Charles Poliquin Archives

Home-Grown Muscle: The Speed Factor

Q: I’m training at home like everyone else, but I don’t have a lot of weight. In fact, on many exercises, like dumbbell bench presses, the weight is way too light. Is there anything I can do to keep my muscle growth moving forward without going heavier?

A: First, bodybuilding is called “progressive-resistance” training because adding weight and/or reps to your exercises can increase muscle size…

We say “can” because getting stronger does not always mean getting bigger. Strength may also be the result of neuromuscular adaptation—nervous system efficiency—or better coordination/leverage. [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 47: Danny Padilla’s Mass

We featured Danny Padilla back in Zen #19, but after recently running across the gym photo below, we had to include him again. That’s because every time we see it, all we can say is, “Damn!” [Read more…]

Do Any Big Guys Use the 4X Method?

Q: I know Mr. America Doug Brignole uses Super TORQ and has used a version of 4X. Are there any pro bodybuilders who use the 4X method?

A: The really big guys, especially referring to pro bodybuilders, tend to use an abundance of almost anything and everything in their training—because they have, um, “special” supplements to help them recover. That and superior genetics allow them to train rather haphazardly and still grow like crazy (we know, it’s not fair). [Read more…]

Rest Between Sets Confusion

Q: I remember reading in your newsletter not too long ago when you mentioned that the rest time between sets during a [10×10 sequence] should be 20 seconds. In the 10×10 e-book you say to use 30 seconds between sets. Is that a deliberate reduction, and if so, should I reduce my starting weight a little to accommodate the reduced rest?

A: Rest between sets during a 10×10 sequence should be anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Vince Gironda, famous Hollywood trainer known as the Iron Guru who trained Larry Scott for his first Mr. Olympia victory, liked to continue to gradually reduce it over many workouts till the trainee was down to only about 10 seconds of rest or less between sets. That doesn’t work for many trainees because of having a training partner… [Read more…]

One Small Change for Big-Arm Gains

Q: I’m in phase 1 of the Size Surge Workout. I like it a lot, but I notice that I’m getting some wrist pain during barbell curls. Should I try a wider or narrower grip for more arm gains without the pain?

A: You’re extremely motivated. How do we know? Because you apparently read the Size Surge e-book up through phase 1 and stopped so you could attack that program. If you would’ve read further, you would’ve seen that Jonathan had the same problem and switched to dumbbell curls in phase 2… [Read more…]

The Next BIG Thing for More Muscle Mass

Q: I just finished a six-week phase using the HIT workout with arm specialization [listed in the X-traordinary Arms e-book]. I made some good mass gains training each exercise with only one all-out set. I used my extra energy to blast my arms with more sets [with full Positions of Flexion] and got amazing gains using the different exercises at each arm workout. They’re looking big and full, and now I’m ready for a new program. Which one do you suggest after that 3D HIT Workout?

A: To clarify, on that 3D HIT Program listed in the X-Arms e-book you do full POF for each bodypart, but only one all-out set in each position. For example, for quads, you do squats (midrange), sissy squats (stretch), and leg extensions (contracted), each getting a warmup set or two and then only ONE mass-kicking set to exhaustion… [Read more…]

Rep Speed on 10×10 Sets

Q: I have two questions. I’m using The Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout, one [Ultimate] exercise per muscle. Killer results so far, with 40-minute workouts, but I was wondering what should I use as my rep speed on 10×10 sets? Also, is there anything I can take so I tolerate the burn a little better? I think I could make even faster gains if I could push further past the insane burn to get at more fibers.

A: Our former colleague, the late coach Charles Poliquin, said that one of the most underused get-bigger triggers is rep-tempo change, or cadence manipulation. Since you’re only doing one exercise for each muscle, we suggest you vary the cadence throughout the 10×10 sequence… [Read more…]

Tips for More Muscle Now

Q: I want to thank you both. I’m from Italy, 178 cm tall, and my weight now is 68 Kg (150 pounds). At the beginning of April, my weight was only 62 Kg (136 pounds). My increase in muscular mass, almost 15 pounds, is due to you. Before your training methods, I tried so many others, but with no results. The program that worked is the 10-week Size Surge [that Jonathan used to gain 20 pounds of muscle, listed in 3D Muscle Building]. I’d like to improve my muscle mass to 75 Kg (165 pounds), with a particular emphasis on delts, back, and forearms. I believe forearms are very important. Can you suggest anything to increase my mass? I have most of your e-books, so I can look up any method you suggest.

A: Thank you for the complimentary e-mail. We’re glad you’re making such striking progress with one of our most popular and effective workouts, the 10-week Size Surge program that Jonathan used for his transformation. His progress photos during that mass-building experiment are very motivational. Just seeing his 10-week results can program your mind to help you pack on more muscle now… [Read more…]

The #1 Key to Ultimate Muscle Size

Q: So from what I can surmise, it sounds like I need both heavy, lower-rep sets and higher-rep, longer tension-time sets to build the ultimat muscle size. Is that right?

A: That’s a simple way to put it, but yes, most trainees need both types of training to attain extreme development as quickly as possible. Let’s review the late, great Olympic coach and strength/muscle-building expert Charles Poliquin’s input…

[Read more…]

Low Reps Plus Short Rests for Mass-Building Success?

Q: I’ve always gotten pretty good size and strength gains from heavy weights and using the six-to-eight-rep range. Could I be more myofibrillar dominant? And, if so, do you think I would benefit more by doing 4X mass training with lower reps, say 4×6, but still with short rests so that my sarcoplasm gets growth benefits as well?

A: Great question! For new readers, the myofibrils are the force-generating actin and myosin strands in the muscle fibers. If you have more of those than usual, you would be considered myofibrillar dominant. A good example of that is Mike Mentzer, who was squatting over 500 pounds at age 16…

[Read more…]