Comment:
Worked chest today and I really felt the chest working. I have adopted the one-body part per workout deal. I wanted to keep training and training, but I had to force myself to stop. I wanted to do MORE! I love to train, so that was real tough; I had a lot of energy and power!
I really felt the pecs working. I was only pressing 60's, but man, the pec was working real nice.
Response:
60s are a good heavy dumbbell weight. When you see theses pro BBs doing 100 lb dumbbells, understand they are huge, have anabolic help, and are still taking chances.
Bob Paris was a major BB star in the '80s and he was questioned about his biceps workout and how he got away with doing preacher curls with a 60lb. barbell, yet he was huge and cut and the envy of all.
"If I can make a 60 feel like a 100, who's going to break the news to my biceps?", he said.
That quote was a turning point for me, as he was saying, it's not how much weight you use, it's how you use the weight.
If you watch the Charles Glass videos on bodybuilding.com, notice his instruction on posture/form when performing chest. Make sure there is no curve in your lower back: keep the entire back and shoulders completely in contact with the bench: this will force the pecs to do all the work.
I am glad to hear you are so motivated. There is nothing like seeing and feeling progress to keep you upping the ante. Instead of increasing weight, try to perfect your form, forcing the target muscle to take on more and more of the full stress of moving that weight, and also, try to rest less and less between sets for the aerobic benefit. Those two things will tire you and leave you less wanting to work out more. Put EVERYTHING, mentally and physically, into each workout, and you'll be very satisfied, and very tired. Your muscles grow while you're at rest. Don't rob your muscles of their full potential to build and shape by your taxing them again too soon.
I just discovered and read your book last night. I enjoyed your straight forward and no-nonsense advice. I totally agree with perfecting form as being the main focus instead of increasing weights too quickly. At age 47 and after dabbling on and off with weight training throughout my life, I decided to immerse myself into developing more size and symmetry. As an ectomorph, it has it's challenges. I began training with an old school bodybuilding style of routine used by bodybuilders of the golden era like Serge Nubret, Vince Gironda etc.. These routines although higher in volume, are based on perfecting form, feeling the muscle, mentally making the low to moderate weight feel heavier than it is, and short rest periods. It has taken me a month to improve these techniques and I will get better as I go along. I see so many people focus entirely on lifting heavier weights week after week, pounding their joints into submission and paying the price later. I appreciate your message, and thank you for spreading the word to so many newly inspired after 40 folks.
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