jonathan lawson Archives - Page 3 of 5

Freak-Factor Training (new muscle mass guaranteed)

Q: I used the 10-Week Size Surge program years ago and gained almost 10 pounds of muscle on it. I’m now getting close to 40, so I wanted to report how I’ve been using it to add a lot of middle-age muscle. I’ve merged Anabolic Reload and the Phase 1 Size Surge routine like this: On Mondays I use high-to-low-rep Reload [STX] on lower body and standard heavy Size Surge work on upper body. Then Friday I reverse that. Wednesday is arms and abs only, so I just alternate, doing Reload one week and heavy Size Surge sets the next. It’s been two months, and I look better than I did in my 20s.

Devising new mass routines that work for you as an individual is part of the fun of bodybuilding. Of course, packing on loads of new mass and looking awesome from your new freak-factor training is even better. [Read more…]

Your Anabolic Size Surge Winter Workout

Q: I’m thinking about the 10-Week Size Surge for part of my winter workout mass training while I’m piling in the calories (can’t wait for Thanksgiving). I know Phase 1 is big, basic work three days a week. But I also like the total-fiber swole of Anabolic Reload. Can I merge them somehow to really jack my gains?

You didn’t mention your level of training or your age, but we’ll address that in a moment. Let’s talk general mass-building terms… [Read more…]

Insane Hypertrophy

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know we harp on “change to gain” a lot, especially for those who want insane hypertrophy…

It pays BIG muscle dividends to periodically alter your workouts—sometimes radically. And, yes, even we get stuck in ruts and forget to rotate in some new hypertrophy smart bombs… [Read more…]

Fast Fat Loss, More Muscle-Building Testosterone

Q: Summer is here, so I’m psyching up to try the intermittent-fasting that Steve used to get more muscular and ripped [Super-Size Crash Course e-book, Chapter 8]? I need to get ripped fast. I thought I would try it once a week, and if it works well for fast fat loss, increase to two nonconsecutive days a week as Steve did. Any insights on muscle loss during IF?

No question, we bodybuilders are extremely paranoid about losing even an ounce of muscle. But don’t worry, you won’t lose muscle with intermittent fasting–you will gain more… [Read more…]

Muscle-Fiber Research: Double your growth

Q: I find it exciting that type-1 endurance fibers are also capable of showing a significant level of muscular hypertrophy. I’ve already seen significant new growth using the high-rep-set-first method from Anabolic Reload. My question is, Won’t a slow-mo style on that first set work just as well, like your X-centric method [7-second sets] and be good change to gain, and maybe even double your growth?

To clarify, the high-rep set first helps trigger growth in the slow-twitch fibers AND also pre-fatigues those fibers so you get better fast-twitch activation on the heavier sets that follow. Very efficient for hyper-hypertrophy, a.k.a. freak-physique mass that can double your growth potential… [Read more…]

Volumize for Muscle Size

Q: I’ve been on the Anabolic Reload workout for two weeks and feel considerably bigger. I was wondering if it’s okay to gradually increase volume with drop sets instead of rest/pause? I get a better pump with drop sets and I saw a study that found drop sets very effective for building mass, so you can volumize for muscle size.

A: We saw that 2017 study as well. It was by one of our favorite researchers, Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., and the conclusion was… [Read more…]

Best Rest for Freak-Physique Mass

Q: I saw a study that says resting longer between sets produces the most muscle gain. So should I increase the 30-second rests in the STX workouts in Anabolic Reload to 1 1/2 to 2 minutes for best rest results?

A: We’ve seen that study, and it’s right on. But it doesn’t refute our 30-second rests in the Anabolic Reload STX workouts. Why? It has to do with what you’re trying to accomplish with the earlier sets in a sequence and how muscle fibers fire… [Read more…]

Anabolic Phasing = Change for Freaky Muscle Gains

I’ve been training each muscle group once a week with about 15 sets each. My gains have been okay, but how can I be sure that using fewer sets and training each muscle more times a week will get me bigger?

Try it. We’re sure you will be shocked at your surge of new muscle growth from the anabolic phasing. This will get you excited about it… [Read more…]

Stealth Progression = Muscle Mass Expansion

I’ve been lifting for a few years now, so adding weight to my exercises is rare. I know that “progressive resistance” is important for muscle size, so do I just put up with slow progress, force it or what?

Bodybuilding is called “progressive-resistance” training because adding weight and/or reps to your exercises can increase muscle size. Consider it a stealth progression… [Read more…]

Get Eye-popping Muscle Size with “Universal Fiber Hypertrophy”

Q: Getting growth in all of the muscle fibers, even the slow twitch, makes a lot of sense. I’m looking for the most mass possible as quickly as possible, so getting hypertrophy in ALL fibers is the answer. I’m more of a leaner, hardgainer type, so my question is, Should I do more high-rep sets than just the first to get eye-popping muscle size, as prescribed in Anabolic Reload?

It does make sense that wiry hardgainer types have more slow-twitch “endurance” fibers. It’s why skinny guys usually make the best distance runners (Steve missed his calling–Lol)… [Read more…]