The General Nature of Exercise
One very good reason to train is that the body doesn’t get enough physical activity to keep it tuned and responsive. A hundred years ago we had to do everything with our bodies. We had to walk to a farm to get milk, we worked to get lumber and stones for building a house. We had to work with our hands, we had to run, we had to crawl under things, we had to swim. The efforts of everyday living kept the body in shape. But now, because almost everything is done with machines, people have become lazy. I’m as guilty as anyone: I drive my car a block to the supermarket to buy food.
If we don’t have any exercise to stimulate the muscles, they deteriorate. That’s why today there are lots of needless injuries. People pick up something heavy and pull the muscles in their backs. Housewives make a bed and dislocate a shoulder. Guys try to change a tire and rip a bicep. Why? Because the body isn’t prepared. This alone is a very good reason to do some kind of bodybuilding.
In the human body there are over 600 muscles, which are made up of approximately 100 billion muscle fibers; we are not even aware of many of these muscles, muscles that make the fingers close and give you a strong grip, muscles that open the eyelid, muscles that work so automatically you’ve never even felt them before. In fact, the human body is more than half muscle. Muscles are used in every movement we make. They propel food along the digestive tract, suck air into the lungs, tighten blood vessels to raise blood pressure when needed to meet an emergency. The thing that first turned me on to bodybuilding was realizing that through weight resistance exercises I could stimulate each muscle in the body. I could be in control of it and not merely a victim of its weaknesses.
Most people are aware only of muscles that they use in everyday work. But when you do unusual movements or use your body in unusual ways, you feel muscles you never knew existed. I’ve seen people who have climbed a mountain for the first time—ten miles of hiking and climbing—and the next day they came down and said, “Wow, my calves hurt. . . my lower back is stiff.” It was the first time they’d felt their calves or lower back in their whole lives. They’d never even thought of themselves as having muscles in those places.
I remember once my mother was lifting up the heavy mattresses to make a bed and she pulled her bicep. It was the first time she was conscious of having a bicep. And at the same time she was horrified that I was into weight training, that I was eager to stay in shape, to avoid such injuries.
Most people prefer to let their muscles remain anonymous. They take it for granted that the body just moves. Then they are baffled when something goes wrong. One of the benefits of bodybuilding is that it makes you aware of all your muscles. You start getting sore in certain parts of the body when you train. You realize what an incredibly complex machine the body is. For that reason, it’s very important when you’re doing your first workouts, laying the foundation for future training, that you are really sensitive and tuned in to the soreness. Remember the soreness and connect it in your mind with the exercise you were doing. This will help you later on to know that when you train certain areas you should concentrate on a specific kind of exercise and do it in a specific way. From the very start you should look on soreness as positive, as a sign of building, of growth.
Mind and Body
You must consider that in the beginning you are training the mind as well as the body. The mind, after all, makes you want to train; it turns on the body. Because the mind motivates you to train the body, you have to train the mind first. If the mind doesn’t want to lift weights, the body won’t lift them.
The mind is incredible. Once you’ve gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do anything. I mean anything. The secret is to make your mind work for you—not against you. This means constantly being positive, constantly setting up challenges you can meet—either today, next week, or next month. “I can’t. . .” should be permanently stricken from your vocabulary, especially the vocabulary of your thoughts. You must see yourself always growing and improving.
You should strive to improve your body a little bit at a time. Don’t push the mind too much either; let the mind stay hungry for more, tease the mind a little bit. This is why I suggest you start small, with a fairly easy program. Let the body say to the mind, “I feel good, this isn’t too hard. I’m ready for more!” Give it more, give it a little bit more. Then, slowly, as the mind is ready for it, you can increase the amount of weight you use and the number of repetitions you do of an exercise.
A Reason
You should know why you are going to start training. This is one of the most important steps in initiating a successful bodybuilding program. You should not go to the gym because somebody says, “Hey, you’re a slob. You ought to do some weight training and get in shape.” That isn’t a good reason, because you would be trying to satisfy someone else’s wishes, not your own. You should have a very good reason why you want to get into weight resistance training. The best thing to do is to sit down and say to yourself, “What do I want to get out of it? What is my goal?”
Be honest. Honesty is the key to how much you can improve. Your reason could be that you want to be a bodybuilder, a competitive bodybuilder. That will certainly get you started training. But even if you only want to lose a few inches around the waist, you should be very explicit and spell it out for yourself. “The reason I want to do this weight training is that I want to lose this waist. I look in the mirror, it looks horrible.” Or, “I’m a doctor and when my patients look at me I know they’re thinking, ’What kind of example is he setting?’ ” Whatever your reason is, write it down and put it where you’ll see it in the months to come.
Next you have to decide what you want to look like. Again, be explicit. My own image was Reg Park. I built it so clearly in my mind I could actually see myself standing in Reg Park’s body. This second step, forming an image in the mind, creates what I call the want power. You have an image of what you want to look like, which in turn creates the willpower to go into the gym and work out. Now you have a goal. Without it you’d be like a ship without a destination. You must know why you are training in order to give it your best and be productive.
I conduct seminars all over the world, and the first thing I hear is: “Am I going to find out in this seminar how to do a curl?” “Will I find out how to do a bench press?” I say to them, “Wait a minute, the first hour will be just on what our goals are. Why we train. What makes us not go dancing in the evenings but go to the gymnasium instead and spend two hours doing workouts.” A lot of people are confused about my reasoning; they think the exercises in the gym are the most important thing. But I maintain the most important thing is to be straight in your mind, to be honest with yourself. The exercises are the easy part.
Analyze Yourself—Be Realistic
Before you start working out it’s very important to look at yourself and categorize yourself in terms of which of the three body types you are—ectomorph, endomorph, or mesomorph. Remember these are not rigid definitions. Most people are a combination of characteristics from more than one type. But the dominant characteristics are what you should be looking for in your assessment.
The Ectomorph: A thin person with a light bone structure and long tenuous muscles. The ectomorph has a tough time gaining weight and building strength.
The Endomorph: A stocky person with thick bones and a general tendency to be round and stout. The endomorph will gain fast and be able to handle heavy training. His body is more likely to remain blocky and muscular without showing great cuts or definition.
The Mesomorph: Anatomically, the ideal body for weight resistance training. The mesomorph has a large frame and the capacity for becoming muscular fast.
You can improve your body. All that you should look for in training with weights is that you should achieve 100% of your potential. That potential varies greatly among three body types and individuals within each type.
If you are a skinny guy, an ectomorph, you are
not really lost, though your kind of muscles are the most difficult to build. You may need to change your metabolism and perhaps correct a problem with your thyroid gland so you can start gaining weight—so, in a way, you’re on the safe side.
If you’re an endomorph, one of those round people who really don’t have muscle tone to begin with, you should realize that your type of body will probably not go all the way to Mr. Universe. You won’t have it as hard as the ectomorph, but you’ll need to put more mental energy into it than the muscular type, the mesomorph. If you are a mesomorph, the athletic, muscular type, you are the one who might—if you have the right mental attitude—achieve a Mr. Universe physique.
Remember, these are generalizations. The power of the mind is astonishing. There may be an endomorph reading this page who adamantly disagrees with me. He has it in his head that he’s going to become Mr. Universe and nothing Arnold can say will dissuade him. More power to him. If he believes it long enough and hard enough and matches his conviction with hard, relentless work, he might just make it.
What You Can Achieve with a Program of Regular Exercise
If you exercise faithfully, with a strict adherence to form, you should notice an increase in strength and coordination within a very short time. Your joint mobility and flexibility will be better. You’ll expend less energy in performing both physical and mental tasks. You’ll have better posture. Your ability to relax and voluntarily reduce stress and tension will be heightened. Your heart should become stronger and your circulation improve. You’ll have greater immunity from illness. You’ll be better protected from injuries, and be able to heal more rapidly when one does occur.
Get a Physician’s Checkup Prior to Beginning a Training Program
There is no age limit on improving your body and no body that cannot be improved by regular exercise. However, before anyone over the age of twenty-five engages in any form of strenuous exercise—including jogging, tennis, handball, etc.—a medical checkup is advisable. In all probability the doctor will give you a go-ahead. If you have some health problem, he can take proper measures to correct it, and he may have some useful suggestions or cautionary advice to help you modify the exercise program to make it more suitable and beneficial for you.
I think a physical exam is important. Not only will you find out whether or not your heart is sound, but you’ll also be checked for other conditions you might have: low metabolism rate, thyroid problems, vitamin deficiency. These are things that affect how you lose or gain weight. They could put you off balance and make your body fail to respond favorably although you are training hard, eating right and getting sufficient sleep.
If you are physically active now and in reasonably good health, you can start on the exercises with little or no break-in period. If you are in poor physical condition and/or have been inactive for some time, then you should gradually build up to the full program.
Eating for Muscles
Every person who takes up bodybuilding should have a basic understanding of nutrition. The very words body building imply that we are undertaking something constructive. An exercise program is not enough. Exercise merely tones and develops existing muscles. In order to build muscles we must have the nutrients that promote growth. In this section I shall provide only a basic outline of what is involved in good eating. This should serve the needs of most people. If you have a special problem, you should consult a physician and study books on diet and nutrition.
There are three primary nutritional elements—proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They are all necessary to the well-balanced diet. I would suggest that in planning your diet you obtain a small calorie counter from your supermarket or drugstore. Be certain it gives a complete breakdown of the various foods—how many grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats are in each portion. Use it to help regulate your intake of body-building fuel.
Protein is the most important element to the bodybuilder. Protein is for growth, maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. The amount of protein needed by the average person is 1 gram for each 2 pounds of body weight. The bodybuilder needs more—approximately 1 gram of protein to each pound of body weight. Someone on a super-gain program will require even more protein—at least 11/2 grams of protein for every pound of body weight.
The highest-quality proteins come from animal sources—eggs, fish, poultry, meat and dairy products. Much lower in value (because they are not as readily assimilated) are proteins of plant origin—beans, rice, corn, peas and nuts. To make these more readily available for use in the body they should be taken with animal proteins. Generally speaking, the bodybuilder will experience the fastest growth by choosing protein from animal sources.
Carbohydrates raise the blood sugar level and supply the muscles with energy. You need a certain amount of carbohydrates to fuel your system so it can utilize its available protein to the greatest advantage.
Fats too are essential to a good diet. Not only do they heat your body and lubricate your body parts, they also provide a necessary base for carrying vitamins A, D and E.
Aside from protein, carbohydrates and fats, you should have adequate vitamins and minerals. It is preferable to get your vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. However, in accelerated training situations it is advisable to reinforce your regular diet with supplements. The following are the vitamins your body needs to maintain itself properly:
Vitamin A—important to good vision, skin texture, and maintaining the delicate linings of the nose and throat. Sources: eggs, liver, milk, carrots, spinach.
Vitamin B complex (twelve B vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin and thiamine)—essential to a good balance of the nervous system and the normal functioning of the digestive system. Sources: eggs, whole grains, poultry, green vegetables, fish, fruit, milk, brewer’s yeast.
Vitamin C—promotes healing; builds up resistance to infection; aids in the production of connective tissues; generally strengthens the skeletal and vascular systems. Sources: citrus fruits, tomatoes, green vegetables.
Vitamin D—essential for strong teeth and bones. Sources: milk, fish, egg yolks, chicken livers and, especially, direct sunlight.
Vitamin E—contributes to the functioning of the circulatory, respiratory and reproductive systems. Sources: wheat germ, vegetable oils, eggs and leafy green vegetables.
In addition to vitamins, and in many cases to make certain vitamins available to the body, you require adequate amounts of the following minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, potassium, sodium, copper, zinc, manganese.
There are four basic food groups. You should be aware of these groups and see that you include something from each one in your daily diet.
1. Milk and dairy products—cheese, cottage cheese, yoghurt and buttermilk.
2. Fish, poultry, meat and eggs.
3. Fruits and vegetables (preferably fresh).
4. Breads, cereals, fats.
Obviously, you will concentrate on the first two groups, since they contain the high-protein foods. But do not neglect carbohydrates and fats. To maintain the stamina to train, you need fuel and energy foods.
One thing every bodybuilder (or individual concerned with the ultimate welfare of his body) ought to do is to cut super-refined foods and food products from his diet. Do yourself a favor: start eating foods that will give you quality and vitality. Replace all refined sugar with honey. Avoid cakes, pies, candies, french fries and packaged snacks. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit.
Those readers who wish to lose weight can do so easily just by cutting out sweets, as I have suggested, balancing meals for more protein, and staying with the exercise program. However, if you really want to put on muscle I am including my super weight-gaining diet.
The secret of rapid weight gain is a high-protein, high-calorie diet. Your body can effectively utilize only so much protein at a time: 30 to 50 grams seems to be the maximum amount. Eating six small meals a day (instead of three large ones) is the ideal way to pace your protein intak
e. Smaller amounts of food are handled more easily by the digestive system, and there is no danger of over-stretching the stomach. The following diet is based on the frequent-small-meal principle and supplies just over 5,000 calories and 300 grams of protein.
BREAKFAST: 7:30 A.M.
3 eggs; 1/4- to 1/2-pound beef patty; 2 pieces buttered toast; 2 glasses milk
MIDMORNING SNACK: 10:00 A.M.
half sandwich, meat; 1 hard-boiled egg; 1 glass milk
LUNCH: 12:30 P.M.
1 meat sandwich; 1 cheese sandwich; 2 glasses milk; fruit
MIDAFTERNOON SNACK: 3:00 P.M.
1 hard-boiled egg; 3 slices cheese; 2 glasses milk
SUPPER: 6:00 P.M.
1/2 to 3/4 pound ground beef; baked potato with butter; salad; vegetable (corn, beans, peas, etc.); 2 glasses milk
BEDTIME SNACK: 9:00 P.M.
Protein drink: 2 glasses milk, 1/2 cup nonfat milk solids, one egg, 1/2 cup ice cream. Mix in a blender.
I designed this diet for the individual who either works or is a student. You can rearrange the mealtimes to suit your own schedule, as long as you keep two and a half to three hours between them. Here are a few additional suggestions that should help you gain weight rapidly:
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