The subject of training duration, specifically the concept of abbreviated training, is very popular today. Whether your source of training information is social media, YouTube videos, online magazines, or the ubiquitous “gym experts,” at some point every reader has been exposed to some form of abbreviated training. In the past, I have written about that very subject via www.naturalstrength.com, and also through the pages of Hardgainer 2.0. My personal experience with abbreviated training began at Iron Island Gym in the early 1990s. Training with the likes of Dr. Ken and Drew Israel, and later “Maximum” Bob Whelan, opened my eyes to a completely different style of training to which I was accustomed at the time.
In addition to my personal experience with high-intensity training, I was introduced to Hardgainer magazine by Dr. Ken. After a particularly brutal workout with Drew Israel, I happened to be at the front desk at Iron Island when Dr. Ken showed up and gave me about ten back-issues of Hardgainer magazine. Just as when he gave me a couple dozen old issues of The Steel Tip, I didn’t ask for the magazines. He simply gave them to me out of the generosity of his nature.
Since I am a very avid reader, especially when it comes to training information or anything related to getting stronger, I devoured those magazines in no time at all. At the time, I had never heard of Hardgainer, but after reading through the issues at my disposal, I instantly became hooked, and sent a check to Stuart McRobert for a subscription. Perhaps it was the quality of the authors who wrote for this publication that made such an impact on me. In addition to Dr. Ken, there was Bob Whelan, Dick Conner, Brooks Kubik, and Stuart himself. With a roster of strength authors such as those I just listed, you simply can’t go wrong. Throw in Brad Steiner, and you have a literal “who’s who” of the best strength writers ever to grace the pages of ANY strength publication.
Switching from a routine that consisted primarily of training for the powerlifts for multiple low-rep sets of heavy weights to a program that emphasized full-body workouts with maximum effort and intensity. Workouts so brutal that two full-body workouts ( so-called split routines were now a thing of the past) per week were more than adequate.
Admittedly, it was not easy to give up my old routine, but when I discovered that you can build incredible strength by lifting twice per week, I was quickly convinced of the efficacy of such training. Imagine not having to go to the gym five days per week! And still being able to build strength and power!
A couple months ago, I wrote an article that featured a column written by Bradley Steiner in the May 1980 edition of Ironman Magazine. I will not go into the merits of Peary Rader’s Ironman. Anyone who knows me, or has read any of my articles, realize that his magazine was probably my favorite source of quality training articles. I’ve often stated that quality information never goes out of style, and if you have had the pleasure of reading Ironman issues from 1936 to 1986, I think you’ll agree that Mr. Rader was in a class all by himself.
The original column was a question and answer type of article, with the first questions being devoted to joining a gym and the dangers of steroids. Again, for those who have read my articles, my thoughts on commercial gyms and steroids are pretty clear. Most modern commercial gyms are a joke. Pumpers, posers, “influencers,” and toners are the mainstays of most commercial training facilities. Certainly not the best environment in which to build strength and health. As for steroids, and other PEDs, my opinions are equally clear. Steroids, and other drugs, have no place in the development of natural strength and vigorous good health. Stay away from the steroid-bloated druggies. Don’t support them by purchasing their books or merchandise, or “liking” their videos. Simply put, just say “NO.”
Getting back to Mr. Steiner’s column, and the subject of abbreviated training, the final question of that particular issue is as follows: “How much time is required for a man to train?”
His initial response is so spot-on that I will repeat it word-for-word:
“I don’t know anyone who cannot achieve a good all-around workout in an hour and a half. And I would set for anyone two hours as the cut-off point for any training session. More is just too much.”
Remember that this advice was initially given 45 years ago! This was the time when the top bodybuilders were spending hours upon hours in the gym performing marathon workouts five or six days per week. Endless pumping sessions devoted to “bodypart” training was the way just about all of the top bodybuilders of the day recommended.
I will again quote directly from Mr. Steiner: “Modern bodybuilders labor under the delusion that by training for ‘pump,’ per se, they will attain maximum muscular size. Tain’t so!”
We’ve all witnessed “pumpers” in the gym. Two or three sets of any one exercise is more than enough to build size and strength. Of course, those few sets must be done correctly, and by that I mean that one must utilize heavy weights while also using strict form. No cheating! So, if you are Bench Pressing, each rep must be done in a controlled manner, feet on the floor, pause on the chest, even extension on each rep. If you are performing a barbell curl, each rep must be done with no swinging. In other words, avoid poor exercise form at all costs, even if it means lowering your poundages. And I would also add that if you are training alone, ALWAYS Squat and Bench Press inside a power rack with the pins set to catch the weight at the bottom of each movement. Always practice safe habits.
A little later in the article, Mr. Steiner advises against the use of so-called “split routines.” I vividly remember Dr. Ken talking about the fallacy of “bodypart” training. When you sit down and eat, are you eating just for your arms? Or your chest? When you go to sleep, is your lower back the only area that is resting? Just as ridiculous the idea of eating for a specific bodypart is, the same goes for training specific parts on certain days?
The vast majority of people who lift would be surprised at how effective their training would be if they would do two, or at most three, workouts per week. Adequate rest and recuperation is vitally important. It is especially important for drug-free lifters and also for those who are getting up there in years. I have had this discussion with my fried Steve Weiner many times. We are both now in our 60s, and still lifting hard and heavy. But the important thing is that we are both training smarter. Rarely do either of us lift heavy more than twice per week. We make a point of giving ourselves adequate rest between workouts, and most importantly, we listen to our bodies. If we are scheduled to lift on Thursday, but if for some reason we feel that we are not sufficiently recovered from our last workout, we will wait another day. “Live to fight another day” is a useful adage for older, drug-free lifters. But smart training should not only be limited to those above a certain age. All trainees should listen to their bodies, and do their very best to avoid overtraining. I realize that this is sometimes easier said than done, but it is the best way to assure making consistent gains.
I was in my late twenties when I joined Iron Island and learned about the benefits of abbreviated training. At the time, I had been working out for over ten years, and competing for about six. I have always said that I was extremely fortunate to be able to train at Iron Island and meet Dr. Ken. It was through him that I not only was exposed to an extremely effective form of training, but I also had the benefit of meeting people and discovering means of information that have had a profound influence on my training over the years. As I am writing this article, it is April 2025. Forty five years after Brad Steiner’s original article appeared in Ironman magazine. More significantly, it is six years since Dr. Ken passed away. I would like to conclude this article by acknowledging his many contributions to the sport of strength, and the countless persons he influenced over the years. May he and Brad Steiner continue to Rest in Peace and Strength.