In case you missed the introductory article for this collection, I’m one of many writers for Muscle & Health, and with Week 1 of “The Arnold Problem” accomplished, right here’s whats been occurring.
This problem requires me to coach for one month in a really comparable vogue as seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger did throughout his reign because the No. 1 bodybuilder on the planet.
For these of you who don’t comply with bodybuilding, that calls for 2, two-hour exercises a day, six days every week that can embrace every major muscle group being trained 3 times in that week. Sure, that’s plenty of quantity with not a lot time for restoration. Marathons could also be run in much less time than it takes to finish a lower-body exercise.
As of the day I write this, I’m in the course of the second week, and the primary 9 days of coaching have all had their share of distinctive challenges and highlights. And sure, the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) has been intense.
The excellent news for me, although, is that I’m seeing outcomes already. After one week and coaching your complete physique 3 times in these two-hour exercises, I’ve already dropped eight kilos on the size, and there are specific lifts by which I’m getting stronger. One instance is on the incline bench press. The primary time I did this exercise, I barely lifted 225 kilos for my remaining set. Now I’m ending with 235. I also can flat press 125s for reps, even after a number of units. As of now, that’s gonna be dumbbell max, contemplating 125 is the heaviest set I’ve in the meanwhile. I ponder what a pair of 150s would really feel like towards the top of this program.
Earlier than starting this, I hadn’t been squatting a complete lot in current months. I prepare legs, however turned my focus extra on goblet squats, leg presses, even some entice bar work. So, it took me a while to get reacquainted with getting again beneath a bar. By the third time I skilled legs, I felt far more snug squatting once more—even with the extraordinary agony my legs felt afterward. I nonetheless must get stronger with that carry, however I’m fairly assured that’s coming.
Changes Made After Week 1 of The Arnold Problem
Whereas I’ve been in a position to make the time to take these exercises on with out chopping corners, there are elements that I must work with and round so as to make them occur. As a result of I’m coaching at residence, I don’t have gadgets comparable to a full cable station, hack squat machine, or any of the isolateral machines that you just discover in lots of gyms. So, I’m doing dumbbell work or utilizing heavier bands each time potential. So long as it’s a comparable problem, I’m going with it.
Additionally, like lots of you, I’ve a household. My spouse and youngest son are being supportive for this enterprise, however I nonetheless need and have to be one of the best husband and pa I’ve to be. Some days are more durable than others, however after I ask them if I’m ignoring them or not doing sufficient, they’ve continued supporting me.
Then, there’s my nine-to-five job. Really I’m blessed to be working from residence, however I do have commitments that have to be saved, which suggests the work days begin sooner than regular and will go on until late at evening. However the work will get carried out. So, to make up for the 4 hours of coaching, I’ve been getting up early to deal with these commitments. Some days, I’m going to mattress a bit later as nicely. The upside to that’s I can take an influence nap right here and there when wanted with out having to fret about being reported to human sources. And I’ve wanted the fast down time on multiple event.
Final however not least is throughout the coaching itself. When Arnold was coaching for his world championships, he was doing so alongside fellow bodybuilding legends comparable to Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, Ed Corney, and others who graced the burden room on the authentic Gold’s Fitness center in Venice, California. It was additionally summer season.
Conditioning for the Chilly Climate
Proper now, as my canine continues barking on the passing automobiles, I’m coaching in a barn with the excessive temperature hovering round 35 levels. That’s been in regards to the common these days on your typical West Virginia winter. It’s powerful at instances to finish supersets when all you need to do is layer up in as many hoodies, hats, and gloves as potential.
Due to the chilly situations, generally it’s powerful to get myself up for each exercise as a result of I don’t have that voice to push me or that accomplice to encourage me to get these final two or three reps that Arnold preached is what makes a champion. Luckily, a number of buddies have put up with quite a few texts in between units and been pushing me on as a result of they need to see this completed now that I’m this far into it. That’s necessary if you’re in the course of your second spherical doing over 30 units of thighs.
Talking of that, I’ve sometimes been coaching with extra of a excessive depth coaching model, so on the excessive finish, I could also be doing a bit over 30 true work units every week. I additionally am sometimes carried out after an hour on the most. There are over 30 particular person units on calves alone in a single exercise on this program. So, you may think about the quantity of labor I’m doing with the opposite physique elements. The amount was fairly a shock to me after Week 1 of the Arnold Problem.
In terms of the calf coaching particularly, I don’t have essentially the most optimum tools for it so I made essentially the most out of my barbells and dumbbells. Additionally, after doing a number of supersets for quads and hamstrings, it may be fairly simple to skip calves coaching—or at the least a number of units—and name it a day. Making an attempt to focus on turning my toes the fitting method and getting high quality contractions is usually a psychological problem—particularly after I can stroll about 200 toes away and seize dinner at any time.
Nonetheless, the entire goal of that is to do this system as near actual as potential. So, when that third set of the fourth train is finished, chopping units out or shifting on to the subsequent motion isn’t an possibility—particularly now that there are individuals all over the world which can be intrigued by this. I can’t converse on this if I don’t do it correctly. So, I execute and persuade myself that the trouble might be value it. And naturally, I actually do have that religion, or I wouldn’t have began this to start with.
One Week Down, Three to Go
This can be a rosy image which may be getting painted, however I must be clear about this. The exercises are intense, difficult, time-consuming, and my percussive gun has been working plenty of extra time to assist me get well. I additionally know this isn’t going to be the smoothest street, both. There could also be a severe chilly entrance in my space that restricts me from coaching, one thing life associated might occur that forces me to make changes, and I do know that there might be days that the weights really feel heavier than others.
However now that I’m on this street, I’m ending the journey, and I hope you’ll be a part of me by following alongside on my Instagram @rocklockridge, the place I’ll share occasional pics, movies, and commentary.
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