contracted Archives

Burst Training for Muscle-Mass Gaining

Q: You recently referenced Mike Mentzer, and I’m wondering if you guys have ever trained with his HIT style. One-set-to-failure training seems to work for some people, and I know Mentzer’s training evolved into that after he stopped competing. Have you tried it or something similar?

A: One of Steve’s early influences was Mike Mentzer. He trained with Mike’s Heavy Duty style in his 20s, and even won his first bodybuilding contest using a Positions-of-Flexion version of Heavy Duty that he devised (more on that below)… [Read more…]

Ultimate Mass Workout (over-40)

Q: I wanted to report on my progress. I’m 53 and am making the best muscle gains of my life using something you haven’t really discussed. I get bored easily, so what I do is one week I use the Over-40 STX workout [Anabolic Reload e-book] and the next week I go to the Pure-Positions STX program [Stretch Overload e-book]. I think it’s working so well because every week I am getting all three of the hypertrophy requirements but with different splits and exercise mixes. I swear my shirts are already tighter after only three weeks. Just want to thank you guys for my new gains!

A: Hmm, very interesting—and a novel approach. We usually suggest doing one of those programs for four to six weeks, then switch to the other for another four-to-six-week mass phase.

But who are we to argue? Sounds like alternating them is working off the charts for you in the over-40 muscle mass department. Exciting stuff! Now… [Read more…]

New Muscle Stress for Freaky Mass

Q: I liked the suggestion of moving from The Anabolic Reload Mass Workout, with a high-rep set first to fatigue slow-twitch fibers (STX), to a workout with a heavy pyramid first followed by STX on a contracted move. After five weeks on that, I’d like to add in stretch-position exercises for more trauma/muscle stress and, I hope, more growth. Is there a workout you can suggest?

That’s how you get more growth, guaranteed. The addition of stretch-position exercises will inflict new muscle stress and a significant spike in muscle mass… [Read more…]

Triple-Hit Anabolic Reload

Q: As you explain in Anabolic Reload, your 3 Positions of Flexion for each muscle align with Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.’s 3 hypertrophy triggers for a triple-hit anabolic reload. That got me thinking. I like the full-body workouts in that ebook, but I’m considering: Monday, all midrange work; Wednesday, all contracted; and Friday, all stretch. That way it’s only one exercise for each muscle with the STX method at each workout. Is that a good idea?

A: For the uninitiated, the 3 key hypertrophy triggers you must attack for optimal mass stimulation, according to Schoenfeld, are: [Read more…]

Pain-to-Gain Exercise Change

Q: I’m a big fan of Position-of-Flexion mass training. Hitting the three “angles” for each muscle just makes so much sense, and I know stretch overload builds mass (bird study, etc.). That brings me to my question: The overhead triceps extension with a barbell, dumbbell, cable or two dumbbells, hurts my elbows. My triceps need fullness and sweep, so I don’t want to skip that stretch-overload exercise. What can I do to avoid the old pain-to-gain myth? [Read more…]

Muscle Tension, Fiber Trauma, and Extreme Hypertrophy

Q: I’ve read that I should always train my heavy exercise first—bench press, squats, etc. Then go to a more isolated one. If I use an isolation exercise first like concentration curls for variety and new stimulation, should I still train it heavy?

A: You can, but you don’t have to train it heavy (more on that in a moment). “Always” doing workouts a certain way is the road to stagnation and slower gains for most; however, you should make an effort to get the key mass triggers… [Read more…]

Build 3D Arms

Q: I’ve been on the basic Positions-of Flexion biceps and triceps routines you outline in 3D Muscle Building. I’m getting spectacular pumps, and I think my arms have grown already. I’m ready to go to all the POF routines in 3D for all my bodyparts. My question is on biceps. I don’t really feel concentration curls. Is there another ending [contracted-position] exercise I can do instead to help build 3D arms?

A: For the uninitiated, Positions of Flexion is training each bodypart through its full range. For example, for biceps, it’s barbell curls (midrange), incline curls (stretch), and concentration curls (contracted). [Read more…]

Build Freaky Forearms

Q: I read the Size Surge Workout e-book in one sitting. It’s the best muscle-building information I’ve ever read. Very complete, and I am more excited and motivated than ever to start. After comparing the basic workouts in phase 1 with the Positions-of-Flexion workouts in phase 2, I’d like to know why you have forearm work only in phase 1? You have wrist curls and hammer curls, but no direct forearm work in phase 2. Why?

A: Sounds like you want freaky vein-streaked forearms hanging out of your shirt sleeves! We can fix that—but first, let us answer your question…

There is no forearm work in phase 2 because you do more gripping work from multiple angles. POF is multi-angular training for every major muscle group, so that makes sense. For example, you use three different biceps exercises…

But in the phase 1 Size Surge routine (pages 17-19), you only train arms once a week, on Wednesday, and barbell curls provide the only taxing grip work on that day…

On Monday and Friday when you train most of the big bodyparts, the heavy exercises that have grip-building potential require straps—such as upright rows, bent-over rows, and pulldowns. It makes sense to include some direct forearm work on Wednesday, when all you train are deadlifts (using straps), calves, biceps, triceps, and abs. One set each of wrist curls and hammer curls does the job, and the hammers also hit the brachialis muscles for enhanced biceps peak…

If you have weak forearms and want direct work in phase 2, the most efficient exercise for both the flexors (underside) and extensors (top) is rockers…

With the dumbbells at arm’s length at your outer thighs, curl your hands up and in to work the flexors, then lower them and curl them up and out to train the extensors. Do that for about 15 reps—up in and up out counts as one rep. Do one set of rockers to forearm-frying exhaustion after your full-range POF biceps workout in the phase 2 Size Surge Workout, and you’ll forge some fierce forearms, adding some extra freak to your physique!

Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.

—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com

NEWEST RELEASE: The Anabolic After-40 Muscle-Size Manual contains new mass-building XRX workouts featuring Pure Positions of Flexion mass training with moderate-weight 3X density sequences plus rest/pause X-Reps. In addition, you’ll get 3 FREE bonuses—“20 Pounds in 10 Weeks Blueprint,” “Anabolic After-40 Bodyweight Edition,” and “X-traordinary Arms.” Add them all to your mass-building library for a limited-time price ($100 value) of ONLY $15 HERE.

Bench Press Stress

Q: A guy at my gym told me that dumbbell bench presses are better than barbell benches for chest development. He said it’s because of the increased range of motion you can get with the dumbbells and the pec squeeze you can do at the top. What do you think? Should I switch?

A: Well, as we explain in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, neither of those is best for chest development; decline presses are a much better choice because that angle puts you in a more ergonomically correct position for hitting pecs and minimizing front-delt involvement (it’s why people lift their butts off the bench when doing them flat—to get into the more advantageous decline position). [Read more…]

New 3D HIT: More Muscle, Less Time?

Q: I’ve been checking out a lot of the high-intensity-training (HIT) stuff on the Web. Using one all-out intense set per exercise makes a lot of sense. But doing only one exercise per bodypart, as in most HIT programs, does not make sense to me. That’s why I want to try the more abbreviated HIT approach combined with 3D POF [training each muscle in three positions for full-range activation]. Any suggestions?

A: What you’re talking about is a key reason 3D Positions of Flexion evolved. It attacks the full contractibility range of a muscle for maximum fiber recruitment as well as [Read more…]