Q: I love the Super-TORQ mass method you outline in the Power-Density 2.0 e-book. I’m 55 years old, so moderate weights are great for me, but I can’t quite wrap my head around doing such high reps at every workout. I alternate with heavy workouts as you suggest in the e-book because I’ve brutalized my joints over the years (screw you, heavy benches—Lol). Is there a MODERATE-power/Super TORQ workout I could use instead?
A: That’s an easy one—and we mention the solution in the Power-Density 2.0 e-book. You were probably just so into the new Super TORQ part of that e-book that you overlooked it…
We didn’t emphasize it because we know most readers—at least the younger ones—want to train heavy at every other workout…
The solution is to do the exercises at your “Power” workouts as 3X or 4X sequences instead of heavy. For those unfamiliar, here’s how to do the 4X moderate-weight, growth-threshold method…
Pick a weight with which you can get 15 reps, but only do 10; rest 40 seconds, then do it again—and so on for 3 or 4 sets. On the last set, go all out to muscular failure. If you get 10 reps, add a small amount of weight at your next 4X workout.
Remember, 3X will be slightly heavier with one less set than 4X, so you may want to do 3X on the big midrange- and stretch-position exercises, and end with 4X on the contracted-position move (10 sets total). So, for example, your lat routine would be…
Midrange: Pulldowns (3X), 3 x 10
Stretch: DB pullovers (3X), 3 x 10
Contracted (also midback stretch): V-handle cable rows (4X), 4 x 10
Then at your next workout you can do pulldowns or V-handle cable rows with Super TORQ (50-40-30-20-10). You only do one exercise at that second workout…
On full-POF day, using 3X and 4X with 10 reps per set, you hit the LOW-end hypertrophic tension time of 40 seconds per set. That’s if you lift in one second and lower in three. Ten reps at four seconds per rep is 40 seconds of tension time…
Then at your Super-TORQ workout, you do some sets in the 30-50 range, which will put you in the HIGH-end hypertrophic tension time of 60-90 seconds…
Don’t worry, our math isn’t off. We know from experience that when trainees use a rep range above 20, they tend to speed up the rep cadence—2 to 3 seconds per rep instead of 4. High reps hurt, and you want to get them over with…
So there’s your long-winded answer. Alternate Super-TORQ with 3X/4X POF workouts for a phase of Semi-Power/Mega-Density—and get ready for new muscle immensity.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
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