The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle

322 Pages·2006·15.25 MB·English

by  Lou Schuler

THE NEW
RULES
LIFTING
OF

THE NEW
RULES
LIFTING
OF
Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle
Lou Schuler and
Alwyn Cosgrove
AVERY
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AVERY
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Copyright © 2006 by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schuler, Lou.
The new rules of lifting: six basic moves for maximum muscle / Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 1-4295-1312-8
1. Weight lifting. 2. Bodybuilding. 3. Muscle strength. I. Cosgrove, Alwyn. II. Title.
GV546.3.S37 2005 2005053015
613.7'13—dc22
book design by tanya maiboroda
Neither the publisher nor the authors are engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual
reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting
with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the authors nor the pub-
lisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in
this book.
While the authors have made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time
of publication, neither the publisher nor the authors assume any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur
after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for
author or third-party websites or their content.
Acknowledgments
I
I could never offer enough thanks to the many strength coaches, trainers, re-
searchers, and all-around gurus who taught me everything I know about exercise
(and helped me unlearn what I thought I knew). At the top of the list is Alwyn Cos-
grove, who has more creative and counterintuitive training ideas than anyone I’ve
ever met. I also have to single out Mike Mejia, my coauthor and colleague for many
years, who introduced me to Alwyn; and Stuart McGill, Ph.D., whose studies, lec-
tures, and books (including Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance) inform almost
every chapter of The New Rules of Lifting.
Someday I’ll build a shrine to my agent, David Black, and to my editor, Megan
Newman, a fellow lifter who was the first to see the potential in this project and
worked so hard to make it happen. Thanks also to Rebecca Behan at Avery, Mark
Cohen and Mike Caruso at Men’s Journal, Adam Campbell, John Williams, Jeremy
Katz, Mitch Mandel, Susan Eugster, and Matt Neumaier.
My wife, Kimberly Heinrichs, had to repeat the phrase, “Be quiet—Dad’s work-
ing!” more than any human should have to utter any four-word sequence. If not for
her, this book would be scheduled for release sometime in 2010.
vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Last, I want to thank my older brother, G.O., who first got me hooked on lifting.
He taught me that muscles are cool, and that hard work is life’s great equalizer. I still
think muscles are cool and, although it took me a while, I eventually came around to
the idea that good, hard, honest work beats the hell out of the alternatives. A life with-
out excuses is truly the good life.
L.S.
Thank you to my coach, Derek Campbell—still, in my opinion, the greatest coach the
world has ever seen—for being my mentor, my coach, and my friend. To all the athletes
and clients who have trusted me with their bodies, thank you for believing in me. To
my friends, colleagues, and teammates over the years, thank you for pushing me to
new levels. Thanks to Lou Schuler, who first recognized my ideas on training and let
me share them with the world via Men’s Health magazine. To the team at Results Fit-
ness, thank you for allowing me to test my theories on you. Thanks to my dad, who
taught me that you can do whatever you set your mind to. Thank you to Rachel—my
wife, my life partner, and my soul mate—for believing in me more than anyone else.
And thank you to my mum, who never got the chance to see the lessons she in-
stilled in me take root and bear fruit. This book is for you.
A.C.
Contents
Introduction: The Truth of the Matter ix
PART 1
FACTS
1 What Your Personal Trainer Forgot to Tell You 3
2 Introducing the Big Six 13
3 The Building Blocks of Muscle 29
PART 2
TECHNIQUES
4 The Best Muscle-Building System for Almost Everybody 51
5 Warming Up 64
6 Flexibility 73
7 The Aerobics Myth 78
PART 3
EXERCISES
8 Squat 91
9 Deadlift 101
10 Lunge 118
11 Push 128
12 Pull 145
13 Twist 162
14 Combo Moves 179
PART 4
PROGRAMS
15 How to Choose the Right Program for You 191
16 Charting Your Progress 202
17 Break-In Program 207
18 Fat-Loss Programs 210
19 Hypertrophy Programs 220
20 Strength Programs 235
PART 5
NUTRITION
21 Weight Control Made Easy 253
22 Clean Eating 267
PART 6
LIFE
23 Long-Haul Lifting 285
Notes 287
Index 295