Today is Thursday, usually an off-from-the-gym day for me. But with these full-body workouts three times a week for multiple weeks, I’ve been feeling a bit drained. Solution: Recover to grow with a two-workout week–Monday and Thursday. The extra day of rest made a huge difference. The pump was better, I had more energy and I didn’t need a nap after the session. The question is, Should I go back to three workouts next week or keep it at two for one more round?Monday’s workout may tell the tale and dictate the workout sequence. Here’s how today’s full-body blast went… [Read more…]
Steve: Full-Body MMX (stretch-holds)
I’ve been trying to use stretch-holds at the end of the last set of every exercise–or X-Rep partials. It really ups the intensity considerably. The recent study by Jacob Wilson, Ph.D.,showed significant increases in muscle size using that method. But today I noticed something: It does take a toll. I was wiped out after today’s workout…
Steve: Full-Body MMX (speed reps)
I’m hitting my stride with full-body workouts–feeling bigger, pumps are great. But I always like to introduce some change to gain–and today that meant more pain. For chest I did Low-incline flyes supersetted with Low-incline DB presses–and I did the presses in X-celeration, or speed reps, style, which is 1.5 seconds per rep. Wicked burn, mega pump…
Steve: Full-Body MMX (anabolic drive)
I always wake up on Wednesdays with fear plus excitement. I know I have to hit the gym and attack a grueling 20-rep set of Feet-forward Smith-machine squats right off the bat–at 6:50 a.m. Fear. But it’s also exciting because I know that the hypoxia from that set, as well as from the lower-rep sets after (10, 8), can trigger overall muscle growth–anabolic drive. Good motivation to hit the rest of the workout hard–and grow like never before…
Steve: Full Body MMX (metabolic uptick)
I made a small change to gain today–and it created a big metabolic uptick. The change: After my high-rep set, I stuck with the same weight for the second two sets. In other words, I added weight for my second set, when stayed at that weight for my third. That gave me a few more reps on every exercise. I was surprised at how doing only 2 to 3 extra reps per exercise all the way through took a serious metabolic toll. In fact, I had to go home and take a nap–not kidding. I was wiped out. Bonus: The pump was bigger too…
Steve: Full Body (stubborn muscle groups)
MMX Pyramid
We all have stubborn muscle groups. One of my toughest is chest–so today, instead of just a stretch move, I used Flyes as the first move in a Pre-Ex superset–at least on sets 2 and 3–doing incline presses immediately after each of those second two sets. Here’s how it went today…
Steve: Full Body (anabolic environment)
MMX Pyramid
Doing Feet-forward Smith-machine squats first always gives me some apprehension–especially at 6:50 a.m. And doing 20 reps on the first set to near failure really wakes a guy up. Lol. But, it also shocks the anabolic environment for overall growth. Gotta love that… [Read more…]
Steve: Full-Body Workout (MMX Pyramid)
Getting good at these full-body workout sessions–felt strong all the way through today. I’m even thinking about doing a drop or rest/pause set on the last set of some exercises to up the growth ante a bit. Here’s today’s workout–felt great… [Read more…]
Steve: Full Body (MMX Pyramid)
I made a few exercise changes from last Friday’s workout. That’s part of my change-to-gain plan. For example, last Friday I did DB stiff-legged deadlifts for hams; today it was Flat-back hyperextensions–and I did a static-hold in the stretch position after the last set: Change to gain with ending pain. Lol…. [Read more…]
Steve: Full Body (MMX Pyramid)
It’s tough knowing Smith-machine squats are first on the agenda with an MMX Pyramid. It’s even tougher at 6:45 in the morning–in a summer heatwave. After the first high-rep set, my shirt begins to show sweat. By the time I’m done with legs, I’m soaked–but I still have upper body. Full-body training is grueling but also invigorating. I keep reminding myself that many legendary bodybuilders, including Steve Reeves, preferred full-body training because the body grows best when be worked as a unit–or so the theory goes. [Read more…]