Q: I want to thank you. I got your X-treme Lean and Fat-to-Muscle Workout. Following the training methods and diet advice in those kept me so much leaner over the winter. I can't believe it's almost February and I can still see abs--not much blur at all. I usually get a bigger gut and abs vanish. Not this year--and my eating wasn't all that different from past winters, so I know it's your methods. Thank you!

A: That’s great to hear. In fact, our wives have expressed some disbelief--in a positive way--about our leanness the past two winters as well. They have seen us get overly rotund during some past cold snaps. But now our muscle and rippedness is staying strong, despite higher calories (like wine and dark chocolate almost every night!). The secret?

Well, we wouldn't call them secrets but more "discoveries" after a lot of trial and error. Here's a quick list of get-ripped tips:

1) X-centric sets. This is doing a few sets every workout with a very slow negative stroke on each rep--lift in one second and lower in six. That creates more muscle damage, which requires energy (from fat) outside the gym for excess repair. You burn fat 24/7.

2) The 4X method. For most exercises we use a moderate weight for four sets of 10 reps, but with very short rests between--30 to 40 seconds. That style of training not only builds muscle via myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic expansion, it stresses the mitochondria, the lean machines in cells where fat is burned.

3) Growth hormone release. Both of the above methods--X-centric and 4X--trigger major muscle burn, which in turn causes GH to churn. GH is a muscle builder as well as a potent blubber buster. In other words, more GH will get you bigger AND leaner.

4) Carb cycling. We mention this in X-treme Lean--that our diets actually have built-in carb fluctuation. For example, on nonworkout days we don't have a postworkout shake. That cuts about 60 grams of carbs from our diet on those days. We also have a loose cheat day on the weekends--not too extreme, but enough to jack up daily calories. That calorie and carb zig-zag keeps metabolic momentum revved to the max--no starvation, no cravings and no thyroid shutdown.

All of the above is good stuff to keep you ripped and buff year round--or to help you lean out now.

Till next time, train hard--and smart--for BIG results.

Note: The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout e-book is now only $19.99. Our fat-burning nutrition guide with diets and training, X-treme Lean, is only $9.99 (less than 10 bucks)--or get it with X-traordinary Abs for only $19.99 (Double-Shredded Combo Offer at the X-Shop).

--Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com