growth stimulation Archives

Fast-Mass One-Hit-Wonder Workout

Q: Now that summer is coming to an end soon, my motivation to train is going down. Is there any way I can build muscle going to the gym two or three times a week? Like, is there a program you can recommend with just one exercise per bodypart that will keep me building muscle without taking hours in the gym?

A: We’re all about efficiency-of-effort muscle building, so you’ve come to the right place for fast-mass workouts, and many of our newest programs are just three days a week.

Most of the time, we preach multi-angular training (Positions of Flexion). That is, using a big midrange exercise followed by a stretch-position exercise and ending with a contracted-position move. That ramps up growth stimulation along three different pathways: max force (midrange), stretch overload (stretch), and occlusion/tension (contracted)… [Read more…]

The Stretch-Strength Link

Q: I’m loving the 3D HIT program [listed in the X-traordinary Arms e-book]. Every bodypart is growing, my strength goes up at almost every workout, and I’m only in the gym for 45 minutes. So far, it’s sweet! My question is, Shouldn’t the stretch exercise be last in the 3D sequence: midrange, contracted, then stretch? I’ve read that stretching a muscle makes it weaker right after, so it only makes sense that you should do the stretch-position exercise last instead of before the contracted-position exercise; otherwise, you’ll be weaker on the contracted move. Am I off base here?

A: Either order works well for stimulating growth, and it’s good to mix it up for more adaptation (growth). But we’ll give you our reasoning for why we think the standard order (see the pics below) is best for optimum hypertrophy (fast mass) with regard to the stretch-strength link. Take biceps as an example. The standard 3D POF program is barbell curls, incline curls, and concentration curls—in that order. [Read more…]

Mass Building Mayhem—Serious Size Strategy

Q: You guys have so many different programs and mass tactics. Should I just pick a routine I like, do it for five weeks, then pick another? For example, I’m thinking about using 4X Mass Workout. Then I could go to Power-Density. Thoughts?

A: That can work very well. As we always say, change to gain. But when we say that, we are primarily talking about tactics, not exercises…

[Read more…]

Should I Do More?

Q: I’ve noticed in a lot of your e-book routines that you often recommend just two work sets for an exercise Why? Should I do more? I’ve read that most bodybuilders do four or five sets per exercise.

A: As Arthur Jones, the creator of Nautilus machines said: “You can train hard or you can train long, but you can’t do both.” Short and hard or long and not so hard both work. Despite what some die-hard high-intensity trainers say, gradually increasing volume is a form of overload that can result in more muscle—if you don’t overdo intensity. It’s a balancing act. Us? Regardless of whether it’s one of our low-set workouts or high tension time workouts, we’re about efficiency of effort in the gym…

[Read more…]

Arnold’s X-Rep Mass Connection

Q: In the description of your new e-book [The X-traordinary X-Rep Workout], you mention that Arnold used X Reps. How is that even possible? He was training [at his peak] way back in the 1970s, and X Reps didn’t come around till the 2000s. What’s the deal?

A: We coined the X-Rep term about fifteen years ago, but partial-rep training has been around for ages in various forms. What we did was take the most recent research on semi-stretch-point fiber activation and zero in on the BEST spot on the stroke for end-of-set partials, or X Reps…

That key point on an exercise’s stroke is where the muscle can generate the most force, and you therefore activate the most muscle fibers for incredible growth stimulation…

In other words, at the end of a set, when you can no longer do full-range reps, you move the resistance to that key point and do short-range partials—for example near the bottom of a chinup, from just out of the arms-straight position up to just before the halfway point. Here’s Jonathan demonstrating X Reps on chins…

Jonathan Lawson demonstrating X Reps on chin ups - Arnold's X-Rep Mass Connection

Now, if X Reps are so effective, why not do some all-X-Rep sets, or X-Only, for max-force overload? X-cellent size-building strategy, and that’s one way Arnold used this partial-range mass method and why we credit him with being such an innovator in the gym…

Arnold would often hang weight around his waist, enough so he could do maybe two or three full reps, but instead, he would only do the bottom third of the range, a short-stroke X-Rep move in the range Jonathan is demonstrating above. It was a heavy, shock attack for his lats, getting an inordinate number of muscle fibers to fire against a big load. That did some pretty good things for his V-taper, lat width and sweep…

Arnold double biceps - Arnold's X-Rep Mass Connection

In the X-traordinary X-Rep e-book, we also discuss how he used stretch-position exercises, a key component of Positions-of-Flexion mass training, for most of his bodyparts, and how he also used the X-Only technique on those max-muscle-elongation movements every so often–he used some unique exercises too. Then there’s the Flex-X technique, which Arnold called “burns.”

Luckily, the former publisher of IRON MAN magazine and our good friend, John Balik, lived and trained with Arnold back in his heyday, so we have John’s memory of that incredible time in bodybuilding history to draw from. His recollections are very motivating, not to mention informative from a training standpoint. Here’s another shot John snapped of Arnold on the beach in Santa Monica, California, in the ’70s…

Arnold relaxed on beach, John Balik photo - Arnold's X-Rep Mass Connection

No doubt that Arnold was way ahead of his time in the muscle department, and with John’s help we learned why: Arnold had an incredible instinct for doing the right things in the gym, methods that science is now verifying as precision muscle-size stimulators—like stretch- and semi-stretch-point overload. Follow his lead and you too will grow like never before!

Note: For more details on Arnold’s X-Rep methods, see the X-traordinary X-Rep Workout. This exciting e-guide merges the top X-Rep techniques and info with muscle-building research into two power-packed X-Rep workouts—the basic X program only takes about 35 minutes. For more info, go HERE

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

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

Recommended:

ATTENTION OVER-40 BODYBUILDERS

One of the most interesting read-me pages on Testosterone and other muscle-building hormones we’ve seen is The Truth About Testosterone.

It even talks about a fruit, a specific part, that can up your T naturally. Cranking up your testosterone will not only get you jacked in the gym, but in the bedroom too—not to mention help rip up your midsection as it ignites fat burning. If that interests you, there’s more from our colleague and registered dietician, HERE.

Jaw-Dropping Growth With the Austrian Oak

Q: I saw someone mention that Arnold used Positions of Flexion. Is that true? I’m thinking about trying it, but I’m not sure if it will work.

A: Arnold, the Austrian Oak, used a lot of exercises, so he definitely favored a multi-angular approach in his training. If you look at the workouts he used during his bodybuilding dominance, you’ll see shades of Positions of Flexion (POF), such as bench presses (midrange), flyes (stretch), and crossovers (contracted) for his massive chest.

One bodypart on which he did make a conscious effort to train those three particular angles was biceps. His favorite routine was barbell or dumbbell curls (midrange), incline curls (stretch), and concentration curls (contracted)…

[Read more…]

Round Delts: Best Exercise

Q: In 3D Muscle Building you have incline one-arm laterals or one-arm cable laterals as the stretch move for the side-delt head. Is one better than the other? They feel completely different to me, and I just want big round delts, so which is the best exercise?

A: Both provide resistance on the medial-delt head when the arm is across the front of the torso. You don’t get that with standard lateral raises because of gravity and your arm positioning—at the bottom of the stroke, your arms are perpendicular to the floor with delts resting (zero resistance).

[Read more…]

More Tips for Bigger Arms

Q: I’m following the arm-specialization programs in your X-traordinary Arms e-book (I ordered the Anabolic After-40 package to get it free!). I like starting my biceps workout with cable curls, as you suggest, because I can add X Reps at the end of the last set. Many of the pro bodybuilders say free weights are better for growth, so I’m worried I’m not getting the most size stimulation. Are free-weight barbell or dumbbell curls better?

A: Not necessarily. The only problem with cable curls is weight-stack drag, which makes the negative, or lowering, stroke slightly easier; however, you get much better continuous tension with a cable curl as opposed to barbell or dumbbell curls. That’s very important for max-growth stimulation. There’s also another BIG benefit… [Read more…]

X-Reps for X-tra Muscle—Pounds of it

Q: I’m thin and consider myself a hardgainer. I’ve been training with weights for two years and have managed to add only about 10 pounds of muscle. Not very impressive. I recently got your X-traordinary X-Rep Workout [e-book] and started using the X Reps in my workouts. They feel great, and I wanted to report that after using them for only a few weeks, I’ve added five pounds and look much bigger. I’m so thankful I found this technique! Are there any others I should be using? I feel like I’m finally getting the size gains I’ve been looking for.

A: Great progress! As we often say, hardgainers tend to have more of an endurance component to their muscles. You know how calves and forearms tend to respond better to longer tension times? That’s how most of the muscles on a hardgainer’s body are constructed, so they need longer tension times to grow… [Read more…]