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Lean-and-Muscular Winter-Workout Tips

Q: I’m using the four-day version of The X-traordinary 4X Mass Workout. Will that help me stay as lean as possible over the winter? In the past, I’ve had trouble in that area. I tend to blow up to a smooth fat boy over the holidays. Is 4X the way to go so I don’t chub up?

A: First, understand that no workout program will prevent you from becoming president of the Chub Club if you eat like crap all the time. We’re not saying you can’t enjoy some fattening foods and desserts every so often, but it sounds like you lose control. Moderation is the key. Stay on a healthy diet most days during the week, but allow one or two for splurges. Do NOT make junk meals an everyday occurrence. Imagine YOU in this picture to stay on track… [Read more…]

The Forgotten Muscle-Size Trick

Q: You guys don’t seem to like training each muscle only once a week like a lot of pro bodybuilders. How come?

A: More muscle-training frequency is a BIG size stimulator, especially for drug-free trainees—if you do it correctly. Many pros can get away with training each bodypart with excessive volume only once a week because of genetic superiority and, of course, excessive drug use. In fact, if you look back at the best bodybuilders of yesteryear, when steroid use was minimal, training each bodypart THREE times a week was the norm prior to a contest. It’s a bit of a forgotten muscle-size trick… [Read more…]

Is Spot Reduction a Myth?

Q: I’m now a believer in negative-accentuated sets for fat loss. I started using a version of your Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout and got leaner and more muscular after only one month. I admit that I did a few more NA [negative-accentuated] sets for areas I really needed to reduce fat. I’ve heard that spot reduction isn’t possible, but I could swear I lost more fat in those areas like my midsection and thighs that I hit with more NA work. I’m seeing abs! So do you think spot reduction is a myth? I’m starting to think not.

A: For those unfamiliar with it, an NA set is one second up on the positive and six seconds down on the negative. For example, on a curl, you would curl the weight at normal speed, then lower slowly to a count of six. The slow negative emphasis increases blood flow to the muscle and also triggers more muscle trauma. Both of those factors are critical to fast fat-to-muscle results… [Read more…]

Get More Fat Burning

Q: I just started the 4X Mass Workout, and I really like it. I feel bigger already. I still have some fat to lose, so I also got your Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout. Can I incorporate the negative-accentuated sets from that into a total-4X program somehow to get more fat burning?

A: NA sets are one second up for the positive and lowering in six seconds for the negative. That slow, negative-accentuated style triggers more muscle damage, which requires more energy after the workout for repair. And that energy requirement means your metabolism is amped to help you get more fat burning. [Read more…]

Quick Intensity-Plus-Density Mass Tip

Q: I need a way to intensify a negative-accentuated set. I recently bought your X-centric Mass Workout e-book, and it, you say that a partner can help at the end of a set by assisting on the positive so I can continue with negatives. But I don’t have a partner… Any other mass tip suggestions?

A: Use the rest/pause technique. Do your normal negative-accentuated set (NA), using one second on the positive and six seconds on the negative. When you reach exhaustion and can’t get another, rest for six seconds or six deep breaths, then continue with as many as you can do… [Read more…]

Muscle-Building Myth Exploded: Power vs. Density

Q: I have two of your e-books, The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout and the X-centric Mass Workout. They’re both great, and I’m already seeing results applying the methods. My question is, you say that you need both power sets and density sets to get extreme muscle gains quickly, but which is more important? Should I do more of one than the other for fastest muscle gains?

A: If you would’ve asked us that several years ago, we would’ve said power, no question—because, like most bodybuilders, we had been brainwashed into believing that heavy weights and fairly low reps are the keys to maximum mass fast. But according to our recent experiments as well as many done almost 50 years ago, that’s not the case for most, so it’s a big-time muscle-building myth… [Read more…]

Muscle Mash-Up: Good for Growth?

Q: I did all of my most recent workout with negative-accentuated sets as you suggested, and I’m very, very sore. Is that good for muscle growth?

A: Whoa! We never suggested doing an entire workout, every work set, in negative-accentuated (NA) style—that is, one second up on the positive and six seconds down on the negative. If you do all work sets that way, you will induce a lot of muscular trauma due to EXCESSIVE negative emphasis. The negative stroke induces the most soreness, so it will take many days to repair… [Read more…]

Which Way is Best?

Q: I’m ready to try The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout, but you have different workouts in that e-book. The first program is four days a week, but each bodypart is worked only once each week. The second program is three days a week, but again you train each bodypart only once. Then in the Q&A chapter, you suggest using the three-days-per-week routine over four days per week [following the 3-day sequence so each muscle is hit more than once a week]. Which way is best?

A: It’s tough to answer which way is best because we don’t know the extent of your recovery ability, stress levels, experience, etc. Remember, the Fat-to-Muscle workouts have negative-accentuated sets, which do great things for a fat-to-muscle metamorphosis during microtear repair, AND heavy power pyramids, which also are very abrasive to muscle fibers. Those two factors may force the need for more recovery—like seven days. [Read more…]

Swole Patrol: Look Bigger After One Workout

Q: I know this is a weird question, but can a muscle get bigger after only one workout? I’ve been using the X-centric Mass Workout for only a week, and I swear I look bigger in almost all of my muscles. Is it my imagination? I am motivated so maybe my mind is playing tricks on me.

A: Well, when you use negative-accentuated techniques, it produces more microtears in muscle tissue, which leads to soreness. A sore muscle definitely FEELS bigger. But is the muscle really fuller and larger?… [Read more…]

Rapid-Rate Muscular Growth

Q: I have been using [end-of-set] X-Rep partials and making the best gains of my life. I consider it one of the top muscle-building breakthroughs. You guys always seem to be at the cutting edge of mass techniques. Any other secrets you can recommend to boost my gains?

A: Thanks for the kind words regarding X Reps. They’ve done great things for hundreds of trainees—and we made the best gains of our lives that first X-Rep year—in only five weeks with them (no steroids, no trick photography—although the lighting is different and we have tans in the afters)… [Read more…]