Dan Larabie

My name is Dan Larabie and I've been certified through the prestigious IART for a few years now. What started as a hobby has turned into a passion. I am going to provide a brief account of my own success story from the start of my training days to present. (Photo left: August 2003 ­ 26 years old ~11% body fat, 188 lbs.)

When it all began, my physical statistics were less than favorable. They were, in fact, average at best for my age group. I was 16 years old and weighed approx. 121 lbs at a height of 5'8". My upper thighs measured 22.5", neck was 14 7/8", forearms 11.5", upper arms 11 7/8", chest 34.5", waist 31" and calves were 14 7/8". I did not have my fat percentage checked at that time, and so I can only give an educated guess that it was approximately 17%.

Unfortunately, like the majority of people who start training, I was pulled into the whole arbitrary world of "volume training" that dictated one must train until having reached physical and mental exhaustion in order to maximize gains (i.e. to beat a dead horse). I trained like that "because that is how the pros train," as I was often told. And so being naïve and ignorant to exercise physiology fundamentals and lacking objectivity, I followed suit.

My very first program I ever did was six days a week training each muscle twice weekly. I averaged 12 sets to supposed failure for each muscle, divided into three separate exercises. Repetition ranges were sporadic and subjective with no logical backing, the reps ranged from 6 all the way up to 35 depending on how I felt that day and so forth. Tension time never was even considered at this juncture. Suffice to say that I did not see any appreciable gains in size, and only minimal gains in strength, which can be attributed to neurological conditioning of performing the same exercise repeatedly.

After approximately two month, I got fed up and decided to stop listening to everyone and started to think objectively for myself regarding training practices. I took a few weeks off from training largely due to exams, but to my surprise I felt re-energized and was ready to tackle a new training program. After some researching through books, I came across "German volume training," which on the surface made a whole lot more sense than anything else I had come across at that point. The program was two days on and one day off, with a 4 way split. In other words, each muscle got trained directly once every six days and only one exercise was to be used for each muscle. The program asked for 10 sets of 10 reps to failure with only 60 seconds rest between sets, but I somehow knew deep down (the logical side of me?) that ten sets was excessive, and so I reduced it to six sets for large muscles (i.e., legs, chest, back) and four sets for small muscles (i.e. arms, calves, abs, etc.). I chose only one exercise for each muscle, but made sure that it was an exercise that I "felt" was working the muscle. In effect, an exercise that matched my specific biomechanics.

To make a long story short, I stuck with this strategy for about three years with little or no change to the program except for the odd exercise substitution for added variety. Gains were exceptional, my weight up from 121lbs to 178lbs with the following measurements upper thighs 2.5", calves 16", chest 41", waist 33", neck 16", forearms 13", upper arms 14 7/8". My fat percentage was not checked, and so again I could only use an educated guess and say that my fat percentage was approximately 15%. My strength gains also were quite exceptional. When starting with this program, my bench was at 60 lbs. At the end of the three years, my bench was up to 165lbs for the same number of reps. Squats went from 85 lbs. to 245lbs, barbell curls went from 35 lbs. to 65 lbs., bent over barbell row went from 60 lbs. to 145lbs. These are only highlights of the progress on this program I made. For more details on the specifics, please send me an email. For the record, I did not change this program for almost three years mainly due to the adage that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Keep in mind that at the end of this program I was only 19 years old (still not that objective and logical, but learning) and quality, intense training, via Mike Mentzer, Arthur Jones, and the IART were unknown to me.

For the next year I continued to train the same way and made absolutely no progress! I was struggling just to maintain previous strength feats. It was then that I had recently joined a gym (I had always trained at home up to this point) and met a person who would change my entire outlook on training forever. For privacy, this individual shall remain nameless, but when I first saw him in my gym I was truly in awe. He stood 5' 9" and weighed 268 lbs. with approx. 11% fat! Arms measured in excess of 20+ inches, thighs were 30", chest 51" etc. As you can surmise, he was very muscular and obviously had above average genetics. He was a nationally ranked body builder who competed in the heavy weight class. I know what some of you might be thinking right now, but no, this guy is not your run of the mill semi-pro bodybuilder idiot who just takes steroids and hopes for the best. This person holds a Masters in kinetics, currently works in a hospital as a lab technician and in his part time trains other competitive athletes with great success. And no, the only athletes that claim success are not just on steroids natural ones endorse him too. I am just trying to illustrate that this individual is an educated man who is very objective and exceptionally logical with strength training and body building practices. On one occasion I approached him and asked if he would give me some advice on what I may be doing wrong, and he was delighted to help. This is when it all changed.

He introduced concepts alien to me such as Mentzer training, Arthur Jones research findings, and the IART (which was in its infancy at this time). He recommended books to get from these sources and encouraged that I understand them from cover to cover. He also emphasized that it's not the quantity of the workout but rather the quality of the workout, which dictates the outcome in the long term.

Surprisingly, he also stressed the fact not to expect to get gains like he has made unless one was to dip into steroid use. Not to go into too many specifics, he stressed that steroids were the only viable way for one to truly make it in the pro-circuit and he tried to turn me off from using them if I was not planning to compete. In sum, he taught me that genetics play the greatest role in dictating ones true overall potential, and that steroid use, which he did not recommend, was the only way one may take what mother nature gave and bring it to a level one was never supposed to have reached. He also exposed me to training intensely with minimal volume, using minimal frequency.

By that time I was 20 years old, and another major event was about to take place, my experimentation with steroids. I won't go into details as it could a be whole article on it's own, but suffice to say that it had a dramatic effect on my physique in terms of strength and size, most of which I was able to maintain thereafter. My steroid use spanned across the next four years and along the same time I adopted a new program, which I hardly changed for the duration except for the odd inclusion of a set variable here and there. This was also the time that I stocked up on every IART book that I could find.

The basic program, which formed the framework of all my other programs thereafter, is as follows: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday using a 3-way split. In other words, each muscle gets worked directly once every 7 days. Monday for pecs, delts, tris, Wednesday for legs, lower back and abs, and Friday for lats and biceps. Chest, back, and legs get two exercises while all other muscles get only one exercise. Warm-ups are minimal, consisting of three sets done only for the first exercise for each muscle and were 5-6 reps with 50% working weight for the first two sets while the third set consisted of 75% of the working weight for 2-3 repetitions. I found this way of warming up ideal for me even today as through constant monitoring and recording results have shown. Now, keep in mind that I said that this outline only serves as a framework which one can tailor to one's individual particulars (i.e. rate-of-fatigue, fiber type, work schedule, etc.) This program suited my work schedule, lifestyle and recovery ability. However, I did make changes when needed (especially frequency and set variables).

At the end of the four years I was 24 (and also involved in competitive bodybuilding) and at my pinnacle in size and strength (thanks in part to the steroids). My cold measurements (in off season) were as follows: upper thighs 28.5", calves 18 1/8", waist 36 1/8", chest 50.5", neck 20", forearms 15", upper arms 18.5". My fat percentage was checked at this time, it was 13.5 % by the fat caliper method. My strength also was considerable my bench strength went up to 240lbs for 7 reps on the nautilus machine and that was after pre exhaust with the nautilus pec-dek with the whole stack plus two 55lb dumbbells added for eleven reps! For strength testing purposes, I performed bent over barbell rowed 405 lbs. for five strict reps. My barbell curl, although nothing to brag about, was at 135lbs for 11 reps. (Photo left: 24 years old, 236 lbs.)

The next year is the year I would get certified through the IART. I no longer used steroids at this time nor have I since. I was 25 years old at that point and content with trying to just maintain the gains I've made during my steroid saga. I was quite successful at maintaining a weight of approx. 218lbs at a fat percentage of 14 until something dreadful occurred in my life. I got laid off for one year from my work and my mother became quite ill, which caused me to spiral into a depressive state, whereby I lost focus and messed up my nutritional protocol, which up to this point was going quite well. The diet was mainly a modification tailored to suit my needs of the 40-30-30-zone diet. It relied heavily on supplements and key timing of nutrients, etc. I slowly missed a meal here and there, skipped the odd workout every now and then, and before you knew it, I was taking weeks off from training and only eating 3-4 times a day instead of my usual 6-7 times daily. At the end of the year I had atrophied all the way down to 173 lbs. with 16% fat. I had lost considerable strength and endurance and the will to train. Things were coming to an all time low when out of the blue my mother made a miraculous recovery and I got rehired but with more pay that was a year ago.

As of today (written Aug 10th 2003), I am 188lbs at approx. 11% fat with the following cold measurements (cold): calves 17", upper thighs 25", waist 29.5", chest 42.5", neck 16 5/8", forearms 13.5", upper arms 16". I train three days weekly- Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, because it fits perfectly around my work schedule and recovery time. My body is split three ways, and so I train each muscle directly once every seven days which I find gives me the best results - steady strength increases, and lean mass gains (i.e. size). The split I incorporate is as follows: Mon.- pecs, delts, tris; Thurs- legs, abs; Sat- back, biceps. I feel this arrangement is logical as it minimizes the potential for the crossover effect to occur. Chest, back and legs get two exercises each while all other muscles get only one exercise. I have found through constant monitoring of past and present programs and comparing results that this set up is ideal for me at this moment. It allows me to make the most efficient gains (i.e. strength and size) in the least amount of time.

On Mondays the exercises I do currently are (not including warm-ups) one set of pec-dek (tempo 3/3) reps 10-12, one set of nautilus flat bench (tempo 3/3) reps 8-10, seated side raise machine (2/2 tempo) reps 16-18, 2 sets of rope pushdowns (tempo 4/4) reps 10-12. Thursdays I do (not including warm-ups) two sets of leg extensions (tempo 3/3) reps 15-18, nautilus leg press (tempo 3/3) one set of 18-20, hyperextensions (tempo 3/3) one set 9-11 reps, one set seated calve raise (tempo 2/2) 20-25 reps, two sets on a crunch machine (tempo 4/4) for reps of 10-12 reps. Saturdays I start with reverse grip pulldowns (tempo 3/3) one set of 12-14 reps, one set of nautilus rows (tempo 3/3) for 10-12 reps, one set of db hammer curls (tempo 2/2) reps of 18-20, one set of barbell reverse curls (tempo 3/3) reps of 16-18. Warm-ups are done only on the first exercise of each workout and are as follows: Set 1 - 50% of working weight for 6- 8 reps ; Set 2 - 50% of working weight for 5-6 reps; Set 3 - 75% of working weight for 2-3 reps

Also, every fourth workout I change or add a set variable to my regimen. This serves as a good stimulus to better challenge my muscles, and if nothing else it maintains my enthusiasm and motivation in the gym. I make a change only once every fourth workout as it gives me a chance to gauge the effectiveness of what I have done in terms of how it affects my body's appearance, strength levels, etc. I have standardized rest times between sets and exercises for all muscle groups to 60 seconds. I do this only when my primary goal is fat loss, and I have found through looking back at past programs and pictures and comparing results that my body seems to look fuller and most vascular with this protocol. But if I am not trying to lean up, my typical rest time between sets and exercises is usually four minutes. I like giving all the muscles the same rest time regardless of what exercise as I find it makes it easier to compare notes and gauge past programs effectiveness when everything is consistent.

I currently follow a low carb diet (5 meals daily, spaced 3 hours apart) with the approximate macro-nutrient profile: Protein ­ 50%; Carb-20%; Fat-30%

My diet totals approximately 1700-1900 calories daily. Every third day for one of the meals I have a carb-up meal that helps keep my glycogen stores and mood (i.e., serotonin) elevated. I also have a cheat meal once every nine days. The supplements I use currently with this diet are a thermogenic agent (Leans+), EFAs (Udo's oil), multi vitamin, glutamine, cayenne (another thermogenic agent), and whey protein isolate powder. Foods I mainly consume are chicken breasts (no skin), canned salmon, garden salads (no dressing), cucumbers, tomatoes, pecans, walnuts, almonds, wax beans, organic apples, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, and plain organic yogurt. I have tried many variations of this diet over the years and have found this one to work best for me. I am able to maintain muscle mass with ease with little loss of strength and yet still remain full, achieve good pumps while training, and stay in a good mood. One final point on my training: I do interval training on a recumbent bike twice weekly on Mondays and Saturdays after training for a total time (warm-up and cool-downs included) of 20 minutes.

I have only briefly touched on a variety of topics. If anyone would be interested in a more detailed look at some aspect of any of my experiences, please do not hesitate to email me at themachine250@hotmail.com.