Stuart McRobert (born 1958 in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
) is a writer on
strength training
Strength training or resistance training involves the performance of physical exercises that are designed to improve strength and endurance. It is often associated with the lifting of weights. It can also incorporate a variety of training te ...
, best known as the founder and publisher of ''
Hardgainer'' magazine.
Biography
McRobert started weight training at age 15, and began writing articles on weight training while attending college in
Liverpool, England
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
. His first article was published in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' magazine, in July, 1981. McRobert moved to
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
in 1983, teaching at an English language school in
Nicosia
Nicosia ( ; el, Λευκωσία, Lefkosía ; tr, Lefkoşa ; hy, Նիկոսիա, romanized: ''Nikosia''; Cypriot Arabic: Nikusiya) is the largest city, capital, and seat of government of Cyprus. It is located near the centre of the Mesaor ...
.
McRobert founded ''CS Publishing'', and began publishing ''Hardgainer'' in July, 1989. He continued publishing the magazine until June, 2004. Despite no longer publishing the magazine, he continues to operate the ''Hardgainer'' web site and his book publishing operation. In addition to ''Hardgainer'', McRobert has published numerous articles in popular
bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...
magazines such as ''Iron Man''.
He has written several popular books:
*''Brawn'' (1991)
*''The Insider's Tell-All Handbook On Weight-Training Technique'' (1996)
*''Beyond Brawn'' (1998)
*''Further Brawn'' (2001)
*''Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great'' (2006)
Training philosophy
McRobert is focused on strength training for the so-called "
hardgainer"; someone who is not a natural athlete (i.e. the vast majority of trainees). He feels that most of the workouts that are published in the bodybuilding press and magazines are not effective for normal people (without genetic advantages and/or the use of
steroids
A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and a ...
) and will either be ineffective or induce injury if attempted.
McRoberts emphasizes strict, correct form for lifts to avoid the possibility of injury, and his publications are exhaustively detailed about correct and incorrect forms. Trainees are also encouraged to use only weights that allow strict form to be maintained. Routines are also to be entered into gradually, again to prevent injury. McRobert also endorses Active Release Techniques and
Trigger Point Therapy between workouts to minimize discomfort and injury. In his latest book he also espouses the benefits of yoga to improve flexibility.
Personal life
McRobert lives in Nicosia, Cyprus with his wife and two daughters.
References
*McRobert, Stuart, "A Biographical Sketch", ''Hardgainer'', July–August, 1994.
External links
Hardgainer.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:McRobert, Stuart
1958 births
Living people
Strength training writers