Arthur Jones Revelations from one of the writers

So more of arthur jones writing about resting and building a better, stronger and fitter body.

I've heard Arthur Jones talk about his early experiences with lifting weights many times. Studying what produced average, good, and excellent results ? and then analyzing why ? were instrumental in Jones's philosophy of high-intensity exercise.

His insights have always provided me with greater knowledge to evaluate my own strength training. Perhaps they will do the same for you, too.


Four Sets of 12 Exercises

In 1936, at the age of 12, Arthur Jones became interested in weight training. He also practiced gymnastics, which explains why chin-ups and dips were two of his favorite exercises. According to Jones's autobiography, he was well-built by the time he reached the age of 14.

Over the next 15 years, Jones's training wasn't consistent. It was on again and off again, since the necessary equipment was in short supply as he traveled the world. When he trained, however, he settled on a routine that entailed three weekly workouts of four sets of 12 different exercises.

Such workouts brought Arthur's body mass up to 172 pounds. At 172 pounds, however, his progress plateaued. Additional exercises and extra sets didn't work. Thus, Arthur typically stopped in disgust ? he quit training for months, or even years.

Being a person who was constantly on the move, combined with little exercise, Arthur's muscle mass would gradually shrink. When the circumstances were right in his life, Arthur, at a bodyweight of 150 pounds or less, would settle down somewhat and start training again. In a few months, with his routine of four sets of 12 exercises, Arthur's bodyweight would increase to 172 pounds. "Exactly 172 pounds," I've heard Jones say emphatically, "and not one ounce more."

Finally, after several more episodes of yo-yoing between 150 and 172 pounds, Jones decided to do something different ? radically different. He cut his routine in half. Rather than four sets, he performed each of the 12 exercises for only two sets.


Two Sets of 12 Exercises

Here's what Arthur's routine probably looked like:

1) Parallel bar dip with weight attached
2) Chin-up, supinated grip, with weight attached
3) Lateral raise with dumbbells
4) Bent-over rowing with barbell, supinated grip
5) Standing overhead press with barbell
6) Pullover on bench with barbell
7) Bench press with barbell
8) Standing biceps curl with barbell
9) Standing triceps extension with barbell
10) Seated wrist curl with barbell
11) Squat with barbell
12) Stiff-legged deadlift with barbell

What was the outcome of half as much exercise? "My body started growing like a weed," Arthur remembered. "It shocked even me."

Within a few weeks, Jones reached a muscular size and strength level that was far above anything that he'd been able to produce previously. With longer workouts, Arthur reasoned, he had been preventing additional growth by not providing his body with enough rest after the initial stimulation. In other words, he'd been overtraining ? doing too much exercise.

On my last visit to Arthur's home in Ocala, I asked him about the time in his life when his body was at its biggest and strongest.

"It was in 1954 in California," he said. "I weighed 205 pounds with cold upper arms that measured 17-3/8 inches. And I was still doing two sets of 12 exercises. That year, I could have entered and placed high in the Mr. America contest."

In 1954, Arthur would've been 30 years of age. So I asked him, "Arthur, if you'd known then what you know now, what would you have done differently with your routine?"

"I would've trained less," he replied. "Instead of 12 exercises, I would've reduced the number to eight. Instead of two sets, I would've performed only one set. Instead of training three times per week, I would've trained twice a week. And one more thing, I would've worked legs first rather than last.

"Training in such a fashion, I believe that I would've reached a bodyweight of 205 pounds ? or even heavier ? faster!"


One Set of Eight Exercises

Okay, let's take Arthur Jones's advice of one set of eight exercises, twice a week to heart. Personally, I like the idea of an "A" and a "B" workout. The A Routine would be performed on Monday of each week, and the B Routine on Thursday or Friday.

A Routine

1) Squat
2) Pullover
3) Dip
4) Chin-up
5) Bench press
6) Biceps curl
7) Triceps extension
8) Wrist curl

B Routine

1) Stiff-legged deadlift
2) One-legged calf raise
3) Lateral raise with dumbbells
4) Overhead press
5) Shoulder shrug
6) Bent-over rowing
7) Negative dip
8) Negative chin-up

To supplement the above routines, occasionally I'd substitute the leg press for the squat. Or, if you can't do the squat properly, then you might do the leg press exclusively.

The other possible modification to the A Routine would be in the eighth exercise, the wrist curl. You could substitute a number of other movements here: reverse wrist curl, trunk curl (or other abdominal exercises), or neck work (the four-way neck machine would be my first choice).

For the B Routine, you could do the leg curl machine instead of the stiff-legged deadlift, and the leg extension machine instead of the calf raise.

Of course, all of the above assumes that you're already an advanced trainee who works intensely and progressively ? in good form.


Profit from Arthur Jones's Guidelines

Looking back, Arthur Jones ? from his more than 60 years of strength training ? learned the following:

? Two sets are better than four sets, and one set is better than two sets.

? Eight exercises are better than 12 exercises.

? Two days per week are better than three days per week.

Sure, some athletes with the right genetics can grow to massive proportions on much more exercise than is recommended above. Arthur Jones himself proved that. But these same athletes would've gotten even better results if they would've trained less.

Don't assume that you're an exception to Arthur's concepts. In fact, you'd be better off assuming that you're not. It took Arthur Jones more than 30 years to learn that growth stimulation for a particular muscle requires only one, properly performed set.

It took him another 20 years to understand that overall muscular growth accelerates from shorter routines and more rest days.

Make up your mind today that you're going to reach your full muscular potential in the most efficient manner ? by training less.