Powerlifting training for bodybuilders. By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro bodybuilder

Old School Bodybuilding

Powerlifting-type training for bodybuilding

By John BUBB, former NABBA pro bodybuilder

John Bubb on the legendary NABBA Universe stage

Introduction by Vic Goyaram

This article is for those willing to use powerlifting-type training to improve their strength and physique. Most people imagine big butts and waists when thinking of a power lifter’s physique but that's incorrect! Improper diet is probably more to blame than powerlifting exercises and style of training. There are many great powerlifters who display envious physiques with virtually no bodybuilding training. One example is Vince Anello, the legendary US-based powerlifter. Likewise, most of us diehard fans know about bodybuilders with a powerlifting background and whose training borrows a lot from powerlifting. We all know about Johnny Jackson and Franco Columbu. The dangerous physique that John Bubb sported in his prime is also courtesy of his powerlifting background and his powerlifting-style of training. As usual, we are more than pleased to have John sharing his pearls of wisdom with us on Bodybuilding Mauritius. 

Powerlifting legend Vince Anello was built like a
bodybuilder. He even competed in bodybuilding shows like Mr. America

IFBB Pro Johnny Jackson is a competitive powerlifter in the offseason.
When Bob Cicherillo announced Johnny "O" Jackson at the Olympia
you'll always see the thickest muscle in the pro league.

John Bubb's suggested plan for BULKING up

(12-week program)

John holding his own next to Reg Park and Arnold

The main trouble with giving out this type of advice is that I have no idea how long you have been training or how advanced you are. Obviously the type of exercise schedule that I’m going to advise would be far too advanced for somebody who had only been training for a few months. I’m going to assume that you’ve done at least a year.

If you want to put on size and get much stronger, you’ve got to forget you are a bodybuilder for 6 months and pretend you are a POWERLIFTER. Train for size and strength and then when you go back to pure bodybuilding you will be able to perform the conventional exercises with a lot more weight and thus make them more effective. Before I became a professional I used to enter power lifting contests quite regularly and the preparation for these contests used to really help my bodybuilding training. In fact I found that I gained size all over (even my arms) when I was literally only doing Bench Press, Squats and Dead Lifts. It thickens your muscularity or, gives you more muscle density.

If you do decide to follow this plan you will probably feel that you are not doing enough, but trust me, you will be. And remember, most bodybuilders over train. Especially beginners because they are over anxious to make progress. You grow while you are resting, not when you are pumping. Talking of resting, when you are doing power training you need nice long rests between sets. If you rush you won’t make the poundages so you will be diluting the effect.

Always warm-up with a little Cardio before you start.

The training program

Mondays and Thursdays (Chest, triceps, calves and abs)

First exercise: Bench Press – FLAT

Execution of the bench press

• 1 set of 15, really silly light
• 1 set of 8 using a weight with which you could get 10 if you were really trying. 
• Add weight and do 1 set of 5 using a weight with which you could get 8 if you were really trying.
• Add a little weight and perform 1 set of 5.
• Add a little weight. 1 set of five flat out. Make sure you do get five.
• Add a little weight. 1 set of five to failure. On this set you might only get three or four to start with, but that’s fine.
• 1 set of five using the same weight as you used for the third set of five. This time do as many as you can. You’ll probably surprise yourself and get seven or eight. If you manage eight you can finish. If not do:-
• 1 set of eight or ten using the same weight as you used for the first set of five.

After you’ve done this four or five times you should be able to add a little extra weight on all the sets of five. It’s particularly satisfying when you suddenly find you are getting five on that fourth set and you can add even more weight. You’re on the move and this is the first day of the rest of your life!!

Second exercise: Triceps Extensions lying on a bench (Head Crushers)

Execution of the skull crushers

1 set of ten quite light.
4 sets of eight heavy

Third exercise: Your favourite Calf Raises.5 sets of 15 to 20.

Click for full article on calf training

Fourth exercise: Abdominals

Finish up with 3 or 4 sets of abdominal exercises, that is crunches or leg raises. Don’t go mad. These are just to make sure that no part of your body gets left out.

Tuesdays and Fridays (Legs, Back, Biceps, calves)
First exercise: Conventional Squats.

Squat execution

• 1 set of 20 really silly light, then:-
• 1 set of eight – easy, then:-
• 5 x 5 performed exactly as the Bench Press.
• 1 set of as many as you can manage using the same weight as you used for the first set of five. Finish.

Second exercise: T-Bar Rowing

T-bar row execution

• 1 set of eight - quite light
• 4 sets of six – heavy
• Bend your knees slightly and make sure you keep your back really flat throughout the complete movement.

Third exercise: Conventional Barbell Curls

Barbell curl execution

• 1 set of 8 or 10 - fairly light.
• 5 sets of 6 – heavy. Do these in a fairly loose style with just a little bit of heave and swing. DON’T overdo it however. Just enough heave to get the heavy weight moving.

Fourth exercise: Choose another Calf Raise (different from Monday & Thursday)

5 sets of 15 to 20.

Every third work-out (on the legs and back days) leave out Squats and do DEAD LIFTS as follows:-

• 1 set of ten really light and easy.
• 1 set of six a bit heavier, but well within your capability.
• 1 set of four fairly heavy, but still not flat out.
• 1 single rep – heavy.
• Add a little weight. 1 single rep. 
• Add a little weight. 1 single rep. 
• Add a little weight. 1 single rep. 
• Take off a little weight. 1 single rep. 

Drop the weight way down and do four or six to finish off. 

If you follow this recipe to the letter you will be amazed and thrilled at how quickly your poundages shoot up after a few workouts. And remember, there is nothing like Dead Lifts to thicken your back. giving you that muscle density you are looking for.

Do all of this for twelve weeks.

Regards,

John Bubb for Bodybuilding Mauritius

________________________________________________________________

About the Author

John Bubb is a former NABBA professional bodybuilder with more than half a century of experience in the iron game. John has six top four finishes at the NABBA Pro Mr. Universe from 1967 to 1971, including a runner-up placing to Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1968. 

John has trained several bodybuilders from many countries and has remained very active in the bodybuilding arena decades after hanging his posing trunks. He is one of our most prized contributors at Bodybuilding Mauritius and we feel very honoured to have someone of the calibre of John dispensing advice to all of us with such enthusiasm. 

We at Bodybuilding Mauritius are very keen about old-school bodybuilding as we believe that in order for bodybuilding to have a future it must look back at its past. We couldn't ask for a better guru of Golden era bodybuilding than "Iron Grandpa Bubb". 

Read More

The protein drink of Golden Era bodybuilders. By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro Bodybuilder

The protein drink of Golden Era bodybuilders

By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro Bodybuilder

Introduction by Vic Goyaram

The big and confusing world of modern-day powders

I am sure many of you have been confused by the multitude of protein supplements available on the market today, each claiming to be more scientifically advanced than the other. Furthermore, by the use of excessive scientific jargon in labels in an attempt to impress (or confuse), supplement companies nowadays assume that all consumers have a Bachelor's degree in physiology. You hear about or read the terms everyday, "ultra-filtered whey hydrolysates", "bio-engineered peptides" and stuff like that. The result is that consumers often believe that they are at a disadvantage if they don't ingest these "cutting-edge" supplements. Many youngsters even before they begin training are already thinking about the stuff he would like to drink. This is not to say that modern protein supplements don't have any value as a lot of progress has been made in protein technology but sometimes we must go back to the roots and realise that what the body needs is protein!

How many of you ever wondered how the old-school bodybuilders got their protein in an era when even chalk-like protein powders, free-form amino acids, and other fancy supplements were not available? Physiques were still impressive. To get an answer to this question we picked the brain of our guru himself, Mr. John Bubb. John had a recipe with a rather strange name: "gunge", as you will soon find out why.

"Gunge": Gunge as it is known in the British Isles, or slime as it is known in America and other parts of the world, is a thick, gooey, runny substance similar in consistency to paint

INTRODUCING

"GUNGE": The Bubb old-school Protein Recipe

John Bubb at the Mr. Universe with Zane, Park and Pearl

My take on modern-day protein supplements

Firstly, I think a lot of the modern protein supplements are very overrated. I'm not saying that they are not good and some of the scientific claims are probably correct, but the difference in results between them and good old fashioned protein shakes is so small that it's not worth the extra money. In other words, A LOT OF WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD IS BETTER THAN A LITTLE OF WHAT YOU CANNOT AFFORD. If that makes sense

The "Gunge" Protein recipe

Ingredients for Gunge

1. Pour a pint of milk into a two pint container (1 pint: 473ml)

2. Add 4 or 5 heaped dessert spoons of skimmed milk powder, 3 heaped desert-spoonfuls of Soya flour, 2 teaspoons of honey. 

3. Whisk using a blender or some sort of electric whisk until there are no lumps. If you try just shaking or whisking with a fork you will end up with a very lumpy mixture which is difficult to drink.

4. Raw egg whites

Personally I haven't been able to eat eggs since I was a child. It's nothing to do with the taste. I once cracked open a boiled egg that was fertile and was totally revolted. Ever since then I feel revolted at the very thought of eating such a thing. Having said that, I did occasionally ADD TWO OR THREE RAW EGGS TO MY GUNGE. But I was always aware that they were in there and it did take away the enjoyment, even though I couldn't taste them. I would recommend that you DO ADD RAW EGGS to your shakes if you don't share my objection. In fact, for the bodybuilder, eggs are one of the best sources of easily assimilable protein available. The Amino structure of eggs is the nearest to human tissue make-up of any other food. SO EAT LOTS. But beware. Don't eat too many WHOLE eggs. Up to six or eight is probably O.K., but after that separate the yolks from the whites and only eat the whites. And you can eat as many of those as you can "Get Down You."

Back to the GUNGE. It's a good idea to vary the proportion of the ingredients slightly until you find a taste that you enjoy. Or, if you don't enjoy it as set out above, try adding some sort of flavouring. One gym I used to work at offered a whole range of flavours using COMMERCIAL MILK SHAKE FLAVOURINGS, which are easily obtainable

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT YOU MUST ENJOY YOUR SHAKES - WHETHER YOU ARE USING A HOME MADE RECIPE OR ONE OF THE VERY EXPENSIVE ONES. IF YOU DON'T ENJOY THEM YOU WILL SOON GET FED UP WITH DRINKING THEM AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION. IF YOU GET THE FLAVOUR RIGHT, AND YOU START TO GROW, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE. This is how it should be and consistency is the bodybuilding recipe for success. They say there is NO SECRET. I WOULD SAY THAT IF THERE IS JUST ONE SECRET IT IS CONSISTENCY. Muscles are only as big and strong as they are called upon to be. STOP CALLING AND THEY WILL STOP GROWING!!!!!

The contribution of "gunge" to my overall protein intake

"Bacon for breakfast, lots of it, and on its own"
I'm not really sure about my protein intake proportions, but I would say that the gunge was probably more than half my daily intake. A lot of the things that I used to eat in those days I wouldn't eat now. In some ways I think I grew and stayed healthy IN SPITE of what I ate rather than BECAUSE of what I ate. For instance, most mornings I ate bacon for breakfast - and lots of it. And on it's own. If melon was in season I would start off with half a melon, then the bacon and then start sipping my first pint of GUNGE. I lived above the gym and used to take my gunge to work with me and sip it over the next hour or so. I should emphasise that this was when I was running the ladies and mens keep fit gym and not when I was training. I used to do my training before breakfast after a small plate of cornflakes.

"No bread in the diet"

"Another point of interest is that for most of the time throughout my bodybuilding years I never ate bread of any sort. As you say, I used to eat quite a bit of liver and I was also very partial to roast ox hearts. Otherwise my main meals were fairly conventional. Roast beef, roast lamb, roast pork, lamb or pork chops and quite a lot of chicken of course. 

Gunge version 2.0 with Amino acids and other added ingredients

At one point I got involved with an amateur bio-chemist who was really into what we should and should not eat. He added extra amino acids to the gunge to improve the balance. Although already quite good, he felt it could be perfected. He also got a yoghurt culture and started mass producing huge containers of High Protein yoghurt  which I consumed on a daily basis . He also came up with PROTEIN CAKES. These were made with the same ingredients as the gunge, but with added wheat germ. Actually they were quite delicious. 

Gunge on the go!
Going back to the GUNGE. It's a good idea to whisk up a bulk lot in the mornings and put it in the fridge. Say two lots of my original recipe, which should give you between three and four pints. Whenever you are in the vicinity  of the fridge, pour yourself a glass. Or, if you are out and about all day (I realise some people go to work!) take it with you in a thermos. Try not to eat only three meals a day with long periods of hunger in between. GRAZE all day, even if it's only sipping GUNGE. Try to never let your body get really hungry or it will start living off your muscles. Another good thing to remember is that if you eat a lot of protein you won't have room for (or the desire for) snacks and junk food.
________________________________________________________________
About the Author

John Bubb is a former NABBA professional bodybuilder with more than half a century of experience in the iron game.  John has six top four finishes at the NABBA Pro Mr. Universe from 1967 to 1971, including a runner-up placing to Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1968. 

John has trained several bodybuilders from many countries and has remained very active in the bodybuilding arena decades after hanging his posing trunks. He is one of our most prized contributors at Bodybuilding Mauritius and we feel very honoured to have someone of the calibre of John dispensing advice to all of us with such enthusiasm. 

We at Bodybuilding Mauritius are very keen about old-school bodybuilding as we believe that in order for bodybuilding to have a future it must look back at its past. We couldn't ask for a better guru of Golden era bodybuilding than "Iron Grandpa Bubb". You are welcome to check other articles by John Bubb on this website.

© 2013 Bodybuilding Mauritius. Any reprinting in any type of media, including electronic and foreign is prohibited.

Read More

Beefing the chest with John Bubb: should you do flat benches and declines? By John Bubb. Former NABBA Pro bodybuilder

Beefing the chest with John Bubb

By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro Bodybuilder

The flat barbell bench press is my favourite chest exercise

A lot has been said against the bench press
but it is still a great chest exercise. 

Mine has always been good old straight forward flat bench Bench Press. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to a pure Bodybuilder who was training for contests and wanted a nice shaped chest with large high pecs - that's all about incline movements. But for pure enjoyment and self satisfaction there is nothing like the plain straight forward BENCH PRESS -for me anyway. Unfortunately at the gym where I train at the moment there is no Bench Press station, only the wretched Smith Machine which is too restrictive, so I haven't been able to practice my favourite exercise for several years. Yes, it's not only my favourite chest exercise, but my favourite exercise full stop. I used to really LOVE it - especially if I was doing 5 x 5 or pyramids. The satisfaction one gets from moving really heavy poundages out of proportion to ones body weight is second to none. I still believe that if you only did Bench Press, Squats and Dead Lift and nothing else, you could build a really good physique. They are the foundations of what it is all about. The compound movements that between them exercise virtually (I said virtually) every muscle in the body. In every gym in the world you can see skinny little guys doing endless arm exercises and very little else and getting nowhere. If they could only be talked into training like Power Lifers for a couple of years, concentrating on the basic compound exercises in good style, they would make so much more satisfactory progress and give themselves something to work with. I rest my case!!!"

Decline chest pressing and direct lower chest work: for or against?

I have been advising against decline chest exercises for years. If anyone asks me why, I always say, "Go ahead if it's your intention to develop a pair of MAN BOOBS." As I said in my original post above, if you are a competing bodybuilder or intending to compete, concentrate on the UPPER pecs. And as Veeraj says, you can't have too much of that. In my opinion and based on my experience, Incline Bench Press with D/bells is king. Another tip - If you are doing D/B Bench Press or Incline D/B Bench Press always use 2 spotters (or catchers as we used to call them). One to lift each D/B to arms length. If you can lift them from the floor on your own they are much too light and you won't get half the benefit. I see it every day in the gym where I train. Tough (they think) young guys literally wrestling a pair of D/B's into place. Sometimes one at the time. Sometimes lifting them up to their thighs, then struggling to get them aloft. All this wasted effort is losing them two or three reps from the actual exercise, to say nothing of the danger they risk by injuring a shoulder or dropping one or both of the D/B's on some vulnerable part of their anatomy. Another good tip is try to train in threes (2 training partners). This way you will always have two spotters available and if you all keep moving it will give you just about the right amount of rest between sets if you work one at the time.

Read More

The Pyramid Training Program. By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro bodybuilder

The Pyramid Training Program

By John Bubb, former NABBA Pro Bodybuilder

Exclusive for Bodybuilding Mauritius

Follow-up plan for people who have been doing the original Bulk Up schedule.

Those of you who started the original Bulk Up plan (click here to read) when it was first published must have completed your three months suggested time plan and be wondering where to go next. Even people who started when it first appeared on the blog will be getting towards the end by now. You will remember that I said that you should forget you are bodybuilders for six months and concentrate on  Power Lifting Type workouts. This will not only thicken your physique, but make you much stronger so that when you return to the more conventional bodybuilding type training your poundages will have increased substantially and you will be able to use more productive weights on higher reps. We will keep the same days for body parts as before.

With my friends outside the gym

MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS: CHEST & TRICEPS

Exercise # 1: Barbell Bench Press on Flat Bench 

Don’t worry, you will be using D/Bells and Inclines next time!

Exercise 1: Flat bench barbell presses

Sets and reps

Warm up set: Start with 1 set of 15, really silly light – as before.  

Working sets: 

• 1 set of 8 heavy (but make sure you get 8)
• 1 set of 6 heavy (but get 6. If you start failing at this point you’ll never make the really heavy reps later)
• 1 set of 4 heavy (as above)
• 1 set of 2 heavy
• 1 set of 2 flat out
• 1 set of 4
• 1set of 6
• 1 set of 8.

Notes:

• Treat the first sets of 8,  6,  4 as a build up. Use heavy weights but make sure that you achieve the required number of reps. After you have done the two sets of two try to use slightly more weight on the final 4,  6,  8 than you did in the build up. REMEMBER You don’t gain anything from failed reps

• Every fourth workout perform two flat out singles after the first set of two. This will give you something to aim at and give you an indication of your progress.

• We won’t worry too much about arms on this schedule, just concentrating on the compound exercises. When I used to do power lifting programmes back in the sixties my arms used to grow even though I wasn't doing any pure arm movements at all. Trust me, it works!

• However we will do a little triceps work just to aid the Bench Presses and keep you in touch.

Triceps work

Exercise #1: Triceps extensions (Push-downs)
Use the pulley machine and do 2 sets of Triceps Extensions (Push-downs) 2 X 10.   

Exercise 1 for triceps: cable pushdowns

Exercise #2: Close grip bench presses

1 X 10 Very light.

3 X 8 heavy.

If, like me, you find these hurt your wrists, do Seated French Press with a single heavy dumbbell.

Try to train with two training partners so that you've always got spotters and moral support.

Exercise 2 for triceps: close grip bench press or French press

TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS: LEGS, BACK AND BICEPS

Exercise#1: low, Very strict Thigh Extensions.  2 X 20.

Leg exercise #1: Leg extensions (2 x 10 reps)

Leg exercise #2: Conventional Squats

Exercise #2: Conventional squats

1 x 20 Very very light.

1 X 10

1 X 8

1 X 6

1 x 4

1 X 2

1 X 2

1 X 4

1 X 6

1 X 10

Notes:

• Do these exactly the same as the Bench Presses and try a couple of singles after the first set of two Reps every four or five workouts.

• DON’T BE TEMPTED TO TRY SINGLES EVERY WORKOUT OR YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED. OBVIOUSLY THE SAME APPLYS TO THE BENCH PRESS.

• KEEP RECORDS AND GIVE YOURSELF A NICE SURPRISE EVERY FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS.

As before, substitute DEADLIFTS for squats every third workout.

Every third workout substitute squats for deadlifts

We will continue much as before.

Do that really light set of 8 to 10 to warm-up.

Then do 4 fairly heavy reps

Then do 2 really heavy.

Then 4 singles adding weight each set.

Then a final set of 6 fairly heavy.

Some people might feel that this is not enough, but I always found that I made better progress on Dead Lifts if I didn’t do too many and I seemed to make my best gains on the singles and low reps.

"Bench press, squats and deadlifts are really the basis of all bodybuilding"

Remember, Bench Press, Squats and Dead Lifts (The compound exercises) are really the basis of all bodybuilding. If you only concentrated on these three for two years you would make more general progress than the young skinny lad who rushes around the gym doing endless sets of arm exercises.

BACK

Exercise #1: Lat Machine Pull-downs to chest (Very Strict) Shoulder width grip.  1 X 20

Exercise #2: Low Pulley Rowing, light and strict, Close Grip.  1 X 20

Exercise #3: Single Arm Rowing with D/Bell 1 X 10 light, Then 5 X 6 heavy. Try to do these really strict, feeling the muscles stretch and contract. NO TWISTING AND HEAVING – like all those around you are doing!!!

BICEPS

Again, we won’t go mad. Just a few token sets to keep you in touch and put your mind at rest.

Strict Incline D/Bell Curls

1 X 15 very light.

5 X 6 heavy, BUT, still very strict.

Calves

Finish up with your favourite calf exercise (is there such a thing!!)    five or six sets of 20.

Important guidelines

• Don’t forget, lots of rest between sets on the compound exercise. I don’t care what anybody says, you shouldn’t sacrifice the poundages you use by rushing into the next set too quickly.

• ALWAYS USE CORRECT STYLE.

• GO DOWN TO PARRALLEL ON YOUR SQUATS EVEN IF IT MEANS USING SLIGHTLY LESS WEIGHT.

• EAT LOTS OF PROTEIN – CHICKEN, TURKEY, FISH AND SOME BEEF.

• DRINK AT LEAST 3 PINTS OF PROTEIN SHAKES A DAY. CHOOSE ONE THAT YOU LIKE SO THAT YOU ENJOY DRINKING IT. IT SHOULDN’T BE LIKE TAKING MEDICINE! IF IT IS YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE IT UP.

• ONLY EAT GOOD CARBS AND AVOID ALL JUNK.

While you are on this course don’t be tempted to do extra on the days in between. Train hard four days a week and rest as much as possible on the days in between. This doesn’t mean that you’ve got to lie in bed for three days a week. Just follow a normal way of life without too much exertion.

I’ll see you in three months with your next follow-up.

John Bubb for Bodybuilding Mauritius

________________________________________________________________

About the Author

John Bubb is a former NABBA professional bodybuilder with more than half a century of experience in the iron game. John has six top four finishes at the NABBA Pro Mr. Universe from 1967 to 1971, including a runner-up placing to Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1968. 

John has trained several bodybuilders from many countries and has remained very active in the bodybuilding arena decades after hanging his posing trunks. He is one of our most prized contributors at Bodybuilding Mauritius and we feel very honoured to have someone of the calibre of John dispensing advice to all of us with such enthusiasm. 

We at Bodybuilding Mauritius are very keen about old-school bodybuilding as we believe that in order for bodybuilding to have a future it must look back at its past. We couldn't ask for a better guru of Golden era bodybuilding than "Iron Grandpa Bubb". 

Read More

Vince's Six Week Bulking Course. Book by Vince Gironda

Bodybuilding Mauritius Old School Bodybuilding Series

Vince's Six Week Bulking Course

Book by Vince Gironda

Here is one of the books from Vince Gironda that I found on the Internet. I don't know if it is right or wrong to share books but I am sure that Vince is looking from the big gym in the sky above and appreciating that we are still perpetuating his teachings and philosophies. As most of you probably know, at Bodybuilding Mauritius we honour the valuable contribution that Vince has made to bodybuilding. Make sure that you check the other articles that I wrote in the "Iron Guru Series" and articles on training that borrow from the Iron Guru's training philosophies. If you are looking for other bulking courses make sure you also check John Bubb's Bulking Programs. Here are the links:

The Iron Guru Series: Gironda Shoulder Training. By Vic Goyaram

Compendium of Old School Exercises: Shoulders. By Vic Goyaram

Powerlifting Training for Bodybuilders. By John Bubb

The Pyramid Training Program. By John Bubb

Read More