Basic Concepts for Lean Mass Gains

I agree with Iron Man writer Charles Poliquin who says bodybuilders and athletes wanting to gain lean muscle mass get distracted. Arthur Jones used to say they get confused. There is so much training information that often contradicts itself, adding to the dilemma. What’s the latest and greatest supplement to come down the pike? What special exercise is there to bring out some small muscle group? “Hardgainers” (I’ll cover that evil label in a future installment) find themselves indiscriminately jumping from routine to routine before giving any routine a chance to work.

The most successful routines cover the basics and most people do well when they get back to basics. But what does that mean? It’s way beyond exercise choice, although that is also one aspect of the basics. Basics also includes workout intensity, rep variations, tempo or cadence of the exercises, frequency of workouts, length of workouts, nutritional aspects including calories as well as macro-nutrients, rest, sleep, attitude and water intake to name a few.

I find that most people who have trouble making progress are not taking advantage of one or more of these factors. I’ve had the opportunity to train with some of the most successful bodybuilders and athletes in the world. I’ve also read and continue to read information from the best coaches in bodybuilding including the legends like Vince Gironda, Larry Scott, Bill Pearl, Arthur Jones and current experts like Iron Man Magazine authors Eric Broser, Charles Poliquin, Steve Holman, Jonathan Lawson and others. Not a week goes by when someone approaches me in the gym or on the street and asks me how they can increase lean muscle mass.

Over the next several posts I’ll get into some basic concepts I’ve found useful in formulating my own training. Most seem like common sense to me. Neglecting them nearly always leads to stalled or even nonexistent progress. Stay tuned!

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