I just started reading it, and I’m sure much has changed since he last lifted competitively in the 70s, but he only ate about 180 grams of protein if I recall. He also stated that more reps, less weight would recruit more fibers and create mass, up to 10-15 sets even, and was the reccomended way he and his bodybuilding friends lifted. I mean if him and all his buddies were Mr. Olympia and world class bodybuilders, there must be some merit to it. I can’t imagine them all being genetic freaks. Any input?
[quote]infin|ty wrote:
I just started reading it, and I’m sure much has changed since he last lifted competitively in the 70s, but he only ate about 180 grams of protein if I recall.[/quote]
Arnold’s Bodybuilding Encyclopedia is great as a selective history of professional bodybuilding, as an exercise reference, and as a source of information about Arnold himself.
However. . . The training and diet information contained in it is:
- Grossly out of date
- A very poor choice for a non-professional bodybuilder who doesn’t have ideal genetics and a big bag of steroids
- Going to very quickly have you overtraining
Depending on your weight, goals, and training program, 180 grams of protein per day might be enough for you. But there’s a lot more to a proper diet than that.
I’d suggest reading through some of the articles on this here site for more up to date and practical information. You’ll get a lot farther than you would following Arnold’s plan.
Ugh.
More reps and less weight generally won’t recruit more muscle fibers. Maximal or near maximal weights are what recruit the most muscle fibers[1].
High rep schemes do have their place, as do high set schemes. But you have to be very careful when you combine them, or else you’re going to seriously retard your muscle growth by overtraining.
Unless you have perfect genetics and are on a lot of steroids, you won’t be able to do 15 sets of 15 reps without burning yourself out.
It’s worthless for most people.
And, just to let you know, about the only way you can be a competitive professional bodybuilder is to have almost ideal genetics, and to use massive quantities of steroids.
Period.
If you don’t believe it, pick up a Natural Bodybuilding magazine sometime. There you can see the difference between what someone with awesome genetics alone can achieve, compared to the same genetics plus steroids.
They are.
Now, don’t get me wrong, you can get a pretty impressive physique regardless of your genetics, but genetics does play a huge factor. And the closer you get to the “top”, among competitors, the more important genetics are.
Only the most genetically talented people will make it to the top of the amateur bodybuilding ranks, and only the best of them (after hitting up the steroids hard core) will make it to the top of the professional bodybuilding ranks.
I hate to sound like an ass, but I should probably mention now that unless you have awesome genetics, and are willing to take a lot of steroids, you’re never going to be a super-ripped 250+ pound monster like you see on the cover of Flex and such. It simply won’t happen. Best to come to terms with that, now.
Don’t get me wrong, as I said earlier, you can build a mighty fine physique, the kind that will have girls drooling, and guys jealous. But you won’t look like a pro bodybuilder.
After you’ve finished reading Arnold’s Encyclopedia, I strongly suggest looking at this website, and reading the following articles to help you build a diet and workout program that will actually work for you:
www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=279big2
www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=280fat2
www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=body_136diet
www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=271diet2
After reading those, and any other articles that look interesting, you’ll be in pretty good shape. Then come back and ask more questions, and we’ll try to help you out. 
[1] An individual muscle fiber fires as an all-or-nothing contraction; your body is ‘lazy’ and will attempt to lift a given weight with the fewest required muscle fibers being activated. Thus, in order to get your body to fire the most muscle fibers, you have to give it something that it won’t be able to move any other way.
i don’t know if you saw my personal message already or not. i just make my point clear here:
1)they don’t build mass by doing high reps, some of them do powerlifting before, that’s what build mass.
2)not all of them are genetic freaks, but remember, they take some “special supplements”(steroids), that enhance recovery. and recovery is key.
3)my first bodybuilding training program is copied from Arnold. and i train naturally, no steroids, no prohormones. i think i’ve overtrained. but when i give my muscles enough time and nutrients, they can grow.
4)in my own experience, high reps didn’t build much power, so after a while, you muscles can’t grow bigger because you can’t use heavier weight to push them into growth agin.
so, my friend, if you train naturally, i’ll recommend you use the training program provided in this site, my power and size improved dramatically by using them. Also don’t forget your nutrition, they’re as important as your training.some of the articles about nutrition here is great.
use the Arnold’s Encyclopedia to motivate you, some of the basic idea about training you can learn. but the training system may not be suitable for you(and others who train naturally).
Concerning sets/reps, I would follow the advice from T-Nation Coaches. For ABBH, ABBH2, CW suggests these combinations 10X(3,4,5), 5X10, 6X5, (3,4)X12 (sometimes supersets or giant sets). Concerning higher reps, the 20 reps breathing Squat routine is effective for the overall body development.