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5 Tips for More Muscle Mass

Jonathan doing Speed Reps on cable curls

Q: All the info I’ve read on full-range Positions of Flexion makes total sense. It’s a killer concept, and I’m so psyched to use it. My problem is time. Even though your POF [bodypart] routines are only about six sets, I only have time for half that [maybe 3 sets for each bodypart]. I don’t want to use only the Ultimate Exercise because I see the superiority of training the three positions for total development. Or should I try just the Ultimate Exercise for each muscle and use POF on only certain bodyparts?

A: Using the Ultimate Exercise for each bodypart in a program is one way to go. Your idea of using full POF on one or two bodyparts is a good one. Simply add one set of a stretch- and one set of a contracted-position exercise for those two muscle groups. For example, for chest, the Ultimate Exercise is decline presses… [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 3d hit, 5 tips for more muscle mass, arm specialization, bodyweight training, build mass, fiber activation, full-range pof, full-range positions of flexion, growth fibers, hypertrophic, lock out, mass building, motivation, muscle mass, muscular, POF, pof workouts, positions of flexion, size surge program, static hold, tension time, time under tension, ultimate exercises, warmup sets, X Reps, x spot, x-rep partials

Cover Man Arm Workout

Q: I was going through some old IRON MAN magazines to give to my nephew, and saw Jonathan on the cover of the March ‘09 issue. Unbelievable biceps! I couldn’t find an article on his arm training in that issue, though. What arm workout did he use to build those incredible peaked bi’s?

A: Full, peaked biceps are only possible if you have the genetic propensity to build thick, high bi’s. That’s not to say you can’t do it; you’ll never know till you try—and full-range training will bring out your full muscular potential… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: after-40, anabolic after 40, arm workout, biceps, biceps peak, biceps width, biceps workout, bodyweight training, cover man, genetics, in-for-out/out-for-in, in-for-out/out-for-in technique, iron man magazine, jonathan lawson, muscle size, muscular, muscular arms, out-for-in/in-for-out, peaked biceps, POF, positions of flexion, stx method, x-traordinary arms, xrx

Fast-Mass One-Hit-Wonder Workout

JL 3D Biceps Exercises - Triple-Hit Anabolic Reload

Q: Now that summer is coming to an end soon, my motivation to train is going down. Is there any way I can build muscle going to the gym two or three times a week? Like, is there a program you can recommend with just one exercise per bodypart that will keep me building muscle without taking hours in the gym?

A: We’re all about efficiency-of-effort muscle building, so you’ve come to the right place for fast-mass workouts, and many of our newest programs are just three days a week.

Most of the time, we preach multi-angular training (Positions of Flexion). That is, using a big midrange exercise followed by a stretch-position exercise and ending with a contracted-position move. That ramps up growth stimulation along three different pathways: max force (midrange), stretch overload (stretch), and occlusion/tension (contracted)… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic pathway, bodyweight training, efficiency-of-effort, fast mass, fast-mass workout, growth stimulation, max force, motivation, muscle-protein synthesis, occlusion, one-hit-wonder workout, partials, positions of flexion, stretch overload, tension, x-rep partials

Muscle Mechanics: A New Twist for Awesome Arms

Q: I have learned an incredible amount from your X Arms e-book. My question has to do with emphasizing the biceps heads. You suggest total focus on one head at each workout. Instead, I want to use two sets in each position of flexion, with each set focusing on a different head. For example, for the first exercise (midrange), I’ll do one set of close-grip preacher curls for the outer biceps heads; then follow with one set of wide-grip dumbbell curls for the inner heads. I’ll do that for the stretch-position exercise and the contracted position exercise, using the specific movements in your e-book, one set for each head in each position. I plan to use that biceps routine every arm workout. I’ll use the same two-sets-for-each-position idea for triceps too. What do you think?

A: Let’s see, two sets in each of the three positions of flexion, one set for inner-head emphasis, the second for outer-head emphasis. Interesting. That’s a different strategy from what we outline in X-traordinary Arms, which is to focus on one head of the biceps at one workout, then focus on the other head at the next to build awesome arms. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d pof, awesome arms, biceps, biceps exercises, biceps shape, biceps workout, bodyweight training, build mass, jonathan lawson, mass building, muscle mechanics, positions of flexion, protein synthesis, x arms, x-traordinary arms

Loosen Up to Unleash Extreme Muscle Growth

Jonathan Lawson doing incline dumbbell flyes

Q: Have you heard of FST-7 training, and if so, what do you think of it? It has to do with stretching the muscle fascia from the inside with 7 sets of a big-pump exercise at the end of a bodypart workout. 

A: The idea of stretching the muscle fascia, which is the fibrous encasements that surround muscle fibers, has been around a while in many incarnations. The original method had trainees use a rigorous, painful stretching regimen after they trained a bodypart.

For example, after working hamstrings, the trainee would sit on the floor, legs straight and together, and his or her trainer would force the trainee’s torso forward to fully elongate the hamstrings—and it brought tears to the eyes.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: any rambod, bodyweight training, fascia expansion, fascia stretching, fst-7, home training, loosen up, muscle fascia, muscle fibers, muscle growth, muscle mass, POF, positions of flexion, pump, recovery ability, stats, x-rep update

One-Set Triple HIT for Shocking New Muscle Growth

JL 3D Biceps Exercises - Triple-Hit Anabolic Reload

Q: I’m into high-intensity training, doing one all-out work set per exercise. But I just read your 3D Muscle Building e-book and see the logic in Positions-of-Flexion mass training. Do you think I could combine the two and get good mass results doing one work set for each of the three positions for each bodypart? Like, for my quads, I would do squats (midrange), sissy squats (stretch), and leg extensions (contracted), one all-out set for each.

A: That’s an excellent way to get acquainted with the mass-building power of 3D POF. In fact, we’ve used a similar program over the winter years ago with good results. The only problem was that when motivation was low, which it can be when it’s cold outside, gains aren’t so great. To make that 3D triple HIT approach build muscle as quickly as possible, you have to be gung-ho and train every work set like it’s the last set of your life. Summer is probably a better time to lock in that mindset.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 20 pounds in 10 weeks, 3d hit, 3d muscle building, 3d pof, anabolic after 40, arm training, arm workout, big arms, bodyweight training, free e-book, high-intensity training, hiit, hit, mass building, motivation, muscle growth, positions of flexion, summer training, summer workout, tension time, winter training, winter workout, x-traordinary arms

How to Cut Back to Grow

Steve doing incline curls

Q: The idea of a few medium-intensity [subfailure] workouts after many weeks of going all out makes perfect sense to me. My question is, Should I reduce my poundages so I can do the same number of reps, or should I stick with my same working poundages and just do fewer reps? Which way is best?

A: We prefer to use the same phase-training approach Jonathan used on the 10-week Size Surge Program when he gained 20 pounds of muscle. For each of his two supercompensation weeks, he used the same work weights and just stopped two reps short of failure—and that worked amazingly well for him. He actually appeared to get bigger during each downshift week as his muscles and nervous system supercompensated.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 10-week Size Surge, 20 pounds of muscle, anabolic, bodyweight training, cut back to grow, full-range training, grow, growth, medium intensity, muscle-protein synthesis, nervous system, phase training, POF, positions of flexion, recovery, rest, Size Surge, size surge workout, subfailure, supercompensation

Muscle Mechanics for More Calf Mass

Q: I picked up your 10×10 e-book over the weekend and started using that style of training on calves immediately, but I’m doing 8×20 as you’ve suggested in the e-book. My question is, should I angle my feet differently on each set to develop the most calf mass? I was thinking toes in on the first three, toes out on the second three, and toes straight ahead on my last two sets.

A: It’s not foot angle that stresses the inner or outer heads of the gastroc, but rather which side of the foot you’re exerting the most pressure with. In other words, if you’re pushing with the inner part of the ball of your foot, the big-toe side, you will stress the inner head of the calf muscle. If you roll out onto the little-toe side of your feet as you rise, you will stress the outer head of the calf muscle.

Notice in this photo how the trainee is using a narrower stance and rolling out; that’s not what you want. Go wider than this for more calf mass…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 10x10, 10x10 method, 10x10 workout, 8x20, bodyweight training, bodyweight workout, build mass, calf exercises, calf mass, calf muscles, calf training, gastrocnemius, gastrocs, muscle mechanics

Training One Side at a Time

Jonathan doing concentration curls

Q: How do you feel about one-arm and one-leg work? I’ve read that training one side at a time can help you contract more muscle fibers. Is that true?

A: We’ve seen studies that show unilateral work to be better at neuromuscular stimulation and therefore heightened muscle-fiber activation. Our main problem with one-limb exercises is time and energy expenditure.

Working one arm or one leg at a time takes longer, unless you move back and forth from one limb to the other without resting. Not resting, however, causes more systemic energy drain…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 3d pof, bodyweight training, bodyweight workout, concentration curls, energy drain, fiber recruitment, full-range pof, full-range training, growth fibers, muscle fibers, muscle-protein synthesis, neuromuscular stimulation, one-arm dumbbell rows, one-arm overhead extensions, one-arm rows, one-leg calf raises, one-leg leg extensions, one-limb exercises, positions of flexion, single-limb work, training one side at a time, unilateral work

Dumbbell Upright Rows to Grow

Q: I like the idea of doing dumbbell upright rows first as the midrange movement for shoulders [as recommended in the 3D Muscle Building e-book]. I just have trouble feeling the X Reps at the end after I reach exhaustion. Should I just do a drop set instead?

A: As we explained in the last e-zine, drop sets are better for continuous tension/occlusion exercises—contracted-position moves like laterals for delts, leg extensions for quads, etc. You’re looking to maximize force production with the big midrange exercise, so X Reps is the best choice…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 3d pof, bodyweight training, delt exercises, drop set, dumbbell upright rows, full-range training, mass building, muscle growth, occlusion, POF, shoulder exercises, shoulder workout, tension overload, tension time, X Reps

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