The Only Way to Make Extreme Gains

Big Bob

It seems like everyone who goes to the gym wants to make great gains, yet few who start out actually go all the way. There are definite reasons why people make it or do not. Here I will go into detail how to succeed and make extreme gains.

You have to set goals, have a plan, the right attributes a good solid training routine, and do all that is necessary to make the gains. Otherwise you will fall short and just wonder why you didn’t go anywhere. I am here to say that if you follow the advice here in this article, you will make the kind of extreme gains you never thought were possible. Over the years, I’ve seen many try and sputter, then the ones who were dedicated, and more rise to the top. Near the end of the article, I will explain what the real secret is and just how it works. If there is any magic potion to make extreme gains and progress, here it is!

The first major point is to have goals. If a person goes to the gym just to workout a bit and see where it goes, the result will be minimal at best. A person should have an overall goal which is high, but realistic in nature. Even an unrealistic goal can produce great results. If one aims for the stars and ends up in the tree tops, it’s better than if they aim for the top of the tree and end up at it’s trunk. The goals should be realistic and reflect where is one now to where one desires to be. There should be ultimate goals in performance and body structure. One example will be a 400 lb bench press , a 50 inch chest , and 18" arms. If a beginner puts this forward as ultimate goals, then they will put in place a system of short and long range goals to help them get to the ultimate goal. Short range goals are there to plan and encourage one to go from workout to workout for several weeks to a few months. They are formulated by simply adding progression to where one is now and plotting a reasonable amount of progress to a given point in time. That helps in planning workouts. Long range goals can be measured in around a year. They should be a reasonable target to shoot for and should be reasonable. They are set using one’s general progression over a period of time and given a similar rate of progression to where one should be at the point in time. People without goals will not progress anywhere near as well as people with goals. Those without goals progress very slowly as there is no real focal point for training.

The plan is the overall blueprint for success. You must plan the work and work the plan. The plan must be a total package of where to train, when to train, the routine, diet, and planned rest. When planning everything out, you must look at where you want to train. There are many gyms out there but there is only one chain that I do not recommend and that is “Planet Fitness” That chain of gym is not meant for serious trainees. There must be adequate places to do squats and deadlifts as well as bench presses and other exercises. If you go for a home gym, then you need to purchase separate squat racks, bench, and a multi station piece of equipment. You must plan when and how many days a week to work out. Three to five days a week are good, with four being the most popular. Now the routine is all important. The routine should be planned in stages or phases to allow for the changes that will occur. I will go more into the routine later. You must plan when and how many days a week to work out. Three to five days a week are good, with four being the most popular. A diet must be planned to allow for more calories and protein intake. Diet is extremely important. There is much written on that subject and much information there. Lifting must be incorporated into one’s overall life just as eating, sleeping, and the other things we do. When it’s time to lift that’s what you should be doing. Making time for adequate rest is essential. Without adequate rest, gains will not occur. To make the best gains, lifting must be your only physical activity. Running or any outside sports will only hurt you and slow down your gains by using up your body’s resources. Lifting must be a high priority activity. Workout the same time every day as planned. It is a part of life. Plan to succeed and make extreme gains.

A lifter must have the right attributes to succeed. I call then the four D’s.

Desire is first. You must have the desire to lift and make the gains. It was once said “ You Gotta Wanna” You must want to make the gains and the desired goals and also want to do the work that is involved. Determination is next. You must be determined to go through with it and do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

Dedication is important. You must dedicate yourself to the whole endeavor of getting bigger and stronger. Dedicate yourself to the gains and the whole process that is involved. Discipline is needed to follow through the whole process. At times going to the gym and working may not seem like the thing you want to do at the time, but you must discipline yourself to do it. When a set is hard, you must have the self discipline to do it.

The routine is all important. It must exercise the entire body and all major muscle groups. The best routines are ones in which the work is split into different days. There are many varieties of a split routine. The best routines include the double split routine. There are two distinct upper body and two distinct lower body workouts. There are four distinct days. The exercises in each are different and are also rotated as to work the body from all angles , working as many minor muscles as possible, and allowing one muscle to recover while the other is worked. It is well known that using the same lifts all the time in the same manner will cause one to burn out or reach a plateau faster. The more one can change and mix exercises, the better the gains will be. One often searches for just the right routine on the net, or by asking successful lifters. While there are some real good workouts out there , one must eventually develop their own personal routine. The great Soviet Russian lifter Vasili Alexeev learned how to train then developed his own personal routine. David Rigert, himself a Soviet Russian lifter, and now Russian Olympic Coach mentioned that his lifters have individual routines to achieve the best results. The workouts may differ, but the results are the same. The way this is accomplished it to get on a good solid routine and gradually change it to meet one’s needs and changes physique changes over time. The routine that leads to a 200 lb bench press may be different from the one that leads to a 400 lb bench press although there may be many similarities. The routine at any time can be altered to fit the ever changing body. The lifter must follow the routine as in not missing workouts and doing what is expected on any given day. This also means getting adequate rest and nutrition before critical workouts. Your workout for a given day must be followed. You must be intense with your workouts planning to lift to your last rep. The weights must be blasted up with all your strength. Here a routine must be routine. It is your road to success.

The real secret is this. Lifting must be a top priority in your life. You must place it on top of almost everything you do in life. Sure there is God, family, health, and education, but after that lifting must be on top! There are those who have given up other sports, jobs, and more to achieve great gains in lifting! Ask anyone of them if it was worth it and most will say yes! Never missing a scheduled workout is essential. I’ve known lifters who drove through blinding snowstorms and terrible weather to get to the gym and train. We’ve all trained sick before! Now there is a difference between sick and violently ill, but I’ve seen a lifter who had been throwing up less than an hour before come in the gym and set a personal record! Many a time a lifter has been asked to work late but went to the gym instead. Once after having major surgery, I was told to lay off for 6-8 weeks, but was in the gym at 2 weeks and another time after more minor surgery was in the gym the next day ! I’ve known lifters who went an entire year without missing a scheduled workout. They are the ones who succeed! There are many bogus excuses for missing workouts that turn into reasons for failure! You must also be patient as it does take time to make the gains. Muscle takes time to grow. Some people gain faster than others, but the end results will be similar. A big part of it all is to properly balance lifting with the rest of your life. You must balance family, school, work, and social activities with your lifting so that you can be successful and have a full and meaningful life too. I’ve often had to find a job that gave me the time to lift as many others have. Many young lifters have to explain what they do to friends and get them to accept it. There are 168 hours in a week and only about 6 are spent in the gym. The life outside the gym must also be conducive to making gains. You must eat properly, get plenty of sleep and take care of yourself. Outside physical activities including sports and some vigorous recreational activities should be avoided if they take energy away from working out or interfere with the workout schedule. The body can handle only so much physical activity and it should all be put into lifting. Also avoid risky activities that can cause injuries. Many of young athlete’s career has ended by a freak accident from showing off or even worse, in a fight. Alcohol , drugs, tobacco, and careless activities must be avoided. Yes, one must make personal sacrifices and changes in lifestyle to make extreme gains. That is why so many people go into the gym and so few real hardcore lifters and bodybuilders come out! The choice is yours. Do you want to make extreme gains or not ?