Q: I’m not that old (40s), so I’m thinking I can benefit from some heavier workouts. I know you’re older and not a fan, but if you were in my shoes and going to train heavy for six-week segments, how would you do it? I know an older guy at my gym who says he’s been training heavy all his life and has no joint issues.
A: There are trainees who work out heavy for many years and come away unscathed…
And there are people who smoke all their lives and live into their 80s. Genetics? All I know is the risk is up to you; maybe you’re an outlier…
I’ve done the heavy, low-rep thing, and discovered that I’m not an outlier. I’m still suffering nagging aches and pains because of it…
And I know many bodybuilders and powerlifters who have had multiple surgeries from “going balls-to-the-wall heavy.”
That includes 8-time Mr. Olympia winner Ronnie Coleman, who now uses a walker to get around. Not worth it in my book…
Contrast that with another 8-time Mr. O Lee Haney. He preferred to “trick” his muscles into thinking he was training heavy…
In my 40s I finally learned how to use moderate weights to build a well-muscled physique, thanks to the Iron Guru Vince Gironda….
As for Haney, now age 65, to this day he has zero injuries and still has an impressive physique. Here he is in his prime—a classic Michael Neveux photo on the streets of New York…
Haney and many other top bodybuilders are proof that there are much safer ways to pack on plenty of muscle—like moderate-weight STX on the key biomechanically correct, growth-producing exercises (as outlined in the ebooks below.
Even so, you’re still fairly young and mentioned six-week stints. A few of those throughout the year can be fine, depending on your structure and being cautious…
I’ll outline the way I would do it in the next training newsletter. It’s like a reverse-engineered STX that you can use with the workouts in the new ebooks below.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
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