Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Myth - Falsehood (n.), Fiction, Illusion, Invention, Fabrication, Untruth

Someone sent me a file and said 'Look at this'. So I did. It was a program, free to anyone to download who visited this particular web site. It was allegedly a program written by the 'author' for 'an international rugby team'. And I nearly fell out of my chair....

You see over the last 30 odd years I have written more programs for athletes than most could dream about. Literally thousands. One of my rules - personally, professionally and in my company - is that the programs written for a client/athlete remain confidential. Any programs I publish were generic programs written for that situation only.

So why was I completely shocked when I opened this file that a concerned person had forwarded to me? Because this 'free downloadable' program was EXACTLY the same program that my company had provided one of our clients some years ago. How the f#%k did it get to being given away? How was it that the confidentiality of my company's client was being compromised?!

This downloand was WORD PERFECT! IT WAS LAYOUT IDENTICAL! I personally did the layout so I know the origin. AND WHEN I LAYED THE ORIGINAL BESIDE THIS 'AUTHORS' PROGRAM - ALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO CHANGE IT WAS ....NOTHING!!! Hold it - I found ONE change - the word 'King' in relation to 'King Deadlift' had been replaced with the words 'Single Leg'.

So 50% of that clients program was included in this 'give away'. Now it all came back to me - how this breach of confidentiality and breach of KSI copyright could have happened - but I still could not believe it - who would do that? What kind of integrity deficit behaviour is this? I still shake my head to this day....

But it wasn't over....

Someone else sent me an 'ebook' by another 'author'. I opened it up and.....holy f&$k!! It's the SAME PROGRAM - AGAIN! This time it was 100% of this program - a confidential, proprietary document, now being sold by the 'author'.....

By now I didn't bother sitting on the chair - because I kept falling off it in shock...
I read....

I’ve designed this program around a typical client, looking to get in shape, with limited time, resources and equipment. ...

What a load of f%$#&)g bullshit!!  What kind of person would do this?!

Not only do we have the issues of selling/giving away proprietary information the property of another person/company, and the confidentiality issues that have been breached in relation to the clients rights - we also statements grossly misleading statements like this.

The greatest effort that appeared to occur prior to the publising of this document, containing 100% of the program, was on this occasion it appeared the font had been changed....

There were a few other minor modifications - and I mean minor.

I believe that I may spend the rest of my life wondering what it takes for any person to stoop this low.

In naming this product, I ran the word 'Myth' through the
Thesaurus, and it listed the following:

Falsehood (n.)

Fiction

Illusion

Invention

Fabrication

Untruth


And I said - that's about it!

So...You may have heard of the 'Secret' DVD, released in the personal development world to much acclaim. This series will expose you to some 'other' secrets that will give you a life lesson and insight that could positively shape how you choose to further your professional development.
The 'Secrets Series' is a body of works for the consummate professional who is committed to fully appreciating the impact of published works that are based on experiences and conclusions that are not the authors, and understanding the history of conceptual development.

In the Barbells & Bullshit series Ian King teaches how we all decide, consciously or unconsciously, to reason, act and receive based only on our own experiences and conclusions, or to be a collection of the thoughts of others through intentionally or otherwise accepting their influence.

These selected works analyzed in this Series serve to ram home the extent to which people are satisfied to be and teach a collection of others peoples ideas, a dilution of the intent of the original author.
Once you fully appreciate the extent to which this occurs in your industry, it is expected that you will be shocked into being more analytical about the influences you are being exposed to, and the source of all material that is promoted in your intellectual space.

This series provides you with massive lessons in integrity (or lack of) and how you can so easily be caught up in learning second hand, diluted versions of an original message. The marketing and commercial interests of the author and publisher are pitted against the good of the buyer, a battle occurring that many consumers of informal education in this industry are blissfully ignorant of. This ignorance and blind faith in the integrity of others has potential price to pay by misleading the consumer, and by presenting a model of integrity that has dubious value for all within the industry and the broader community.

A true teacher of the art of practical application can seek only to teach what they have mastered. This approach is recommended to anyone serious at being the best they can be in the physical preparation industry.

The titles currently available in this series include:

Vol 1 - The Code to the Fitness Professionals Program Design Bible (1st Edition)
Vol 2 - The Code to the Fitness Professionals Program Design Bible (2nd Edition)

And now....

Vol 3 - The Marcocycle Myth
Subsequent volumes will be released in the immediate future.

Learn more at http://www.kingsports.net/products-ksi-manuals-secrets.htm

Order here http://www.kingsports.net/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=34

Thursday, March 25, 2010

More than a decade behind the times

10 years after I promoted unilateral leg training including the Bulgarian squats on the same web site, another article promising 'a faster, safer way to increase lower-body muscle size and strength' is published (Build Bigger Legs, One at a Time).

The Bulgarian squat, of course given a new name on this occasion, was touted for its superiority, including over the standard squat. Sounds just what Spassov was saying nearly 20 years ago!!

But then I have just given a more accurate history lesson that this 2009 version.

I can only imagine what these authors were doing in the gym during the 1990s - and I can only assume it wasn't a dominance of unilateral leg work nor was the Bulgarian squat making an appearance. More likely heavy lifting ala the way it was in strength training for sport during the 1990s. Just a hunch....But would love to see their programs. I will be analysing one such program published late 1997 - interesting.

I have more respect for the guys who were taking notes, learning and applying these developments when they came out in the 10-20 years ago than these johnny-came-latelys sharing their belated regurgitations.

Friday, March 19, 2010

The NSCA and Ethics

I have been a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (America) since about 1982. In the years that they used to issue annual membership wall certificates, I framed mine and placed them up on the wall with pride. They went from about 1982 to about 1990. It was only when they stopped issuing these yearly wall certificates that I took them down, because as the years passed the missing years may have given the perception that I my membership was no longer current.

So I have been a member for about 28 years. It's been 21 years since I attended my first NSCA convention in America.

When the NSCA opened in Australia in 1988 I served immediately as the (honorary) State Director for Queensland, and did so until about 1986 (8 years). From 1989 to 1996 I served also as the Executive Director, running and growing this professional body. The Australian organization changed names twice during the period 1988 to 1996.

So I have had a long history with this organization, and feel I have 'paid my dues'.

Recently I did something that I never done before in my 28 year association with the NSCA. I submitted a formal complaint to the NSCA (America) Ethics Committee. After holding my silence for so long, I felt it was time to draw a line in the sand, and to find out where the professional body stands in relation to certain behaviours.

This complaint centred around the authorized release for commercial and personal gain by a former casual employee of a proprietary information - a 32 week training program and supporting material provided by KSI to a client organization in 2000. The complaint also drew attention to what I considered were dishonest and misleading claims by the 'author' in relation to the origin and purpose of the program. Another part of this complaint referred to the duties of the publishers in relation to ensuring that copyright breaching material is not published.

I don't take any pride or happiness out of taking this action - however I take feel even less positive about the behaviour that led to this action.

I believe it is time to draw a line in the sand in relation to integrity and honesty in relation to this matter, and we are all going to learn the NSCA's definition of ethics and integrity by how they rule in this case.  Does it have the courage and integrity to stand by its stated ethical standards?

Monday, March 8, 2010

Why the variation on my single leg stiff-leg deadlift? I've just had an epiphany!

I was in the eccentric phase of a set of my own innovated exercise, the single leg stiff leg deadlift, when it hit me! No, not the muscle pain! But the realization of a possible explanation of a question that has gnawed at me for a nearly a decade!

You see in the few years following my initial release of this exercise (first in 1998 in my Strength Specialization DVD series, then on t-mag articles, and the video 'Ian King's Killer Leg Exercises sold by t-mag, and in the Get Buffed series and in the How to Teach Series in 2000 etc.), I could not fully understand this:

Where did the 'variation' on my innovation - where you allow the non-working leg to drift up the back like a counter balance - come from? Why?

My initial conclusion and I believe there still is merit in this possibility - that it was a simple misinterpretation. Keeping in mind that many of the photo shoots done for my articles and book published by other publishers were shot in my absence. So this is a real possibility - the model misunderstood it; the photographer got it wrong, or the editor or the publisher....

But suddenly I had an additional reason!!! And of all places to come to me was while I was at the business end of a set of the very exercise!

Now when I first noticed the 'variation' it caused me to scratch my head. And to this day, nearly a decade later, I am still scratching my head. Why? Are they serious?

I have gone through all the possible reasons:

1. Firstly, as I said above there is the real chance of simple misinterpretation.

2. Secondly, some gate-keeper of the truth somewhere felt he was missing out on the kudos so felt the need to tweak the original version to get a warm feeling of being an innovator.

3. Thirdly, you get the approach 'Well if I reverse it up I can pass it off as mine'. (Like my innovation the Co-contraction partial range - where another has chosen to promote the movement in the absence of credit to its origin, reversed the title to Partial co-contraction Lunge, and reversed the movement order - more on that another day...)

But that was all the answers I had found, and the question still confounded me - not only where did it come from but why would you do it?

Here's my interpretation of what's going on when you do this 'variation'. I have never written about this before so I have kept my silence all these years.

And no, I don't have any science to 'back me up'. I'm just a simple coach. A coach who simply developed the movement in the first place, an exercise used throughout the world today, for the most part disconnected from it's origin because so many want to be 'significant (like another exercise I innovated, the King Deadlift, where I finally said 'Right, I am going to put my name on this one because all the others I have realised by have bastardized and claimed by various self-appointed gate-keepers of the truth.' I was reading a document the other day that is about 20+ pages long and it was a 100% copy of KSI propriety information - with the exception that the word 'King' was removed from this exercise description and replaced with 'the words Single leg'....more on THAT another day.

Anyway, I digress.

From my simple coach mind, using the same thought processes based on extensive practical application, I raise this points about the 'variation' where you allow the non-working leg to raise up behind the body as you lower towards the ground:

a. it takes the stretch off the target hamstring, reducing the primary benefit of doing this movement

b. It becomes an exercise of counter-balancing body parts (back leg against trunk) and therefore becomes more of a mechanical balancing act than an isolated exercise full range on the target hamstring and poster chain.

c. if you need more load, as some 'experts' claim you need as justification for the movement - go an do more load friendly exercise - like the single leg hip/thigh extension on a roman chair etc.

So I finally have another explanation, and it hit me as I was executing the movement - no better place for real world solutions to appear - THEY CAN'T TOUCH THEIR TOES.

I know what you might be asking - what do I mean? So let me explain.

If you cannot touch your toes with your legs straight, seated on the ground or standing, then you probably won't have much success in executing this movement full range with the load of your upper body, or external load in the form of DBs. Even though the original movement allowed and expected a minor knee bent, the additional range this allows relative to a fully straight leg is probably negated by the load.

So quite simply if you can't touch your toes with legs straight, you probably will look for any way to do this movement OTHER than the way I introduced it originally - with working leg knee only slightly bent, and the non-working leg kept still just off the ground, parallel to the working leg but not touching it or the ground.

Is this theory accurate? Can't say for sure yet. I am happy to test it over time. But I am excited and relieved to have added another possible explanation to a question that has been bugging me since the first person sought to 're-invent' this wheel. And I have often wondered....why haven't I seen more of those who teach my exercise as the 'expert' performing it in the ordinal form, themselves.....

Friday, March 5, 2010

The Legacy World Tour

Singapore Wed 28 Apr

Dublin Fri 30 April

Dublin Sat 1 May

Innsbruck Sun 2 May

Innsbruck Mon 3 May

London Wed 5 May

Toronto Fri 7 May

Boston Sat 8 May

tbc Sun 9 May

Learn from the source the theories and methods that have influenced and shaped the world of physical preparation, from the worlds most influential innovator of in physical preparation during the last decade or more.

In the late 1990's and early 2000's Ian released many of his time-tested and proven experienced based original theories and methods in articles, books and DVDS.

For the most part they met with the usual human response - those whose values, beliefs, investments and or egos were threatened were highly critical (some even stormed out of his seminars in outrage!). Ian and his supporters received threats and vilification for his 'heretical' theories and methods.

Then as the methods become accepted these 'gate-keepers' of the truth chose to teach Ian's methods, for the most part in the absence of credit or permission.

Now more people around the world training for sport, occupation, recreation or therapy reasons would be using Ian's theories and methods of training than any other single persons in the world.

His theories and methods are literally the most copied in the world of physical preparation, albeit more times than not in the absence of recognition of the origin.

Now you have a chance to meet with and learn in person from the person who has been the most influential individual in the world of physical training during the last decades as Ian shares the lessons he has learnt during his 30 years in the industry. Ian's innovations in training have shaped the world of physical training in every aspect and country around the world. Chances are something you are doing in your physical training has been influenced by Ian King. With 30 years in the industry Ian has been possibly the most influential, the most copied innovator in the world of physical preparation. Now you can learn from the source! There is no need to learn from the diluted imitations! Go to the source! Meet Ian in person and gain direct insights into the ways and reasons for his training ideas.

Here are some of the original Ian King theory and methods that you will be exposed to in the Legacy seminar, taught from the source:

• Sayings such as
- people over-react in the short term and under-react in the long term
- time magnifies errors in training
- don’t break the rules until you know the rules
- only results matter

• Philosophies such as
- athletic success is not measured in the gym - Do the least amount needed to get the most results
- Develop the athlete then the player
- look at the bigger picture

Concepts such as:
- prioritization through volume, sequence and load
- that which is done first in the training week and workout gets done best
- every single training method will have a negative effect - and must be countered.
- The specificity continuum

Principles such as:
- Opposite and equal effect
- Optimal vs. capable
- Transfer vs. specificity
- Contrarian

Flexibility training concepts, theories and methods such as:
- Static stretching is the most effective method for improving flexibility
- Static stretching before training is not recommended, contrary to the propaganda pushed earlier in this decade
- Flexibility is the most important physical quality
- Strength training exercises do not in themselves create flexibility – they are more likely to reduce flexibility

Strength training concepts, theories and methods such as:
- Categorizing the body and exercises into planes of movement (vertical and horizontal pulling and pushing, quad and hip dominant) rather than muscle groups
- Creating family trees of exercise and how to build progressions within the family tree
- Tempo and the three digit speed timing method
- Athletes should not use external loading before they have mastered their own bodyweight and in some cases athletes are not even able to manage their own bodyweight

Speed training concepts, theories and methods such as:
- The reverse periodization of speed method, going from power to capacity not the opposite
- Power based running sport athletes performing high volume of sprinting are not doing speed training, rather endurance training
- Strength training and speed are highly correlated provided the strength training methods do not increase the stretch-shortening cycle ability
- Stretch shortening capacity of the athlete will help determine their training needs in a sport requiring that capacity

Endurance training concepts, theories and methods such as:
- The endurance base is a myth not a science
- Cross training is ineffective
- Endurance training needs to raise in specificity in correlation with the level of qualification of the athlete
- Developing endurance with the intent of transferring it to speed is not the sound principle that traditionalists have been promoting for decades

And ALSO learn the theories and methods he has developed over the last few years which WILL shape the world of training in the coming decade! When you learn them from the source the value will always be greater than learning a second hand diluted version.

Registration Refund Policy


Up to end of Early Registration (26 March 2010) - 75% refund
Up to end of Standard Registration (9 April 2010) - 50% refund
After 9 April 2010 - 25% refund
Register here
http://www.kingsports.net/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=26

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Jim Rohn

A person whom we all owe so much for his teaching passed away late last year, and I share the following extract from his company website:

Jim Rohn, our mentor and friend, passed away December 5, 2009, and was laid to rest Saturday, December 12, 2009, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Jim touched millions of lives over the past 46 years through his seminars, books, articles and CDs. His life’s passion and inspiration was making a difference in people’s lives.

The Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Jim Rohn event was held in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, February 6, 2010. Family, long-time friends and many special guest speakers, including Anthony Robbins, Les Brown, Brian Tracy, Chris Widener, Denis Waitley and Darren Hardy, paid tribute to Jim by sharing their thoughts and insights on some of his most powerful success principles. The event was attended by more than 1,300 people whose lives have been impacted by the wisdom of Jim Rohn.

He loved making a difference in people’s lives, that was his passion and inspiration. Yet he was also a private man who kept a small, loyal and caring inner circle. He was a tremendous friend to those who knew him.


Harold Dyke, long time close friend of Jim’s for over 55 years said it best, “As Jim is ending one life he is simultaneously being birthed into a new life. One that he has talked about over the years and anticipated with great joy in his last remaining days.”

Someone once said “when you are born you enter the world crying while everyone else is rejoicing and when you die hopefully you have lived such a life that everyone will be crying while you are rejoicing”. Jim Rohn lived such a life.

We know Mr. Rohn is looking down on us at this very moment with a smile saying I did it, I gave it my all, I went for it, now it’s your turn. Go for it. Make your life a life worth living well!
View a special tribute to Jim below produced earlier this year and debuted at the March 2009 SUCCESS Symposium. You are also encouraged to post your thoughts and remembrances of Jim on the Memorial Wall below.

Jim fondly closed his programs with the following sentiments: “I go with you in all the experience that we’ve had. But I promise you this as we leave here: I will not leave you behind. I’ll take you with me in my thoughts and in my heart.”

If you would like to learn more about Jim, his life and his works, click here.

Monday, March 1, 2010

That single leg squat exercise description looks familiar!

The challenge of communicating exercise technique guide lines in writing is conveying enough and accurate information. So I have put a lot of thought and time into my exercise descriptions.

In 1999 I wrote this nice little description for the single leg squat (bolding added now):

Single leg squat

You know that I wouldn't want you to miss out on doing these delightful unilateral movements, so here we go - stand on 1 leg beside the squat rack or similar. Place the other leg out so that the heel stays just off the ground at all times. Bend the support knee and go down as far as you can whilst keeping your foot flat on the ground. 3 seconds down, no pause, controlled explosive up. Initially I suspect your range will be limited but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase range as well (and maybe even more importantly) as reps. Using your bodyweight only, I expect somewhere between 5-10 reps on day one, and look to use DB’s in one hand if you exceed 15 reps. If this is the case, I have to wonder what you were doing during the earlier part of the workout?! Use the squat rack to hold on to for balance if needed (and you probably will need to) but don’t get sucked into the temptation of using it to pull yourself up. Remember this is a leg day!

I was conducting research and I came upon the following exercise in a publication copyright claimed by another author (bolding added):

One leg squat :

Stand on 1 leg beside the squat rack or similar. Place the other leg out so that the heel stays just off the ground at all times. Bent the support knee and go down as far as you can whilst keeping your foot flat on the ground. 3 seconds down, no pause, controlled explosive up. Initially I suspect your range will be limited but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase range as well (and maybe even more importantly) as reps. Using your bodyweight only, expect somewhere between 5-10 reps on day one, and look to use DB’s in one hand if you exceed 15 reps. Use the squat rack to hold on to for balance if needed (and you probably will need to) but don’t get sucked into the temptation of using it to pull yourself up.

And I said to myself: “That looks familiar!” So I cross-referenced it and I said to myself: “Wow! No wonder that looked familiar!”

Then in a different publication I came upon this (bolding added):

Single Leg Squat:

Stand on 1 leg beside the squat rack or similar. Place the other leg out so that the heel stays just off the ground at all times. Bent the support knee and go down as far as you can whilst keeping your foot flat on the ground. 3 seconds down, no pause, controlled explosive up. Initially I suspect your range will be limited but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase range as well (and maybe even more importantly) as reps. Using your bodyweight only, expect somewhere between 5-10 reps on day one, and look to use DB’s in one hand if you exceed 15 reps. Use the squat rack to hold on to for balance if needed (and you probably will need to) but don’t get sucked into the temptation of using it to pull yourself up.

And I said to myself: “That looks familiar!” So I cross-referenced it and I said to myself: “Wow! No wonder that looked familiar!”

Then in another publication I came upon this (bolding added):

Single Leg Squat:

Stand on 1 leg beside the squat rack or similar. Place the other leg out so that the heel stays just off the ground at all times. Bent the support knee and go down as far as you can whilst keeping your foot flat on the ground. 3 seconds down, no pause, controlled explosive up. Initially I suspect your range will be limited but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase range as well (and maybe even more importantly) as reps. Using your bodyweight only, expect somewhere between 5-10 reps on day one, and look to use DB’s in one hand if you exceed 15 reps. Use the squat rack to hold on to for balance if needed (and you probably will need to) but don’t get sucked into the temptation of using it to pull yourself up.

And I said to myself: “That looks familiar!” So I cross-referenced it and I said to myself: “Wow! No wonder that looked familiar!”

Then in another publication I came upon this (bolding added):

One leg squat:

Stand on 1 leg beside the squat rack or similar. Place the other leg out so that the heel stays just off the ground at all times. Bent the support knee and go down as far as you can whilst keeping your foot flat on the ground. 3 seconds down, no pause, controlled explosive up. Initially I suspect your range will be limited but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase range as well (and maybe even more importantly) as reps. Using your bodyweight only, expect somewhere between 5-10 reps on day one, and look to use DB’s in one hand if you exceed 15 reps. Use the squat rack to hold on to for balance if needed (and you probably will need to) but don’t get sucked into the temptation of using it to pull yourself up.

And I said to myself: “That looks familiar!” So I cross-referenced it and I said to myself: “Wow! No wonder that looked familiar!”

Then in ANOTHER publication I came upon this (bolding and underlining added):

Single leg squat


Start: Stand on your right leg with a bench behind you. Extend your left leg forward so that the heel stays just off the floor at all times.
Movement: Bend your right leg and lower yourself to the bench. Do not sit down. Instead skim the bench, and then drive back up to the starting position. During the movement, be sure to keep your right knee tracking over your middle toe. Initially, your range will be limited, but as you get better at it over time, aim to increase your range of motion by removing the bench and using a squat rack or other stable object to hold onto for light support until you are able to perform a single leg squat with full range of motion. Use only your bodyweight to start.

By now I knew it was going to be familiar....

I wonder how my other exercise descriptions fared?....

Build 12" Guns!

You too can build 12” guns!! Excited? Okay, I agree, not very appealing. The only reason you would have been attracted to this headline is to see what’s wrong with the writer. But this is exactly what you are going to get when you take advice off people who probably have exactly that – 12” biceps.

I have read of late (more times than once) that you don’t need to do specific bicep exercises to build big biceps. Mmm. Wonder what the definition of big is? 12”?

Now before we get into it I want to make it real clear I am not glorifying big upper arms. I can take them or leave them. In fact when you look at my list of the disadvantages bulging biceps present you will appreciate this. What I am simply seeking to do is put forward a version that may help you get sucked into the bullshit, if in fact you do want to build big upper arms.

The proposal that you don’t need to do specific bicep exercises to build big upper arms can only, I conclude, come from the minds attached to bodies that have never build big upper arms.

Here are my concerns with building big biceps:

• Powerlifters are more likely to tear them in deadlifting

• Weightlifters struggle to catch the bar on their shoulders in the front squat/clean recovery position

• Athletes get distracted from effective strength training by building big upper arms

But apart from that, if you want to build big guns, go for it. If you want to take them significantly past 12”, you might want to ignore the no-bicep exercise bullshit.

You can see I’m not a big fan of bicep focused training for anyone other than bodybuilders and body beautifuls. But I am as equally not a fan of bullshit like this theory.

I found an example of this ‘no-bicep curl exercises needed’ theory in a book (1). I believe that the authors specifically set out to shape the readers value system and induce compliance to their theory with the following subjective statements:

If they thought that doing a lot of sets of bicep curls every week would help them build their own biceps, they would be going out and doing this, just like the ‘meatheads and mooks’ do.

[You probably don’t want to think of yourself as a ‘meathead’ and/or ‘mook’ - so you may think twice about doing a bicep curl]

Curls are mostly for newbie’s and juicers.

[You probably don’t want to feel or act like their definition of a newbie or a drug user, so you may choose to avoid doing bicep curls]

The changes in muscle size would not be dramatic.

[A statement of fact, of dubious accuracy, but perhaps enough to discourage you from, God forbid, doing a curl]

Unless you had a specifics reason for doing arm-isolated exercises, you should save your time and energy for other pursuits.

[Now if you needed any more discouragement, you just got it – no way are you ever going to do bicep curls again!]

Let’s take a step back. Where did these beliefs come from? Science of course. Three studies were quoted, none of which have any guarantee they relate to you. But let’s humor their ‘evidence’ for a bit longer.

The first study was conducted 13 years to the release of the book, was based on a research group of elderly m en. Unlikely to have any bearing on you, however that was enough for the writers to conclude that doing bicep curls only work for beginners.

The second study cited was conducted 14 years prior to the release of the book, and was based on competitive bodybuilders, again unlikely to have any specific bearing on you. But it was enough apparently for the authors to conclude therefore that any one beyond a beginner will see minimal if any hypertrophy from doing isolated bicep curls, because these competitive bodybuilders, during the period of this research study, didn’t.

With the third study cited, comfortingly was conducted in the same millennium, no details were provided of what they did, who they were, and there were allegedly no changes in arm size in the nine weeks of the program. It’s difficult to give any comment as to how this result may relate to you or not because inadequate details were given. Suffice to say it was allegedly research and therefore we don’t need details – we just need to believe! [Sounds a bit like sciences predecessor of social conditioning, religion…]

That’s it - on the basis of the above, you are to stop doing specific bicep curl exercises…..

Now what are the other alternatives that these writers and anyone else, yourself included, may reach a conclusion. That is, other than be basing your thoughts and actions on the apparent authority of the printed word, or on the basis of research with limited application to yourself.

Well, there is experience. You could come to your own conclusion based on your experiences. Let me share you mine. Now according to this theory, or at least this theory as presented by these ‘experts’, I should not get any results in increased upper arm girth from adding isolated bicep exercises. Why?

Because that only works for beginners and juicers, of which I am neither. And because a study conducted nearly two decades ago allegedly using experienced, competitive bodybuilders, failed so see any change in upper arm girth during the period of that particular study, that is further evidence that I would be wasting my time. After all, I too am experienced aren’t I? After all, these authors appear to have categorized themselves as experienced.

So furthering this line of thinking, what constitutes experienced? What equates with being a competitive bodybuilder? What if a person is one but not the other? Does that mean that this research applies still?
I can tell you this – I consider myself to be experience (continual strength training for approximately 30 years) but I am not, have never been and will never be a competitive bodybuilder. I know these authors have not, are not, and probably never will be competitive bodybuilders either. So it must be their experience that places them in the same category of non-response to isolated bicep curl as this study group cited above?

So how do you measure experience? Is it on number of years alone? Or is there potential for some level of qualification? Say an upper arm circumference measurement. Let me give you mine. Anything less than a 16” upper arm on an average height male is not advanced.

Anyway, as an experienced person (based on both years in training and passing this arbitrary upper arm circumference), what happens when I do isolated bicep training – they grow. Immediately.

So the value to you of the cited science is dubious, and the belief-shaping message by these authors (and others of their ilk) was not based on the writer’s personal experience, which is understandable as if you were as familiar with the upper arm circumference of the authors….

Yes, you can build big upper arms through heavy pressing and pulling, especially with the way the triceps dominate the bulk of the upper arm. But if you want to create specifically large biceps, create a peak in them, and maximize the contribution of the biceps to upper arms – you are not going to do this by avoiding specific bicep exercises. What research can I quote to give my statement credibility? None.

Or at least none that would fit the expectations of those who want to see a research article quoted, irrespective of whether it is relevant or not. Irrespective of whether it is valid or not. Irrespective of whether the researcher was even in town the day the research was allegedly conducted…

Just the observations over a few decades are used to support this conclusion.

This is just one example of how easily your conclusions and behavior can be influenced by people who seek to shape your beliefs, in the absence of personal experience.

[This is an extract from my upcoming book 'Barbells & Bullshit]

 
(1) Schuler, L., and Cosgrove, A., 2006, New Rules, Penguin Publishing