Old-school training methods that work

Analyzing the lesser-known training methods that are among the most famous in terms of efficiency.

The bodybuilders from the early 20th century through the 1970s were more imaginative and achieved remarkable results with their training methods, for the most part without resorting to performance-enhancing drugs.

Because bodybuilding was a fringe activity, they had to learn and see for themselves what worked and what did not, experimenting to find more effective ways to get bigger and stronger.

In this way, they discovered a wealth of incredible techniques that most modern bodybuilders no longer use.

Only those who understand this and know how hard it is to keep making progress can draw on these three old-school strategies.

Ramp up your deadlift

An effective method for building a strong grip is one of the training methods known as Herman Goerner’s continuous-ramp deadlift, named after an athlete from the early 20th century who lifted 331 kg with one hand… can you imagine his grip strength?…

Using what we can call a “ramp,” you can progress as follows;

• Begin the deadlift using only the index finger of each hand, with sets of 3 repetitions, adding weight with each set.
• Work up to the maximum you can lift for 3 repetitions with one finger per hand.
• Then continue adding weight, but switch to a two-finger grip per hand first, and when you reach your maximum, switch to three fingers, working up to a 3RM in both cases.

Finally, switch to a full, normal grip: double overhand (not a mixed grip), working up to a 3RM; from there, you can continue the “ramp” with a hook grip or a mixed grip.

If you do this twice a week, you will notice the difference within the first few weeks, stimulating you both physically and mentally.

Use heavy overloads

This method was used by Chuk Sipes, who won the Mr. America (1959) and Mr. Universe (1960) titles. He was also one of the strongest lifters of his era, especially in the bench press and curls, without extra protective equipment or today’s safety technologies.

One of his favorite methods for increasing his bench press was heavy overloads: using much more weight than he could bench press and performing partial repetitions (lowering the bar halfway or slightly farther), or holding an even heavier bar with his arms extended but his elbows unlocked.

 

Using one of these exceptional training methods, you can perform your overload work as follows:

• Gradually work up to your first heavy set: perform 3-4 progressively heavier warm-up sets in the bench press until you are ready for your first heavy set.
• Then load approximately 25-30 kg more than your first heavy set: get set, unrack the bar, and lower it approximately 1.5 cm, just enough to unlock your elbows. Then hold it there for 10 seconds and perform 3 sets; if the weight feels light for 10 seconds, use a little more weight for your last set or last two sets.
• Perform 6-7 heavy sets in the 1-3-repetition range.

Finally, add around 15-20 kg to your heaviest set and perform partial repetitions, lowering the bar between one-third and two-thirds of the range of motion. Lower it as far as you can while maintaining control of the bar, performing 3 sets of 2-3 repetitions like this.

This setup is brutal, but it leads to rapid strength gains if you do it twice a week or alternate it every other week.

Experiment with a progressive range of motion

Paul Anderson may have been the strongest man who ever lived; he achieved a 197 kg military press, a 544 kg squat, and a 372 kg deadlift, all raw, without using performance-enhancing drugs.

One of Anderson’s training methods begins with a partial-range movement, for example, a deadlift with the bar set at mid-thigh height.

Every week or two, you should lower the pin to increase the lift’s range of motion until, after 8-10 weeks, you reach the full range of motion.

This method works by desensitizing the Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) to the new training stimulus. So much work is performed with supramaximal weight that your protective mechanisms eventually accept this new maximum as manageable.

Over time, your body will allow you to lift through the full range of motion, also producing a strengthening and hypertrophy effect due to the large amount of maximal-tension work.

This method works very well for some exercises, but not for others. When performing lifts from pins, you focus less on the eccentric phase and do not lower the bar with the same precision and control as you would during the full lift. .

• For the deadlift and military press, you can begin with pins because in a normal deadlift you start from a dead stop on the floor, and in the military press you start from a dead stop on your shoulders.
• When you do not use pins, the problem is that you need to lower the bar to exactly the right depth to use the method.

How do you do that if you do not use pins?

• The first option is to use pins but stop the downward movement and begin the lift when you are approximately 1.5 cm above the pins; if stopping does not make it easy for you, it will work.
• The second solution is to use a resistance-band setup very similar to safety pins; lower the bar until it touches the band, then begin lifting.

How much should you increase the range of motion?

• No more than 5 cm per week on average.
• If your power rack has holes spaced 10 cm apart, this means changing the range of motion every two weeks. R
• The more gradual your progression, the better your results will be.

Before wrapping up this article, we invite you to read what Arnold said about what modern bodybuilding means to him.