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How to Use Fatigue for Faster Muscle Growth

Jonathan doing cable curls

Q: Do you think the fatigue of doing a high-rep set first [as in the Old Man, Young Muscle workout] is a good or bad thing for faster muscle growth? I’ve heard different conclusions.

A: For those unfamiliar with the Slow-Twitch Exhaustion method used in the OMYM workout, you do a 20-rep set to failure first to prime the muscle for higher fast-twitch recruitment on the second set… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: fast-twitch, fatigue, muscle fatigue, muscle fiber recruitment, slow-twitch, slow-twitch exhaustion

Fatigue, Light Weights, More Mass

Steve from the side in his backyard after 10 weeks of his diet

I’m often asked how I could possibly build muscle with only a 50-pound PowerBlock dumbbell set and a bench, as chronicled in Old Man Young Muscle.

It’s a common misconception that you need heavy weights to trigger hypertrophy—and besides, I had no choice… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Chris Beardsley, fast-twitch fibers, fatigue, high-reps, hypertrophy, light training, light weights, mass building, muscle fatigue, pandemic, transformation

The Power-TORQ Muscle Maker

V-handle cable row

Q: I notice that you guys often use a double-drop set on the last one when you do TORQ. I love that muscle maker variation, and it appears it’s gotten me bigger in the past few weeks. Do you have any other ways to vary that method?

A: To refresh memories, TORQ is tension-overload repetition quantity… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: double drop, double-drop set, Doug Brignole, fatigue, Mr. America, muscle fatigue, Power, power TORQ, power-density, power-density mass workout, rest/pause, Super TORQ, tension overload, tension-overload repetition quantity, TORQ, Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout

5 Critical Keys to More Muscle Mass

Jonathan Lawson muscular - Step Back to Move Your Muscle Mass Forward

Q: I understand that heavy weight isn’t important for maximum muscle growth. Can you tell me what I should include in my workouts to build the most mass possible in the shortest time. I want to get bigger.

A: Well, “heavy” weights are important, but “heavy” is relative to YOU—and dependent on muscle fatigue. You may struggle with 20 pounds in a certain exercise at the END of a bodypart workout. So that 20 pounds is “heavy” for you on that exercise at that moment… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: change to gain, continuous tension, fatigue, heavy training, hypertrophic, hypertrophic tension time, keys to more muscle mass, muscle fatigue, muscular fatigue, myofibrils, sarcoplasm, stretch, synergy, tension time

Workout Density for Muscle Immensity

Jonathan doing dumbell curls with Powerblocks

Q: I’ve been intrigued by your explanation of workout density being the reason your 10×10 program builds mass. Do you think that’s the reason drop sets are also so effective?

A: Workout density is Vince Gironda’s term to express getting more work done in a given time frame. For example, most trainees do a set, rest for two to three minutes, do another set, and so on. In 10 minutes you only do two or three sets…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 10x10, 10x10 mass workout, 8x8, anabolic drive, density, drop sets, end-of-set partials, fat burning, fiber recruitment, gains, high-threshold motor units, iron guru, lactic acid, low-threshold motor units, master trainer, medium-threshold, muscle fatigue, muscle fiber recruitment, muscle gains, nervous system, size principle, size principle of muscle fiber recruitment, train 21 rest 7, vince gironda, workout density, X Reps, x-rep partials

The Semi-Heavy Size Jolt (joint-saving power hit)

Q: I got your Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0, and I really like the 3-way split of the Basic Workout. I also like doing only one or two exercises for each muscle with a power hit and a density hit at the same workout. My question is, I’m 48 years old and not sure I can handle pyramiding down to 5 reps on big exercises, so should I just do regular 8-rep sets to failure? These days my joints don’t like anything below 8 on most exercises.

A: That’s a good solution. For example, on chest-supported dumbbell rows for mid-back, your set sequence would be…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3x, basic workout, biotrust, density, Doug Brignole, downward-progression 4x, dp 4x, failure, free protein, heavy sets, joints, low-carb protein, Mr. America, muscle fatigue, power hit, power-density, power-density mass workout, progressive-speed 4x, pyramids, size jolt, Super TORQ, super-size crash course, TORQ

Max-Muscle-Size Study: Rest Between Sets—is short or long best?

Q: Your 4X mass method has 35 to 45 seconds rest between sets. I’ve seen research that longer rests between sets can be better for strength and muscle growth. What’s your take on that?

A: Legendary trainer Vince Gironda, the Iron Guru who trained Mr. Olympias as well as Hollywood stars to build muscle fast, first got us into reducing rest between sets for muscle growth—he called it Density Training…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4X, 4x mass method, 4x mass workout, arnold schwarzenegger, bodybuilders, Brad Schoenfeld, clint eastwood, density training, hypertrophic response, hypertrophy, hypoxic effect, iron guru, just a fat f#@k, lactic acid, larry scott, long rest, master trainer, mitochondria, mr. olympia, muscle fatigue, muscle growth, powerlifters, rep range, rep tempo, research study, rest between sets, size and strength, strength, study, vince gironda

Muscle Size by Priming the Pump: Do You Really Need a Warmup?

Arm veins - Muscle Size by Priming the Pump: Do You Really Need a Warmup?

Q: I don’t seem to see you guys talking about warm-up sets very often. Do I need to do any? I’m interested in building the most mass possible.

A: If you’re using something like our 4X mass method, you don’t need warm-up sets. The first easier sets prime the pump… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 4X, 4x mass method, 4x mass workout, cardio, concentrated warmups, focused warmup, growth threshold, hit, mass building, moderate weight workouts, muscle fatigue, muscle size, power-density, power-density mass workout, priming the pump, pyramid, tension time, testosterone, warm-up sets, warmup, warmups

Finisher Sets: Which way is better?

Steve Holman dumbbell curls - Finisher Sets: Which Way is Better?

Q: I have most of your e-books, and every one of them is great. I’ve learned so much from them, and I’m gaining faster than ever. My question is that in The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout you use power sets, negative-accentuated sets, and then end with high-rep sets to finish off a muscle. But in the X-centric Mass Workout, you have a similar program, but you end each bodypart with 4X instead of high reps. When it comes to the finisher sets, which way is better?

A: Neither is better—just different. Arnold used to use high-rep burnout finisher sets. Those were a good complement to his many heavy power sets. He’d either use them on the last exercise for a muscle or do a high-rep set as the last finisher for almost every exercise. Either way, you end up with a skin-stretching pump… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4X, arnold schwarzenegger, change to gain, density, fat-to-muscle, fat-to-muscle workout, fatigue, finisher sets, gains, intensity, muscle fatigue, pump, x-centric, x-centric mass workout

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