X-REP.COM

Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation

Ultimate Mass Move: One-Hit Chest-Back Attack

Q: I just got the Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0. Absolutely one of the best muscle-building guides I’ve ever read. I’m very interested in [Mr. America] Doug Brignole’s one-exercise-per-muscle high-rep method [50-40-30-20-10]. The problem is that it’s tough deciding which single move is best for each target muscle. He likes decline dumbbell presses for chest, but I’m thinking bench presses. What are your thoughts on that? And what about back? I see Brignole likes T-bar rows as his only upper-back exercise.

A: We like decline dumbbell presses. It’s one of the best overall pec moves; however, unlike Brignole we see the value of inclines as well (more on that in a moment). [Read more…]

Best Chisel-Your-Chest Exercise

Q: I’ve been using cable crossovers as my contracted-position exercise in my 3D Positions-of-Flexion chest routine. I do them last for tension, occlusion, and a final pump, but I’m not getting the right feel and not seeing much of a pump. Do you have any form suggestions to make them better?

A: Cable crossovers are a good contracted-position chisel-your-chest exercise—if you have decent nerve-to-muscle connections in your pec muscles. Those who don’t tend to shift the torso forward and backward during the exercise, to bring in more front delts and even lats. We prefer a similar exercise that forces strictness… [Read more…]

Stretch to Etch Slashing Muscle Detail

Q: I’m trying to get that crisp division between my pecs. I want to be able to see the inner part of my chest muscles from the lower part all the way up to the collarbone. I do lots of cable crossovers, but I’m only seeing a bit of detail in my lower chest. Any suggestions?

A: One problem may be fat in the area. A bit of adipose covering the pecs will blur or negate any detail. You need to be fairly lean to see the chest-muscle division (cleavage) from top to bottom.

[Read more…]

Jonathan: Fatigued Friday

Big changes in my little world over the last 24 hours, and they’re all good for a change. That said, it seems my mind wasn’t as relaxed as I was expected when it came time for some shut-eye. With about 4 hours of sleep, I was expecting a fully fatigued Friday workout, but I had a shocking amount of energy. Thank you pot-o-coffee… [Read more…]