Dr. Squat - Dr. Fred Hatfield

           To avoid being HIT with a HAMMER, I feel compelled to make these two important disclaimers before I begin writing:  ·         As long as whatever form of training y

by Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D.

Convention has it that there are three ways to lose weight: 1) dehydration, 2) fat loss, and 3) lean muscle weight loss. Fat loss is the ONLY acceptable route for you. Dehydration is never healthy or acceptable, and losing lean muscle is totally counter to everything that a healthy, fitness-oriented lifestyle stands for.

by Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D.

Oh, my aching brain!

Training systems galore! Training techniques beaucoup! All of the competing systems and techniques available these days are enough to fry anyone's brain! It's called "hyperchoice" and the result is that more and more iron worshippers are opting for the one that's presented with the greatest sizzle instead of carefully scrutinizing each relative to personal needs and objectives.

by Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D.

One of my favorite lines is, “I can pass by the weight room, smell the iron inside, and instantly begin to grow.” Simply, some people tend to thrive on very little exercise, while others seem to be incapable of making gains no matter how hard, long and frequently they train. This was referred to as one's "tolerance to exercise," a term coined by Arthur Jones years ago. One’s “tolerance” is high if more exercise is needed, and low if less is needed. There are many variables that can affect your exercise tolerance. Of course, “genetics” ranks highest on the list below, and you’ll notice several such factors. Others, on the other hand, are able to be manipulated in various ways.

by Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D.

Much is written about strength. But, save for all too few research documents, little of it goes beyond musings about how to acquire more than the norm. While this utilitarian approach to understanding strength is laudable, too few athletes, bodybuilders and coaches have ever taken the time to pull the concept of strength apart to a thoroughly finite level in order to discern its essence.

Virtually ALL of your assistance exercises for the first 4 weeks of this mesocycle MUST be geared toward eliminating your perceived weaknesses.

by Frederick C. Hatfield II, MS, MFS, CSCS

The ABC system of bodybuilding training is a program based on the seven rules of training. These rules are not new, nor can anyone claim to have discovered them. Over the years, these rules have gained acceptance as "laws;" they are set in stone.

While Dr. Hatfield and the International Sports Sciences Association have noted them, every other credible expert in the training sciences acknowledges them, even if they have different names for them. When taking the ABC approach, watching your diet (that is, abiding by the 5 rules of performance nutrition) is critical.

THE ABC SYSTEM IS NOT SET IN STONE - THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND IT ARE!

Conducted by Frederick C. Hatfield II, MS, MFS, CSCS

1. Joe, you work out of New Jersey, but your website reaches far more athletes. Is there one single piece of advice you can give to athletes who can't train under you?

Yeah, here’s my advice; if you’re getting the majority of your training advice from internet sources, make sure you’re getting it from reputable sources! In other words, if you want to get strong, only read articles written by authors that are strong themselves or they have gotten other people strong! If you want to improve your sprinting speed, only take advice from fast coaches or coaches that have made other athletes fast!

by Frederick C. Hatfield II, MS, MFS, CSCS

In Part I of ABC Training Made REAL Simple, I gave a 28-day program, which focused on body part training. This time I'd like to focus on incorporating ABC training on "movements". One of the problems with the ABC program when you focus on body parts is that so many exercises work more than one muscle. For example, the bench press works the shoulders, the triceps and the chest. Another example is of course, the squat; quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and lower back are all involved.