Harold Poole — Best Teenage Bodybuilder of All-Time

Harold Poole was undoubtedly the best teenage bodybuilder of all-time. He was also a phenomenal all-around athlete, winning his share of track and wrestling competitions.

Harold had the classic lines that we all miss. He was like a ’69 Camaro Z28 — brutal power and elegant all at the same time.

Here’s Poole’s workout routine back in 1962:

• 3 Sets Barbell Press Behind Neck
• 6 Sets of Barbell Bench Press, Wide Grip
• 3 Sets of Barbell Rowing
• 3 Sets of Chins Behind Neck
• 3 Sets of Cheating Barbell Curl
• 5 Sets of Triceps Kickbacks
• 3 Sets of Front Squats
• 6 Sets of Donkey Calf Raises
• 1 Set of Sit-ups

As you can see, he was a natural athlete! He focused on chest and back and did very little leg and ab work. Because he was a track athlete, I guess he didn’t need to!

Here’s to the best teenage bodybuilder of all-time!

Homemade Supplement Secrets Review

This is my second review of a Jeff Anderson product, and just like the last product I reviewed, Optimum Anabolics, Homemade Supplement Secrets is an overwhelming hit!

This book is chock-full of nutritional information. Jeff dispels a lot of myths about nutrition and supplementation and he really takes the supplement industry to task for the deceptive practices that some of the players engage in. Jeff also lays it all out in terms of ingredients in popular supplements in several categories (like “Mass Gainers,” “Fat Burners,” and “Hormone Boosters,” just to name a few) and tells you the exact quantities of each beneficial ingredient to put in your own, homemade recipes.

You will learn a lot from this book. There’s a lot of science here, but it’s all put out in layman’s terms that anybody can understand and comprehend. Better yet, everything you learn will be actionable! In no time flat, you’ll be making your own supplements at a fraction of the cost in the store, and you may even be making a more effective concoction (Jeff tells you which ingredients aren’t necessary in the popular formulations).

How Far Can I Go Without Damaging My Growth?

Hi, I’m 16 years old. I weigh 145 pounds and am 5’11. I’ve been training at a gym regularly since I was 14 and I’m pretty used to drinking protein shakes and having a high protein diet. I was just wondering, what other types of supplements can I take? I’m pretty matured compared to my peers, and I don’t think I can grow any taller anymore. Should I be able to take creatine, NO supplements, BCAA, and other types of supplements frequently used for building muscle? Can I use N.O Xplode? I heard that some supplements are strictly forbidden for people under the age of 18 and other supplements don’t even mention age. I’m practically avoiding Growth Hormone, Testosterone, and Anabolic formulas for now…

Thanks in advance.

My take:16 is a tough age to be! Here’s where I’ll tell you to do as I say, not as I did.

At a younger age than you, I began taking weight gain supplements and aminos. And you know what? Nothing happened? I was a classic hardgainer: Very lean and muscular, strong as a bull, but very skinny.

It wasn’t until my mid-twenties when I began putting on appreciable weight. I think most guys experience something similar, especially us guys on the thin side.

Save your money and get as strong as you can totally naturally. Stick to compound movements like bench presses, squats, overhead presses, and deadlifts. You may hear some people say that you shouldn’t weight train until you’re 18 or older. I’m not sure about that: Everybody is different.

I know guys who had no negative experiences from lifting at a young age; I know guys who swear off lifting for anyone younger than 21!

Best bet: Talk to your doctor. Tell him or her what your goals are. Your doctor can review and/or modify any system you might choose.

On the topic of supplements: I don’t see any harm in taking protein powders, amino acids, or creatine. Lots of studies have been done; none show any harmful effects for young men such as yourself. However, the jury is out on the efficacy of such supplements.

In short, you may be spending money yet getting no appreciable benefits from doing so.

As with nearly anything in life, set goals, monitor progress, and make adjustments.

Hope this helps!

Gallon of Milk a Day

Got milk?

Aspiring weight trainers and bodybuilders want to get big fast, and one of the best programs for doing so is the “Gallon of Milk a Day” plan, coupled with some heavy lifting.

When you want to get big really fast, there is no substitute for lots of calories. In fact, you need to add 500-1,000 calories per day if you want to gain weight. And really, the more the better. If you find yourself getting fat (it will show up in the belly first), you can back off a little or do some cardio work.

The GOMAD diet, as it’s commonly called, has been around for decades. It continues to be used because it works!

It’s very simple to follow, too.

1. Go to the store
2. Buy a gallon of milk
3. Drink it in one day, preferably over the entire course of the day!

That’s it!

Lots of folks who have used the Gallon of Milk a Day program have reported that they’ve achieved great success with it. It is recommended that you ease into the program; start off by drinking 1/8 to a 1/4 of a gallon a day at first to see how your body responds to it.

Obviously, if you’re allergic to milk or dairy products, this is NOT the system for you. Additionally, if you’re lactose-intolerant, tread lightly here.

Remember, the whole idea about bodybuilding is to achieve a heightened fitness and health level. Don’t destroy your health by eating food that doesn’t agree with you.

By the way, this eating program works great with the hardgainer program I put together.

It’s also a great start if you’re a beginning bodybuilder.

GOMAD Works!

by Tony (Indiana)

I was tired of being a 140 pound twink. I started lifting as heavy as I could 3-4 days a week while eating 5000-6000 kcal/day, about half of which was milk.

In one year I’ve made huge strength gains and gained about 60 pounds without a large rise in body fat.