“Hey man, whatcha' hittin' today?” How many times have I heard that question come from someone I see in the gym? “I dunno, maybe chest. Yeah, chest. I'm gonna hit chest.”
This interaction makes me think about training… What is it that we are doing? Are we training chest? Or are we benching? Maybe we just go to the gym to fuck around and call it “training”. As most of you probably already realize, I am a big believer in the mind-body connection. I believe that you can “will” your body to do shit. Training is so much in your head. Your goals, your dreams. Do we even consciously think about these things before we train? Should we? Absofuckinlutely.
Everyday when I go to the gym to train, I know that I am going to accomplish something--make my legs grow, get leaner, finish off the cap on my shoulders, whatever. But there is always a reason, a method to the madness that is the Rhino. I will be stepping onstage again in July 06' for the USAs. It is now October 05' and I already have my plan of attack for the entire year.
Every month, every week, every training session is planned for accomplishment. I know what the fuck I am doing and that's why when I step onstage, I am always ready. Always. Today I am training legs. I feel that my legs are losing a bit of ground, because my upper body has been responding so well lately. At 285lbs, you notice these things, but even as an amateur lifter, you should be aware of your body, your goals, and the journey that will take you to the top.
If you are just fucking trudging through life, day after day, I promise you, you will never get anywhere. Read “The Other Guy.” He goes to the gym everyday, talks, hangs out, meets girls. But year after year, he never changes. Never gains a pound. I think I would have to kill myself. So back to today's routine--legs.
My goal is to bring more sweep in my outer quad, as to match up with the roundness of my growing delts. I'm looking for symmetry here. I no longer worry about how much I weigh, or my size--just refinement, symmetry, growth, and steady improvement. Every year, I get a little better, a little more refined, a little more vascular.
To me, bodybuilding is a marathon, not a sprint. If you can last, eventually, you will get what you want. Not like some flash-in-the-pan stars that do two shows and turn pro because of their genetic structure. That's not bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is blood and sweat and guts, and every ounce of energy focused on growth.
Okay, enough with philosophy. What do I do when training legs? Well again, my training is very instinctive, with, of course, one goal in mind--today that goal being to make my legs grow like weeds. My body is very adaptive so I take time to make sure I never do the same routine twice in a row. I always hit the basics: squats, leg presses, hacks, etc. But I throw in different ancillary exercises such as weighted steps, extensions or whatever. Here is a “typical” routine:
1) Leg extensions/4 sets
2) Front squats/4sets
3) Hack squats/3sets
4) Weighted step ups/3sets
I typically don't predetermine reps. I just train hard, do as much as my body can take--and train 'til I die, like every rep is my fucking last. No bullshit. This is not a marketing ploy. Anyone who knows me knows I train like a fucking maniac. People ask me, “How long do you train?” My answer? “Til I'm done.” Seriously, I keep it simple. It ain't brain surgery. “Train big, eat big and you will be big.” That's what mom always said, and she was right. Bring it, and bring it hard.
