Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation
Frank Zane wasn’t the biggest bodybuilder of his era by any stretch. He competed and won the Mr. Olympia weighing around 190 at 5’9”. And 40 years later, his physique is still considered an ultimate ideal by the many…
His secret was that he always came in super-crisp with delineated abs. In fact, his abs stood out in bold relief even when he was standing relaxed, as in this photo. [Read more…]
Vince Taylor, at 5’9” and a competition weight of 225, had classic mass with few flaws—in fact, in this relaxed backstage photo, we can’t find any. His physique looks near perfection… [Read more…]
We gravitate back to Bob Paris in our Zen newsletter often because he had one of the most perfectly proportioned physiques to ever grace a bodybuilding stage… [Read more…]
Here’s a fantastic shot of Arnold at Muscle Rock. We asked John Balik if he took it, and he said he believes it’s a Gene Mozee photo. [Read more…]
Dorian Yates won his first of six Mr. Olympia titles in 1992 and officially ushered in the mass-monster era. His huge, grainy physique was the next step up from the more aesthetic previous Mr. O Lee Haney… [Read more…]
The last time we talked about Bob Paris was Zen 29, but we revisit because his physique always inspires us. [Read more…]
Q: I’ve seen speed reps in some of your routines. What are those, and how do they work to add more mass?
A: We call this mass tactic X-celeration, and it can pack on new mass FAST because of extra fiber activation, and it’s a technique that lends itself well to home-gym training… [Read more…]
We featured Jim Haislop, 1968 Mr. America, way back in Zen 8. We recently ran across this shot of him, and all we can say is, Whoa! [Read more…]
Q: Using a static hold [StatX] at the end of a regular set near the muscle’s stretch is killer. I feel like I’m getting bigger after only a short time on this routine. Are those holds better than the X Reps your recommend with some movement?
A: It depends on the exercise, but in most cases, some movement, as in X Reps, may produce slightly better results. Here’s why… [Read more…]
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…]
