Q: I got your X-centric Mass Workout. Motivating info, and I messed around with some X-centric variations in my last workouts. Enjoying the new muscle soreness. I want to start using the Direct/Indirect X-centric Mass Workout [outlined in that e-book]. It has a standard heavy pyramid on the big exercises, last set X-centric. What do you think of using downward progression 4X instead with the last set X-centric?
A: For those who don’t have the X-centric Mass Workout e-book, the workout being referred to is Positions of Flexion, with a pyramid + X-centric set on the midrange exercise, a straight set or two on the stretch move, and a 4X sequence on the contracted-position exercise.
For example, for middle-lower chest it’s…
Midrange: Wide-grip dips or bench presses, 3 x 9, 7, 7NA*
Stretch: Flat flyes, 1-2 x 8-10
Contracted: Cable crossovers (4X), 4 x 10
*Negative-Accentuated, or X-centric, is lifting in one second and lowering in six on every rep.
On the dips, you do two light warmups. After that, take all three work sets to failure, adding weight from set 1 to set 2, then reducing the weight for the X-centric set (#3). Rest is 2 minutes between sets.
If you’d rather do downward-progression 4X (DP 4X) for more of a DENSITY effect, first do one warmup set. Then take your 15-rep max, but only do 12. Rest 45 seconds, add weight and do 10. Rest 45 seconds, add weight and do 8. Rest 45 seconds, REDUCE the weight (bodyweight on dips might be enough) and do your last set X-centric style—up in one second, down in six.
DP 4X is a
The X-centric set will do great things for both mass and leanness. As we explain in the X-centric e-book, you get a longer tension time—about 50 seconds, which is in the optimal hypertrophy range and expands the sarcoplasm, the muscle energy fluid…
PLUS, you get myofibrillar trauma on the slow negatives, which increase the thickness of those fibers. It will also quickly improve your leanness. How? Your metabolism speeds up during the repair of those micro-tears—studies show that the process taps into body fat. How great is that? Especially as the weather is warming up…
Negatives work. In the X-centric e-book, we talk about Nautilus-machine inventor Arthur Jones and his negative experiment on himself. Here is his quote…
It is now Sunday afternoon, about 20 hours after my sixth [negative] workout, and my upper arms have grown exactly a full inch.
Whoa. We’ll take an inch of new arm size anytime.
Note: In the shoulder routine in the X-centric Mass Workout, you begin with “rack pulls.” That is NOT a deadlift in a power rack; it’s a wide-grip upright row with a slight leg kick. You’ll want straps on these, and pull the bar to just below your lower-pec line…
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
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