Despite Arnold Schwarzenegger?s ?One Hour Fix? for Effective Workouts, 80 Y.O. Bodybuilding Veteran Reveals Better Solution

Embarking on a fitness journey is an empowering decision. But making the most out of the workouts requires more than just showing up at the gym. While every bodybuilder and lifter might suggest something different to follow, to maximize gains, one thing that will be common in all the answers will be the importance of rest and recovery. 7X Mr. Olympia?Arnold Schwarzenegger?previously mentioned in his newsletter that an extra hour of sleep during the day can support your fitness journey. 3X Mr. Olympia Frank Zane, on the other hand, suggests a different approach toward rest and recovery.?

In the recent blog on Frank Zane’s official website, ‘The Chemist’ talks about a method that is?“more restorative than sleep.”?So, what is this method, Zane is talking about? Let’s find out.

What approach does Zane suggest?

Rest is the cornerstone of muscle growth, strength gains, and overall progress in?bodybuilding. When one exercises, one creates micro-tears in muscle fibers, which need time to repair and adapt. Adequate rest allows for protein synthesis, glycogen replenishment, hormone regulation, and overall recovery. Emphasizing the importance of rest and recovery,?Frank Zane wrote in his blog?about the same.?“It?s important to rest. Sleep or meditate,”?said Zane.

Shedding more light on this, Zane wrote,?“The fact is meditation is two times more restorative than sleep. I find myself sleeping less (5 hours a night) and meditating more (1 to 2 hours a day) as I ripen with age.”?Zane continued by explaining that a common phenomenon in the sport of bodybuilding is over-training, which can be harmful to muscle gain.

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“You have to train hard enough to elicit a little soreness the next day in the body parts worked. If you do too much you may get sore two days after your workout because it takes longer to heal. I stretch a lot when I?m sore,”?explained Zane. Talking along the same lines, Arnold Schwarzenegger recently talked about the importance of rest and recovery. Let’s take a look at what different Schwarzenegger suggested from Zane.

Secret ‘One Hour Fix’ of ‘The Austrian Oak’

In his newsletter,?Arnold’s Pump Club, Schwarzenegger once?suggested that an extra hour of rest and sleep can do wonders?for your mind and body. He wrote,??Adding 1 hour of sleep to your day can help support healthier eating habits, reduce hunger, and limit the likelihood that you crave foods that are higher in fat and sugar.?

Concluding his messages on this topic, Arnie wrote,??Sleep deprivation plays a big role in managing hunger, cravings, and total caloric intake.??He explained that an extra hour of sleep, a small change, can lead to big results over time as it can help an individual control his caloric intake.

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One thing that we can learn from what Zane and Schwarzenegger suggested is that the balance between training and rest is of paramount importance. Rest and recovery are not signs of weakness but rather vital components of progress and injury prevention.