In this publication, I've presented science-based training techniques that work for most people. When I say "science-based" I'm referring to the fact that most of this information has appeared in various scientific studies of competitive bodybuilders. But there are … [Read more...]
When is it Best to Train to Muscular Failure? by Jerry Brainum 5/20
Although the training to failure concept has been discussed several times in past issues of Applied Metabolics, a new study defines just when training to failure is best used to promote gains in muscular size.. The notion of training to complete muscular failure isn't new, but … [Read more...]
Advanced Bodybuilding Training Techniques: Is There Any Science behind them? by Jerry Brainum 1/20
Beginners make gains no matter how they train. As such, the best way to train when you begin to lift weights is to follow a standard system of training, just doing regular sets and reps with nothing fancy added. Indeed, attempts to employ more advanced training techniques when … [Read more...]
How Many Sets Are Needed to Develop Maximum Muscular Size and Strength? by Jerry Brainum 9/19
It seems that everyone has a different opinion about what constitutes the ideal amount of exercise volume that would promote maximal gains in muscular size and strength. Bodybuilding is notorious for the "more is better" philosophy,which means that the more you do, the greater … [Read more...]
Breaking Training Plateaus For Advanced Trainees by Jerry Brainum 8/19
Muscular gains come easy when you first begin training. At least it appears that way. All beginners, no matter what their genetic gifts may be for bodybuilding or lack thereof, make fairly rapid gains when they first start to regularly train. What happens is that you develop a … [Read more...]
Training to Muscular Failure: An Update with New Insights by Jerry Brainum
I wrote about training to muscular failure in the May, 2015 issue of Applied Metabolics, and that article covered all the available research at the time related to training to failure. I also discussed the history of training to failure, and how the principle first came about. … [Read more...]
Do Women Need to Train Differently Than Men? by Jerry Brainum
When I first began lifting weights in 1962, you never saw any women even go near weights. Lifting weights was strictly a male pursuit in those days, although in some parts of the country, such as in California, some women had dared to start using weights as a method of shaping … [Read more...]
No Load Muscle Training: Gain you gain muscle mass using no added weight? by Jerry Brainum
Angelo Sicilliano was your typical 90-pound weakling. He was born in Italy in 1892, but moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York when he was 11. One day while Angelo was at the beach in Coney Island, a bully kicked sand in his face. Since the bully was considerably larger … [Read more...]
Is Muscle Growth Fiber specific? by Jerry Brainum
A colleague of mine at a major bodybuilding magazine once wrote that "bodybuilding is not rocket science." What he meant by that was his feeling that too many bodybuilders often made the process of building muscle far more complicated than it needed to be. A corollary to this … [Read more...]
Achtung! Is German Volume Training a better way to build muscle? by Jerry Brainum
In a recent article in Applied Metabolics, I discussed the training principles that are associated with increased muscular hypertrophy or growth. These factors include training frequency, training intensity level, and volume. That last aspect is the most controversial. … [Read more...]