Add A Half-Inch To Your Arm In Just One Day
Approximately 12 or 15 years ago we experimented with a specialized training method that gave us some remarkable results. In fact, they were so remarkable that many people would not believe them. We eventually called this the blitz system, and though there have been other systems that were called blitz systems, this was the original and probably the most remarkable, for with it we were able to add ¾ inch to the arms in one day in some cases.
We have recently had so many requests for information on this method of training that we decided we ought to bring it to your attention again and tell you how it is followed.
Obviously this system has its shortcomings, otherwise it would be the system everyone would follow regularly because then you’d be able to develop a herculean type physique in two or three weeks. The biggest problem is that you cease to continue to gain after about one day and also that practiced as some follow it, you would be exhausted in a few days. It definitely is a one-day system, and as such has considerable to recommend it for those who would like to gain ½ to ¾ inch in one day when they haven’t made this much progress in months of hard work.
At the time we started this work we had hoped to develop a modified system which would permit gains to continue over a long period of time but this work was delayed and just now we are again thinking and working in this direction. Actually some systems seem to take years for maturity and they lie dormant for a long period of time before being fully exploited. Recent work in other fields has again brought these special systems to mind with the hope that further development can be made. This has not progressed far enough yet for discussion in Iron Man but when we have a definite opinion backed by some experimental proof you will hear about it.
Now about this one-day blitz. Most fellows think of the arms for some reason when they think of adding muscle: why I don’t know, for the arms are the least important part of the body as far as extra muscle is concerned. However, the world seems to look at a man’s arms and to judge his strength and manhood on this faulty basis, and this probably will ever be so. We will therefore discuss the addition of muscle to the arms by the blitz and you may apply it to any part of the body you may desire. The only thing is you should not try to apply it to the whole body at once, for it is too exhausting.
Like all other systems, it works well for most fellows, but others seem to be unable to succeed on it. Whether this be from faulty application or from lack of proper chemical balance in the body we do not know.
If older readers will be patient I would like to explain how this system was developed. After following the research of Charles Ross of some years ago the idea of the system was formulated in my mind from the fact that his discoveries indicated that muscles grow when you can push a volume of blood to them. Thus, I reasoned if one could keep a volume of blood in the muscle continuously over a long period of time that the muscle would grow. I followed this pattern for a week with a gain of a full ¾ inch. This was a permanent gain.
On a long term basis such as this, it is necessary to use comparatively light poundages and never push the repetitions. In other words the only object is to keep the muscles flushed with blood, not a hard pump.
As mentioned before, any attempt to force poundages or reps would soon result in exhaustion. Some people have expressed concern about the health aspects of such a program, but I must say that I never felt better in my life than during and after this program. Further development of this type of program is in the works.
As soon as I publicized these gains a lot of fellows immediately started on the program. However I apparently did not emphasize strongly enough that the work must be light, and since weight trainers have been traditionally taught that they must force reps and poundage (and this is surely necessary for increased strength), the fellows tried the program with heavy poundages and forced reps; the result was that one day was about all they could take, but on this type of program they were gaining ½ inch in one day’s training and two or three reported a ¾ inch gain in a day. As a matter of interest we used this one-day heavy work system in our gym because most fellows could not spend more than a day at a time of continuous training. In addition to this, such training becomes quite monotonous, believe it or not.
On the one-day system a ¾ inch gain usually indicated a permanent gain of ½ inch, and a ½ inch gain resulted in a permanent gain of ⅜ or ¼ inch.
We will describe the procedure for the one-day blitz, since this is the one most fellows will want to try.
You must have a whole day completely devoted to training. Nothing at all must interrupt it. You go to the gym in the morning and stay there until evening.
During the workouts you should plan a continuous intake of protein supplement and protein food as well as vitamin-mineral supplements. If possible it would be advisable to use foods that are digested and utilized fast. This feeding is just as important as the exercise. Do not neglect it.
We recommend eating every hour, but not the hour that you work out. Divide the day into 30-minute periods. One 30-minute period will be for nutrition and the other will be for exercise. Let us assume that you will start your workout at 8 a.m. You will have taken a light breakfast of protein supplement and perhaps an egg or two and a little bacon at 7 a.m. Then at 8:00 you will take your first workout. At 8:30 you will take a glass of protein supplement (we would suggest that if the protein you’re using lends itself to a thick mix, that you use it this way; in other words, a half glass of mix instead of a full glass, but the same amount of protein. In this manner you do not bulk the stomach so much during the day). We also suggest a good protein digestant to be taken with each feeding. I would like to suggest also that you mix a small amount of cream with each protein feeding if you have the type of protein that lends itself to this addition (milk protein). Also that you use a teaspoon of honey with each protein feeding. I also suggest a vitamin-mineral tablet of good quality. In fact, probably two would be best depending on their potency. If you have them you may want to take two or three or more liver tablets.
Now, at 9 a.m. you will have another workout; at 9:30 another feeding; at 10:00 another workout and at 10:30 another feeding, and so on through the day except at 12:30 and 5:30 you should have more to eat than at the other times. You will, at these two periods, take some protein food such as eggs, cheese, a little meat or some other good protein food and some light fruit or fruit juice. You can also drink a glass or two of milk at these meals.
Continue this alternate system of eating and training throughout the day until about 8 p.m. You may not make it until 8, or you may want to go a little longer, depending on how you’re feeling. Some men won’t have the energy for a full day of 12 hours, while others can continue a little longer – perhaps an hour or two more.
THE EXERCISE
You must select two good arm exercises (again we assume you’re working the arms). Most fellows will select a curl or concentration curl for the biceps and either the close grip bench press or the triceps press for the triceps. I like the close grip bench press because it works the deltoids and pecs some whereas the triceps press, though a more direct triceps exercise, is isolated to the triceps alone. Make your choice according to your desires.
We usually do about 8 reps, but here again individual preferences will determine. Some like 10 to 12 reps better. Most fellows have used only one set of each exercise but some men will find two or possibly even three sets possible. In case you go to more sets, you should not try to force either the reps or poundages. If you use one set then you can do more forcing. Remember the idea is to keep a pump in the muscles, not exhaust them. Most fellows will perform an exercise until they reach the normal maximum repetitions, but will not fight for an extra rep. In other words they won’t force the reps too hard.
This may not seem like much of a work-out to some of you fellows who have been performing the super routines, but before you have finished out the day you will know you have done something.
You should strive for a good pump but not a hard pump – not congestion. It is important that you adjust your pump to the right degree and you do this by the severity of the work. This is your guide as to how much you should do – the feel of the pump. The important thing is to get a pump at the first workout and maintain this through every minute of the day.
Now I realize that you fellows who read this will vary a great deal in your ability to work, for some of you are supermen and others are beginners. All I can say is that you must do a little thinking and try to understand what I’m trying to tell you. It is not so much the work you do as it is the pump you obtain and maintain that is important. Use a poundage heavy enough to work you for the 8 to 10 reps you plan to use. If you need more than one set to give you a pump, then use it, but if you can get and maintain a pump with one set per exercise and per workout, then that is enough.
We have found that we can maintain a higher, more even level of pump if, on the half-hour when we eat, we will do a set of very, very, light exercises. In fact, we found that it worked best for us to use no weight at all and just go through the exercise motions with mental concentration, and finish each movement with a slight cramp of the muscle. You would be surprised how this will maintain a good pump once you get it started. Do not overdo this mealtime stimulus. It should not tire you in any way. It should only facilitate the demand and flow of blood to and through the muscle.
If you feel at any time that you are losing the pump, then do just a few of these free hand movements. It almost amounts to muscle control except that you don’t use a hard tensing of the muscle.
We have also found that light massage between workouts is helpful. Remember we said ”light” and we mean light. Usually just stroking the muscle with finger tips, always toward the heart, will assist the flow of blood through the muscle.
The periods between exercises and meals can be spent in lounging around or resting, but don’t read or do anything else that might distract your attention from your muscles. You must think and concentrate on and into the muscles you’re working on all day long. This is specializing to end all specialization. There is no room for any distracting influence. Distractions will reduce your pump. In a sense, where your mind goes your blood goes. Keep the blood in your arms.
When you measure your arm at the end of the day it will show an exaggerated measurement. The next morning it should be down to pretty close to the new permanent size. Continue thereafter with your regular workouts and you should maintain your new size.
I realize that there are a lot of fellows around whose only training is in what they like to term scientific theory, and they may tell you that this will not work and they can prove it won’t work and that such things are nothing but fantasy. Of course they are welcome to their opinions. Practical experience has proven that it will work, and this is what we are interested in – results, not theory. After this article appears we will shortly be able to report many cases of success where men will tell about gaining from ¼ to ¾ of an inch on their arms, and it is difficult to argue with success. We do not claim it will work on everyone. No course or system will do that, but this will work for most people and will probably work for you if you follow it properly. It isn’t an easy day, and takes some thought and reasoning as well as work, but you can do it if you will.
Let us know how you make out.
This article originally appeared in Iron Man magazine
To learn more about the training methods of Peary Rader and those found in Iron Man magazine click on the following link:
