Bodybuilding Contradictions
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Why The Contradictions?
by Alan Palmieri
People who read what I have written concerning the many training concepts I write about often ask me a very good question. The question often goes like this. "I've read in a bodybuilding forum where you suggest resting from one and a half to three minutes per set and then read somewhere else where you suggest resting only long enough to take three to five deep breaths." "Why contradicting statements?" "It leaves me confused". Well okay, that's more than just a question it's also a comment but typical of what I do receive from time to time. I believe it's a fair question, one that deserves a truthful response and, I can appreciate the confusion caused and apologize for it.
The truth is I do not provide contradictory information at all. I simply provide varying information based on the program, system, or concept I am presenting. Experienced bodybuilders know there are so many different ways to follow a routine it is almost impossible to list them all, especially if you include the various tweaks to each movement. In addition, each individual is different and each person will obtain the best results and benefit from following what works best for them.
Heavier weights used in a program designed for mass building, strength and size may work better for some individuals while more moderate weight with less rest between sets works better for others. I write and respond based on the individual need. I guess I could stipulate the body type, age, weight, measurements, genetic structure, diet, and experience level for who the writing would best be suited but the truth is, you can't really say for certain until you, the individual, tries it for yourself. No one can predict the outcome regardless of how proficient, knowledgeable, and experienced they are.
What I write about are things that I have actually done not just some theory or rumored concept. Over the forty plus years I have participated in bodybuilding, I have used, tried, attempted to follow, as well as follow, perhaps as many different approaches to bodybuilding as there are in existence, the one exception is steroids and other drugs used in bodybuilding, I never used or even tried them. Some worked some did not. Let me give you an example. I wrote a course titled 8 Sets of 8 Reps The Way Vince Instructed. In this course I outline the way Vince Gironda instructed me to follow the 8 x 8 routine.
Now, you can perform the 8 x 8 several different ways and the results and responses will vary from individual to individual who follow the different ways it can be performed. Some of the more common forms of using the 8 x 8 are as follows. (1) Some may select one exercise per bodypart and perform 8 sets of 8 reps. (2) Others may select two exercises per bodypart and perform 4 sets of 4 reps for each movement making a total of 8 sets of 8 reps per bodypart. (3) Some might use two different movements and perform 4 sets of 8 reps in super-set fashion. (4) You can even select four exercises for each bodypart and perform 2 sets of 8 reps for each movement again making a total of 8 sets of 8 reps. I am certain there are even more combinations than those listed but, you get the idea.
Which one would I recommend? It all depends. Depending on what a person seeks from their training, all of them for some - the first one for others - the second one for yet some others - the third one for perhaps some others still and, the last one for another group of people. Why all the different ways? Like I stated, it all depends on a great many variables such as: How long a person has been training, their age, physical condition, what results they seek, and on and on it goes, the list is almost endless. If I write about the first way to perform 8 x 8 this week and how to perform the second 8 x 8 the next week, am I contradicting myself? NO! I am writing about and explaining a different way to perform a routine with the same name. One way may provide better results for one person while the other way of performing it might provide better results for someone else.
I write from personal experiences and include my personal opinions. If and on occasion I use something someone else has written or told me, I acknowledge it as so and in such cases provide the source with credit. Because so many things related to bodybuilding are repetitive, it is easy for multiple writers to write on the same subject and often make the same point. Each article or item I write about is usually based on a question someone at some point in time has asked and I am responding based on the individual. Individuals are all different, so may my response as well as my articles be. This does not mean I advocate one method over the other, such as rest between sets being one and a half minutes versus three to five deep breaths. They are both useful and productive principles. The same is true for HIT (High Intensity Training), overload training, super-sets, pyramid training, straight sets training, or any of the other methods. There is a place and a time for all the different systems. When to incorporate them depends on many variables not the least being the individual employing the technique.
I do however; have some favorite routines and methods that work best for me and for many I have worked with over the years. Even in these situations, change is required for maximum results. You simply cannot do the same thing over and over and expect to progress. In one article I may write some favorable points related to HIT training. In another I may write about better results obtained from following a routine of 4 x 12 using lighter weights. Individuals must learn what is best for them and the only way this can be accomplished is through the wonderful system known as "Trial and Error." You must do for yourself and discover the best approach for you. All I can do is offer what I know based on over forty years of experience.
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