Q: I have most of your e-books and am really impressed with The Ultimate Mass Workout [the original X-Rep manual]. X Reps make a lot of sense for giving a set more size-building power. My question is, Should I use X Reps on 10×10 sets? And what about forced reps? Do you ever use them?
A: Remember, with 10×10 you are getting a lot of volume, even though the first few sets aren’t that tough. Nevertheless, you are still working the muscles and nervous system, so overtraining is always looming.
We’ve found that a number of forced reps in a row overtax the nervous system due to imprecise loading and unloading from a partner through the entire positive stroke. In our research, we’ve found that the area of the stroke where the target muscle is semi-stretched, like the bottom 10-inch range of a chinup, is the optimal area for max-fiber recruitment. Instead of full-range forced reps, doing X-Rep partials at the end of a set is much more efficient for high-threshold motor unit activation (more growth fiber involvement).
That being said, we often performed one forced rep on the last set of a 10×10 set grouping and then performed X Reps in the semi-stretch position on that last set as well. That forced rep usually allows you to get a ninth or 10th rep, then X Reps trigger more growth-fiber activation. If X Reps are not possible, we recommend a static hold at the semi-stretch point for as long as possible.
As you read in our original X-Rep e-book, X Reps are very powerful and make a set three to five times more productive, so don’t get carried away with them and be cautious with X Reps on 10×10 sets. One set, usually the last, on an exercise is enough to trigger some big gaining without overtraining.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
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