subject: Zone of Proximal Development & Bodybuilding [print this page] Zone of Proximal Development & Bodybuilding
No human being was designed to have 22-inch arms. Despite the Ronnie Colemans and Jay Cutlers of the world sporting arms this big with no problem, man was not designed to be this size. Nor were we designed to walk around at 250+ pounds of muscular weight. Cavemen clocked in at 140 pounds with some "brutal" 14-inch guns, and they got around just fine. Man has truly defied nature's boundaries in the last century, and he did it by pushing the use of nutrition, training, and chemical assistance (steroids) to new boundaries.
When a child is learning to read, you have to give him words that are too tough to read, and you help him. Reading at this level places him in the "zone of proximal development", an area just above where they are capable of performing, but an area where they are able to perform with a little assistance. Man has used this same theory to grow bigger than previously thought possible. Let's examine some of the areas where this is true.
Nutrition
Man used to be hunters and gatherers. He consumed a few hundred calories per day of fruit, vegetables, and any meat he could kill or find. Today, bodybuilders consume 3000 or more calories per day, with at least 1200 of those calories coming in the form of 300+ grams of protein.
Training
Bodybuilders train in the zone of proximal development, when they lift progressively heavier weights and use a spotter or cheat techniques to lift more weight than before. The floor of proximal development is muscle failure, and you must train past that if you want to make gains.
Chemical Assistance
Man was not designed to have extremely high levels of testosterone. Man was not designed to possess bodily levels of growth hormone found in today's top bodybuilders. If you desire a physique that goes beyond traditional potential, you're going to need to use these compounds- but only after proper nutrition and training is ensured!
Mindset
If you want to be 240 pounds, you are going to have to eat, sleep, train, and think like a 240-pound man. If you are 180 pounds, and you've been that way for a while, it's because you are eating, sleeping, and training like a 180-pound man. You need to do more. Every man in the gym believes he trains his hardest, but it's simply not the case. Every man in the gym usually believes he's eating enough calories this is patently false. If you are not able to reach a lean body weight of 220 pounds without steroids, then you are simply not pushing yourself further enough into the zone of proximal development. You are eating and training where you are comfortable, and the 180-pound frame you are sporting today is all that nature requires for the training and nutrition load you impose upon it. The only way you're going to reach your goal of being 230 to 240 pounds of muscle, is to train and eat harder. You can do it many men before you have done so.
