Training for Mass
September 27, 2009 by Jim Made
Filed under Bodybuilding
| Brand: | |||
| Average Rating |
|
The definitive guide for building muscle: Training for Mass is a comprehensive, intelligent guide for constructing effective and efficient weight training workouts. It also offers a scientific analysis of current well loved weight training strategies, and demonstrates how the vast majority of workout routines are neither scientific nor effective.
Based on observations about how the human body responds to exercise, Training for Mass advocates a less-is-more approach, and shows how spending endless hours in the gym is counterproductive and even harmful–debunking the myth that building muscle requires a fantastic investment of time.
Training for Mass is not a picture book; rather, it is filled with useful information. Nor is it a rigid scientific journal or text book; the author draws upon unusual examples and provides uncommon insight into the factors required for success in weight training. more info
Will change the way you reckon about resistance training…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve read a number of books throughout the years on working-out, bodybuilding, mass, etc. I’ve been training for over 20 years and have done a few shows. I’m not fantastic, but I reckon I have a basic understanding of resistance training.
This is the first book I’ve read, that takes a very academic approach to explaining, defending and promoting this resistance training method. The thought is very simple, yet very complex. Mr. LaVelle does an brilliant job of comparing and contrasting his technique to the other various “principles” of resistance training that are instituted by other “experts” in the arena.
The book is composed in a very simple to follow manner. Because of the structure of the book, there will be know doubt in your mind where Mr. LaVelle stands on a topic. Additionally, because his training principle may be contrary to other long standing training principles, Mr. LaVelle devotes a considerable amount of energy laying out for you, why those other principle aren’t necessarily the most efficient methods for gaining muscle mass. I can assure you, arguments for other traditional training principles are addressed.
This book takes a real life look at resistance training. If you’re one of those people who likes spending hours in the gym everyday, just for the purpose of pushing around weights, this book may not be for you. But, if you are looking for a very efficient, simple to implement, and injury mitigating system to achieve maximum muscle mass with no wasted time or effort; this book is probably for you.
It’s a refreshing look at resistance training. I highly recommend the book to resistance trainers of every level.
geat book
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If your looking for real results and information that really works than this is your book.I’ve been training for approximatly 22 years and have competed in several ameature bodybuilding events. I have always been a high volume theorist the more work you place in the the better the results. Well I’m telling you that I was incorrect. I read Gorden’s book and have incorporated his philosophy into my own training regiment and the results in just a matter of three months has been incredible. The training time cut back by 2/3,recovery by 1/2,and don’t be fooled you will leave the gym pumped. My only regret is that I didn’t try this years ago I’m sure that I would have place on more muscle mass and saved myself the constent set back caused by injury. Fantastic book
makes sense
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A logical, scientific, engaging, and eloquent manual that is dedicated to putting on mass. With all the machines, exercises, ‘philosophies,’ and techniques out there, this book convinces the reader to keep things simple, intense, and most importantly, progressively more intense. Lavelle relates the mechanism of adding muscle to other physiologic adaptations the body makes, in order to drive home the point that the body adapts to different ‘insults’ in simlar ways, and unless you’re making it a point to expose the body to an intense stimulus, the body will not adapt (add muscle). And unless you purposefully make the stimulus more intense (recording workouts helps), the body won’t continue to adapt (keep getting larger).
In the process, he acknowledges many other philosophies and techniques and clarifies why ‘High Intensity Training’ has to be more effective. Unfortunately, most people train the way they do for ungrounded reasons. They saw some guys doing it and he was ripped. A trainer told them to do it that way. If 1 hour or 1 set is excellent, 2 must be better. They get a excellent pump. They get sore. Many of these thoughts can add muscle, but equally likely is that they will leave you overtrained, injured, or wasting tons of redundant effort.
I have been training for years, but started to get overwhelmed by all the creative exercises I saw trainers using in my gym. I noticed clients were sweating and panting during weight training exercises, and suspected that aerobic work couldn’t be the best way to add muscle- and that weight lifting couldn’t be the best way to gain fitness/lose weight. This book confirmed and clarified my suspicion.
This book has no pictures. If you are looking for very beginner’s advice on how to perform exercises, the internet is an adequate resouce.
I recommend you invest your time in reading this book. You will know why you’re training the way you are, see incredible results, and will be pleased to leave all the wasted effort and unscientific techniques behind.
-Michael Khalili, M.D.
Well Worth Reading
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I can reckon of few topics outside of politics and religion that are more divisive than the subject of effective bodybuilding techniques. Mr. LaVelle, but, offers a well-reasoned and well-written contribution to the debate.
If your goal is to be most efficient with the time you spend in the gym and you want to avoid setbacks caused by injuries and over-training, you owe it to yourself to read Mr. LaVelle’s book. If on the other hand, you get some sort of validation from being able to talk about how much time you spend working out, then, by all means, keep doing what you are doing.
I would caution you, though, read the book carefully. The author is quick to point out that his methods need to be tailored to the individual. This is not a “do exactly what I tell you” cookbook. I believe that when you read the book you will find, as I did, that the author’s thoughts are not only well supported but also seem intuitively right.
Some excellent, some terrible, some downright incorrect
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I’m a weight training enthusiast and also a doctoral student in Biomechanics and physical therapist. Mr. Lavelle expressed some compelling points in this book like “quality/intensity over volume” which is certainly a excellent thought that needs to be greatly advocated. And his notes on exercises were spot-on, especially points about compound exercise being superior to isolation exercises in building the bulk. There are too many gym-goers focusing on useless isolation movements which truly is a waste of time.
But, his bashing of the “volume training” as a whole is not a excellent thought. There are methods in books written by volume trainers like Arnold that really are ways to increase intensity. Why would someone do a split routine? It’s because you can train more intensely if you do that. Not just going for the volume. In fact, other than dedicated bodybuilders, I’ve never seen anyone in the gym that can be considered as a “volume trainer”. I used to train seven days a week, but I can’t imagine doing more than 8 sets for any particular exercise. Also, from a physiological point of view, volume training might have it’s merits. As muscle fibers get tired, our nervous system would recruit more motor units/muscle fibers to replace those that can’t contract anymore. But I would agree most people would be wasted mentally before yielding any benefits from that method.
Exercise novices need to be aware that Mr. LaVelle’s recommendations on exercises are mostly based on his personal experiences, not facts. From a functional point of view, adductor/abductor and hip rotary exercises are worthless because humans do not operate that way. On the other hand, I found the straight-leg deadlift to be a tremendously effective hamstring builder if you can master the proper technique. This is in direct contrast to author’s thought.
Overall, if you want to get larger, this is a nice reference. But don’t believe everything in it blindly. I would recommend you to get Arnold’s Encyclopedia of bodybuilding first.
Free Weights or Machines? You might be surprised!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Although, as a female, I am not interested in building massive muscles, I have always loved reading about health, nutrition, and fitness. Gordon LaVelle’s unexpected humor, practical suggestions, and detailed descriptions (exercises, routines, mindset) make his book a joy to read.
Training for Mass, like its name suggests, offers an effective and straightforward program for people looking to gain muscle mass. Also, Gordon’s in-depth (and fascinating!) explanations make the book appropriate for readers (like me) who want to learn more about various exercises. He even answers the eternal questions of superiority: free weights vs. machines?… and his answers might surprise you.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the emphasis on “high intensity training” (read: less time spent in the gym with greater results) separates Gordon’s book from most of the weight training books on the market.
Training for Mass will educate, inspire, and entertain you whether you are a hard core gym rat or a beginning exerciser.
All You Need
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
All you need is in this book; eliminate unneccesary workouts that are not excellent mass builders and abandon high volume marathon sessions that are ruinous to your joints and free time. This is unlike anything you’ve ever read. An intellectual approach that clarifies WHY a high intensity routine is effective. I like it.
I can’t wait to go to the gym!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you lift weights, you need to get this book TODAY. I got it about 2 months ago after reading Mike Mentzer’s last book – High-Intensity Training – and was absolutely hooked on HIT.
Most of my life I have loved lifting weights, but now I am a student of it and can’t wait to get to the gym because of the perspective Lavelle has given me.
Even better, I have made some obvious physical gains in a very small time by implementing what the book says to do.
As for the content of this book, Gordon’s writing style is much more concise, and I would say clearer than Mentzer’s was. And the fact that it is all about training and has no pictures to distract you from the subject, will make it hard for you to place it down!
In summary, if the fantastic Mike Mentzer was the messenger for HIT training before, Gordon Lavelle now holds the torch.
Well done Gordon, well done!
An brilliant text for those looking to gain muscular mass
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Although I am a competetive powerlifter (focus is on strength over mass) I was quite impressed with this book. It covers a lot of material and should become a standard in the bodybuilding as well as other lifting communities. It is the best book I have ever read on explaining and applying HIT. I personally am not an advocate of one training style or another…that is to say I believe in whatever works (to quote Alwyn Cosgrove “Methods are many,Principles are few, Methods often change, Principles never do.”). Any experienced coach will likely tell you that you can take something useful from all training methods, as there is no such thing as one universal type of training for all applications. I used to view HIT as more of a fad or something that could only work in the small term, largely because the books I read on this type of training were relatively typical of most books in the lifting community; written by over-zealous authors and lacking any real research or scientific reasoning. My views have now changed after reading this brilliant book on the hows, whys, and applications of HIT for gaining muscle mass. HIT is definately a viable type of training to add to the toolbox of all lifters, and could very well be the most reliable system of training for most bodybuilders in particular. Although the book does not have a large list of citations at the end, the author nonetheless does refer in most cases, to what he bases his information on and the studies that back his reasoning. This book is packed full of very logical and clear information, without pictures. It is written in a way that is not dull and monotonous and it is simple to know what the author is trying to say. Although as a Powerlifter and all-round lifter I disagree with the thought of training by isolating individual muscle groups (which as a bodybuilder the author naturally encourages), this book really is fantastic. It deserves a place among the classics, and is a legitamate, reliable source for lifters of all sorts and all levels. I would especially recommend it as an excellant base for the beginning lifter (who is primarily interested in mass and not pure strength), hopefully preventing them from the years of wasted time many go through because of poor sources of information. Pick this one up it is well worth it, and the price is extremely reasonable.
Brilliant book for intermediate to advanced lifters
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have read quite a few books on the subject and must say this is the most intelegent book on weight training I have ever read. The thoughts in this book are well written and aplicable to todays world. A must read for anyone training for mass. The only down side is it contains no tips on diet, cardio or sups.
Contains some excellent information, but I still need a another book to answer many questions about lifting.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
First of all, it’s not often i read a professional published book that has not one, not two, but multiple typos. Granted, typos won’t keep me from lifting, but it does indicate a certain degree of carelessness that doesn’t bode well for the book.
On one had, it has advice for beginners, but on the other, it assumes the reader knows how to perform every exercise mentioned simply by a sometimes obscure name, without the aid of a single picture. Frankly, i bought the book because of its excellent reviews, and i feel a bit cheated. It’s not a fantastic book.
Decent guide to building mass
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Overall, this was a pretty excellent guide on how to perform HIT for building mass; the author was clearly a philosophy major in college based on how he picks apart Volume training and other methods.
I would have preferred a bit more instruction on what to expect amongst the various stages when starting out, hitting plateus, etc, but overall I reckon for someone that is trying to determine whether HIT or volume is best, this book will be helpful
Fantastic book! – from an experienced weight trainer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I haveTraining for Mass
I have over 20 years of weight training experience and have won or placed well in competitions. All of my training has been using the common high volume training methods that Gordon attempts to dispel in his book. His writing style is entertaining while he methodically breaks down the volume training strategy and proves a compelling case for the high-intensity training style.
My conclusion… While I made some excellent gains using the volume training, I believe my gains should be better given my consistency with my training and nutrition. His book has given me many new thoughts, I am motivated again to get to the gym while I am using the high intensity training model he lays out very well in the book. So far, I am spending less time in the gym, the workouts are more challenging and fascinating and I have noticed some early progress (I’ve only been doing it for approximately 4 weeks).
Keep an open mind to new thoughts if you are like I was (pretty set in my training routines). You might find, like I did, that what we have relied on for years isn’t the only way and, better yet, that there just might be a better way. Give it a try like I am doing.
Thought provoking and well-reasoned
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I found this to be an entertaining and informative read. Mr. Lavelle describes the predominant bodybuilding theories used today & offers his take on what works best, a high-intensity, low volume routine. The book is training-focused and intentionally avoids fantastic detail on exercise form, nutrition, etc. I appreciate this approach since most of us have seen that information before. I especially loved the scholarly tone and logical approach to muscular weight gain & look forward to trying this method for myself. Recommended.
A Classical Understanding of Bodybuilding
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Of the 20-30 books I have read on weight training, this is the best and in a class of its own. It is very philosophical in spirit, though not in style or language, and so it is not at all hard to read. It is admirable that the author can show a large vocabulary and use it well, while speaking so obviously ‘from the heart’ that the reader feels that he is having a conversation between sets with his buddy in the gym and always knows what is trying to say.
Many readers will want another book (or the internet) for some photographs and more details about particular exercises. But any young weight trainer would do well to read this early in his training and learn to exercise his mind in training as well as his body.
A student once reported having heard Arnold say, ‘[The philosopher] Plato teaches that happiness lies in a balance of the life of the body and the life of the mind. I believe I have reached that balance.’ We both laughed at the thought. Mr. LaVelle’s book is the first and only evidence I have seen of a step in the direction of that balance. The rest of this review will elaborate on this position.
I am a philosopher (doctorate from Notre Dame) and teach at a small Catholic liberal arts college that uses ‘fantastic books’ (Thomas Aquinas College). My reading of Plato and Aristotle led me to start some effort at fitness, after more than 30 years of books, music, and poetry. Plato taught that ‘dressing up stands to gymnastics as rhetoric to legislation’. Aristotle, in his Ethics, states that ‘just as we blame some men for the state of their bodies, we must blame some men for the state of their souls.’ I finally got myself to the gym.
These comments by the two very greatest philosophers reflect the comprehensive character of Greek culture. They not only understood (and bequeathed to Western civilization) the life of the intellect but also the ideal of physical beauty. Much of Western art and even modern bodybuilding are an elaboration, development, and perhaps some corruption of this Greek ideal.
But modern bodybuilding has isolated this ideal from the intellectual life fostered among the best Greeks. (There are some buff dopes in Plato’s dialogues.) Though he does not turn to the Greek philosophers, Mr. LaVelle’s book exhibits this man’s effort (quite on his own!) to reintegrate the life of the intellect and the training of his body.
Mr. LaVelle does this in three ways that I will focus on: a philosophical approach, appreciation of the role of the intellect in working out, and a sense of the moral dimension.
The book defends high-intensity training (HIT) against volume-training. In doing so, he identifies and defends the principles involved in HIT. He clarifies how these cause muscle growth. But he also allows the opposing position to have its say, in the tradition begun by Socrates in his conversations. This is done by examining and identifying the principles of volume-training, showing the strengths, but ultimate inconsistency, of the method. I do not reckon anyone who defends volume-training has done anything comparable to clarify and defend their position. They owe some thanks to Mr. LaVelle (if they can read his work and still propose volume-training). I could go on at length about Mr. LaVelle’s achievement here. (In answer to an objection in another review, let me say that the book does not try to supplant the role of ‘biomechanics’. Rather it teaches you how to judge training as it affects the man rather than the cell. This judgment must be made from what the man who trains can observe.)
Mr. LaVelle has a section on the ‘role of philosophy’ in his book. But throughout the book one recognizes that he is promoting (perhaps more than he is conscious of) a approach to weight training that does not start by turning the intellect off. This involves training with a plot, thoughtfully applying the principles in training, and use of an intense concentration that only the intellect can produce. Again, I refrain from saying more.
A section on ‘intangibles’ is provided in the book. Mr. LaVelle himself may not be aware that much of what he is speaking about here is moral character. Weight training cannot bring about moral character, but it can be an instrument in developing the virtue of courage and the parts of courage recognized by the Greeks: high-mindedness, patience, magnificence, and perseverance. Mr. LaVelle speaks of courage, determination, and discipline. But through these words he is encouraging us to develop these ‘parts’ of courage. If a young trainer, especially a young man, could with the help of this book start to train with the recognition that training is by its nature an instrument in becoming courageous (and ignore the drug-infested, sex-saturated industry), he would profit immensely.
A second moral aspect to Mr. LaVelle’s work is that he recognizes there is a life outside the gym and not just the sexual life. As he suggests, until we see weight training as part of an integrated life, it will continue in the direction of the ‘freak show’.
All this talk about the Greeks in my review may lead one to question, without any reference to the book in question, didn’t the Greeks let their ideal of male beauty lead them into immorality. In fact, this was an upper-class phenomenon, and the Greek philosophers held the highest moral precepts. Plato teaches that ‘between men affection should never cross what is decent between a father and his son.’
Let me recognize with another reviewer that there are many typos, a few words (usually prepositions) left out. These are an unfortunate symptom of our computer age. They don’t cause any particular confusion here.
One last comment: Mr. LaVelle’s purity of purpose is nowhere more evident than in the fact that he has kept photos of his own magnificent physique out of the book. If I had such a physique, I would find it hard not to place a few photos even on the back cover of a book of philosophy.