In case you missed the introductory article for this sequence, 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 related trend 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 per week that can embrace each main muscle group being skilled thrice in that week. Sure, that’s loads 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 the complete physique thrice in these two-hour exercises, I’ve already dropped eight kilos on the dimensions, and there are specific lifts through 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 last set. Now I’m ending with 235. I may 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 mean time. I ponder what a pair of 150s would really feel like towards the tip of this program.
Earlier than starting this, I hadn’t been squatting a complete lot in latest months. I practice legs, however turned my focus extra on goblet squats, leg presses, even some lure bar work. So, it took me a while to get reacquainted with getting again underneath a bar. By the third time I skilled legs, I felt way more comfy squatting once more—even with the extraordinary agony my felt afterward. I nonetheless must get stronger with that raise, however I’m fairly assured that’s coming.
Changes Made After Week 1 of The Arnold Problem
Whereas I’ve been capable of make the time to take these exercises on with out chopping corners, there are elements that I must work with and round with the intention to make them occur. As a result of I’m coaching at dwelling, I don’t have objects equivalent to a full cable station, hack squat machine, or any of the isolateral machines that you simply discover in lots of gyms. So, I’m doing dumbbell work or utilizing heavier bands every time attainable. So long as it’s a comparable problem, I’m going with it.
Additionally, like a lot of you, I’ve a household. My spouse and youngest son are being supportive for this enterprise, however I nonetheless need and must be the very best husband and pa I’ve to be. Some days are harder 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. Truly I’m blessed to be working from dwelling, however I do have commitments that must be stored, which suggests the work days begin sooner than regular and will go on until late at evening. However the work will get completed. So, to make up for the 4 hours of coaching, I’ve been getting up early to care for these commitments. Some days, I am 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 assets. And I’ve wanted the fast down time on multiple event.
Final however not least is through the coaching itself. When Arnold was coaching for his world championships, he was doing so alongside fellow bodybuilding legends equivalent to Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, Ed Corney, and others who graced the load room on the unique 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 vehicles, I’m coaching in a barn with the excessive temperature hovering round 35 levels. That’s been concerning the common recently to your typical West Virginia winter. It’s robust at occasions to finish supersets when all you need to do is layer up in as many hoodies, hats, and gloves as attainable.
Due to the chilly situations, typically it’s robust to get myself up for each exercise as a result of I don’t have that voice to push me or that associate to encourage me to get these final two or three reps that Arnold preached is what makes a champion. Thankfully, a couple of mates 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 essential once 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 per week. I additionally am sometimes completed 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 components. The quantity was fairly a shock to me after Week 1 of the Arnold Problem.
With regards to 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 no less than a couple of units—and name it a day. Attempting to focus on turning my toes the precise manner and getting high quality contractions could be a psychological problem—particularly after I can stroll about 200 ft away and seize dinner at any time.
Nonetheless, the entire goal of that is to do this system as near precise as attainable. 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 might 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 hassle will likely be price 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
It is a rosy image which may be getting painted, however I needs to be clear about this. The exercises are intense, difficult, time-consuming, and my percussive gun has been working loads of additional time to assist me recuperate. I additionally know this isn’t going to be the smoothest street, both. There could also be a critical 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 will likely 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.
