Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation
Q: I’ve been intrigued by your explanation of workout density being the reason your 10×10 program builds mass. Do you think that’s the reason drop sets are also so effective?
A: Workout density is Vince Gironda’s term to express getting more work done in a given time frame. For example, most trainees do a set, rest for two to three minutes, do another set, and so on. In 10 minutes you only do two or three sets…
[Read more…]Q: I really like the 4X mass method with all sets X-centric as a one-workout shocker as you’ve recommended before. You’ve also talked about 10×10, which I’ve made great gains with before, but how about the old 8×8 method that Vince Gironda used to pack muscle on his pupils with.
A: We actually discuss Vince and his 8×8 method in the very first chapter of The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout e-book. It’s a great method, but you need to heed Vince’s advice if you use it…
[Read more…]If you’re like us, you’re a little concerned. Spring is just a few weeks away and summer will be here before you can say, “Who stole my abs.” When the heat hits, you don’t want to be the victim of an ab-napping. It’s a lot more fun if you peel off your shirt that first warm day at the beach, pool, or lake and your midsection looks like acid-etched granite.
Of course, there is a downside. You have to put up with all the glares, stares, and the questions, like, “Man, how do I get ripped?” or “What workout are you on?” or “Can I touch your abs?” LOL!
[Read more…]Q: I’m using Jonathan’s 10-Week Size Surge Workout [in the 3D Muscle Building e-book], and for shoulders, it has dumbbell upright rows as the first exercise for midrange work; then I do incline one-arm laterals for stretch, and then standing laterals [contracted]. I added two sets of dumbbell presses after that for more shoulder size, as you’ve suggested, for some overhead shoulder work. My question is, Why do you sometimes recommend presses first? Aren’t those dangerous for your shoulder joints?
A: We only do behind-the-neck presses first if we use a technique that allows lighter weight, such as negative-accentuated (six-second lowering), 4X, 10×10, TORQ, etc. As you said, in the quest for shoulder size, heavy weights on behind-the-neck exercises can wreck your rotator cuffs.
For heavy pressing at the start of a shoulder workout, we use either Smith machine military presses (to the front) or dumbbell presses…
[Read more…]Q: I’m going to the Heavy/Light Ultimate 10×10 Workout for about six weeks. Hitting one exercise with 10×10 for a muscle and then doing full-on Positions of Flexion heavy at the new workout sounds ideal to cover all the mass bases. My question is, do you think [Doug Brignole’s] Super TORQ might be better than 10×10?
A: Interesting idea. Remember 10×10 is taking your 20-rep-max weight, but only doing 10 reps. Easy. But you rest only 40 seconds, then hit 10 more—and so on until you complete 10 sets… [Read more…]
Q: I’m testing your 4X variations [Shock-centric, 4X Pyramid, etc. from one of your recent newsletters]. Great stuff! Isn’t another way to get more mass simply to add sets by increasing the volume to 5X or more on any exercise?
A: Yes, volume increases, as in tacking on sets to 4X so you’re doing 5X or 6X, can boost mass gains—to a point. It’s a lot like tanning: To get darker, you can increase exposure time. The problem is diminishing returns… [Read more…]
Q: You have an all-10×10 program in your e-book [The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout], but I’ve heard that you don’t think total 10×10 routines are that great. I wanted to try it, but now I’m not so sure. Do you still believe that the all-10×10 program is not good?
A: For those unfamiliar with it, 10×10 is taking a weight you can get about 20 reps with, but only doing 10. You rest for 30 seconds, then do 10 more and so on until you complete 10 sets of 10 reps. The first sets are a breeze; the last ones are brutal and create an insane pump and burn.
The beauty of 10×10 is that you do it on one exercise per bodypart, so a muscle is cooked to the bone in about 10 minutes. The problem with the all-10x1o program is that it’s pure DENSITY…
As we’ve said, the dominant fiber type in the biggest bodybuilders is the DUAL-component type-2As. They have both a power and density, or endurance, component. That means you need BOTH power and endurance to build the most muscle size. With 10×10 you’re getting almost pure density. But that can be a good thing…
Total 10×10 training is great if you’ve been doing a program dominated by power-oriented sets—as most bodybuilders do. The majority neglect density almost completely because they are brainwashed into believing that heavy weights build the most muscle. Even we’ve fallen into that trap before. That’s why when we first tried an all-10×10 program, we each packed on more than 5 pounds of muscle. We thought we’d found the Holy Grail of muscle building…
However, gains quickly subsided and began to regress—because now we had been neglecting the POWER component. The moral is that if you use a total-10×10 program like the first program outlined in The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout with only the ultimate exercise for each muscle, use it for only 3 to 4 weeks (our gains began to regress after week 4). Then go back to a balanced attack or even a power-oriented workout.
A good, balanced attack is the Heavy/Light 10×10 Mass Workout later in the 10×10 e-book. On that one, you do a heavy, straight-set POF workout for a muscle—power—then the next time you train it, you do only the big exercise for 10×10—a total 10-minute density mass blitz. Balanced power/density for major muscle immensity!
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
If you want to build muscle (of course you do!) and ramp up your testosterone levels while burning a ton of fat at the same time, you need to try this workout if you haven’t already…
–> Use this cutting-edge cardio trick to boost testosterone and muscle growth
Note: This is NOT traditional HIIT or boring steady-state cardio
Q: I’m using your 10×10 method after all the great feedback I’ve read, and I love it. Because the poundages are lighter, my joint problems are disappearing, and I’m already seeing new muscle after only three weeks. I love the enormous pumps too! My question is, I feel 10×10 on every exercise, but the intensity varies a lot. Do you guys ever recommend increasing the reps, like 10 sets of 12 reps?
A: For those who aren’t familiar with it, 10×10 is taking a weight with which you could get 20 reps, but you only do 10; rest for 30 seconds, then do another 10 reps—and so on until you complete 10 sets of 10 reps. The first few sets are easy; the last few are brutal. [Read more…]
Q: The 10×10 method sounds great in a number of ways for building muscle size, but one concern I have is the lack of anabolic hormone stimulation. Aren’t heavy, low-rep sets best for that? Should I combine 10×10 with heavier workouts to get that essential anabolic environment for best gains?
A: While doing a number of heavy-weight, low-rep sets can contribute to anabolic drive and hormone release, it may not be the best or most-efficient route. According to a report from Jerry Brainum, three groups were compared, and all subject performed the squat: [Read more…]
Q: I gained 8 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks using the Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout [in Chapter 3]. It transformed my physique. I noticed that Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.’s 3 hypertrophy triggers include mechanical tension from heavy weights, but I used light weights. Would I have gained even more muscle by incorporating heavy sets?
A: Before we answer, let’s lay some groundwork — like the 3 key hypertrophy triggers for optimal mass stimulation [Read more…]
