Old School Legacy #1 - Vince Gironda - A new series of articles about the stars of the golden era of bodybuilding, including proven training routines.

I have always been dazzled by the stars of bodybuilding of an era long gone and have read just about every bibliography these legends have ever written and published. That's also why I decided to write a series of articles going back in time and recalling effective training methods that differ greatly from most current approaches. They do have one peculiarity...they worked :)

Not only were the aesthetics of bodybuilders from the last century several times better than most of the current scene, but they were characterized by a great approach to training and nutrition. Today, we encounter a variety of different perspectives on training, nutrition and supplementation, but we rarely take a cue from people who have done so much can impart wisdom that we're unlikely to get from today's YouTube stars.

And while they didn't have access to thousands of studies like we do today, they far outnumbered us. It's very modern to look for studies on everything, to refute or confirm someone's claims and then to brandish stacks of papers on why we should or shouldn't do something.
What is important is what works in practice! Bodybuilders of the golden era exercised intuitively, inventing exercises and different variations of basic exercises, using all sorts of axes, thick grips and only afterwards evaluating what hurts them and determining what the exercise is good for. The only measure of progress was physical and strength changes.
There is beauty in simplicity!

Some definitely used banned substances, yes, but in my experience, perhaps the cleaning lady at the gym uses more of them these days, and every 18 year old beginner asks about testosterone substances first thing. That's how low we've sunk, yet we can't even come close to the legends of the bodybuilding world.

How is all this possible?

Yes, times are changing and there are several factors that can play a role.
Epigenetic influences, stress, the gradual decline of testosterone in men and in turn the increasing estrogen dominance, lack of effort in training, the preference of machines over free weights. This short list may be just a fraction of why we are not getting the results we want.

In my opinion, however, there is one thing we can never get around: HARD WORK AND MAXIMUM DETERMINATION!

And this is what the legendary bodybuilders and exercisers we will mention in turn have been distinguished by.

As I have already mentioned, they trained instinctively and very simply, sticking to the basics, yet always with maximum effort, and this is what brought them visible results.

And I can start with none other than my great favorite and one of the first to influence the entire later course of the event. That is undoubtedly the now sadly deceased VINCE GIRONDA (1917-1997).

Why him, you may ask? Why don't I write extensive essays on Arnold, Frank Zane, Mike Mentzer or Dorian Yeates in my first article here?

The answer is that Vince Gironda's innovative approach has, in all respects, given a whole new level to the bodybuilding game. It was from him that the likes of Zane and Arnold later learned and educated. In my opinion, he is responsible for what we saw in the golden era of bodybuilding. It was Vince who laid the cornerstone for new perspectives on diet and supplementation and brought into play previously unknown training methods that have persisted to this day due to their effectiveness.

Vince is still considered one of the most controversial bodybuilders of all time. His methods aroused considerable opposition and a whole host of, at the time, unanswered questions. However, the authorities of other decaths tested these methods and it turned out that many of the things he stood for were (and still are) true.

You can love him or hate him, the choice is entirely yours...

LEGACY - Legacy

1. Food and supplementation

Vince was famous for his statements that bodybuilding is 85% about diet.

With him, I first came across the statement that it's not how much food you eat that's important, but how much food you can digest. This depends primarily on the amount of hydrochloric acid (HCL) in your stomach!!! And this is the post-World War II era...
Now every smart guy at the gym will tell you about how much you should eat if you want to get big, grow further and all that nonsense. But if you don't have enough digestive capacity, most of your food will end up in the toilet.

As you can see, his training methods, approach to nutrition and supplementation was strongly timeless, hence not for nothing he was nicknamed "Iron Guru".

For example, he was one of the first to advocate low-carb eating. He didn't have any scientifically based research (what is now popularly called "science-based"), but he was simply able to discern what worked best for him and his clients.

He strongly emphasized that eggs were a superfood that contributed not only to building muscle mass, but also to promoting overall health. He particularly emphasized the support of endocrine function due to the cholesterol content, from which steroid hormones are then synthesized.
Another food promoted by him was unpasteurised milk.
He was fond of saying that if eggs were the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease and milk caused inflammation and digestive problems, his grandparents would not have lived to be nearly 100 years old. And as we know today, he was right again.
But let's not confuse organic unpasteurised milk with the pasteurised slurry from supermarkets, it is a completely different food!

His favourite supplements were not BCAAs or kickers. He emphasized liver function, so he supported it with proper supplementation (primarily enzymes, vitamin C and vitamin B12).

He also knew that the pancreas needed to get its support for proper function, so he supplemented with chromium picolinate and a host of other minerals.

As for banned substances, Vince's heyday has passed. Still, in a later era, he became a great despiser of steroids. In his view, it was an unfair game, and if he took steroids, he said, he would only be lumped in with others who were making their way easier. He often told stories from practice where he said he saw ordinary and average exercisers put on 15kg of pure muscle mass in a month!
He himself always put effective training methods first, but most importantly, quality food supplemented with the necessary supplements. In short, the way it should be, what do you say?

2. Training

Vince was, according to many, a walking encyclopedia on human anatomy, he was said to be able to describe in detail every muscle on the body and its function. Hand on heart, what trainer today can do that?

When it came to training, Vince was a true expert on magnificent bodies. He didn't dabble in weightlifting, powerlifting, and he didn't incorporate squats so much into his training (compared to his other peers). His primary focus was on building strong intra-muscular coordination and mind-muscle connection, i.e., maximum brain-to-muscle connection and feel for a given muscle.

Now for my favorite part: on paper, Vince's methods look extremely simple that you probably won't even break a sweat while training. The opposite is true! To be completely honest, I had a hard time picking myself up off the ground after each workout and I don't think I can remember such muscle soreness.

The 8x8 method

His most famous method, which has been heavily popularized over the years, is called 8x8.
Vince was convinced that it was the most effective method to gain muscle mass in record time. Not only that, the method is also extremely effective in burning fat!
Both goals are, anyway, hard to achieve on their own, let alone at the same time.

In the literature we can find several interpretations of the 8x8 method. One consists of only one exercise and eight sets, another of two exercises and four sets.

There is also not just one training frequency, for example we can choose from a split of 3 workouts in a row and 3 days off, or practice the plan for 3 weeks and then take a week off.

And that's the beauty of strength training, EVERYONE HAS TO FIND THE SYSTEM THAT WILL GET THEM THE MOST FUN, ENJOYED AND HAVE THE BEST RESULTS!

Basic recommendations for practicing the 8x8 method according to Vince Gironda:

1. Perform each exercise with minimal pauses and maximum effort. Perform the exercises quickly, but always maintain perfect technique. The duration of the workout should not exceed 30 minutes.

2. Exercise in supersets! This is an important concept that must be followed. Always practice two agonistic exercises, such as the wide-grip bench press to the neck (Gironda Press) and "V" Bar Dips. You do 8 reps of the wide neck bench press, take a 15 second break, switch to V bar dips, again take a 15 second break and switch back to the bench press. Repeat this sequence a total of 8 times, doing 8 sets of bench press and 8 sets of V bar dips.

3. Don't drink water during the workout, wait 45 minutes after the workout and then drink in small sips.

4. Concentrate as much as possible on each exercise and don't let anything distract you!

5. Exercisers who have not had at least 2 years of quality training should not try the routine.

6. Make up your training routine using only the permitted exercises listed below.

7. Always take a nap for at least 20 minutes after this workout.

Example training plan for the 8x8 method:

Monday and Thursday

Breasts:

Barbell Bench Press to Neck (Gironda Press)
- More on this particular exercise at the end of the article

"V" Bar Dips
- This exercise is performed on a "V" bar (if you don't have one, choose a regular bar)
- Bend your head towards your chest and place your legs in front of your body
- lower yourself to the bottom position as far as you can and use your chest to push yourself up to the base position
- concentrate on feeling the pecs rather than the triceps

Back:

Gironda Style Chin-Ups (chest tucks)
- Grab the trapeze bar with a shoulder-width grip
- Pull yourself up to the bar with your chest, leaning into and away from the bar as much as possible on the way down
- Try to feel the broad back muscles as much as possible.

Wide Grip Pulldowns
- Grab the pulley with a wide grip and overhand grip
- Pull the pulley with a slight chest tuck
- avoid cheating, prefer strict form

Shoulders:

Lateral Raises
- take the one-arms and lean forward slightly at the hips, holding the one-arms slightly in front of the body
- Elbows are also slightly bent
- concentrate on strict weight lifting, keeping the basic position all the time and not helping yourself by moving your hips

Dumbbell Swings
- this exercise is very difficult to describe in words, so I prefer to show an illustration :)

Tuesday and Friday

Biceps:

Standing Barbell Curls
- Bicep lifts with a large barbell while standing
- full range of motion
- lean your back against the wall to get a better feel for your biceps

Seated Dumbbell Curls
- Bicep single arm seated barbell biceps raises
- full range of motion and clench triceps in the down position
- To get a better feel for your biceps, set the bench at 45' and lean against it

Triceps:

Triceps Rope Pulls
- Kneel down and rest your elbows on the bench
- Start pulling the pulley from the top, use the ropes

Triceps Kickbacks
- Bend forward at the hips and use your triceps to extend your arm


Forearms:

Reverse Wrist Curls
- Forearm overhand forearm rolls while seated
- Use a large dumbbell or EZ axle
- rest your elbows on your knees

Wrist Curls
- forearm underhand curl while seated
- use a large dumbbell or EZ-bar
- rest your elbows on your knees

Wednesday and Saturday

Quadriceps:

Sissy Squats
- This is a very challenging exercise to exercise the quadriceps and if you are not 100% sure of your technique, you can swap it for a leg press with a narrow foot stance for example

- support your heels (step, discs...) and perform the exercise preferably in a weight cage where you can hold on with both hands

- start the movement by pushing your knees forward in front of your toes while bending your body
- after reaching the maximum range of motion, return back to the original position without fully extending the knees in the top position (maintaining tension in the quadriceps)

Hack Squats
- Stand on the Hacken Squat Machine
- Place your feet close together and toes out
- Lower yourself down and slowly raise your toes on the way down
- After reaching your maximum range of motion, return to the original position without fully extending your knees in the top position (keeping tension in the quadriceps)

Hamstrings:

Lying Leg Curls
- For the lying lunges, it will be important to maintain constant tension throughout the movement
- Pull your toes away from your shins to allow for greater calf muscle disengagement

Calves:

Standing Calf Raises
- Classic calf raises, with the toes turned slightly away from the body and focusing on maximum contraction in the top position and full range of motion

Example workout (Monday and Thursday):

Explanations: exercise label, exercise name, sets x reps, tempo, rest

A1 Gironda Press 8x8 1010 15s
A2 "V" Bar Dips 8x8 1010 15s

B1 Gironda Style Chin-Ups 8x8 1010 15s
B2 Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns 8x8 1010 15s

C1 Lateral Raises 8x8 1010 15s
C2 Dumbbell Swings 8x8 1010 15s

So to sum it up, the benefits of the 8x8 method include gaining lean muscle mass, losing excess fat, cardiovascular health, muscle separation and overall pushing your limits because although it doesn't seem like it, it's a hell of a workout!!!


Favorite exercise.

If we had to pick one exercise that Vince is most famous for, it's definitely the "Gironda Press".

I must not forget to mention one important thing here - expect rapid weight loss! Gentlemen, leave the ego at home for once.

How to do it?

The basic position is that you lie down on a prepared bench, grab the axis with a wide grip, lift your legs in the air and cross your ankles. This position will lead to better isolation of the pectoral muscles.

You do not lower the dumbbell to your chest, but to the lower neck area, where you lightly touch and push the dumbbell again to the top position. Keep your shoulder blades pulled together and down to protect your shoulders.

Concentrate as much as possible on feeling the pectoral muscles, you don't want to engage the delts and triceps (although of course you can't avoid this completely).

I hope you enjoyed the article, that you learned something new from the life of a truly successful innovator, and now it's up to you to apply the information you learned in practice. At the very least, the 8x8 method should be great for this.

Good luck!