York Methods Are Best!

by Bob Hoffman

YORK training methods have always been best. They are still best and will always be the best. Far more study and experience has gone into the York courses than any others. More great successes have been derived through York Methods. They provide conclusive proof that York courses are the best. It is no accident that York men predominate in weight lifting and physique contests. The plain simple answer to this abundance of success is that York methods are the BEST WAY.

All kinds of people take up the practice of weight training. Thus, it is essential for us to know when new pupils enroll with the York system, just what are their physical desires. The majority of York barbell or York course purchasers wish to keep super fit in the easiest and quickest manner. They want to have an impressive physique and to feel vigorous. Fortunately for them these goals can be readily achieved with the Simplified System of Barbell Training or by using courses 1 and 2 of the famous four York courses.

There are a great many who use weights to overcome ill health. There are others who desire to reduce excess bodyweight. A great many strive to emulate the development of the supermen winning physique honors. There are numerous others who take up weight training to improve their athletic ability or to provide a suitable physical foundation for achieving stardom in sports. Others want to become weight lifting champions.

The famous four York courses have been the backbone of the success achieved by innumerable supermen, weight lifting champions, physique titleholders and sports stars. Those who desire athletic success will gain the best results by adhering to the exercises in the four York courses, with the stress on the weightlifting movements. For example, Frank Stranahan, the great champion amateur golfer and lifter, long a York barbell man, has learned that he is a better golfer when he practices the three Olympic lifts than when he concentrates on body building exercises alone. Specialized training on the lifts gives him more speed, more power and better coordination to utilize in golf.

The vast majority of body builders will find it advisable to restrict their training efforts to the exact recommendations imparted in the York courses for at least the first few months of their training. This training program will prove sufficient to provide very satisfactory results. It was our endeavor to make the best course in the world when we prepared the four York courses. How well we have succeeded can best be demonstrated by the vast number of pupils who have achieved outstanding success through employing these courses.

A thousand years from now there will be no better exercises than the basic movements; squat, press, curl, upright rowing, dead lift, should shrug, etc., etc. All of this talk about new methods and old fashioned methods is deceptive nonsense designed to mislead the newcomers among body builders. What is claimed to be new training principle is only what we have been teaching for many years. Most instructors in this country owe their guidance to York instructions. This includes the "genius" who is making so many outlandish claims. When he writes of the "cheating system" he is only offering the York overload system. His "high and low method" is a repetition of the York Heavy and Light System. When he "discovers" something new, like irregular training, it can be found in the teachings we have imparted for years. For example, we have described the "flushing system" for many years. Now he features it in the light of something new.

We urge that the four York courses be adhered to for a period of months to build a firm foundation for strength, development and good health. This basic training is vitally important and should not be neglected, especially by the beginner. The recently released York Advanced Methods of Weight Training is designed to completely satisfy the ambitions of the experienced body builder. How well we have succeeded with this latest course is best proved by the praise accorded it.

Thousands of body builders and lifters have come to York for the purpose of watching the champions train and acquiring guidance in person. Many of the most outstanding athletes in this field have come here to attain their best results prior to engaging in important contests. Jack Delinger, George Eiferman, John Farbotnik, Roy Hilligenn and Steve Reeves are among the supermen who have trained here at York before winning their greatest honors. Right now Ludwig Shusterich is training here at the York Barbell Club gym. For years this physique champion has been linked with this organization. When only 16 years of age he won the "Mr. New York City" title. He was a place winner in the 1940 "Mr. America" competition. The war obliged him to suspend his regular body building training for he served in our Armed Forces for a period of years. During this period his opportunities for training were irregular. At the conclusion of the war he became absorbed in his business activities. Concentrated on making an outstanding success of these endeavors. After making rapid progress in establishing his business projects he has been able to again devote time regularly to training.

Ludwig Shusterich trains for several hours in each workout period. It was this type of intensive body building that enabled him to become a superman in his youth. His above average potentialities enable him to thrive on such a program. Like Marivn Eder and Reg Parks, Ludwig derives his extraordinary progress from hours of intensive training . There is nothing unusual about the exercises employed. The outstanding feature is the extensiveness of the training program. Few body builders have the time, ambition or the physical makeup to adhere to such an intensive training regime.

I am very much in favor of sets for the advanced body builder and the superman type of individual. However, I believe it is most important to make sure that the routine is a well balanced one that develops all of the muscles in a symmetrical manner. We have such a system in the York courses 1 and 2. If there is only time to do just one set, it is more important to practice the 10 exercises in these courses than to restrict the workout to just 3 to 5 exercises employed in sets. If time permits repeat the exercises in the set manner. Back in 1935 I wrote a specialization program devoted to performing 7 times 7 movements. In 1937 I performed the upright rowing motion 10 times 10 in a single training program. You can't specialize in this manner with many exercises. There is simply a lack of time to attempt to employ such a repeat program on an extensive scale with a variety of exercises.

We advocate that you follow a good well balanced body building system designed to develop all the muscles. Then after you have done what you should perform to achieve this objective, you can, if time permits, and if there is the desire, do some specialization in the workout. This specialization will be determined by a number of factors: time, ambition, physical capacity, etc.

Confucius once said "there is nothing new under the sun". For more than 20 years we have been teaching the best training methods. Yet there are some who would have you believe that these successful body building principles are new, original with them. The Milo Barbell Company, which was organized nearly a half century ago, taught progressive training with weights in a successful manner. When the famous four York courses were written more than 20 years ago, they included these tried and proven systems of training, plus much which was new and superior. Following is a listing of 16 time proven York training principles. All but the single progressive system, three days a week and limited programs were exclusively promoted by the author and the York Barbell organization.

1. The single progressive system. Offered by the Milo Barbell Co. since 1902.
2. The double progressive system. First offered in the original York courses.
3. The three day a week or every other day system. Started by the Milo Barbell Company nearly 50 years ago.
4. The five day a week training system. This method of training has been employed by the author for nearly 40 years. Provided in the York courses 20 years ago.
5. Irregular training. This is another of the original York principles.
6. Limited programs. A method regularly practiced by the Milo pupils and continued by the York courses in instruction.
7. Other varied methods of progression in training. Provided in the original York courses.
8. The York heavy and light system. This is the original set system in body building. No method of the set system is superior to this.
9. The compound system. This is another for of the set system and is included in all York courses.
10. The York set system. This is in addition to the heavy and light system. In the original York courses several forms of the set system were offered.
11. Upper and lower body training systems. This is another part of the York courses.
12. Flushing the muscles. For 20 years we have been writing about this subject.
13. The overload system. This is a part of the original York courses.
14. Specialization. Found in the original York courses.
15. The thousand and one exercises. In the original York courses and in hearly every issue of Strength & Health we have been urging the super enthusiast to practice a great variety of exercises so as to develop the body from every possible angle.
16. Advanced routines.