Living in the modern era can be both a curse and blessing. While we have instant access to virtually an infinite database of information, we are often forced to wade through a murky swamp of misinformation and idiocy. The same thing happens with fitness and bodybuilding; we are bombarded everyday with a variety of advice about how we should diet and eat.
Well, it's about time we set aside all those over-analyzed bodybuilding techniques and nauseating diets floating around social media and got back to the old-school basics.
Old-school bodybuilding secrets are primarily natural, taxing full-body routines, isolation exercises, wholesome foods, lashings of rest and lots of self-discipline. Below are our 5 old school, original bodybuilding tips that will see you add on natural lambs of muscles progressively.
Eat Like a Medieval King
This is the first commandment to old-school bodybuilding. Most modern bodybuilding diet plans have significantly cut down the most essential nutrients and minerals that you desperately need during bodybuilding. The secrete that most people seem to forget is that however much you lift or how frequently you train, you cannot put on any significant muscle unless you are giving your body enough fuel.
So what I'm really saying is shovel down as much food as you can during your workout season to make sure your body is stuffed of essential nutrients.
However, don't take this as a pass to eat anything and everything; keep it all natural and old fashioned. Consume lots of fish, fresh fruits, vegetables, whole milk, nuts, olive oil and whole eggs. Basically, if it comes in a tin or packet, bin it; in other words, do not eat anything that your great grandfather would not approve of.
Progressive Overload
To make significant progress in strength and size from any workout regime, you need to progressively add weight to the bar as often as possible. When you are just stating, do not be intimidated by the sweaty Italian next to you who deadlifts an equivalent of a baby elephant. It's not about how much you can lift during your first session, rather, it's about how much progress you make with each session. What you may not know is that Italian guy next to you probably started with lighter weights than you...
In general, old-school bodybuilding spirit dictates that progress should be made gradually over a long period of time. If you are consistently going to ramp up the weights and train to failure, you are robbing yourself of confidence and enjoyment in your regime. If you notice that you are not making any progress over time, don't beat yourself up; take a short break and pump in a few more calories.
Supplement Aren't a Substitute
Modern bodybuilders are living in the era of the supplement boom. The market is flooded with pills, powders, liquids and portions that promise everything from overnight weight loss and lean muscles to six pack and superhuman energy.
Forget about all those herbal juices and Atomic Plus crap; no supplement can make up for a disciplined diet and hard work.
The rule of thumb when it comes to supplements is you should use them to supplement your food, not to replace it. Start by first nailing the basics with your traditional diet, and then you can later introduce supplements.
Wide-Grip Chins
People seem to have forgotten about chins recently. Back in the day, bodybuilders used to do wide grip chins religiously, all I see nowadays is people doing lat pull-downs. Just be sure to do enough reps and maintain correct form all through.
The Bottom Line
This old school muscle building advice goes beyond just bodybuilding, you get to enjoy the health benefits and safety that all adds up to prolonged overall wellness. So again, keep it simple, old-fashioned, eat healthy and put in serious hard work. Your results and physique will speak for itself!
About The Author
Having tried many different supplements and getting stuck in the "modern era of bodybuilding", Kevin Hodges has seen and practised both sides of the coin. You can find many more articles like this on his website turbobulk.com where there are posts like best supplements for bulking and much more...
