Q: What do you think about full-body workouts? I was thinking about the ideal exercise for two sets and then one set of an add-on move. Do that for every body part at every workout. [Read more…]
More Mass With Full-Body “Compound” Workouts?
Q: Researchers James Steele and James Fisher, based in the UK, claim one to two full-body workouts with compound lifts for one or two sets to failure will get you 98 percent of the results you’re after. They claim the angles of movements, or biomechanics, make little to no difference as long as the muscle reaches failure. What are your thoughts on this? What do you think about the compound lifts?
A: Using specific compound exercises to failure, or close, will of course trigger some hypertrophy.
The best compound exercise would put the target muscle as the prime mover and achieve a full range of motion (ROM) for that muscle. So some are better than others… [Read more…]
Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 101: Steve Reeves Muscle Art
These photos taken in the ’50s showcase the classic lines of Steve Reeves that made him a perfect movie Hercules—excellent genetics, and not just in the looks department. Check out at his wide V taper, small waist and long calves… [Read more…]
Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 76: Steve Reeves Double Biceps
This photo taken in the ’50s shows the classic lines of Steve Reeves that made him a perfect movie Hercules. The man had excellent genetics, and not just in the looks department. Check out at his wide V taper, small waist and long calves… [Read more…]
Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 65: Frank Zane Age 35 vs. 65
Here’s a very cool comparison of three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane in his prime to how he looked peaked at age 65… [Read more…]
Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 6: Steve Reeves
This photo taken in the ’50s shows the classic lines of Steve Reeves that made him a perfect movie Hercules. The man had excellent genetics, and not just in the looks department. Check out at his wide shoulders, small waist,
New Size With Full-Body One-Hit Mass Workouts
Q: I’ve been reading about the 4X training and am wondering if you have any advice on how to use it with a full-body three-days-per-week routine. I just started using the 4X method for each bodypart. I do one exercise per muscle. Monday I do chest, shoulders, back, bi’s, tri’s, abs, legs. Wednesday I do the same body parts but in a different order and using different exercises. The same goes for Friday. I take the weekend off. I’m drug-free, so I think I’ve been overtraining till now. I’m hoping that 4X will help spark some new gains.
A: That sounds like a great plan for building more mass. First, skeptical readers need to realize that three-days-per-week programs can do incredible things. We discuss the Colorado Experiment in Size Surge 2.0 and 3D Muscle Building, a four-week research project in which Casey Viator gained 60 pounds of muscle… [Read more…]