Another Example of Mick’s Personal Touch.

This Blog is certainly unique for many reasons – second to none to be exact and I will tell you why. Most editors just edit. Personal Trainers -personally- train their client then move on to the next one. Publishers publish and that is it – for most of the time anyhow. BUT this mag and it’s owner, me, on a 24/7 – 365 basis answer ALL mail sent in PERSONALLY, well those that are not rude or downright shit bags.

This is not only via -snail mail- but also by e-mail. -Why not get more staff if-, I hear! Yeah – I wish, but unfortunately the loyalty of you good readers would certainly be tested if an increase by a couple of quid was to happen – and I would not blame you.

Anyhoo – here is an example of the kind of letter I get every day. It was from a guy from the USA who just wanted a “couple” of questions answered. Now you wonder why I did not press delete? I don’t do that, but I knew that this would make a good read for you. I will not go into details about the guy personally and nor do I mean this with disrespect to him, but I think, as I have said it would make a good read and show you what type of letters and the detail that some of them ask for which can and does take up a lot of time.

Dear Mick Hart,
I think that you have most of the details in the form I filled in. Just in case you are interested I took some measurements. Calves – 17, Thighs – 26 1/2, Waist – 35 (breathing in), Chest – 48 (breathing out), Arms – 17 right, 16 left, Forearms – 13 1/2, Neck – 18. So then my questions. I’ve split them up into sections

Training
I generally try and do 6-10 reps per exercise – ie after a warm-up set i usually do 3 sets starting off with 9 or 10 reps at a weight, finishing with about 6 at the same weight. I do some big compound exercises – squats, straight leg dead lifts, bent-over rows, bench press (normal +close grip) and then some supplementary ones. These change round every few weeks. (eg chest day might be- Bench Press, Incline Dumbell Press, Dips and a couple of sets of flyes; Barbell curl, Dumbell curl then a couple of sets of cable curl.)

About the rowing
This was pretty hardcore – 11 sessions a week including 2 weights sessions. So, I have pretty good general fitness (even after a shitty year off) and know how to push myself (or at least I think I do, I definitely get a few strange looks in the gym I use at the moment when I’m doing squats).

1. What do you think of my training split? I try to keep each workout within 45 minutes.

2. I saw something in one of the No Bulls saying don’t do squats. Should I?

3. If I do squat then how far down should you go, parallel or right to the bottom.

4. Is my rep range OK. Would it be worth building up strength with lower reps (I squat 270 for 10 – just below parallel – and bench 210 for 10).

5. My arms have a pretty big difference – 17 inches to 16 – though they are the same strength. This might have something to do with the rowing I did. What can I do about it.

6. Cardio – what is a good routine? I do about half an hour, maybe 25 minutes. I usually try and really push myself – ie I’m pretty fucked at the end of it. Is this OK

7. Do you think it is worth having a training partner. I don’t at the moment, I just get people to help spot on some exercises.

8. What fat percentage should I aim at given I’m not competing – ie what is reasonable to gain weight and not look like a fat chuffer.

9. Rest – is it worth working out if you aren’t going to be able to get much sleep the next night – ie will you gain anything.

10. I am going to be travelling a lot in the next month or so and will be lucky to make it to the gym twice a week. I can keep up general fitness by running or swimming or something but I’m worried about losing mass. Especially after my appendix when I was off for 3-4 weeks and then it took 2-3 to get back to where I was; so 6 weeks were wasted overall. What is a good way of not going backwards if you can’t get to a gym.

11. I don’t train forearms at the moment. Should I or do they get enough work from other stuff.

12. How sore should I be after training. At the moment it is generally fairly mild. However it’s bad enough that I don’t do Cardio after leg day.

13. How much can I reasonably expect to gain each year before plateauing

Gear
1. If I have only been hitting the weights seriously for about 9 months should I try it. I have seen the pictures of the difference it made to your son but some people seem to say that you should do as much as possible naturally before starting – maybe 5 years or so. Should you only try it when natural gains have stopped.

2. What is the ideal beginners cycle along with everything you have to take to stop gyno etc. I other words what should I take and when on my first cycle (I know I should read your books and probably will, I just want to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth).

3. How much would this cost (in London since I am moving there in a few months)

4. How much would you expect to gain on your first cycle and does it make a difference how long I have been training

5. How much would you expect to keep.

6. Can you ever keep gains made with gear ie just with good training and nutrition – without having to take more.

7. What are the biggest dangers. Is it really safe, ie no suddenly dropping dead (I know this sounds stupid but you hear some weird rumours and I know fuck-all about it)

8. What is the best way to ensure a good supply – someone at the gym, the internet, some dude on a street corner (joke)…

9. I read something somewhere about orals being tougher on the liver. Is this true and if so are they best avoided.

Nutrition
1. What percentage calories of the different food groups do you advise.

2. How many calories a day should I aim at total (I think you have my stats on the form)

3. How important is it to keep really close track of what I eat.

4. I use creatine, taking it after I have worked out along with some carbohydrate. Is this OK. What do you think is the best dosage and how often. Should I cycle it and if so how. At the moment I do about 8 weeks then have a couple off.

5. Supplements in general – I use whey, meal replacement shakes and creatine. Is this OK. Do you advise anything else? What is best value for money?

Competing
How worth it is it to compete. What sort of fat percentage do you need to diet down to and how much should someone of my height (6’1″) weigh to make an impression at their first show.

Gyms
I am going to be moving to London in a few months (but haven’t sorted somewhere to live yet). Do you know of a few good gyms I can check out. Since I haven’t been training too long I reckon I need one with some pretty knowledgeable people who can make sure my lifting technique is OK.

and finally Women…
My girlfriend made a comment about me not getting too big. To my mind I only look half-decent – at least I’m not fat – and want a fuck of a lot more size. So then, do you think birds tend to go for big guys – it would be a shame to put all the effort in the gym and then not get any action… Right then I reckon that’s about it.
Thanks very much, I look forward to your reply.
Richard

Hi Richard,
Normally with a question/s of this size I would not answer because of the time factor – consultation or not. I would have returned it rather and had the questions reduced. However, on this occasion I will answer on a numerical order to save time as there are quite a lot. Here we go…………..

Training Answers
1. If you are going for pure mass, I would opt for the 3 days training system. This would increase your chances of gaining quite a lot. For size it is my favourite without doubt.

2. Squats, if done wrongly, can be quite damaging later on in life. It was for me EVEN though I have always been a A1 squatter with good style. All it takes is one bad day, to much weight and a wrong twist or position. That did it for me. Dislocated my hip on a regular basis. I would go for the leg press and hack squat as the major leg movement.

3. Parallel is best as any lower and it makes your dip forward and the hips push out. Bad movement and a lot of unnecessary strain on the lower back.

4. It’s OK but more a personal thing really. I prefer between 10-12 on all movements really.

5. Stop rowing! That is what is making the imbalance. Don’t use dumbells to work one over the other – use a bar and let the balance come naturally.

6. To much if you are trying to gain mass. It is no good bulking only to burn it off. 15-20 minutes tops every couple of days will do.

7. I don’t normally have a training partner, but when I do it does help. But relying on someone who doesn’t turn up pisses me off.

8. Again a personal thing. In the range of 25-20% would be acceptable to me.

9. You would eventually lose out yes. Rest is so important in training, in fact more important.

10. Just swim and keep up general fitness! You don’t lose it that quick!

11. They get enough in my opinion. But adding a few wrist curls every few days does not hurt at all. A good idea is to read Mobsters article in this months issue. Good reading.

12. Soreness should not be a level of how you have trained. An injury could occur; you could think that was good and train it the same way the next day even harder.

13. Impossible to answer – everyone is different.

Gear
1. He had been training naturally but not seriously. His decision, my knowledge and experience. I agree that you should go as long as you can without the gear; give it all and everything then have a go.

2. The horses mouth says, “Follow the beginners cycle in the Layman’s Guides“.

3. I cannot answer that for you here mate, but I do know a lot more than anywhere else – snigger!

4. Again, impossible to answer as everyone is different. You have to see how you get on after the first cycle and learn from that.

5. If you feed the body well with high protein and plenty of it especially AFTER the cycle, you should keep most of the gains.

6. Yes you can keep most of the gains. But of course, eventually they will diminish.

7. Biggest dangers or danger is lack of knowledge. Learn as much as you can and NEVER abuse. In most cases people think that more is best – it is NOT!

8. I cannot answer this here.

9. Orals have to go through the system as opposed to jabs which go more or less directly into the muscle system. Used properly and with plenty of supplement back ups, not abused, you will have no problems. Plenty of vitamin c, b & mutli vitamins will help to keep the system safe. Plus, plenty of fluid of course.

Nutrition
1. I would go for appprox 70-75% protein, 15-20% carbs and the rest fat.

2. A minimum of 4000+ easily.

3. So important that I would put it down to 80% of your success. Eat small, high protein, high calorie meals per day – I would go for about 6 but a couple of those could be very high quality protein drinks. No shit stuff neither.

4. Creatine for me works very well indeed. What I do and for my students, is advise that a half a teaspoon be taken for the first week, then for the duration of a steroid cycle, take it every day at about a quarter of a teaspoon until the cycle ends. If not on the gear, go for a month on and a week off then back on again.

5. I think that Whey & Creatine is by far the best protein by far. The best quality? Why Mick Hart’s No Bull Vits of course. AND if you disagree after I have typed all of this – I hope that your next shit is a hedgehog!

Competing
How bad do you want it? How much do you think that you can do to impress a judge? Is it in you? Can you do it? That is a question that I know the answer as a former competitor, but you will have to learn by making the decision mate. To be on stage is one of the hardest things in the world to do. BUT to do it and make an impression ne’er mind win is one of the highest buzzes you will ever get. People even as old as 70 even 80 can compete and get that buzz. I hope to get that if I reach that age.

Gyms
Best you get on the Mick Hart Discussion Board and ask there. Gyms chop and change so much and I cannot give an up to date report on that. The lads on the Board who live in London will gladly guide you in that direction – no problem!

Women
Hey man – I might be good but I am not that fucking good! WOMEN – boy what a question. However, if she is behind you and believes in you, you could never have a better partner. My wife is the BEST critic that I could have ever had. She is honest and dead straight forward. Get your woman on your side and you will win. But is she doesn’t like it – get another!
They all have their opinion, I respect that, but the question is who are you training for, her or you? I train for myself and think fuck the rest. I do it for me and so you should do it for yourself. But if you are not sure just how much your wife is interested in your bodybuilding OR the fact that you may not be turning her on, please check out the picture that I have put here for you. It will help you to see just how HOT she is for you!

Bodybuilding is one of the loneliest sports in the word, even when you are at your best. But get there and then fail and you will know just how hard it can be. When you start training for yourself and think basically “Fuck the world” then you will start enjoying it. Selfish? Oh yes, you have to be, but like I have said, if you want to succeed – think one thing….. FUCK EM! J

Take care and God bless

- Mick Hart.
Founder of Mick Hart Training Systems and the No Bull Collection Magazine.

- Layman’s Guides to Steroids I and II

- Layman’s Guides to Steroids III (new)

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