Mike Israetel has earned real authority in fitness. Through Renaissance Periodization, he has become one of the most recognizable figures in evidence-based hypertrophy training. His lectures on training volume, recovery, and nutrition are staples in gyms and classrooms. When he speaks about training, he cites peer-reviewed studies, parses physiology clearly, and backs it up with… Continue reading When Fitness Gurus Become Public Intellectuals
Kolar Venkatesh Iyer, or K. V. Iyer (1897-1980), is one of the most fascinating Indian physical culturists of the twentieth century. Someone I have studied quite a bit in my own career, Iyer was a well-known figure in India, the United States, and Europe. Often submitting images of himself to physical culture magazines, Iyer struck… Continue reading K.V. Iyer on Diet and Health
Conor Note Stuart McRobert's Hardgainer magazine is, and was, one of my favorite training magazines bar none. Similar to Peary Rader's Ironman magazine, it seemed to buck the trend of bodybuilding magazines which sold flashy programmes and, at times, ridiculous training systems. The magazine's ethos was simple. Not everyone is genetically gifted but, through hard… Continue reading John Christy, ‘Evening the Genetic Score,’ Hardgainer, 38, September/October 1995
Take it from the pros, splitting is the way go. Full-body training, provided that the intensity is high and the routine is good, can produce some amazing results, but splitting lets you get more from less: more results from a shorter period of time spent in the gym. If you had to train all your… Continue reading ‘Basic Split Training’, Animal Owner’s Manual (New Jersey, 2010), 14
Carbohydrates... those omnipresent fruits, yams, grains and vegetables, are older than mankind. In recorded history, it appears that the Egyptian culture was the first to 'mill' their high-energy grain, removing fiber, as well as much of the nutrition. Bingo—mankind had its first refined carbohydrates. Sugar was first introduced into Europe around 700 AD when Arabian… Continue reading Jay Jacobsen, ‘Carbohydrates Are Not The Devil! All Aboard The Carbohydrate-Glycemic Train’, Planet Muscle (March – April 2003)
For many years serious athletes and bodybuilders have known that free weights build muscle size, strength and power faster than any other form of resistance training. Today's smart bodybuilders are also acutely aware that the process does not take as much time as many have erroneously believed and that, by using dumbbells (because they DO… Continue reading Randall M. Taylor, 18-Min Home Dumbbell Workout, Planet Muscle (Volume 4, Number 1, 2001)
For a long time, but especially in the last 40-50 years, the fitness industry has been growing and moving away from its humble beginnings. What was once just a way to maintain health and show off power has turned into a multi-billion industry. In order to show our appreciation for all things fitness, here’s a… Continue reading Guest Post: Fitness Trivia: A Brief History of “Old School” Fitness Equipment
By the time you receive this issue of HARDGAINER we will be about half way through the year. So it's a good idea to take stock as to how your training is going so far, so that you make the rest of the year as productive as possible. Question #1 Are you stronger now than you… Continue reading John Christy, ‘Mid-Year Checkup’, Hardgainer Magazine, July/August (1999)
I have brought you through the first three months of training three times a week on your whole body. I have brought you through my special advance split system of training and finally my special bulk and power routine. You've seen how to incorporate all that into my cycle system of training. Now I will… Continue reading Joe Weider, ‘How to Make Up Your Own Routine,’ Joe Weider’s Bodybuilding System (1942)
The nutritional supplement industry is a thriving business in the United States today with a cumulative worth of over 150 Billion Dollars. That’s right! I’ll give you a minute to wrap your head around the number of zeros on that number. However, once you get past the initial shock of it, the figure does make… Continue reading Guest Post: A Brief History of Nutritional and Mass Gainer Supplements
