Mentzer Iron Man

7/29/2019 Mentzer Iron Man

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Stress is a popular topic these days, the subject of innumerable

magazine articles and a favorite at cocktail parties. Because stress isdiscussed so often in so many different circles, its bound to be

misrepresented and misunderstood. For a precise definition I quote Hans

Selye from his fantastic book The Stress of Life: Stress is the common

denominator of all adaptive reactions in the body. Further on Selye gets

more specific: Stress is manifested by a specific syndrome which

consists of all the nonspecifically induced changes within a biologic

system. That means that stress has specific characteristics and

composition but no particular cause.

The human body is exposed to myriad stressors, or stress-producing

agents, day in and day out. These include cold and hot weather,

emotional stimuli, viral infections and muscular activity, just to mention

a few. So, while all of these things can induce a state of stress, thus

making causation nonspecific, the form it takes is always very specific.

The bodys specific reaction to stress Selye termed the general

adaptation syndrome, or GAS. The GAS consists of three distinct stages:a general alarm reaction, a stage of resistance and, if the stress persists, a


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stage of exhaustion. Stress is present during all three of these stages, but

its manifestations, or symptoms, change during the evolution of the

syndrome. Most of the stressors that act upon us result in changes

corresponding to the first and second stages of the GASat first they

alarm us and then we get used to them. Only very severe stress leads toexhaustion and, if prolonged, eventually death.

Selye goes on to illustrate activities that go through the three stages and

concludes by saying, Most human activities go through the three

stages: We first have to get into the swing of things, then we get pretty

good at them, but finally we tire of them.

Most of us have had the experience of lying in the hot summer sun in

order to get a tan. Though our reason for tanning is a cosmetic one,

nature had something else in mind. The process of tanning is an example

of adaptation designed to protect us from the stress to our tissues

caused by ultraviolet light.


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The adaptive process, then, is essentially defensive in nature. And the

degree to which the adaptation is stimulated is directly proportional to

the intensity of the stressor. Have you ever attempted to get a tan in the

middle of winter? You can lie in the sun for hours on end with little or no

response. This is because the sun is not overhead during the winter andhence not very intense. Even repeated exposures of long duration will

stimulate little response.

What a difference exposure to the hot midsummer sun directly overhead

makes. The bodys response is immediate and dramatic. Initially there is

a reddening and inflammation of the skin. This, of course, corresponds to

the alarm stage of Selyes GAS. During the alarm stage the body gains

time for the development and mobilization of specific adaptive

phenomena in the directly affected region. In this case the bodymobilizes its store of melanin, or skin pigment, in readiness for further

exposure to the suns intense ultraviolet rays. If exposure is repeated,

adaptation moves into the second stage, the stage of resistance. Its

during this stage that overcompensation in the form of a tan takes place.

The energy involved in the adaptive process, or adaptation energy, as

Selye refers to it, is limited. If we prolong exposure to the intense sun, we

will swiftly enter the third stage of the GAS, exhaustion.


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In the stage of exhaustion the bodys local reserves of adaptation energy

are used up and the deep reserves of adaptation energy cannot be made

available readily enough. Instead of overcompensation with a tan wedecompensate and lose tissue as blisters develop, then burn. If exposure

is of long enough duration, death will supervene. So, up to a very

definite point in time, exposure to the stress of the sun will result in

overcompensation in the form of a tan, and if exposure exceeds that

point, the body loses its ability to overcompensate and heads instead in

the other direction and decompensates. To stimulate the adaptive

process, then, stress must be intense, but exposure to such stress must

be brief and infrequent so as to not use up the reserves of the adaptation

energy that allow for overcompensation.

Its my belief that we can apply Selyes concept of the GAS to training

and thereby make it more productive.

1) The alarm stage. Just as exposure to the sun initially causes redness

and inflammation, your first exposure to weight training, either at the

start of training or after a layoff, results in muscle soreness and general

irritability. This alarm reaction, which is experienced by the individual as

soreness, is observed clinically as a bodily expression of a generalized

call to arms of the defensive forces in the organism and is unavoidable.

While some soreness should be expected at first, it doesnt have to be

crippling. Selye writes, The alarm response of the body is directly

proportionate to the intensity of the aggression. Extreme degrees of

muscular soreness can be prevented by following a break-in period of

training that is carefully designed to impose low-level stress in

preparation for the more intense activity to come.


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Beginners must be especially cautious and follow the break-in routine

listed below very carefully. Selye points out that during the acute phase

of the alarm reaction the general resistance to the particular stressor

actually falls below normal. This is because the body has not yet had

sufficient time to mobilize its defensive forces in readiness for further

assaults from the stressor, in this case exercise. During the alarm reaction

the bodys reduction of general resistance is marked by increased blood

flow to the trained areas and even a reduction in bodyweight. Curiously

enough, this reduction of general resistance is similar to what happens

to the body during the state of exhaustion.

During this break-in period, which should last at least a week, depending

on the individuals existing condition and innate adaptability, the

beginner should perform the following routine every day for five

consecutive days:

1) Full squats 1 x 10

2) Bent-over rows 1 x 10

3) Bench presses 1 x 10

4) Barbell presses 1 x 10

5) Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 x 10

6) Barbell curls 1 x 10

7) Calf raises 1 x 10

8) Situps 1 x 10


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These exercises should be performed with a weight that doesnt require

extreme effort for the completion of the 10th repetition. This would

increase the stress of the program to a high level and exacerbate the

symptoms of the alarm stage. The idea here is merely to mobilize the

bodys defensive forces for further assaults and move the body into thestage of resistance. Inducing debilitating soreness is not necessary. While

some soreness is unavoidable, it can be held in check if the exercises

arent carried to a point of exhaustion.


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If soreness persists after five days on this program, rest during the

weekend and continue again on Monday, followed by a workout

Wednesday and Friday. This time, however, perform two sets of each

exercise; the first set should be performed just like the sets done in thefirst week, with the same weight. On the second set increase the weight

by 10 percent and try to perform 10 reps. Even with a greater weight you

should still be able to perform 10 reps but, of course, with slightly

greater effort. The greater effort required on the second set raises the

stress level and thereby induces further adaptation. As Selye points out,

No living organism can be maintained continuously in a state of alarm.

If the stressor isnt so intense that continuous exposure to it is not

incompatible with life, the alarm reaction is necessarily followed by a

second stage of adaptation, the stage of resistance.

2) The resistance stage. Please keep in mind that while a state of stress

can be induced by any number of agents, the form it takes is always

specific. This is not just true for some people but for every human being.

I reiterate this here because bodybuilders have been mistakenly led to

believe that our requirements for exercise are absolutely unique. Bear in

mind that lifting weights is a stressor to our bodies just as the suns rays

are. Though its true that some respond more readily and to a greater

extent to exercise, just as some acquire tans more rapidly than others,

the factors underlying the adaptive response are exactly the same in all

human beings. So, while it may be true that some may derive greater

benefits from a given program than others, every one of us adapts and

resistsin this case by growing larger and stronger musclesin

proportion to the intensity of the stressor. Moreover, every human

being who has ever lived possesses only limited reserves of localadaptation energy that can slowly be restored from deeper stores during

rest.

Weight training is a form of stress over which we have direct control; the

intensity level depends on our ability or willingness to generate effort via

muscular contraction.

For the purpose of inducing rapid and large-scale increases in muscle

mass and strength from weight training, such training must be of highintensity. If it isnt, results will be slow, if they come at all. While some will


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seemingly gain more dramatically than others, even on a lower-intensity

program, all individuals will respond more rapidly when intensity is the

highest that they can generate. So, while so and so has had a fair

measure of success with only moderate training intensity, he would have

experienced far greater progress on a higher-intensity program. This istrue for anyone.

As we adapt and respond to stress in proportion to its intensity, we also

use up reserves of adaptation energy in proportion to the intensity of the

stress. While he has not yet proven it clinically, Selye has come to believe

we possess local reserves of adaptation energy that are used up initially

as we adapt to stress. This draining of the local reserves is what leads us

to cease a certain activity, such as weight training, at a certain point.

These local stores can be replenished from deeper reserves elsewhere inthe body, however. Selye points out that such restoration of local reserve

is slow. How slow? Well, you can tell if your workouts are brief enough

and spaced properly to allow for full restoration by whether or not you

are adapting; i.e., getting bigger and stronger. The first thing your body

must do following a workout is restore its local reserves of adaptation

energy. If the workout was intense enough to stimulate a strong

adaptive response and not too long, your body will overcompensate and

grow larger and stronger. If you havent experienced progress lately,

there are three probable reasons: 1) The intensity wasnt sufficientenough to stimulate a strong adaptive response; 2) the workouts

werent brief and irregular enough to allow for overcompensation; or 3)

your workouts were too low in intensity as well as too long and

conducted too often.

My advice to those who have experienced an impasse in their training

progress is to take a layoff of at least one full week. This should allow

your body enough time to fully restore its reserves of adaptation energy,

which youll need when you resume training with a higher-intensity

program. Your new program should involve no more than four workouts

a week and should consist of no more than four or five sets per bodypart.

The low number of sets will enable you to generate maximum intensity

of effort by going to complete failure on each and every set. Any more

than that and youll have to hold back somewhat on each set; i.e., pace

your effort so youll have enough energy and drive to complete the sets

that loom ahead with like intensity.


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While it may actually require something less than maximum, or 100

percent, effort to induce growth stimulation, how would you know

where that level might be and how would you accurately measure

anything less than 100 percent effort? You couldnt, so be sure to pass

that threshold. If such a program doesnt produce immediate results, cut

your workouts back to four every nine days instead. If the intensity is

high and youre still not seeing progress, then youre not allowing

enough time between workouts. If youre merely not making progress,

yet not regressing, then youre at least compensating for the stress of

your workouts but obviously not overcompensating.

3) The exhaustion stage. As a high-intensity workout proceeds, we

experience a reduction in drive. If we proceed long enough, this

reduction becomes acute and exhaustion sets in, so were forced to stop

our activity. Enough time must be allowed between workouts for full

restoration of the local reserves. Otherwise, we will continue our

workouts while drawing from the deep reserves. This will result initially

in a loss of size and strength, then a feeling of being burned out, along

with a strong disinclination to continue any type of physical activity, and,

ultimately, death.

Selye believes that local adaptation energy is immediately available

upon demand. Deep adaptation energy, however, is stored away safely

as a reserve. The stage of exhaustion, after a temporary demand like a

workout is reversible, while the exhaustion of our reserves of deep

adaptation energy is not. As these reserves are depleted, senility and,

finally, death ensue.

While its not very likely that anyone would carry overtraining to a point

that might result in death, we should at least know enough about thenature of adaptation to realize that our ability to successfully cope with

the effects of a workout are limited; and if we are to make optimal

progress, our workouts must be brief and irregular as well as intense.

As our training progresses over the years, we seem to invariably hit

plateaus in our progress. While I stated the probable causes earlier,

theoretically, sticking points should not happen. If we apply ourknowledge of the GAS to our training, we should continue progressing


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until we reach the absolute limits of our potential. Most of us probably

would not progress continuously even if we did apply such knowledge,

due to ups and downs in motivation, along with those inevitable pitfalls

along lifes way, which will occasionally force us to stop training for

different periods. (As yet no one has reached the absolute limit of hispotential. Not even top bodybuilders like Sergio Oliva or Arnold. From

what Ive been able to gather, they didnt possess such knowledge and

their training proceeded haphazardly for the most part.)

If we can fully grasp the fact that training intensity must progress as we

grow larger and stronger, we will continue adapting by growing still

larger and stronger. As we fully adapt to a certain level of training

intensity by getting bigger and stronger, we must increase the training

intensity again if we wish to continue to improve. As we progress andadapt again in response to the new higher level of training intensity,

then we must up it another notch and so on up the ladder of intensity

until we reach our limits of adaptation, the limits of our muscular

potential.

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