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

 



    



. Especially for long-limbed and narrow-chested trainees, an extended pause

at the bottom of the bench press and overhead press may not be safe, due

to the extreme range of motion and shoulder extension. Better to keep the

pause to the minimum, and perhaps reduce the range of motion a little.

. e deadlift can be done with a pause at both the top and bottom (double-

pause style), but fatigue can quickly lead to form deterioration. For control

and safety, reduce the range of motion for double-pause deadlifting—take

the bar from off pins set in a rack at knee height or a little lower. Release

your grip on the bar while it is set on the pins, to let your hands and fore-

arms recover adequately to be able to hold the bar securely for the next rep.

Such a partial deadlift is actually a partial stiff-legged deadlift because knee

flexion is taken out of the exercise.

Priority of practical application

. It is practical application that determines whether or not a certain training

modality works for the individual concerned. When properly supervised on

someone who is not restrained by injuries or structural limitations, and who

is not at the limit of his muscular potential, all the interpretations of train-

ing described in this book have the potential to deliver substantial muscular

development. But each interpretation must be done well and on a sustained

basis. It has to be done for a whole cycle of a few months, or longer, to deliver

noticeable results.

. No matter how good something may be in theory, or in practice for some

people, if you cannot put it into practice for long enough to see results, it is

not productive for you. You must find an approach that you enjoy, that you

can do consistently, and that delivers results for you.

. I want you to train long-term—for life. You need to maintain your enthusi-

asm for training, and not exhaust your enthusiasm and end up skipping the

When experimenting with a particular change in your training,

it is not necessary to implement it in all your exercises. Try the

change on just one exercise; but be sure you really try it! en if

you like what it does in one exercise, extend it to other exercises.

No need to put all your eggs in one basket, so to speak.

 