Q: As you explain in Anabolic Reload, your 3 Positions of Flexion for each muscle align with Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.’s 3 hypertrophy triggers for a triple-hit anabolic reload. That got me thinking. I like the full-body workouts in that ebook, but I’m considering: Monday, all midrange work; Wednesday, all contracted; and Friday, all stretch. That way it’s only one exercise for each muscle with the STX method at each workout. Is that a good idea?
A: For the uninitiated, the 3 key hypertrophy triggers you must attack for optimal mass stimulation, according to Schoenfeld, are:
- Mechanical tension (with heavier training) = POF midrange moves: squats, bench presses, etc.
- Metabolic stress (by blocking blood flow [during sufficient tension time] for cell swelling) = POF contracted moves: leg extensions, machine flyes, etc.
- Muscle damage (via microtears in the fibers) = POF stretch moves: sissy squats, DB flyes, etc.
So with your idea, your biceps routine would be barbell curls (midrange) on Monday, concentration curls (contracted) on Wednesday and incline curls (stretch) on Friday…
And you would do that for each muscle group–quads, hams, calves, chest, back, delts, arms, abs–a different exercise for each every M-W-F…
You would not only get incredible change to gain–a different exercise every workout, but you cover all of Schoenfeld’s 3 hypertrophic triggers every single week. We like it a lot–and actually have used that method with excellent results…
Using the STX high-rep-set-first method, you only do a few sets for each exercise, so your workouts will not be too long; however, certain ones could be too taxing–like the Monday midrange attack…
In other words, all midrange work–mostly multi-joint exercises like squats, bench presses, etc.–on one day for all muscles could cause your last meal to dance the Tango in your throat…
We suggest this instead–too keep your workouts manageable and not “homicidal”–LOL:
Monday: lower body midrange, upper body contracted
Wednesday: lower body contracted, upper body midrange
Friday: All stretch moves
Note that stretch moves tend to create the most muscle damage, so doing all stretch on Friday gives your muscles two full days to recover–Saturday and Sunday.
This is an excellent phase for change to gain and to speed up the freak-physique mass train with a triple-hit anabolic reload.
For more on 3-move Positions of Flexion, see the official POF mass-building manual, 3D Muscle Building. You’ll learn the 3-exercise protocol for each target muscle, along with many complete POF workouts. Now ONLY $9 HERE.
Latest release: For science based POF programs with more frequent bodypart hits, check out the new Anabolic Reload Mass Workout e-book HERE.
Till next time, train hard–and smart–for BIG results.
–Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com