Thread: Cosgrove....

i need to call my mom

good article

Originally Posted by Vlar

i need to call my mom

good article

yea, that one really jumped out at me too.

In training, the only thing that matters is the result. It doesn't matter what used to happen, what you think should happen, what a textbook tells you is happening, what the experts say, or what a bunch of borderline-retarded pencildicks on a forum post about.

FOREMANRULES!! KENWOOD!! LEXUS!! ALL YOU HATERS READ THE BOLD PRINT!!

It's a good article with some key points of interest:


30. Having cancer changed my attitude on everything. Unfortunately, it took being faced with death before I really appreciated life. As Margaretta Rockefeller said, "Once you've been confronted with a life and death situation, trivia no longer matters. Your perspective grows and you live at a deeper level. There is no time for pettiness."

No doubt, and it doesn't have to be you, just someone who is close to you...


31. Surround yourself with good people. You don't have to know it all; you just have to know who to ask to find out. I'm in a lucky position in that I can consider some of the best trainers on the planet my friends.

They build you up instead of tearing you down...


32. At some point, your parents will pass away. Treasure the times you have with them. You probably won't appreciate this advice until it's too late. So call your Mom on Sunday, you bastard.

That sucks, but it is truth. Savor each day, every experience, and time spent with them...



Nice post.

26. Training a body part once a week is dumb. The body responds better to frequent exposure. You don't eat once a week, take all your supplements once a week, or train your heart (cardio) once a week, so why treat the rest of your body any different?

I have been seeing this a lot lately and I want to know you guy's opinion on it.

Originally Posted by KelJu

I have been seeing this a lot lately and I want to know you guy's opinion on it.

Your body works in movements .. therefore you train movements such as the upper/lower split or a push/pull/leg split and so forth.

Training a muscle once a week is a waste of time. Wish i knew this a long time ago.

Originally Posted by shiznit2169

Your body works in movements .. therefore you train movements such as the upper/lower split or a push/pull/leg split and so forth.

Training a muscle once a week is a waste of time. Wish i knew this a long time ago.

Not for me.

Could someone clarify the following for me?

If you train lower body twice a week, unloading the spine in the second workout and doing dumbbell step-ups, split squats, glute-ham raises, etc. will make a big difference to your overall strength and recovery.

What does Cosgrove mean by "unloading the spine?"

And two points I really enjoyed.

Training a body part once a week is dumb. The body responds better to frequent exposure. You don't eat once a week, take all your supplements once a week, or train your heart (cardio) once a week, so why treat the rest of your body any different?

Be real. It doesn't matter what people think of you. What matters is what you think of you. Of course, if I don't think much of you, you can pretty much take it to the bank.

Originally Posted by DOMS

Could someone clarify the following for me?



What does Cosgrove mean by "unloading the spine?"

Lliterally you never unload the spine, you just don't directly load it. Ie., when a weight is on your back, your spine is loaded, when you have a weight down at your sides, it is not directly loaded, so it is considered unloaded.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

Lliterally you never unload the spine, you just don't directly load it. Ie., when a weight is on your back, your spine is loaded, when you have a weight down at your sides, it is not directly loaded, so it is considered unloaded.

So, instead of back squats, you'd do single-legged squats? And instead of standing calf raises, you'd do donkey calf raises?

No. The weight is not directly on the back. So you can squat with the weight on your back (loaded) or with DBs at your side (Unloaded). You can also lunge loaded (Bar on back) or unloaded (DBs at side).

I would think donkey calf raises could go either way, your spine is loaded, but perpendicular to it's axis. I don't know how that would go.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

No. The weight is not directly on the back. So you can squat with the weight on your back (loaded) or with DBs at your side (Unloaded). You can also lunge loaded (Bar on back) or unloaded (DBs at side).

Go it. Thanks.

Originally Posted by shiznit2169

Your body works in movements .. therefore you train movements such as the upper/lower split or a push/pull/leg split and so forth.

Training a muscle once a week is a waste of time. Wish i knew this a long time ago.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a push/pull/legs split such as the following
still only work a muscle once a week?
Mon: push
wed: pull
Fri: Leg
For example, the only time you are hitting your chest is on Mondays.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a push/pull/legs split such as the following
still only work a muscle once a week?
Mon: push
wed: pull
Fri: Leg
For example, the only time you are hitting your chest is on Mondays.

You are right, but I think shiznit is making 2 points, not just one.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a push/pull/legs split such as the following
still only work a muscle once a week?
Mon: push
wed: pull
Fri: Leg
For example, the only time you are hitting your chest is on Mondays.

No. Your chest is used to adduct and extend the shoulders, as in a pull-up or a chin-up respectively. Your chest is also used to stabilize the bar while it is sitting on your back during a back squat.

As a prime mover only on monday, though.

Well what are the vet's opinion about the comment of training once a week? I was all about training a body part 3 times a week until I joined this board. Now, after some fantastic fucking gains working body parts only once a week I have reached the conclusion that working a body part once a week is not only not a waste of time, but can be a great idea.
But, I haven't heard anyone comment on this yet.
I also read the same comment in another post about thoughts by Matt Reynolds or some shit like that.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Well what are the vet's opinion about the comment of training once a week? I was all about training a body part 3 times a week until I joined this board. Now, after some fantastic fucking gains working body parts only once a week I have reached the conclusion that working a body part once a week is not only not a waste of time, but can be a great idea.
But, I haven't heard anyone comment on this yet.
I also read the same comment in another post about thoughts by Matt Reynolds or some shit like that.

KelJu bro welcome to IM ..nuff said

Originally Posted by CowPimp

No. Your chest is used to adduct and extend the shoulders, as in a pull-up or a chin-up respectively. Your chest is also used to stabilize the bar while it is sitting on your back during a back squat.

Well yeah I realise that, but I meant that the muscle being worked is the prime target.

It's just saying you can't completely isolate a muscle. It's the wrong terminology to use. You can't say your doing chest today when it assists in other movements such as squats and pullups. It's a matter of words, not what your doing.

Great article.

Originally Posted by Dale Mabry

As a prime mover only on monday, though.

Fair enough, but I think I made my point.

Originally Posted by fUnc17

It's just saying you can't completely isolate a muscle. It's the wrong terminology to use. You can't say your doing chest today when it assists in other movements such as squats and pullups. It's a matter of words, not what your doing.

Ok yeah I see what all you guys are saying, and yes my terminology has something to be desired. Hell, I just got it through my head this week what you guys have been meaning about training movements, not parts. And I see the point is that you really can't just train a part, but you can train a movement.
So you work the muscle, but you train for the movement.
But, you are only directly targeting your pecs when you are training on a push day. I am assuming that the comment about once per week is a waste of time is saying that one push per week is a waste of time. would you agree with this assumption? And what is your opinion on it, because personally I think that idea sucks.

NOthing is a waste of time, variation is key and sometimes you are going to train with higher frequency and other times not. Cosgrove's point is that the body responds to more frequency. You don't eat once a week, you don't take a vitamin once a week, you don't sleep once a week, etc.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Ok yeah I see what all you guys are saying, and yes my terminology has something to be desired. Hell, I just got it through my head this week what you guys have been meaning about training movements, not parts. And I see the point is that you really can't just train a part, but you can train a movement.
So you work the muscle, but you train for the movement.
But, you are only directly targeting your pecs when you are training on a push day. I am assuming that the comment about once per week is a waste of time is saying that one push per week is a waste of time. would you agree with this assumption? And what is your opinion on it, because personally I think that idea sucks.

I don't know that low frequency training splits are a waste of time. A lot of people have seen good results with them. Are they optimal? I don't think so. Do they work? Yes.

Look at it this way though. How many people do you know that train at a higher frequency? I bet not many. How many people do you think could potentially benefit from increasing their training frequency? Probably a lot, even if only for short periods.

Originally Posted by KelJu

Ok yeah I see what all you guys are saying, and yes my terminology has something to be desired. Hell, I just got it through my head this week what you guys have been meaning about training movements, not parts. And I see the point is that you really can't just train a part, but you can train a movement.
So you work the muscle, but you train for the movement.
But, you are only directly targeting your pecs when you are training on a push day. I am assuming that the comment about once per week is a waste of time is saying that one push per week is a waste of time. would you agree with this assumption? And what is your opinion on it, because personally I think that idea sucks.

It's a matter of personal opinion. If you prefer doing an additional push day, go for it. I see no problem with it as long as your not overtraining. The whole point of the article was that you shouldnt have a predetermined set of rules to adhere to. Think outside the box, and if something works for you, then keep doing it. Just make sure your safe in the process

Wide grip chins may bring out my lats more than yours but Close grip chins might bring your lats out even further than mine. As soon as you follow a preset list of rules your going to be afraid to try new things, and when that happens your going to be bored from your habitual routine and your not going to maximize your full potential

Upping my frequency and gradually training to failure over time has been a Godsend to my training and physique.

Not only that, but I was completely suprised in how much better overall condition this allowed me to become.

Originally Posted by camarosuper6

Upping my frequency and gradually training to failure over time has been a Godsend to my training and physique.

Not only that, but I was completely suprised in how much better overall condition this allowed me to become.

Am I reading this correctly?