Q: I’ve seen you mention “StatX” in some of your previous workouts. What is that? If it’ll get me bigger, I want to use it. Please explain.
A: StatX stands for Static Hold at the X Spot, usually at the end of a regular set. And, yes, you should use it often to get bigger. In fact, it may be the ultimate mass move, as you’ll see…
Even before we were using end-of-set X-Rep partials, we knew there was tremendous anabolic activation at the semi-stretch point on the stroke. That’s right around the sticking point of most exercises. For example, near the bottom of a curl (pictured below)…
That’s because many years ago we met a strongman, George Olesen. He did super heavy deadlifts with an over-under grip—and the arm that was his under, or curl, grip had a biceps that was about one-third larger than his other. It was freaky looking, and we even put it and him on the cover of Iron Man…
Yes, he did do regular curls and other training, but his right biceps dwarfed his left—all because of that extra under-grip static contraction on deadlifts, which he did frequently in training for his strongman shows.
That’s one reason we knew that continuous stretch against resistance in the “semi” stretch position was an ultimate mass trigger. As another example…
Guys with traps up to their ears usually get lots of that mass from heavy deadlifts. Your traps get only minor movement on deadlifts—they’re working more statically in the semi-stretch position against resistance. Yet they grow like crazy. Yes, shrugs add to that mass, but the STATIC work on deadlifts appears to push the muscle to extreme levels of HYPER-growth…
We often mention the animal study that produced a 300 percent mass increase after only one month of stretch-only “workouts.” There was very little movement, only a stretch-hold against resistance.
Another study on isometric holds that we discuss in X-Rep Update #1 produced some spectacular muscle-growth increases. The average gain was 3 pounds of muscle in only two weeks, and one subject gained 9 pounds of muscle. That’s from 45-to-60-second holds in the contracted position…
Holds in the contracted position, like the top of a leg extension, produce sarcoplasmic size via occlusion, or blood flow blockage. Semi-stretch-position holds, near the bottom of the stroke, appear to trigger growth along a different pathway, myofibrillar remodeling/thickening…
You can use StatC (static contraction) as a standalone set, as explained in the study, or at the end of a full-range set. You’ll need help to get into the contracted position.
Us? We prefer StatX, a hold at the semi-stretch point at the END of a full-range set. For example, at the end of a set of flyes, when no more full-range reps are possible, we lower to near the stretch point and hold for six to 10 seconds. Oh, yeah, there’s lots of pain to gain. (Jonathan used that hold at the end of most exercises when he added 20 pounds of muscle to his frame in only 10 weeks. It works!)
We discuss all of the above and also outline an interesting mass-building program in X-Rep Update #1. You can try it as listed or use pieces of it in your current mass workout to trigger gargantuan growth guaranteed…
X Update also has a look at former Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler’s wild workouts in which he used partial reps, X-only sets, and serious stretch overload to kick in major growth. Lots of exciting tweaks to pack some freak on your physique…
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
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