Q: I’m seeing a lot of new growth since I’ve been using Speed Sets [on “set 2” after the first 1/3-tempo primer set]. I notice a fluctuation with some muscles. Like on cable lat pull-ins I can get 8 to 10 Speed Reps, but on cable chest presses I only get 5 Speed Reps. Is that a lack of reps slowing my gains? [Read more…]
End With Higher-Rep Set for More Mass?
Q: You make a good case for doing a higher-rep [15-to-20] set first to failure. Getting all of the fiber types to “red line” right off the bat when you’re fresh has built new muscle for me. The Speed Set after, to bring in more key [fast-twitch] growth fibers, also works as a motivating change of pace. But I’m wondering, what if you do some standard heavy 8-rep sets first and end with that higher-rep set to failure? Won’t you accomplish the same thing? [Read more…]
Old Man, Young Muscle—Literally
We’ve been dissecting the reasons why a 15-to-20-rep set to failure to begin each muscle group can do great things for hypertrophy… [Read more…]
New Muscle-Fiber Girth…
In yesterday’s newsletter, you saw why a higher-rep set first can do great things for efficient hypertrophy stimulation, not to mention safety… [Read more…]
More Muscle Girth With This…
Q: I’m growing again with STX. But I was thinking that instead of 15 to 20 reps on set #1, how about getting to the fast-twitch fibers faster with a heavier 8-rep set instead? Then lighten the weight and do a Speed Set for even more fast-twitch stimulation.
A: The higher-rep initial set is more efficient, safer and better for hypertrophy—especially for older trainees—for a few reasons… [Read more…]
Low Reps, Less Damage, More Growth?
Q: I recently saw [hypertrophy researcher] Chris Beardsley say that high reps cause more damage than low reps due to calcium-ion accumulation from fatigue. Does that make you rethink the STX method? Maybe doing the first set heavier with lower reps for less damage would be better? [Read more…]
Fewer Reps, More Mass?
Q: After my 20-rep set with a 1/3 tempo on the ideal exercise, I rest 20 seconds, then do a Speed Set (1.5-second reps) on that exercise. You say that you get 10 or fewer Speed Set reps, but I get 13, sometimes more. Should I cut my rest down to 10 seconds so I get fewer reps on my Speed Set? [Read more…]
High-Rep Pain to Gain Muscle?
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…]
More 20-Rep Sets for Mass?
Q: What do you think about repeating the STX sequence after a rest for for the same exercise? Would two rounds help increase fast-twitch fiber activation even more? [Read more…]
Best Reps for Mass-Building Sets (study)
Q: I’ve always thought that lower reps were for mass. Do I need high reps at all? Don’t they just deplete recovery and inject inefficiency and fatigue into hypertrophy workouts?
A: Just the opposite for most trainees. I say “most” because there are a few fast-twitch-dominant people on one end of the Bell Curve who thrive on low reps. But consider this study (Mitchell, et al. 2012)…
Trainees did three sets of leg extensions to failure three times a week for 10 weeks. And each leg was trained differently…
One leg used 80 percent 1RM (lower reps), while the other was trained with 30 percent 1RM (higher reps)…
Quad growth was excellent but not different between legs. The interesting part was…
It appeared that the heavy-load training grew primarily the fast-twitch fibers, while the light-load training increased type-1, or slow-twitch, fiber size. Remember, there was no difference in hypertrophy response…
No doubt all fiber types grew in both legs; however, heavy leans fast-twitch and lighter leans slow-twitch—because of so many preliminary reps…
Would a mix of high and low reps yield even better results? My guess would be yes…
It’s only one study, so more research is needed; however, it appears to confirm that using a variety of rep ranges can produce hypertrophy in multiple fiber types for more overall mass.
And that’s one of the key reasons I include rep ranges from 20 down to 8 in Old Man, Young Muscle over three to four sets per muscle. It works…
As I mention in OMYM (page 44), respected researcher Jerry Brainum recently said that “It’s now known that type-1 [slow-twitch] fibers are capable of showing a significant level of hypertrophy, more than previously believed.”
So including a higher-rep set or two can provide another layer of mass. And let’s not forget that a high-rep set first can trigger more fast-twitch activation on the sets after due to slow-twitch exhaustion (STX).
Sculpt your perfect physique: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
And you still get The Muscle-On, Belly-Gone “Diet” ebook FREE for a limited time when you add Old Man, Young Muscle to your mass-building library. Go HERE.
Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
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