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…]
Mr. America’s Top-8 “Danger Zone” Exercises, Part 1
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…]
Dump Deadlifts?
Q: I saw that Doug Brignole trashed stiff-legged deadlifts, but you have them in Old Man Young Muscle. Have you stopped doing them since Doug’s analysis shows that they don’t contract the hamstrings?
A: I still include them. That’s because I don’t use the semi-stiff-legged deadlifts to contract my hamstrings. It’s a stretch move… [Read more…]
Are Deadlifts Worthless?
There’s no question that heavy deadlifts can be dangerous…
I remember seeing a guy try to pull a heavy weight off the floor, and his arms tore off at his shoulders and blood started shooting out of the sockets… [Read more…]
Ideal Midsection-Perfection Move
The title of this newsletter is a bit misleading because the muscle I’m talking about isn’t only located in your midsection…
It runs from your glutes all the way up to your neck, but only the lower part is visible. Which is why it’s often referred to as the “lower back.” [Read more…]
The Ultimate Mass Tactic?
Q: I’ve seen you mention “StatX” in some of your previous workouts. What is that? If it’ll get me bigger, I want to use it. Please explain.
A: StatX stands for Static Hold at the X Spot, usually at the end of a regular set. And, yes, you should use it often to get bigger. In fact, it may be the ultimate mass move, as you’ll see… [Read more…]
Six Pounds of Muscle in Only a Month
Q: I’m using the 3-way split in the basic program listed in the X-traordinary X-Rep Workout e-book. I’ve added about six pounds of muscle in only a month! My arms are larger than they’ve ever been, but I’m not really happy with my legs. I’m working legs only once a week on Tuesdays, with the other two upper-body workouts alternating on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Should I add some leg work somewhere?
A: That’s one of the best bodypart splits you can use for mass, as there’s very little overlap and optimal muscle recovery AND systemic recuperation. So keep the X-traordinary X-Rep Workout split as you’re doing it—with legs only on Tuesday. The fix is, every other week, when back day lands on a Friday, add in deadlifts for some residual leg work—like this: [Read more…]
Start Your Workouts With This
Q: I’m excited! I was looking for a 3-days-per-week program to use over the winter, and I think I’ve devised a great one. I’ll use the split-positions Phase 1 workout you outline in The Ultimate Super-Size Crash Course [Chapter 6], but I’ll start each workout with either squats or deadlifts. I remember you saying how that can increase overall mass gains. What do you think?
A: That sounds like a great winter size-building program to put to the test. For the uninitiated, the program split is simple: [Read more…]
Anabolic Primer: One Move Gets You Huge
Q: I’ve been using the POF-Power/Super-TORQ Mass Workout [in the Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0 e-book]. My mass gains have shot up significantly over the past several weeks. Alternating heavy POF work with Super TORQ [high-rep work on only one exercise] is producing the best growth response in years. My question is about the optional deadlifts that begin the Friday workout. Doing 8-10 reps hurts my back, so I’m thinking about using only one 15-to-20-rep set instead. Is that okay, or should I just train through the pain?
A: First, never “train through the pain” of injury. More on your lower back in a moment. Let’s address the question of reps… [Read more…]