Perry Rader Master Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System

The Rader
Master Bodybuilding
and
Weight Gaining
System
By Peary Rader
Table of Contents
THE HISTORY OF THESE METHODS 1
TRAINING ADVICE OF IMPORTANCE 10

PREVIOUS EXERCISE EXPERIENCE 10
ARRANGMENT OF YOUR PROGRAM 11
AGE AND FAST GAINS 12
CORRECT LIVING HABITS 13
MENTAL HABITS 14
SLEEP, REST AND RELAXATION 15
BATHING 16
MASSAGE 17
DIET FOR GAINING WEIGHT 19

THE SIX MEALS A DAY PLAN 27
THE RADER SQUAT PROGRAM 34

YOUR WORKOUT PROGRAM 36
HARD WORK IS NECESSARY 37
NUMBER OF REPETITIONS AND ADDING WEIGHT 38
FREQUENCY OF WORKOUTS 39
LAYOFFS 41
BREATHING METHODS 42
THE USE OF CAMBERED OR BENT BARS AND LOADING RACKS 45
POSITIONS FOR SQUATTING 46
THE EELLS BODYWEIGHT SQUAT PROGRAM 47
THE DEADLIFT PROGRAM FOR WEIGHT GAINING 50
THE CLEAN AND JERK PROGRAM FOR

WEIGHT.GAINING 54
OTHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS 57

SPECIALIZATION 57
NECK EXERCISES 58
CALF SPECIALIZATION 59
ARM SPECIALIZATION 63
FOREARM SPECIALIZATION 66
PECTORAL SPECIALIZATION 70
DELTOID SPECIALIZATION 71
LATISSIMUS SPECIALIZATION 74
BACK SPECIALIZATION 76
LEG SPECIALIZATION 79
ABDOMINAL SPECIALIZATION 80
DEVELOPING THE CHEST CAVITY 82
AN ABBREVIATED PROGRAM OF BODYBUILDING 90
PRESS CHIN SQUAT PROGRAM 94
THE CLEAN AND PRESS ROWING SQUAT PROGRAM 95
CLEAN AND JERK PRESS SQUAT PROGRAM 97
SPECIALIZED SQUAT PROGRAM 98
SPECIALIZING ON ONE EXERCISE FOR MAXIMUM
GAINS 98
OTHER SPECIAL TRAINING SYSTEMS 101
SPLIT REPETITON 101
SPLIT - PAUSE SYSTEM 103
THE REST - PAUSE SYSTEM 104
REBOUND PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPING MUSCLE
AND.STRENGTH 105
THE USE OF SHORT MOVEMENTS FOR
POWER.&.DEVELOPMENT 107
CHEATING METHOD OF EXERCISE 111
PEAK CONTRACTIONS 113
FORCED REPETITIONS 114
DIFFERENT REPETITION SCHEDULE 115
HOW TO SHAPE UP AFTER WEIGHT GAINING 117
TRAINING FOR THE OLDER MAN 121

THE RADER MASTER BODYBUILDING AND WEIGHT GAINING SYSTEM
THE HISTORY OF THESE

METHODS
I
t is not customary for the history of a course to be
given, but the history of the methods taught herein is
so definite, inspiring and easily traced that we believe
it will be of great value and interest to the reader. It will
likewise give him an idea of what results have been
obtained by others and what he, himself, might expect. It
will also give him assurance that this is not the hasty
brainchild of one man interested only in placing of a few
sheets of instructions on the market for the sole purpose
enhancing his own finances.
This course, you will find, is the culmination of the
combined efforts of the great mass of the body-culturists of
1
the world, in their search for the best methods in the past 30
years.
One of the strongest mortals known to history was
Milo of Croton. History tells us that when a youth, Milo
desired to become the strongest man in all Greece.
Knowing that he could not become strong merely by
desiring to be strong, he determined to build up strength
and development by making his exercise progressively
harder. In order to accomplish this, he chose a young calf
and carried this around the stadium on his shoulders every
day until the calf had become a full grown bull, and Milo
had achieved his ambition and become, not only the
strongest man in Greece, but in all the world. Thus was
born the progressive weight system of bodybuilding.
Down through the years this method has slowly
been refined and perfected until we have our modern,
adjustable plate loading weights known as barbells and
dumbbells. Used with the most modern and scientific
methods, they have become the most effective and
desirable means of developing a perfect physique, great
strength and superb health.
Weightlifting and barbell exercise has been known
and practiced in this country for many years. However, it
remained for Alan Calvert to start Strength magazine in
the early part of this century. In the past 50 years since,
2
barbell exercise has made astounding gains until it is, at

present, the most universally practiced method of
developing a perfect physique.
As is to be expected, many methods have been
developed and practiced with barbells all of them having
merit. However, it was soon evident that there were some
types of physiques that absolutely refused to respond to any
of the regular courses. Also many exercisers were
dissatisfied with the speed with which they were
progressing.
It was shortly after the First World War that there
came to this country a German weightlifter by the name of
Henry Steinborn. He was considered the strongest man in
the world at that time and as he trained at Sigmund Kleins
gym, where most of the notable in the game trained
frequently at that time, it was observed that he always
performed and emphasized the value of the squat always
doing many repetitions with very heavy weights. Klein
began using it himself and on his pupils with very pleasing
results. Mark Berry, then editor of Strength Magazine,
sometimes trained at Kleins gym and soon became a
devotee of the squat. Previous to this time he had been quite
famous as a lifter but could never bring his weight up over
130 lbs. as he desired. However, with the use of the squat
he soon reached 180 lbs. and a fine development.
3
Mr. Berry began publicizing this exercise program through

Strength magazine and Strong Man magazine. Rudy
Gambacorta was one of his first successes making very
fast gains in a short time. Shortly after this, J.C. Hise of
Homer, Ill., being dissatisfied with his development,
weighing about 180 lbs. at 58 after years of barbell
training, decided to try the methods Berry advocated. The
results were so great that no one was willing to believe him,
for he had gained 29 lbs. in one months time. The
bodybuilders of America owe a great deal to the
experiments and publicity on the squat as given by
Mr. Berry and Mr. Hise. At a still later date Roger Eels of
Columbus, Ohio did much to develop the squat or deep
knee bend program. He used this method in his
bodybuilding studio in Columbus. His studio was famed for
giving most rapid gains to the pupils.
It was at the time Berry and Hise started their work
with the squat that the author became interested in this
program through early writings of Berry. Up to this time,
after years of effort, he had utterly failed to gain a pound of
bodyweight or an inch of development though he had tried
all the different methods and coursed he could obtain. This
new application of barbell exercise and special diet
appealed to him and he at once adopted it and began
obtaining the first results of his life. Imagine his great joy
4
when he gained 10 lbs. in one month, after years of failure.

He subsequently gained over 75 lbs. in the following two
years. He acquired great strength and development that
enabled him to win the Mid-Western Heavyweight lifting
title for 8 years (or until he turned professional in order that
he might teach others the amazing and valuable methods he
had learned).
During all the years since that time the author of this
course has taught men, both by mail and personally, using
variations of this method. He has done much experimenting
and research. It is largely due to his efforts that this type of
barbell exercise has reached its present high state of
perfection. It is universally recognized by experts
everywhere as the quickest and surest method of attaining
great development, strength, and perfect health. It is today
the most used program in body culture studios
throughout America.
Almost every famous strongman, weightlifter, and
perfect man of recent years has used this program at some
time during his exercise career in order to make great
increases in his development and strength and health. To
cite only a few Terlazzo, one of the worlds greatest
lifters, used it to bring his weight up from 132 lbs. to 150
lbs. and become the worlds greatest lightweight lifter. John
Davis, for 12 years the worlds strongest man, used it to
5
bring his weight up from 180 lbs. to over 220 lbs. Louis
Abele, one of the worlds greatest lifters, is a product of
this program. John Grimek once used it to bring his
bodyweight up 12 lbs. in one week and the squat has
always been an important exercise in his programs. Most of
the present day winners of perfect man contests will tell
you that the squat program has figured prominently in the
development of their superb physiques.
The man who is recognized by all as the strongest
man who ever lived, Paul Anderson, stated out as an
average boy and did almost nothing else but the squat for
the first year or so of his training. While on this program he
became famous for his strength and today, in 1956, he is
amazing the world with his unbelievable feats of strength
and his massive muscular development. He has reached a
squat poundage of over 900 lbs. and it is expected that he
will eventually reach 1,000 lbs. Most of his great power and
development is the result of a program similar to what you
will find in this course. Of course, not everyone will want
the massive size of Paul, but the happy part about barbell
exercise is that you can stop at any stage of development
you wish, and where you will be satisfied. You can then
maintain this state of development the rest of your life with
a minimum of training with the weights.
6
A few men have used this program in an effort to

determine how much weight could be gained, and have
gone up to around 300 pounds. Of course, at this
bodyweight, they possessed some fatty tissue, as it is not
normal for anyone to weigh this much in muscular
condition. The condition of these few has led to the belief
in some quarters that program will make a fat man of you.
However, this idea is fostered by the opponents of this
method and has no foundation in fact whatsoever, as can be
seen from the marvelous muscular physiques of such men
as Grimek, Terlazzo, Eels, Abele, Davis, Baptiste,
Steinborn, Terry, Santo Leone, Lurie, Horvath, Donovan,
Fritzman, Loprinzi, Fay and a host of others.
We must consider, also, that there are different
types of physiques. Some men possess a thick skin and
even when trained down fine they appear to have fat on
them and there is little they can do about it. You cant
change your body type but you can acquire perfection for
your physical type. Both types are very beautiful when fully
developed. The other type has a very thin skin through
which the very tissue and veins seem to stand out in bold
relief. These men can develop a most impressive physique
though they seldom acquire the massive proportions of the
smooth type. Both types have their good qualities and we
should be satisfied to make the best of whatever type we
7
have. Most people will fall in between these two extremes.

You will likewise find that much of your skeletal formation
is inherited and cannot be changed no matter how much
you try. For instance, some of us fall into the naturally
slender type. Others are of the broad, heavy type. Some
have a narrow shoulder framework and can never broaden
their shoulders to the extent that they will compare with the
naturally broad type. There will be many other
characteristics that have a similar fixed proportion. You
will find, however, if you will study the matter thoroughly,
that there are a few famed perfect men in every type. There
are perfect men with broad shoulders others with narrow
shoulders some heavy and some light in general build. Do
not be dissatisfied with your type but try to perfect it.
You will, of course, want to know what gains you
can expect from this course. This, of course, will be
governed by how will you apply yourself to it and to the
conditions under which you train and live. Also, your type
will have something to do with it. Some men gain rather
slowly and find a pound per week a good gain in
bodyweight (especially is this satisfactory if you happen to
be one of those many men who find it impossible to gain on
any other program). Others, at the other end of the extreme,
will gain, at times, as much as one pound per day.
However, this is unusual. You may find that at times you
8
will make a gain of 4 or 5 pounds in just a few days, then

not gain at all for some time. It is quite common for some
en to gain in such uneven tempo. Other men will sometimes
find they must work out hard for quite a length of time
before they will start to gain at all. In extreme cases this
period has extended to three months, after which they will
commence to gain quite satisfactorily. However, these are
not common cases. Generally you can expect to begin
gaining within a week or two if you are in good health.
Some men who are in hard condition will gain more slowly,
especially those who work hard physically. An office
worker who is usually soft often gains very rapidly. Your
diet and rest will greatly affect your gains also. So try to
reason these things out and you will arrive at a reasonable
estimate of what you can expect.
9
TRAINING ADVICE OF
IMPORTANCE
T
hese are some training advice of importance that
can influence greatly on rate of your weight
gaining and your progress in general.
Previous Exercise Experience
It is desirable that the pupil planning to follow this

course has had a previous exercise experience with barbell
on any good all-round barbell course. This, however, is not
absolutely necessary. Anyone can receive equal benefits
from this course.
If you are new to barbell exercise, we strongly
advise that you start this course with very light weights and
10
then very slowly add weight. Take about one month to train
rather easy. This month should be looked upon as a
hardening period in preparation for the heavier, more
difficult work later on. We would say that after this month
of preparatory exercise, gradually increased in intensity,
any beginner of sound internal organs should be ready to
follow the course as further outlined.
For those who have had considerable previous
experience, it is quite right that you should, after the first
three exercise periods, proceed with course just as
described and in full intensity. It is to be understood that
you cannot develop great strength, size and gain added
weight without a great deal of hard work there is no easy
way. At first you may find it rather hard to contemplate this
heavy program with relish, but as you see your body begin
to grow in size and strength you will soon find that your
exercise periods are the most enjoyable parts of the day.
Arrangement of Your Program
It is very necessary that the pupil read this course

carefully. It is advisable that he read it over several times so
that he can acquaint himself with all details of this program.
The reason that we ask this is that you are to be your own
instructor more or less, and your success will largely
11
depend on how well informed you are regarding the

program you are following. The pupil must arrange his
program and living habits to conform, as nearly as possible,
to the instructions given in this course.
The pupil must, by study and experiment, determine
the number of exercise periods per week he gains best on
the proper number of repetitions for each exercise the
proper number of hours of sleep per night the foods that
agree with him best. He must learn to know his body. You
will have to live with this body all your natural life know
it thoroughly treat it right and it will serve you well.
Age and Fast Gains
Many people ask if they are too old to make gains

with barbells. Thus far we have found no one, of any age,
who will not benefit greatly from the regular and intelligent
use of barbells. People have used them in moderation up to
the age of 80. Of course, any great gains must not be
expected in muscular size and strength after the age of 50.
However, for those over 50, there is no better method of
developing and maintaining fine health than the moderate
use of barbells. It is advisable that people over 50 who use
weights or who do not use them consult their doctor every
six months for a physical checkup. This is one way of
12
correcting any conditions before they get out of hand.

Those under 50 should have a physical checkup every year.
Young people up to the age of 30 or even 40 can
make very fast gains on the proper program. After 30 you
should expect very little change in bone size, however, you
can make very good progress in muscular growth up to 40,
and from then on to age 50 your progress would not be so
fast. The most rapid gains are to be made between the ages
of 18 and 30.
Correct Living Habits
It is very important that all your habits be in

harmony with the laws of Nature if you are to make the
greatest gains in health, strength, and development. At first
you may find it a little hard to make the necessary changes
but later on you will realize that it is the only life
worthwhile. Your life will be so much richer, fuller, and
more enjoyable.
You will find it difficult to make good gains if you
do not obtain the proper amount of sleep, or if you
overwork, if you do not obtain sufficient rest, if you do not
obtain sufficient amounts of the proper foods, if you have
sexual excesses, if you have mental anguish, worry and
emotional disturbances. All these things must be properly
13
harmonized. In the following paragraphs we will give you

advice concerning these and many more things affecting
your progress. Study them carefully.
Mental Habits
It is necessary that you control your mind at all

times, as it has a great deal to do with the condition of your
health. We find that anger, hatred, jealousy, etc., greatly
upset all the functions of the internal organs and sap the
energy of the body. Try at all times to control your thoughts
and emotions. Keep a calm and serene mind. Try to live in
harmony with your fellow men.
You should develop positive habits of thought.
Look on the bright side of life, but dont close your eyes to
the fact that everything else is not perfect in the world.
DEVELOP YOUR MIND AND BODY TO THE LIMIT.
This will give you the courage to face any problem or
emergency in life without fear knowing that you are equal
to any task that might confront you. Have faith in yourself.
Nothing is impossible to those who will not admit defeat.
This is not mere theory the author has seen it
demonstrated many times.
14
Do not neglect your spiritual development. You will

find this one of your greatest comforts and greatest sources
of strength.
It may seem strange to some that all the above has
any bearing on the development of a perfect physique, but
we assure you that you will eventually realize that it has.
Sleep, Rest and Relaxation
Sleep is the real restorer. Without it we could not

live long. Man can go without food for from one month to
three months, but he would die soon without sleep. Men
who work at a heavy barbell program need lots of sleep.
This need varies with different people. I have known
barbell men who did well on 7 or 8 hours sleep per night.
Most athletes require 9 or 10 hours. Only the pupil himself
can determine the correct amount in his case. Sleep until
you feel rested and refreshed. You cannot make proper
gains without sufficient sleep.
You should take every opportunity to rest and relax.
Dont walk when you can ride. Dont stand when you can
sit down. Dont run when you can walk. This applies to
men who are working out with barbells and wish to gain
weight. To gain weight you must CONSERVE ALL THE
ENERGY POSSIBLE. It is advisable that you take a short
15
nap in mid-day. Many prefer to do this after the mid-day

meal. Take advantage of every opportunity to relax.
Relaxation is in large part mental. You cannot relax your
muscles unless your mind is at ease and relaxed. You must
eliminate worry from your life. It helps matters not at all. It
is just a parasite on your energy.
Most barbell men find it easy to go to sleep or to
relax. You should, however, practice relaxation at every
opportunity. You can do this while seated, lying down, or at
work. If you are working try to completely relax the
muscles not used in your work. Be conservative of your
movements. Do not make two movements if one will
suffice. When seated do not allow yourself to fidget. Relax
all your muscles. When lying down concentrate on relaxing
every muscle in the body, even those of the face. Deep
breathing often helps in this.
Bathing
It is always well, when possible, to take a shower

after a workout. This should not be cold. It should be of
body temperature, or just slightly warmer. Hot baths are
bad as they are weakening. Cold baths, when the body is
hot and perspiring, are often quite harmful due to the shock
to the nervous system. Do not indulge in them. Showers or
16
tub baths at body temperature are best. If you find it

impossible to take a bath after a workout, it will not affect
your health or development. Baths are for cleanliness and
for those who are sick.
Some doctors have advised that too many baths in
the winter can result in washing away too much of the
natural oils of the skin and causing skin disorders. When
taking winter baths one should try to make them showers, if
possible, and use as little soap as possible to cleanse the
skin. Tub baths are as apt to wash germs onto the skin as to
wash them off, and in addition, they have a tendency to
wash away too much skin oil. Showers flush away germs
and dirt. The skin does not produce as much oil in the
winter as in the summer, so that more frequent bathing and
more soap can be used in the summer.
Massage
Massage is very valuable in the attainment of

health, strength, and development. In many cases of
specialization, massage of the part specialized upon
between the exercises will greatly hasten the development
of the muscle. It helps carry away fatigue poisons and also
to break down hard and toughened tissue.
17
Massage should never be harsh and rough. Gentle

kneading of the muscle and stroking toward the heart is
best. Always massage toward the heart. Massage between
exercises also helps prevent much of the soreness often felt
from unusually heavy workouts.
18
DIET FOR GAINING WEIGHT
I
n the process of weight gaining and bodybuilding the
matter of diet is of paramount importance. Many
courses and instructors tell you that you can eat
anything you want and gain weight and build a fine
physique. This is not true. Many men have failed in their
bodybuilding because they did not follow the correct diet.
The correct diet is not complicated, neither is it
difficult. The man who is reducing has a difficult diet
problem, but not the man who wishes to gain weight,
because he is permitted to indulge, in fact, he is encouraged
to indulge in the things he probably likes most. In other
words, a weight gaining diet is a pleasure to follow, as you
will see from a perusal of the following instructions.
19
The stomach is an organ that is very elastic. It can

be distended or will contract, according to the amount of
food you are accustomed to putting into it. If you have, for
years, been eating rather lightly, your stomach will be
contracted or shrunken up to accommodate the amount of
food generally eaten. Now, in order to gain weight you
must increase the amount of food taken into the stomach
and assimilated into the blood. There will be a great need of
much more nourishment because you are exercising very
strenuously and also because you will be adding
bodyweight very fast. Both of these things require a great
deal more food. Now, when we tell you to eat a great deal
more, you will at first have some difficulty accommodating
the extra food, because your stomach will have to gradually
adjust its size to accommodate the extra food without
discomfort. We want our pupils to understand this.
Contrary to teaching you may have received before,
you will not be able to gain much unless you increase the
quantity of food eaten. There are exceptions to this rule, of
course, for you may know of someone who is very thin and
who, at the same time, eats twice what an ordinary person
eats. Still they dont gain weight. This is because their
metabolism and their internal functions are not operating
efficiently enough to utilize the food in added bodyweight.
Other people may be quite fat, even though they eat like the
20
proverbial bird. This is another type of malfunction of the

internal processes. The training program we are about to
give you will speed up the metabolism and strengthen the
function of the internal organs so that you will properly
utilize the food you eat to gain added muscular bodyweight
(not fat).
You should not work out for at least an hour and a
half after a meal, and better, wait for two hours. You should
not eat for at least a half hour after a workout better wait
longer. Never allow yourself to become constipated; you
will find that the diet and exercise program we are giving
you will tend to correct this condition. Many fellows have
found almost immediate relief, while others have
experienced a gradual improvement. Chew your food well
always. Take plenty of time to eat. You should have an
hour for each meal, and with the proper mastication of your
food it should take you about an hour to eat. Try never to
eat a large meal while worrying of emotionally upset.
Always come to a meal calm, relaxed and with pleasure at
the thought of thoroughly enjoying your meal. You will
find it advantageous to lie down and relax, either before or
after a meal, or both.
Since approximately 75 percent of the body weight
is made up of water, it is evident that in order to gain much
in body weight and development, one must greatly add to
21
his consumption of fluids. This does not necessarily mean

water alone. It can be milk, fruit juices, vegetable juices
and many foods that contain large quantities of fluid, as
well as soups, etc. However, it is our one desire that the
pupil consume great quantities of water and milk. In order
to do this you will drink water at every opportunity. Keep
your tissues saturated. Drink it between exercises when
working out. This practice is very effective in a weight
gaining program. Many men take a drink between each
exercise.
It is very important that the pupil drink at least two
quarts of whole milk per day. THIS IS ONE OF THE
MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS WHOLE
COURSE. DO NOT NEGLECT IT. Milk is the finest food
in existence. Some pupils find they have some discomfort
from drinking milk. However, with a little ingenuity they
can find a multitude of ways of taking milk other than in its
natural state. It can be made into drinks such as postum,
ovaltine, cocomalt, malted milks, ice cream, cheese, cereals
and milk, whole wheat bread and milk, and many other
mixtures that you may personally prefer. Some pupils drink
three or four quarts per day. All the above foods and drinks
can be taken with benefit with your other foods.
22
You may like to add cream and honey to your milk

to enrich it still more. However, do not make it so rich that
it sickens you.
Thick soups are also of great benefit to the weight
gainer. Bodybuilders like to mix up a good soup with lean
meat, potatoes, an onion, beans, some butter, and any other
vegetables that may be on hand, and then, when the soup is
being eaten, cool it down a little by adding some cream or
milk.
Here are some foods that you should try to include
in your diet also. Cod liver oil, orange juice, tomato juice,
wheat germ and soy bean foods. We especially ask that the
pupil include at least ONE LARGE GLASS OF ORANGE
JUICE EVERY DAY.
Cream, eggs, butter, cheese and nuts are all required
foods for weight gaining. Also try to eat an abundance of
green vegetables and fruits at all times. Be sure you dont
leave these out. Also eat lots of lean meat beef is
preferred. Potatoes eaten with lots of butter are excellent.
Also, if you are now eating white bread, change over to
whole wheat bread at once and be sure that it is whole
wheat. Much of the so-called whole wheat bread of today is
colored white bread with a sprinkling of bran in it.
Homemade bread is much preferred to any other kind.
23
White bread has almost no food value at all. Fruit pies are
permissible, if you care for them.
Of recent years it has been found that most of the
body tissue is made from protein. We will not go into the
tedious details about proteins and how they build muscle,
but we want to emphasize their supreme importance in a
bodybuilding program. In years past, bodybuilders have
gotten sufficient protein for a good bodybuilding program
from blind overeating of a wide variety of foods such as
meat, milk and cheese etc. We now know, however, that
protein is a MUST in the bodybuilders diet and we know
what foods supply the most and the best protein and can be
sure of obtaining ample of this necessary nourishment.
Such foods as lean meat, (especially beef), liver, eggs, soy
flour, cheese, milk, are among the best protein foods. Any
one or all of them, if used in sufficient quantity, can supply
you with ample first class protein. That is why we always
recommend that you include some of these foods in your
meals. You must realize that if you abstain from these
foods or eat in insufficient quantities you will certainly
hinder your progress, and you may stop it altogether. Of
course, we find certain amounts of protein in other foods,
but in smaller quantities, so that you would have to eat a
great amount of most of them; to obtain the needed protein
for the progress you wish to make. If you were a cow with
24
more than one stomach and time to eat all the time as a cow
does, then you could, perhaps obtain enough protein from
grass. If you have made any study of livestock feeding
whatever, you know that the farmer and feeder are very
careful to feed food supplements such as cake made of
soy or cotton seed and other similar products as well as
vitamin and mineral supplements to be sure that their stock
has all the needed elements for growth. It is a sad but true
fact that more research seems to have been done, and more
attention given to the proper feeding of cattle than to the
proper feeding of humans. A farmer will be very careful in
the feeding of his livestock and will attend college to study
such work but will never give a thought to correct the
nourishment of his own body. We have huge research
laboratories and experimental centers concentrating
millions of dollars on development of better feeding
methods for animals, but almost nothing for better feeding
of humans. It seems we have placed much of the emphasis
in the wrong place. The modern cow has the most perfect
diet in existence, man has the most imperfect.
Just now there are many fine protein supplements
on the market. One of the best of these is Super Protein sold
by Body Culture Equipment Co., Alliance, Nebr. It is made
from milk and is one of the highest class proteins available.
It is available in either powder or tablet form. Other protein
25
supplements are made from soy flour which is also very

valuable. This type, however, usually has a high percentage
of carbohydrates which tend to add fat as well as muscle,
though this is helpful in extremely thin people. Such things
as malt, honey, eggs, sugars, flavorings etc., are added to
make this type of protein palatable. In addition to this you
mix it with milk. This is the cheapest per pound protein
supplement. However, the Super Protein is lower in price in
amount of usable protein, and does not have carbohydrates
to make you fat. Other protein supplements are made from
liver, etc., however they are quite high in price, though they
are very high class proteins.
You may look upon the price of protein
supplements as very high, however, it has been found that it
is cheaper to obtain proteins from these supplements than
from meat, eggs, etc., though not so much pleasure in the
eating.
We do recommend that you take some protein
supplement with your meals. Later on in a suggested diet
we will show you how you should take the supplement.
We have also found that many bodybuilders will
benefit greatly from adding a vitamin-mineral supplement.
Many of these are on the market, some are better than
others. We prefer a natural vitamin to the synthetic, as we
believe they are much more usable in the body. They cost
26
more but are also worth more. Of course, a person is

expected to get all the vitamins and minerals he needs from
his foods but he does not always utilize these as he should
and so we find that many men gain better if they add these
in tablet form. Please understand, protein and vitamin-
mineral supplements are not absolutely necessary to your
progress, but they have been proven very helpful. Both
fruits and vegetables should be eaten in large quantities for
they contain large amount of vitamins and minerals. You
cannot gain without an increase in your caloric intake and
these are your fuel foods such as potatoes, bread, sweets,
butter, cream, fat from meat, all starchy foods, so do not
short yourself on such foods. You will find that thick soups
made of meat, potatoes, vegetables, juices, milk and butter
etc. can be very helpful in gaining for they supply the
necessary proteins, vitamins and minerals and lots of
carbohydrates for caloric increase as well as the fluid
necessary for weight gaining.
The Six Meals a Day Plan
If it is convenient, it is often found a great help to

eat 4 to 6 meals per day, though this is not necessary.
Many men have found that the addition of a light
lunch at about 10 oclock, another at about 3:30 p.m. and
27
another just before bed time has been the secret of very fast
gains. None of their meals would be as large as usual, but
much more frequent. This gives the internal organs a better
chance to function efficiently compared to the system of
overloading them three times a day as is generally done. So
whenever circumstances will permit it, we recommend the
5 to 6 meal a day plan for weight gainers. Many doctors use
this system for sick people or people with digestive
disorders and you should realize that it is a healthful plan.
These between meal lunches should consist of such
things as eggs, cheese, fruit, silk, lean meat, as well as a
good protein supplement. All the foods mentioned except
fruit are foods high in proteins, the one great muscle
building food.
Following are two suggested diets for weight
gaining. You can, and doubtless will find it desirable to
vary these somewhat. However, both these diets have been
followed by pupils who had hound it impossible to gain on
the standard diet, but with no change in the exercise
routines they made remarkable progress by just changing to
these diets. You can use these to build your own diet. WE
MUST TELL YOU HERE THESE ARE WEIGHT
GAINING DIETS ONLY. THEY ARE TO BE USED
DURING YOUR WEIGHT GAINING SPECIALIZATION
ONLY. WHEN YOU REACH YOUR DESIRED
28
BODYWEIGHT YOU SHOULD CHANGE BACK TO

A NORMAL DIET. You may find it wise to change back to
a normal diet for a month anyhow and alternate between
these heavy diets and a normal diet, remaining on each for a
month at a time. You will learn a great deal about your diet
from these changes.
The first diet is a 6 meal a day diet as follows:
Breakfast
2 eggs
2 slices of wheat bread
2 glasses of milk
ham or bacon
3 tsp. of protein
vitamin - mineral
Mid-Morning
meat sandwich
1 glass of milk
Lunch
1/3 lb. steak
cottage cheese
1 vegetable
2 glasses of milk
29
Mid-Afternoon
cheese sandwich
1 glass of milk
Dinner
1/3 lb. steak
2 vegetables
2 slices of bread
2 glasses of milk
2 tsp. of protein
2 vitamin - mineral
Evening
2 eggs
1 glass of milk
2 tsp. of protein
This is a heavy diet and for those unable to eat in

this manner, we suggest cutting out the mid-morning and
mid-afternoon lunch. Something like the following will
work well:
Breakfast
Juice
30
2 eggs
2 glasses of milk
2 slices of bread
bacon
2 tsp. of protein
Lunch
2 sandwiches (meat or cheese)
2 glasses of milk
2 pieces of fruit
2 tsp. of protein
Dinner
pound steak
2 vegetables
2 slices of bread
2 glasses of milk
dessert
2 tsp. protein
Evening Snack
2 sandwiches
1 glass of milk
or
2 glasses milk
31
4 slices of cheese
or
lb cottage cheese
1 glass of milk
2 slices of ham
Super Protein has been recommended with the

above diets. If you prefer you may substitute some other
protein.supplement.
You will do well to refrain from tea, coffee, beer
and alcoholic beverages. They can do you no good and will
likely.do.you.harm.
In regard to milk: dont let this become a substitute
for solid foods or your diet will fail. You must not fill up on
milk to a point where you find you cant eat your meals.
It is to be expected that some of you will not be able
to start heavy diet immediately if you have been used to
eating very lightly. It may take you some time to become
accustomed to more food. Furthermore we want to caution
against becoming a glutton. Such eating can only
eventually cause harm. Dont expect gains on a Canary
bird diet, however. You just cant make progress without
ample nourishment. People with digestive disorders should
use caution with heavy diets and should consult their
physician in regard to such feeding.
32
We must caution you against eating snacks between

your regular scheduled meals or lunches. This will spoil
your schedule and cause your gains to slow up or stop.
After reaching your desired bodyweight and muscular size
you should moderate your eating habits to maintain a
healthful bodyweight and physical condition.
33
THE RADER SQUAT PROGRAM
T
he following Standard Squat Course or program
should be followed by all beginners on this course.
It is the best schedule ever arranged for the
majority of men. The other programs following this one
may be followed by advanced pupils if desired. However if
the Standard Course continues to give you results you
will be wise to remain on it as it will be most satisfactory.
Squat or Deep Knee Bend

20 repetitions
Two Arm Pullover
20 repetitions
34
Two Arm Press

10 to 12 repetitions
Two Arm Curl
Two Arm Supine Press
Rowing Exercise
Sit-up
When you can do 12 repetitions add another 5

pounds to the bar. Then you will have to start at 9 or 10
repetitions again. A beginner should work hard on one set
of repetitions for each exercise as long as he continues to
gain. When his gains slow up he should add another set for
each exercise and continue this way as long as gains
continue, then add another set, making three sets of each
exercise. Reps can remain the same except in the squat
where he should never attempt to do three sets of 20 reps.
After a considerable period of squatting for 20 reps
you can try two or three sets of 10 or 15 reps. This breaks
the monotony and also often stimulates greater gains.
35
Your Workout Program
The squat or deep knee bend has become the most

important and most effective exercise known for
developing the muscles and adding bodyweight. It is also
the most effective means for developing a large chest. This
is because of the forced deep breathing caused by the use of
the large masses of muscles of the hips, thighs, and lower
back. Likewise because of the strenuous use of these large
muscle masses, the metabolism is sped up and the
functional process of all the vital organs is strengthened and
vitalized. It is because of this that the squat has become
known as a Growing Exercise. Other exercise can and
have been used in much the same manner but it has been
found that the squat, properly performed, is much more
convenient and effective than any of the others. In this
course, the squat is the primary of most important exercise.
Others in the program are secondary. Even so they are
important in the scheme of the program. Most of your
energy and concentration will be applied to the squat,
however.
36
Hard Work Is Necessary
Many barbell men think they are working hard until

they are placed on the specialized program. It is absolutely
necessary that you work the thighs and your breathing
apparatus (chest and lungs) to their limit in order to benefit
from the squat. You should also work hard on the other
primary exercises, but, as we said before, the squat will
receive most of your attention. We ask our personal pupils
to make as many repetitions as the possibly can handle. It is
well that you have someone at hand to help you up in case
you get down and cant make another repetition. Of course,
you can allow the weight to fall off the shoulders if you are
where this is possible without damaging the floor.
Personally, the author practiced letting go of the bar with
one hand and even two hands (it will stay put with a lot of
weight on it) and place the hand or hands on the thighs and
push against the thigh strongly with one hand. Thus you
will be able to came up on difficult squats and you never
need to be stuck on the bottom with a squat. We strongly
advise that everyone learn this. When doing 20 repetitions
of the squat, you will often find that at about 15 repetitions
you think you cant make another. However, if you will just
keep trying you will usually find that you can finish out the
full 20 repetitions. If there are times when you are so tired
37
that you find you cannot quite make 20 dont let it worry
you. It is the last five that give you THE RESULTS - not
the first 15 so always try to finish up. You will have to do
some real fighting at times.
Number of Repetitions and Adding Weight
For the squat or deep knee bend there are a number

of effective repetition schedules. However, you should
never go below 8 or 10 repetitions per set if you wish to
make the greatest progress in bodybuilding. Less than 8
repetitions is very valuable for development of power but
greatest results muscular development of bodyweight gains
will not be forthcoming.
Two sets of 10 repetitions has been found very good
for beginners. We usually start beginners on one set of 20
repetitions, however. Some men who would be classified as
advanced men will use as high as 4 sets of 10 repetitions
and one set of 20 repetitions and two sets of 10 or perhaps a
set of 20, a set of 15 and a set of 10.
You may want to use one method for a month and
then change over to the other for a month. The important
thing to bear in mind is that the legs and chest must be
worked to their limit. Add weight to the bar as often as you
can, whether you are using 20 repetitions or several sets of
38
10. Some fellows add 5 pounds every week. Others try for
10 every week. There will be times when you feel that you
cant possibly add any weight and still complete the proper
number of repetitions. But quite often if you put the weight
on you will find that you can make the grade. As you
become more advanced you will not be able to add weight
so often.
We usually recommend 10 or 12 repetitions in the
upper body exercises. In all exercises you will find that
when you add weight to the bar you will not be able to
make the full number of repetitions for about two exercise
periods. When you reach the prescribed number then add
more weight.
In other words, you may be using 10 repetitions.
When you add 5 lbs. you probably will have to drop back to
8 repetitions, but try to do more each workout and when
you reach 10 or 11 repetitions it is time to add another 5
lbs. In the heavy leg exercises you can usually add 10 lbs.
at a time.
Frequency of Workouts
This subject is very important to your gains. If you

exercise too often you will not be able to recuperate
between workouts. Most fellows following this course find
39
three exercise periods best. A great many gain best on but

two exercise periods per week. It is SELDOM advisable to
have four such strenuous workouts per week. We advise the
pupil to start out with two periods per week such as on
Tuesday and Friday. Later on you may, if you find it
desirable, change to three per week. You should always
have one or two days rest between workout periods. While
following this course, do not indulge in any other formal
exercise if you wish the greatest results. Swimming, tennis
and other such sports take energy that should be conserved
for your exercise periods and gaining. Later on, after you
have gained to the desired weight and size you can indulge
in other activities without any loss of development.
You may take your workout at any period of the
day. We never advise such heavy workouts in the morning,
however. Your energy is low at this time and it is advisable
not to do anything before 11 oclock. The best time is the
day id either just before your evening meal (about 1 hour
before) or about 2 hours after the evening meal. Allow at
least hour after exercise before eating. It is well to lie
down and rest for 15 minutes after a workout.
40
Split Workout Program
Another method of working out that has a great

value for those with low energy is the split workout
program. In this you perform your lower body exercises in
the morning about 1 hour before lunch and your upper body
exercises in the evening. Or if you prefer, you may do the
upper body exercises in the morning and the leg exercises
at night. This allows you to work harder on both sections of
the body and still not exhaust your energy. This type of
course will not be convenient to everyone, however.
It should be considered, however, and if convenient,
the pupil should give it a trial because even the advanced
man will find he can work harder on his exercises by
splitting the work load in this manner. Many men who
found it impossible to gain in any other manner have
obtained very good results from this system.
Layoffs
We suggest that you follow the above program for a

period of 3 months. Try not to miss a single workout unless
are just too exhausted from your days work. However, a
good workout will usually cause you to feel much better.
When you are too tired you can take that particular workout
41
a little easier. After 3 months on the above program take a

layoff of 2 weeks in which you do no exercise, then start
again on the same program. After each layoff you may
want to change the schedule of repetitions as suggested
elsewhere in the course.
On of our biggest problems is to keep a pupil from
adding exercises to his program. To do so may defeat you
and cause you to stop gaining. Keep the program exactly as
we have given it to you here.
Breathing Methods
Proper breathing with the squat is utmost

importance. We use what is termed the puff and pant
style of breathing. The exerciser stops between each
repetition of the squat and takes 3 to 6 more deep breaths.
This is very important for the increase in size of the chest
and for weight gain. By the time you finish all squats you
will be puffing like a steam engine. You should continue
this deep breathing for some time after finishing the squats.
We usually recommend that the pupil perform the pullover
directly after the squat while still breathing hard. This same
puff and pant style of breathing is beneficial when used
with other exercises also though to a lesser extent.
42
We generally recommend that the pupil perform

about 3 to 5 squats with one breath between each squat, and
from there on he will use 3 or more breaths between each
squat, gradually increasing the number of breaths between
squats as he progresses with squat repetitions, as you
require more deep breathing as you tire from the squat.
When you reach 20 repetitions you may be taking as many
as 8 or 10 deep breaths.
Here are a few more points to remember. Always
the breathing is done through the mouth. Each breath is
made as large as possible and an effort made to use the
entire chest capacity. On the last breath you draw in all the
air you can then make an extra effort to fill the lungs still
fuller. This extra effort does much for the expansion of
your chest. As you make this last effort you hold the breath
and perform your squat and then repeat your breathing
procedure as before. Squatting on full lungs with the
rebound method places an additional expansion strain on
the rib box. All this deep breathing results in rapid growth
of the chest. However, the breathing alone, without the
vigorous exercise will not give you the results.
The pupil must understand that the lungs are of a
spongy nature and that they contain both blood and air.
They have a great capacity for both. Now, when you do
deep breathing without exercise you only fill the lungs with
43
air but when you perform vigorous leg exercises you cause
the heart to fill the lungs with blood also. Then when you
take your deep breaths you get greater expansion because
the blood and air both demand more room.
DEEP BREATHING IS IMPORTANT AND IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO IT AS INSTRUCTED.
You may find that it tires you considerably to breathe this
and that you could use more weight by paying less attention
to breathing, but dont neglect it concentrate on deep
breathing.
Dont try to keep accurate count of every breath
taken between the squats. Guess at them as you will find it
difficult to concentrate on the exercise count if you try to
count breaths also.
Here are a few more hints on breathing chest gains
and development that the author has used for some time but
which have never been published before. They are a little
difficult for a man to learn the first lesson but he can
gradually learn a little with each workout.
In order to give greater lift to the upper chest try to
contract the muscles on the front of the neck very
vigorously, then when these are contracted make an effort
to contract the back of neck muscles by pulling the head
back slightly. You will find that this gives considerable lift
to the upper chest and also is a fine developer of the neck
44
muscles. Now, after you have learned the above method

here is another little help. This will also be effective in
developing the back muscles. Some pupils get unusual
development of the back muscles by this variation of
breathing with the squat. As you breathe out allow the
shoulders to sag and the back to hump this will force all
the air out of the lungs. Now, as you breathe in straighten
up and even slightly arch the back. You will find that by
working this movement in conjunction with the neck work
given above you get great expansion of the entire chest as
well as superb neck and back exercise. This is the ultimate
perfection in breathing methods with the squat. Do not
neglect to learn them even though it takes a little time to
master all the movements you are called on to make.
Do not allow yourself to get into the habit of
breathing in the abdomen or too much in the lower chest.
Breathe into the upper chest. This is where you want the
added development, not the lower chest or abdomen.
The Use of Cambered or Bent Bars and Loading Racks
The pupil will find that a bent bar or what is called a

cambered bar will be helpful in the squatting. This bent bar
will not roll on the shoulders as you squat, and makes
squatting much more pleasant. It is not a necessity, as you
45
can use a straight bar, but it is much more convenient. If

you dont want to bend your regular (and you shouldnt)
you can obtain a bar of the right diameter and length at your
hardware dealers and bend it, putting about a 1 inch camber
in it. This is enough to prevent rolling on the shoulders.
Positions for squatting
Many men find it best to squat with their back slightly bent
or humped. That is, they go down with the back straight
and flat but allow it to bend or hump as they come up from
the squat. The body usually tips forward slightly as they
start to come erect. The bar may roll up the neck and it is
quite painful. The cambered bar will not so this. We prefer
that our pupils squat with a flat back and sometimes even
a slight arch throughout the entire squat. As we point out
later in the course, the flat backed squat allows greater
freedom form congestion for the vital organs than does the
round backed style.
46
THE EELLS BODYWEIGHT

SQUAT SYSTEM
T
his method was developed several years ago by
Roger Eells of the Eells Health Studio of Columbus,
Ohio. It is very similar to the Rader Master
Bodybuilding and Weight Gaining System in every way
except one. Instead of recommending heavy weights for the
deep knee bend or squat, Eells recommends light weights
never more than a mans bodyweight, even for advanced
training. That is, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need never
use over 150 pounds on the bar. The reason we have not
favored or taught this system is that we feel that it does not
develop the quality of muscle in the legs not does it develop
the great strength and power in the legs that heavy squats
do. It does, however, stimulate metabolism and causes
47
growth to take place in the bodybuilder using it. It is used

with great success by Mr. Eells in his work. Most of his
pupils being business men, they use little more than 60
pounds in this exercise. It is not the amount of weight you
use so much as it is the breathing that goes with it that
causes the improvement. However, this does not mean that
you can use very light weights with maximum benefit.
Some weight resistance must be felt.
Breathing should be done to the maximum capacity
of the chest and through the mouth, 3 to 6 deep breaths
(sometimes 8 to 10 when needed) between each squat. If
you become dizzy from the deep breathing then add a little
more weight. When taking a breath try to take it in the
upper chest and not in the abdomen. To do this you will
have to shrug the shoulders and lift the weight of the bar off
the chest. This will give you the deep, full upper chest
without the increase in lower chest and waist measurement
resulting from the old style abdominal breathing.
The other exercises with the Eells system are the
same as in this course. The addition of the stiff legged
deadlift is sometimes made. A set of pullovers after each
set of squats should be done with this program.
You should work out three times per week. Obtain
plenty of sleep and rest. Eat a full diet with plenty of milk.
48
Other training principles as given earlier in this course

should be followed.
49
THE DEADLIFT PROGRAM FOR

WEIGHT GAINING
T
here has been but little experimenting done with
this exercise for weight gaining but those who
were willing to work hard on it for a period made
remarkable gains in bodyweight and strength. The principle
reason for it not being more popular as a weight gaining
medium is because it is very hard work used correctly for
this purpose. Some men prefer it to the squat, however, and
for these we present the program outlined below for weight
gaining.
Harold Ansorge was perhaps the most outstanding
example of rapid gains in strength and bodyweight. He
gained 20 lbs., and a great deal in strength and bodyweight.
50
During this experiment he exceeded the world deadlift

record with a lift of 680 lbs.
Due to the fact that it is a very strenuous exercise it
is not advisable to use many other exercises with it. We
suggest the supine press on bench, two arm curl and two
arm pullover as being ample. The deadlift will give heavy
work to the entire back and legs.
It is not necessary, and is in fact unwise, to work out
too often on this program. Never more than three times per
week and it is usually best to do but two workouts per
week. Ansorge, one of the worlds strongest men, worked
out only once every five days. After a preliminary
hardening process you should work out as follows:
The first night should be devoted to three sets with
reasonably light poundage and 18 to 20 repetitions. Then
gradually add poundage to the bell until you feel that you
are ready for a more strenuous program. The above is for a
hardening up process and should be started easy at first.
The following program is varied somewhat in that
you can change the program every workout night. The first
night start with a poundage that you can make 20
repetitions with, then after a rest add weight to the bar for
15 more repetitions. Then another rest and add more weight
for a set of 10 repetitions. Now, another rest and reduce the
weight to where you can make 15 repetitions.
51
The second workout night use a poundage with

which you can make 5 sets of 10 reps.
The third workout go back to the program of the
first night and alternate your programs that way every other
night.
It may be that you can work up to 6 sets while
others may find that three sets are enough for
specialization.
The breathing method in this exercise is very
important, so observe the following instructions carefully.
There are two methods. In one method you stand erect with
the weight and take 3 to 6 breaths (you will find that the
pressure of the arms on the sides will make it difficult, but
this will greatly strengthen the breathing muscles). Take in
all the air possible and make a secondary effort to cram in
more. Hold the last breath and make another repetition.
Now, of course, by observing these breathing instructions
you may cut your poundage somewhat, but the breathing is
more important than the poundage if you wish to make
bodyweight gains.
Another preferred method is to stand up after each
repetition (after placing the weight on the floor) and take 3
to 6 or more deep breaths between repetitions. Then grasp
the weight and take a deep breath and make another
repetition.
52
We caution you to use good form in the deadlift,

with the back flat and hips low. Make the lifts with the legs,
as much as possible.
Follow each set of dead lifts with pullovers.
53
THE CLEAN AND JERK

PROGRAM FOR WEIGHT
GAINING
T
his very popular lift is a good exercise for all
round development and an excellent method of
weight gaining if properly performed for this
purpose. It is probably the most strenuous of all exercises
and therein lies its value as a stimulator of metabolism and
a weight gaining medium.
Much the same principles of procedure are used as
in the squat or deadlift.
Because it is so strenuous you will find that, as a
general rule, two workout periods per week will be
sufficient. You may find yourself rather sore at first if you
are not careful to progress slowly.
54
Some of you fellows with good clean and jerk

records may be surprised how little weight you will be able
to use in this as a repetition exercise. At any rate we advise
you to start very light and add weight as you can.
You will also find that in addition to being a
marvelous all-round bodybuilder, that the practice of this
lift as an exercise gives you added ability on the King of
Lifts and increases your energy, flexibility and speed.
You may use either the split style or the squat style.
If you use the split style, we advise you to learn to split
either foot forward in your training as an exercise to work
both legs equally.
You should strive to use the best possible form on
every repetition. Also it is advisable to do a few warm up
repetitions with a real light weight before starting on the
heavier program. This will warm all the muscles and get
you in the groove, so to speak, regarding the correct form.
After you are properly warmed up, start out by
doing 12 repetitions with whatever poundage you find you
can handle correctly for this number of repetitions. We
want to stress the importance of correct breathing here
again. Take 3 to 6 deep breaths between each repetition of
the clean and jerk. Make them deep and through the mouth.
55
After this first set you will be breathing very hard

and we advise you to do a set of 15 or 20 pullovers with a
light weight.
Youll need to rest a few minutes than make another
set of the clean and jerk of about 10 repetitions. Then more
pullovers and another rest. Now do another set of 18 to 20
repetitions with a lighter weight and another set of
pullovers. This will be a terrific workout for most fellows.
A few will want another set or so. Some fellows will find
two sets enough.
We do not advise any other exercises to be used
with this program, just the clean and jerk and the pullover.
The two arm snatch can also be used in this manner,
though we do not feel it is as effective. You will be able to
do more sets in the snatch, however, because it is not nearly
so strenuous.
You should watch for signs of overwork on this
program as it is possible to overwork until you have found
out just how much you can stand. It is very strenuous but
equally beneficial.
56
OTHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS
SPECIALIZATION
The following specialization programs and

exercises are given here for those who find that some body
part may be below per as thy near the desired bodyweight
and general development from the course just given. Some
men, and in fact most men, will find that some parts of the
body develop easier and faster than others and it will
require specialized work for these parts. You should not
add these exercises until you are an advanced man and are
somewhere near the desired bodyweight and general
development.
When adding these exercises and specializing on
them you should cut down slightly on the work you do on
57
the regular course. It is suggested that you should cut down

most exercises to one set each when specializing on some
body part so you can devote more energy and attention to
that particular area. To maintain a full program of sets on
the regular course and also add these specialization
exercises will, in most cases, result in overwork and going
stale and probably an actual loss instead of a gain.
Though we have recommended 3 to 4 sets in most
exercises, there are occasions when 5 to 6 sets are justified
and perhaps needed. The pupil should judge for himself
how many he can thrive on without going stale.
Neck Exercises
Every bodybuilder should have a good neck and

many of the exercises already given work the neck very
strongly but some men will feel the need of additional
specialization. The wrestlers bridge exercise shown is one
of the best. At first you wont need weight in the hands.
Just lie on your back with head on a pillow, and with
shoulders flat on the floor. Then, by the strength of the neck
muscles, raise up on the crown of the head and as far over
toward the forehead as you can. Then lower back down
until the shoulders touch ground. Repeat this for 10 to 12
repetitions. As you become more accomplished, you will
58
find it helpful to roll sideways a little in a rotating

movement as you come up. This will give you a wider
range of movement. You can add resistance by holding a
barbell. By rolling up on the forehead while face down you
can affect the front of the neck. At first you will probably
have to support yourself on the knees, maybe even helping
a little with the hands, but as you get stronger you should
let the knees extend out farther, throwing more strain on the
neck until finally you can come up on the toes. It is
doubtful if you will ever need extra weight, but if you do
you can hold plates in your hands behind the back. Again,
rolling the head around in a circle will exercise the sides of
the neck as well as the front. You can do three sets of each
neck exercise.
CAUTION If you have not been doing regular
neck exercises you should take it very easy at first,
otherwise you can get some extremely sore neck muscles
and even a very sore throat from overdoing it when starting
out.
Calf Specialization
Since the calves are perhaps the hardest part of the

body for most bodybuilders to develop properly, and since
59
they usually lag behind the rest of the body we will give
them our attention here.
The muscles of the calves are very tough and dense
and possess great endurance. This tissue is difficult to break
down and requires extreme measures.
We will not discuss the anatomy of the different
muscles nor will we give you a large number of exercises to
perform, as this would only confuse you. We give you the
best exercises for this purpose and allow you to choose two
or three for your special work.
The most popular calf exercise is the raise on toes,
and properly performed it is probably the most effective of
all. We recommend that you use this exercise. We ask that
you hold a light barbell in the hands or on the shoulders,
(some of you wont need any weight at all for a while) and
standing on a 3 or 4 inch block with the toes and ball of
foot and with the back against a post or wall of other such
solid support such as a door frame etc., raise up and down
of the toes with back sliding against the support.
You should do a set with the toes pointed out,
another with the toes pointed ahead and another with toes
pointed in. This latter style will be a hard one to assume.
We have found that best results will be had from doing 20
to 30 repetitions for most fellows. You should rest a few
minutes between sets and lightly massage and stroke the
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muscles to aid the circulation. When the ache leaves the

muscles you are ready for another set. Gradually work up to
3 to 6 sets in each position. This many sets will run into a
lot of hard work and may not be necessary in all cases.
However, if your calves are very stubborn you will have to
work them this hard.
The proper number of reps will vary with different
men. Use the number we have given to determine for
yourself if it is right. It is important that you lean against a
post of support to prevent your cheating by swinging the
body. As you raise on the toes you will reach what seems to
be your limit but make an extra effort to raise still higher.
You will find this extra effort is the most effective part of
the exercise. Allow the calf muscles complete extension by
using a block of ample height. This height will be
determined by the length of your foot. Dont use so much
weight that you cant make the movements complete. At
the same time use enough for plenty of resistance. After a
workout on this exercise your calf muscles will ache so
much it will almost make you sick, but this wont harm
you, as tough calf muscles require such extreme measures if
they are to be forced to grow. Dont allow anyone to
convince you that this is a poor calf exercise. It is the most
direct, natural and effective calf exercise known WHEN
PROPERLY APPLIED.
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For the front of the lower leg you just reverse the
above procedure by placing the heel of the foot on the
block and raise up and down on the heel. This will be a
little hard until you get the muscles accustomed to acting
over the full range of their movement. We seldom use these
muscles over a very great range so they must be retrained.
Raise the toes high toward you and make a secondary effort
to raise it still higher. Work up to about 4 sets of 20
repetitions in this exercise, which should be enough for
most cases. Use the sliding post in this again so that you
wont cheat.
Although there are other good calf exercises we feel
that these are the most direct and effective so we are not
giving any others. Most fellows will find the three workouts
per week will give the desired results but some may find
that they can thrive on as many as 5 calf workouts per
week. Allow at least 3 months for satisfactory results on
this program.
It will sometimes help if you lay off calf exercises
one week after a month of heavy exercise. This will allow
the calf muscles to soften up a little and they will respond
better than from added exercise. It is also wise to remain off
the feet as much as possible during calf specialization.
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Arm Specialization
The arms are probably the part of the body on which

most fellows spend most of their energy and time
developing. They are, in most cases, easier to develop than
the calves, and respond amazingly to specialized work. A
few years ago a 16 inch arm on a 6 foot man was
considered unusual, but now with our advances in
specialized body culture it is, considered rather small
because most men are working for 17 and 18 inch arms.
The triceps and biceps muscles make up the
muscular bulk of the arm. The two arm curl is a very fine
exercise for the biceps but it has been found that more
concentrated work can be given this muscle if a dumbbell is
used and one arm at a time exercised. One of the most
effective exercises is the seated one arm curl with the elbow
held against the knee or thigh so that it cannot swing and
allow you to cheat. You wont need much weight for this
and you will find that you can obtain a complete
contraction and can give the muscle a very heavy workout.
An excellent curling method with the barbell is
performed by backing up to a post and leaning against it at
a slight angle and performing your curls from this position.
This also will prevent swinging and cheating, thereby
throwing all the strain on the biceps.
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Another fine curling method is to load up your

barbell to a weight in excess of what you can curl correctly
and then bring it up in a cheating curl by swinging. This
places an added strain on the biceps, giving them a very
heavy workout when performed correctly.
One of the best triceps exercises is the supine press
on a bench with a very narrow grip on the barbell. Allow
the elbows to point out quite a lot and this causes the arms
to double up a great deal and thus places the major portion
of the strain on the triceps. Press the barbell to arms length
and pause while taking two or three deep breaths, then
lower the weight while holding the breath. When weight
touches chest press back to arms length at once.
Concentrate of the triceps. Several sets of this will make
them ache. We find that an incline bench is still better for
this exercise.
Another fine triceps exercise (one of the very best
and most direct) is the bent arm pullover, or as it more
properly should be called, the triceps curl, though it is not a
real curl, but just the reverse of an arm extension. Our
readers are probably all familiar with it. Be sure to keep the
elbows pointing up so as to get all the bend possible at the
elbow. Then keep the elbows pointing upward while
straightening the arms. It is best to perform this exercise on
a bench, and still better if it is an incline bench. You may
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use either a dumbbell or barbell for this exercise. Try to

keep the hands fairly close together.
If you have an overhead pulley weight you will find
it can be used for one of the best triceps exercises. Place a
bar through the handle and take a position as you would in
a regular biceps curl with an over grip and with the bar at
the shoulders, slowly bring the bar down to the thighs as
you straighten the arms. This will give the triceps a terrific
workout. If you wish you may do this with one hand at a
time and in this case you will swing the hand farther back
for greater triceps contraction.
We suggest that you have three different programs
for arm work. Use each of them for three to four weeks.
First use the one arm curl for 10 reps and work up to
5 or 6 sets. Then for the triceps use the close grip supine
press on bench for 12 reps and 5 to 6 sets. (Of course you
will work up to this many sets gradually.)
For the second three or four weeks use the two arm
curl with barbell while leaning back against a post or wall.
10 reps and 5 to 6 sets for this. For the triceps use the bent
arm pullover on bench likewise for 10 reps and 5 or 6 sets.
For the third month use the heavy swinging curls
with barbell for 10 repetitions and 5 to 6 sets. For triceps do
the pulley weight exercise given above for 12 reps and 5 to
6 sets.
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Complete movements should be made in all

exercises. Make the muscles cramp at the completion of
each movement. Deep mental concentration is necessary in
all training if maximum results are to be obtained. The
muscles will ache after each exercise. Massage them lightly
and when the ache is gone do another set. When you have
completed all sets your muscles will feel very full and firm.
They will be thoroughly worked and gorged with blood.
The above programs used over a period should give you
maximum development of the arm muscles if used
conscientiously. If necessary, you can re-arrange the
exercises or you may use just one group for the entire time,
but we feel that better results will be forthcoming if they
are all used just as given.
Three workouts per week is usually enough for arm
specialization but very few can thrive on four workouts per
week.
Forearm Specialization
The forearms in some people are almost as difficult

to develop as the calves and often require special work to
bring them up to proper proportions. Most fellows enjoy
working them, however, so it isnt as hard as it might seem.
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No. 1 One of the finest exercises for the front of

the forearm of the big belly of the muscles is the wrist curl.
In this you are seating with the back of the forearm resting
on the thighs while holding a light barbell in the hands.
This gives solid support to the forearms as you curl the
wrist up and down. Make each movement very complete.
When lowering the bell allow the hands to open up so that
the bar rolls out on the fingers. This works the muscles over
a greater range. You can also use the same movement in
reverse for the backs of the forearms.
An alternate method of performing No. 1 is to place
benches in a T-shape and lie on them on your back with the
arms outstretched with the wrists and hands extending over
the ends and holding dumbbells. In this position you can
curl the wrists with greater freedom of action. By turning
over on your face you can work the backs of the forearms
in the same manner.
No. 2 For the back of the forearms one of the best
is the back hand curl. You should get a good grip on the
barbell (a small bar is easier to use than a large one) and
you may find it helpful to use the hook grip (wrapping the
fingers around the thumb for a more secure grip). This
exercise can be performed while standing erect and if you
lean against a wall or post it will prevent you from
swinging. Some fellows like to perform this exercise on a
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steeply inclined bench. Do not allow the elbows to swing

back, and as you curl, try to curl the wrists back.also.
No. 3 Another very simple but effective forearm
developer is performed by taking a barbell or dumbbell in
the hand with arm hanging at the side. Now curl the wrist
back and forth in both directions making each movement as
complete and vigorous as possible. You may also take hold
of the end of a solid dumbbell and rotate it all directions
strongly.
No. 4 Among the best forearm developers is the
old wrist roller with which most you are familiar. A rope is
threaded through a hole in the center of a 2 inch wood roller
that is 2 feet long. Then weights are tied to the other end of
the 3 foot rope and the roller held at arms length in front of
the face while you slowly roll the rope up on the roller
against the resistance of the weight by alternately curling
each wrist to the limit of its movement. You should roll it
up both with the over grip and the under grip, as well as
rolling it up both forwards and backwards. A few sets of
this will work the forearm muscles to the extreme limit.
There are many other fine forearm exercises but
most of them do not have the range of action we need to
make them as effective as those given above. We have
numbered the above so that it will be easier to refer to
them.
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For the first three weeks use the following

exercises: No. 1 - work up to 5 or 6 sets of 15 to 20 reps.
No. 2 - work up to 5 or 6 sets of 15 reps. Massage the
muscles lightly between each set.
For the second three weeks use the following
exercises: No. 3 - work up to 5 or 6 sets of 20 reps. No. 4 -
work up to 6 or 7 sets of a complete roll up in different
directions and hand positions so that it will reach the
muscles from all directions.
This will give you a 6 weeks program. Of course
you wont start with the called-for number of sets but
gradually work up to them. At a later date you may try a
program using all four exercises but not until you fail to
gain on the ones given above. Dont expect gains that are
too large. Remember, the forearms are tough and grow
slowly. Three workouts are usually enough but a few men
may gain best on 4 or 5 workouts per week. Massage the
forearms between sets to help circulation. After you acquire
forearms of the desired size you can do some strength
stunts to give them power, such as carrying heavy weights
in the hands, one hand deadlifts, and cleans, iron bending
etc. Remember, a large and powerful pair of forearms can
give you a pleasant sense of power and muscularity so
dont neglect them.
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Pectoral Specialization
As a general rule the pectorals are rather easy to

develop. However in some cases it is desirable to specialize
on them.
The best exercise known at present for them is the
supine press on bench with dumbbells. A barbell can be
used but dumbbells give more direct pectoral action. Using
a flat bench affects the lower and middle portions of the
pectorals while using the incline bench affects the upper
portions so you should vary your program to include some
of both.
These two exercises are the only ones necessary for
full and complete development of these muscles. Other
exercises are effective but not as good as the above, so we
will not give them, as it would only confuse the pupil. We
will give you only one other exercise the flying exercise
on the flat and incline benches. Its action is almost identical
with that of the supine press and you are limited in the
amount of weight you can use and it is also quite painful to
the elbows of some fellows. Most fellows prefer to perform
this exercise with elbows slightly bent and using more
weight.
We give you only one program the supine press
with dumbbells. If, for some reason, you cant use this you
70
may substitute the flying exercise (sometimes known as the

lying crucifix).
Perform the supine presses with dumbbells on the
flat bench working up to 5 sets of 12 repetitions each. Then
do 5 sets of 12 reps on the incline bench. Start with one set,
gradually working up to 5 sets. It may never be necessary to
go to 5 sets to acquire the desired development.
In performing the dumbbell presses on bench it will
throw more strain on the pectorals if you allow the
dumbbells to swing out wide as they are lowered and bring
them in as they are pressed upward.
Deltoid Specialization
The deltoids can stand a considerable amount of

heavy work, yet they can be strained if not worked
judiciously. It is important that they be warmed up well
before heavy work is attempted. A strained deltoid is
difficult to cure.
Many fellows have superb deltoids and yet they feel
they are lacking in development here because they happen
to be of a certain type whose deltoids lay flat and do not
appear large. On the other hand some fellows with
comparatively small deltoids appear to have large ones
because they are so constructed and the shoulder girdle on
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which they are supported is such that they are prominently

displayed. Analyze your type carefully and do not be
confused.
Probably the most effective exercise for the front of
the deltoid is the supine press on the bench either a flat
bench of slightly inclined. Most men who specialize on this
exercise have very good deltoids, in fact it is often out of
proportion to the rest of the deltoid which they often
neglect. Other exercises are also effective for this muscle
but we feel this one is the best. You are fortunate in being
able to specialize on this muscle and the pectorals at the
same time.
For the middle portion of the deltoids as well as the
back part a pair of pulley weights with floor pulleys are
very valuable. Not all of you will have these available so
we will also give you a program with weights.
First we give you the pulley weight exercises:
No. 1 With the wall pulleys do the arm spread
with straight arms while facing the pulleys. Keep the arms
just slightly above level of the shoulders and bring the
hands as far back as possible then allow them to come back
together again. This will strongly affect the back portion of
the deltoids as well as work many of the upper back
muscles strenuously. Place one foot slightly in front of the
72
other to give you a strongly braced position. Keep the arms

locked throughout.
No. 2 While standing erect over the floor pulleys,
keeping the arms straight, raise the hands out to the sides
(with an over grip) until they reach slightly above shoulder
level. At this point the side portions of the deltoids have
reached their maximum contraction. This is a very direct
exercise for the middle portion of the deltoid muscle.
No. 3 The same exercise as given in No. 2 can be
performed with dumbbells and in the same manner. Be sure
to keep the palms down. Keep the arms well back dont
allow them to swing forward. Be sure you completely
contract the deltoids at each movement. You will feel a
slight cramp in the muscle when you make a complete
contraction.
No. 4 This is similar in action to No. 1 except you
use dumbbells and lean forward until your body is at right
angles to your legs. From this position take the dumbbells
in your hands and then with arms locked raise them while
maintaining the same body position. Do not allow the body
to bob up and down. Keep the arms pointing away from the
body. Dont allow them to come to the sides.
The first program will consist of weights altogether.
Use No. 3 and No. 4 exercises and do up to 5 sets of 10 to
12 reps. Then do the incline press with dumbbells for 5 to 6
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sets and for 12 reps. This will give all portions of your
deltoids a strong and direct workout.
The second program consists of pulley weight
exercises and dumbbell work. Perform the incline press and
bench as before. Then do exercise No. 1 and No 2 for the
side or middle portion and back portion of the deltoids. Use
12 reps and work up to 5 or 6 sets in these latter two
exercises.
If you have both dumbbells and pulley weights you
can alternate these two programs every three weeks. Three
times per week is usually often enough to work out and a
few will be able to thrive on four workouts.
Latissimus Specialization
Many men find themselves lacking adequate

development in this important muscle. It is usually not hard
to develop, however, with specialized work.
No. 1 If you have overhead pulleys you will find
nothing is more effective for developing the latissimus
muscles than the pull down from overhead to the hip with
arm straight. Do this with one arm at a time. If you are
exercising the right arm, stand slightly to the right of center
of the overhead pulley. Grasp the handle, and keeping the
arm straight, palm down, bring the arm and hand to the hip
74
then bend the body slightly to the right from the waist at the
same time. This will give complete contraction of the
latissimus muscle. For variety you can also perform this by
bringing the hand down in front instead of the side.
No. 2 With the overhead pulleys and with a four
foot bar attached, kneel under the bar and grasp it with both
hands and a wide grip and while leaning slightly forward
pull the bar down to the back of the neck. This is one of the
most popular latissimus exercises.
No. 3 The two arm chin to back of neck. You
should do this with a wide grip. You may not be strong
enough to do the proper number of repetitions at first.
No. 4 The two arm rowing exercise is among the
best latissimus exercises when properly performed. It works
the muscles overall and a little differently than the other
exercises.
Do not cheat by bobbing up and down. Pull the
weight up to the abdomen rather than to the chest if you
want to work for latissimus development. Keep the legs
straight and allow the back to hump as you lower the
weight, but flatten the back as you pull the weight up. Use
plenty of weight but not so much that you cant perform it
correctly.
75
The first program will include pulley weight

exercises. Use No. 1 and No 2. Perform these for 12 reps
and work up to 5 sets.
The second program consists of No 3 for 12 reps
and 4 to 6 sets and tie weights to the waist when needed for
added resistance. Perform No. 4 for 15 reps and work up to
5 or 6 sets. You may alternate the above program every
three or four weeks.
Back Specialization
This includes special work for the spinal erector

muscles, buttock muscles, trapezius muscles and others.
A man can never make his back too strong or well
developed, but strangely, this part is often neglected,
probably because the bodybuilder is not so conscious of it
because he cant see it so easily even in a mirror.
We include a number of muscles because it is
difficult to exercise one of them without affecting the
others.
No. 1 We feel, after much observation and
training of many men, that the most effective exercise for
developing large size and power in the muscles of the back
is the dead hanging clean. There are two methods of
performing this and you will do well to practice both of
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them. The first method is performed as a regular clean,

using the split or squat and pulling the weight in to the
shoulders. If you are not interested in weightlifting you will
not need to bother so much about getting extremely low
under the weight, but can depend on the back, hips, legs
and arms to get the weight in to the shoulders. Concentrate
on the back, however, since it is this part we are now
concerned about developing. Make the back snap straight
with force and speed, arching it as you pull the weight in to
the shoulders. This will give you maximal contraction of
the spinal muscles.
The second method is one in which you use a great
deal more weight and make no attempt to pull it in to the
shoulders but just pull it as high as possible while throwing
the head back and arching the back as in the regular clean.
Then lower the weight and pull it up again in the same
method. You should use the dead hang rebound method in
both these cleans. In doing this do not lower the weight
then make a second raising and lowering before cleaning,
but come right down from one clean and lower the bar until
the plates are about three inches from the floor, and
immediately give a terrific pull into another clean and so on
until you have finished all your reps. Start with light
weights until you learn the movements correctly, then work
up to heavy weights. In the latter method you will use
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weights somewhat heavier than you use in the clean. It is

sometimes known as the dead hang deadlift. Use the same
leg and back positions as you would use in the clean or
deadlift with a flat back and the head up and hips down.
No. 2 The Stiff Legged Deadlift is usually
considered among the very best back developers. Among
standard exercises it is the best. It can be performed on a
regular floor but some men with flexible backs like to stand
on a low box so that they can lower the bar further.
However, this is a dangerous method unless your back is
properly constructed for it. A large number of bodybuilders
use the hopper for these deadlifts. This piece of apparatus
gives a rebound to the weight when it is lowered quickly to
the hopper and during this brief bounce the spinal vertebrae
have an opportunity to reset themselves for another effort.
The use of one of these hoppers will largely eliminate the
possibility of back strain that is often feared from the stiff
legged deadlift. At its simplest, two heavy planks of wood
secured by crossbeams will suffice.
With these three exercises anyone should be able to
attain maximum development and great strength. We
suggest that you alternate these three exercises every
month. Start out with the regular dead hang clean and work
up to 5 or 6 sets of 10 reps. Follow this program for a
month then practice the dead hang dead lifts for a month
78
using the same reps and sets. For the third month do the
stiff legged deadlift working up to 15 reps and 5 sets.
Leg Specialization
Almost every fine, powerful pair of legs in

existence today is the result of the squat.
You should do many sets of from 10 to 15 or 20
reps. The number of sets you can work up to will depend on
your energy and ability. It may be as high as seven sets, or
you may be able to obtain sufficient results with only two
sets. Always perform your squats with a flat back. Use as
heavy a weight as you can for the required number of reps.
Follow the methods of deep breathing as advised under the
paragraph on breathing. You wont have to concentrate on
it to the extent you do when trying to gain weight or build a
large chest. You will find that you need considerable rest
between sets as this is a very strenuous program.
If you want to develop the lower part of your leg
more than the upper part then you should squat with the
heels on a block of wood or you can squat on the toes with
your back against the sliding post. Keep feet close to the
post. Sit erect and go straight up and down.
For general thigh development, however, with equal
development for the front and back of the thigh, nothing
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can equal the regular flat footed squat with the back flat, or
even arched a little.
Three workouts per week is ample and two is often
best. Leg specialization is hard work and requires lots of
energy, necessitating lots of rest and sleep, with a full diet.
Abdominal Specialization
Specialization on the abdomen brings very quick

results as these muscles grow easily in most people.
The majority of bodybuilders, and for that matter
instructors too, are unaware of the true action of the
abdominal muscles. They do not cause the legs and body to
jack-knife upon each other as many believe. This action is
caused by two muscles deep inside the abdominal cavity
that are attached to either side of the spine and to the thigh
bones on the other ends. The rectus abdominus muscles that
give the pleasing washboard effect to the abdomen have as
their action the pulling of the sternum of breastbone closer
to the pubic bone. Therefore they have but little to do with
the sit-up action except to pull these two points closer
together and prevent the trunk from buckling backward as
the sit-up is performed. Now, this doesnt mean that the sit-
up is not a good abdominal exercise. It just means that you
must perform it a certain way and concentrate on certain
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points for best results in rectus abdominus development. As

you perform the sit-up, whether it is on the floor or an
incline board, you should concentrate on doubling the trunk
up as soon as you can at the beginning of the sit-up and
double it up all you can. Dont wait until you are erect or
nearly so to double up. The valuable resistance to this
action is then gone. So dont forget to contract the rectus
abdominus muscles before you come erect and while
resistance is greatest. To make the action more effective
and give greater range of action to the muscles it will help
to perform the sit-up on an incline bench on which the
bottom end is cut away so you can arch the back as you go
down thus stretching the rectus muscles to complete
exhaustion.
You can also use the Roman Chair for the same
purpose but you do not get as favorable a contraction
movement on it as you do on the incline bench where the
feet are higher than the head.
This sit-up exercise, either with or without the
incline bench, should be performed 15 reps before adding
more weight. You can work up to 5 or 6 sets of this.
Remember what we have told you regarding correct
performance, and dont use so much weight that you cant
do it right. If possible you should build yourself an incline
bench with the bottom end cut away. The bottom end
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should still be about 2 feet above the floor to allow space

for the upper body to hang down.
Performed as we advise above, the sit-up movement
is the best and most complete exercise yet devised for the
rectus muscles. You should need no other for your
specialization. The leg raise is very similar in muscle action
to the sit-up and to our belief it is much inferior to the sit-
up for developmental purposes.
The sides of the waist are composed of three
muscles that can be worked to a limited extent by twisting
the trunk while performing the sit-up exercise. But here
again the simplest exercise is the best and most effective.
The simple side bend with a dumbbell in one hand will give
these muscles a thorough workout. Some of these side
bends should be directly to the side but others should be
twisting-to-the-front bends. Use the same number of sets
and reps as in the sit-up for each side. Make all movements
complete. You can eventually work up to a considerable
amount of weight in this exercise and you will find a
dumbbell with a small handle is much easier to hold.
Developing The Chest Cavity
Perhaps no one of our bodily functions is more

important than breathing. We can live a long time without
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food and a considerable time without water or sleep but we

die almost at once without air. We cannot live in good
health without plenty of fresh air. All men with spacious
chest cavities are vigorous, healthy and full of drive and
energy. Therefore it behooves us all to develop our rib box
to its maximum size. This is one part of the body that we
feel can never be developed too large.
The most valuable means, so far discovered for
developing such a large chest is forced deep breathing,
brought on by either heavy breathing squats or bodyweight
Eells type breathing squats. We prefer the heavy type for
various reasons but good results have been obtained with
the Eells bodyweight squats.
For the purpose of added size in the chest cavity,
one should work up to 20 reps while taking 3 to 6 very deep
breaths between each squat, always striving to breath into
the upper chest and lift the chest as high as possible with
each breath, throwing the head back and lifting the chest
and shoulders slightly. If you are specializing on
development of the rib box this breathing with the squats is
very important. Some men have gained several inches in
one month by this method. You can work up to two or three
sets of these squats. Each set should be followed by a set of
pullovers on a bench with a weight that will give the
maximum stretch to the rib box. Some prefer to use the bent
83
arm pullover and more weight. You will also find that the
supine press with dumbbells on bench will also give a lift to
the chest due to the pull of the pectorals on the sternum and
ribs as they contract to bring the arms in.
An exercise that has proven even more effective
than the pullover is the Rader Chest Pull developed and
taught by the author and explained fully in a later part of
this course. When properly learned and executed it will do
amazing things in expanding the chest cavity and giving
you a full, deep chest. It usually takes a considerable period
of time to learn to perform it most effectively, so stay with
it and practice it diligently. We usually recommend 20 reps
of this exercise and it can be performed anywhere and
anytime you feel like it, making it a most convenient
exercise as well.
The Hise Shoulder Shrug described later in this
course will also give added size to the chest cavity as well
as giving it a high arch. Perform it as described in another
part of this course.
These are the most effective exercises for this
purpose known and should be given a great deal of
attention.
It is understood that you will use as much weight as
possible while performing the exercises correctly for the
required number of repetitions. When you reach the
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required number of repetitions and perform two workouts at

that number, increase the weight.
By the time the pupil has progressed to the point
where he needs specialization, he will have become well
acquainted with his body and will best know what number
of repetitions and sets he gains on. We have given a certain
number of repetitions and sets that have been found to be
most effective, generally, and we expect him to use his
judgment in this matter. Further information regarding
number of repetitions and sets will be found elsewhere.
Rader High Chest Pull
You will find this one of the most unusual exercises

for giving great gains in rib box expansion. It has given
very good gains to advanced men who have trained for
years with no chest improvement from any other method. It
can be practiced anywhere without special apparatus and
several times per day. It will give you chest increase in the
upper chest where you want it most. It gives a high arch to
the chest. No other exercise will affect the chest as does this
exercise.
It is a little more difficult to learn than some other
chest exercises and the better you learn it the more effective
it becomes.
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You stand and grasp a bar, a shelf, door, or any

other solid, strong object which can be grasped at slightly
above the height of the top of the head.
Now that you have a grasp on this object, with the
hands spaced about 3 inches apart or less, you keep the
arms straight and pull down and IN and at the same time
take a deep breath. If you perform this movement properly
you will feel a very strong pull in the area of the breast
bone, and even a sharp little pain there at times. Dont be
alarmed. This is an indication that you are performing the
exercise correctly.
Some men find they can pull harder if they bend the
elbows just slightly. Dont allow them to bend too much,
though. The harder you pull, the more benefit your chest
will get, IF you are pulling correctly. You MUST NOT
contract the abdominals. If they are tensed they will flatten
the chest and prevent any effective pull from the pectoral
muscles which do the work in this exercise.
After a little practice you will learn to give a little
yank or jerk while pulling, and this will increase the pull
that you feel on the chest.
You can also obtain additional pull by tensing the
front of the neck muscles and then pulling the head back.
This should be learned last, for if you try to learn
everything at once, you will, in all probability, defeat
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yourself in that you will not learn anything right. This neck
tensing lifts the chest high and should be done at the same
time you pull down an in with the arms. It is especially
important that you should pull in very hard with the arms.
Of course, you dont allow the arms to move from their
position as that would spoil the effect.
You can do 15 to 20 of these pulls after each set of
squats and your chest will feel stretched as it never has
before. You can perform a few reps of this exercise during
the day and can do it every day without going stale. Your
chest may get a little sore and tender at first, so dont
overdo it until you get used to it.
No other exercise can give you the maximum chest
size this exercise can. Dont neglect it. You wont need to
perform the regular pullover when using this exercise, for it
accomplishes the same thing much better.
The Hise Breathing Shoulder Shrug
This is a rather recent discovery made and

developed by J.C. Hise and has had amazing success in the
development of a high arched chest, good posture, stronger
diaphragm (termed the LIFE muscle by Hise) and weight
gaining in cases where nothing else seemed to help.
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Doubtless many new improvements will be made in the

future, but we present you the best methods to date.
Originally, rather light weights were thought to be
better. You will, therefore, have to have loading standards
for your bar as you may reach 600 or 700 pounds or more
in this exercise. You will start out with rather light weights
however, and gradually work up, as there is possibility of
strain if you start out with heavy weights. Most fellows will
do well to start with about 100 pounds until they have
learned the correct movements and positions.
You take the weight on the shoulders as if you were
doing the regular squat. Then, standing with feet in solid
position you take a deep breath always striving to breathe
into the upper part of the chest, as high as possible while
shrugging the shoulders upward as high as you can. You
will also tense the front of neck muscles as this greatly aids
in lifting the chest higher, causing you to make quite a face.
You will also make every effort to breathe in as deeply as
possibly. Then breathe out and sag down, then go through
the same procedure again and so on until you complete 20
repetitions. You will probably, at times, find it helpful to
work up to 30 repetitions and even 40 repetitions. Most
men perform about 3 sets of this exercise. However, this
will be governed by the amount of energy you have to
expend. Some men find that get like to rock forward on the
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toes when performing this exercise, however, it is not

necessary.
When you reach heavy weights you will find that
you are not able to shrug the bar very high. Mr. Hise says
that this varies in different people and is not too important
as long as you are shrugging it as high as you can.
Sometimes it may rise 2 inches, but with others possibly
only about a half inch or so.
It is not necessary to use any other exercises with
this shrug but we recommend that you use at least the two
arm pullover. Most fellows using it will add other exercises
for all-round development. You will probably need to use a
pad under the bar at first until the shoulders get toughened
up to stand the weight on the trapezius muscle.
To most people this will not seem like an exercise
and they are likely to dismiss it without a fair trial. This is a
mistake, as its virtues have been proven. You will soon see
your chest becoming higher and larger and it will take on a
better taper. You will have better posture and your waist
will probably become smaller.
This exercise has also been used as a reducing
exercise with success, though this use has not been
widespread enough to prove its value or make any definite
schedules for its use for this purpose other than a note that
heavy weights must be worked into this.
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The shoulder shrug has been very effective if

developing the chest, giving great sustaining power and
general well being. You may get dizzy at first from taking
so much oxygen into the lungs but this will not injure you
in any way.
AN ABBREVIATED PROGRAM OF
BODYBUILDING
Many times a pupil may find himself without

sufficient time for a complete and heavy workout period for
one night or for a lengthy period of time. Others will find
that they never have time for a long program of exercise.
For these we present the following program as being one of
the very best for the purpose. Not only is it the very best for
the purpose. Not only is it a good program for keeping in
condition but it is also a good program for all-round muscle
development. We have used many abbreviated programs
but find this one is the very best that we have found so far.
It is also a good foundation program from which to build up
a more varied program. If you have time for it you could
add a press from behind neck and a curl. If you have a
tendency toward adding weight around the waist you might
want to add some abdominal exercise. Or you can add any
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other exercises where it seems you need work. But, as we

have said before, this is an abbreviated program developed
and arranged for those who find they havent time for a
larger program of exercises. Also it is ideal for those who
are low in energy and cannot gain well on a heavier
program. It is also a very ideal weight gaining program, in
fact, one of the very best, using, as it does, the largest
muscle masses in the body. For all these things we can
recommend it very highly.
There are only three exercises the supine press on
bench (of course, if you do not have a bench or anyone to
hand off the weight, you can perform the exercise on the
floor), the two arm rowing exercise (if you do several sets
of this exercise we recommend you do part of the sets with
bar pulled to abdomen and the others bar pulled to chest;
this will work all the muscles across the back) and the
squat.
We recommend that you do the supine press 12
repetitions and the rowing exercise 12 repetitions and the
squat 20 repetitions. You should also develop a similar
breathing system with the rowing and supine press. That is,
take two deep breaths while weight is on the floor between
repetitions of the row, and two deep breaths while weight is
at straight arms length in the supine press. Hold the breath
while doing the supine press just as you do in the squat.
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You should work up to 4 to 6 sets in each exercise.

If you do this, you should perform some of your sets of
squats with different repetitions, as for instance, the first set
with 20 reps, the second set with a heavier weight for 10
reps, the third set with a little less weight for 15 reps and
the fourth set with more weight and 10 reps.
In any case you should always follow each set with
a set of pullovers. Follow other training advice as given
earlier in the course. Followed properly, and with many
sets, the above program can become one of the fastest
weight gaining programs in existence as it uses nearly all
the large muscle masses of the body.
MORE ABBREVIATED PROGRAMS
There are several reasons why some men find it

advantageous to practice on an abbreviated squat program.
One is that they dont have energy enough for the
other exercises, and as the squat is the key exercise they
eliminate some of the others. There have been many cases
where the pupil practiced nothing but the squat and made
amazing gains in bodyweight. It might be thought that this
specialization would result in large legs and nothing else,
but such was not the case, as the pupils made gains in the
size of the chest, arms, neck, back, etc. These parts likewise
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increased in strength. It is because of these characteristics

that the squat is termed the Growing Exercise.
It is often found that such as abbreviated program is
the only way to force some stubborn cases to grow. Once
they are on their way to gaining, other exercises are added.
Also it is sometimes the desire of some people to
gain weight only. They have little interest in general
proportions etc. They just want improved health and normal
weight. To these this abbreviated program is ideal. Also, if
at some later date they wish to bring their other proportions
up they need only adopt exercises affecting these parts.
Many fellows have found it wise to use nothing but
the squat and perhaps one to three other exercises. They
will perhaps use the press behind the neck and rowing
exercise or perhaps they will adopt some favorite lift of
exercise that affects some part of the body that they are
particularly interested in developing. However, they retain
their key exercise, the squat, as their main exercise.
In these abbreviated programs the pupil is usually
advised to so several sets of the squat. Often he will start
with 10 reps, then rest and do 15 with a lighter weight, then
rest and do 20 with a still lighter weight. Some men follow
the practice of doing as many as 5 sets of squats of various
numbers of repetitions and weights.
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The same breathing methods and other practices in

general are followed as given in the first standard program.
We list later variations in programs for those who have
tried the first or standard program for at least 3 months and
wish to make a change.
Press Chin Squat Program
Here is an abbreviated program that has given very

good results. It consists of but three exercises and yet they
are so well chosen that they cover most of the major
muscles in the body.
You should first perform the two arm press either in
the continental style or the military style, or if you prefer,
the press behind neck. Use only one style in your program.
Follow this with the two arm chin. Be sure to make your
chins complete by straightening the arms out when you
come down and then pulling up until the bar touches the
chest when coming up. Follow the chin exercise with the
squats. We suggest that you do 10 to 12 repetitions in the
press and 10 to 15 in the chin and 20 to 25 in the squat. If
you find it develops you better you can use the split
repetition method on this abbreviated program, however, it
would be wise to first try the above named repetitions as
they are most successful in the majority of cases. Work out
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two or three times a week on this program. Also include the

pullover in this program following the squat.
The Clean and Press Rowing Squat Program
Another wonderful program that has proven to be a

marvelous all round developer is as follows:
First perform the clean and press. This is an exercise
that we rate as a body builder along with the squat. One
could perform it alone and obtain marvelous results if he
were to work hard enough at it. By using it along with the
squat and the rowing exercise you have an unbeatable
combination. This program would come under the heading
of an abbreviated program. It requires considerable
explanation.
In the proper performance of the clean and press for
a growing exercise you should use the same breathing
methods that you use for the squat. You should work up to
about 15 reps in the clean and press. Then add more weight.
If the pupil will follow carefully, we will give a description
of the proper performance.
Bend over the bar and grasp it at a little over
shoulder width over grip. While keeping the legs almost
straight, stand up, and as you do so pull the weight in to the
shoulders. You should take a very deep breath as we have
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told you to do in the squat, and hold the breath until the
weight is at the shoulders, after which you expel the breath
and take another quick and VERY LARGE breath. In
pulling the weight to the shoulders, make the movement
with the arms as much as possible. Use the legs no more
than necessary. You see, we want to make it as much an
arm and shoulder exercise as possible. Now, after taking
the deep breath at the shoulders, press the weight overhead.
In starting out you will probably be able to pull the weight
up with the arms alone and to press the weight in military
style, but as you progress in repetitions you will find that
you will have to use the legs a bit more in pulling the
weight up ad that you will have to bend the back
considerably to press overhead. This is proper, as by thus
performing it you will be able to do more repetitions with
more weight.
As you finish the press you will expel the breath and
lower the weight to the floor. Now, while resting the weight
on the floor, do your deep breathing, as in the squat. You
will probably not take over two or three deep breaths
between lifts, then hold the last one and pull the weight to
the shoulders and perform another complete lift. Repeat
thus until you have completed the full 15 reps. You may
perform a set of light pullovers after this exercise.
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The next exercise is the Two Arm Rowing Exercise.

It should be performed as given earlier in the course.
Now perform your squat, also a given earlier, doing
20 to 25 reps. After your final squat perform another set of
light pullovers.
You should feel that you have had a very good
workout after this. If you like, you may, on some of the first
clean and presses, lower the weight to arms length only and
just hold the weight in the hands against the thighs while
doing your deep breathing, then pull the weight from here
to the shoulders for the next rep.
Clean And Jerk Press Squat Program
This exercise is the same as the one above except

that you use the clean and jerk instead of the clean and
press. It is more advanced in that you use more weight and
clean with as much leg action as necessary, then start the
press with a drive of the legs by bending and then
straightening them quickly, then finish by pressing to
straight arms length. Do this exercise first then your squats
as usual. This program will give you rugged power as well
as unusual development and is a favorite program of Doug
Hepburn.
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Specialized Squat Program
We have mentioned this program before. It is very

effective where the pupil desires nothing but added
bodyweight. Some pupils have found it a very fast method
of gaining and they later adopt more varied programs. It is
also an excellent program for when a pupils time is very
limited. It has great chest developing qualities. In this
program you use nothing but the squat and the pullover or
Rader Chest Pull. You perform the squat first and just as
given previously, and then follow it with a set of pullovers.
If you feel you have the energy, you may do still another
set of squats using either 20 or 15 or 10 repetitions and then
another set of pullovers. Some pupils thrive on several such
sets. Other training principles involving diet, rest, sleep,
etc., are the same as given for all other programs.
SPECIALIZING ON ONE EXERCISE FOR

MAXIMUM GAINS
It is sometimes desirable to specialize on one lift or

exercise to the exclusion of all others. The reason for this is
that you can direct all your energies and effort in one
direction. This will enable you to make much faster
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progress and reach greater heights of strength and

development than if you spread your efforts out over
several movements. It is not advisable to make this a
permanent habit, as it might result in an uneven
development of the body, but it is helpful at times to do
this. An example of this is William Boone, who has reached
a 420 jerk and a 700 deadlift expecting to do more, as well
as a 315 bent press and a 360 jerk press all by this method
of specializing in one of these lifts at a time. The same
thing can apply to the development of increased size as
well. For instance, if your legs are rather small then you
could specialize on leg work perhaps the squat alone for a
certain period. If your back is weak you could specialize on
the deadlift alone for a length of time. In doing this you
would work with heavy weights and many sets. The exact
number would have to be determined by the pupil himself.
Find out what you can stand and progress best on. Also you
will start out with one or two sets and then work up to
more. You will also vary the number of repetitions and
amount of weight in the different sets. You will find that by
specializing in this manner you can work up to a
tremendous amount of work for the part in question and
forcer the most stubborn muscles to respond.
Of course, if you are working the small muscles,
like arm muscles, you would be able to use more exercises.
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For instance, for the biceps you would use two different
types of curls, or for the triceps you could use the supine
press and the bent arm pullover or the standing triceps curl.
Or you might be able to work both muscles if they were to
be specialized on, and use perhaps 4 exercises. However,
you should not get too many exercises, as the secret of this
method is to limit the exercises and work them to the limit
of your ability to stand it.
You will have to be watchful and not overwork, as
you can go stale on this program just as you can on any
other from overwork.
Pupils often ask what the sign of overwork is and
we tell that that when they feel tired all the time and
perhaps become nervous and irritable beyond normal they
should check to see if they might not be overworking and
perhaps under-resting.
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OTHER SPECIAL TRAINING

SYSTEMS
I n the following programs and systems you will find

many methods for forcing added muscular growth and
strength. Most of these systems and methods are for
advanced men though a few of them will assist beginners
who have the problem of not gaining as fast as they should.
The first, the Split Repetition method is one such. The
following pages are aimed at finishing a complete but
condensed education in scientific bodybuilding.
Split Repetition
If you are of the type that has but little energy, you
will find that at first you will gain best on a program in
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which the repetitions are split up into several sets. In this

type of program you get the same strenuous work with less
expenditure of energy. In following this split repetition
program, it is not always necessary to split up the upper
body exercises. However, where this is found desirable you
should split them into two sets of 6 repetitions each. Use
the standard program as outlined before, but instead of
doing 10 to 12 repetitions in the press do only 6, then rest a
minute and do 6 more, working up to 8 repetitions. Do the
same with the other exercises. Split the squat repetitions
into two groups of ten. Do ten reps, then rest a while and do
ten more. Later on as you become stronger and feel the
need of more work you may do another set of 10 repetitions
making three sets in all. We advise you to use the same
weight, if you can, for all sets. You may find, in the squat
that you can make but 9 reps in the second set and only 8 in
the third. Some fellows make ten for all sets. Or it may be
that you will wish to reduce the poundage for each
succeeding set of squats to enable you to do the full set of
10 reps each time. This is all right. Remember, it is the hard
reps in each set that benefit you the most. Try to make as
many of them as possible. It is well to do a set of pullovers
between each set of squats, as well as to massage the legs
lightly as this helps the flow of blood in carrying away
fatigue poisons.
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Split Pause System
This method of squatting is for those with low

energy of those who find that they cannot stand a bar on
their shoulders for any length of time. This program is an
advanced version of the preceding program. You perform
your upper body exercises in the usual manner, but when
you come to the squat, instead of performing the full 20
repetitions and keeping the weight on the shoulders for the
entire time, you perform about five reps in the usual
manner with deep breathing, but as soon as you complete
the 5th squat, you quickly replace the weight on the stands
and do about 10 deep breaths, or possibly as many as 15,
then quickly take the weight and perform another set of 5
squats, doing about 3 deep breaths between each squat.
Then replace the bar on the stands for another pause of 10
to 15 breaths, then another set of 5 reps, pause, another set
of 5 reps in all, 20 reps with 4 pauses. If you are doing
this because of pain in the shoulders from holding the bar
you can wrap a pad around the bar which will help some. If
the bar doesnt bother you, you do not need the pad as it
will be in the way for quick changes of the bar from
shoulders to stands and back to the shoulders. You will, of
course, require some good stands so that it will be
convenient for these changes. You may want to make the
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pauses after but three squat but we do not recommend this

where not absolutely necessary. You may soon work up to
where you make three pauses in 20 repetitions and later but
two. When performing with this method you must stand
close to the stands when squatting so that you can quickly
place the bar on them.
The Rest Pause System
There is another version of this method called the

Rest- -Pause System. It is performed in exactly the same
way as recommended for the squat in the Split - Pause
System as explained above. However, instead of doing it
with the squat only, you follow the same plan with every
exercise on your program. In the curl, for instance, you will
have a pair of boxes, a chair, or rack support at the proper
height for resting the weight on between repetitions. You
will do one repetition and rest the bar on the support for a
count of 3 to 5 then grasp the weight and make another
repetition, then pause for another rest for a count of about
5. Continue in this way for the full number of reps of 10 or
12. Follow this same method through your entire program
one rep, then a rest pause and so on. We suggest that you
do two reps of the squat and a rest pause, rather than the
five recommended in the first section of this method.
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Some very remarkable gains have been made by

men who followed this system when other methods failed.
REBOUND PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPING

MUSCLE AND STRENGTH
This principle is not new but it has never been used

extensively and conscientiously by bodybuilders until it
was analyzed and presented in Iron Man magazine.
It is one of the key secrets of developing great
strength as well as unusual muscularity. It is performed
naturally in the squat by most men, as well as in the supine
press. It is the real secret for the success in developing great
strength through the dead hang snatch and clean. The dead
hang lifts are rebound lifts. We present the idea behind this
method in the following so that you can apply it to any of
all of your exercises. It would require too much space to
describe its application to every exercise, but once you
grasp the principle it is easily applied by anyone.
In the dead hang clean you grasp the bar and pull it
to the shoulders in the regular style for the clean, then lower
it with fair speed (to lower too slowly will defeat the
purpose of this style of performance), then when the plates
are about 3 inches or so from the floor, stop the weight and
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pull it again into the shoulders for the clean. The sudden
stop and reversal of muscle action against the resistance of
the weight places a much greater strain on the muscles than
can be obtained in any other way. The same identical
method can also be applied to the two arm snatch, deadlift
and one arm snatch and clean.
When applying it to the squat you start the squat in
the regulation way but when the thighs reach parallel
position with tops of thighs you immediately tense the
muscles and come back up. Remember, do not allow
yourself to go to the bottom of the squat and stop there.
You catch yourself with muscle tension and start back up.
Do not squat too low or you will not get the effect you
would otherwise get on the muscles. At first, you will not
use as much weight, perhaps, as in the slow squat, but later
on you will be able to use more and you will find yourself
making added gains in strength and development. (It is
never advisable to squat clear to bottom in the squat with
heavy weights due to danger of a strain in the Sacroiliac
area, or lower part of hips where spine and hip bones come
together.) Of course you hold the breath when performing
any rebound exercise.
When using it with the supine press on bench you
perform the exercise in the usual manner, except that you
lower the weight comparatively fast, and just before the bar
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touches the chest you stop the weight and start back up. In
other words, you rebound it from the tense muscles it gets
what might be termed a muscle bounce from the tensed
muscles. Here again we find that this is the reason for the
superiority of the supine on the bench to the supine on the
floor. On the bench you are almost forced to use some kind
of rebound with a heavy weight due to the fact that you
cant allow it to rest on elbows on floor between
repetitions. Here again, you may, if you desire, use the
rebound method by stopping the weights downward
movement just before the elbows touch the floor. Of
course, this shortens the movement, which in any case is
not complete when performed on the floor, and therefore, it
is advisable to perform the supine press on the bench
whenever possible.
THE USE OF SHORT MOVEMENTS FOR POWER

& DEVELOPMENT
It is possible by the following methods to develop

very great strength and help you pass that sticking point in
your lifts. It will also, in many instances, help you to added
development when other methods seem to fail.
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An example of what we mean by short movements

is the half or quarter squat. In this exercise you can work up
to tremendous poundages. This will often bring your
regular squat up a lot and in many cases will start you
gaining in leg development when you may have been at a
standstill. It will also give you great power in such lifts as
the jerk etc. It will give you muscle and ligament strength
obtainable in no other way. Every bodybuilder and lifter
should spend a specialized period on half and quarter squats
for the power and development he can obtain from them.
The deadlift can be worked in much the same
manner. William Boone, who specialized on this lift,
started out by digging a hole in the ground 8 inches deep.
He stood in the hole and did his deadlifts. This enabled him
to use about 200 pounds more than he normally could do on
the ground. He worked up to very high poundages while
standing in this hole. Then when he had reached a
satisfactory poundage he started filling the hole up and this
when he had the hole filled he was doing a great many
more pounds in his deadlift than had ever been possible for
him before.
The same system can be used in the supine press on
floor. You can place blocks under each end of the bar and
press from this, or if you wish you can press up a heavier
weight than you could normally supine press by the belly
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toss method, then do your repetitions by allowing the

weight to come down only about half the way before
pressing it back up. When you reach satisfactory poundage
in this you can make the movements a little greater until
you are supine pressing far more than you ever have before.
Your triceps and pectorals as well as the front of the
deltoids will have taken on new size and shape.
In regard to the deadlift above if you do not train
out of doors where you can dig a hole, you can place blocks
of wood under the plates as we advise in the paragraph on
the supine press.
When you first start some of these short movements
you may find that you cant do much more than in the
complete movement, but this is because you are no stronger
than the poundages you have been using can make you. In
other words, you have been cheating your muscles of the
full power possible to them because you have limited the
poundage to what you could do complete movements with.
We do not give all the exercises that can be used this way
but only enough to demonstrate the principle of the thing so
that you can apply it to any other exercises you happen to
be interested in. We do not advise a man to go on a
permanent program of this sort but it is very wise to go on
such programs at certain times for specialization periods.
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You will be amazed at the all-round body strength these

movements will give you.
A similar method can be used for developing the
jerk. You should take very heavy weights off the standards
in hands at shoulders and do quarter squats in this position,
coming up fast and trying to heave the weight as high off
the shoulders as you can, which wont be much but it is the
effort that does the job. Then in the overhead portion of the
lift you should suspend the bar from chains from the ceiling
and load it up, then get under the bar, which has been
suspended at the height of the top the head, and take the
position of the jerk in split position and lift the bar on
straight arms until you stand erect in the finishing position
of the jerk. While holding it as it thus, lower the weight just
a trifle and press it back to arms length again. Do this about
three times for each time you get up from the jerk position.
If you have no overhead chains you can use high standards
but in this case you may have to drop the weight each time,
then unload it on the ground, then load it back up on the
rack for the next repetition. The practice of this exercise
will soon develop great power in the jerk, especially when
used in conjunction with the quarter squats with the weight
at the shoulders as described above.
You can use the same method for the bent press by
supporting weights at various heights. By a little thought
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you can devise ways of applying this principle to every

exercise and lift to its benefit. This is a system that was
much used by the old timers but has been neglected in
recent years by modern lifters and bodybuilders. It is very
valuable and not to be minimized in its importance.
CHEATING METHOD OF EXERCISE
There are two methods of performing an exercise

very strict, and cheating or loose style. Taking the curl as
an example a very strict style would be where you stand
strictly erect and slowly curl the weight to the shoulders
with no movement of the elbows, shoulders of body. It can
be made very strict by leaning the shoulders against the
wall or a post to prevent movement.
A cheating curl would be performed by taking the
weight in the hands and starting it with a swing and
bending back as the weight comes up. In other words, you
use a fast start and lots of body movement anything to get
it up. There are different degrees of cheating as you can
plainly see, and it is used in different degrees by
bodybuilders.
Generally speaking, most men will use a very strict
style and find it best for most bodybuilding programs.
111
There are times, however, when you reach a sticking point

in your training where you will find that a specialized
program of cheating exercises will help you get started
progressing again.
With these cheating movements you can use much
greater poundage and work the muscles very hard. This
cheating style can be applied to nearly every exercise
known. Just remember in applying it to any exercise, that a
cheating movement is doing it the easiest way and the one
in which the greatest poundage can be used. In the press
this would be a fast start and excessive back bend. In the
bench press it would be bouncing the weight from chest and
back arch. In the rowing you would start it fast and allow
considerable body movement. In the squat you would not
go so slow and also would aid yourself with one or two
hands to get past the hard stages. This is easy to learn. You
need only release the bar with one hand and push against
your thigh to help you out. So you can go on and on
adapting cheating methods to your exercises.
You should not use these methods permanently
only occasionally to help speed your progress.
In addition to giving you added development you
will find cheating methods will give you great strength in a
hurry.
112
PEAK CONTRACTIONS
Peak contraction methods, as they are termed, will

sometimes be helpful in working a very stubborn muscle,
such as calves or forearms, which are hard to develop. We
have given you a peak contraction movement for the calves
in the raise on toes on a block when we ask you to raise as
high as you can then make an effort to come up higher. You
will often get a cramp in a muscle when you use peak
contractions. In fact, peak contraction movements are
cramping movements. Because of this we do not
recommend them except in extreme cases where
development is impossible otherwise. Sometimes such
movements create a tendency for the muscle to cramp when
you are not exercising.
To use peak contraction on a muscle you place the
limb in a position where the muscle can contract to its
maximum. If, for instance, you wished to get a peak
contraction on a thigh biceps on the back of the thigh you
would bring the leg as far back as possible, then holding
this position you could bend the knee to the maximum. If
you do this you will usually find muscles will cramp up. By
adding weight to the foot with an iron boot you use it as a
peak contraction movement.
113
To adapt exercises to different muscles for this

system you need to know something of anatomy so that you
will understand the positions most favorable to such
movements. For the arm biceps the most favorable position
in which the origin and insertion of the biceps is closest
together is with the elbow pointing straight overhead. If you
point your elbow up like that and then contract the biceps
and at the same time twist the tightly closed fist you will
find your biceps cramping. To adapt an exercise for this
position you would need to do curls from an overhead
pulley weight. However, a semi-peak contraction can be
had by doing seated dumbbell curls while bending forward
with the elbow against the thigh. Even great contraction can
be had by lying on a bench face down and doing curls.
Do not specialize too much on this type of program
as it may give you muscles that cramp easily.
FORCED REPETITIONS
The method of forced reps has been used for many

years and has certain values for a specialized program. In
this method you use the help of two assistants who stand by
to help you when you reach a point where you cant make
another repetition. Lets take the bench press, for example.
114
You have perhaps made 6 reps and as you start the 7th you
get about half way up and stop. Your training partners will
then place a hand under the bar and help you just enough to
complete the movement. You will continue in this manner
until you have completed 10 or 12 reps. In other words you
do all you can without help, then complete the set with
help.
This is a very advanced form of power and
developmental training and should only be used by
advanced men. You should use care that you do not become
overtrained and go stale. It can be used on any exercise and
it doesnt take much imagination to know how to apply it to
any exercise you wish to use it on. It can be used for one
exercise or a whole training program. If you train alone,
one hand movements can be adapted to this method.
DIFFERENT REPETITION SCHEDULE
It is generally conceded that the practice of doing

about 10 repetitions for upper body and 15 to 20 for the
lower body is right for most people. However, this is not
always the case. Some fellows will gain best when doing 12
to 15 repetitions for the upper body and as many as 30 for
the lower body. On the other hand a great many men will
115
gain best in both strength and development on a schedule of

about 5 or 6 repetitions for the upper body and 8 to 10 for
the lower body. In the latter case several sets of each
exercise are almost invariably used. Therefore the
schedules of repetitions as given in this course are not to be
taken as absolutely inflexible. By the time the student
reaches an advanced stage in his work he probably knows
what suits him best. However, it has so seldom been
recommended that repetition schedules of 5 or 6 be used for
the lower body with many sets being used, that we want the
pupil to try it, and in many cases he will be agreeably
surprised. This method will allow you to use a great deal
more weight, thereby giving the needed added resistance,
and by doing more sets you will have an improved method
of bodybuilding. It must also be remembered that the young
fellows usually gain best on the higher repetition schedules
while the older fellows do better with fewer reps.
In addition to the above, we find it almost
impossible to develop a high degree of strength on high
repetitions. Strength is, to our way of thinking, of more
importance than size. Of course, you must have some size
too, if you are to have maximum strength, but of recent
years too much time has been given to the science of
developing size at any cost.
116
HOW TO SHAPE UP AFTER

WEIGHT GAINING
Q uite often, after a man has spent considerable time

on a weight gaining and muscle building program
he finds that he lacks shape in certain parts of his
body or proper proportions. Also, he sometimes
has accumulated a little fat around the waist, which is
objectionable.
Since we have covered specialization on different
parts of the body in the first part of this course we will not
dwell on it again here. If you have certain parts of your
body that are below the proper size to harmonize with the
rest of your body, you can pick out the special program
given for that part and specialize on it.
117
This will leave us with only the waist line to

consider. This is a problem to be sure, if you do not know
how to go about it. The best policy is not to allow it to get
too far along. Of course, for the very thin men it is desirable
to leave the abdomen alone for a time until the weight
gaining is well in progress, for hark work on the waist line
has a tendency to keep the weight down. However, once
you are well started on your weight gaining program you
can add a set of abdominal exercises such as the sit up or
leg raise.
Once you have acquired a little fat around the waist
line you are in for some heavy abdominal work if you want
to take it off. You may use the sit up or the leg raise, or
both, as described in the first chapter on abdominal
specialization. You will work up to many sets of fairly high
repetitions. You should go as high as 20 or 30 reps (some
fellows go even higher) and many sets. You can work up to
as many as 10 sets or more. Use weight behind the neck or
attached to the feet. This will give you 300 to 500 reps per
workout. Of course, you cannot do this the first workout. It
may take you weeks to work up to that many. However, it
is important that you give the abdominals a heavy workout.
Some fellows work out every day. One day they use
weights and the next day they may use nothing but high
repetitions. Here again, you must observe caution and work
118
up gradually so that you will not go stale by using up more

energy than you can replace. But in order to reduce the
waist you have to work close to this point.
Now, to make it easier, we advise a lighter diet.
This will give you the results 5 or 6 times as fast and you
will not have to go on too strenuous a diet either. You
should cut your consumption of starchy foods such as
bread, potatoes etc. in half. Likewise with fats, such as fat
meats (leave them out altogether, but can use lean meats),
butter or butter substitutes, nuts, oils, dressings, etc. Also
cut down on your sweets even more than this. Such things
as pie, cake, candy, sugar, syrups, ice cream and soft drinks
as well as beer and other liquors.
We might say that unless you do make some
adjustments in diet you will find it almost impossible to cut
the.waist.down.to.the.desired.proportions. It is to be
expected that you will lose some weight and that your other
proportions will.go.down slightly as even your arms and
legs may have a little excess tissue that will come off. Such
tissue is of no value when it exceeds a normal amount. Of
course, we do not favor being too finely trained either.
In order that you will not lose too much from your
arms, legs and chest, we suggest that you cut your
repetitions and sets down on the other exercises during this
abdominal specialization. Try about 5 to 7 repetitions on
119
most of them and not over 8 or 10 on the squats etc. One set
may be enough, and not over two sets. This will maintain
the condition, strength and size of your muscles without
burning off too much tissue. We might also mention that
you should also do the side exercise as given in the chapter
on abdominal specialization. Use high repetitions and
several sets on this also.
This exercise program and a moderate diet will
bring your weight under control. We might also mention
that you can eat all the fruits and green vegetables you want
without fear that they will fatten you. Use these in place of
the foods you must cut down on and you will feel little loss
of your accustomed foods. After you bring your waist under
control you can maintain it there with exercise.
120
TRAINING FOR THE OLDER

MAN
A fter a man reaches the age of 50, and sometimes

even 40, he sometimes feels that he is an old man,
and though he realizes the need for exercise for
healths sake, he thinks that he might be getting for heavy
work.
This all depends on how he has trained in years
past. If he has taken the best care of his health he can feel
assured that he can stand rather heavy training until he is
50. Furthermore he will have enough experience and know
how to arrange his own workout program from then on.
We do not feel that man over 50 should try to excel the
younger fellows in lifting meets regardless of how good he
thinks he feels. However we do feel that fairly heavy
121
bodybuilding training or even lifting training will be

beneficial if he has always kept in good shape.
The man of 40 or 50 who has just started training
and is not in too good shape is a different proposition. First,
he should have a check up by his doctor to determine if his
heart is good, what his blood pressure is, etc. Even though
his heart may not be perfect, or if his blood pressure is a
little high does not mean that he cannot do barbell exercise.
It simply means that he should proceed cautiously make
progress in the addition of repetitions and poundages more
slowly. He should work out with clocklike regularity and
should not allow himself to dissipate. Under such
conditions and with care, even bad hearts can be corrected
in most cases and blood pressure brought down. The man
with a sound heart and other organs, who has never kept in
condition, should also observe care and regularity in his
earlier training.
A man of over 40 is decidedly not old, but he is
more subject to strained muscles etc., than is the younger
fellow. Therefore, he should warm up before his heavy
workouts with a few repetitions with light weights. Take
your time and dont hurry. Take a little longer to rest
between sets. It has generally been found that older men
can gain on fewer repetitions than the younger men. Where
we advise 10 repetitions, you may find 7 or 8 sufficient. As
122
a general rule you can get by on fewer sets when

specializing on certain muscles. Usually 3 or 4 sets are
enough for you.
Usually the older man can use fairly heavy weights
if he works into them gradually. He need not lag far behind
the younger men in this respect. However, do not hurry the
process. Be content to get there a little slower. This does
not mean that you are not to work hard, however. It is going
to be just as hard for you to make gains as it is for the
younger man, and you must work for all you get.
It is also advisable for the older man to use fewer
exercises than the younger man. If you young fellows use
12 exercises in your advanced program, then about 7 or 8
will be ample for the older man. If he is just training for
good health he will often find that 5 exercises are plenty. In
this case he will not need to do over one set of each
exercise.
The older man should also practice a few feats of
suppleness and stretching movements. A few quick lifts
practiced occasionally will be beneficial also.
It is important that the older man keep a tranquil
attitude and that he be relaxed, both mentally and
physically. He should keep regular hours and observe
correct diet more carefully. If he has been in the habit of
overeating he should moderate his eating habits. He no
123
longer needs the heavy meals that a growing young man

needs. Neither will he require the starches, sweets and fats
that a young fellow does. He will benefit by reducing his
intake of these. Do not eliminate them, but cut them down
in favor of fruits, green vegetables and dairy products.
Most of the older fellows will have a tendency to
add weight around the waist. For this reason we feel that it
is advisable to add some abdominal work to their programs.
At first you will find that your waist gets a little large when
you start abdominal work but in a short time, if you persist,
it will start down. It takes hard work to cut it off here,
though. You may find it impossible if you do not cut down
on starches, fats and sweets (this means liquors too) in your
diet. With this help, though, you should have no difficulty.
124

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The Rader

THE HISTORY OF THESE METHODS 1

TRAINING ADVICE OF IMPORTANCE 10

DIET FOR GAINING WEIGHT 19

THE RADER SQUAT PROGRAM 34

THE DEADLIFT PROGRAM FOR WEIGHT GAINING 50

THE CLEAN AND JERK PROGRAM FOR

OTHER SPECIAL PROGRAMS 57

HOW TO SHAPE UP AFTER WEIGHT GAINING 117

TRAINING FOR THE OLDER MAN 121

THE HISTORY OF THESE

barbell exercise has made astounding gains until it is, at

Mr. Berry began publicizing this exercise program through

when he gained 10 lbs. in one month, after years of failure.

A few men have used this program in an effort to

have. Most people will fall in between these two extremes.

will make a gain of 4 or 5 pounds in just a few days, then

Previous Exercise Experience

It is desirable that the pupil planning to follow this

Arrangement of Your Program

It is very necessary that the pupil read this course

depend on how well informed you are regarding the

Age and Fast Gains

Many people ask if they are too old to make gains

correcting any conditions before they get out of hand.

Correct Living Habits

It is very important that all your habits be in

harmonized. In the following paragraphs we will give you

It is necessary that you control your mind at all

Do not neglect your spiritual development. You will

Sleep, Rest and Relaxation

Sleep is the real restorer. Without it we could not

nap in mid-day. Many prefer to do this after the mid-day

It is always well, when possible, to take a shower

tub baths at body temperature are best. If you find it

Massage is very valuable in the attainment of

Massage should never be harsh and rough. Gentle

DIET FOR GAINING WEIGHT

The stomach is an organ that is very elastic. It can

proverbial bird. This is another type of malfunction of the

his consumption of fluids. This does not necessarily mean

You may like to add cream and honey to your milk

supplements are made from soy flour which is also very

more but are also worth more. Of course, a person is

The Six Meals a Day Plan

If it is convenient, it is often found a great help to

BODYWEIGHT YOU SHOULD CHANGE BACK TO

This is a heavy diet and for those unable to eat in

Super Protein has been recommended with the

We must caution you against eating snacks between

THE RADER SQUAT PROGRAM

Squat or Deep Knee Bend

Two Arm Press

When you can do 12 repetitions add another 5

Your Workout Program

The squat or deep knee bend has become the most

Hard Work Is Necessary

Many barbell men think they are working hard until

Number of Repetitions and Adding Weight

For the squat or deep knee bend there are a number

This subject is very important to your gains. If you

three exercise periods best. A great many gain best on but

Split Workout Program

Another method of working out that has a great