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Philosophy,ScienceandPracticeof
MAXALDING
JuanAntonioMartnezRojas
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Copyright2004JuanAntonioMartnezRojasAllrightsreserved
3Philosophy,ScienceandPracticeofMaxalding
TableofContents
1.Maxaldingphysicalprinciples............................................................. ...........11
1.1.WhatisMaxalding?........................................................................... ....11
1.2.PhysicalprinciplesofMaxalding...........................................................12
2.PsychologicalprinciplesandMaxick'strainingsecrets.................................27
2.1.Thediscoveryofthemindovermatterability.....................................27
2.2.Thecontrolofthemindoverthebody...................................................28
2.3.Visualizationtechniques................................................................. .......52
2.4.Theimportanceofindividualtraining....................................................55
2.5.Thekeytosuccess,absenceofboredom..............................................57
2.6.ThementalwaytosuperMC................................................................58
2.7.Maxaldingasamentalattitudeandlifestyle.........................................59
2.8.SpiritualbenefitsofMaxalding..............................................................61
3.MuscleControltechniquesandexercises.....................................................64
3.1.Voluntarymusclecontraction................................................................64
3.2.Voluntarymusclerelaxation............................................... ...................69
3.3.GeneralmethodstoattainMC..............................................................70
3.4.ThesecretforsuperstrengthdevelopmentinMaxalding.....................72
3.5.Thewaytosupercontrol,analyticalmusclecontrol(AMC)..................82
3.6.GeneralrulesforMCsuccess..................................................... ..........84
3.7.ThekeytorealprogressinMC.Instinctivetraining..............................86
3.8.MCofthemusclesoftheface.......................................................... .....87
3.8.1.Frontalisandorbicularisoculi(MCoculi)........................................87
3.8.2.Zygomaticus(MCzygomaticus)......................................................87
3.8.3.Orbicularisoris(MCoris)................................................................87
3.8.4.Masseter(MCmasseter)................................................................87
3.8.5.Tongue(MCtongue)................................................................ .......88
3.9.MCofthemusclesoftheneck........................................................ ......88
3.9.1.Sternohyiod,omohyoidandthyroidhyoid(MChyoid).....................88
3.9.2.Sternocleidomastoid(MCsterno)...................................................89
3.9.3.Spleniuscapitus,levatorscapulae,posteriorscalene,middle
scalene(MCscalene)............................................................ ...................89
3.10.MCofthemusclesoftheback..................................................... .......90
3.10.1.PreliminaryISRexercisesforshoulderbladesandbackmobility.90
3.10.1.1.Looseningofshoulderbladeswitharmsstretchedoverhead
(MCscapulaISR1)..................................................................... .........90
3.10.1.2.Looseningofshoulderbladeswitharmsbehindthehead(MC
scapulaISR2)................................................................................... ...91
3.10.1.3.DynamicmobilizationofshoulderbladeswithDSR(MC
scapulaDSR).................................................. .....................................91
3.10.1.4.Reinforcementofupperbackmuscles(MCbackISR)..........91
3.10.1.5.Additionallooseningofshoulderbladesforrigidjoints(MC
scapulaISR3)................................................................................... ...92
3.10.1.6.Combinedshoulderbladeslooseningandbendingforlateral
backflexibilityandreinforcement(MCbackAMR+ISR).......................92
3.10.1.7.Reinforcementoferectorspinaemuscles(MCspinaeISR)..92
3.10.1.8.Isometricanddynamicpullupsorchinups(BLpullup)........92
3.10.2.PreliminaryAMRexercisesforbackreinforcementandflexibility.92
3.10.2.1.AMRpullups(MCpullupAMR)............................................93
3.10.2.2.AMRrowing(MCrowingAMR).............................................93
3.10.2.3.Backforwardbending(MCbackAMR1)..............................93
3.10.2.4.Backbackwardsbending(MCbackAMR2).........................93
3.10.2.5.Backlateralbending(MCbackAMR3)................................94
3.10.3.PreliminarybackexerciseswithLD..............................................94
3.10.3.1.Backbending(LDback1).....................................................94
3.10.3.2.Backtwisting(LDback2)......................................................94
3.10.3.3.Severalliftswhichinvolvethebackmuscles.........................95
3.10.4.LDtechniquewithAston'santidumbbell......................................95
3.10.5.PreliminaryBLbackexercises......................................................95
3.10.6.Isolationofbackmuscles......................................................... .....96
3.10.6.1.Trapezius(MCtrapezius)......................................................96
3.10.6.2.Voluntaryexpansionofshoulderblades(MCscapula
expansion)....................................................................... .....................97
3.10.6.3.Voluntaryabductionofshoulderblades(MCscapula
abduction).................................................................................... .........98
3.10.6.4.Latissimusdorsi(MClats).....................................................98
3.10.6.5.Erectorspinae(MCspinae).................................................100
3.11.MCofthemusclesoftheshoulder.....................................................102
3.11.1.PreliminaryISRandDSRexercises...........................................102
3.11.1.1.DSRonelbow(MCshoulderDSR1)..................................102
3.11.1.2.DSRshouldershrugging(MCshoulderDSR2)..................102
3.11.1.3.DSRonehandedswing(MCshoulderDSR3)..................102
3.11.1.4.DSRsinglehandedjerk(MCshoulderDSR4)...................103
3.11.2.PreliminaryAMRexercises.........................................................103
3.11.3.PreliminaryBLexercises............................................................103
3.11.4.PreliminaryLDexercises............................................................105
3.11.5.Isolationofthemusclesoftheshoulder......................................105
3.11.5.1.Deltoid(MCdeltoid)...................................................... .......105
3.11.5.2.Infraspinatus,teresmajorandteresminor(MCteres)........106
3.11.5.3.Advancedcontrolsforthemusclesoftheshoulder(MC
deltoidAMC).................................................................................... ...106
3.11.5.4.MasteringDMC(dynamicmusclecontrol)fortheshoulders
(DMCshoulder).................................................... ..............................107
3.12.DifferencesbetweenDMC,AMRandSMCR.Advantagesand
shortcomingsofeachtechnique.................................................................107
3.13.CanyoudevelopgreatstrengthwithMConly?................................111
3.14.Advancedmethodsforincreasingstrengthandbeatingstickingpoints .
112
3.15.MCofthemusclesofthethorax........................................................116
3.15.1.PreliminaryISRandDSRexercises...........................................116
3.15.1.1.ISRforserratusmagnus(MCserratusISR)........................117
3.15.1.2.DSRfortheserratus(MCserratusDSR)............................117
3.15.1.3.ISRfortheintercostals(MCintercostalISR).......................117
3.15.1.4.DSRfortheintercostals(MCintercostalDSR)....................117
3.15.1.5.CombinedDSR+AMRexerciseforbackandintercostals
development.................................................................. .....................118
3.15.1.6.DSRlifting.......................................................................... ..118
3.15.1.7.ISRforthepectorals(MCpectoralISR)..............................118
3.15.1.8.DSRexercisesforthepectorals(MCpectoralDSR)...........119
3.15.1.9.Pectoralstretching(MCpectoralstretch)............................119
3.15.2.AMRexercisesforthethorax......................................................120
3.15.3.BLexercisesforthethorax.........................................................120
3.15.3.1.Pushups........................................................................... ...120
3.15.3.2.Raisingfromproneposition.................................................122
3.16.Isolationofthemusclesofthethorax................................................122
3.16.1.Serratusmagnus(MCserratus).................................................122
3.16.2.Intercostals(MCintercostal).......................................................123
3.16.3.Pectorals(MCpectoral)..............................................................125
3.17.Breathingtechniques........................................................................126
3.17.1.SlowMCbreathing(SMCB)........................................................136
3.17.2.Conclusions................................................................................137
3.18.Theimportanceofabdominalcontrols...............................................138
3.19.Preliminaryabdominalexercises.......................................................139
3.19.1.Breathingexercisesfortheabdominals(MCabdominalbreath)......
139
3.19.2.Factorsthathaveinfluenceonabdominalcontrols.....................141
3.19.3.ISRexercises........................................................................... ...142
3.19.4.AMRexercises....................................................................... .....142
3.19.5.BLexercises...............................................................................143
3.20.Isolationoftheabdominalmuscles...................................................146
3.20.1.Abdominaldepression(vacuum)..............................................146
3.20.2.Abdominalvacuumwithbreathing..............................................146
3.20.3.Centralabdominal(rectusabdominis)isolationwithhandpressure
(MCabdominalcentralhand).................................................................147
3.20.4.Onesidelateralabdominalisolationwithhandpressure(MC
abdominalsidehand).................................................. ...........................148
3.20.5.Truevoluntaryabdominalisolations(withouthandpressure)....148
3.20.5.1.Onesidelateralabdominalisolation....................................150
3.20.5.2.Horizontalabdominalisolations...........................................150
3.20.5.3.Externalobliquesisolation...................................................152
3.20.6.Extremeabdominalcontrols.......................................................153
3.20.6.1.Analyticalmusclecontrol(AMC)oftherectusabdominis....154
3.20.6.2.Abdominaltendonisolation..................................................155
3.20.7.PelvicmusclesMC.................................................................... ..157
3.21.ArmMC............................................................................... ...............158
3.22.Preliminaryexercisesfortheupperarm............................................158
3.22.1.ISRandDSRexercisesforthebiceps........................................158
3.22.2.BLexercisesforthebiceps................................................... ......163
3.23.Musclecontrolofthebiceps......................................................... .....164
3.23.1.Controlofthebicepsinitsmostcontractedposition(MCbiceps1) .
164
3.23.1.1.Transversalanalyticalcontrol(TAMC)ofthebicepsinits
shortestpositionwiththewristat0(MCbiceps1TAMC0)............164
shortestpositionwiththewristat90(MCbiceps1TAMC90)........164
shortestpositionwiththewristat180(MCbiceps1TAMC180)....165
3.23.2.Controlofthebicepsinitsmiddleposition(MCbiceps2)..........165
3.23.2.1.TAMCofthebicepsinitsmiddlepositionwiththewristat0
(MCbiceps2TAMC0)............................................................... ........165
(MCbiceps2TAMC90)............................................................ .........165
3.23.2.3.TAMCofthebicepsinitsmiddlepositionwiththewristat
180(MCbiceps2TAMC180).........................................................166
3.23.2.4.LongitudinalAMC(LAMC)ofthebicepsinitsmiddleposition
withthewristat0(MCbiceps2LAMC0)........................................166
3.23.2.5.LAMCofthebicepsinitsmiddlepositionwiththewristat90
(MCbiceps2LAMC90).................................................................... .167
3.23.2.6.LAMCofthebicepsinitsmiddlepositionwiththewristat
180(MCbiceps2LAMC180)..........................................................167
3.23.2.7.Tendonisolationwiththebicepsinitsmiddlepositionandthe
wristat0.................................................................... .......................168
3.23.3.Controlofthebicepsinitsstretchedposition(MCbiceps3)......168
3.24.MCofthetriceps................................................................ ...............169
3.24.1.Controlofthetricepsinitsstretchedposition(MCtriceps1).....169
3.24.2.Controlofthetricepsinitsmiddleposition(MCtriceps2)..........170
3.24.3.Controlofthetricepswiththearmcompletelystretched(MC
triceps3).................................................................................... .............171
3.24.3.1.TAMCofthetricepswiththewristat0(MCtricepsTAMC0).
171
3.24.3.2.TAMCofthetricepswiththewristat90(MCtriceps3
TAMC90)................................................................. ..........................171
3.25.MCofthebrachialismuscle(MCbrachialis).....................................172
3.26.MCofthebrachioradialismuscle(MCbrachioradialis).....................173
3.27.MCoftheforearmmuscles(MCforearm).........................................173
3.27.1.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90upwardsandpointingto
thefront(MCforearmup900).............................................................. .174
3.27.2.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90upwardsandpointingto
theside(MCforearmup9090).............................................................174
3.27.3.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90backwardsandpointingto
theside(MCforearmback9090)....................................................... ...174
3.27.4.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90backwardsandpointing
backwards(MCforearmback900).......................................................175
3.27.5.ForearmMCwiththewristat0paralleltothebodylineandthe
fistrotatedtothefront(MCforearm0front)...........................................175
fistrotatedbackwards(MCforearm0back)...........................................175
3.27.7.ForearmMCwiththewristperpendiculartothebodylineandthe
fistrotatedtotheinternalside(MCforearm90internal)........................176
fistrotatedtotheexternalside(MCforearm90external)......................176
3.27.9.ForearmMCwiththearminaneutralposition(MCforearm
neutral)................................................................................................... .176
3.28.FingerMC(MCfinger)......................................................................176
3.28.1.Fingersqueezing(MCfinger1)..................................................177
3.28.2.Fingerstretching(MCfinger2)...................................................177
3.29.Preliminaryexercisesforthelegs......................................................177
3.30.MCofthemusclesoftheleg........................................................ .....179
3.30.1.GlutealMC(gluteusmaximus)(MCgluteal)...............................179
3.30.2.FrontupperlegMC...................................................... ...............180
3.30.2.1.Quadricepscontractionwithstraightlegsandfeettothefront
(MCquadriceps1)....................................................................... .......180
3.30.2.2.Quadricepscontractionwithstraightlegsandfeetrotated
outwards(MCquadriceps2)..............................................................180
3.30.2.3.Quadricepscontractionwithoneadvancedstraightleg(MC
quadriceps3).................................................................................... ..180
3.30.2.4.Upperlegcontractioninastretchedposition(adductors,
gracilis,iliopsoas,pectineus)(MClegupper).....................................181
3.30.3.RearupperlegMC(hamstrings)(MChamstrings).....................181
3.30.3.1.MCofthehamstringsinastretchedposition(MChamstrings
1).......................................................................................... ...............181
3.30.3.2.MCofthemusclesofthehamstringsinacontractedposition
(MChamstrings2).................................................................... ..........182
3.30.4.FrontlowerlegMC(tibialisanterior)(MCtibialis).......................182
3.30.5.CalfMC(gastrocnemius,soleus)(MCgastrocnemius)..............182
3.30.6.ToeMC................................................................ .......................183
4.Nutritionanddiet............................................................... .........................184
4.1.Specificsuggestionsonbuildingmusculartissue................................195
4.2.Specificsuggestionsonweightreduction............................................196
5.ExtremeandinternalMCtechniques..........................................................198
5.1.Advancedbreathingtechniques....................................................... ...198
5.1.1.Maxick'svirtualbreathing(MVB)...................................................199
5.1.2.Slowmusclecontrolledbreathing(SMCB)combinedwithMVB...200
5.1.3.Controlledbreathholding(CBH)...................................................202
5.1.4.EnhancementoftheaerobicperformancebymeansofMC
breathingtechniques.................................................................... ...........202
5.2.Deepconcentrationtechniques.................................................... .......203
5.2.1.Synchronizedexhalationcontractionmethod(SECM).................203
5.2.2.Highprecisiontensiongaugebymeansofjustundervibrating
thresholdcontraction(VTC)................................................ ....................204
5.2.3.Overshakingextrememusclecontraction(OSMC)......................205
5.3.Progressiverelaxationtechniques......................................................206
5.3.1.Beginner'stechnique(isomericinducedrelaxationagainstthebed). .
206
5.3.2.PostMCinducedrelaxation..........................................................207
5.3.3.Thermalinducedrelaxation...................................................... .....208
5.3.4.SMCBinducedrelaxation.............................................................208
5.3.5.Voluntaryrelaxationtechniques(VRT).........................................209
5.4.Bodyenergytransferencetechniques.................................................211
5.4.1.Sequentialcontraction..................................................................211
5.4.1.1.Musclecontrolledselfmassage.............................................212
5.4.1.2.Cyclicraisingloweringcompletebodycontrol.......................212
5.4.1.3.Assistedcirculation................................................. ...............213
5.4.2.Focusedrelaxation............................................................... .........214
5.5.Multipleandcombinedcontrols........................................................ ...214
5.5.1.Maxick'sfullcontractiontest.........................................................214
5.5.2.Staticposes................................................. .................................215
5.5.3.Posturereinforcementandvirtualtraining....................................215
5.5.4.Muscledancing................................................................ .............215
5.6.Dynamicmusclecontrol................................................. .....................215
5.7.Aerobicmusclecontrol................................................................. .......216
5.8.Increasingballisticmusclecontrol...................................................... .217
5.9.Combinedbodyweightexercises........................................................217
5.10.Musclecontrolcompetitions..................................................... .........220
5.10.1.StaticMC................................................. ...................................220
5.10.2.BallisticMC...................................................... ...........................221
5.10.3.DynamicMC...............................................................................221
5.10.4.Combinedcontrols....................................................... ...............222
5.10.5.Muscledancing.............................................................. .............222
5.10.6.Combinedcompetition................................................................222
5.11.Internalmusclecontrol..................................................... .................222
5.11.1.Heartcontrol...............................................................................222
5.11.2.Controlofthedigestiveorgans...................................................224
5.11.3.Maxaldinginternalcleansingtechniques....................................225
5.11.4.Controlofsomeinternalfunctions..............................................225
5.11.5.Mentalreinforcementinducedbymusclecontrolawareness.....226
5.11.5.1.Internalsensing...................................................................227
5.11.5.2.Enhancementofexternalsensing.......................................228
5.11.5.3.Theintegrationoftheholisticandanalyticvisions...............228
5.12.Mindbodyconnection.......................................................................228
5.12.1.ThedevelopmentofWillPower..................................................228
5.12.2.Theachievementofselfcontrol..................................................229
5.12.3.Theselfcontrolfreedomrelationship.......................................229
5.12.4.Thescienceofselfcontrolandindividualspirituality..................230
6.Acknowledgements......................................................... ...........................231
7.Theauthor........................................................................................ ...........232
FigureIndex
Figure1.MonteSaldo,cofounderoftheMaxaldingsystemandoneofthebest
trainersofalltimes.
14
Figure2.CourtSaldo,youngestMonte'sson,teachedMaxaldinguntil1980and
perfectedthesystemtoitspresentform.
15
Figure3.Maxickperformingahumansidepress.
17
Figure4.MaxickteachinghowtouseMCtosimulateheavyweightlifting.
10
29
Figure5.AlanMead,oneofthegreatestmusclecontrollers.
30
Figure6.AclassicalMaxick'sposeshowinghismarvellousabdominal
development.
32
Figure7.Maxickusinggymnasticsapparatustoprovehisamazingstrength
whenhewasmorethan60yearsold. 33
Figure8.TonySansone,theparadigmofclassicalmalebeautyandoneofthe
mostadmiredphysiquesofalltimes.
35
Figure9.OttoArco.
36
Figure10.Jubinville,oneofthelatestMCmasters. 38
Figure11.TrompvanDiggelen,greatMaxick'sfriendandaveryinfluencial
figureinthehistoryofbodybuilding.
39
Figure12.AstonshowingaMaxaldinginspiredexercise. 41
Figure13.Pullum,legendaryweightlifterandrecordbreaker.
50
Figure14.TheresaSaldo,thelovelyMonte'sdaughterwhodemandedakiss
everytimeMaxickfinishedalift.Unfortunately,Theresa,wasbadlyinjured
duringWWII.
60
Figure15.WilfredSaldo,oldestMonte'sson,waskilledinactionduringWWII.
61
Figure16.Maxickshowinghisamazingmusculardevelopmentinhislastyears
oflife.DoctorssaidthatMaxickwoulddiebeforehewas5yearsold.He
passedawayshortbeforehis80thbirthdaythankstotheperfecthealth
acquiredthroughthedevotedpracticeofMCandhiseatinghabits.
62
Figure17.Maxickinaperfectlyrelaxedpose.Therelaxationisbestobserved
intheabdominalarea.
70
Figure18.Astonshowingtheuseofhisantidumbbell.
77
Figure19.MonteSaldoperformingacorrectpushup.NotetheaddedMC
tensionintheupperbody,especiallythetriceps,andinbothlegs. 78
Figure20.Maxickteachingcorrectjerkingtechnique,firstmovement.
82
Figure21.Maxickteachingcorrectjerkingtechnique,secondmovement. 82
Figure22.MatysekperformingMClats.
99
Figure23.SigKleinperformingonesideMClats.
100
Figure24.Theauthor(practisingSMCBrelaxationduringabeautifulhigh
mountaintrekking). 232
1.Maxaldingphysicalprinciples
1.1.WhatisMaxalding?
Theword Maxaldingwas formedfromthe namesof Maxick (MaxSick)and
MonteSaldo(A.M.Woollaston),twoofthebestbodybuilders,gymnastsand
teachersofPhysicalCultureofalltimes.Thistrainingsystemwasdeveloped
around1910andlivedalonglifeasapersonalizedpostalcourseuntil1980.
Suchasuccessfullifeforatrainingsystemwhichneverhadalotofmodern
publicitymedia,isthemostsolidproofofitsefficacy.Itisestimatedthatthou
sandsofsatisfiedpupilshavebeentrainedwithMaxalding.
The core of the Maxalding system are not mechanical movements, but
MuscleControl(MC).ManyoftheMaxaldingexerciseswererevolutionaryin
theirtimeandtheyareunsurpassedevennowadays.Somecontrolscauseas
manyadmirationtodayaswhentheywerepublishedforthefirsttime.
MC teachesyoutovoluntarilyisolate,contractandrelaxyourmusclesina
progressive way without the need of mechanical actions over the desired
muscle groups. In orderto achieve this, the student mustlearn some basic
skeletalpositionsthatmakeeasierthefeelingofeachisolatedmuscle.
Theprincipalgoal ofMaxalding isthe overall control of the body and the
mind(knowingthelogicallimitationsofthehumanbeing).Thecontrolthatthe
willperformsoverthemusclesproducesafeedbackprocessoverthemind,re
inforcingitasmuchasthemuscles.Bythesemeanstheconcentrationandwill
powerincrease.
Maxaldingcanbeusedaloneorasacomplementarytrainingsystem.Be
sidesthis,Maxaldingimpliesanartandalifestyleinitself.Althoughthebasic
controlsarefew,thehugerichnessofthehumanbodymakesthemasteryof
MCpracticallylimitless.The spiritual benefitsofMaxaldingareveryimportant
tooandcanbecomparedfavourablywithothertrainingphilosophieslikeYoga
orTaiChi.ButMaxaldingisnotamysticalapproachtoPhysicalCulture,itisan
artandascienceinwhichthestudentdevotestothestudyofthelanguageof
themuscles.ThescientificbasisofMaxaldingissolidandwellfounded.
ThereispracticallynolimittothepracticeofMC,becauseitimpliesthein
ternalorgansasmuchastheexternalmuscles.InadvancedstagesofMaxald
ingyouwouldbeabletoregulateyourdigestivesystem,yourbreathingrate
andyourheartbeatsbymeansofextremerelaxationtechniques.
1.Maxaldingphysicalprinciples12
AlthoughMaxaldingdoesnotrequirelargeamountsofenergy,itisnotan
easysystem.Thestudentmusthavepersonaldetermination,alotofpatience
and will power. But Maxalding is a very progressive program and can be
learned by everyone. Maxalding is a personalized system that focuses on
healthoverall.Thebenefitsarecountlessandeverlasting.
1.2.PhysicalprinciplesofMaxalding
Maxaldingisbasedmainlyintwophysicalprinciples:
1. Conservationofenergy.
2. Distributionofenergy.
Maxickexplainshispointofviewabouttheenergyconservationinthebody
inthefollowingterms:
[]IdiscoveredthatbyusingtheWilltocontrolthemuscles,notonlydidIgainde
velopmentandstrength,butthatIwasstoringenergy.Bygivingnothingout,Iwas
slowlyconservingenergy,[]sothemoreenergyconserved,themorestrengthis
proportionatelyattained,andwithinterest,becauseitreactsuponitself.
[]Thereasonsforstoringenergyaremanifold,butindicatefirstandforemost,the
possibilityoffutureaction.Energywouldbequiteunnecessarywereitnotfortheidea
ofactionanditssubsequentuse.
(HOWTOBECOMEAGREATATHLETE,MAXICK,1911)
This principle is explained further, in a more physiological basis, in other
Maxaldingwritings.
[]Itisnecessarytosaythatanyexercisesperformed,oranyexertionmadewitha
viewtoincreasingthePhysicalPower,mustnotbecarriedfarenoughtoinduceex
cessivefatigue.Thisfacthasbeenapparentlyoverlookedbymostteachers,whose
summaryadviceistoworkuntilthemusclesareincapableofdoinganythingfurther
forthetimebeing,orwordstothateffect.Theyalsogivetotheirunfortunatepupilsto
understandthat,themoreworkdone,themorebenefitgained,etc.,regardlessofthe
physicalstrength,willandcapabilitiesoftheindividual.
Weaim,firstandforemost,attheimprovementofCirculation,itbeingthroughthat
channelalonethateveryfunctionofthebodycangainvigour,andacquireincreased
activityandendurance.
This is not attained by several hundreds of movements gone through daily with
dumbbellsorsomeapparatus,norbythetremendousoutputofenergywhichthisin
volves.Theenergymustberetainedandaddedto,andthisistheendwhichwehave
inviewinourSystem,asawholeofourteachingconsistsintheconservationofen
ergy,byeconomizingtheoutput;and,furthermore,inshowinghowtodirecttheenergy
tothebestadvantage.
(HEALTH,STRENGTHANDWILLPOWER,MAXICKANDSALDO.)
Anditoccurredtomethatitisnotwork,butnourishment,whichmakesmuscles
strong.
(MUSCLECONTROL,MAXICK,1911)
Thispointofviewhasbeenprovenbymorerecentinvestigations.Forex
ample,Olympicweightlifterstrainwithveryfewrepetitionsinordertoadaptthe
neuralsystem,withoutfatigue,tomaximumloads.Thebiophysicalexplanation
ofthisfactissurelyverycomplexandnotwellunderstoodyet,butbasically
consistsintheabilityofthemusclesforincreasingandstoringelasticpotential
energy. The muscle fibres acts like flexible springs and MC increases the
amountoftensionthatthemuscleiscapableof.Thefibresadapttothisnew
situationandreactsupontheneurologicalsysteminafeedbackprocesswhich
produceslargeroutputsofneuralenergytothemuscles.ThefinalresultofMC
is a more contractile capability of the fibres and a stronger neural signal to
them.
Thiskeyideaisclearlydevelopedinlaterworks.
Tounderstandmymeaningitisnecessarytoconsiderthesenselesswasteofen
ergywhichoccurswhenanybigmusculareffortismadebyanindividualwhoknows
nothowtorelaxthosemuscleswhichheisnotrequiringatthemoment.
AmusclethathasbeenbroughtintoprominenceandconditionbymeansofMuscle
Controlisfullofenergyandresistance,readytowork,andwellfortified;whereasthe
musclethathasbeentiredbyheavyworkisusuallylackinginresistance,andjaded.
(GREATSTRENGTHBYMUSCLECONTROL,MAXICK)
IntheMaxaldingbrochureswecanreadthis.
Suchamethodofexercise(Maxalding)buildsuptissue,revitalizesthewholebody
andcreatesreserveenergy;theabstractcommoditywhichestablishesenduranceand
resistancetodisease.
Thisisthereverseoftheoldfashionedmethodwhichoftendefeatedtheirobjectsby
exhaustingtheuser.Stalenessandboredominvariablyfollowmechanicalandrepeti
tionwork.Theendlessrepetitionsandthecountingpreventintelligentconcentration,
andmonotonyisthedeadlyenemyofalllivingcreatures.
OneoftheMaxaldingclaimsisthepossibilityofbuildinghealthymusculartis
suewithouttheneedoflargedamageandreconstructionofmusclefibres,a
very different approach than the pursued one by the present bodybuilding
methods.Themusculargrowthprocessesarenotwellunderstoodyet,butitis
evidentthatamethodwhichdoesnotimpliessuchmusclebreakdownswould
consumelessenergy.Weshalldetailthispointinfollowingsections.AsCourt
Saldosaid:
Figure1.MonteSaldo,
cofounderoftheMaxalding
systemandoneofthebest
trainersofalltimes.
Maxalding'saimineverycaseistoworkforcompletefunctionalefficiency,because
asufficiencyofnaturalexercisewillthemstimulatemusclegrowth.Strenuousmuscu
larworkdoesnotbuildmuscle.Ifitdid,thehardestworkers,particularlythosewho
startinchildhood,wouldbethebiggestandstrongestpeople.Butthereverseisactu
allythe case, because strenuous training and hard labour actually breakdown the
musculartissue.
Weknowthattherearetherarecasesofmenwhoareabletotrainstrenuouslyand
showgoodphysicaldevelopment.Butsuchpersonsarepossessedofextraordinary
powersofrecuperationandtheywouldgetbetterresultsfrommorescientificmethods
oftraining.Somemenarevitallystrongenoughtowithstandseveralyearsofhard
wearandtearontheorgans,anditistheserarecasesthatareheldupbyadvocates
ofstrenuoustrainingasproofoftheefficacyofsuchtraining.
However,fewpeoplehavethetimeorinclinationforsuchunnaturalmethods,andit
hasbeenproventhatbyreasonablemethods everyoneisabletogainandmaintain
their fullpotentialitiesinhealth,strengthandmuscular development.Iusetheword
maintain becauseonlywhenanaturalmethodisusedcanthetrainingbecontinued
throughoutlife.
With Maxalding a correct amount ofexercisecan always be taken, because the
poweremployediscontrolledbythestrengthandvitalityoftheperformer.Thusasthe
strengthandvitalityincrease, theeffort correspondinglyincreaseswithoutanyaddi
tional increase in the number of repetitions required. And conversely, as age ad
vances,theeffortcorrespondinglydecreases,enablingtheexercisestobecontinued
andfunctionalefficiencyretainedintooldage.
Figure2.CourtSaldo,youngestMonte's
son,teachedMaxaldinguntil1980and
perfectedthesystemtoitspresentform.
InMonteSaldo'sNATURE'SWAYTOHEALTHwecanreadthis:
Theprinciplesofenergyconservationandmusclecontrolapplyhere[heavymuscu
lardevelopment],theformertoallowcelltissuetorenewspeedilyandthelattertoen
ableexercisetobecarriedoutwiththeleastpossibletissueconsumptionorbreak
down.
Additionallyaspeciallymusclebuildingdietshouldbeadopted,andplentyofsleep
taken.
Regularhoursforexercise,mealsandsleepwillalsoactfavourablyinbuildingmus
culartissueofaqualitythatwillbestowgreatstrength.
AndinHOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS.
Allexpenditureofenergycreatestissueconsumptionandeventualfatigue.Butifno
energywereexpended,movementwouldceaseandphysicaldecaysetin.Therefore,
conservationofenergymustnotbeconfusedwithinertiaorsloth[]intheactual
building,asintheactualpracticeofthesport,tissueconsumptionandfatiguealternate
withtissuebuildingandthestoringupofenergy.[]Theperformer,however,need
notbesacrificedtothestupidityofthetrainerandshouldnotcontinuetrainingafter
signalsofrealfatigueordistresshavesetin.
The principles of Energy Conservation and Distribution are the key toim
proveendurancewithoutincreasingthenumberofrepetitionsintheMaxalding
system.PersonallyIhavefoundthistheorycorrect.Oneofthemostremark
able effectsof MCisthe increasing ofmuscularand cardioendurance ina
shorttimeoftraining.Inthesamebrochurewecanreadanexplanationtothis
fact.
EnduranceiscontrolledbythepowerofanyindividualtoConserveandDistribute
Energy.Anindividualwhoconservestheenergies wiselyduringtraining,anddistrib
utesthemwiselyduringeffortorcontestwillbeabletolastlongeronanyparticularoc
casion,andalsoremainfitforagreaternumberofyears,thananotherindividuallack
ingthisability,butequalinotherrespects.Toreachasuperlativedegreeofendur
ance, aknowledgeofenergyconservation, andenergydistributionisabsolutelyes
sential.Amasteryofmusclecontrolenablesantagonisticmusclestobecameorre
mainrelaxed,whilecontractionofnecessarymusclesistakingplace.
ThisfactcanbeprovedbythegreatmatchesdisputedbyMaxick,inwhich
therewerealotofmaximaleffortlifts.Suchcontinuousliftingisexhaustingand
canonlybeperformedbypeoplewithanexceptionalendurance.
TrompvanDiggelenwaswitnessofsomeoftheseamazingendurancefeats.
Maxhasoftenrundownalongflightofstairsholdingmealoftwithonehand.
Forinstance,whenSickwaswithmeinJohannesburgwewereonedayhavingpho
tostakentobeusedintheadvertisementsofafamousbrewery[]wewerefooling
aboutinthephotographer'sstudiowhenduringthemorning'sworkMaxsidedpressed
me(185pounds)abovehisheadsupportingme(onmyback)onhisopenpalm,no
lessthan16times;inhislefthandheheldaglassofbeerfilledtothebrimwithhis
armstretchedatrightanglestohisbodyandhedidnotspilladrop!
HereisjustanotherstuntthatevenSaxonwouldhavefoundhard,Iusedtolie
withmybackonMax'sopenpalmandhewouldtellmetoclosemyeyesanditishon
estlytruethathewouldthenpressmeupsoslowlythatIwouldnotknowIwasat
arm'slengthuntilhetoldmetoopenmyeyes.
MaxSickoncewonthelightweight,middleweightandheavyweightclassintheTyrol
Championshipsinoneday;anexhibitionnotonlyofstrengthbutofunbelievableen
durance.
(ASUPERMANMAXICK!TROMPVANDIGGELEN)
Figure3.Maxickperformingahumansidepress.
Maxaldingpursuesaperfecthealth,itismuchmorethanasimpletraining
system.Maxaldingproducesthedirectexerciseofvitalorgans,whichisvery
muchrelatedwithenergyconservationofthebody.
EnergyconservationbecomesautomaticinMaxalding,fortheorgansarebeingex
ercisedwhilethegreatmusclesofthebodyareatrest,oronlyslightlyused.Thisis
thedirectreverseoftheoldfashionedmethodswhichoftenexhaustedthemusclesin
anattempttoexercisetheorgans.Theorganswhichhavetofeedthemuscles;in
steadofbenefiting,frequentlybecameinjuredinanattempttocopewiththedemands
uponthem.
Anotherviciouscircle,defeatingitsoriginalobject!Anotheramazingfallacyisthat
exercisingthemusclesuntiltheyache,willincreasetheirpower.Thetruthisthatthe
organsshouldbeexercisedsothattheywillenergizeandnourishthemusclesand
preventthemforbecomingtooeasilyfatigued.
(NATURE'SWAYTOHEALTH,MONTESALDO)
ThisgoalissummarizedintheintroductiontoMonteSaldo'sMAXALDING.
Exercisemustbedirectlyappliedtothepartsofthebodythatrequireit,andsuch
exerciseshouldbeofanaturethatwillcorrectlyadjustanatomically,andstimulates
thefunctionswithoutdefeatingtheobjectbyexhaustingtheuser.
OneofthemostfrequentquestionsaboutMaxaldingisthedurationoftheex
ercises,numberofrepetitionsandsetsandperiodsoftraining.Alltheseques
tionsareaskedfromalogicalpointofviewbymeansoftheenergyconserva
tionprinciple.
What form doestheexercisingtake?Itisacombination ofallthenaturalmove
mentsthatthehealthyhumanbodyiscapableofperforming,soanalyzedastopre
ventunnecessary repetition of movement. In organizedsequence, every muscleor
musclegroupiscontracted,relaxed,stretchedandcontrolled.Theimportantexercises
aimattheattainmentofapurelycorrectposition,theeventualmasteryofwhichen
ablestheperformertoretainthatperfectionofposeandpositionwithonerepetitionor
performanceeverytwentyfourhours.
Toexplainbriefly,themuscleormusclegrouphasbeenfullycontracted,relaxed,
stretchedandcontrolled,andthepositionheldlongenoughtoensureperfectbloodir
rigationandconsequentnourishment,butwithoutanyappreciableoutputofenergy.
[]amethodbaseduponsuchsaneandscientificprinciplesmustproducequicker
andbetterresultsthanthecommonmethodbasedoffrequentrepetitionofmechanical
exercisewhichalwaysfatiguesthemuscle,breaksdowntissue,depletestheenergies,
toughensthemusclescausingmusclebindingandoftenstrainsoroverworksthe
heart.
EnergyandVitalityareconservedtosuchanextentthattheoverplusnotrequiredis
immediatelyshowninthedevelopmentofhealthy,puremusculartissue.
Thisconservationofenergyalsoveryspeedilycreatesanexceptionalconditionof
willpower,resistancetocoldcatchingandfatigue.Onedoesnotfindoneselfusedup
afterthetentofourteenminutesofMaxalding,butextraordinarilyrefreshedandbuoy
ant.
ThisparagraphcontainstheanswertothekeyquestionofMC,whatshould
theoptimumdurationofcontractionsbe?Firstofall,MCexercisesinvolvease
quenceofactionsinthisorder:
1. Contraction.
2. Relaxation.
3. Stretching.
4. Control.
Theperformance of MCinthisorder is ofgreatest importance foranad
equatemusculardevelopment.Thecompletecontrolofamuscleimpliesthese
foursteps.
Contractionofamuscleormusclegroupinordertodirectbloodflowtoit,
thiscontractionmustbeheldseveralsecondstoassureagoodeffect.
Relaxationoftheothermusclesduringthecontractionandsubsequentre
laxationofthedesiredmuscles.Thispermitstoincreasethecirculation
into the exercised muscles. A very prolonged contraction generates so
muchpressurethatitpreventscorrectbloodflow.
Stretchingofthecontractedmuscles.Bymeansofstretchingtheblood
flowsalloverthemuscle,thefibresadapttorealmovementandremain
supple.
Control.Therealcontrolisachievedonlywhenamusclecanbecontrac
tedandrelaxedinbothstretchedandflexedpositions.Finallytheseac
tionscouldbedonewithoutanymechanicalactionorassistance.
Wecanseehowmodernaretheseideas.Infact,manyofthemostscientific
trainingandtherapeuticsystemsoftoday,likePNFstretching,shareanalogous
concepts.Inmanyrespects,Maxaldingcanbeconsideredasystemmuchmore
advancedthanPNF,becauseitpermitstheperformanceofexercisesbythe
unassistedindividual.
FromtheinformationextractedfromtheMaxaldingbookandcourses,wecan
calculateaveryapproximatetimeforeachcontraction.
Eachsessioniscomposedfromanumberofexercisesthatvarybutisabout
teninmostcases.Wecandeducefromthisthateachexercisetakesaboutone
minute.But,doesthisimplythatwemustsustainthecontractionsforasuch
largeperiod?Ithinknot.Suchunnaturalpracticeisthebasisofisotension,a
degenerationoftheoriginalMaxaldingsystem.
IntheMaxaldingcoursestherecommendednumberofrepetitionsisabout6.
Consideringthatthetimeofeachcontractionissimilar,wecanconcludethat
therealdurationofthecontractionsisapproximately10seconds.Theabdom
inalexercises,forexample,mustbeheldnomorethan5seconds.
Thethreefirstphasesareclear,butwhat istheexactmeaningof control?
Thisisaverydifficultquestionandtheanswerisnotunique.Wecanconsider
threebasictypesofMC:
StaticMuscleControl(SMC).
BallisticMuscleControl(BMC).
DynamicMuscleControl(DMC).
Dependingonyourgoalsyoucanconcentratemoreinonetypeoranother.
SMCisthemostbasicofthethree.Itconsistsintheabilitytocontractandre
laxisolatedmusclegroupsinalmosteveryposition. Inthiscase,the control
phase would conclude with another contraction of about 10 seconds in the
stretchedposition(averydifficulttaskifyoutryit,indeed).Thiscontrolmustbe
alwayspractised,becauseitisthebasisoftheothertwoandpermitsavery
goodstrengtheningexerciseinitself.
BMCconsistsinthequickperformance(about12seconds)ofsuccessive
andalternatingcontractionsandrelaxationsofthesameisolatedmuscle.This
MCmethodiscalledquickreflex intheoriginalMaxaldingwritings.Itisrecom
mendedfordevelopinghighspeedandpower.BCMismoredifficultthanthe
SMC,becauseduringanexplosivecontraction,thesurroundingmusclestend
tobecontractedtoo.Thisexplosivecontrolsareveryimportant,becausethey
teachyouhowtorelaxunnecessarymusclesduringquickanddemandingexer
cisesforpreservingenergy.ThemindmusclelinkreinforcesbymeansofBMC
providing the ability of generating extremely powerful contractions in critical
situations.BMCcanbealsothebasisofveryeffectivepassivedefensivetech
niquesagainstnoshootingattacks.
DMCistheapplicationofMCtorealmovements.Ifyoucanmoveagroupof
musclesinanisolatedmanner,relaxingtheothersalongtheoverallrangeof
thearticulation,youhaveDMC.
AllthethreetypesofMCarenecessaryandtheymustbemasteredinorder
tobeaperfectMaxaldist.But,theoriginalcoursesdidnotdevelopthepotenti
alitiesofBMC,andtheyfocusedintheperformanceofcontrolledbodyweight
leverage exercises. The structureofthecoursescan besummarized in this
form.
1. Performanceofpreliminarymechanicalexercisesinordertofeelthecon
tractionofisolated musclegroups.Theseexercisescanbe ofdynamic
andposturalnature.
2. Increasingofisolatedcontractionbymeansofwillconcentration.Thisim
pliesaprogressiveeliminationofmechanicalexerciseswhichcouldinter
ferewiththepuremindmuscleconnectionwewanttoachieve.
3. Progressive ability for relaxing statically and dynamically all muscle

groups,includingstretchingpositions.
4. Performanceofrealsportswithcontrolledmuscles.Maxaldingusesnon
apparatusexercises,butitisalsobestappliedtomartialarts,gymnastics
andweightlifting.
TheMaxaldingcoursesrecommendedonlyonesetperexercise,butinthe
firstcoursesthenumberofrepetitionsisnotfixed.MonteSaldojustifiedthis
saying:
Performtheexercisesofthislessonadlib.asfarasrepetitionsisconcerned.
Idonotwantyoutohaveafixednumberofrepetitionsforeachexerciseforthefol
lowingreason.
Theamountofexercisethatwouldseembutlightworktoyouononeday,mightthe
nextleaveyouinastateofexhaustionandthismustneverbeallowedtohappen.
Sodojustasmuchexerciseasyoufeelyoucanconvenientlymanageateachpar
ticularbout,neverforcingorstrainingthemuscles,butjustcoaxingthemintosupple
nessandcontrol.
Performeachexerciseslowlyandcarefully,assoonasyoufeelthatthemuscles
youareemployinghavebeenthoroughlyexercised,butnotfatigued,completelyrelax
them.
Aimalwaysforperfectionintheperformingofeachexercise,forcorrectperform
anceisofgreaterimportancethanrepetition.
Butmanypeoplearenotsatisfiedwiththisexplanationandareworriedabout
thepossibilityofundertrainingorovertraining.Asageneralrule,CourtSaldo
establishestheconvenienceof6repetitionswithfullconcentration.
Inseveralexercisesthatimplytherealizationofmovementswithhighcon
centrationMonteSaldoadvicesthattheperformanceof6repetitionsshouldbe
amaximum.
PersonallyIhavefoundthat25repetitionsofDMCexercisesisenough.If
youperformthefourphasesofMCinorderinonesessionandyoutraindaily
(averymuchrecommendedMaxaldistpracticeforahealthydevelopment),one
ofthebestcombinationsisthis.
1. PerformonerepetitionofaSMCexerciseforoneisolatedmuscle(maxim
umcontraction,justbeforemusclesbegintovibrate)of5completebreath
ings.
2. Relaxthemuscleduringoneortwocompletebreathingsinitsstretched
position.
3. Repeatthesameexercise.
4. Relax.
5. PerformthesamesequenceofSMCfortheantagonisticmuscle,thisper
mitsafullstretchingoftheworkedantagonisticmuscle.
6. Movetothenextmusclegroupinthesamefashion.
7. Relaxallmusclesduring510breathings.
Thismethodshouldbeappliedwithoutinterruptiontoallimportantmusclesof
thebodyinadescending,fromheadtotoes,fashion.
ThelastphaseofrealMC(notjusttheperformanceofcontractions)isthe
keytotheothergreatprinciple,thedistributionofenergy.
Themethodforcontractingthemusclesforacorrectdistributionofenergyis
very well explained by Monte Saldo in his book HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND
ATHLETICS.
Totrainanymusclewiththeobjectofgainingperfecttone,takeitfromtheposition
inwhichitcanremaincompletelyrelaxedandsofttoapositionthatallowsfullestcon
tractionandbulking.Holditinthispositionandgraduallyincreasethecontractionuntil
ithasbeenbroughttoitshardestconditionandfullysuffusedwithblood.Thenreturnit
toitspositionofrelaxation.Ifbloodsuffusionhasbeenthorough,thetemperatureof
themusclewillincreaseandthetissueswillhavebeennourishedwithoutanynotable
breakingdown,aswouldbethecaseifmechanicalrepetitionexercisewereemployed.
Thisisthetruewaytobuildtissue,asthebreakingdownissoslightandthenourish
mentsoeasilyprovided.Thecontractionshouldnotbeheldlong;andlightselfmas
sageofthemusclecanfollow.Thecontractionshouldberepeateduntilitisfeltthat
themusclehasbeenthoroughlyexercisedbutnotactuallyfatigued.
But,MCdoesnotreducetothissortofcontraction.Thisisonlyoneprelim
inaryformofSMC,calledpeakcontraction.Themisuseofthistechniquewas
thecauseofthemisunderstandingsandcritiquesfromseveralstrongmenof
thepasttoMC,likeAlanCalvert,whowasscepticaboutthepossibilityoftrue
developmentbymeansofMC.
Somepeopleexperience dizziness afewhoursaftertryingtodoMC.The
causeisabaddistributionofenergyoverthemusclesandthesaturationofthe
nervoussystemduetostrain.SuccessfulMChastwodifferentandequallyim
portantaspects.
Theeffectiveisolationofmuscles.
Thefinetuneofthemuscletension.
Unfortunately,thecontrolofthetensionhasbeenignoredandpoorlyunder
stood.ThecontroloftheisolatedmuscletensionistheverykeyofMCanda
cornerstoneofthewholeMaxaldingsystem.Wecanreadcontinuouslythisad
viceintheMaxaldingworks,don'tforceyourmuscles,coaxthem.But,whatis
exactlythemeaningofthesewords?
Donotallowyourmusclesvibrate!
MusclevibrationistheworstenemyofMC,believeme.AlmosteveryMaxald
ingstudent makesthismistake atthe beginning ofhisorherlearning (yes,
Maxaldingisanidealtrainingmethodforwomen,too).Thisbadpracticewastes
alotofpreciousenergyanditisverydangerous.Sometimesitismoredifficult
tolearntocontrolyourinternaltensionthantheactualisolationofamuscle.
Howcanweknowthatweareperformingcorrectlyacontrol?
Adoptthepositionformasteringanisolation.Increaseyourtensionslowly,
whenyoufeelthatyourmusclesarehard,butnotrigid(justthestepbelowvi
bration),sustainthetensionabout5breathings,nomorenoless.Donotelimin
atethetensiontoosuddenly,takeabout1slowbreathingtodoit.Anothergood
cluetoknowifyourtensioniscorrectistofeelthatyoucanmovethecontrolled
muscleinspiteofthetension.Ifyoucannotmoveacontractedmuscle,you
havenotmasteredMC.Rememberalwaysthisveryimportantpoint:muscle
shakingistheoppositetomusclecontrol.
Maxickisveryclearinthisrespect,theprincipalaimofMCisitsapplication
tohealthandtheperformanceofrealfeatsofstrength.MCalonerepresents
onlyonetermoftheglobalequation,relatedtoenergyconservation.
Butforaperfectbodyyoumustalsopracticethesecondterm,involvedwith
the energy distribution. Abodyreplete withenergy isuseless, ifyou donot
knowhowtoemploythisenergyinarealsituation.
Idonot,andneverhave,claimedthatbymusclecontrolalone,unaidedbymechan
icalexercises,eachmusclemaybebroughttoitshigheststateofdevelopment:butI
doclaimthatmechanicalexercise,eitherwithorwithoutapparatus,willneverproduce
thelimitofstrengthanddevelopmentofwhichtheindividualiscapableunlesscom
binedwithmusclecontrol.
(MUSCLECONTROL,MAXICK)
Besides,Maxickexplainedinhisbookhowtocontroleachmuscleinallits
positions.Andherecommendedseveralexercisesforthesamepartsinorder
toachievethisgoal.
MonteSaldosharedthispointofviewandshowedusitinmoredetail.
Muscletoningbyresistance[]compelsthemusclestoworkingroupsandis,con
sequently,moredestructivetotissuethanthemethodofisolatingmusclesbycontrac
tion.
Resistancehowever,becomesnecessarytoestablishmuscularcoordination.Res
istancecanbeprovidedinanumberofways.Theweightofthebodysuppliesresist
ancetothelegsinthedeepkneebendortheweightofthelegssuppliesresistanceto
theabdominalmusclesintheusualsupinelegraisingmovements.Thereisalsothe
moredefinitemethodofusingthetwoarmsinresistancetooneanother,ortheneck
againstthearmsandsoon.Whenresistanceexercisesareusedfordevelopmental
purposes,evenfewerrepetitionsshouldbeusedthaninthecaseofvoluntarycontrac
tions. Exceptional toning by resistance might be provided by the lifting of heavy
weights. Thus, a man who has gained a good physique by natural methods and
strengthenedhisinternalorgansagainstriskofstrain,mightfinditnecessarytoocca
sionallyliftheavyweightstomaintainthemuscletonenecessaryforhisbestliftstobe
accomplished.Insodoinghewould,ofcourse,reducehisspeedforlighterefforts,but
theexampleisgiventoindicatemymeaningofmuscletoninginitsbroadestsense.
(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MONTESALDO)
ThisisaveryimportantparagraphintheMaxaldingliterature,becauseitfo
cusesthediscussionaboutMC.IsMCabletoproportionategreatstrengthand
development?Yes,but inanon specificandabstractform,notimmediately
suitableforrealfeatsofstrength.
Ifyouwanttotrainforattainingsomespecificgoal,youmustsporadicallyad
aptyourcontrolledmusclestothedesiredtask.Forexample,ifyouwanttoper
formaperfectonearmedoneleggedpushup,youmustacquirethesenseof
equilibriumnecessarytobalancethebody.MCcangiveyouenoughstrength
andcontrolforsuccess,butitcannotdevelopthefeelingandgravitationalbal
anceofthisconcreteexercise.Inspiteofthis,itistruethatamasterinMCwill
needonlyveryfewrepetitionstosuccessfullyperformthisfeatofstrength,be
causetheonlything hereistoadaptthemusclesforworkingadequatelyin
groups.Thisisthatwewanttomeanbydistributionofenergy.Notethemen
tiontotheconvenienceoftrainingwithslowmovementsandlighterweightsfor
maximalstrength.Iwillreturntothecontroversyabouttheuseofweightsin
Maxaldinginnextparagraphs.
The periodization of training is another interesting question. Many of the
trainingmethodsoftodayrecommendtoworkthemostimportantmusclesonly
threetimesaweekorless.However,theMaxaldingpracticeisdailybecause
theexercisesareperformedwithveryfewrepetitions.Modernresearchsus
tains this theory. Athletes whose main aim is the development of a large
strength to bodyweight ratio, as Olympic weightlifters, powerlifters and gym
nasts,trainseveraltimesadaywithveryfewrepetitions(23)inordertoavoid
fatigueandtoadapttheneuralsystemtohighloads.
FollowingthesuggestionsofMaxickandMonteSaldo,wecandesigndiffer
ent exercise strategies.Averycomplete and productive training schedule is
this.
Day1.OnesessionofSMCinthewaydescribedbefore,followedbyselfres
istanceexercises(1set,25repetitions).
Day2.Onesessionof5BMCofonebreathingeachoverthesameisolated
muscleforallimportantmusclesinthebodyindescendingorder.Youmustre
laxthemuscleduringinhalationandcontractitpowerfullyduringexhalation.Do
notforceexhalation,ifyoucannotregulateyourexhalationyouareforcingthe
muscles too much. After this perform a series of virtual lifting movements
(DMC)overfullrangeofmotionofmuscles(25repetitions).Althoughtheuse
ofweightsisnotnecessaryatall,somepeoplecanfindveryusefultodothe
exerciseswithlightdumbbells(25kgeach)forfeelingsomeresistanceover
thecorrectmuscles.Actually,itisverydifficulttolearntorelaxtheantagonistic
muscleswithoutanyfeelingofrealresistance.Thiswasaveryfrequentprac
ticeamongoldstrongmen,includingMaxick.
Day3.Onesessionofmusclecontrolledbodyweightleverageexercises(25
repetitionsperexercise).
WecandefinetheenergydistributionofMaxaldingastheabilitytouseop
timallytheenergygeneratedbymeansofMC.
Supposeyouweretotakeafairlyheavyweight,oneheavyenoughatanyrateto
necessitatethecallingintoworkthegreaterenergiesofthebody.Well,therearesev
eralsetsofmusclesastheyarerequiredforuse,andthussendtheessentialamount
ofenergyintoeach,justattheimportantmoment.Itmeans,moreover,thatyouare
usingthewillpowerandstrengtheningtherebythesourceofallpowerandenergy.
(HOWTOBECAMEAGREATATHLETE,MAXICK)
WhenMaxaldingisappliedtotheperformanceofaparticularsport(forex
ample,martialarts,gymnastics,weightlifting,bodybuilding,),wecandistin
guishfivedefinitephasesforasuccessfultraining (HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND
SPORTS,MonteSaldo).
1. Theperfectdevelopmentandconditioningofthephysiqueforaparticular
sport.
2. Apracticalknowledgeofmusclecontroltoensurethefullassistanceofall
essentialmuscles,andthecompleterelaxationofallmusclesthatareant
agonistictothedesiredmovement.
3. Athoroughandmechanicalmasteryofallpointsoftechniqueofthepartic
ularsport.
4. Thecorrectperiodofrestbeforecontest,tosuitthesportandtheidiosyn
crasiesoftheperformer.
5. Intelligenthandlingofthecontestantonthedayofthecontest.
Particular applications of the principle of energy distribution are given by
MonteSaldo.
Correctdistributionofenergyinanyparticularsportmustbecontrolledbythespe
cialrequirementsofthesport.Thusintheperformanceoffeatsofstrength,whenthe
liftingoftheheaviestpossibleweightistheobject,asfewliftsaspossibleshouldbe
used,withthegreatestamountofenergyputintoasingleeffort.Conversely,thelong
distancerunnerwouldspreadhissupplyofenergyoverthewholedistance,foranun
wisedistributionofenergywouldspoilhistime,ashewouldusetoomuchenergyat
certainperiodsoftheracetoanextentthatwouldpreventhimretainingsufficienten
ergytocompletetheraceingoodtime[].
2.PsychologicalprinciplesandMaxick's
trainingsecrets
2.1.Thediscoveryofthemindovermatterability
ThediscoverofMCasaformofexerciseisnotnewandcertainlysometen
sion exercises are as ancient as can be yoga and martial arts. However,
Maxickwas,withoutdoubt,whichgavetoMCitsmostscientificform.Heper
fectedtheexistingcontrolsandcreatedmanymore,includingthemostimport
antabdominalisolations.
TheoriginoftheMCsystemdevelopedbyMaxickwascurious.
[]forIwaspuny,delicatechildsofullofrickets,thatIhadreachedtheageof
fivebeforeIcouldwalk;andforthenexttwoyearsIwassoweaklythattheschoolau
thoritiesexemptedmefromattendance.Indeed,Iwasalwaysailing,andmycondition
wasoftensoprecariousthatmorethanoncemylifewasdespairedof.
AttheageofsevenIwenttoschoolforthefirsttime,andthenIrealizedhowweakI
was by comparing myself with the other boys, who were no more than ordinary
healthy,boisterousfellows.
Beingfartoofeebletojoinintheirsports,Inaturallyhadthedesiretobebestrong,
butmyparentswereopposedtomyexertingmyselfinanyway,maintainingthatone
asweakasIcouldonlyinjurehimselfbyindulginginanyformofexercise.But,inspite
oftheatmosphereoferrorwithwhichIwassurrounded,thedesiretobecomestrong
obsessedmetosuchadegree,thattheideaofusingthemindasapparatusgradually
evolveditself,andthus,inopposingmydesirestoexercise,myparentshadsownthe
seedsthatweretofructifytosogreatanextent.
Itrequiredsomeyears,however,beforeIdiscoveredtherealsecretofmindover
matter,butfromthemomentIrealizedthefullmeaningandthepossibilitiesofthisin
nerforce,Iwentonwithdetermination,andwithinaveryshortspaceoftimeIwas
physicallyasyoucanseemenow,andmentallypossessedofsostrongawill,thatI
amabletodenymyselfofanythingbutthebarenecessitiesoflifewithouttheleastdif
ficultyorilleffect.
Itwouldtakealongtimetoexplaintheprocessofthoughtthatleduptotheevolu
tionoftheaboveIdea,anditreallycomesunderthemanythingswhichareofgreater
interesttothepsychologistthantootherswhosedaysaretakenupwiththepursuitof
materialthings.
2.PsychologicalprinciplesandMaxick'strainingsecrets28
ThisparagraphadvancessomeofthekeyideasaboutMC.
Thedesiretobestrong(thefirmbeliefinourownsuccess).
Useofthemindasdeveloperofinnerforce.
Willpower.
Mentalfeedbackandreinforcement.
BothphysicalandpsychologicaltrainingbymeansofMC.
IncreaseofselfconfidenceandpersonaldeterminationwiththeaidofMC.
Insubsequentsectionswearegoingtoanalyseallthispoints.
2.2.Thecontrolofthemindoverthebody
Iamnotgoingtostudyherethephysiologicalmechanismthatenablethevol
untaryactionoveramuscle,thiswillbetreatedin section3.1.Iamgoingto
concentratenowinthefeeling,theexperience,thatallowsthemusclecontrol
lertouseproperlyhisorherbodyasaunity,optimallydistributingtheenergy.
Now,thegreatsecretofdoinganythingwellisdoubtlessinbeingacquaintedwithall
thingsconnectedwithit,inknowingtherelativevaluesofonethingtoanotherand
their powers, and then in applying this knowledge to accomplishment. This is the
secret,nolesswherephysicalpoweristobedirectedtowardsanyissue.Theremust
beaknowledgeofthesetofmuscleswhicharetobeusedinanyparticulareffort,and
theremustcontrol.
One must be able to call forth the set of muscles needed as swiftly as the
thought,andthenmustcometotheeffort,notdirectedbyanyfeebleness,butbythe
powerofthewill.
Allmustbesubservientofthewill!
MCcontroldevelopshealthandstrengthinitself.ForMaxick,however,MCis
nottheultimategoal,MCisonlythetheory,themean,complementarytointel
lectualwork,bywhichyoucanbeperfectedasmuchasphysicallyasmentally.
Thedevelopmentofwillpoweristhekey,therealfinalityofallMaxaldingtrain
ing.Andthiswillpowerappliestoeveryactivityinourlives.
Andwillcomeasasurprisetomany,[],whenIsaythatIamnotbyanymeansa
keenweightlifter.ThestudyofNature,eitherinherself,orreflectedinthewritingsof
thepoets,philosophersandscientists,havefargreaterattractiontomethantheelev
ationofmassesofmetal.
Ionlybecameaweightlifterinordertoprovethatthecontrolofthemuscleswas
thegreatestconsiderationintheperformanceoffeatsofstrength;andIreason,with
obviouslogic,thatifIamabletoperformfeatsofstrengthfarbeyondanythingever
accomplishedbythemostscientificlifteratmyweight,bycontrollingthemuscles,I
canputthatpowertoamuchgreateruse;infacttothegreatestuseofwhichthis
worldisneedtothecuringofdisease.
Figure4.MaxickteachinghowtouseMCtosimulate
heavyweightlifting.
Theimportanceofapropercontrolonthebodyfunctions,notonlymechanic
almotions,isclear.Alldailyactivitiescanbebenefitedbymusclecontrol.For
example,therelaxationandconcentrationtechniquesimpliedbymusclecontrol
canimproveintellectualworkalot.
Ontheotherside,theuseofmusclecontrolinordertoreliefinjuriesandfor
rehabilitation is beyond any doubt. One of the most successful and famous
caseswasthetrainingofAlanMeadbyMonteSaldo.AlanMeadwasbadin
juredduringWorldWarIandhelostaleg.Inspiteofthis,wiselydirectedby
MonteSaldo,hewasabletodeveloponeofthemostamazingandperfectnat
uralbodiesofalltimes.ThemusclecontrolabilitiesofAlanMeadarealsole
gendary.ManypeoplethinkthathewasprobablyoneofthebestafterMaxick.
Figure5.AlanMead,oneofthe
greatestmusclecontrollers.
SomepeopleaccusedMaxickofoverestimatingtherealvalueofmusclecon
trol.Theysustainedthattheonlytruemethodforacquiringstrengthisweightlift
ing. Maxick never rejected a rational use of weights for maximum strength
gains.
Ishouldonlyliketocorrectseveralerrorsregardingmyownpersonforthelast40
years. It is unknown to me that I should ever have made the statement that only
muscleposeswerethecauseofmyabilitiesinweightlifting.Inthecontrary,Ihave
achievedstrengthandmusclesasfarastheyareremarkablethroughweightlifting[].
(YOUAREASSTRONGASYOUWISHTOBE,MAXICK)
DoesitimplythatMCisineffectiveasameanofmuscledevelopment?Notat
all.Wecanstudythisparagraphmorecloselyandweshalldiscoveralotofin
terestingthings.
Firstofall,notethatMaxickcarefullyavoidstheuseofthewordsmuscle
control,heliterallyspeaksaboutmuscleposes,averylimitedformofMCfor
exhibitionpurposes.
WemustconsiderthatMaxickwasaverycleverpersonandhechosehis
wordsverycarefully.IntheMaxaldingliteratureweappreciatethattheconcept
ofMCismuchwideranditapplies toeverypossible exercise. Thiscan be
provedbythefollowingwordsofMaxick.
YoushallprobablyaskmenowwhatkindofexercisesIpractisedandhowoftenI
repeatedthem.ImustconfessthatIcantrecallthisearlydetails.ButIshalltellyou
howIpractised. Therewasformeonlyonethoughtandonedesire tobecome
strongandeverythingelsehadtobowbeforethisunconditionalgoal.
Thefirstkeyistheuseofvisualizationtechniquesduringexercise,weshall
dedicatethenextsectiontothisveryimportantpoint.
Itisdoubtlessvaluableforamodernathletetotakeadvantageoftheavailabletech
nicalknowledgeandofusefulspecialexercisesinhispathofdevelopment.Ifheutil
izestheseassetswiselyhewillderivetheirfullbenefitsandacceleratetherateofpro
gress.WhenIwasyoungtherewerehardlyanysportperiodicalsavailabletoprovide
me with practical advice. In thislimited era no direct theoretical could be secured.
ThusIwascompelledtobecompletelyonmyown.Ihadtoplacethemainstressof
myeffortsontheexecutionoftheexercisesandnottheirquality.Iverysoonlearned
thattheimportantfactorwastheinspirationandmotivationinperforminganexercise
andnotmerelythenumberofitsrepetitions.WiththisIwanttosaythatIdidnotput
any special value on a high number of mechanical repetitions but that I combined
everyindividualmovementwiththeconscioussensingofastrengtheningofacertain
groupofmuscles.Throughthisprocesstheentireattentionflowedintothemuscles
activeatthemomentandtheinnerexpectationofastrengtheningresultedinanad
vantageouschangeofthephysique.
ThisistrueMC!Theconcentrationofallmentalandbodyresourcesoverthe
exercisedmuscles.Whenyouperformanexercisethinkthatyourlifedepends
onitinthisverymoment,butrelaxingallothermusclesandthoughts,tryingto
redistributeallenergytothestressedbodyparts.Withthistheoryinmind,isit
reallysoimportanttheuseofweights?Infact,forceisforce,becauseinthe
macroscopicworldwecanonlyexperiencegravityandelectromagnetismand
theyaremeasuredinthesameunities.Anexperiencedmusclecontrollercan
increasetheintramusculartensionofalmostanybodyparttolevelssohigh
thatthegeneratedresistanceisequivalenttomaximalloadsfortheindividual.
AsimplecalculationbasedintheconcentrationabilitiesofMaxickcanprove
this(notethatIshallnotusetheevidentliftingrecords).
ToshowtheterrificstrengthofhisabdominalmusclesSickusedtolieflatonthe
stageandI,orsomeother180poundor200poundman,wouldstand7feetabove
himandjumpontohisabdomen;believeme,Ibouncedasifjumpingontosolidrub
ber!
You mathematicians canwork out with what force the feet of a 200 poundman
wouldstrikeMaxsrectusabdominiswhenfallingfromaheightof7feet.
(ASUPERMANMAXICK,TROMPVANDIGGELEN)
Figure6.AclassicalMaxick'spose
showinghismarvellousabdominal
development.
Beforecalculating,Imustclarifythatfromaphysicalpointofviewtherelev
antmagnitudesinacollisionareenergyandmomentum,notforce.Themag
nitudewhichTrompwantedtoknowwasreallytheimpulse,theforcegenerated
inashorttimebytheinterchangingofmomentuminashock.
Ifwesupposethattheimpacthastakenatimeofabout0.1sandthecolli
sionisnearlyelastic,theresultisabout4500N,theequivalentto450kgforce,
allgeneratedbymusclecontrolledvoluntarycontraction!Thisisparadigmatic
examplebecausethishugeamountofforcewasnotgeneratedbyanymech
anicalmeans.
Actually,Maxickwascriticizedbyhislackoftechnicalskillinweightlifting.He
wasneveradevotedweightlifter.
WhatisreallytheroleofweightsinMaxalding?Aretheytherealmeanof
muscledevelopment?IsMaxaldingafraud,anotherfreemovementcoursewith
impossibleclaims?
No,Maxaldingisasolidpieceofscience.Theexclusiveuseofbodyweight
exerciseshasnothingtodowiththefoundationsandthespiritofMaxalding.
Anotherthing,thatweshalldiscussfurther,isthepossibilityofdevelopingan
extraordinarymuscularitywithoutweights.
Itmust,therefore,bemadecleartoeveryonethatstrengthinitsessenceisacondi
tionofconciousness andthatallexercisesaremeremeans.However,justasyou
requirescalestocontrolthematerialweightofanobjectsothementallytrainingath
letewhenweightliftingcanmeasurethequalityandstrengthofhismuscles.
Anadditionaladvantageoftheuseofweightsandotherexercisingapparatusisthe
strengtheningofthetendonswhichonlythengranttothedevelopedmuscletheprac
ticalcarryingoutofafeatofstrength.
Figure7.Maxickusinggymnasticsapparatustoprove
hisamazingstrengthwhenhewasmorethan60years
old.
ThisparagraphfromMaxicksarticleisveryclear.Letsreaditcarefully.
Strengthinitsessenceisaconditionofconciousness.Thepowerof
themindistheoriginandrealinstrumentofstrengthdevelopment.There
arecountlessfactsthatproveit.Forexample,thehumanbeingisnotnat
urallyadaptedtoclimb,butbymeansofourmindfreeclimbersareableto
dothingsconsideredimpossibleforthehumanrace(ifyoudonotknow
thata9ameansinthescaleofclimbingdifficulty,Isuggestyoutotakea
view).Thesamethingoccursinalmosteverybranchoffairsport.
Allexercisesaremeremeans.MCisnotabulgingexerciseinitself,as
manycanbelieve,itisthemeanbywhichyoucanperformthestrongest
possiblemindbodyconnection.IfyouuseMCasameremeantodevel
op muscle,you willfail.There arealotofquicker methods toachieve
muscularitythanMC,becauseMCdoesnotproducelargedamagesinthe
musclefibres.MCisalongtimeandpatientinvestment(thebestonefor
health,indeed).
Justasyourequirescalestocontrolthematerialweightofanobjectso
thementallytrainingathletewhenweightliftingcanmeasurethequality
andstrengthofhismuscles.Theprincipaluseofweightsisthementalre
inforcementandencouragementthatcanproducetheobjectivemeasure
of your progress. But if you are not interested in breaking numbers,
weightsarenotnecessary.
Anadditionaladvantageoftheuseofweightsandotherexercisingap
paratusisthestrengtheningofthetendonswhichonlythengranttothe
developed muscle the practical carrying out of a feat of strength. The
strengthening of tendons can be done by other means different from
weightswiththesame(orbetterefficiency),forexample,selfresistance.
Theuseofapparatusforthispurposemustbeseldomandlimited,be
causeitrequireshightensionandconcentration.Toomuchtendontrain
ingwillcausebadinjuries.
ThemisconceptionsaboutMCanditsapplicationshadtwoconsequences.
ThedifficultyoflearningMCaloneconductedtoascornandprogressiveoblivi
onofthisartandscience,whichdegeneratedintoisotensioninbodybuilding
circles.Thesecondisevident,nobodyhasbeenabletoemulateMaxickinall
roundstrength,weightbyweight,inthelast100years.
Mindyou,althoughMaxadmitsthatTerlazzowouldhavedefeatedhimowingtothe
lattersgreatstrength helpedbymodern(BobHoffman) scientificliftingIamstillof
opinionthatmyman(Maxick)wasthestrongerofthetwowheresheernervepower
andmuscularqualityareconcerned.
ItisratherinthejerkfromtheshouldersoverheadthatMaxickisseentobestad
vantage,andhisrecordof340poundsinthismovementwouldbeequaltonoless
than400poundstoday.Thisistrulyphenomenallifting.Itwouldappeartosurpassby
atleast20poundsthebestjerkingabilityofanypresentdaylightweightlifter.[]Of
himitcouldalmosthavebeensaid,Weshallnotseehislikeagain.
(THESUPERATHLETES,DAVIDP.WILLOUGHBY)
TherehavebeenalotofvituperativeopinionsaboutMC,accusingMaxalding
offalseandnonsense.Letsreadsomeofthisopinions.
Shortlyafterproducinghisbook,Maxickformedapartnershipwithanothermuscle
man,MonteSaldo,andtogethertheycreatedaphysicalculturecoursecalledMax
alding:NatureswaytoMentalandPhysicalFitness.Thebasisfortheirtrainingadvice
wasthatcalisthenicsandmusclecontractionweretheonlythingsneededtoproducea
superbphysique.This,ofcourse,wasnonsense,butthecoursesoldwellanyway.
(GALLERYOFIRONMENMAXICK,DAVIDCHAPMAN)
Figure8.TonySansone,
theparadigmofclassical
malebeautyandoneof
themostadmired
physiquesofalltimes.
Oh,really?Whatistheideaofasuperbphysiqueforthisauthor?Abodylike
SergioOlivasone?Arenotclassicalbodies(themostappreciatedfromacom
mon aesthetic point of view) like Tony Sansones, superb physiques? Sig
Klein, who was a Maxicks pupil, said train for shape, and the strength will
come.Note,shape,notbulk.Thereisalot ofprejudgedandharmfulconcep
tionsaboutbodybuilding.
AnotherattacktoMCcamefromAlanCalvertandOttoArco.Apparentlythis
opinionisveryreliablebecauseOttoArcowasoneofthegreatestintheartof
MC.Heclaimedtobethebestandtohaveinventedsomeofthecontrolsattrib
utedtoMaxick.
HereistheopinionofTrompvanDiggelenabouttheOttosclaims.
Itwasintheyear1909thatImadeupmymindthatEnglandshouldlearnwhat
musclecontrolreallymeant.Iwasgoodatit(andstillam,IdontthinkevenArcocould
beatmyowncontrol)butIknewthatMaxhadattainedtheabsolutemasteryofallvol
untary muscles and could even control to some extent an involuntary muscle (the
heart).
Infact,Arcowaspreparingsomesortofultimateapparatusforstrengthde
velopment.Perhaps,thepossibilityofdevelopingasuperbbodywithoutappli
anceswasagainsthisbusiness.However,Arcowasoneofthebestmuscle
controllersofalltimes,herespectedMaxick'sideasandusedthem.
Figure9.OttoArco.
InwordsofAlanCalvert.
WhatisreallymeantbyMuscleControlismindcontrolovermuscle.Simply,the
abilitytoflexamusclebyaneffortofthewill,withoutthemotionoflimborbodywhich
usuallyaccompaniessuchflexion.[]Suchstuntscanbeusedasaformofexercise;
althoitisdoubtfulwhethertheyaddmuchtoeitherthesizeorstrengthofthemuscles.
Unquestionablytheydohelptopromoteabettercirculationoftheblood.[]
Thegreatestinterestinmusclecontrolthetechnicalkindisinitspossibilitiesas
ameansofdevelopment.Perhapsthereareindividuals,whohavesucceededinget
tingaprominentmusculardevelopmentthruthedailyperformanceofmusclecontrol
stunts.Thetroubleisthatmusclessodeveloped,whiletheymaystandoutdistinctly,
rarelyhavepowerinproportiontotheirsize.And,almostinvariably,thedevelopment
isconfinedtothesefewmuscleswhichareinvolvedinthemostspectaculardisplay
stunts. The objection to musclecontrol as a means of development,is much the
sameastheobjectiontotheoncepopularresistanceexercises;(thoseinwhicha
muscleisdevelopedthruworkingitagainsttheresistanceofitsopposingmuscle).Un
questionablyresistanceexerciseshelpedsomementogetshowilydevelopedupper
arms.Butbothmethodsarelimitedintheirapplicationtocomparativelyfewmuscles;
andbothinvolveanervousdrain.
(THELARGERASPECTSOFMUSCLECONTROL,ALANCALVERT)
Thus,thetwomaincriticstoMCare:
MChasaveryrestrictedapplication,itcannotworkallmuscles.
MCinvolvesanervousdrain.
Thefirstpointishighlyparadoxical,becausethepurposeofrealMCisthe
completeandhealthydevelopmentofallmusclesinthebody,including,directly
orindirectly,theinternalorgans.Infact,theselfmassagethatgeneratesMCin
theabdomenandthoraxisimpossibletosimulatewithanothertypeofexer
cises.Thesecondpointisabsurd.
Doesnottheliftingofaveryheavybarbelldrainthenervoussystem?Whydo
Olympicweightliftersperformsoalownumberofrepetitions?NotethatAlan
CalvertdoesnotmentiontherelaxingeffectsofMC,akeypointinMaxalding.
LiedermanandPaschallexpresstheirthoughtsaboutMCinsimilarterms.
But, there is a contradiction. Forexample, many experts do not negate the
valueofMCfordevelopingstrength,butitsvalueasaffectivemeantocause
musclegrowth(hypertrophy).Thisistheidea,forexample,ofJubinville.
Who has the truth? Allthis information conducts ustothe realsecrets of
Maxickstraining.ThemostattractivethingaboutMaxickisthefactthathewas
notgeneticallyfavouredbyNature,hewasaveryillchildindeed.Whatwere
theexercisesthatMaxickused?Canweemulatehim?Wecandeducethem
fromthetestimonialsofthosewhosawhimtraining.Herearetheopinionsof
TrompvanDiggelen,EdwardAston,GeorgeJowett,Pullumandfinally,avery
realistictestimonialfromCourtSaldo.
Figure10.Jubinville,oneofthelatestMC
masters.
Onthestageheneverliftedbarbells,hischiefactwasagymnasticexhibitionontwo
longsilverchains(norings);onthesechainsheperformedremarkablestuntssuchas
crucifixes,etc. Whilethe spotlightsshoweduphisunparalleleddevelopment; when

Maxthengavehismusclecontrolact(Icanassureyoufromveryvastexperiencethat
theworldhasneverseenthelike).[]AfterthisMax,whousuallyweighted under
140poundsinhismusichallperformances,wouldinviteanyheavymanintheaudi
encewhowouldliketobeliftedtocomeonthestage.Thishumandynamowould
eventakea240poundman,applyhisopenpalmtomanslowerspine,getthemanto
griphis (Maxs)wristwithbothhands,thenhewouldhoistthecumbersomehuman
dumbbelltohisshoulderusinghislefthandtohelpandthenwithoutanyfusspush
himtoarmslength(usingtheonearmonly)andwalkoffthestagewithhim.Maxhas
oftenrundownalongflightofstairsholdingmealoftwithonehand.Hewasalsoasu
pergymnastandhandbalancerandreallyonlyusedweightliftingasameansofexhib
itingtheamazingstrengthwhichhiscolossalmentalconcentrationenabledhimtouse
tounusualadvantage.
Figure11.TrompvanDiggelen,great
Maxick'sfriendandaveryinfluencialfigurein
thehistoryofbodybuilding.
TrompindicatesusthatthecoreoftheMaxickstrainingwas:
Gymnastics, especially Roman rings (without rings) feats. This type of

trainingdevelopsandextremefunctional
strengthandendurance,becausetheseexercisesdemandalotofcon
centrationandstability.Theringshitverypowerfullyallthemusclesina
stressingcombinationofcontrolledisometricsandexplosivemovements.
MuscleControlcombinedwithhandbalancing.
Weightlifting.Maxickliftedveryinfrequentlyinordertoprovehisstrength.
ThekeyofMaxicksstrengthwashiscolossalmentalconcentration.
TrompinsistsintheveryimportantpsychologicalaspectoftheMaxickstrain
ing.
Afamousanatomistoncesaidtome:WhenSickdoesfeatsofstrengthheactually
seemstoexcesshisphysicalpowersanditistruethathismentalconcentrationis
somethingphenomenal.
ThefactthattheMaxicksmentalconcentrationabilitieswereintimatelyre
latedwithhisregularMCpracticeisbeyondanydoubt.
MaxSickhassincethewordmusclecontrolwasfirstused,beenthegreatestever
atthisformofmuscularadaptability.
Ipersonallyclaimtobethefirstmanwhointroducedmusclecontrolonanscientific
basisforin1900IwastakentoViennatoshowmyexhibition(nothalfasgoodasI
sawlaterfromMaxSick)toworldfamousnervespecialistKrafftEbing.
HereistheAstonstestimonial.RememberthatAstonwonMaxickattheir
weightlifting matches(notethe extremeadmiration and friendship thatAston
showstoMaxick).
ButMaxickwasunluckywiththeweightshereagainstmeIdontbelieveheeven
trainedseriouslyforme.Hewantedtobeataheavyweight,notamiddleweight.
Howeverhisreputationdidnotsuffer.Forasmallishmanhewasasuperman,and
heprovedit.[]Hiscultofmusclecontrolwasavogueforyears,anditstillhasmany
adherents.Muchhasbeenwrittenabouthisrelyingpurelyoncontrolexerciseforhis
weightlifting matches, but there is no truth in this theory. Maxick himself says, I
trainedforweightliftingwithweightshowelsecouldIdeveloptendonstrengthsoes
sentialtothegame?
MCisaperfecttraininginitself,but nospecific.Butthishappensinevery
branchof sport,isaconsequenceofthespecifictrainingprincipleandfollowsfrom
muscularadaptabilitytoaspecificwork.Ifyouwanttoliftiron,youmustliftironsome
times,itisevident.Andifyouwanttorunamarathon,youmustrunalot.Butimmedi
atelyAstonmakesclearerhisstatement.
Figure12.AstonshowingaMaxaldinginspired
exercise.
Maxickwasnotaprofessionalweightlifter;hewasaGymnast,aMusicHallArtiste,
andsculptorsmodel.HewasalsobearerinHandBalancingactswithpartnersall
heaviermen.Ibelievehecouldwrestletoo,butcaredlittleforit.
WhatwastheroleofMCinthebeginningsofMaxickstraining?Astonsays
us.
Washebornfavouredwiththepromiseofagoodphysique?No!Hewassicklyasa
child,andwhenhewasoldenoughtobetiredofbeingmediocre,hedeterminedtodo
somethingaboutit.NotbeingabletoaffordappliancesheinventedhisownMuscle
Controlanditservedhispurposeuntilheneededfreshinterestsandtheapparatus
tofurtherthem.
Maxickwasnotonlyabletocontrolhisbody,allwhoknewthem,alsoad
miredhispersonality.
AsamanhewasandstillisfineexampleofStrengthwithModesty,and,seriousin
mattersofphysicalhealth,hewasalsoveryhuman.
(MAXICK,THESUPERMAN,EDWARDASTON)
The benefits of MC were fully recognized by Aston after Monte Saldo,

cofounderofMaxaldingandprobablyoneofthemostclevertrainerofalltimes,
preparedhimforhismatchwithInch,whichAstonwon.
Inaturallyandnecessarilydevotedthemajorityofmytimeandofmyenergiesto
weightliftingpractice,butatnostageofmycareer,noteventodaywhenIamearning
myregularincomeasanacrobaticdanceronthestage,haveIomittedthisselfresist
anceorfreeexercisesfrommydailypractice.
Ifindthereisquiteawideinteresttakeninfreeexercises,inphysicaldevelopment
throughthemutualoppositionorantagonismofmusclegroups.[]Theseshoulddis
cover quitespeedilythat selfresistance orfree exercises can befully and even
moreinterestingthanthemorestrenuoussystemsofPhysicalCultureandDevelop
ment.
Asonedevelopsandintensifiesfreeorselfresistanceexercises,oneinevitably
commencestodevelopmusclecontrol.Onelearnsevermoreaboutonesownbody
anditspossibilities,itspeculiarweaknessesandstrengths,andequallyinevitablyone
isencouragedtomakefreshexperiments.Onefindsthatwhilecertainmusclegroups
arebeingstrengthenedothersarebenefiting,perhapswithoutoneshavingbeenfully
consciousthattheywouldsobenefit.Moreover,therewillbescarcelyanyriskatall
thatthemusclesastheydevelop,thatistosay,increaseinbulk,willbemerelyfordis
play,hardandoflittle,ifanyrealvalue,saveaspaddingforonesclothes.
Musclewhichiscultivated,bymentaldirection,willbeeversupple,resilientandof
thefinestquality,readilyadaptableforanypurposetowhichitmaybeapplied.
(HOWTODEVELOPSTRENGTHWITHOUTAPPLIANCES,EDWARDASTON)
Aston confirms us that the regular and serious use of MC can develop
strengthandbulktoahighdegree,benefitingallmusclesinthebody.Besides,
thistypeofmuscles,workedbyMC,areoftopqualityandveryadaptableto
anyothersport.Thisisakeyidea,ifyourcoretrainingisnotbasedinMC,you
mustperformalwaysMCasapreliminarytraininginanybranchofsport,never
asafinalretouchforbodybuildingposes.
CanMCsubstituteyourspecifictrainingforgymnasticsorweightlifting?No,
notatall,youmustfeeltheresistancethatyouwanttomove.But,canMCbea
complete training systemfordeveloping great strength and a beautiful body
withoutappliances?Emphaticallyyes.
Astoninsistsintheimportanceofmentalconcentrationforsuccess.
Ifbenefitisdesiredanddevelopmentsoughtafter,especiallyifthisissoughtinim
provementofmusclequality,theexercisesshouldbeapproachedandcarriedthrough
inthoroughlyseriousveinandwithfullmentaldirectiontowardsthegoalatwhichone
isaiming.
AstonembracedfirmlytheprinciplesthatfoundedMaxaldinginhisarticles.
TheimportantthinginPhysicalCultureisnottheuseofweightsorapparatus,
isthementalattitudeanditsapplicationtorealMC.
Youmayperformfreeexercisesuntilthecowscomehomewithlittlebenefittoyour
health,strengthormuscularityiryourmindiswanderingfromthethoughtsofbreak
fasttoyourbestgirl,foritisonlywhenyoufocusyourfullattentiontothemusclesbe
ingusedthattheworkbecomesstrenuousandresultgetting.
Attempttopickupaweightfromtheflooronejustwithinyourcompassandyou
willfindthatunlessyoubringyourfullpowerstobearonthejobinhand,youwillnot
succeedinraisingitaninch.Youhavetogiveyourfullandundividedattentiontothe
taskofraisingtheweight;otherwiseyouwillfail.
(HOWTODEVELOPAPOWERFULGRIP,EDWARDASTON)
ThisisrepeatedcontinuouslyinalmosteveryAstonswriting.Irecommend
vividly the reading of these works, because are plenty of good sense and
showssomeverypracticaltrainingideas.Forexample,theuseofanantibar
bell(aleverageapplianceformedexclusivelybyabarandaweightof5kgat
tached tooneend)isacheap,safeandexcellentwaytotrainwithweights
(withouttheneedofheavyweights).Suchasimpleapparatushasallthebene
fitsofkettlebellswithoutanyoftheirshortcomings.
The Astons opinions are very important because he lost some fingers in
WorldWarIandsurelyhecouldnottrainwithveryheavyweights.Herearehis
wordsforaMaxaldingbrochure.
DearCoutSaldo,Youwillnodoubtbesurprisedtohearfrommeatthisratherlate
day inmylife, age72, but Ithought itwouldbeof some interest toyour circleof
friendstoknowhowMaxaldinghasservedme.SecondonlytoMaxickhimself,your
fatherconsideredmeastheexponentofthecult,andasyounodoubtremember,I
wasthechiefmodelinthelecturesanddemonstrationsgiventomedicalprofession
andinafilmtakenoftheexercises.ThroughoutmyprofessionalcareerMaxaldingal
wayskeptmeintopform,andtodayIamfitandtakenforaman20yearsyounger.
AlthoughtheAstonsarticlesaresufficienttohaveaclearconceptaboutthe
Maxickstrainingprinciples,itisagoodthingtoexploretheexperiencesofan
other famous strongmen. George Jowett did not like pure MC exercises
(withoutmechanicalresistance),butagreedcompletelywithMaxicksideas.
Max Sick, the marvellous Bavarian athlete, practised most for back development
whathandbalancerscallpressouts.Ihappentoknowthisexercisewasoneofhis
petexercises.Somuchhebelievedinitthatitfinallybecamehisonlyexercise(after
hehadgottenhisdevelopment).[]Personally,Idonotcaretoomuchforwillpower
exercisesorthosewhichinvolveconcentrationunlesstheyarecombinedwithsome
other formofresistance. Italwaysseems tometo betoomuchofadrainonthe
nervoussystem.Iamallforbuildingupandwouldrathernotdoanexercise,nomatter
howgooditisrated,ifIseeitcausesanorganic,nervousorothermuscularreaction.
TherearepeoplewhowillmentionMaxSickasamarvellousexampleofonewho
employedwillpoweronly.Butthisisnotwhollytrue,andIthinkthosepeoplespeak
morefromhearsaythanfromactualobservationofthisgreatathlete.IknewhimandI
sawhimtraindayinanddayout.Mostofhisexerciseshedidpractisewithouttheuse
ofapparatus,butinallofthemhesuppliedaresistanceonmuchthesamemanneras
employedinthelastexplainedexercise[selfresistance].Heemployedonegroupof
musclesagainsttheother.Inotherexercisesheusedlightdumbbells.
Tosomethismayseemstrangesincehisrecordsandachievementsasastrong
manmakethebestlivingmiddleweightstrongmanlooklikeababy.Hisstatementin
hisbookisIdonothavetouseheavyweightinordertoaccomplishgreatphysical
feats.Positionsarethemostimportanttolearnbuttheycannotbelearnedstruggling
withheavyobjects,whichtakesalmostallofyourstrength.Neithercanstrongmuscles
bebuiltstrugglingwithheavyweights.Strugglingwithheavyweightskeepsthemind
fromconcentratingwhollyupontheexercisesandsorobsthemusclesofthebenefitof
theexercise.Itiscommonsense.ArthurSaxonpreachedthesamestoryandprac
tised it.HesaidWhenamanraises,onceonly,aheavyweight,allthatheproves
himselftopossessismuscularcontrolandgreatcontractilepower,butthisnotguaran
teesoundinternalorgansnordoesitprovethatamanwouldcomeoutwellinanen
durancetest.HefurtherstatesTakecareoftheorgansandtheywilltakecareofthe
muscles.
Icouldrepeatandproduceproofuponproofoftestimonybelievedandpractisedby
other giantsofstrength andthesubstance oftheirtrainingis allinthesamevein,
namely,exercisewithheavyweightsisnotnecessaryformusculardevelopment.Both
MaxSickandSaxonstandwithoutequal.Bothweredeepstudentsofthebodyand
knewitsphysicalmechanismfromAtoZ.Botharelivingexamplesofwhattheyprac
tisedandpreached.
Neitherwaseverinfluencedbycommercialinfluencestosellorsignlyingtestimoni
als.Idefyanyonetoproduceawrittentestimonialtothecontraryeversignedbyeither
man.
Iquotewhateachwroteintheonlybookeacheverwrote.Iknewthemintimatelyas
Iknewothers.TherewasatimeinmyyounglifewhenIbecamesoobsessedtolift,I
lostmybetterreasoning,andbecamesoweakIcouldnotlifthalfwithtwohandsthatI
hadbeenabletoliftwithone.Iwasseventeenyearsoldatthetime,andhavetothank
bothSaxonandHackenschmidtforcorrectingmymethodoftraining.
Theunfortunatethinginthebodybuildingtrainingofmanyyoungfellowsisthatfor
somereasontheyeasilybelievethingsthatarecontrarytofact.Factsalonecountand
provethesubstanceoftheeffort.Followtheadviceofthegreatmasterswhoproved
bytheir superlative health andrugged strength andphysicalperfection the truth of
theirbeliefsandletnothingelsedeteryou.
(MOLDINGAMIGHTYBACK,GEORGEJOWETT)
ThistextgivesusalotofinformationabouttheMaxickstrainingandprin
ciples.Ishallanalyseitindepth.
Pressouts,orhandstandpushups,wereoneofthefavouriteMaxicks
exercises.Heperformedthemdirectlyonthefloorinaslowandcontrolled
manner,probablycontractingthenecessarymusclesalongtherangeof
motion.Pressoutsareakeyexerciseingymnasticsandtheydevelopex
tremecoordinationandcorestrength.Onevariationofthisexerciseisthe
famoustigerbend,anotherpetexerciseofoldstrongmen.Theseexer
ciseswererecommendedforquickimprovementinpressingpower.
BodyweightexercisescombineverywellwithMC.Bothtypeofexercises
complement each other in an almost ideal form. This is because pure
mentalMCproducesintramuscularandintermusculartensionsimilartoa
pullingactionwithoutactualmotionofthejoints(musclepullstendon),but
purebodyweightexercisesareofpushingnatureingeneral(tendonpulls
muscle).Thismakesthemusclecontrolledbodyweightexercisesharder
than the corresponding weightlifting ones, because in weightlifting the
contractionoftheinvolvedmuscleshelpsthemotionandmakesitmore
stable, but in bodyweight exercises, the contraction of the involved
musclesmakesthemotionslowerandmoredifficult,forcingustoconcen
trateourattentioncompletelyontheexercise.Besides,theuseofourown
bodyhelpsustolearnmoreeasilywhichmusclesmustberelaxedand
whichcontractedinfullbodymovements.Ontheotherside,weightlifting
orselfresistanceexerciseswillbemoresuitableinordertolearnhowto
isolateindividualmusclegroups,becauseproduceamorerecognizable
tensionfeelingoverthemuscles.
Theperformanceofalargenumberofexercisesisnotnecessary.Iyou
applycorrectlyMCtoyourtraining,itissufficienttoselectonlyafewexer
ciseswhichinvolvealotofdifferentmusclegroupsinordertodevelopa
great strength tobodyweight ratio. RememberthatMCisaperfect no
specifictraininginitself.Ifyouarenotinterestedinexcellingatanypartic
ularsport(youwanttobehealthyandstrongingeneral),youneedtoper
formonlytwoofthreewholebodyexerciseslikesquats,pushupsorpull
ups.
Pure mental MC training is very difficult because it involves a large

amountoflearningtime,concentrationandselfdiscipline.Thisisthemain
reasonbecausemanystrongmendidnotuseMCinitspureform,anath
letewants(orneeds)quickerresultsingeneralthanMCproduces.This
wasnottheMaxickscase,becausehehadnoaccesstoanykindofap
paratusduringhisfirstyearsoftraining.Wecanobservethattheadvice
aboutMCdrainingthenervoussystemwasverycommonbetweensome
oldstrongmen.Thiscouldbecertaininextremecases,comparingMCto
strongfortism,forexample,butitiscompletelyabsurdfromthepointof
view of heavy weightlifting. MC affects negatively your nervous system
onlyifyoudonotfollowtheveryimportantadviceofneverallowingyour
musclesvibrateorstrain.Infact,oneofthemostamazingandpleasant
resultsofMCisthedeeprelaxingsensationitproduces.GoodMChelps
toreinforceandreplenishwithenergyyourbodyandmind,doesnotdrain
thematall.
ItisconvenienttocombinerealresistancewithMCinfirststagesofMax
alding.Manypeoplefindverydifficulttorelaxandisolateadequatelycer
tainmusclegroups,strainingthemselvestoomuchwhiletheytrytocon
tractpowerfullythedesiredmuscles.Alightamountofresistancecanhelp
the student to distinguish correctly the intramuscular and intermuscular
tensions.Realresistanceisalsonecessarytodevelop tendonstrength.
MCmuscledevelopmentmustbealwaysbalancedbytendonreinforce
ment,becauseaverystrongmusclecandamagearelativelyweakand
untrainedtendoninarealheavyeffort.Buttendonstrengthdoesnotin
volvesaspecialtraining,lightweights,selfresistanceisometricsorcon
trolledbodyweightleverageexerciseswillsuffice.Thisdoesnotimplythat
MCisnotgoodfortendons,onthecontrary,MCmakesthetendonsmore
flexibleandresponsivetorealwork.
The core of Maxicks training was no apparatus exercises, all authors

agree with this. Maxick lifted seldom heavy weights, but a minimum
amountofliftswasabsolutelynecessaryforhiminordertolearnthecor
rectpositionsforeachlift,howtoapplyMCtothemandinordertohis
tendonsgotusedtohighloads.
TheauthorofthetextaffirmsthatMaxickdidnotuseMCinitspuremen
talform.Idonotagreewiththis.TheAstontestimonialsrevealclearlythat
selfresistanceisonlyapreviousmeantoachievetrueMC.Theaimis
trueMC,notexercisingonemuscleagainstother.Besides,theauthoris
referringtobackexercises.Casually,manyoftheMaxaldingbackexer
cises involve self resistance assistance (for example, loosening of
shoulderblades)becausetheyarenotdirectedtowardscontraction,but
relaxation of muscles, tendons and ligaments of the back. They are
stretching exercises (excellent PNF exercises really), not contraction
ones.
Maxick used lightdumbbells insome of his exercises. The reason are

clearlyexplainedbelowinthesametext.Thekeytosuccessinscientific
weightlifting is the correct sequence of lifting positions associated with
contraction and relaxation of necessary muscle groups. Such positions
onlycanbelearnedwithadefinitementalconcentrationoverthemuscles,
butthisconcentrationisimpossibletoachieveifyouworryaboutliftinga
veryheavydumbbell.Probablytheuseoflightdumbbellsalongthewhole
rangeofmotionwasassociatedwiththeconscioustensingandrelaxingof
themusclesinvolvedintheliftandIguessthatthistensionwasintensified
incriticalpointsbymeansofspecificfunctionalisometricactionbymeans
ofMC.
Is amazing the agreement between all great old strongmen about the
Maxicksideas.Strongmusclescannotbereallydevelopedstrainingthe
body with heavy weights until failure. This deserves a deep reflection.
Havewereallyadvancesomuchinsporttrainingfromthegoldenageof
greatstrongmen?Unfortunatelyno,allmodernresearchhasbeendirec
ted(apparently?)tothedesignofmosteffectivedrugsandtothequicker
destructionofthechampionbodies.Forexample,whyhasnottrainingto
failurebeenremovedfromEarth,ifitisproveditsdangerouseffectsover
thehealth?Whoisinterestedinsustainingsuchabsurdpractices?Why
havewetoexploretextsalmost100yearsoldinordertolearncorrect
traininganddietetichabits?Toomanyworryingquestionswithoutclear
answers.
Strength isas important to health as endurance. But endurance is not

basedintheperformanceofhundredsofrepetitions,itisfoundedinthe
careofinternalorgans.Theendurancemustbeintheheart,lungs,liver,
kidneys,Ifyouwanttoimproveyourendurancewithoutraisingthenum
berofyourexercises,youmusttrytheMaxaldingexercisesdirectedto
wardsthethoraxandtheabdomen.Practisefulltidalbreathingthrough
thenosealltimeandyouwillbeamazedwiththeresults.Adefinitivetesti
monial that supports the claims of Maxalding, exercise with heavy
weightsisnotnecessaryformusculardevelopment.Thisisalsothereas
onbywhichsomeothersystemsbasedinthesametrainingphilosophy,
likestrongfortism,producessogoodresults.Thissameprincipleapplies
tobodyweightexercises,itisnotnecessarytoperformtoofrequentlyex
tremelyhardleveragefeatslikeonehandedoneleggedpushups,one
legged squats, one armed pullups or handstands in order to achieve
reasonablehighstrengthlevels.Inthisrespect,anhistoricalanalysiscan
reveal us a veryinteresting conclusion. The bodyweight leverage exer
cisescontainedintheoriginalMaxaldingbookandintheoldestcourses
canberatedaseasy(themostdemandingonesaresimplyMCsquats
andpushups),excepttheexercisePP,consideredafinaltestofstrength
andcontrolwiththeadviceofperformingitonlyonceortwice.However,
thenumberofMCexerciseswasrelativelyhigh.Inlateryears,underthe
guidance of Court Saldo, Maxalding courses evolved towards harder
bodyweightexerciseswithanoticeablereductionofMCexercises.Which
wasthereasonofthischange?DidthefaithonMCdecrease?Ithinkno.
CourtSaldo sustained anheroic defence ofMC,but inaprogressively
quickerandstressingworldpeoplelookforquickerresultsthancanbe
generatedbymeansofMC.Todaypeoplegenerallyhavenotenoughpa
tiencetolearnMC,andMCisaverydifficultarttolearnaloneindeed.An
otherimportantproblemforCourtSaldowasprobablythechangesinthe
aesthetic model of bodybuilding. The people demanded unrealistic and
quick increases in bulk. Maxalding is a natural method unable (only in
musclevolume,notinpurestrength)tocompetewiththechemicallyen
hancedbodybuildersoftoday.CourtSaldowasforcedsomewhattoin
creasetheamountofresistanceviaharderleverageexercisesinsteadthe
originalMCexercises,lessriskyandmoreproductiveinthe future, but
considerablymoredifficulttolearnforpeoplesaturatedwithuntilfailure
burning techniques. Unfortunately, Maxalding is not attractive because
MCdoesnotproducemusclefatigueintheacceptedsense.
Adeepknowledgeoftheownbodyanditsphysiologyisnecessaryinor
dertoexcelatanysport.Thisdoesnotimpliesthateverybodymustbea
MD,buteverybodymustknowwhatisgoodforhimorher,becauseeach
individualrequiresapersonalizedtrainingdependingonhisorherneeds
andpreferences.
Physicalperfectionwithaperfecthealthisalongwaywhichdoesnotad
mitanyshorterpathtogo.Discipline,fidelitytoreasonabletrainingand
moralprinciplesandmentalcontrolarenecessaryinordertoachieveex
cellence.
Nothingnewunderthesun.Thesamehypesthatarepresentnowdes
troyingyouthenergies,werepresent100yearsago.Apparently,therehas
beenlittleimprovementinPhysicalCulturefromGrimektonow.
You must believe inyour own possibilities. As Maxicksaid, strength is

mainlyamentalattitudeandastateofconsciousness.
W.A.PullumwasalegendaryweightlifterandclosefriendofAston,Monte
SaldoandMaxick.HereishisaccuratepointofviewaboutMaxickstraining(I
recommendthereadingofthewholearticle).
TheMaxickandSaldoalliancewiththenewandnovelsystemthatitproduced
puttheuseofweightsintosomewhatdifferentperspective.Itemployedthemsimplyto
demonstratewhatsheerpowercouldbebuiltupasthenecessitousfactorforlifting
thembythepracticeofexercisesinwhichweightsthemselvesplayednopart.Itwasa
revolutionarytheoryatthetime,butthetwoprincipalsprovedittobemorethanjusta
theorybywhattheydid.Maxickliftedpoundagesfaraboveanythingthathadbeen
donebyanymanofhisbodyweightbefore.Saldo,althoughaveteranwhohadgiv
enupthepracticeofheavyliftingforyears,afterashortpreparationviatheMaxald
ing method,swungadumbbellexceedingthepoundage ofhisownbodyweight
withonehand.Itwasanofficialworldrecordatthetimeandtheveryfirstinstanceof
thisparticular feateverbeingdone.Itwasperformedatabigprofessionaltourna
mentrunatCamberwellintheyear1912.
MaxickandSaldowerefrequentvisitorsofmyestablishment,bothbeingvicepresid
entsoftheclub.Ihadmanyopportunities,therefore,ofwitnessingwhattheycoulddo
intheweightliftinglinewhentheyweresuccessfullyprevailedupontomanifestthis.
Which,Imayadd,wasnotalwaysforsoahighstandarddidtheysetthemselvesthat
neitherwouldconsenttoperformunlessfeelinguptothatdegreeofachievement.
Irememberoneoccasionwellandtheinvestingcircumstanceswhichwillservetoil
lustratehowreallylittleMaxicktouchedweights,yethowimpressivelyhecouldper
formnotwithstanding.ItwasasummerafternoonandMaxandMontewerepayingan
unexpectedcall.TheywentupstairsfirsttoseeAston(whowasthenrentingtheupper
floorsof5ChurchStreetforhisoffices),thenallthreecamedowntoseeme.Ina
shortwhilewerepairedtotheclubroom,whereAstonandmyselfproposedtodoa
spotoftraining.AskingMontehowMaxwasshaping,thelatterrepliedthatheshould
beingoodformashehadnttouchedaweightforatleast6weeks.IputittoMax,
therefore,thatheshouldcomeontotheplatform,too,andgiveusashow.Hewasre
luctanttodothisatfirstbuteventuallyagreed.Withoutremovinganypartofhiscloth
ing,hetook300lbtothechest,withtwohandsandjerkeditoverheadwithoutmoving
hisfeetintheslightest.Hethentooka200lbbarbellfromthefloortotheshoulderwith
hisrighthandandjerkeditoverhead6timesinsuccessionagainwithoutmovinghis
feet.Disdainingcustomarystandardtechnique,hemusclecontrolledtheweightsup!
(WEIGHTSAREGREAT!,W.A.PULLUM)
Figure13.Pullum,legendary
weightlifterandrecordbreaker.
Thetextissoclearthatitdoesnotneedanyadditionalcomment.Itconfirms
ourideasaboutMaxalding.ButPullumdidnotlimittoexpresshisadmirationfor
Maxick.
HeratedMaxaldingasoneofmostscientificandproductivePhysicalCulture
methods.
InthecaseofMaxSick,however,whenhegavemusclecontroltotheworld(as
hechosetointerprettheterm),hewas,withoutquestion,presentingsomethingen
tirelynew.Andwhen,withtheassistanceofMonteSaldo,thisuniquecultwasampli
fiedtoadegreewhichmadeitaprovencompleteandultrascientificmethodofphysic
alculture,somethingelseequallynewhadcomebeforethePCpublic.
PullumemphasizedalsothehumanqualitiesofMaxick,asexcellentashis
strengthabilities.
WhenMaxSicksstorywasgiventotheworld,itwasdiscoveredthatheheldother
qualificationsthanthosewhichhehadsosensationallydemonstratedunderthefoster
ingandguidinghandofMonteSaldo.Hewasasuperbgymnastandhandbalancer;
hewas,asateacher,mosthighlytalented;hewaslearnedinthefieldofphilosophy;
alsoamuchtalentedandculturedman.Tocrownall,hewasasmodestashewas
great,possessingacharmingpersonalityintothebargain.
(SOMETHINGREALLYNEW!,W.A.PULLUM)
TherealfactisthatallpeoplewhoknewMaxickpersonallyaffirmedthathis
MCandhismusclequalitywereunbeatable.
Haveyouanydoubtyetaboutthepossibilityofdevelopinggreatstrengthand
musclewithMC?ReadthisquotationfromPullum.
[]seealsoanothercontributiontothispatternmakehistorybypresentinganew
andsensationalmethodofstrengthandbodilydevelopment,thisbeingviatheartand
scienceofmusclecontrol!
PerhapsyoucouldthinkthatallthesefavourabletestimonialstowardsMC
andMaxaldingareduetothefriendshipoftheauthorswithMaxickandMonte
Saldo.Wecanfindsimilaropinionssomeyearslater,whentheartofMCwas
almostforgottenandmore(seemingly)scientifictrainingmethodshadimposed.
Maxick,ashewasbetterknown,wasagreatfriendofmyfather,thelateW.A.Pul
lum,andIwellrememberseeinghimonnumerousoccasions,agreatmanyyears
ago,atCamberwell.
Maxick, in conjunctionwith Monte Saldo, wasresponsiblefor the creationof the
wonderfulmusclecontrolsystemknownasMaxalding,andasreadersknow,thissys
temofP.C.isstillsuccessfullybeingtaughtbyCourtSaldo,thesonofMonte.
InhisdayMaxickwasamarvellouslifter,butheisbetterfamedforhisintroduction
ofmusclecontroltothiscountrywhereitprovedagreatsensation.Hisgreatpowersof
liftingandsuperbphysiqueheattributedtohispracticeofmusclecontrol,andhissys
tem aroused interest amongst the medical profession, who investigating, found the
claimsmadeonhisbehalfproveduptothehilt.
(ANOTHERIMMORTALPASSES,W.S.PULLUM)
Inspiteoftheirrefutabletestimonialsandfacts,manypeopleinsistnowadays
ontheclaimsofMaxaldingbeinganimpossiblegoal.Therealthingwasthat
Maxickhadsomethingspecial.Thismysteriousfactorcouldnotbegenetic,
becausehewasaveryillchild,ordietetic,becauseheatefarlessfoodthanor
dinarypeople,orbasedinanysecretappliance,becauseheusedscarcelyany
apparatusforhisdailytraining.Thelogicalconclusionisclear,theonlypossible
differentiatingfactorhadtobetheregularuseofMCfromchildhood.
InhisdaysCourtSaldowasaskedaboutthisverysamequestionandthis
washisveryclever,objectiveandaccurateanswer.
WasMaxickamusclecontrolleroralifterfirst?
InMaxicksownstoryofhisearlylifehetoldushow,whenaboy,hewasprevented
fromtakingpartinsportorweightlifting()byhisparents.Butintheseclusionofhis
roomhewouldthroughthemotionofliftingimaginaryweights,tensinghisbodyand
contractinghismusclesasthoughactuallyundergoingphysicalexertion.Graduallyhe
foundthathecouldcontractmusclessingly(isolatethem)andhisbodybegantode
velop.
Butitwasnotuntillaterinhislifethathediscoveredallthemusclecontrolexercises
asweknowthemtoday.
When he did eventually have the opportunity of joining his local athletic club he
foundthathiscontrolledmusclesputhimfaraheadoftheothermembersandapplying
thissameconcentrationandcontroltoactualliftinghesoonbecamechampionofthe
club; then champion of the area; later champion of Germany, and eventually the
strongestmanofhisweightintheworld.
SoMaxickwasamusclecontrollerfirst,althoughthetermsmusclecontrol,ab
dominalisolations,scapulaexpansion,etc.,etc.,wereallcoinedbythewritersfath
er(MonteSaldo)afterMaxickhadcometothiscountryin1909.
WouldMaxickhavebeenasstrongwithouttheuseofweights?
Tobeachampionlifteronehastoacquirecertainphysicalandpsychologicalqualit
iesnotpurelyconnectedwithmuscularstrength.Therehastobecertainadjustments
tothenervoussystem;theoverheadbalancesensemustbeacquired;thepersonal
knowledgeofonesstrengththatcanonlycomefromthefeeloftheweightsandoth
erthingssuchasconfidence,temperamentandtechniquemustbeadded.Justamu
sicalgeniuswiththemostperfecthandsintheworldcouldnotbecomeaninstrument
alistwithoutapplyinghimselftoaninstrument,soamanofgreatstrengthcouldnever
become a champion lifter without some use of the weights. But Maxick probably
handledweightsfarlessfrequentlythananyotherworldschampion,justasheatefar
lessfoodthantheaverageman.
Maxicksgymnasticabilitywasasgreatashisliftingabilityanditcanbeenreadily
understood that a man of 147 lb. Bodyweight who could Continental Jerk 322 lb.,
CleanandJerk232lb.withonehand,aswellasPress250lb.,couldhandlehisown
bodyweightintheHerculeanbalanceswithridiculousease.
(THEWHYANDHOWOFMUSCLECONTROL,PARTTHREE,COURTSALDO)
2.3.Visualizationtechniques
AveryimportantcomponentofMCtrainingistheconscioususeofmentalre
inforcementandvisualizationtechniquesinordertoachievethedesiredresults.
Maxickisveryclearinthisrespect.
There was for me only one thought and one desire to become strong and
everythingelsehadtobowbeforethisunconditionalgoal.Mylastthoughtbeforefall
ingasleepwasthewishfordevelopmentofstrength.InmydreamsIsawmyselfasan
athlete.Eachnewdaybeganwiththeferventhopethatthenextonewouldfindme
makingphysicalprogresstowardsmyobjective.
Nowpleasedonotliftupyourarmsindespairandassumethatthiswasakindof
monomania.Bearinmindthatistheabsenceofthisconstructivementalattitudeand
spiritofdeterminationthatmakesitimpossibleforinnumerablementoderivesatisfact
oryprogressintheirphysicaltrainingactivities.
Hewhowantstoscaletothetopofanartoractivitymustpaythefullpriceforthis,
andthefullpriceisabsolutedevotiontothecause.Theessenceofthisdevotionliesin
thefullattentioninthecarryingoutoftheexercisescombinedwiththecertaintythat
successmustcomeastheconsequenceofthenaturallawofthefoundationswelay
byconscioustraining.Inaddition,perseveranceincarryingoutatrainingprogramisof
transcendentalimportance.
Forbeginnerstheconstantuseofamirrormaybesomewhatharmfulsincewesee
initonlyourpresentphysicalconditionandruntheriskofbeingdiscouragedthatwe
willnotattainthedesiredgoal.Ifyoulookatyourselfinamirroreverynowandthen
youwillbepleasantlysurprisedbytheprogressinyourdevelopmentandyouwillre
ceiveanewimpulsetocarryon.Inmyyouththeuseofclosetmirrorswasnotascom
monastodayandwhenIoncewascurioustoseethedevelopmentofmyupperarm
inthemirrorIwasobligedtostandonmytiptoestoseethedesiredobject.
Itisknownthateverythingmenhavecreatedhasfirstbeenshapedandimaginedin
theideaandinthoughts.Thestrength,however,whichisnecessaryformaterialization
ofathoughtistheintensitywithwhichweinspirethatthoughtandwithwhichwefinally
molditintoaformperceptibletothesenses.Weexpressthereforefigurativelyspeak
ingonlywhatwehaveimaginedwithsufficientplasticityandintensity.If,therefore,at
tentionisthemeansofinspiringathoughttherecanbenoquestionthatthematerializ
ationofthethoughtanddesireofpersonalstrengthdevelopmentmustresideinthe
steadypreservingoftherequiredattentionandinnerpurpose.
Thismentallawofthematerialcorrespondenceofpsychologicaldesireisanever
activeoperatingforceinoureverydaylife.
[]
Inmyowndevelopmentthemostrigorousbodytraininghassteadilygonehandin
handwiththepersistentbeliefinthematerializationofmydesires.Itismyfirmconvic
tion that bodies by nature underprivileged or weakened by disease are capable
throughpracticeinspiredbythewishforstrengtheningtoprogresstothestageofbe
ingcapableofworthyathleticachievements.Thishasprovedtobeparticularlytruein
weightlifting.
Ihavebeenabletomaketheobservationthatabilityofachievementacquiredthe
hardwayagainstobstaclesisoftenmoredurableandconstantthanwhenitismade
possiblethroughnaturalendowments.[]
Itmust,therefore,bemadecleartoeveryonethatstrengthinitsessenceisacondi
tionofconciousness andthatallexercisesaremeremeans.However,justasyou
requirescalestocontrolthematerialweightofanobjectsothementallytrainingath
letewhenweightliftingcanmeasurethequalityandstrengthofhismuscles.[]
Indeed,theessenceofstrengthdoesnotlieinthemusclesbutinthoughtjustasthe
strengthofalocomotivecanonlybefoundinthesteamandnotinthewheels.
FollowingthegreatMaxicksideas,Illtrytoexplainhowwecanapplythisso
importantvisualizationtechniquesinaMaxaldingtraining.Theseareafewgen
eralrules.
Takeapositiveattitudetowardsyourselfandtrytoimaginearealisticand
optimisticphysiqueforyou.
Sometimes,speciallyinfirststagesoftraining,theresultaresloworyou
simplycannotknow how wouldbe aperfectphysique foryou.Inthis
case,imagineyourselfasMaxick,forexample,andtrytoemulatehim.
Alwaysrememberthatyouareunique,youmustlookingforyourownper
fection.AlthoughyoucanusetheMaxickspicturesforinspiration,youare
different.Feelproudofyourachievementsandneverbecomedepressed
bythefactthatyouarenotlikesomeotherperson.
Believeinyourdreams,iftheyaregoodforyou.Perhapsyouneverwill
beabletoachievethem,butmanytimesinthewaytoan(apparently)im
possiblesuccesswediscovermoreimportantthingsthanthosewhichap
pearedinouroriginalthoughts.
There isa principal objective inPhysical Culture,perfect health.Never

abandonthisgoalpersuadedbyquickeranddangerousresults.
Dontusethemirrortoomuch.Trytoimagineyourselflikeyouwanttobe
underyourpresentskin.Feelyourbody,learnfromitandteachithowit
shouldbe.
Persevereinyourtraining.Practiceuntilyoubeamasterineachcontrol,
eachmovement,eachthoughtofyourbodyandyourmind.
Trytocontrolyourselfinallyourdailyactionsandthoughts.Reflecton
everythoughtyouhaveandtrytonotoverwhelm.
Be patient, very patient. Allimportant things demand its own time. But
dontbeaconformist,exertyourself.
Observethelittledetails,becauseifyoucandothis,youwillbeableto
faceuptogreataims.
Andnow,somemorespecificvisualizationtechniquesforMC.
Concentrateinyourbreathinginsteadtime.Trytobreathslowlyandwith
thesamerateduringcontractionandrelaxation.Thinkasnothingcould
turnawayyourdesiredgoal.
Holdyourconcentrationineverymoment,relaxdoesnotconsistinallow
ingthemindfreelywander!RelaxationinMaxaldingisnotapassiveatti
tudeorastatenearsleep,isaveryactivestateofalertofthemindthat
preventscertainbodypartstospendenergy.
Try to identify your own energy and differentiate its origin: nervous,
thermal,mechanical,
Concentrateintheflowofheatthatthecontractionofamusclegrouppro
ducesandtrytoincreaseitseffectmentally.
Studycarefullyachartofmusclesinthebodyandimagineeachmuscle
asaperfectunityduringthecontraction.
Tenseyourmusclesveryslowlyfeelingeachpartoftheanatomy,each
fibreanddirectallyourthoughtstothem.Relaxveryslowlytoo.
Countthecontractionandrelaxationtimeswithyourownbreathingrate.
Donotforcebreathinginanycase.
Trytoimaginehoweachbreathiscontributingtoreplenishyouofenergy,
howtheoxygenflowisdirectedtowardsthecontractedmuscle.
Trytofeelandimaginehowyourrelaxedmusclesgrowduringrest.Al
waysgotobedwiththefirmbeliefthattomorrowyouwillbebetterand
stronger.
Avoidboredom,itwillbeyourworstenemy.Enjoywitheachcontroland
exercise.Trytoexcelyourselfineveryaction.
Neverallowtobetemptedbytheideathatyouarealreadyamasterin
MC,exertyourselfineachcontrol,youcanalwaysincreaseyourconcen
trationalittlebit.
2.4.Theimportanceofindividualtraining
Health,selfconfidence,strengthandwellbeingarethekeygoalsofMaxald
ing.
MCbenefitsthemind(willpower)asmuchasthemuscles.Butthereare
not general rulesto success,each individual mustfind his orher ownway.
Maxaldingisnotaclosedsystem,isapropedeuticscience,awaywithoutend,
because,fortunately,perfectionisnotadefinitepoint,butacontinuoussearch
andeffort.
BecauseMaxaldingcanbeconsideredameanforanintegralpersonalde
velopment,itexceedsthefieldofPhysicalCulturetobecameanart,aphilo
sophyandalifestyle.
Theabilitytovoluntarilycontractorrelaxanymuscleinthebodyisnotafinal
goalinitselfforaseriousmaxaldist,itisonlyameantoachievepersonalper
fectioninthephysicalsense.MCmustbecombinedwithaseriousmentaltrain
ingandintellectualworkforcompletesuccess.Theexternalforcescannotpro
duceanstateofperfectionwithouttheactionofthemostimportantinnerforce,
ourmind.
ThisWill,thisselfwithinme,shouldbeusedtodevelopmybodyjustasithadbeen
usedtodevelopmybrain.JustasIcanonlylearnbyactualapplicationofmymind,so
canmybodyonlybebroughttoastateofperfectionandintoaconditionofusefulness
throughthecloseemploymentofmymind!
Many professors have come forward with the advice to put your mind on the
muscles,butIventuretoexpresstheopinionthatthissayingisonlyreminiscentof
schooldays,andprobablyoneofthepetphrasesofschoolmasters;buttousethe
mindasapparatusinanewphaseinthephysicalcultureworld,andIhavenofearin
sayingthatmydiscoverywillstandaloneastheonlytruemethodofgainingcontrolof
themuscularsystem,andthroughthewill,controlofself.
Beforeamancancommandsuccesshemustcontrolhimself,andbeforehecanat
taintothelimitofhisphysicalpowersandcomeintoarealizationofhispossibilitiesas
ananimal,hemustbestrongmentallyandphysically.
TheapplicationofMCtothedevelopmentofstrengthgeneratesafeedback
processbetweenthebodyandthemindthatreinforcesthewillasmuchthe
muscles and internal organs. This is known in Medicine, but unfortunately
peopleprefertousemorecomfortablemeanstoachievesomeresults.Today
thereisarevisionofMCmethods,inaverylimitedsenseonlydirectedtolimb
rehabilitation, viaacomputerscanofmyoelectric signalsofthe musclesim
plied.Thepatientcanseehowhisvoluntarycontractionofamuscleincreases
thesignalsshownbythecomputerandtriestocontrolthem.Thismethodis
veryexpensiveandcreatesanartificialdependenceontheinstrumentsused.
Besides,acomputerdisplaycanneverreplacetheactualfeelingofacontrolled
muscle.WithMaxaldingyoulearnhowtocontrolyourmusclesandyourmindin
everysituation.Thementalcontrolonthebodyproducesarelaxingstateanda
senseofselfconfidencewhichhelpustofaceupotherdifficultiesnorelated
withphysicalculture.
Theselfconfidenceconductstoastrongerpersonalityandthisrevealsus
ourindividualityinaclearerform.
TheMaxickSaldoSystemofPhysicalCultureistheoutcomeofyearsofpractical
study,researchandexperiment,anditisnotafreemovementSystem.
Beingbaseduponthelatestdiscoveriesinphysiologicalandpsychologicalscienceit
admitsanelementunknowninanyotherSystem,i.e.,theMind.Theapplicationofthe
subjectivementalfaculties,whichisessentialtotheattainmentofanymentalknow
ledgewhatsoever,isequallynecessarywhetherimprovementofthePhysique,theac
quisitionofHealth,orincreaseinStrengthbedesired.
ItistheonlySystemwhereintheindividualityofthepupilispermittedtohaveany
part.Theabsenceofotherapparatusthanthemindassuresthis.Theminddirectsthe
effort,andaccordingtothequalityofthemotiveforce,sothePhysicalimprovementis
determined.
Thestrongestpartofamanishisindividuality;andinsteadofallowinghimtosub
jugatethisbyadvisingtheemploymentofexternalapparatus,weassisthimtousehis
powertotheattainmentofthePhysicalconditionhedesires.
(HEALTH,STRENGTHANDWILLPOWER,MAXICKANDMONTESALDO)
FromthepointofviewoftheMaxaldingteacher,alltrainingmustbecarefully
personalized.
Bystudyinghiscase,weareenabledtojudgeofhisadaptabilitytoapplyhimselfto
thetaskinhand,andtodirectthesepowerstohisowngood.Atthesametimewecan
ascertainwhereinlies,notonlyhisPhysical,buthisMentallackofControl.
Inordertoachievethisgoal,theteacherhavetoplanagraduatedseriesof
exercisesforeachindividual,becausethemasteryofMCisnotaneasything.
Byacarefullygraduatedseriesofexercises,mostofwhichcannotbeperformed
withoutdiligentapplicationofthemind,webringoutthebestpowersofthementaland
physicalfunctions.
(HEALTH,STRENGTHANDWILLPOWER,MaxickandMonteSaldo)
CourtSaldoadvisedonthedangersofnopersonalizedmethods.
Eachpersonmustbealawuntohimorherself,andthatlawmustbealogicalanda
naturalone.Nocutanddriedsystemhoweverexcellent,canbringidenticalresults
to two persons; and often which has been proved beneficial to one person has
provedthereversetoanother,andIaskyoutokeepthatfactinmindthroughoutthe
perusalofthistreatise.
(MAXALDINGBROCHURE,1960,COURTSALDO)
2.5.Thekeytosuccess,absenceofboredom
Anythingtowhichweapplytheactivityofourmindsisboundtohavemoresubstan
tial,durableandfarreachingeffectsuponus,thanthatwhichcomesusunsought,and
weacceptpassively.
Theeffortexpendedintheattainmentofanymentalorphysicalgoodhasinitself
builtupapowerwhichmerepassivitywillneverachieve.ThereforeourSystemispre
eminentlytheonetobechosenbytheintendingstudent,inasmuchasgenuineefforts
musttobeputforthtolearntheexercises.
Amongthemanygreatadvantages,whichwouldtakemanypagestoexplaineffec
tuallyonaccountoftheirrelationtothepsychologicalelementsofourexistencethe
absence of monotony should commend itself most forcibly. Natures antipathy to
monotony,depictedinthevarietyofallaroundus,isnolessstronglyestablishedinthe
mindofman;andthisfacthasnotbeenforgotteninbuildingupourSystem.Themany
whoturntoPhysicalCultureasarecreationandarelaxationfromtheexigencesand
turmoilofmodernlifemakethisanecessity;foritisessentialthattherebeaninterest,
apart from the physical exertion involved; something which would call forth other
powersofthemindthanthoseusedincarryingoutthedailyduties.Itisinthisgradual
drawingoutofthevariousbranchesofthemind,whichthecorrectperformanceofthe
exercisesnecessitates,thesenseoftime, ofposture,andmanyotherqualities,that
thisrecreationfindsplace.Truerecreationshouldhelponeintheworkoftheday,by
storingupaplenitudeofphysicalandmentalenergy,andthisiswhatweclaimatreat
mentunderuswillaccomplish.
Theavoiding ofboredom andmonotony is one ofthereasonsofthe low

numberofrepetitionsofeachexerciseinMaxalding.Highrepetitionsystems
forceyoutokeepyourmindinthecountingofperformancesandnotintheex
erciseitself.TheapplicationofMCtoexercise,thehighmentalconcentration
and thelownumberofrepetitionspermitustouseallourpotentialandwill
power.
2.6.ThementalwaytosuperMC
Toresume,controlteachesyouwheretopullandwheretopress;usingthevarious
salientpointsoftheboneasfulcra,andthemusclesandthejointsaslevers.Eventhe
tendonsbecomeplasticandpliable,andwilllosethetoughnesswhichmanyyears
wrongexercisinghascaused.
Eventheairpressureisusedtoassistinacertainrelaxedcontraction.
Then comes the awakening of a sympathy between the brain and the muscles,
whichismarkedinthebeginning,byagreaterclarityofmentalpower,andincreased
responsivepoweronthepartofthemuscles.Thenasthecirculationoftheblood,the
organsofdigestion,eliminationandrespirationbecomesubjectivetothewill,youhave
gainedthepowerofkeepingabsolutelyhealthyandfit,withoutanyinconvenienceor
apparatus.
2.7.Maxaldingasamentalattitudeandlifestyle
Theenergiesmustbedeliberatelyconserved.Uniformbodilywarmthisthefirstrule
ofenergyconservation.Theartofvoluntaryrelaxationisthesecond.Thisrelaxation
mustfirstbephysicalthroughmentalapplicationandthenmentalwhencompletebod
ilycomposturehasbeensecuredorattained.Makeahabitoftakingthingsquietly.Do
notallowjumpypeopletodisturbyou.Therearemanysuchpeopleallovertheplace
whoseemtotakeadelightinbotheringpeople.Justletthemjump,unlessthereare
peoplewithwhomyouhavetoliveorforwhomyouhaveagenuineregard,inwhich
case,theadvicegivenherewithmightprofitablybehandedon.
(MAXALDING,MONTESALDO)
Theimportanceofmentalattitudeformaxaldistssuccessisclearlystatedby
MonteSaldointhisfinalword.
Dontworry.Worryisreputedtohaverobbedacatofitsninelives,whichfactisnot
particularlylamentableasthesupplyofcatsisusuallywelluptodemand;moreprom
inentlyperhapsinthesmallhours.Butthesayingisappositeenoughtomakeone
realisethedangeraswellasthefutilityofworry.Ifanythingiscausingyouworrythat
canberemedied,worknightandday,ifnecessarytoremoveit.Ifthecausecannotbe
remediedorremoved,whatistheuseofworrying?
Verywisewords,indeed.YoucanobservetheMonteSaldo'sfinesenseof
humour.BothMaxickandSaldowereveryfriendlyandtalentedmen,muchad
miredandbeloved.Thislittlecharmingstoryisveryrepresentativeofthis.
Nature,whensheendowedMaxSickwithhisremarkablephysique,threwinwithita
veryattractivesmile.Itlituphiscountenanceeverytimehemadeanattemptupona
lift,anditsoftenedintotendernessonceortwicewhenMonteSaldosprettyflaxen
haireddaughter(agedthree)insistedonwalkinguptohimashewasrestingandde
mandedakiss.
Figure14.TheresaSaldo,thelovelyMonte's
daughterwhodemandedakisseverytimeMaxick
finishedalift.Unfortunately,Theresa,wasbadly
injuredduringWWII.
Unfortunately,bothMaxickandMonteSaldo(especially,Monte)hadtosuffer
familytragedies.MonteSaldolosthiswifeandoneson.Hischarmingdaughter
andhimselfwereseverelyinjuredduringaWWIIbombing.Ihavenotfoundany
informationaboutMaxicksfamily,exceptthis.
WeareinformedthatMaxSickwascrematedonthe13thofMayandhisonlyliving
daughter scattered his ashes at the seaside as her father loved navigation dearly.
ThusanothersupermantakeshisplaceintheVallhallaofStrongmen.Notonlywashe
agreatathlete,hewasawidelyeducatedmanandagreatthinker.
(ANOTHERINMORTALPASSES,W.S.PULLUM)
WecaninferfromthistextthatMaxickwasmarriedandhadseveralsonsor
daughters,buthiswifeandhissonsdiedbeforehim.Wecanimaginethein
tensesufferingthatthesedeathsshouldcauseinsuchafamilymenasMaxick
andMonteSaldowere.
Figure15.WilfredSaldo,oldestMonte's
son,waskilledinactionduringWWII.
Theywererealmodelsforusineveryaspectoflife.Theirstrengthofspirit
andthepracticeofMaxaldingkeptthemaliveinspiteofgreatdifficulties.
2.8.SpiritualbenefitsofMaxalding
ThefeelingofmindovermattercontrolthatMaxaldingproduces,permitsa
deeperconnectionbetweenourspiritandbody.Thecontrolofthebodyandthe
reinforcementofwillpowerhelpustofaceupclearlysomequestions.Mostim
portantofall,thescientificstudyofMCcomplementsperfectlywitharichspir
ituallifeandprovesyouthatmindandmattercanformaperfectandbeneficial
unity. In fact, the Maxicks main interest was Philosophy. In words of many
people,Maxickwasagreatthinker.Hismindwasasstrongashisbody.We
needonlytoreadhislastwords,writtenforallofusjustbeforepassingaway,
inordertoadmirehisclarityanddepthofthought.
Ionlymeethimagainafterhisdeath.
Hewaslyingonthefloorofhisroomonhisbackwithhishandsstretchedout.Un
derhisrightheelwefoundaslipofpaperwithhislastremarks.Itread:
May10th,1961,22hours;myheartisbeatingratherslow,Ifeelextremelycold,I
think it will be over soon. Remember the infinite is our inner freedom manifested
throughourconsciousness.
MaxSickmasteredhisbodyandhisfivesensestillthelastmomentandlivedupto
hisideanottolosecontrolevenduringthelastminutesoflife.
Figure16.Maxickshowinghisamazingmuscular
developmentinhislastyearsoflife.Doctorssaidthat
Maxickwoulddiebeforehewas5yearsold.He
passedawayshortbeforehis80thbirthdaythanksto
theperfecthealthacquiredthroughthedevoted
practiceofMCandhiseatinghabits.
Thisspiritualmagnanimitywasalwayscloselyrelatedwithanirreproachable
moralattitude.MaxickwasagainsttheinterventionofGermanyinWWI,intern
inghimselfvoluntarilyinBritain,anddemonstratedmanytimeshiscompletere
jection to the Nazis, even when many people in Europe did not considered
themathreat.
Thistextrevealsusamanwhofacedupdeathwithhopeandfirmness.A
freemindinafreebody,afreedom,indeed,awillpowerthatcannotdisappear
andprojectsitselfintotheinfinite.
Maxick was in the line of thought of another great philosophers, like
Kierkegard,forwhomfreedom,ourexistence,isourmostradicalattribute.The
essenceofourlivesistheeternalfindingofacorrectuseoffreedom.
Ourconciousnessisthemanifestationofourdeepestdecisionsandchoices.
Acompletefreemindinabsolutecontrolisthewaytotheinfinite.Allofuscan
beaninfinite,wemustonlybelieveinthepossibilityofbeingbetter,physically,
mentally,morallyandspiritually.
Becauseofthis,Maxalding,hislifestyle,ismostlycompatiblewithanybelief
orreligionthatpursuesthecompletedignityofthehumanbeing.
Im personally catholic, atomic physicist and philosopher. Maxalding has
helpedmeinmanyways,becausewhenyoudiscoveryourowncontrollimits
andtrytoovercomethem,youseetheworldfromanothermorepreciousper
spective.Allofusareinfinitesandwemustdealwithallassuch,withdignity
andlove.
MaxickandSaldohelpedmanypeopletobehealthierand,mostimportant,
happier.Theydeserveoureternaldebtofgratitude.
3.MuscleControltechniquesandexercises64
3.MuscleControltechniquesandexercises
3.1.Voluntarymusclecontraction
Themusclesareusedtoproducemovementbytheanimals.
Theenergytogeneratemovementcomesfromcomplexchemicalprocesses
inwhichATPhasaveryimportantrole.
Invertebrateanimalstherearethreekindsofmuscles:
1. Heartmuscleorcardiacmuscle.Makesupthewalloftheheart.Itcon
tractsalmostinvoluntarilyatarateofapproximately70beatspermin.
2. Smoothmuscle.Ispresentinthewallsoftheinternal(hollow)organsof
thebody,excepttheheart.Thismusclesaregenerallynotundercontrol,
butyoucanachieveacertaindegreeofcontroloverthem.
3. Skeletalorstriatedmuscle.Isthemuscleattachedtothebones.Itis
(mustbe)generallyundercontrol.
Weshallstudyinfirstplacetheskeletalmuscle,becauseitisnaturallypre
paredtovoluntarycontrol(thecontentsofthissectionarebasedinthoseofthe
followingwebpage:http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/).
Asinglestriatedmuscleisattachedat
Origin,thatisalargeportionofbone.
Insertion.Itistheotherendofthemuscle.Thejunctionisformedbya
whitetendon,attachedtoanotherbone.
Therearetwobasictypesofmuscles,extensorsandflexors.Thereasonfor
thisisthatamuscleonlyexertsforcewhenitiscontractedanditisnecessarya
pairofmusclesforeachjoint,onethatextendsitandanotheronethatbendsit.
Thisclassificationisfundamentalformusclecontrol(MC),becauseintheap
plicationofMCtodynamicexercises(withmotion)therelaxationofantagonistic
muscleswithrespecttothosewhichproducethemovementisextremelyim
portant.
Thestriatedmuscleiscomposedofthousandsofcylindricalmusclefibres.
Thefibresareboundtogetherby connective tissuethrough whichrunblood
vesselsandnerves.
Themusclefibreareformedbythefollowingmicroscopicstructures.
Myofibrils,packedinanarrayofthesamelengththanthefibre.
Mitochondria,theyaretheenergeticfactoriesofthemusclecells.
Endoplasmicreticulum,whichisveryextensiveinthistypeofcells.
Manynuclei.Itisacharacteristicpropertyofmusclecells.Thisisdueto
thefactthateachmusclefibreisformedfromthefusionofmanymuscle
cells,calledmyoblasts.
Thenumberofmusclefibresisprobablyfixedbyourgenetics.Becauseof
thistheincreasesinstrengthandmasscomesfromtheincreasesinthethick
nessofthemusclefibresandanenlargementoftheconnectivetissue.
Eachmusclefibrecanbedividedinanumberofpartsforitsstudy.
1. Sarcolemma.Plasmamembrane.
2. Sarcoplasmaticreticulum.Endoplasmaticreticulum.
3. Sarcosome.Mitochondrion.
4. Sarcoplasm.Cytoplasm.
Thenucleiandmitochondriaarelocatedjustbeneaththeplasmamembrane,
buttheendoplasmicreticulumextendsbetweenthemyofibrils.
Thestriatedappearanceofthemusclefibreiscreatedbyapatternofaltern
atingdarkAbandsand
LightIbands.
TheAbandsarebisectedbytheHzone.
TheIbandsarebisectedbytheZline.
Eachmyofibrilismadeupofarraysofparallelfilaments.
The thickfilaments haveadiameterofabout15nm(1nm= 109 m).

Theyarecomposedoftheproteinmyosin.
The thinfilaments haveadiameterofabout5nm.Theyarecomposed
mainlyoftheprotein actin alongwithsmalleramountsoftwootherpro
teins:
troponinand
tropomyosin.
Themicroscopicviewofmusclefibresrevealsastructureformedbytwover
ticallines(calledZlines)andalternatingdark(Aband)andlight(Iband)zones.
ThethickfilamentsproducethedarkAband.
ThethinfilamentsextendineachdirectionfromtheZline.Wheretheydo
notoverlapthethickfilaments,theycreatethelightIband.
TheHzoneisthatportionoftheAbandwherethethickandthinfilaments
donotoverlap.
ThesarcomeristheentirearrayofthickandthinfilamentsbetweentheZ
lines.Whenthesarcomeresshorteninamyofibril,theyproducetheshortening
ofthemyofibriland,inturn,ofthemusclefibreofwhichitisapart.
Thecontractionofskeletalmuscleisdirectedbythenervoussystem.
Inthisrespect,skeletalmusclediffersfromsmoothandcardiacmuscle.Both
cardiacandsmoothmusclecancontractwithoutbeingdirectlystimulatedby
thenervoussystem.Theyhavetheirowncontrolmechanisms.
Thejunctionbetweentheterminalofamotorneuronandamusclefibreis
calledtheneuromuscularjunction.Itissimplyonekindofsynapse.Theneur
omuscularjunctionisalsocalledthemyoneuraljunction.
Theterminalsofmotoraxonscontainthousandsofvesiclesfilledwithacet
ylcholine(Ach).
Ifanactionpotentialreachestheaxonterminal,hundredsofthesevesicles
dischargetheirAChontoaspecializedareaofpostsynapticmembraneonthe
fibre.Thisareacontainsaclusteroftransmembranechannelsthatareopened
byAChandletsodiumions(Na+)diffusein.
Theinteriorofarestingmusclefibrehasarestingpotentialofabout95mV.
Theinfluxofsodiumionsreducesthecharge,creatinganendplatepotential.If
theendplatepotentialreachesthe thresholdvoltage(approximately50mV),
sodiumionsflowinwitharushandanactionpotentialiscreatedinthefibre.
Theactionpotentialsweepsdownthelengthofthefibrejustasitdoesinanax
on.
Duringsomeperiodoftime,novisiblechangeoccursinthemusclefibredur
ing(andimmediatelyfollowing)theactionpotential.Thisperiod,calledthelat
entperiod,lastsfrom310msec.
Beforethelatentperiodisover,
theenzymeacetylcholinesterasebreaksdowntheAChintheneuromus
cularjunction(ataspeedof25,000moleculespersecond),thesodium
channelsclose,andthefieldisclearedforthearrivalofanothernerveim
pulse.
the restingpotentialofthefibreisrestoredbyanoutflowof potassium

ions.
Thebrief(12msec)periodneededtorestoretherestingpotentialiscalled
therefractoryperiod.
Theprocessofcontractingtakessome50msec;relaxationofthefibretakes
another50100msec.Becausetherefractoryperiodissomuchshorterthan
thetimeneededforcontractionandrelaxation,thefibrecanbemaintainedin
thecontractedstatesolongasitisstimulatedfrequentlyenough(e.g.,50stim
ulipersecond).Suchsustainedcontractioniscalledtetanus.
Aswenormallyuseourmuscles,theindividualfibresgointotetanusforbrief
periodsratherthansimplyundergoingsingletwitches.
Eachmoleculeofmyosininthe thickfilaments containsaglobularsubunit
calledthemyosinhead.Themyosinheadshavebindingsitesfortheactinmo
leculesinthethinfilamentsandATP.
Activationofthemusclefibrecausesthemyosinheadstobindtoactin.A
changeoccurswhichdrawsthethinfilamentashortdistance(~10nm)pastthe
thickfilament.Thenthelinkagesbreak(forwhichATPisneeded)andreform
fartheralongthethinfilamenttorepeattheprocess.Asaresult,thefilaments
arepulledpasteachotherinaratchetlikeaction.Thereisnoshortening,thick
ening,orfoldingoftheindividualfilaments.
Electronmicroscopysupportsthismodel.
Asamusclecontracts,
theZlinescomeclosertogether
thewidthoftheIbandsdecreases
thewidthoftheHzonesdecreases,but
thereisnochangeinthewidthoftheAband.
Conversely,asamuscleisstretched,
thewidthoftheIbandsandHzonesincreases,
butthereisstillnochangeinthewidthoftheAband.
Calciumions(Ca2+)linkactionpotentialsinamusclefibretocontraction.
Inrestingmusclefibres,Ca2+isstoredintheendoplasmic(sarcoplasmic)
reticulum.
Spacedalongtheplasmamembrane(sarcolemma)ofthemusclefibreare
inpocketingsofthemembranethatformtubulesofthe"Tsystem".These
tubulesplungerepeatedlyintotheinteriorofthefibre.
ThetubulesoftheTsystemterminatenearthecalciumfilledsacsofthe
sarcoplasmicreticulum.
Each action potential created at the neuromuscular junction sweeps
quicklyalongthesarcolemmaandiscarriedintotheTsystem.
ThearrivaloftheactionpotentialattheendsoftheTsystemtriggersthe
releaseofCa2+.
TheCa2+diffusesamongthethickandthinfilamentswhereit
bindstotroponinonthethinfilaments.
Thisturnsontheinteractionbetweenactinandmyosinandthesarcomere
contracts.
Becauseofthespeedoftheactionpotential(milliseconds),theactionpo
tentialarrivesvirtuallysimultaneouslyattheendsofallthetubulesofthe
Tsystem,ensuringthatallsarcomerescontractinunison.
Whentheprocessisover,thecalciumispumpedbackintothesarcoplas
micreticulumusingaCa2+ATPase.
Ifastimulatedmuscleisheldsothatitcannotshorten,itsimplyexertsten
sion.Thisiscalledanisometric("samelength")contraction.Ifthemuscleisal
lowedtoshorten,thecontractioniscalledisotonic("sametension").
Allmotorneuronsleadingtoskeletalmuscleshavebranchingaxons,eachof
whichterminatesinaneuromuscularjunctionwithasinglemusclefibre.Nerve
impulsespassingdownasinglemotorneuronwillthustriggercontractioninall
themusclefibresatwhichthebranchesofthatneuronterminate.Thisminimum
unitofcontractioniscalledthemotorunit.
Thesizeofthemotorunitissmallinmusclesoverwhichwehaveprecise
control.Examples:
Asinglemotorneurontriggersfewerthan10fibresinthemusclescon
trollingeyemovements.
Themotorunitsofthemusclescontrollingthelarynxareassmallas23
fibrespermotorneuron.
Incontrast,asinglemotorunitforamusclelikethegastrocnemius(calf)
muscle may include 10002000 fibres (scattered uniformly through the
muscle).
ThisisaninterestingobservationforthedevelopmentofMC.
Althoughtheresponseofamotorunitisallornone,thestrengthofthere
sponseoftheentiremuscleisdeterminedbythenumberofmotorunitsactiv
ated.
ThisisthereasonbywhichMCissoimportant.Wemustoptimizethenum
berofmotorunitsthatweareabletoactivateitwewanttoachieveextreme
performancesinanysport.
Evenatrest,mostofourskeletalmusclesareinastateofpartialcontraction
called tonus.Tonusismaintainedbytheactivationofafewmotorunitsatall
timeseveninrestingmuscle.Asonesetofmotorunitsrelaxes,anotherset
takesover.
Twodifferenttypesofmusclefibrecanbefoundinmostskeletalmuscles.
TheTypeIandTypeIIfibresdifferintheirstructureandbiochemistry.
TypeIfibres:
Loadedwithmitochondriaand
DependoncellularrespirationforATPproduction.
Resistanttofatigue.
Richinmyoglobinandhenceredincolor.
Activatedbysmalldiameter,thusslowconducting,motorneurons.
Alsoknownas"slowtwitch"fibres.
Dominant inmusclesthatdepend on tonus, e.g., those responsible for
posture.
TypeIIfibres:
Fewmitochondria.
RichinglycogenanddependonglycolisisforATPproduction.
Fatigueeasilybecauseofthebuildupoflacticacidduringglycolysis.
Lowinmyoglobinhencewhitishincolor.
Activatedbylargediameter,thusfastconducting,motorneurons.
Alsoknownas"fasttwitch"fibres.
Dominantinmusclesusedforrapidmovement.
MostskeletalmusclescontainsomemixtureofTypeIandTypeIIfibres,but
asinglemotorunitalwayscontainsonetypeortheother,neverboth.
3.2.Voluntarymusclerelaxation
Themuscleshavealwaysapermanentstateofcontraction,calledtonus,in
everymoment,includingsleep.
Oneofthepurposesofmusclecontrol(MC)isthereductionofthelevelofin
voluntarycontractiontoaminimaldegree.
Thefundamentalprocessestoachievecompleterelaxationarebasedinthe
comparison between the contracted state and the relaxed state in every
muscle.
Asaresult,deepandcontrolledrelaxationcanonlybelearnedthroughindi
vidualMC.
Figure17.Maxickinaperfectlyrelaxedpose.The
relaxationisbestobservedintheabdominalarea.
3.3.GeneralmethodstoattainMC
Wecan define MCas the ability tocontract and relaxvoluntarily isolated
musclesirrespectiveofthestateofmotionofthecontrolledmuscles.
ThekeyideasofMCare:
1. Abilitytocontractamuscle.Somemusclesareinpositionsverydifficultto
workbymeremechanicalmeans,forexample,theserratusmagnus.
2. Abilitytorelaxamuscle.Somemusclesarestabilizersand,asaresult,
theyarecontractedalmostallthetime,forexample,themusclesofthe
abdominalwall.Thecompleterelaxingofabdominalmusclesisakeyex
erciseinMCandoneofthemostimportantforaperfecthealth.
3. Thecontractionandrelaxmustbevoluntary.Thisimpliesthatsuchac
tionsshouldbeperformedanddirectedbyaneffortofthemind,without
mechanicalassistance,inadvancedstudentsofMC.
4. OnecommonmisconceptionaboutMCisthatitreducestoastaticseries
ofcontractionposes.Onthecontrary,MCteachesthecompletecontrolof
eachmuscleormusclegroupineverynaturalpositionofthebodyandit
appliestorealexerciseswithmotion,withorwithoutapparatus.Thisper
mitsthedevelopmentoftheenergyconservationanddistribution.
Inordertoachievethesegoals,thestudentofMChastolearnagraduated
seriesofexercisesofincreasingdifficulty.Somemusclesaremoreresponsive,
forexample,themusclesofthelimbs,thanothers.Becauseofthis,thereare
differentmethodstolearnMC.Allofthemaregood,butsomearemoreappro
priatethanothersineachcase.Thestudentshouldtestseveralmethodsinor
dertodiscoverthebestforhimorher.
ThegeneralmethodsofMCdevelopmentare:
Isometric selfresistance (ISR). The necessary resistance to feel the

musclecontractionisprovidedbyamanualoppositiontothemotionofa
certainmusclegroup.Typicalexamplesofthismethodaretheverticalab
dominalisolationsandthemobilizationofshoulderblades.
Dynamicselfresistance(DSR). IstheapplicationofISRtorealmotion.
Onepartofthebodymovesagainstanotheralongtherangeofmotionof
thefirstpart.
Antagonistic muscular resistance (AMR). In this case the resistance is

provided by the simultaneous cocontraction of a agonisticantagonistic
pairofmuscles.Thismethodisthebaseofimaginaryorinternalresist
ancefreemotionsystems.ThisisaveryvaluablemethodfortestingMC
inmotion,butitisnotpureMCanditisnotagoalinitselfforaserious
MCstudent,becauseithinderstherelaxationoftheantagonisticmuscle.
Lightdumbells(LD).Thiswasoneofthemostusedmethodsbyoldtime
strongmen,includingMaxick.Itprovidesaveryeasilycontractionfeeling
overalargenumberofmuscles.MCcanbeobtainedtryingtoincrease
thepowerofthecontractionbyconsciousmentalconcentration.Besides,
light dumbbells combined with MC are an optimal method to train the
musclesinmotionundermaximaltensionwithoutthedangersofheavy
weights.Youdon'tneedexpensiveappliances,becausetheweightisonly
ameantoachieverealmentalcontraction.Youcanuseapairofbottles
filledwithsand,forexample.
Bodyweightleverageexercises(BL). Theseexercisesareveryappropri
atetoworklargemusclegroups,toharmonizethemotionofthewhole
body,tofeelthemusculartensioninsituationsofpoorequilibriumandfor
generalstrengthening.
Visualization and mental concentration (VMC).Thisisanextremelyim

portanttechnique,extensivelystudiedinthePart2ofthisseriesofart
icles.Itmustbecombinedwithallothers.Thismethoddevelopsthepsy
chologicalconnectionbetweenthemindandthebody.Itfixesclearbody
imagesandobjectivesfortheindividual,avoidingmonotonyandboredom.
Finetuneofmusclecontractionandrelaxation(FTMCR). Somemuscles
areextremelydifficulttoisolate(forexample,thetrapeziusortheerector
spinae).Besides,inextremeperformancesofMC,someportionsofacer
tainmuscle(forexample,thetwoheadsofthe biceps,orthehorizontal
layersoftherectusabdominis),alsocanbeisolated.Inthesecases,the
mostperfectpositionmustbecombinedwithaveryslowandcontrolled
tensingofthemuscle.Suchaslowcontractionandrelaxationallowsthe
distinctionofeachmusclepartinsideanisolatedmuscle.Thisisavery
advancedstateofMC,butthestudentshouldtrytoapplyittotheexer
cisesfromtheverybeginning.
3.4.ThesecretforsuperstrengthdevelopmentinMaxalding
Thepossibilityofdevelopingagreatstrengthwithoutappliancesshouldbe
basedinsomesmartapplicationofthemotionvariablesinexercise.Thesevari
ablesare:
Tension(contractileforce).Thisvariableisnotconstant,itdependsfrom
onepartofthebodytoanother.Forexample,somemusclescanbestim
ulatedwithrelativelylightloads(trapezius, neckmuscles,...),butsome
othersneedrelativelyhighstimulitocontract(legmuscles,...).Besides,
thistensioncanbeappliedbypushingorpullingorsomecombinationof
thetwo.Ineachcase,themusclescanreactindifferentforms.Thereis
anopendiscussionaboutthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweendiffer
entkindsoftension,commonlycalledisometric(contractionwithoutmac
roscopicmotion), isotonic (acceleratedcontractionwithmacroscopicmo
tion) and isocinetic (contraction without acceleration performed at the
samespeedalongtherangeofmotion).Alotofthingshavebeenwritten
aboutthesetypesofcontractionandtheirapplicationstotraining.Infact,
allofthemformasortofcontinuumbecauseallimplymicroscopicmotion
ofmusclefibres.Besides,therearemanymisconceptionsinthesecon
ceptsfromthepointofviewofaseriousphysicist.Forexample,manyau
thorsdefineisocineticmotionaffirmingthatitisdonewithconstantvelo
city.Thisiswrong,becauseinhumans,the motionofjointsproduces
variationsintheangleofmotionand,inconsequence,thephysicalvelo
citychangeswithangle,producingcentripetalaccelerationandforce.In
thiscase,thespeed(normofthevelocity)isnottheonlyvariable.Be
causeofthis,leverageexercisescanproducehugeamountsofphysical
loadwithoutheavyweightsonlyvaryingtheangleofmotion,andtheelev
ation ofthesameweight bythesamemusclesproducesverydifferent
tensiondependingonitsrelativeposition.
Duration.Thetensionscanbegeneratedquickly,slowlyorinagraduated
form.Insomepartsofthesameexercise,itcouldbenecessarytoperform
acceleratedmotionsandinotherpartsyoumustsustainanearlyisometric
effort.Eveninthesamepartoftheexercise,somemusclesareisometric
allycontractedsupportingtheprincipalcontributiontotheequilibrium(sta
bilizermuscles)andsomeotheraremovingquickly.Withrespecttodura
tion,theresultsarenotclearbecausewedonotknowsomevariables.
Arethesamemusclefibrescontractingallthetimewhenweapplythema
longisometrictension?Hasthesameeffectalongisometriccontraction
oflowintensitythanashortburstofhighintensitytension?Whicharethe
optimal times for strength, power, mass or endurance development?
Whicharethesecondaryeffectsofspecifictrainingtimes,forexample,
candevelopenduranceastrengthtrainingsystem?Probably,thesame
continuumprincipleapplyhereandconcretetimescanvaryalotfromindi
vidualtoindividual.
Repetitions.Averyconsiderablepartofsportsresearchhasbeendirected
towardstheoptimalnumberofseriesandrepetitionsforaspecifictask.I
thinkthattheimportanceofthisfactorisgenerallyoverestimated.Youcan
developextremestrengthandendurancefromaveryreducednumberof
performances of the same exercise in one series. The reason for this
overestimationcanbefoundinthecrazysearchformaximalhypertrophy
thatprevailinbodybuildingcircles.Theoldtimestrongmenlookedforreal
strengthandenduranceandtheiridealofphysicalperfectionwasnearer
toclassicalproportions.Theycaredoftheirbodiesandvariedfrequently
thenumberofrepetitionsandsetsdependingontheirenergy.Asagener
alrule,theyestablishedthat3setsof6repetitionswithgoodformofany
appropriateexerciseissufficientformostpurposes.Infact,Maxaldingis
theonlytrainingsystemthatrecommendstheperformanceofonlyoneset
perexerciseandveryfewrepetitions.Thereasonwillbeshownlater.
Position(angle,extensionandequilibrium). Generally,therearealotof
weakpointsinouranatomy.Theyareresponsibleformanyofourphysic
allimitations.Becauseofthisitisfundamentaltoreinforcetheseareas
withspecificexerciseswhichworkthemusclesandthejointsalongevery
possiblerangeofmotion.Oneofthemostseveremisconceptionsabout
MCanditsapplicationstoexercise,isthenotionthatMCisthesamethat
peak contraction. Peak contraction is a very limited, and dangerous in
somecases,formofexercise,becauseitproducesahighbloodconges
tioninacontractedmuscleinitsmostfavourableposition,generallyatthe
endoftherangeofmotion,withthejointfullyflexed(muscleflexing).MC,
however,pursuesthestrengtheningandcontrolofeverymusclealongthe
entirerangeofmotion,speciallyitemphasizestheweakestlinksandposi
tions.Therearemanyproofsofthisidea.Maxickhimselfadvicetocon
tractseveralmusclesindifferentpositionsinhisbookMUSCLECONTROL.
Frequency.Nowadaysthemostacceptedtrendforstrengthtrainingisto
work intensively (preferentially until failure) 13 times per week. The
scheduleofMaxaldingisverydifferent.Theadviceistotraineveryday,
listeningyourownbodyandneveruntilfailureorexcessivefatigue.Thefi
delitytoadailytrainingscheduleisextremelyimportantforMaxickand
MonteSaldo.
OnceIcommencedtotrainIwasdeterminedtocontinuetodosoregularly.Notonly
werethemusclecontrolexercisesperformedeveryeveningbutIindulgedinsome
calisthenicsinmyunheatedbedroomuntil,glowingandcoveredwithperspiration,Ifell
intomybedreadyforasoundslumber.
(YOUAREASSTRONGASYOUWISHTOBE,MAXICK)
Whentrainingandpractisingalwaysuseaschedule.Donotworkpromiscuously,
becauseconstantrepetitionisabsolutelyessentialforattainmentofgreatskillinany
branchofsport.
(HOWTOBECOMEAGREATATHLETE,MAXICK)
One of the temptations of amaxaldist is to believe that he masters com

pletelyMC. Thisispracticallyimpossible,MCisanendlessscienceandart.
Trytoperfectthecontrolseverytimeyouperformit.Therearehundredsofpos
sibleisolationsandthousandsofcombinedcontrols.Feeleverymusclefibre,
everyattachedtendonorligament,feelyournervousenergy,trytocontrolyour
internalorgans,analyseeverythoughtandsensation.Rememberthatyouare
aninfinite.Explorethisinnerinfiniteindeeperanddeeperways.Theselfcon
trolisthesurewaytoabsolutefreedom.
Thegreatresultsachievedwiththelownumberofrepetitionsprescribedin
theMaxaldingcursescanbeexplainedbyacarefulstudyoftheoriginaltraining
methodsofMaxickandMonteSaldo.
Inamodernfashion,wecandifferentiatetwomainsystemsoftraining.
Analytic muscle control (AMC). An isolated muscle or muscle group is

contractedandrelaxedineverypossiblepositionavoidingantagonisticin
terferencesofanothermuscles.ThetensionisgeneratedviatheFTMCR
techniqueandanalysedinlittleincrementsoftherangeofmotion.This
methodisoneofthebesttoreinforceconcretemuscleactionsindifficult
positionsanditisafundamentalsysteminordertomastercompleterelax
ationandenergydistribution.ForoptimalresultsyoumustcombineSMC
(staticmusclecontrol)for510breathingswithBMC(ballisticmusclecon
trol)for1030quick(1breatheach,contractwhileyouareexhalingand
relaxwhenyouinhale),butconcentrated,pulsations.PerformfirstSMC
andafterthis,withoutrest,BMCforthesameisolatedmuscle.
Stepbystep (or strategic) muscle control with resistance (SMCR).This

methodisnamedfromanalogywithastepbystepmotor.Themethodis
basedinfixingsecurelyeverysmallportionofthemotioninvolvedinan
exercise,performingitinanextremelyslowform,teachingthebodytofeel
themusclesthatarereallyactingineachpartofthemovement.Thisisa
very advanced technique and must be used very progressively. Intelli
gentlyused,itisaperfectlysafemethod,muchsaferthanweightlifting.
Useverysmallloads(ornoneatfirststages,alittlestickwouldbesuffi
cient),thekeyiscorrectMC,andbeginwithacountof1breathperincre
mentoftherangeofmotion.Ifyoufeelexcessivefatigueinsomepartof
theexercise,relaxfor510breathingsbeforegoingtoanotherpartofthe
motion.Increasethetimesinamountsof1breathingweeklyifyouare
comfortablewiththis,ifnot,youmustwaitforanotherweektoincrease
time.
TherearetwovariationsoftheSMCRsystem:
Contractingtension.Youcontractthemusclesinvolvedinthemotionwith
additionalvoluntaryMC.
Relaxingtension.Youtrytorelaxallmusclesinthebody,includingthose
thatareworking,asfarastheycansupportproperlythedesiredaction.
Thepurposeofthismethodistoteachthebodyhowtooptimizeitsre
servesofenergy.Obviously,thismethodshouldnotbeusedwithanyex
ercisewhichdemandsalotofconcentrationandskill(forexample,hand
stands,bridges,...).
Bothmethodscan(andmust)becombined,ideallyinweeklycycles.Here
aresomeexamplesofexercisesperformedwiththesetechniquesandtestimo
nialsthatproveitsusebyMaxick.
Consideradumbbell swing performed withalight weight, but sufficient to

tensethemuscles.Thisisatypicalgeneralconditioningexercisewhichworks
almosteverymuscleinthebody.Useonlyonearmeachtime,alternatingthem.
Raisethedumbbellinastepbystepmotorfashion,elevatingtheweighton
verylittleincrementsofafewcm,keepingperfectformandpositionforacount
of110breathingseachdependingonyourcapability.
Acarefulanalysisofthetensionsensationwhileyoumaintainthepositionre
vealsthecontractionofthefollowingmuscles.
Forearm.
Deltoid.
Erectorspinae.
Thighs.
Musclesoftheupperarminelevatedpositions.
TrytointensifythecontractionbymeansofMC.Thisisaclearapplicationof
contractingSMCR.Withthismethod,asinglerepetitionaday,correctlyper
formed,inadditiontoSMCandBMCexercisesforallmusclesissufficientfor
developinghighlevelsofstrengthandcoordinationinmostcases.Asasug
gestion,onesingleexercisecanbe12minuteslongatleastwiththismethod.
Youcanapplyinsteadtherelaxingtechniqueinthesameform,butinthis
case,trytorelaxeverymuscleinthebodyasfarasyoubegintofeelsomediffi
cultiestoraisethedumbbell.ThiswouldbeanexampleoftherelaxingSMCR.
Apparentlyeasybodyweightexercisescanbeturnedinextremefeatsof
strengthandendurancebymeansofthesetechniques.Thinkinpushupsand
trytoperformonerepetitionwithcontractingSMCR,youwilldiscoveranewdi
mensioninnonapparatustraining.
TheSMCRsystemhasmanyadvantages.Forexample,youdonotneedany
expensiveappliancesfordevelopingatopqualitynaturalphysique.Asimple
plasticbottlefilledwithsandandattachedtoa1mstickcanproportionatean
awesomeworkout.
FormaximumdevelopmentIsuggesttheuseofanAston'santidumbbell.Itis
simpleaweightof15kg(dependingonyourabilities)attachedtoastick.You
donotneedtomakeitbyyourself,anadjustablediscdumbbellwiththeweight
attachedonlytooneendisalmostinexpensiveandisperfectforourpurposes.
Performgeneralconditioninglifts,likethementionedswing,withSMCR,grip
pingthedumbbellfromthefreeend,themostseparatedfromtheweight.Inthis
wayyoucanchallengeallyourbodypartswithaminimalchanceofinjury.If
you don't like the intense grip of the antidumbbell, you can use a common
dumbbellwithsimilarefficiency.
Figure18.Astonshowingtheuseofhisantidumbbell.
TheuseoftheSMCRtechniqueisendorsedbyseveralreferencesinMax
aldingwritings.Forexample,thedescriptionofExercisePofMaxaldingsays:
Tilttheweightofthebodyuntilitissupportedmainlybytheleftarm...Forgreat
strength,performaveryslowrepetitions.Forspeed,performafewquickrepetitions,
almostbouncingthebodyfromtheground.
Thisiscommonadviceinmostexercises.ThecombinationofMCwithspecif
icsporttrainingmultipliesitseffects.
Figure19.MonteSaldoperformingacorrect
pushup.NotetheaddedMCtensionintheupper
body,especiallythetriceps,andinbothlegs.
Ifyoucombineyourordinarytrainingwiththeworkofcontrollingthemusclesyouwill
attainaspeedandstrengthinyoursportthatwillsurpriseyou.
Therelaxingmethodisasimportantasthecontractingone.Insomecases
theuseofspecificmassagescanbeveryhelpful.
Gaincontroloverallmusclesofyourbodybyintelligentapplicationofthemind,and
increasetheirsupplenessandresponsivenessbycarefullykneadingandmanipulating
anymusclesthatappeartoohardwhenrelaxed.
TheeffectofMCovermuscletoneisveryremarkable.Therelaxedmuscles
turninaextremelysoftstateintouch.Thisproducesaverypleasantsensation
andwellbeing.
One of the most admired Maxick's feats, a clear and extreme use of the
SMCRmethod,isrelatedbyTrompvanDiggelen.
Hereisjustanother''stunt''thatevenSaxonwouldhavefoundhard,Iusedtolie
withmybackonMax'sopenpalmandhewouldtellmetoclosemyeyesanditishon
estlytruethathewouldthenpressmeupsoslowlythatIwouldnotknowIwasat
arm'slengthuntilhetoldmetoopenmyeyes.
(ASUPERMANMAXICK!TROMPVANDIGGELEN)
TheMaxick'sjerkingpowerfromtheshoulderswassohugethatnolight
weightweightliftermorethan60yearslaterhadbeenabletosurpassityet.
Whilealltheprecedingsubjectsinthisbiographicalserieshavebeeneitherheavy
weights or lightheavyweights, here is a lightweight strongman whose accomplish
mentsweresoextraordinarythattheywarrantbeingincludedinanylistofweightlifting
records.
Maxick,whosenamewas"anglicised"fromtheGerman,MaxSick,wasanythingbut
amaninpoorhealth!Paradoxically,hewastobecomeknownas"TheMuscularPhe
nomenon."HewasborninBregenz,atownintheextremewesterntipofAustria,on
June28,1882.Althoughasachildhehadbeensicklyandofpoorphysique,bylong
traininginweightliftingandgymnasticshebecameaphenomenonofmuscularityand
strength.Althoughstandingonly5feet33/4inchesandweighingathisbestfrom145
to147pounds,Maxicksetrecordsinweightliftingthatfewheavyweightsofhisday
couldequal.
Tromp van Diggelen, a Dutch strongman and wrestler, who knew and in some
casesactedasamentortoanumberofthegreatestEuropeanstrongmenofhistime,
broughtSickfromMunichtoLondon,wherethetwomenarrivedonOctober26,1909.
ItwasshortlyafterthisthatvanDiggelenandanEnglishlightweightstrongmannamed
MonteSaldo,whowaslatertobeassociatedwithSickinbusiness,decidedthatthe
BavarianathleteshouldhaveanamemoreinconformitywithEnglishusage.Accord
ingly,theyshortenedhistwonamesintoone:Maxick.
WhileMaxick,earlyin1910,didsomeveryfineweightliftinginLondon,nearlyall
hisgreatestliftswereperformedeitherinGermany(Munich)orinSouthAfrica(Johan
nesburg),wherein1913hevisitedTrompvanDiggelen.
HereareMaxick'sweightliftingrecords.Allwereperformedasaprofessionalathlete
andatabodyweightthatneverexceeded147pounds:
RightHandMilitaryPress,112pounds("performedwithconsiderableease").
RightHandSnatch,165pounds.RightHandSwingwithDumbbell,150pounds.
RightHandjerk(shoulderingthebarbellwithtwohands),239poundsinMunichand
240poundsinJohannesburg.
TwoHandsMilitaryPress,230pounds(madeatabodyweightof145pounds).
TwoHandsCleanandjerkwithBarbell,272pounds.
TwoHandsContinentaljerkwithBarbell,3221/2poundsinLondonand340pounds
inJohannesburg.(IntheTwoHandsSnatch,heshouldhavebeencapableofabout
215pounds.)
Of theforegoing lifts the most extraordinary were theone andtwo handmilitary
pressesandtheoneandtwohandjerks.
Maxick's Two Hands Military Pressof 230pounds, whichhe performed in1909,
wouldbeequivalenttodaytoaliftinthesamestrictstyleofabout267pounds,ortoa
Two Hands Olympic Press of about 312 pounds That is to say, in pressing power
Maxickwastheequal,inhisday,ofanyofthelightweightOlympicchampionpressers
ofthepresenttime.IntheOneHandContinentaljerk,nosuchcomparisoncanbe
made,sincethisstyleofonearmliftingisnolongerpractised.Inbringingabarbell
"clean"totheshoulders withbothhands,Maxick's recordof272poundswouldbe
equivalenttoabout320poundstoday.
This,whileagoodlift,isalongwaybelowthe360poundsormorethatthebest
lightweightscleanandjerktoday.Itisratherinthejerkfromtheshouldersoverhead
thatMaxickisseentobestadvantage,andhisrecordof340poundsinthismove
mentwouldbeequaltonolessthan400poundstoday.Thisistrulyphenomenallift
ing.Itwouldappeartosurpassbyatleast20poundsthebestjerkingabilityofany
presentdaylightweightlifter.
AlthoughinMaxick'sdaythegreatheavyweightprofessionalArthurSaxonwasas
tonishingtheworldwithhisabilityintheBentPress,Maxicknevercaredaboutthislift.
Hefeltthatitwasmoreafeatoflongdevelopedskillthanofstraightstrength.Bethis
asitmay,Maxickmusthavedevelopedastyleofonearmpressingthatwasnearly
equalinefficiencytotheBentPress.Thisisdeducedfromthestatementmadeby
Tromp van Diggelen that in Johannesburg in 1913 Maxick "sidepressed" the 185
poundVanDiggelennofewerthan16timesinsuccessionwithonearm.Thisrepeti
tionliftwasequivalenttoasingleonearmpresswithover270pounds!
Outsideofstraightweightlifting,Maxickshowedupequallywell.Indeed,inhandbal
ancingandgymnasticshecouldperformsomeastoundingfeats.WhileIdonothave
anyfiguresonhisactualrecordsinhandstandpressups,thesecanbededucedfrom
hisknownabilitytodoaTwoHandsMilitaryPressof230poundswhileweighingonly
145poundshimself.Thislift,atthatbodyweight,wasequaltonofewerthan34hand
stand pressups on the floor, or to 21 "tigerbend" pressups, or to 22 handstand
pressupsonabench,touchingthechesteachtime.AndsinceMaxickwasaskilled
balancer, therecan belittledoubtthat hewas actuallycapableofthese estimated
pressups.
AccordingtoTrompvanDiggelen,whosoinformedmeinapersonalletterabout
1960,herearesomeofthefeatsthatMaxickperformedwhenhevisitedvanDiggelen
inJohannesburgin1913:
1.Inacontestatfingerpulling,inwhichMaxickwas"unbeatable,"Maxickcouldpull
a200poundopponentclearacrossthetablethatseparatedthetwomen.
2.HepressedvanDiggelen(185pounds)overhead16times withhisrightarm,
whileholdinginhislefthandaglassofbeerfulltothebrim,withoutspillingadrop.
Earlierthatsameday,hehadpressedFredStorbeek(205pounds),whowasthenthe
heavyweightBritishEmpireBoxingChampion,11timeswithhisrightarm.
3.HoldingvanDiggelenaloftononearm,Maxickranuptwoflightsofstairswithhim
andthenrandownthetwoflights.Thenstandingonhishands,heinthatpositionran
upthetwoflightsanddownagainlThesestairswereinthebuildingknownin1913as
Chudleighs',buttodayastheBazaarBuilding.
4.AttheCarltonHotelonenight,sixemptychampagnebottleswereputbeforehim.
Eachofthesehefilledthreequartersfullwithwaterandthen,takingbottleafterbottle
bytheneckwithhislefthand,hebroughtdownthepalmofhisrighthandontheopen
neck,causingthebottomofeachbottletosmashout!
Aswouldheexpectedinviewofhisextraordinarystrength,Maxickhadasuperb
musculardevelopment.Socompletelywereallhisvoluntarymusclesunderhiscontrol
thathecouldmakeanydesiredgroup"dance"intimetomusic.Hewas,infact,oneof
thefirstgreatexponentsoftheartof"musclecontrol,"andcoulddothingsinthisde
partmentthatastonishedeventhegreatEugenSandow,whohimselfwasanexpertin
theart.
Formanyyears,MaxickmadehishomeinBuenosAires,Argentina,wherehecon
ductedagymnasiumandhealthstudio.Healsowentperiodicallyonexploringexpedi
tionsintotheMattoGrossoofBrazil.
MaxickdiedinBuenosAiresabout1960,Ibelieve,atwhichtimehewouldhave
beenabout78yearsofage.
Ofhimitcouldalmosthavebeensaid,"Weshallnotseehislikeagain."
Atleast,duringtheperiodofnearly60yearsthathaspassedsinceMaxickwasin
hisprime,noothermanofhissizehasequalledhiminallaroundstrength.
(THESUPERATHLETES,DAVIDP.WILLOUGHBY)
ManyopinethattheMCabilitiesofsomeIndianyogisorposteriormuscle
controllersarefarsuperiortotheMaxick'sones.Aboutthis,inconcreteabout
OttoArcoclaims,youcanreadtheTrompvanDiggelen'scomments.Unfortu
nately, we cannot judge precisely the real MC abilities of Maxick, which in
cludedvoluntarycontrolofmanyinternalorgans,includingtheheart,because
hismostimportantanddetailedphotographswerelost.
Hisphysiqueandstrengthweremantainedataveryhighstandardandhepractised
musclecontrolthroughouthislife.Itistragicthatthephotographshesentbacktothis
countryandthoseofMonteSaldoweredestroyedwhenLondonwasblitzedinWorld
WarTwo.
(THEIRONGAME,DAVIDWEBSTER)
Many Maxick's friends, including Aston, commented that no picture could

makejusticeoftheMaxick'sphysiqueandabilities.
Figure20.Maxickteachingcorrectjerking
technique,firstmovement.
Figure21.Maxickteachingcorrectjerking
technique,secondmovement.
3.5.Thewaytosupercontrol,analyticalmusclecontrol(AMC)
TheuseofAMCpermitsacompleteworkoutofanybodypartwithoutthe
need ofanyresistance exercise, except forpurposes ofbalance ofexternal
forcesandverificationofownstrengthlevels.Withthismethodyoucandevote
eventhe90%ofyourtrainingtimetopureMC.
ThestudyoftheAMCwasmotivatedtomebytheonlyseriousshortcoming
ofMC,therealpossibilityofreinforcingthetendonsasmuchasthemuscles
withMaxalding.
Thereisanobviousfact,amusclecannotbecontractedwithouttensinghis
attachedtendonsorligamentstosomeextent.Actually,Ipersonallycanfeel,
see,evenhear(likeasuddenclickinballisticcontrols)extremetensionsinthe
tendonsofthemusclesinvolvedinMCexercises.WhyMCcouldnotreinforce
tendons?
Thiswasveryintriguingforme,becauseMaxickhimselfdidnotrecommend
MCfortendonstrength.Butthisisduetothefactthatmanyoftheoriginalcon
trolswereperformedinthemostcontractedpositionsofthemuscle(theeasiest
onestolearn),minimizingsothetendonandligamentaction.Sothat,Idecided
toexperimentsomenewcontrolsinordertoisolateandincreasethetendon
tensioninconcreteinsertionpointsbymeansofpureMC.
IlimitedmytrainingexclusivelytoMC,withoutanyformofexternalresist
ancefortwomonths.Tomysurprise,mygeneralstrengthandendurancedid
notdecrease,butitincreasedremarkablyintypicalweakpointsofsomebody
weightexercises(forexample,onehandedpushups).Infact,myfirstapplica
tionofMCwastherehabilitationofashoulderinjury.Myshouldertendonswere
thenmuchmoreresistantthanbefore.
Ibegantocontrolthemusclesineverypossiblepositioninlittleangleincre
ments.IhavebeenreadthatsomemaxaldistsandJubinvillewereableofisol
atingsomemusclepartsinatransverseway,likethetwoheadsofthebiceps
orthefinehorizontalcontroloftheabdominals.Althoughthesecontrolsareex
tremelydifficult,becausethecompleterelaxationofthesurroundingmusclelay
ers is impossible, I have had success applying the FTMCR and VMC tech
niques. But the transverse controls were not sufficient forincreasing tendon
tensionatconcreteinsertionpoints.Aftermonthsofdailyandpatientpractice,
oneeveningIdiscoveredthatIwasabletoconcentratemainlyinthecontrac
tionofeachextremelongitudinalportionofthebiceps.
Thekeywasthepreviousdailycontrolofthemuscleineverypositionfrom
peakcontractiontostretch.Thefeelingofthealternatingisolationoftheupper
andlowersectionsofthebicepswasabsolutelyamazing.Shortlyafter,Idis
coveredthatthemajorityofvoluntarymusclesinthebodycanbealsoisolated
differentiallyalongitslineofmotiontosomeextent.
AMC is then the ability to contract and relax different parts of the same
muscleintransversalandlongitudinallineswithrespecttoitsnaturallineofmo
tion.
IwanttomakeclearthatIdonotsuggesttoeliminateexternalresistanceex
ercisesfromyourtraining.Theseexercisesareabsolutelynecessaryforreal
strengthbalance,buttheAMCsystemallowsyoutouseapplianceswithamin
imalamountofeffortandtime.
TheapplicationofAMCtomyworkoutschangedmyideasaboutsomesup
posedlimitationsoftheMaxaldingsystemandopenedtomeanextraordinary
andunexpectedwaytosupermusclecontrol.
3.6.GeneralrulesforMCsuccess
1. Don'tstrainorforceyourmuscles.Usethecoaxingmethod.
2. Nevertraintofailure,buttraintoslightfatigue.
3. Don'tallowthatyourmusclesvibrateortheyareabsolutelyrigid.Such
practicesmakedifficultthebloodflowtothemusclesandcanhaveaneg
ativeeffectoverthenervoussystem.
4. Keepcomfortablywarmallthroughthetrainingtimeandafterit.Itisvery
convenienttohaveamoderatelycoldshowerimmediatelyaftertheexer
cises,followedbyabrisktowelmassage.Massagethemusclesalways
fromlimbstowardstheheart.
5. Countthetimewithyourownbreathing,don'tuseanykindofwatchesor
clocks.Concentrateabsolutelyinyourexercises.
6. Youcanlistenmusicforperformingtheexercisesinamorepleasanten
vironment,butkeepitinalowvolume,chooseapeacefulmusicanddon't
putyourmindonit.Ifyouareabletobeunawareofthemusic,youare
performingwelltheexercises.
7. Don'tholdyourbreathunderanycircumstance.Infirststagesofab
dominalcontrol,don'tholdthebreathmorethan5sandhaveseveralfull
breathsinbetween.Itisunnecessaryandriskyforcingbreathforincreas
ingtheperformanceofabdominalcontrols,becausetheveryadvanced
maxaldistshouldbeabletoperformtheexercises(includingtheonesided
isolations)whileheisbreathing.
8. Practicefulltidalbreathingduringexercises.InfirststagesofMCitissuffi
cienttobreathexclusivelythroughthenosewithoutforcingthethoraxor
theabdomen.Don'topenthemouthinanycase.
9. It is not good for the beginner to sustain the contraction more than 5
breathings (about 710 s), in general, because the concentration de

creasesquicklyforlongertimes,butdon'tbesatisfiedwithshorterperi
ods, because the contraction would not be too effective in terms of
strengthandmuscledevelopment.Besides,itismoreproductiveaseries
ofmoderatetimecontrolsseparatedbyashortcountofrestingbreathings
thananunbrokenforcedcontractionofthesameduration.Foradvanced
students,seethenextsection.
10.Do12repetitionsperdayofeachprincipalexerciseformuscletoning.If
youwanttodevelopagreatstrengthandcontrol,youmustperform15
seriesadayof12repetitionsofeachisolationexercise.Butbecareful,
don'tovertrainyourself.Ifyoudoexercisesforallbodymusclesdaily,itis
morereasonabletokeeptheseriestoalownumber,1or2.Remember
thatacompletebodyroutineforallimportantmuscleisolations,with10
breathingSMCcontractionsand10BMCpulsations(about3060sper
exercise),canlastabout1hour.Alownumberofseriesalsoavoidbore
dom and lack of concentration. For extreme endurance, practice com
poundcontrolsforalargernumberofseries,butwiththeMaxaldingen
ergyconservationprincipleinmind.Ithinkthat10seriesof10repetitions
eachshouldbeamaximum(about1000sor15minpermusclegroup).
Foradvancedstudents,seethenextsection.
11.Wearaslittleclothesasyoureasonablycan.Useverycomfortablesport
clothesthatallowyoucompletefreemotionsofeachbodypart.Choose
clotheswithhypoalergicfibresthatpermitathroughoutperspirationwhile
theykeepyouwarm.
12.Drinkalittleglassofnocoldwaterbeforeexercising,speciallybeforedo
ingtheabdominalcontrols,exceptifyouwanttoperformextremeisola
tionsforwhichacompletelyemptydigestiveorgansareessential.
13.ThebesttimetopracticeMCistwohoursbeforedinnerintheevening,
becausethemusclesaremuchmoreresponsive.Foroptimalresults,you
candoseveraltrainingsessions,forexample,oneinthemorningandone
intheevening,butthisisnotabsolutelynecessaryifyouperformdailyall
exercisesinorder.
14.Itisveryconvenienttowarmthebodyandactivatebloodcirculationbe
foreperformingMCbymeansofgentleexercisesaswalkinginplace,but
thebreathingratemustbekeptquietlyandconstant.Averygoodprac
tice,thatcombinesMCwithaerobictraining,istoperform10repetitionsof
alternatingkneeandarmsraisinginplace,verysimilartoexercise1of
strongfortism,betweeneachMCperformance,withnorest.Thiscombina
tionimprovescirculationandmultipliestheeffectsofMC.Itisalsoanex
cellentfatburningsystem.
15.Theuseofalargemirrorcanbeuseful,butanexcessivedependencyon
themirrorisveryharmful.Trytoconcentrateonthefeelingofthemuscles
andnotintheirrealimage,imaginethephysiqueyouwantbymeansof
VMCtechniqueswhileyouareperformingthecontrols.Manypeoplefailin
abdominalcontrolsbecausetheyconcentrateinthemirrorimageinstead
intheinternalfeelingofmuscles.
3.7.ThekeytorealprogressinMC.Instinctivetraining
Weliveintheeraofnumbersandinformation.Allisnumberandpeoplede
mandspecificcalories,foodquantitiesandtypes,repetitions,seriesandtimes
thinkingthatallofthesearethekeytosuccess.
However,therealsecretofMaxaldingtrainingissupremebothmentaland
physical concentration and, actually, it is impossible to achieve it if you are
keepingyourattentioninthecountingandcompletionoftheprescribednum
bers.
Numbersareagoodstartingpointtobeginners,butifyouaimtoperfectMC,
youmustlistenthelanguageofyourmuscles.BothMaxickandSaldo,among
manyoldtimestrongmen,advocatedforthissortoftraining.
Don'tconcentrateatallincountingyourbreathings,relaxallyourbody,in
cludingbreaths,exceptthemusclethatyouarecontrolling.
Contractslowlythedesiredmuscle,breathquietlythroughthenoseandhold
a maximal (without strain or vibration) contraction for all the time you can
withoutanydecreaseinintensity.Intheverymomentyoufeeltheslightestsign
oflackofconcentration,muscularfatigue,vibrationorrigidity,relaxthemuscle
veryslowly.Onlydoarepetitionpermusclethisway.Ifyouwanttoperform
morerepetitions,dothemwhenyoufinishallexercisesinasortofcyclictrain
ing.Thisisknowas instinctivetraining,becauseyouallowyourownbodyto
decidetheexactamountoftrainingitneeds,insteadofforcingittoperforman
objectivetimeschedule.Thiskindofexercisingisalsothebestdefenceagainst
monotonyandboredom.
ItisclearthattheuseoftheFTMCRtechniqueisessentialforsuccess.In
firststagesofMC,thiscanbedifficult,becausethestudent,withoutsufficient
confidence,generallytrytocontractthemusclesinaexplosiveway.Because
ofthis,whenthestudentisabletoperformallexerciseswithgoodform,isbet
tertoincreasethecontractiontimeto10breathingsandtodoonly1repetition.
Someweekslater,thestudentshouldbeabletotraininstinctivelymakingan
efforttoignorethebreathingcountandconcentratingcompletelyinthetension
feelingofthemuscleapplyingcontinuouslytheVCMtechnique.
Anotherinterestingapplicationofinstinctivetrainingisthedeterminationof
theoptimaltensiontimesforeachexerciseandindividual.
Forexample,Icouldcalculateinthiswaythatmyoptimalcontractiontimeis
about10breathingsformostexercises,ofwhichthefirstbreathingisusedfor
raisingthetensiontoanonvibratingmaximumandthelastoneisusedfora
controlleddecreasingofcontractingforce.Also,Ihavefoundthat2breathings
ismybestrelaxintervalbetweencontractions.
Countingbreathingscancontributetoyourconcentrationifproperlyapplied
whenyouknowyouroptimaltimesafterareasonableexperimentationwithin
stinctivetraining.Youalsocanalternatebothtypesoftraining.
3.8.MCofthemusclesoftheface
3.8.1.Frontalisandorbicularisoculi(MCoculi)
Raise slowly your eyebrows as far as you can. Keep the tension several
breathingsandrelax.
3.8.2.Zygomaticus(MCzygomaticus)
Adoptafaceexpressionlikeabigsmilewithoutopeningthemouth.Contract
themusclesslowly,keepthepositionseveralbreathingsandrelax.
3.8.3.Orbicularisoris(MCoris)
Tightenthelips,pressingoneagainst theother. Keepthetensionseveral
breathingsandrelaxslowly.
3.8.4.Masseter(MCmasseter)
Tightenthejaws,pressingoneagainsttheotherverycarefullyandwithout
forcing,becauseyoucouldinjureyourteeth.Keepthepositionseveralbreath
ingsandrelax.ThismuscleiscontractedalsoinMChyoid.
3.8.5.Tongue(MCtongue)
Yes,thetongueisalsoamuscle,isn'tit?Generally,thetongueissufficiently
workeddailybecauseweuseitforspeakingandeating.But,forthisreason,
mostimportantistoknowhowtorelaxthetongueproperly.Inadvancedstates
ofrelaxationyoucanfeelthatthetongueisoftenthelastmusclewhichyoure
lax.Itgenerallyispointingorpressingtotheroofofthemouthandcontracted.
Pressthetongueagainsttheroofofthemouthpowerfullyorpressoneside
ofthemuscleagainsttheothertryingtoputtogetherboth.Holdthetension
severalbreathingsandrelaxveryslowly.Trytorelaxthetongueeverytimeyou
rememberit.
Althoughtheexercisesforthefacearenotcommonandtheyareoftenneg
lected,theyareveryimportantbecausetheirinvoluntaryandpermanentten
sioncanproducestressanddiscomfort.Besides,astrongfacemusclesarea
keyfactorinordertominimizetheeffectsofageing.Inconsequence,theability
tocontract andrelaxvoluntarily andpowerfully the musclesofthe facepro
ducesalotofbenefits.
3.9.MCofthemusclesoftheneck
MCisoneofthebettermeanstostrengthentheneckwithouttheriskofother
exercisesthatimpliesheavytensionsorunstablepositionsoverthevertebra.
3.9.1.Sternohyiod,omohyoidandthyroidhyoid(MChyoid)
Firststage. Openyourmouthandtenseyourjaws(withoutclosingthem).
Imaginethatyouraretryingtomasticateapieceofsolidrubberorsomething
similar.Ifyoudothisproperly,your hyoids shouldexpandlikewingsinboth
sidesoftheneck.
Itispracticallyimpossibletocontrolonlyonesideifyoukeepthejawsintheir
naturalposition.Butifyoumovetheinferiorjawtooneside,thecontrolisrelat
ivelyeasy.
Second stage. Keep the mouth closed and concentrate in the hyoid and
masseter muscles. Tense them at the same time. You can achieve a very
powerfulcontractionandexpansionofthesemuscles.Don'tholdthecontrac
tionalongtime,becausethesemusclestendtovibrateshortly.
3.9.2.Sternocleidomastoid(MCsterno)
Turntheheadslightlytoonesidekeepingtheneckerect.
ISRtechnique. Resisttheheadinthispositionwiththeoppositehand,asif
youwanttoturntheheadtotheside.Applythetensionveryslowlyinorderto
distinguishthefeelingofthedifferentmusclesthatcontributetotheresistance.
AMRtechnique. Trytoturntheheadfromonesidetotheothercontracting
musclesuntilyoufeelthatsomemusclesactlikebrakestoothers.Performthis
slowlyasfarasyoucanrelaxtheantagonisticmuscleswhileyoukeeptheten
sionontheagonisticones.
VMCandFTMCRtechniques.Turnyourheadtooneside.Youshouldfeela
slighttensioninthesternocleidomastoidofthepartoftheneckwhichisturned
totheside.Concentrateinthistensionandtrytointensifyitbymeansofmental
contraction.
Finally,youshouldbeabletocontractthesternocleidomastoidswithoutturn
ingtheneckandwithoutassistance.Thevoluntaryisolationofbothmusclesis
favouredifyoutiltdownwardstheneckalittle.
3.9.3.Spleniuscapitus,levatorscapulae,posteriorscalene,middle
scalene(MCscalene)
ISRtechnique.Trytomovetheneckleaningitforwardandbackwardsresist
ingallthetimewiththehandsinterlacedbehindthehead.Applythetension
veryslowly.Changethepositionofthehands,resistingnowthesamemotion
withthehandspressingagainsttheforehead.
Afterthis,bendthenecklaterallybothsidesresistingwiththesamehand.
Ifyoudotheseexercisesslowlyandcarefullyyoushoulddiscoverthatsome
musclestensemostintenselyinthebackoftheneck,andsomeotherscontract
morestronglyatthesidesoftheneck.Withpractice,youwillbeabletocontract
these muscles voluntarily and to isolate the sternocleidomastoids from the
musclesofthebackoftheneck.
Don'tforcethetension,becauseyouwouldinvolveanothermuscleslikethe
trapeziusortheserratus.
AMRtechnique.Ifyoubendyournecklaterallytryingtotouchtheshoulders
contracting the muscles, you can feel the scalenes. However, if you tiltyou
headforwardandbackwards,youwouldtensemoreintenselythespleniusand
levator.
Whenyouareabletocontractthedifferentmusclegroupsoftheneck,thefi
nal isolation is favoured by small changes in the relative position of the
shouldersandtheneck.
3.10.MCofthemusclesoftheback
MCofthebackmusclesisextremelyimportant,becausetheappropriatecon
trolofthebackisthekeytomanyofthemostdemandingstrengthtests.Be
sides,MCisthebesttechnique,ifproperlylearned,torelaxandstrengthen
thesefrequentlyneglectedanddamagedmuscles.Thebenefitsarecountless,
painrelief,postureimprovement,relaxingofthespine,increasesinflexibility,
etc.
3.10.1.PreliminaryISRexercisesforshoulderbladesandbackmobility
Acorrectmobilizationofthe shoulderbladesisoneofthemostimportant
factorsinordertoincreasethebreathingcapacityandtodeveloptheflexibility
oftheback,shouldersandthoracicbox.
3.10.1.1.Looseningofshoulderbladeswitharmsstretchedoverhead
(MCscapulaISR1)
Elevateyourarmsstretchedverticallyinlinewithyourback.Trytokeepyour
backinanaturalstraightandrelaxedposition.Ifyouhaveanytensioninyour
upperbackmuscles,theexercisewillnotproducethedesiredeffect.Ofcourse,
thisisdifficulttoachieveinthefirstsessions,butyouwillbeabletorelaxprop
erlyinaprogressiveway.
Interlacesurelyyourhandsinthetoppositionandpullwiththemoutwards
slowly,butwiththemaximumeffortyoucanperformwithoutproducinganyvi
brationinthemuscles.Keepthetension510breathingsandrelax.Youcanre
peattheexercise25times.
At the time of pulling, you should feel a little upwards movement of the
shoulder blades. The amount of elevation and separation of the shoulder
bladesdependsalotonbonestructure,jointelasticityandprevioustraining.
Youshouldnotbedisappointedifyoucannotreproducetheexcellentperform
anceofMaxick.Youmustpursueyourownperfection.Forexample,Astonwas
agreatmusclecontroller,buttheseparationshowninhispicturesaremodest
incomparisonwithanothermaxaldists.
3.10.1.2.Looseningofshoulderbladeswitharmsbehindthehead(MC
scapulaISR2)
Thisexerciseisverysimilartothepreviousone,butthearmsarebended
andthehandsinterlacedbehindthehead.Inthiswayyouvarythepositionof
themusclesandyoufacilitateamorecompleteshoulderbladesmobilization.
3.10.1.3.DynamicmobilizationofshoulderbladeswithDSR(MCscapula
DSR)
Thisexerciseisacombinationof MCscapulaISR1 and MCscapulaISR2
inaDSRfashion.Graspyourhandsfirmlybehindyourheadandraisethearms
towards sky in a straight line with the back, pulling outwards all the way.
Withoutdecreasingtheoutwardtension,loweryourarmstotheinitialposition.
Inhalewhileyouareraisingyourarmsandexhaleinthedownwardsmove
ment.Thepaceofexercisemustbeguidedbythebreathing.
3.10.1.4.Reinforcementofupperbackmuscles(MCbackISR)
Adoptthepositionof MCscapulaISR2,butinthiscaseyoumustpushin
wards with both hands. This exercise change the action of the upper back
musclesandreinforcetheshoulders.
3.10.1.5.Additionallooseningofshoulderbladesforrigidjoints(MC
scapulaISR3)
Thisexercisemustbeperformedonlybypeoplewithdifficultiesforloosening
thescapulaebymeansofthepreviousexercises.
Graspyourhandsbehindthelowerbackandpullstronglyoutwards.Keep
thetension10breathingswhileyoutrytorelaxallbackmusclescompletely.
3.10.1.6.Combinedshoulderbladeslooseningandbendingforlateral
backflexibilityandreinforcement(MCbackAMR+ISR)
Adopt the position of MCscapulaISR2. While keeping the outward pull,
bendveryslowlythebacktoonesidelaterally.Theshouldersmustbeinline
withthehips.Don'tforceyourlimits,theflexibilitywillincreasewithtimeandpa
tience.Inhaleinthetoppositionandexhaleslowly(everytimewiththenose)
whileyourarebendingtheback.Bendtotheoppositesideandrepeat5times.
3.10.1.7.Reinforcementoferectorspinaemuscles(MCspinaeISR)
Placeyourhandpalmspressingagainstyourglutealsandbendyourback
backwardsverycarefullykeepingthetensiongeneratedbythepalms.
Nowchangethepositionofthepalmsandplacethempressingagainstthe
thighs.Bendyourbackforwardveryslowlykeepingthetensionasfarasthe
backformsaperpendicularanglewiththestraightlegs.
3.10.1.8.Isometricanddynamicpullupsorchinups(BLpullup)
Theseareverygoodexercisesforstrengthening thebackmuscles.Ifyou
cannotperformcompletedynamicpullups,graspthebarandpullisometrically
withmaximaleffortwithoutvibratingforacountof10breathings.Relaxandre
peat5times.
3.10.2.PreliminaryAMRexercisesforbackreinforcementandflexibility
3.10.2.1.AMRpullups(MCpullupAMR)
Althoughitisnotnecessary,itcouldbehelpfultograspa1.5mstickwith
bothhandsforthisexercise.
Restthestickfirmlygraspedwithhandsatshoulderwidthbehindyourhead.
Raiseslowlythestickinlinewithyourshouldersasfarasyourarmsareper
fectlystraight.Trytocontractallyourbackmusclesfortheraising.Don'tcon
centrateinhardeningyourarms(acommontendency),directallyourenergies
tothebackmuscles.Inhaleinthispartoftheexercise.
Dothesameforthedownwardsmotion,exhaling.Repeat35times.
3.10.2.2.AMRrowing(MCrowingAMR)
Grasp firmly the stick with both arms in front of your chest at shoulders
length.Bringthesticktowardsyourchestasfarasyoucantouchthepectorals,
contractingpowerfullyallyourbackinmotion.Inhaleinthispart.Gototheinitial
positionwhileexhaling.Do35times.Itisveryimportanttodotheexercises
alongtheentirerangeofmotion.
3.10.2.3.Backforwardbending(MCbackAMR1)
Raiseyourarmsandwiththemstraight,bendyourbackdownwardstensing
allmusclesinthebackasfarasyoureachaperpendicularanglewiththelegs.
Probablyyouwilltendtocontractyourabdominalmusclesalso,thiswillputad
ditionalresistancetothemotioninfirststages,butyoumusttrytoreducethis
antagonisticcontractionprogressively.
Inhaleinthetoppositionandexhalewhileyouarebending.
Thereisalotofdiscussionabouttheconvenienceofbendingthespinecom
pletely.TryingtodoMCaccessibletomostpeopleandextremelysafe,Icon
siderbesttokeepthemaximumangleto90.
3.10.2.4.Backbackwardsbending(MCbackAMR2)
Adopt the same initial position than in exercise MCbackAMR1,but now
bendbackwardsveryslowlyandcarefully.Tenseallmusclesinyourbackall
theway.
3.10.2.5.Backlateralbending(MCbackAMR3)
Inthesameinitialpositionas MCbackAMR1 and MCbackAMR2,bend
thespinelaterallytoonesidealternatingboth.Inhaleintoppositionandexhale
inthelowestone.Tenseallmusclesinyourback.
3.10.3.PreliminarybackexerciseswithLD
TheuseoflightdumbbellsforachievingMCcanbeverybeneficial.Thegen
eral,andveryimportant,recommendationistoavoidanyantagonisticaction.
Relaxallyourmusclesandconcentrateonlyinthemusclesthatareperforming
theaction.
Thisnecessaryrelaxationisthereasonbywhichtheuseoflightweightsis
mandatory.Exerciseswithchallengingdumbbellswillproduceastrugglingthat
wouldpreventthenecessaryconcentrationintheagonisticmusclesandwould
tendtocontracttheantagonisticonesforprotectingtheligaments.Thisisanin
stinctiveprotectivemechanismofthebodywhichonlycanbeminimizedwitha
carefulandcontinuouspracticeofMC.
Theuseof15kgdumbbellsshouldbesufficientingeneralinordertolearn
MC.
3.10.3.1.Backbending(LDback1)
Grasponedumbbellwithbothhandsovertheheadwitharmsfullystretched.
Separatefeetabout1m.Bendthebacklaterallywithouttwistingasfarasyou
can.ApplytheSMCRtechniqueveryprogressively.
3.10.3.2.Backtwisting(LDback2)
Graspone dumbbell with both hands andarmsfullystretched.Twistyour
backfromsidetosideincirclesapplyingSMCR.
3.10.3.3.Severalliftswhichinvolvethebackmuscles
Onehandedjerk.
Twohandsjerk.
Onehandedswing.
...
UseSMCRinallliftswithverylightweights.Selectonlytwoorthreeliftsper
workout.Don'tdomanyoftheminthesametrainingsession.
3.10.4.LDtechniquewithAston'santidumbbell
TheAston'sideaforliftingpracticehasbeendescribedbefore.Theuseofan
antidumbbellhasmanyadvantagesforthestudentofMaxalding,becausethe
lackofequilibriumandtheadditionalforcemomentuminvolveagreatercon
centrationandhelptofeeltheweakpointsinmuscleaction.Theweightmust
becomfortablyeasytohandle.
3.10.5.PreliminaryBLbackexercises
OneofthefavouriteMaxick'sexerciseswerehandstandpressups,theLB
exerciseofMaxaldingcurses,performeddynamically.Pullupshavebeendis
cussedbefore.
Althoughhandstandpressupsare,withoutdoubt,oneofthebestexercises
forbackdevelopment,itisverydifficultandunsafeformanypeople,although
performed against a wall. One easier alternative is to elevate the feet over
somethingstable,likeabed,andadoptabodyformsimilartoaninvertedV
andfromthispositiontodopushups.IfyouapplytheSCMRtothisexercisein
motion,youcanobtainmanyofthebenefitsofacompletehandstandwithlittle
probabilityofinjury.
Anotherveryeasyandgoodexerciseforcontractingandisolatingtosome
extentthe erectorspinae issimplyhipraisingfromasupinepositionwiththe
legsflexedforminganangleoverthefloor.Thisexercise,donewithSMCR,
eliminates the need of performing other controversial exercises like the full
bridge(exerciseTofMaxalding).
3.10.6.Isolationofbackmuscles
3.10.6.1.Trapezius(MCtrapezius)
Therearethreebasictechniquesforisolatingthetrapezius.Theyareshown
inorderofincreasingdifficulty.
Shrugging.Raiseyourshouldersandtrytopressbothsidesoneagainst
theotherandagainstthebackoftheneck.Keepthetension510breath
ingsandrelaxcompletely.
Contractioninacrucifixposition.Thispositionallowsaverypowerfulcon
tractionofthewhole trapezius.Raiseyourarmsstraightinlinewithyour
shoulders(90withthebodyline)andshiftthemslightlybackwards.You
shouldfeelnowthetensioninthe trapezius.Concentrateonit,imagine
thatitadoptsthesameformyoucouldobserveinMaxick'spicsandin
tensifythecontractionbyvoluntaryaction.Keepthecontractionfor510
breathingsandrelax.
Directcontraction(verydifficultinwordsofMaxick).Thiscontroldemands
alotofpatience,butitisveryfavouredbythepracticeofthefirsttwo
methods.Relaxallmusclesintheback.Trytomove(withouttheactual
motion)veryslowlytheshouldersforward,butnotupwards.Maintainthe
shoulderlengthandthebackveryslightlybentforward.Inmostcasesthe
pectoralsareslightlycontractedtoaidthecontrolofthe trapezius inthis
position.Youcanaidthecontractionpressingwiththepalmsofhandslat
erallyoverthehipsorpressingonehandagainsttheotherinfrontofthe
abdomen orinterlacingthe hands behind the lowerbackandpressing.
Keepthecontractionsteadilywithoutforcingthepectoralhelp.Sustainit
for510breathingsandrelaxcompletely.
Youmustincreasethedifficultyslowlyandbepatient.Ifyoucancontrolthe
whole trapezius,youcancontrolonlyonesideeasily.Concentrateonthede
siredpartandcontractitslowly,relaxingpectoralsasfarasyoucan.
Advancedcontrols.
1. Longitudinal AMC (LAMC) (MCtrapeziusLAMC). In very advanced
stagesyoushouldbeabletofeelthreecontractingzonesinthetrapezius,
lower,middleandupper.Inthelowerpartyoucanobserveatransference
ofcontractionfromtheerectorspinaetothetrapezius.Trytoconcentrate
thetensionintheseparationofbothmuscles.Inthemiddlepartyoucan
differentiatethetensionofthe trapezius becauseitdoesnottendtoex
pandtheshoulderblades.Theupperzoneismosteasilydistinguishable,
butitsisolationproducesingeneralatendencytocontractpowerfullythe
pectorals.Thisisnotsevereifyoucanisolatethisactionfromtheexpan
sionofshoulderblades,alsofavouredbypectorals.Inthecaseofupper
trapezius,theupperpectorallayershouldbefeltandrelaxedifpossible.
2. TransverseAMC(TAMC)(MCtrapeziusTAMC).Theisolationofoneside
ofthetrapeziusisrelativelyeasy,oncemasteredthecompletecontrol(in
somecasesitiseasiertotrytheonesidedcontrolfirst).Trytocombine
LAMC and TAMC controls generating a wave tension feeling over the
muscle.Forthis,relaxwhenyouinhaleandcontractthedesiredpartwhile
youareexhaling.Don'tforcebreathingatall,anyforcingimplieslackof
control.
3. SMCR.Thisisanexcellentexerciseforoverallbodyconditioning,butnow
Iwanttoconcentrateinapowerfulactionofthetrapezius.Putyourarms
stretchedatbothsidesofthebodyandraisetheminaSMCRfashionas
farastheyforma90 withthebody(crucifix).Workveryprogressively
concentratingonyourtrapezius.Useverylightdumbbellsatfirstandnev
ersurpassalimitof5kgwiththistechnique,itisunnecessaryandex
cessivelydemanding.
3.10.6.2.Voluntaryexpansionofshoulderblades(MCscapulaexpansion)
Themostcommonerrorsinperformingthisexercisearethetendencytocon
tractalsothelatissimusdorsiandtheinvoluntaryexpansionoftheribboxwith
forcedinhalation(averyharmfulpractice).
Placebothhandsfirmlyrestingoverthehips,youcanhelpyourselfatfirst
stagespressingsteadilybothhands(oroneattimeifyouwantisolateonlyone
side)against the hipbones. Nowconcentrate allyourattentionovertheex
tremepointsofthescapulaeandexpandthem.
Manypeoplewithrigidjoints,includingme,couldbedisappointedatfirstwith
thesmallshiftproduced.Insomecasesevenyoucanfeelsomesortofclick
whileyouareexpandingthescapulaeinaballisticcontrol.Acarefulstudyof
thepicturesofMaxickandofanotherMaxaldingpupilsrevealthatthespectac
ularexpansionsdependsalotonbonestructureandanotherelasticityfactors
oftheligaments.Gobythealternatingtensionrelaxfeelinganddon'tbeob
sessedwithyourimageonthemirror.
Theisolationofoneshoulderbladeattimeisaseasyasthecompleteexpan
sionandshouldbeperformedinanalternatingfashion.
Advancedcontrols.
Inthiscasetherearenodifferentpartstoisolate,butyoucanapplytheFTM
CRtotheexpansion,doingitveryslowly.Ifyouhaveextremelysuppleliga
mentsattachedtoshoulderblades,youcouldraiseandlowerthescapulaeina
cyclicalandcircularfashion.Thisisreallyaveryspectacularcontrolthatamaze
mostpeople.IfyouareasinflexibleasIam,youshouldbehappyfeelingthe
actionofyourmusclesinexpansionsofafractionofcm.MCisoneofthebest
techniquesforimprovingyourflexibility,butcannotdomiracles.
3.10.6.3.Voluntaryabductionofshoulderblades(MCscapulaabduction)
Thiscontrolisverysimilarto MCscapulaexpansion,butinthiscase, you
mustbringyourshouldersslightlybackwardsasfarasyoucannotewithyour
fingers(atfirstperformances)thatthereisaholebetweenyourscapulaeand
your back. If youhave mastered previouslythe exercise MCscapulaexpan
sion,youshouldhavelittledifficultyinperformcorrectlytheabduction.
You can combine both exercises to add impressiveness to the scapulae
movements.
3.10.6.4.Latissimusdorsi(MClats)
Thiscanbeadifficultcontrolduetoalackofmuscledevelopmentinthis
zoneorbecausethisisanallornonecontrol.
Theuseofauxiliaryexercisesisveryimportantinfirststages.Pullupsare
excellent,bothdynamicallyorstatically.Speciallythestaticonescanhelpyou
indifferentiatingthetensiononthelatissimusdorsi.
But,forapurevoluntarycontrolthebestisthisAMRexercise(MClatsAMR).
Raiseyourarmsat90 withrespectthebody(crucifixposition)andbendthe
forearmswithhandspointingtothesky.Theforearmsformanangleof90with
theupperarmsthatareinahorizontalposition.Tenseyourmusclesandpress
inwardsasfarasyoutouchyourforearmsinfrontofyourchestmaintainingthe
angles. Imagine that your are pressing against some sort of gymnastic ma
chine.Thekeyistoconcentratetheantagonisticresistanceontheback(latis
simusdorsi)andnotonthepectorals.Withalittlepracticeyoushouldbeable
todoso.
Thepurecontrolcomeswhenyoudon'tneedtomovethearmsfromitsori
ginalpositioninordertocontractthelatissimusdorsimuscles.MCproducesa
verydetaileddefinitioninthisbodypart(ifyouhaveareasonablelowbodyfat,
of course). These muscles are the key to the appreciated V shape of the
back.
Alittle,butimportantobservation,don'tbeobsessedwithquickbodyfatde
creases. It ismuch better a steady and graduated weight loss, than a very
speedyone.Theresultsarefarmorehealthyanddurable.Itisunsafeandun
realistic,exceptinmedicalcontrolledpatients,toreducemorethan0.51kgper
week.Itisveryriskytoloseweightortodoanyexerciseprogramwithoutasuf
ficientintakeofwater.Drinkalotofpurewaterinlittleamountseverytimeyou
canandneverusehermeticclothesthatinduceperspiration.Somepractices
areabsolutelycondemnable.Forexample,runninginthehottesthoursofsum
merdaysdressedwithplasticunderwearisamadness.Neverforceyourper
spirationinanycircumstance.
Figure22.MatysekperformingMClats.
Advancedcontrols.
ApplyingFTMCRyoucanperformaveryslowexpansionofthe latissimus
dorsi.MuchmoredifficultistheLAMCofthismuscles.Thetensioncanbevar
iedslightlyfromthelowestpart,nearthe abdominalobliques, tothemiddle
one,whoseisolatedcontractiontendtoactivatethe intercostals.Thecontrac
tionoftheupperpartisalmostconfusedwiththeactiontoexpandtheshoulder
blades(MCscapulaexpansion).
Figure23.SigKleinperformingonesideMC
lats.
3.10.6.5.Erectorspinae(MCspinae)
Thepreliminaryexerciseshavebeenexplainedbefore(seeMCspinaeISR).
Thecontrolofthismusclesareextremelyimportantforbackpainrelief,im
provingpostureandpreventingbackinjuriesduringtheperformanceofheavy
efforts.
This controlisratedasoneofthemostdifficultones, butonceyouhave
achievedit,youhaveitforever.Itisveryfunnyandamazingformostpeople,
becauseitcanbefelteasilybydirecttouchingofthelowerback.
I have discovered that the keys to pure voluntary control of the erector
spinaearetwo.
1. Position.Putyourfingersoverthesemuscleswiththebackstraightbutre
laxedandbendslightlyforwardandbackwardsuntilyoucanfeelalittle
contraction.Trytointensifythetensionbyconcentration.
2. Helpingactionofthecentralmusclelayersofthe rectusabdominis.This
controlisveryfavouredbytheLAMCoftherectusabdominis.Therelaxa
tionofuppersectionsoftheabdomenhelpsalotforimprovingthecon
centrationovertheerectorspinae.
Advancedcontrols.
TheTAMCofthe erectorspinae (MCspinaeTAMC)impliestheisolationof
eachside.Thisiseasyoncemasteredthemaincontrolbyturningveryslightly
thebacktothedesiredside.Thiscontrolisveryfavouredbytheperformance
ofpreliminaryexerciseofsection3.10.5withonlyonefootonthefloorandthe
oppositelegstraightandformingaparallelanglewithrespectthebackline.
TheLAMCofthe erectorspinae (MCspinaeLAMC)isintimatelyrelatedto
themasteryofLAMCrelaxingofhorizontalabdominalmusclelayers.
A very careful inspection of the effect of the forwardbackwards angle of
bendingofthelowerbackonthelevelandtransferenceofcontractionoverthe
erectorspinaecanbehelpful.
ThefinalgoalisthecombinedLAMC+TAMCofeachmusclesideinawave
alternatingform.
Another observation. The speed of performance of the advanced and ex
tremecontrols,likethis,isirrelevant.Theimportantthingistoperformthem
correctly.Somemaxaldistswereabletopulsatetheirmusclesinsynchroniza
tionwithmusic,likeTonyHolland,someotherswereabletoperformincredible
steellikecontractionsofanybodypartforprolongedtimes,likeAlanMead.
Theseabilitiesdependalotonyourpreferences,yourgoalsandyourana
tomy.Anyspeedofperformanceisgoodasfarasyoueffectivelyisolatethede
siredmuscles.
Ipersonallylikethefeelingofasteadyandcontinuoustransitionfromcon
tractiontorelaxationandviceversa,i.e.,IapplyFTMCRalltimes.Thistech
niqueallowsmemorepowerfulcontractionswithouttheriskofforcingorvibrat
ing my muscles, it increases my concentration and develops the necessary
feelingsandmethodsforachievingextremehighlevelsofvoluntarybodymind
relaxation.ForthisreasonIgenerallytrainwithslowtensing,exceptforBMC.
Butthisisonlyapersonalchoice,youcouldfindmoreproductiveandenjoyable
totrainwithquickpulsationstryingtosynchronizethemwithyourfavouritemu
sic.
Ofcourse,somecontractionsof510breathingseacharenecessaryforde
velopingmusclemassandstrength.Theexclusiveuseofquickreflexesisthe
originofmanyunfoundedmisconceptionsandcriticsaboutMaxalding,because
suchquickpulsationshavelittleeffectoverthemuscles.
3.11.MCofthemusclesoftheshoulder
3.11.1.PreliminaryISRandDSRexercises
TheMCscapulaISRexercisesarealsoverygoodforshoulderdevelopment
ifyouconcentrateyourattentiononthem.IshowheresomeadditionalDSRex
ercises.Allofthemcanbeperformedstaticallyalsoinseveralpositionsorwith
SMCR.Ofcourse,youdon'tneedtoperformallexercises,youcanselectafew
andchangethemovertimeinadditiontopureMC.
3.11.1.1.DSRonelbow(MCshoulderDSR1)
Graspyourelbowwiththeoppositehandandtrytopushitbackwardswhile
youresistwiththehandforce.Youcandothisexercisealongthecomplete
rangeofmotionofthe shoulder. Doitslowlyorkeepthe tensioninseveral
placesfor5breathings.Concentrateonthetensionfeeling.Averyfewnumber
ofperformancesisnecessary(15).
3.11.1.2.DSRshouldershrugging(MCshoulderDSR2)
Trytoshrugoneshoulderwiththearmstraightwhileyouresistthemove
mentwiththeoppositehand.
3.11.1.3.DSRonehandedswing(MCshoulderDSR3)
Keeponearmstraightinhisbottompositionandtrytoelevateitinfrontof
youasfarasitpointstotheroof.Resistthemotionwiththeoppositehand
pressing over the frontof theresistedwrist withthe fist firmlyclenched. Be

carefulwiththeamountoftensionyouputinyourshoulders,becauseinthis
position,thestraightarmactslikealeverandcanproduceanexcessiveforce
ontheshouldertendonsandligaments.Apartfromthis,itisanextraordinary
exerciseforalltheupperbody.
3.11.1.4.DSRsinglehandedjerk(MCshoulderDSR4)
Thisaverybeautifulandeffectiveexercisethatworksalotofmusclessimul
taneously. The idea is to simulate the most beautiful lift of all, in Maxick's
words,withDSRonly.
Bendonearmwiththeforearmtouchingthebicepsandtheelbowpointingto
thefloor.Puttheopenpalmfacingtotheroofandthefingerspointingtothe
shoulder.Nowpressdownwardsfirmlywiththeoppositepalmandtrytoraise
thebendedarmasfarasitisalmoststraight.Becarefulwithyourwrists,don't
forcethem.
Ifyouperformthisexercise properly,youcanfeelitsextraordinaryeffects
overthewrists,forearms, deltoids, latissimusdorsi, erectorspinae and inter
costals.
3.11.2.PreliminaryAMRexercises
YoucandoexactlythesameDSRexercisesasbefore,butyoumustchange
themanualresistanceforantagonisticresistance.
Youcansimulatealsothelateralraise(crucifix),withAMR.Concentratethe
tensiononthedeltoidsandelevatetheextendedarmsveryslowly.
3.11.3.PreliminaryBLexercises
All BLexercisesshould beperformed withSMCR veryprogressively.The
SMCRtechniquealsoprovidesagoodcardioworkoutwithveryfewrepetitions.
ThekeyexerciseforupperbodydevelopmentinMaxaldingarepushups(or
pressups).IfyouelevateyourfeetandadopttheformofainvertedVyou
workmoreintenselytheshoulders.Maxickusedtodohandstandpressupsin
hisdailytraining.
TheperformanceofMaxaldingpressupstrytooptimizeyoureffortconcen
trating theleverageoneachsideinanalternating form.Adoptthecommon
pushuppositionandtiltyourbodyoveronesideasfarasmostofyourbody
weightissupportedbythearmofthisside.RaiseyourselfapplyingSMCRall
thetimeasfarasyoucancomfortablydo.Generally15repetitionsaresuffi
cient.Repeatwiththeotherarminthesamefashion.
Thisexerciseisveryimportanttounderstandthescientificandveryprogress
ivestrengthdevelopmentinsidetheMaxaldingsystem.
Aweakoruntrainedpersonmustbeginthisexercisepressingagainstthe
wallwiththebodyerect.TheapplicationofSMCRoversuccessiveweekswill
developthenecessarystrengthtoperformtheexercisedirectlyoverthefloor
butwiththeweightdistributedovertheknees.Finally,youwillbeabletodo
perfectpressupswithincreasingtiltingdegrees.
Intheoriginalcoursesthiswasoneofthemostadvancedexercises.Court
Saldoaddedsubsequentlymoredemandingexerciseslikehandstandsandone
handedpushups.Suchdemandingexercisesshouldbedoneseldom,more
likestrengthteststhanlikethebasisofourtraining,becausetheyputaconsid
erablestressonthejoints.Thesamecanbesaidaboutanotheronelimblever
ageexercises.
ThetiltingmethodisusedalsoforsquatsinMaxalding,providinganeasy
waytoincreasethestrengthwithoutrisk.TiltingandSMCRarethemainrein
forcementtechniquesforbodyweightexercises.
Ihavebeenalwaysintriguedbytherealpossibilityofdevelopingsuchaper
fectbodyasmanyMaxaldingpupilsshowedwithonlysuchanapparentlyeasy
exercises.Thementionedexercisesareexcellentforoverallbodydevelopment,
but,ingeneral,theyareclearlyinsufficientforattainingthemusculardefinition
anddensityofpureMaxaldingpupils,likeBillyRalph.Thesecretmustbe,of
course,intheregularuseofMC.
ThecombinationofMCwithDSRandBLisextremelyefficientbecauseyou
can gauge very precisely the maximal amount of force you can generate
withoutpracticallyanyriskofstrainingyourself.
Obviously the non apparatus Maxalding methods do not permit an exact
physicalmeasureoftheprogressionandthisconstitutesoneofthemaincritics
to natural methods of training without weights. This shortcoming is com
pensatedfortheveryimprobablechanceofinjuringyourselftryingtoputanef
fortthatexceedyourabilities.
Besides,theabovestatementagainstMaxaldingisnotentirelycorrect.You
canverifyyourprogressinmanysatisfactoryways.Thetiltingmethodisafairly
goodwaytoincreaseforce.Youcanuseonelimbleverageinordertochal
lengeyourself.YoualsocanincreasetheSMCRtimesveryprecisely.Anad
vanced studentofMaxalding evenshouldbeabletofeelalmostexactlythe
amountoftensionthatheisgenerating.Whenyouhavereadthisbook,your
ideasaboutthepossibilitiesofprogressioninMaxaldingprobablywillchange.
Ifyouarenotobsessedwithbreakingnumbers,thesemeasuresofyourim
provementaresufficientlymotivating.
3.11.4.PreliminaryLDexercises
EvidentlyyoucandothementionedDSRliftslightdumbbells.TheuseofAs
ton'stechniquestressesparticularlytheshoulderarea.
OneofthebestexerciseswithLDforshoulder development isthelateral
raise as far asyou reach a crucifixposition. One of the reasons of the ex
traordinaryMaxick'sshoulderandbackdevelopmentwashisperformanceof
crucifixesinchainswithoutrings.
3.11.5.Isolationofthemusclesoftheshoulder
3.11.5.1.Deltoid(MCdeltoid)
ApplyingAMC(analyticmusclecontrol)indifferentpositions,wecanisolate
someportionsofthedeltoids.Actually,themaindifficultyforthesecontrolsis
theisolationfromthepectorals,becausethereisaninstinctivetendencytocon
tractthepectoralssimultaneouslywiththedeltoidsinmanycases.
Exercise1(MCdeltoid1).
Putyourarmsstraightateach sideofyourbodywiththepalmstouching
slightly your hips. In first stages you can help the contraction pressing the
palmsagainstthehips,butyoushouldtrytogeneratethetensionbymeansof
willpoweronly.Youwillobservethatthetricepsandthepectoralsareinvolved
tosomeextent.Thenextexerciseshelptoisolatemoreeffectivelythedeltoids.
Keepthetension510breathingsandrelax.
Verysimilartotheprecedentexercise,butinthiscaseyoumustelevateyour
palmsasfarasthelevelofthefloatingribs.Don'tpresswithhandsinthiscase.
Ifyouhavesomedifficultyforcontractingthedeltoidsinthisposition,gotoEx
ercise1andraiseyourpalmsveryslowlykeepingthegeneratedtension.
AdoptthesamepositionofMCdeltoid2,butnowturnyourarmsbackwards
withyourelbowspointingbackat90withrespectyourbodyline.Trytocon
tractmentallyyourdeltoids.Ifyouperformthisexercisecorrectly,youcanisol
atetheactionofthedeltoidsveryeffectivelywithanalmostnonexistentpector
alcontraction.
Adopt a crucifix position with arms stretched at 90. Concentrate on your
shouldersinsteadonyourtrapezius(thisisthedifficultpoint).Holdthetension
510breathingsandrelax.
3.11.5.2.Infraspinatus,teresmajorandteresminor(MCteres)
Thenextmusclesbelongstotheback,butweanalysethemherebecause
theyareimpliedinmostshouldermotions.
Theyareverydifficulttoisolate,becausetheyarerelativelysmallandthere
arenotpositionsthatgenerateadifferentialtensiononthem.
WecantrytocontractthemvaryingtheangleofthearmsintheMCdeltoid4
andapplyingAMCwithfinetuningofthetensionfromthelowerpartoftheback
oftheshouldertothehigherwithoutmovingtheshoulderblades.
3.11.5.3.Advancedcontrolsforthemusclesoftheshoulder(MCdeltoid
AMC)
Thepreviousexercisesworksthedifferentsectionsofthedeltoidsverysatis
factorilyandtheyhavebeingdesignedwiththispurposeinmind.
The voluntary AMC of this muscle is much more difficult and almost im
possibleinaneutralrelaxedposition,butIhavehadsomesuccessapplying
theFTMCR(finetuneofmusclecontractionandrelaxation)inthepositionof
MCdeltoid1,2andespeciallyMCdeltoid3.
AdoptthepositionofMCdeltoid3andperformthecontractionofthedeltoid
veryslowly,feelingeachportionofthemuscle.Ifyourbodyfatlevelsallowit,
youcanseeaverynicetensiontransferencefromthelowersectionsofthe
shouldertotheupperones.
3.11.5.4.MasteringDMC(dynamicmusclecontrol)fortheshoulders
(DMCshoulder)
Onceyouhavemasteredthestaticisolations,youcantrytoperformthemin
adynamicfashion,simulatingeveryexerciseyoucanimagine.
Exercise1(DMCshoulder1).
Fixanisolatedcontractionofthedeltoidsfor23breathingsandmoveyour
shouldersveryslowlyincircles,forward,upwards,backwardsanddownwards.
Regulatethemotionwithyourbreaths.Inhaleinthefirstpartofthemovement
andexhaleforthenextthreeparts.
Exercise2(DMCshoulder2).
Raiseyourarmsslowlyfrombottompositionasfarasyoureachthecrucifix
positionholdingthedeltoidisolationthroughoutthemotion.Loweryourarmsin
thesameform.Inhalewhileyouareraisingyourarmsandexhalewhileyouare
loweringthem.
Exercise3(DMCshoulder3).Compoundexerciseforupperbody.
Dothesamethanin DMCshoulder2,butnowcontractpowerfullythe delt
oids, trapezius andarmmuscles.Thisexerciseincreasestheliftingpowerre
markably.Adjustyourtensionverycarefully,don'tstrainyourself.
Inisolationexercisesthereislittlechanceofstrain,exceptsomecramping,
butwithcompoundexercisesinwhichalotofmusclesarecontractedsimultan
eously,thetensionmustbecarefullytunedinordertoreducethebloodpres
sureandtoallowamorefluentmotion.
3.12.DifferencesbetweenDMC,AMRandSMCR.Advantages
andshortcomingsofeachtechnique
Firstofall,Imustadmitthatinmanycasesthefeelingoverthemusclesof
thethreetechniquescanbeverysimilar,althoughintheory,theyareclearly
distinguished.
DMC(dynamic muscle control). Itconsistsinthe motion ofan isolated

muscleormusclegroupalongtheirentirerangeofmotion.
AMR(antagonisticmuscleresistance).Withthismethodyouprovideres
istanceagainstthefreemovementofagroupofmusclesbymeansofthe
counterbalancingtensionoftheirantagonisticpartners.
SMCR(strategicmusclecontrolwithresistance).YouapplyMCtotheper
formance of a motion with external resistance, like weightlifting, body
weightorselfresistanceexercises.
ThepurposeofDMCistolearnhowtogenerateextremecontractionsand
relaxationsforconcretemusclesinmotion.Youcansimulateanyexercisewith
thismethodifyouknowwhatmusclesyoumustcontractandrelax.Thisbrings
youmanyadvantages.
Thepossibilityofdoingacompleteworkoutofanyintensityeverytimeand
everywhere.
TheapparatususedinMaxaldingisthemind,thebodyandtheground.Whereyou
arethereisMaxalding.
(MAXALDINGLEAFLET,COURTSALDO)
Thereisaminimalchanceofstrainorinjury.
Thereafteraseriesofnaturalexercisesareprescribedfortheparticularindividual,
institutedbysteadygraduations,inamannerthatiscontrolledbythestrengthofthe
studentorpatient,andwhichmakesstrainimpossible.
Itisveryprogressiveandsuitableforeverybody.
Itsexercisesarebasedondefinitementalcontrolandrangefrommovementsthat
cansafelybeperformedbytheweakestperson,tothosethataredifficulttothead
vancedathlete.
Itcanbespecializedinordertodevelopweakpointsormakethebody
moresymmetrical.
Maxaldingcanbeusedwithcompletefruitiononanypartofthebody,irrespectiveof
anybodyotherpart.
Thisisamethodthatworksdirectly(andsafely)theinternalorgans.Itis
thebestforrehabilitation,evenincasesofsevereinjuries.Itprovidesalso
anexcellentcardioworkoutwithoutforcingyouinanyform.
Thiswonderfuldiscoveryhasmadeitsimplefortheorganicallysoundpersonofany
ageoreithersextokeeptheheart,lungs,stomach,intestines,bowels,liver,kidneys
andskininperfectworkingorder,evenwhenthroughinjurytothelimbs,congenital
lamenessorphysicalweakness,theordinaryformsofmechanicalexercisesareta
boo.
ThebasicexercisesofMaxaldingestablishcorrectskeletalposition,thoracicsupple
ness,abdominaltoneandflatness,andprimarilygivedirectexercisetotheinternal
organs.
DMCcombinesvoluntarycontrol,contraction,relaxationandstretchingin
everyexercise.
Eventuallytheadvancedstudentpossessesthepowerofstretching,relaxing,con
tractingandcontrollingeverymuscleormusclegroupvoluntarily.
YoucanpracticeDMCexerciseseveryday.
Eachmuscleormusclegroupisdailystretched,relaxed,contractedandcontrolled
inorganizedsequence...
DMCexercisesimprovebodyfunctions.
...andeachposeorpositionheldlongenoughtoensurecompletebloodirrigation
andcirculation.
DMCavoidsboredomandmakesthatyouundertaketoconcentrateen
tirelyintheexercise.Mostofcontrolsareoftheallornonetype,sothat
whenyouperformaDMCexercise,youcanbesurethatyouaredoingit
correctly.
ItisimpossibletoperformanyoftheMaxaldingexercisescorrectly,unlessthemind
beintelligentlyanddefinitelyapplied.Thisdoesnotmeanthatonehastostrain,but
merelythatonehastoperformasingleanddefiniteaction,therebygivingadefinite
result,insteadofanumberofrepetitionsoflegorarmwaving,orhipwobblingmove
ments.
But,alsotherearesomeobjections.
Itisanadvancedmethod.Youmustknowthemusclesthatareinvolvedin
acertainexerciseandhowtocontractandrelaxthemalongthe entire
rangeofmotion.InmostcasesDMCimpliesalotofmasteryofthemost
difficult MC techniques, LAMC (longitudinal analytical MC) and TAMC
(transversalanalyticalMC).
Sometimes it is very difficult to contract simultaneously several muscle

groups without mutual or antagonistic interference in compound move
ments.
AcorrecttrainingoftendonsandligamentsbymeansofDMConlyispos
sibleperformingthemotionasfarasstretchedpositions,themostdifficult
onestocontrol.
DMCexercisesareamongmyfavouriteones,especiallyDMCswimming,the
mostgentle,strengtheningandcompleteexerciseIknow.
I'mafanofbreaststrokeswimmingandIusedtoswimbrisklyabout5km
everysummerdayinmytwenties,butnowtheswimmingpoolsarecrowded
anditisimpossibletometoswimadozenofmetresinarow.Becauseofthis,I
triedtosimulatemyfavouritesportwithanotherexercises.Obviously,thissimu
lationswerenotsatisfactoryuntilIlearnedMaxalding.NowIcanswimevery
timeIwantwithbetterperformancethaninapool.
Actually, the water resistance feeling of the internal tension generated by
DMCisthe mainsubjective difference between DMC andAMR.My firstat
temptsforsimulatingswimmingusedAMRandwerefrustratingtosomeextent
becauseinthiscasetheresistanceisofabraketype.WhenItriedtoputthe
samecontractingeffortwithAMRswimmingthanIputonMCisolations,Igen
erallyfeltnervous,overtrainedandsometimestheunequalantagonistictension
ofpectorals,tricepsandlatissimusdorsiovertheshouldersproducedmeanin
tensepain.
TheadvantageofAMRoverDMCisthatitismuchmoreinstinctiveandeasy
tolearn.Iffact,AMRcanbeconsideredanalmostuniversalandnaturaltrain
ingsystemforallmammals.Allofustendtostretchandtenseourantagonistic
muscleswhenwegetupinthemorning.Surelyyouhaveseenhowbothdo
mesticandwildanimalscontracttheirmusclesinverydefinedpatterns.
MC represents the most advanced rational development of this instinctive
bodyconditioningmanoeuvres.ThegreatMaxick'sdiscovery,thatmakesMax
aldingverydifferentfromanothertensingsystem,isthepossibilityofvoluntary
relaxation.Relaxationleadstoisolationandtheisolationsdeveloptheabilityto
conserveanddistribute energy withextremeefficiency. Manysystemstryto
teachyouhowtogeneratemaximalforces,Maxaldingistheonlysystemthat
teaches you the language of the muscles, i.e., how to relax the muscles in
everysituation.
Finally,IconsiderSMCRanexcellentwaytoachievetrueDMC.Itisalmost
impossibletoreproduceanexercisewithDMCifyouhavenotfeltpreviously
theactionoftheinvolvedmuscles.Thisfeelingmustbeanalyticalanddistinct
iveand,ofcourse,thebestwaytoacquireitisbymeansofSMCR.Besides,
SMCRisnecessaryinordertogetusedtoexternalforces.
WiththisnewinsightsaboutDMCinmind,Iwanttoreconsiderthecentral
question.
3.13.CanyoudevelopgreatstrengthwithMConly?
Firstofall,wemustdistinguishbetweenpurestrengthandtheactualapplica
tionofthisstrengthtosomesport.
ThatMCcandevelopgreatstrengthisbeyonddoubt,becauseanyrational
andprogressivetensionappliedonmusclesdevelopsthemandMCallowsyou
togenerateextremepowerfulcontractions.
ButMCtrainingneverstressesthebodyoveritsowncontractingpowersand
thisprotective progressionprevents ingeneralthequickersizeand strength
gainswecanobserveinweightlifting.However,MCismuchsaferandwithsuf
ficientpracticeandpatienceitsresultsarecomparablewiththoseobtainedwith
weights.
Onecommonquestionisthefollowing.Ifweightliftingisquickerandmuch
moreeasytolearnthanMC,whyshouldIpracticeMC?
Becauseitissafer.
Becauseitisthebestsystemtoimprovemusculardefinitionanddensity.
Weightliftingisnotsufficientforachievingexcellence.
Because MC develops to an extreme degree the neural connections

betweenmuscleandmind.
BecauseMCtrainsnerveforceinconcretepositions.
BecauseMCoptimizesyourenergyexpenditure.
BecauseMCteachesyouhowtoconcentrateintheexercise.MCisthe
trueapplicationofthesentencethinkonyourmuscles.
Because MC improves your psychological training and reinforces your

mindasmuchasyourbody.
BecauseyoucanperformMCallyourlifewithoutriskoflongterminjuries.
BecauseMCisarationalandnaturalsystem.
BecauseMCisthecheapesttrainingsystemofall.
BecauseyoucandoMCeverytimeandeverywhere.
...andmanymore.
But many people argue that you cannot excel at any sport, in concrete
weightlifting,withMConly.Thisissuchanobviousargumentthatitdoesnot
deserveanydefence,butthishasnothingtodowiththeMCdevelopmentof
strength.
Icanaskasimilarquestiontosomenarrowmindedweightliftingfans. Can
youdevelopMCtrainingexclusivelywithweights?Iftheyaresincere,theymust
confessthattrueMConlycanbeachievedpractisingMC.Thesameargument
isvalidforanysport.Canyouexcelatswimmingorclimbingor...trainingonly
with weights? Does this imply that weightlifting is not good for developing
strength?No,weightliftingisoneofthebestmethodsofbodyconditioning,but
doesnottrainthenecessaryskillsforswimming,climbingrunningorwrestling.
Thisistheonlyreasonbywhichallstrongmen,includingMaxick,considered
thatMCalonewasnotsufficientforstrengthdevelopment.Allofthemwerein
volvedinprofessionalweightliftingtosomeextentandMC(orbodyweightexer
cisesorstrands)isunabletoteachyourbodyhowtoelevateandsustainabig
massofironoveryourhead.
Inspiteofthis,muscledevelopmentfollowssomeuniversalpatterns,bothin
weightliftingandMC,thatwecanusetooptimizeourstrengthgainsbymeans
ofMCtraining.
YoumustnotethatIalwaysspeakaboutstrengthandnotaboutsize.The
reasonisthatMCproducessizeincreasesasabyproductofthemusclerein
forcementandgenerallythemusclesdevelopdefinitionanddensityfirst.
ThemisunderstandingsaboutMCproducedtheideathattheonlywaytopro
gressinMaxaldingwastheendlessincreaseofcontractiontimes.Thisledto
thedreadfulisotensionconcept.
We shall study extremely efficient ways to increase strength inMaxalding
withoutincreasingthecontractiontimesoverthenatural510breathingslimit.If
youthinkthatSMCRistheultimatemethodinMaxalding,youarewrong.
3.14.Advancedmethodsforincreasingstrengthandbeating
stickingpoints
Largemusclesdonotimplynecessarilygreatstrength.
ThosewhomaybehopingtodevelopthemselvesasPhysicalSupermen,orshall
wesayasmenwhoarenotablystrongerthantheaverage,shouldrealisefromthefirst
thatStrengthliesinthequality andnotinthequantityofthemuscledeveloped.[...]
Pretty nearly anyone who has endowed with a fair natural physique can, if he so
wishes,cultivatelargemusclesandtheappearanceofaHercules.Itwillnotfollow,
however,thathecanwithsuchmusclesliftweightsorheaveweights,livingordead,
withthefacilityofamanwhohasdevelopedsupplemuscle.
Numerousrepetitionsofdumbbelllifts,etc.,willbuildupmusclebunches,butthis
willbelittlebetterthanexhibitswithoutresilienceorpliability.
AndhereIwouldpointoutthatthesemusclecultivatorsarethemenwhohavegiv
enPhysicalCulturesuchabadnameasitpossessesandwhohave,tonosmallex
tent,retardedtheprogressofweightliftingassport.
(THE PHYSICAL SUPERMAN WHY LARGE MUSCLES DO NOT IMPLY NECESSARILY GREAT STRENGTH,
EDWARDASTON)
Thiswordssoundverymodern.Infact,peoplelikeAstonwerebeyondhis
time.Theacquisitionofrealstrengthisaslowprocessthatdemandsalotof
perseverance.
Therearemanygoodstrengthtrainingmethods,thekeyisthedevelopment
ofgoodqualitymuscle.Amusclecannotexertallforcethatitisablewithoutpli
abilityandsuppleness.MCisthebestwaytodevelopingthesequalities.Actu
ally,manymodernstretchingtechniquesborrowsomesimplifiedconceptsfrom
Maxalding.
The simplest and more easily system to increase strength is progressive
overloading,generallywithweights.InMaxaldingwearelimitedinourloading
abilitybecauseofthesubjectiveaspectsinvolvedinMCandourownbody
weight.Inconsequence,wemustsearchfornewsafemethodsforincreasing
strength.
TheSMCRtechniqueisextremelygoodforourpurposes,butitisnotlogical
toraiseindefinitelythecontractiontimesinordertochallengeourmuscles.We
needmorerationalandefficientapproaches.
SomeMaxaldingexercisessuggestusawaytothesolution,thecombination
ofstatic andballisticcontrols(SMC+ BMC),although theprinciple was not
clearlystatedanditwasnotuniversallyappliedtoallcontrolsintheoriginal
writings,perhapsbecauseofthedifficultyofperformingcertainballisticcontrols
except in very advanced students. For example, this combined technique is
suggestedintheexercisesforthebiceps,amusclethatcanbecontrolledfairly
easily.
Peakcontractionandcontrolofbiceps.
...Contractthebicepspowerfullybyflexingthearmascompletelyaspossibleand
turning the edge of the hand (little finger side) towards the body. Hold for several
secondswithfullconcentration.Thenrelaxandcontractthemuscleinasuccessionof
quickmovementssothatthebicepsismadetojumpintocontractionandrelaxagain
asquicklyaspossible.
(DESCRIPTIONOFTHEORIGINALEXERCISESK&LOFMAXALDING)
Anothergreatweightlifterofoldtimes,Pullum,explainusthegeneraltech
niquesforstrengthdevelopmentwithextraordinaryclarity.Notetheimportance
thatPullumgivestothekeypointinMCanditsmaineffect,theabilityofrelax
ingthemusclesproperly.ThisaclearinfluenceofMaxick'sideasandmethods.
Remember that Pullum was a very good friend of both Maxick and Monte
Saldo.
Buildingmuscleandbuildingstrengtharenotnecessarilyidenticalpropositions.If,
reader, you wish chiefly to improve your physical development, this you will find a
comparativelyeasymatter,providing,ofcourse,frombeginningtoend,thatyougo
therightwayaboutit.Simplytostateafact,addingtothesizeofthemusclesisreally
theeasiestofallresultsthatwaitontheuseofabarbell.
Ifgreatstrength,however,bethedominantaim,thenyoufaceamuchlongerjob.
Forwhileatotalofinchesapproximatingthelimitofpossibledevelopmentcansome
timesbeputonaman'sframeinafewmonths,thelimittowhichthepowerofthatde
velopmentcanbeincreasedwillnotbereachedsoquickly.Asindicatingthepotential
itiesofonecomparedwiththeother,itmaybestatedthatinstancesareknownwhere
muscularstrengthhasincreasedsteadilyforovertwentyyearsfromastartingpoint
somewhereintheteens.Continuousincreaseofpuremusculartissueoverasimilar
period,however,isaveryrareoccurrence.[...]
Theconditionofthemusclesthemselvesbearsonthematteroftheirdevelopment
more thanmost physical culturists seem to realise. Whatshouldbe understood by
everyoneinterestedinthisworkisthatmuscleonlyholdsthepowerofincreasingits
sizewhileitpossessestheabilitytorelaxintoaplasticstatewhennotinaction.Inoth
erwords,formuscletobebroughttothefulllimitofitsbulkdevelopment,mainten
anceofthenormalsupplenessofitstissuesisaprimeessential.[...]
Thethingsthatmakeforoutstandingphysicalstrengtharegreatvitalforce,ahigh
degreeofnervousenergy,andsuperlativequalityofmusculartissue.[...]
Dealingwiththequalityofmuscle,thisisdecidedbythefollowingproperties:(1)its
powertooperateefficiently;(2)itsabilitysotocontinueoperating;and(3)itscapacity
forrelaxationwhennotactivelyengaged.Theextenttowhichthefirsttwowilldevelop,
ofcourse,dependsuponwhatmethodsareemployedandtheamountoftimegivento
thejob.Regardingthethird,perfectfreedomtoreverttothatconditionisanaturaldis
positionofthemuscle.Butandthismustbeunderstoodaswellsuchitwillremain
onlyaslongasitisproperlytreated.[...]
Toestablishbymeansofexerciseaconditionofgeneralbodilyfitness,itisnotne
cessarytoemployanyapparatusontopwhatnaturehassupplied.Infavourofappar
atusthereis,ofcourse,thistobesaid:thatitenablestheusertoconcentratethe
moreeasilyonwhatheisdoingafactwhichexplainsitsmasspopularity!Againstit,
however,theargumentcanbeadvancedthattheappealofthemethodtendstothe
essayoftasksbeyondtheobject.Which,asaprematureproceeding,certainlyisnot
wise.[...]
Regardingthemuscles,asintimatedearlier,theirstrengthultimatelyresolvesitself
intoamatteroffibroustone.Thatbeingso,thestudentshouldconcentrateallthe
whileonthedefiniteimprovementofthis.Inthecourseofeffectingwhichthetissues
mayincreaseappreciablyinbulk,ortheymaynot,thisdependingentirelyuponthe
susceptibilityofthematerial.Most,times,though,thisresultwilloccur,iftheworkcon
tinueslongenough.
Thereareseveralwaysinwhichweightsmaybeusedtoelevatethetoneofmuscle.
Firstandmostcommonlypractisedbecauseofitssimplicitytheperformerexercises
withpoundagesthatallowofthemovementsbeingcarriedoutcorrectlyafewtimes
only,progressionbeingmadebyaddingslightlytotheweightofthebellsasthetissue
becomesstronger.Second,poundagesmountsteadily,repetitionseachstagegrowing
less,untiltheendoftheschedulefindsthemanexecutingthemovementonlyonce.
Third,poundagesarefixedwhichapproachfullcapacity,progressionbeingmadeby
performingthevariousmovementsalternatelyfasterandslowerthantheusualrateof
repetition.Itwillprobablyrealisedthat,ofthethree,thisisthemostadvancedmethod.
(HOWTOUSEABARBELL,W.A.PULLUM)
Theseparagraphsareextremelyinformative.Readthemcarefully.
ThefirstmethodisnotdirectlyapplicabletopureMC,butitcanbeusedwith
SMCRifyouusesomekindofweightsorleverage.
The second method can be used with MC in the following way. Isolate a
muscleormusclegroupandcontractitatapproximatelyhalfpower.Keepthe
tensionforacountof20breathings.Relax12breathingsandcontractagain
thesamemusclemorestrongly,butnot maximally,for10breathings.Relax
againforafewbreaths.Finally,contractthemusclemaximally(withoutvibrat
ingorforcingit)andholdthetension5breathings.Obviously,thecorrectap
plicationofthistechniquedemandsapreviousmasteryofthecontrolsviaFTM
CRinordertobeabletodistinguishtheamountoftensionthatyouaregener
ating.
But, without doubt, a very remarkable progression in MC training can be

achieved(beyondthesimpleincreaseintensingpowerorcontractiontimes)by
asmartapplicationofthethirdmethod,varyingthespeedofmaximalcontrac
tions andrelaxations.Thistechniquecanbeapplied withadvantagetoboth
DMCandSMCRbodyweightbasedexercises.
Performamuscleisolationandkeepamaximaltensionfor510breathings.
Relax12breathingsandimmediatelydoasequenceof510ballisticcontrols
ofthesamemuscle.Trytodothemasquicklyaspossible,but withperfect
form,relaxingduringinhalationandcontractingduringexhalation.Youcanre
peatthisinacyclicform.
Evenyoucancombinebothmethods.Whosaidthatyoucannotprogress
withMConly?Youmustincludethesamenumberofballisticcontrolsasthe
numberofbreathingsyoukeepthetensionineachphaseoftheexercise.One
possibleworkoutisthis.
1. SMC(20breaths)+BMC(20reps),halftension.
2. SMC(10breaths)+BMC(10reps),fulltension.
3. SMC(5breaths)+BMC(5reps),maximaltension(withoutvibratingorfor
cing).
IfyoupractiseMCthiswaywithalittleadditionofSMCRbodyweightexer
cises,yourstrengthwillincreasesurelyandsteadily,preservingmusclesupple
nessallyourlife.
3.15.MCofthemusclesofthethorax
3.15.1.PreliminaryISRandDSRexercises
Themusclesofthethoraxaredifficulttoisolatebyanymechanicalmeans.
Thedeepbreathingtechniquesarenotnecessaryand,infact,theycanbevery
harmful.MCexcelsasthesafestandmosteffectiveexerciseforthiscomplex
area.ThebenefitsthatMCproducesonhealthbymeansof theseexercises
areveryremarkable.Youshouldsoonexperienceanincreasedbreathingca
pacityandbettergeneralendurance.Besides,theperformanceofMCprovides
youfulltidalbreathing,themostrelaxingandhealthybreathingpracticeofall.
3.15.1.1.ISRforserratusmagnus(MCserratusISR)
Theserratusmagnusmusclesarelocatedbelowthearmpitsandoverthein
tercostals. Theyareseldomusedandtheyaregenerallyatrophied,butthey
haveanimportantroleindemandingactivities,whenthebodyneedsahighin
creaseofoxygenvolume.
Thesemusclesarerelativelydifficulttoisolatebecauseofalackofdevelop
mentinmostcases.Thefollowingexerciseisthebestfortrainingit.
Placeyourhandsbehindyourheadwiththeneckerectorslightlybentback
wards.Nowpresstheheadforwardsresistingthemovementandkeepthepos
itionwiththeelbowspointingtotheroof.Beverycarefulwiththeamountoften
sionthatyouputontheneck.Inadvancedstages,youshouldbeabletocon
tracttheserratusmuscleswithaminimalamountofpressureoverthehead.
Keepthetension510breathsandrelax.
Itisveryimportanttorelaxcompletelytheabdominalwallformasteringthis
isolation.
3.15.1.2.DSRfortheserratus(MCserratusDSR)
Adoptthesamepositionthanin MCserratusISR andbendtheupperback
slightlyandveryslowlyforwards.Avoidanycontractionoftheabdominals.You
shouldfeelalighttensionbetweentheupperribs.
3.15.1.3.ISRfortheintercostals(MCintercostalISR)
Placeyourhandsrestingoverthehipsandbendsidewayspressingwiththe
handsfor510breathseachsideinthepositionofmaximalcontraction.Don't
tiltyourbodyverymuch.Alittleangleisenough.
3.15.1.4.DSRfortheintercostals(MCintercostalDSR)
AdoptthesamepositionthaninMCintercostalISR,butinthiscasedon'tfix
theposition,butresistwiththehandsallthemotion.Don'ttiltyourbodyvery
much.Alittleangleisenough(<30).
3.15.1.5.CombinedDSR+AMRexerciseforbackandintercostals
development
Perform the exercise MCbackAMR+ISR contracting powerfully the inter
costalsallthetime.
ThisexercisecanbeperformedinaDMCwayinadvancedstageswithbetter
performance.
3.15.1.6.DSRlifting
TheDSRexercisesfortheshoulderscanworkpowerfullythe serratus and
theintercostals,ifyouconcentrateintheseareas.
3.15.1.7.ISRforthepectorals(MCpectoralISR)
Youcandistinguishthreepectoralzones:lower,mediumandupper.Allthese
areasshouldbeworkedwiththesameintensity.Thisisthereasonfortherelat
ivelylargenumberofpositionsinthiscase.
Exercise1(MCpectoralISR1).Graspyourhandsinfrontofyourchestwith
armssemiflexed.Pressinwardspowerfully(withoutstrain),keepthetension5
Exercise2(MCpectoralISR2).Graspyourhandsinfrontofyourchestwith
armssemiflexed.Pulloutwardspowerfully(withoutstrain),keepthetension5
Exercise3(MCpectoralISR3).Graspyourhandsinfrontofyourabdomen
witharmssemiflexed.Pressinwardspowerfully(withoutstrain),keeptheten
sion510breathingsandrelax.
Exercise4(MCpectoralISR4).Graspyourhandsinfrontofyourabdomen
witharmssemiflexed.Pulloutwardspowerfully(withoutstrain),keeptheten
sion510breathingsandrelax.
Exercise5(MCpectoralISR5).Stretchyourarmstobothsidesofthebody
andtrytotouchbothhandswhileyoupressfirmlythearmsagainstthepector
als.Youmayneedtobendyourshouldersforwardasfarasyoucan.Contract
thewholepectorals,count510breathsandrelax.Becarefulandincreasethe
tensionslowly,becauseinthisposition,thepectoralsarepronetosomecramp
ing.
3.15.1.8.DSRexercisesforthepectorals(MCpectoralDSR)
Exercise1(MCpectoralDSR1).AssumethepositionofMCpectoralISR3
andraiseyourarmsoverheadwhileyouinhale,keepingtheinwardstensionall
time.Loweryourarmsfromtoptobottompositionwhileyouareexhalingwith
thesametension.Repeat5timesandrelax.
WomenshouldbeginthemotionfromthepositionofMCpectoralISR2be
causethiscontributetoanimprovementofthenaturalshapeofthebreasts.
Thewholemovementfromtoptobottomproducesamuscularandmasculine
shape,butthehalfmovementfromchesttotopgeneratesthedevelopmentof
theuppersectionofthepectorals,givingapleasantfeminineshape.
Exercise2(MCpectoralDSR2).AssumethepositionofMCpectoralISR4
andraiseyourarmsoverheadwhileyouinhale,keepingtheoutwardstension
alltime.Loweryourarmsfromtoptobottompositionwhileyouareexhaling
withthesametension.Repeat5timesandrelax.
WomenshouldbeginthemotionfromthepositionofMCpectoralISR1be
causethiscontributetoanimprovementofthenaturalshapeofthebreasts.
3.15.1.9.Pectoralstretching(MCpectoralstretch)
Exercise 1 (MCpectoralstretch1). Interlace your hands behind the lower
back.Stretchyourarmsdownwardsandbringyourshouldersbackwardsasfar
asasyoucan.Contractthepectoralsinthispositionfor510breathingsandre
lax.
Exercise2(MCpectoralstretch2).Stretchyourarmsbackwardsformingan
angleofabout45 withtheverticalline.Trytoputtogetherbotharms.You
shouldfeelanintensestretchingofthepectorals.Becarefulwiththisexercise
anddon'tforcetheposition.Keepthestretchfor510breathingsandrelax.
ThepectoralstretchingmustbeperformedaftertheMCpectoralexercises.
3.15.2.AMRexercisesforthethorax
Now,weknowthedifferencesbetweenAMRandDMC,sotheexercisesI
shalldescribeasAMRshouldnotimplyantagonisticactionanymore.
3.15.3.BLexercisesforthethorax
InthissectionIwillstudyonlyindividualexercises.Thecombinedexercises,
muchmoreproductiveandfunny,willbeanalysedinnextarticles.
3.15.3.1.Pushups
Thisisthekeyexerciseforthoraxdevelopment.Thisexercisecanbedone
veryprogressively,frombeginnerstoveryadvancedathletes.
Progression:
1. Standerectinfrontofawallwitharmsstretchedinfrontofyouatchest
height.Bendyourarmsasfarasyoutouchthewallwithyourchest.Tryto
keepthebodyasstraightasyoucanalltheway.Repeat15timesandre
lax. Synchronize your motions with your breaths. Inspire during raising
andexpireduringlowering.Dotheloweringmotionasslowasyoucan.
2. Lieproneonthefloorwithyourbodyweightsupportedbythekneesand
thehandswitharmsstretched.Trytolowerthebody,keepingtheback
straight, and raise again. Avoid any kind of jerky motions. Repeat 15
timesandrelax.
3. Lie prone on the floor with your body weight evenly distributed among
yourhandsandyourtoes withthebodycompletelystraight. Witharms
stretchedatshoulderwidth,loweryourbodyasfasasyoutouchslightly
thefloorwithyourchest,butwithoutrestingyourweight.Raiseagainvery
slowly,ifyouwanttodevelopstrength,orasquickasyoucanwithperfect
form(almost bouncing), if you want to increase power, and repeat 15
times.
4. Dothesamethanin(3),butnowtiltyourbodytoonesideallthewayas
farasyoucaninordertooverloadeacharmalternatively.Whenyouhave
performed1rep,turntotheotherarmandrepeat.Do15repswitheach
armandrelax.
5. ApplicationofPullum'smethodofprogression(slow+quick)forfixedres
istance.Doaveryslow(510breathsperrep)tiltedpushup(4)witheach
arm without rest. Immediately do 5 reps of normal push ups with the
weightevenlydistributed.Do15repsandrelax.Thisisademandingex
ercise.
6. Thesamethan(5),butinthiscase,do5quickalternatingrepswiththe
weighttiltedalternatively.Thisisakindofslow+quickupperbodywave
movement.
7. Ifyouareabletodotheabovevariation,youcantrytheonearmpushup.
Adopttheposition(6)butnowopenyourlegsasfarastheyformanangle
between45and90.Raiseonearmandrestitinthelegorbehindthe
back.Pressfirmlywiththeotherarmandtrytodescendslowlyasfaras
youcan.Trytotouchthefloorwithoutrestingandelevateyourselfagain.
Do15reps.Thisisaveryadvancedexerciseandshouldbeperformed
onlyfortestingpurposesandnotfordailytraining,becauseitisveryde
mandingforthejoints.
8. Onearmonelegpushup.Do(7)whileyouraisethelegofthesameside
thantheworkingarm.Thisexercisedemandsalotofstrength,skilland
balance.
9. Youcanmake(8)hardertryingtomovecloseryourlegs,decreasingthe
anglebetweenthem.
10.ApplythePullum'smethodto(9).
Thefollowingexercisesareofahandbalancingkind.Theyarenotabso
lutelynecessaryforstrengthdevelopment,becausetheyareveryskilful,de
mandingandstressing,buttheyproduceverygoodresults.Theyshouldnotbe
practiseddaily,exceptifyouareagymnast.Iwillnotdescribehere,because
theyarenotstrictMaxaldingexercisesandIdonotpractisethem.
1. Frogstance.
2. Frogpushup.
3. Planche.
4. Planchepushup.
5. Onehandplanchestance.
6. Alligatorwalk.
3.15.3.2.Raisingfromproneposition
Thisisakindofpushupwhichbeginswithapronecrosspositionandends
inanormalpushupposture.
Thisisaveryadvancedexerciseandoneofthebestforpectoralstrength,
massdevelopment,definition,andendurance.
Adopt apronepositionwitharmsstretchedtoboth sidesinacrossform.
Raiseslightlyyourshouldersinordertobeabletopressfirmlythefloorwith
yourpalms.Now,pressfirmlyandexplosivelyagainstthefloorandraiseyour
body.Youwillprobablyachieveaposturebetweentheinitialoneandthenor
malpushup.Keepyourbodystraightallthetime,thisisveryimportant.After
this,progressslowlytothenormalpushuppositioninlittlesteps.
Progression:
1. Whenyouareintopposition,trytoreturntoinitialoneinlittlesteps,very
slowly.
2. Avoidanyslidingofhands.Theslidingisnotsafeandmakestheexercise
lessdemandingingeneral.
3. Do15repsoftheexercise,bothraisingandloweringwithoutrest.
Itisnotnecessarytodomanyrepsoftheadvancedexercisesifyoucarefor
perfectformandcontrol.Rememberalwaystheenergyconservationadvice.
3.16.Isolationofthemusclesofthethorax
3.16.1.Serratusmagnus(MCserratus)
Thepure voluntaryisolation ofthese musclesaredifficult, butit deserves
carefulattentionbecauseofitseffectsovergeneralenduranceandbecauseit
isaveryniceandimpressivecontrol.
Adopt the positionof MCserratusISR andtrytoreduce progressivelythe
handpressureonthebackofthehead.Concentrateintheupperribcageinthis
position,feelthetensionandintensifyit.Youwilldiscoveryhowmuchstrong
canbethiscontractioninadvancedstagesifyoupracticethiscontrolwithpa
tience.
Thebestmethodtoreducethemechanicalassistanceinanycontrolisthe
following:
1. Adopt the isolation position and perform the exercise keeping maximal
(withoutvibratingorstrain)contractionfor35breaths.
2. Trytoreducetheamountofmechanicaltensionafew,compensatingit
withdefinitementalcontraction,andkeepthiscontractionduring1breath.
Don'trestinbetween,thisisveryimportantinordertoteachthebodyhow
toisolate voluntarilythemuscle.Ifyourestbetween steps(1)and(2),
yourmindwouldfindverydifficulttolearnthementalisolation.
3. Repeatthestep(2)15timestryingtodecreasethemechanicaltension
progressivelywitheachbreath,butkeepingthesamelevelofcontraction
mentally.Masterthistechniqueuntilyouareabletoeliminatecompletely
thehandpressure.
Thedifficultpointhereistoavoidanyparasitecontractionoftheabdominals.
Iftheabdomeniscontracted,thiscaninhibittheisolationoftheserratus.Tryto
relaxalsothe intercostals,itisnotverydifficultifyouhaverelaxedpreviously
theabdomen.
ApplythePullum'sprogressionmethodtothiscontrolwhenyoumasterthe
isolationandrepeat23times.Relaxveryconsciouslythesemusclesafterthe
performanceandneverstrainthembecausetheycandisplacetheribstosome
extent.
3.16.2.Intercostals(MCintercostal)
ThisisoneofthecontrolsaboutwhichMaxicksaiditiseasiertodothanto
explain.
Themechanicalcontrolisveryeasy,becauseyoucanfeelthetensionsimply
tiltingyourbodytooneside.Onceyouhavethemechanicaltension,youmust
trytoincreaseitbymeansofmentalconcentration.
Theaforementionedmethodisveryeasy,butitisnotoptimal,becauseitim
pliesacrushingofthemusclesbetweentheribs.Thisispeakcontraction,but
notpureMC.Besides,inthisposition,the intercostals arenotshownintheir
mostbeautifulappearance.
Putonehandresting,withoutanypressure,onheadwitharmsemiflexedand
theelbowpointinginfront.Nowtiltslightlytothesamesidethantheflexedarm
andturnyourtorsototheoppositesideslowlyasfarasyoufeelthemaximal
contractionandaclearseparationofthemuscles.Sometimesaslightraisingof
thecorrespondinghipcanhelpthecontraction.Thiswasoneofthemostim
pressiveMaxick'sposes.
Thepurevoluntarycontrolisachievedreducingprogressivelythetiltingand
turninganglesofthethoraxandkeepingthetensionlevel.Finally,youshould
beabletocontractverypowerfullythe intercostals inaneutralerectposition.
Veryfrequentlyastrongcontractioninthisareatendtocontractveryintensely
theuppersectionoftherectusabdominis.Trytorelaxthisspurioustensionas
far as you can, because this isolation between intercostals and abdominal
musclescanbeveryimportantintheperformanceofadvancedcontrols,forex
ample,ifyouwanttoisolateonlyoneside.
ExtremeMCfortheintercostals.
ThefinalaimofMCoftheintercostalswouldbetheeffectiveisolationofeach
sectionoftheintercostals.Thereare internal and externalintercostals.They
areverydifficulttofeelseparately.ThiscanbeachievedapplyingtheFTMCR
technique. In low and medium tension levels, the muscles that contract are
generallytheexternalones.Ifyouincreaseyourtensionremarkably,youcan
feelthesubsequentpowerfulcontractionoftheinternallayers,thatareableto
changetheshapeoftheribcage.
Ihavehadsomeverylimitedsuccesswiththeisolationofeachindividualin
tercostalmuscle.TheuseofAMC(analyticalmusclecontrol)isfundamental.It
iseasiertocontractfirstthelowerintercostalsandrelaxtheupperones,butthe
complete isolation of a single intercostal between the surrounding ones de
mandsfarmorededicationandpatiencethanmostcontrolsanditcanbecon
sideredarealchallengeinMaxalding.Idonotknowifsuchisolationiseven
physiologicallypossible,becausetherearenotreferencesaboutit.Itseems
thatnobodytriedit.Inspiteofthis,Ishallmakeagreatefforttomasterthiskind
ofcontrol,ifitispossible,inordertoexplainitinfuturewritings.
Averyimportantadvice,neverstrainyourselftryingtoperformtheintercostal
controls,becauseyoucansprainortearsometissues.Thishappengenerally
whenyoudonotrelaxproperlytheabdomenanditscontractionreinforcesthe
effectovertheribs.
3.16.3.Pectorals(MCpectoral)
Theprogressiveisolationofthepectoralsisachievedbymeansofadecreas
ingintheamountofselfresistancetensionappliedin MCpectoralISR1,..,5.
Youshouldkeepthetensionwithmentalconcentrationonlywithouthandor
armpressure.
Thepurevoluntarycontrolofthepectoralsismasteredinoneofthelessfa
vourablepositionsforthecontractionofthesemuscles1.Standerectwiththe
backslightlyroundedforwardandkeepyourarmsstretchedtobothsidesina
crucifixposition withpalmsfacingforward.Nowtrytocontractthe pectorals
withoutmovingthearms.
Thiscontrolcanbedifficultinspiteofthemasteringoftheotherpectoralcon
tractions.Oneprogressionmethodtoachieveitisthefollowing.
PerformMCpectoralISR5andopenyourarmstothesidesveryslowlytry
ingtokeepthetensionallthetimeasfarasyoureachthecrucifixposition.In
thefirstperformancesprobablyyouwillnotbeabletokeepthetensioninthe
widerposture,butbepatientandpracticeitwithfullconcentration.
ThisexercisecanbeturnedintoapureDMCexerciseinthisway.Stretch
yourarmsinfrontofyouwithtouchingpalmsatchestlevel.Contractpowerfully
your pectorals and open your arms slowly to both sides keeping the arms
stretchedandthetensionuniformasfarasyouadoptacrucifixposition.Inhale
inthisphase.Now,returntotheinitialpositioninthesamemannerwhileyou
areexhaling.
YoucanpracticethispectoralDMClyingproneoverthefloororyoucanap
plyittowidepushupsinaSMCRfashion.
Beverycarefulrelaxingthebackmusclesinordertoisolatetheactionofthe
pectoralsfromthecontractionofthelatissimusdorsi.
1 ThisisaclearproofofthedifferencesbetweenrealMCandpeakcontraction.MCpursues
theabsolutecontrolin allpossiblepositionsandmotionanglesofeachindividualmuscle,
includingthelessfavourableonesforcontraction.
3.17.Breathingtechniques
TherearealotofcontroversialopinionsaboutbreathingtechniquesinPhys
icalCulture.Someauthorsopinethateverybodypossessesanaturalformof
breathingandthatitisunnecessarytoteachanyimprovementofthis.Thiswas
theStrongfort'sstatement.Thisneutralbreathingisnotreallydangerousandit
havesensetosomeextent,butitisnotthebest.
Manyphysical culturists, likeLiederman and Macfadden, advocated deep
breathingexercisesinordertoincreasethelungpowerandcapacity.Such
practicesareunnecessaryinmostcasesandtheycanbeveryharmfulinsome
peoplewhoforceandstrainthethoraxtryingtoincreaseitscircumference.
Finally,therearesomeexperts,generallyinfluencedbysomeorientalprac
tices,thatrecommendthesocalledabdominalbreathingwithoutaclearun
derstandingofthebodyfunctionsorconfuseitwithdiaphragmaticbreathing.
Theinhalationandexhalationbymeansoftheforcingofabdominalmuscles,
likethe rectusabdominis,isverydetrimentalanddefeatsthepurposeofim
provingbreathingandbloodoxygenation.Thiskindofbreathingisknownby
thepottybellyformthattheabdomenshowsduringtheinhalation.
Theonlyhealthyandnaturalkindofbreathingisdiaphragmaticbreathing,
calledinMaxalding,fulltidalbreathing.Whenyouseethebreathsofasleep
ingbaby,youseefulltidalbreathing.Thebabyonlyexpandsitsribcageinall
directionsformingaslightnaturalvacuumintheabdomenduringexhalation.
Thereisnotanyswellingoftheabdomen.Inmanycases,thequickandpower
fulrhythmicactionofthediaphragmmuscleisclearlyvisible.
MonteSaldocaredalotaboutthecorrectperformanceandteachingofdia
phragmatic breathing, because this represents one of the key points of the
Maxaldingsystem.
The texts and explanations are very clear, but we should not be worried
aboutthinkingalltimeaboutthe correctnessofyourbreathing technique. In
fact,oneofthemostmarvellouseffectsofMCoverhealthistheautomaticim
provementinposture,breathinganddigestion.Thethoraxexercisesshownin
thisarticleareabletodevelopdiaphragmaticbreathingbythemselves.
Controversyhaswaxedfastandfuriousbetweenadvocatesofdifferentmethodsof
breathing,whereasthereshouldonlybeonekindofbreathing,andthatisFULLTID
ALBREATHING.Whenthenewlybornchildtakesitsfirstbreath,itsinspiresanap
proximationofonehundredcubicinchesofair,andretainsitthroughoutlife2.Thisis
2 Obviously,thesameairthatwefirstinhaledisnotretained,becauseairisdilutedwitheach
knownastheresidualcapacity,andalthoughconstantlychangeditcanneverbeex
pelledfromhelungs.Theairthatisinspiredandexpiredcompletingwhatiscalledres
piration,isknownastheTIDALAIR.Toacertaindegree,respirationisaninvoluntary
function,continuingasitdoesthroughoutsleeporcoma.Butvoluntaryassistancecan
begivenwithgreatbenefittothehealth,becausethetidalbreathingmaytherebybe
considerablyincreasedincapacity.Amasteroffulltidalbreathingcanbreathetosuit
allandsundry,includingsingingmasters,whothinkitnecessarytoteachtheirstu
dentstoforcetheirstomachsoutinformofaballoon,andmisnameitthediaphragm.
Fulltidalbreathingisessentialtothedevelopmentoffullpotentialenergy.Theaverage
personisunfortunatelyashallowbreather, andoftenamouthbreather,particularly
duringsleep.AMaxaldingbreatherisadeepbreatherandanosebreather3.Hecan
nothelphimself,foramasteryofExercises1,2,3and7ofMaxaldingbuildsupthein
tercostal(betweenribs)muscles,andmakesafullvolumeofairsimpletoinspire.A
shallowbreatherisoftenanaemicforhisbloodisnotrelievedthoroughlyofthewaste
products,norisitsufficientlyoxygenatedinitspassagethroughthelungs.Theinspira
tionandtheexpirationshouldbothtakeplacethroughthenostrils.
Inreplytogentlemenwhohavesofarshowntheirignoranceastorefertodeep
breathingasnosense,andwhoarguethatthetimetobreathedeeplyisafterexercise
orstrenuousexertion.Iwouldpointoutthatifyouhavenotpreviouslyloosenedand
madesupplethemusclessurroundingandenclosingthethorax,aswellastheinter
costalmusclesyouwillnotbeabletobreathedeeplyafterexertion,andtheresultwill
bebreathlessnessanddistress.Thiswillbecausedbytheheartvainlystrugglingto
getanadequatesupplyofoxygenfromthelungstocopewiththeadditionalbloodcir
culation.Therightandinelasticthoraxdoesnotallowthelungstoexpandandtheres
pirationsbecomemoreforced andfrequent, and theheartbeatsbecome morefre
quentalsountilactualpalpitationresults.Ifthestrainiskeptout,collapsewillfollow.
Heartexhaustionandtheactualorganicdiseasemayresultfrommuchrepetitionof
thissortofthing,andeveniftheheartcanstanduptoitforatime,itcannotdosoin
definitely.Thatitiswhyitisuncommontofindapersonoverfortyyearsofagewitha
normalandsoundheart.Uponexertion,therefore,anticipatethedemandsofthatare
goingtobemadeinthewayofoxygen,andincreaseyourrespirationtoitsfullpoten
tiallimitwithoutstrain.Thisprecautionwillpreventtheheartfromthumpingandpalpit
ating.
Thenthereisamanwhotellsyouonlytobreatheabdominally.Agoodanswerwill
betoadvisehimonlytouseoneeyeforreading.Hispetargumentisthatifyouinspire
deeply,thelungswillbecomeemphysematous,butthefactthattheworstsufferersof
emphysemaarepeoplewhoperformuponwindinstruments,andtheprolongedand
unnaturalresistancetoexpirationcausesalossofelasticityinthewallsofthepulmon
aryalveoli,isacompleteexposureofthefallacyofsuchanargument.Peoplewhosuf
breath.Saldoreferstothealmostfixedaircapacitythatwecannotexhale.
3 The Maxalding deepbreathing should not be confused with deep breathing exercises,
whichgenerallyforceunnaturallytheribcageinordertoincreasethethoraxvolume.
ferwithchroniccoughsoftenbecomesimilarlyaffected.
Thenitisquitereasonabletosupposethatfulltidalbreathingcanbecarriedoutin
thesameintelligentandsensiblewayasotherfunctions.Becauseapersonhasthe
wisdomtousethewholeofthelungsthatNaturehassuppliedwithhim,heneednot
goblackinthefaceoverit.
Besides,ashasalreadybeenpointedoutearlierinthebook,Maxaldinglungcapa
cityisnotgainedbyforceddeepbreathing,butbytheuseofingeniousexercises,
suchasExercise2,whereinbyasimplemanipulation,theshoulderbladesareused
asapairofhandsmightbe,tostretchandloosenthemusclessurroundingthethorax.
SoeffectiveisthisthoracicmovementindependentlyofthelungsthatMaxaldingis
usedwithgreatbenefitbypersonssufferingfromemphysema,becausetheactionof
thelungscanbereplacedtoaconsiderableextentbythevoluntaryexpansionand
contractionofthethorax.Aircanthusbedrawnintoandexpelledfromthelungs,in
appreciablevolume.
AllopinionscanbespeedilysettledastotherelativemeritsofMaxaldingandother
methodsupontherespiration,bytestingthelungcapacityimmediatelybeforebegin
ningMaxaldingandthenthreemonthslater.Itis,ofcourse,assumedthatthestudent
wouldhavepreviouslybeenusinganothermethodifthetestcouldbeconsideredfair
toothermethods.
Acommoncauseofmouthbreathingisthedeadlyanddisgustingnasalcatarrh.
Oneoftheseveralessentialsforthecureofnasalcatarrhisnasalrespiration.Another
importantessentialispureair,eventhoughitbecoldair.Allpersonswhoworkin
fumesordustladenairshoulduseanasalrespiratororhandkerchieftiedacrossthe
face,andthemouthshouldbekeptclosed.
Nasalirrigationcansafelybecarriedoutathome,butnothingstrongerthanwarm
saltwatershouldbeused.Undernocircumstancesshouldanydouche,syringeoroth
erinstrumentbeusedunlessunderdirectMedicalinstruction.Twoteaspoonfulsofsalt
toapintofwateratbloodheatwillbecorrectastodilutionandtemperature.First
cleansethenasalcavitiesbysniffingtheliquidupthenostrilsandthenexpellingit
again.Thencloseonenostrilwiththefinger,anddrawthesolutionuptheothernostril
andexpelitthroughthemouth.Treattheothernostrilinexactlythesameway.This
operationshouldbecarriedoutbeforefoodistaken,andnotonafullstomach,asitis
apttocauseretchingatfirst.Ifthereissevereinternalirritationinthenasalcavities,
thiscanbeallayedbytheinsertionofasmallquantityofrefinedvaselineverycarefully
intothenostrils,whichshouldthenbeworkedupintothepassagesbyclosingthenos
trilswiththethumbandforefingerofonehandandusingthethumbandforefingerof
theotherhandtocoaxthevaselineupward,byemployingagentlesqueezingmove
ment.Forafewdaysthistreatmentmaymakenasalbreathingmoredifficult,butwhen
thispreliminaryconditionpassesoff,permanentbenefitwillbeexperienced.
Whenthereisnotcatarrhandthepassageofairthroughthenostrilsisfree,theonly
treatmentrequiredisthefulltidalbreathing,unlesstheworkisofanaturethatmakes
the inhalation of irritating matter compulsory. In that case occasional treatment as
abovewillbenecessary.Itmaybeaddedthatatnopartoftheproceedingshould
force be employed, and if any exceptional irritation be experienced, the treatment
shouldbediscontinuedoccasionallytogivethemembranesrest.
(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MONTESALDO)
Fulltidalbreathing,asthetermimplies,indicatesthefulluseoftheorgansofrespir
ation.Deepbreathingasgenerallytaughtandunderstood,involvesafull,orevena
forced,inspirationofthebreath,whichisnotnecessarilydeepbreathing.Itmayactu
allybeshallowbreathing.Theridiculousmethodofholdingthebodyerectwiththe
chestpushedoutlikeapouterpigeon,isunpleasantandexhausting,andwilleven
causedizzinessandactualfainting.
Merechestsupplenessalonewillnotgiveendurance.Theactualmusclesthatwork
inexpansionanddeflationofthechestmustbewelldeveloped,tonedandstrong[...].
Maxaldingdevelopsallthemusclesconnectedwiththefunctionofbreathingtogether
with maximum mobilization of the ribbox. In this way resistance to respiratory dis
ordersisincreasedandrealstaminaacquired.
(MAXALDINGBROCHURE,COURTSALDO)
In spite of a good deal of controversy between advocates of different forms of
breathing,allintelligentpersonsknowthatthereareonlyonenormallycorrectformof
breathing, and that is fulltidal breathing. There is the specialized antirhythmic
breathing forrunningandanotherstrenuousformsofphysicalactivity,whichwillbe
explainedanddescribedpresently.Holdingofthebreathisalsonecessaryduringcer
tainphysicalefforts,andaformofbreathingwhereinsuddeninhalationsaretakenvia
themouthisnecessaryincertainswimmingstrokes.Butthecorrectforofbreathing
forordinaryoccasionsisfulltidalbreathing,andsothattherewillbenodoubtinthe
mindofthereader,Iwillgofullyintothesubjectasfarasalaymanisabletodoso,
andthenyoucanconvinceyourselfbyactualtestthatmyadviceissound,technically
accurate,andfreeofallprejudiceandbias.
Letmefirstdealwiththesimplemechanicsoftherespiration.Theyareapproxim
atelyasfollows.Thelungsarenormallyinasemidistendedstateintheairtightthor
ax,thecavityofwhichthey,togetherwiththeheartandotherorgans,completelyfill.
Bythecontractionofcertainmusclesthecapacityofthethoraxisenlarged,andthis
causestheairtoenterthelungsviathewindpipe.Thisconstitutesinspiration.Upon
therelaxationofthesamemusclesandbytheelasticityofcertainmusclesofthechest
walls,aidedbythecontractionofcertain(possiblyinvoluntary)muscles,thethoraxre
sumesitsoriginalsize,andthustheairisexpelledfromthelungs.Thisconstitutesex
piration.Innormalbreathingthethoraxneverreachesitsmaximumexpansionorcon
traction,butinlabouredrespirationbroughtonbyexertion,orcontrolledrespiration
broughtaboutabyavoluntaryincreasedcontractionoftherespiratorymusclesand
thepullingdownofthediaphragm,maximuminspirationcanbeattained,whileare
versaloftheprocessestablishesmaximumexpiration.
Theraisingofthechestbytheelevationoftheribsisamorecomplexmatterthan
thedescentofthediaphragm,andisachievedprincipallythroughthemediumofthe
external intercostal (between rib) muscles and the serratus magnus muscle. The
formerenlargethethespacesbetweentheribs,andthelatterasitpassesfromthe
shoulderbladetothemiddleofthefirsteightornineribs,raisestheribswhenthe
shouldersarefixed,andisthereforethemostimportantmuscleofinspiration.HereI
mustdigressforamomenttopointoutthattheusualbeliefthatverysuppleandslim
personshavethebestbreathingcapacityisfallacious.Itissuchpeoplethatareusu
allyphysicallyweakandvictimsofpulmonarytroubles.Thebetterthebulkandthede
velopmentoftherespiratorymuscles,thegreaterwillbetheribseparationbewhen
theimpulseoftheinspirationisactive.So,whilesupplenessisanessentialtofulltidal
breathing,itisnottheonlyessential,andthosedesirousofgainingsuperlativeendur
anceshouldmasterthecontrolexercisesoffullshoulderbladeexpansion,andthose
exercisesthatisolateanddeveloptheserratusmagnusmuscle,asanindispensable
foundation.
Wearetoldthatwhenthenewborninfanttakesitsfirstbreathitinspiresanapprox
imationofonehundredcubicinchesofair.Thisisknownastheresidualcapacity,and
althoughconstantlychangedduringrespiration,thelungscanneverbeemptiedofair
duringlife.
Breathing is an involuntary function, continuing as it does throughout sleep and
coma,butvoluntaryaccelerationandincreasedcapacitycanbemadewithbenefitto
thehealthandagreatsavingofworktotheheartunderstrenuousactivity,asyouwill
beabletoprovetoyourownsatisfactionifnotalreadyconvincedofthefact.
Beforedealingwithbreathcontrolitmaybenecessaryoncemorethetwomainfal
laciesthatseemtobetrottedoutoneverypossibleoccasionbyselfstyledphysical
trainingexperts,whoalwaysseemtobeabletogetlimitlessspaceinthePress4.The
firstistheridiculousadvicetoinhalethroughthenoseandexhalethroughthemouth.
Thesocalledexpertswantustogoaboutlookinglikefish.Ifthiswerethenatural
methodofbreathingwewouldseebabiesopeningandclosingtheirmouthseveryfew
seconds.Exceptunderstress,respirationshouldbeabsolutelynasal.Underthestress
ofgreatphysicalexertionsomepersonsfindthemselvesunabletoinspiresufficientair
4 IhavealwayswonderedwhyMaxaldingandMCwerediscriminatedanddiscreditedinmany
Physical Culture publications, even by MC experts (as nowadays is still forgotten and
discredited).Thisfactisabsolutelyunreasonable,becausealloldtimeathletesadmittedtheir
admirationforMaxickandMonteSaldo.Aftercarefulresearch,theonlyexplanationIfindfor
this amazing contradiction must be in the clear condemnation that both founders of
Maxaldingmadethroughouttheirwholelifeofsomewellestablishedanddangeroustraining
practicesadvocatedbymanyphysicalteachersofthattime(and,unfortunately, this time
also).
throughthenose,andthenonlyisthereaproperreasontomouthbreathing.Mouth
breathingisoftenusedbyrunnersforthisreason,andnotbecauseitisthecorrect
waytobreathe5.
Theotherfallacyisthatweshouldbreatheabdominally.Notone,butmanywriters
whooughttoknowbetterstatethatthoracicbreathingiswrong,andthatabdominal
breathingisthenaturalmethod.Dotheythinkthatthelungsresideintheabdominal
cavity?Theyeventrytoconvinceusthatthegreatertidalcapacityisgainedbythisso
calledabdominalbreathing.Isuggestthatsomeofthisgentlemen,allofwhomseem
toshowabulgewherethewaistlineshouldbe,advocatethisdistensionoftheabdom
inalwallatthecompletionofinspirationasanexcuseoftheirownunfitness.
Firstletusconsidertheeffectoftheabdominalorgansbythisdownwardpressure.
Theorgansaredisplaceddownwardssometwentytimeseachminute,andanactual
situationofenteroptosisiscreated6.Butevenifweignorethedangerofthisformof
breathing,andcometothequestionoftidalcapacity,wefindthatthisformofbreath
inginhibitsfullinspiration.Youcanproveitforyourselfinthisway.Keepthechestflat
andfixedasadvisedbyadvocatesofthesocalledabdominalbreathingandinspire
thebreathuntilyoucangetnomoreairintothelungs.Youwillfindthattheabdominal
wallcurveoutwardsinagreaterorlesserdegree,accordingtoyourphysicalcondition.
Then,afterfullinspirationhasbeenaccomplishedinthisdefinitelybadposition,liftthe
chestandcontinuetheinspirationuntilyouhaveagaincompletedtheinspiration.
Youwillfindthattwothingshavedefeatedtheargumentoftheabdominalbreathers.
Thefirstisthatyoucantakeinagreatervolumeofair,andthesecondisthattheab
dominaldistensionhaspracticallydisappeared.Youwillfurtherfindthatifthethoraxis
fullyexpanded,andyouhavetakeninyourlimitofair,theabdomenwillnotdistend
appreciably.Thisprovesdefinitelythatthesocalledabdominalbreathingiscompletely
useless,andanypersoncapableofunderstandingtheeffectofdownwardpressureon
the abdominal organs will understand also that Nature would hardly enforce a dis
placementoftheinternalorgansunderthenaturalexertionofrunning,withtheneces
sityofanincreasedsupplyofair.Didyoueverseearacehorseorgreyhoundbulging
like a balloon when racing? The abdominal breathing and other ageold fallacies
havetobecontradictedandfoughtallthetime,becauseforsomeunfathomablereas
on,themoreobviouslyfoolishsuchfallaciesare,themorehonourtheyseemtobring
totheirsupporters.Youcannowproveotherwiseandsohelpinthefightagainsta
dangerousandoutofdatesuperstition7.Itisbestnottowastetimearguingaboutit,
buttoprovebypracticaldemonstrationthatyouareright.Ifthedangerwereonlycon
5 InfirststagesofMaxaldingyoucanfinddifficulttoexhalethroughthenose,insteadofthe
mouth,whileyouareperformingtheexercises.But,ifyoupracticecompletenasalbreathing
forsomeweeks,youshouldobserveanimprovementinbreathingandendurance.Fulltidal
(nasal)breathingisextremelygoodforthehealth.
6 Enteroptosis:Anabnormallydownwardpositionoftheintestinesintheabdominalcavity.
7 Unfortunately,theseoutofdatesuperstitionspersistnowadays.Itismydutytogoonfighting
againstthem.IhopethesearticlescancontributetocontinuetheworkofMaxickandSaldo.
fined to athleticism, that would be quite so bad, but the forced inhibition of chest
breathingisapotentcauseoftuberculosisandsusceptibilitytopneumonia,forafixed
thoraxpreventsaproperclearanceofthelungs8.
Howtousefulltidalbreathing
1. INSPIRATION.Allowtheimpulseofinspirationtohaveitswayaslongaspossible.
Allowtheribstoexpandinalldirectionsandnotmerelyforwardandupward,but
allowthechesttoraisejustasmuchasitwillaswell.Adoptanypositionthatal
lowsmoreairtoenterthelungs,eventotheraisingoftheshouldersslightly.Do
notinhibitanyslightexpansionoftheabdominalwallafterthethoraxhasgained
fullexpansion.Althoughinafitpersontheabdominalexpansionwillbealmost
negligible,thediaphragmdoesexertaslightdownwardpressureontheabdom
inalviscera.Iftheabdominalwalliscontracteditispossiblethattheinspiration
mightbeslightlyreduced,andinanystrenuousactivityeverycubicinchofairis
ofvalue.Allathleticcontestantsmustbesurethattheircostumesdonotrestrict
thebreathingorcauseanypressureabovethenavel.Itisnotevensufficientfor
aboxerthathissecondtakesthestrainofftheelasticbandofhisshortsonly
duringtherestbetweenrounds.Aboxershouldbefreeofanysuchpressure
throughoutacontest.Thismayseemtolabouranunnecessarypointinviewof
mycondemnationofthesocalledabdominalbreathing,butIwouldpointoutthat
atiredperformerisnotlikelytogetproperthoracicmovementwhilecollapsedin
achairoronastool,andtheinhibitionoftheslightabdominalmovementwould,
underthecircumstances,beinadvisable.Wemustrealize,too,thatafitmanin
fightingformhasrefinedandwelltonedabdominalorgansandcorrectlycondi
tionedabdominalwall.Thiswouldensurenoharmaccruingfromtheslightand
temporarypressurethatwouldbeexertedonhealthyabdominalorgansunder
suchconditions.Similarconditionsapplytotherunnerorfollowerofanysport
thatinvolvesthekindofexertiondemandinggenerousbloodoxygenation.
2. EXPIRATION.Atthecompletionofthefullpotentialinspirationallowtheairtoes
capeaseasilyaspossiblebyallowingthechesttocollapseandtheabdomento
depress.Thusyouwillreducetheresidualcapacityandincreasethetidalcapa
city,andinsodoingeliminatepoisonsmorespeedilyfromtheblood,andcorres
pondingly increase potential bloodoxygenation during the inspiration that fol
lows.Theexpirationmustbecarriedoutsmoothlyandrhythmically,andnotasa
seriesofexercisesasthisdissectionmightcauseonetobelieve.Itmightbewell
atthisjuncturetoremindthereaderoftheimportantfactthatifrespirationcan
beincreasedtocorrespondtotherequirementsofthephysicaleffort,fatiguewill
bedelayedandtheheartwillnotbeoverworked.Sotherunnerespeciallyisad
vised to use fulltidal breathing voluntarily, and even antirhythmic breathing,
whichwillbenowdescribed.
8 Theabdominalbreathingpracticesarenotthedirectcauseofthesediseases,fortheyare
causedbyinfectiousbacteria,butitistruethatthedetrimentaleffectsofsuchrespirationon
thelungscanpredisposetoinfections.
Antirhythmicbreathing
Thismethodofbreathingcanbeusedeffectivelyandmechanicallyduringallrun
ningexcepttheshortsprint,anditcanbeusedonthesportsfieldduringanygame,
andespeciallyduringthosemovementswhenoneisoutofplay,asfrequentlyoccurs
duringSoccer,Rugger,Hockeyandsoon.Letmegiveyouapreliminarywarningat
thispoint.Theolddodderingdiehardswillrecoilwithhorroratanythingsoirrelevantin
sportsasanewmethodofbreathing.Whichremindsmeofonecriticofrunning,who,
on hearing the term antirhythmic breathing, condemned it instantly as dotand
dash breathing, and in the same article stated that a contestant in the 100 yards
sprintshouldholdthebreathforexactly60yards.Whyexactlysixtyyardswasnotex
plained,butofthisanon.Letmesayherethatcertainchampionsrunners are using
thismethod,andif you useityouwillprovebyyourselfwhatandaiditistoendur
ance,andthepreventionoflegweariness,heartpalpitationandgeneraldistress.Itis
notanormalmeansofbreathing,butitisnaturalinsofarastheintelligentathletecan
usethevoluntarypowerswithwhichNaturehasendowedhimtocombatfatigueand
distress.
Isitnaturalforthebreathtobeheldduringsprinting?Ithinkitis,forreasonsthat
everysprinterprovesforhimself,andwhichwillbeexplainedlaterinthisbook.
Nowletusstudytheeffectofrhythmicbreathing,withtheobjectofshowingthe
reasonofantirhythmicbreathing.Whentherespirationisrhythmic,identicalperiods
areoccupiedintheinspirationandexpirationofthebreath.Itfollowstherefore,thatit
takesalongforthepoisonstobeexpelledfromthelungsasfortheclearairtoenter.
Theobjectofantirhythmicrespirationistoshortentheperiodofexpirationandthus
allowmoretimefortheperiodsofinspiration.Consequentlyitmustbeobviousthata
speedieroftheaircreatesadualadvantage.Thefirstadvantageisthatpoisonsmust
bemorespeedilyeliminated,thusdelayingtissuecongestion,andappreciablypost
poningfatigue.Thesecondadvantageisthatalongerperiodofinspirationofair,inre
lationtoexpiration,willpermitagreatersupplyofoxygentotheblood.
Letusassumethattherhythmicrespirationofarunnerwasproceedingatarateof
oneinspirationduringsixstrides.Thiswouldmeanthatinaseriesofeighthundred
strideshewouldbeinspiringduringfourhundredstridesandexpiringbreathduring
fourhundredstrides.Butifthisrunnerweretoreducetheperiodofeachexpirationto
twostrides,butcontinuetheperiodofeachinspirationoversixstrides,inadistanceof
eighthundredstrideshewouldbeinspiringbreathduringsixhundredandexpiringthe
breathduringonlytwohundredstrides.Therunnerhasnotincreasedtheactualperiod
ofeachinspiration,buthasdecreasedtheperiodofexpirationbytwothirds.Andover
thesamedistancehewouldbetakeninfarmoreoxygenthanwouldbepossibleby
theusualrhythmicmethodofbreathing.Iamnotsubmittingthismethodofbreathing
apologetically,butbecauseithasbeenthoroughlytestedandfoundefficacious.You
cantestitbyyourself.Giveitafairtrialbytakingapropertimingoveradefinitedis
tance.Trythedistancewiththeusualrhythmicbreathing,andafteraproperrest,time
yourselfagain,butwithantirhythmicbreathingthistime.Youwillfindthatyouwilldo
bettertime,or,alternatively,thesametimecanbeaccomplishedaspreviously,but
withlesslegwearinessordistress.Butyoucannotmakeafairtestuntilyouhave
studiedantirhythmicbreathingandpractisedituntilitbecomesmechanical.
Howtostudyantirhythmicbreathing
Thisasciencethatisnoteasytomastertoadegreethatadmitsofmechanicalper
formanceduringrunning.Butitmustbethoroughlymasteredifitistoprovideitsfull
advantages.Itshouldbecomemechanical,forrunninghasotherdetailsforconscious
considerationduringarace,andunlessconcentrationismaintainedontheexecution
ofthecorrectstrideandaction,onecannotexpecttorunone'sbestrace.Therefore
steadyandpersistentapplicationshouldbeappliedtothismethodofbreathinguntilit
becomesmechanicalduringrunning.
Firstjusttryagentletrot,inspiringduringsixeasystrides,oruntilthefullinspiration
hasbeengainedwithoutdiscomfort.(Iusethetermwithoutdiscomfortadvisedly,for
under exertion areally powerful inspiration wouldslightly inhibit theheart's action.)
Then,assoonasthefullinspirationhasbeenachieved,suddenlybutquiteeasily,col
lapsethechestwallsandexpelthebreathascompletelyandquicklyaspossible.Then
immediatelystarttheinspirationagain.Different runners have different reactionsto
this,forwhilemostfindtheratioofsixstridesforinspirationagainsttwostridesforex
pirationcomfortable,othersprefertoworksixagainstthree,orevensixagainstfour.
Onegreatsprinter,whoisalsoagoodhalfmiler,usesthismethodinmostofhisdis
tances,forevenhehastoholdthebreathforcertaindistanceinthesprints,hebe
lievesingettinghisnextbreathinasquicklyaspossible,andthissuitthestrenuous
actionofthesprint.Inthehalfmilehetakestheairineasilyandsteadilyasitwere,but
throwsitsuddenlyasthoughttotryingtoemptythewholeofthelungs.
So here you have the scheme to work out in your own way. When you have
masteredit,studyitinconjunctionwithproperarmaction,sothatyoucanthendevote
allyourattentiontotheraceandtoaccelerationandactionofthestrideattheright
timeinperfectstyle.Asapreliminarytrial,however,Irecommendinspirationduringsix
stridesandexpirationduringtwostrides.Towardstheendoftheraceitmaybefound
that the rhythm changes entirely, but this is not likely to happen to the thoroughly
trainedrunner,whoknowsexactlywhathecandoandkeepstoadefinitescheme
whichheknowswillgivethebestresults[...].
Theteamsportsmancanregainnormalrespirationveryspeedilyafterasprintor
any fast work (such as an attack on the opponent's goal) by using antirhythmic
breathing.Thiswillalsopreoxygenatethebloodforeaseandspeedinthefollowing
efforts.Theantirhythmicbreathingcanbeusedwhiletheplayerismovingaboutand
notnecessarilywhilestandingstill.
Holdingthebreathforresistance
Itisnotgenerallyknownthatallanimalsthatcanstrikewiththeforepaw,suchas
thelion,havebeenprovidedbyNaturewiththeglottisorfalsevocalcords.Whenthe
glottisisclosed,respirationiscompletelyinhibited9.Thissetsuptwoconditions.The
firstisgreaterresistanceofanypartofthetorsotopressureofblowsfor,likeanin
flatedfootball,shockabsorptionwouldbespreadoveragreaterareaandinternalair
pressurewouldautomaticallydistributetheshockevenlyinthebodyandotheinternal
organs.Thesecondconditionthatissetupisagreaterpointofresistancetophysical
effort. Thus we get an increase in defensive power and resistance to pressure or
blows,togetherwithanincreaseinattackingstrength.Increasedspeedinthemove
mentisalsoachieved.
Wemustrealize,however,thatforfulleffecttobegainedindefencetoblowsor
pressure,simultaneouslywithaclosingoftheglottisavoluntarycontractionoftheab
dominalwallshouldbesecured.Inunpremeditatedresistanceonly,itisnotpossibleto
haveanydefiniteproportionofairinthelungs,forattheperiodoftheexpirationofthe
breath a boxer, for instance, might bestruck in the region of the solar plexus. He
wouldthereforesimultaneouslyclosetheglottisandcontracttheabdominalwallifhe
hadnotimeforanyothermethodofdefence,suchasstopping,parryingtheblow,or
sidestepping.Hecouldincidentlyusetheresistancemethodofdefence,whileusing
hisarmsforoffenceandprobablywithgoodeffectowingtotheimprovedpointofres
istancesetupforhiscounterblow.
Inpremeditatedresistance,however,anynecessarydegreeoflunginflationmaybe
applied prior to the effort. In most instances an almost complete inspiration of the
breathwouldbeofthegreatesthelp,buttheremaybecertainexceptions,andnoirre
vocablerulecanbemadeatthispoint.Approximately,theinspirationshouldbeas
completeasthebestbodilypositionfortheparticularfeatallows.
Testandmastertheholdingofthebreathwiththecontractingoftheabdominalwall
inthefollowingmanner.Duringanydegreeofinspirationorexpirationofthebreath
givetheabdominalwallaquicktapwiththestiffenedfingersofthehand.Thismust
notbehardatfirst,foryouaretestingthespeedofthevoluntarycontractionoftheab
dominalwall.Youmayfindthatthereisashortexpulsionofthebreath.Thentryagain,
butthistimeclosetheglottis(holdthebreath)swiftlyenoughtopreventtheexpulsion
ofanyairfromthethroat.Whenyouareproficientenoughtopreventtheexpulsionof
anyair,trycontractingtheabdominalmusclesatthesametime.Itisnecessaryto
mastertheclosingoftheglottisbeforethecontractingoftheabdominalwall,because
somepersonsdothelatterautomatically,butnottheformer.Observationwillusually
showthatapersonstruckintheabdomenwillbringtheheadforwardandcontractthe
abdominalwall,whiletheexpulsionoftheairwillbeheardintheformofarushing
sound,ratherthanthegruntofonewhoistryingtoholdthebreath.Studyandpractise
thisfromalldegreesofinflationanddeflationofthelungs,todevelopaperfectreflex
inthisconnectionfordefensiveorpossiblyoffensivepurposesingames.Itisparticu
9 ThisisnowcalledtheValsalvamaneuver,whichisoneofthemostcontroversialsubjectsin
PhysicalCulture.TheSaldo'sexpositionisabsolutelyclearinthisrespectandshouldhelpto
eliminateanydoubtaboutthismatter.
larlyvaluableincricket(batting),tennis,boxing,wrestling,SoccerandRuggerwhere
anyunpremeditatedmovementsbecomenecessary.
Holdingthebreathforpremeditatedeffortisasimplematter,andincaseswhere
greatphysicalstrengthisnecessary,suchasintakingaheavyweighttoarm'slength
overhead,preoxygenationofthebloodisadvised,bytheuseoffulltidalbreathingfor
asuitableperiodbeforetheeffort.
Thispreoxygenationofthebloodisthesecretofthebesteffortsinsprinting,jump
ingandevengettingafastandeasystartinmiddledistancerunning.Thespecificap
plicationofthepreoxygenationofthebloodwillbedealtwithasoccasionarises.
Theathletewhowantstogettheverybestoutofhimselfshouldstudyandpractise:
1. Fulltidalbreathing.
2. Antirhythmicbreathing.
3. Thesuddenholdingofthebreathandcontractingoftheabdominalwallforconcen
tratedeffortanddefence.
(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MONTESALDO)
TothisexcellentandextremelyinformativeSaldo'swriting,Iwanttoadda
breathingmethodwhichisveryusefulindevelopingextremeconcentrationand
relaxationtechniques.
ThismethodisbasedinMaxaldingfulltidalbreathing,theonlydifferenceis
thevoluntarytimingoftheexpiration.Thispracticemustnotbeconfusedatall
withaholdingofthebreath,becauseitshouldbeachievedprogressivelyand
neverforced.Youmustlistenyourbodyinordertoexpireoverthecorrectperi
od.Antirhythmicbreathingcanbeconsideredaquickvariantofthis(almost
oppositeinperformance).
3.17.1.SlowMCbreathing(SMCB)
1. Takeafulltidalinspiration,withoutforcingthelungsorthethoraxinany
case.Notethecontractionofthethoraxmusclesandtrytointensifythem
inordertohelpthebreathmotion.Concentrateespeciallyinthelateralex
pansionoftheshoulderbladesandinthevolumeincreaseproducedby
theactionoftheserratusandintercostals.Sometimes,thepracticeofthis
formofrespirationwhileyouarelyingcomfortablyinbedcanhelptolearn
itcorrectly.Insuchcase,restyourarmsslightlyopeninordertoallowa
fullthoraxandshoulderbladeexpansionandcollapse.
2. Now,expireasslowlyasyoucan,controllingtheinvolvedmusclesand
progressivelyrelaxingtheircontraction.Themainmusclesthatshouldbe
progressivelyrelaxedaretheserratus,theintercostalsandthediaphragm.
Itisextremelyimportantnottoholdthebreath.Thisisaverynaturalbreath
ingtechnique,ifyouareabletosynchronizeyourexhalingtimingperiodwith
youroxygendemands.Obviously,thecontrolledbreathingisnotadequatefor
enduranceactivities,butitisidealforMC,especiallyforitscontrolledballistic
practice.
WhenyoubegintoperformBMC(ballisticmusclecontrol),itisveryusualto
forcetheexpirationinordertoincreasethecontractionfeelingofthemuscles.
Thisisansevereerror.Infact,theballisticactionshouldbeslowlycontrolled
withtheexpiration.
Adoptthepositioncorrespondingtoaconcreteisolationandraisethetension
inthemusclewhileyoucontrolcarefullytherelaxationofthemusclesinvolved
inthecollapseofthethoracicboxduringexpiration.
Thecontrolledbreathingmethodisperfect(andshouldbetheonlyone)for
theapplicationofthePullum'sprogressiontechnique(slow+quick)toMC.
Inanextarticlewewillstudytherelaxationtechniquesandwewilldiscover
howmusclecontrolledbreathingisthekeytoextremerelaxationstatesandthe
waytoachievethecontrolofsomeimportantinternalorgans,liketheheart.
Afterreadingallthisinformation,youmaythinkthatthelearningoffulltidal
breathingisadifficulttask.Thisisnotthecase.InthefirstMaxaldingcourses,
MonteSaldoadvicesthis.
Whenyouareexercisingandwhenyouareintheopenair,Iwantyoutomakea
habitoffulltidalbreathing.
BythisImeanthatyoushouldmakefulluseofthelungs,inspiringandexpiringthe
breathtothefullestextentwitheachrespiration.
Butdonotforcethebreathing,asthismaycausedizziness.
Just take long, regular and steady breaths, keeping themouth closed the whole
time,ofcourse.
Intime,whenthechestbecomeslarge,looseandsupplethroughtheperformance
oftheMaxaldingexercises,thisformofbreathingwillcomenaturally.
3.17.2.Conclusions
Fulltidalbreathingisthemosteffectiveandnaturalformofbreathingin
mostsituations.Itshouldnotbeconfusedwithforcedinspirationorhyper
ventilationpractices.
Fulltidalbreathingisabsolutelysafeandverybeneficialtohealth.Itmust
belearnedprogressivelyinconjunctionwiththeMCofthethorax.
Abdominalbreathingshouldneverbeusedinanycircumstance.
Somespecialsituationsdemandsomeotherbreathingmethods.These
methodsinvolveadvancedtechniquesandshouldnotbepractiseduntil
completemasteryhasbeenachieved.Thisapplyespeciallytotheholding
ofthebreathinordertoincreasemuscularresistanceagainstexternalat
tacks or develop explosive strength. Such explosive contractions syn
chronizedwithbreathholdingmustbedoneveryseldom,alwaysaftera
supervised andcareful training andonlyinspecificactions thatrequire
suchaprotectiveinternalpressurelikeextremeweightliftingorhardmar
tialartscombats. Even in thementioned cases, don't makethebreath
holdsahabit.Itisdangerousanddetrimental.Itisbettertolearntocon
tractpowerfullytheabdominalswhileyouarebreathing.
IfyouperformbreathholdsinconjunctionwithBMCinordertodevelop
extremecontractilepowerandstrength,neverholdthebreathmorethan5
seconds.Thelackofoxygenundersuchextremelystressfulsituationscan
causedizzinessandfaint.
Slowcontrolledbreathing(SMCB),explainedbefore,providessimilarcon
tractingstrengthindemandingactionstothebreathholdanditismuch
lessdangerousingeneral.AtadvancedstagesofMCmastery,theattain
ablevoluntarytensionlevelissohighthattheveryslightadvantagethat
youcouldobtainbymeansofasuddenbreathholdisalmostnegligible
and,ingeneral(except,perhaps,extremesportsperformance),doesnot
deservetherisksinvolvedinsuchaquickraiseofbloodpressure.
3.18.Theimportanceofabdominalcontrols
TheMaxaldingabdominalcontrolsareprobablythemostdifficult,spectacu
lar,awesomeandimportant.
Theprogressionintheseexercisescanbeamazing,fromtherelativelyeasy
abdominaldepressiontotheextremevoluntaryisolationofsinglesectionsof
therectusabdominisortheisolationofabdominaltendons.
Thebeneficialeffectsonhealththatprovidestheperformanceofabdominal
controlsarecountless.Amongthemaretheimprovementofdigestion,breath
ingandexcretion,muscularcorereinforcement,mobilizationofinternalfluids,
better resistance to diseases and deep relax. The reason is that abdominal
controlsarethemostnaturalandeffectiveformofmassageoftheinternalor
gans.
But,theabdominalisolationsdemandalotofpracticeandpatience.Itisvery
sadtoseehowmanybeginnerstrytoperformtherectusabdominisisolations
atfirstand,aftersomefruitlessefforts,giveupMaxalding.Thekeyexerciseis
theabdominaldepressionorvacuum,neverforgetit.Youshouldmastercom
pletelythisbeforeattemptinganyotherabdominalexercise.Readcarefullyall
theinstructions,becauseitisnotaseasyasitseemsandmanyinstructorsper
formitinwrongandevendangerousways.
3.19.Preliminaryabdominalexercises
3.19.1.Breathingexercisesfortheabdominals(MCabdominalbreath)
Importantnote:Avoidalwaysanykindofabdominalbreathingbecauseit
isharmfulanddetrimental.Please,readcarefullythebreathingtechniques,be
foreattemptingtheabdominalcontrols.Breathealwaysthroughthenose.
Exercise 1 (MCabdominalbreath1). Practice slow controlled breathing
(SMCB).Youshouldobservethattheabdomendepressesslightlywitheach
exhalation.Youmustconcentrateonthiseffectinordertoincreasethedepres
siongraduallywithoutstrainingthebreathsatall.Thisisperhapsthemostim
portantpreliminaryexerciseanditisverybeneficialinitself.
Exercise2(MCabdominalbreath2).WhenyouhavemasteredtheExercise
1,trytoexert an explosive (butcareful andcontrolled) exhalation ofthe air
through the nose. The veryimportant pointhere istobe abletoexhale the
maximalamountofairofthelungsbydiaphragmaticmeansonly.
The two mainerrors that inhibit the performance ofabdominal controlsin
mostcasesare:
Theinvoluntarycontractionorforcingoftheabdominalmuscles(rectus
abdominisandexternalobliquesgenerally).Theabdominalmusclesmust
beabsolutelyrelaxed.But,thequestionis,howcanIlearntorelaxtheab
dominalwallproperly?Thebestmethodtoachievethisrelaxingstateis
themasteryof MCabdominalbreath1.Somepeoplefindveryusefulto
practisethisexerciselyingcomfortablyinabedorsimilarsurface.The
bedshouldbeenoughsolidtonotallowanybackbending.Someresidual
tensioncanbeduetoanexcessiveerectstateofthespine.Practicethe
MCabdominalbreath1,2 bendingthelowerback(keeptheupperback
straight)slightlyforward,butkeepingthebackmusclesrelaxed(avoidany
antagonisticaction).Experimentwithdifferentanglesinlittleincrements
asfarasyoufindtheoptimalpositionthatallowsthemaximalrelaxationof
theabdominalwall.Keepalwaysyourhipsandlegscomfortablyrelaxed,
don't forcetheminstinctively. Generallyitisadvised topracticemuscle
controlinfrontofamirror,butMaxickpreventedagainstanimproperuse
ofthemirrorand,inthiscase,Ithinkthattheuseofamirrorshouldbe
discourageduntilyoumasterthevacuums.Thereasonaremanifold,but
themaintwoare:theraisingoftheheadinordertoseeyourimagecan
produceaninvoluntarythoraxdisplacementandasubsequentcontraction
oftheabdominalwall,andtheseeingofyourownimagecanbefrustrat
inginfirstattemptsandcaninhibityournecessaryconcentrationonprop
erbreathing.
Theinvoluntaryrelaxationoftheserratusmagnusduringtheexplosiveex
halation.Youshouldnotallowtorelaxthe serratus,becauseatrueab
dominalandrelaxedvacuumisonlypossibleifyouexhalebytheexclus
iveeffortofyourdiaphragmmuscle.
Thedifficultiesoftheabdominalisolationsarelogical,becausetheanatomy
oftheprocessisverycomplex.Ifweanalyseindetailthis,wecanobservethat
inbreathingareinvolvedseveralmusclegroups.Somemuscleshelptotheper
formanceofthevacuumandsometendtoinhibitit.
The serratus mustbecontractedtosomeextentinordertokeeptherib

boxexpanded.Thisisnecessaryinordertoallowthepureactionofthe
diaphragm,acompleteairexpulsionandtoprovideenoughvolumetode
presstherelaxedabdominalwall.
Theintercostalsplayatroubledplayintheabdominalcontrols.First,you
couldinstinctivelycontractthe intercostals inordertosustainthethorax
expanded.Theproblemhereisthealmostsureinducedcocontractionof
theuppersectionsoftherectusabdominis.Itisextremelydifficulttoisol
atethelowerintercostalsfromtheupperabdominals(perhapsimpossible
toa100%),soanycontractionoftheintercostalssurelydefeatstherelax
ationoftheabdominalwall.Second,youmustlearntokeepthethoraxin
anexpandedstatewiththeintercostalsrelaxed.Thisimpliestheisolation
oftheserratusandtheintercostals.Fortunately,thisisolationisgenerally
easyandcanbedonealmostautomaticallyifyoucareonlyaboutyour
diaphragm.
Backmuscles.Theareinvolvedintheshoulderbladeexpansion.Thela
tissimusdorsi and,specially,the erectorspinae inalowerbackbended
position, tend to produce an antagonistic action on the abdominal
muscles.Youmustrelaxthem,allowingsimultaneouslyafreemotionof
theshoulderblades.
Pectorals.Theyhaveaminorinfluenceinabdominalrelaxation,butitis
advisedtokeepthemrelaxed,becauseapowerfulcontractionofthepec
toralscaninterferewiththenecessaryconcentrationonthediaphragmatic
andabdominalmuscles.
Diaphragm. Itisaninternalsemivoluntarymusclethatassistsbreathing,
acting as a bellows under the lungs. It is one of the most important
musclesinthebody.Maxaldingexcelsatthedevelopmentofthismuscle
bynaturalmeans,becausemusclecontrolisthemostperfectformofin
ternalmassageanddirectexertionoftheinternalorgans.Ithastheprin
cipalroleinabdominalcontrols,sobepatientwithtrainingit.
3.19.2.Factorsthathaveinfluenceonabdominalcontrols
Someotherfactorscanhaveinfluenceontheperformanceoftheabdominal
controls.
Wind. Ifallpositionsandbreathingarecorrect,thepresenceofwindin
sidetheintestinescandefeatcompletelytheperformanceofvacuums.I
suggestyouanaturalmethodthatcanbeveryhelpfulinmanycases.Lie
comfortablyproneandrelaxed,withbodystraight,andthenturnyourself
slowly,keepingthebodystraight,asfarasyourestallyourbodyweight
overtheleftside,relaxandwaituntilthewindisnaturallyexpelled.Don't
forcetheexpulsion.Ifyounotethatthewindhasnotbeensufficientlyre
moved,repeatthesameslowmovementseveraltimes.Sometimes,turn
ingalsototherightsideorcrossingthestraightlegsintheleftposition
canhelp.
Presenceofnodigestedfoodinthestomachorintestines.Themostobvi
ousthing isnottoexercise untildigestioniscompleted(about 2hours
afterameal,exceptforextremeabdominalisolations,thatdemandmuch
moretime).Sometimes, thepresence ofno digested food isrelated to

constipation.Precisely,abdominalcontrolsareoneofthemosteffective
naturalmeanstoreliefconstipation.Insuchcaseyoumustusevacuums
preliminarywithatherapeutic,notraining,purpose.Drinkalittle(about
100cm3)ofwarmwater(nohot)andtrytoperform5slowvacuumsina
row.Rest,breathingslowly,foraboutanother30breathsrelaxingtheab
domen.Repeatthesameprocess23timesandrelaxcomfortably.This
techniquehelptomobilizetheinternalfluidsandcleansetheinternalor
gans.Itisveryadvisable toperformthistherapeuticexercise justafter
gettingupinthemorning.
Bodyfatlevels.Manytimesitisimpossibletoreproducetheexcellentpics
ofsomeMaxalding champions because the bodyfatlevels ofour own
bodiesarehigher.Rememberthatitisimpossibletoreducefatonlyin
specificareas. Thefatreducing process mustbe directedtothe whole
bodysystem.Thesafereductionofbodyfatcanonlybeachievedbya
perfectcombinationofproperdietandexercise.But,youshouldnotbe
confusedbythehugeamountofcontradictoryinformationthatinvadethe
media.Therearenotmiraculousdietsortrainingsystems.Onlyarational
andcompletediet(averyimportantpointinMaxaldingthatweshallana
lyselater),carefulperformedexercisesandrestcanhelpyoutoachieve
yourgoals.
3.19.3.ISRexercises
Trytorelaxyourabdominalsinthemostfavourableposition(foundbymeans
oftheperformanceof MCabdominalbreath1,2)andpresswiththepalmsof
your hand veryprogressively against the upper section of your legs, almost
touchingthehips.Concentratetheeffortonyourabdominalsandnotonyour
arms.Don'tstraintheleast.Trytofeeltheeffectofthetensionovertherelaxed
abdominalwall.
Keepthetensionduring5completecontrolledbreathingsinthewayofMC
abdominalbreath1,2andrelax.Repeat15times.Neverholdyourbreath.
3.19.4.AMRexercises
Contract powerfully and slowlywithoutstrainallmusclesoftheabdominal
wall.Trytokeepthetension5breathingswithoutforcingit.Relaxandrepeat1
5times.
Youcanperformthisexercisedynamicallyinallpossibledirectionsofback
motion.Insuchcase,dothehalfofthemovementduringinspirationandthe
otherhalfduringexpiration.
1. Bendingthespineforward(nomorethan90).
2. Bendingthespineslightlybackwards.
3. Bendingthespinelaterally(nomorethan45).Youcancombinethiswitha
simultaneousexpansionoftheshoulderblades.
4. Turningthetrunktobothsideswitharmsstretchedinfrontofyou.
3.19.5.BLexercises
Importantnote: Thisexercisesrangefromadvancedtoveryadvanced,so
don'ttrythemuntilyouhaveaverygoodmuscularfoundationbymeansofMC
andpreviousexercises.
Straight leg sit up. Many things have been said about the safety of the
straightlegsitup.Actually,thisexerciseisabsolutelysafeifyoudoitMaxald
ingwaywithslowcontrolledmotionand15repsperworkout(itisnotneces
sarytodolotsofsitups,suchhighnumberofrepetitionsdestroythemuscle
qualityanddefeatsthepurposeandsafetyoftheexercise).
Performedthisway,raisingslowlywithoutanyjerkingimpulse,withstraight
armsextendedbackwardsorcrossedoveryourchest,contractingtheabdomin
alwallalongthemotionandstraightlegs,thisexercisecanbeverydifficultat
first.Thekeytoprogressisraisingonlyafewcminfirststagesandtoincrease
theheightasfarasyoucancompletethewholemovementwithoutstrain.
Thisexercisemustbeattheendofthetrainingsessionwithagoodprevious
warmup.
Applytorestofthe exercises the samerecommendationsoftheprevious
one.
Raisinglegsat90lyingprone.
Onceyouhavemasteredlegsraisingyoucanalternatethemotionofboth
legsalternativelyinasortofcyclingexercise.
Amoreadvancedversionbringsthelegsstraightasfarasthefeettouchthe
floorbackwardsinfrontoftheface.Itisabeneficialexerciseforthespinealso,
butcanbestressingformanypeopleanditisadvisabletopracticeitwithsome
sortofhandassistanceandoverasoftsurface.
Onthecontrary,averyeasyandbeginner'salternativeisthealternatingrais
ingofkneeswiththeotherlegstraight,tryingtotouchthechestwitheachknee
initstopposition.Keepthetensioninthetoppositionforabout5breaths.In
thiswayyoudonotneedmanyrepetitions.
Front bridge with palms and feet on floor (superman pushup). This is,
withoutdoubt,oneofthetoughestandmostcompleteexercisesyoucando.It
isthebasisofsomeofthemostadvancedandproductiveexercisesyoucando
withoutapparatus.Itwasthelastandmostdemandingexerciseoftheoriginal
Maxaldingbookanditreallyconstitutesanexcellenttestofoverallstrengthand
control.
TheperformanceofthisexerciseinMaxaldingisextremelyprogressiveand
verysafe,becauseyoucanpressfirmlywithyourpalmsandfeeteverymoment
inordertokeepbalance.Inthiswayyoucanstopatanydesiredangleand
keepthetensioninthelowerposition,increasingthecontrolandthebenefits.
TheMaxaldingmethodreducestheriskofsprainingthebacktoaminimum.
Besides,thisexerciseavoidsanykindofdangerousjerkingmovementsorim
pulsesinordertoregaintheupperposition.Ipersonallydiscouragetheuseof
anywheelorrollingdeviceforperformingthefrontbridge.
Thisisaverydemandingexerciseonalmosteveryareaofthebody,bothdy
namicallyandstatically.
Progression:
1. PressfirmlyyourpalmsandfeetonthefloorformingacomfortableV
shapewiththebodyfacingdown.Itisadvisabletopractisethisexercise
withthepalmsandfeetoverasmoothandregularsurfacethatavoidsany
possibility of sliding. Open the angle of the V as far as as you can
withoutforcingyoutheleast.Keepthetensioninthelowerpositionduring
15breathsandreturnslowlyandsurelytotheinitialposition.Relaxand
repeat15times.Neverallowthatyourmusclesbegintoshake,thiswould
indicatethatyouareforcingyourperformancetoomuch.Rememberthat
muscletremblingisjusttheoppositetoMuscleControl.
2. Whenyouareabletosustainthelowestposition,almostparalleltothe
floor,youmustdoaconsciousefforttocontracttheinvolvedmusclesin
thisposition,tryingtorelaxtheunnecessarymuscles(reallyafew)inthis
position.Keepthecontraction5breaths,returntotheinitialpositionand
repeat 15times(1perfect performance isenough for mostpurposes).
Sometimes,youcouldfeelthatyouareunabletoliftyourbodyfromthe
lowestpositionduetoasuddenlackofstrength.Don'tbedisappointed,
reliefthetensionslowlyandrestoverthefloor.Nevertrytoliftyourselfin
acrazyfashionwithajerkingactionofthelowerback,itisverydangerous
andsuchpracticesdonotaddanyvaluablestrengthtoyou.
3. Onearmfrontbridge. Thisexerciseshouldonlybepractisedseldomfor
testingpurposes,becauseitisextremelydemandingonthewholebody
andverystressingforthearmandshoulderjointsifyoudonotknowhow
tocontrolcompletelyyourmusclesinthisverydifficultstretchedposition.
Theprogressionmustbeveryslow.Therearetwowaystotrainthisfeat.
a) FollowthesameVopeningmethoddescribedin(1),butwithonlyone
arm.Don'tforcethepositionandkeepthebodyandthearmstraightall
thetime.Stopimmediatelyifyoufeelsomesortofdiscomfortorex
cessivestress.
b) Trytotiltyourbodyveryslightlytoonesideinthelowestpositionrest
ingmoreweightinthecorrespondingarm.Whenyouarereasonably
sureofyourabilitytosupporttheweight,raiseafewcmthenosupport
ingarm,keepingperfectposition.Returntotheinitialpositionandrelax.
Don'tperformthisfeatmorethan12timesaweekingeneral.
Theseexerciseshelptotoneandstrengthenyourabdominalmusclestoa
highdegree,buttheycanbecounterproductiveiftheyaredoneinexcess.The
undesiredeffectoftoomuchmechanicalabdominal exerciseonMCcanbe
duemainlyto:
Fatigueoftheabdominalmuscles.Youneedthatyourabdominalmuscles
areplentyofenergyinordertocontracttheminanisolatingform.
Excessivetoneandlackofsuppleness.Theperformanceofahighnum
berofrepsofanymechanicalexercisecanproducesomeresidualrigidity
inthemusclesthatcanmakeverydifficultacompleterelaxoftheabdom
inalwall.Besides,anexcessofexerciseintheabdominalareacangener
atesomepainfulcrampingduringavoluntarycontractionandundesired
instinctivetensionsintherectusabdominis.
Lateralbackbendingwithscapulaeexpansion.
Itisveryvaluable indeveloping thelateralobliques ifyouconcentrate on
themwhileyouareinthelowestposition.
3.20.Isolationoftheabdominalmuscles
3.20.1.Abdominaldepression(vacuum)
ThisisthekeyexerciseofthewholeMaxaldingsystem.Manypeoplefailto
domoreadvancedcontrolsduetoanincompletemasteringofthevacuum.
Themostimportantthingiscorrectbreathing.RemembertheadvicesinMC
abdominalbreath1,2.IfyoupracticecorrectlytheMCabdominalbreath2,you
shouldnothaveanyprobleminperformingaperfectvacuum.
Standerectwithbodyrelaxed,especiallytheabdominalwall,thelegsand
theback.Concentrateinyoubreathingandintheactionofthe serratus,but
don'tforcetheinhalationatall.Keepyourlegscomfortablystraight,butrelaxed.
Itisadvisabletokeepthemapartafewcminordertoavoidsomeinvoluntary
pressingamongthethighsduringexhalation,butingeneralthisisnotanim
portantfactor.
Inhalewiththeeffortofyour serratus mainly,keepingthethoraxexpanded
forward,butdon'traiseyourchest.Sometimesaveryslightdownwardbending
ofthelowerbackandtheheadcanhelptorelaxtheabdominalmuscles.
Whenyoufeelthatyourlungs arefilledwithoutanystrain,concentratein
yourdiaphragmandexhaletheairfromthelungsexplosively,butwithoutany
effort,keepingthethoraxexpandedbytheactionoftheserratus.
Theexternalairpressureandtheinertiaofthediaphragmmotionmustbe
enoughtocompleteaperfectvacuum.
Don'tholdyourbreathmorethan5secondsinanycase.
Whenyoumasterasinglevacuum,youcantrytorepeatit5timesinarow
withcorrectbreathcoordination.
3.20.2.Abdominalvacuumwithbreathing
Thisisanextremelyimportantexercisethatdoesnotappeardescribedin
anyMaxaldingorMCwritingasfarasIknow.Itsimportancecomesfromthe
possibilitytosustainmoreadvancedabdominalcontrolswithoutthedangersin
volvedinholdingthebreath.Thismultipliesalotthebenefitsandperformance
oftheexercises.
Thelearningofthistechniqueenablesyoualsotoincreaseyourprotection
andsafetyinsuddeneffortsoragainstblowswithanaturalbreathing.
Acompletemasteringofthepreviousvacuumexerciseisabsolutelyneces
sary.Ifyoutrytodothevacuumwhileyourarebreathingatfirst,youwould
probably tense your intercostal and abdominal muscles, defeating your pur
pose.
Doaperfectvacuumandconcentrateonhowyourexhalationaffectstheper
formanceoftheexercise.Relaxafewmomentsandrepeat,butnowtrytoin
haleagainkeepingthediaphragminthatposition.Youcouldfinddifficultto
breatheinthisposition.Thekeytosuccessistobreatheslowly(rememberthe
commentsaboutslowMCbreathing,SMCB)andwiththeactionoftheserratus
only.Thisisthereasonwhyissoimportanttopracticecorrectbreathingand
thoraxMCbeforeattemptingabdominalcontrols.
Whenyouareabletodo1inhalationduringavacuum,youcantrytokeep
thebreathingvacuumfor15completebreaths.Relaxcompletelyafterthis.
Ifyoufeelsomebreathingdiscomfortordifficulty,bepatientandpracticethe
previousexercisesfarmore.Don'tforceyourself.Manycontrolsareattained
someday,almostbychance,afterweeksofpatient,andapparentlyfruitless,
practice.
3.20.3.Centralabdominal(rectusabdominis)isolationwithhandpressure
(MCabdominalcentralhand)
Youcantrythisexerciseimmediatelyafteryouhavemasteredthevacuum,
but I suggest that it is better to practice the breathing vacuum before. This
wouldallowyoutokeeplongervacuumtimeswithoutstrain,whichcouldbe
veryimportantinordertoachievegoodresultswiththehandpressuretech
nique.
Placethepalmsofyourhands(sometimesitcouldbehelpfultokeepthefin
gersslightlyopen)overtheuppersectionofyourlegs,orthelowerpartofyour
hips.Youshouldexperimentthebestposture.Bendyourlowerbackalittleas
farasyounotethattheabdominalmusclesareperfectlyrelaxed.Don'tbend
toomuch,becausethegravitywouldexertanegativeeffectontheinternalor
gans,tryingtodropthemdownwards.
Now,performacorrectvacuumandpressfirmly,butsoftly,withthepalms
overyourlegsorhips.Iftheabdominalmusclesarerelaxedyoushouldob
serveaprotrudingofthecentralrectusabdominis.
Don'tpresstoomuch,becauseyoucouldtenseanothermusclesthatinter
ferewiththecentralones.Rememberthatthelessthepressure,thebetterthe
control.
Somepeoplecouldfindusefultoapplythetensionbeforetheactualperform
anceofthevacuumorwhiletheyareexhalingtoproducethedepression.Ifyou
applySMCB(slowcontrolledbreathing),theselittledetailsarenotveryimport
ant.
3.20.4.Onesidelateralabdominalisolationwithhandpressure(MC
abdominalsidehand)
Thenextstepinabdominalcontrolistobeabletoisolateonlyonesideofthe
rectusabdominis.Thisexerciseshouldbefairlyeasyifyouhavemasteredpre
viouslythecentralisolation.
AdoptthesamepositionasMCabdominalcentralhand,withbothhandsre
laxedoverthelegs.Performthevacuum(youcandoitwithbreathingornot,
butIfindbettertodoitwithbreathing)andpressslowlywithonlyonepalm,
keepingtheotherrelaxed.
Thiswouldsufficetoaccomplishtheonesidelateralisolation.Sometimesit
ishardtoperformthisexercisedirectly.Anotheralternativemethodistodofirst
acentralisolationwithbothhandspressingandthentorelaxslowlyoneofthe
palms.
Bothmethodsaregood,butinsomecasesadirectlateralpressureisnot
enoughtoprotrudeonlyoneside,thisisthereasonbywhichyoushouldtry
bothtechniquesanddecidethebestforyou.
Dependinguponyourbodystructure,hipplacementandlowerbackposition
youcanachievedifferentdegreesoflateralisolation,fromtheprotrudingofthe
wholemuscleleaflettoanarrowcord.Generally,youhavetoturnslightlyyour
hipstowardsthesamesidethatyouwanttoisolateinordertoproduceacord
likevisualization.
3.20.5.Truevoluntaryabdominalisolations(withouthandpressure)
Thehandassistanceofmanycontrolsshouldbeonlyapreliminarystagein
thelearningofMaxaldingand,althoughtheexercisessoperformedarevery
beneficialthemselves,shouldnotbethefinalaimofasincereMaxaldist.You
musttrytoteachyourbodytrueMCandthisonlycanbeachievedbymeansof
purementalconcentrationalone.
However,theneuralprocessesinvolvedinthislearningareverycomplexand
unpredictable.Youmaybepractisingdayafterdaysomecontrolwithoutany
improvement, even you despair and stop to try it any more, and suddenly,
someweekslater,duringatrainingsessionyoutryitagainonlyforfunandyou
havesuccess.Sobepatientandalwaysbelieveinyourabilities.
Thewaytoachieveapurevoluntaryabdominalisolationistoreducevery
progressivelyandslowlythehandpressure.TheeasiestpureabdominalMCis
thecentralisolation.Generallyitisbettertotryaballisticapproachfirst.
Performaperfectvacuumanddoahandassistedcentralisolation.Concen
trateonwhatyoufeeljustwhilethemuscleisprotruding.Visualizethisunique
sensationcontinuouslyduringyourrelax.
Then,performanewvacuumandplaceyourpalmsexactlyasifyouwere
goingtopresswiththem,butdon'tpressthistime!Onlyfeelthecontactofthe
palms.Inthisverymoment,exertamentalcontractionontherectusabdominis,
visualizingandfeelingthesamesensationyouhadwhenyoupressedwithyour
hands over the legs. Do this contraction explosively, but with SMCB (slow
breathing),withoutforcingtheexhalation.
Whenyoumasterthefirstquickcontraction,youshouldtrytointensifyitby
mentalconcentrationandtokeepitfor110breathings.
Apersonwhoisabletoperformacorrectmentalcentralisolation,canbe
consideredaMaxaldingadvancedstudent.Thisexerciserepresentsthetest
toprogressfromtheadvancedtotheexpertlevelinMC.
Relaxcompletelyaftereachattemptanddon'toverdotheexercises,because
thesemuscles,atfirst,tendtoexhaustthemselvesquicklyinthisposition.
Asaguide,themasteringofatrueabdominalMCcanlastseveralweeks
(evenmonths)untiltheminddevelopsadurablelinkwiththesemuscles.
Anotherimportantpointisthefollowing.AsyouareprogressingthroughMax
alding,youmayobservethatsomeofyourmuscles,orperhaps,themusclesof
onebodyside,aremoreresponsivetovoluntarycontractionthanothers.Thisis
anaturalthing,soifyoufindthatyouareabletoisolatemuchmoreclearlyone
abdominal side than the other, for example, don't discourage yourself. The
bonestructureandanotherbodyfactorscanhavealsoagreatinfluenceinthe
performanceandvisualizationoftheexercises.
3.20.5.1.Onesidelateralabdominalisolation
Adoptthepositionmostfavourabletodoalateralisolationoftherectusab
dominis, perform it correctly and then try to decrease very carefully, in little
amounts,thepalmtension.Concentrateintenselyinthecontractionfeelingof
themusclesandreplacethehandactionbymentalcontractionasfasasyou
can.
Beverypatientwiththeseexercise,becauseittakesgenerallyalongtimeto
eliminatecompletelythehandassistance.Youwillobservethatsomedaysare
better(andsomehoursthroughouttheday)thanotherstoperformcorrectlythe
voluntaryisolations.
Alittleadvice.Don'tbediscouragedbyacuriouseffectthattakeplacealmost
everyoccasionyoutrythepurevoluntaryisolationofeachsideofthe rectus
abdominis,becauseyoucouldbedespairedifyoudon'tknowthatitisacom
monthing.
Usuallyyouwillobservethat,althoughyoufeelanintenseisolatedcontrac
tionofthedesiredside,andthatsuchmuscleeffectivelyprotrude,theother
sideisalmostinvariablydrawnalso,evenifyoupreviouslyhavebeenableto
masterthehandassistedvariantwithoutproblem.Besides,themoreeffortand
tensionyouputontheisolation,themorecontractionistransferredtotheother
side.
Itisadvisabletoapplythefinetuningmethod(FTMCR)tothiscontrol,be
causethereisanoptimalpointinwhichthedesiredsideprotrudeenough,while
theotherisstillrelaxed.Ifyousurpassthispoint,therelaxedsideiscontracted
invariably.Thisapplyalsotothemanualcontrol,don'tpresstoomuchorboth
sideswillbeinvolveddespiteyouareusingonlyonepalm.
Tominimizethiseffectitisveryimportanttotestseveraldifferenthipand
backpositions,butitwouldbeimpossibletoeliminatecompletelyit.Thisdoes
notmeanstrictlyalackofpropercontrol,butatoopowerfulmentalandana
tomicallinkbetweenthetwosides.
3.20.5.2.Horizontalabdominalisolations
Amazingly,thehorizontalisolationsofthedifferentsectionsoftherectusab
doministookmelongerthanthelateralones.Thereasonwasanalmostnatur
altendencytocontractpowerfullyallsectionsinarow.
Aftertryingcountlesstimesthe abdominalroll,Idiscovered thatinmyat
temptsforsuckingonlyonepartoftheabdomenIalwaystensedthewholeab
dominalwall.SoIdecidedtotestanotherdifferentmethod.
Theextremedifficultyofthesecontrolscomesfromtheobviousfactthatall
sectionsformanuniquemuscle,soitisanatomicallyimpossibletoisolatethem
completely,andfromtheneedtolearnthetechniquewithmentalcontraction
only,becausethereisnodefinitehandpressurethatcanaccomplishsuchisol
ations.
Somehelpcanbeachievedbymeansofacarefulstudyoftheeffectofthe
bendingofthelowerspine overthemoreorlessstrongcontractionofeach
section.However,thebesttechniquetoprogressinthehorizontalcontrolsisto
applytheanalyticalmusclecontrol(AMC)method,basedonthefinetuneofthe
contraction as a feedback of the intensity of the contraction you feel in a
muscle.
Ifyoutrytocontractpowerfullyandveryslowly(withoutstrain)yourwhole
abdominalwall,youcanfeel(ingeneral)thatyouruppersection,includingthe
intercostals,isthefirstyoucantense.Afterthis,theothersectionsarecontrac
tedalmostsuccessivelyindescendingorderinarow.Thelowersectionisthe
mostdifficulttotense.Youshouldobserveacleardifferenceintheamountof
tensionthatyoucanputintheupperrectusabdominis(almostcramping)com
paredwiththelowersection,nearthehips,verymildlycontractedatfirst.
Thisdifferentresponsetovoluntaryactionisthekeytolearntheanalytical
controlofthehorizontalsectionsoftheabdominalwall.
Relaxcompletelyandadoptthebestposturetoperformacorrectvacuum,
butnow,insteadofavacuum,performaveryslowly(butfirmly)contractionof
thewholeabdominalwall.Don'tforceyourself,becausesomepartsoftheab
dominalmusclesarepronetoasuddenandpainfulcrampinginsuchsituation
onintensecontraction10.
Notehowsomepartscontractbeforeor,alternatively,morepowerfullythan
10 Ifyoufeelsomesortofcramping,stretchverycarefullyandslowlytheaffectedmuscleasfar
asyoucanandtrytorelaxit,givingitafirmmassageraisingitstemperature.Whenthepain
isout,returnslowlytothemostflexedpositionwiththemusclecompletelyrelaxedandwarm.
Dothisoperationseveraltimes.AfterthisaverymildMContheaffectedmuscle(sustaining
thetensionabout10breathingsunderthe50%ofthecontractingpowerandrelaxingwith
slowcontrolledbreathing)cancontributetoadeeprelaxandreliefofthearea.
others.Repeatthisexercise23timesand,afterthis,trytointensifythecon
tractionofthedifferentareas,fromuppertolowerifthisiseasierforyou(most
ofcases),andrelaxtheotherstosomeextent.Repeat15times.
Tryto relax the erectorspinae groupwhile youare performingabdominal
controls,becauseitscontractioncanhaveinfluenceovercertainsectionsofthe
rectusabdominis.
Someareasoftheabdominalwallaremorepronetotremblethanothers.
Generallythemostaffectedbyvibrationinisolationarethetwocentralbands.
The rectusabdominis hasfourhorizontalmusclebandseachside,soyou
shouldbeabletoperformfourdifferenthorizontalisolations.Thelowestsec
tion,is,byfar(exceptrarecases),themostdifficulttoisolatetothepointthatit
isalmostimpossibletoavoidsomeresidualcontractionoftheotherabdominal
layers.Sometimesawideopenoftheangleformedbythefeetwiththelegs
stretched,butrelaxed,canhelpalottofeelthisdifficultareamuchmorein
tensely.Befreetoexperimentwiththis,openingandclosingthefeetanglefor
variousperformances.
Theuppersectioniseasilycontracted,butusuallyitscontractionproducesa
raisingofthewholeabdominalwall,soitisimpossibleacompleterelaxationof
theotherareasandoftheintercostals.Don'tbediscouragedbythisnaturalef
fect.However,demandyourselfthemaximumpossibleperfectionineachper
formance,don'tusethisnaturallimitationsasanexcusetodoapoorandinef
fectiveexercise.
Theabdominalrollisachievedwhenyouareabletosuccessivelycontract
and relax quickly the different muscle bands from upper to lower and vice
versa.Itisaprettycontroltoshow,butnotveryeffectivefromthepointofview
ofrelaxandmuscledevelopment;itisverygoodforinternalmassageinstead.
I,personally,prefertoperformconcentratedisolationsinthesamewayIdo
withtheothermusclesofthebody.
Itisveryimportanttoachieveasymmetricalandequilibratedmuscledevel
opmentofthewholebody.Although,ofcourse,youcanconcentrateonsome
partsifyoudesire.
3.20.5.3.Externalobliquesisolation
Therearealsotwowaystolearntheexternalobliquesisolation.
Thefirstoneisdirectedmainlytowardsthecontrolofoneside.Standerect
(don'tbendyourback,butkeeprelaxed)andturnslightlyyourhipstowardsthe
sideyoucancontrol.Youshouldfeelaverysoftcontractionofthelateralob
lique.Tointensifythisactionraisealittlethecorrespondinghipandlowervery
slightly the thorax over the same side (but, don't contract the intercostals).
Sometimesitcouldbehelpfultovarythespeedoftheturningmovementinor
dertoachieveabetterfeelingofthecontraction.Whenyouareabletodistin
guish the external oblique contraction,trytointensify itbymeansof mental
concentration.
Thesecondtechniqueinvolvesbothexternalobliques,soitisverydifficultto
isolateoneofthemwithoutturningthehips.Besides,thecentralsectionsofthe
rectusabdominisaretensedalsotosomeextent.
However,thiscontrolisverynice,becauseitchangescompletelythevisual
izationoftheabdominalwall,anditallowsyouaverypowerfulcontractionof
thesemuscles(whichcanbeimportanttoimproveathleticperformanceinthe
midsectionortoabetterdefencefromlateralblows).
Adoptthemostfavourablepositiontoperformacentralhorizontalabdominal
isolationandcontractveryslowly,butpowerfully,thesecondsectioncounting
fromabove.Ifyoustudythiscontractionverycarefully,youcanobservethatis
sometransferenceoftensionfromthissectiontothe externalobliques when
youtrytocontractthesecondsectionoutwards,expandingthevoluntaryac
tion.Thus,concentrateonthislateraleffectandtrytointensifyitmentally,while
youignorethesimultaneoustensionofthecentralrectusabdominis.Thisresid
ualtensionisalmostimpossibletoeliminate,butthisisnotessential.Thegoal
istobeabletoworkeffectivelytheexternalobliquesinthisdifficultpositionirre
spectivelyoftheotherabdominalmuscles.
Amuchmorecomfortableandintensecontraction,almostinstinctive,canbe
achievedbendingyourtrunklaterallytothedesiredsidewithyourupperback
asstraightasyoucan.Youshouldfeelthetensiononthecorrespondinglateral
oblique very easily. Intensify this feeling by mental action. Don't force your
bendingangletoomuch,becauseinsuchcaseyouwillcrushyourexternalob
lique,defeatingthepossibilityofanaddedvoluntarycontraction.
If you are able to perform correctly all these exercises, you can be con
sideredaMaxaldingexpert.
3.20.6.Extremeabdominalcontrols
IfyouwanttoachieveMCexcellence,trytodoallabdominalisolationswith
breathing.Besides,itismuchsaferthisway.
These exercises are real challenges for every maxaldist and can be con
sideredthefirststepoftheexcellencedegreeinMC.Fromhereyouhaveand
endlesswaytoprogresstowardsmoredifficultandcomplexisolationsorcom
binedcontrols.Rememberthatthelearningofcompletementalandphysical
controlisaneverlastingaim.
3.20.6.1.Analyticalmusclecontrol(AMC)oftherectusabdominis
Inthisexercisesyoutrytoisolate,asfarasispossible,eachindividualsec
tionoftherectusabdominis.Itimplieseightdifferentcontrols.
AsfarasIknowtheseextreme controlshaveneverdocumentedorillus
trated,butIguessthatMaxickwasperfectlyabletodothem(and,perhaps,
someofsuchcontrolscouldhavebeeninhisbestpics,lostduringWWII).
Theanalyticalcontrolofthe rectusabdominis wasalwaysahighlymotiva
tionalgoalforme,althoughIthoughtanatomicallyalmostimpossibletodoitat
first.
ThepracticeandpossibilityofthiskindofMCwasveryimportantforme,be
causeitprovedthatMCcouldbeimprovedtohigherlevelsofperfection,so
thatMaxaldingwasalivingandendlessscience.
Theindividualisolationsofthesectionsoftherectusabdominisareextremely
difficulttolearn(notimpossible)andtoexplain,becausethereisnotanyhand
assistancethatcanhelpyou.Theyarepurementalactionsfromthebeginning.
Youmustmasterthepurevoluntarylateralandhorizontalisolationsfirst.
Progression:
1. Performamentalcentralisolation.
2. Studycarefullytheeffectthattheincreasingordecreasingofthevoluntary
tensionhasonthe rectusabdominis.Generallysomesectionsaremore
pronetocontractbeforetheothersdependingontheamountofcontrac
tionyougenerate.
3. Practice,untilyoumasterit,thementalcentralisolationwithbreathing.
4. Performaperfectmentalcentralisolationwithbreathingandtrytodoa
simultaneous horizontal isolation. Usually the most visible and easy to
control section is the central one (the third from above, just over the
navel).AballisticperformancewithSMCBcouldbeeasieratfirst.
5. Whenyouareabletofixthecontrol,trytointensifyit,visualizetheisol
atedmusclesinyourmindclearly(don'tusethemirroratthebeginning)
andkeepthispositionduring110breathings,increasingtimeverypro
gressively.
6. Thenextstepistoisolatetheothersections.Usethesamemethod,but
varytheapplicationofthetensionfixingthecorrespondinghorizontalcon
tractions.
7. Afterthis,trytorelaxonlyonesidewhileyouareperformingacentralisol
ationinordertoachieveamentalonesidehorizontalisolation.Theballist
icactioncouldbecounterproductivehere,becausethemainproblemis
theproperrelaxationofthesurroundingsections.Inthiscaseaslowap
proachseemsmoreadequate.
3.20.6.2.Abdominaltendonisolation
Thisexercisecanbeconsideredmoreavisualizationfeat,thanarealMC,
butitisundoubtedlyveryspectacularandchallenging.
However,thisfeatshouldnotbepractisedfrequentlybecauseitinvolvesex
tremelylowbodyfatlevels(dependingonyourbodytype,structureandgenet
ics,suchlowfatlevelscouldbeevenunhealthy)and,usually,thefewmuscle
controllerswhowereabletoclearlyvisualizetheabdominaltendonsadvised
abouttheneedofastrict24(ormore)hoursfasting.Besides,thisexercisehas
notasadirectmassageeffectovertheabdominalorgansormusclesasthelat
eralandhorizontalisolations,soitspracticeissomewhatirrelevant.
So,don'tbediscouragedatallifyoucannotperformthisfeat.Generally,you
willbeabletofeeltheactionofthesetendons,butyoucannotseethemin
frontofthemirror.Thisisenoughformostpurposes.
RememberalwaysthatthemainaimofMaxaldingisperfecthealth.Never
sacrificeyourlongtermhealthforamomentaryinstantofirrelevantglory.Re
serveyourenergiesforrealimportantthings.Itisworthdoingextremesacri
ficesonlyinextremesituations,likesavingsomeone'slife.Usually,thegreat
things of life arein those littledetailsthat nobody notice until they, unfortu
nately,aremissing.
Obviously,aseldomdone24hoursfastshouldnotharmyou,soifyouwant
totrytheabdominaltendonisolation,herearesomeadvices.
Thisfeatdependsalotonacorrectrelativepositionofthelowerribswith
respecttothehipsline.Generallythisexerciseiseasierinamoreerect
backposition(withoutlowerbackbending),becausethisstretchedposi
tionpreventsthesimultaneouscontractionoftherectusabdominis,avoid
inginthiswayamixedandconfusingtensionfeeling.Thekeytotheten
donvisualizationisaperfectabdominalwallrelaxation(aperfectvacuum).
Thedeepestvacuumperformancescanbeachievedonlyintheerected
position.But,don'traiseyourthorax,expanditfrontallyfromthelowerribs
totheupperonesfirmlywithoutforcingthebreath.
Trytorelaxasfarasyoucanthe rectusabdominis duringthevacuum

performance.Concentrateontheinnerlayerofbothsidesofyourabdom
inalcavityandtrytotensethemupanddownbeginningjustunderthe
ribs.
Concentrateandvisualizethetriangulartensionfeelingyougeneratewith
theabdominaltendonsfromyourinnerpelvistothediaphragm.
Drinkalotofwaterduringyourfastingperiod,ifyouthinktoperformthis
exercise.Thisisverybeneficialforeliminatingwastematterandtoxins.
Whenabsolutemasteryofthedoubletendoncontrolhasbeenachieved,
youcantrytheonesidetendonisolationorsomecombinationof rectus
abdominis isolationsandtendonisolations.ButIinsistonnottobeob
sessedwiththisfeat,becauseitcannotbevisualizedonaregularbasis.
Themostimportantthingaboutthetendonisolationisthatitprovesconclus
ivelythatMCcanworktendonsaswellasmuscles.Sotheimportantconclu
sionhereisthatyoucanapplythetendonisolationtechniquetoanymuscle
groupwithincreasedtrainingbenefits.
RememberthecommentsabouttransversalandlongitudinalanalyticalMC.
Thistendonisolationtechniqueisextremelygoodbothforstrengtheningcon
nectivetissueandteachingthebodyhowtoachieveextremedegreesofmixed
contractionandrelaxation.
ThesearetheCourtSaldo'scommentsaboutthiselusivecontrol.
TheisolationoftheabdominaltendonasdemonstratedbyProf.J.Chandrashekhar
indicatesanextremelyhighdegreeofmusclecontrol.
Theaponeurosisoftheobliquusabdominisgroupisnormallyobscuredbysurface
muscle.Mostofthefibroustissueoftheabdominalwallisconcealedorappearinthe
formofgroovesbetweenthemusclegroups.
Theabilitytorelaxtheabdomensocompletelythatatendoncanbebroughtinto
boldreliefinthiswaymustcomeasaresultofmuchpracticeandaverysensitivebal
ancedmusclesense.
Naturallytheremustbemuscularcontractiontobringsufficienttensiontothetendon
toproducethisresult,forthetendonhasnocontractilepowerofitsown.Itwillbeseen
thattheexternalobliquemuscle(whichhereappearsasathickeningatthetopofthe
tendon),isincontractionandsokeepingthetendontaut.
IncontrolssuchastheCentralIsolationandtheSingleSidedIsolationoftheRectus
Abdominis,theexternalobliquemusclesarerelaxed.Heretheprocessisreversed,
withrelaxationoftheformerandcontractionofthelatter.
Buttheperformanceisnotquiteassimpleasthatanddemandsseveralsupporting
factors,includingextremerefinementoftheabdominaltissueandcompletefreedomof
anyadiposetissue,and,atthetimeofperformance,anemptystomachandintestine.
3.20.7.PelvicmusclesMC
Theexerciseofthepelvicmusclesisveryimportant,becausetheyconstitute
thefloorofmanyinternalorgans,sotheirstrengtheningandrelaxhavemany
healthbenefits.
Usuallythepelviccontrolshavebeenadvisedforwomen,buttheyareneces
saryformenaswell,becausethereinforcementofthisareahasaprofoundef
fectoverthegeneraltoneoftheabdominalorgans.
Themostfavourablepositiontopractiseatfirstthesecontrolsisseatedwith
legsopenandrelaxedbuttocks.
Beginnerscouldmixthecontractionoftheanalmuscleswiththeproducedby
the front musclesofthe pubis. Thiscanbe isolated bymeans ofAMC,ob
servingtheeffectofincreasingtensiononthisarea.Ifyouprogressivelycon
tracttheanalmusclesmorepowerfully,youshouldbeabletofeelsometension
transferencetowardsthepubis.Withsomepracticeyoucanisolatebothcon
tractions.
Insomemedicalpublicationsaboutpelvicfloor(Kegel's)exercisesyoucan
readanunusuallyhighnumberofprescribedrepetitions(about300).Ingener
al,suchhighperformanceisnotnecessaryandcanbecounterproductiveex
ceptinaveryfewcases.Rememberthatthepelvicmusclesareverysmall,so
theydonotdemandalotofnervousenergy,buttheyexhaustthemselvesalso
veryquickly.
Areallyisolatedandconcentratedcontractionof510breathingsperformed
15timesshouldbeenoughformostpurposes.Besides,thepelvicmusclesare
involvedinalotofcompoundexercises(likewalking),soitisexaggeratedtofo
cusyourdailytraininginthesemuscles,exceptifyourdoctorhasprescribed
so.
3.21.ArmMC
Theexercisesforarmandlegmusclesarealmostendlessandonlylimited
byimaginationduetothehighmobilityoftheirjoints.
Thecontrolofthesemusclesisgenerallyeasierthantheothersexplained
before,becauseyoucanlookformoreprecisepositionsquicklyandwithless
effort.
Thepreliminaryexercises(ISR,DSRandBL)arealsoveryeffective,provid
ingagoodkindofexternalresistance.However,thesinceremaxaldistshould
notbesatisfiedwithsuchexercisesandmustsearchforpurevoluntarymuscle
control.
3.22.Preliminaryexercisesfortheupperarm
3.22.1.ISRandDSRexercisesforthebiceps
The importance and development of the biceps muscle has been always
overestimated,becausethismuscleisusedseldomindailyactivitiesorreal
overallstrengthtests.
Many classic bodybuilders, like John Grimek, did not care specially about
their biceps and considered that the development of this muscle should be
moreaconsequenceofgeneralarmexercisesthantheresultofspecificisola
tionmovements.
ReadcarefullythisselectionofthetextfromMOLDING A MIGHTY ARM,which,al
thoughsignedbyJowett,wasveryprobablywrittenbyOttleyCoulter,adirect
Maxick'sdisciple.ManyoftheMaxaldingprinciplesareclearlystatedhere.
Didyoueverstoptoconsiderthatthereareseveralformsofbicepsdevelopment?
Thereisthebicepsthatbunchesupinalittleknotasthearmisflexedleavingalong
narrowspacebetweentheelbowjointandthebiceps.Thenwehavethebicepsthat
give the impression of always been in a contracted state. Also the biceps which
shortensthearmsinsuchamannerastopreventthearmsfromnaturallyassuminga
straightposition.Thisisalliedcloselytothebicepswiththestringyappearancethat
gives one the creeps as it becomes flexed. All these biceps conditions are the
productsofvariousmethodsofexercisenoneofwhichisright.Rathermighttheybe
termedmusculardeformitiesratherthanmusculardevelopment.
Nearlyeverysystemdevelopsamuscularbicepspeculiaritywhichisimmediatelyre
cognizedbytheteacherofbodybuilding.Thesamethingholdsgoodwithathletes.
Thereisthebaseballarm,therowingarm,the chinningarm,theweightlifter'sarm,
thehandbalancingarm,andthewrestlingandboxingarm.Eachisonlygoodinthe
particularusetowhichtheyhavemuscularitybeeneducatedanddeveloped11.
AmongweightliftersIhaveseenthemoreofarmevilsthaninanyothertype,ex
cepting,ofcourse,thearmofthechinningfiend.Morethananyothertype,weightlift
ersminethemuscle.ThistermmaybealittlenewtoyoubuttogettheideaofwhatI
mean,outinthewestfarmersoncehadthehabitofgrowinggrainyearinandyearout
without fertilizing the land, until the land became beggared of nourishment d poor
cropsfollowed.Itwasagetrichschemeandtodayminingthelandforallitisworthis
forbidden.Yetthatisweightliftersdo.Theypracticealltheexercisesthatwillpromote
11 Thisleadtotheimportantconclusionofthespecificityoftrainingandtheabsurdityofthe
statementsthatdonottakeinconsiderationthisimportantfact.Sothat,whensomebody
affirms that weightlifters are the strongest athletes, we must ask, for what? Obviously,
trainingwithweightsisthebestforweightlifting.But,isaweightlifterstrongerthanagymnast,
aswimmerorafreeclimber?No,notatall.Thereisacuriousstoryaboutthis.Sylvester
Stallone took Wolfgang Gllich, one of the best climbers of all times and the first who
achieveda9a,onasastuntforhisfilmCliffhanger.Themusculartypeanddevelopmentof
Wolfganghadnothingincommonwiththesteroidlikesortofbodyofapresentbodybuilder.
TheproducersforcedWolfgangthentofollowanaggressiveweightincreasingdietunder
medicalsupervisioninordertohaveabodymoresimilartotheSylvester'sone,but,inspite
ofthis,theresultswerenotobviouslyverygood.Itissaidthattheproducerseventriedto
forceWolfgangtotakesteroids,butherefusedcompletelyandthreatenedtogivethefilmup.
However,SylvesterwantedthatWolfgangmadethemostspectacularclimbingsequencesat
anycost,evenifpeoplenotedthathewasnottheperformer.Therewasanagreementthat
putanendtotheargument.But,someday,whileWolfgangwastrainingatSylvester'sgym,
someofthemassiveguyswhowastherelaughedatWolfgang'sclassical(highdensity)
muscularity. Then, Sylvester said something like this, You will see now why I have
contracted this guy, and encouraged Wolfgang to do some pull ups. The steroid guys
thoughtthatsomepullupswerenotveryinteresting,buttheywereamazedwhenWolfgang
begantodoperfectlyslowonefingerpullupswitheachfingerinarow,includingthelittle
finger,firstwiththerightarmandsecondwiththeleftone.Thisstoryrevealsusclearlythat
thestrengthconceptisaveryambiguousoneanddependsalotonthespecificityofour
trainingandgoals.EvenMuscleControlwithoutarealmotion,ifyouthinkitdeeply,canbe
consideredanextremekindofstrengthonitsown,becauseyouneedtohaveaverystrong
mindmusclelinkandcontractingabilitytoisolateasinglemusclefromallitssurroundings.
sizebyforcinggrowth.Theresultisthemusclesbecomeonlycapableofmomentary
effort.Theyworkstrongly,butinspasms,thenbecomequicklyfatigued.Theseboys
neverthinkofthelittledynamicmuscularreservoirsandinsteadoffillingthemwith
with vitality they deprive them of their nutritive sources12. Also these exercise fans
rarelyhavetheforearmdevelopmentinthesamerelativeproportionastotheirupper
arm13.Handbalancerssecurethenicestallrounddevelopment.Youwillalwaysseea
goodhandbalancerwithanarmbuiltpowerfullyfromwristtoshoulder14.Thewrestler
has agoodupper arm andastrong grip but generallywearsa poorforearm. The
wrestlingarmisastrongcompositionofstrengthandsuppleness.Fewwrestlersare
goodatliftingheavybarbellsordumbbells,yetagoodsecondclasswrestlercaneas
ilyovercomeafirstclassweightlifter.ThedifferenceisinthetypeofexerciseasI
havepreviouslystated.Theweightlifterhasrigidmusclesthatcannotstandthecon
tortionofwrestlingandtwistingandmoreparticularlytheyfailtobuildtheirmuscles
right.Wrestler,asarule,donottouchheavyweightsanddonotacquirerigidmuscles
whichmakesitdifficultforthemtosustainanyheavyweightoverhead15.Yet,theyare
usuallyabletosnapanopponentoffthematandhurlhimoverheadtimeaftertime
andIdoubtifIcanrecallofanysinglespecializedweightlifterwhocouldmovethe
samemanfromthesameposition.Byallmeansthearmofthewrestlerismorecap
ableofendurance.Moresothanthearmofanyotherathleteandhisgripis,nine
timesoutoften,superiortothatofthemajorityofweightlifters.
NowmindyouthatIamnotknockingweightlifting.Iamgivingyoufrankcomparis
onirrespectiveofpersonalfeeling.Iknowtherearesomewhopreachweightliftingas
acureall,butthosesamepeopleIchallengetoproveitbytheirpersonalabilities.
Therearetwostandingfiguresinthehistoryofstrongmanismandwrestlingwhom
youwilldoubtlessrecall,namelyGeorgeHackenschmidtandGeorgeLurich.
Boththesemenweremarvelsinfeatsofliftingandwereintheirdayinvincibleon
themat,buttheirmethodsoftrainingwerenotthemethodssomepeopletrytomake
believe.Theyweremenwithaperfectunderstandingofthebodilymechanismwho
bothfollowed thesamesystemoftraining,whichwasthoroughandprovidedthem
withdualqualitiesofmuscularrigidityandrelaxationattherighttime,alsowithfoun
tains of reserve energy and inexhaustible endurance. Both these men possessed
magnificent armsthat hadamighty circumference onall five points,yet they were
12 AveryclearexplanationoftheEnergyConservingprincipleofMaxalding.
13 Theimportanceofasymmetricdevelopment.
14 Thissinglestatementisveryimportantbecauseitprovesthatyoucandevelopaperfect
body and strength with Maxalding only, because the Maxalding exercises are based
exclusivelyinMuscleControl,afewcalisthenicsandsomehandbalancing.
15 This affirmation about the muscular rigidity induced by weightlifting is far deeper than it
seemsatfirstglance.Itisnotameremuscleboundreminiscence,butanexplanationofthe
obviousfactthatweightlightingcannotcoverallpossiblejointanglesandmotions.Infact,
weight lifting suffers from the same limitations as any other exercise. Biceps curls, for
example, only work the muscle in a straight line of motion, something very rare in real
situations.
gracefullyshapedandleapingwithlife.
But,ifyouarenotconvincedyetabouttheneedofMuscleControlforacom
pleteandhealthymuscledevelopment,youshouldcontinuetoreadthis,itis
morecurrentnowthanseventyyearsago!
Somehowtheideahascreptintothemindsofouryoungexercisefansthattheright
thingtodoinbuildingbigarmsistoisolatehispractice.BythatImeanifheiseagerto
buildupabigstrongpairofbicepshewillsubjecthimselftooneformofpractisinglike
chinningthebarorcurlingalonghandledbarbelltotheshoulder.Bothareworthyof
considerationbutneitherwillgiveyouabicepsoftheallaroundorder.Thearmofthe
chinning fiendisreallydangerous. It develops abaseballbiceps that acquiresso
muchcontractionastocauseapermanentandnoticeableshorteningofthebiceps,
simplebecausethechinningactionisoneseldompracticedfromthecompletearm
hangonaccountofitsdifficulties.Forthisreasonthereisinsufficientbicepsextension.
Curlingentirelywithalonghandledbarbelldoesnotgiveacompletebicepscontrac
tion.Wherechinninggivestoomuchcontraction,curlinggivesinsufficient.Thestartoff
incurlingisallrightbutthemomenttheangleoftheforearmwiththeelbowgoespast
thedegreeofrightanglesthebicepsbeginstoflattenastheamountofweightforces
theelbowback.Thiscausestheforearminmostcasestofoldquicklyuponthebiceps
makingonlyapartialcontraction.Someseemtothinktheheavierweighttheycancurl
thegreaterresultsaregiventotheupperarm,butproveittoyourself.Youwillstrain
tremendouslythroughthefirststages,somuchthatthestrainisasevidentonthe
bodyasthearms,thiswillcauseyoutobendbackwardsandthemomentthearm
passesitsrightanglesyouwillfindthearmfoldsquickly,toyourrelief,butyouareget
tingnowhere.Youareworseoffwitharealheavyweightthanwithoneyoucaneasily
handle.
Thereisanotherformofcurlingperformedwithacableexerciser.Myobjectionto
thisisbecausetheexerciserisusuallytoolongtogivecompletearmextensionand
contraction.Thenyouareobligedtoperformtoomanyrepetitionswhichendupwith
thedevelopmentofapeanutbiceps.YouknowthatImean,thebicepsisthatissmall
andknotted.Inotherswegetthestringytypefromtoomanyrepetitionsandtoolittle
resistance.
Thethoughtyoushouldabsorbisthatyoucannotbuildyourmusclesinaoneway
rut.Ifyoudo,youcanonlyexpectaonetrackaction.Themomentyoutrytoperforma
movementadversetothisonesetpathyouareoutofluck.
Thegreatestspecialistsineverylinearefoundtodrawonotherlinesfortheircom
pleteknowledgeandwhenyouneedallroundstrengthandability,sizeandappear
ance,youhavetobuildfromeveryanglebutinsuchamanner astocoordinateas
manyofthemovementsintooneasispossible.
Itisthequalityofyourmuscularstructurethatcounts.Sizealonemeansnothing.
ForyearsIhavewarnedexercisefansandmusclebuildersagainstthedangerofcre
atinginflatedtissues.Thisiscausedbyperformingtoomanyrepetitionsofmovements
devoidofconcentrationorresistance.Itisasdangerousandasuselessasthearmof
themandevelopedinaonetrackmold.Cableexercisescreatetheworstcondition
andcalisthenicscomenext16.Thereisneveranysteelinthemusclestructureofthis
type.Getawayfromit,practicevariation,butdon'tstrainyourmuscles.Sinewsand
ligamentsareneverthickenedwhentaxedtoostrenuously.Rememberexerciseisnot
strain,itisaprocessofcultivationbygradualincreasedstimulationoftheorganicand
physicalsources.
Maxalding,andmorespecifically,MuscleControl,makesthisobjectivepos
sible,becauseyoucancontractandrelaxeverymusclefromeverypossible
angle,combiningallisolationsintoacontinuousuniqueexerciseforallpartsof
thebodyfromheadtotoes.ThisisthewayIrecommendthepracticeofMuscle
Control.
ThispointofviewwasalsoclearlystatedbyCourtSaldo.
Therearesoundphysiologicalreasonsforthisformofprogression,whicharenot
understoodbysomeofthosewhotrytoteachmusclecontrol,butspoilthechancesof
their followers ever becoming good muscle controllers, by a haphazard series of
movementsandacompletefalseideaofthewaytomasterthecontrols.
Asalreadyexplaineditisnecessarytoemployamusclethroughitsfullestrangeof
movement for maximum development to be obtained. Muscle control enables this
rangeofmovementtobelengthenedconsiderably,byadoptingvariousskeletalposi
tions.
Isometricorstaticcontractionwithamuscleinashortposition,hasitsvalueinin
creasingmusclegrowth, butonlywhenthemusclehasbeenpreparedwithfull
rangeprogressive movement. Touse static peak contractionin weak or unpre
paredmusclescanbedisastrous.
Thebicepsisoneofthemusclesofthebodythatcanbecontrolledmore
easily,butthisisthereasonbywhichmanypeopletendtoperformthebiceps
controlswithbadform.
Themainerrorsregardingbicepscontrolsare:
16 Alloldtimestrongmenagreedinthathighrepetitioncalisthenicsdestroythequalityofthe
muscles.MaxicksolvedthisshortcomingapplyingMCtocalisthenics: Iverysoonlearned
thattheimportantfactorwastheinspirationofdeterminationinperforminganexerciseand
notmerelythenumberofitsrepetitions.WiththisIwanttosaythatIdidnotputanyspecial
value on a high number of mechanical repetitions but that I combined every individual
movement with the conscious sensing of a strengthening of a certain group of muscles.
Throughthisprocesstheentireattentionflowedintothemusclesactiveatthemomentand
theinnerexpectationofastrengtheningresultedinanadvantageouschangeofthephysique
(YOUAREASSTRONGASYOUWISHTOBE,Maxick).
Theuseofthepowerfulantagonisticactionofthetricepsinordertocon
tractthebiceps.
Thealmostinstinctivehardcontractionofthefingers,closingthefistand
forearmmuscles,forachievingamorerigidcontractionofthebiceps.
Theexclusiveuseofpeakcontraction,tensingthebicepsonlyinitsmore
contractedposition.
Therigidcontractionofthebiceps,almostcrampingit.
Thelackofballisticanddynamicmusclecontrolsofthismuscle.
Thesebadpracticesproducedalotofmisunderstandingsamongold(and
present)athletes, including skilfulmusclecontrollers, sothat they concluded
thatMCwasunabletodevelopthemusclestoitsfullpotential.
AlthoughISRandDSRexercisesareextremelygoodtolearnMC,itsmain
limitationcomesfromthefactthatinthemajorityofindividualstheseexercises
donotcoverthewholerangeofmotionoftheworkedmuscles,duetoobvious
jointlimitations.Becauseofthis,themaxaldistshoulddoISRandDSRonlyas
alearningandcomplementarytoolandneverasadefinitivetrainingmethod.
ThedescriptionofISRorDSRexercisesherewouldbeverylongandwould
distractfromthemaingoalofMaxalding,theMuscleControlexercises,sothatI
shallnotexplainsuchexercises.Ifyouwanttoseeverycompletedescriptions
ofISRandDSRexercises,Isuggestyouthefollowinglinks:
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Macfadden/MPB/mpbintro.htm
http://www.sandowplus.co.uk/Competition/Jowett/MMM/arm/arm01.htm
Andthefollowingpagesofeachlink.
3.22.2.BLexercisesforthebiceps
ThemosteffectiveBLexerciseforthebicepsisthechinup(rememberthe
Jowett'sadvices),butyouneedabar.Itisverydifficulttoworkthismusclewith
bodyweightexerciseswithoutapparatusbecausemostofBLexercisesareofa
pushingnature.
Thebestalternativestochinupsareselfresistance(ISRandDSR)exer
cises.
3.23.Musclecontrolofthebiceps
AtthispointIsupposethatthereaderknowsthemainMCtechniques(fine
tuneofcontraction,analyticalMC,slowcontrolledbreathing,...)describedin
previousarticles,sothatIamgoingtodescribedirectlythecontrols.
3.23.1.Controlofthebicepsinitsmostcontractedposition(MCbiceps1)
Bendyourarmasfarasyourforearmalmosttouchyourbicepsandperform
aslowandprogressivecontractionjustbelowthevibratingpointofthemuscle.
Don'tallowyourmusclescramp,itdoesnotproduceanyadditionalbenefitand
canbedangerous.
Thebicepscanbe(andshouldbe)controlledinseveraljointanglesinthis
position.Thisvariationswillhelpyoutoworkmoreintenselyeachportionofthe
bicepsmuscle.
shortestpositionwiththewristat0(MCbiceps1TAMC0)
AdoptthepositiondescribedinMCbiceps1withthepalmfacingthebiceps.
Contractslowlyandprogressively.Keepthecontraction510breathingsorap
plysomeoftheadvancedtechniquesdescribedinpreviousarticles.
Adoptthepositiondescribedin MCbiceps1 withthepalmturned90with
respectthebicepsline.Contractslowlyandprogressively.Keepthecontraction
510breathings.
AdoptthepositiondescribedinMCbiceps1withthepalmturned180with
respectthebicepsline.Contractslowlyandprogressively.Keepthecontraction
510breathings.
Theseexercisesarespeciallygoodforincreasingtheperformancefordoing
pullupsandchinups.
Thispositioncanbeusedtotrytoisolatethebrachialismuscletosomeex
tent.
3.23.2.Controlofthebicepsinitsmiddleposition(MCbiceps2)
Bendyourarmforminganangleof90betweentheforearmandthebiceps.
Contractslowlyandkeepthetension510breathings.Becarefultoreducethe
tricepscontractiontoaminimum.
(MCbiceps2TAMC0)
Adoptthepositionof MCbiceps2 withthepalmfacingtothebiceps.Con
tractslowlythebicepsminimizingtheactionofthetricepsandforearmmuscles.
Keepthecontraction510breathings.
Inthispositionbothheadsofthebicepsareworkedsymmetrically.
(MCbiceps2TAMC90)
AdoptthepositionofMCbiceps2withthepalmat90withrespecttothebi
ceps.Contractslowlythebicepsminimizingtheactionofthetricepsandfore
armmuscles.Keepthecontraction510breathings.
Inthispositiontheexternalheadofthebicepsismostintenselyworked.If
youperformafinetuneofthemusclecontractioninthispositionyoucanisolate
thisportionofthebicepstoahighdegree.However,itisfundamentalnotto
surpasscertaincriticaltensionpoint,becausetheotherportionwouldbein
volved.
IfyoupracticeMCalmostcrampingthemuscles,youwillneverbeableto
achieveextremelevelsofisolation.ThisisthereasonbywhichIinsistsomuch
inperformingallcontrolswithslowandprogressivetensionalwaysunderthe
tremblingpointofthecontrolledmuscle.
Someothermusclescanbeworkedinthissameposition,speciallythebra
chioradialiscanbecontractedverypowerfully.Weshallstudythesecontrols
later.
(MCbiceps2TAMC180)
AdoptthepositionofMCbiceps2withthepalmat180withrespecttothe
biceps.Contractslowlythebicepsminimizingtheactionofthetricepsandfore
armmuscles.Keepthecontraction510breathings.
Inthispositiontheinternalheadofthebicepsismostintenselyworked.Ifyou
performafinetuneofthemusclecontractioninthispositionyoucanisolatethis
portionofthebicepstosomeextent.Thesameprecedingrecommendations
applyhere.
3.23.2.4.LongitudinalAMC(LAMC)ofthebicepsinitsmiddleposition
withthewristat0(MCbiceps2LAMC0)
Thiscanseemextremelydifficultatfirst,butwithalotofconcentrationand
patienceyouwouldexperiencethatyoucanvarytheleveloftensionalongthe
bicepsmusclefromtheupperinsertionpointtothelower.
Howtoachievesuchextremecontrolsisequallyextremelydifficulttoexplain,
because they appear spontaneously most times after months of dedicated
practice.
Herearesomesuggestionstoacceleratethelearningprocess.
Previousrelaxationisveryimportant,solearntorelaxallmusclesbefore
attemptingtheextremecontrols,becauseacontractedmusclecannotbe
analyticallyisolated.Besides,completerelaxationisfundamentalinorder
to distinguish properly the effect of the mental concentration on each
muscleportion.
The FTMCR (fine tune of the muscle contraction and relaxation) tech
nique,performedbymeansofveryslowcontractionssynchronizedwith
perfectbreathing,isthekeytosuccess.
Thelowerthetensingeffort,thebettertheresults.Generally,thesuccess
intheperformanceofextremecontrolsisintimatelyrelatedwiththeen
hancementofthemindmuscleconnectionduetotheachievementofnew
mentalconcentrationlevels,sobeverypatientifyouwanttomasterMC
tothispoint.
Trytoconcentrateyouranalyticaltensiononthreepartsofthemuscle:up
per,middleandlower.Withtime,youcouldtransferthetensioncontinu
ouslyalongtheentiremuscle.
ThisneutralpositionisthebestforperformingdoubleTAMC+LAMCisola
tionsofeachheadofthebicepsinadvancedstages.
(MCbiceps2LAMC90)
InthispositionyoucanperformanamazingdoubleTAMC+LAMCisolation
oftheexternalheadofthebiceps,butthelongitudinalcontrolsinthisrotated
positionshavealotofproblemsbecausesomesurroundingmusclestendto
contributetothecontraction.
(MCbiceps2LAMC180)
TheperformanceofLAMCinthispositionisverydifficult,excepttheconcen
trationoftheeffortinthelowerpart,neartheelbow.Thisdifficultycanbeused
totrytoisolatethebrachialismuscletosomeextent.
3.23.2.7.Tendonisolationwiththebicepsinitsmiddlepositionandthe
wristat0
Thisneutralpositionisthebesttotrytheextremelydifficulttendonisolation
attheinsertionpointsofthebiceps.Theabilitytoperformsuchisolationsis
simultaneouswiththesuccessinfeelingthedifferentLAMCcontractions.Obvi
ously,theisolationcannotbecompleteata100%level,butitcanbedonetoa
satisfactorydegree.
Theeasiestcontrolusetobetheisolationofthelowertendon.Itcanbevery
helpfultoputonefingeroverthecentraltendoninordertofeeltheexactmo
mentinwhichthetendonissufficientlytensedbutthebicepsisalmostrelaxed
still.
Theupperisolationismuchmoresubtle,becauseisbasedexclusivelyinan
internal,almostsubjectivefeeling,duetothisareaiscoveredwithathicklayer
ofmuscle.Thereismorefavourablepositionforthiscontrol,explainedlater,
withthebicepsalmoststretched.
Thetendonsofthisbodypartcanbeverydifficulttosee,sothataclearvisu
alizationoftheisolationscouldbeimpossible.
Youcantrythesetendonisolationswiththewristrotatedotherangles,but
theyusetobeevenmoredifficult.
3.23.3.Controlofthebicepsinitsstretchedposition(MCbiceps3)
Keep yourarmalmost straight, butdo not forcethe stretch,because you
wouldproduceaninstinctivepowerfulantagonisticcontractionoftriceps.
Contractthebicepsveryslowlyandtrytokeepthetension510breathings
relaxingthetricepsasmuchasyoucanallthetime.
InthispositionyoucanperformalltheTAMCandLAMCvariationsexplained
before,althoughtheyaremuchmoredifficult.Howeverinthisstretchedposi
tion,youcanperformamoredefiniteisolationoftheuppersectionofthebiceps
andthecorrespondinginsertionpoint.
Inordertoachievetheupperisolationrelaxallyourarmmuscleswiththe
armalmoststretched,but,thisisveryimportant,donotallowyourarmtohang
freely,keepitslightlyelevated.Putonefingerovertheuppersectionofthebi
cepsandotherfingerovertheborderinglowersectionofthedeltoid.Raiseand
loweryourarmveryslowlyintherelaxedstretchedpositionexplainedbefore
andnoticewithyourfingershowbothmusclescontractwhenyouraiseyour
arm.
Keepyourarminthepositionyoufeelthegreaterbicepscontractionwitha
reasonablylowtensioninthedeltoidandtrytointensifymentallythebicepsup
percontractioninthispositionduring510breathings.
3.24.MCofthetriceps
Thetricepsisaveryimportantand,unfortunately, sometimesaneglected
muscle.Alloverheadliftingsandmostoftheupperbodyweightexercisesde
mandapowerfulactionofthetriceps.Alloldtimestrongmeninsistedintheim
portanceofthetricepstrainingoverthebicepsandrecommendedpushups,
pullupsandhandbalancingtoaccomplishthis.
MCisaverypowerfulmethodtoworkthetricepsentirelyandtosculptitper
fectly.
3.24.1.Controlofthetricepsinitsstretchedposition(MCtriceps1)
Themainprobleminthispositionistheparasiticcontractionofthebiceps,
becausethebicepsisinitsmostfavourablepositiontocontract.
Butyoucanminimizethiseffectalmostcompletelyadoptingcarefullyacor
rectposition.Keepingthefingersstraighthelpsalsotomaximizethetriceps
contractionwhilethebicepsismorerelaxed.
Standerectandbendyourarmatchestheightasifyouweregoingtodoa
pushup.Thewristmustbestraightandthepalmfacingdowntowardsthefloor
whiletheforearmisalsoparalleltothefloor.
Nowbringyourelbowbackwardsasfarasyoucaninthisposition.Thisand
the90rotationofthewristwithrespecttothebicepslinearethekeytosup
pressthebicepscontraction.Youshouldfeelthetensionmainlyinthelower
partofthetriceps,neartheelbow,similartothefirstefforttodoapushup.
Don'tbedisappointedifyoufeelsomebicepscontractioninspiteofthese
precautions. Practice patiently, contracting the muscle very slowly always
withoutallowingittotremble.Rememberthatatremblingmuscletransfersits
tensionalmostautomaticallytoitssurroundings.
InthisispositiontheTAMCarenotclearlydistinguishable.Youshouldcon
centrateintheLAMCalongthetricepsmuscle,tryingtoraisethetensionfrom
the elbow to the shoulder, but without an antagonistic action of the biceps.
Tuneyourcontractioneffortverypreciselyandstopbeforethebicepsbeginto
contractappreciably.Itisverydifficult,butyouwillbesatisfiedwiththeresults
inyournextpushuptest.
3.24.2.Controlofthetricepsinitsmiddleposition(MCtriceps2)
AtruetestofMCperformance,becauseitisalmostimpossibletocontract
thetricepsinthispositionwithoutinvolvingthebicepstosomeextent.
AdoptthesamepositionasMCtriceps1,buttheelbowmustbeinlinewith
thechestandtheforearmmustforma90anglewiththeupperarm.
Thiscontroldemandsanextremelyhighmentalconcentrationabilityandonly
canbeachievedafteryourmindmuscleconnectionhavedevelopedtoanhigh
erlevelofconciousness.
Focusyourmindinthebackinsertionpointoftheelbow.Asyouincreasethe
contractioneffortveryslowly,youshouldfeelthebeginningofthetensionvery
neartheelbow.Trytoraisethistensionprogressivelyalongthecentralline.
Theproblemisthatthiscontrolisveryimportant,becauseithitsagenerally
weakandunstablepointintherangeofmotionofthetriceps.
But,donotdespair,becauseIhavediscoveredaveryeasytricktoeliminate
toahighdegreethebicepsactioninthisposition,allowingareallypowerfultri
cepscontractioninthisimportantposition17.
Adoptthepositionexplainedbefore(bendyourarmat90inlinewiththe
chest),butnowtrytorotateyourwristoutwardsasyoucomfortablycan.Experi
mentwiththisandyouwillbeabletonoticethataninternalrotation(palmfa
cingyou)ofthewristproducesapowerfulcontractionofthebiceps,butanex
ternalrotationofthewrist(thepalmmovesawayfromyoursight)allowsareas
onablygoodtricepstension.
17 IadviseyoutoexperimentwithnewMCtechniquesalone,becauseyourfamilyorfriends
couldimaginesomestrangethingsaboutyou.Imaginethatyouseeaguyperformingallsort
ofjointrotationsandpositionswithabsoluteconcentration.Sometimessomemembersofmy
family,whentheyhaveseenmedoingMC,havefrightened,becausetheysaythatIseemto
beinaverystrangekindoftrance:D.
3.24.3.Controlofthetricepswiththearmcompletelystretched(MC
triceps3)
Atlastaneasypositiontocontrolthetriceps!
Extendyourarmstobothsidesata45anglewithrespectyourbodyline
fromthelegsandstretchthemasfarasyourcomfortablycan,tryingtoputyour
forearmsbackwardswiththewristspointing forward.Youshouldfeelavery
powerful contraction inthe heads ofthe triceps. Trytointensify this tension
mentally,butbecareful,donotforcethemuscleinthisposition,becauseitis
verypronetopainfulcrampings.
3.24.3.1.TAMCofthetricepswiththewristat0(MCtricepsTAMC0)
Inthispositionyourpalmsshouldpointtoyourlegs.Stretchyourarmand
keep it perfectly straight as far as you comfortably can. You should feel a
powerfulcontractiononthetricepsheadandtheareaneartheelbow.Theup
permusclesoftheforearmcanbeinvolvedtosomeextent,thisisinevitable
anddoesnotaffecttheperformanceoftheexercise,becausethisadditional
contractioncontributetostabilizethe elbowjointinexternalresistance exer
cises.
YoucantryLAMCinthispositionraisingthetensionfromtheelbowtothe
shoulders,concentratingtheeffortondifferentsections.
3.24.3.2.TAMCofthetricepswiththewristat90(MCtriceps3TAMC90)
Inthiscasethearmmustbeperfectlystretchedandthewristshouldpoint
backwards.
ThefeelingsareverysimilartoMCtriceps3TAMC0butthetensionismore
concentratedonthebacksectionofthetriceps(thenearesttothearmpits).
Therecommendationsarealsothesame.Donotrotatethewristmorethan
90,becauseinthisstretchedarmposition,anexcessiveoutwardsrotationof
thewristproduceanundesirableforcedtwistingofsomeelbowtendonsandlig
aments.
Thankstothisrotationsyoucanconcentrateyoureffortmoreintenselyover
eachoftheheadsofthetricepsmuscle.
3.25.MCofthebrachialismuscle(MCbrachialis)
HerearesomeJowett'scommentsaboutthisneglectedmuscle.
Thesidemovementsofthearmarenotcontrolledbythebicepsbutbyamuscle
thatfitsontheflooroftheupperarminsuchamannerastobealmosthiddenfrom
visibleidentification.[...]Thismuscleaidsasaflexoroftheforearmandwhatshould
interestyouisthatthismuscleactuallyhasaninfluenceonthesizeandshapeofthe
biceps.
TheeffectiveisolationofthismuscleisarealMCchallenge.Ihavehadalim
itedsuccessinsensingtheisolatedcontractionofthebrachialisinneutralposi
tions,becausebothsurroundingmuscles,thebicepsorthetriceps,arequickly
involvedinthecontractingeffort.
ThebestpositionIhavefoundtoworkthebrachialismoreintenselyissimilar
totheend(upper)postureofanarrowgrippullup.
Bendyourarmalmostcompletely,butbecarefulthatyourbicepsdoesnot
press your forearm, because such pressure would produce some instinctive
contractionofthebiceps.Now,putyourforearminfrontofthecorresponding
shoulderpointingverticallytotheroof.Thekeyistoturnyourwristoutwardsas
farasyoucan(withoutforcingit),sothatthepalmfacestothefront,verysimil
artoapullupisometricholdintheupperposition.Inthispositionthebiceps
and the triceps should be almost completely relaxed. You can notice easily
suchconditiontouchingyourarm,bothmusclesseemverysoft.Besides,the
brachioradialisandtheforearmmusclesarenotheavilyaffectedinthisforced
posture.
Nowconcentrateyoureffortinthelowerpartoftheupperarm,neartheel
bow.Youshouldfeelaveryintensetension(becarefulwithaneventualcramp
ing)belowthebicepsthatdoesnottensethismuscleappreciably.Thistension
isproducedbythebrachialis.
3.26.MCofthebrachioradialismuscle(MCbrachioradialis)
Thismusclecontributepowerfullytotheelbowflexionwhenthebicepsisina
mechanicaldisadvantage,sothatinordertocontrolthismuscleweshouldfind
apositioninwhichtheelbowisflexedwhilethebicepsisalmostrelaxed.
Aftersomeexperimentationyoucannoticethatthebestpositiontocontract
thismuscleistheexplainedoneinMCbiceps2TAMC90,butyoumustdoan
efforttorelaxthebiceps.
Anadditionalrotationtoreducetheactionofthebicepsisnotdesirable,be
causeyouwouldlosetheadvantageouscontractingpositionofthebrachiora
dialis.
InadvancedMCstagesyoucantrytominimizetheparasitictensionofthe
bicepsbymeansofTAMCwithFTMCR.Inlearningphasesyoucanfeelthis
muscleperforminganISR(isometricselfresistance)overtheforearminthe
prescribed position, pressing downwards slowly and progressively. Do not
presstoostrongly,becausethebicepswouldcontractappreciably.Onceyou
feelthetensionofthebrachioradialis,trytoreducethemanualtension,substi
tutingitbymentalconcentration.
3.27.MCoftheforearmmuscles(MCforearm)
Theforearmmusclesaremanyandcomplex.Theyareinvolvedintherota
tionoftheforearmandwristandintheextensionandflexionofthefingers.
Theycanbeworkedexternallybyloadedrotationsofthewristandgrippingac
tions.
MCcanbeusedtoreinforcethesemusclestotheirhighestdegreewithout
thedangersoftearingthesedelicatestructuresbymeansofexternalresistance
practices.
Aneffectiveisolationofeachmuscleoftheforearmispracticallyimpossible,
sothattherecommendedMCtechniqueinthiscaseistoworktheforearmfrom
allpossibleangles.Thekeyisaproperrotationofthewristwiththearmalmost
stretched,butnotcompletelystretched,becausethiswouldinvolvethetriceps
veryforcibly.
3.27.1.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90upwardsandpointingtothe
front(MCforearmup900)
Keepyourarmstraightpointingtothefloor.Now,rotateyourwristupwards
asfarasitformsanangleof90withrespecttotheforearmlineandthefloor.
Yourfingersshouldpointtothefront.Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,but
relaxed,donotforcethem.
Youshouldnoticeaconsiderabletensioninthefront(externalwithrespect
yourbodyline)forearmmusclesandintheareabelowtheelbow.Trytointensi
fythisfeelingbymentalconcentration.Donotallowthesemusclestotremble
anddonotforcetheflexionofthewrist.
3.27.2.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90upwardsandpointingtothe
side(MCforearmup9090)
Keepyourarmstraightpointingtothefloor.Now,rotateyourwristupwards
asfarasitformsanangleof90withrespecttotheforearmlineandthefloor.
Yourfingersshouldpointtotheexternalside(yourfingersmustbeperpendicu
lartoyourlineofsight).Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,butrelaxed,do
notforcethem.
Inthispositionyourwristforma90angleclockwisewithrespecttotheposi
tionofMCforearmup900.
Youshouldsenseapowerfulcontractionofthebackmusclesoftheforearm
(theinternalones,facingtoyourbody).Trytointensifythetensionbymental
concentrationwithouttremblingorstrain.
3.27.3.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90backwardsandpointingto
theside(MCforearmback9090)
Adoptthesamepositionas MCforearmup9090,butnowturnyourwrist
180backwardssothatyourfingerspointtoyourbody.
Youshouldfeelthatthetensionconcentrateveryintenselyinthezonejust
belowtheelbow.Ifyourbodyfatlevelsaresufficientlylow,youcouldseea
verydefinedandhardmuscleinthisposition.Keepyourfingerscomfortably
closed,butrelaxed,donotforcethem.
Trytoconcentrateyourmentaleffortinthismuscle.
3.27.4.ForearmMCwiththewristrotated90backwardsandpointing
backwards(MCforearmback900)
Rotateyourwrist90withrespecttothepositionofMCforearmback9090
sothatyourfingerspointbackwards.Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,but
Inthispositionyoucanproduceapowerfulcontractionofalmostallforearm
muscles.
fistrotatedtothefront(MCforearm0front)
Keepyourarmverticallystraight,butrelaxedwiththewristinaneutralposi
tion(thepalmshouldfacetotheleg).Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,but
Trytoelevateyourfisttothefrontlaterallyandconcentratethetensionon
theforearmmuscles.
fistrotatedbackwards(MCforearm0back)
Adoptthesamepositionas MCforearm0front butrotateyourfistlaterally
backwardsasfarasyoucomfortablycan.Trytointensifythecontractionofthe
forearm muscles. Keep your fingers comfortably closed, but relaxed, do not
forcethem.
fistrotatedtotheinternalside(MCforearm90internal)
Thepositionisverysimilarto MCforearm0front,butnowyoumustrotate
yourwrist90counterclockwise.Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,butre
laxed,donotforcethem.
fistrotatedtotheexternalside(MCforearm90external)
Thepositionisverysimilarto MCforearm0back,butnowyoumustrotate
yourwrist90counterclockwise.Keepyourfingerscomfortablyclosed,butre
laxed,donotforcethem.
3.27.9.ForearmMCwiththearminaneutralposition(MCforearm
neutral)
Thisisanexercisesimilartoagrip,sotherelativepositionofthearmisnot
tooimportant.
Clenchstrongly,butcarefully,yourfistandkeepthetension510breathings.
In successive performances try to reduce progressively the finger pressure
againsttheclosedpalmandreplaceitbymentalcontractioninaclosedfist,but
relaxed,posture.
Inthispositionthewristshouldbeperfectlyrigid.
3.28.FingerMC(MCfinger)
Thecontrolofthefingermusclesinvolvealsoverypowerfullytheforearm
muscles,soitcanbeconsideredamixedcontraction.Thesecontrolsusedto
beeasybecausethereisaverystrongpreexistingmindfingerslink.
3.28.1.Fingersqueezing(MCfinger1)
Imaginethatyouhavetosqueezeatennisball.Adoptthispositionandcon
tractpowerfullyyourfingers,butwithoutstrain.Keepthetension510breath
ingsorusesomeofthemoreadvancedMCtechniques.
3.28.2.Fingerstretching(MCfinger2)
Stretchyourfingerscompletelyandcontracttheminthisposition.Remember
theextraordinaryimportanceofMCinstretchedpositions.Neverskiptheper
formanceofstretchedMC.
3.29.Preliminaryexercisesforthelegs
There are many good exercises for toning and strengthening the legs.
However, we shall study here only four very complete exercises that cover
practicallyallmusclesoftheleg,permitaneasyprogression,provideadditional
cardiobenefitandhavebeendescribedineveryPhysicalCulturecourse.
1. Walkinginplace(WP).Thekeytodoproperlythiseasyandveryhealthy
exerciseistobendyourlegbackwardsasfarasyoucomfortablycanin
thefirstpartoftheexerciseandlater(withtheleginthesameposition)try
toelevateyourkneeashighasyoucaninaslowand controlled way
withoutballisticactions.Inthiswayyouworkisometricallytheotherleg
(thesustainingone)inthealternatingmovement.Youmustalternatethe
legmotioninaposturesimilartoaflamingopose.Standerectandraise
onekneewhileyoubendbackwardsthelowerpartofthesameleg.Dur
ingthismovementyoumustkeeptheequilibriumwiththeotherstretched
legonly.Now,lowerthekneeandrepeatthesamemotionwiththeother
leg.Dothisinacyclicfashion.Youcanchangethiswalkingexerciseinto
averystrenuousone applying additional MCcontraction tothemoving
muscles,soyouneedveryfewrepstostrengthenyourlegsveryeffect
ively.Youcanleanagainstawallifyouneeditatfirst.Walkinginplace
withoutMCcontractionandperformedduring30minormoreisoneofthe
best cardiovascular exercises18. This simple exercise is also the safest
18 Please, do not spend your money in expensive machines that promise improved cardio
benefits.Walknormallyortrythesimplywalkinginplaceinstead,youwillbesurprisedwith
oneforyourjoints,becauseitdoesnotimplyanyimpactorrepetitiveex
ternalresistancemotion19.TheMaxaldingvariationofthisexercisecon
sistsindoingitlyingsupine.Thisvariationallowsamorepowerfulabdom
inalwork.Remembertodoitslowly.Optimalresultsareachievedusing
slow MC breathing (SMCB). Don't count the number of steps, but the
numberofbreathings.Thereisanotherextraordinaryvariantofthewalk
ing inplace (perhaps myfavourite)exercise that uses dynamicmuscle
control(DMC).Itisequivalenttoahardtrekking.Walkslowly(eachstep
shouldbesynchronizedwithaninspirationorexpirationofeverySMCB)
contractingallmusclesofthelegswithoutforcingthemtovibrate.Don't
use antagonistic resistance, the muscles must be contracted during all
motion,nottoworkoneagainsttheother.Thesensationshouldbevery
similartowalkinaveryviscousliquidortohardskiing.Ifyouperformthis
exercisecorrectlyyoushould notice alsoaverypowerfulcontractionof
thecompleteabdominalwall.Ifyouareingoodformyoucantryacom
pletecontractionofallthemusclesofthebody,butremembertobecare
fulandprogressiveandtowalkslowly,becauseatooquickmovement
canproduceanexcessivetensioninthemusclesoftheback.Performed
thiswaydynamicmusclecontrolledwalking(DMCW)isoneofthemost
completeexerciseseverdesigned.Don'toverdoit,5to10minperday
shouldbesufficient.Theultimatecombinationistoalternate10forward
stepswith10backwardssteps,doitsoandfeelthepowerofMC!
2. Squats.Oneofthebestexercisesforthelegs.Thereisanoendingcon
troversyaboutthesafetyofthecompletesquat.Ingeneraltheexerciseis
safe,butbothtoomuchweightortoomuchrepetitionscanmakeitdan
gerousfortheknees.However,Maxaldingdoesnotuseweightsorhigh
repetitions,soyoushouldnothaveanyproblemsifyourjointsareingood
form.TheMaxaldingsquatusestwotechniquesinordertomaketheexer
cisemoreproductive.Thefirstoneistilting,yousimplyinclineyourbody
weighttothesidethatyouarerising.Thesecondtechniqueisbetter,be
causeitdoesnotimplyanyimbalance,andisbasedindynamicmuscle
control(DMC).Contractallyourlegmusclesduringthesquatmovement,
inspire during the raisingphaseand exhale during theloweringphase.
Performtheexerciseasslowlyasyoucan.Themusclecontractionmust
befluidandnotshaking,avoidingantagonisticactions.Youcantestyour
selfsometimestryingtodoonelegsquats,butIdonotrecommendthem
forregulartraining.
theresults.Itismoredemandingthanitseems,speciallyifyouraiseyourkneesenough.
19 Allmotionsaredoneintheair,theonlyprecautionyoumustkeepinmindisnottodotheleg
bendingsinajerkyfashion.
3. Lateralraises.Simplyraiseonelegtothesideasfarasyoucomfortably
cancontractingalllegmusclessimultaneouslywithoutforcingthem.
4. Toe raises. This is a typical exercise for the development of the calf
muscles.Remembertocontractthecalfmusclesduringbothphasesof
themovementthatshouldbedoneveryslowly.
ThecombinationofMCandwalkinginplace(WP)isoneofthemosteffect
ivefatburnersIknow.OnesplendidpossibilityistheaforementionedDMCW.
AnotheroneistodosomeWPstepsinbetweeneachMCisolation.Thiscon
tributestoraiseyourheartandbreathingrate.Theresultscanbeextraordinary.
Theoptimalsequenceisthis:5SMCBwithWP+1MCisolation(SaldoPullum
method,1contractionof3slowbreathings+3ballisticcontractionsof1breath
each)+5SMCBwithWP+...Performitfromheadtotoes.
Thismethodhasanadditionalmentaltrainingbenefit.First,itswarmingeffect
helps to improve your MC contraction and sensing awareness. Second, it
teachesyouhowtorelaxyourmuscles,andtoslowdownvoluntarilyyourheart
and breathing during stressing situations. You can think that WP during 5
breathingsarenotaverydemandingactivity,butdoitproperlyandfeeltheres
ultsafter1hourofcontinuoustraining.
Thisisasimpleexampleofintervaltraining.Infact,theSaldoPullumtech
nique(alterningslowandquickperformances)isanadvancedexampleofthis
generalidea.AnotherveryproductivevariationistheTabata'sprotocol20.
WeshallapplytheTabata'smethodtoWP.
Warmup:3min.SlowpaceWP.
5 breathings with slow pace + 10 breathings with fast pace (you don't
needtoruninplace,buttoraiseyourkneesasmuchasyoucanwithout
jerkingandasfastasyouareablewithoutbeatingforciblythefloor).
Colddown:3min.SlowpaceWP.
3.30.MCofthemusclesoftheleg
3.30.1.GlutealMC(gluteusmaximus)(MCgluteal)
20 Besurethatyoudon'thaveanyheartproblembeforepractisinganyexerciseinaTabata's
fashion,becausethismethodisreallydemanding.
This isa simple method to isolate powerfully the gluteus. Keep your legs
straightatshoulderwidthandopenyourfeetoutwardsasfarastheyforman
appreciableanglewithyourlineofsight.Now,tryingtokeepbothlegsstraight,
bendyourbackslightlybackwards.Theweightimbalanceproducedbythepos
itionofthebackshouldproducearemarkablecontractionofthegluteus.Prob
ably,thethighscontractalso,butyoucanreducethiscontributionwithpractice.
Youcanworkonesidemoreintenselytiltingthebacktosuchside.
3.30.2.FrontupperlegMC
Thisinvolvesthequadricepsmuscles.Eachportionofthequadricepsisvery
difficult to isolate from the others, so the best approach is to vary the joint
anglesinordertoproducedifferentlevelsofcontractionofeachpart.
3.30.2.1.Quadricepscontractionwithstraightlegsandfeettothefront
(MCquadriceps1)
Standerectwithlegsperfectlystraightandfeetpointingtothefront.Nowtry
tobendyourkneesbackwards,butwithoutvaryingtheposition.Somepeople
findeasiertotrytoraisethekneecapsinthisposition.Youshouldnoticea
powerfulcontractioninthefrontofthethighs.
3.30.2.2.Quadricepscontractionwithstraightlegsandfeetrotated
outwards(MCquadriceps2)
Thisexerciseisperformedexactlyinthesameformthan MCquadriceps1,
butthistimeyoushouldpointyourfeetoutwards.Thisvarythecontractionof
thequadricepsintensifyingtheactionoftheexternalportions.
3.30.2.3.Quadricepscontractionwithoneadvancedstraightleg(MC
quadriceps3)
Keepyourlegsstraight,butadvanceoneofthemwithitsfeetpointingtothe
front.Contractthequadricepsasin MCquadriceps1.Youshouldobservea
moreintensecontractionintheupperpart,nearthehips.Youcandothiscon
tractionevenharderraisingthecontractedlegtothefrontforminga90angle
withyourbody(paralleltothefloor),butbeverycareful,becausethemuscles
areverypronetocrampinginthisforcedposition.
Ifyoutrytorelaxthequadricepswithaleginthisposition,thetensorfasciae
lataeandthesartoriusmusclescanbepowerfullycontractedalso.
3.30.2.4.Upperlegcontractioninastretchedposition(adductors,gracilis,
iliopsoas,pectineus)(MClegupper)
ThisexerciseisanexcellentalternativetoPNFstretchingofthelegs.Keep
yourlegsstraightandopenthemtosidesasfarasyourcomfortablycan.Now
contractpowerfullyyourupperlegmuscles.Keepthecontraction510breath
ingsorapplysomeoftheadvancedMCtechniques.
You can combine this exercise with lateral raises to increase safely your
rangeofmotion.
3.30.3.RearupperlegMC(hamstrings)(MChamstrings)
YoucanworkthemusclesofthehamstringsverypowerfullywithMC,butbe
verycareful,becausethesemusclesareverypronetopainfulcrampings.Per
form each contraction slowly and progressively always under the trembling
point.
3.30.3.1.MCofthehamstringsinastretchedposition(MChamstrings1)
Keeponelegcompletelystraightandtheother(thecontractedone)slightly
bended.Inthispositiontrytomovethebendedlegbackwardsbutdonotmove
it. Feel the contraction and try to intensify it mentally. When you have de
veloped themindmuscleconnection,theimaginarymovementisnotneces
sary.
Sometimes could be helpful to feel the contraction produced when you

stretchthesemuscleswiththelegcompletelystraightinaelevatedposition.
3.30.3.2.MCofthemusclesofthehamstringsinacontractedposition
(MChamstrings2)
Standerectandplaceyourhandsoverasolidwallorfurnitureinorderto
keepbalance.Bendonelegsothatthelowerlegformsa90 anglewiththe
upperleg.Theotherlegmustbekeptstraight.
Inthispositiontrytopointyourtoesbackwardsasfarasyoureasonablycan.
Youshouldnoticeaverypowerfulcontractioninthebackoftheleg.Becareful
withthepossibilityofcramping.
Inadvancedstagesyoudonotneedtorotatethefeetinordertoproducethe
isolation.Besides,varyingtheangleofthelegyoucantransfersomeofthe
tensiontothesurroundingmuscles,especiallythecalfmuscles.
3.30.4.FrontlowerlegMC(tibialisanterior)(MCtibialis)
Thiscontrolisveryeasy.Youcandoitstandingerectorsittingonachair.
Keepyourlegsstraightorforminga90andraiseyourfeetforwardasfaras
youcan.Youshouldnoticeapowerfulcontractionofthetibialisanterior.Keep
thepositionandtrytointensifythecontractionmentally.
3.30.5.CalfMC(gastrocnemius,soleus)(MCgastrocnemius)
Thiscontroliseasierinasittingposition(legsat90)atfirst.Putyourfeet
firmlyoverthefloorandtrytoraisethecalves.Mostpeopleareabletocontract
thecalvesinthisway.
Whenyoumasterthiscontraction,trytocontractyourcalvesinalungeposi
tionorraisingyourbodyweight overyourtoes. Thiswayyoucan workthe
musclesfromdifferentangles.Youcouldobservesomeadditionaltensionin
thesurroundingmuscles,especiallythehamstrings.
3.30.6.ToeMC
1. Youcanworkyourtoesbothstandingorsitting.Thefirstexerciseisto
contractyourtoesdownwardsasfarasyoucanwithoutstrain.Keepthe
contractionandtrytointensifyitduring510breathings.Thetibialisanteri
orisworkedalsotosomeextentinthisposition.
2. Thesecondoneistheraisingofthetoeswiththelegsstraightandthe
feetfirmlyplacedoverthefloor.Raiseyourtoesupwardsascomfortably
youcanandkeepthetensionseveralbreaths.Youshouldnoticethatthe
calvesarecontractedalsointhisposition.
Youcanusethealternativemovementfrom(1)to(2),speciallyifyouaresit
ting, to feel very clearly the isolation of the tibialis anterior (1) or the gast
rocnemius(2).
4.Nutritionanddiet184
4.Nutritionanddiet
Proper diet and nutrition are cornerstones of the Maxalding system. Both
MaxickandMonteSaldowereveryclevernutritionists,expertsintheartofre
ducingbodyweightwithoutdecreasingthestrengthandendurancelevels.
Therearenotmiraculousdiets.Actually,thecorrectdietfollowsalwaysa
verydefinitepattern.Unfortunately,nowadaystheconfusionisworsethanever
and people change desperately from one extreme to the other with harmful
consequencesfortheirhealth(andfortheirmoney,too).
MaxickandSaldoadvocatearichandvarieddietinlittlequantities.Thein
gestedfoods,beingimportant,arenottheonlyfactor.Acompleteandhealthy
digestionisasimportant.Inthisway,Maxaldingconstitutesacomplexsystem
inwhichnutrition,breathingandexerciseareinseparablyconnected.
MaxickconsumedfarlessfoodthanmostofpeopleandMonteSaldoad
visedtonoteatmorethantwomealsadayifpossible.
RecentresearchseemstoconfirmtheMaxaldingtheories,provingthatequi
libriumdiets(dietswithacaloricintakeequalofslightlyunderthedailycaloric
consumption)areingeneralthemostbeneficialonesintermsofhealthand
longevity.
Themoderncrazybodybuildingobsessionforunnaturalmusclemasseshas
producedaveryriskyandunjustifiedtendencytoconsumehugeamountsofre
finedproteinandhasgeneratedamultimillioneuroindustrybasedonallsortof
absurdsupplements.
Ifyoufollowabalancedandvarieddiet,liketheMediterraneandiet,youdo
notneedanysupplement.
Therealproblemisthatpeoplewanttobelikeotherguys,neglectingobvious
factors like genetics or chemical enhancements, instead of trying hard to
achievehisorherbestownbody.
Aestheticstandardsarenotabsolute.Whohadabetterbody,Maxick,Tony
Sansone,AlanMeadorJohnGrimek,tomentiononlyafew?Allandnone.The
importantthingwasthatallthesegreatathletesachievedtheirbestpossible
bodiesbynaturalmeans.
Ifyourbodytypeisofaclassicaltype,likeSansone,tryhardtoachievethis
kindofperfection,Icanassurethatyouwillbedeeplyadmired.But,ifyouper
sistinviolatingyourownnatureandinbeinglikeAlanMeadorGrimek(tonot
mentionmodernunnaturalbodybuilders),yourresultwillbesurelyunsatisfact
oryandunpleasant.
Don'tbeobsessedwithanypreconceivedimageofyourself.Theoldnatural
bodybuilderssaidtrainforshapeandthestrengthwillcome.Iwouldadd,train
forhealthandyourbestbodywillcome.
WeshallcommenteveryMaxaldingpointregardingdietetics.
Whetheramanbetrainingforafiftyyardssprint,ahighorlongjump,a
testcallingforamoresustainedeffort,oronlyinthedesiretoregainlost
health;apartfromjudiciouslyarrangedexercises,calculatedtogivehim
controloftheparticularmusclesused,theremustbecloseattentiongiven
todiet (HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick). Rationalexerciseisnot
enoughtoachievemaximalresultsfromtraining.Itisnecessarytofollowa
properdietwithrespecttotheindividualneeds.
Probablythefallacymostaccepted...is,thatthemorefoodonetakes,
the more strength one gains. A more harmful doctrine could not be
propagated,forifthestomachbeovercrowdedthereis,insteadofanin
creaseinstrength,adistinctloss[...]Allhaveatonetimeoranotherno
ticedthataheavymealisfollowedbyaperiodofsleepiness,andatem
porarylossoffullmentalpower.Thisfactinitselfshouldindicate...,the
dangerofovereating (HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick). Acorrect
dietdoesnotdependonlyonthequantityandqualityoffood,butasmuch
astheseondigestion.Anefficientdigestionavoidsthedangersrelated
withtheingestionofhighamountsoffood,conservingalsoenergy.The
Maxaldingabdominalandrespiratoryexercisesarethebestonesforim
provingdigestionandtheyareunbeatabletohelptheinternalorgansto
extractthelastpieceofenergyfromtheingestedfood,evenindifficult
situations.
Itisundeniablethatamanpossessedofsuperfluoustissueisunhealthy
[...]Thereislittlequestionthatthecauseofaverylargeproportionofthe
illsrampanttoday,isthiseatingforeating'ssake.(HOWTOBECOMEAGREAT
ATHLETE,Maxick).Theeffectsoverhealthofasevereexcessofbodyfat
are terrible: difficulty of breathing and motion, joint pain, deformities in
somebones,bloodandcirculatory problems,highriskofheartattacks,
etc.
TherulewhichIfollow,andadvise,isnottotakemorefoodthanisjust
sufficienttocarryontheworkofthebody(HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,
Maxick). Maxick ate far less food than the average man. His theories
aboutkeepingthefoodintakeatanequilibriumwiththebodyconsumption
have been confirmed by recent investigations with animals and human

longevitystatistics.Adietwhichisjustorslightlybelowtheestimatedcal
oricexpensesisthebestforgeneralhealth,improveallinternalfunctions
andkeepthematanoptimumlevel.But,thereisnoneedtocalculatethe
caloricintakeofeverypieceoffoodyoutake.Thereisasimpleruletoeat
correctly,stopintheverymomentinwhichyoufeelthefirstsignsofsatis
faction.
Thegreatestauthoritieshaveagreedthat,accordingtotheformationof
ourstomachsandteeth,wearecarniverousanimals,andthereforewere
quire meat for our proper sustenance (HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,
Maxick).Modernscientificresearchhasprovenconclusivelythathumans
needanimalprotein,becauseourbodiesareunabletoproduceandsyn
thesizesomeessentialaminoacids,necessarytobuildourownproteins.
So,strictvegetariandietsareunhealthyanddetrimental.Besides,theiron
requiredforourbloodcanbeonlyobtainedfrommeat,becausetheveget
ableironisinorganicandcannotbeassimilated.
Herearisesanotherveryimportantpoint,thatobservingregularityineat
ing.Oneshouldneverwaituntilfaintwithhungerbeforeeating.Ahappy
mediumshouldbestruck,andthehourarrangedforwithadueobserv
anceofthefactthattheappetiteshouldbegoodenoughforonetobe
abletoeatwell,butnoravenously(HOWTOBECOMEAGREATATHLETE,Maxick).
Today,itisverydifficult,duetoourquicklifestyleandstress,tohavereg
ularschedulesandmeals.Thiscontributestoainadequatedigestionand
additionalinternalbodystress.Youshouldtrytodevotefixedhourstothe
importantmeals.
Allowyourselftimetoeatslowly,andbymasticatingthefoodwell,lighten
thelaboursofthestomach (HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick).Meal
timeisatimeforbothphysicalandmentalrelax.Youmustenjoyyour
meal.
Breakfastshouldnotbeaheavymeal,butcomposedofsomethingboth
lightandnourishing. Milkshouldbeitsmostimportantconstituent,and
wholemealbreadisinallcasessuperiortowhite(HOW TO BECOME A GREAT
ATHLETE,Maxick). Whenyougetup,yourbodyisnotreadytoassimilate
largeamountsoffood.Itneedssometimetoworkproperly.Milkisoneof
themostimportantfoodsinahealthydiet,exceptifyouareintolerantof
someofitsconstituents.But,youshouldnottaketoomuch(0.51litre/day
isenoughformostpurposes),because itincreasesthebodyfatlevels
quicklyandsomepeoplecandevelopsomeintolerance.Anexcessofcal
ciumcouldalsoberisky.
Tea,coffee,alcoholandtobacco,areallpoisons,andtheirimmoderate
use cannot be too forcibly condemned (HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,
Maxick).Thisstatementisselfevident.
Theremaybesomedifficultyatfirsttodiscoverwhatamountoffoodto
takeatameal,butafterafewexperimentsyourowndiscriminationwill
putyouontherighttrack.Itisagoodgeneralprinciplethatyoushould
feel,afterameal,asthoughyoucouldstillgooneating(HOW TO BECOME A
GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick).Thereisnoneedtoacrazymeasureofallquantit
iesandcaloricvalueofthefoodsyoueat.Thissimplesuggestionsare
enoughformostpurposes.Remembertheequilibriumprinciple.Toeat
muchlessfoodthanyouneedmaybeasdangerousasanexcessofeat
ing.Itisbettertokeepyourfoodintakenearequilibriumandtoincrease
thebodyenergyexpenditurebymeansofrationalexercise.Therecent
anorexiaplagueisaproofofhowharmfularemostnonprofessionaldiet
ingadvicesandprovesthatyoushouldnevertryunrealisticgoalsbased
ontodayfashion.Keepinmindthatmostofthemodelshavehadseveral
operationsandtheirpicsarecomputerretouched.Thisisjusttheopposite
totheMaxaldingphilosophyandlifestyle.Neverforgettoreinforceyour
willpowerasmuchasyourbody.
Forincreasingweight:Aglassofhotwatertakenonraisingflushesthe
system.Drinklittleornothingwithmeals,butmakeahabitoftakingplenty
ofgoodwatermidwaybetweenmeals.Reduceallsolidfoodstoaliquid
beforeswallowing,bythoroughmastication.Thebestfleshcreatingfoods
are:Allkindsofsoup,fromwhichallgreasehasbeencarefullyremoved;
mutton,beef,chickenandturkey;eggs,boiled,scrambledorpoached,or
in form of an omelet; potatoes, mashed, boiled or roasted; asparagus,
beans,peas,rice,corn,cauliflower,onions,andallsaladsinseason,with
which use plenty of oil21;prunes, apples, dates, figs, peaches, grapes,
apricots; all kinds of milk puddings, cheese, cereals and wholemeal
bread.Allfoodsshouldcarefullyandcleanlyprepared.Cocoaandchocol
atearegoodbeverages(HOW TO BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick).TheMax
aldingdietsaresimpleandstraightforward.MonteSaldowilldetailmuch
moretheseadviceslater.
Forthereductionofweight:Copiousperspirationshouldbeinducedby
exercising inwarmwoollen clothing;the body mustbe frequentlymas
saged, specially where any fatty tissue is deposited. Avoid all starchy
foods,anddonotdrinkwithmealsonanyaccount.Whitebread,potatoes
andcerealsmustnotbetaken.Eatleanmeat,chickenandgame,ham
21 Iencouragetheuseofpureoliveoil(extravirginoliveoil)forthispurpose.
andtongue,whitefish,greenvegetables,fruitandtoast.Mostimportant
ofall,avoidconstipation.Theconsumptionofplentyoffruitandtheobser
vationofregularityinemptyingthebowels,addedtoproperabdominalex
ercise,shouldgofartopreventtheoccurrenceofthisdisorder (HOW TO
BECOME A GREAT ATHLETE,Maxick). Perspirationmustbeinducedbynatural
means and never by an excess of temperature or the use of plastic
clothes.Youmustdrinkplentyofwaterinordertocompensatethelossof
water.Massagescanbeveryhelpfulinordertomobilizethatexceeding
fattissueandforimprovingcirculationtotheseareas.MCisaveryeffect
ivefromofnaturalmassageinitself.ObservethatMaxicksuggestedthe
elimination ofstarches(carbs),but thiscannotbeconsideredakindof
lowcarbdiet,because,headvisestoeatplentyofvegetablesandfruits,
sotheneededbeneficialcarbintakeisperfectlyattainable.
In later writings, some more detailed points are prescribed by Monte and
CourtSaldo,completingthedieteticMaxaldingsystem.
OBESITY
Itisagenerallyacceptedtheorythatobesityfromwhatevercauseisadisorderof
metabolism,havingforitschiefcharacteristicadispositionforfattodepositinandon
thebodytoanexcessivedegree.Toinferthatallobesepersonsareunhealthyisto
misunderstand the difference between constitutional and acquired obesity. Certain
familyhistorieshaveshownobesitytohaveaffectedeverymemberforgenerations,
withoutinferiorityinmentalorphysicalhealthhavingbeenrecorded,andwithnore
ductioninaverageage.Itisbetterthatsuchpeopleshouldremainobesewithinreas
onablelimitsratherthanmakethemselvesillandmiserablethroughdrasticexercise
andseveredieteticrestrictions.Butthegreatmajorityofcasesofobesityareacquired,
andaffectthemiddleaged,orthosepasttheprimeoflife.Obesitythenbecomesa
dangerous disorder chiefly because there are invariably fatty accumulations in the
heartitself,whichrestrictandimpairthecardiacmovements.Addedtothishandicap,
thehearthiscalledupontodomoreworkthanatanytimepreviously.Andofcourse
thebloodvesselsarecorrespondinglyoverworked.Therearenumerouscasesofac
quired obesity of obscure pathology, but simple obesity is being dealt with in the
presentarticle,ofthenatureusuallyassociatedwithmiddleageandgeneralunfitness.
Whentheseriousnessoftheconditionsisaggravatedbyraisedbloodpressureand
theconsequentriskofarterialdegeneration,exerciseofastrenuousnaturebecomes
dangerous,andthecureofreliefisthensoughtbyatotalabstentionoffatcreating
foods.Atfirstglancethismayappeartobereasonableandsafe,butwhenitisreal
izedthatreductionofweightbythismeans,whethersuddenorotherwise,willleave
theheart,abdominalandotherorgansinaflabbycondition,withtheabdominalvis
cerainefficientlysupported,itwillbeseenthataveryprecariousconditionwillsuper
veneunlesscoincidentallywiththereductionofweight,lightgeneralexerciseisgradu
allyincorporatedtoadegreesufficienttotonetheorgansandmuscularsystemgener
ally.Consequentlythosepersonwhoseconditionissobadthatverylittleexercisecan
atfirstbetaken,areearnestlyadvisednottomakesuddenanddrasticchangesof
diet.Graduationisasimportantindieteticmattersasitisinexercise.Insteadofredu
cingatthedangerousrateoftwoorthreepoundsweeklyatfirst,besatisfiedwithany
reduction,howeverslight.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyapartialeliminationfromthe
dietoffatcreatingfoodsandtheindulgenceinlightcontrolexercises,speciallythose
fortheabdomen.Whentheseexercisesbecomeeasytoperformandthemusclesare
gainingtone,afurtherdiminutioninthefatcreatingfoodswillthenbesafe.Progress
ivelymoreexercisecanbeindulgedinandthetreatmentcontinueduponthoselines,
untilagoodconditionofgeneralhealthandwellbeinghasbeenestablished.Thisde
greeofhealthandphysicalfitnesswillbereachedlongbeforeithasbeenfoundne
cessarytocompletelyeliminateallfatcreatingfoodsfromthediet.Betteroxidation
throughanincreasedintakeofoxygenaccountsforthis.Thatiswhyareallyfitperson
canthriveonamixeddiet.Ladiescanremoveallundesiredfatfromthebody,coincid
entallywithanimprovementinhealthandvitality.Itisquiteunnecessarytostarve.Itis
possibletostarvethefattytissueandfeedthemusculartissue.
VerywiseadvicesthatprovethedeepmedicalknowledgeofMonteSaldo.
WemustrememberheretheveryimportantMaxaldingprincipleofindividual
ity.
Theestablishmentandmaintenanceofhealthdependontheemploymentofasuffi
ciencyofnaturalexerciseandnaturalfoodfortheparticularindividual.
Nocutanddriedsystemhoweverexcellent,canbringidenticalresultstotwoper
sons.
Thisisakeypoint,becauseitwillbeabsurdtoprescribeadietbasedon
Europeanfoodstoanindividualwholivesinanothercontinentandhashardly
anypossibilitytoobtainthem.So,properdigestionisasimportantasthecon
cretefoodstaken.Properdigestiondependson:
Genetics.
Food.
Mastication.
Exercise.
Breathing.
Obviously,geneticscannotbechanged(fornow)andtheavailablefoodsare
(unfortunately) restricted in many countries, so Maxalding insists in correct
mastication,extremelyefficientabdominalexercisesandfulltidalbreathing.
Maxalding dieteticadviceswereusedsuccessfullyinveryadversecircum
stances,likebothWorldWars.Mostofthefoodrecommendationsarereferred
toeasilyavailablefoodsinEuropeandNorthAmerica22.
Maxaldingdietsarearrangedwiththeobjectofgettingfullbenefitfromeasilyobtain
ablefoods.Sometimesonlyverysmallalterationsinexistingdietsarerecommended.
Duringthewarandpostwarperiodsithasbecomeobviousthatmanypeoplecan
keepperfectlyhealthyonwhatwouldhavepreviouslybeenconsideredaveryrestric
teddietary.MaxaldistswhoareservingintheServicesareabletogetmaximumbene
fitfromthefoodprovided,byfollowingcertainrulesofeatingwhicharenotactually
connectedwiththeformsoffoodtaken.
Theseruleswillbeexplainednow.
Observeregularityinthetimeyoutakeyourmeals,doyourexercise,get
your bowel actions and take your rest. Regularity means longevity be
causethefunctionsbecomeaccustomedtotheperformanceofdutiesat
certaintimes,andifthesetimesarerespectedwithinreason,littleorno
strainisbroughttobearupontheorgans.Thusthepersonwhoismeth
odical,withoutthenecessitybecominganautomaton,isapersononthe
highwaytofitnessandefficiency(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Theamountoffoodthatwillkeepanaveragepersoninperfecthealthand
strengthisamazinglysmall,butforitsfullvalueandbenefittobegainedit
isnecessarytoreduceittoaliquidinthemouthbythoroughmastication.
Tasteeverymorselof food, and continue to masticate aslong as any
tasteorflavourremains.Bythetimethattheflavourhasgone,thefood
willhavedisappearedlikewise,andtheappetitewillbespeedilyappeased
(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Unfiredvegetablesandfruitsarefarricherinvitaminsthancookedveget
ablesandfruits(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Eggyolk,butter,cream,milk,thefatofthebeef,andfishoilsarenotably
richinvitamins,andasasufficiencyofthesefoodelementsisessentialto
health,growthandfavourablemetabolism,theaboveshouldbebornein
mind when purchasing or ordering food, particularly for children (THE
MAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Thesystemshouldbeflushedbytheingestionofconsiderablequantities
ofliquid.Suchliquidshouldbetakeninsmalldraughts,andnotinquantit
ies large enough to unduly distend the stomach. Liquid should not be
takenwithmeals,butaboutmidwaybetweenmeals.Thevalueofpure
22 Ifyouhavenotaccesstothesefoodsorsimilarones,donothesitatetoaskintheMaxalding
Forum.Wewouldtrytohelpyoutofindthebestalternatives.
waterandbarleywaterinallcasesofkidneyweaknessordiseasecan
neverbeoverestimated(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Garlic,bytheway,isthemostwonderfulfoodinthevegetablekingdom,
notforitsnourishingpropertiesasmuchasforitsbloodpurifyingproper
ties (THE MAXALDING BOOK,Monte Saldo). Take thisadvice seriously, be
causeitisplentyofreason.Theadditionofgarlictoasmanydishesas
you reasonably can has a lot of advantages, both for health and food
taste.Forexample,thecombinationofgarlicandlemonjuiceinpreparing
somemeatscanreducetheuseofsalt(andanotherspices)toaminim
um.
Concentrated foods are not advised, as they do not leave sufficient

residueintheintestines.Fromthreequarterstofourfifthsofthesolids
taken should consists incereal foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. The
balance of the solids should be made up collectively from meat, fish,
cheese,eggsandpoultry (THE MAXALDING BOOK,MonteSaldo). Thethree
quarterruleisveryeasytofollow:1/4cereals,1/4freshfruits,1/4veget
ables(preferablyuncooked)and1/4otherfoods.Fishisbetterthanmeat
in general due to the presence of unnatural hormones and other sub
stances inmeat. Dairyproducts are very important, especially yoghurt.
Rememberthatasliceofcheesehasingeneralmoreproteinsthanthe
sameweightofmeat.But,donottaketoomuchfattydairyproductsin
general.
Avoidwhitebread,cocoaandchocolate,ifyousufferfromconstipation
(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Tokeeptheintestinalresiduemobile,performabdominalcontrols(particu
larlytheonesidelateral,centralandhorizontalisolationsintheformofin
ternal massage), several times daily, preferably after taking liquid. As
theseexercisesbringbloodtothestomach,andthereforeassistrather
thanretarddigestion,theyaresafeforperformanceanywhereandatany
time.Allbreathingandabdominalexercisesthatarewithinyourpower,
arebeneficial,andskippingalsoiftheheartisstrongenoughforstrenu
ousexercise (THE MAXALDING BOOK,MonteSaldo). Theabdominalcontrols
areverybeneficialtodigestionifyoudonoteatinexcessanddonothold
yourbreathatall.
Themostusefulvegetables(fibrecontents)are:Cauliflower,lettuce,spin
ach,garlic,endive,celery,onions,Brusselssproutsandcarrots.Aliberal
useofoil(oliveoil)inthesaladswillbevaluableasaninternallubricant.
Themostusefulfruitsare:Apples,figs,prunes,pears,grapes,dates,cur
rants,plumsandoranges(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Forthe sufferer fromindigestion. The simplestandplainest foods only

shouldbetaken,andonnoaccountshouldliquidsbetakenwithmeals.
Foods to avoid are mainly the following: Nuts, dried and tinned foods,
condiments, sauces,highlyseasoned andspiced dishes,richandfatty
sweets, sweets, chocolate, cakes and pastries,fattyfish(suchas eels
and salmon), pig in any form, lobster, cucumber, onions, tough meat,
strongtea,coffeeandalcohol.Themaindietshouldconsistofeasilydi
gestedcerealfoods,particularlythosecontainingthewholeofthewheat,
fresh fruit, vegetables, lean tender meat, poultry, white fish (such as
plaice,soleandhaddock),eggsandlittlecheese.Crackers,wholemeal
andcharcoalbiscuitsarealsoofthegreatestvalue (THE MAXALDING BOOK,
Monte Saldo). Note the importance that Monte Saldo gives to dietetic
fibre,manyyearsbeforethepresentvogue.
Greatimportancemustbeattachedtothefactthatthedigestiveprocess
almostceasesduringsleep.Consequentlythelastmealmustbeofalight
nature,andshouldbetakenanappreciabletimebeforeretiring.Thetime
thatelapsesbetweenyourlastmealonedayandyourfirstmealthefol
lowingdayshouldbeatleasttwelvehours,thusallowingthestomacha
longrest(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).
Notacrumbshouldbetakenbetweenmeals,butwaterandbarleywater
insmallbutreasonabledraughts.Milkmaybetakenifeasilydigested,but
thismustbesipped, and maltedmilkispreferable toordinarymilk23.It
shouldbetakenatbloodheat.Bullionorclearsoup,fromwhichallfathas
beenremoved,isrecommended.Buttermilkisinvaluable (THE MAXALDING
BOOK,MonteSaldo).
Forpeoplewhohaveacquiredfat,itwillbewisetobeginbyfollowingout
thedieteticadvicesfirstandtotakeuptheexercisesverygradually.Turk
ishbathshavenopermanenteffectuponweightreduction,fortheyonly
removewaterwhichisreplacedassoonasliquidistakenagain.Atthe
sametime,ifperspirationisinducedbyexercise,aspeedierresultwillbe
secured,becausesuchexercisesburnsupthefat.Afullknowledgeofthe
heart'sconditionshouldbetakenfromthemedicaladviserbeforeexer
cisestrenuousenoughtoinduceperspirationshouldbeindulgedin.For
thosewhoarereportedmedicallytobeinfavourableconditionforsuch
23 Thisisoneofmyfavouritedrinks.Iusetodrinkabout1litreofsemiskimmedmilkwith
chicoryandnosugarthroughouttheday(plusplentyoforangejuiceandpurewater).Thisis
plentyofgoodtaste,refreshingandverydigestive.Chicoryhasalotofgoodeffectsonthe
digestiveorgansanditisparticularlyrecommendedbydoctorsinsteadofcoffee.
measures,theadviceuponperspiringmaybetakenwithgreatbenefit.
Carbonaceousfoodsshouldbetakenverysparingly.Theseinclude:All
foodscontainingstarch,sugarandfats.Eatsparinglybutmasticatethor
oughly.Whitebread,biscuits,porridge,pastries,cakes,preserves,pota
toes,andpracticallyallcerealfoodsshouldbeavoided.Theamountofli
quidtakendoesnoaffectobesitytoanygreatextentifitisfreefromfat
buildingmatter,andistakeninbulk,andnotsipped.Plainwateristhe
bestdrinkfortheobese.Foodsingeneralfavourare:Leanbeef,mutton,
veal,chicken,eggs,cheesesparingly,freshgreenvegetables,onions,
tomatoes,toastedwholemealbreadsparingly,specialbiscuitsfreefrom
starchorfat,rawfruits,fruitscookedwithoutsugar,andwhitefish.When
theweighthasbeenreducedtoasatisfactorydegree,aplainmixeddiet,
verysparinglytaken,islikelytobehealthierthanarestricteddiet,ifthe
weightcanbekeptdowncomfortablybytheexercise.Decreaseinweight
shouldnotbeexpectedtoappearveryquickly,norshouldtheweightbe
removedtoosuddenly.Itiswonderfulthatpatienceandquietconfidence
willaccomplish(THEMAXALDINGBOOK,MonteSaldo).Thisdietcanbeadjus
tedveryeasilybearinginmindthe4/4rule.Simplysubstitutethe1/4of
cerealsbyanother1/4ofgreenvegetablesorfreshfruits.Thereductionof
weight isusuallyveryfastinthe firstweeksand afterthis,itseemsto
reachastickingpoint.Thisisthereasonbywhichmanypeopleabandon
dietsandregainweightwithnegativeeffects.Itismuchmoreeffectiveto
reduceweightveryprogressivelyandnottodespair.
Although the explained rules are enough formostpurposes, Monte Saldo
wroteandspecialtreatiseonsportsperformance.Inthisbookaredetailedalot
ofveryusefulanddeepinsightsaboutdietetics.Manyofthemaresimilartothe
explainedonesandsomearenew.
Thefirstcommentisalmostaprophecy.
Ofrecentyears,thewordvitaminshasappearedinallmattersrelatingto
diet,andwhilemoreofthechemistryoffoodisnowknownthanwhenI
startedmystudies,verylittlemoreisknownastotheeffectofnatural
foodsondefinitetypesofpersonsanddigestionsthanwasknownthirty
yearsago(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Musculartissuecanonlybebuiltupbyarightamountofoftherightkind
ofexerciseandadietgenerousintissuebuildingelements(HOW TO EXCEL
ATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Themaintissuebuildingfoodsare:Fresh,leanandtenderbeef,mutton
andchicken;nonfattyfishassoleandplaice,newlaideggs(lightlyboiled
orpoached)(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo)
Foodsthatarebothtissuebuildingandenergizing(Foodsinthisclassare
alsofatteningiftakeninexcessofbodilyneeds):Wholewheatfoods,oat
meal,barley,allkindsofnuts,driedorfreshbeansandpeas,freshmilk,
cream,pure(unsalted)butter,cheeseandhoney,fattyfish,suchassal
monorherring,beetroot,potatoes,preservesmadewithpurefruit,raisins,
sultanas,muscatels,dates,figs,prunesanssugar.Demerarasugarisof
greatervaluethanrefinedwhitesugar(HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND ATHLETICS,
MonteSaldo).
Bloodcleansingandeliminativefoods:Apples,pears,grapes,oranges,
lemons,grapefruit,peaches,blackberries,raspberries,tomatoes,water
cress,landcress,spinach, lettuce, endives, celery,kale, onions, garlic,
Brusselssproutsandallbrassicas(cabbagefamily)(HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES
ANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Wholemeal bread should be taken to exclusion of the white. If such

breadscausesanygastricdiscomforttopersonswithsensitivestomachs,
it will be wise for them to keep to one of the guaranteed wholemeal
breads(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
ThelistoffoodsthatIhavegivenisaverysmalloneandwhilethereare
manyothersimilarfoods,doubtlessoflikeuseintheirparticularcategor
ies,thoseIhavelistedarethesimpleandnaturalfoodsthathavemain
tainedmanythousandsofmypupils,aswellasmyfamilyandmyselfin
perfecthealthovermanyyears(HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND ATHLETICS,Monte
Saldo).
Ifthesimplefoodsrecommendedarecorrectlyprepared,thoroughlyen
joyed and carefully masticated, gastronomic enjoyment will be experi
encedandmaximumbenefittothehealthgained (HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES
ANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Themostimportantfoodsfortheindividualshouldbetakenatthebegin
ningofthemeal(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Allfoodsthatcanbeeatenanddigestedintherawstateshouldbegiven
preference to those that require cooking (HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND
ATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Inthevegetablekingdomthereisnothingcomparable,inmyopinion,to
watercressorlandcressforbloodcleansing.Buttheeatingofafewdrop
pingstalks(abunch)isoflittlevalue.Agoodbulkoffreshcressisne
cessary,bothforthesakeofthevaluablesalts,thechlorophyllandother
elementsintheleaves,aswellasfortheroughageforintestinalcleans
inginthestalks(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Thewisepersonavoidsallsauces,condimentsandartificiallypreserved
foods(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Tosumup,onlysimplefoodsinsmallvarietyandinasnaturalacondition
aspossibleshouldbetakenatonemeal.Fromdaytodayproportionsof
theelementsofthethreeformsofdietmaybevariedtosuitexistingcon
ditions(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Iftheweightistoolowincreasetheintakeofproteinandenergizingfoods,
butalwaystakecaretobemoderateintheconsumptionofproteinsand
energizingfoods(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Generositywithbloodcleansingfoods,speciallyripefruitsandgreenve
getables,wouldbebeneficialandonecanhardlyeattoomuchofthiskind
offood(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Thenumberofmealstakendailymusttoacertainextentdependonone's
professionandconvenienceinthesematters.Frommyownexperience
andobservationsthehighestconditionofhealthseemstobegainedon
twomealsdailywhenoneisabletoarrangemattersinthatway.If,forex
ample,thefirstmealcanbetakenabout11a.m.andthesecondandfinal
mealat7p.m.,averygoodperiodofrestisgiventothedigestivema
chinery,assumingthatthefinalmealweredigestedbythetimeonere
tiredforthenight,sat,10to11p.m.Given8to9hoursofsleep(thelatter
wouldbenecessaryfortheathleteintraining)onewouldriseatfrom7to
8a.m.Thisgivesaclueofthetwomealsdailyplan,whenthehoursof
raisingandretiringarelaterorearlierthanthosementioned(HOW TO EXCEL
ATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Themindshouldbefreeofallproblemswhenfoodisbeingtakenandall
mealtimesshouldbeperiodsofhappyconversation,considerationand
courtesytotherestofthecompany24(HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND ATHLETICS,
MonteSaldo).
4.1.Specificsuggestionsonbuildingmusculartissue
24 YoushouldnoteagaintheextremeimportancethatMaxaldinggivestopsychologyandwell
beingineveryaspectoflife.
Thedietshouldcontainahigherpercentageofproteinthancarbohydrates
(sugarsandstarches).Thus,pure,leanmeatwouldbeamoresuitable
foodforbuildingmusculartissuethanwheat.Butwheatisthemoredesir
ablefoodfromthehealthstandpoint.Wheatwouldbebetterthanmeatfor
onewishingtobuilduptissueduringstrenuousexercisesuchasrowing.
Ontheotherhand,themanwishingtoputonmusculartissueforthepur
poseofliftingheavyweightswouldnaturallybebetterservedwithmeator
poultry,eggsandmilk,forhiseffortshavetobeconcentratedintoafew
powerfulonesandhewillacquireadiposetissueifhetakesandexcessof
energizingfood.Adietcontainingahighpercentageofenergizingfoods
isusefultothedistancerunneror,infact,anyathletewhohastospread
hiseffortsoveralongperiod (HOW TO EXCEL AT GAMES AND ATHLETICS,Monte
Saldo).
BothMaxickandSaldowereexpertsintheartofbodyweightreduction,i.e.,
todecreasebodyweighthealthyandnaturallywithoutsappingstrength.
4.2.Specificsuggestionsonweightreduction
Thereisnothingdifficultinremoving10percentofahealthyman'sweight
inafewweeks,buttodothisandretainhisstrengthandenduranceisnot
sosimple(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
A man whose weight has been reduced by drastic exercise, artifical

sweating,purgingoranyotherclumsyandunscientificmethod,mustbe
weakened.Therefore,allweightreductionofthemuscularmanmustbe
accomplishedbydietetics,andhisstrengthbemaintainedbyjusttheright
amountofspecializedexercisetomeettherequirementsofhissport(HOW
TOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Inthecaseoftheathleterequiringenduranceaswellasstrength,cereal
foodscanbetaken,butforthemanrequiringconcentratedstrengthata
reduced bodyweight,the maindietshould be selectedfromleanmeat,
poultryandeggs,whilefruitsmustbeusedtokeepthebowelsactiveand
greenvegetables(intherawstate,ifpossible)tokeepthebloodcleansed
andthevascularsystemsupple(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,Monte
Saldo).
Tissuebuildingfoodmust,ofcourse,betakenincasesrequiringbodyre
duction,butsuchfoodshouldnotbetakeninexcessofneeds,orevenin
a quantity likely tomaintain the tissue at itsexisting weight. The body

weightmust,ofcourse,becarefullycheckeddaily,sonodrasticreduction
inweightispermitted.Aclevertrainerdoesnotkeephischarge'sweight
reducedforalongperiodbeforeacontestorrecordbreakingeffort,forto
remainbelowone'snormalweightforlongmayresultingeneralweak
ness(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Weight reducing in the athlete who is not carrying any adipose tissue
mustbecarriedoutwithoutphysicalstrainandmustinvolvealowerrate
ofbuildingratherthananincreasedrateofbreakingdowntissue,aswell
asthereductionofthewatercontentofthebloodforadefinitelydecided
periodbeforetheweightingin.Butduringtheactualconditioningofthe
bodybytraining,watershouldnotberestrictedforitisnecessarytokeep
theorgansofelimination(includingtheskin)completelyandthoroughly
active.Itisrecommendedthattheathleteshouldfirstdiscoverhowmuch
weighthecanreducebythedryingoutprocess,sothathedoesnotre
ducethemusculartissuebyanouncemorethannecessary.Watercan
bereplacedinlessthananhour,butmusclemaytakedaystoreplace
andmoreover,lossofmusculartissue,eventhoughthevitalitybeatits
best,mustresultinacorrespondinglossofstrength.Inconclusion,Iwish
tosaythatdryingoutisnotanecessarypartoftrainingorconditioning
thebodybutonlyamethodofgettinganathletepastthescales.The
athletewhodoesnothavetocompeteinaspecialweightclass,orwho
hasanaturalweightforhisclass,shouldneverhavetoresorttothedry
ingoutprocess(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
Someathleteswhoperspirefreelyduringtrainingfindthatwhennottrain
ingtheygetabetterclearanceofthebowels.Thisisbecuasetheperspir
ationdecreasesthewatercontentofthebloodandalsowashesoutthe
saltsfromtheblood.Buttheathletewhofindsthateliminationisinclined
toslowupduringtheperiodofrestcancombatthisdifficultybyadoptinga
moreeliminativediet.Itisnotnecessarytomakeanychangeintheusual
diet,butonlyintheproportionsofthediet.Assumingthatthereisnodiffi
cultyinregard tothe bodyweight,thenitwillbeonlynecessary toin
crease the eliminative foods. If the muscular weight is too great, then
therecanbeadecreaseintheconsumptionoftheproteinsandsoon
(HOWTOEXCELATGAMESANDATHLETICS,MonteSaldo).
5.ExtremeandinternalMCtechniques198
5.ExtremeandinternalMCtechniques
5.1.Advancedbreathingtechniques
Firstofall,Ithankmymaxaldist friends,speciallyTak,theirdeepinsights
postedintheMaxaldingforumaboutthissubject.
Correctbreathingisthekeytomostoftheinternalcontrols,becausemanyof
themusclelayersofourinternalorgansarenotvoluntary(asfarasweknow).
Wehaveadvisedagainstmanymisconceptionsandharmfulbreathingprac
ticesinapreviousarticle,soherewearegoingtostudysomemoreadvanced
techniquesthatwillprovideyouwithnewtoolsforenhancingyourperformance.
Remembertobreathealwaysthroughyournose,bothinspirationandexpira
tion!
Therearesomeverysimpleteststhatallowyoutoknowyourbreathingabil
ityaccurately.
TheButeyko'stest:Breathenormally.Inamoment,stopyourbreathing
andholditaslongasyoucanwithoutanyforcinguntilyoufeeltheslight
estsignsofsuffocation.Youshouldbeabletoregainnormalbreathing
withoutproblemafterthetest.Measurethetimewithachronometer.If
youcanholdyourbreathmorethan30secondsyouhaveagoodbreath
ingcapacityandbalance(about60secondsindicatesperfecthealth).Un
der20seconds,youshouldcarefullypracticesomeofthenextadvanced
breathingtechniques.
TheSMCBtest:Inspirefully(fulltidalbreathing)withoutanyforcingand
exhalerelaxedandasslowlyasyoucan.Measurethetimeoftheexhala
tionwithachronometer.Over20secondsindicatesagoodbreathingca
pacity and control of the breathing muscles and organs. Under 10
secondsyouhaveapoorcontrolofyourbreathing.Thisisaveryaccurate
testbecauseitdoesnotimplyanyValsalvaaction.Itmeasuressimultan
eouslythreeimportantfactors:breathingcapacity,precisecontrolofthe
breathingmusclesandorgans,andyourCO2/O2ratio.
TheMVBtest:PerformanexpirationthesameasaSMCBtestandtryto
inspirewithoutairattheendoftheexhalation.Relaxallyourbreathing
musclesandstopyourchronometer.Don'texertanydownwardspressure
when you relax your muscles. If you can do one or more breathings
withoutairattheendofacompleteexpirationwithoutanysuffocation,you
haveagoodbreathingcontrol.Thistestisveryappropriatetomeasure
thebreathingcapacityunderstressingconditions,becausethefixedposi
tionofthediaphragminordertokeepthevacuumsimulatesverywella
situationofalargeairdemand.Besides,youteachyourbodytoadjustits
breathingratetoitsoptimaltimewithoutairsupply,sothatthispracticere
adjustsyourCO2/O2ratiotoitsoptimallevels.
5.1.1.Maxick'svirtualbreathing(MVB)
Theessenceofthisexerciseistomakeinspirationswithoutair.Butthistech
nique,likeanyother,shouldnotinvolvetheleastforcingorstrain.
Thisexerciseisbasedontheperformanceofanabdominalvacuumandvir
tual breathing. Although this exercise is very safe (if carefully and properly
used),ifyoufeelsomesignofdiscomfort,stopimmediatelyandconsultyour
doctor.Thedetaileddescriptionshouldbe:
1. Doaperfectabdominalvacuumexhalingasmuchairasyoucomfortably
can.
2. Trytoinhalewhileyouareholdingyourbreathinthevacuumposition,i.e.,
performaMCcontractionofthemusclesinvolvedininhalationwithoutair.
3. Relaxyourbreathingmuscles(exhalewithoutair).
4. Repeat the virtual breathings, steps (2) and (3), as much as you can
withoutanydiscomfortorstrain.Youshouldbeabletobreathenormally
aftertheperformance,withoutanysignofsuffocation.
5. RelaxandpracticesomeSMCB.
Thebesttechniquetoperformcorrectlyandsafelythisexerciseisthis:
1. Doaperfectvacuumandholdyourbreathuntilyoufeelthefirstsignsof
needforair.Measurethisholdingtimewithachronometer.Don'tforce
yourselfbyanymeans.Suchtimewillbeyourfirstreferenceandwillbe
usedonlyasaweeklytesttomeasureyourimprovement.Rememberthat
forcingyouuntilsuffocationisverydangerousandmisleading.
2. Breathenormally(ideallywithSMCB)during10breathings.
3. Perform1MVB(1virtualbreathingduringthevacuum).
4. Breathenormally(10breathings).
5. Perform2MVB(2virtualbreathingsduringvacuum)...
DothisexerciseinapyramidalformuntilthenumberofMVBcompletesthe
measuredholding time.YoucandolessMVBthantheprescribed time,but
neverdomore.Agoodstartingreferenceisnottoholdthebreathmorethan1
MVB(about5seconds)thefirstweeks.
Youcanrepeatthisexerciseseveraltimesadaycombiningthebenefitsof
abdominalworkimprovingcardiovascularefficiency,butdon'toverdoit.
Hereyouhavesomeexamplesofmeasuresaboutthesafetyoftheexercise:
Holdingbreathtime:5MVB(30seconds).Bloodpressure(143/97),pulse
(83).
30secondslater(normalbreathing):BP(129/88),pulse(78).
Asyoucansee,theexerciseisperfectlysafeinhealthyindividuals.
Theresultsarealmostinstantaneousandpleasant(ifyoudon'tforceyour
self,Iinsistinthis).Thisexercisecanbeveryusefultoincreasethebreathing
andapneaperformanceandtoreliefsomesymptomsofcertainbreathingill
nesseslikeasthma.
Themechanismbywhichthisexerciseissoeffectiveissimple.First,you
trainyourbodytokeepacorrectO2/CO2ratiobynaturalmeans.
Second,youtrainyourbodyandmindtoendurelongerperiodswithoutair
supply,improvingsotheoxygenassimilationineachbreath.
Third,andmostimportant,duringaMVByourbreathingmusclesmustwork
againstaverystrongexternalresistance(theatmosphericpressure),duetothe
createdvacuum.Thevoluntaryexpandingeffortinsuchcircumstancesisprob
ablythebestnaturalstrengtheningmethodofthebreathingmuscleseverper
formed.Thismuscularenhancementproducesagreatersupplyofoxygenwith
eachsingleinspiration(lessmusculareffort)andabetter(relaxed)expiration
thatallowsanimprovedeliminationofthewasteproducts.
Therelaxingeffectsonthewholebodyafterthecorrectperformanceofthis
exercisearealsoremarkable.
5.1.2.Slowmusclecontrolledbreathing(SMCB)combinedwithMVB
TheperformanceofSMCBduringMCexercisesisidealforenhancingyour
aerobiccapacity.Ihaveregisteredincreasesofabout8secondsinSMCBand
Buteyko'stestsinonlytwoweeks.
IhavefoundthatthecombinationofSMCBandMVBreinforcestheirhealthy
effects.TheMVBhelpstoperformlongerSMCBandSMCBenhancesthemus
cularresistanceagainstatmosphericpressureinMVB.Besides,therelaxingef
fectsofSMCBaremultipliedwhencombinedwithMVB.
Youcanperformthecombinationinthisway(ladderform):
1SMCB+1MVB.
2SMCB+2MVB.
3SMCB+3MVB...
Atfirst,thiscombinationcanbemoresuitable:5SMCB+1MVB+5SMCB+
1MVB+...(youshouldincreaseyournumberofMVBevery5SMCBifyou
can).
Rememberthat2,3,...MVBimplies2,3,...virtualbreathingswithoutair
(performedduringthesameabdominalvacuum),not2,3,...newexerciseswith
airsupplyinbetween.Besides,youmustexhaleallairfromthelungsbefore
theperformanceofMVB.Thisisthereasonbywhichisverydifficulttoperform
alargenumberofMVB,sothatdon'tforceyourselfbyanymeans.
The effects of combining MVB with SMCB are amazing. I decided not to
changemyaerobicactivity(1530minofwalkinginplaceperday)inorderto
isolatetheresultsdueexclusivelytotheperformanceofthenewbreathingpat
terns.Herearesomemeasures:
Bloodpressure(rest):111/63(othermeasuresconfirmthisnumber,allare
below115/70).
Pulse(rest):50.
Buteyko'stest:+5seconds(overthepreviouspostedmeasures).
SMCBtest:+5seconds.
MVBtest:+1performance.
Ifwecomparethesenumberswiththepreviousrecordedones3weeksbe
fore:BP(120/80),P(60),SMCB(20s),wecanobservearemarkableenhance
mentofthe measured parameters.This enhancement isveryimportant, be
causeitisrecordedinafitandtrainedman(myself).
BP(rest)hasreducedfrom120/80(mean)tobelow115/65(mean).
Pulsehasreducedfrom60to50(mean)!
Thebreathingcapacityandperformancehaveincreasedalsoremarkably.
Itisincrediblehowsuchsimpleexercisescanproducesoremarkablebene
fitsinarelativelyshorttime.Iencourageyoutodevotesomeminuteseveryday
tothepracticeofthesebreathingtechniques.
5.1.3.Controlledbreathholding(CBH)
Holdingthebreathcanbeadangerouspracticeifitisdoneunderstressing
conditionswithoutproperadaptation.But,itcanalsobeaverypowerfultech
niquetoenhanceallbodyfunctionsandmuscularperformancebymeansof
progressiveandcarefultraining.
Restcomfortably(sittingorlying)andpracticeSMCBduring5to10minutes
tryingtoexhaleasslowlyasyoucanwithoutsuffocation.Relaxcompletely.
Inthisrelaxingphaseyoushouldbeabletonoticeclearlyyourownheart
beatsandtheyprobablywouldberemarkablyslowerthaninnormalactivity.
Now,attheendofeachcompleteexpirationofSMCB,trytoholdyourbreath
withoutanystrainduring1heartbeat.Thefollowinginhalationshouldbere
laxedandwithoutanysignofsuffocation.Dothisduringseveralbreathingsand
observehowyourbody,asyouachievedeeperrelaxedstates,needslessoxy
gen.Whenyoufeelthissensation,addonemore heartbeattoyourbreath
holdingtimeinthesamewayasbefore.
Increaseprogressivelythebreathholdingtimeinthiswayuntilyoufeelthe
veryfirstsignsofdiscomfort.Insuchmomentreduceinoneheartbeatyour
holdingtime.
Idon'trecommendtousethistechniqueunderstressingactionsorduringa
workout,exceptinveryjustifiedsituationsandwithextremecare.
Ithinkthatthegeneralmaximaltimeofbreathholdingthatshouldbeusedin
MCiswhichlastsduringthemostrelaxedexpirationyoucanperform.Although
amoreprolongedtimecouldbesafe,itisbetternottoforcetheoxygenintake.
5.1.4.EnhancementoftheaerobicperformancebymeansofMC
breathingtechniques
Themostusefultechniquetoenhanceyourcardiovascularperformanceby
meansofMCistheMaxick'svirtualbreathingcombinedwithSMCB.
This combination allowsyou also longer breath holding times that can be
trainedwiththemethodsoutlinedbefore.
Thistechniquesdoesnotexclude,butcomplementverywell,aerobicactivit
ieslikewalkingorswimming.Speciallyappealingtoamaxaldististhecombina
tionofMVB+SMCBwithwalkinginplaceormusclecontrolledwalking.
5.2.Deepconcentrationtechniques
5.2.1.Synchronizedexhalationcontractionmethod(SECM)
Thismethodisthemostadvancedandproductiveofall,becauseitinvolves
severaltechniqueslikeinstinctivetraining,SMCB,finetuneofmusclecontrac
tion and relaxation and improvement of aerobic and anaerobic capacity, to
mentiononlyafew.
The method is very simple in essence. Perform a combination of MVB +
SMCBforafewminutesuntilyourexpirationtimesstabilizetoyourmaximum.
Then,performtheMCisolationsyouwishinananalyticalform(withfinetuneof
contractionandrelaxationandnoshaking),buildingandholdingthecontraction
exactlyduringthesametimeasyouareexhaling,nomorenoless.
Itisextremelyimportantthatyoudonotforceyourselfbyanymeans.Your
breathingshouldbecompletelyrelaxedandyourcontrolsperfectlyperformed.
Suffocationmustbeavoidedliketheplague.
Thistypeoftraininghasalotofbenefitsifyouareabletonoticethesubtle
signalsthatyourbodygenerateduringthetraining.
Theexpirationtimesareaclearsignofyourpresentphysicalform.Trying
tomakethemlongerisabsurdandcandestroyyourresults.Doyoure
member the almost endless discussion about the optimal contraction
timesforstrengthandmuscledevelopment?Well,inapreviousarticleI
suggestedtheuseofinstinctivetraining,atechniqueprettymuchused
bytheoldstrongmenandbodybuilders.Everydayisdifferent,somedays
youareplentyofpepandsomeothersyouareexhaustedwithoutanyap
parentcause.Obviously,youcannot(andyoushouldnot)trainthesame
all days, but you should adjust your efforts to your energy reserves.
However,itisverydifficultingeneraltomakesuchadjustmentintermsof
repetitionsorholdingtimes.TheSECMallowsyourbodytogenerateex
actlytheamountofworkthatitneeds,becauseifyouaretired,yourown
breathingmuscleswillnotbeabletokeeplongexhalationtimesandthe
contractiontimeswilldecreaseaccordingly.
Thistypeoftrainingwillpermityoutoworkyourbodysafelytoitsmaxim
umateveryage,becauseitisyourownbodywhichdecidestheamount
ofcontractionthatitneeds.
Ifproperlyperformed,SECMavoidsanychanceofinjuryundernormalcir
cumstances,becauseyoucannotforceacontractionbeyonditsoptimal
time,regulatedbyyourownbreathingcapacity.
ThistypeofMCperformancedevelopsyouraerobicandanaerobiccapa
city to its maximum without strain. The isolating nature of the controls
avoidanykindofdangerousbloodoverpressure.Besides,thisisthemost
naturalformofoptimizingyouroxygenconsumption.
SECMdevelopshigherlevelsofmusclerelax,thankstotheoptimization
oftheO2/CO2ratioandtheveryprecisesynchronizationofyourmuscleef
fortwithyourenergygeneration.Thisfinetuneofyourbodyenergyre
sourcesdevelopsprogressivelyasenseofinternalawarenessandwell
being. In this form you can relax your muscles almost immediately by
meansofyourbreathingpatternsineverysituation.Thisisthefirststepin
thetrainingofsomeinternalcontrols,likeMCoftheheart.
SECMenhancesveryeffectivelysomenoticeablehealthparameters,like
bloodpressure,heartrateandthetimesofthebreathingtests.Asacom
parison,themeasureoftheseparametersimmediatelyaftera5normal
breathing MCsession (completebody)was:BP(129/88), P(78),ET(12
seconds)25, however, these same measures performed after the same
workoutbymeansofSECMgive:BP(105/68),P(67)andET(25seconds).
Thebenefitsforyourhealthproducedbythismethodareunquestionable
andalmostamazing.
Youcanperformseveralrepetitionsofthesameexercisewiththistechnique
toenhanceitseffects.About5repetitionswithoutrestcanbeconsideredavery
goodreference.TheSECMisolationsusedduringseveralconsecutivebreath
ings are extremely well suited to develop increasing levels of concentration,
muscleawarenessandproperrelaxofthesurroundingmuscles.
5.2.2.Highprecisiontensiongaugebymeansofjustundervibrating
thresholdcontraction(VTC)
Thistechniqueallowsyouawaytomeasurethesubjectivetensionfeeling
veryaccurately,providingyouawaytoperformprogressiveresistancetrain
ingwithMC.
Performamuscleisolationwithfinetuneofthecontractionandincreasethe
25 BP:bloodpressure,P:pulse,ET:exhalingtime.
tensionuntilyoufeelthefirstsignsofvibration.Inthismoment,reducealittle
thecontractiontryingtokeepthesameleveloftension.Practicesometimes
untilyouachieveaclearsensationoftheshakingthreshold.
Youcanuseanoscillatingsequenceofcontractionsbetweenvibratingand
novibratingphasestofeelbetterthedifference.
Inordertounderstandwelltheimportanceofdevelopingmaximalcontraction
withoutshaking,makethefollowingexperiment.Contractprogressivelyyourbi
cepswhileyouaretouchingyourtriceps.Allowyourbicepsvibrateandnote
howyourtricepscontractsalsoforcibly.Reducenowthetensionjustunderthe
vibratingthreshold.Althoughyourbicepsshouldmaintainsimilarlevelsoften
sion,yourtricepswillrelaxremarkably.
5.2.3.Overshakingextrememusclecontraction(OSMC)
ThisisthequickestandaverypowerfulMCtechniquetoproducemusclede
velopment,butImustadvisethatitisaveryadvancedtechniquethatshouldbe
usedonlyafteryouhaveachievedaperfectmasteryofallcontrols.
Thistechniquecanbedangerousinuntrainedindividualsdueto:
Itcanproduceterriblypainfulcrampings.OSMCmustbepractisedalways
with fine tune of muscle contraction, increasing the tension slowly and
afterapreviouswarmup ofeachmusclebymeansofanalyticmuscle
controls performed with precise gauge of the just under vibrating
threshold.
Itcanbe demandingtothe nervoussystem. The contractions mustbe

shortanddefinite(nomorethan10s),ideallyperformedwithsynchron
izedcontractionexhalationmethodwithoutanystrain.
OSMCisnotalwayspossibleanddependsalotinourlevelofpurevolun
taryMC,thecontractedmuscle,itspositionandangle,thecompensating
antagonistic counter forces,even the hour ofexercising throughout the
dayandourmentalstate.
ThefoundationsoftheOSMCtechniquearetheempiricalfactthatyoucan
minimizethemuscleshakingifyousurpasssomecontractingcriticalpointin
certainmuscles.
Aftermanymonths,evenyears,ofdailyMCpractice,youcanobservehow
yourmusclesareprogressivelymoreresistanttocramping(evenwithoutwarm
up,butIdiscouragesuchpractice).Theundervibratingthresholdraisesand
the touching and feeling of contraction also changes. The muscles become
moresoftinrelaxandalotmorepliableandflexibleduringcontraction.
Thisisaveryimportantpoint,becausemanypeoplethinkthatagoodmuscle
shouldbeextremelyhardandknotted.Farfromtruth.Preciselyagoodquality
muscleisamusclethatcankeepitspliabilityevenduringthemostextreme
contractions.TrompvanDiggelenmentionedthisunusualqualityoftheMaxick
'smuscles,andhecommentedthattheyseemedlikesoftwetleatherintouch.
When your muscles achieve such quality (Maxick wrote that about three
yearsofMCpracticeisnecessarytoaccomplishthis),youcanproducevery
definite and terribly forceful contractions in some muscles over the shaking
point.
Thekeyistoincreasethetensionveryslowlyuntilyouachievetheshaking
pointofthemuscle,nowtrytodoadefinitementaleffortto"controltheshak
ing"whileyouincreaseveryslowlythecontractionlevelevenmore.Suddenly
youwilldiscoveracriticalpointinwhichyoucansustainanextremecontraction
withoutalmostanyshaking.Concentrateandvisualizeexclusivelytheworked
muscle,inducingsoamaximalrelaxationofthesurroundings.
Asyoucansee,thistechniqueisverydemandingtothenervoussystem,be
causeyoumustdirectalotofnervousenergytothecontractedmuscleandto
doaveryexhaustingefforttocontroltheshaking,sothatitmustbeusedwith
care.
Youcanexperimentthattheefforttocontroltheshakingismorechallenging
thantheextremeforcerequiredtoproducethecontractionitself.Don'ttryto
forcesuchhightensionmorethanthetimeofarelaxedexhalation.
Iinsistintheneedtoperformthistechniquewithcare,buthavingsaidthat,I
mustconfessthattherationaluseofOSMC+SECMisthemostpowerfuland
resultproducingMCtechniqueintermsofmusculardevelopment.
Theabilitytocontroltheshakingofanisolatedmuscleduringmaximalcon
tractionsrepresentsperhapstheultimateskillofMCperformanceanditiscon
sideredaclearproofoftheachievementofthehigheststandardsofmuscular
quality.Suchabilityisevenrewardedingymnastics,speciallyintheperform
anceofextremeposesintherings.
5.3.Progressiverelaxationtechniques
5.3.1.Beginner'stechnique(isomericinducedrelaxationagainstthebed)
Thisisaveryeasymethod,verysuitabletobeginnersandpeoplethatdonot
wanttolearnMC.Althoughitisasimplemethoditproducesremarkableres
ults,evenamazingformanypeopleatfirst.
Liecomfortablyfacedownonasoftsurface,preferablyafirmbed,witharms
andlegsstretched.Inthispositionperformthefollowingcontractionspressing
gentlytheindicatedbodypartagainstthebedandholdingthetensionduring5
slowbreathings.
1. Forehead.
2. Arms.
3. Chest.
4. Abdomen.
5. Legs.
Now,turnyourbodytoliefaceupanddothefollowingcontractionspressing
againstthebedinthesameway.
1. Head.
2. Arms.
3. Back.
4. Glutes.
5. Legs.
Finally,relaxallyourmusclesandtrytobreatheasslowlyasyoucomfortably
can.
5.3.2.PostMCinducedrelaxation
Thisisafarmoreadvancedandmuchbetterrelaxingtechnique.Itusestwo
combinedeffectstoreinforcethelevelofrelaxation:voluntaryMCrelaxation
(muscleisolation)andpostcontractionantagonisticinducedrelaxation(when
youcontractanagonisticmuscle,theantagonisticonerelaxaftertheeffort).
PerformacompleteMCworkoutfortheprincipalmusclesofthebody.After
thisyoushouldbeabletorelaxallyourmusclesalmosttothepointthatyou
cannotstanderect.
5.3.3.Thermalinducedrelaxation
Oneofthebestnaturalmethodstoachievegoodrelaxingandselfmassa
gingresultsisthealternatinguseofwarmandcoldwater,especiallyintheform
ofshower.
Theuseofthermalmassagealsohaveeffectsoverthemassdevelopment
andtheincreaseofdefinitionofthemuscles.Asaguide,warmwaterhelpsto
developmassandvolume,coldwater,however,increasemuscledefinition.
Itisalwaysconvenienttotakeashowerafterahardworkout,butyoushould
waituntilyourbodyhasrecoverednormalbreathingandtemperaturetoavoid
anychanceofshock.Ifyoudonotwanttotakeafullshower,rubyourwhole
bodywithawetcoldtowelanddryyourselfbriskly.
Torelaxyourbody,keepingfullofpep,takeamoderatelylongwarmshower
sprinklingallthebodygenerouslyfromtheextremitiestotheheart.Thehead
mustbemadewetwithverymoderatewarmwater(bodytemperature),never
useexcessivelyhotorcoldwaterforthehead,becauseitcouldproduceavery
dangerousshockanditisunhealthy.
Immediately after you are satisfied with your warm shower, sprinkle your
body quickly(butgenerously)withcold(noticecold)waterduring about30
seconds.Itisveryimportanttobeginthecoldshowerfromthehearttotheex
tremitiestoavoidtheriskofashock.
Youcanalternatealsothewarmandcoldsprinklinginperiodsof30seconds
or1minuteseveraltimes(510willbeenoughingeneral).Veryimportant,al
waysfinishwiththecoldshower,neverwiththewarmone,becausethecold
waterhelpstocontractthemuscles,conservingtheirenergyandimprovingcir
culation,sothat,althoughthefirstsensationcouldbealittleunpleasantforun
trainedpeople,therelaxingeffectderivedfromtheinvoluntarycontractionin
ducedbycoldwatercompensateslargelytheinitialfeeling.
Immediatelyafterthelastcoldsprinkling,rubbriskly,butcarefully,allyour
bodyinaselfmassagefashion,fromtheextremitiestotheheart.Rememberal
waysthateverymassagemustpromotecirculationfromthemuscletowardsthe
heart.
Dressyourselfquickly.Neverallowyourselftogetcold.Exercisealwaysin
warmplaces,butneverskipagooddailywalkintheopenair.
5.3.4.SMCBinducedrelaxation
Mentalstressinducescardiovascularstress.Theartificialincreasingofheart
beatsandoxygenintakewithoutanycompensatingenergyexpenditurearethe
causeofmanymodernhealthproblems.
SMCBhelpstorelief,eventoeliminate,suchproblems,returningthebodyto
itsoptimumstateofequilibrium.Theperformanceofslowbreathingincreases
theamountofcarbondioxideinthebody.Therelaxingeffectsofcarbondioxide
areveryprofoundandrelatedwithverycomplexbiochemicalreactions,forex
ample,themaintenanceofacorrectbloodpH26.
Besides,slowbreathingforcesthediaphragmandthoraxmusclestokeepa
controlledcontractionduringinhalationandarelaxedexhalation.Thebiofeed
backthatrelaxedexhalationproducesoverthemindisveryremarkable.The
signalsofcompletelyrelaxedbreathingadvisesthemindthatthereisnoneed
forworryoranxiety.Ifyoucanbreatheslowlyandrelaxed,obviouslyyourmind
mustinterpretthatyouarenotinathreat.
Training your body, youalso trainyourmind. Thisisthe veryessence of
MuscleControl,aendlessbeneficialfeedbackbetweenmindandmatter.
5.3.5.Voluntaryrelaxationtechniques(VRT)
Althoughfromaphysiologicalpointofviewitispossiblethatallkindsofre
laxationformacontinuousofprogressivelydeeperstates,itisconvenientfor
learningtosorttherelaxingtechniquesintwotypes:
Increasingawarenessrelaxingtechniques.Thesetechniquesallowyouto
redistributeyourbodyenergyfrommusclestothemind,increasingsoits
purementalpowers.Theuseoftheenhancedmentalpowerscanbedir
ectedtowardsintellectualactivities,betterinternalorexternalbodysens
ingortotheexplorationofdeeper(orhigher)statesofconciousness.
Nervoussystemrelaxingtechniques.Thepurposeofthesetechniquesis
theopposite,mainlytoreducethelevelsofstressofthenervoussystem
andtoallowthemindtocutofffromthesurroundingreality.Thisability
canbeusedalsotorelieffatigue,painandinsomnia.
InthissectionIamgoingtodescribethenervousrelaxingtechniques.Itis
necessarytomastertheMCinducedrelaxationandSMCBrelaxingtechniques
beforeattemptingtolearnthefollowingmethod.
26 ThepHisthescientificwaytomeasureaccuratelytheacidityofasubstance.
Liecomfortablyonafirmbedinawarm(butnothot)andquietroom.Some
kindsofmusiccouldhelpinfirststages,butIrecommendnottousethem,be
causeyoucouldrelateinvoluntarilytherelaxingeffectswiththehearingofsuch
musicandsuchmentalassociationwoulddefeatthepurposeandindepend
enceofthemethod.
Liefaceupandputyourhandsinterlacedandrelaxedoveryourchestor
best,extendedwithouttouchingthemselvesmutually,overtheabdomenvery
nearthenavel.
Begintocontrolyourbreathing,makingitslowerprogressively,withoutany
forcingorhaste,becausesuchattitudewoulddefeatyourachievements.
At some moment, generally when your breathing pace is under 10
breaths/min(about510minfrombeginning),youshouldnoticeaclearflowof
energy in form of intense heat throughout your extremities, specially in the
hands,touchingpalmswiththeabdomen.Thisheat,althoughcanbesubject
ivelyveryintenseinsomestates,shouldbepleasant.
Afteryouareconsciousofthisenergyflow,youwillfeelyourbodyasakind
ofcircuitwhosepointofjunctionispreciselythenavel.Throughouttheregion
aroundthenaveltheheatflowintroducesfromthefingerstotheinternalorgans
completingthecycle.
Thisnaturalflowofenergytotheinternalorgansisveryhealthyandcontrib
utestoimprovethecirculationandtorelaxtoinvoluntarymusclelayersofsuch
organs.
AtthismomentyourSMCBshouldbealmostinstinctiveandveryslow(per
hapsunder5breaths/min).Youshouldnoticealsohowyourawarenessand
sensesbegintochange.Generallyyouwillhaveyoureyesclosed,butifyou
keepthemopen,youwouldobserveakindofstrangevisualtransparency,al
terationsinthecolours,imageblurringorsomethingsimilar.Asimilarsensation
happenswithsound,itseemstobemoredeep,diffuse,evenoscillatinginap
parentsynchronywithyourheartbeatsorbreathing.
Keepyourmindrelaxedandfocusedinbreathing.Nowyoushouldfeelyour
musclessorelaxedthatyouwouldbeunabletomovethemevenwithalotof
effort(ofcourse,don'ttrytomoveyourselfinthisphase).Themusclesinthis
stateareextraordinarilysoft,promotingsoabettercirculationthroughoutthe
wholebodyandanimprovedoxygenation.
Thepurposeofthisrelaxationtechniqueistotrainthebodytoeliminateall
kindofstressesallowingittoachieveitslowestenergystate.Inthisway,the
bodyandthemindcanrecovertheirnaturalequilibrium.
Onceyouhaveachievedtherelaxedstate,youcanuseormodifyitwithdif
ferentpurposes,forexample,torest,tosleepbetterortoexploresomenew
consciousstates.
Ifyourefusetosleep,youwillfeelyourselflikeababyinsideawarmslow
flowofwater,verysimilartoaconsciousreturntoyourfoetaloriginalsensa
tions.
5.4.Bodyenergytransferencetechniques
5.4.1.Sequentialcontraction
OneofthemainpurposesofMCistoenhancethecirculation,butthisim
provementisafeedbackeffectduetotheoverpressureoverthebloodvessels
producedbyMCinducedintramusculartension.Soitisimportanttokeepthe
tensionlevelundertheshakingpointofthemuscleifwewantagoodbloodex
change.
Oneofthebestwaystodirectthebloodflowandenergytoamuscleisto
contractinarowallmusclesthatprecedethedesiredonefromtheheartto
suchmuscle.
For example, if we want to concentrate our energy in the fingertips, we
shouldcontractfirstthepectorals,shoulders,triceps,biceps,forearmmuscles,
handmusclesandfinallythefingermusclesinadefiniteandcontinuousse
quence.
Therearetwomethods,whichcanbecombined,toaccomplishthisgoal:
1. Softcontinuouscontraction(SCC).
2. Pulsatingmusclecontrol(PMC).
Whensoftcontinuouscontractionisused,themusclesarekeptcontracted
for10ormorebreathingswithalowtensionlevel(typically3050%).Toadjust
thetensionleveldothis,contractthedesiredmuscleveryslowlyjustunderthe
firstsignsofshakingappearandnowreduceslowlythetensiontothepointyou
canfeelthemusclewarm,butpliable,notrigid.Breatheveryslowlyandsoftly,
tryingtofocusallyoubodyheatinthecontractedmuscle.
The pulsating muscle control (PMC) method is a variant of the ballistic
musclecontrol(BMC)technique.InPMCweperformveryquick(1secondor
less),verycontrolledandsoftcontractingpulsationsofthemusclethatwewant
tofeed.Thepulsationsaredonewithnormalbreathing(severalpulsationsper
breathing cycle). Generally, pulsating times of about 10 breathings (3060
seconds)areenough.
You can use softcontinuouscontraction ofallthepreceding musclesand
PMCofthedesiredmuscleforachievinganimprovedeffect.Othercombina
tions like a cyclic SCC + PMC for the same muscle are possible and very
healthy.
Thesetechniquescanbeusedalsoveryeffectivelyforprerelaxingcertain
stressedmuscles,forrehabilitation,extremelysafewarmupandsoftpainrelief.
5.4.1.1.Musclecontrolledselfmassage
Inthiscase,thesequenceofcontractionsmustbeperformedfromtheex
tremitiestotheheart,thesameasanyothermassagetechnique.Inthisway
youcanobtainaperfectvoluntarymusclemassageandlymphaticdrain.
Inordertoaccomplishthispurpose,youcanusebothSCCorPMCtech
niques. After any muscle controlled self massage session, if properly per
formed,youshouldfeelabsolutelyrelaxedandfullofenergy.
5.4.1.2.Cyclicraisingloweringcompletebodycontrol
Thekeytoaperfectcirculationandmobilizationoftheinternalfluidsistoper
formatwophasecompletebodyMCsession.Inthefirstphaseyoubeginto
isolatethemusclesfromtoestoheadandinthesecondone,immediatelydone
afterthefirst,youcontrolallyourmusclesfromheadtotoes.
Thebesttechniquetoperformthiscycliccontrolisthesynchronizedexhala
tioncontractionmethodorSCC,butyoucanuseanyotherMCadvancedtech
niqueinsteadifyouwanttodevelopstrengthormusclemassalso.Thisisthe
methodIsuggestforeveryadvancedMaxaldingstudent.Theonlyshortcoming
ofthismethodisthelargeamountoftimeitdeserves(morethan2hours),if
performed with 5 or more breathings per muscle to increase strength and
musclemass,duetothehighnumberofdifferentpossiblemuscleisolations
and poses (more than 100). So, in practice, the workouts may be splitted
throughoutthedayforeachbodypartinthefollowingorder:
1. Head,neck,shouldersandback.
2. Thorax,chestandabdomen.
3. Arms,hands,fingers.
4. Legs.
Inordertopromoteonlyabettercirculationandmuscletoning,itissufficient
toperform5shortPMCcontractions(during1breathing)or1SECMisolation
permuscle.Inthiswayyoucanperformacompletebodyworkoutinlessthan
30min.
5.4.1.3.Assistedcirculation
Sometimesitisverydifficultorimpossible (duetoaninjuryoratrophy)to
controldirectlyamuscleinordertoapplysomeofthetechniquesoutlinedbe
fore.Inthiscasewecanpromoteabettercirculationtotheinjuredareapump
ingthebloodflowtothesurroundingmuscleswhilethedesiredmuscleisper
fectly relaxed. This allows a permeated flow of blood to the injured muscle
withoutanycontraction.Thiseffectcanbeincreasedbymeansofseveraltech
niques,includingSCCandPMCofthesurroundingmuscles.
Isuggesthereaveryeffectivetechnique,thatmustbeusedveryprogress
ivelyinordertoavoidanypainfulparasiticcontractionoftheinjuredmuscle.We
candividethistechniqueinthreephases:
1. SCCsequentialcontractionofallsurroundingmusclesinacyclicwayin
ordertodirectthebloodflowtotheinjuredmuscleandinordertoproduce
asoftantagonisticinducedrelaxationofthesamemuscle.
2. ExtremelysoftandsimultaneousPMCofthesurroundingmusclesduring
about5breathings.
3. OneBMCofthesurroundingmusclesduring23seconds(1quickexhala
tion). The purpose of the hard ballistic contraction of the surrounding
musclesistoinhibitthereturnofthebloodflow(isometrictorniqueteffect)
fromtheinjuredmuscletoimproveitstemperatureandfeeding.Butthis
bloodconstraintmustbeshortbecausealongercontractionwouldpro
duce a quick energy and oxygen depletion inside the surrounding
muscles, defeating our initial purpose. Besides, such sort contraction
times allow a good control of the shaking. The only problem with this
phaseistheriskofapainfulcocontraction(orantagonisticaction)ofthe
injuredmuscle.IfyouarenotsureofcontrollingperfectlytheBMCkeep
ingtheinjuredmusclerelaxed,don'tperformthislaststeporsubstituteit
withanewsoftSCC.Theresultsareverygoodinanycase.
5.4.2.Focusedrelaxation
Thefocusedcontractiontechniquescanbeusedalsotoinduceaverydeep
localizedrelaxationofanisolatedmuscle.Thebestwaytoproperlyimprovethe
relaxingabilityofamuscleisacycliccombinationofSCC+hardBMC.
Performasoftandverydefiniteisolatedcontrolofthedesiredmuscleduring
10slowcontrolledbreathings.Withoutrest,doahard(withoutstrain)BMCcon
tractionofthesamemuscle.YoushouldobservethatthehardBMCtendtoin
volve a considerable amount of antagonistic action to keep the contracting
muscleinitsposition(rememberthatsuchsuddentensionshouldproducea
muscle shortening and joint motion in stretched positions). Repeat the SCC
contractionwithoutrestandeliminatethetensionasslowlyasyoucan,tryingto
feeltheleastmuscleresidualcontractionuntiltheend.Withsomepracticeyou
shouldbeabletorelaxthesamemusclevoluntarilywithouttheneedofany
previouscontraction.
Thisisanenhancingmindmusclelinklearningtechniquethatwillallowyou
toachieve deeper localized levelsofrelaxation. Focused relaxationmustbe
usedincombinationwithstrongvisualizationoftheenergyflowthroughoutthe
bodyforbestresults.
Thelastandmostimportantapplicationoffocusedrelaxationisfocusedmen
talrelaxationbymeansofbiofeedbackfromallthemusclesinthebodyandex
tremewillpowervisualizationfromandtothemind.Thefinalresultistheability
todirectthelargestpossibleamountofenergytoperformadefinitetask.
5.5.Multipleandcombinedcontrols
5.5.1.Maxick'sfullcontractiontest
Thistestisverysimple,butitisanexcellentindicatorofthelevelofcoordin
atedvoluntarycontractionyouhave.Trytocontractallbodymuscles(except
themusclesofthefaceifyouprefer)simultaneouslyorinasequence,keeping
the contraction of all of them for a complete exhalation. Do not allow your
musclesshakeanddonotforceyourself.
Themusclesthataremorepoorlycontractedarethosewhichneedamore
carefulanddedicatedtraining.
5.5.2.Staticposes
Thepurposeofstaticposesisabettervisualizationofthemusclesofthe
body,aimingbeautyandsymmetry.Unfortunately,manypeoplethinkthatMC
reducestothis.StaticposesshouldnotbeconfusedwithMCisolations,be
causeitspurposeisthecoordinatecontractionofseveralmusclegroups.
Thepossiblecombinationsofmusclegroupsinordertoproduceastaticpose
arealmostendless.Isuggestthecoordinatecontractionoflargemusclegroups
(themusclearmor)orthesimultaneousperformanceofverydifficultvoluntary
isolations(forexample,asimultaneousabdominalcentralisolationandpectoral
contractionwithstretchedarmsinacrucifixpose).
5.5.3.Posturereinforcementandvirtualtraining
Thistechniqueallowsyoutoreinforcespecificmusclesinthepositionsthat
youmustholdincertainexercises.Thistechniquewasprofuselyusedbyal
mostalloldstrongmen,becauseitpermitsthedevelopmentofextremelevels
ofstrengthwithouttherisksinvolvedinheavyweights.Generallydumbbellsof
about10kgweightwereusedtofeelthenecessarymuscles.Thekeyistofeel
thecontractionofexactlythemusclesyouneedtoperformsomeexerciseor
strengthtestandtomentallyincreasethecontractiontothedesiredextentover
theworkedmuscles,relaxingtheothers(tokeepenergyandavoidingmuscle
interferences).
5.5.4.Muscledancing
ThisisprobablythemostfunnyandspectacularformofMC,althoughitisnot
intendedformuscleorstrengthdevelopment.
ThebesttechniquetolearnmuscledancingisPMCafterasolidSMC(static)
foundation.UsingPMCthemusclesarealmostautomaticallyreadyforquick
contractionswhileyoucaneasilykeepthesurroundingmusclesrelaxed.
5.6.Dynamicmusclecontrol
Dynamic musclecontrol (DMC) is usually confused with visualized resist

ancemethodsinwhichantagonisticbrakingtensionisused.Certainlyisvery
difficulttoperformanisolatedmovingmusclecontrol,especiallyinstretched
positions(whereantagonistictensionisnecessarytokeepthemuscleposition
fixedwithoutmotioninSMC).
Oldtimestrongmenusedtoliftrelativelylightweightsortoperformbody
weightexercises(evengymnasticsandhandbalancing)totrainthemusclesin
motion.Maxaldingisnotanexceptiontothisrule,butremember,asMaxick
stated,thatallexternalresistanceexercisesinmotionareonlymeremeansto
trainthebodyinspecificskills,therealstrengthdevelopermustbetheinternal
contractiongeneratedbymentalconcentrationduringthemovement.
ThekeytolearnproperDMCistodoanexternalresistanceexercise(forex
ample,somepushups)tryingtokeepallmusclesasrelaxedaspossible,sore
laxedthattheactualperformanceoftheexercisewouldbedifficult.Studycare
fullytheprecisemusclesyouneedtocontracttoproducethedesiredmove
ment.
Restapairofminutesandrepeatthesameexercise,butnowtrytocontract
voluntarily and powerfully (without strain or shaking) the involved muscles,
keepingtherestrelaxedaspreviously.
Withalotofpracticeyouwillbeabletoreproducethesamelevelofcontrac
tionandrelaxationwithouttheneedofanexternalresistancefeeling,although
somelevelofbodyweightresistancefromtimetotimeisgoodtokeepequilibri
um,balanceandbonereinforcement.
5.7.Aerobicmusclecontrol
CertainlyyoucanachieveaerobiclevelsofmuscleworkwithMC,especially
ifDMCisused.Hereyouhavesomesuggestionstoperformsafeandproduct
iveAMC(aerobicmusclecontrol).
1. IfyouuseSMC,dolongcontractions(overthe30breathingseach)on
largemusclegroups(upperbody,legs,eventheentirebody),butnever
surpassthe3050%effortlevel,becausesuchlongcontractionwithhigh
ertensionswouldproducealotofnervousdrain.Averygoodposefor
practisingAMCisthepositionyouwouldsustaininapullupholdinthe
middleposition.
2. Youcanperformalsoalargenumber(50100)ofPMCpulseswithevery
muscleofcertainareasofthebody.Thistechniqueismostsuitablefor
armsandlegs,becausethecoremuscleshaveingeneralaslowerre
sponse(theyworkbetterwithdefinitehardBMC).
3. The best technique to achieve quickly and aerobic effect is obviously
DMC,especiallymusclecontrolledexerciseslikewalkinginplace,de
scribedandillustratedinthepreviousarticle.
5.8.Increasingballisticmusclecontrol
ThistechniqueisbasedinapureMCperformanceofthebodyweightexer
cisesinlittlestepsthroughouttheentirerangeofmotion,butwithoutexternal
resistance.
You must adopt the position corresponding toone exercise and then you
performtheMCofallmusclesimpliedinsuchexercisefromthemostcontrac
tedpositiontoitsmoststretchedone.Thecontractionmustbedoneballistically
(contraction during one explosive expiration and relaxduring the inspiration)
andcontinuouslyalongthecompleterangeofmotionevery2or3cminterval.
ThistechniqueiscomplementarytotheDMCofthesamemusclegroupsand
theyshouldbecombinedinacyclicorladderformforimprovedresults.
5.9.Combinedbodyweightexercises
Therearealotofexcellentliteratureaboutbodyweightexercises,sothatI
amnotgoingtodohereadetaileddescriptionofsuchsubject.Iwantonlyto
suggesttheperformanceofcertainveryeffectivecombinedexerciseswhichdo
notdemandanydangerousleverageposition,buttheypermitafairlygoodpro
gressionandstrengthdevelopment.
Thekeyexerciseofthesecombinationswillbethefrontbridge(exercisePP
ofMaxalding).Thefrontbridgeisoneofthemostcompleteexercises,because
itinvolvesalmosteverymuscleinthebodyanddemandsagreatamountof
strengthandcontrol27.
Hereyouhavesomeexamples:
TheSaldoburpee. Thisexerciseworksallthebodyveryeffectivelyand
produces a remarkable aerobic and anaerobic enhancement in a short
time.Theprogressionshouldbecarefultoavoidanystrain,especiallyin
27 ThankstoRaymondBrennanfornamingsomeexercises.
thebackmuscles.Inhaleintheraisingactionsandexhaleinthedescend
ingones.TheSaldoburpeehasthefollowingphases(allpositionsshould
beperformedwithMCcontraction):
1. Toeraising.
2. Descendingsquat.
3. Stretchthelegsbackwardsasfarasyourbodyachieveapushuppos
ture.
4. Perform1pushup.
5. Slideyourfeetasfarasyoucan(becareful)tothepointyourbodyis
almostparalleltothefloor(exercisePP).
6. Returntoapushuppostureanddo1pushup.
7. Openyourarmsveryslowlytobothsidesasfarasyouachieveacruci
fixposition(descendingmotionofexerciseZZ,butdon'tslide,itcanbe
dangerousifyoulosecontrol,yourfingersshouldpointtothesidesper
pendicularlytothetrunkline).
8. Raiseyourbodyexplosively(butwithoutanystraining)toapushuppo
sition(exerciseZZ).
9. Performonemorepushup.
10.Contractyourlegsforwardtoachievethelowerpostureofasquat.
11.Doaraisingsquat.
12.Endwithanewtoeraising.
13.Repeatadlib.,althoughmorethan5repetitionsarenotnecessaryfor
developinggreatstrengthandbalance.
TheStrongmaxbridge.Thisexerciseisfarsaferandmoreeffectivethan
theclassicalwrestler'sbridge.ItcombinesinacyclicformtheMaxalding
halfbridge(exerciseAA)withtheStrongfortbridge.Thesensationwould
besimilartofloatingoverawave.Dothisexercisealwaysoverasoftsur
facelikeafirmbedandasslowlyasyoucan.Performancesteps:
1. Dotheraisingphaseofthehalfbridge(inhale).Yourarmsshouldpoint
backwards.
2. Loweryourbodystretchingallyourmuscles(exhale).Yourarmsshould
restoveryourhips.
3. Raiseyourbodyrestingonlyonyourshouldersandheels(inhale).
4. Loweryourbodycontractingespeciallythebackmuscles(exhale).
5. Repeatadlib.
Floorvirtualswimming.Thisexercisecanbeverydemandingonsomeup
perbodyjointsifexcessivelydone,sodon'toverdoit.Infact,floorvirtual
swimmingisthebestreplacementofpullups(withouttherisksofhand
standpushups)IhavefoundwithoutanyappliancewithintheMaxalding
philosophy.
1. The firstmovementsofvirtualswimming arethe sameasthe Saldo
Burpee,butonceyouhaveachievethefirstpushupposition,godir
ectlytoafrontbridgepositionwithoutapreviouspushupmotion.
2. Now,godirectlyfromthelowestpositionofthefrontbridge(PP)tothe
lowest position of the front crucifix(ZZ)slowlyinlittlesteps opening
progressivelyandcircularlyyourarmstobothsides.Thisisthehardest
partoftheexercise.
3. PerformtheZZexerciseexplosively(butcarefully)toreturntoapush
upposition.
4. Repeat the sequence doing new cyclic front bridge + front crucifix
movements.Averyfewrepetitionsofthisexerciseareusuallyneces
sary,becauseitisverycompleteanddemanding.
Floorpullups.Analternativewaytoworktheupperbodytryingtosimu
lateapullingactionwithoutapparatusisthefloorpullup,basedagainin
theextremelyusefulfrontbridge(PP).Performafrontbridgebutinthis
caseyoushouldallowalittlehigherdistancefromthefloor(about30cm)
inordertobeabletodoadefiniteforwardpullingaction.Inthisexercise,
contrarytothepreviousones,youshouldnotallowyourbodytoraisetoa
upperpushupposition,butyoumustkeepconstantthe30cmdistance
fromthefloor,thisisthekeyoftheremarkableresistanceyoucanpro
duce, even greater than in a normal pull up raise. Return to the front
bridgepositionandrepeatadlib.,butdon'toverdoit.Youcanvarythe
amountoftensionindifferentareasoftheupperbodyvaryingtheaperture
angleofthearms.Thehandsshouldbefirmlysecuredonthefloor,but
thefeetmustbeabletoslipoverthesurfacetoperformcorrectlythisex
ercise.Thefloorpullupcanalsosimulatethemovementinvolvedinthe
tigerbend(FLBexerciseofMaxalding)verypowerfully,buthorizontally
insteadofvertically.
TheSaldosquat.MonteSaldoobservedthatthelegsofrussiandancers
exhibitedanincredibledevelopmentandstrength.Heattributedsuchde
velopmenttothequicksequenceofonelegsquatmovementsinvolvedin
russiandances.Unfortunately,onelegsquatisanexercisethatdepends
alotontheleveragepropertiesoftheindividual.Extremelystrongpeople
areunabletoaccomplishthisfeatduetoalackofthecorrectboneand
jointbodyratio.TheSaldosquatisavariationoftheMaxaldingsquatthat
allowsonelegmotions,butwithconstantsupportoftheotherlegtokeep
leverage.However,theadditionalsupportiscarefullydesignedtoallowa
powerfulonelegaction,so,ifproperlydone,thisexercisecanbealmost
aseffectiveastheonelegsquat.
1. Do a tilted Maxalding squat (exercise X), but with the other leg
stretchedtoitsside,sothatinthelowestposition,onelegisfullyflexed
andtheotherisfullystretchedtotheoppositeside.
2. Trytomoveyourstretchedleg,withoutflexingit,tothefrontwithacir
cularmovement, keepingthe other legflexed and fixed initslowest
posture.
3. Now,raiseyourbodywiththeeffortoftheflexedleg,keepingtheheel
ofthestretchedleg(don'tflexitalongtheentireexerciseperformance)
intouchwiththefloor.
4. Interchangebothlegsandrepeatadlib.
5. Thisexercisecanbeverydifficultifyouloweryoubodyasmuchyou
can.Ifyouexperiencesomekneeproblems,youcanloweryourbody
onlytothepointyounoticethemostintensequadricepscontraction.
Combiningtheseexercisesyoucanachieveverybrief,intenseandeffective
workoutsthathitpracticallyeverymuscleinthebody.
5.10.Musclecontrolcompetitions
5.10.1.StaticMC
Thepurpose ofMCcompetitionsistoencouragetheperformance ofnew
andmorechallengingisolations,topromoteahealthywayoflifeandtodevelop
theMaxaldingphilosophyofbodymindreinforcement,interchangingfreelyour
limited knowledge. Maxalding competitions should not considered by any
meansawaytoshowsuperioritytootherMaxaldingstudents.EveryMaxaldist
isincontinuous development, because theachievement ofaperfect mental
andbodycontrolisimpossibleinthislife.Rememberalwaysthis,therearenot
MuscleControlmasters,onlymoreorlessadvancedstudents28,becausewho
considerthemselvesMaxaldingmasters,havefailedmiserablyinthemostim
portantMCpremise,theendlesssearchofperfection.
The SMC stage of a Maxalding competition should focus in the following
points:
Effectiveisolationofthedesiredmuscle.
Pure mentalcontrol of the muscle(lackofsupporting action, likehand

pressure,etc.).
Performanceofthecontrolindifficultpositions(rotatedandstretchedjoint
postures).
Degreeofcontractionwithoutmuscleshaking.
Relaxationofthesurroundingmuscles.
Antagonisticinhibition.
Muscledefinition.
Abilitytoisolatethetendonactionpulledfromthecontrolledmuscle.
5.10.2.BallisticMC
BMCshouldfocusinthefollowingaspects:
Effectiveisolationofthepulsingmuscle.
Speedofperformance.
Degreeofcontractionwithoutantagonisticresponse.
Relaxationofthesurroundingmuscles.
5.10.3.DynamicMC
DMCperformanceshouldbejudgedwiththisconditionsinmind:
Homogeneouscontrolofthedesiredmuscleormusclegroupalongitsen
tirerangeofmotion.
Lackofmuscleshaking.
28 ImodestlythinkthatevenMaxick,whodevelopedandpractisedMCthroughouthisentirelife
wouldagreewiththisstatement.
Inhibitionofanyinterferenceeffectsfromthesurroundingmuscles.
Correctperformancewithvaryingdegreesoftensionandspeedofmotion.
5.10.4.Combinedcontrols
Combinedcontrolsshouldhelptothecoordinateddevelopmentofdifferent,
notantagonistic,musclegroupsandtoproducebeautifulandharmonicposes
ofnaturalandhealthymuscles.
5.10.5.Muscledancing
Theperformance ofmuscledancingrangesfromsimplecoordinated PMC
(pulsating muscle control) exercises to real synchronized muscle pulsations
withmusic.
Perhaps, muscle dancing could be studied and progressively developed
throughoutacarefulsequenceofspeciallydesignedexercises,likegymnastics
orclassicaldance.Unfortunately,myskillsinthisregardaresonegligiblethatI
amnotqualifiedatalltoprogressfurtherinthisinterestingsubject.However,I
thinkthataseriousmuscledancingexercisedesignwouldbeofgreatbenefitto
thebodymindcoordinationdevelopmentofchildren.
5.10.6.Combinedcompetition
This should involve a combination of the most prominent control skills of
SMC,BMC,DMCandPMCinaunifiedway.
5.11.Internalmusclecontrol
5.11.1.Heartcontrol
Thisisoneofthemostimportantandhardestpurementalcontrolonemay
try.ItisdocumentedthatMaxickdevelopedthisabilityandusedituntilthevery
endtopredictitsowndeathwithamazingprecision.
Obviouslyapurementalcontroloftheheartislimited(fortunately!)bythe
factthatthepulseisregulatedbyautomaticandinvoluntaryprocesses.Gener
ally,themainuseofheartcontroliscompleterelaxationincombinationwiththe
other, previously studied, relaxing techniques, although some accelerating
methodscanbeusefulincertainsituations.
Thefirststepintheperformanceofheartcontrolisthemasteryofheartin
duced relaxation by means of SCMB and post MC induced relaxation plus
thermalinducedrelaxation.
Infirststagesitisveryconvenienttorestcomfortablyonthebedwithperfect
silencetoachieveacorrecttemperature(warmbutnothot)andselfbreathing
andpulseconciousness.
We can achieve progressively higher levels of heart relaxation in this se
quence:
1. Interlaceyourfingersoveryourchestandrestyourhandssoftlyoverthe
heartarea.Thiswillallowaslighttemperatureraiseinthisareawhichwill
produceathermalinducedrelaxation.
2. Beginasequenceofincreasinglonger,butcompletelyrelaxed,SMCB.
3. Whenyourfeelthatyouhaveachievedareasonablelevelofrelaxation
and your pulse begin to drop, perform 1 perfect MVB and follow with
SMCBuntilyourecoverthepreviousrelaxingstate.TheMVBproduces
aninternal(butsafe)overpressurethatdemandsaheartoverwork,likean
indirectMCheartcontraction.Inthiswayweareabletoproduceasub
sequentpostMCinducedrelaxationofthecardiacmuscle.
4. Repeat(3)untilyoufeelthatyourneedofoxygendecreasesandyouare
moreconsciousofyourpulsebeats.
5. Forgettofocusonyourbreathingpaceandfocusinthepulserate.Visual
izeyourheartandhowtheenergyshouldflowtoit,concentrateyourmind
intheheatyoushouldnoticeinyourhandsandfingersandhowitflows
insidethebodythroughtheheart,relaxingit.
6. Imagineyourheartmuscleandtrytofeelitasyoufeelanyothercon
trolledmuscle.Now,applythesamerelaxationefforttoit.Believeitornot,
with practice and proper concentration, it works! The heart reduces its
pulseandbeginstoberesponsivetoourmentalorderswithinthesafety
margindemanded byourinvoluntarymechanisms.Ihavebeenableto
achievestatisticallysignificantreductionsof10ormorebeatsperminute
withregardstomyrestpulsewiththesetechniques.
7. Inextremeadvancedphasesofheartcontrol,someindividuals,likeexper
iencedyogisandsomefreedivers,canreduceamazinglytheirmetabolic,
breathingandpulsingrates.
8. Afteryoumastertherestingcontrolmethodyoucanadaptittoanyother
situation,focusingyourmindfirstinreducingyourbreathingrateandaf
terwardsyourpulse.Even,withalotofpractice,youcanachieveareas
onabledirectcontroloftheheartbyvisualizationmeanswithouttheprevi
ousSMCBphase.
Therearesomesafepulseacceleratingtechniquesincaseyouneedtoper
formsomesuddeneffortfromarelaxedstate.Thesetechniquesareconvenient
toadaptthebodysystemstoachieveaquickpeakperformance.Inextreme
situations,youshouldfocusallyourenergyresourcesinthemusclesthathave
toaccomplishthetaskwhileyoutrytoachieveagoodvisualizationofyourin
ternalstatetokeepagoodbalancebetweenrelaxationandawareness.Infact,
thebodyusuallycaresitselfofproperlyacceleratingtheheartinstressingsitu
ations,sotheproblemistorelaxitinordertokeepenergyandmentalfocus.
But,youhaveheresomewaystopreacceleratetheheart.
PerformseveralMVBinarowwithoutrest,butkeepgoodbreathingform,
don'tallowanysuffocationsign.
DoaquicksequenceofPMCoflargemusclegroups,ideallythewhole
body,andenditwithapowerfulfullballisticMCcontraction.
Contractsoftlyeverybodymusclefromheadtotoessimultaneouslydur
ingabout10breathingsandthendo5powerfulBMCfullbodycontrac
tionswithoutrest.
5.11.2.Controlofthedigestiveorgans
Thecontrolofthedigestiveorgansisachievedbymeansofproperselfmas
sageoftheintestinesbymeansofMCoftheabdominalwall.Inthiswaywe
canmobilizetheinternalfluidsandimprovethedigestivefunctions.
Wecandistinguishseverallevelsofdigestivecontrol:
1. Beginner:Drinka(notlarge)glassofwarmwaterandperformasequence
of 5 abdominal vacuums with proper breathing between each of them.
Restduring2030normalbreathingsanddrinknowaglassofcold(not
icecold)waterandrepeatthesamevacuumaction.
2. Intermediate:Drinkaglassofwarmwaterandperformasequenceofcon
secutivelateralisolationsfromsidetoside(leftcentralright)inboth
directions.Restduring2030breathingsandrepeatafterdrinkingalittle
glassofcoldwater.
3. Advanced:Drinkaglassofwarmwaterandperformasequenceofpure
voluntarycontrolsofeachisolatedsectionoftherectusabdominisfrom
toptobottomandfromsidetosideandinreverseorder.Restandrepeat
thesameoperationafterdrinkingaglassofcoldwater.
5.11.3.Maxaldinginternalcleansingtechniques
InhisbookMAXALDING,MonteSaldosuggestedthepossibilityofusingMCas
averyeffectiveinternalcleansingmethod.Thisabilityisbasedinacombination
ofproperoxygenationbymeansoffulltidalSMCB,improvedcirculationandin
ternalfluidmobilizationbymeansofdigestivecontrolandadditionalpurewater
supply.Thesetechniquesareconvenienttogeneralhealthimprovementand,
especially,incasesofslightcontaminationduetopoorqualityfoodordrink,
smoke,...
Inbeginnerandintermediatestagesitwillbesufficienttoperformsomedi
gestivecontrolandtodrinkregularlyaglassofcoldwateratleastevery1/2
hour.
Inmoreadvancedphasesyoushouldperformcyclicdigestivecontrolsevery
30minwithadditionalwaterdrinking(withcareandwithoutstrain)andPMCof
theisolatedsectionsoftheabdominalwall.Finishalwayswithacentralabdom
inaldownwardsMCcontrolsequenceinordertoeliminatethewasteproducts.
TheabdominalMCcontrolsshouldbedonewithSMCBtoimprovebodyoxy
genation,soifyouneedtoholdyourbreathtokeepthevacuum,don'ttrythis
advancedmethod.
In any case, try to flush your internal systems by means of soft thermal
shocks(warmandcold),finishingalwayswiththecoldone,whileyourelaxyour
musclesandfocusyourbreathing,energyandmentalvisualizationintherecov
erofyourinternalbalanceandintheproductionofnewhealthytissue.
5.11.4.Controlofsomeinternalfunctions
Thefinalaimofinternalcontrolwouldbetheregulationofourownmetabol
ism.Thoughthiscouldsoundlikesciencefictionstuff29,infact,thesimplevol
29 Infact,therearecontinuousreferencestothisabilityinthetheFrankHerbert'sscience
fictionmasterpieceDUNE.ThankstomyfriendTakfornoticingsuchinterestingreference.
untaryregulationofourbreathing(bymeansofSMCB,forexample)producesa
seriesofchemicaleffects,that,indirectlyatfirstandmoredirectlyafteryearsof
patientpractice,canbeusedtoregulateourowninternalfunctionstosomeex
tent.
Themostsimplemechanismofmetabolicregulationisbymeansofthecon
troloftheamountofCO2inourblood.Agreaterproportionofcarbondioxidein
ducesrelaxationandchangesthebloodpHwithsomedeepeffectsoverother
bodyfunctions.Theamountofcarbondioxidecanbeincreasedbymeansof
carefulCBHuse,asexplainedbefore.
Besides,analyticalultrapreciseMCtechniquescouldbeusedtopresssome
internal lymphatic vessels and even endocrine glands to enhance or induce
theirsecretion,actingsovoluntarilyoverthehormonalbalanceofthebody.Ul
trapreciseMCcouldbestudiedalsoasameansofselfinducedacupuncture.
Unfortunately,theseextremelyinterestingpointsareverypoorlystudied.Per
haps,Iwillbeableinafuturetoexploretheminfurtherdetail.
5.11.5.Mentalreinforcementinducedbymusclecontrolawareness
MC develops to the extreme the mindbody connection by means of a
biofeedbackprocessthatreinforcesthementalstrengthasmuchthemuscular
one.
Besides,therelaxingabilitiesinvolvedinthelearningofMCpermitawiser
useofourownenergeticresources.Wecanusetheenergysavedbymeansof
relaxationtoimproveourmentalawarenessinbothdailyandcriticalsituations.
Inthissense,propervisualizationandconcentrationarefundamental.
Herearesomesuggestionstoimproveourmentalperformancebymeansof
MCpractice.
PractiseMCusingtheoscillatingcontractionandconcentrationtechnique
(oroscillatingmusclecontrol,OMC,forbrevity).Thisisaverymentalpro
ductivemeanbetweentheSMCandBMCmethods.Isolateamusclevery
slowly,feelinghowtheincreasingtensiondemandsmorementalenergy.
Trytotuneyourcontractionverypreciselybypurementalawarenessonly
whileyouareinhaling(usesynchronizedSMCB).Raiseyourtensionlevel
above the shaking point (apply the OSMC technique) and stabilize the
contractionjustatthebeginningoftheexhalation.Exhaleveryslowly,de
creasingthetensioninthesameamount,butdon'teliminateitcompletely,
trytodistinguishthelowestlevelofcontractionyoucanachievewithout
relax.Repeat35timeswithoutrest.Thismethodcanbeveryneuralde
manding,useitcarefully.
Useprecisefocusedrelaxation(PFR)todevelopthemindbodylinkfrom
theotherperspective.Performaslowfullbodycontractionandtrytorelax
onlyonemusclewhileyoukeeptheothercontracted.Thisisaverydiffi
culttechnique.
CombinedMC,sequentialcontractionandmuscledancingcanbeused
veryeffectivelytodevelopcoordinationskills.
Quiteamazingly,themindactslikeamusclewhosefunctionistothink
(amongotherveryimportantthings)andcanbedevelopedapplyingana
logoustechniques.Soyoucan(andshould)useMindControlthesame
asMC(fortunately,bothtermshavethesameinitials).Visualizeallyour
senses,thoughtsandfeelingsandapplyreflectivecontroloverallofthem.
Trainyourownthoughtsthesameasyoucontractyourmuscles.Usean
energyloopforthis,imaginethatyouhavetocontract(forceorwork)
yourownmind,redirectyourneuralenergytoyouruppercerebralfunc
tions. Analyse all your involuntary actions (breathing, pulse, digestion,
sleep,pleasures,pains,...)andstudyhowtheyaffectyourdeepestbeing.
Be confident in yourself and try to make them voluntary. Maxick men
tionedhowheachievedsuchcontrollevelbymeansofthedevotedprac
ticeofMC.
5.11.5.1.Internalsensing
Internalsensingisbestdeveloped indeep relaxationstates.Irecommend
theuseofsomeofthevoluntaryrelaxationtechniquestoachieveagoodlevel
ofgeneralrelaxation.
Trytovisualizeclearlytheenergyflowsinyourbodyinsuchstateandhow
the slightest variation can affect them. Focus your attention progressively in
yourbreathing,yourpulse,yourmind(tryingtoliberateitfromanyspurious
thoughts)andfinallyconcentrateinyourownselfreflectiveness,exploringyour
deepestbeing.Diveintothecoreofyourexistence,discoveringitslimitations,
butalsoitsinfiniteprojection,whichwillallowyoutosurpasssuchshortcom
ings.Thisprocessisknownasintrospection.
Afterasuccessfulintrospectionyoushouldfeelplentyofmentalpowerand
withaprofoundsenseofpeaceandwellbeing.
5.11.5.2.Enhancementofexternalsensing
Inrelaxingstatesyoucandecidetofocusyourconcentrationontheexternal
sensationsinsteadtheinternalones.Thekeyistoemploytheneuralenergy
usually usedtocontractthemusclesforimprovingourvision,hearingability
andskinsensibilityamongothers.Inveryrelaxedstatesyoudonotneedal
mostanycontractingenergy,soifyouforceyourmindtokeepitselfalert,you
shouldnoticearelativeimprovementinyoursensingabilities.
5.11.5.3.Theintegrationoftheholisticandanalyticvisions
TheWesternmentalityisanalyticalandtheEasternoneisholisticingeneral.
Bothwaysofthinkingarenecessaryandmustbeintegratedinacompletevis
ionofourownlife.
TheMClearningprocessisextremelyanalytical,becauseitdevelopshigher
andhigherdegreesofmuscularisolation,almosttheoppositeofmanyusual
meditationpractices.Thismethodisbyfarthemostscientificandlongterm
productive,butitwouldbeuselessifyouareunabletocombinealltheisolated
aspectsintoaunifiedvisionofyourselfandyourconnectionswiththeexternal
world.Thisphilosophicviewofexercisestatesaverycleardifferencebetween
Maxaldingandbodybuilding.Maxaldingpursuesthefinalperfectunionofbody
andmindintoasuperiorlevelofpersonalperfection.
5.12.Mindbodyconnection
5.12.1.ThedevelopmentofWillPower
WillPowercouldbedefinedastheabilitytodowhatmustbedone,instead
whatwewanttodoinacertainmoment.MCtriestoteachyourmusclestoact
correctlyineverysituation,withoutinterferences.Yourmindshoulddominate
yourbodyineverymomentbymeansofMC,thesameasyoushoulddominate
alwaysyourownmindbymeansofWillPower.
Infact,allimportantthingsaredonebymeansofWillPower.Eventhepower
ofourreasoningandsciencearebasedultimatelyinourconfidenceintheintel
ligibilityoftheUniverseandinourbeliefthatwecanactovertheworld,chan
gingitandmakingitabetterplacetolife,ifwewant.
5.12.2.Theachievementofselfcontrol
SelfcontrolisthelaststepinthestudyofMaxalding.ForMaxick,selfcontrol
impliedthelackofanybareneedexcepttheessentialfeedingofthebodysys
tems,eveninthisregarditisknownthatMaxickatelessfoodthantheaverage
person. Self control and Will Power are intimately related, reinforcing them
selveswitheachnewvoluntaryaction.
SelfcontrolisdevelopedinthesamewayasMC.Trytoisolatethefunda
mental aspects of each action, distinguishing the important factsfromthose
thatinterfere withyourmainaimandavoiding any antagonistic desirethat
couldbeoppositetotheachievementofyourmainaim.Antagonisticactionis
avoidedbymeansofvoluntarymentalrelaxation.Everytimeyouthinkthat
somenecessaryeffortisunaffordable,analysethecauses,trytorelaxthem
andcontrolthesituationfocusingallyourenergyinonedefinite(isolated)ac
tioneachmoment.ItisveryremarkablethatMonteSaldofinishedtheSecond
PartofhisMAXALDINGbookwithaFINALWORDaboutworryinganditsterriblecon
sequences.
Themainaimofeverymaxaldistshouldbealwaysperfection.Everymax
aldistmustbeafriendlyandhelpfulperson,becausethestudyofMCshould
revealyouallsortofselflimitations,difficultiesandshortcomings.Theknow
ledgeofourownweaknessesisthefirststeptowardssurpassingthem,turning
themwithpatientpracticeinyourbestallieswhenadifficultsituationarises.
5.12.3.Theselfcontrolfreedomrelationship
Justbeforepassingaway,Maxickdonatedusadeepthoughtthatrevealsthe
connectionbetweentheachievementoftrueselfcontrolandrealfreedom.True
freedomisconcernedwiththelackofanyinternalcontradictionandthebest
waytodevelopthisinternalwellbeingisselfcontrol.MCisdifficultbecause
manymusclesseemtobeinsensitivetoourordersatfirst.Thesameoccurs
withallourvoluntaryactions,alotoftimesthedifficultiesseemtosurpassour
abilitiesandpowers.Insuchcaseswefeeloverwhelmedandtrapped.Selfcon
trolhelpustoisolatetheeffectfromthecause,openingsonewpossibilitiesto
solvetheproblem.Separatingthecausefromitsnegativeeffectoverourmind,
wewillfeelourselvesmuchmorefreeandcapable.
Lifeistooshorttowasteourtimetryingtostrugglewithourowncontradic
tions,insteadoftryingtomakethingsabiteasierusingourenergiesforper
formingreallyimportantthings.
5.12.4.Thescienceofselfcontrolandindividualspirituality
Selfcontrolisalifelongdisciplinethatcanbedevelopedandstudiedinan
analytical,thenscientific,way.Theenhancementofourinternalfreedomallows
ahappierandricherspirituallife.Because,whenselfcontrolallowsaperfect
coordinationbetweenmindandaction,thesoulbodydichotomydisappears.
Unfortunately, the influence of some biased and very restricted visions of
presentsciencetriestoeliminatetheextremelyimportantspiritualaspectsof
thehumanbeing.Thisartificialseparationproducestwoveryharmfulextremes.
Infirstplace,therearepeoplewhonegatetheneed,eventheexistence,of
ourspiritualnatureinthenameofscience,turningsoscienceinakindof
modern,(falsely)verifiablereligion.Thispointofviewisabsurdandabsolutely
sterileforboththehumanperfectionandthesciencedevelopment.
Asadesperatereactiontothepreviouspointofview,somepeopletrytojus
tifytheirbeliefsturningcertaindifficultscientifictheoriesinamixtureofmystical
misconceptions.
Ifeelcompletelyamazed(andveryangrytoo)whenIreadallsortofabsurd
statements that pretend to use Quantum Mechanics as its last resource of
validity, even in the field of Physical Culture. Most people, when they hear
about Quantum Mechanics think immediately about some kind of esoteric
knowledge,verypoorlyunderstood,whichcanvalidateanyfollowingreasoning.
Fortunately,IcanassureyouthatweknowalotaboutQuantumMechanics,
becauseitisaverygoodestablishedtheorywithalmostacenturyinexistence.
Similarthings aresuggested fromanother scientific branches, likeBiochem
istry,whenwemustreadsuchreductionistabsurditiesasthatallourfeelings,
likelove,friendship,altruism,faith,...,aretheresultofmerechemicalreactions.
Itisapitytoseehowpeopleiseasilyreadytobelievesuchpseudoscientific
lies,andfindsohardtofacetheeternalandreallyimportantquestionsclearly
statedbythePhilosophyandReligionfromthebeginningofourcivilization.
Maxaldingisuniqueinthisregard,becauseitrepresentsaclearequilibrium
pointinthedevelopmentandselfstudyofourmindbodyexternalworldre
lationship.Theseriousmaxaldistwillbeabletoapplythishardlearnedbalance
toallaspectsofhisorherlife,frominternalfreedomandspiritualitytotheef
fectiverealizationofdailypracticalduties.
6.Acknowledgements
ThisbookaboutthePrinciplesofMaxaldingandMuscleControlwouldnotbe
possiblewithouttheunselfishhelpofalotofgoodfriends.Firstofall,Iwantto
expressmydeepestgratitudetoRogerFillary,GilWaldronandRonTyrrellfor
makingtheMaxaldingandSandowpluswebsitesfreelyavailableforallofus,
fortheirinvaluablesupport,wisecommentsandendlessencouragement.
ThenamingofallMaxaldingforummemberswhohadcontributedwiththeir
invaluableideasandcommentstothewritingofthebookwouldbealmostim
possible.ItisarealprivilegeformetosharewiththemourMaxaldingknow
ledgeanddevotion.
Iwantalsotothankmyfamilyfortheirunderstandingandalotoffunnyjokes
aboutmystrangeposesandtheextremeconcentrationexpressionofmyface
(theythoughtthatIwasinsomekindofdangeroustranceatfirst)whenIprac
tiseMuscleControl.
FinallyIwishtorememberherethememoryofthefoundersofMaxalding,
Maxick, Monte and Court Saldo. They deserve our eternal gratitude for re
searching,creatinganddevelopingthedeepestandmostperfectPhysicalCul
turesystemofalltimes.Ihopethatthismodestbookwillcontributetokeep
alivetheirmarvellousdiscoverieswithadmirationfortheirachievements,fidelity
totheirideasandrespectfortheirmodellifes.
7.Theauthor232
7.Theauthor
JuanAntonioMartnezRojaswasbornin1972inSpain.Heisgraduatedin
Astrophysics,hasaPh.D.inAtomicandNuclearPhysicsandheisprofessor
andresearcherinthesubjectofOpticalCommunicationsatUAHinMadrid.
HehasbeenalwaysveryinterestedineveryaspectofPhysicalCulture,es
peciallymindbodydevelopmenttechniquesandmartialarts.Hehaspractised
heavilyKyokushinkarate,bodyweightexercises,longdistanceswimming,high
mountaintrekkingandlongdistancewalkingamongothersports.
HediscoveredMaxaldingandMCsearchingthewebforthemostperfectand
scientificmethodofPhysicalCultureandsincethen(beginningof2000)hehas
practisedMCalmostexclusively,tryingtodevelopittothelimitofhisownabilit
ies.Thisbookistheresultofsuchexperienceandoftheinvaluableknowledge
sharingwithothermaxaldiststhroughthepostsoftheMaxaldingforum.
Figure24.Theauthor(practisingSMCBrelaxationduringabeautifulhighmountaintrekking).

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Philosophy,ScienceandPracticeof

3. Progressive ability for relaxing statically and dynamically all muscle

crucifixes,etc. Whilethe spotlightsshoweduphisunparalleleddevelopment; when

Gymnastics, especially Roman rings (without rings) feats. This type of

The benefits of MC were fully recognized by Aston after Monte Saldo,

Pure mental MC training is very difficult because it involves a large

The core of Maxicks training was no apparatus exercises, all authors

Maxick used lightdumbbells insome of his exercises. The reason are

Strength isas important to health as endurance. But endurance is not

You must believe inyour own possibilities. As Maxicksaid, strength is

There isa principal objective inPhysical Culture,perfect health.Never

Theavoiding ofboredom andmonotony is one ofthereasonsofthe low

The thickfilaments haveadiameterofabout15nm(1nm= 109 m).

the restingpotentialofthefibreisrestoredbyanoutflowof potassium

Isometric selfresistance (ISR). The necessary resistance to feel the

Antagonistic muscular resistance (AMR). In this case the resistance is

Visualization and mental concentration (VMC).Thisisanextremelyim

One of the temptations of amaxaldist is to believe that he masters com

Analytic muscle control (AMC). An isolated muscle or muscle group is

Stepbystep (or strategic) muscle control with resistance (SMCR).This

Consideradumbbell swing performed withalight weight, but sufficient to

Many Maxick's friends, including Aston, commented that no picture could

breathings (about 710 s), in general, because the concentration de

pressing over the frontof theresistedwrist withthe fist firmlyclenched. Be

DMC(dynamic muscle control). Itconsistsinthe motion ofan isolated

Sometimes it is very difficult to contract simultaneously several muscle

Because MC develops to an extreme degree the neural connections

Because MC improves your psychological training and reinforces your

But, without doubt, a very remarkable progression in MC training can be

The serratus mustbecontractedtosomeextentinordertokeeptherib

moretime).Sometimes, thepresence ofno digested food isrelated to

Trytorelaxasfarasyoucanthe rectusabdominis duringthevacuum

Sometimes could be helpful to feel the contraction produced when you

have been confirmed by recent investigations with animals and human

Concentrated foods are not advised, as they do not leave sufficient

Forthe sufferer fromindigestion. The simplestandplainest foods only

Wholemeal bread should be taken to exclusion of the white. If such

A man whose weight has been reduced by drastic exercise, artifical

a quantity likely tomaintain the tissue at itsexisting weight. The body

Itcanbe demandingtothe nervoussystem. The contractions mustbe

Dynamic musclecontrol (DMC) is usually confused with visualized resist

Pure mentalcontrol of the muscle(lackofsupporting action, likehand

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