The Best of Both Worlds: Old School Training's Marriage To Modern-Day Science

Alex Eriksson examines strength training and wonders if combining old-school know-how with modern-day science is a way forward..

Have you ever heard of the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Because when it comes to building muscle, sometimes we overcomplicate things. Information overload is possible nowadays, as every fitness magazine touts the greatest technique since sliced bread was invented, though most fail to live up to the hype.

So, what is an aspiring muscle and strength seeker to do? The answer may be much more apparent than you ever thought by merely returning to basics. These basics delivered measurable results long before scientific findings were available to every theoretical "expert" and helped craft some of the best physiques of the golden age of bodybuilding.

Many of these exploits would not have been possible without one man's help: the Iron Guru.

Who Was the Iron Guru?

Vince Gironda, known as the Legendary Iron Guru, revolutionized bodybuilding, helping mould some of the best physiques of that era. Among them was a man known as the "Austrian Oak." That is understandable if you have never heard the name, as his other well-known moniker is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yes, Vince Gironda is credited with being the legendary Arnold's first trainer, further adding substance to the fact that he knew what he was doing.

At the time, many of Vince's techniques seemed controversial or unorthodox. Among some of them were:

Not Performing Back Squats: back squats are believed to be the "bread and butter" of a training program, but Vince despised them, arguing that they promote the development of the glutes in contrast to that of the quadriceps, which many athletes believe is their primary focus group. He instead opted for front or hack squats, which are much better for emphasizing outer quad sweep and flair.
He Did Not Particularly Like Incline Presses: Incline presses are great for building upper chest mass, but there is a correct and a wrong way to do it. Even though he primarily used flat presses, Vince advised lowering the weight at the level of the neck and not the pectoralis itself. By doing this, he argued that the deltoids are neither prematurely fatigued nor undertake much of the work. From real-life experience, this is very true.
He Hated Steroids: in the 1960s, anabolic steroids became available to the masses, having not been restricted at that time. Thus, any trainee desirous of using them could, albeit to their peril, as best practices were unknown. Vince, however, was one of the most vocal opposers to the use of steroids, as he believed that they promoted abnormal growth of muscle tissue and destroyed the innate beauty and symmetry of the body. He even argued that nutrition could deliver results comparable to one of the most potent steroids, Dianabol, and all without risk.
Vince Was an Advocate for Nutrition: This was golden advice, but not something taken to heart by many aspiring athletes. He believed that success in bodybuilding was attributed to 85% nutrition and just 15% training, as growth happens outside the gym during all the hours that you are not working out. Thus, working out hard and having a mediocre diet will not deliver the results you may expect.

His legacy is strong, but in particular, are these titbits he left for us to follow and achieve the body of our dreams:

The Hormone Precursor Diet

The heart of the hormone precursor diet revolved around trying to increase hormone synthesis as much as naturally possible. Thus, the name precursor (getting the raw materials for production) is appropriate for this diet. Vince believed that a diet high in protein and fat was superior for muscle growth, with studies conducted after proving that low-fat diets are detrimental to testosterone and muscle building. He knew it, decades before scientists found this out.

This diet gave birth to the hormone precursor shake, a super convenient and condensed source of muscle-building calories that could be consumed 1-3 times per day to meet daily macronutrient needs. It is what the shake typically looked like:

12 Raw Fertile Eggs (Vince argued that fertile eggs are more anabolic)
1/3 cup high-quality milk and egg protein powder
12 oz. Half and half milk (a mixture of light and heavy cream)
One banana for taste or extra carbohydrate (optional if following a strict low-carb diet)

This shake was consumed for breakfast, with the rest of the meals looking like this:

Lunch

One-pound hamburger or other meat.
Mixed salad or other raw veggies.

Dinner

One-two pounds steak or other roasted meats.
Vegetables (raw or steamed) or cottage cheese.

As you may have noticed, the diet is quite "egg heavy", which many associate with being a bad thing. However, eggs are not rotten, and studies have shown that they do not increase triglyceride levels. Ironically, triglycerides are heavily influenced by sugar and diets high in low-quality carbs. In other words, what the American diet often consists of today.

Eggs are loaded with protein, GOOD saturated fats, and cholesterol, which boost testosterone production. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and natural CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), useful for decreasing body fat and ramping up testosterone production. Taking a CLA supplement (since many are apprehensive about consuming dozens of raw eggs daily) is extremely beneficial when bringing about dramatic changes to body composition.

Another popular diet for cutting body fat advocated by Vince Gironda is the steak and eggs diet, which also heavily focuses on the anabolic properties of fatty acids in eggs.

Consumption of Liver Tablets

The liver is one of the most nutritionally dense sources of vitamins and minerals, yet it is underused owing to its somewhat "acquired" taste. It is where liver tablets come in, as they are highly beneficial in helping maintain anabolism between meals and keeping the body in a positive nitrogen balance. The rare cytochrome P-450 enzyme system helps its case further, as it helps detoxify waste and hormone synthesis in the human body. Vince often used liver tablets to supplement in-between meals to ensure the body has a constant supply of high-quality protein and other nutrients to keep protein synthesis high.

Focus on the Negative of the Repetition

Bodybuilding requires discipline and deliberate movement, which seems lost in the current era of athletes. While it is fulfilling to experience the euphoria of pushing or pulling a heavyweight, much of your growth may hinge on the negative aspect of a lift.

Even though this part of a rep is underappreciated, it can translate to massive increases in muscle damage, ultimately leading to more muscle rebuilding. You can use negatives by resisting the weight as long as you can on the last rep of a set and occasionally mixing it up with a negative-only workout using a higher than 100% 1-RM weight.

Do Pullovers

Part of the beauty of bodybuilding lies in its ability to cultivate an "illusion" or appearance of mass by sculpting relative areas. For example, you can be small-framed but look massive by accentuating the shoulders' width and narrowing the waist. Similarly, is the effect of increasing the chest cavity size by performing dumbbell pullovers. Though this technique is believed to work best in younger men whose ribs may expand easier, it should not be undervalued in older men either, especially if you genetically have smaller pectoralis muscles.

What About Protein? Is Too Much Ever Bad?

Modern-day dietary teachings would have you believe that no protein is lousy protein. However, there is growing evidence that an abundance of protein is not the means to an end. At some point, the pay-off is negated, and you start wasting money, negatively affecting your ability to synthesize maximum muscle. Here are a few reasons why you do not need to go overboard with protein consumption:

Sacrificing Carbohydrates for More Protein May Negatively Affect Your Testosterone Levels

Research^[1] has found that diets high in protein but low in fats and carbohydrates have lower testosterone levels when compared to individuals who consume more carbs (meaning a higher carb: protein ratio). Though this finding is interesting, it could also be attributed to another noted observation from the same study: cortisol levels are higher in individuals who consume low-carb diets. Cortisol and testosterone share a negatively inverse relationship, explaining why cortisol increases while testosterone decreases. However, if you keep fat consumption high while going low on carbohydrates, it works and does not increase cortisol, such as in the case of the ketogenic diet.

Post-Workout Protein Shakes May Offer No Real Benefit

Another way modern teaching misled us is by telling us that we MUST consume a protein shake immediately following our workouts. While we still need adequate protein throughout the day to stimulate sufficient muscle protein synthesis, this timing window is unnecessary.

How do we know that? A study^[2] revealed that subjects consuming a protein shake compared against subjects drinking only water had no difference in markers for protein synthesis. So, do yourself a favour and do not develop paranoia about drinking a protein shake minutes after completing your workout. Your wallet will also thank you!

Protein Does Not Raise Testosterone Levels

Though this should be obvious, it is not, as MOST people associate anything with building muscle to increase testosterone levels. However, consuming more protein at the cost of carbohydrates and fats is counter-productive and will diminish your potential for building muscle. Instead, consuming moderate protein with fats and sufficient carbohydrates according to performance needs will achieve the best rate of anabolism (more on that in the body type guidelines below).

Optimizing Gains for Your Body Type

Everybody is different. Even though there are three fundamental "somatotypes", namely Mesomorph, Endomorph, and Ectomorph, we all possess more than one group trait. So, even though an Endomorph, for example, keeps a lot of fat and builds moderate muscle, there may be someone who gains fat at a rate less than that of a true Endomorph and gains strength faster. Thus, that individual is a blend of Mesomorph and Endomorph. Here is how you can optimize your gains depending on your body type.

Ectomorph

In every sense, these are hard gainers who work out hard and eat a lot (relatively speaking) but have nothing to show for it. The fastest way to victory for such a somatotype would be to lift heavy compound movements with a few working sets and consume a moderate protein/carb, higher fat diet. It significantly increases calories without eating much more (fats yield double the calories of proteins or carbs). The hormone precursor shake referenced above is perfect for such an individual, as liquid calories are less filling, and they typically consume full meals.

Endomorph

Endomorphs retain fat very quickly but also build muscle reasonably easy as well. These individuals have a structure that appears broader than the other two types but must be highly diligent with controlling carbohydrate intake to stay relatively lean. The hormone precursor shake is still a good choice for these individuals but excludes optional carb sources. Endomorphs also do well on the steak and eggs diet, as protein and fat intake keeps hormone and protein synthesis up while allowing the reduction of body fat continually.

Mesomorphs

Mesomorphs have it much easier than either of the preceding groups, as they gain muscle easier and do not retain as much fat, but often, this is their undoing. Mesomorphs develop a sense of false confidence in their abilities and tend only to give 50%. However, when they do provide 100%, the results are excellent. These individuals can consume a diverse diet, inclusive of higher-than-average carbohydrates. The hormone precursor shakes with added carbs do well for these individuals, as the insulin spike can boost anabolism when timed well.

Conclusion

The marriage between old-school know-how and modern-day science could spark a golden age renaissance. Indeed, with more and more people now revisiting the old-school way of training, the future of bodybuilding looks bright!

References

ANDERSON, K.E. et al. (1987) Diet-hormone interactions: protein/carbohydrate ratio alters reciprocally the plasma levels of testosterone and cortisol and their respective binding globulins in man. Life Sci. 4;40 (18). p. 1761-1768
GONZALEZ, A.M. et al. (2015) Protein supplementation does not alter intramuscular anabolic signaling or endocrine response after resistance exercise in trained men. Nutr Res. 35(11). p. 990-1000

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

ERIKSSON, A. (2017) The Best Of Both Worlds: Old School Training's Marriage To Modern Day Science [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article244.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Alex Eriksson is the founder of Anabolic Health, a men's health blog dedicated to providing honest, research-backed advice for optimal male hormonal health. Anabolic Health aspires to become a trusted resource where men can come and learn how to fix their hormonal problems naturally, without pharmaceuticals. Check out his guide on The Ultimate Guide to Manly Cooking, or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.


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Have you ever heard of the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? Because when it comes to building muscle, sometimes we overcomplicate things. Information overload is possible nowadays, as every fitness magazine touts the greatest technique since sliced bread was invented, though most fail to live up to the hype. So, what is an aspiring muscle and strength seeker to do? The answer may be much more apparent than you ever thought by merely returning to basics. These basics delivered measurable results long before scientific findings were available to every theoretical "expert" and helped craft some of the best physiques of the golden age of bodybuilding. Many of these exploits would not have been possible without one man's help: the Iron Guru. Who Was the Iron Guru? Vince Gironda, known as the Legendary Iron Guru, revolutionized bodybuilding, helping mould some of the best physiques of that era. Among them was a man known as the "Austrian Oak." That is understandable if you have never heard the name, as his other well-known moniker is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Yes, Vince Gironda is credited with being the legendary Arnold's first trainer, further adding substance to the fact that he knew what he was doing. At the time, many of Vince's techniques seemed controversial or unorthodox. Among some of them were: Not Performing Back Squats: back squats are believed to be the "bread and butter" of a training program, but Vince despised them, arguing that they promote the development of the glutes in contrast to that of the quadriceps, which many athletes believe is their primary focus group. He instead opted for front or hack squats, which are much better for emphasizing outer quad sweep and flair. He Did Not Particularly Like Incline Presses: Incline presses are great for building upper chest mass, but there is a correct and a wrong way to do it. Even though he primarily used flat presses, Vince advised lowering the weight at the level of the neck and not the pectoralis itself. By doing this, he argued that the deltoids are neither prematurely fatigued nor undertake much of the work. From real-life experience, this is very true. He Hated Steroids: in the 1960s, anabolic steroids became available to the masses, having not been restricted at that time. Thus, any trainee desirous of using them could, albeit to their peril, as best practices were unknown. Vince, however, was one of the most vocal opposers to the use of steroids, as he believed that they promoted abnormal growth of muscle tissue and destroyed the innate beauty and symmetry of the body. He even argued that nutrition could deliver results comparable to one of the most potent steroids, Dianabol, and all without risk. Vince Was an Advocate for Nutrition: This was golden advice, but not something taken to heart by many aspiring athletes. He believed that success in bodybuilding was attributed to 85% nutrition and just 15% training, as growth happens outside the gym during all the hours that you are not working out. Thus, working out hard and having a mediocre diet will not deliver the results you may expect. His legacy is strong, but in particular, are these titbits he left for us to follow and achieve the body of our dreams: The Hormone Precursor Diet The heart of the hormone precursor diet revolved around trying to increase hormone synthesis as much as naturally possible. Thus, the name precursor (getting the raw materials for production) is appropriate for this diet. Vince believed that a diet high in protein and fat was superior for muscle growth, with studies conducted after proving that low-fat diets are detrimental to testosterone and muscle building. He knew it, decades before scientists found this out. This diet gave birth to the hormone precursor shake, a super convenient and condensed source of muscle-building calories that could be consumed 1-3 times per day to meet daily macronutrient needs. It is what the shake typically looked like: 12 Raw Fertile Eggs (Vince argued that fertile eggs are more anabolic) 1/3 cup high-quality milk and egg protein powder 12 oz. Half and half milk (a mixture of light and heavy cream) One banana for taste or extra carbohydrate (optional if following a strict low-carb diet) This shake was consumed for breakfast, with the rest of the meals looking like this: Lunch One-pound hamburger or other meat. Mixed salad or other raw veggies. Dinner One-two pounds steak or other roasted meats. Vegetables (raw or steamed) or cottage cheese. As you may have noticed, the diet is quite "egg heavy", which many associate with being a bad thing. However, eggs are not rotten, and studies have shown that they do not increase triglyceride levels. Ironically, triglycerides are heavily influenced by sugar and diets high in low-quality carbs. In other words, what the American diet often consists of today. Eggs are loaded with protein, GOOD saturated fats, and cholesterol, which boost testosterone production. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and natural CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), useful for decreasing body fat and ramping up testosterone production. Taking a CLA supplement (since many are apprehensive about consuming dozens of raw eggs daily) is extremely beneficial when bringing about dramatic changes to body composition. Another popular diet for cutting body fat advocated by Vince Gironda is the steak and eggs diet, which also heavily focuses on the anabolic properties of fatty acids in eggs. Consumption of Liver Tablets The liver is one of the most nutritionally dense sources of vitamins and minerals, yet it is underused owing to its somewhat "acquired" taste. It is where liver tablets come in, as they are highly beneficial in helping maintain anabolism between meals and keeping the body in a positive nitrogen balance. The rare cytochrome P-450 enzyme system helps its case further, as it helps detoxify waste and hormone synthesis in the human body. Vince often used liver tablets to supplement in-between meals to ensure the body has a constant supply of high-quality protein and other nutrients to keep protein synthesis high. Focus on the Negative of the Repetition Bodybuilding requires discipline and deliberate movement, which seems lost in the current era of athletes. While it is fulfilling to experience the euphoria of pushing or pulling a heavyweight, much of your growth may hinge on the negative aspect of a lift. Even though this part of a rep is underappreciated, it can translate to massive increases in muscle damage, ultimately leading to more muscle rebuilding. You can use negatives by resisting the weight as long as you can on the last rep of a set and occasionally mixing it up with a negative-only workout using a higher than 100% 1-RM weight. Do Pullovers Part of the beauty of bodybuilding lies in its ability to cultivate an "illusion" or appearance of mass by sculpting relative areas. For example, you can be small-framed but look massive by accentuating the shoulders' width and narrowing the waist. Similarly, is the effect of increasing the chest cavity size by performing dumbbell pullovers. Though this technique is believed to work best in younger men whose ribs may expand easier, it should not be undervalued in older men either, especially if you genetically have smaller pectoralis muscles. What About Protein? Is Too Much Ever Bad? Modern-day dietary teachings would have you believe that no protein is lousy protein. However, there is growing evidence that an abundance of protein is not the means to an end. At some point, the pay-off is negated, and you start wasting money, negatively affecting your ability to synthesize maximum muscle. Here are a few reasons why you do not need to go overboard with protein consumption: Sacrificing Carbohydrates for More Protein May Negatively Affect Your Testosterone Levels Research^[1] has found that diets high in protein but low in fats and carbohydrates have lower testosterone levels when compared to individuals who consume more carbs (meaning a higher carb: protein ratio). Though this finding is interesting, it could also be attributed to another noted observation from the same study: cortisol levels are higher in individuals who consume low-carb diets. Cortisol and testosterone share a negatively inverse relationship, explaining why cortisol increases while testosterone decreases. However, if you keep fat consumption high while going low on carbohydrates, it works and does not increase cortisol, such as in the case of the ketogenic diet. Post-Workout Protein Shakes May Offer No Real Benefit Another way modern teaching misled us is by telling us that we MUST consume a protein shake immediately following our workouts. While we still need adequate protein throughout the day to stimulate sufficient muscle protein synthesis, this timing window is unnecessary. How do we know that? A study^[2] revealed that subjects consuming a protein shake compared against subjects drinking only water had no difference in markers for protein synthesis. So, do yourself a favour and do not develop paranoia about drinking a protein shake minutes after completing your workout. Your wallet will also thank you! Protein Does Not Raise Testosterone Levels Though this should be obvious, it is not, as MOST people associate anything with building muscle to increase testosterone levels. However, consuming more protein at the cost of carbohydrates and fats is counter-productive and will diminish your potential for building muscle. Instead, consuming moderate protein with fats and sufficient carbohydrates according to performance needs will achieve the best rate of anabolism (more on that in the body type guidelines below). Optimizing Gains for Your Body Type Everybody is different. Even though there are three fundamental "somatotypes", namely Mesomorph, Endomorph, and Ectomorph, we all possess more than one group trait. So, even though an Endomorph, for example, keeps a lot of fat and builds moderate muscle, there may be someone who gains fat at a rate less than that of a true Endomorph and gains strength faster. Thus, that individual is a blend of Mesomorph and Endomorph. Here is how you can optimize your gains depending on your body type. Ectomorph In every sense, these are hard gainers who work out hard and eat a lot (relatively speaking) but have nothing to show for it. The fastest way to victory for such a somatotype would be to lift heavy compound movements with a few working sets and consume a moderate protein/carb, higher fat diet. It significantly increases calories without eating much more (fats yield double the calories of proteins or carbs). The hormone precursor shake referenced above is perfect for such an individual, as liquid calories are less filling, and they typically consume full meals. Endomorph Endomorphs retain fat very quickly but also build muscle reasonably easy as well. These individuals have a structure that appears broader than the other two types but must be highly diligent with controlling carbohydrate intake to stay relatively lean. The hormone precursor shake is still a good choice for these individuals but excludes optional carb sources. Endomorphs also do well on the steak and eggs diet, as protein and fat intake keeps hormone and protein synthesis up while allowing the reduction of body fat continually. Mesomorphs Mesomorphs have it much easier than either of the preceding groups, as they gain muscle easier and do not retain as much fat, but often, this is their undoing. Mesomorphs develop a sense of false confidence in their abilities and tend only to give 50%. However, when they do provide 100%, the results are excellent. These individuals can consume a diverse diet, inclusive of higher-than-average carbohydrates. The hormone precursor shakes with added carbs do well for these individuals, as the insulin spike can boost anabolism when timed well. Conclusion The marriage between old-school know-how and modern-day science could spark a golden age renaissance. Indeed, with more and more people now revisiting the old-school way of training, the future of bodybuilding looks bright! References ANDERSON, K.E. et al. (1987) Diet-hormone interactions: protein/carbohydrate ratio alters reciprocally the plasma levels of testosterone and cortisol and their respective binding globulins in man. Life Sci. 4;40 (18). p. 1761-1768 GONZALEZ, A.M. et al. (2015) Protein supplementation does not alter intramuscular anabolic signaling or endocrine response after resistance exercise in trained men. Nutr Res. 35(11). p. 990-1000 Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: ERIKSSON, A. (2017) The Best Of Both Worlds: Old School Training's Marriage To Modern Day Science [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article244.htm [Accessed About the Author Alex Eriksson is the founder of Anabolic Health, a men's health blog dedicated to providing honest, research-backed advice for optimal male hormonal health. Anabolic Health aspires to become a trusted resource where men can come and learn how to fix their hormonal problems naturally, without pharmaceuticals. Check out his guide on The Ultimate Guide to Manly Cooking, or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.