Ascent81’s BodyBlog

Suppose for the sake of argument that someone really discovered the best workout routine. Say it was backed up by years of scientific research and first-hand experience. It guarantees the best possible results — for everyone. But there’s one catch: It’s as boring as hell.

Perhaps this is what every workout routine shares in common: a total disregard for human psychology. We need to be excited about a program, and as soon as the excitement runs out, our motivation comes to a dead halt. We abandon the program. Maybe we stop working our all-together.

My point is that no matter how effective a workout routine is, if it bores you, it’s useless. I would even go so far as to say that a less effective but highly exciting routine is better than a highly effective but boring routine. The reason is simple. You will remain committed to working out more consistently when you are excited about working out. You will then in time get the results you’re after.

But let’s entertain another possibility. Maybe all workout routines are self-undermining because of this fact: they’re routines. And any routine — no matter how varied it starts off — will become boring. And as soon as boredom sets in, motivation drops. You stop looking forward to going to the gym, or you put less energy and focus in your training. As a result, you don’t make the gains or goals you’re after. It’s a vicious cycle.

Which brings me to my main point. Stop using a workout routine. Don’t stop training, of course. Just stop training along the same set of principles and rules that every program locks you into. Change up your workout frequency, your reps, your sets, your exercises. Or cycle through different routines. Experiment.

But wait a minute. You might be thinking, What if the constant change approach turns into a new program?! What if you become locked into the so-called ‘change principle’? Can we avoid that? Can we avoid the boredom that will inevitably set in from having to always experiment and change things up?

Here’s my solution. If all you’ve been doing is changing your routine, try staying consistent with one program. If you’re always experimenting, then not experimenting will be the new thing for you.

"How do I get a six pack?"

It appears the experts change their opinion on this one every decade. In the 80s articles on getting a six pack were all about ab exercises. Then in the 90s the articles became about diet and weight loss. I think we’re still in the 90s now, which is a good thing. Why? Because diet is 90% responsible for revealing your abs (the other 10% is the cardio or fat-burning activities you do). Of course, if you lack ab development, the revelation won’t be very impressive. You could diet away the fat and reveal a flat stomach. Which is the goal for most women. But men — and this is my main audience — want more than that. They want a defined and sculpted mid-section.

The obvious solution, then, is to do both. Work your abs (for ab development) and then diet to reveal all the hard work.

But now we’re faced with a new question. "What is the best ab exercise?"

My answer is simple: weight lifting.
Not crunches, leg lifts, upside down twists, or scissor monkey split kicks. Just plain old weights. With barbells and dumbbells and such things. Any exercise (like squats, deadlifts, rows, etc) that requires you to stabilize your core will, in time, develop your core. But, again, all the core and ab development in the world will not make a difference unless you diet, diet, and diet some more.

So lift weights to develop your six pack. Diet to reveal it.

At my high-school gym there was a picture of Lee Haney doing barbell curls. Underneath was written: "No pain, no gain." That sums up how bodybuilders worked out back in the 70s and 80s. That’s old-school, right?

We know better now. Spend less time in the gym. Rest more, sleep more, eat more. This is how you make gains.

And yet, if you push yourself, you’re going to get sore, really sore. (I’m talking about muscle soreness, not injury). Yes, you have to sleep enough and eat properly. But sometimes the soreness doesn’t go away. Who’s to say you’re going to slow down your progress if you head back to the gym anyway?

As I write this I’m sore all over. But I’m planning on working out tonight. In fact, I’ve been sore all week, but I kept working out. One voice in my head told me to stop, rest, take it easy. But I’m making progress. It’s visible. I can see it.

Maybe there’s some truth in the old-school approach after all. Pain doesn’t lead to gains. But to make gains you have to feel some pain. Okay, maybe you have to feel a lot of pain. But the point is: pain is part of the process.

Who do you think has the best aesthetic physique of all time?  Of course, Frank Zane enters everyone’s mind whenever this question is asked, so to make this interesting, I want to hear some names other than Zane.

My vote: Francis Benfatto in the late 80s/early 90s.  This guy’s physique has unbeatable symmetry, detail, and mass to create an overall aesthetic appeal.

What’s your vote?

Taking my scheduled week off the gym (following basic MAX-OT principles).  I do this every 8-10 weeks.  It’s really a mental break: I come back to the gym with more energy and intensity.  And it also prevents over-training and the injuries that come with it.