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Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 220: Arnold and Franco Tie the Knot—What?

Two pics of Arnold and Franco (young and older)

For a killer forearm workout, Arnold and Franco would head down to the docks and tie knots in the giant ropes holding the boats. Here they are resting after tying multiple Slip Knots as a prank on a crusty old tug-boat captain. They were permanently banned from the docks in 1969… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: arnold, bench press, bodybuilding zen, deadlifts, Franco, Franco Columbu, powerlifting, squats

Incline Press for Massive Upper Chest?

Jonathan doing incline Smith machine presses with Steve spotting

Q: Doug Brignole says that the incline press is worthless for upper chest. I’ve read your explanation, and you agree. Then why does my upper chest get sore when I include it?

A: It’s not completely worthless for the upper pecs; however, it is limited and almost totally front-delt dominant.

The only upper-chest benefit you get from incline presses is at the bottom when the fibers are fully elongated. That will get you sore, plus… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, bench press stress, best chest exercise, chest exercises, chest workout, decline presses, flyes, ideal chest exercise, incline press

Mr. America’s Top-8 “Danger Zone” Exercises, Part 1

Jonathan doing one-arm preacher curls

With the sequel to “Top Gun” taking off at the box office, I thought I’d work in the signature song title from the original: “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins.

It fits with Mr. America and 2019 Drug-Free Mr. Universe Doug Brignole’s “Exercises that Cause the Most Injuries.” He lists eight, and I’ve done all of them at one point or another—and been injured by at least half of them. Even now, pain from some of those injuries prevents me from doing other sane exercises. Sucks.

Here are the first four; [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, dangerous, deadlifts, Doug Brignole, Mr. America, mr. universe, overhead press, preacher curls

Bench Press Blasphemy?

Arnold bench pressing, black and white pic

Not a fan of the barbell bench press. I know, I know—it’s the most popular exercise in the gym.

But not because of the results. It’s because it’s one of the best look-how-much-I-can-lift moves. Plus, you get to do it lying on your back… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, best chest exercise, chest exercises, chest workout, ideal chest exercise

Bench Press Power

Heavy bench press

Q: I’m using the Size Surge program, and it’s absolutely fantastic. My only complaint is that I want my bench press power to go up faster. I’m not sure that the two work sets on the bench are enough to make that happen. What would you suggest?

A: Two work sets can be enough. During Jonathan’s original 10-week cycle, his bench went from 200 x 10 to 290 x 6. But to be fair, he was regaining some size and strength that he’d had previously. Still a spectacular increase. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, bench press power, chest workout, eat stop eat, endurance, get ripped, mass gains, pecs, size side effect, Size Surge, strength gains, type 2a muscle fibers

Bench press? Try this for new eye-popping SIZE (chest, arms, and more)

Bench press - Bench press? Try this for new eye-popping SIZE (chest, arms, and more)

Q: Bench press seems to be the “measure of a man” even today. I’ve always sucked at it, but never really hurt for chest development. I prefer the decline alternative, just like you guys, but I also observe that many military guys have good chest development, many with pushups alone. How do you build a good chest if you suck at bench pressing?

A: Funny you should mention pushups. Steve has found that to be a great exercise to end his chest routine with—and he sucks at bench presses, too. Injuring his shoulder bench pressing powerlifting style in his 20s didn’t help matters. And it still hurts him… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4x mass workout, 4x sequence, 4x style, bench press, big exercises, chest, chest routine, chest workout, hormones, hypertrophic, hypertrophy, modified pre-ex, powerlifting, pre-ex 3x, pushups, sarcoplasm, sarcoplasmic expansion, size, target muscle, testosterone, Truth About Testosterone

Best Chest Exercise

Decline dumbbell presses

Q: Incredible interview with [Mr. America] Doug Brignole in the Power-Density e-book. So cool that he has studied kinesiology and physiology and determined the number-one best exercise for each muscle. He said decline dumbbell presses are the best chest exercise for overall mass. Does he ever use barbell declines or Hammer-machine decline presses, which bring your hands from a wide stretch to close at the top for a better pec contraction? Or what about dips? [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, best chest exercise, chest, decline press, Doug Brignole, EMG, Jay Cutler, Mr. America, mr. olympia, power-density, Super TORQ

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