X-REP.COM

Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation

Before and After Photos—10 Pounds of New Muscle

Q: Your before and after photos at the X-Rep site are impressive and, to be frank, almost unbelievable. You say that the next year after those were taken, you gained another 10 pounds of muscle. What exactly do you attribute those new gains to? They’re almost unbelievable considering you were both advanced and supposedly drug-free?

A: “Supposedely” drug-free? Thank you! We always take an anabolic-steroid accusation as a compliment. We totally understand the doubt, considering how tough it is to build muscle, especially 10 pounds of it. We often think of the late Mike Mentzer, former pro bodybuilder and high-intensity advocate, who often suggested imagining 10 pounds of ground hamburger piled on a table. That’s a lot of meat… [Read more…]

The Ultimate Mass Tactic?

Q: I’ve seen you mention “StatX” in some of your previous workouts. What is that? If it’ll get me bigger, I want to use it. Please explain.

A: StatX stands for Static Hold at the X Spot, usually at the end of a regular set. And, yes, you should use it often to get bigger. In fact, it may be the ultimate mass move, as you’ll see… [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…]

Stage Sets for More Muscle Mass

We often look back through our ebooks for motivation and to find mass-boosting techniques we haven’t used in a while. We recently reminded ourselves about Stage Sets from our second e-book, Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, which also discusses the X-Fade technique, Double-X Overload and X/Pause. When we first used Stage Sets and other X-hybrid techniques within the program outlined in that e-book, we each gained 10 pounds on top of our previous year’s great gains. Definitely something to add back into the mix once in a while when you have a training partner… [Read more…]

Realistic 1-Month Weight Loss

Q: Do you think I could lose 20 pounds in a month? I’ll be honest, I slacked off during the stay-at-home order where I live, and my weight suffered because of it. Oops! I want to be in a somewhat healthy looking condition during the summer. I want the fat off, as it’s killing me to see this gut! And summer’s already under way. Help?!

A: Yes, you could technically lose that much weight in a month, but most of it would be water and muscle—and you probably wouldn’t look better or feel healthy—in fact, you’d feel like crap and look worse than you feel right now. We’re all impatient when it comes to changing our bodies, and especially when it comes to weight loss, but the best strategy is gradual and steady, even when there’s a short deadline like the one you’ve set… [Read more…]

Lazy Man’s Way to More Muscle

Q: I’ve got a tip for you guys: Get off your butts and work out more often, and you’ll get bigger. It looks like you’re only working out three to four days a week. I train six days a week, two hours per workout, and I compete in bodybuilding shows.

A: Hey, are you calling us lazy? Hmm, maybe we are. Everyone is to a degree, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing if you channel it to produce progress. Laziness has been the catalyst for innovation throughout history—like cars and jets. Those things get you to your destination faster and more efficiently… [Read more…]

New Home-Grown Mass: Slo-Mo vs. High Reps

Q: Your Quick Start Muscle 2.0 has renewed my motivation for home training. I’m stoked and starting the STX workouts next week. You have the first set in both workouts for slow-twitch exhaustion. Do you think that first set is better as a slow-mo set or as a normal speed high-rep set?

A: Either of those methods on the first set accomplishes the same thing: You fatigue the slow-twitch fibers, triggering more fast-twitch-fiber activation on the set or sets that follow… [Read more…]

Spike Your Muscle Gains

Q: I’ve been reading about 4X and TORQ. I’m 25 and usually train heavy, but now that I have to train at home, I’m looking for the best way to keep building muscle without a lot of weights. I’m afraid with these light training methods I might lose muscle. I’ll try them because I have no choice right now, but I think heavy is the way to grow. How do I know I won’t shrink if I don’t pony up for more weights in my home gym?

A: We’ve both been using 4X-based training techniques for several years. If a couple of old guys whose anabolic hormones aren’t what they used to be don’t shrink, you won’t. In fact, we’ve got trainees from all age groups who’ve tried 4X and TORQ and many start using them constantly because they make such great gains… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 45: John Grimek

John Grimek, at 5’ 8 1/2” and around 220 pounds, was one of the most massive bodybuilders of his era. He was the AAU Mr. American in 1940 and ’41, and at age 38 he beat Steve Reeves for the 1948 NABBA Mr. Universe. He retired from competition the next year.

[Read more…]