Professional Bodybuilding Routines: Why You Shouldn't Train Like the Pros

Why You Should NOT Train Like the Bodybuilding Pros

I still remember reading through Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding as a teenager. I looked through the pages constantly, checking out the pictures and the routines. The most advanced bodybuilding routines were six-day splits (meaning you train six days a week). It seemed he spent hours in the gym every day.

I would later learn these routines just didn’t apply to me. Chances are they don’t apply to you, either.

Allow me to explain why you should not try to train like professional bodybuilders:

1. Steroids. Virtually all professional bodybuilders take steroids (and growth hormones)—the only exceptions being those who compete in strictly tested, natural competitions. Even the “golden era” guys I talk about used them, and the dosages have kept getting higher ever since.

Here’s what you need to understand: a guy using steroids can train harder and more frequently than a natural trainee. He can do multiple sets for each muscle and still have the ability to recover. If you aren’t using steroids, you can’t.

2. Genetics: Professional bodybuilders have exceptional genetics. They tend to have full muscle bellies and respond very favorably to training. This is yet another reason you should not follow their routines—what works for a genetically gifted individual will probably not work for a skinny guy (or average guy) trying to put on muscle.

3. Time: Some of the pros do nothing but train eat, pose, and sleep. In other words, you aren’t going to be able to live in the gym like someone who is paid to train. Hopefully you are pursuing other goals, like getting a degree or finding a fulfilling career.

If you are trying to put on muscle, please don’t try to follow professional bodybuilding routines. Instead I would advise you to try a program like Muscle Gaining Secrets.