| PACIFIC BEACH PERSONAL TRAINING Don Bognatz, CPT Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA Call or Email to Schedule your Free Consultation Now! Cell: 410-336-6969 Email: dbognatz@hotmail.com |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
I understand the challenges of Training Naturally for increased muscle
mass, without performance enhancing drugs.
I have been drug-free my entire life. I also have what would be considered maybe
"average" genetics for gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, many trainers you may
see in the gyms today have either above average genetics for putting on muscle
mass (this is rather rare and a very small % of the population) or they have used (at
least at some point in their careers) performance enhancing drugs.
Why is this important to you? Being "all natural" and having average genetics
actually made me a better bodybuilder and better trainer. I was forced to analyze,
experiment and educate myself on the details of all facets of training to make sure I
was putting all the odds in my favor. Maximizing exercise technique and the acute
training variables such as the volume of work (# of exercises, sets, and reps),
frequency (how often to workout), and intensity (how hard to work out) were all
critical to continue making gains.
The natural and genetically average trainee's biggest enemy is overtraining. Any
amount of training over that which is required to stimulate new gains can cause a
halt, or even a regression in progress. The goal is to stimulate maximum gains
using the least amount of volume and then stay out of the gym long enough to both
fully recover from the workout and allow adequate time for new muscle growth. This
struggle becomes even more pronounced for trainees who have been training for
many years. It is common knowledge in bodybuilding that gains come rapidly and
consistently to most people in the first one to two years of training, as the body
seems to thrive on the new stimulus. Definition appears, muscle size and thickness
increases, and strength seems to sky rocket. However, the body soon adapts and
each year it becomes harder and harder to gain any new muscle mass. If you take
notice in your gym, many clients continue to work very hard day in and day out but
year after year you don't notice any appreciable difference in the amount of muscle
mass on their physiques. But by mastering the principles discussed above, after
more than 20 years of training, I was able to add 5 lbs. of lean muscle mass this past
year to my physique. This was a very visible gain in size and thickness.
On the contrary, the drug induced or genetically above average trainee has a lot
more leeway in his or her training. Recovery and gains come much quicker. They
can be sloppier with technique, they can skimp on rest and nutrition, and they can
perform countless exercises and sets, spending up to 6 to 7 days in the gym, while
still making at least some progress. This behavior would spell disaster for the
natural trainee with average genetics. Recently I read an article in one of my
favorite bodybuilding magazines in which one of the industry's top training
authorities, Eric Broser, was asked about the unique challenges he has when
coaching natural athletes vs. drug-using athletes. "One of the biggest challenges of
preparing a natural athlete for a show is having him or her hold on to muscle tissue
while losing body fat. That's rarely the case with an athlete who's "using." In fact,
many drug-taking bodybuilders I work with actually gain muscle while preparing for a
show." Later he went on to say: ....."and some guys feel that drugs can make up for
a cheat meal here, a lazy set there, or a few missed hours of sleep. Interestingly, in
a way, they can."
So although they may "look" like the stereotypical trainer, the largest guys or girls in
the gym may not necessarily be the best trainers. They may not be nearly as skilled
in training the majority of the population - the natural and genetically average
trainees.
mass, without performance enhancing drugs.
I have been drug-free my entire life. I also have what would be considered maybe
"average" genetics for gaining muscle mass. Unfortunately, many trainers you may
see in the gyms today have either above average genetics for putting on muscle
mass (this is rather rare and a very small % of the population) or they have used (at
least at some point in their careers) performance enhancing drugs.
Why is this important to you? Being "all natural" and having average genetics
actually made me a better bodybuilder and better trainer. I was forced to analyze,
experiment and educate myself on the details of all facets of training to make sure I
was putting all the odds in my favor. Maximizing exercise technique and the acute
training variables such as the volume of work (# of exercises, sets, and reps),
frequency (how often to workout), and intensity (how hard to work out) were all
critical to continue making gains.
The natural and genetically average trainee's biggest enemy is overtraining. Any
amount of training over that which is required to stimulate new gains can cause a
halt, or even a regression in progress. The goal is to stimulate maximum gains
using the least amount of volume and then stay out of the gym long enough to both
fully recover from the workout and allow adequate time for new muscle growth. This
struggle becomes even more pronounced for trainees who have been training for
many years. It is common knowledge in bodybuilding that gains come rapidly and
consistently to most people in the first one to two years of training, as the body
seems to thrive on the new stimulus. Definition appears, muscle size and thickness
increases, and strength seems to sky rocket. However, the body soon adapts and
each year it becomes harder and harder to gain any new muscle mass. If you take
notice in your gym, many clients continue to work very hard day in and day out but
year after year you don't notice any appreciable difference in the amount of muscle
mass on their physiques. But by mastering the principles discussed above, after
more than 20 years of training, I was able to add 5 lbs. of lean muscle mass this past
year to my physique. This was a very visible gain in size and thickness.
On the contrary, the drug induced or genetically above average trainee has a lot
more leeway in his or her training. Recovery and gains come much quicker. They
can be sloppier with technique, they can skimp on rest and nutrition, and they can
perform countless exercises and sets, spending up to 6 to 7 days in the gym, while
still making at least some progress. This behavior would spell disaster for the
natural trainee with average genetics. Recently I read an article in one of my
favorite bodybuilding magazines in which one of the industry's top training
authorities, Eric Broser, was asked about the unique challenges he has when
coaching natural athletes vs. drug-using athletes. "One of the biggest challenges of
preparing a natural athlete for a show is having him or her hold on to muscle tissue
while losing body fat. That's rarely the case with an athlete who's "using." In fact,
many drug-taking bodybuilders I work with actually gain muscle while preparing for a
show." Later he went on to say: ....."and some guys feel that drugs can make up for
a cheat meal here, a lazy set there, or a few missed hours of sleep. Interestingly, in
a way, they can."
So although they may "look" like the stereotypical trainer, the largest guys or girls in
the gym may not necessarily be the best trainers. They may not be nearly as skilled
in training the majority of the population - the natural and genetically average
trainees.
Training Naturally
| Copyright © 2006-2017 Don Bognatz Personal Training · 410-336-6969 Site by Don Bognatz Designs |