It’s winter, so many of our Zen newsletters these days are motivation oriented. One of the photos that inspired us way back was this one of Arnold walking through the streets of Venice, California… [Read more…]
Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 35: Mohammed Makkawy
Mohammed Makkawy is one of the greatest short bodybuilders of all time. At only 5’3”, the Egyptian-born athlete defeated men much taller with his proportioned, no-weak-points physique…
And his abs were flawless. Interesting that he was trained during his competitive career by one of our biggest influences, Vince Gironda…
As we’ve mentioned, Vince was a legendary Hollywood trainer who helped us formulate our 4X density mass method—moderate poundages with short rests between sets.
He emphasized sculpting the physique rather than hammering it into submission. And it works incredibly well, as you can see above. Mohammed Makkawy was a walking work of art. And he’s still training hard, living in Canada where he owns a gym.
Now that we’re past middle age, we’re glad we latched onto Gironda’s moderate-poundage density-style training advice before the hammer came down on our joints.
Remember, you don’t have to use joint-crushing poundages to build massive muscles. And you should be able to train hard through old age without debilitating aches, pains, and/or surgery.
One of the BIG keys is density training 4X for mass-building-longevity success. For more information, loads of motivating info and complete size-building programs, grab your copy of…
> The 4X Mass Workout 2.0 HERE.
If you want our NEWEST e-course package that includes 4X research, F4X Positions-of-Flexion programs, and many free mass-building bonuses…
Grab this multi-e-book package for your muscle-building library: the After-40 Muscle-Size Manual package HERE.
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
Mass-Building Lessons From the Master Trainer
Vince Gironda was the Iron Guru, a bodybuilding legend ahead of his time. His most famous pupil in the bodybuilding world was the very first Mr. Olympia Larry Scott, and he also trained many Hollywood stars back in the day, like Clint Eastwood, and even Arnold consulted with him and was a fan (even though Vince told Arnold that he was a “fat f**k” when he first arrived in the U.S.).
Many of Vince’s mass-building tricks and methods have been forgotten, buried by information and misinformation overload on the Internet, but now you can find them all, his true methods, in this must-have, 330-page Vince Gironda e-book anthology…
You get everything from “Train 21 Rest 7” to 10-8-6-15 to Vince’s Stone Age Nutrition, the 8×8 method and program and much, much more (remember, it’s 330 pages). NOTE: It’s on sale at a discount for a limited time: Simply use the code GIRONDA20 at checkout for an extra 20 percent off.
Vince Gironda: Legend & Myth (300-page anthology + many bonus gifts and programs) HERE
Rest Between Sets Confusion
Q: I remember reading in your newsletter not too long ago when you mentioned that the rest time between sets during a [10×10 sequence] should be 20 seconds. In the 10×10 e-book you say to use 30 seconds between sets. Is that a deliberate reduction, and if so, should I reduce my starting weight a little to accommodate the reduced rest?
A: Rest between sets during a 10×10 sequence should be anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Vince Gironda, famous Hollywood trainer known as the Iron Guru who trained Larry Scott for his first Mr. Olympia victory, liked to continue to gradually reduce it over many workouts till the trainee was down to only about 10 seconds of rest or less between sets. That doesn’t work for many trainees because of having a training partner… [Read more…]
Mass Workout That Works
Q: I have the Size Surge e-book and just picked up the 3D Muscle Building e-book. In 3D there’s a different version of the phase 1 Size Surge workouts [SS Mass F/X Program, pages 81-84 in 3D]. It has rest/pause and drop sets. Should I use that as phase 1 or Jonathan’s straight-set version in the Size Surge e-book?
A: The Mass F/X Program in the 3D e-book is the same 3-days-per-week phase 1 that Jonathan used, but with a few twists: You do a max-Force-generating mass workout for a bodypart, then at the second workout for that bodypart, you do an eXtended-tension-style workout. That gives you the power-density mass-building combination we’re always harping on… [Read more…]
Gains: 3 Pounds in 3 Weeks
Q: This is it! I started using The 10×10 Mass Workout a little while ago, and I’ve gained 3 pounds in 3 weeks, all muscle. If I keep this up, I can easily gain 20 pounds of muscle in the next few months. Thank you for showing me the best mass-building program ever.
A: While that’s not a question, we feel obligated to respond. First, we’re glad you’re making such spectacular progress with 10×10. Gaining 3 pounds in 3 weeks is very impressive, so keep using it till your gains slow down or stop… [Read more…]
Heat: The Magic Muscle Maker
Q: This is kind of an odd question, but does hot weather help make muscles grow? I’ve noticed this summer, when it’s been blazing hot outside, I make my best gains. In the winter, my gains are much slower, sometimes nonexistent. Could it be the heat?
A: It could simply be more summer-time motivation—you train harder because you want to look good at the pool, lake, or beach. It could also be leanness and darkness—being more ripped and tan makes you look bigger and better. There’s a good chance that heat and/or sunshine may have something to do with it, along with sweating. Perspiring more sheds water from under the skin, and that means more vascularity more often, which adds to your bigger, more-shredded look. But heat may be the key… [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…]Arnold and X Reps
Q: I heard someone at my gym say that Arnold used X Reps. Is that true? I thought you guys came up with the concept a few years ago, so how could Arnold have used it?
A: Arnold used X Reps and many of the concepts we discuss in our X-Rep e-books. We know that because we worked alongside John Balik, former publisher of IRON MAN and Arnold’s former training partner and nutritionist. We talked to John a lot about Arnold’s past training. [Read more…]