Weightlifting that works

[Leo]

Ok...so I have avoided posting about this topic until I knew for sure that this works. I have seen many of you are interested in various exercise programs, including weightlifting. Well, there is a guy named Pete Sisco, who is the editor of Iron Man Magazine, and he has a radically different way to approach weightlifting.

 

The problem, as he sees it, is that too many people try to follow the "3-day-a-week" method, and end up getting stuck. Usually you will see quick gains that then plateau because your body can't recover quickly enough. Pete's method completely reverses this in a big way.

 

You begin by lifting a couple of times a week, with progressively heavier and heavier weights. As the weight increases, you need more time off to recover. The workouts are also very short - 30 to 40 minutes. What's more, the exercises are all done in your strongest range to avoid injury, and he also advocates static holds so that you are lifting the weight just a few inches, and holding it with each second counting as one rep.

 

As time goes on, your workouts are farther and farther apart. His most advanced trainees are going to the gym once every month and a half! I have to admit I was skeptical when I got the ebook, but it seems to work. I know that because Pete insists that you keep a record of every lift, every rep, so that you know scientifically whether it's working or not.

 

I started the program in June, have now been doing it for 4 months, and am going to the gym for about 45 minutes every three weeks. On Tuesday, I leg pressed 310 pounds for 83 reps. Did I mention that I'm not even 5'2" tall? Although I'm not into the whole "weightlifter" thing, I have to admit it's kind of funny to see the big guys all split as soon as I start lifting. I'm also benching 240lbs. The big guys stand around with looks of disbelief as I put the weight on the bar, and as soon as I lift it they're gone in a hurry! To be fair, they may not realize that I'm doing strong range partials, and they could probably lift as much or more.

 

So, anyway, I think it works, and I hardly ever have to go to the gym. You can buy the ebook here http://www.precisiontraining.com/ebook.cfm for like 30 bucks, which at first I balked at, but now I think is a killer deal (he points out that a personal trainer would probably charge at least that much for one session). By the way, I should point out that I am NOT an affiliate, and I don't get any benefit if any of you decide to buy the book. But if you do, you may want to coordinate it with anyone else that wants to - a day or so after I bought the book I got an email that said I could get a second copy cheaper.

[Yoda]

awesome results! Some people dig that sort of isometric training. Some people like Bruce Lee and Steve Justa claim that it does much more than make you strong, but actually energizes you and develops lots of focus. Many say that it is mysteriously powerful. I've never tried it.

[GrandTrinity]

Bruce Lee? Damn, this sounds good! All my buddies who go the gym every day--I knew they were wasting time!

[sean]

Leo, did you bulk up a lot? I'm interested in strength gains but I like remaining relatively thin and wiry, so I try to avoid anything that adds mass.

[Leo]

Leo, did you bulk up a lot? I'm interested in strength gains but I like remaining relatively thin and wiry, so I try to avoid anything that adds mass.

7770[/snapback]

 

 

It's interesting you ask that - Pete Sisco says a lot of people are concerned with that, especially women who want to work out, but don't want to look like body builders. What he says is that the whole "definition vs strength" thing we always hear is a myth. He says a muscle can do three things in regards to size: in can get bigger, it can get smaller, or it can stay the same. The difference between looking bulky and looking "shredded" is just the difference between more and less body fat. I think genetics also plays a role. If you have a wiry build, I imagine you will always tend to have wiry build, even if your muscles get bigger. Also, the gains you get happen slowly, so whenever you get to where you like it, you just maintain that level. If you ever felt like you got too "muscley" I suppose you could just stop exercising for a while.

 

Btw, I was always told that muscle would turn into fat if you stop working out, but evidently that's nonsense. Muscle doesn't "turn into" anything. What can happen, is a person could get used to eating a lot to maintain a more muscular build, and if they quit exercising, but don't cut down on their eating, they could get fat.

 

In my case, I haven't noticed a huge difference in my external body - my measurements seem to be about the same, although I look a little different, and my clothes seem to fit a little differently as well. My muscle size hasn't really increased too much, although they seem more toned and firm. But my strength has increased big time, and in a very noticeable way. Some of that is genetics - I've always been strong, but never had the big, showy muscles. I knew a guy in high school that could do hardly any exercise look like Sylvester Stallone, but then I could beat him arm wrestling, so go figure!

[Cameron]

Kettlebells and Clubbells are all I use for weights now. Bodybulding is a waste of time.

 

Actually you can get big, strong, lean whatever just from bodyweight stuff but it's fun to have something to play with.

 

Did some KB snatches and some clubbells swings and swipes today those are so fun.

[GrandTrinity]

What is the secret of that shizle, leo?