Secrets of Bodybuilding Success - Part 4

By Rob Drucker

Question 4

Is it possible for me to build big muscles with only a standard barbell and plates? I can't afford much else, and I don't have access to a commercial gym.

Answer:

There are many bodybuilders who falsely believe their progress is dictated by the variety or kind of strength equipment they own or have access to. To a large extent, this belief is ingrained from a multitude of advertisements put forth by strength-equipment manufacturers, or from sellers of such equipment. Through strategic efforts of big-time marketers, we are often led to believe that muscular gains can only be realized by using their expensive machines and apparatuses. This is especially true if we are led to believe that a champion bodybuilder or weightlifter built his muscles by using the advertised equipment. Ditto for food supplements.

This is not to say that basic strength building equipment, such as a sturdy power rack, a set of hefty barbell stands, and a solid weight bench, are not valuable aids to the bodybuilder. Such equipment can definitely be used to advantage to gain muscle and strength. However, you can build a great physique without such equipment with the right approach.

Most of the best exercises for building strength, muscle, and power require only basic equipment to implement. The barbell squat, the deadlift, the bench press, the barbell press, and the barbell row are such examples. But, what if you don't have a pair of barbell stands, a power rack, and / or a weight bench. Should you just forget about building a massive chest and superbly developed legs? Not a chance. You're supposed to be a strongman, and a strongman doesn't give up. You simply need to find some alternative exercises which can rival these and other traditional power builders, but which can be done safely without specialized equipment.

To get you started in your search for some great alternative exercises, I'll throw out a few suggestions. First, the straddle lift (Jefferson lift) and the hack squat can provide marvelous leg development, and both require only a barbell set to perform. John Grimek, who arguably had the finest leg development of all time, often included both of these exercises in his training routine.

Another GREAT alternative for leg development, and which requires only a barbell set to perform, is an exercise I call the deadlift squat. The deadlift squat is done just like the regular deadlift, except there is a greater emphasis on using the legs to lift the weight. I often use this exercise instead of the barbell squat, and it works extremely well for me. For the deadlift squat, I use standard plates so I can start the lift at a relatively low position. As I lift the barbell from the floor, I use my legs as much as possible, keep my head up, and keep my back straight and upright. I also keep the barbell very close to the shins of my feet to place greater emphasis on the thigh muscles, and less on the lower back. If you place the focus on the legs and keep your back fairly straight and upright, you will be amazed by how well the deadlift squat can rival the traditional barbell squat for building muscle, strength, and power. And since you must hold the weight in your hands rather than allow it to rest on top of your shoulders, the deadlift squat also gives your hands, wrists, forearms, shoulders, and back a terrific workout.

The back of the thighs can be trained extremely well with just an ordinary barbell. The Bend Over or Good Morning exercise builds great strength and flexibility, and it marvelously develops the hamstring muscles. This is another exercise that John Grimek routinely used to build and shape his enormous legs. The stiff-legged deadlift, done with a moderate weight and with legs kept straight, also will stimulate quite a bit of growth at the back of the legs.

The bench press is a favorite exercise of many iron athletes for building the chest, the shoulders, and the triceps. However, in order to perform this exercise safely, you need a power rack, or a strong and loyal spotter. This can present quite a problem if you are a home lifter and you do not have a training partner or the right safety equipment. One solution is to do your bench presses with dumbbells. The dumbbell version can be done safely without a spotter or a power rack, but you still need a weight bench.

If you don't have a weight bench, you can perform the Pull Over and Press on Back, or what is also called the floor press. Many old-time strongmen used this exercise regularly, and they built tremendous strength and power from it. This movement was done much like a modern-day bench press, except that the lifter laid on the floor to execute the lift. The floor press is performed as follows: While lying on the floor, and with a barbell resting just behind your the head, the bar is grasped with both hands, brought over the face, and then positioned over the chest. Once the barbell is positioned on the chest, both upper arms should rest firmly on the floor. The barbell is then pressed to arm's length, lowered, and lifted again for a number of repetitions. Throughout the entire lift, the heels should be kept together, the legs should be held straight, and the back of the legs should remain firmly on the ground.

Another great alternative to the bench press is the parallel dip. Mike Mentzer calls the parallel dip exercise the "upper-body squat", because he says it does for the upper body what squats do for the lower body. Ordinarily, the dip is done on a set of parallel bars, similar to those used by gymnasts. However, you can easily do this exercise by using two strong chairs, or with whatever other supports you can find. I've even done this exercise on a kitchen counter across two angled sections. In my opinion, the parallel dip is every bit as good, probably better, than the bench press for building thick pectorals, beefy triceps, thick deltoids, and herculean upper body strength.

Although often overlooked by many bodybuilders, the three Olympic lifts require only a barbell set to perform. Each of these lifts, the two hands clean and press, the two hands snatch, and the two hands clean and jerk, builds enormous muscle, strength, power, and flexibility throughout the whole body. And you don't have to train with a revolving Olympic bar to benefit from these three lifts. John Davis, one of the greatest weightlifting champions of all time, used to train with the three Olympic lifts during his younger years with just a standard barbell set. And he built an incredible amount of muscle and strength doing so. So can you. A word of caution though. Unlike pure bodybuilding or powerlifting exercises, each of the three Olympic lifts require special skills to execute properly. And, it can be difficult to learn these skills on your own. Having an experienced weightlifter or strength coach at your side is the best way to learn how to correctly perform these three quick lifts. Another option is to study one or more good books devoted to the teaching of weightlifting. One book I recommend is Weightlifting by Bob Hoffman. Another excellent book is Weight Lifting and Weight Training by George W. Kirkley.

There are dozens of other fine muscle-building exercises which require only a barbell or dumbbell set to build your body with. However, it is not the purpose of this article to outline and describe each and every one them. What is important here is to gain a realization that you have what you need right now to build a powerful and muscular body.

Secret 4

When it comes to building muscle and great strength, it's not what you have that matters. What is important is making the most from what you do have. This is a general principle of success in any endeavor. Nonetheless, many lifters waste valuable time by worrying about what they don't have - a big gym, lots of money, Arnold-like genetics, lots of free time, a sunny day, and so forth. Stop your pity talk and excuse making right now, and concentrate on doing your best with what you have. If you do this, your training progress will achieve an unstoppable momentum.