I recently read an interview with Ed Coan. (For those who don't know, he's considered one of the greatest powerlifters of all time). It proved to be quite enlightening.
Here are some points I picked out:
- He trained 3-4 times a week.
- He did a few proper worksets
- He used periodization
What I mostly picked up though, was that he must be gifted. He has always been strong. Which raises the question of whether his training had much impact? Could he have done better on a different protocol?
But, that line of thinking only ends in debates and what-ifs. We'll never know for sure.
So for the ordinary among us (ie those that can't Squat 700 odd pounds RAW) it's best to follow a program for a few cycles, and adjust depending on what success we get. Stay away from the more extreme methods until you have some results that indicate that is the way you should go.
If you're starting out: 3 days a week x 3 exercises a day x 5 sets of 5 reps will get you under way.
Bill Starr or Mark Rippetoe will get you started. Simple, not easy is the way to go.
If you're Intermediate (not a newbie), consider moving onto something like the Texas Method or Wendler 531. There's no rush to move onto an Advanced Plan, and generally it'll be a long time before you really are Advanced. (In my book Advanced starts at 2.5x bodyweight parallel squat/deadlift and 2x bodyweight bench [no wraps, belts, shirts etc.] ).
Want to get bigger? Eat more.
Want to lose weight? Eat the same, or a bit less.
Just remember to train hard and rest well.
If you want to read the Ed Coan interview, it's here > T-Nation: Atlas Speaks
Success leaves clues, but sometimes failures teach you what you really need to know...
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