heavy/light Archives

Reverse 10×10 Mass Workout

Q: I’ve been intrigued by the recent 10×10 newsletters and jumped in to give it a try. In your learned opinion, if one were to perform a reverse 10×10 using that technique with the maximum weight possible in decreasing amounts throughout the 10 sets, would it constitute overtraining and negate the activation of the type-2A muscle fibers’ endurance component? I was thinking you would get at both the “power” AND the “endurance” functions of the type 2As better this way. I would only use each big Ultimate Exercise for every bodypart [as outlined in the 10×10 e-program].

A: A reverse 10×10 pyramid means you reduce the weight on each set. And you do each of those 10 sets of 10 reps to exhaustion. First, that’s 10-all-out-sets approach is a very different animal than standard 10×10 style, which is taking a weight you can do 20 with, but you only do 10, rest 30 seconds, do 10 more, and so on till you complete 10 sets—first sets are easy, last few are brutal. [Read more…]

2 Tips for Unstoppable Arm Size

Q: I want to experiment with 10×10 on arms to see if I can get another inch of growth. Would you suggest 10×10 combined with Positions of Flexion, or just 10×10 alone on one exercise? One exercise just doesn’t seem like enough angles are worked to hit all the fibers.

A: There are two ways you can approach 10×10 for unstoppable arm size. The first is using 10×10 on one biceps and one triceps exercise at your one arm workout each week. The key to getting the most growth is the bodypart split. For example… [Read more…]

Workouts Too Draining? Reduce Training, Start Gaining—BIG

Q: I’ve been super motivated the past few months and really hitting it hard in the gym using a version of a Heavy/Light program you guys have talked about before. I couldn’t stand to do a back-off week, though, so I think I’m overtrained. Do you think reducing to two exercises per muscle is a good idea? Should I still do heavy/light?

A: Your nervous system is probably hammered. We know, we know—you don’t want to lose any muscle or strength. So here’s what we suggest…

[Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 8: Jim Haislop, Mr. America

Jim Haislop won the Mr. America in 1968. His incredible symmetry, proportion, and size had many bodybuilding experts proclaiming him one of the best bodybuilders ever, even better than Steve Reeves and Reg Park.

When he competed at 5’11”, he weighed in at around 210 pounds with a 32” waist and true 19” arms…

[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…]

Get More Muscle Detail

Q: I’ve been on one your four-days-a-week Heavy/Light Program, and I’ve put on lots of size. I’m big, but I’m not ripped. I’m ready to get cut, so should I just stay on that program and add cardio? I’d like to try something new, but I don’t want to lose size. I just want to add more muscle detail.

A: First, you need to clean up your diet. If you don’t have a fast metabolism, which it sounds like you don’t, you’ll also need to start doing some cardio if you want to see more muscle detail; however, if you’ve been following our newsletters for a while, you know there are ways you can change your weight workout so that you burn more fat during recovery (and you won’t need as much cardio)…

[Read more…]

Mass Method Showdown: 10×10 vs. Super TORQ

Q: I’m going to the Heavy/Light Ultimate 10×10 Workout for about six weeks. Hitting one exercise with 10×10 for a muscle and then doing full-on Positions of Flexion heavy at the new workout sounds ideal to cover all the mass bases. My question is, do you think [Doug Brignole’s] Super TORQ might be better than 10×10?

A: Interesting idea. Remember 10×10 is taking your 20-rep-max weight, but only doing 10 reps. Easy. But you rest only 40 seconds, then hit 10 more—and so on until you complete 10 sets… [Read more…]

The Truth About Getting Stronger to Grow Bigger?

We get the stronger = bigger question a lot—and there’s no question that getting stronger will build some size—note that we said “some.” To clarify, here’s an excerpt from our best-selling e-book The Super-Size Crash Course…

“One of the biggest reasons muscle growth is so slow in most cases is the simplistic myth that strength equals superior size. There’s more to it than that. Trying to move big weights for a few reps does very little for ultimate muscle size. Are you shaking your head? Check this out…

[Read more…]

Heavy/Light, X-cen Sets and Muscle Hypertrophy

Q: I really like X-centric sets [lifting in one second and lowering in six]. Great muscle feel and pump. I’m getting ready to use a version of the Heavy/Light program in X-traordinary Muscle-Building Workouts I just got. My question is, If I want to use an X-centric set or two for each bodypart, should they go on heavy day or light day?

A: The reason for heavy/light training, as explained in XMBW, is nervous system regeneration. The light day still hits the target muscle for growth without much CNS stress. [Read more…]

Heavy/Light Training for Efficient Gaining

Q: After seeing 10×10 in your newsletters, I’ve been trying it on arms [10 sets of 10 reps with minimal rest]. They blew up bigger than ever! They looked about two inches bigger when I was done. My problem is that I feel I need to train with heavy poundages to get the most growth. Do you think it would work to alternate a 10×10 workout with a conventional heavy session each week?

A: That’s precisely how we designed the Heavy/Light Ultimate 10×10 Mass Workout in the 10×10 e-book. On the so-called light day, you do only 10×10 on one big exercise for a muscle. For the uninitiated, 10×10 is taking a weight you can get about 20 reps with, but you only do 10. Rest 20 to 30 seconds, then do 10 more, and so on till you get 10 sets of 10—although on the last few sets you should only get eight or nine because they will be BRUTAL—with a giant pump! [Read more…]