If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, and you’re not familiar with Doug Brignole, you may have a short-term memory issue. Stop hanging out with Snoop Dogg…
Seriously, for any new readers, Doug is the 2019 Drug-Free Mr. Universe, winning that show at age 59 while using only the biomechanically ideal exercises—no barbell squats, bench presses, rows, overhead presses, and many other “basic mass moves.”
I recently did a look back at his training from almost 10 years ago when I interviewed him and contrasted it with what he told me he now does—or what he was doing a couple of years ago. That newsletter is here.
Doug was kind enough to set me straight on what he’s doing now. I’m happy to say that our training ideas are converging more and more. We are both 62, open minded, and continue to experiment in the gym. Here’s his response…
After originally speaking with Steve about my 50-40-30-20-10 experiment [almost 10 years ago], I added more sets, using heavier weight and lower reps. The rep profile then looked more like this: 40-30-20-10-8-6-6-4-4-4.
Thinking that volume might be very important (which is not entirely correct), and believing that using heavy weight was important (also not entirely correct), I avoided maximum fatigue on most sets in order to complete 10 sets. Doing this many sets per muscle per workout forced me to use less frequency. I was working each muscle once every 5 to 6 days, or twice every 10 to 12 days.
Now, combining the information I learned from Chris Beardsley with my more recent experimentation, the rep profile I use now looks more like this: 30-20-15-12, using very high fatigue—going close to failure on each set, with 100% maximum effort on the fourth set.
Doing only 4 sets per muscle per workout allows more frequency, which is very important. Now I train each muscle twice per week.
The combination of training closer to failure on each set for more muscle fatigue/burn, doing fewer sets, and training each muscle more frequently, has dramatically improved my rate of muscle growth…to a degree I thought was not possible at my age (62).
I’m delighted to see these great results now, but I regret not having used this approach sooner. I think many of us make the mistake of believing “more is better” (more weight on each set and more total sets). It’s easy to fall into the trap of avoiding super-high muscle “burn” during each set in in order to use heavier weight (for lower reps), and doing more total sets; however, I now realize that’s counterproductive.
Training this way—with sets of super-high muscle fatigue to failure or close to failure—uses quite a lot of glucose, in addition to being very psychologically challenging. It’s easy to dread each set, knowing it’s going to take us into the red-hot fire zone…and cause some degree of nausea by the time the workout approaches its conclusion (approximately one hour). However, the improved rate of muscle growth is significant.
This further demonstrates the dramatic difference between training for muscle development (muscle growth) versus “powelifting” and the importance of not conflating the two. It’s common to assume that “The Big Three” are valuable in the pursuit of muscle growth and that there is a direct correlation between lifting heavy and muscle growth. I believe that’s entirely misguided.
To be clear, any type of resistance exercise increases strength. A muscle cannot grow unless it’s challenged with resistance, and a muscle’s strength automatically increases as an adaptation to that demand. Of course, studies have shown that using heavier weight for lower reps causes more strength gain, as compared with using lighter weight and higher reps; however…
Training heavy for lower reps is counterproductive to maximum muscle gain. It’s idealistic and unrealistic to pursue both, simultaneously.
More importantly, what is ‘strong enough’? Aside from satisfying some people’s competitive need to boast about how much they can bench press, squat or deadlift, that type of training is mostly unproductive and has a much higher risk of injury, as compared with training for maximum muscle development—which I believe bestows sufficient strength gains for all intents and purposes.
Great stuff. My thanks to Doug for continuing to experiment and evolve his training, even if it means admitting he wasn’t quite right in the past. Heck, until he laid out his ideal exercises, my training had been less than fully efficient for more than 40 years…
I’m making excellent gains now, as Doug is, at age 62—and we’re both still learning. I’ll have more on this in a future newsletter. Stay tuned.
New: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
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Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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