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The idea for
this new version of Daily Specialization
Training came to me as I was re-reading
the famous story of Milos of Crotona in
ancient Greece, who lifted a calf (a baby
cow...not the calf muscle!) every day until
that calf grew into a bull. I'm sure you've
heard this one!
This is an
elegant example of the power of long-term,
progressive resistance.
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What IS Daily Specialization?
Daily Specialization
is a very simple training technique...basically,
you take one exercise and do ONE set of that exercise
TWICE a day, EVERY day.
And then you KEEP
doing it...
So, for example,
if you chose push-ups for your Specialization
exercise, first thing every single morning you
would do one set of as many push-ups as you could.
Then, every single evening, you would do another
single set of as many push-ups as you could.
And you do this
EVERY day. Because you're doing just one set of
one exercise, your body is fully capable of recovering
from this training and getting stronger from it.
Many people worry
that they have to wait two days before they train
a bodypart again. This is a total myth.
If you train an
exercise with high volume (i.e. lots of sets)
you SHOULD wait before training it again. But
because this program only hits you with one set
at a time, you can train a lot more frequently
and see some incredible long-term strength gains.
The example I like
to use is myself...the first time I used this
Daily Specialization program, I used handstand
push-ups. I went from
being unable to do 1 full rep to being able to
do 40 full reps in a matter of only a few months.
THAT is the
power of Daily Specialization.
In the first version
of the Daily Specialization routine, I recommended
using a bodyweight exercise and adding more reps
as you get stronger (which is the most practical
way to do it with bodyweight exercises). This
is an extremely effective technique and I and
many others have used it with great results.
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For a detailed look
at this program, go to:
Daily
Specialization Training - Transform Your Weakest
Bodyparts Into Your STRONGEST Bodyparts!
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With THIS new version,
you will use an exercise that allows you to increase
the resistance by small amounts on a regular basis.
And, of course,
I thought to myself, "lifting a growing calf
every day is certainly not practical. But why
not mimic the exact same principle with weights
instead?"
You will still do
an exercise to failure for one set twice a day,
but rather than using the same resistance every
time (as with bodyweight exercises), we will force
even greater adaptation by increasing the resistance
slowly but steadily.
Ideally, you'll
want to have a way to increase the resistance
easily, such as using a barbell or dumbells. If
you don't have barbells or dumbells at home, you
still have options for increasing resistance while
using bodyweight exercises, such as:
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1. You can
change body positions in ways that make
the exercise harder. For example, if you're
using Bench Dips and you start with your
knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat
on the floor, you will move your feet
further away from the bench, then set
them up on a chair/bench, then place them
on something that is higher than what
your hands are setting on.
2. The other
way to easily add resistance to a bodyweight
exercise is to get yourself a sturdy backpack
and gradually load it with heavy objects
such as books or water bottles filled
with sand. The more heavy things you put
in the pack, the more resistance you'll
get.
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For the first 4 days, start with a resistance
that allows you to get around 10 to 15 reps
for your one set. Your body will rapidly start
adapting to this new stress. You may experience
some initial soreness from working your muscles
far more frequently than they're used to. Four
days should be enough time to allow your body
to effectively start adapting.
Now we're going
to start letting Milos' calf grow, realizing
the full power of progressive resistance. Increase
the resistance by the smallest amount you can
and keep the twice-daily schedule going.
Add 2 1/2 lb plates
to your barbells/dumbells. Shift your body position
a small amount if using a bodyweight exercise.
Add one heavy book to your backpack, etc.
Use this resistance
for at least 2 days to allow your body time to
adapt to the slightly higher workload. After 2
days on this resistance level, note how many reps
you're able to do with that weight. If your reps
are 5 or less on this resistance, stay at that
weight for one more day. This will be your rule
of thumb for increasing resistance levels.
From this point
on, your goal is to increase the resistance you
are using very slightly every 2 days. Follow the
5 rep rule of thumb where if your reps are 5 or
less, use that resistance for one more day. As
well, continue to stay at that resistance for
as long as your reps stay below 5 or less. Don't
reduce the weight, just add days on until you
can do more than 5 reps with it.
Over the course of weeks and months, you are going
to force some serious adaptation in your target
muscle group.
This small but continuous
increase in resistance, which allows your body
a chance to adapt and focus on it, can result
in extremely large strength increases and add
plenty of muscle mass to your target muscle group.
The best exercises
to use with this type of training are the basics
- the exercises that use the most muscle for your
target bodypart. This could be barbell curls,
weighted dips, bench presses, deadlifts, rows,
shoulder presses, etc. Good bodyweight exercises
include pull-ups, dips, bench dips, push-ups,
etc.
I'm a big fan of
having some basic training equipment at home,
even if it's just a set of adjustable dumbells,
and I highly recommend investing in those if you'd
like to try this program. Sporting goods stores
or garage sales are your best bets for free weights
(don't order online as you will be hit with HUGE
shipping charges). Weights at home are not absolutely
necessary but they definitely help!
If and when you
do try this program, be sure to keep track of
your resistance levels and bodypart measurements
so you can gauge exactly how effective the program
is for you.
And definitely be
sure to let me know how you make out with this
program! There's nothing I enjoy more than hearing
how well one of programs has worked for you. That
is, after all, the main reason I'm in this business
- to make sure you have the information you need
to get the best results possible for the time
and effort you put into your training.
Want
to Learn More About
Specialization Training?
Click
here to find out how you can achieve
ridiculous strength gains (25% increases
in 4 days, for example!) and build up
lagging bodyparts FAST.
You'lll
get 6 power-packed Specialization programs
for just $9.95!
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