Often times, the advent of new and innovative ideas stem from the complacency of those who have yet to recognize a void that needs to be filled. Tried and true methods do have a place in our world of bodybuilding, but sometimes someone comes along and shocks the system with a brand new outlook on training that sometimes flies in the face of common practice. Case in point, the Max-OT program you should be following if you aren’t already. To a lesser degree, new twists on age-old exercises can bring about new growth by giving the body a new stimulus to which it must adapt to by making new muscle. Whether it’s changing the angle of a bench, sitting in the reverse position in a machine or simply using a piece of equipment for something other than it was designed to be used for, being creative in the gym can keep you motivated and in constant anabolism. But what if you find yourself short on resources and your options are limited? Do you stick with what you know and be content with what you have or do you branch out and design unorthodox movements and training accessories? Let’s take a look at what you can do should you find yourself in a place where a fully equipped gym is nowhere in sight (which just so happens to be my situation as I write this) and how you can maintain your level of training with innovation and some thought that will prove to be your best training assets.
What is your Success Criteria?
First and foremost, you have to succumb to the fact that all your favorite machines and training equipment will not be at your beck and call. So, what you have to do is sit down and assess what movements can you come up with that will ultimately give you the same feeling (or close to the same feeling) you get in your regular gym setting. Secondly, will you be training simply for strength or will your focus be on chasing the pump? Next, can you maintain the principles of Max-OT? If you can find movements that allow you to train in the 4-6 rep range using the intensity required by the program, then this criterion has certainly been met. Finally, what check points will you have in place when evaluating your physique to ensure your unorthodox training efforts are in fact working?
Evaluate your Resources
Alright, you’re now ready to start developing your new exercises and equipment. Let’s start with the basics. You need weight, period! Free weights are easy to find and relatively cheap, so if you plan on staying where you are for any length of time, where there is no gym in sight, buying some free weights will definitely be a huge start for you. While you are at it, buy a long bar with collars and a set of spin lock dumbbells. With just these things, you can pretty much train every muscle with considerable success. Next, take a page from Rocky’s training and use your surroundings as training tools. Right now, I’m training in the loft of a barn (Rocky would be proud) and I’m using the top of a door frame to do chins. I’ve nailed a single pulley into one of the rafters and have made a clothes line into my training cable. I found some rope and made my cable attachments out of that. The stairs leading up to the loft serve as my added resistance for walking lunges. I do my heavy sets of shrugs by lifting the front end of our ATV off the ground and I’m doing my Max-OT cardio by running up and down the hill that leads to our beach. So far I have been very happy with the workouts I’ve been able to put together with the resources I have, and I’m sure more ideas will come to me the longer I train at my current residence. With some basic knowledge of our body’s lever systems and some creativity, you can pretty much take anything that’s not bolted to the ground and turn it into a piece of training equipment.
Don’t Forget your Supplements
At a time when you may not be able to rely on the effects of your training 100% due to the fact that the exercises that made you grow in the first place may not be readily available, your supplementation must be on point. I’m sure you’ll still train as hard as you can with what you have because that’s just the hardcore nature we carry with us, but providing your body with quality ingredients found in the quality products of AST Sports Science will be the deciding factor in your success or demise. Keep pumping in the VP2 and GL3, give yourself some added motivation by using new Dymetadrine Xtreme and in keeping with the theme of being innovative, throw in some Urso-X to finish off this potent, muscle-building cocktail.
Let’s be honest here, if you are serious about training and are serious about developing your physique to its fullest, you’ll find a way to get your workouts in. Whether you end up curling gas cans out in the garage or flipping tires in the yard, you’ll get your training in. With some innovative thought and a lot of motivation, you’ll make anything work. Just as the saying goes, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” and in this case, necessity is just another word for training creativity.
