Physique training

[The_GOAT]

Perhaps you aren't privy to this information due to your inclusion in the 'strength' realm of training, but I thought to ask regardless. This question has puzzled me for a while. How do bodybuilders train? I know they use high reps on little rest, but do they increase the weight once they hit their goals? Do they stay there? Are they merely chasing a nice pump? How do they measure progress?

[Tom Campitelli]

Please define who you are talking about when you say "bodybuilders." Do you mean the pros?

[The_GOAT]

Yes, people who competitively bodybuild. I can't imagine you're privy to the secrets of the pros ( who is?) but those who compete and train at a somewhat rarified level. I've got to remember to not post without thinking.

[Tom Campitelli]

Realize that I am going to speak in generalities here since I am not a bodybuilder, I don't train them, nor do I have any special insights into what the folks at the top do. What I can tell you is that the people who are at the top have some serious genetics for strength and size, have been seriously training for years, make training their full time jobs, and work harder than almost anyone else is willing to do. How Kai Greene or Dana Linn Bailey train is not applicable to the vast majority of mere mortals. They are very advanced athletes who are very strong and not only tolerate, but require, massive training volumes. Leaving aside any pharmaceutical interventions, which are a part of almost every pro's regimen, these folks can move a lot of weight. Doing curls at heavier weights for sets of 12 or 15 is a much different stimulus than doing curls at very light weight for the same rep ranges.

Rich Piana, who has a whole slew of YouTube videos that frankly discuss his use of drugs and more generally the use of drugs in bodybuilding, pointed out that people who are not on drugs are probably better served by using heavier weights in lower rep ranges for a lot of their training. He is, however, an advocate for using lower weight, higher rep ranges for most aspiring bodybuilders. Jay Cutler has said that he uses heavier weights for fewer reps and more sets. So... What's the answer? Beats me. There are lots of videos and articles out there on these people. In many cases, they don't provide much useful detail and are often inaccurate.

[Bolson32]

I honestly think it varies, just like everyone else. Mike O'Hearn has a pretty stellar physique, he's won Mr Natural Olympia. Now that doesn't mean he's never been on the juice, just means he's not around the contest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8x-Te2J8Ao

I think him and Rip would actually be pretty good buds, they share a ton of the same training mentalities. Watch him take this bloke who is obviously strong and has a desireable physique, and teach him how to low bar and powerlift. O'Hearn trains a ton of 3's, 7x3 with a bunch of rest on the big lifts. Then he'll go do some DB work and get his pump on, but he trains the heavy shit just like we do. Just more often, more food, more everything. It's a different ballgame when it's your full-time job. He even has a statement on training vs exercising.

[The_GOAT]

Thank you.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Good natties focus on strength on the front end of their sessions with basic barbell movements. This is followed by chasing the pump with a handful of exercises that will bring out the "fullness" of each muscle belly. Just one or the other isn't going to work.

You'll eventually have to shift off of fullbody 3x/week routines except for maybe a short time period during the offseason. Bodypart splits become a requirement as the need for extra exercises becomes necessary after a certain level of basic mass has been established.

I cut my teeth in a bodybuilding gym and had the privilege of learning from some very good competitive bodybuilders. As Tom said though, the truly elite level guys (natural or not) get there based on genetics. The limiting factor becomes the ability to hang onto muscle mass while you diet/cardio down to very low levels of bodyfat. Some can, some cant

[The_GOAT]

That was quite informative.