Secret #1: Stimulate The Muscle Don't Annihilate It!
This has to be the granddaddy secret of them all. If I had just a dime for every person who gave up weight training because of over-training, I would quite possibly be the richest man in the world. I learned this secret from Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman.
Here was one of the best bodybuilders that ever lived, and I was doing more sets and reps in my weight training than he was. Ronnie Coleman believes that you should strive to,
"Stimulate the muscle, don't annihilate it."
Once a muscle has been thoroughly stimulated, more sets and reps will just retard growth.
Great bodybuilders like Ronnie Coleman limit the number of sets and reps per workout, this make's it easier to target your specified muscle and enhance its overall potential. Too many bodybuilders are guilty of "over-training." Most weight lifters just go into the gym and do countless exercises per muscle group and never give a thought to what-or-why they train the way they do.
Secret #2: Heavy Basic Exercises Build Big Muscles!
Countless sets of concentrated dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls and incline dumbbell curls will not produce half the results that a 6 set weight pyramid of all-out 6 to 20 reps Olympic barbell standing curls will.
My training partner and I were guilty of this crime. The same can be said for the Squat. All out barbell back squats for 6 to 20 reps will produce more muscular size and strength than 50 sets of leg extensions, leg curls, and even leg presses. I learned this important secret from Lee Priest; a man whose training methods of using heavy squats will put slabs of muscle on the most hopelessly skinny guys you have ever seen.
Secret #3: Eat Like A Bodybuilder To Look Like A Bodybuilder.
This sounds simple and actually is simple, yet most trainees screw it up! A champion bodybuilder like Ronnie Coleman has a daily diet that consists of.
1. Protein:
The most important element to the bodybuilder. Protein is for growth, maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. One to one and a half grams of protein per pound of bodyweight is recommended. The highest-quality proteins are from animal sources - eggs, fish, poultry, and meat and dairy products.
2. Carbohydrates:
Raise the blood sugar level and supply the muscles with energy. Best sources of carbohydrates are yams, oatmeal, stone ground whole wheat bread and cereals. You should also consume several servings of vegetables every day.
3. Fats:
Fats are essential to a good diet as they heat the body and lubricate body parts. They also provide a necessary base for carrying vitamins A, D and E. You can get ample amounts of good fats through your daily diet of fish, eggs, and if needed a tablespoon of olive oil.
Secret #4: 7 To 9 Hours Of Sleep At Night.
You cannot and will not grow bigger and stronger if you ignore this rule. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is required for the total recuperation and growth of the entire body. Muscular bodybuilders like Chris Cormier and Markus Ruhl are big believers in proper rest. Rest time is when the combination of proper training and eating come together and morph into making bigger, stronger muscles.
Secret #5: Have A Master Plan.
Secret #5 could arguably be the #1 ingredient needed to be successful. I learned this secret from the all time #1 bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger and have never forgotten it. What are our goals and why are we training? Without a master plan you'll be like a ship at sea without a definite destination (what you want to accomplish) and without a rudder (how you're going to steer yourself to it). Here is what a master plan consists of.
Secret #6: A Winner Never Quits And A Quitter Never Wins!
Remember this very simple phrase and make it a part of your life. When Gunter Schlierkamp defeated Ronnie Coleman some people said he just got lucky.
