YOU CAN ADD INCHES OF MASSIVE MUSCLES WITH THE BLITZ ROUTINE?
By Leroy Colbert

Every champion bodybuilder has frequently used the blitz to build additional muscle size. Without its scientific use the great physique stars we know today would be nonexistent.

Physical work alone cannot build huge shapely muscles, if so ditch diggers, miners and general laborers would be champion bodybuilders. It is only the scientific applications of progressively hard weight training that builds the 19 inch arms, 50 inch chest and 26 inch thighs so prominent of the great bodybuilders. These men are not bound by the ancient three set theory, they know that you only get what you put in, no effort, and no results. But it wasn’t always this way, there was a time (and not many years ago), when to do more than three sets in any exercise was considered a tragic mistake. Many potential champions of that day were lost to the game because of that ancient work theory. A few hardy pioneers ventured to try a more diversified method of training, only those few rose above the multitude.

Now the blitz routine is not a complicated or intricate routine, on the contrary, it is plain and simple to understand. First, understand a little of the nature of our muscles, why they grow, how they grow and how to induce continuous growth. As a beginner, we know that our muscles respond to the slightest bit of exertion. Our soft unused muscle tissues thrive and relish with any stimulation. Just one set of curls or presses will make the muscle ache. But after a few weeks of training, we find that one set fails to induce the same muscle ache as before. In order to force the muscle to grow and respond, we must increase the volume of work, not so much as to overwork, but just enough to provide additional stimulation.

The fact behind slow progressive work is that you continuously shock the muscles into uninterrupted growth. That does not mean that the more work we do, the more our muscles will grow, because there is a limit to how long and hard we can work. When a muscle is worked, tissue is broken down, rest and protein rebuilds that tissue and adds a little more for future demands. Our muscle growth depends on how fast we can complete a cycle of work and recovery and how much tissue we can breakdown and repair at one time. The laborer fails to build healthy shapely muscles simply because his range of work is limited and non-progressive. Secondly and more important is he doesn’t permit the muscles to rest sufficiently before work is begun again.

Now you have a pretty good idea of how and why muscles grow. But one of the most perplexing problems to most bodybuilders is how to induce continuous muscular growth. This is where the blitz routine comes to your rescue. With this method of exercising, you can build the size you have always dreamed of. You must first divorce your mind of all the ancient work theories. You must be willing to work hard, because the blitz routine is just that – Work! But your reward will be well worth the effort.

As I mentioned previously, to the beginner, one set is plenty, then he must increase to two and three and five. But what after that is there a constant upsurge of sets until you reach 50 sets each exercise? No, there isn’t, but you will find that five sets workout after workout will fail to pump up the muscles and give it that ache as before. You can increase the weight which will help to shock the muscle into growing again, but you will still find the muscle a lot tougher than it was in the beginning days. It will take so much more exercise to stimulate your muscles than it did before. The reason for this reaction is the muscles have become accustomed to the severity of the workout. They have adjusted to the demand you have put to them. In other words, they are waiting for the same old song and dance three times a week. This is when you throw in the shocker and blitz the “hell” out of them. Shock them right out of their boredom. Force them to readjust to the severe demand. Force them to grow and grow to become thicker and wider, to take this sudden load of work. Now to properly blitz them, you must select one, no more than two exercises for each body part and increase you sets from to a minimum of 10 to 15 sets.

I can hear you now saying, “Wow! This guy is crazy.” I know it sounds like a lot of work and it is, but you will only have to train like this for 2 to 4 weeks. Make certain that you get at least eight hours sleep a night, preferably 10. Drink plenty of water try to get 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight you will need a good protein supplement to help you meet your protein needs in addition to your supplements, eat fish, meat, poultry, dairy, fruit and vegetable with this intensive routine you will need at least 4 grams of glutamine a day to hasten muscle recovery. Now after this month of the blitz routine, you take a week rest and resume training at your normal pace. Again there is a shock to the muscles, but not the same as when you started the blitz routine.

The muscles are no longer accustomed to your regular workout for you have shocked it out. Neither is it accustomed to the blitz routine because you haven’t done it long enough. Besides, you have rested a week permitting the muscles to fully rebuild and store up additional energy. After a few months of conventional training, you may resume the blitz routine and start the cycle over again. Each time you do it much larger muscles will be yours.

I can vividly recall the amazing results the champions achieve from regularly performing the blitz routine. They develop the strength, energy and perseverance to sometimes do as many as 15 sets of each exercise bench presses, curls dips and chins in one workout. Fantastic strength and muscle size speaks highly for such a hard program.

Bill Grant sometimes works all day on one body part such as his shoulders or calves. The champions know about the blitz and how to use it. The results speak for themselves. I’m not suggesting that you necessarily train as hard. These were only given as examples of how our champions employed the blitz to shape their physiques. One must use this method according to your own individual situation. Some of you because of time and purpose may not be able to utilize the method exactly as I have outlined but you can use it with moderate improvising, increasing your sets as much as possible and varying the intensity of you workout.

The beginner must not under any circumstances attempt to blitz his muscles until he has trained with weights at least one year.

The blitz routine is very severe and only well conditioned muscles with plenty of reserve energy could take the pace. Keep in mind, the blitz routine is not a secret exercise or method, but a planned scientific way of intensified training for a short period of time. It has worked marvelously for others and it will do likewise for you. So go for it with gusto and watch those muscles bloom!

For those of you who prefer to follow the routine of some of the champions here is an example:
1. Barbell bench press ........10 Sets   8 Reps
2. Bent arm lateral ...........10 "       8 "    
3. Lat machine pull down ......10 "       8 "    
4. Chin behind neck ...........10 "       8 "    
5. Sitting press behind neck ..10 "       8 "    
6. Standing lateral raise .....10 "       8 "    
7. Alternate curl .............10 "       8 "    
8. Sitting barbell curl .......10 "       8 "    
9. Bent arm pullover ..........10 "       8 "    
10. Barbell squats .............6 "        12 "   

There you have it, nothing new in the way of exercising, but those sets make it really tough. Unless you have an abundance of drive and energy, the routines I have listed will really shake you up.

Take a minimum of 2 days off before your next Blitz routine and remember recovery is the key, maximize your nutrition on your rest days.