Injury opened up new training opportunities for De May
Of course, the technique that most of his sports life used in his training, Berry de May, a famous bodybuilder and a charming athlete, was by no means unsuccessful. Even at the age of twenty, he won thanks to this technique the title of champion in his native Netherlands, and a few months later with the same unchanging confidence went to the European Championship, where he was prepared for an equally amazing surprise: first place in heavyweight. A year later, Berry decided to improve his abilities and took part in the World Cup, where he was again awaited by “Madame Luck”: a prestigious second place. And in 1984, the script repeats: again second place at the World Cup.
Berry did not stop there. A year later, he takes part in the contest Mr. Olympia, being on the same site with Arnold himself! But this did not bother him at all, and again he was able to show all his capabilities from the most worthy side, having won sixth place. And in 1988, another tremendous success: Berry took a well-deserved third place!
Having reached the status of one of the most successful athletes in the world in bodybuilding, de May was in trouble: the injury he received at one of the competitions forced the athlete to undergo the necessary course of treatment to recover in the hospital. The right pectoral muscle could not withstand the heavy load and tore like a string too tightly stretched.
While in the hospital, de May repeatedly recalled the words of Arnold, who once expressed the opinion that those athletes who train really correctly are a priori protected from injuries. This phrase made de May much to reconsider in his approach to training, to think about where he could make a mistake that led to an injury.
Gradually, the muscle began to heal, and Berry began to gradually return to training, using methods that promised a quick return to its former state. And here Berry was waiting for a real discovery, which turned his whole idea about training!
Remembering his training before getting injured, de May unexpectedly realized for himself that he belonged to the category of athletes who can be called naive. And all because earlier, progress for him depended only on the intensity of training, by which he understood as many heavy weights as possible. He increased the intensity of classes, based on the fact that the more heavy weights, the more significant the growth of muscles.
After the injury, Berry often watched the training of other athletes and discovered a new approach. It turns out that intensity is a combination of three factors that are completely different in meaning: the number of sets, the rest between them and the amount of burden. At the same time, the magnitude of weights is, logically, the final link in training. Given the above factors, the intensity must be increased primarily by increasing the number of sets or their variations, after which the intervals of rest between exercises should be gradually reduced.
Hand Exercise Approach
Having discovered a new approach to training, Berry came to the conclusion that the first sets of each next exercise should be inserted between the last sets of the previous exercise. As a result, all exercises are one long set of 45 minutes long.
Being a true professional in his field, de May always starts training with a warm-up. It consists of a series of simple exercises on a block device, after which Berry proceeds to bending his arms with a barbell. The main goal that de May sets for himself is to perform this exercise despite all its complexity. The athlete admits that sometimes he fulfills it to the limit, but this gives him a chance not to use critical weights after that, but only to “finish” his tired biceps. The main rules that Berry is guided by are average grip and slow, filled with maximum movement stress.
After that, Berry proceeds to alternately bend his arms with dumbbells. Here again, the rule of "wedging" the first two sets between the last applies.
Split program
Day 1 - chest, shoulders
Day 2 - back, triceps
Day 3 - rest day (aerobics)
4th day - back, legs
Day 5 - hands
Day 6 - Rest
A set of exercises for the hands
- Bending the arms with a barbell - 4-6 sets, repeat 8 times;
- Bending the arms with dumbbells - 4-6 approaches, repeat 8-12 times;
- French bench press - 4-6 sets, repeat 8-12 times;
- Triceps presses down on the block - 4-6 sets, repeat 8-12 times;
- Triceps extensions with one hand with a dumbbell - 4-6 approaches, repeat 8-12 times;
- Isolated flexion of the hands - 4-6 approaches, repeat 8-12 times.
