Independent thinking that deviates from the norm is often frowned upon by those who feel bound to the norm. In weight training circles, the norm is often a good thing because it is usually based on methods that have proven themselves to work for a lot of people. While the norm can be a good thing, it can become a bad thing if it keeps you from something that would work better, and you will never know if there is something better unless you are willing to be an independent thinker and deviate from the norm. This is what several bodybuilders and weight lifters have done in order to achieve outstanding success. In the last article, I discussed this in the context of two outstanding bodybuilders including Bob Gajda and Mike Mentzer. These two bodybuilders used very opposite strategies, but both experienced tremendous results from their training methods, and both were miles outside of the norms of their time.
In this article, I will be discussing several more bodybuilders and weight lifters who I believe were independent thinkers. These men were willing to look past the norms in search of optimizing training methods that would facilitate better results. The bodybuilders and lifters that will be discussed include Serge Nubret, Vince Gironda, Marty Gallaher, and Paul Anderson.
Serge Nubret
Serge Nubret was a phenomenal bodybuilder with one of the most dramatic, eye piercing physiques of all time. His body had a seamless flow of flawless proportions, and he appeared to have digitally enhanced abs before digital enhancements even existed. His preferred method for developing his outstanding physique was high volume workouts with light weights ranging from 30% to 45% of his single rep max. Serge typically ranged from thirty to as many as fifty sets for chest, back and legs. He normally did 12 to 15 reps for each set with less than a minute rest between sets. It wasn’t uncommon for Serge to work his abs for 45 minutes to an hour per day.
Serge had a very unique approach to training that produced a scintillating physique. It would have never happened if he had followed the status quo by trying to imitate everyone else. I know that not everyone can survive the type of training that Serge used, but that’s the point, everyone is different and Serge had a huge capacity for training volume. He took advantage of this by using an unconventional training method to which his body was highly responsive. For more on Serge’s training click here.
Vince Gironda
When Vince Gironda became bored with long slow workouts, he decided to change his training strategy. He set out to see how fast he could get his workouts done by doing eight sets of eight reps, or six sets of six reps with only fifteen to twenty seconds of rest between sets. He was shocked that this worked better for him than the long slower workouts that he thought were required in order to build muscle. Not only did Vince use this training strategy on himself, but as a gym owner and a trainer, he taught it to his students.
Vince was very open minded. Even though he popularized the 8 x 8 and 6 x 6 methods, he was not bound to them and believed that there were a variety of training methods that would work. In addition to 8 x 8 and 6 x 6, Vince’s methodology included:
3 sets of 8 reps
10-8-6-15
5 sets of 5 reps
10 sets of 10 reps
15 sets of 4 reps.
A muscle has 4 sides: 4 sets of 12 reps (a giant nonstop set with 4 different exercises).
Vince also liked compound sets such as dips plus incline presses with no rest between exercises.
While Vince believed that most people tended to over train with too many sets, he didn’t hesitate to have Mohamed Makkawy do up to 30 sets per body part for his Mr. Olympia preparations.
The bottom line with Vince was that he would try anything. After trying a routine or method, he liked anything that worked and was intolerant towards anything that didn’t work. You could say that Vince was very open minded until a training method proved to be fruitless. He was always an independent thinker because he was dependent upon results instead of being dependent on the acceptance that comes with accepting the norm. For more information on Vince’s training see ironguru.com and Vince Gironda Training Youtube
Marty Gallagher
Marty Gallagher is an outstanding powerlifter, coach, and author. In addition to training himself, he has played a part in coaching several world class powerlifters including Ed Coan, Doug Furnas, and Mark Chaillet. While I believe that Marty prefers the concept of minimalist training in which a lifter works up to one heavy work set for each lift each week, he will just as readily admit to the effectiveness of the high volume type of training that Bill Pearl and others have used to develop tremendous amounts of strength and size. Marty does think in terms of weight training norms, but he just as easily thinks outside of those norms in order to search for anything that will bring additional benefit to strength training results.
A quote from Marty reads,
“The larger message was this: there is no single weight training strategy that trumps all other systems. There is no ultimate strength training system that can be used ad infinitum, world without end. The thinking man’s strength athlete has a collection of proven-effective strength strategies, like suits in a closet. Every system, no matter how effective or sophisticated, has a finite shelf life, a finite period of results; the better the training program the deeper the results and the longer it lingers. Still, at some point, the results dry up.”
What you just read demonstrates Marty’s ability to utilize independent thinking instead of confined thinking that conforms to a popular methodology.
My favorite books from Marty are Iron Masters and Iron Methods
Paul Anderson
Perhaps Paul Anderson is the strongest man of the last 100 years. He dropped out of competition to be a professional strongman before he reached the peak of his strength, so many of his best lifts will never be officially recognized, but his best training lifts were:
1,200 pound raw squat
Over 630 pound bench press
An 825 pound deadlift
These lifts were not aided by steroids or squat suits, bench shirts, or other equipment that can inflate the numbers that represent the actual strength of a powerlifter. I don’t think there is anyone alive who has come close to his squatting strength.
From what I understand about Paul’s training, he trained each lift three times per week for the better part of a day by resting up to a half hour between sets of the same exercise, and an hour between different exercises. He did long slow workouts with very heavy weights. His training was very unconventional, but no one dared argue with Paul Anderson as he was miles ahead of the rest of the world in terms of his strength accomplishments. You can read more about his training at strengtholdschool.com.
You may be a person who finds that the best way to train is to utilize common training methods that have been proven to work for countless people over many years. On the other hand, you may reach a point in your training where you become more of an independent thinker and are willing to look outside the norm in search of better results. This is what many lifters have had to do in order to reach their potential, and at some point in time, it may be worthwhile for you to do the same. Best of training to you.