BY Dorian
YATES
MR.Olympia
and
Bob Wolff
THE ULTIMATE APPROACH TO
BUILDING MAXIMUM MUSCLE MASS
BLOOD
AND GUTS
THE ULTIMATE APPROACH TO
BUILDING MAXIMUM MUSCLE MASS
BY DORIAN YATES, MR OLYMPIA, AND BOB WOLFF
Copyright © 1993 by Dorian Yates and Bob Wolff
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction
In whole or in part in any for
Weider Publishing Ltd.
10 Windsor Court
Clarence Drive
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
HG1 2PE
Text Layout and Design by Martin Withrow
Copy-editor: Jo Ellen Krumm
Photo Credits: Chris Lund, Kevin Horton, Bob Gardner, Debbie Yates, Martin Tierney
Cover Photography by Chris Lund (front) and Kevin Horton (back)
Manufactured in the United Kingdom
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Library of Congress Cataloging in
Publication Data
Yates, Dorian and Wolff, Bob
BLOOD AND GUTS
THE Ultimate Approach To
Building Maximum Muscle Mass
1. Bodybuilding I. Title
ISBN: 0-9636163-0-7
BLOOD AND GUTS
TESTIMONIALS
“Dorian Yates, known as the “Blood and Guts” Mr. Olympia champion, knows exactly how to turn
a body into a muscular granite and power. He has proven it by his Mr. Olympia win with one of the
most chiseled and rock-hard bodies.
“I’m sure you’d like to know how he accomplished this. Dorian Yates lets you in on all his secrets
in this fascinating, authoritative and informative book. Use it!”
Joe Weider, The Master Blaster and Trainer of Champions since 1936. Publisher of Muscle &
Fitness, Flex, Shape and Men’s Fitness.
“To be a true champion, it takes hard work, determination and the will to never give up. That’s’
why Dorian Yates IS Mr. Olympia!”
Ed Coan, World Champion Power-lifter
“What makes a champion tick? Certainly, hard work and determination are key. The ability to stay
focused is vital. Yet, when it comes down to it, a true champion must have the ‘Blood and Guts’ to
make his dream a reality. Dorian Yates has teamed up with Bob Wolff to show you the particulars
on how to tap your unlimited physical and mental potential. In short, Blood and Guts can take your
training to another dimension!”
Tom Deters, DC Associate Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Muscle & Fitness magazine
“Dorian epitomizes everything bodybuilding is all about you. He has the kind of physique, when he
walks out in the lineup in front of the judges, they look up, drop their pencils in disbelief and
exclaim, ‘What the hell is that?! When someone says he is ‘freaky’, Dorian replies, ‘Thank you very
much.’ He has a show-stopping, blockbusting, iron-forged physique. His kind of physique is the
reason we all started lifting weights in the first place. Dorian Yates is a soft-spoken, well-educated
athlete who will lead to sport eloquently into the future.”
Tom Platz, Mr. Universe
“This book is not for the fainthearted... it’s designed for those with the cojones to shoot for excellence in physique development. Wimps need not apply.”
Jerry Kindela Editor-in-Chief, Flex Magazine
BLOOD AND GUTS
“Dorian Yates is the most intense, tenacious bodybuilder that I have ever met. From the first time I
spoke to him, I knew he was both different and special. His analytical approach to the sport sets
him apart from all others. In every sense of the word, Dorian Yates is a champion.”
Wayne S. DeMilia, IFBB Vice President Chairman, Pro Division
“In the late Seventies and early Eighties, Joe Weider and I made occasional references in our
respective writings to the ultimate PHYSIQUE – an abstract projection of a male physique characterized by a staggering level of muscle development and blinding, razor-sharp definition. Well, it is
no longer merely an abstraction. In 1992, Dorian Yates achieved a physical condition that
represents the conquertization, or living embodiment, of the ultimate physique.
“What makes Mr. Yates even more interesting is the fact that he is a radical individualist, one who
broke with bodybuilding tradition not just physically (by raising the standard of excellence significantly), but intellectually as well. Relying on his own independent thought and judgment, Dorian
rejected the traditional volume approach to physique training and embraced the much decried
heavy-duty, high-intensity training theory to develop the ultimate physique and to win the Mr.
Olympia competition.
“Aspiring bodybuilders, actuated by the knowledge that their minds are even more important than
their muscles, and the hence that great accomplishments are possible, will love this inspiring
saga.”
Mike Mentzer, Mr. Universe
“A few short years ago, a newcomer from England burst onto the bodybuilding scene. His name
was Dorian Yates. Dorian displayed spectacular mass, symmetry,proportion and cuts. Many
believed that Dorian was destined for greatness. I was one of them.
“Dorian quickly rose to the pinnacle of our sport by winning the highly esteemed Mr. Olympia
competition- bodybuilding’s greatest event.
“The future of bodybuilding and Dorian Yates is bright indeed. You are about to read the story of
one man whose courage, conviction and belief, helped him rise to the top.
Enjoy!”
Ben Weider, C.M., Ph.D.Founder and President, International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB)
“To me, Dorian Yates is a quiet gentleman who has everything it takes to get the job done. When I
first saw Dorian in New York in 1990, I said, ‘Whoa! This guy’s got tremendous potential and
ability to go a long way in this sport.’
I’ve been watching him year after year and he keeps getting better and better. That impresses me.
Dorian is one of the rare few who not only had the potential to become a Mr. Olympia, but the hard
work and total dedication helped him achieve it.
Dorian just keeps on getting bigger and better and stronger. I believe, if Dorian wants it, he’s got a
run at eight Mr. Olympia titles just like Haney!”
Robby Robinsion, Mr. Universe
BLOOD AND GUTS
This instructional/ motivational book is intended as a guide for
building maximum muscle mass. The information it contains
and the training principles it advocates are intense. In no
way-either written or implied-should this book be used to
replace the advice from a medical professional. Always consult
your physician before beginning any exercise program. Adjust
all poundages and intensity accordingly. Beginning and
intermediate bodybuilders should never attempt to duplicate a
professional’s training program.
BLOOD AND GUTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
From Dorian and Bob…
Special thanks to the following people who helped make “Blood and Guts” a great success; Joe and
Ben Weider, Tom Deters, Jerry Kindela, Martin Withrow, Jo Ellen Krumm, Peter McGough, Mike
Mentzer, Tom Platz, Robby Robinson, Ed Coan, Wayne DeMilia, Jim Wright, Lori Sandler, Paula
Crane, Teri Lamoureux, Jim Chada, Mark Strassner, Randy Dunbar, Kiwon Zane, George De Pirro,
Pam Apostolou, Julian Schmidt, John Little, John Foster, Jo Cocita, Linda Henry, Mary Ann
Mucica, Jim Schmaltz, Steve Schwade, Anneliese Leyk, Anne Byron, Sari Khan, Dean Brierly,
Sam Permisson, Peggy Sukawaty, everyone at FLEX, Muscle & Fitness and Weider
Special thanks for the incredible photography to: Chris Lund, Kevin Horton and Bob Gardner
Dorian gives special thanks for their inspiration to: Mike Mentzer, Tom Platz and Casey Viator
Bob gives special thanks for all their support to: Mary Wolff, Joe and Ben Weider, Dorian and
Debbie Yates, Tom Deters, Kent Branson, Reno DeLashmit, Tom Roland, Tom Walden, George
Turner, Pat Graham and all the other special people.
To everyone who has been there behind us…thanks a million for your friendship and support!
BLOOD AND GUTS
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Dorian Yates: From Top to Bottom
By Petter McGough
FOREWORD
Destined for Greatness
By Bob Wolff
CHAPTER 1
From The Start
One Hundred Percent Effort. It’s All About Being Realistic.
PAGE 1
CHAPTER 2
The First Competition- Where It All Began.
Turning On The Power. The Pro Debut. What It means To Compete.
PAGE 7
CHAPTER 3
The 1991 Mr. Olympia-Showdown With Lee Haney.
Disappointment Turns to Determination.
PAGE 11
CHAPTER 4
Helsinki- The 1992 Mr. Olympia.
Haney Stayed Away.
PAGE 15
CHAPTER 5
The Secret of My Success.
Goal Setting. Enjoy Yourself. Training Log. Role of Genetics Overrated.
PAGE 19
CHAPTER 6
The Mind Is The Power.
Never set limits. Believe in something bigger than yourself.
PAGE 23
CHAPTER 7
How My Training Evolved.
High intensity. Breaking away from tradition. Injuries. Cycle training.
Listen to your body.
PAGE 27
CHAPTER 8
Making Muscles Grow!
The Stimulus. The Exercise approach. Getting down to business.
Warm-up. Two Heavy Sets. The Secret For Growth. Understanding Form
and Function. The Training Atmosphere.
PAGE 31
CHAPTER 9
My Favorite Routines
Building a base. An advanced Split routine. The Signs of Over-training.
Making Adjustments.
My Current Off-Season Training Split. If the Body says Rest.
PAGE 35
CHAPTER 10
My Mass Arsenal
Top Mass-Builders Illustrated. Mass-Making Tips
PAGE 39
CHAPTER 11
Intensity Factors for Growth.
Go heavy. Vary the reps. Triple drops. Train to failure. Partial Reps.
Forced reps. Staggered Reps. Rest-Pause.
PAGE 49
CHAPTER 12
Other Training Elements-Tangible And Intangible.
Rest Between Sets. The Role Of Stretching. Training Only Once A Day.
The Trick To Getting Stronger. The Importance Of Sleep. The Effect Of
Stress.
PAGE 53
CHAPTER 13
Important People In A Bodybuilders’s Life.
The Importance Of Having People Support You. The Importance Of A
Training Partner.
PAGE 59
CHAPTER 14
Aerobics And Training.
Stocking The Fat Burner. Getting Into The Target Heart Rate Range.
PAGE 63
CHAPTER 15
The Attitude Of A Champion.
The Drive to Win. Details make the difference on honor.
PAGE 69
CHAPTER 16
The Psychology Of Blood And Guts.
The Mental Element. The Importance Of Goals. Visualizing Success. A Great Body Need A
Plan. My Freaky Condition In Competition. Job, Sport Or Both? My Magnificent Obsession.
PAGE 73
CHAPTER 17
Nutrition And Supplementation
Trial By Fire – My first Contest Diet. My Optimal Diet. The Protein Equation., A Typical Day’s
Menu. Supplementation. Using The Window Of Opportunity. What About The Latest “Get Big”
Drinks? Cutting Through The Hype – What To Look For In A Supplement. Vitamins. Amino
Acids. Buyer Beware. Eating What I Want. Importance Of Fat In The Diet. The Importance Of
Your Calorie Intake. Solving The Weight-Gain Dilemma.
PAGE 77
CHAPTER 18
What you can expect.
How Much Mass Can You Expect To Gain? How To Gauge Your Progress. Look At Your Total
Approach Under The Microscope. Crashing The No-Gain Barrier. Be A Person Of Your Word.
Earning Respect.
PAGE 85
CHAPTER 19
Easy reference guide.
A Handy Review Plus Additional Information On Protein, Carbohydrates, Fats, Aerobics And
Stretching. For Quick Reference Anytime.
PAGE 91
CHAPTER 20
Training injuries.
Avoiding Injuries. Cycling Your Workouts. If You Are Not Injured. Healing And Nutrition.
Learning From Others. Using Good Form. Training With An Injury. Methods That Speed
Recuperation.
PAGE 95
CHAPTER 21
Training cycles.
The mass cycle. The power cycle. The cuts cycle. The instinctive cycle. The blood and guts
training cycle.
PAGE 101
CHAPTER 22
More about lifting.
Maximum lifts. Lifting aids – belts, straps and wraps. The mind-set of working the muscle.
PAGE 105
CHAPTER 23
The great debate – free weights versus machines.
Pros and cons. The hardcore choice. Coming back from an injury.
PAGE 109
CHAPTER 24
Dorian’s mainstay machine and free weight exercises
My mainstay exercises (free weights and machines )
For chest, back, shoulders, biceps triceps, legs, calves and abdominals.
PAGE 117
CHAPTER 25
The best exercise for each body part.
Comparisons, recommendations and details.
Quads, hamstrings, calves, chest, back,shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms and abdominals.
PAGE 117
CHAPTER 27
The Influence Of Joe And Ben Weider
Bodybuilding’s Two Most Important Men. The IFBB. The Mr. Olympia. Reaching The Dream.
PAGE 129
CHAPTER 28
Onward And Upward
Winning Attitude. Being Successful Step-By-Step. Reaching Your Dreams With “Blood And
Guts”.
PAGE 133
INTRODUCTION
DORIAN YATES: FROM TOP TO BOTTOM!
Dateline: Morecambe, England, Saturday, July 20, 1985
Dorian Yates’ explosion onto the competitive scene is enshrined in British bodybuilding
folklore. On July 20th, 1985 he entered his first contest: The novice class at the West Coast
Championships in Morecambe, Lancashire. Yates’ 200-pound blend of mass,shape and quality
caused a sensation, and all observers agreed that the physique before them would be a shoo-in to take
that year’ s British heavyweight title, never mind and regional Novice contest.
Coming off stage, the first-timer was besieged on all fronts: Magazines hungry for the hottest
story since Towering Inferno jostled for interviews; Andrew Searle, the then reigning British
heavyweight bodybuilding champ, maneuvered for a closer look at this nemesis; and officials were
petitioning the newcomer to be part of the English team for the following weekend’ s World Games.
As a journalist you dream of being there the day a superstars is born. Dorian Yates’ day at
Morecambe was my day!
BLOOD AND GUTS
Throughout all the uproar the person most unaffected by the meteoric arrival of Dorian Yates,
was the man himself. Arm-in-arm with his now wife, Debbie, he just calmly thanked everyone for
their interest, and tried to quietly explain that he was just a novice and that all this attention was
surely unwarranted.
Bodybuilding is littered with the wasted potential of those whose outstanding muscular
genetics were not in sync with the intricacies contained within the body part that resides behind the
forehead. But, on that July day of 1985, it was immediately clear that Dorian Yates was a different
bodybuilder!
I was later to write: “ Many bodybuilders proclaim they were born to body build, but Dorian
Yates is the first one I’ve met in my 25 years preoccupation or whom there seems no other
explanation or choice. He’ s so ideally suited to the sport, physically and mentally, that if
bodybuilding didn’t exist it’s good bet Dorian Yates would invent it.”
Dateline: Nottingham, England, Sunday, September 13, 1992.
A capacity crowd of 2,300 made Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall, a seething mass of
muscular expectation. Twenty-four hours earlier the country’s bodybuilding hero, Dorian Yates, had
become the first Briton to ever win the Mr. Olympia title; and with the 1992 English Grand Prix
about to begin the atmosphere was approaching fever pitch.
One by one the 17 competitors were introduced, each accorded 10 seconds, or so of
individual acclaim as they appeared through a haze of smoke, before walking along the dramatically
lit catwalk. With all other competitors in agreement, Dorian Yates had been granted the role of final
contestant.
Sixteen athletes stood onstage as the voice of emcee and promoter, Wayne DeMilia, barked
out: “ And finally competitor number 17 from England, and 1992 Mr. Olympia…”
The rest of the intro was drowned in a shrieking cacophony that threatened the very
foundations and roof of the the Royal Concert Hall, as more than 2,000 souls paid baying homage to
one of their own who had come home with the biggest prize his sport had to offer.
Before the contest I had suggested to Yates that he walk out with his newly won Sandow
statuette in hand. “The audience will love it,” I assured him.
But he rejected the idea out of hand: “To do that,” he reprimanded, “would be unfair to the
others athelts. This is the English Grand Prix: A competition. To walk out with the Sandow would be
like saying to the judges, ‘I’m Mr. Olympia, so you must make me the winner.’ ‘I’ve too much
respect for my fellow competitors to do that.”
In the space of the seven years separating his Morecambe baptism and that English Grand
Prix homecoming, Dorian Yates had gained 42 pounds of muscle and traveled from anonymity to be
the best on the planet in his chosen sport. Despite the physical and financial metamorphosis, his
refusal to usurp an advantage over his fellow competitors demonstrated that the nobility of the inner
man remained unchanged.
friend.
Dorian Yates is still very different bodybuilder, and I’m honored and proud that he calls me
Peter McGough
BLOOD AND GUTS
DESTINED FOR
GREATNESS
By Bob Wolff
“I think most of us remember our firsts: a first date, our first car, our first job. All of these
events remain in our minds as times that were truly unique.
A time that holds great meaning in my mind came in May of 1991 when I met Dorian and
Debbie Yates. The place was Dick Zimmerman’s photo studio in Los Angeles. Joe Weider brought
me out of Los Angeles to interview Dorian. In Joe’ s mind, Dorian was destined for great
things-having just won the Night of Champions show in New York- and he wanted me to interview
this up-and-coming physique champion.
At first, I played my cards close to my chest, asking my stock physique-star questions:
How long have you been training? What’s your favorite routine for mass? Etc. Dorian gave
me the answers I wanted and a whole lot more.
As I continued to interview him, my eyes and my mind were opened and I realized that this
was no ordinary guy with a great physique. No, this was something completely different. This man
possessed a charisma, a gentle demeanor and high powered lase-like focus on his goals, by which all
of his contemporaries seemed pale in comparison.
As the months passed, I wrote more articles about Dorian Yates for Muscle & Fitness. The
more I wrote about him, the more my admiration and respect grew. Here was a guy whose training,
total approach to the sport and his life were as thoroughly thought out as the best conceived battle
plans. Nothing about Dorian happened by accident. Here was a man who was in control of his life
and loving every minute of it. I admired that.
Dorian and I remained in touch through calls and letters. Our respect for each other began to
grow and that seeds of what would be strong trusting friendship developed.
BLOOD AND GUTS
Then, in September 1991 in Orlando, Florida, an event took place that would transform our
lives-the Mr. Olympia competition.
The show marked a first for both of us; Dorian as a Mr. Olympia competitor and myself as a
journalist covering the Mr. Olympia. The night before the competition, Dorian, Debbie and I sat
outside near the tranquil waters of the Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel and talked about Dorian’s
life. “It seems like a dream,” Dorian said. “From working out in an old little gym in Birmingham,
England to competing onstage with the world’s greatest bodybuilders in the Mr. Olympia!” Then he
returned to his wife and said, “We’ve come along way together, Deb.”
As I sat listened to their amazing story, an idea lit up in my mind, “ I want us to write a book
about your life, Dorian!” I exclaimed. “I know that people all over the world would want to know
about you, where you came from, how you trained, your nutrition, psychology and all elements that
has made Dorian Yates who and what he is.” Dorian looked at met and quietly replied, “Well then, if
we do it, I want people who read it to know that I’m no different than them. I’m just an average guy
and if I can do it, so can they.” Ahh, the seed was planted!
The 1991 Mr. Olympia served as a proving ground for Dorian. This being only his first Mr.
Olympia competitor, Dorian beat the indomitable Lee Haney in the muscularity round, only to be
edged out by Lee for the Mr. Olympia title. Dorian vowed that this would not happen again. He was
right!
At the 1992 Mr. Olympia competition in Helsinki, Finland, Dorian proved to judges, fans and
himself that he had arrived. Dorian mowed down newcomers and experienced pros alike – including
Lee Labrada, Kevin Levrone, Vince Taylor, Shawn Ray and even the monstrous Lou Ferrigno. The
Yates size, symmetry, hardness, cuts and proportions were too much for the other great champions to
bear.
So why is it that I find such admiration for this quiet, unassuming guy from England? Simply,
Dorian embodies the things that make up a true champion- hard work, focus, vision for the future,
positive attitude and expectations, faith, a desire to be the very best he is capable of and the “blood
and guts” determination to never stop until he’s reached that coveted goal.
Make no mistake about it. Dorian Yates has yet to reach his full potential. Dorian knows this,
I know this, and so does every fan the world over who knows a true champion when they see one.
The Yates body and mind-set are perfectly synchronized to detonate and destroy all previously
known limits to how big, how muscular and how freaky a human body can get.
You’re about to learn some priceless lessons that will save you incredible amounts of time in
reaching whatever bodybuilding and fitness goals you have. It takes a plan to have the kind of body
you truly want. It will not happen by accident. Dorian is about to reveal the plans he used to become
the best bodybuilder in the world- Mr. Olympia.
Sit back,relax and enjoy reading this inspirational, motivational training guide and life story.
You’ll find yourself going back to its pages again and again and again.”
Bob Wolff
BLOOD AND GUTS
DORIAN YATES
IN HIS TEMPLE GYM
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
BLOOD
AND GUTS
THE ULTIMATE APPROACH TO
BUILDING MAXIMUM MUSCLE MASS
BY DORIAN YATES, MR.OLYMPIA, AND BOB WOLFF
CHAPTER
1
From The Start
I grew up in the country
on a small farm in rural Staffordshire, located in
central England. I was surrounded by horses, chickens, dogs and many other animals and pets. My
father died when I was 13. After his passing, my mother decided that she, my sister and I would leave
Staffordshire and move to England’s second and largest city, Birmingham.
Birmingham is an industrial city and it’s a good town-though sometimes a bit too hustle and
bustle for me. After three years, my mother missed the rural lifestyle and decided to move back to
Staffordshire. I had adapted quickly to the city life, however , and decided to stay in Birmingham ( I
definitely consider myself a city person-although I still have a love for all kinds of animals and
wildlife).
So at 16 years of age, I was on my own and responsible for my own livelihood. That made
me grow up in a hurry . As I look back, those were some tough times.
I started training in May of 1983 at the age of 21. That’s probably an older age than most pros
start. However, before I started training I had an interest in bodybuilding.
BLOOD AND GUTS
I was doing martial arts at the age of 15
and during my teenage years. I’d buy muscle
magazines to keep abreast of all the things going
on in bodybuilding.
From the start, I loved training. First of
all, it was physical. Second, it was totally
individual. Whether I won or lost, got great
results or not, it was all up to me . A total
individual effort. I might take advice and weigh
up all the options from others but in the end, it
was all up to me. That’ s always been the way
I’ve liked it. I guess you could say I enjoy taking
responsibility for my own destiny.
I never enjoyed team sports because of
the fact that maybe I’d be busting my butt during
a game and someone else wouldn’t. I think I
always felt let down because not everyone on the
team was giving it 100 percent. Not everyone is
going to win every single time, however, if you
and everyone on the team gave it your best, then
you could feel good about the outcome.
Bodybuilding
was
different.
Bodybuilding opened doors and opportunities to
me that I never dreamed possible. I owe
everything to sport. I can look at many of the
people I grew up with and see that they’ve never
even left the city. They’ve let themselves become
stuck in a rut and accepted a lifestyle that they
really didn’t have to. Bodybuilding has enabled
me to go out to meet people from all over the
world and experience things that are priceless.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT
When I began training, it wasn’t like I
went to the gym and didn’t know what to do. I’m
the kind of person that if I’m going to do
something I want to find out the best way so I’ll
ask lots of questions to knowledgeable people. I
do a lot of analyzing. If there’s a better way to
that same thing, I’ll search for it and once I’ve
found it, I’ll do it.
BLOOD AND GUTS
I based much of my early training on what Mike Mentzer did and the Nautilus principles.
They were logical and made a lot of sense to me. Those training ideas and principles gave me the
basics for a good training system. Over the years, I’ve changed some things around to suit my body
type and goals.
When I chose to follow bodybuilding, I never thought about being Mr. Olympia or some
world champion and that winning that title would change my life. I loved bodybuilding and it was
something positive. I believed that I could do well in the sport, so I totally committed myself to it. I
told my wife Debbie I was going to give bodybuilding everything I’ve got. If at the end of two years
nothing had happened, I’d give it up and move on to another career.
IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING REALISTIC
My mind-set is such that if I’ve given everything I do my all and I’ve allowed myself enough
time to realistically experience some results and nothing substantial happens, then it’s time to move
on and not live in a dream world . Too many people waste precious time and their lives on hopes and
dreams that they’re not committed to 100 percent. I use the term 100 percent commitment quite a lot
for good reason: To be successful in life-especially in bodybuilding it- it takes total all-out effort and
desire and the attitude to not quit until you’ve reached your goal.
BLOOD AND GUTS
results.
I’ve always taken bodybuilding one step at a time. I started training and I noticed some
I adjusted a few things in my training and diet and I noticed more results.
After two years of training I won my first novice show in England and so on.
Whenever I saw physique pictures in the magazines I thought they were exaggerated, larger
than life, something like 10 times bigger in my mind than they actually were. I thought these guys
were from outer space! I always believed that others competitors were light years ahead of me in
terms of development. That all changed when I entered my first physique contest.
BLOOD AND GUTS 5
CHAPTER
2
The First Competition...
Where It All Began
The first competition
entered was the 1985 West Coast Championships in
Morecambe, England. I went to this novice contest and took a look at the competitors and before I
walked onstage, I told Debbie that I thought I had a good chance to win it.
I walked out onstage and the audience gasped! I thought something was wrong with my
physique or my posing trunks had fallen down. People in the audience were asking each other where
this guy came from? I wasn’t in any way prepared for that.
At that point in my life, I didn’t have a lot of confidence or think that I was that good. I came
into the competition thinking that it was a novice event and I’d like to win it and maybe I could go to
the novice finals and do well there.
After I came off the stage after finishing my posing routine, several guys from the English
Bodybuilding Federation came up to me and said: “Who the heck are you? Where do you come from
and why aren’t you in the heavyweights?”
I told them, “This is my first competition and I’m not good enough to compete with the
heavyweights.” They laughed and told me that I was probably the best, if not the best, heavyweight
to ever come out of England!
BLOOD AND GUTS 7
I couldn’t believe it! Here I was, after just two years training, in my first competition and
these people are telling me this. As it turned out, the World Games were held in London just one
week after the novice competition. They asked me if I’d like to try out for it. I told them no.
They ended up persuading me to do it. I think it helped knowing that it was going to be in my
home town of Birmingham. They chose me for the team. So I went from my novice competition one
weekend to the World Games the next and took seventh out of 13 people. I thought that wasn’t too
bad for only a couple years of training. At that point I knew that bodybuilding was what I had to do.
Two years came around and I accomplished my objectives. It was time to keep moving
forward.
TURNING ON THE POWER
Until then, I had never come across anything like the positive feeling I got through
bodybuilding. I felt good about what I was doing and all the results I achieved were happy , powerful,
positive and productive.
The following year, 1986, I won the heavyweight class at the British Championships. I had to
take a year layoff in 1987 due to a hip injury. During 1987, I was able-with the help of a financial
backer- to open Temple Gym in Birmingham. I had all the equipment built to my specifications.
Nothing fancy, just hardcore and functional.
BLOOD AND GUTS 8
Opening the gym helped make things more stable financially for me. I knew that the gym
would not be great profit maker since it catered to bodybuilders and didn’t have any exercise bikes,
fancy chrome machines or the like.
In 1988 I came back and won the overall British Championships, which allowed me to turn
pro. I took 18 months and trained like crazy before I entered my first pro competition- the 1990 Night
of Champions.
MY PRO DEBUT
I gave the Night of Champions competition everything I had and sacrificed a lot. I figured
that I would go in there and do the very best I could. If I was good enough to be a good pro, I was
going to know straight away. If I went in there and got 10th place, I knew I might as well forget about
it.
After a tough battle, I took second place to Mohammed Benaziza. Momo was a great
competitor, bodybuilder and friend. I enjoyed competing with him and I believe the sport is greatly
saddened by his ultimately passing. He touched many peoples lives in a positive way .
My first pro competition taught me that in order to compete on the same playing field as the
top pros, I needed to refine my physique, posing and approach. After a year of fine tuning, I came
back in 1991 and won the Night of Champions.
WHAT IT MEANS TO COMPETE
I’ve never been one to compete just for the sake of competing. To me, competing should
mean something – like being a step up the ladder to physique improvement.
Competition has always been an integral part of the overall plan that I’ve had to become the
very best among the very best.
BLOOD AND GUTS 9
CHAPTER
3
The 1991 Mr. Olympia Showdown With Lee Haney
In 1991 I entered the Mr. Olympia
competition in Orlando, Florida. This
show was significant for two reasons. First: It was my first Mr. Olympia competition. That was a
dream come true in and of itself. Second: I would be competing with the world’s best bodybuilderLee Haney. Many felt that Haney was unstoppable after winning the competition for seven years
straight. I felt differently.
In the past, Lee had never gone up against anyone that could match him size for size and
muscle for muscle. I believed I could. Lee’s thickness, especially his lat width, was his great strength.
Fortunately, it was mine too.
After I won the Night of Champions I kicked my preparation into high gear preparing to meet
Lee head on. Everything went well and I was especially pleased at how my body was responding to
my training and diet. In my mind, I was ready.
On stage at the competition, I believed it would come down to Lee and me. I won the
muscularity round, but in the other rounds Lee edged me. His presentation and experienced really
showed, helping him win the title for an unprecedented eighth time.
BLOOD AND GUTS 11
DISAPPOINTMENT TURNS
TO DETERMINATION
I was disappointed after the competition. If you had asked me six months before the contest
if I would have been happy with the second place, I would have said you bet! But as the competition
drew closer, I believed more and more that I would win, and so the harder it became to accept
anything less than number one. As you progress, you views change. I guess it’ s only natural.
Looking back I could appreciate the obvious: This was only my first Mr. Olympia
competition. Of course some aspects of my presentation along with some body parts needed to be
improved and refined. Another year of hard training would help me accomplish that. I set out with
vengeance and attacked the weights with everything I had. It made a difference.
In a sense, taking second was a blessing in disguise because it prepared me mentally to
become Mr. Olympia. When I entered the 1991 Mr. Olympia competition, I believed that I could be
Mr. Olympia. I had no idea what it would be like entering the show. You can plan and visualize as to
how you might think it will be. But the only way you’re going to know is to get up there on stage and
experience the excitement firsthand.
That next year I physically and mentally believed that I was Mr. Olympia. Every time I went
into the gym, my whole being being- everything I believed in-was put into every set and rep. That
gave me the power to go heavier than ever before! That gave me the will to keep going when my
body screamed for me to stop! That gave me the motivation to constantly seek out advice and
criticism that helped me to perfect my physique beyond anything I ever imagined!
BLOOD AND GUTS 12
CHAPTER
4
Dateline:
Helsinki, Finland...
The 1992 Mr. Olympia
Helsinki was the city
where I knew that I would be crowned Mr. Olympia. Many of
the magazines and prognosticators were saying that Lou Ferrigno was coming back after 17 years of
retirement bigger and better than ever. Much of the talk centered around Vince Taykor, Kevin
Levrone, Shawn Rey, Lee Labrada. Those were the guys who were supposed to be the biggest
threats.
The more rumors I heard, the harder I trained. I knew I was giving every bit of my
preparations 100 percent. If someone was training more intensely, eating better, getting more rest,
was bigger, harder, more cut and was more committed that I was, more power to them. They deserve
to win.
All the things I had vowed to change from the 1991 Mr. Olympia competition were changed.
My posing, skin tone, upper chest and arms were all bigger, more symmetrical and cut. And, adding
the extra sessions of aerobics decreased my waist size by half-inch and gave me more taper and
symmetry.
BLOOD AND GUTS 15
I took my weight down to 242 pounds for the show. As I look back, I believe I could have
come in eight or 10 pounds heavier and still would have won. I knew guys like Shawn Ray and Lee
Lebrada would be coming into the show with razor-sharp cuts. My game plan was to surpass
everyone in muscularity, hardness and cuts.
I must say that the competitors were in great shape and we all fought it out tooth-and-nail. At
the end of the night I was named Mr. Olympia and it was one of the greatest moments of our life. I
say “our life” because my wife Debbie has been there all along helping and supporting me since I
started bodybuilding. The Mr. Olympia victory was just much hers as it was mine.
HANEY STAYED AWAY
Lee Haney chose not to compete in Helsinki. I was hoping he would compete. I respect and
admire Lee Haney. In my book, Lee is a great bodybuilder and wonderful person- a true champion in
every sense of the word. In 1991, I gave Lee the fight of his life and he showed up in his best
condition ever. I believe that if Lee would have met me on the Mr. Olympia stage in Helsinki, I still
would have been crowned Mr. Olympia.
I’m relative newcomer to the sport of bodybuilding and my body is continually growing and
changing. When I met Lee in Orlando, Florida at the 1991 Mr. Olympia competition, Lee brought
years of Mr. Olympia experience with him. Now, I’d like to meet Lee again on the Mr. Olympia
stage. Things would never be the same for him.
BLOOD AND GUTS 16
CHAPTER
5
The Secret Of My Success
I believe the secret of my success
in bodybuilding is doing things one at
a time. Having small goals and doing things step by step. I think it’s like standing at the bottom of a
mountain and thinking that you want to reach the top. If all you can see is the top, it gets a bit
overwhelming because of the vast distance you must climb. If, on the other hand, you take one step,
then another, then another, you’re slowly but surely making your way to the top of that mountain step
by step. Ultimately you’ll achieve your goal.
I’ll give you an example of how I apply this philosophy to my training. Ever since I began
training, I’ve always kept a training log and have written my routines, poundages, sets, reps, diet,
training goals, my bodyweight, etc. The trainings log has allowed me to accurately gauge my
progress and pinpoint areas that need adjustment.
You can’t be a bodybuilding success by guesswork alone. Many bodybuilders ask my advice
about nutrition and training. After they tell me their problems, I’ll ask them about certain aspects of
their game plan. Boy, are they in the dark. Many don’t have a clue about their calorie, protein, carb
or fat intake. I mean how are you going to fix something if you don’ t know what it is that needs to
be fixed?
BLOOD AND GUTS 19
Another problem area for bodybuilders is setting big goals while neglecting the small goals
in between. Here’s what I mean: Many bodybuilders tell me that they want bigger arms. I ask them
how much bigger. They’ll say something like four inches and they’ll totally be discouraged at
reaching only the small goals along the way. They’re concentrating only on reaching the big goal and
when that doesn’t come fast, they get frustrated and many quit.
You should look at the big picture but in small ways. For example. If I want to add size to my
arms, I’ll set the goal of one-fourth inch within a certain time period. Once I reach that goal, I’ll set
another one-fourth inch goal and another and another and so on. Before I know it, I’ve reached my
big goal while enjoying the process along the way.
ENJOY YOURSELF
Bodybuilding is something to be enjoyed. It isn’t something like a job that you feel you must
do. It should be something that you want to do. Think of the positive reasons why you want to body
build and work to eliminate the negative results will drastically improve!
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING LOG
I regularly go back and look over my old training logs. They teach me a lot. They show me
what areas I’ve improved. They give me feedback as to which exercises, sets, reps etc., are working
and not working. I can look back in those books and say, “ Okay, at this point in my time my body
really grew. What was it that I did?”
Those trainings logs have become my blueprint to helping me build my body.
Think about it: You wouldn’t take a cruise on a ship if once you got abroad it drifted aimlessly
in the water with no place to go. Building your body is no different. It takes a plan. A solid and
well-thought-out game plan to get you from point A to point B.
BLOOD AND GUTS 20
THE ROLE OF GENETICS
Many people ask me if I’m genetically gifted. To honestly answer that I am above average as
I was muscular and lean when I started serious training. When I began lifting, I was 5-foot-10 and
weighted 180 pounds. So I wasn’t huge by any means although I was relatively lean without much
body-fat.
I think the subject of genetics is a bit overrated. Think about it: Can you build a 21-inch arm?
Only when you’ve achieved a 21-inch arm do you know that you’ve got the genetics for it. I can’t
look at you and say that you have or haven’t got the genetics for a 21-inch arm. No one knows until
you’ve tried it.
It’s easy to look at me now and say of course you’re genetically gifted because you’ve
achieved the level of development you have. But, look at how many other people there are out there
that have genetics superior to mine but they don’t try hard enough or they give up too soon.
BLOOD AND GUTS 21
CHAPTER
6
The Mind Is The Power
The mind is the most
important thing. You could have had the genetics that I have,
yet if you’ve got twice the determination to succeed, you’re going equal to surpass me. However, I
did have the most determination to do whatever it took to get my body in the kind of condition that
was necessary to win.
The pro ranks are filled with guys with similar genetics. They wouldn’t be there unless they
had the ability to gain size with good symmetry. Now, what do you think separates the guy who
makes it to the top and the other guys who don’t? It’s not genetics. It’s drive, commitment, 100
percent determination, focus and the mind-set to be the very best.
I’ve told Debbie that if some of the pros out there with their incredible genetics approach the
sport like I have, I’m in trouble. Remember this: You can have the best genetics in the world but
without the drive and determination to be the best and achieve your best, genetics means very little.
BLOOD AND GUTS 23
GOING BEYOND GENETICS
Many times in life, having things come easily takes away the motivation to try hard. If you
can build a good physique by doing a little training and eating hamburgers, you might not see any
point in busting your butt and finding out the little things that can make a good physique great. The
point it that there’s not much incentive to improve.
Things were different for me. I knew I wanted to be the very best that I was capable of and
that meant studying how the body responded to food, training, supplements, rest, days training, days
off, and everything else. For me, every aspect had to be tested. Only then could I be sure that I was
doing everything I possibly could that would enable me to take my body to its fullest potential.
HOW I STAY MOTIVATED AND HUNGRY TO IMPROVE
One of the biggest motivating factors for me has been that I never thought that I was destined
to be an average person doing an average job. I could never feel comfortable doing that. Even before
I started bodybuilding. I felt that I was destined and had that drive to do something different and
achieve something worthwhile. That didn’t mean that I wanted to be Mr. Universe or Mr. Olympia or
anything like that. I just didn’t want to go through life and look back on it regretting what it would of
or could been like if I had only believed in myself.
Now, my goals is to be as good of a bodybuilder as I possibly can. At this point, I’m not sure
exactly where that’s going to take me because I feel I’m constantly improving. This is what excites
me now. I ask myself: “ How bug can I get? How cut can I get? What’s the limit to my achievement?“
NEVER SET LIMITS
Never set limits in your mind about whatever it is you want to do. If it’s bodybuilding don’t
set strength or size or condition limits because once you do, you won’t go any farther. The important
thing is to progress. Even if it’s small increments, the main thing is that you’re getting better.
I could never enter a competition and get in shape just for the money. How can you get your
body into top shape with that kind of attitude? Where’s the motivation and drive to give your training
and diet 100 percent and improve if your only motivation for doing something is financial?
For me, it’s a matter of a pride. I could never go into any competition unless I was in my best
condition. It would be like my life and family’s life is on the line. All the years of struggle and
sacrifice that I and my family have gone through are on the line every time I enter a competition,
every workout, every set and rep. My whole being is totally committed 100 percent to what I do.
Anything less is not good enough.
I fully understand that I may not be victorious every time I do something, but that doesn’t
matter. I know that I’ve done the very best I could and I let the chips fall where they may. Even if I
took first place and I knew that I didn’t give it total commitment, I’d probably feel worse because
inside I’d feel like I cheated myself. Once I know that I’ve done everything I could, I can go home
with a good feeling inside knowing that I’ve done my very best. That’s important to me.
BLOOD AND GUTS 24
BELIEVE IN SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOURSELF
You’ve got to have a passion and drive for something in your life, a creed that you fully
believe in and are willing to give your life to. I find that lacking in a lot of the guys on the scene now.
When I started out, guys like Mike Mentzer and Tom Platz stood apart from everyone else
because of their commitment to the sport and themselves. Platz would always talk about how he
wanted to be Mr. Olympia and about taking his body to the limits. He’d talk about how he wanted the
judges to fall off their chairs in amazement as he’d walk out onstage.
That drive doesn’t seem to be around anymore. It’s like so many people are caught up in the
“making money” and “ I want to be a movie star” world. I really believe that people should take a
long look at themselves and what they believe in. That would be a good indicator of where they came
from, where they are now and where they’re going.
BLOOD AND GUTS 25
CHAPTER
7
How My Training Evolved
For the first few months
of my training I used to train the whole body three
times per week . I’d do the basic exercises like squats, bench press, curls and presses. From there I
moved on to a split routine where I was training four days per week ( Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday).
Even when I was training four days per week, I felt over-trained, as if my body wasn’t getting
enough time to recuperate. I then cut back to training every other day, doing half the body in one
workout. The next day would be a day off. The third day I’d work the other half of the body, then I’d
take another day off. Sometimes I felt even that was too much training and I’d cut my training back
to three days a week with two way split.
It sounds fun on a weekly basis to be doing one had of your body twice and the other half
once. But if you look at it over a nine-day period, it evens out. I followed this program for about three
years , up until the time I won the British Championship. I’d definitely recommend this type of
training for someone who didn’t want to be a competitive bodybuilder. This program is a good way
to pack on size while giving the body the recuperation it needs to grow.
BLOOD AND GUTS 27
Recuperation is only one part of the picture. Training intensity is another. Mike Mentzer’s
Heavy Duty training philosophy and much of the Nautilus philosophy made sense to me because
they were saying that in order to grow, you need training intensity and after that enough time for
recuperation and growth to take place. There;s a limit to how much training you can do and how
often you can train.
You can train five hours every day, but you wouldn’t be able to train intensively nor would
you be able to stimulate any growth, so it would be pointless. That’s why I always trained intensely
and very briefly to allow enough time for my body to recuperate.
Right now, I’m training three out of every six or seven days. Sometimes when I don’ t feel
adequately recovered, I’ll take extra days and not feel guilty about it. I’d rather take more time off
than not enough. I think it’s better for the body.
BREAKING AWAY FROM TRADITION
I don’t believe in doing the traditional 15 to 20 sets per body part. That’s too much work. I’ll
do one or two sets per exercise. If you haven’t done the job by then, it’s not going to happen. Mike
Mentzer summed it up years ago when he said: “ You can take a stick of dynamite and tap it with a
pencil all day and it’s not going to go off. But hit it once with a hammer and ‘BANG’ it’ll go off!”
I’m not about to try to prove or disapprove that literally, but in the terms of muscle growth, Mike hit
it right on the head.
If you’re doing one or two sets to failure, as strictly as you can and you’re going to failure,
giving it 100 percent , it would be pointless to do another set. On the other hand, you can do five sets
with little or no intensity and you’ll experience little if any growth.
Think of it like this: If you’re doing 15 sets for your chest-workout and you’ve just completed
your third set, are you going to be able to bust butt and give the next set everything you’ve got when
you know you’ve got 12 more to do? It isn’t possible.
You see, when you’ve given your first two or three sets everything inside of you, there’s no
way you’ll be able to do it for the rest of that body part's workout. You’ve already provided the
intensity your muscles need to grow. Anything beyond that cuts into your recuperative ability.
Remember: you stimulate growth in the gym but you grow outside of the gym, during your recovery
between workouts.
INJURIES AND CYCLING TRAINING
I’ve learned over the years that you can’t train with 100 percent intensity all the time. The
body is not a machine and it needs periods of rest and decreased training intensity for it to recover
and respond to the next plateau of training. I found that when I trained hard for six weeks then took
two weeks of less intense training with up to but no more than 3-4 days of complete rest, my body
responded well.
I’ve recently cut back even more on my training frequency by training each body part every
six or seven days.
Here’s an example:
DAY ONE: Deltoids and triceps
DAY TWO: Back
DAY THREE: Day off
DAY FOUR: Chest and biceps
DAY FIVE: Legs and calves
DAY SIX: Day off
DAY SEVEN: Repeat program or rest if needed
BLOOD AND GUTS 28
Many people think in terms of recuperation just for the muscle groups. I think the muscle
groups recuperate reasonably fast. But when you’re training heavy, doing squats, leg presses or
bench presses, you’re putting a lot of stress on the whole body . That’s why I believe you need to take
complete days off away and out of the gym for overall recuperation. Not just to give your legs a
chance to recover because you’re not stressing just legs when you train legs. You’re stressing your
whole system.
I think the lesson here is this: As you get bigger and stronger, you put more stress on your
recovery systems. And when you’re training all out, you need to train less often in order to fully
recover.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
You should be flexible in your training, even during a precontest phase. Sometimes I’ll walk
into the gym, warm up and something will feel like it’s not all there for some reason. It’s a little
warning to take it easy today.
Let’s face it, some days we’re stronger than others. The body isn’t a machine. You shouldn’t
treat it like one. I’ve found that by listening to my body, going heavy when I feel strong and lighter
when I don’t, has allowed me to train injury free and make every solid and consistent gains.
BLOOD AND GUTS 29
CHAPTER
8
Making Muscles Grow
To make a muscle grow,
you’ve got to give it some kind of stimulus, some
overload. When I started training I could bench press 130 pounds. Now, I can bench press over 500
pounds. There’s a major difference there because it I was still bench pressing 130 pounds, I’d still
look the same as when I started. The pecs, delts and triceps that move the muscle would all be the
same because I wouldn’t have overloaded them and forced them to grow beyond what is needed to
move 130 pounds.
It’s simple really: when you stress the muscle beyond what it’s used to, it compensates and
adapts to that stress by becoming stronger and larger. It’s easy to be confused by all the various ways
that people train. I don’t really get into all the training philosophies of this or that champion. Some
guy may be genetically gifted and train in a crazy way and still grow. But who’s today to say that if
this guy trained in the way I advocate, that he wouldn’t grow faster or bigger?
You’ve got to experiment and find what works best for you, your body type, goals, etc. I
found what works best for me because it makes sense and it works! Whatever training method you
choose, the bottom line is this: you’ve got to overload the muscle on a progressive basis, and give it
plenty of time for repair and recuperation, in order for it to become bigger and stronger.
BLOOD AND GUTS 31
THE EXERCISE APPROACH
I believe in doing the basic exercises plus some isolation movements. The basic exercises
would be what I call multi-joint exercises where I’m using more than one joint. When you do the
bench press for chest, you’re using the elbow and shoulder joints, making it a basic movement. When
you do the dumbbell flye, you’re just levering on the shoulder joint, which would make it more of an
isolation exercise.
I like to do a combination of both with more emphasis on the basic exercises. The size of the
muscle group and its different functions determine to a large degree what I would do. For chest and
thighs, for example, I would do three exercises. For back I’d do four or five since it’s such a big
muscle group. For biceps, triceps, shoulders and calves, I’ll do two exercises.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
I like to begin each workout with a good warm-up. This may mean doing two or three light
sets of the first exercise for a body part. Only after the muscle area’s warmed up do I feel I can give
it 100 percent intensity.
Then when I move from my first exercise for the body part, for chest, for example that might
be the bench press, to my second exercise-the incline press in this example- I only do one warm-up.
I’ve already warmed my chest up with the first movement and it would be a waste of time and energy
to keep going through endless warm-up sets with each new exercise.
With any exercise I’m doing, as soon as I feel thoroughly warmed, I’ll go as heavy as I can.
I don’t believe in pyramiding, where you do set after set of working up to a set or two of your
heaviest weight. If you’re doing six sets of bench press and your pyramiding up, you’ve wasted four
sets to get to one or two growth-producing sets. Not only that, you’ve expended so much valuable
energy in working up to that heavy set.
I believe in making every bit of your energy count for something that will be totally
productive. After I go to my heaviest set for a certain number or reps after my warm-up, I drop the
weight about 10 percent for my second set. Even with less weight, I’m still going heavy enough for
my body to get adequate overload to stimulate growth.
TWO HEAVY SETS
In theory, the body should be able to grow from just one set. However, we don’ t live in the
perfect world nor train in the perfect environment. That’s why I think that adding a second heavy set
will do the trick. You need to do a variety of exercises with different angles to get full development
in the muscle groups.
THE SECRET FOR GROWTH
When people talk to me about training and their lack of progress, the reason is usually easy
to spot. Most people are over-trained in sets and reps and under trained in intensity. They’re training
too long too often. Whatever you’re currently doing, cut the volume in half and raise your intensity
level by 50 percent. Give your body plenty of time to recuperate. Then watch-it will grow!
When you’re in the gym and you’re doing squats for example, instead of doing 10 reps with
your regular weight for four or five sets, pretend that your life is on the line.
BLOOD AND GUTS 32
Increase the weight and get 15 all-out, butt-kickin’ reps. You may not be able to do anything
else afterward, but you won’t need to. You’ve done the work it takes to get your legs to grow and get
stronger. You’ve accomplished your goal. It may not be easy but it will be worth it. You can talk
about having a great body or you can do something about it. The choice is yours.
Let me emphasize on point . When I talk about raising the intensity in your workouts, I’m not
just talking about heavy weights. I’m talking about stress on the muscle.
Obviously you’ve got to use enough weight to apply that stress, but if you use too much, the
muscle won’t be doing the work. The stress will end up going to different areas and different muscle
groups.
UNDERSTANDING FORM AND FUNCTION
That’s why form is so important in helping you get the most of you training. You’ve got to be
able to concentrate and apply all the stress on the muscle you’re working. Be in touch with your
muscles and all the functions they have. For instance when you’re training your back, you’ve got to
be aware of the physiology of the lats and understand that they draw your upper arm down and back.
Know that for your lats to contract fully, your spine must be slightly arched. These are the things that
will allow you to get 100 percent out of your training . It’s not just about lifting a heavy weight.
One of the most difficult things for a bodybuilder to do is back off from wanting to go heavier
and heavier. Many times, guys will watch me train and they’ll think just because I got great results
from going heavy, they will too. They don’t realize that I could go heavier but not get as much out of
it because I’d be cheating just to get the weight up.
To these people, cheating doesn’t matter. They’ve got this mentality that whatever it takes to
lift a heavy weight they’ll do, even if it means they’d be cheating. By doing this, they get poor results
from their training and they leave themselves very susceptible to injuries from improper form. To me,
that doesn’t make any sense.
Great results come from intelligent training. Use your head, think about what you’re doing
and how it affects the muscle and you’ll get great results and minimize the possibility for injury.
Always give your training 100 percent of your best . Forget about what the other guys are doing.
You’re building your body, not theirs!
THE TRAINING ATMOSPHERE
My gym in Birmingham, England is called Temple Gym. It’s not much to look at really when
you compare it to the hight-tech facilities that are now all over the place. It’s in the basement of a
building. It’s cold and dark and it reminds me of a dungeon but I get incredible workouts there. The
atmosphere is hardcore, which I love.
Everyone who comes in to my gym is serious about training. They may not be competitive
bodybuilders but that doesn’t matter. They all come in with the attitude that they’re going to give it
all they have to be the best they can.
When I work out, I crank the music up loud! I like hard driving rock music because it helps
me get into the workout and the rhythm of the intensity even more. Some guys prefer having their
own headphones plugged in with a cassette player on their pants. That’s fine for them. I just need to
be in touch with my training partner. The main thing about music during training is that it has to
motivate me and add to the quality of my workout. Nothing less will do.
BLOOD AND GUTS 33
CHAPTER
9
My Favourite Routines
I’ve used two training routines
over the years that have given me excellent
results. The first is the one-day-on routine. This is where you work half your body one day, take the
following day day off and the third day work the other half of your body. Here’s how I would split it.
On day one I’d work chest, back and deltoids. Day two would be a complete rest day. On day
three I’d work legs,biceps and triceps. This workout works well for bodybuilders who want to build
a good solid base for their physique.
Stay with this program for as long as your getting results. Many bodybuilders change
programs too quickly in search of that magic routine that will make them grow in a hurry.
Stick to the heavy basic exercises. These have been and will always be the best muscle mass
builders. These are the exercises that get proven results time after time. At this point in your training,
there’s no need to add a lot of different movements. Put 100 percent intensity into these routines and
exercises and you’ll get great results.
BLOOD AND GUTS 35
DAY ONE
CHEST: bench press and incline press (barbell or dumbbell)
BACK: chins, bent-over rowing ( dumbbell or barbell), deadlifts
SHOULDERS: press behind neck, dumbbell side laterals
DAY TWO: OFF
DAY THREE
QUADS: squats, leg press
HAMSTRINGS: leg curls ( standing or seated)
CALVES: standing calf raises, seated calf raises
BICEPS: barbell curls, dumbell curls
TRICEPS: Pressdowns, lying EZ- curl extensions
UNDERSTANDING FORM AND FUNCTION
I followed this kind routine for the first few years of my training and got very
good results. As my body became progressively stronger and bigger, I realized that I
needed to add exercises. A competitive bodybuilder needs to do this because you can't
have any weak areas. Maybe you need to add more outer thigh sweep so you decide to
add hack squats with your legs and toes together. Maybe you need to bring up your
rear deltoids so you add bent-over dumbbell laterals to your routine. All of these
special exercises are designed to fill out your weak areas and give you the balance you
need.
At that point in my training I decided to go to a different split routine. On this
routine, I’ll do chest, biceps and triceps on day one; quads hamstrings and calves on
the second workout; and back and shoulders on the third workout.
Initially, I tried the three-day-on, one-day-off routine, which was what the
majority of the other pros were doing. The problem was there was no way I felt I
could recuperate after going to three days in a row 100 percent all out on every
exercise every workout. By the third day, I was totally wasted. It took me about a
week of doing this that I realized this wasn’t the program I needed I was
over-trained.
THE SIGNS OF OVER TRAINING
I love to train as soon as I felt the signs of over-training, I knew I needed to
change something. Some of my symptoms: I was tired, tense, uptight, irritable,
restless and nervous. I lost my sense of humor and my enthusiasm for workouts, and
I couldn’t concentrate.
Having someone to tell you when you’ve reached the point of over-training is
important. My wife Debbie was there for me. I realized I was over-trained, I had to
come up with a way that would give my body the time it needed for recuperation
while still being able to train consistently.
MAKING TRAINING ADJUSTMENTS
Eventually I came up with what I’m doing now for my off-season training. Of
course, if I feel the need, I take an extra day off to recuperate. BLOOD AND GUTS 36
DAY ONE: chest, biceps and triceps
DAY TWO: quads, hamstrings and calves
DAY THREE: complete day off
DAY FOUR: back and deltoids
DAY FIVE: complete day off
In preparing for the 1992 Mr. Olympia, I followed a two days on-one day off
split, using the above body part schedule in a four-way split.
IF THE BODY SAYS REST…REST!
You must be in touch with what your body is telling you. For example: If you’ve
trained legs hard and they’re still sore from your last workout and it’s time to train
them again, I’d advise not to do it. Give yourself an extra day or two more rest so your
body will have the chance to completely recover.
If your body is sore, don’t just go to the gym because it’s supposed to be your
day to go to the gym. Why go into the gym a day early when you’re not fully
recovered and only be able to give it 50 percent ? Wait an extra day and you’ll be able
to go in and give it 100 percent.
So many people get caught up in the trap of thinking that they can’t miss any
workouts because the think they’ll either get weak or get smaller. An extra day or two
of rest, when you need it, is good for you and will help you grow and get stronger. I go
to the gym for a reason and that is to stimulate growth. I don’t go just for the sake of
going to the gym. It’s not how many times you go to the gym, it’s what you do when
you’re there.
BLOOD AND GUTS 37
10
CHAPTER
My Mass Arsenal
Many people have asked
me what I do to make the basic exercises work well for
me. I’ve found that I can take any basic exercise movement and simply by changing a few things
around (i.e. body position), I can turn a mediocre movement into a great one.
I’d like to show you a few mass tricks from my mass building arsenal to give you some good
ideas as to how you can do the same thing with your exercises and routine. Remember: many times,
all it takes is a slight adjustment in the way you do an exercise that will help you get the maximum
muscle building benefits from it.
I’m going to show you seven different exercises and give you five tips for each one how to
get the very most from these exercises. As you’re reading, looking at the pictures and soaking all the
information in, try to get a “ feel” of my approach toward exercises and training.
When I first started training, I read muscle magazines and books and tried visualizing and
imagining how the great champions would think. What was it made them tick? Putting myself in
their shoes helped me to think like them. I know if you do it, it will help you too.
BLOOD AND GUTS 39
BARBELL ROW- YATES STYLE
1. THE GRIP - this is the best exercise to pack a lot of muscle on the
mid-to-lower lats and back . I use a reverse-grip with my hands spaced about
16-18 inches apart. I always pull the barbell into my waist.
2. THE STANCE - I stand with my upper body above parallel at
approximately 70 degrees to the floor. This puts the lats in a much stronger
mechanical position and also protects the lower back from injury. As with all
lat exercises, it is essential to keep in an arched position so the lat muscles can
fully contract.
INTENSITY TIP
1. Obviously it’s quote difficult to perform forced reps on a barbell row. So, in
order to increase intensity and go beyond the point of muscular failure, I do
partial reps. I only use partial reps after I’m unable to perform any more
full-range reps. I continue doing partial reps until I can’t move the bar more
than few inches.
2. As with all my basic mass exercises, I perform the negative portion of the
rep fairly slowly and the positive portion of the rep as forcefully as possible.
3. I believe in using wrist straps on all back exercises that require heavy
weight. Straps help reinforce my grip, thereby allowing me to get more reps
and work the muscle to full exhaustion.
BLOOD AND GUTS 40
BENCH PRESS
1. My personal favorite is to bench press on a slight decline. I feel the shifts
more emphasis to the pectorals, with less on the front deltoids and pec tendon.
This tendon is vulnerable to injury when using the conventional flat bench
press.
2. I prefer using a medium grip with hands about shoulder width apart. This
helps ensure that my forearms are parallel with each other at the bottom of the
movement. I also prefer not to put my thumbs around the bar. I find that this
helps tale the emphasis away from my arms and allows me to focus more on
my pecs. If you choose this type of grip, make sure you have a good spotter.
3. Perform the lowering or negative part of the movement slowly and under
control. Think of your pecs and springs being compressed. When the bar
touches the chest, release the spring and perform the positive movement
powerfully and quickly as possible. Never bounce the weight off your chest.
Always control the weight.
4. After reaching the point of muscular failure, have your training partner or
spotter help you do one or two forced reps. Or, after reaching failure with six to
eight reps, put the weight back into the rack and rest-pause for 10 seconds, then
take the same weight again and do another one or two reps.
5. A competent spotter is essential for safety when handling heavy weights.
Never bench press alone.
BLOOD AND GUTS 41
SHOULDER PRESS
1. Use a bench that is angled slightly below 90 degrees. This is more natural
than using a straight up and down vertical bench.
2. Press the weights up in an arc rather than straight up as with a bar. At the
bottom of the movement, the dumbbells should touch the outer delt, then
should be pressed up and in without fully locking the arms out. This takes
stress away from the weaker triceps muscle and shifts more work to the deltoid.
3. As with all power movements, perform, powerful, controlled reps that
emphasize the negative and explosive positive portions of the rep. Never lose
control of the weights.
4. Always use a spotter when handling maximum weights.
5. After reaching the point of muscular failure, immediately drop down to a
lighter weight and again rep to failure and drop down in weight again and rep
to failure. Triple drops are very intense and should be used only occasionally.
BLOOD AND GUTS 42
STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFT
1. Stand with feet and grip about shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your back arched all times in order to fully work the hamstring muscle
and reduce stress on lower back. Never round your back.
3. Keep the bar near the thighs throughout the movement. Lower the bar until
you feel a good stretch in the hamstring. Mid-shin level should be far enough
4. Perform reps slowly and smoothly as you concentrate on feeling the
hamstring work. Never bounce on jerks the weights.
5. As with all exercises where grip may be a limiting factor, use wrist straps.
BLOOD AND GUTS 43
SQUAT
1. I personally prefer to squat on a Smith machine. This allows me to vary my
stance so that I can shift the emphasis to my thighs and away from my glutes
and lower back.
2. Keep your head up and your back erect at all times during the movement.
3. Using different stance widths will hit different areas of the thigh. I prefer a
narrow stance with my hips directly under the bar.
4. I thinks that you should squat at least to the parallel position. I squat
rock-bottom- bellow parallel. However, not everyone is suited to squatting so
deep. Experiment and find what works best for you.
5. Use controlled powerful reps that emphasize the lowering, or negative part
of the movement. Never drop to the bottom of a squat and/or bounce. Control
the weight.
BLOOD AND GUTS 44
LEG PRESS
1. Try various foot positions. I prefer a narrow stance with the toes pointing
slightly outward.
2. Always use a full range of movement and lower your knees down to your
body as far as possible.
3. To increase range of movement, be sure the back of the leg press bench is the
lowest position.
4. Use controlled powerful reps. Never let the weights drop down.
5. Experiment with various rep ranges. Use eight to 10 on one workout and 15
to 20 on the next. Keep the body off guard.
BLOOD AND GUTS 45
STANDING CALF-RAISE
1. The upper body and legs should remain
rigid and in a straight line during the exercise.
2. Use a full range movement by lowering
your heels as far down as possible and raising
up as far as possible on the balls of you feet.
3. Perform reps in a controlled manner.
Emphasize the negative part of the rep and
explode on the positive part of the rep.
4. Vary rep range each workout (i.e. eight to 10
reps one workout, 15 to 20 reps on the next).
5. Try different foot positions to emphasize
various areas of the calf muscle. Toes pointed
in for outer calf and toes pointed out for inner
calves 8 to 10 on one workout and 15 to 20 on
the next. Keep the body off guard.
BLOOD AND GUTS 46
CHAPTER
11
The Intensity
Factors For Growth
After I’ve done two or three
warm up sets, I’ll go right up to my heaviest set.
Keeping the reps in the six to 10 range for the upper body works well. For lower body, I’ll do
anywhere from eight to 20 reps. The lower body responds excellently to higher reps.
I employ various techniques at different times to ensure intensity. I like to cycle my training.
One workout I might do eight or 10 reps. The next workout I might do 15 or 20. I also use something
I call “triple drops” or descending sets. Triple drops work well with dumbbells and machines.
THE TRIPLE DROPS
I generally train a set to failure with strict form as much weight as possible. I then drop the
weight down about 10 percent and do five or six more reps. I’ll then drop the weight down one more
time-about 10 percent-and do another five or six reps.
BLOOD AND GUTS 49
I resting only long enough to put the weight and pick up the next one. I look at triple drops
as doing one big set of three smaller sets. You’ve got to keep the rest to an absolute minimum in
order to keep the intensity level high on the muscle you’re working.
TRAINING TO FAILURE AND PARTIAL REPS
When I train to failure I continue to do reps until I physically cannot do anymore. If I’m
doing a bent-over barbel row for my back and I’ve done all the full reps I can, I’ll use partial reps.
I might get six full reps, two three-quarter reps, two half reps, one quarter rep and then
boom…total muscular failure. Basically I train as heavy with as strict of form as I can, until I can’t
do anymore.
FORCED REPS
Forced reps are another way to increase the intensity. After I’ve done a set to failure, I’ll
have a partner help me squeeze out one or two more forced steps. This helps to ensure that the
muscle is fully exhausted. I believe in using forced reps sparingly for two reasons. Number one:
too many forced reps can cause your strength to diminish because you’re relying on your partner to
do the work for you and you’re not working to build your strength on your own accord. Number
two: Forced reps are an extreme form of intensity and too many forced reps, too often, will put you
into a state of over-training in a hurry.
STAGGERED GRIPS
Another intensity-producing principle I use is something I call “staggered grips.”
BLOOD AND GUTS 50
It’s a subtle technique but it really works! Let’s say I’m doing an incline bench press with a
wide grip on the bar. After, I’ve done five or six reps with my hands wide, I rack the weight and
reposition my hands four or five inches close to the middle. I do another five or six reps. I rack the
weight one more time and move my hands about eight inches apart from each other –like doing a
close-grip bench press-and do five or six more reps.
I feel this all over my chest because I’m essentially hitting different areas of the pec simply
by moving my grip. The wider my grip, the more I hit the outer pec. The closer my grip, the more I
hit the inner pec. I allow myself only a few seconds rest to change my grip and I’m back hitting it
for more reps.
REST-PAUSE
Rest-pause is another intensity producer technique I sometimes use. Let’s say I’m doing a
bench press with an extremely heavy weight. With rest-pause, I do two or three reps and rack it,
wait 10 to 15 seconds and two or three more reps, rack it for 10 to 15 seconds, do two or three
more reps and then my set is finished. All of that counts as one set. Rest-pause allows me to get the
total number of reps I’m looking for. I’ll use rest-pause in my training every second or third
workout. It works particularly well on chest.
You’ll find-as I did-that these intensity-generating principles will work well on some things
but not on others. You’ve got on experiment to find which body parts and principles work best for
you and your body parts.
BLOOD AND GUTS 51
12
CHAPTER
Other Training ElementsTangible And Intangible
When I do straight sets,
I’ll rest only long enough to be able to give it 100
percent for my next set. I’m not watching the clock or counting seconds between sets. A lot depends
on how much energy I used on the previous set. If it was heavy 20 rep leg press exercise, it might
take me four or five minutes before I’m fully recovered to do the next set.
If I was doing a set of a lateral raises, which use fewer muscle fibers, less energy and so on,
then my rest time might be only a minute. I go by feel really. As soon as I feel I can give my next set
100 percent, I do it.
Don’t rush the time that you’re resting between sets. If you do, you’re only taking away from
your next all-out set. You’re not there for aerobic fitness. You’re there for anaerobic fitness-to build
muscle. If I want aerobic fitness, I ride the bike. I don’ t need to race between the sets.
Working out too fast can prevent you from getting the most out of each set and exercise.
Here’s how. Say for instance you do a set of squats for 15 reps to total failure and you only rest for a
minute or so.
BLOOD AND GUTS 53
When you get under the bar do your next set of squats, you’ll no doubt start running short of
breath and feel tired after your fifth or sixth rep because you haven’t allowed sufficient time for
recovery from your previous set. There’s no way you can give your second set 100 percent if you’re
doing that. Don’t, however, rest so long that your intensity level goes down.
Listen to your body and give yourself enough time to recover between sets. I like to rest about
10 minutes between body parts. I feel this gives my body enough time to recover before I move on
to the next body part in the workout.
THE ROLE OF STRETCHING
I believe in stretching the muscles. Stretching allows the muscles to recover quicker, helps
prevent injury and decreases post-workout soreness. Before I work a body part, I warm it up and
stretch it. Stretching slowly and evenly is the key. Don’t bounce when you stretch. Bouncing when
stretching a muscle is like sticking a rubber band in cold water then pulling it apart. It snaps! I always
stretch slowly and evenly, holding the stretch for 10 seconds, then slowly releasing it. When I’m
working out I’m stretching my muscles. Between sets, I’ll stretch the muscle I’m working for 10
seconds. This helps bring more blood into the muscle and helps it recover quicker. I’ll stretch all the
muscles I’m working for 10 seconds. This helps bring more blood into the muscle and helps it
recover quicker. I’ll stretch all the muscles I worked that day, one more time before I leave the gym.
This helps to reduce post-workout soreness.
TRAINING ONLY ONCE PER DAY
I’ve never trained twice a day. I can’t. When I go into the gym and give it 100 percent of
everything I have, there’s no way I could go back and do it again later that day. I don’t think
physically and mentally that a bodybuilder can train that intensely doing two workout a day. Maybe
before a competition I might come back at night and ride or do some abdominal work-something that
would be low intensity. As far as doing another high-intensity workout at night, that would be
impossible.
THE TRICK TO GETTING STRONGER
What’s helped me get stronger is deliberately lowering the weight slowly on the negative part
of the movement. Then once I reach the bottom of the movement, I blast the weight up as quickly and
powerfully as I can without building up any kind of momentum or bounce. I don’t want to bounce
the weight because of the tremendous stress that it puts on the muscles, joints and tendons.
When doing this, think of your muscles as a spring being compressed and when you reach
the bottom-bing-the spring comes up. Doing my reps like this allows me to be in control of every
movement of the exercises and fully concentrate on the muscle. This allows more neutron
recruitment of the white muscle fibers, which are more explosive in nature. My goals is to activate
the most fibers for the most growth.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP
One of the most important factors in recovery and growth is sleep. Far too many bodybuilders
don’t get enough sleep. When you sleep, the body repairs and rejuvenates itself so you’re able to go
back into the gym the next day or day after and give it 100 percent again.
BLOOD AND GUTS 54
WARM-UPS
1. Five minutes of stationary cycling to raise body temperature.
2. Stretch key muscle groups. Each stretch should last 10-15 seconds. Stretch
smoothly no bouncing.
3. Several high rep (20-25) very light-weight exercises for muscle to be worked
and surrounding muscles.
4. Before attempting max weights to failure, perform 2-3 light to medium sets on
the first exercise on the body part to be worked.
5. When moving on the second and third exercises for the same muscle group,
one medium weight warm-up is adequate before using max weights.
BLOOD AND GUTS 55
Personally, I try to get at least eight hours of sleep every night. I also try to get an hour’s
worth of sleep and rest during the day. High-intensity training places incredible demands on the
body and you must give it adequate rest if you’re going to realize the potential gains you can make.
THE EFFECT OF STRESS
Stress is something we all deal with on a daily basis. It can be your
job,family,relationship,personal or any other kind of stress. People don’ t give much thought to the
effects of stress. They should. Stress can affect your training and your bodybuilding gains. When
the body undergoes too much stress, its cortisol levels in the body become elevated. Cortisol is the
bodybuilder’s enemy; it feeds on lean muscle tissue. That’ s just the opposite of what you want to
happen.
Make a conscious effort to minimize the potential stress areas in your life. You may have to
make some lifestyle changes in the process. Be prepared to do so because it will be worth it to you,
your training and everyone around you if your stress levels are at minimum.
Put things in their proper perspective. Don’t sweat the small stuff. My mind-set is such that
even if my car would be scratched, for example-it’s scratched. No big deal, it’s already over and
there’s nothing I can do about it. Little things like that just don’t bother me. A life-or-death
situation would obviously be different. What helps me is to put everything in its proper perspective
and not worry about things that really don’t matter.
BLOOD AND GUTS 56
13
CHAPTER
The Importance Of Having
People Support You
Having my wife Debbie
as my life partner is one of the most important things
for me. When we met in 1983, my life changed for the better. We became as inseparable team.
Debbie’s support has made my life not only easier but much more meaningful. We do
everything-except train-together. She’s there for me and I’m there for her all of the time. When I go
into the gym, enter a show, do seminars or anything else, I do it for Debbie and our son Lewis.
Every part of my being goes into what I do. Even though I’m so focused on my training,diet
and business, I always make time for the special people in my life. I must say that it’s that it’s a great
feeling to know that you have people behind you 100 percent. Whenever I’m successful, the success
I receive is not just for me. I share it with those whom I love and who have supported me. It’s their
success just as much as mine. Having people support you will mean a lot to your success and to the
quality of your life.
BLOOD AND GUTS 59
THE IMPORTANCE OF A TRAINING PARTNER
Training partners are very important to one’s training success. Training partners are like
business partners. You both have a common goal and that is to go to the gym and get the most out
of your training. A training partner can motivate you to push yourself farther and harder than if you
didn’t have one. For many people, knowing that their training partner will be in the gym. It’s hard
to make excuses when you know someone is there depending on you,
I couldn’t train like I do without a good training partner. More over if I decide to do 400 or
450 pounds on the bench, it would be physically difficult and tiring for me to get the weight out of
the rack, do the reps, get forced reps and re-rack the weight if I didn’t have a partner. And how on
earth can I get forced reps or train to failure without a partner there to help me? A training partner
is also a good safety precaution in case I’m not able to get the reps or I feel a slight twinge in the
muscle or joint and need to put the weight down.
I like the competitive aspect of two people training together. It’s good for the timing and
concentration as well. If I’m doing my set and after my set I’m helping and spotting my partner, it
keeps the concentration level there and gives me a secure guideline for rest between sets. When I
train my own it’s hard to gauge the rest period between sets. Also, keeping focused between sets is
more difficult because I’m not doing anything except resting until I can do my next set.
To have or not have a training partner is a personal thing. Some people get great results
training alone. There’s nothing wrong with that. For me and the kind of training I do, it’s not
practical to train alone. Training with a partner has made a big difference in my progress.
Over the years I’ve had a lot of training partners. Most of them quit because they couldn’t
take it mentally and physically. It’s not like I’m Superman and no one can keep up with me or
anything like that. It’s just a matter of commitment. I’m totally committed to a goal and that’s my
life and when I go to the gym I’m giving it 100 percent all the time.
Some people just can’t do that for one reason or another and they get physically and
mentally burned out. Even I get burned out sometimes and I’ll have to back off but that fire insided
of me is always there. It’s not long before I’m back in full force giving my training all I’ve got.
BLOOD AND GUTS 60
14
CHAPTER
Aerobics And Training
Stoking The Fat Burner
Off-season I do aerobics
three times a week. I think that a small amount of
aerobics on a stationary bike or stair stepper or a fast walk,for example,actually helps the
recuperation between workouts because you’re increasing the oxygen supply within the body. This
helps eliminate waste products and the added blood flow promotes recuperation. It also helps to
maintain a lower body-fat level. When the body-fat level is lower, the body makes better muscular
gains.
Aerobics also helps the body become more efficient at burning fat. If you’re not doing any
aerobics and all of sudden you start dieting, then you start doing aerobics, your body will not be as
efficient at using fats as an energy source. You’ll end up burning more carbohydrates than fats.
However, if you’re doing aerobics on a regular basis, your body is then used to burning fat as an
energy source. And when you decide to get ready for competition or die for some other reason, your
body will continue to use fats as an energy source, sparing the protein and thereby helping you keep
your lean muscle mass.
BLOOD AND GUTS 63
GETTING IN THE TARGET HEART RATE RANGE
The ideal aerobic schedule for me is three times a week for 20 or 25 minutes per aerobic
workout. The target heart range is important to your aerobic conditioning. To find your target heart
range, subtract your age from the number 220. Multiply that number by 65 percent and 70 percent
for the bottom and top numbers of your target range ( in beats per minute).
Keep your heart rate within that range during your aerobic sessions. If you’re out of shape,
working out at about 60 percent of your maximum is good. If you’ re in great condition, the 75
percent level might be best. Check with your doctor for individual guidelines. These numbers are
generally accepted guidelines, but they are just approximations and may need to be adjusted to
your own capabilities. Be careful of doing too much aerobic work because it will cut into your
energy resource and recuperative abilities.
BLOOD AND GUTS 66
15
CHAPTER
The Attitude
Of A Champion
When I started training,
I felt as though I was literally training for my life- as if
my life were on the line. In a sense it was because I was using bodybuilding as a way to improve my
life, to achieve something, make it better and to climb out of the rut that most everybody else around
me was in. That was a hell of a motivation for me.
That same drive is still inside me. I don’t get caught up in the “I want to be star” mentality. I
love bodybuilding. It’s my whole being. I’m not in it for the quick buck, then I’m off to something
else. First and foremost, I want to improve myself and push myself as far as I can. If I win success
and accolades along the way, fine. But that isn’t why I’m bodybuilder. Once I’ve reached the point
where I’m no longer improving or can’t go any further, then I’ll move on to a new challenge.
I’m realistic. I change the things I can and accept those things I can’t. I’m also a big student
of learning from other people’s mistakes. I observe the mistakes they’ve made and learn from them
so I won’t make the same ones.
BLOOD AND GUTS 63
69
One thing I’ve learned over the years comes from seeing guys who did well as amateurs but
when they got the pros,they never really improved again. I think they get caught up in the glamour,
the lifestyle and the money and they never really get the motivation again to improve themselves.
They figure, “well, if I’m good enough to earn this amount of money,why should I keep killing
myself to get any better?”
At the end of the day, you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, “ Did I give
it everything I had today? Did I do the very best I was capable of?” For me, the hunger is still there.
I look at myself as a baby in this sport who’s hungering to learn and grow!
DETAILS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
When I do seminars and guest appearances, people ask me what secret is to being big and
having a complete physique. I tell them, just as I’m telling you: There is no secret! It’s the little things
and the attention to all the details added together. The secret is not in doing this training routine or
that diet, it’s doing all the smack things and being consistent. Big success is the results of many little
successes added together. It’s always been like that. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. Not if you
want lasting success.
Some people will ask, “ what are those little details?’ There are many. Even the execution of
one exercise involves many details and possible variations. I could, for example write a book on how
you should do a bent-over row and you’d have a good idea of how it should be done. But you
couldn’t be sure if you were doing it totally correct because I wouldn’t be there to watch you and
make sure you do it the way I described it.
So you’ve got to experiment and change the exercise around and find how those small
changes-those details-affect the way you feel the movement. You have to be the one to do it and
actually experience it and not just read the way I described how to do it. It’s the same approach with
every other aspect of your total bodybuilding approach. You’ve got to do more than read it, you’ve
got to experience it. That’s one of the small details I’m talking about.
If you really want to succeed, you can’t expect to train well for a couple of weeks then lay off,
or eat well for a couple o weeks, then lay off. You’ve got to be rock-solid, steady and consistent in
your approach all year around.
When I decided to be a bodybuilder in 1983, I made a commitment to stay with it until I
reached my goal. The way I look today is the result of doing the little things involved with
diet,training, rest, nutrition, etc., with all-out consistency, all year round, every year up to this day.
There’s no magic potion, drug, exercise, food or anything else that will give you results like that.
My life is the clockwork. If I walk in the door 20 minutes late for dinner, Debbie will go
crazy. She’ll think that I was in a car wreck or something. You see, ever since I started training. I’ve
always been consistent in my eating, training, rest and everything else. Consistent effort produces
consistent results.
ON HONOR
After I won the Mr. Olympia competition, people started treating me like I’m some sort of
Hollywood celebrity. They don’t need to do that. I’m still the same guy today as I was when I first
began. Why should a title change the way I am? Back home in England, I’m still Dorian Yates or
Doz, as my friends call me. They treat me as if nothing like a Mr. Olympia. victory ever happened.
That’s perfectly fine with me.
BLOOD AND GUTS 70
I remember when I first started training and I’d go to seminars and idolize the guys there. I
wouldn’t be the guy with my hand up asking questions. I’d be the guy in the back thinking: “My
gosh, Mike Mentzer, Roby Robinson, Casey Viator, Tom Plantz! There’s no way I could ask them
any questions. They’re like gods. I can’t even approach them. They must be from another planet!”
Now, if I had gone up to any of them and asked them for an autograph and they would’ve said
no, that would have devastated me. That would have been somebody who I believed in. But
Mike,Robby, Casey and Tom never did that. They were all first-class professionals. I want ti be that
way too. If someone looks up to me for inspiration, I want it to be positive inspiration.
It means more to me for people to say they think I make a great champion and great
representative for the sport than it does to actually win the titles. I believe in treating everyone the
same. I’m no better than you and I shouldn't be treated any better than you. I don’t want to be
remembered as somebody who had a great physique but he was a real bastard! I believe in honor and
respect and if I treat you with that same honor and respect and try to help you in whatever way I can,
we’ll both be better people because of it. I think we all have an obligation to help one another in
whatever way we can. To me, there’s no excuse for a big ego or selfishness.
BLOOD AND GUTS 71
16
CHAPTER
The Psychology Of
Blood And Guts
The most important part
of my approach is the mental. The training, diet,
nutrition and supplementation don’t mean anything unless the right mental approach is there. It’s like
the glue that holds everything together. That’s what made me who I am.
As far as my bodybuilding competition, I would be more wary of a guy who has it all together
mentally and was completely committed to achieving a goal than of someone who more gifted
genetically but didn't work as hard. I believe if you can beat someone mentally, you can beat them
physically.
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOALS.
Setting goals and then achieving them have been very important to my success. I believe you
must set little goals and achieve them before you can reach the bigger goals. When I started training
I never thought of becoming Mr. Olympia. One of my little goals was to pack on size. Then as I
progressed, I decided to enter a local competition. From there I entered a bigger competition and so
on
BLOOD AND GUTS 73
If I would have said I wanted to be Mr. Olympia when I first started training, that would have
overwhelmed me. It wouldn’t been too big of a goal too soon. I’ve always believed in taking the big
goal and breaking down into smaller pieces.
VISUALIZING SUCCESS
The key factor is mental approach. I never just go to the gym and train. I always take time
beforehand to get into the right frame of mind. I go over my training diary and see what I’m going to
do that day. I do back and sew what I did last time, mentally rehearsing my workout even before I
touch the weights and do the reps.
This mental rehearsal makes the actual workout go much smoother. Obviously you’ve got to
be realistic. You can’t think that mentally rehearsing yourself doing squats with 900 pounds for 25
reps will make it happen if you’re only capable of doing 325 pounds for eight reps.
I use this technique to visualize how the weight will feel. How the reps will burn the deep
muscle fibers. How my hands will feel as I grip the bar. How I will do a little bit better this upcoming
workout than my last one. Then when I get to the gym I’m totally focused into my workout.
A GREAT BODY NEEDS A PLAN
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not having a plan of action. They will say what
they like to do or where they’d like to be, but they have no plan of how to achieve those things. I see
this all the time. Bodybuilders will say that they want to win this show or improve their bodies, yet
they haven’t thought about what it will take to do it. They’re not realistic about the time and work
required to achieve those things. After a while when they see they see they’re not reaching their
goals, they become frustrated and either continue to spin their wheels or they give up.
Everything I do has a plan. Whether it’s my workout or my meals for that day or even for the
whole year, my life has a plan. Even before the Mr. Olympia competition is over, I’m sitting in my
room thinking about what I’m going to do for the next Mr. Olympia competition. From one meal, to
one workout, to the whole year, everything has a plan.
I write out my plans. It’s not enough just to think about what you want to do. You’ve got to
have a blueprint and be able to refer to it every day.
I put as much detail into my written plan as possible. For example, if I know that I’m going
to be traveling during a certain part of the year, I’ll write down that I’ll back off on my training a bit
and also the dietary adjustments I will make to reflect my travel schedule. Nothing is left to chanceI calculate everything.
Having a plan allows me to progress at an incredibly fast rat. I always want to progress. I feel
the need to progress and I’m always thinking what do I have to do to make that a reality. You can’t
adopt the attitude that you can go into the gym without a plan and just train and hope that something
might happen. It wont!
You should be flexible with your plan. Don’t become so rigid in your thinking that you have
to go into the gym today and lift a certain amount of weight even if you aren’t able or don’t feel like
it. When I make my plan out for the year, I factor in enough flexibility to allow for such things as
injuries, travel, off days and other unforeseen circumstances.
BLOOD AND GUTS 74
MY FREAKY CONDITION IN EVERY COMPETITION
Many people ask me how I manage to show up in freaky condition at every competition I
enter. This is a product of consistency of training, diet, supplementation, having a plan and my
mental approach. I’ve never come into a competition out of shape where I felt that I really screwed
up badly. Showing up in great shape is always a personal challenge. It’s a matter a pride as well. I
could never go to a competition out of shape. I wouldn’t allow it.
HOW I VIEW BODYBUILDING: JOB,SPORT OR BOTH?
In a way bodybuilding is a job and a career, yet it’s much more than that. To me bodybuilding
is a passion. A kind of personal achievement. I want to be able to look back and think that I achieved
something worthwhile with my life. I’m not just thinking in terms of making money because if that
was my ultimate goal, I wouldn’t be out giving everything I do 100 percent. I’d only do what I had
to do to make the money and not pushing myself to improve every minute of every day.
MY MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION
Bodybuilding is my magnificent obsession. My whole being is consumed by all the
wonderfully positive things that bodybuilding has to offer. This obsession will not go away. It’s like
an intense fire that burns deep inside of me and every time I go to the gym, the fire gets hotter and
hotter!
I will say this: Whenever the day comes, if it does, that I lose my passion and drive for
competitive bodybuilding, that will be the day that I quit competing. End of story. You won’t see me
just staying in the sport trying to get money out of it. That would be a dishonor to me and the sport
as well.
BLOOD AND GUTS 75
17
CHAPTER
The Importance
Of Nutrition
And Supplementation
Nutrition is very important
to your success as a bodybuilder, while
supplementation is just that-a supplement to an already good diet. Supplementation is not nearly as
important as eating well-balanced and nutritious diet.
When you go to the gym and give it everything you’ve got, you’re putting your body through
a tremendous stress. That in turns creates the demand for various nutrients for recuperation, repair
and growth. It makes no sense whatsoever to put your body through all of that if you’re not feeding
it the proper fuel.
To build a great body, you’ve got to remember that training is not more important than
nutrition and vice versa. They’re equally important. Some people say that nutrition is 70 percent of
your success as a bodybuilder. That doesn’t make any sense to me because it says that since training
is only responsible for 30 percent of your bodybuilding success, you could eat really well and get 70
percent of the results without training!
BLOOD AND GUTS 77
When I first started training I never fell into the trap of not knowing how to eat because I
researched and studied as much as I could about food and its effects on the body. I never really
listened to those in the gym because I wanted to find out for myself what was good and not so good.
TRIAL BY FIRE… MY FIRST DIET EXPERIENCE
I remember dieting before my first competition. I knew that it was simple mathematics that
to lose weight, you simply eat fewer calories than you burn. I ate a good basic diet and I kept my
protein intake up, but if I wanted a chocolate bar, I would eat it. As long as my calories were below
a certain level, I’d have what I wanted.
The guys at the gym would tell me I couldn’t do that. These were people who had trained four
or five times longer than I had, but my research about nutrition told me they were wrong. The contest
results proved them wrong too. I’ve never been one to get caught up into what everyone else is doing.
I experiment and find what works best for me and I stick to it.
MY OPTIMAL DIET
I’ve found that eating five or six small meals spaced every two and a half to three hours
throughout the day works well in keeping the body fueled with the nutrients it needs them. The body
can absorb only so many nutrients at one time, so it doesn’t make any sense to overload your body
with two or three big meals for the day.
My favourite protein sources are chicken, turkey, fish egg whites and protein powders (which
I’ve used since I first started training). I believe in using protein powders because they’re cheap and
convenient and they make a good source of protein.
My favourite carbohydrate sources are rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cereals, oatmeal,
green leafy, calciferous and fibrous vegetables and fruit. My fat intake is usually very low. I eat eight
ounces of red meat like steak a day because I think it’s one of the best protein sources. Even though
it does have more fat than white meat, that doesn’t make that much difference if your dietary fat
intake is already low. I’ll also eat some whole eggs.
About 60 percent of my calories come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and about
10 percent from fat. It makes good sense to eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates, with moderate
amounts of lean protein and very little fat. Your body uses this combination of foods optimally and
you’ll reach your bodybuilding goals that much quicker.
During my precontest diet phase, I’ll use three tablespoons a day of MCT ( medium chain
triglyceride) oil. This allows me to drop my carbohydrate level a little lower than normal while still
getting the energy source and calorie I need. I’ve found that it also suppresses my appetite as well
when I’m on a diet which makes it a useful precontest preparation.
THE PROTEIN EQUATION
A good guideline for protein is to eat one and a half grams of protein per pound of
body-weight. You’ve got to experiment to find the exact amount of protein that works best for you.
Start at one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight and work your way up slowly from there.
BLOOD AND GUTS 78
WHAT I EAT ON A TYPICAL DAY
I’m usually up by 6:30 or 7 every morning. Early each morning I weigh my food out for
the entire day. About 8 a.m. I have my breakfast, which will consist of 200 grams (7 ounces) of
oatmeal, 10 to 12 egg whites, two or three egg yolk, banana, one or two pieces of whole wheat
toast. I drink coffee and mineral water. For supplements, I take a mega-pack of vitamins and
minerals and two or three grams of peptide-bond amino acids.
MY PER-WORKOUT MEAL at 10:30 a.m. will have a protein powder-preferably from
milk and egg sources-mixed with a carbohydrate powder, all mixed in water along with two or
three grams of peptide-bond amino-acids.
MY POST-WORKOUT MEAL between 2 and 2:30 p.m. includes eight ounces of
turkey, 150 grams (5 ounces) of rice, 300 grams (10.5 ounces) of sweet potatoes, sweet corn,
another vegetable, water, two or three grams of peptide-bond amino acids and branched-chain
amino acids.
MY NEXT MEAL is at 4:30 or 5 p.m. I have seven ounces of tuna, 150 grams (5 ounces)
of rice, salad, baked potato, water and another mega-pack of vitamins and minerals along with
two or three grams of peptide-bond amino acids.
MY FIFTH MEAL at 7;30 or 8 p.m., I have eight ounces of steak, baked potato, mixed
vegetables, water and two or three grams of peptide-bond amino acids.
MY FINAL MEAL is at 10 or 10:30 p.m. I have 200 grams (7 ounces) of oatmeal, eight
to 10 egg whites, water and two three grams of peptide-bond amino acids.
That is what I typically eat in the off-season. It comes to about 5,500 calories per day.
I’ve found that caloric amount to be just enough to gain weight at a slow and steady pace. I don’t
measure my water intake and I drink as much as I think I need throughout the day.
MY SUPPLEMENTATION
With each meal, as mentioned, I take two or three grams of peptide-bond amino acids. Before
my workout, I’ll take inosine to help increase my body’s ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production so
I’ll have more energy during my reps and sets. I take branched- chain amino acids after my workout
during my post-workout meal. The last supplements that I take at night are extra minerals like
calcium, magnesium and zinc. The calcium helps supplements that I take at night are extra minerals
like calcium, magnesium and zinc. The calcium helps the body relax and lets me sleep better at night.
Magnesium and zinc are important to the over-all growth process. They even give zinc to burn
patients to help their skin and tissue recover more quickly.
I don’t use herbals, although I have tried ginseng. I really didn’t notice that big a difference
between when I did or didn’t take it.
I usually have a carbohydrate drink in between body parts when I’m training. After training,
I have it with branched-chain amino acids. Some people take their branched-chain amino acid before
and after training. I’ve found that taking branched-chain amino acid before training affects my blood
sugar level. hotter!
I will say this: Whenever the day comes, if it does, that I lose my passion and drive for
competitive bodybuilding, that will be the day that I quit competing. End of story. You won’t see me
just staying in the sport trying to get money out of it. That would be a dishonor to me and the sport
as well.
BLOOD AND GUTS 79
USING THE “WINDOW OPPORTUNITY”
Having the carbohydrate drink and branched-chain amino right after your train helps get the
nutrients right into the muscle and speeds the repair and growth process. You should have your carb
replacement drink within one hour after training because your body can store twice the amount of
carbs at twice the rate within that crucial time period! That’s a perfect time to refill those muscle
glycogen stores so you’ll have plenty of energy for your next workout.
“GET BIG” DRINKS
These so-called “miracle in a bottle” drinks make me laugh. This stuff has been going on for
so many years and it appeals to human nature, which is basically lazy anyway. You can look back to
the days of Charles Atlas and see ads that promised big muscles with only two and a half minutes
work a day. Give me a break. If it were that easy, we’d all be probably doing it.
There is no shortcut to getting big and strong. It takes hard work and commitment. When you
buy a supplement, forget the names and advertising hype. Look at the product and you compare the
ingredients with similar products because that’s what you’re paying for.
A majority of the supplements you see out there are basically a protein powder with a
carbohydrate powder and many other exotic ingredients mixed in. Many of those exotic ingredients
have been minimally tested. Those exotic ingredients that have been shown to be effective in
supporting muscle growth are usually contained in these supplements in such a small quantity that
their effect would probably be minimal.
CUTTING THROUGH THE HYPE
As with any supplement, you get what you pay for. If Company A is selling a protein powder
for 30 $ and Company B says they’ll sell you the same powder for 15 $, beware. Company B is
probably has cut corners somewhere-either in the quality or quantity of ingredients-just so it can sell
the product cheaper. My advice is go with a brand name and one that been in business for a long time.
To me, Weider is that kind of company. Joe and Ben Weider have been in the fitness business for over
fifty years. That kind of experience means a lot. Chances are you’ll get the best quality at the best
price.
Stick to the supplements that have stood the test of time over the years: protein and
carbohydrate powder, amino acids, multivitamins and minerals. You won’t go wrong. They are the
kind of supplements I take.
When it comes to protein powder I look for 100 percent egg protein. That would be the best.
If I couldn’t find 100 percent egg protein, I’d go with a combination powder of milk and egg. Soy
protein would be a lot less desirable, not only for the quality but for the amino acid content as well.
For a carbohydrate powder I’d look for a complex carb source or even one of that may
contain some fructose. I’d stay away from those containing sucrose or other sugars. With vitamins
and minerals I’m looking for something that has a high potency with at least one gram of Vitamin C;
50 milligrams of each B vitamin; and 200 I.U.’s Vitamin E.
BLOOD AND GUTS 80
VITAMINS
You have two choices of how to take your vitamins: time release or additional ingestion.
Time release allows your body to get small quantities of vitamins through periodic release
throughout the day. I prefer to take my vitamins twice a day.
Some vitamins, like B and C, are water soluble and are eliminated from the body within a
matter of hours. These vitamins need to be replaced more often and breaking up my vitamin intake
throughout the day allows me to do that.
The amounts of vitamins that I recommend are above the recommended daily allowances but
as a hard-training bodybuilder you need them. The demand you’re putting on your body is intense.
And with the high calorie intake, you’re going to need more Vitamin B to help absorb the protein
you’re ingesting. I always want to ensure I’m getting more than enough supplements.
AMINO ACIDS
My preference with amino acids would be peptide-bond aminos rather than free form.
Peptide-bond aminos are absorbed better than free form aminos and they cost less too! Many of the
aminos you see-like BCAA’s-are in free form. Amino acids are absorbed in the body by their
molecular weight, so some of them are going to be absorbed before others. For aminos to work
optimally, they all need to go into he system together. With peptide-bond aminos, several are bonded
together so they are transported into the system together. Many studies have indicated that
peptide-bond aminos are far superior.
BUYER BEWARE
Supplements come and go like the wind. Some years ago, glandular were the hot thing. They
faded out and in came the amino’s arginine and thorniness that were touted as growth hormones
releasers. These supplements faded away because basically they didn’t work.
EATING WHAT I WANT
In the off-season, I set aside one day a week where I’ll have some kind of treat or something
I like. I don’t go crazy and eat haphazardly throughout the day. On my junk food day, I’ll still eat 5-6
small meals a day, but one of those meals I’ll have whatever I want. That might be ice cream, dessert,
french fries or whatever. I try to keep it once a week.
Believe it or not , I’ll even have my junk food day while I’m dieting. People would probably
be shocked to see me eating a big piece of cake with ice cream on it three weeks away from the Mr.
Olympia competition! I’ve found that when I’ve been dieting strictly for one week, I’m usually bit
depleted at the end of the week. Having a meal when you eat whatever you want is beneficial because
it elevates the metabolism. The body is tricked into thinking that you’ve come off your diet and it no
longer needs to keep slowing down as a result of the strict dieting you were doing.
Splurging once a week is a also a mental release. You know at the end of the week, you can
have what you want. Afterward, for the next three or four days you don’t even think about eating any
junk food. But low and behold, come that fifth or sixth day you start thinking about it again. On the
seventh day-one week later- you treat yourself again. It works like magic! When you only do it for
only one meal, once a week, the effect it has on the body is negligible.
BLOOD AND GUTS 82
THE IMPORTANCE OF FAT IN THE DIET
When I was dieting for the Night of Champions and my first Mr. Olympia competitions, I
kept my fat very low- around five to seven percent –over a long period of time. After a few weeks of
this, I began to notice that my hair was becoming very brittle and even started falling out. I wasn’t
getting enough essential fatty oils in my diet and my body was telling me that this could be a
problem.
Even when you’re dieting, you need to keep your fat intake up high enough to allow for
normal body function. If you eat red meat and egg yolks you’ll get enough saturated fat. If that
doesn’t appeal to you, try adding a tablespoon if sunflower or safflower oil in your rice or pasta every
day. I do it, even when I’m eating red meat and egg yolks. This will ensure that you’re getting enough
essential fatty acids to lubricate your joints and also to help the absorption of various vitamins.
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR CALORIE INTAKE
Think about this: If you want to gain weight an you burn 3000 calories a day doing your daily
activities, you’re going to have to eat more calories than you’re burning to do it. You would need to
keep your caloric level at about 3500 a day , every day, in order to add weight. Likewise, if you
wanted to lose weight, you’d need to consume fewer calories than your body burns.
A pound of fat equates to 3,500 calories. If you drop your daily caloric level down to 500
calories below what you burn- let’s say from 3,000 to 2,500 a day-then in seven days you will lose
one pound of fat. Simple math tells you that 500 calories times seven days=3,500 calories.
SOLVING THE WEIGHT GAIN DILEMMA
Many people tell me that they eat like a horse but they can’t gain weight. When I sit down
with them and we write down what they’ve been eating, it comes out very little. They end up burning
as many or more calories than they take in. As a result, they’ll never gain weight until they raise their
caloric intake with quality calories.
You’ve got to have a plan to know how many calories you’re eating in a day. If you don’t
know how many calories you’re eating in a day, where are you going to start adding calories or taking
them away? If you are serious about adding mass, you’ve got to add more calories than you’re
burning on a daily basis and you’ve got to know where to begin adding those calories.
The number of calories burned varies from individual to individual. You may have a fast
metabolism and burn more calories than your friend who has a slower metabolism , even though you
both may be doing the same work! The more muscle you carry, the more calories you will burn.
Muscle is a living tissue and it must be nourished just to function. So be prepared. The bigger you
get, the more calories you’re going to have to take in.
Know exactly what you’re eating. From grams of protein, grams of carbs to grams of fat.
Know exactly how much you’re taking in on a daily basis. Once you know those things, you can add
small increments of whatever nutrient you need so you’ll gain more mass. I think of bodybuiding and
nutrition as a science. Once you have the formula to make something work, it then becomes a matter
of plugging in the right numbers in order to achieve the desired results.
BLOOD AND GUTS 83
18
CHAPTER
How Much Mass Can
You Expect To Gain?
When you first start training, you put on size very quickly because the body
isn’t accustomed to the new stress in the muscles. The first year I trained I put on between 20 and 25
pounds of muscle. Those quick gains begin to slow down each succeeding year. Over the years it
becomes a case of diminishing returns: the bigger and stronger one gets, the harder it is to gain. It’s
like putting more work into it to get less out of it.
Gaining five pounds of lean muscle mass in one year at my level of development would be a
really good gain. Your particular rate for muscle gain will depend on your genetics, training,
consistency, intensity level, nutrition and supplementation, rest and other factors.
You should be able to put on 15 to 25 pounds of muscle your first year and 10 to 15 pounds
your second year. Again, these figures will probably decrease each succeeding year that you train.
The body quickly adapts to the stress placed upon it. Your job is to shock the body and continually
keep it off guard so it will grow.
BLOOD AND GUTS 85
A person could start off training, be overweight, not eat that many calories and still could gain
muscle and lose body-fat. The reason? the stress of weight training is so new to the body. However,
the body won’t do that for very long. You need to be in a positive nutrient state where you have an
excess of nutrients for growth and repair. It’s very tough to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
That would be great if we could. We’d all get bigger while we were cutting cut for the Mr. Olympia
competition!
Remember this when you want to lose body-fat and get harder: The growing is done in the off
season when you’re training for mass and your calories and nutrient supply is greater. Your goal
when losing body-fat should be keeping the muscle tissue you have while you’re losing those excess
pounds of fat.
HOW TO GAUGE YOUR PROGRESS
In order to get an accurate assessment of my progress, I’ll use many different testing methods
like weighing, using the mirror, tape measurements and skin-fold caliper, but I don’t put too much
value on any one method. Many of the pros say the measurements aren’t important. When you’re
onstage that is true. It matters are proportion, shape and the look of the arm.
For me, measurements are important because if I put one-fourth inch on my arms I know that
something is working. That’ s valuable feedback. If I know that my body-fat is staying stable and my
measurements are going up and I’m getting stronger, I’m getting feedback that my training and diet
at that point in time are working well.
LOOK AT YOUR TOTAL TRAINING
APPROACH UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
I’m always analyzing things and making small changes in my plan whatever I see fit. A lot of
guys are like leaves in the wind and have no direction when it comes to training and diet. Is it any
wonder why they don’t make any progress? Sometimes they may do well in competition by luck. The
next competition they don’t do as well because they don’t have a plan. They don’t know what got
them into great shape the first time. It was all guesswork. If you have a plan of action, you can learn
from it and you can be a lot more consistent with your progress.
Just remember that having a plan and using different methods to gauge your progress are only
small pieces to the overall training puzzle. At the end of the day, how you look is a visual thing. How
you look in the mirror is ultimately what counts. It’s no use standing onstage and shouting at the
judges or telling your friends: “ Hey, look at me. I’m three percent body-fat,” if you look like a bag
of shit.
CRASHING THROUGH THE NO GAIN BARRIER
I find it surprising the number of people who have been training for many years, but
somehow the basics have passed them by. They come into the gym, fay after day, year after year, and
do the same old thing. I feel like stopping and shaking them saying: “Why do you keep coming in
here? Don’t you realize you’re doing the same thing you’ve been doing a lot the last three years and
you haven’t made any progress?”
Everything you do should be for a reason. When you choose to lift a certain weight or do a
certain exercise, you should know why you are doing it. If you don’t, it’s high time you did.
BLOOD AND GUTS 86
Unless, of course, you’re not interested in getting any results. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can
understand someone who traits to stay in shape and maintain a good physique but has no desire to get
bigger and more muscular.
What I can’t understand is someone who says he wants a certain kind of body but doesn’t do
what it takes to achieve it. People only deceive themselves when they think that just going to the
gym will give them that physique. It takes a lot more than showing up at the gym to have a great
physique. Don’ t let anybody tell you differently.
I will help anyone who sincerely asks me for it. Through the years, I’ve advised people
who’ve told me: “Dorian, I want to be the best that I can be. Will you help me? You bet I will. The
one thing that I lose patience with is people who ask for advice, then ignore it.
Many times, after I’ve taken the time to help people with their diet and training, they’re off
doing something completely different or back to the same old thing they told me they wanted to
break away from. It’s like I never even talked to them. Those kind of people don’t really want any
help. They just want someone to tell their problems to. Talk is cheap.
In life, there are reasons and results. Results are the only thing that counts. No one has ever
made an excuse for success. Excuses are made for failure. Don’t be an excuse maker. Be a success!
BLOOD AND GUTS 87
BE A PERSON OF YOUR WORD
Be true to your word. If you commit yourself to a training partner and he depends on you to
show up at the gym at a certain time- be there! If you’ve told yourself that you’re going to start a
new training program, diet or whatever- do it! You are only as good as your word. Being a
champion and a success in life requires that you be different from the majority of people who talk a
good game, but that’ s all they do.. talk.
EARNING RESPECT
Demand the very best of yourself. Whether it be your words or deeds, make it a point to
achieve things that you and other people will be proud of. At the close of each day ask yourself:
“Did I give it my best today? Did I become a better and stronger person because of the words I said
and the actions I took?” Be honest. I want you to grow not only physically, but emotionally and
spiritually too.
When I first became a pro bodybuilder, many people in the sport didn’t treat me with much
respect because they didn’t know me. To them, I was just another bodybuilder who they thought
was unreliable. After, they found that I was a person of my word and totally reliable, my respect
from people in the sport who quickly grew. You’ve got to prove yourself to people. One of the best
ways to do that is to be honest, be of good character and be a person of your word. Those
attributes will take you far.
BLOOD AND GUTS 88
19
CHAPTER
More On Protein,
Carbohydrates, Fats,
Aerobics And Stretching
Here’s a handy review
of some key elements in any bodybuilder’s nutrition and
training programs, in its own chapter for easy reference anytime.
PROTEIN
Protein consists of chains of 20 aminos acids. Eight amino acids are considered essential as
they cannot be manufactured by the body. Foods containing these eight essential amino acids are
considered first-class protein sources. These include eggs, dairy products, fish, poultry and red meat.
Protein that’s lacking or low in some essential amino acids is called a second-class protein
source. These include rice, cereal, beans and vegetables. You should try to get one source of
first-class protein with each meal. Your protein intake should be one to one and one-half grams per
pound of bodyweight. You should strive to eat five or six small meals spaced evenly throughout the
day. This will help ensure that your body will absorb the correct amount of protein it needs. Also,
because protein will stay in the bloodstream for approximately three hours, it needs to be replenished
regularly.
BLOOD AND GUTS 91
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbs are a primary source of energy. Complex carbs composed of polyisocyanates are generally
considered superior to simple sugars. The reason is that complex carbs are released more slowly
into the bloodstream, while simple sugars may cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which is
usually followed by a sudden drop in those levels.
Carbs should make up 60 percent of your total caloric intake. Good carb sources include rice,
potatoes, yams, pasta, oatmeal, grains, vegetables and fruit. Although fructose found in fruit is a
simple sugar, it doesn’t adversely affect blood sugar levels like other simple sugars.
FATS
Fat intake should be kept under control. Ideally fat should comprise 10 to 15 percent of your
caloric intake. Some fat is needed in the diet for healthy hair and skin, absorption of fat-soluble and
joint lubrication. Saturated fats-which are solid at room temperature-are the least desirable sources
of fat. Unsaturated fats-which are liquid at room temperature-are a more desirable source of essential
fatty acid nutrients.
BLOOD AND GUTS 92
AEROBICS
I believe aerobics is an import adjunct to your bodybuilding training. A moderate amount of
aerobics-three times per week- is important for several reasons:
1. Moderate amounts of aerobics helps the recovery process between workouts by pumping oxygen
around the body. This helps remove waste products that accumulate from heavy weight workouts.
2. Aerobics help burn fat. Doing aerobics on a regular basis trains trains the body to be more efficient
at burning fat for energy. However, if you’re not doing any aerobics in the off-season, them decide to
do them for precontest preparations or simply to lose weight in a hurry, be prepared. The body will
not be efficient at burning fat for energy and will use more carbohydrate-even protein and amino
acids-which could lead to over training and a loss of size.
Keep your aerobic activity at an intensity that makes your heart beat at 60 to 75 percent of
your maximum heart rate. To determine your maximum heart rate, take the number 220 minus your
age. Take 60 to 75 percent of that number and that will be your target heart zone number: the ideal
range in heartbeats per minute to maintain during aerobic activity. Do aerobics three times per week
for 15 to 25 minutes per workout.
Personally, I ride the stationary bike for 25 minutes at 65-75 percent of my target heart zone
number three times per week in the off-season. During my precontest preparations, I’ll ride the bike
three times per week and also speed walk three times per week for 45 minutes each session.
THE CALORIE EQUATION
A calorie is a measurement of energy given by food. Carbohydrates and protein have four
calories per gram. Fat has nine calories per gram. In order to gain weight and size, you must be in a
positive caloric balance (i.e. if you require 3,500 calories per day to maintain your present
bodyweight, you should try to consume 3,800-4,000 calories per day to gain weight ).
Planning is important and you should be aware of your total caloric intake so you can adjust it with
some degree of precision when you need to.
STRETCHING
Stretching is important in helping to maintain flexibility, prevent injury and promote
recovery. I stretch for 10 to 15 minutes as a part of my pre-workout warm-up. I then stretch after I’ve
worked each body part and stretch the trained muscle for five or six counts for 15 to 20 seconds. Here
are some tips.
1. Never stretch a cold muscle. Always do some general warm up first, like stationary bike, to
promote blood flow.
2. Stretch smoothly until maximum stretch is achieved. Do not bounce! This can lead to injury.
3. Don’t overstretch to the point of actual pain ( some discomfort is expected) and don’t stretch joints
beyond their normal limits.
BLOOD AND GUTS 93
20
CHAPTER
Training Injuries
Proper warm-up is essential
in order to avoid injuries. In generally ride the
stationary bike for five to 10 minutes to raise the core temperature of the body. I then do about 10
minutes of stretching all the major muscle groups. With each muscle group, I go to a maximum
stretch and hold it fro 10 to 15 seconds and I do that two times for each muscle group. What I do is
similar to a static stretch where I’ll hold it and not do any bouncing. Bouncing when you stretch is a
sure way to pull the muscle and injure it. Be sure to always hold your stretches for a certain count,
then slowly release.
After that, I’m ready for the weights. For whatever exercise I’m doing, I do two or three sets
of very light warm-ups to get the blood flowing into that muscle area. For example, if I’m working
chest, I grab a pair of 15-pound dumbbells and 20 flyes. Then I go to lateral raises, triceps
pressdowns and some pull-downs just to get the blood saturated in the muscle area I’m getting ready
to work. From there, I do two or three warm-ups sets on my first exercise, then I’m ready to go up to
the heavy growth-producing weight. Once I start my workout. I don’t really feel the need to do more
warm-up sets for the same body part even when I switch exercises. Once warmed up, save your
energy for those all-out heavy sets. During the exercise, you should always use the correct
bio-mechanics ans strict form. You need to really be aware of the function of the muscle group and
have someone whose opinion you respect show you the correct way to do the exercise.
BLOOD AND GUTS 95
CYCLING YOUR TRAINING TO AVOID INJURIES
Most of the time I train with 100 percent, all-out, gut- busting intensity. But if I feel for some
reason that I haven’t slept well the night before, or that day I don’t feel into my training, I won’t feel
guilty about cutting back. That may mean I might just go through the motions with a lighter weight
just to maintain my condition. If you feel tired, rundown or just not able to concentrate properly and
you still go into the gym, be careful not to overdo it or try something that could injure yourself. Far
too many injuries are caused by people not concentrating on proper form. Listen to your body and
back off when it tells you to.
IF YOU DO GET INJURED
First and foremost, avoid any exercises that cause you pain. Sometimes, depending upon the
severity and body part injured, it can take many months for the injured body part to heal. Soft tissues,
like muscle, usually have a good blood supply and will heal fairly rapidly. Injuries to tendons and
joints-which characteristically have a poorer blood supply-can take much longer to heal.
When you continue to train an injured body part with an exercise that causes it more pain,
you’re only asking for long-term problems. There’s no such thing as working through the pain. Use
your head. If you’re not wise, you may not be able to train that injured body part again unless you
have surgery to correct it! Again, listen to your body. It knows best.
HELPING THE HEALING
Various things are available to you to use to help speed the healing process. Here are some
steps toward healing:
1. Get the inflammation down by using ice five or six times a day for 15 to 20 minutes per time. After
you reduce the inflammation, the healing process will be greatly speeded up.
2. Consider methods like ultrasound, massage therapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, acute phase
immobilization, acupressure, electric muscle stimulation, mega-pulse, trancutaneous electrical nerve
stimulation ( TENS), interferential therapy, hydrotherapy, etc.
Consult your physician or other health care professional to make an accurate diagnosis of
injury and suggest therapy. I can tell you firsthand that ultrasound helps speed the healing process. I
use it whenever I feel a twinge or slight injury coming on. I’ve even got my own machine!
HEALING AND NUTRITION
I believe it’s a good idea to get an optimal supply of vitamins and minerals in your diet every
day. Apart from that, I don’t think there are any magical nutrients that you can take to help speed up
the healing process. You can’t force-feed the body into using supplements to heal itself. The body is
smarter than us and will use only the nutrients it needs in order ti carry out the healing process. Eat a
nutritious, well-balanced diet with an ample supply of vitamins and minerals, get enough rest and
your body will take care of itself.
BLOOD AND GUTS 97
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Watching other people train is quite an experience. I see guys in the gym doing things that I
know if I did it, I’d be injured straight away. Luckily, they seem to get away it- probably because
they’re not generating that much power.
USING GOOD FORM-THE KEY TO BODYBUILDING SUCCESS
The biggest problem I see people making is using bad form. They want to get the weight from
point A to point B and they’ll use whatever form it takes to do it. For example, people doing barbell
curls. In order to lift the heavy weight, they’ll swing the weight up and move their body around in all
kinds of crazy ways just the weight up. It looks a bit like limbo dancing.
People who use bad form are concerned with how much weight is on the bar. Instead, they
should be concerned with how much stress is going to the muscle to make it work hard and grow. If
you’re curling 60 pounds in strict form, you’re getting 60 pounds of stress that’s going to your bicep.
But if you’re using a 120-pound barbell and to get it up you’re using your legs and lower back, you’re
probably only getting 40 pounds of that stress on your biceps. The top that off, your risk for injury is
far greater than the person who uses 60 pounds in strict form.
Don’t get me wrong- I’m constantly trying to use more weight in my workouts. The
difference is that I’m keeping those weight increases within the boundaries of using good, strict form.
I suggest increasing your poundage only if you can put more stress on the muscle you want to work.
Time is a valuable consideration when you want to get the most out of your training. Injuries-yes,
even those due to improper form- can halt your progress and increase the time it take for you to reach
your training goals.
I’ve had my fair share of injuries but they weren’t due to bad form. My injuries were the
result of going all-out in my training and over a period of time the body says, “Stop!” Those injuries
were warnings for me to adjust my training and exercise accordingly. My philosophy is that I’ll
gladly back off on my training intensity if it means I can avoid injuries and layoffs. Believe me, when
my body talks, I listen!
TRAINING WITH AN INJURY
Many times you can maintain the muscle size and strength in an injured area by working it in
different way. If you injure your shoulder and can’t bench press, there could be other exercises ( such
as pec-dec) you could do that might not be as good as a bench press, but will help maintain your size
and strength until you can come back with benches.
As long as you’re not irritating the injured area, you can still maintain some sort of size and strength
in the area. Once the injury is healed, you can start back light with the other exercises and gradually
build up to your former level and beyond. You should train cautiously when coming back from an
injury. Don’t jump right up to where you left off. You'll really injure yourself then.
Start off slowly and let your body “relearn” the exercise movement. Let the body channel
new start and correct groove patterns for the exercises. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the body
will come back from injury. Don’t jump right up where you left off. You’ll really injure yourself then.
Start off slowly and let your body “relearn” the exercise movement. Let the body channel
new and correct groove patterns for the exercises. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the body will
come back from an injury. Just be patient.
BLOOD AND GUTS 98
METHODS THAT SPEED RECUPERATION
I think stretching a muscle that’s been worked is an excellent way to speed the recuperative
process. Of course, nutrition is vital to recuperation. Make sure you’re getting enough protein and
carbohydrates every day. You’ve got to replace whatever it is that you’ve taken out of the body. Deep
tissue massage and whirlpool bath and other hydrotherapies may help you recuperate quicker.
The big factor in healing speed recuperation is sleep. I recommend getting seven and one-half
to nine hours every night.
Be sure to have your workouts planned with enough rest days so you won’t be over-trained.
The majority of bodybuilders are over-trained in sets, reps and workout duration and frequency. Give
your body plenty of time to rest and grow between your workouts.
BLOOD AND GUTS 99
CHAPTER
21
Training Cycles
As a rule, I don’t calculate
when I’ll cycle my training. Cycling is a good way
for the body to adjust to new and varied training demands. You might decide to do many different
cycles throughout the year, depending upon your goals. Maybe you might do a mass cycle and adjust
your training for mass. Maybe you might do a power cycle and adjust your training for power. Maybe
you might do a cuts cycle and adjust your training for maximum cuts.
THE CYCLES… A BRIEF DESCRIPTION
THE MASS CYCLE
This cycle emphasizes moderate to heavy weight, moderate to long rest periods between sets,
exercises and body parts and reps in the range of eight to 12 and a combination of basic with some
isolation movements.
BLOOD AND GUTS 101
THE CUTS CYCLE
This cycle emphasizes lighter weights, isolation movements, shorter rest between sets,
exercises and body parts and higher reps in the 10 to 15 range.
Cycling can be an important part to your training success. Cycling can reduce injury and help
keep you motivated in your workouts. I’d recommend, whether you write out your cycles or go by
feel, to include cycling as a part of your overall training program.
However, there’s something I’d like to make you aware of when it comes to writing out or
planning your cycle. Let’s say you’ve written out your planned cycle and on the day you go to the
gym, you’ve planned a light day. But, you get into the gym and you feel really strong and you want
to train heavy. Or what if you’ve planned to train heavy, but for some reason you didn’t get enough
sleep the night before and you feel weak? Are you going to let a golden opportunity slip by when you
feel strong and train light just because you’re supposed to?
These are some reasons why I prefer cycling my training by instinctive feels. If during one
workout I don’t have the energy to give it 100 percent, I back off and do enough just to maintain. This
may mean I’d only be doing 50-70 percent of what I’d normally do. On these cycles, I’ll go through
the motions, get a pump and get out of the gym.
Sometimes after I’ve done a tough leg workout, I’ll get up the next day and that morning
during breakfast, I’ll know that for some reason I just don’t have what it takes to go in that day and
give it 100 percent. When I have that kind of day , I’ll take an extra day off. This helps my body
recover from the intensity of my all-out workouts.
THE BLOOD AND GUTS TRAINING CYCLE
I usually train four or five weeks all out with an occasional light workout. Then I start getting
mentally and physically drained and I’ll back off. I’ve found that’s all the heavy, 100-percent training
my body can stand and I need to ease up for a week or two.
The workouts I put my body through are brutal. They are tough on my central nervous
system, not to mention my connective and soft tissue! Everyone is going to be different in how he or
she responds to this “blood and guts” type of training. You should experiment to learn your optimal
all-out training time before you need to cut back and give your body a rest. Knowing these things will
greatly help your training progress.
BLOOD AND GUTS 102
CHAPTER
22
More About Lifting
I’ve been training since
1983 and I don’t have a clue as to how much I could
bench press for one rep. To me, there’s no point in doing one-rep lifts. That doesn’t get me to my goal
any quicker and I’s not going to do anything for me psychologically. I could care less how much I
could bench press because I’m not a power lifter. If anything, one-rep lifts dramatically increase the
chances for injury and injuries are something I don’t want or need!
On a heavy basic routine, the lowest I go will be three or four reps and I rest-pause those. So
I do three or four reps, rest a few seconds, do two more, rest a few seconds, then do one or two more
and that would be the closest I’ll come to a maximum, lift. I always do at least six to eight reps in
whatever exercise and set I’m doing.
ADVICE ON LIFTING AIDS
I believe in using a belt because it creates internal pressure in the abdominal cavity, which
helps support your spine. That internal pressure pushes against the spine and gives it support. I think
it’s a good idea to wear a belt when you train-especially when doing overhead movements or squats.
BLOOD AND GUTS 105
Wrist straps are good to use in your training. Let’s say you’re doing lat work. The lats are a
very strong muscle and to work them thoroughly you must use heavy weight. Well, if your lats are
capable of lifting 300 pounds and you’re not using wrist straps, your grip will probably give out after
the third or fourth rep. however, your lats still might be able to get five more reps if you were using
wrist straps.
As far as supportive knee wraps are concerned, I believe using them takes away from
developing strength in the legs. They may help you lift more weight but the muscle is not doing more
of the work. Muscles over the years will get progressively stronger if you overload them. But if
you’re supporting them all the time, the ligaments and tendons won’t. So while your legs are getting
stronger, the joints and connective tissue aren’t. That scenario spells potential trouble and injury.
The only kind of wrap I’ll use will be the elastic slip-on type in order to create warmth in the
elbow and knee joints when I’m doing bench presses, overhead presses or squats. I don’t use power
wraps or anything like that.
Power lifters use knee wraps and that’s okay. They only do one or two reps maximum with
the wraps on. Not only that, they won’t use them until they get up into the really heavy weight. Some
people who use knee wraps may find that their squat poundage could go up by 50 pounds. Big idea.
If you put a spring under their ass, they’ll get 50 pounds as well! That doesn’t make any difference.
The muscle is not doing the work. What is important is putting the stress on the muscle.
BLOOD AND GUTS 106
THE MIND-SET OF WORKING THE MUSCLE
When I’m training, I think about focusing my mind to the muscle I’m working and my reps.
I always have a good idea about how many reps I did in my previous workout because I’m constantly
keeping records. So my goals is to to always better that and increase the overload and the stress on
the muscles. I’m always trying to get more reps with more weight,
But at my stage of development, doing more weight and reps is not my only goal. I’m also
thinking about the form, how the muscles function, keeping the movement in the correct groove and
making sure the stress is directly on the muscle I’m working. The reps are fairly controlled and
slow-especially the negative ( the lowering ) part of the movement. The positive part of the rep will
be faster and more explosive, yet always under control.
BLOOD AND GUTS 107
CHAPTER
23
The Great BattleMachines Vs. Free Weights
I believe machines
and free weights each has its pros and cons. If you would say
to me, “Dorian, you can have a gym full of free weights or a gym full of machines-which one do you
choose?” Without a doubt I’d pick the free-weight gym. In my opinion, free weights are superior to
machines.
Some machines do provide excellent groove and resistance and can be beneficial to the
bodybuilder. Free weight grooves and resistance, on the other hand, can be adapted to your body
type, levers, etc. Since we’re all a bit different in how we feel a particular exercise movement, this
can be an important factor in how throughly we stress our muscles.
Both machine and free weights deliver stress to the muscles and that’s what our goals is.
Personally, I use a combination of machine and free weights. However, I feel that my muscles are
stressed to a greater degree and that I get a much better workout when I use free weights.
Machine manufacturers are regularly coming out with new and different machines. For many
people, these machines are a comfortable way to exercise. But remember: Just because something is
comfortable doesn’t mean you’ll get good results.
BLOOD AND GUTS 109
You can always tell the hardcore people who want serious results: They gravitate toward the
free weights. Somebody else who’s just training for fitness will go more for the machines because
they’re a lot nicer, they look good and are comfortable to use. Just put the pin in the weight stack and
they’re off.
COMING BACK FROM AN INJURY
I believe machines are good to use when coming back from an injury. They isolate the
previously injured muscle in a set groove and you can control the movement from start to finish.
Many times you can do a machine exercise for a previously injured body part even though you’re not
able to do the free-weight equivalent. The important thing is that the exercise is not causing any
further pain or damage to the injured area. ( In some cases you should check with your doctor or
physical therapist about substitute exercises.)
BLOOD AND GUTS 110
CHAPTER
24
Dorian’s Mainstay
Machine And Free
Weight Exercises
Wherever I go,
people ask me what are my favorite exercises. Over the years, I’ve tried
just about every exercise imaginable. Some gave me good results, others didn’t. I guess you could
say that I kept the good and shelved the rest.
Many times you may find that you can do a particular exercise and nothing happens. Yet, just
by changing the way you do that same exercise ( different hand or foot positioning, variations in reps
and weight, speed of the movement, etc.) may be all that’s needed to start getting great results from
it.
The most important element in making exercises work for you is to experiment with different
exercises, sets, reps, weights, reps, etc., and find those things that work best for you. How you feel
an exercise can be very different from how your friend feels the same movement. Take my advice:
Do only those exercises that work for you!
BLOOD AND GUTS 113
Here are the exercises I’ve found that work best for me.
CHEST
Barbell bench press
Incline press-barbell, dumbbell or smith machine
Dumbbell flye
BACK
Nautilus pullover machine
Pull-down machines
Low-pulley row machine
Chins-with free weights on a dipping belt
Barbell row
One-arm dumbbell row
SHOULDERS
Dumbbell press
Smith machines press behind neck
Dumbbell side lateral
Cable side lateral
Bent-over raises or rear delt machine
BICEPS
Dumbbell concentration curl
Dumbbell hammer curl
TRICEPS
Nautilus triceps machine
Machine cable press down
Lying EZ-curl extension
LEGS
Leg extension machine
Leg curls machine
Leg press
Hack squat
Stiff-legged deadlift
Squats on a Smith machine
(this isolates the legs better than regular barbell squats.
Legs are out in front of and the back is completely vertical.
Regular barbell squats cause you to lean forward and tend
to overly work the obliques and the glutes.)
*NOTE:
Free squats work well for some people. You have
to experiment to find which works best for you.
CALVES
Standing calves raise machine
Seated calves raise machine
ABDOMINALS
Lying crunch over a bench
Hanging leg raise
Reverse crunch
Basically I use free weights along with
conventional machines. Nothing fancy.
BLOOD AND GUTS 114
CHAPTER
25
How I Rank
The Best Exercises
For Each Body part
In chapter 24 I spoke
about my favorite exercises and the importance of finding
those exercises that work well for you. Now, I’ll rank the best exercises I’ve found that will pack on
the greatest amount of muscle in the shortest amount of time.
I’m also going to share with you the why and how-to’s of getting the maximum benefits from
each of these exercises. Pay close attention to strict exercise form, correct angle of movement and the
intensity of every rep and set. These factors are crucial for maximum muscle development.
You won’t find any secrets exercises here. Everything I tell you can be done at any gym that
has the basic equipment. My Temple Gym in Birmingham, England is about as you can get. I use
these exercises consistently throughout the year and I’m very pleased with the results. These are the
movements that allow me to keep adding slabs of muscle year after year.
BLOOD AND GUTS 117
QUADS
I did free-weight squats the first four or five years of my training. I was able to build a good
base of size and strength. But, to be honest I’ve made better progress since I haven’t been free weight
squatting. Instead, I’ve been doing leg presses, hack squats and Smith machine squats.
For a beginner, I’d recommend building a strong foundation by doing free-weight squats for
a few years to build a strong base of power. After that, experiment to find which exercises work best
for you.
At this point in my development, I think squats are a bit overrated. I wouldn’t rate them as
high on the great exercise scale as most people. Squats do work well for some people. Those who
have short legs and torso and don’t lean over much will find that squats are an effective exercise since
all of the stress will be going to the thighs. Those who are taller and have a longer torso tend to use
a lore of lower back muscle and lean forward when doing the exercise. This greatly diminishes the
effect of squats.
The reason I don’t do regular squats isn’t that my legs are big and I don’t need to do them or
I don’t want my glutes to grow. I feel I actually get better growth stimulation from doing leg presses,
squats on a Smith machine and hack squats. These movements isolate my leg muscles and I’m able
to concentrate on the movement and the muscle much better.
HAMSTRINGS
I basically do only two leg biceps exercises: lying leg curls and stiff-legged deadlifts. I feel
the hamstring curl works more lower leg biceps while the stiff-legged deadlift works more of the
upper hamstring where it ties into the glutes. I alternate between one or the other each workout.
CALVES
To be honest, I don’t put a lot of mental priority on calf training. When I train calves, I train
them hard. But I don’t stay up the night before a calf workout and think “Gee, what am I going to do
for calves tomorrow?”
I like to train calves heavy. Sometimes I’ll do standing calf raises with 1,400 pounds! Believe
me,that’s really intense! I’d rank standing calf raises as the best all-around calf developer. I keep my
toes in a natural straight-on, slightly turned out position.
I don’t think you should place so much emphasis on placing your toes in positions that are
unnatural for the body. I’m not one for using different foot positions. My foot position for Smith
machine squats, leg presses, hack squats and calves raises is straight on, slightly turned out. To me,
foot position doesn’t make a lot of difference. Go with whatever feels comfortable.
CHEST
I believe decline barbell presses are superior for mid to low chest development. Declines are
also safer. Occasionally I’ll do flat bench pressing. However, I’m very careful since the majority of
pec tears occur from flat bench pressing. Barbell, dumbbell or Smith machine inclines are the best
for upper chest development. It’s important not to have too much incline. Using an angle of no higher
than 30 degrees is ideal. Anything higher than that tends to put more stress on the front delts and
joints and takes much of the work off of the chest.
BLOOD AND GUTS 118
BACK
The back is such a big area that you need quite a variety of exercises to really hit everything.
If I had to choose one exercise that’s made a big difference in my back training, it would be barbell
rows with a reverse grip, palms facing forward, with the barbell being pulled into my waist. This
movement hits the whole lat, even down to the bottom of the lat insertion near my waist. The normal
barbell row pulled into the chest works a lot more rear delt and upper back. With the reverse-grip row,
you can pull your elbows way back to really work the lats.
To get lat width, you should do chins in front of the neck with a medium grip or lat pull downs
to the front with an underhand grip. To me, chins are the number-one exercise you can do for upper
lat width. There’s just something different about pulling up the weight of the entire body when you
do chins that causes the lats to grow and respond more so than pulling a weight down as in lat
pull-downs.
BLOOD AND GUTS 120
The way to make chins or pull-downs work well for you is to pull your arms down and back
and contract the back muscle. To gibe you an idea of the feeling of the movement, pretend like you’re
elbowing somebody behind you and then squeeze your back muscles together and contract.
Slightly arching the spine is important to properly contracting the lats. I see lots of people do
bent-over rows with their backs rounded over. The lats can’t contract in that position. That type of
form doesn’t accomplish anything except work the delts and arms. You need to do full range reps to
get a full contraction. The back is probably the hardest part of the body to work properly so you need
to concentrate on the form.
If you’re having problems with your back development, cut all your poundages in half, do the
reps really slowly, do the form correctly and get the full contraction of the back muscles. It’s very
important to experience how a good back contraction is supposed to feel. If you don’t take the time
to experience it, you’ll never get the results you want. Feel the contraction first, then you can start
building up and you’ll get better results quicker.
SHOULDERS
I like pressing movements and I used to do a lot of presses behind the neck with free weights.
However, that movement with free weights tends to put far too much stress on the shoulder joint and
leaves it in a vulnerable position for injury. Presses behind the neck put the shoulder joint in an
unnatural rotation, so you must be careful.
When I do behind-the-neck presses, I use a Smith machine because the groove is set and the
shoulders can travel in a fixed plane. This greatly minimizes the chance for injury. I also do dumbbell
presses to the front. This is a more natural movement for the delts.
If you want shoulder width, you should do side lateral movements. The form is very
important. Many people who do this movement use too much weight and end up working the back
and front delts. What you’re trying to work is a very small area of the muscle-the side head of the
deltoid.
To do it correctly, you need to have your palms facing to the floor with your little finger
higher than your thumb-like you’re pouring a pitcher of water. Your arm should be straight out to
your side and your upper body should be bent over slightly. Keep your wrist relaxed and let the
weight hang down. Don’t grip the weights too hard.
You shouldn’t be able to see your fist if you’re doing the movement correctly. Keep your
arms and the weights out to your side and bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height. Don’t go any
higher than that since you’ll be working more trap and less delts. It will feel funny doing side laterals
like this but you’ll really feel the results. One workout I do side laterals standing and the other
workout I do them seated starting with the weights underneath my legs.
I prefer doing shrugs to build to build traps. At one time I did do deadlifts and they helped
pack on trap size. Now, I like using a Universal-type bench press machine for shrugs. If you use a
barbell, you’re always fighting for balance because the weights are always pulling you forward.
Doing shrugs on a machine allows you to concentrate on moving the shoulders up and back.
I don’t believe in doing any rotational movements because there’s not any additional resistance once
you’ve gone to the top of the movement and contracted the traps hard. I prefer using the machine, but
if one is not available, I’ll use a barbell.
BICEPS
For biceps I’ll usually start with a more isolated exercise like a dumbbelll curl. I prefer doing
a concentration curl or incline curl then going to a heavier movement like barbells.
The reason I do that is that if I do the barbell curls first, I get a lot of stress on my front delts
and forearms. That’s why I like to put the biceps in a position where it’s more isolated and I can’t use
front delts and forearms.
BLOOD AND GUTS 121
In my case, those muscle groups ( front delts and forearms) are very strong genetically,
whereas the biceps are a little weaker. So if I’m using a lot of weight, the stronger muscle groups are
naturally going to take over. And if I’m going to get the biceps isolated and fatigued and then go on
to the heavier movements-even if I’m cheating a little bit- the majority of the stress will go to the
biceps and they’re going to give out the first since I’ve pre-exhausted them.
My favourite biceps exercise would be a heavy concentration curl since it allows me to
isolate the biceps. Picking only one biceps exercise as best would be hard for me since I’m getting
great results from any of the exercises I do.
TRICEPS
I’d say 99 percent of my triceps development came from doing two movements: cable
pressdowns and lying EZ-curl extensions. Using the EZ-curl bar takes the stress off the wrists and
puts them in a more natural position. Occasionally I use a one-arm exercise like dumbbell french
press, kick-back and reverse cable press down. I also find the Nautilus triceps machine to be very
effective triceps builder.
I’ve tried every triceps exercise imaginable and the best two I’ve found for packing on serious
beef are cable pressdowns and lying EZ-curl extensions. Of course, you should experiment to find
which exercises work best for you. Some people get great results from upright dips. You have lots of
exercises to choose from. Get in the gym and find the best ones for you.
FOREARMS
I don’t do any direct forearm work. I get most of my forearm development from the gripping
on the biceps work. The only indirect forearm work I do is hammer curls, which work the biceps
brachialis and upper forearms. If you’d like to do direct forearm work, I’d suggest doing wrist curls
over a bench. This is probably the best forearm developer around.
ABDOMINALS
I find that once you have a degree of abdominal development, you don’t have to do that much
abdominal work to keep that area in shape. My goal is to maintain my abdominal development not
build it. I’ve tried doing all sorts of abdominal exercises with weights and no weights and all that
happened was my obliques got thicker and my waist got bigger. Those kind of results don’t look
especially aesthetic.
To maintain good abdominal condition I do crunches over a bench nice and slow to
concentrate on the contraction. This exercise works mainly the upper abs. For the lower abs, I’ll do
hanging leg raises from a chining bar. To work more of the side abdominals muscles, try twisting
from side to side as you contract at the top of the movement. Always concentrate on the feel of the
ab movement. Do each rep slowly and feel the ab muscle burn. Don’t be so concerned with getting a
set number of reps. You’ll definitely get better results.
BLOOD AND GUTS 122
CHAPTER
26
Observations
On Human Nature
People are always looking
for a quick way to get big and strong. They want a
simple answer that will tell them everything they need to know in order to reach their goals. There
isn’t one simple answer. As I’ve said, it takes the training, diet, mental approach and all those other
factors we’ve talked about in order to be successful.
At one time, I wrote a question-and-answer column for one of the British muscle
publications. I used to get mail every month from people who wanted to know how to get big, how
to eat right, what are the best exercises, etc. Well, I decided to write an article that would tell them
everything they needed to know to get big and massive. This article had all the information they
needed to accomplish their goal. I hoped that it would answer all their questions. I was wrong.
The next month I received the same kind of questions!
Everyone was looking for the quick fix or the simple answer.
There just isn’t one. If someone asks me a question about how my legs or calves got so big.
I’d need two hours to tell them everything.
BLOOD AND GUTS 125
Luckily, I’ve been able to offer you that advice in this book. I believe it contains all the
information you’ll need to reach whatever fitness or bodybuilding goal you have. It’s helped me
become Mr. Olympia.
BLOOD AND GUTS 126
CHAPTER
27
The influence Of
Joe And Ben Weider
What can you say about
the two people who have elevated bodybuilding and
fitness to the level it enjoys today. Ben Weider formed the International Federation of Bodybuilders
(IFBB) back in 1946. Because of his undying 100 percent commitment to bodybuilders and the sport,
bodybuilding has experienced phenomenal growth all over the world. Over 150 countries now make
bodybuilding an important part of their culture.
Joe Weider has trained and worked with nearly every champion the sport has seen. Guys like
Reeves, Park, Pearl, Scott, Oliva, Schwarzenegger, Zane, Mentzer, Haney, myself and many others
have all been influenced by Joe.
When I started training, Joe’s magazines were the source for bodybuilding information. I got
my hands on anything and everything Joe wrote. To this day, I consider Muscle and Fitness and Flex
magazines to be the source for the most complete training information-bar none!
And where would bodybuilding be without the most important bodybuilding competition
there is-the Mr. Olympia? Without Ben and Joe, there would be no Mr. Olympia competition.
BLOOD AND GUTS 129
This competition was created to bring the best bodybuilders in the world
together on one stage to compete for the title of best bodybuilder in the world- Mr.
Olympia. That competition and what it stands for means everything to me.
I owe Ben and Joe a lot. The sport owes them a lot. Their hard work made it
possible for me to enjoy a lifestyle that when I was younger, I only dreamed possible.
Many thanks, Joe and Ben.
BLOOD AND GUTS 130
CHAPTER
28
Onward And Upward
A winning attitude is your
biggest asset in any endeavor. But you also need
patience and persistence. These are often lacking, as evidenced by the way many people adjust their
approach.
If something isn’t working, these people will either radically change something or they’ll
change so many things at one time that they don’t know which variables they changed. They can’t
put their finger on what it was needed to be changed. Sort of like the shotgun approach-shoot a lot of
shot in the air and hope it hits something.
The best way to make corrections in your training and diet is to change one thing at a time,
change it slightly and then analyze it. Did the change make any difference? In what way did it make
a difference? Is this the change I wanted? Making changes like this allows you to ask the right kinds
of questions and get answers that can help you.
When I make changes I make them gradually and slowly. I take time to observe and note the
results of that change. You can’t go from doing six sets per body part two times a week to 20 sets a
body part three times a week. That would be too big of a change. Don’t try it. Instead, as I advise
throughout this book, have goals along with a realistic plan and follow that plan-one step at a time.
BLOOD AND GUTS 133
AND FINALLY
In your hands right now, you’ve got the information, tips and secrets that I’ve used to become
Mr. Olympia. They’ve worked for me and I know they will work for you! Maybe you’d like to be Mr.
Olympia someday. This is the book for you. Maybe you’d like to finally achieve the kind of body and
fitness that you’ve wanted for many years. This is also your book.
Whatever you do, whoever you are, I believe you’re going to achieve incredible results-in the
shortest time possible-by following the information in this book.
Blood and Guts is not just an book-it’s a lifestyle. A total commitment and creed to accept
nothing less than the best you are capable of. Inside of you is everything you need to accomplish your
goals and dreams.
I’m just like you. I had a dream and I made it happen. Sure, it took work, but you know, it
really wasn’t that difficult. Do you know why? It’s because the things in life you enjoy doing never
seem difficult. Do you know why? It’s because the things in life you enjoy doing never seem difficult
or hard. To me, reaching goals is always enjoyable and gratifying.
Be patient and don’t rush into wanting everything to happen right now. I believe that anything
worth having is worth working for. Never give up on your dreams and goals. You’ve got the “Blood
and Gut” to achieve them!
THE END/FINIS