Jacked Notes #3 - Train less, grow more

Words I Needed to Hear: More training isn’t better. Better training is better.

Jacked Notes issue #3

"If more were really better with bodybuilding, then for every hour you trained, the results would get better and better and better. So why not train all day long?" – Mike Mentzer

Lately I've been diving deeper into Mike Mentzer’s training philosophy.

It’s crazy how I landed on the same conclusion even though I’ve only ever heard bits and pieces about this guy and his so-called extreme approach.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I stopped listening to all the fitness research years ago. I got sick of the constant contradictions from all of the “fit pros”, so I just started experimenting on myself.

I stopped chasing the latest "optimal method" because every few months the answer changed.

So I went backwards.

I started looking at what the old-school guys did before steroids took over the industry. They had to train smart and hard if they wanted results.

Steroids let you get away with junk volume. But for naturals, that same fluff just digs you into a hole of burnout.

And the more I train, the more obvious it becomes why most guys are stuck:

They're too focused on how much they’re doing instead of how hard they’re actually training.

I truly believe effort, aka intensity, is the number one driver of real muscle growth.

Let’s break it down:

You do one brutally hard set to failure. Someone else does five average sets that technically add up to the same amount of total work. Who grows more?

Is it really about total sets, or how hard you’re pushing each rep/set?

Right now I’m doing fewer total sets than ever, and I’m not joking when I say I’ve hit PR's (personal records) on every lift for over a month straight.

My theory is that by lowering volume and increasing intensity, my body still gets the signal to grow, but not so much that it wrecks my recovery. So I show up to every session fresh, focused, and able to push hard for the next PR.

So how can you apply this information?

I’m not saying you need to copy what I’m doing or even change your approach.

That’s never been my message. What makes my approach different is I’m not dogmatic. If you love training six days a week with high volume, cool. Go for it. There are a hundred vehicles (workout programs) that can take you to the same destination. (dream body)

It just ultimately depends on what you enjoy, your time frame, and what you can stick with long term without injury.

But I will say this:

Most of us have been conditioned to think that more is better when it comes to building muscle. And when you’re natural and trying to get jacked for everyday life, not just for a quick pump in the mirror, you need a different approach.

I’m currently building out a minimalist routine based on these ideas. Once it’s dialed in, I’ll drop it inside the Average to Jacked course and community for free. All of my course + community members get free updates for life. As I learn more, so will you.

Final thought:

If you’re not growing, it’s probably because you’re just not pushing hard enough. So stop doing everything, and do just a few things better.

Cut the fluff, pump work. Train harder. Recover. Repeat.

Appreciate you reading Jacked Notes issue #3.

– Eric

​https://averagetojacked.com/