, and imagine 80% of that. Now

BUILDING MUSCLE

put them together. Not bad, huh? The secret to getting

The rest of this chapter explains some of the theory behind

there -- or somewhere close -- is just nding the right

that 20% -- in other words, it’s getting at why we’re investcontact: [email protected] l elitefts.com/author/ben-pollack

6

ing our time and energy the way we are. Honestly, it’s not

MACRONUTRIENT BREAKDOWN

strictly necessary to read this chapter to be able to use the program and follow the diet eectively, but I do think it’s worthwhile. The better you understand the reasoning behind what you’re doing, the better you’re able to respond skillfully when life gets in the way of your plan.

If you’re not already familiar with them, you’ve probably at least heard about macros: the carbs, protein, and fats (and alcohol) that make up the caloric content of food. “Macros” is short for “macronutrients,” but food also has micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, that aect your body

Still with me? Good. Then let’s get into some diet basics.

How many times have you heard the skinny guy at your gym complain about how he just can’t gain weight, no matter how much he eats? It’s a common problem -- but most of the time, the problem is between the ears. Everyone can eat enough to gain weight. The trick is eating to gain quality weight: lots of muscle and not a lot of fat.

Unfortunately, nobody really agrees on the best way to do that. Fad diets, gimmicks, supplements, and science all promise to be the secret answer, but the truth is that everyone is dierent, and so there’s no one secret for ev eryone. That’s why, in Think Big we’ll take a more wholistic approach: it’s not ashy, but it will help you get big enough, strong enough, and to learn enough about your body to nd your secret.

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as well.

For the most part, we’re only concerned about macronutrients. Micronutrients become important when you’re at the elite level of powerlifting or bodybuilding and need to cut signicant amounts of water weight or prepare to get on stage. Otherwise, they don’t matter too much (with the exception of sodium, which we’ll talk about later).

Most strength athletes are most concerned with how much protein they consume. Protein is very important: it’s the raw material your body uses to build muscle, so if you don’t have enough of it, you won’t grow. But there’s a catch: most lifters stress about how much total protein they’re getting, without worrying about when they’re getting it. If the body’s not actively working to build muscle, then having an overload of protein won’t help. True, eat-

MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS: BREAKING THEM DOWN There are no “right” and “wrong” diets -- just diets that work and those that don’t. That’s why there’s such a broad range of macros listed in the table below. kcal per gram

g per kg BW

% of total cals

z

Carbohydrates (protein sparing, energy for training)

4

3-5

33-50%

z

Protein (muscle building)

4

2-3

20-33%

z

Fats (hormone production, essential function)

9

varies

20-33%

ing a ton of protein helps maximize the chances that your

better; and they are protein-sparing, meaning that if your

body will have it when it’s needed, but it also increases the

body has carbs, it won’t use proteins as a source of energy

chances of adding unnecessary bodyfat. In Chapter 2, we’ll

-- leaving that protein to maintain or build muscle.

take a closer look about how to time protein intake for maximum eciency.

The Think Big  diet follows a balanced approach to macros: we won’t restrict carbs, protein, or fats. If your goal is to

When it comes to the debate between carbohydrates and

step on a bodybuilding stage, this might not be the right

fats, the most outspoken voices usually favor an extreme

approach for you, but for someone who wants get big and

stance: either a high-carb or cyclical carb diet; or a strictly

get strong, this type of balance is absolutely crucial. The

low-carb or ketogenic approach. Here’s the deal: both can

combination of volume and intensity in the training pro-

work. The most important aspect of weight loss or weight

gram means that, if you’re following a restricted diet, you’ll

gain is total caloric intake, and that can be managed using

probably start to drag early on in your daily workouts, and

any macronutrient approach. However, some people tend

we don’t want that.

to feel better with a moderate- or high-carb intake; and others feel better on a higher-fat diet.

MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS You need both to gain muscle. Fats help the body per-

We’re taking a balanced approach, but your macronutri -

form several important functions, including tissue growth

ent ratios still matter. If you’re eating too little protein, for

and hormone production. Carbohydrates are your body’s

example, your body won’t have the raw material needed

most important energy source. They provide the fuel you

to build muscle when it’s ready. But eat too much, and

need for the intense training in this program, they rell

your body won’t have a good use for it -- so it’ll get stored

glycogen stores, making your muscles feel fuller and work

as body fat. The same is true when it comes to carbohy-

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On the other end of the spectrum, you have those that

This is where fats come in. We’ll adjust your carbohydrate

claim 2 or even 3 grams of protein per pound of body-

and fat intake so that we meet the following goals:

weight is necessary. That’s roughly 4-6 grams per kilo, or 750% more than the studies recommended. Very few

•

Your total number of calories slightly exceeds

people will respond well to such an extremely high pro-

your baseline (to provide extra nutrition needed for

tein intake. The ideal amount is somewhere in the middle;

muscle growth)

more progressive researchers suggest that 1-1.5 grams of

•

protein per pound of bodyweight (2-3 grams per kilo) is

bodyweight range

ideal for those looking to add gain amounts of muscle and

•

strength. That’s the number we’ll use.

than 33% of your total caloric intake. Twenty percent

Your carb intake falls in the 3-5 grams per kilo of

Your fat intake makes up at least 20% but no more

is about the minimum necessary to see the benets Thankfully, the studies regarding carbohydrate intake are

of fats that we discussed earlier, but this wiggle room

much clearer. They show, pretty convincingly, that 3-5

gives us the exibility to make sure you’re also getting

grams of carbs per kilo of bodyweight is ideal for mus-

the necessary amount of carbohydrates.

cular growth. Now, that’s obviously a pretty big range: if you weigh 100 kilos, for example (about 220 pounds), you

Don’t worry if this nutrition stu sounds complicated --

could be eating anywhere from 300 to 500 grams of carbo-

we’ll cover all of this in much more detail in Chapter 2.

hydrates per day.

“IF YOU WANT TO LOOK MUSCULAR AND BE STRONG, YOU NEED TO EAT RIGHT AND TRAIN SMART.” 9

BUILDING STRENGTH

The good news is, after the alarm phase passes, your body “supercompensates” for the stress you put it through, and

When it comes to building muscle, nutrition is king, but if you want to look muscular and be strong, you’ll need to eat right and train smart. Periodization is the key to strength. Periodization guides every eective strength-training program. In fact, the “discovery” of periodization by Soviet sci-

you end up stronger than before the workout! Your next workout should be during the supercompensation phase, so that you can take advantage of that extra strength. (It doesn’t last forever — if you stop stressing your body, you’ll end up right back where you started. That’s undertraining.

entist Lev Pavlovich Matveyev in the 1960s revolutionized training for nearly every sport. If you want to succeed as a lifter, you must understand at least the basics of periodization.

All of this occurs in the short term — after one stressful event, like a workout or a competition. Periodization explains how the whole thing works in the long term, and it’s a little dierent. Our long term goal is to string together as

Basically, periodization describes how the body reacts to the stress of training in the medium- to long-term. (Remember, stress refers to progressive overload: lifting more

many workouts in the supercompensation phase as possible. To do that, we have to essentially repeat two things, over and over again:

weight than you did last time.) It’s built on a theory called general adaptation syndrome.

Here’s the jist of it: when you train with progressive over-

1.

Stress the body with progressive overload

2.

Give the body enough time (but not too much

time) to recover from that stress

load, your body freaks out a little. You might feel sore, tired, or sleepy for a day after lifting heavy or even for a week or more after competing — that’s the alarm phase. During the alarm phase, your body is weaker than it was before you trained. If you push too hard during this phase, you make things worse. Your body can’t recover, and you start down the road to overtraining. This is why, when you have a bad workout, it’s important to back o and not keep pushing yourself even harder. Even though it might make you feel better mentally to persevere, it’s only going to hurt your progress. (Keep in mind that, as a beginner, sometime it’s tough to distingu ish being in the alarm phase from  just “not feeling it” on a particular day. In the latter situation, you do need to push through. This is where having a coach is helpful!)

There’s one problem with that. If you’ve ever tried to, for example, add ve pounds to your 10-rep squat PR every week, you know that (unless you’re just beginning) you can’t keep it up for very long before you only get 9 reps in a set, or even just 7 or 8. Say your 10-rep squat PR is 250 pounds. Maybe you push yourself really hard and manage 255x10. And the next week you do the same thing and get 260x10! But then on the third week, even though you gave it 100%, you can only squeak out 265x9. And that’s super frustrating, so the next week after that you go for 270 anyway and this time only get 7 reps. Now you’re really pissed o so the following week you try 275, even though your body isn’t having it, and you only get 3. Now you’re so discouraged you just say fuck it and decide to take up

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bodybuilding or video games instead.

Here’s the secret to strength: Matveyev explained that, with regard to stress on the body, there should be an inverse relationship between volume (the number of reps you do in a workout) and intensity (the percentage of your one-rep max that you use). So, like we saw with the squat example, as you add more weight and get closer to your one-rep max, you can perform fewer reps. But if you stay within a given level of volume for a while, when you decrease that level of volume, you’ll be able to lift at a higher intensity than you would have otherwise.

So imagine that instead of trying to start out your program at 255x10, you started light, with 225 for 3 sets of 10. And the next week you did 230 for 3x10, and then 235 for 3x10, and then the next week you got 240 for 2 sets of 10 and one set of 8. And instead of getting discouraged, you took that as a cue to drop the volume a bit, and up the intensity. The next week maybe you do 255 for 4 sets of 5, and then 260 for 4 sets of 5, all the way up to 275 for maybe 3 sets of 5 and one set of 3. But look at what happened — instead of only doing 7 reps with 275, you did 18! And instead of getting frustrated, you’ve built momentum, and you keep it up. You go to 285 for 3 sets of 3, and then 290, and then 295, and then 300. Now you’re doing nearly the same number of reps with 300 (9 reps) as you could do with one set of 250 when you started out three months ago. And if and when you decide to test your 1 rep squat max, it will be a lot higher than if you had kept banging your head against the wall trying to just add weight every week.

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THE PHASES OF PERIODIZATION

Finally, in the peaking phase, you prime your body to perform at its maximum. This phase is generally shorter, prob-

There’s another catch: you can’t just choose your levels of volume and intensity at random. The next section will get into choosing your volume and intensity in more detail, but for now, let’s look at the four broad categories of levels: hypertrophy, strength, peaking, and rest (these are often called a whole lot of crazy names like “transmutation,” “realization,” “explogasm,” etc., but I like these ones better.)

ably 4 weeks, and you won’t be building as much strength or muscle as in the other two phases. Your two goals here are to practice keeping good form and building condence using near-max weights, and giving your body enough rest so that you can be sure you’re in that supercompensation sweet spot leading up to your meet. The peaking phases uses more than 90% of your 1RM for fewer than 10 reps.

Each phase lasts roughly 4-8 weeks, depending on your goals and schedule, except for the rest phase (1-2 weeks).

Technically, the rest phase is optional, but it’s a good idea to take a week or two o to give your mind and body a

In the hypertrophy phase, the primary goal i s to build muscle. If you have more muscle, you can lift heavier weights! If you’re already very muscular and don’t want to move up a weight class, you’ll probably spend less time in the hyper-

short break after a big competition or even just a very stressful training cycle (if you choose not to compete). Do something dierent, like crosstraining, or even just rest completely.

trophy phase, but it still has benets: you give your body and mind a break from very heavy weights, and you can

UNDULATING PERIODIZATION

use that break to address imbalances or technique aws. In the hypertrophy phase, you’ll use roughly 55-75% of your 1RM for 12-30 total repetitions.

Some studies have shown that there are advantages to combining multiple phases of periodization in a single week -- for instance, training for hypertrophy one day and

In the strength phase, the goal is to build strength. Obviously, that’s always the goal, and we’re still building strength in the other phases, too -- just like we’re building muscle in the other phases. But generally it’s a little easier to add weight to your lifts when you’re using less volume than in the hypertrophy phase, and working at a lower in-

for strength the next. For the typical person, this type of setup is very demanding, because the overall volume and intensity still need to progress in the same fashion as with “standard” periodization; and because it requires a fairly high training frequency to work successfully (more on that later).

tensity than in the peaking phase. There’s some other stu going on here, too: you’ll start to benet from nervous system adaptation, and you’ll have a chance to continue practicing any technique changes you made in the hypertrophy phase before dealing with very heavy loads. This phase typically uses 75-90% of your 1RM for 10-20 total reps.

When it comes to getting big and strong, though, there are denitely benets that come from training with light er weights and higher reps throughout an entire training cycle, not just in the hypertrophy phase. So the Think Big program incorporates some of the concepts of undulating periodization, in the form of assistance and supplemental

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sets. You can read more about those in Chapter 3. For

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

now, just know that, while periodization seems very simple on the surface, there are nuances (things that fall in the 80% eort/20% results range) that can be useful, so we’ll take advantage of a few of them.

The rest of the book discusses in more detail exactly how these theories can come together in a simple, brutally effective training and diet methodology that produces extraordinary results. In Chapter 2, we’ll cover the principles

FREQUENCY

of the Think Big  diet, and how to choose which foods to eat, when, and how much -- as well as a few tips and tricks to

Volume and intensity form the cornerstone of periodization, but frequency -- the number of times you perform a lift or train a bodypart in a given week -- can aect your progress, even when everything else is equal. This might seem a little confusing at rst, but basically, doing 3 sets of 10, twice a week, is usually better than doing 6 sets of 10 once a week. Put a little more simply: you’re more likely

take your physique to the next level. Chapter 3 explains the Think Big training program, and how we’ll progress on the heavy lifts without neglecting any of the smaller muscle groups, like the arms and shoulders. And, since nothing is ever entirely straightforward, Chapter 4 contains some strategies for overcoming the plateaus that can keep you from achieving your goals.

to gain more strength and build more muscle by training more often.

Again, if you’re not all that interested in why the method works, feel free to skip to the end and check out the actual

By now, it should be no surprise that the secret lies in nding balance between training more often and not of ten enough. If more were always better, the biggest and

program and meal plan. You can always jump right in, but in my opinion, you’ll be able to train and eat more eec tively if you take the time to read on.

strongest people in the world woul d train 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Obviously, that’s not the case: everyone has a limited ability to recover, and once that limit is exceeded, training does more harm than good.

There’s no easy way to nd your ideal frequency for train ing, especially because -- like with volume and intensity -- it often changes over time. However, for many people, training the upper body twice per week and the lower body twice per week is a good place to start. In fact, that’s where we’ll start for Think Big, but in t his program, we’ll change up the training frequency over time to keep the gains coming.

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YOU WANT SIZE, NOT SQUISH. You’ve probably heard the saying about how bodybuilding is 80% diet. That’s not quite true -- but diet is probably the single biggest factor in determining how you look, assuming you’re following a halfway decent program. (And if you’re using the Think Big program, you’ve got training covered way better than that!)

CHAPTER 2 GROWING MUSCLE & STAYING LEAN

14

“LET’S BE HONEST: NO ONE WANTS TO LOOK FAT.”

Since this book is about powerbuilding, we’ll focus exclusively on gaining size. This is not a weight-loss diet strategy! Let’s be honest, though: no one just cares about size. No one wants to look big and fat when they could be big and shredded. We want quality size: hard, lean, functional muscle with as little fat as possible. That’s a lot trickier than just getting big, but it’s not impossible. In fact, with a good nutrition strategy and a good training program, it’s almost easy.

FOOD CHOICES

DIET IS THE KEY TO LEAN GAINS But it’s not 80% of the equa-

For most people, choosing the right foods to eat will make a huge impact on

tion. You won’t get the size and

your physique -- far more than any macro breakdown, meal plan timing, or

strength you want without a

whatever other complicated strategy Internet gurus rave about.

combination of diet and training.

Here’s the deal: everyone is dierent. So unless you’re working closely with a qualied coach, you can only gure out what balance of macros works for you contact: [email protected] l elitefts.com/author/ben-pollack

15

by experimenting. Deciding you’re going to rock a keto diet, or carb cycle, or whatever only works if your body responds well to that strategy. And it’s dicult to maintain rigid macro plans when you go out to eat with friends or are traveling.

Other plans, like intermittent fasting and carb backloading, claim that it doesn’t matter what you eat as long as you time your meals carefully. To an extent, that’s true: total caloric intake does determine weight loss or gain. But in more practical terms, there are some big problems with strict meal timing. First, it’s almost impossible to accurately estimate your caloric intake when you’re essentially bingeing every day. Second, if you’re at all concerned about strength, it’s important to be well fed before and after a workout. Most importantly, who the fuck only wants to eat once a day?

Here’s a better idea: don’t eat like an asshole. That just means choose healthier, less-processed foods that are a bit higher in protein. Yeah, everyone is dierent, and some people can get that Greek god physique while pounding chips and guac at Sunday brunch. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you were that person, chances are, you wouldn’t be read-

DON’T EAT LIKE AN ASSHOLE. ing this book right now. On the other hand, smart food choices make it easy to control your caloric intake. As a bonus, they’re usually lower in the types of fats and additives that can sometimes make you feel sluggish in the gym. Not sure what the right choices are? No problem. Go check out the appropriate tab in the Think Big spreadsheet, and you’ll see that you have plenty of options.

From there, it’s just about tracking your changes. Look: I’m not a big fan of counting every calorie you eat and recording all that data online. If you are, great -- do that. It works. But I don’t have the time or patience for it. I think the easiest way to track your progress is just by weighing yourself regularly. It’s best to weigh yourself once per week, because daily uctuations in water weight can make patterns hard to notice. My weight can uctuate as much as ten pounds in a day, and obviously no one can gain ten pounds of muscle or lose ten pounds of fat in so little time.

Body weight isn’t necessarily the best measure of progress, though, because that number doesn’t tell you if you’re achiev ing your goals or if you’re actually gaining fat and losing muscle instead. There’s two ways to tackle this problem. One

16

is to also measure your body composition, either using calipers or a more advanced (and expensive) method like hydrostatic weighing or DEXA. That was you can specically track muscle gain and fat loss. Unfortunately, body composition measurements are often inaccurate, and a small discrepancy in testing between measurements can be enough to make them practically worthless.

FEELING A LITTLE OVERWHELMED? Don’t stress. It’s a lot to process, and

Again, I like to keep things simple. In addition to the number on the scale,

that’s why Think Big includes a fully-

I ask myself two questions: Do I look better in the mirror? And am I getting

customizeable spreadsheet to help

stronger? If the answer to both those questions is yes, and the scale’s mov-

you design the perfect diet plan to t

ing in the right direction, I know for sure that I’m making good progress.

your needs.

 Just follow the instructions in the

GAINING MUSCLE

spreadsheet to get a template for a

First things rst: it’s important to start gaining muscle at the right time. Sor-

high-carb or low-carb diet, set up for

ry, but if you’re already 20% bodyfat, eating to gain more size isn’t going to

training and rest days. Be careful! If

make you look better, it’s just going to make you look fat. So, if that’s the

you’ve got some crazy caloric re-

case, spend some time cutting down into the 12% range before you worry

quirements for growth, you’ll prob-

about getting big. Personally, I prefer to stick around 10%; I feel better a bit

ably have to adjust the baseline

leaner and have a better appetite, but this is individual. Go with what makes

numbers a bit to t your body.

you comfortable.

It’s for Training, too Throw your 1-rep maxes into the

REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR THE EASY WINS. There’s no reason to stress over perfecting your macro intakes when you could just eat healthier and make better progress.

training tab of the included spreadsheet, and you’ll get a program preset to account for your current level of strength. Don’t know your numbers? You can estimate them using the 1-rep max calculator available here.

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HOW MUCH TO EAT

WHAT TO EAT

Once you’re ready to start gaining, the rst st ep is to gure

We’ve already covered the importance of not eating like an

out where you are now. If you’re like me, that’s easy. I eat

asshole, and that should still be your rst step in diet revi-

pretty much the same foods every day -- I don’t get bored

sion. But there are other, also-important things you can do

and I don’t have a lot of time to devote to meal prep, so

to help address common problems.

that works very well for me. Other people prefer lots of variety, and that’s totally ne, but it will take you a bit lon-

First, if you have trouble eating enough, chances are, you’re

ger to gure out where you’re at. Regardless, here’s how

 just not trying hard enough. You might have to force your-

to start:

self to eat for a couple of days or even weeks, but if you’re persistent and careful, you’ll adjust to eating more. Do not You need to track your total caloric intake for at

miss meals! Skipping a meal might make you feel better

least 3, and preferably 5 days. Sign up for a free ac-

in the short term, but it will make it that much harder for

count at a food-tracking website and start logging.

your body to get used to eating more. Struggling? Check

2.

out the “tip” in Chapter 4 for a little inspiration.

1.

Make sure the days you track include both training

and non-training days. At the end of 3-5 days, you should know how

You can also make things easier on yourself my choosing

many calories and how many grams of carbs, protein,

more nutrient-dense foods. These are foods that pack lots

and fats you ate each day. Average these (add them up

of calories into a small volume of food. Easy example: can

and divide by the number of days you tracked).

you eat more calories in rice cakes or rice? Unless you real-

4.

ly love rice cakes, the answer is obviously rice. One cup of

3.

Note if you ate more or less on training days com -

pared to o days.

rice has more calories than an entire package of rice cakes, so it’s far easier to get calories from the former. Check out

Now, we’re trying to gain weight, so take whatever number

the list of food suggestions in the spreadsheet for more

you came up with for total calories, and add 10%. So if you

examples of nutrient-dense choices (sorry, McDonald’s

were eating 2000 calories per day, bump that up to 2200; if

doesn’t count as nutrient dense).

you were eating 4000 before, now you’re at 4400. Simple, right?

WHEN TO EAT When you eat isn’t as important as what you eat, but there

It should be, and if you’re not too concerned about body

are some easy ways you can minimize fat gain as you add

composition, you can stop here. Stick with the new, higher-

slabs of muscle. Again, we’re going for eciency here: if

calorie diet until you stop gaining, then add another 10%,

you’re exhausting yourself by following an overly restric-

and so on, until you reach your goals. This is a perfectly

tive diet, you won’t have the energy to sink into heavy bar-

ne method, although it can be improved. If you’re really

bell training.

set on adding muscle with as little fat as possible, read on. 18

CIRCA-WORKOUT NUTRITION What you eat before, during, and after your workout is important because what you eat during those times fuels your training and is your number-one opportunity for muscle building.

z

1-2 hours before training (a meal that will keep you feeling full)

z

During training: EAA/carbohydrate mix

z

Immediatley after training: easily digested carbs & protein

z

1-2 hours after training (another “real” meal)

carbs

protein

fats

high

moderate

moderate

moderate

n/a

n/a

high

moderate

very low

moderate

moderate

low

Circa-Workout Nutrition

tial amino acids (EAAs) mixed with carbohydrate pow-

Your rst step should be to look at what you’re eating

der. I recommend Recovery Factor X from Granite Sup-

around you workouts. I recommend trying to eat about

plements: it’s formulated by IFBB pro bodybuilder and

50% of your daily allotment of carbohydrates in the space

legendary bodybuilding coach, John Meadows, and has

from 2 hours before until 2 hours after your workout.

everything you need for the course of a training session. Use 1-2 scoops depending on your size. More on

That might seem like a lot at rst, but let’s break it down:

this in the Supplement section. 3.

1.

As soon as you nish your training, slam a protein

About 2 hours before you train, have a solid-food

shake with 20 grams of quality protein powder and 60-

meal that’s roughly 60-70% carbs, 20-30% protein, and

100 grams of carbs. I actually drink this in the middle

10% fats. My go-to: pancakes, oatmeal, and 2 whole

of my workout, as soon as I’ve nished my heavy train -

eggs. Find something that doesn’t sit heavy on your

ing for the day and am about to start on my accessory

stomach but will keep you from feeling depleted dur-

work. That way, I’m hungry again by the time I’ve n-

ing a 2-hour workout.

ished training and can immediately eat again.

2.

4.

When you get to the gym, start sipping on essen-

Within 2 hours of nishing your workout, eat

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19

NEED SUPPS? USE CODE POLLACK10 FOR 10% OFF GRANITESUPPLEMENTS.COM

another solid-food meal that’s moderate in carbohy-

you’re better o sticking with what feels right (at least

drates, with at least 20-30 grams of protein and mini-

in this case).

mal fats.

•

Your sleep: sleep is extremely important to recov-

ery! If you nd that you have diculty sleeping after a Breaking it down like this will make it easy to get in all the

meal, then adjust your meal timing so that you’re not

calories, carbs, and protein you need, and you can easily

eating with an hour or two of bedtime. On the other

adjust the amounts to t your own m acro goals for the day.

hand, if a full stomach helps you sleep, make sure to allocate some of your calories for the evening.

Time Between Meals Conventional bodybuilding knowledge says that you

Carb Frontloading 

should have no more than 2-3 hours between meals. This

You might have heard about carb backloading, which is

is a good guideline for most people. However, everyone

essentially binging on carbohydrates before bed. Carb

is dierent. Here are some things to keep in mind when

frontloading is dierent. You’re simply trying to eat all of

planning your meal timing:

your carbs for the day in the earlier hours of the morning and afternoon, and eating more proteins and fats later at

•

Your schedule: if you’ve got an extremely busy

night. If you train later in the day, that’s no problem: have

schedule, then yeah, you could make time to slam a

carbs with breakfast, and then around your workout as de-

protein shake or sneak to the bathroom to eat some

scribed in the previous section.

chicken out of a Tupperware container -- but it’s not absolutely necessary. If it’s more convenient for you

There are two purposes to carb frontloading. Unlike circa-

to eat every 4 hours than every 2-3, that’s not a deal-

workout nutrition, carb frontloading is unlikely to have a

breaker. Do not let yourself go an entire day without

direct and signicant impact on body composition or mus -

food, though. Consider 4 hours the upper limit on meal

cle growth. However, it can have pretty substantial indirect

timing, and if you have any doubt about your ability to

impacts:

get a meal in during that time, carry a protein shake or some other easy food source with you during your day.

First, most people tend to feel a little more energetic when

•

Your digestion: if you’re eating larger meals, or if

they’re following a higher-carb diet. Is this always the case?

meals tend to sit in your stomach a while, you might

Of course not. But assuming you’re not following an ex-

not want to eat every 2-3 hours because it causes you

tremely low-carb diet -- which would make gaining muscle

to feel uncomfortable. That’s okay -- again, remember

practically impossible -- then it makes good sense to eat

that we’re trying to focus on the 20% that gives the

the majority of your carbohydrates earlier in the day, when

most gains. In this case, the 20% is eating the right

you tend to be more active.

foods and the right amount of foods; if you feel more comfortable eating 3-4 meals per day instead of 5-6,

21

More importantly, everyone has a nite amount of will-

power. Carb frontloading helps to structure your diet in a way that reduces the temptation to mindless pound some cereal or candy late at night, when you’re already exhausted from daily activities.

Is carb frontloading necessary? Absolutely not. At this point, we’re dealing with minor changes that can make some dierence, but not huge ones.

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22

SUPPLEMENTS WHERE TO START

Z

CREATINE: 10 GRAMS PER DAY

Creatine is absolutely essential.

Z

ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS: PREWORKOUT

Z

PROTEIN: IIFYM

It

EAAs (together with training and good

Protein isn’t strictly a supplement

will help you train harder and recover

circa-workout nutrition) will signal

in my opinion, but it is a convenient

faster. Yes, it might cause you to gain

your body to start building muscle

food source for people on the go.

a few pounds of water weight, but

and provide the raw materials neces-

Don’t rely on it exclusively, though.

that’s nothing to worry about.

sary to do so.

OTHER COOL STUFF Preworkout stimulants, pump enhancers, and intra-workout carbohydrate blends are all valuable additions to your training and diet. Just be aware of two things: rst, supplements will never replace training and diet, and second, there’s a lot of bullshit out there. Most over-the-counter testosterone boosters, for example, aren’t going to get you any extra muscle or strength.

23

CHEAT MEALS

And again, remember that a cheat meal is a tool. You should try to use it to get some extra protein and good

This is the section you were waiting for, right? Cheat meals are a great tool for building muscle, but it’s important to remember that they’re just tools. They’re not excuses to let your diet go to shit, and they’re not something you should incorporate into your plan haphazardly.

calories, so choose accordingly: fresh meats and healthy carbs and fat are your best bets. Ice cream and candy probably aren’t going to help your body grow, but hitting up some barbecue or sushi very well might. I’m not saying that you should be super strict here -- that would defeat the purpose of using the cheat meal as a physical and

For starters, I’m not a big proponent of regular cheat meals while trying to gain muscle and not in a caloric decit. It’s a dierent story when you’re trying to lose fat: cheat meals

mental break. But remember the rst rule of dieting: don’t eat like an asshole. That still applies, even when you’re cheating.

can really help you to maintain your metabolism and keep up intense training during the later stages of a diet.

Finally, binging until you’re about to burst isn’t healthy or productive. Eat until you’re satised, not until you’re one

Since that’s not the case here, we’ll go by feel for cheat meals. Personally, I like to save my cheat meals for special occasions or travel, but there are plenty of other good, productive reasons to deviate from your regular foods. If you’re feeling mentally or physically drained from intense

bite away from a diabetic coma. An easy way to self-moderate here is to just eat slowly, not shovel food down your throat like you were trying to win Nathan’s Hot-Dog Eating Contest. But there’s no need to track your calories or macros when you’re having a cheat meal.

training, for example, cheat meals can be a nice way to regain some enthusiasm. Or if you have weak points that

SUPPLEMENTS

you want to emphasize, plan a cheat meal for the night before the training session that you feel needs the most improvement. (So, if your back is weak, take your cheat meal around your back & biceps day.)

Supplementation is one of my favorite and least-favorite topics to discuss. You see, I’m a supplement junkie myself -- I practically live on EAAs and preworkout -- but supplements are just what they sound like. They’re extras. And

Let the mirror and your measurements guide your frequency: if you’re gaining too much bodyfat for your preferences, cut back on the number of cheat meals.

yet I know so many people who rely on them as if some supplement could make up for a bad diet or bad training. Supplements will never make or break your progress, but they can help, and some (like creatine) can help a whole

One important caveat: do not use cheat meals as an emo-

lot.

tional crutch. This can be tempting for many people, but it’s important you look for healthier ways to deal with stress that isn’t imposed by your training.

The supplement industry is a billions-dollar business, so there’s a lot of bullshit out there, and even choosing a brand of creatine or protein can seem overwhelming.

24

You’ve probably noticed the ads for Granite Supplements

cause they work, they taste great and they are very aord -

in this book -- they’re here because Granite is one of the

able. I put 2 scoops of Granite’s Adamantium Aminos into

very few companies I trust for my own supplements, and

my intra-workout shake, and sip on another 2-3 scoops

so if you are having trouble choosing a brand, you won’t go

spread out throughout the day. That much isn’t necessary,

wrong with them.

although I feel it works well for me. If you want to try EAAs, though, I do recommend that you m ake sure to take a dose

Creatine

that provides at least 6 grams of leucine during your work-

If you’re only getting one supplement, it should be cre-

out to see the maximum benets.

atine. Creatine is proven to safely and eectively increase strength and weight and is absolutely necessary for a pow-

Stimulants

erlifter. I take 15-20 grams of creatine every day, split up

Stimulants are my absolute favorite kind of supplement.

into two doses to avoid stomach problems. Most studies

They’re also my least favorite. That’s because stimulants

suggest that only 5-10 grams of creatine are necessary,

are a double-edged sword, in more ways than one. You’re

but I have found that a hi gher intake produces much more

probably familiar with the crash that accompanies most

noticeable results. There are many, many dierent forms

energy drinks -- and, while that sucks, it’s not such a big

of creatine available, but the “standard,” creatine monohy-

problem. Just choose a product that doesn’t leave you feel-

drate, is just as good as any of the fancier variations, and

ing crashed, or make sure to use it after you’ve nished

much less expensive. I don’t cycle creatine.

most of your tasks for the day.

Essential Amino Acids

The bigger problem with many stimulants involves their ef-

Next on the list are essential amino acids. Note that these

fect on training. You know this deal, too: you take a double

are a little bit dierent than branched-chain amino acids.

scoop of preworkout, crush your training session, and are

Amino acids are the compounds that make up protein; the

riding high -- until the next day, when you feel like a train

three branched-chain amino acids are leucine, isoleucine,

wreck. Same thing the day after that. In fact, it might be

and valine. BCAAs work: leucine in particular signals your

two or three days until you’re feeling good again, and in the

body to produce muscle, so even taking leucine alone --

meantime, your training suers.

especially around a workout -- can be benecial. However, your body needs more than just leucine and the other

Stimulants don’t directly wreck your training, but they do

BCAAs for proper functioning and muscle building. In fact,

make it very dicult to gauge what you’re capable of and

there are eight essential amino acids that your body can’t

how hard you’re working. As a result, taking too many

produce on its own -- you have to get them from some ex-

stimulants causes many people to overreach in their train-

ternal source!

ing, and to have diculty recovering in short term. Sustained use can even lead to overtraining.

Personally, I supplement with huge amounts of EAAs, be-

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25

Pump Enhancers

culty eating enough food to grow. Are they necessary?

Another one of my favorites. In the powerlifting world, a

Absolutely not -- again, no supplement is going to make or

lot of people will tell you that the pump doesn’t matter --

break your progress.

and that’s half true. You can get strong without getting a huge pump every time you train.

I use protein powder sparingly: in my postworkout shake, and if I’m in a rush. Protein powder isn’t “worse” than

But most guys don’t want to just get strong -- they want

other lean protein sources, like chicken breast, tuna, or

to get big and strong. And the pump is absolutely crucial

egg whites, but I’d caution you to not rely exclusively upon

for muscle growth. A pump drives blood into the muscles

protein powders in your diet. They do lack some of the

you’re training, delivering nutrients and helping them ex-

valuable micronutrients that are present in the other foods

pand. Is it temporary? Sure, in the short term. In the long

mentioned. Like everything else, it’s all about balance.

term, huge pumps lead to growth. Again, my go-to pump product comes from Granite Supplements: Arc Reactor’s

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

ingredients are proven to be safe and eective, plus Arc

Don’t forget: the purpose of all these diet strategies is to

Reactor contains just a few stimulants -- enough to get you

fuel your training and provide enough for recovery and

going for a good workout, but not so many that you’ll end

muscle buidling without eating so much that you also build

up burning out as described above.

a lot of fat. That’s why so much emphasis is placed on timing carbs around your training session and restricting

 Just a side note: even if you’re not training for size, a pump

carbs at other times; and on using the right supplements

can still be benecial. A light pumping workout after a

to support your training. Even your cheat meals can be

heavy training day can reduce soreness. And getting a

used as tools to get in better training. At the end of the

good pump can help you feel your muscles working better,

day, it’s often hard to get a feel for exactly   how well your

and over time help you form a better mind-muscle con-

diet is working when you’re gaining weight (it’s much easier

nection. That mind-muscle connection is crucial in activat-

when you’re dieting). Training, however, is a much more

ing the appropriate muscle groups when you’re perform-

obvious metric: if your numbers are going up, you’re doing

ing heavy compound lifts like the squat, bench press, and

the right things.

deadlift.

Protein Protein is last on the list because I don’t really consider it a supplement -- it’s a food. Protein powders are just a convenient way to get more protein and more calories in your diet. They’re extremely helpful if you’re pressed for time and can’t sit down to eat a meal; or if you have dif-

26

In the next chapter, we’ll learn how to make sure your numbers are going up. Read on.

DIET & TRAINING GO HAND-IN-HAND. In Chapter 1, I explained the importance of managing the three primary variables of training: volume, intensity, and frequency. This chapter takes those concepts and goes a step further, arranging them in a form that you’re probably more comfortable with: the weekly split. Instead of just throwing the program in your face, I break down exactly how the dierent pieces t together (with a few exceptions -- I gotta keep some secrets for my personal clients).

CHAPTER 3 TRAINING FOR SIZE & STRENGTH

27

Remember, the diet in Think Big  is one of those pieces. The

can buy. Fortunately, they’re competitively priced, as well.

nutrition plan and the training program are synergistic. I

Wrist wraps and either sleeves or wraps to protect your

mentioned before how dicult it can be to gain size while

knees are a good idea, too. That’s all you’ll need to get

following a low-carb diet. It’s even more dicult to do so

started.

while training intensely and with high volume. That’s why it’s important that you have a meal plan, preferably one

You don’t need fancy equipment because the vast majority

that includes circa-workout nutrition and a good supple-

of Think Big  focuses on the big lifts: basic, compound exer-

ment regimen. I’m stressing this point, because if you only

cises that you can load up heavily to build massive strength

follow the training program or the diet, you’ll still have

and add slabs of muscle to your physique. As the next sec-

good results, but following both together is even better.

tion explains, these exercises oer the most bang for the buck, and they transfer well to other exercises. If you can

And, one more time, if you’re not interested in all the ne

bench 500 pounds, you won’t have a problem repping out

details, feel free to skip ahead and just take a look at the

some heavy tricep extensions, even if you don’t do them

nished product in the spreadsheet. The truth is, the Think

very often. Same for squats and deadlifts: I built my legs

Big   program will work just as well regardless of whether

and back almost exclusively through heavy powerlifting.

you understand the principles it’s built on. Even so, isolation exercises have their place, especially

THINK BIG: PROGRAM BASICS

when you’re looking to get big and strong. Isolation exer-

First things rst: to gain size and strength consistently, you

cises help build a balanced body -- one that’s less vulner-

need to use a periodized protocol along with very carefully-

able to injury -- and to add volume to a program without

planned supplemental exercises geared towards hypertro-

signicantly impacting recovery. It’s a lot easier on your

phy. If you didn’t follow that sentence, go back and skim

body to crank out 100 reps of leg extensions than 100 reps

the “building strength” section of Chapter 1, and also the

of squats! Machines often make isolation exercises easier

bit about undulating periodization.

to perform, but if you don’t have access to any, the majority of them can be done using resistance bands or dumb-

Assuming we’re on the same page, the next step is prepar-

bells for the home gym crowd.

ing to train. Most good strength programs don’t need a whole lot of fancy equipment to work right. A good rack and barbell (and plenty of weights) is enough for most of the exercises used in Think Big , so it’s perfect if you train at home or don’t care for machines. For yourself, you’ll need a good, sturdy powerlifting belt. I strongly, strongly recommend that you buy from Pioneer; I’ve used many dier ent belts and, without a doubt, theirs are the best money

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28

THINK BIG THE TRAINING SPLIT SIMPLE IS GOOD You’re training four days per week. Under no circumstances should you try to add a training day: extra work isn’t bene cial, and will probably lead to overtraining. If you’re one of those people who just has to get in the gym, that’s ne: use your extra days to do some cardiovascular work and stretch.

EXERCISE SELECTION In the split below that, except for the primary movements, specic exercises aren’t listed. Instead, you’ll see a movement type, like “vertical press,” or a bodypart, like “shoulders.” For these slots, you’ll have the opportunity to rotate exercsies depending on how you feel on any particular day. All of this is explained in more detail in the rest of this chapter, but at the very least, make sure to check out the Movement Selection page before you start.

DAY 1: SHOULDERS & ARMS Your focus here is on speed and smoothness. Move the bench sets as fast as possible, and keep the tempo up between assistance and supplemental movements. This should be a shorter training session.

29

Purpose

Sets

Reps

Rep Speed

Speed

4-8

2-3

Maximal

z

Primary Movement: Speed Bench Press

z

Assistance Movement: Vertical Press

Hypertrophy

3-5

5-8

311 Tempo

z

Supplemental: Shoulders

Hypertrophy

2-12

10-20+

311 Tempo

z

Supplemental: Arms

Hypertrophy

4-16

10-20+

311 Tempo

DAY 2: LEGS There’s a reason leg day has a reputation as a killer: it’s a long, gruelling session. We use strength sets on deadlift because the risk of injury is higher on that movement unless rep speed is controlled. Purpose

Sets

Reps

Rep Speed

z

Primary Movement: Squat

Strength

1-4

1-6

Controlled

z

Assistance Movement: Deadlift Variation

Strength

1-4

1-6

Controlled

z

Supplemental: Hamstrings (2 exercises)

Hypertrophy

5-20

10-20+

311 Tempo

z

Supplemental: Abs (1 exercise)

Hypertrophy

3-5

10-20+

311 Tempo

DAY 3: CHEST & TRICEPS Optimal bench training varies from person to person. If you think you need more volume, you can train the bench variation slot as a hypertrophy movement, using higher numbers of sets and reps. Purpose

Sets

Reps

Rep Speed

Strength

1-4

1-6

Controlled

Strength/Hypertrophy

1-5

1-8

Controlled

z

Primary Movement: Bench Press

z

Assistance Movement: Bench Variation

z

Supplemental: Pecs (2 exercises)

Hypertrophy

5-18

10-20+

311 Tempo

z

Supplemental: Triceps (1 exercise)

Hypertrophy

4-16

10-20+

311 Tempo

DAY 4: BACK & BICEPS Because deadlifts are so physically and mentally demanding, we start out with speed squats, which should leave you feel ing warm but fresh and ready for some heavy pulls. Purpose

Sets

Reps

Rep Speed

Speed

4-8

2-3

Maximal

Strength

1-4

1-6

Controlled

z

Assistance Movement: Speed Squat Variation

z

Primary Movement: Deadlift

z

Supplemental: Lats (2 exercises)

Hypertrophy

5-20

10-20+

311 Tempo

z

Supplemental: Biceps (1 exercise)

Hypertrophy

4-16

10-20+

311 Tempo

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30

MOVEMENT SELECTION

1.

Safety. If you’re performing the lifts safely, that

generally means you’re keeping a tight core and at Main Movements: Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift  If you’re looking for size or strength, these three lifts are your base builders -- no exceptions. No other full-body lifts -- and they are full-body lifts, if you’re training heavy and using good form -- can be loaded as safely and eectively as these three. If your squat, bench press, and deadlift are increasing you can be 100% condent that you’re getting stronger. And if they’re going up and you’re eating enough, too, you can be 100% condent that you’re building quality muscle.

(or slightly arched, for the bench) back, and that you’re avoiding any imbalances (like knee caving on the squat and deadlift, or elbows shooting out on the bench). 2.

Eectiveness. This generally means that you’re

moving through a full range of motion: squatting to parallel or slightly below, touching your chest on the bench press and locking out fully, and deadlifting from the oor. Safety is always most important! If you can’t move through a full range of motion without pain, then you’re better o with partial lifts. That said, nearly every healthy person should be able to move through a

If you’re a competitive powerlifter, you need to perform these movements to competition standard. (That standard will dier depending on where you compete.) But if

full range of motion. If your ego gets hurt, that’s okay -- don’t squat high or cut your bench short just to load on more weight.

you’re not so worried about competing, and you just want to get big and strong, the details become a lit tle less important. Instead, we’re looking for:

I won’t go through the nuances of technique here. If you need help, check out the free Exercise Index at EliteFTS. com -- all the main and assitance movements in Think Big 

“FOR SIZE AND STRENGTH, THE SQUAT, BENCH, AND DEADLIFT ARE YOUR GO-TOS. NO EXCEPTIONS.” 31

can be found there.

structural issues when you rst start training, you’ll develop some muscles more than others, and those relative

What about other lifts, like the power clean or overhead

weaknesses can really limit your overall strength.

press? Overheads are important for shoulder balance, and they’re included in Think Big. They’re not listed as a main

Assistance lifts help x both problems. There’s an almost

movement because for most people, the overhead press

endless number of variations of the squat, bench press,

is dicult to load heavily while maintaining good form.

and deadlift -- just take a look at the exercise index in the

The power clean is not a good strength or size builder for

back of this book. Those variations help mix things up, but

anyone without experience in Olympic weightlifting. It’s

they can also help address weaknesses. If you struggle

too dicult to perform properly, and so the typical power

with your bench press lockout, you can add some board or

clean resembles some sort of a bastardized reverse curl.

pin presses, or close-grip bench presses. If your squat is

It’s a great way to hurt a shoulder or elbow, but not much

weak at the bottom, do some pause squats or box squats.

else.

Finding the right variations that bring up your main lifts is a key part of getting stronger, but thankfully, you’ll have

 Assistance Movements

plenty of opportunities to try dierent ones to nd which

The squat, bench press, and deadlift are kings, but some-

work best for you.

times, they’re not enough on their own. First, it’s easy to get bored just doing the same things all the time. Bore-

Supplemental Movements

dom isn’t necessarily bad, but the best training is fun, and

Not even all the variations of the squat, bench press, and

oftentimes mixing things up is fun. Second, many lifters

deadlift can work all the muscles in your body evenly

have imbalances that create sticking points in the squat,

enough to create a really balanced physique.

bench press, and deadlift. For instance, you might be able

some smaller groups, like the arms, shoulders, and calves,

to press a heavy weight o your chest, but i t gets stuck 2 or

usually need a huge amount of volume to grow, and doing

3 inches up. Or maybe you can get a heavy deadlift to your

a ton of sets of close-grip bench press and overhead press

knees, and then it stalls out a bit.

is a great way to get an overuse injury.

These kinds of sticking points can exist for a lot of reasons.

So, instead, we’ll be adding supplemental movements.

Oftentimes, they come from technique that is a lit tle o, or

These are simple, single-joint isolation exercises that target

maybe a lot o. (If you suspect that your technique needs

the smaller muscle groups, or muscle groups that don’t get

work, get in touch with a good coach so they can help you

enough work from the rest of your program. They have a

nd the right positions for your body!) But other times,

very low risk of injury, because you typically can’t use very

sticking points happen because of dierences in bodies --

heavy weights for exercises like leg extensions or lateral

maybe you have long arms, which will make the deadlift

raises. Supplemental movements are also your chance to

easier but the bench harder. If you don’t address these

bro out: if you love reverse-grip preacher curls or thumbs-

Besides,

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32

up dumbbell extensions, you’ll choose them as two of your

through your set.

supplemental movements for biceps and triceps.

To help you progress, for the main movements (squat, bench press, and deadlift), we’ll be using linear periodiza-

There are too many possiblities for supplemental move-

tion. As we increase the weights each week, we’ll decrease

ments to list here, but don’t worry. First, there’s an ex-

the volume. (If you’re wondering why this works, go back

tensive list of options in the spreadsheet. Second, I’ve in-

and take another look at Chapter 1.) Sounds simple, right?

cluded some of my own favorite supplemental movements

By itself, it is -- although there are still nuances in the ex -

in Chapter 4. And nally, you can always subscribe to my

act changes of both volume and intensity throughout the

YouTube channel here -- it’s constantly updated with new

program.

variations to try. If you’ve used programs based on linear periodization in It’s very, very important to remember that “sets” of

the past, you might wonder whether we can create enough

supplemental movements dier from sets of main and

stimulus just by changing volume and intensity.-- especially

assistance movements. First, when you’re counting sets

if, like most people, you nd that you plateau or get bored

of supplemental movements, everything counts -- from

pretty quickly without a lot of variation in your workouts.

your rst warmup set on. Second, you’re using very light

That’s where the hypertrophy and speed sets come into

weights and moving very quickly between sets. That’s why

play.

we’re training with so many sets: even as many as 20 sets of hamstrings or lats shouldn’t take more than half an hour

When you’re doing strength sets, your goal is to move the

at most. In fact, all three types of movements should be

weight as condently as possible. Don’t worry about your

peformed dierently.

rep tempo. Just lower the weight under control, and lift it as explosively as possible. When the weights get heavy, “as

SETS AND REPS

explosively as possible” might be pretty darn slow. That’s

Strength Sets

ne -- just make sure you stick with it and don’t give up if

Strength sets are the meat of Think Big . They use 1-6 reps,

the reps slow down.

and, depending on what phase of the program you’re in, 1-6 sets. Multiple sets of low or moderate reps are best

Hypertrophy Sets

for strength for two reasons.

First, it’s easier to keep

If strength sets are the meat, hypertrophy is the bread: it

good form on heavy, compound movements for low- or

rounds out your program by adding volume to help you

moderate-rep sets. On high-rep sets, by rep 8 or 10 or 12,

gain muscle and stay balanced.

you’re feeling pretty tired, mistakes start to creep in, and

bodies are generally injury-free ones.) We’ll use hyper-

the chance of injury rises. Second, it’s easier to add weight

trophy sets for both assistance and supplemental move-

to low-rep sets, because you don’t have to deal with the

ments.

lactic acid buildup or worry about getting winded halfway

33

(Remember: balanced

Hypertrophy sets for assistance movements use 3-5 sets

purpose: it allows you to add more variation to the pro-

of 5-8 reps. Remember, assistance movements are the

gram without beating you up so much that you overtrain.

ones that bring up your weaker muscles to help improve

Strength and speed sets are very physically and mentally

your main movements. They’re exercises like front squats,

demanding, so simply adding more of those would lead to

close-grip bench presses, decit deadlifts, and other close

burnout very quickly. With hypertrophy sets, you can fo-

variations of the main movements. These exercises are

cus on the mind-muscle connection and get a great pump

usually pretty tough to do for very high reps, but sets of 5-8

while staying fresh.

are typically manageable. Unlike strength sets, rep tempo is very important for hyHypertrophy sets for supplemental movements, on the

pertrophy sets. Lower the weight on a slow 3-count, and

other hand, use as many as 15 sets of 10-20 reps, or even

as you do, try to squeeze all the muscles in your body and

more -- sometimes up to 50 or 100 reps (more on super-

keep them tight. Pause for a 1-count at the bottom of the

high rep workouts in Chapter 4). Supplemental move-

rep, and then explode up as fast as you can. This increased

ments are simple, single-joint isolation exercises -- curls,

time under tension will further increase the overall volume

extensions, and the like -- so there’s little risk of injury

of your program and really kick your muscle growth into

from fatigue when performing them. The very high vol-

overdrive.

ume makes them great muscle builders, though, especially for those smaller groups like the arms and shoulders that

Rest between sets is important, too. With the main move-

might not get enough direct stimulations from the other

ments, you should take as long as you need between sets

movements.

to make sure that you can nail all of your required reps. But on hypertrophy sets, your training needs to be fast-

When you’re doing sets of supplemental movements,

paced. Rest only 2-3 minutes between sets of assistance

there’s no need to count reps, or use a progressively heavi-

movements, and as little as possible -- 90 seconds or less

er weight, or time your rest between sets. Instead, try this:

-- between sets of supplemental movements.

start with a very light weig ht, and do reps until you’ve got a good pump going on -- but stop far short of failure. Then

Speed Sets

bump up in weight just a bit, and again, crank out reps

If you’ve read much about powerlifting, you’ve probably

until you feel that you’ve worked the muscle suciently.

heard of Westside Barbell and dynamic eort training. Ba-

You’ll notice in the spreadsheet that, most weeks, you have

sically, here’s the theory: by moving a light weight as fast

ranges of supplemental sets listed. In those cases, you can

as possible, you can train to be more explosive, which will

 just go by feel: as long as you’re in the suggested set range,

eventually allow you to lift heavier weights. Now, Louie

you’re good.

Simmons works with very advanced lifters who use specialized powerlifting equipment in a very controlled envi-

The high volume of hypertrophy sets serves another

ronment. Dynamic eort training works great for those

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34

people; for everyone else, it’s a little overrated.

However, speed sets do have some huge benets, when they’re used correctly: with moderate weights for low reps and many sets, and with short rest periods. First, they help to increase a program’s overall volume without impacting recovery as much heavier lifting would (go back to C hapter 1 if you need a refresher on why volume is so important for strength). In fact, speed sets can help you recover from soreness a day or two after a heavy session. They’re also the perfect way to practice good technique and build condence. To take advantage of that, speed sets are usually used with main movements, but sometimes assistance movements can work well, too -- it depends on your goals.

Again, tempo is pretty important for speed sets, but unlike with hypertrophy sets, you’re not trying to increase time under tension -- you’re trying to move as quickly as possible while maintaining control over the weight. A 1-0-1 tempo is perfect: take one second to lower the weight under control, and then immediately blast it up as quickly as you can. Rest 90 seconds between speed sets.

35

SETS & REPS

In Chapter 1, we touched on the concept of undulating periodization, and how a little variety could have training benets. In Think Big, we’ll put some of the concepts behind undulating periodization to work in dierent set types.

FAST

STRONG

BIG

SPEED SETS

STRENGTH SETS

HYPERTROPHY SETS

Speed sets increase the overall vol-

Strength sets are the bread and but-

Hypertrophy is important, too! The

ume of a program without hurting

ter of Think Big. They’re used for the

program uses two types of hypertro-

recovery, can help alleviate soreness,

squat, bench press, and deadlift (and

phy sets: for assistance movements

and are a great opportunity to prac-

close variations of those movements),

and for supplemental movements.

tice technique and build condence

for fairly low sets and reps. If you’re

Both are designed to give you a sick

under the bar.

Ultimately, this all

going to focus on only one thing in

pump, increase the program’s over-

translates into more strength and

this program, focus on the strength

all volume, and ultimately result in

more size.

sets.

insane muscle growth along with strength.

36

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Here’s a quick summary of where we’re at so far.

1.

The Think Big diet and training programs are synergistic. You can use one without the other, but they’re better

together. 2.

Your diet should set you up to have a killer training session, and to recover from that training quickly enough to

build muscle. By paying attention to the foods you eat throughout the rest of the day, and by controlling your carbs during the rest of the day, you can gain a lot of muscle while minimizing fat. 3.

Your training program is based on the three powerlifts: the bench press, squat, and deadlift. It also includes

assistance and supplemental movements to help build muscle and keep your body balanced. Each of these movements can be trained using dierent styles of sets and reps, so it’s important you really focus throughout your entire workout.

Those three points are our magic 20% -- the things w e pour our eort into to produce huge gains without spendi ng hours and hours counting calories or grinding out endless sets in the gym. Obviously, there are other details that can help overcome obstacles. Read on for more.

WAIT... WHERE’S THE PROGRAM? No, you’re not crazy. The actual program -- with sets, reps, poundages, exercises -- that’s not all laid out in the book, for two reasons. First, what are you going to do with a PDF of your program? You can’t interact with that. Second, I nd that it’s much easier, mentally, to deal with actual loads than percents of a one-rep max. So, the Think Big program, in all its glory, can be found in the spreadsheet that came with this book. It will allow you to input your 1-rep maxes, calculate your poundages for each training day, and there’s space for you to record your workouts if you choose. Obviously, you should check that out.

37

PLATEAUS SUCK. We’ve all been there -- those times when it seems like nothing ever changes, and every day in the gym is just hours of spinning the wheels, hoping something will click. Or maybe there’s that weight that never seems to move, no matter how well training seems to be going: 385 might y up, maybe for reps, but 405 might as well be 900.

CHAPTER 4 PLATEAU-BUSTING SECRETS

38

There’s good news and bad news. The bad news is that plateaus never go away, no matter how long you train and no matter how much strength and muscle you build. The good news is that plateaus can almost always be beaten -- and once they are, gains often skyrocket. To beat a plateau, you need to experiment. But it’s not enough to throw random solutions at a problem and hope something sticks. You need a plan to gure out what’s causing your stall, and how you can x it.

Obviously, that’s easier said than done, especially because plateaus aren’t always physical barriers. In fact, they’re often mental ones: sticking points created by boredom, fear, or laziness. For that reason, breaking plateaus doesn’t always require change -- but often change can help to get over a physical or mental block. If you think you’re dealing with a mental issue, then it’s time for some serious reection. But if you’re physically struggling, this chapter has some strategies to help get you unstuck.

“PLATEAUS CAN BE BEATEN, AND THEN GAINS SKYROCKET.” If you’re following the percentages in the program as

big enough -- are probably the toughest plateau to over-

they’re written (and being honest about your 1-rep max-

come.

es!), it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll run into any plateaus un -

strengths and weaknesses; if you want to be successful at

less you’re a very advanced athlete -- and if you are a very

bodybuilding or powerlifting, you have to striv e to nd bal-

advanced athlete, you should already know what you need

ance between them.

We’re all genetically predispositioned to have

to do to improve. But you can be strategic about how you nd that balance. But maybe you’ve just got lousy leverages for a lift, or

Some people take the “more is better” approach and just

maybe you can’t seem to bring up that one lagging muscle

train their weak points with more volume, frequency, and

group (for me it’s always arms). If so, read on.

intensity. Sometimes, that’s the right approach, and if you think you just don’t train your weak points enough, skip to

WEAK POINTS

the next section for some ideas on skillfully working more

Weak points -- whether they’re not strong enough or not

volume into your training.

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39

Usually, we end up hammering the shit out of weak points,

exercises and reading a written description might not get

and they just don’t seem to respond. In this case, there’s

the point across. Soon you’ll be able to view demonstra-

no sense in stubbornness. Instead of persisting with a

tions of all these exercises and more on my YouTube page

high-volume approach that isn’t working, be a little more

by following this link.) If you’re following the Think Big  pro-

creative. Oftentimes, nding that one special exercise that

gram, you can plug these exercises in to your supplemen-

really nails a weak point in just the right way can make an

tal slots.

enormous dierence in your results.

WEAK ARMS: YOKE BAR JM PRESS Take me, for example: for a long time, I had frustratingly

You’ll need an Elitefts Yoke Bar or some other safety squat

small triceps and, as a result, an awful bench press. Then

bar with removable handles for this one. Take the handles

I trained at the S4 Compound at Elitefts, and everything

o and position the bar in a rack at bench-press height,

changed. That weekend, Mario D’Amico and Bryan Do-

but in the direction opposite to what you’d use for a squat

berdruk taught me to use the SSB Yoke Bar to perform JM

(so the pads are pointed towards you). Lie at on a bench,

presses. I had trained with JM presses before, but they

and unrack the bar. Lower the handles straight down to-

felt uncomfortable, and I had a tendency to put too much

wards your chest, keeping your shoulder blades retracted

emphasis on the shoulders and not enough on the triceps.

and wrists straight. When the handles reach your chest,

The Yoke Bar made it easy to stay in the groove and get a

let the bar rotate along its natural path towards your face

massive tricep pump while moving heavy weight. I started

until your arms are parallel to the oor. Complete the ex-

out with 135; three months later, I was using 315 for reps,

ercise by pressing away from your face until your arms are

my arms had grown half an inch, and my bench press had

fully extended.

shot up by 20 pounds after refusing to budge for years. Obviously, I was pretty fucking psyched.

WEAK ABS: VACUUM Most descriptions of a vacuum are pretty simple. There’s

How do you nd your Yoke Bar press -- that one perfect movement to help turn your weaknesses into strengths? Experience is the only sure answer; the longer you train, the more knowledge you’ll gather from the people around you, and the more you’ll know how your body responds to stimulus. Sadly, there’s no easy answer.

two steps: rst, exhale forcefully, trying to expel all the air from your lungs; and then suck in your gut, trying to pull your navel towards your spine. These descriptions are pretty lousy because they leave out some hugely important parts of a proper vacuum. First, while you’re performing the vacuum, you need to contract your abs (or, more precisely, your rectus abdominis). This makes your

But there are good places to start. Below are a few common weaknesses and unconventional exercises to help obliterate them -- try things out, experiment, and above all else, be persistent. (Note: these are some unconventional

40

abs stand out while you’re performing the vacuum, for a more dened look, and it’s a great way to practice activat ing your rectus abdominis and your transverse abdominis at the same time. That’s the secret to a perfect brace for

squatting or deadlifting. Second, we also need to be able

WEAK CHEST: BANDED KETTLEBELL FLYE

to breathe deeply while lifting, and if you just follow the two steps above, that’s pretty dicult.

Grab an Elitefts mini band and hold it behind your back. Then grab a pair of light kettlebells, and position yourself

So, instead of just breathing out and sucking in, we need to add a few steps. First, ex your abs, as if you were prepar ing for a heavy squat or deadlift. Then exhale from your diaphragm, keeping your chest high and abs exed. Finally, use your abs to pull your navel towards your spine, and try to hold the position while taking shallow chest breaths and keeping your abs exed. Try to work up to holding this position for ninety seconds and see how much your bracing improves and your waist tightens up.

on a at or decline bench. Hold the kettlebells at arms’ length, and keep your core and shoulder blades tight. Slowly lower the bells out to the sides (just as in a normal dumbbell ye) and then drive explosively up, squeezing your chest as you do. To intensity this exercise, try using it for very high reps (sets of 30-50) while on a stability ball (the ball will allow for greater stretch at the bottom).

WEAK SHOULDERS: STANDING RACK PRESS Set yourself up with a barbell in a four-post power rack

WEAK BACK: DUFFALO BAR PRONE ROW You don’t need a Dualo Bar for this one, but the camber makes the exercise quite a bit more eective. Next, nd a high bench, with enough clearance under the pad so that your arms can hang fully extended. If your gym doesn’t have a bench high enough, you can try putting a lower bench up on plates or blocks to create a little more space. Place the bar under the bench; you should just barely be able to reach the bar when it’s resting on the oor. Grab a pair of straps -- you’ll need them -- and take a grip wider than shoulder width.

like the Elitefts 3x3 Rack. Set the pins around the level of your collarbone, and set the bar across the pins, not in the  J-hooks. You’re going to press the bar up, like in a standard overhead press, and then lower it back d own onto the pins, all while keeping it against the front posts of the rack (you’re using the rack to help stabilize the bar and keep constant tension on your shoulders). If you’re working in a nice rack, don’t fuck it (or the bar) up. Instead, put towels or a pad around the posts to cushion them.

WEAK LEGS: SQUAT Sorry -- there’s no way around it, you’ve got to squat. Ever

Now row the bar up towards your chest by driving your el -

see a 700-pound squatter with tiny legs? No, you haven’t,

bows up towards the ceiling, keeping your shoulder blades

because they don’t exist. You might not need to squat if

and core tight. When the bar reaches the bench, squeeze

you have fantastic genetics, but no amount of extensions

your shoulder blades together as tight as you can and hold

or leg presses will x lagging wheels. Get under the bar

for a one-second count. Then slowly lower the bar back to

and pay your dues.

the ground, letting it rest on the oor between reps.

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41

YOKE BAR JM PRESS: TARGET THOSE TRIS My go-to tricep exercise. The Yoke bar helps you to stay in the groove and put all the load onto your triceps, not your shoulders, chest, or joints. You can perform this for high or low reps, but more is better for size.

Z

SQUAT: THE SECRET TO BIG LEGS

There’s no way around it: if you want massive legs and lower-body strength, you’ve got to shut up and squat.

42

LACK OF VOLUME: VOLUMIZING PROTOCOLS

lifters like to really load up on the tension from accommodating resistance on squats, bench presses, and deadlifts,

So far, we’ve focused mainly on diet and volume for the bodybuilding portions of the program. When you nd that your muscles aren’t growing, food is still the rst place to look. But let’s say your diet is on point, and you’re still not

but in my opinion, bands and chains are better used as tools to intensify supplemental exercises. Supplemental exercises are pretty easy to recover from, so even kicking them up a notch won’t mess with your recuperative ability.

making progress. Then we need to go back to the three variables that primarily inuence our strength -- volume, intensity, and frequency -- and try to understand what isn’t working.

It’s very easy to use bands for this purpose; almost any exercise that can be performed with dumbbells or pulleys can also be performed with bands. You might need a little creativity -- as in the banded kettlebell yes described

Intensity in this program is dictated by percentages, so if you’re hitting your numbers each week, that’s not the problem. That leaves volume and frequency (which we’ll get to later). Sometimes, you just need to kick things up

above -- but standard exercises, like dumbbell curls or lateral raises are straightforward. You can stand on bands or attach them to a rack or machine as an anchor, and then rep away.

a notch to get your muscles growing again. That’s where volumizers come in. These are training strategies that you

POSING

can employ during your supplemental sets to increase muscle stimulus -- without spending hours and hours in the gym.

I’m not a big fan of well-known bodybuilding techniques like forced reps, drop sets, or even supersets -- much as is the case with accommodating resistance, these techniques

ACCOMODATING RESISTANCE (BANDS OR CHAINS)

are very demanding and therefore very dicult to recover from.

With most free-weight exercises, there’s an uneven strength curve: you’re stronger through some parts of the range of motion than through others. Using bands or chains can change that: those tools provide more (or less, depending on how they’re used) resistance in the easier (or harder) spots. This accommodating resistance makes the exercise as a whole much more challenging -- and sometimes, much more productive.

Posing, on the other hand, is very dicult but very easy to recover from, and helps to improve muscle activation and, when performed between sets, to intensify a training session. Performing a set of lat pulldowns and then holding a lat spread, for example, might leave you gasping for breath, but results in an insane pump and better overall growth. Posing is a skill that takes time and practice to perfect; if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t just try

Now, I’m pretty conservative when it comes to the use of bands and chains, because “more challenging” almost always also means “harder to recover from.” Some power-

43

to approximate poses. Get a good posing coach to show you the basics rst.

VOLUMIZING PROTOCOLS If you just need a little more work to bust through those plateaus, you have a few options. Keep in mind that these strategies can really sap your recovery, so use them carefully. muscle groups z

Accomodating resistance (bands and chains)

z

Posing “supersets”

z

Challenge sets/AMRAPs

all, but only on major movements all smaller muscle groups preferred

use frequency moderate frequency very low

ing sets for only one muscle group per week, and within

CHALLENGE SETS (AMRAPS)

that muscle group, during only one set per exercise. For

Very, very rarely, I like incorporating challenge sets into

example, let’s say your triceps and shoulders are lagging.

my training. These are often called AMRAP (“as many reps

Your triceps workout might look like this:

as possible”) sets, but I dislike that term because, in my

1.

Skullcrusher: 3 sets. On your last set, when you

opinion, performing high-rep sets to failure is a terrible

cannot complete any more reps, switch to close-grip

idea. Again, it’s just too dicult to recover from. (Noticing

presses (using the same bar/weight) to failure.

a theme here? Recovery is paramount. Too many people

2.

Pulley pushdown: 2 sets

do too much and wonder why they’re stuck.)

3.

Barbell kickback versus mini bands: 1 set to failure

The following week, you could continue to use volumizer But, occasionally, a challenge set can be useful. A chal-

sets for your triceps, or you could switch to shoulders -- but

lenge set should always be the last set of any given exer-

never both in the same week.

cise, and you should never rep out -- leave one or (even better) two reps left in the tank. The physical benets from

LACK OF FREQUENCY: FEEDER WORKOUTS

challenge sets are limited, unless you’re typically training

Generally, you’re better o upping volume than upping fre-

well under your capacity. The mental benets, however,

quency, because you’ve got more leeway with the former.

can be huge: performing, say, 10 reps with 405 is a huge

Look at it this way: you might perform anywhere from 6-16

condence boost if you’re planning to attempt 500 later in

sets of supplemental work for some muscle groups -- and

your training cycle.

that’s after all of your heavy training. Adding a little extra to a couple of those sets is a much smaller change than go-

Be warned: even with the caveats explained above, these

ing from training a muscle twice per week to three times.

are still pretty physically and mentally demanding tech-

That’s a 50% increase.

niques. Use them sparingly! I recommend using volumiz-

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44

So, to prevent overreaching, we’ll use feeder workouts:

•

Each feeder workout, you perform 3 sets of 2-3 ex -

quick sessions with very light weights and high reps to help

ercises. Each set must be at least 50 reps and no more

pump blood into the muscles and provide a little extra

than 100 reps. Obviously, this requires the use of an

training stimulus to bust plateaus. Here’s how they work:

extremely light weight or resistance band -- probably no more than 10 pounds.

•

You perform feeder workouts every day at night

before you go to bed (long enough before bed so as to

•

Each time you perform a feeder workout, try to

complete more reps than in the previous one.

not disrupt your sleep). •

You perform feeder workouts for 10 days in a row,

Again, these are very brutal and should be used sparingly.

and do not use them again for at least 20 days.

I also recommend rotating among dierent body parts if

•

You choose isolation exercises for small bodyp-

more than one group is lagging. For example, you might

arts. Feeder workouts work best for the arms, shoul-

perform feeder workouts for arms for 10 days, take 20 days

ders, and calves. They are not appropriate for the legs,

away from the feeders, and then hit calves for 10 days.

chest, or back.

SAMPLE FEEDER WORKOUTS Remember, only use feeder workouts for 10 days in a row, and only for one muscle group at a time. It’s very easy to overreaching using feeder workouts, so again -- be careful.

ARMS Three sets of standing curls using

Two sets the following circuit: front

Three sets of standing calf raises su-

an Elitefts micro band superset with

dumbbell raise, side raise, bent-over

perset with three sets of donkey calf

three sets of overhead dumbbell ex-

dumbbell raise.

raises.

tensions.

45

DELTS CALVES

So we get outside and he starts talking.

LACK OF FOOD: MAN THE F*%! UP “I can’t eat enough to gain weight.”

“For breakfast you need to eat four of those breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds. I don’t care which ones you get, but

This isn’t a plateau, it’s an excuse -- a bullshit excuse. In

make sure to get four. Order four hash brow ns, too. Now grab

fact, one of my biggest pet peeves is hearing someone

two packs of mayonnaise and put them on the hash browns

whine about how no matter how much t hey eat, they don’t

and then slip them into the sandwiches. Squish that shit down

gain weight. Look: if you aren’t gaining weight, you don’t

and eat. That’s your breakfast.” 

want it bad enough. End of story. Sorry, you don’t have some mysterious genetic condition or alien-like metabo-

 At this point I’m thinking this guy is nuts. But he’s completely

lism that makes eating enough to gain impossible. I could

serious.

go on and on about this point, but really, neither I nor anyone else could say it better than world-class powerlifter JM

“For lunch you’re gonna eat Chinese food. Now I don’t want

Blakely, who explained to Dave Tate his secret to gaining

 you eating that crappy stu. You wanna get the stu with MSG.

weight. Instead of ranting, I’m just going to share Dave’s

None of that non-MSG bullshit. I don’t care what you eat but

story here:

 you have to sit down and eat for at least 45 minutes straight. You can’t let go of the fork. Eat until your eyes swell up and

There was a time at the Old Westside gym where I couldn’t gain

become slits and you start to look like the woman behind the

weight to save my fucking life.

counter.” 

There was this dude who trained there who could just put on

“For dinner you’re gonna order an extra-larg e pizza with every-

weight like fucking magic. He’d go from 198 to 308 and then

thing on it. Literally everything. If you don’t like sardines, don’t

to 275 and back down to 198. And he was never fat. It was

 put ‘em on, but anything else that you like you have to load it

amazing.

on there. After you pay the delivery guy, I want you to take the  pie to your coee table, open that fucker up, and grab a bottle

I nally asked him one day how he did it.

of oil. It can be olive oil , canola oil, whatever. Anything but motor oil. And I want you to pour that shit over the pie until half

“You mean I never told you the secret to gai ning weight? Come

of the bottle is gone. Just soak the shit out of it.” 

outside and I’ll ll you in.”  “Now before you lay into it, I want you to sit on your couc h and Now remember, we’re at Westside Barbell. And this guy wants

 just stare at that fucker. I want you to understand that that

to go outside to talk so no one else can hear. Think about that

 pizza right there is keeping you from your goals.” 

 for a minute. What the hell is he going to tell me? This must be some serious shit if we have to go outside, I thought.

contact: [email protected] l elitefts.com/author/ben-pollack

46

This guy is in a zen-like state when he’s talking ab

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

out this. Getting stuck isn’t fun, but as long as you frame a plateaus “Now you’re on the clock,” he continues. “After 20 minutes your brain is going to tell you you’re full. Don’t listen to that shit. You have to try and eat as much of the pizza as you c an before that 20-minute mark. Double up pieces if you have to. I’m telling

as a roadblock not the end of the road, you will eventually get back on track. In fact, plateaus can be great opportunities to learn more about your body and how it responds to training.

 you now, you’re going to get three or four pieces in and you’re  gonna want to quit. You fucking can’t quit. You have to sit on that couch until every piece is done.

If you’ve hit a plateau, don’t panic. Instead, rst identify the cause: do you have a weak point? Are you not training with enough volume or frequency to stimulate growth? Are

 And if you can’t nish it, don’t you ever come back to me and tell me you can’t gain weight. ‘Cause I’m gonna tell you that  you don’t give a fuck about g etting bigger and you don’t care how much you lift!” 

Did I do it? Hell yeah. Started the next day and did it for two months. Went from 260 pounds to 297 pounds. And I didn’t  get much fatter. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, though.

One last point. When many people say they can’t gain weight, what they really mean is that they struggle to gain weight without gaining fat, too. That’s another story. If that’s your real problem, Dave’s approach isn’t right for you. Instead, you need to do two things. First, mentally accept the fact that you’re going to have to gain some fat to gain some muscle; it’s reality for nearly everyone. Second, go back to Chapter 2 and implement some of the m ore advanced strategies there regarding carb timing. Otherwise, get back in the kitchen.

47

you eating enough? Once you’ve identied the underlying cause, you can apply the strategies in this chapter. Many times, once you bust through a plateau, you start making progress again even faster than you were before.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND REMEMBER: THINK STRONG THINK BIG I hope that this book has helped you

cated, either -- despite what some In-

to feel a little more condent in your-

ternet gurus might make it out to be.

self and your plan to excel in whatever

With a little planning and a lot of hard

strength sport you choose to pursue,

work and consistency, you can accom-

whether

plish all of your physical culture goals,

that’s

powerlifting,

building, or both.

body-

Building size and

strength isn’t easy, but it’s not compli-

and more.

I’m pretty proud of this program; it represents a lot of what I have learned over the past several years of competing as a professional powerlifter, and while I have a lot left to learn and to accomplish, I’ve already achieved more than I ever even knew I wanted. I truly believe you can do the same, so please, trust the program and the process, stay dedicated, and -- as always -- don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help along the way.

I am so, so grateful to everyone who’s helped me to reach this point in my training career, where I even have the knowledge to share. The truth is, I can’t say thank you any better than I did in Think Strong, so I’ll just say it again:

Staci Ardison has contributed to this project, and t o my life, in ways that I can’t fully describe. I’m so grateful to her for her trust in and support of me. She has challenged me to reexamine the way I think about everything — training included — and I would not have learned to Think Strong or be strong without her.

Dominic Morais and Jacob Cloud are by far the two most inuential people in my training, and two of the most inu ential people in my life. I can’t overstate all they’ve done for me with their patience and friendship, and I can’t describe how supporting it is to know that I can rely on them for advice — good advice — about anything. And their perspective on training and techni que alone has added more to my total than anything else; they deserve as much credit for my lifting success as I do.

Tammy Hudson has done so much to keep my going, and I have never met another sport massage therapist with as contact: [email protected] l elitefts.com/author/ben-pollack

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