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When to Add Weight to Grow

Jonathan doing dumbell curls with Powerblocks

Q: I’m getting some of my best results with [STX rest/pause training]. Seeing both muscle and strength gains. What’s your opinion on when I should add weight to an exercise? On Phase, 1 I start with 15 reps. Should I wait until I reach 20 reps to move up in weight?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

First Set, Best Set for Muscle Gains

Jonathan doing decline presses in a Smith machine

The first work set you do for a target muscle provides the most hypertrophic stimulus compared to the sets after…

In fact, recent research suggests that it takes four more sets to equal the growth stimulus of set 1. Why?

For set 1, the target muscle is fresh. You get maximum fast-twitch activation due to an untaxed nervous system and no residual fatigue…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Twilight Zone Muscle Growth

Glenn Wilkinson pic

In the previous newsletter, you saw the results of a recent major training meta-analysis from Stuart Phillips, Ph.D., at McMasters University (178 studies, 5,097 participants for strength; 119 studies, 3,364 participants for hypertrophy)…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

What’s Your Best Muscle-Building Workout?

Yesterday you saw the results of a recent major training meta-analysis from Stuart Phillips, Ph.D., at McMasters University (178 studies, 5,097 participants for strength; 119 studies, 3,364 participants for hypertrophy)…

Main takeaway: ALL resistance-training prescriptions improved strength and hypertrophy…and there was actually NO statistically significant difference between them.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Reps, Muscle, New Science

Steve taking a pic of Jonathan in the gym

Do you get confused by the wild variations in hypertrophy protocols? The trends are all over the place and may fill you with wonder, worry and anxiety…

Am I doing too much? Not enough? Are my reps too high? Too low? Should my rest between sets be 20 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes? Or whatever it takes for my training partner to snap a few pics?

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Your #1 Abs Builder + Mr. America Notes

Steve demonstrating flat crunches

As spring begins to feel like summer, you may be in a panic about your abs having morphed into one large ab.

While etching your midsection is a lot about diet, the right exercises can get the dividing tendons to sit deeper for a more chiseled-abs appearance…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Your #1 Hamstring Builder + Mr. America Notes

Doug Brignole demonstrating seated leg curls

According to biomechanics expert and Mr. America winner Doug Brignole, the best hamstring exercise is seated leg curls…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Your #1 Quad Builder (NOT Squats)

Tom Platz at the top of a hack squat rep

Okay, I lied in the subject line: It is squats—but it’s SISSY squats, not barbell squats…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Your #1 Calf Builder + Mr. America Notes

Arnold doing donkey calf raises with friends - lol

Many moons ago, the Father of High Intensity Training and creator of Nautilus machines Arthur Jones was asked why he didn’t develop a calf machine. His answer…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

Muscle Damage Is Good + 3 More Shockers

Lane Norton competing as a bodybuilder vs doing pause squats

“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” —Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher

Sure, Nietzsche went mad allegedly due to syphilis, dying in 1900, but he had a good philosophical run—like the above quote we can apply to bodybuilding…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files

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