Hey Guys, The Red pill has changed my life so I'm trying to give back. The following is a condensed version of this website written by Casey Butt Ph.D. I wanted to cut down what he said to a paragraph for each rule but each rule is just packed with so much information it became impossible. below is my version, mostly his words but I have rearranged some stuff. This shortened version of the document, is 30,000 chars long when I started out, I envisioned <10,000. I have failed in my goal, to deliver a short version, but there is just too much important stuff, that I couldn't justify leaving it out. If you have time to read this, go print out the original it's only 4 times longer, and keep it handy, if you want to get big you have a long way to go.
Background / Why this information is trustworthy.
Casey Butt has been in the body building game for decades. On his website you can find links to his e-book, if you are inclined to buy it. They are tons of resources on the site for measuring and calculating body and diet measurements. He presents all his Rules himself on the link above with greater depth. I printed them off and ended up with over 30 pages of text. Casey on himself; "If you sense that as arrogance and don't like my attitude then I don't care either - leave my site and read some bullshit elsewhere that you find more pleasant. I couldn't care less who likes me, doesn't like me, approves or disapproves of anything I say here. But remember this: I've been there, got the T-shirt, learned the hard way and I'm here to help."
Steriods
The elephant in the room. I'm no doctor but I believe if used correctly they can be safe, and you will reach your goals faster. To use or not to use is not the point of this post henceforth Steroid talk will be considered off-topic.
Rule #1 Don't Be Mislead by 99% of What You Read on the Internet or in Magazines and Books
The vast majority of what's in popular "print" is, for the most part, useless to you. Supplements and special 'tailored' programs are bullshit. The fitness industry revolves around getting the most money out of suckers. Most of the people who write the articles "you couldn't scrape a teaspoon full of muscle off of 'em." If you believe anything else, then you are a naive fool who needs to grow up and get with the real world. Beginners and experienced trainees alike simply cannot tell what's appropriate for them. You have about as much in common with the average pro bodybuilder as you do with a lowland Gorilla. Look at people like Jay Culter anything he sells to look like him is 99% bullshit. He is on a lot of drugs. Conversely if you won the genetic lottery, you may oneday look like Reg Park a pre steroids era bodybuilder.
If someone on an internet discussion board who calls himself "buff-, flex-, doctor-, professor-, extreme-, huge-, etc" and uses a fake photo in his profile gives you advice or makes claims, remember one thing - he's probably weaker and fatter than you. Most personal trainers' credentials come from a weekend seminar which they attended. If they don't look like they know what they are talking about they don't 99% of the time. Be very careful whose advice you take seriously. Your training success (or failure) may depend on it.
Rule #2: Avoid Exercise Machines
Since life started on Earth, all living creatures have been lifting their own weight against gravity. That is what our bodies are designed for and have evolved to do. No Machine can replace you pressing, pushing or pulling your own body. Adding weights enable you to 'increase' gravity. Machines try to sell you on tailor resistance curves and removing the awkwardness of lifting. It's bullshit. Your body isn't designed for tailor curves, and your muslce fibres at the ends of the ROM(range of motion) are only capable of a fraction of the force of the mid-range. Tailored resistance, in likely to decrease overall growth, by unnecessarily fatiguing fibres in states of elongation, rather then working at the mid-range. Squats, Deadlifts, various Presses and Rows are the lifts that spike testosterone and growth hormone release the most. Past studies show; ery act of lifting an unguided (i.e. "free") weight recruits more muscle fibers than performing the same movement on a guided machine.
Rule #3: Genetics DO Matter - But WHO CARES!
Some people will progress much faster than others. But there's nothing you can do about your genetic inheritance - so GET OVER IT. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. Everyone can build an impressive physique. If you stick with it you WILL progress, you can improve yourself incredibly. One thing is for sure, you won't know until you try and you won't get anywhere complaining about your "bad" genetics.
Rule #4: Don't Train More Often Than Three Days Per Week If You're Trying to Build Maximum Muscle Mass and Strength
For brevity, I won't go in to when you would want to train more then 3 times a week. This is about getting as big as fast as possible, 5-6 days/week programs are usually weight-loss programs and not optimal for building muscle mass. To build maximum muscle mass [training 3 times a week] all that's needed and is, by far, the best approach for most genetically typical drug-free trainees trying to get bigger and stronger. Unless you are very genetically gifted, you do not have the hormone levels or joint structures to train more often and make maximum progress in size and strength. Everyone knows you build muscle when you are resting so let your body rest. Reg Park, pictured above trained 3 times a week. At his peak, he weighted 230lb(104kg) of solid muscle. He was the first person ever to bench 500lbs (226kg.) How many men do you know that can bench 5 plates? Zero? Still want to train 6 days a week? It's your life.
Rule #5: Do Mostly Compound, Multi-Joint Exercises
The core of your routine should use of large masses of muscle and the movement of several joints. Those exercises stimulate a lot of muscle and cause your body to release anabolic hormones. That means stuff like Squats, Deadlifts, Bent-Over Rows, Bench Presses, Overhead Presses, Dips, Stiff-Legged Deadlifts and Pull-Ups. If you fill your routine with isolation exercises, you are wasting your time in the gym. (more on that in Rule #6) Putting hard work into the compound exercises, on the other hand, and you will be rewarded with the fastest muscle growth possible. Places to use isolation exercises; abs, lower back, rotator cuff muscles. Still aim to use free weights to train these muscles.
Rule #6: Keep Your Workouts To An Hour Or Less, Most Of The Time
Testosterone levels (the body's main anabolic hormone) start to decline after about 45 to 60 minutes of intense weight training and catabolic (muscle destroying) hormones such as cortisol start to increase. Prolonged training requires the adrenal glands to produce elevated levels of epinephrine, cortisol and aldosterone. Over time, excessive training results in decreased adrenergic receptor sensitivity (making fat loss difficult and fat gain easier) and adrenal fatigue (as evidenced by fluctuating average daily body temperatures, decreasing blood pressure, low energy, joint pain and muscle loss) If those symptoms sound familiar, maybe time to cut down the length of your workouts. Practically all modern natural bodybuilding champions obey this guideline. 90% of your muscle mass will be built in hard workouts that last =<1 hour. If you must go for longer (not recommended). Don't think you can get away with eating like a mouse. One of the necessities of hard training is a big appetite. Big weights = big feeds.
But some drug-free bodybuiders train for 3 hours. 1) Genetics, if you won the lottery, you would know and wouldn't be reading this. 2) Short-term pre-competition bodybuilder routines aren't going to build maximum muscle. 3) Bodybuilders are often portrayed as super humans, people lying about how long the pros train for to reinforce this. 95% of people reading this have no reason to work out longer then an hour.
Rule #7: Strive For Perfect Exercise Form
Cheating your reps builds nothing but ego - not muscle. If you have to cheat that means the weight's too heavy for you to lift properly. Cheating does not make a muscle contract harder because you can use heavier weights. When you start deviating from proper form you open the door for a potentially serious injury. Advanced trainer (lifting for 2+ years min.) can get away with 'controlled cheating' you should avoid it like the plague. To keep bashing on about Reg Park, he cheated on form consistently by his 30's his body was riddled with nagging injuries. He recovered by going back to strict form and went on to win Mr. Universe again.
Rule #8: Ignore The Guy Next To You
Don't be insecure. Don't focus on another guy at the gym. He's not you, you're not him. Don't start cheating so you can use more weight. If he's using bad form and cheating a lot then that's his mistake. Remember the tortoise and the hare. If you work hard enough, long enough, and never, never, ever quit, you'll get there too - well-built, safely and with proper form. HAVE PATIENCE!
(part 1 of 4)
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