The Arthur Jones Full Body Workout, the “Grandfather of Bodybuilding,” Used to Train Boyer Coe
Considered the “grandfather of bodybuilding,” Arthur Jones was one of the pioneers of minimalist lifting protocols and the inventor of several exercise machines, including the Nautilus line, known for its variable resistance settings and its ability to work with the body’s natural strength curve.
Training Mike Mentzer and Casey Viator, and launching his own experiments such as the famous “Colorado Experiment”, Jones quickly became known for his comprehensive and unique methods of muscle building.
Although many remember the names Mentzer and Viator, it was Jones who was considered an “exercise philosopher” and was a pioneer, staunchly opposed to the ultra-long workouts of the time, opting instead for intensity over volume. He argued that “if you train properly, you don’t need a really large ‘amount’ of exercise; Plus, if you train properly, you don’t tolerate a lot of exercise.
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A proponent of smarter training And more difficult, he shared: “All the evidence clearly supports the assertion that ‘exercise intensity’ should be as high as possible – and that ‘amount of exercise’ should be limited to the absolute minimum that will produce the desired growth stimulation.”
“It is literally impossible for a conditioned athlete to train too hard, but [it] It’s easily possible for anyone to overtrain,” he said, further dashing our hopes that we could get away with less training with his methods.
In footage from a 1987 training session with Boyer Coe, Jones shares his expertise and meticulous coaching style with the legendary bodybuilder. Coe is one of the most decorated bodybuilders of the 1970s and 80s, competing with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and has received several bodybuilding titles and numerous magazine covers throughout his career.
In this rare footage, we can see how the greats of the era trained and how Jones trained his athletes to become champions with single sets close to failure. Far from the thumbnails and eye-catching clickbait edits, not only is the programming minimalist, but so is the setup and direction of the images. Pure bodybuilding from the 80s.
Training
The session begins with a modest 300 pound calf raise. Jones reminds Coe why they are revisiting it. “I gave you a foul on form here, so let’s see if you can improve your form a little today,” he says and asks for a “kick” at the top of the calf raise. Coe can be seen increasing his range of motion a little more at the top of the movement, following Jones’ lead. After reducing the reps slightly, Jones explains that they will gain weight in the next session. Coe manages 17 representatives.
Jones calls for full control of rehearsals: “Don’t stop at the bottom and give me a definite break. You don’t have to stay here very long, but show me you can.
He explains: “Sometimes I look at the weight stack, I can judge your form better from the weight stack than by looking here. If you hit it upwards, that weight stack will bounce back; if it goes up and stops then comes back down, the shape is good. Coe manages eight solid reps under control with a break at the top and Jones says they’ll stay with that weight until Coe can hit 10 with good form.
Leg curl – 180 lbs
Jones recommends not letting the weight stack bounce, encouraging control throughout the rep. “That knee was bothering me a little bit,” Coe admits. Jones said: “You had your knee too low, I think. I think your foot was too low. Jones records the exercise as a “five-rep question mark.”
Nautilus “Spinning” machine (weighted pull-ups) – 120 lb
Jones introduces a bet: “How about 10 reps for $10 per rep?” » If it’s 10, no bet, if it’s below 10, you pay me, and if it’s more than 10, I pay you? Here we are committing a crime in the state of Florida and illegally videotaping ourselves. Coe had already completed eight reps, this time he does almost nine, cursing and admitting that he owes Jones money.
Decline Press – 190 lbs
Coe manages a roster of seven representatives. “In six months, you’ll be doing 11 or 12 reps with 240 on that chin, at which point you should be able to do five or six reps on one arm with either arm,” Jones says.
Reverse fly – 120lbs
Coe does 10 reps, visibly struggling, but Jones isn’t entirely convinced and says, “I’m going to give you 10 and make mistakes on the form, so we’ll leave it at that.” I think you really have nine good ones.
Refuse Fly – 120 lbs
Coe performs a full set, but Jones fixes the setup and asks him to do another. With his back placed further back on the seat, he can be under the axis of rotation according to Jones.
Rotating torso – 150 lbs
Similar to a cable woodcut, the machine works the obliques and core muscles. The machine is unlikely to be found in a 2025 budget gym, but it is nonetheless likely to be very effective. Jones nods at Coe’s improvement and says, “You’re getting really strong on this.” Of course, this is an area of your body that you’ve probably never worked on in your life, so it’s not really surprising. Coe does 15 to 16 reps per side.
Moving up to 160 pounds on the lateral raise, Coe completes 10 reps. The last two don’t pass Jones’ inspection: “You have 10, but I’m going to give you a foul on the form for the last two, so we’ll stick with that.”
Finishing with 65 pounds of shrugs, Coe pushes for 13 to 15 reps, stopping at the top as directed. “Give me a nice break upstairs, okay?” “, says Jones. “I noticed that you always grip with your hands – it’s instinctive to do that, but it’s not necessary and it doesn’t help; It just raises your blood pressure.
Final exam
Jones concludes the session, stoic in nature, by saying: “You are doing no harm at all, you are aware of almost everything. » We’re going to raise the calves a little bit, leg bend area problem, torso rotation, you’re standing again, shrug your shoulders, you’re standing – most other things, you’ve increased your reps, so you’re doing well.
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