Q: I’m torn between using standard training with 2 minutes between sets or drop-set-style training with 10 to 20 seconds between sets like you follow [in the Old Man, Young Muscle workouts]. Is there a definitive answer as to which is better for mass? [Read more…]
Change to Gain Muscle Mass
Like a kid screaming “candy” at the grocery checkout over and over, I constantly harp on “change to gain”…
What does that mean? That there has to be something new in your workout for the muscular adaptation of growth to occur… [Read more…]
20 to 80 Pounds of Muscle
Q: I did the first [5-week phase] of Jonathan’s 20-pounds-of-muscle-in-10-weeks program [from the 3D Muscle Building e-book] and didn’t get much size from it. I gained about 3 pounds and still feel skinny. Should I go ahead and do the second five weeks of different 3D Positions-of-Flexion workouts? Do you think that by hitting all of the positions [in the Phase 2 workouts] that I will make better gains than with the first part?
A: Full speed ahead—continue with Phase 2 (your gains from Phase 1 are actually darned good; more on that in a moment). By shifting to training each muscle in the midrange, stretch and contracted positions, you should get another more sizeable muscular adaptation (growth jolt).
[Read more…]Embarrassing Gym Moments
Q: I’m using an X-Rep-based routine in the X-Rep Update #1 ebook I picked up a couple weeks ago, but do I have to use Static Contraction (StatC) sets to get the best results from it? I feel like an idiot holding a weight in the flexed position [on contracted-position exercises]. People at my gym look at me weird. LOL!
A: You don’t have to use any of the tactics if you aren’t comfortable with them or if they cause any embarrassing gym moments. BUT… Are you going to let what other people think slow down your gains?
As we explain in the X Update ebook, that hold technique on contracted-position exercises, like triceps pushdowns (below), added [Read more…]