And i also read somewhere else in another article that you should not jump from like bodybuilding to powerlifting then back bodybuilding and then after a while weight lifting and so on… the author also said you have to focus on one thing to maximize your gains.
So i was wondering will it really hurt your gains or idk CNS that you change your line of work just because your upperbody or lowerbody is your lagging bodypart? After how many years of training should you consider changing line of work? Is it good for one time variation or can you continue changing it every year or 7,8 month?
If you train to maximize performance in one style, then you should stick to it. Especially if the style you want to focus on has a fairly high skill component (olympic lifting or gymnastic work for example) since you need to keep practicing those skills to stay good at them.
But if you are more into a low-skill thing like powerlifting (low skill in the way that the movements used are not super technical like olympic lifts and gymnastic work) you can likely go back and forth between powerlifting and bodybuilding training. Heck, a lot of powerlifter train like bodybuilders for pretty much everything except their bench, squat and deadlift. Hey, even Eddie Hall (who deadlifted 500kg and is a top 5 strongman competitor) does a lot of his training bodybuilding style.
Heck even olympic lifters from the 50s trained for olympic lifting most of the year, then did bodybuilding work for 2-3 months.
If you plan to excel today though, you likely need to focus on one style. But if you have no plan on being world class or national level in a sport, you can simply train hard and change your style once in a while. Especially if you use the change of pace to correct weaknesses.
Just because something gives you lesser improvements in the short/medium term in something doesnt mean that its not good. Some of us simply want to look better, be leaner and perform better.
BTW if you decide to stop focusing on heavy lifting and do more bodybuilding work you CAN lose your capacity to demonstrate strength. Displaying strength is a skill. And if you stop doing it, you become worst at it. But if you don’t lose muscle (or even build muscle if you are bodybuilding) the strength will quickly come back one you start focusing on heavy lifting again.
Absolutely agree with CT. As long as you are not competing in one certain area, why not get the benefits of several different styles? I have successfully “blended” CT’s Best Natty and Strength Skills Circuit programs into a 2 week block style program, just alternating Push Skill, Pull Natty, Push Natty, Pull Skill approach. I am loving how I feel and the look I am getting. Ultimately, you need to find what works the best for you.
In 2018 I wrote a testimonial about how awesome your Simple Guaranteed Size and Strength program was. The general premise of that program has become my “normal”, but I’ve tweaked it to fit my goals.
I felt like most of my gains were in my lower body when I ran SGSS. I wanted more upper body mass, and I decided to test your muscle migration theory. By the way, I don’t think it’s a theory anymore.
I dropped some leg work and made SGSS a push/pull split to allow for more upper body work without having one short session and one marathon session.
I entered the T-ransformation Challenge just to be social and to keep competing for most improved from year to year. I didn’t win, but I was pleasantly surprised by my results. The mirror is king, and I have to say that because I didn’t take measurements to document my progress. My weight was 226 and change in both pics, but I look different.
Muscle migration is the real deal!
For reference, I’m 35 years old. I’ve been married for 12 years and we have a 4 and 7 year old. I’m an American police officer. I didn’t count calories or weigh my food which is actually a first for me. This is a huge victory for my mental health. I’m not done, either. SGSS push/pull with an upper body emphasis has become my new training method. I just finished a 12 week cycle in late May and hit 505 on deadlift which is a non deadlift bar PR. My next goal is to get back to a smooth 275 lb power clean (yes, I’m aesthetically driven but I still like to be powerful).
