hormones Archives - Page 4 of 5

New Size for Flat Muscles

Q: I’ve been using the Pure-Positions STX workout from the Stretch-Overload ebook. [Full-body workouts training one of the three positions for each muscle at each workout.] I’ve been growing better than ever, but I’m wondering if I should add an exercise for stubborn bodyparts. For example, while my arms have grown a quarter of an inch already (working great!), my shoulders still make it look like I have flat muscles. Doing just one delt exercise at each workout doesn’t seem to be cutting it. Suggestions?

A: Yes, you can add an exercise, but don’t get carried away or you’ll overtrain. Remember, you’re doing full-body workouts three times a week… [Read more…]

Boost Your T Naturally = Muscle Size Surge

Q: You’ve said high-rep leg work can boost your T naturally. Will the first high-rep set on each exercise in the STX workouts boost testosterone even more?

A: It appears that that reason high-rep leg work boosts testosterone is due to heavy breathing, big-muscle stimulation, growth-fiber activation and muscle burn…

That was the reason that many bodybuilders of yesteryear often relied on [Read more…]

Less food, more Testosterone?

Q: I’m thinking about trying the intermittent-fasting that Steve used to get more muscular and ripped [Super-Size Crash Course e-book, Chapter 8]? I’m extremely curious about the whole idea of eating less and producing more testosterone. I need something to get the ripping start, and it obviously burns fat quickly. I’m just so paranoid about losing muscle. I thought I would try it once a week, and if it works well, increase to two nonconsecutive days a week as Steve did. Any insights on muscle loss during IF?

All of us bodybuilders are paranoid about losing even an ounce of muscle, so we hear you. But you won’t lose muscle—you should gain more… [Read more…]

Ultra-Higher-Rep Isolation for New Mass Creation?

Q: I tried Arnold’s method of using a high-rep set to end my major exercises, like bench presses, (Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout e-book, Chapter 1). But I’m just too fatigued to feel the target muscle on that last set. After reading about Doug Brignole’s 50-40-30-20-10 method in Chapter 4, I was thinking about using that on an isolation exercise to feel the target muscle better, like crossovers for chest after bench. Is that a good idea?

A: It could be, but you left a lot of variables out. For example, how experienced are you? That amount of work may be too much. How many days per week are you training each muscle? If it’s once, that amount of volume may work well, if it’s twice, maybe not.

[Read more…]

Mr. America vs. Arnold and the Ultimate Muscle Hypertrophy Method

Q: You offer up the Brazilian study that shows doing a single high-rep set to failure before heavier lower-rep work produced more hypertrophy than standard training (multiple sets at 75% 1RM). But in the Ultimate Power/Density Mass Workout e-book, you mention that Arnold used a high-rep set LAST—a “burn-out” set. So which way is better, high-rep set first or high-rep set to finish?

A: A good observation, but there’s something missing in your description of what Arnold used to do. Go back to the Power-Density e-book and read it again—Arnold typically used a pyramid, adding weight to each set. And on his first set, he used a light weight for 15 reps, then a SLIGHTLY heavier weight for set 2 so he got 12 reps…

[Read more…]

Extreme Muscle Size: Forgotten Hypertrophy Method

Q: At your suggestion, I’ve been including higher-rep sets in many of my workouts. I’m seeing much more size and vascularity. My question is, do sets of around 20 reps work because I’m getting growth in more slow-twitch fibers or are the fast-twitch ones getting larger as well?

A: Yes, both—and as bodybuilders, we want to maximize ALL hypertrophic pathways, even size in the slow-twitch fibers. Higher-rep sets also give you anabolic hormone surges…

According to Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., who conducts studies on muscle hypertrophy,

[Read more…]

Mini-Max Mass Method: Blow up lagging muscle groups

Q: I train each muscle once a week with about 15 sets. I got some good gains when I first switched to it, but I seem to have stalled due to some lagging muscle groups. Should I swap in new exercises or what? I don’t really want to change my split [training each muscle once a week].

A: Well, how about working some muscles once a week with your normal 15 sets, then do a second “mini” workout during the week? It’s a great mini-max strategy for major muscle gains…

For example, take your two worst lagging muscle groups and add a second mini-workout for each later in the week. Just add it to the end of one of your other workouts. The mini should take you only an extra 10 to 15 minutes…

Say you work quads on Monday with your 15 sets. On Thursday, after your arm workout, tack on a mini-quad attack. You can use any of the mini routines in the MMX Fast Mega-Mass e-book…

For example, you no doubt did squats at your major workout, so your mini could be leg extensions supersetted with sissy squats. Notice that you do both exercises at the same station, and with only two to three rounds, it will take you about 10 minutes.

Or, if you’re more of a masochist and used free-bar squats at your main quad workout, how about hitting the Smith machine for your mini. You could do feet-forward front squats to get at hams and quad for five reps. Then rack it, set the bar on your shoulders and do regular Smith squats with your feet under your hips. Talk about major quad growth burn. Two rounds will take you 10 minutes or less.

Other options from the MMX e-book include antagonist supersets, one-exercise rest/pause or Progressive-Speed 6X (different rep tempos over six quick sets), and even 10×10 (grueling—not for those who can’t stand the pain of muscle burn).

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

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

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Bench press? Try this for new eye-popping SIZE (chest, arms, and more)

Q: Bench press seems to be the “measure of a man” even today. I’ve always sucked at it, but never really hurt for chest development. I prefer the decline alternative, just like you guys, but I also observe that many military guys have good chest development, many with pushups alone. How do you build a good chest if you suck at bench pressing?

A: Funny you should mention pushups. Steve has found that to be a great exercise to end his chest routine with—and he sucks at bench presses, too. Injuring his shoulder bench pressing powerlifting style in his 20s didn’t help matters. And it still hurts him… [Read more…]

Hormone-Zone Muscle Training

Q: In X-treme Lean you have the “High-Definition Workout” (pages 76-78), and you say to use it five days a week. I don’t think I’ve seen you recommend that many workouts in a row. What’s the reason [for five consecutive days of training]?

A: After training for photo shoots for 10 years off and on, we realized that one of the keys to getting lean is hormone-zone training, which is where you keep testosterone, GH and other anabolic, fat-burning hormones up as high as possible. [Read more…]

One-Exercise 2-Way Blast for New Muscle Mass

Q: In a previous e-zine you mentioned combining two workouts with different bodyparts, such as chest and back with delts and arms. And you suggested using an X-centric set for each exercise in a Positions-of-Flexion routine. I was thinking about your first e-book, The Ultimate Mass Workout, which I.D.s the best exercise for each muscle. How about doing only those exercises, one regular set followed by an X-centric set? That way you focus on the ultimate exercise and get some power and density work as well as standard speed and slow-mo reps.

A: Sounds like a great plan. And you’re right: focusing on only ONE “best” exercise for each muscle would help you zero in and provide the most mass bang for your effort buck… [Read more…]