X Files Archives - Page 143 of 168

Triple-Threat Mass-Building Sets (use with caution)

Q: I’ve been training for about 20 years now (I’m 44), and I am getting my 14-year-old son into it. He’s been working out about four months, breaking in, but I still do NOT want him to go “heavy.” I have him using your 4X method, which is great at his stage. I was thinking about the Progressive-Speed 4X version as well, specifically the speed set in order to help build the power fibers. Is that a good idea at his age, or should he use with caution?

A: First, what you have him doing now is perfect. Moderate-weight growth-threshold 4X is fantastic for young teens getting into lifting. Heavy weights may damage young joints early on, so it’s a good idea to get neophytes gradually acclimated… [Read more…]

Boost Your T Naturally = Muscle Size Surge

Q: You’ve said high-rep leg work can boost your T naturally. Will the first high-rep set on each exercise in the STX workouts boost testosterone even more?

A: It appears that that reason high-rep leg work boosts testosterone is due to heavy breathing, big-muscle stimulation, growth-fiber activation and muscle burn…

That was the reason that many bodybuilders of yesteryear often relied on [Read more…]

Ultimate Mass Workout (over-40)

Q: I wanted to report on my progress. I’m 53 and am making the best muscle gains of my life using something you haven’t really discussed. I get bored easily, so what I do is one week I use the Over-40 STX workout [Anabolic Reload e-book] and the next week I go to the Pure-Positions STX program [Stretch Overload e-book]. I think it’s working so well because every week I am getting all three of the hypertrophy requirements but with different splits and exercise mixes. I swear my shirts are already tighter after only three weeks. Just want to thank you guys for my new gains!

A: Hmm, very interesting—and a novel approach. We usually suggest doing one of those programs for four to six weeks, then switch to the other for another four-to-six-week mass phase.

But who are we to argue? Sounds like alternating them is working off the charts for you in the over-40 muscle mass department. Exciting stuff! Now… [Read more…]

Double-X Your Muscle Mass

Q: The Double-X stretch method you describe in the last chapter of the Stretch Overload ebook really got me sore. All I did was add one set of the stretch exercise for each muscle [listed in chapter 1] with Double-X to my current workout. My question is, do you think just doing a heavy straight set of the stretch move would be better? For Double-X I have to use a lighter weight to get the hitch at the bottom of each rep.

A: Glad to hear that you were able to Double-X your muscle mass. For the uninitiated, Double-X Overload is simply a partial rep at the point of stretch between each full rep.

For example, on incline curls, you [Read more…]

Two Mass Workouts a Week is All it Takes?

Q: I have both Anabolic Reload and Stretch Overload, and I love the high-reps-set-first STX method. However, I’m 61 years old and am wondering if I should try only two mass workouts a week instead of three. Right now I’m using the Pure-Positions STX program from Stretch Overload, and so far I feel somewhat drained. I’m also sore all the time, especially after the Friday stretch workout. Any suggestions for this old guy seeking new muscle?

A: Interesting that you ask about two full-body workouts a week. Recently Steve, who is now 58, was forced to train on only Tuesdays and Fridays—and his gains took a leap forward during that time. Exciting stuff… [Read more…]

Old School, New Arm Muscle Size

Q: I’m 55, so I appreciate that you have sections in Anabolic Reload and Stretch Overload for us old guys. My plan is to use the Pure-Positions Workout in Stretch Overload first for a few months, as it is slightly less traumatic. I like an all-isolation “contracted-position” day, all-midrange day, and an all-stretch day. My question is about no direct arm work on Wednesday, the all-midrange workout. I understand that the big exercises for chest and back train arms on that day, but my arms are a weak point. Can I add an exercise for bi’s and tri’s for more arm size?

A: Questions like this confirm our suspicions that many trainees get our ebooks and go right to the workouts—most don’t read the chapter text that goes with it… [Read more…]

New Triple-Hit Anabolic-Shift Workout

Q: You’ve shown that your 3 Positions of Flexion for each muscle align with Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.’s 3 hypertrophy triggers. That’s very cool, and I’m wondering if I could just split the 3 POF exercises for each muscle over three workouts, like Monday, all midrange work; Wednesday, all contracted; and Friday, all stretch?

A: That’s a great idea and it’s exactly how we’ve been training for a while now… Spoiler alert: Quick workouts, unreal gains! [Read more…]

New study: Untapped freaky mass trigger

New research says stretch-overload—elongating the target muscle against resistance—is an untapped muscle mass trigger…

According to respected muscle-training researcher Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D…

This is the first study I’m aware of that shows that a relatively modest loaded stretching protocol produces significant hypertrophy in humans.

[Read more…]

Full Inch of New Arm Muscle in 3 Weeks

Q: You guys are awesome! Anabolic Reload put a half-inch on my arms in less than a month. My arms have always lagged, so I’m blown away. I hit each muscle twice a week with about 12 sets. I didn’t want to reduce my sets on all, so I just did [STX] for arms. I started with the high-rep set followed by a heavy set, then I added a rest/pause every arm workout like the program says. My sleeves got tight almost immediately. Just want to thank you for getting my puny arms up bigger than they’ve ever been. I plan on trying this for each muscle through the winter. [Read more…]

Freak-Factor Training (new muscle mass guaranteed)

Q: I used the 10-Week Size Surge program years ago and gained almost 10 pounds of muscle on it. I’m now getting close to 40, so I wanted to report how I’ve been using it to add a lot of middle-age muscle. I’ve merged Anabolic Reload and the Phase 1 Size Surge routine like this: On Mondays I use high-to-low-rep Reload [STX] on lower body and standard heavy Size Surge work on upper body. Then Friday I reverse that. Wednesday is arms and abs only, so I just alternate, doing Reload one week and heavy Size Surge sets the next. It’s been two months, and I look better than I did in my 20s.

Devising new mass routines that work for you as an individual is part of the fun of bodybuilding. Of course, packing on loads of new mass and looking awesome from your new freak-factor training is even better. [Read more…]