Military members have to be so well trained that when the pressure is on, they don't have to think about how their bodies will react. Instinct becomes their greatest ally.
Now that Carl Roberts is ex-military, he has a new concept of training. Rather than preparing for combat and carrying heavy loads of equipment, he trains for physique aesthetics and general fitness. He has packed on nearly 50 pounds since he joined the Marine Corps. Which raises a question: How big can this man get?
When Carl Roberts was 18 years old, he barely weighed 100 pounds. Still he had the stones to follow Arnold Schwarzenegger's training plans, though. Of course Carl, was but a sapling off the Austrian Oak, slowly building mass. He did it by changing course and lifting for his own goals, not someone else's. Not even Arnold's.
"Everyone's body is different, so what will work for me will not work for another person," Carl says. "I keep a log of everything I do in the gym, as well as of how I feel the day after each workout. If I felt good about a workout then I keep it in the mix. If I don't, then I just toss it out. Get a feel for what works for you."
To know what will work for you, try new things, Carl says. Until you start trying a few different regimens, rep ranges, set changes and weight increases you won't know much about your changing body.
"When I first started I would do basic bodybuilding routines: bench press/incline/decline, etc.," Roberts says. "Over time, I started incorporating more resistance. I'd use resistance bands on my bench press or throw in more supersets, dropsets, or negatives. I don't like to do the same thing every day and every week, so I keep changing. I'll even do CrossFit one day to keep constant change.
"I do free weights, barbell squats, bench presses, military presses, and deadlifts," Roberts says. "Sometimes I use machines. I keep it as basic bodybuilding style weight training. Then, on Saturdays I'll do high-intensity training, CrossFit, stuff like that."
The regimen Carl lists below is a 3-day split. He works his entire body in just three days, working abs all three days. All his prescribed cardio comes in the morning, in as little as 15 minutes each day. He will wait up to four hours after cardio to begin a weightlifting session. Yes, you need rest after cardio, especially on leg days. He'll rest completely every fourth day. That means no gym, no cardio, no jump rope in the driveway. It's strictly rest.
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BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.
BodyFit
$6.99/month- 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
- 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
- Detailed workout instruction
- Step-by-step workout tips
- Training at gym or at home
- Access to Workout Plans
- Access to Bodyfit App
- Store Discounts
Already have a Bodybuilding.com account with BodyFit? Sign In
What comes with BodyFit?
- Instructional Videos
Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.
- How-to Images
View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.