Getting Big

Someone recently wrote in asking how to get bigger. I should have deleted the note. Instead, I replied by saying, "train to failure, eat more.” Then he asked for a recipe of specific reps/sets/rest and that note went to the trash. First, there’s plenty of information on the subject available. Second, it’s not what we do here. Do your fucking homework before writing an email.

The following guidelines were pulled from Michael Yessis’ 1992 book titled “The Kinesiology of Exercise”. Figures will affect you differently depending on your age, existing fitness level, sex, the phase of the annual cycle you are in, as well as the volume and intensity of the training you are doing.
In general:
1-4 reps increase pure strength but do not increase muscle mass
4-9 reps increase strength together with muscle mass
10-15 reps increase muscular strength, muscular endurance and muscle mass
16-30 reps increase muscular endurance with little to no increase in muscle mass
31-50 reps increase muscular endurance with no effect on muscle mass
50-100 reps increase muscular endurance, cardio-respiratory endurance, there will be a possible loss of muscle mass (or fat), and absolutely no increase in strength

This being the case, then what does an exclusive diet of circuit training produce? 21-15-9 adds up to 45, which equals an “increase muscular endurance with no effect on muscle mass.” If that’s your objective, knock yourself out. A Circuit or Progression totaling over 100 reps won’t help you get “swole”, except in the short term (measured in hours), and it won’t make you stronger. But because it’ll put the flame to the fat you may look stronger. Again, if that’s your objective, knock yourself out.

If you want to get huge, it’s easy: train to failure, eat more. Click the link below (the results of a Google search for the two words “squats” and “milk”). It’s all right there. How hard can it be?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=squats+milk&btnG=Google+Search