The Greatest Muscle Building Exercise... Ever

If you want to end the year with more muscle than you have right now, the exercise I’m about to reveal is one I believe to be one of the most valuable and result-producing “exercises” you’ll ever do.

This “exercise” does not require expensive equipment. In fact, the only equipment you need would probably fit easily into your back pocket.

It doesn't require a great deal of physical effort. Unlike physically taxing movements like the squat or the deadlift, this "exercise" won't even leave you out of breath.

Nor is it particularly time consuming. I can usually get it done in less than 10 minutes, and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same. Yet, despite the fact that this cheap and simple "exercise" is one of the biggest steps you can take towards more muscle, very few people actually do it.

What am I talking about?

The "exercise" I'm referring to is the simple act of picking up a pen and notebook and recording your workouts — otherwise known as keeping a training diary.

Why is a training diary so important?

The main (though not the only) stimulus for muscle growth is progressive tension overload — increasing the amount of weight that's on the bar when you lift it. If you're still lifting the same weights in 12 months time as you’re lifting now, chances are you won't have gained much muscle either.

With a training diary, you can see instantly if the time you're investing in the gym is delivering results. It will also make it very clear if you're doing nothing more than simply repeating the same workout over and over again... going nowhere... slowly.

Of course, you're not going to be able to increase the weights you're lifting at every workout. There'll be days when an extra repetition or two will be the best you can do. And the greater your "training age," the slower the gains will come [1].

But the general principle — that getting bigger means getting stronger — still holds true. And one of the best ways to see how well your program is working (in the short term, at least) is to keep a training diary.

So, if a training diary is so important, why don't more people keep one?

Firstly, a training diary carries with it a very high "geek factor." In the eyes of some, walking around the gym with a pen and notebook, especially when nobody else is doing it, will make you look a bit of a geek.

Keeping a training diary also means that you have to face facts — is what you're doing actually working? If your performance isn’t improving in one form or another from month to month, chances are you're not gaining much muscle either. And if you want to change your results, you'll need to change what you're doing.

Truth is, making a change is not always easy. It usually requires thinking. And, as Thomas Edison apparently once said: "There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking."

Most people seem content to wander aimlessly through their workouts without bothering to think about whether there might actually be a better way to do it.

What should you record in your training diary?

Here's a picture of my training diary (this is day four from the 4-day routine described in the Maximum Muscle Plan). I like to keep track of three things:

1. The name of the exercise
2. The load or resistance
3. The number of repetitions per set

In this example, I did four sets of pull-ups (two sets of 5 and two sets of 4) with 27.5 kilograms (60.5 pounds). The numbers in brackets remind me to increase the load in the next workout.

As you can see, I use a notebook and pen to record what I do. Others prefer to log their workouts on a computer and create lots of charts and graphs. Do whatever works for you — write it on your arm if you want! I don't think it really matters what form your training diary takes, just as long as you keep one.

Remember, the true value of a training diary can only be realized if it's something you use consistently, not just when you remember or when you can be bothered.

About The Author Christian Finn holds a masters degree in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer and a regular contributor to Men's Health, Men's Fitness and other popular fitness magazines. If you're stuck in a rut with your current exercise and diet plan... fed up with only losing a pound here and there... or still skinny after months (or even years) of trying to build muscle and gain weight... Christian can help you achieve your goals once and for all. Click here now to find out how Christian can help you

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Reference
Baker, D.G., & Newton, R.U. (2006). Adaptations in upper-body maximal strength and power output resulting from long-term resistance training in experienced strength-power athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20, 541-546