Q: Now that summer is coming to an end soon, my motivation to train is going down. Is there any way I can build muscle going to the gym two or three times a week? Like, is there a program you can recommend with just one exercise per bodypart that will keep me building muscle without taking hours in the gym?
A: We’re all about efficiency-of-effort muscle building, so you’ve come to the right place for fast-mass workouts, and many of our newest programs are just three days a week.
Most of the time, we preach multi-angular training (Positions of Flexion). That is, using a big midrange exercise followed by a stretch-position exercise and ending with a contracted-position move. That ramps up growth stimulation along three different pathways: max force (midrange), stretch overload (stretch), and occlusion/tension (contracted)…
The question is, Can you attack those key anabolic pathways, at least partially, with only one exercise and still build plenty of muscle? The answer is yes, but you must use a big compound exercise for each bodypart. We list the best, or Ultimate Exercise, for each muscle group in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, along with streamlined programs that include them. You can use one of those or create your own…
So the first step is to choose the most effective multi-joint exercise for each bodypart. Why a compound, or midrange, move? Because those are the ones on which you can use the most weight and therefore generate the most muscular force. Max force is one of the key maximum-muscle stimulators (at least it’s the most important of the three mentioned earlier). You obviously trigger more muscle mass with some type of bench press as opposed to a flye.
Next is performance. You don’t want to just do a couple of straight sets. Yes, that gives you max force, but you’re also after some stretch as well as continuous tension/occlusion, or blood-flow blockage. It’ that triple anabolic-pathway hit that will give you the biggest mass gains as quickly as possible. Let’s use decline presses, one of the Ultimate Exercises for chest, so you can see how to get a big triple bang out of two quick sets…
Work set 1: Do repetitions to exhaustion, which should occur at about nine reps, and then add X-Rep partials. That provides max-force generation and some sem-stretch-point overload (eight-inch X-Rep partials near the bottom of the stroke—on declines that’s from a few inches above the chest driving up to just below the halfway point; do as many of those controlled explosions as you can). Rest for 2 1/2 minutes, then do a second set…
Work set 2: Use the same weight, reaching exhaustion at seven or eight reps. When you hit exhaustion, reduce the weight and immediately go to exhaustion again, driving out five to seven more reps. That extends tension time to stimulate the endurance components and expands and enlarges capillaries. Do X-Rep partials at exhaustion on that second phase as well.
If you train alone, removing plates for a drop set can take too much time. You can simply go to dumbbells and immediately do your drop set—just make sure the dumbbells you grab allow you to get about six reps.
That sequence is so efficient and effective at building mass because you get max force on the first and second sets, and you get semi-stretch-point overload with the X Reps, primarily on the first set. What about the third anabolic pathway, occlusion/tension? Don’t lock out on any of your reps and you’ll maintain tension on the target muscle and create occlusion.
For example, on decline presses, don’t go all the way to the top on any rep—start the downward stroke when the bar is about two-thirds of the way to the top. That’s not as effective at creating occlusion/tension as isolated contracted-position exercises (like cable flyes for chest), but it’s close. You should get a big pump with no-lock sets.
And semi-stretch-point overload with X-Rep partials at the bottom of the stroke is also close to full-stretch-position overload (like you get with heavy flyes). No, it’s not as traumatic as full stretch, but semi-stretch-point X-Rep action at least provides some key stress to the target muscle when it’s in an elongated state. Very efficient. Try it and you’ll be surprised at its ability to build size.
As we said, you can apply that two-set technique to any of the three complete Ultimate Exercise programs listed in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, or devise your own routine. As we always say, one small change can trigger bigger gains.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
Build MASS with bodyweight training
One way you’re guaranteed to pack on stacks of muscle is through a process called muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which more than doubles 24 hours after an intense workout…
Until recently, MPS was only elevated when trainees would lift 70-90% of their one-rep max…
That’s not only dangerous for your joints, but it also sets you up for high injury risk every time you exercise…
It used to be believed that training with your own bodyweight couldn’t get you the same results as training with your 70-90% one rep max… Until NOW.