Laynes concept of Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training has been hugely successful, breaking through the ‘normal’ barriers that constrict those who train to working each muscle group once a week. This system of training incorporates two working days for each muscle, one focusing on larger weights with fewer reps and the other using higher reps alongside the notion of hypertrophy. Part two of Dr Layne Norton’s interview also looks at steroid use, his love for power-lifting and what’s next for Layne and his wife Isabel.

Toonari Post (TP): When did you come up with the concept of PHAT training?

Layne Norton (LN): Well, when I was in College, I played Rugby for a few years for my school and I herniated two discs in my neck making a tackle, so I had to go light for a few months in terms of training. As I was doing that, I was thinking about how to reorganize my training and I was talking to a guy, Doctor Eugene Sanik, to give credit where credit is due, we were posting on the same message boards and he asked if I’d ever considered training everything twice a week. I said, well that’s surely overtraining [laughs] but he said, how actually, research shows this, this and this, he sent me all this interesting stuff and we discussed non-linear periodization and how you should use different rep schemes and rep ranges. So I decided to give it a shot, starting with a four day week program, with two upper body days and two lower body days, one day focusing on lower rep, heavier weight and the other day was higher rep stuff. That kind of formed the basis of what would become Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training.

I saw more gains doing that routine for a year than I had in the previous four years. I remember the next time I competed and people said that in comparison to the last time I competed, it was a difference between a boy and a man, my physique completely changed. I don’t claim to be a creator of something that has never been done before; it’s just basically non-linear periodization system that’s easier to understand. Most people don’t do periodized training because when they read about how to program it, it becomes complicated and convoluted. At the end of the day, non-linear periodization works, it’s been shown to be one of the most effective ways to train.

I never put it out there as, ‘this is my routine that I have come up with and it’s the end all, be all of everything’ [laughs]. I just wrote down what I was doing, In my journals and the first time we filmed the video series [for Bodybuilding.com], the guy who was filming asked me what routine I followed. So I knew I had to come up with a name and I wanted to come up with something unique, Power Hypertrophy Training, which you have to Adapt – P.H.A.T.

TP: Some people online accuse you of being unnatural and a steroid user. They continue to do so, despite the fact that you have openly admitted to never gaining more than 10lbs of muscle in a calendar year; do you consider the accusations to be offensive or even a compliment?

LN: I guess it’s kind of a compliment, but I want to help people, I genuinely do; I’m not so much offended by people accusing me, I’m more offended by people thinking that way. I’m more offended by that fact that some people are so weak minded. It’s not just Bodybuilding; anybody who’s ever had success or made any money or done anything, they must have cheated to get there, or had help. They think that anybody who’s ever been successful must have had everything handed to them and the reality is, that’s not true; the majority of successful people have a lot of integrity and just work really hard. So I guess it’s the mentality that bothers me more than anything else.

I just want to help people, but they can be so ignorant. I used to argue with people a lot more about it, I used to put a lot more effort in to trying to convince them but I realized, you can’t convince somebody who already has their mind made up and is ignorant about certain things, it’s just not going to happen. I don’t waste too much time on those people anymore.

I’ve had people say “I buy steroids from the same dealer that supplies Layne”, but I’m not going to allow those people to make up lies about me. I mean, if someone wants to say “I think Layne Norton is on steroids” or “It’s my opinion he’s on steroids”, then they’re welcome to their opinion, they’re wrong, but their welcome to it [Laughs].  When I was younger and had more energy, I used to get more riled up about that kind of stuff, I guess now that I’m older, I realize it’s just words. That’s all jealous, ignorant people have, they’re never going to meet me on stage, they’re never going to get to a power lift meet, they’re going to sit behind a computer and yap and talk, before eventually going away. It’s been 13 years and those people who used to say hateful things, I don’t hear anything from them anymore and they’re gone. I’m still here though and I’m going to be here in another 13 years.

TP: What’s your view on those people who use steroids and go down the unnatural route?

LN: I have friends who use steroids, one of my closest friends does actually. It’s one of those things that I look at it like cigarettes; if somebody wants to smoke, that’s their business, as long as they’re not forcing me to endure it. I’m one of these people that, my belief is that you should be allowed to do what you want as long as you’re not hurting somebody else. My biggest thing is that if you’re going to use steroids, be educated and understand the risks.

Another thing, don’t compete in a tested organization. If you take steroids you have the option to compete in a non-tested organization, but if you compete in a natural organization and you’re taking steroids, then you really are a piece of ****. I say that without hesitation about anybody. Their excuse is that everybody’s doing it, no, in your mind everybody’s doing it, because you’re weak. But in my opinion, those people are going to need those steroids, they’re going to need to cheat because of their weak mentality, which is the same reason that they’re going to cheat on their diet, their training and I’m going to beat them anyway. If someone takes steroids and competes in the NPC or the IFBB, that’s their decision and I don’t look down on people who choose to do that, but I do think that there are health aspects that they should be conscious of. But at the same time, smoking isn’t illegal, yet we let people kill themselves with cigarettes, so if they’re educated, they know the risks and decide to that that that’s their business.

TP: Does the unnatural IFBB scene, which attracts a lot more popularity than the natural circuit bother you in any way?

LN: It’s a media thing, I mean, they’re more interesting to look at, a natural bodybuilder looks like a regular person with clothes on. It’s like in Baseball; we want to watch the 500 ft home run, we want to see two football players run at blistering speeds and concuss the hell out of each other [laughs]. So, I think it’s the same sort of thing in Bodybuilding; people want to see the big massive dudes, it’s more impressive to them and that’s fine but there is also a certain amount of people that want to see natural physiques and that’s fine too.

I’m not one of these guys who is like “we’ve got to get the IFBB out of the media and we’ve got to take over”; I think there’s a market for both sports and they can and should co-exist, it gives people options. I watch both, natural bodybuilding is my first love but I go to the Olympia every year and enjoy watching. People have to get over the mentality that it’s us or them, it’s us and them and it should be.

TP: You’re well known for your power-lifting prowess as well as your Bodybuilding work, which one have you been more focused on in recent months?

LN: Over the past 12 months I’ve definitely been more power-lifting orientated because I haven’t done any Bodybuilding shows and I’ve done two power-lifting meets. During my off-season I really like power-lifting, because it gives me a goal to shoot for that’s more tangible. As opposed to just gaining muscle which is a slow, very arduous process; if I have something to shoot for in-between, such as specific weights, lifts and events it keeps me more motivated. I’ll probably do another power-lifting meet before I start competing again in Bodybuilding, because I still have goals I want to hit. I want to total 1,700lbs raw for my three lifts, I want too squat over 600lbs, bench over 400lbs and deadlift over 7oolbs in the same meet.

TP: Which of the two sports do you find more rewarding?

LN: Each is rewarding in their own way. I’d say the sacrifice for Bodybuilding is more rewarding, it affects you every single day whereas for power-lifting, I head into the gym and lift hard for three hours and I’m done. Bodybuilding on the other hand is in your training, it’s in your eating, and it follows you around every single day. For me, Bodybuilding is probably a little bit more rewarding, just because it’s more challenging. Power-lifting though is extremely rewarding, I love the fact that it isn’t as subjective as Bodybuilding, it’s just me and this weight, no judges with split opinions, there’s no aesthetics. It’s either I lift it or I don’t and I love that black and white outcome, it’s like I control my own destiny in that sense.

TP: What does the future hold for Layne Norton?

LN: I plan to go back to Bodybuilding in a year or so, but the biggest thing, my wife and I are going to start a family, so that will be a whole new challenge and a whole new area of my life. I’m sure with that, everything will change but other than that I’ve really enjoyed coaching people and I’m focused on becoming one of the best coaches in the industry. I already have plenty of clients, but I want people to walk away after working with me, with one of the best experiences they will receive.

Overall, I love to inspire people; I don’t understand some of the e-mails I get thanking me for changing their lives, I don’t get it. But If I can have a positive effect on someone’s life, I live for that. I’ve put myself out there, I want to show people that you don’t have to be born with this, you can work hard and make things happen for yourself and I guess that’s the biggest thing.

The article Natural Pro Bodybuilder – Dr Layne Norton Interview [Part Two] appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Not only is Layne Norton a professional bodybuilder with the IFPA and NGA, but he has also successfully obtained his PHD in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Illinois. Layne has also won competitions in power-lifting, a passion of his which compliments his first love, bodybuilding.

An advocate of his ‘outwork’ mentality, Layne has developed his PHAT training system, broken down into ‘Power and Hyper-Trophy Training’. This regime has inspired people worldwide, combining notions of power-lifting with hypertrophy training, encouraging more sets and reps of chosen exercises.

After gaining his Pro card in 2006, Layne went on to win his first competition in 2010, recording the whole event before publishing it in his DVD ‘Reloaded’. Layne found time in his busy schedule to catch up with Toonari Post and give us an insight into his life, the struggles he has faced along the way and the rewards he has achieved as a result of his extremely inspiring worth ethic.

Toonari Post (TP): Afternoon Layne, first things first, what initially got you into Bodybuilding? What age did you get into the sport properly?

Layne Norton (LN): I started Bodybuilding, because when I was younger, in High School; even in Grade School I got picked on a lot, people really treated me shabbily at school and my Dad had always had a set of weights, these really crappy weights in the basement and I thought, well I’m not like the Karate Kid, I don’t have access to Karate lessons or anything like that, so I thought, maybe if I start lifting weights, get a bit bigger, they’ll stop picking on me and maybe I’ll get some attentions from girls [laughs]. So I started, nothing real noble, I just really started lifting because I was insecure and did that on and off for a few years.

When I was 16, I got my first girlfriend and totally stopped lifting for six months [laughs], then she broke up with me and I decided to start lifting again. I picked it up again [at] age 17 and I never really stopped after that. Over the years, after about five or six years, it stopped being my lifting to achieve an ideal physique, it was more because, I just loved challenging myself and I loved the journey and the work part of it. A lot of people ask me, ‘What would you do if a supplement came out that was like anabolic steroids but basically safe, would you take it?’ and one of the things for me is, I’d actually hate that, just because, I like the work, I like having to struggle against something because it makes the reward that much better.

TP: How old were you before you started thinking about competitions and competing as a bodybuilder?

LN: I never really started thinking about doing competitions for Bodybuilding. I remember, I was 18 years old, a senior in High School and the guy who was known as basically, the most muscular guy in school, his name was Josh, very nice guy, and he used to bring in these muscle magazines and we used to look at them during class whilst we were supposed to be doing work. I remember reading an article talking about teen nationals and I thought, wow, that looks so cool, which kind of sparked my interest in competing.

When I got to College, my roommate was really into Bodybuilding too, so we kind of got into it together. Somewhere after my freshman year I decided to do my first show,  aged 19. It was funny because my roommate Josh was doing the same show as me and I remember the whole High School asking, ‘Why are you doing this show? Josh is going to destroy you, because he was known as the biggest guy in school. People in general doubted me, ever since I got started, but I actually ended up winning that show, which was an unbelievable experience. Even after all my shows, I would still say, that the teen class was my most satisfying win I have ever had, the most important thing I had ever done, up to that point. Once I had done that particular show, I got bit by the bug and loved competing.

TP: You’re well known for your extreme work ethic, where did the notion of ‘outwork’ come from?

LN: I’ll break it down into two parts for you. I’ve always been animated in the gym; I guess it might be because when I first started, I was in my basement and I could do whatever I wanted and, well, go crazy [laughs]. But when I first got into the gym, I had a lot of rage in terms of those people who had picked on me and I’m definitely an extrovert, so when I’m fired up it tends to come out when I lift. It’s always how I’ve had fun in the gym, people will look at me weird but I realized, I’m actually having fun, getting all fired up and going in for a big squat, that’s fun.

As far as Outwork goes, I remember when I was playing Baseball in my first year at high school I barely made the team, I wanted to play second base and with six guys trying out, my coach came up to me and he said, you’re not going to make the team trying out here, there are guys that are more athletic than you, faster than you, stronger than you but  we need someone at first base, there are only two guys trying out for first base, and neither are that good.  So I thought okay, whatever I’ll try out for first base and If you know anything about Baseball, first baseman are typically tall and left handed but I was right handed and not really tall [laughs].

It was one of those things where I had to learn a completely different position and I remember going home, every night, for two hours after practice was over and drilling the footwork and all these different things I needed to do to learn to play first base. Not only did I make the team, I ended up being the start all year at first base and even started at Varsity next year. My coach told me, at a banquet for the team after the season was over, that I had the least talent out of everyone on the team but I would pick you first because of your leadership and your work ethic and that instilled in me the fact that I was the least talented person trying out for the team, but I worked so hard that I was able to overcome that.

It got in my head, in terms of other stuff, people think I’m inherently smart after I got my PHD, but I’m not. In High School I had to study five/six hours a night sometimes, just to make it by and get B’s on tests. The same thing in College. I had to study for weeks before a test, but I thought, If I don’t have the talent to succeed, then I’m going to make up for it with work and that’s how I approached Bodybuilding. Twelve years ago when I got into Bodybuilding, a lot of people told me I shouldn’t do this, that I didn’t have the genetics for it, I had tiny legs and ten years later after I won my class at my first pro show, people were telling me how great my genetics were and even accused me of being on drugs. My genetics hadn’t changed in ten years, I just worked really hard. I never stopped; some people, even competitors, take six months off which I think is a joke, I’ve never taken more than a few days off, even when I tore my pectoral.

In the video series with Bodybuilding.com, is how ‘outwork’ really got started. In the first episode, they asked me what my mentality was going into the gym and I said, ‘I’m never going to be able to win every show, there’s always somebody out there that’s better than you, I’m never going to be a Doug Miller or a Cleveland Thomas. If those guys come in shape, I just don’t have the structure for it. But I’m fine with that, because if they’re off, I can give them hell. I’m going to come in as shredded as I possibly can and I know that if they’re off, I can give them hell.

My goal is to leave everything on the table, if someone beats me it’s not because they outworked me. It’s just because they’re better structurally or genetically, but I’m not going to leave anything to question whether or not I left anything in the tank. I think what people like is the idea that you can be an average person, you don’t have to be the smartest, the most talented or even the best structure, but you can still be really successful and you don’t have to be a genetic freak, you just have to work harder.

TP: You have released two DVD’s now, one mainly providing information on your PHAT training principles and the other, Reloaded, taking the viewers on the road to your first pro show in 2010, which one did you prefer making?

LN: Reloaded is the series to my first natural pro shows in 2010 and I took a long time off before, I got married, I tore my pec and then I wanted to finish my PHD and so I took a prolonged off season. It was kind of my journey back, having to deal with my own doubts, my own demons. It was four years since I actually competed. I got to the point of thinking, can I actually do this again. I got to the point of thinking am I going to remember how to do this, with diet and everything. Personally, I loved filming Reloaded and I loved watching it, it was way better for me than the first one (Unleashed), just because it was so emotionally invested.

The first DVD was all information and I knew it would sell and the second DVD, has a lot of information too, but it’s mostly a documentary about me and I thought, are people really going to want to spend their money on a DVD that’s, well, about me. I’ve really been overwhelmed with the response and how much people have liked the DVD. For me, my wife and I share a favorite part, when I come off stage and we both start crying [laughs] and I remember how that happened, I was actually talking to Brian Whittaker, a light-weight world champion and he came backstage after the show and said how I’d looked really good and we continued to discuss how things went and then out the corner of my eye, I see my camera guy start walking up, with Isabelle behind him and when she stepped out to the side her eyes were filled with tears, so I went to ask her, how she thought it went, but as soon as I went to ask her and saw that she was crying, right in the middle of me asking her, you hear me break down [laughs]. But I thought that was one of the coolest parts of the DVD because it wasn’t planned, it was definitely very genuine and spur of the moment.

Image Courtesy of  Layne Norton

The article Natural Pro Bodybuilder – Dr Layne Norton Interview [Part One] appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.