Last night I found an old York Barbell and Dumbbell System training manual in my basement. It was the first program I did, back in '93. Based on the photos (one dated 1962), I believe it’s probably from around the 60s. Also, the nutrition book recommended was published in 1954.
Here are a couple things I found really interesting in it:
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Three days/week full body routines, broken up into 4 routines or “courses” that last 6-9 weeks each.
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It’s a fairly high volume program, especially compared to a lot that’s thrown around today. Here’s a quick chart I made up showing the number of sets/week/bodypart (divide by 3 for per session), the total volume for the week, total volume per session, and what that volume would be per day if training 5 days/week:
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The majority of the lifts are compound exercises, like squats, bench, and rows, but there are curls, triceps extensions, pullovers, flys (in course 2).
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It mentions that while it’s possible to get through a workout in 45 minutes, once you are using heavy weights, it may take up to 2 hours.
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It addresses training lagging body parts though a 4 week specialization block, where you double the number of sets for that body part each workout. After the 4 weeks, you take a rest period for that body part, then go again, if you need.
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Always trying to add weight to the bar, even if it’s just 1 lb. It cautions against going all out on the first exercise, though, as you won’t have any energy left for the later ones.
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It encourages learning to think for yourself, starting as early as after the 1st week and once a “definite schedule can not (sic) be followed as to repetitions and poundages (sic), some scheme of progression should be used.”
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At some point you start to perform the exercises the number of times that is satisfactory to you, doing more or less depending on how you feel that day.
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It cautions against falling for diet fads. Amazing that this info was being put out there 50 years ago, but it’s still a huge problem today.
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It promotes a high protein diet, made up around whole foods. It doesn’t give a specific target, apart from aiming for 50-75g at breakfast and >2800 calories, up to a total of 5000 for the day.
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It suggests starting with 3 meals per day, but going to 4-5 if needed to get the calories in. A quart of room temp milk during your workouts is also suggested as a way to get more in.
It was a really interesting read and insight into what was being recommended back in the 60s. What I found most interesting was that this came from a time pre-PEDs or at least before they became widely used, and seeing volumes that is common now to say is way too high for a natural lifter. After the first course, the volume continues to build. Continually getting stronger and eating big were also encouraged.
What I will say, though, is that it doesn’t get into warm up sets or working to failure or not. It just says to start light/moderate at week 1 or the first time with a new exercise and continue to try to progress. If it calls for 2 sets or 5 sets, it doesn’t say if they’re ramped or straight weight, etc. From the impression I get, though, I don’t think all 30 sets in a workout are meant to go to failure.
Does anyone else around here have any old programs or maybe were even training back then?
