X Files Archives - Page 3 of 71

Scientific Training: Look Like a Bodybuilder

Q: After being involved in weight training for many years, and after working with many people as their instructor at home and at gyms, I think the main reason, and by far the most important one, that lifters get big and strong is because of their own personal genetics. How they train doesn’t make much difference. High reps, low reps, whatever. If they put even a little amount of effort in, they get big. Of course, drugs help immensely, but the actual type of training system they use is of little consequence, as long as it’s reasonably sound. I built 22-inch arms without drugs, and I performed a standing press with 400 pounds. I honestly do not believe it was because I trained scientifically. I did train hard, but it was because of my genetics that I gained so well and got so strong.

A: You are correct, but most trainees who are genetically gifted probably aren’t reading this. That’s too bad because by experimenting with science-based training, most of them could be so much better; however, because they gain easily, they think they’re doing things right and they keep plugging away with mediocre methods and never reach their full potential. [Read more…]

Solving the Big-Muscle Puzzle

Q: Thank you for clearing up the muscle-growth mystery for me. I always believed in going heavier and heavier to get bigger. Now I know that’s only a small part of the puzzle. Working in the 4X method, X Reps, drop sets, and even some of your high-rep TORQ sets has already gotten me bigger in just a few weeks. My question is, Do you think some people get a better size response from power training and others get more size from density [endurance] work?

A: Absolutely. As we mentioned in a previous newsletter, the BIGGEST powerlifters don’t train for sarcoplasmic (endurance fluid) expansion yet have good muscle size. That’s because they were big dudes in the first place, which may signify more myofibril-building capacity. That would explain their extraordinary strength. The myofibrils are the actin-myosin strands inside the muscle fiber that generate force, but for most trainees that’s not the key to ULTIMATE SIZE… [Read more…]

The Forgotten Size Concept for Ultimate Mass

Q: I’ve read a lot of Mike Mentzer’s high-intensity info, and he said that the pump didn’t matter as far as muscle growth is concerned. He said a lot of the biggest powerlifters never get a pump yet carry a lot of mass. So shouldn’t heavy sets be the core of a mass-building routine?

A: Mentzer was partially right—but leaning more toward being mostly wrong. You don’t need a pump IF you’re only after primarily myofibrillar growth (strength). The myofibrils are the strands of actin and myosin inside the muscle fiber. Those grab onto each other to generate force. Training heavy increases their size and your strength—but science is finding that they are more about producing strength with less-than-stellar effects on muscle size… [Read more…]

Double Up to Muscle Up

Q: In a previous newsletter you talked about using DXO [Double-X Overload from the Beyond X e-book] on stretch-position exercises like flyes. I tried it on squats , and it felt incredible! I backed off on the weight, but my quads were on fire and I really felt them working better than a regular set. Is it good to use DXO on the big midrange exercises like squats and bench presses along with stretch-position exercises?

A: Absolutely. You have to use less weight, and that allows you to do the DXO set in perfect form and really connect with the target muscle—plus get unique muscle-fiber activation for new growth. You could end your squats with a DXO set… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 65: Frank Zane Age 35 vs. 65

Here’s a very cool comparison of three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane in his prime to how he looked peaked at age 65… [Read more…]

Inside Muscle-Growth Secret

Q: I need to build up the inside of my chest, the cleavage, so to speak. A training friend told me that really squeezing and flexing at the bottom of cable crossovers will get my inner pecs popping. Is that true?

A: While full-range cable crossovers can help develop the entire pec muscle—even the inner sections—believe it or not, the BEST way to attack that insertion point of the target muscle is by emphasizing stretch overload… [Read more…]

Weird Exercise for Massive Tri’s

Q: I was browsing through old training articles on your site and noticed that you guys sometimes include dumbbell pullovers in your triceps routine. What’s up with that?!

A: While the dumbbell pullover is an excellent stretch-position move for the lats in Positions-of-Flexion mass training, it’s also one of the best exercises for the long head of the triceps. That’s the section that really fills out the back of the upper arm and gives it that eye-popping sweep when it’s down by your side or up flexing your peak. [Read more…]

Best Time for Cardio

Q: When is the best time for cardio? I’ve tried first thing in the morning before breakfast, but I felt tired and burned out by mid-morning, and my job suffered. Is right after a weight-training workout good? If so, for how many minutes? I’m trying to get lean while it’s still summer.

A: Steve interviewed two top researchers, Gabriel Wilson, M.S., and Jacob Wilson, Ph.D., and they believe cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is HIGHLY catabolic. In other words, it wastes away your hard-earned muscle tissue. That makes sense considering you’ve been fasting for eight hours or more while you slept and your body is in the early stages of starvation. [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 64: Arnold Double Muscle

One reason Arnold is considered by many to be the greatest bodybuilder of all time is that he could look shockingly massive or aesthetically sculpted, as in this photo. [Read more…]

Super Split for Size and Strength

Q: I’m a big fan of your workouts and have purchased most of your e-books. Thanks for all the advice and keep up the inspiring work! I have a 15-year-old son who’s starting to get serious about lifting. He wants to play football, so he’s looking to improve his overall size and strength. Would you recommend your 4X Mass Workout for him? I’m trying to figure out which of your programs would be best for someone his age.

A: For football, your son will want to concentrate on building strength and power with size as an after-effect. The 4X Mass Workout is primarily for muscle mass with less of a strength emphasis… [Read more…]