The old time strongmen used to lift huge weights just enough to clear a sheet of paperit is in this tradition that Sri Chinmoy's lifts should be seen. His real goal is to bring attention to the spiritual life , which is the real source of his power. For someone who is approaching 70 years of age, training every day with such ponderous weights to inspire humanity is the real world record.
Frank ZaneTo me, Sri Chinmoy is a source of higher power and an uplifting example of right attitude. He understands the human impulse to transcend one's present limited state of being, and his life exemplifies this.
Frank ZaneThe truth I've discovered is that you don't have to lift enormous weights to grow muscle. By using stricter form, slower negatives, and stretching between sets you can get an incredible pump in all your workouts. Numbers are an abstraction, especially to muscles. Your body doesn't know the absolute weight of what you lift, it only recognizes how heavy it feels. The secret is to make lighter weights feel heavier.
Frank ZaneA lot of guys have better genes but if you work hard and consistently, you can outperform them.
Frank ZaneBack in the day I took a lot of supplements and tons of amino acids. Still do. But back then it was pretty unusual. That's how I got the nickname The Chemist.
Frank ZaneSo, knowing what you know now, if you had the chance to go back to, say, ’68, ’70, would you do things differently?
Frank ZaneIn those days, I did what was necessary for me to win. This included training with heavy weights: a precursor for injury. So if I could do it over again I’d train with lighter weights, higher reps, no sets below 10 reps, with negatives slower than positives, and avoid injury. If I had done that, my physique wouldn’t have been quite as bulky, but with more definition and with less pain.
Frank Zane