Beyond Brawn - The Insider's Encyclopedia on How to Build Muscle && Might

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the next – months moving to  × ,  × , and  ×  would

have made another big difference.

. Investing obsessive focus over the next – months, and using the  men-

tality to build up to  × ,  ×  and  × , would have built quite

a fine physique. After investing another – months to work slowly up to

 × ,  ×  and  × , I would have been going places for a hard

gainer. en, still centering on the same mentality and the same key exer-

cises, had I concentrated myself with nothing other than getting to  × ,

 ×  and  × , I would have experienced another important step

forward. I would have become bigger and stronger than nearly all drug-free

trainees in any gym of the world, and all before my twentieth birthday. And

if I had wanted to get bigger still, I would have kept the poundage-gain men-

tality going and going and going.

Beyond the big five exercises

. In this ideal world I would not have concentrated solely on the mighty five-

some. Another few areas would have gotten some specific attention. Midsec-

tion work, i.e., side bends and crunch situps, would have been done almost

every week, once a week for each movement. Specific work for my shoulder

external rotators, using a dumbbell, would have been done once a week when

I was experienced enough to be bench pressing my bodyweight for  reps.

Calf work would have been done once or twice each week. Some thick-bar

grip work would have been included, together with some other specialized

hand and finger exercise. Direct neck work could have been included once

a week, along with a set or two of back extensions on non-deadlifting days.

Curls would have been done if supinated lat-machine pulldowns were not

in the current routine.

. In my teens and twenties I had no interest in the leg press, falsely believing

it to be an exercise only for people who were looking for an excuse not to

squat. My imaginary mentor would have known better. I should always have

I should have stayed with the same exercises for year after year,

and persisted with the same productive formula. My wise dicta-

tor would have shielded me from anyone who might have offered

negative comments on my training.

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