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Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 85: Danny Padilla Mass Shot

We’ve featured Danny Padilla in our Zen installments many times, but this is a shot we haven’t seen before. It’s a great stage shot that highlights his mass and symmetry, things his training style emphasized and amplified… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 83: Lee Labrada’s Mass Secret

Lee Labrada never won the Mr. Olympia, but he got close due to his incredible symmetry, proportions, and muscle size and density—“Mass With Class.” His physique was a work of art…

You can see that from this out-and-about photo by Michael Neveux of Lee in archer mode… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 81: Danny Padilla Ruins Bodybuilding

We often feature photos in our Zen newsletters that we’ve never seen before. This one of Danny Padilla is one of those. It looks like he’s at some type of ruins, perhaps the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, or the Parthenon in Greece (those are just a guesses). [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 78: Danny Padilla’s Twisting Mass

Danny Padilla was known in pro bodybuilding back in the day as “the Giant Killer.” That’s because at only 5’2”, his perfect mass-symmetry combo allowed him to beat bodybuilders who were much taller and larger than he was. [Read more…]

The Lost Get-Bigger Trigger: The Time-Muscle Mass Continuum

Q: I’m making great strides in muscle gains with the 4X mass method from your newsletters. I do 10 to 12 reps per set, but I’ve seen that you sometimes recommend up to 30 reps. What’s up with that, and does that actually work for you guys?

A: We often use higher reps within the 4X-sequence framework, and it’s done amazing things for us and many of our trainees. [Read more…]

First-Set Trick for Muscle Mass

Q: I’m loving your 4X mass method. I’ve been using it for only three weeks, and I already feel bigger and look fuller. The scale says I’ve put on three pounds, but it looks like more than that. I feel pumped all the time. Anyway, I’m wondering if I should do a warmup set before I jump into 4X for an exercise. If not on all 3 exercises in Positions of Flexion, maybe just the first one will do the trick since it’s compound [or midrange], like squats.

A: Keep in mind that with 4X mass training, you’re using the same MODERATE weight from the first set to the last. In most cases you shouldn’t need a warmup set because your first in the sequence is fairly easy—you don’t go to failure… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 23: Don Howorth

Our biggest training influence as we got older—and wiser—was Vince Gironda. In our last Moment of Bodybuilding Zen, we featured Larry Scott and Freddy Ortiz, a photo from the ’60s taken in front of Vince’s Gym in Studio City, California. [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 19: Danny Padilla

Danny Padilla was known for his classic, no-flaws physique. His nickname was “the Giant Killer” because at only 5’2” his perfect mass-symmetry combo allowed him to beat bodybuilders who were much taller and larger than he was. [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 16: Lee Labrada

Lee Labrada never won the Mr. Olympia, but he got close due to his incredible symmetry, proportions, and muscle size and density. An Iron Man editor (Steve) gave him the monicker “Mass With Class” back in the ‘80s for good reason–his physique was a work of art (photo by Michael Neveux)… [Read more…]