When it comes to aspiring to a particular type of physique, one guy might like the look of a pro bodybuilder, while another would rather have that leanness but half the mass. Truth is, what makes different athletes achieve varying degrees of size and proportion depends largely on their athletic-performance needs and the training methods they use to meet them. Eat and train like a pro bodybuilder and youÂre bound to look like one; likewise for the other three athletes we profile here along with their training regimens. Pick the one that best suits your ambitions and hit the gym.
ÂÂ Maybe the Jay Cutlers and Ronnie Colemans of the world pack too much mass for your liking. ThatÂs why second-year IFBB pro Mark Dugdale is among the top role models the sport of bodybuilding has to offer. Not only are his physical aesthetics second to none onstage, but his workouts arenÂt comprised of set after endless set; he likes to keep his training volume minimal and his intensity at full throttle. No wonder, seeing as he has a life outside of bodybuilding as a husband, father of three children and co-owner of Garden Fresh Foods, a produce manufacturing company in Woodinville, Washington.
TAKE IT FROM MARK
>> On rest periods: ÂI try to get my workouts done in 60 minutes, so the pace is fairly quick. Once IÂve caught my breath and feel ready to give 100%, I go again. Off- season the weights are heavier and the rest periods longer because itÂs harder to recover from a set when you weigh 240 vs. 215!Â
>> On why he does two sets of everything, not three or four: ÂIf you do more than two sets, then youÂre saving yourself and not training to complete failure and beyond on each set. I go by feel with two sets being the upper limit. Sometimes I do only one set.Â
>> On cardio: ÂOff-season this past year, I did 20 minutes [of cardio] at a low intensity before breakfast 5Â6 days a week. Preparing for the Ironman Pro Invitational, I did 30 minutes before breakfast at a higher intensity three days a week, with the other four days at 20 minutes of low intensity. I exchanged a low-intensity session with a high-intensity one every couple of weeks. By six weeks out from the show, I was doing 30 minutes of high-intensity cardio every morning.Â
For MarkÂs full workout and training split, pick up the February issue of Muscle & Fitness on sale now! ÂTrain Like a Pro also tells you what it takes to train like a figure pro, a M&F cover model and a world-class strongman!
