I’ve been reviewing POF and contrasting the Classic with the New version…

Classic POF = Midrange + Stretch + Contracted

New POF = Ideal + Contracted OR Stretch

Classic requires more volume—and most of the midrange exercises are compound, such as squats or leg presses, decline presses, pulldowns, rows, etc.

In contrast, the New POF begins with the Ideal biomechanically correct exercise, which is usually isolation, such as sissy squats for quads and one-arm cable laterals for medial delt…

There are exceptions, including decline dumbbell presses for chest and cable pull-ins for lats…

The New POF version is safer and more precise. The latest research shows isolating the target muscle is superior at activating high-threshold motor units in that muscle. That’s because it focuses the load…

While muscle synergy—training multiple muscles on a compound exercise—can be beneficial, isolation is key for the most precise hypertrophy stimulation in a given set…

That’s why you emphasize the ideal exercises in New POF and follow with an add-on move—either stretch or contracted.

In The Ultimate Mass Workout Reloaded (see below), I mentioned using full POF on a muscle or two in order to specialize…

For example, if you want to trigger new growth in your lagging delts, you could do this full-POF routine at each upper-body workout…

That’s ideal + stretch + contracted. If you want to experiment with old-school POF, you would do this instead…

Midrange: Dumbbell upright rows or non-lock overhead presses
Stretch: One-arm low-incline laterals
Contracted: Lateral raises

I’m not going to say New POF is better—although for me it is. They each have their uses, and many bodybuilders over the years have reported impressive muscle gains with Classic POF.

And Jonathan and I did pretty well with it in our younger days—but we did have to downshift our volume and intensity after about 5 weeks. I was the record keeper as well as task master (kidding)…

Classic or New POF: Give either a try to pack on new size.

Note: If you’re interested in learning more about Classic POF, the best ebook is 3D Muscle Building, with discussions of the Size Surge experiment, Arnold’s use of POF, and Classic POF for every muscle. It’s available at a discount price of only $9 ($19 value) HERE.

Train hard—and smart—for BIG results.

Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
X-Rep.com

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