Top 5 Mass/Strength Components

What do all of you believe are the top 5 components in developing overall body mass and strength?

Let’s not turn this into a debate of who is right and who is wrong. I would like all of your opinions.

I think a thread like this will help all of us. I learn valuable information from people that I do not agree with at times.

My 5 not in order of priority

  1. Compound movements
  2. Develop tension in working muscles
  3. Stimulate the nervous system ( high speed band work, medicine balls, plyometrics)
  4. Train with focus and intensity
  5. Insure that progressive overload is being used in every workout.

Compound Lifts, Intensity, Lots of Food, Lots of Rest, and progressive loading

How much weight is lifted
how many reps
how often
how much food
how much sleep

  1. heavy-ass weights
  2. da Jooze
  3. eat a truckload of protein
  4. recover/rest
  5. free-weights over machines
  1. mental toughness
  2. goals
  3. food
  4. rest
  5. Lifting heavy weights

In no paticular order…

Proper Nutrition
Proper Form
Diverse Rep Range
Proper Rest
Motivation/Intensity

Great stuff keep it going. We should be able to compile a great list of mass and strength building guidelines.

  1. stressing the body so it will adapt, progressively, for at least 2 weeks so your body notices you are stressing it and not just having a crap day. THIS MEANS more physical work than you are used to doing.

  2. taking time off from the stress ie NOT stressing it long enough for the adaption to occur. ie rest, sleep, and a day/week of reduced workload

  3. feeding it so it can make repairs AND growth. If you don’t eat enough for repairs, you ain’t getting growth, and your body will canabalise other parts of you to survive, whether that be giving your brain no energy so you can’t think proper, or cut your libido, or stuff your digestion

  4. laughter fun and a positive outlook on life - able to handle life’s stupid crap it throws at you because, if you are a neurotic, anxious little fellow, your neurotic hormones will keep you little and weak. DO NOT overlook the importance of this

  5. a combination of these two:

A: eradication or minimisation of substances that damage your health such as drugs, alcohol, junk food or even allergins

and

B: determination of any dietary needs that are missing e.g magnesium, zinc, fatty acids that are not easy to get in todays modern diet

Heavy weights
Diverse reps
Adequate volume
Lots of Good Food
Lots of Sleep

In no particular order.

  1. Using basic compound movements: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, dips, pullups, chinups, stepups.

  2. Using at least 70% of 1 RM. Anything lighter is useful, but conditions stamina more than strength and mass. I view 70% as the minimum and including some work in the upper range (80-100%) or RM is useful.

  3. Getting a high volume in terms of reps and total weight moved.

  4. Eating enough protein and eating frequently.

  5. Getting proper rest.

  6. Finding out what works for your particular body.

  7. Constantly learning, growing, and adapting.

Okay, I gave seven; but I believe they are all important.

[quote]jp_dubya wrote:
How much weight is lifted
how many reps
how often
how much food
how much sleep[/quote]

x2

You guys got it all wrong…

  1. Yoga
  2. A strict vegan diet
  3. Some multi-colored dumbbells
  4. Cool gym clothes
  5. Lots of supplements
  6. Work out every day, and do 90% cardio!

Jeez guys…get it right.

=P

[quote]49ersFan81 wrote:
You guys got it all wrong…

  1. Yoga
  2. A strict vegan diet
  3. Some multi-colored dumbbells
  4. Cool gym clothes
  5. Lots of supplements
  6. Work out every day, and do 90% cardio!

Jeez guys…get it right.

=P
[/quote]

woe is us!!..how could we be so ignorant

  1. Stress on the Muscles
  2. Escalating Stress on the Muscles
  3. Sufficient Nutrition
  4. Sufficient Rest
  5. Get off your ass and do it!
  1. AAS
  2. Genetics
  3. Training methods that only work for AAS using genetic freaks.
  4. Assorted Hostess Treats
  5. Late night partying.
  6. Porn (Am I allowed to have a sixth?)

I dont know if you can break it down like this (i might be cheating but…)

1)Bench Press/food/rest
2)Squat/food/rest
3)Deadlift/food/rest
4)Shoulder Press/food/rest
5)Row/food/rest

  1. patience
  2. persistence
  3. hard work
  4. good food
  5. sleep

LA

In order of priority:

  1. Eating (NEVER forget this)
  2. Commitment to the program (giving it your 100% at sticking to it)
  3. Brains to develop the right program (knowing the right intensity, volume, etc. for your workout, as well as considering the right amount of rest and food you need, among other things like available time, sickness, roids, etc.)
  4. Getting good motivation and knowledge from people and stuff around you
  5. Using exercises that involve as much of the body and as much weight as possible (clean and presses, squats and deadlifts are on top)
  1. Determination
  2. Training
  3. Food
  4. Rest
  5. Not having AIDS

[quote]49ersFan81 wrote:
You guys got it all wrong…

  1. Yoga
  2. A strict vegan diet
  3. Some multi-colored dumbbells
  4. Cool gym clothes
  5. Lots of supplements
  6. Work out every day, and do 90% cardio!

Jeez guys…get it right.

=P
[/quote]

I knew I was missing something. Now I know. Don’t forget to use those multi-colored dumbells while standing in the squat rack. Your cool gym clothes should look like a Richard Simmons’ outfit. Make sure you buy ALL your supplements from Jared as Subway.