Practical Guidelines for Individualizing Your Training Program

A. Use "default," or standard, well accepted methods first. Use less standard methods only when you reach a point in your training where progress is no longer forthcoming.

B. Become familiar with anatomy and kinesiology, in order to better understand your body's unique characteristics.

C. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." If you are making acceptable progress, don't change a thing.

D. If conventional programs just aren't cutting it for you, start experimenting. Try different exercises, different intensity ranges, a different number of exercises and/or sets, etc. Give the new program at least two weeks before you make judgments about it's effectiveness. If it seems to work, stay with it. But remember— the body will eventually get used to any program, so eventually, you'll have to switch gears.

E. You can find shortcuts in the experimentation process by modeling yourself after a successful person who shares your unique characteristics. For instance, if you're exceedingly tall, find other tall bodybuilders who have been successful, and find out how they altered their training programs to fit their individual needs, Chances are, it'll work for you too.

F. Use your common sense! Often, athletes with many years of experience resort to foolish and extreme practices to make further gains. Remember— if you've been training properly for more than 10 years, you're near your "ceiling of potential." If we all could make improvements endlessly for decades, everyone could squat 1000 pounds, or become Mr. Olympia, or whatever else their goal is! Your goal now is to stay patient, keep healthy, while still seeking further improvements.

G. Consider hiring a competent personal trainer. Experienced trainers have adapted training programs to a wide variety of people, and can usually show you ways to save time and energy.

H. Have a clear, objective vision of what you expect to gain from your program. If you don't, you'll have no way to evaluate the effectiveness of your training.

If you are bored with your routine, change it. If you are a gym aficionado, and you are tired of your triceps routine, get a new one, and work with that. Don't bore your muscles,. Keep them interested & excited!