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Doug found higher reps to be much more productive than lower reps, as you’ve seen from his 3-set approach: 30, 20, 12 reps.
This runs counter to much of what hypertrophy researcher Chris Beardsley recommends. Doug’s observations were about himself after decades of training experience, not a blanket recommendation for everyone: [Read more…]
Last week’s newsletter on fiber-type activation during a set was thought-provoking. If you missed that…
Slow-twitch fibers generate ATP for power via aerobic metabolism—with oxygen (illustration by Larry Eklund)… [Read more…]
Q: Excellent new ebooks. Your story about X-Reps and the gains you made in five weeks back in the day got me excited enough to try them. I didn’t realize what I was missing. I really feel those exercises working much better, and I’m already seeing results. Do you think the effectiveness of X-Reps will fade after a while? You mentioned [in the ebook] that it could be why you stopped doing them years ago. [Read more…]
Speed Sets—with 1.5-second controlled reps—are a big part of the Old Man, Young Muscle workout. Most of the top bodybuilders have been using them throughout their careers due to instinct—like Arnold.
Another is eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney. Here’s what he had to say in a recent interview (photo by Michael Neveux)… [Read more…]
So training to all-out failure does get to the most fast-twitch fibers, but it also produces the most stress and damage, specifically on the last rep… [Read more…]
Here’s a rare security cam still of Arnold saying bye-bye to his blankie as a robber pillages his home. Luckily, the crook was caught, “Schnitzel” was found unharmed, and Arnold was able to sleep soundly once again… [Read more…]
Q: I understand the benefit of the high-rep-set-first STX method. But for me the pain is unbearable when I get past 12 reps. Will 12 work to exhaust the slow-twitch fibers so that fast ones are better initiated on the second [lower-rep] set?
A: I feel your pain. It does hurt—and some trainees have a lower tolerance than others… [Read more…]
Respected hypertrophy and strength researcher Chris Beardsley has a thought-provoking insight on training to failure… [Read more…]
Q: I read with interest your explanation of [researcher] Chris Beardsley’s take on explosive movements. If he’s right and the 2X explosive fast-twitch fibers don’t have hypertrophy potential and explosive actions can cause a transition of other type 2 fibers into 2X, how do we explain the muscular quads and calves of sprinters? [Read more…]
I’m often asked how I could possibly build muscle with only a 50-pound PowerBlock dumbbell set and a bench, as chronicled in Old Man Young Muscle.
It’s a common misconception that you need heavy weights to trigger hypertrophy—and besides, I had no choice… [Read more…]
