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Can a Wimp Build Muscle? + Testo Murder!

Q: I feel like a wimp. There is no way I can hold the weight in the stretch position for 30 seconds after a set as you’ve recommended before. On some exercises, I can get maybe 15 seconds, but on many, I can’t even get 10 seconds. Should I just forget bodybuilding and take up speed walking (kidding)?

A: Everyone’s pain tolerance is different. And, if you notice, most trainees will opt for methods that hurt least. It’s why most prefer heavy, low-rep training. Higher reps hurt like hell—and adding a stretch-hold at the end of even a 10-rep set can be excruciating. But, as you said, the stretch-hold is easier on some exercises, like incline curls where your arms just hang, as opposed to overhead extensions where you have to keep upward pressure on the weight to prevent elbow trauma…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 24-hour testosterone fix, anabolic, bodybuilding, build muscle, can a wimp build muscle, Dr. Jacob Wilson, hypertrophy, intraset stretching, low testosterone, mass building, MMX, mmx fast mega-mass workouts, mmx workout, muscle-building, silent killer, static hold, stretch hold, stretch position, T Fix, tension time, testosterone, testosterone fix, testosterone production, wimp

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…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic hormones, bodybuilders, Brad Schoenfeld, brazilian study, Colorado Experiment, European Journal of Applied Physiology, fast-twitch, fiber activation, glycogen storage, hormones, hydrogen ions, hypertrophic, hypertrophic pathway, hypertrophy, hypertrophy method, lactic acid, max-muscle expansion, max-muscle x-pansion, men's health, mike mentzer, mitochondrial growth, mmx fast mega-mass workouts, mmx method, muscle failure, muscle ph, muscle size, muscle tissue, power-and-endurance, proteins, sarcoplasmic expansion, size, slow-twitch, strength, type-1 fibers, type-2 fibers, vascularity

Mini-Max Mass Method: Blow up lagging muscle groups

Jonathan Lawson Smith front squats - 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.

Jonathan Lawson Smith front squats - Mini-Max Mass Method: Blow up lagging muscle groups

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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Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 10x10, antagonist supersets, belly fat burn, fat loss, gains, hormone trick, hormones, lagging muscle, lagging muscle groups, leg workout, mass methods, mini workouts, MMX, mmx fast mega-mass workouts, muscle burn, progressive-speed, progressive-speed 6x, rest/pause

Speed-Stretch for Ultimate Mass?

Jonathan Lawson overhead DB triceps extensions top - Speed-Stretch for Ultimate Mass?

Q: I’ve been using a drop on my last set, and I do speed reps on that lighter drop. It works great for finishing an exercise, but I’m wondering if I should do it on stretch-position movements, like stiff-legged deadlifts for hamstrings or overhead extensions for triceps? It seems like the proven anabolic effects of stretch with the fiber shock of speed reps would be an excellent mass combo.

A: X-celeration, or speed, sets are much more dangerous with stretch-position exercises because the target muscle is fully elongated. That said, we do use it from time to time, but not with a 1.5-second-per-rep tempo. It’s more like a 1/1 or even 1/2—lift in one second and lower in one or two seconds. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic, anabolic effects, anabolic workouts, Charles Poliquin, dave ruel, drop sets, exceleration, fast-twitch, fat loss, fiber shock, finishing exercise, growth fibers, hypertrophy, karine losier, mass methods, max-muscle x-pansion, metabolic cooking, MMX, mmx fast mega-mass workouts, mmx method, nutrition, positions of flexion, progressive-speed, rep tempo, speed reps, speed-stretch, supersets, supplement guide, target muscle, tempo variation, X-cel, x-celeration

Study: Fast Reps for More Mass? (Plus the 8-10-8 Method)

Jonathan Lawson speed reps - Study: Fast Reps for More Mass? (Plus the 8-10-8 Method)

It’s always interesting to see studies that come out on muscle activation with varying protocols. One of particular interest is from the National Strength & Conditioning Association [May 29, ’15]…

It compared two protocol, but with the same time under tension and load, 60 percent of 1-rep max. The exercise was Smith-machine bench presses, and the subjects were experienced resistance trainers… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 8-10-8 method, blood concentration, blood lactate concentration, change to gain, fast reps, growth response, hypertrophic response, hypertrophy, lactic acid, max-muscle expansion, metabolic response, mini workouts, MMX, mmx fast mega-mass workouts, muscle activation, na, national strength & conditioning association, negative-accentuated, neuromuscular response, positions of felxion, progressive-speed, rep cadence, rep temp, rick kaselj, sequential flow method, slow-twitch, speed reps, study, supersets, tension time, tight hips, time under tension, training protocols, x-celeration

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