phase 1 Archives - Page 2 of 2

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…]

Back to Basics for More Mass

Q: I’ve been killing my workouts for about three months, using mostly heavy sets, finishing with 4X and TORQ. Making excellent gains, but I think it’s time to back off and get back to basics. What program would you suggest? I’m thinking three days a week for a while with basic mass-building exercises.

A: We have several. If you’ve never used 10×10, now may be the time. There is an excellent 3-way split routine in The 10×10 Mass Workout e-book. You could just use it 3 days a week, training each muscle once or train four days a week, so the Monday workout repeats on Friday… [Read more…]

Muscle-Building Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make

Q: A lot of bodybuilders go all power in the off-season. They push for more strength so size will follow. I’m thinking about using the Phase 1 program in Size Surge for that purpose—mostly big exercises with heavy weights training three days a week so I get plenty of recover-and-grow time. Would that program be okay to use for the entire 10 weeks instead of moving to Phase 2?

A: You’re right, even Arnold used to do a two-to-three-month power phase in the winter—but it wasn’t heavy low reps on every exercise, as we’ll explain. That’s the problem with the way most trainees do it: They go heavy on ALL exercises all the time for too long and neglect critical sarcoplasmic size, which can be a big muscle-building mistake… [Read more…]

Build Your Future Freak Physique Now

Q: Now that the weather has cooled down a bunch, I’m looking for a mass workout program for winter, to build as much size as possible. Then I’ll start to lean out in the early spring thaw. What type of program should I use? Big, basic power-bodybuilding routine or something like 4X Positions of Flexion? I can’t decide.

A: Winter is a long haul, so why not do both? A good place to start is with something like Jonathan’s Size Surge program—but you can do it with a few twists… [Read more…]

10-Minute Big Arm Blast

Q: I’ve been using the Size Surge Phase 1 routine for only 2 weeks, and I’ve already added almost a half inch to my arms. I was skeptical since there’s only one direct arm workout each week [Wednesday], but I guess it’s like you said: the chest and back work on Monday and Friday hit arms hard too. Anyway, thanks for opening my eyes. I was wondering what you thought of supersetting the biceps and triceps exercises on Wednesday. I know Bill Pearl used to do that. BTW, I’m using 4X on my arm exercises.

A: It’s hard to argue with Bill Pearl considering his incredible mass—and his heyday was when steroids were in their infancy; minor use, if any, was happening back in the ’60s. Pearl was a staunch proponent of supersetting a biceps exercise with a triceps exercise because it made his arms so huge and full. Talk about in-the-gym motivation! The photo of Pearl above says it all. [Read more…]

Quick Hits for Muscle Size

Q: I just started the Size Surge Phase 1 workouts, and I like what I’m feeling so far. One concern is that I desperately need more muscle size in my shoulders, so I’m wondering if I can add some lateral raises to the Monday and Friday workouts.

A: The Size Surge Phase 1 program is three days a week, and the Monday and Friday workouts are already loaded with big exercises. We have a better idea for some delt specialization than adding to those two sessions. First, here’s the Phase 1 split: [Read more…]

Gain Even More

Q: I’ve been using Jonathan’s Size Surge Workout, and I gained a half-inch on my arms in four weeks. That’s great, but I’m motivated to gain even more in phase 2. Any suggestions to make that most effective for me?

A: You got excellent results in Phase 1, which is a 3-days-per-week program with lots of big, basic moves on an innovative split. The Wednesday deadlift-arms-abs workout is a good metabolic-momentum driver midweek, a nice complement to the more extensive Monday and Friday workouts on which you train quads, hams, chest, back, and delts.

Notice that you get indirect arm work on Monday and Friday with chest, back, and delt work and only one direct arm workout a week. That strategy has put some new size on your guns.

Phase 2 is full-range Positions of Flexion for each bodypart on a two-way split. You train every other day, and each workout is pretty extensive…

At Workout 1, you train quads, hams, calves, chest, and triceps. At Workout 2, you train back, delts, biceps, and abs. You rest the day after each session. While it’s true that Jonathan made excellent gains using that protocol—20 pounds of muscle with Phase 1 followed by that Phase 2 for 10 weeks. However, Jonathan has good recovery ability and better-than-average genetics for bodybuilding…

You may or may not have good recovery ability. That’s why we suggest that when you get to Phase 2, try it as is and see how you feel. If you can tell that each workout is too much for you, use the alternate 3-way split on pages 55-57 in the Size Surge e-book.

Workout 1: Chest, triceps
Workout 2: Legs, abs
Workout 3: Back, delts, biceps

Follow the sequence of workouts over Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. That will give you more recovery time as well as much shorter workouts. In fact, you may be tempted to add a lot of sets. You can add a set or two here and there—like for lagging bodyparts—but don’t get carried away. Each workout should last no longer than an hour.

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

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

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