muscle strength Archives

Convert New Muscle Strength to Serious Muscle Size

Q: I’ve been using the Power Pyramid Program (Chapter 2 in the Freak-Physique Stretch-Overload Workout e-book) for six weeks. I’m getting incredibly strong, but I’ve only gained about four pounds of muscle. I realize it’s a muscle strength workout with a size side effect, but now I’m ready to use my new strength to go for major muscle mass. I also want to get leaner. I’m 5’10” and weigh 200 pounds with 14 percent bodyfat. What type of routine should I follow? I really like using Positions of Flexion in the Power Pyramid Program. Can I just alter that routine somehow for my new goals?

A: Ah, so now that you’re strong like an ox, you want to get even bigger with some leanness to boot. Sounds good, and it can and will happen. You just need to take your new power in a slightly different direction—still using the multi-angular attack of POF, but altered so you pack on the most muscle size—complete development from origin to insertion.

As you discovered, the Power Pyramid Program focuses on the big midrange exercise with a classic strength-building system, adding weight over three work sets so your reps go 8, 6, 3-4. In other words, it’s heavy work in the muscle strength rep range. Then you follow with one set each of a stretch- and contracted-position exercise. That all adds a size side effect. Here’s an example for triceps…

Close-grip bench presses, 3 x 8, 6, 3-4
Stretch: Overhead extensions, 1 x 8-12
Contracted: Pushdowns, 1 x 8-12

Jonathan demonstrating 3D POF triceps positions - Convert New Muscle Strength to Serious Muscle Size

To morph that into a serious mass-building workout, you need a balance of work in all of the positions, as each one builds mass along a different pathway—max force, stretch overload, and tension/occlusion. Therefore, you need to tailor each to maximize its key anabolic trigger. First, here’s how the new triceps program looks…

Midrange: Close-grip bench presses, 2 x 8-10
Stretch: Overhead extensions, 2 x 10-12
Contracted: Pushdowns (double drop set), 1-2 x 10(6)(4)

Midrange position

You do heavy straight-set work—just like you were doing—but now shoot for 8-10 reps, a more size-oriented rep range, plus you do end-of-set X-Rep partials on the last work set only. That extends the growth-promoting tension time even more and also activates dormant fast-twitch fibers.

Stretch position

Do two sets of 10-12 reps—once again, a longer-tension hypertrophic rep range—and at the end of the second set, do a static hold near the stretch position for as long as possible. Feel the target muscle elongate against the resistance till you can’t hold it any longer. Remember, one animal study produced a 300 percent muscle-mass increase in only one month with progressive-stretch overload as the sole stimulus. It’s key for fast-mass results.

Contracted position

Use a double-drop set—start with a weight that has you hit exhaustion at 10 reps; reduce the weight and immediately do six reps, or as many as you can get to exhaustion; reduce the weight one last time and immediately do four or five reps to exhaustion (if you’re really motivated, grit your teeth and add X Reps). You can do two rounds of that brutality if you think you need it; most trainees won’t.

The double-drop on pushdowns is key because that will produce a lactic acid burning sensation, which increases growth hormone. GH is a potent fat burner as well as muscle builder. (X Reps on the first exercise and the static hold on the second will also enhance the burn and GH output, so give those your all too.)

That’s a simple POF variation that should pack some new mass on your frame, although the four pounds you’ve gained already ain’t too shabby. Most bodybuilders struggle to build seven to 10 pounds of muscle a year; you built four pounds in six weeks with the Power Pyramid Program. In our opinion, that’s excellent. (The quote in that chapter from the guy who packed on 20 pounds in about three months with the Power Pyramid is well above average, so don’t think you have to match that to consider your results a success.)

Alter every bodypart routine in the Power Pyramid Program to fit those new size-building parameters above, and you’ll have a terrific fast-mass program. Then after a few phases, try something else, maybe one of the other programs outlined in the Freak-Physique Stretch-Overload e-book, such as the STX Mass Workout or T/NT (Traumatic/Nontraumatic). Or devise your own from those various POF programs and info there. Once you understand the key growth concepts and POF, you’ll not only get bigger but you’ll also become your own best trainer and workout architect.

Freak-Physique Stretch-Overload Workout cover

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

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

Get Ripped with Anabolic Fasting

With proper intermittent fasting, you can transform your physique faster than ever…

Brad Pilon’s book Eat Stop Eat is THE book on Intermittent Fasting. Besides the nuts and bolts of what to do and when to burn fat and build muscle simultaneously, Brad covers all the research on IF-related topics…

From how fasting affects blood glucose/insulin/leptin/testosterone to how it jacks the muscle-building process. You’ll see all the latest science.

Grab your copy now because Eat Stop Eat is only $10 till the end of this month (it’s a $49 value!). Check it out here…

> Get THE Book on Intermittent Fasting (only $10 for a few more days)

The Rest/Pause Link to Major Muscle and Strength

Q: I’ve been following your newsletters and noticed you guys talking about rest/pause not too long ago. Can you explain the technique a little more and the reasoning behind it?

A: Rest/pause is basically taking a very short break after you hit exhaustion on a set, and then repping out again with the same weight. The brief rest/pause allows the lactic acid to clear somewhat from the muscle and the nervous system and ATP to regenerate to a degree as well.

Our first exposure to rest/pause was through scientific-minded pro bodybuilder Mike Mentzer. He used the technique on a series of heavy singles. He would do around four max singles with 10 to 15 seconds of rest between each. The first two singles he would usually get on his own; then on the third he would need help (forced rep). For the fourth rep, he would either reduce the weight enough so he could get another single by himself or do another forced single.

Mentzer’s is a good variation for big midrange movements every so often. The drawbacks are that singles are very dangerous—especially if you let your ego get involved—and that type of low-rep training is more geared to strength development than muscle size—although trainees with a lot of pure fast-twitch fibers like Mentzer may get an equal amount of size and strength from max-single rest/pause.

Another rendition of rest/pause is DC training. Here you take a weight that allows you to get about nine reps. Then you rest for 20 seconds and do another set with the same weight—getting around six reps. You rest for another 20 seconds and do a third and final set with the same weight, getting around four reps.

That’s geared more toward building size than strength, and it’s an excellent variation for big midrange movements, like presses and rows. [There’s more about DC and other rest/pause styles and how to apply them in the 3D Muscle Building e-book.]

Jonathan Lawson, shoulder presses on Smith machine - The Rest/Pause Link to Major Muscle and Strength

We’ve found that rest/pause is a good shock tactic that adds muscle size quickly during our ripping phase, but we’re not so rigid with the application. For example, we’ll rest/pause for 15 seconds and then rep out for five or more extra reps on any exercise, be it midrange, stretch, or contracted—and we may even add X-Rep partials to that second phase. Another favorite is to use it after a Double-X Overload (DXO) set.

Try this rest/pause technique…

On incline presses, do one straight set of about nine reps. Rest for two to three minutes and reduce the weight by about 20 percent. Now do a DXO set, putting an X-Rep partial at the bottom between each full rep.

That gives you a more explosive-style set that stresses the semi-stretch point at the turnaround for extra fast-twitch activation. When you reach exhaustion, probably around six or seven, rack the weight and count to 15. Then unrack the weight and do standard reps to exhaustion—and, if you’re looking for max-growth effects, add X-Rep partials at the back end of that set.

That’s a very concentrated anabolic stimulus. You get extra force generation, pump, burn and plenty of out-of-control profanities—it’s an all-encompassing technique that can reshape your physique.

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

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

What Would You Do to Protect Your Family?

Mike Westerdal is a renowned personal trainer and national best-selling physical preparedness author, but he’s also a father and a husband… who would do anything to protect his family.

He used to get pushed around when younger and spent years building up his body and becoming stronger, getting mentally and physically tough the hard way. As he got bigger, he learned to handle himself, and working in security, he learned first-hand how violence really plays out.

Some of the other guys online who show off their self-defense videos and books need to get a grip. The level of skill needed to pull off their basic moves is CRAZY for most ordinary people.

If a defense system requires more than a few hours to master, it’s not a program.

The only techniques you will ever use are the simple ones.

They need to work for an ordinary person without prior training, technique, or ability.

So even if you think you don’t have time to learn how to defend yourself…

You don’t need to spend years training to be a martial artist.

–> This Is What You Need To Know Instead

The Truth About Getting Stronger to Grow Bigger?

We get the stronger = bigger question a lot—and there’s no question that getting stronger will build some size—note that we said “some.” To clarify, here’s an excerpt from our best-selling e-book The Super-Size Crash Course…

“One of the biggest reasons muscle growth is so slow in most cases is the simplistic myth that strength equals superior size. There’s more to it than that. Trying to move big weights for a few reps does very little for ultimate muscle size. Are you shaking your head? Check this out…

[Read more…]