muscular failure Archives

New Muscle Size With a Power-Density Jolt

Q: Just read The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout. Absolutely great! I read it all in one sitting. It really made me think, so I’m redesigning my workout using your programs. But don’t higher-rep warmup sets cover the endurance component of the 2A fibers? And what about X Reps? They extend a set, so I would think they also affect the endurance side of the important 2As as well.

A: You’re right on both counts—to a degree. Warm-up sets aren’t intense, so very few fibers are involved—and many that are fall into the slow-twitch category, rather than the important fast-twitch 2As. [Read more…]

2 Workouts a Week for a Massive Physique

Q: The Size Surge program is very motivating, and I want to start. I’m very skinny. My problem is that I can only make it to the gym two days a week. Can I make any progress doing that? Can you suggest how to alter the program for two workouts a week instead of three?

A: Yes, you can make progress on 2 workouts a week. In fact, our colleague, Stuart McRobert, who is a hardgainer expert, often suggests that high-strung “skinny” types (ectomorphs) train ONLY two days a week for best results. More than that, he says, can deplete too much recovery ability and slow or halt muscle gains. [Read more…]

I just read my new e-book. Great stuff! But do you do the X Reps at muscular failure or with a little gas left at the end of each set?

A: You do the X Reps when you can’t get any more full reps—we call that nervous system exhaustion or fatigue. On some exercises X Reps may not be possible, in which case you should do a static hold at the max-force point, or rest for six seconds and then perform as many X Reps as you can. That’s a new X/Pause technique we’ve found very effective. We’re using that during our peaking phase this year, and so far it looks very promising—new mass and detail!