Theory vs Practice II

I don't know why, but it seems almost too easy to become a believer in various theories about diet and exercise.  Maybe that's the way the brain works, or maybe it's just the product of an academic upbringing.

For example, in weightlifting there have been many theories over the years that supposedly have all the answers.  First, there were all the volume theories that went along with Schwarzenegger and his training methods.  Next came the Nautilus theory by Arthur Jones that prescribed brief, intense workouts.  Mike Mentzer took this a step further in the 90s and prescribed even briefer, more intense workouts.

Mentzer's theory is a perfect example of a theory and its attractiveness to people (including myself).  Reading Mentzer's "Heavy Duty" books makes you feel like you've discovered the secret to the universe.  He puts the theory in a nice, neat package that makes things simple.  And undoubtedly it works for some, though it didn't for me.

I had a phone consultation with Mentzer back in the 90s, and he put me on his Heavy Duty program.  I began working out less frequently and much heavier.  In no time flat, I felt about the worst I ever have connected with exercise.  After my workouts, I was comatose for days and didn't build much muscle.  I ended the consultation and switched to a more sensible plan.

The point is that any theory will work for someone.  I'm sure Mentzer's theory worked for some clients, just as volume training works for others.  The same is true for diet, as every diet philosophy has its share of success stories.

Maybe it's harder to sell a theory if you state that it won't work for everyone.  It's far easier from a marketing standpoint to paint a broad stroke and say that the plan will work for every person under the sun.