An outlier is a term used by scientists to refer to something that lies outside of the norm. A person who is over 6 feet 8 inches is an outlier because they are not normal in terms of their height. A person who has an IQ of 160 or more is not normal in terms of their high intelligence. A gymnast who can easily drop backwards into a back-bridge from a standing position does not fit into the norm in terms of their flexibility. All of these examples would be considered outliers because they do not represent what is typical in relationship to the norm.
Normal For An Outlier
The second thing that you must understand about outliers is that they are often grouped together in a setting where their abnormal qualities are seen as the norm. For example, even though it is true that a 6 foot 8 inch person is an outlier compared to the norm, his height would be fairly normal for a professional basketball player. An IQ of 160 or more is not normal, but it may be normal in the context of a group of aerospace engineers or brain surgeons. Likewise, the ability to perform a back bridge from a standing position is not normal, but for a high level gymnast, it is very normal and is virtually a requirement. Outliers are often grouped together to represent a different normal among themselves.
Outliers In Weight Training
When you look at a bodybuilding magazine, you are looking at a bunch of outliers who are not normal. However, they are the norm for a muscle magazine. When you watch an elite powerlifting competition, you will be watching a bunch of outliers who are able to develop an abnormal amount of strength, however, you must consider that abnormal strength is normal among a group of elite powerlifting competitors.
An outlier represents a very small percentage of the general population. When you see an outlier among the general population, they will stick out as a rare exception. Unfortunately, we often see a weight lifting outlier in a setting where they are the norm because they are surrounded by other weight lifting outliers. This can alter your perspective about what is truly normal and make you think that something that isn’t normal, is normal.
Abnormal Training
Not only do weight lifting outliers possess abnormal strength and size, they often possess the capacity to benefit from an abnormally high amount of sets and reps in their workouts. This is true of many top bodybuilders. You can gather a sizable group of outliers who benefit from a huge amount of sets and reps, and if that’s the type of training that becomes the norm in terms of what you see or read about, you could easily fall into the trap of thinking that doing tons of sets and reps should be the normal way to train for anyone who wants to maximize the size of their muscles.
We could also look at the opposite type of outliers who possess the ability to benefit from an abnormally low amount of sets and reps, and who only need a small amount of workouts for each muscle group each week. This being the case, you could gather a sizeable group of lifters who benefit from a very small amount of training, and if that is what is constantly set before your eyes, you could easily fall prey to the belief that low volume workouts that are done on an infrequent basis should be the normal way to train if you want to get bigger and stronger.
Are You Training Like An Outlier?
Who are the most celebrated bodybuilders and lifters? These are the ones that many of us want to imitate when it comes to our own training. Who are the most likely bodybuilders and lifters to have abnormal capacities to benefit from an abnormal amount of training? They are the same outliers that we often try to imitate. Who’s training is least likely to work for us? Once again, the outliers that we often try to imitate. What I am trying to get at here is to help you avoid training extremes that work for those who possess genetic extremes that most of us do not possess.
If we look at the extremes in training capacity that are made possible by those who possess genetic extremes, and amplify those extremes even more with the inclusion of steroids and PED’s, you end up with training ideas that are completely wacked out in terms of their relevance to the vast majority of those who engage in weight training.
The bottom line is to be careful who you imitate. You can imitate the training of those who are outliers, but you can’t always imitate their results. Your goal should be to get the most out of your training within the context of your own capacities, abilities, and potential. Train in a way that works best for yourself, not someone else. How do you do this?
Use basic compound exercises for most of your lifting.
Learn to perform each rep of each exercise with flawless form.
Do most of your work-sets with 70% to 85% of your single rep max.
Stop a couple of reps short of failure when performing each work-set.
Train a muscle group until it starts to weaken. Stop when you notice that the muscle group you are working is no longer at full strength.
Progress at the right rate. The same amount of weight and reps should grow easier as you repeat workouts until you can add 5 pounds while still stopping your sets 2 reps short of failure.
Train each muscle group two to three times per week, and even more often if you can do so without over training.
These guidelines are designed to help you make long term progress. I constantly read and hear about methods that help you gain fast. These programs often work for a few months, which is good for beginners and seasonal lifters, but I prefer the idea of long term training. In other words, what type of training will still be working next year and the year after? If that’s your goal, try the guidelines listed. Best of training to you.