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Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 220: Arnold and Franco Tie the Knot—What?

Two pics of Arnold and Franco (young and older)

For a killer forearm workout, Arnold and Franco would head down to the docks and tie knots in the giant ropes holding the boats. Here they are resting after tying multiple Slip Knots as a prank on a crusty old tug-boat captain. They were permanently banned from the docks in 1969… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: arnold, bench press, bodybuilding zen, deadlifts, Franco, Franco Columbu, powerlifting, squats

Deadlift: A Crap Exercise?

Steve at the top of a deadlift

Q: The deadlift is popular at my gym. I watch people pile on the weights and do doubles and singles. Is it an exercise you recommend? [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic hormones, deadlift, hypertrophy, metabolic momentum, muscle synergy, powerlifting

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 171: Ronnie Coleman, Young Mass Machine

Young Ronnie Colemean posing with hands on hips.

Here’s an impressive shot of Ronnie Coleman at his elementary school graduation pool party. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bodybuilding zen, mr. olympia, powerlifting, ronnie coleman, stretch overload, young muscle

Muscle Size vs. Serious Strength

Ronnie Coleman doing extremely heavy triceps extensions

In a previous newsletter I mentioned the importance of focusing on one thing in your workouts.

That’s called specificity of training. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Brad Schoenfeld, growth threshold, hypertrophy, Lee Labrada, muscle size, powerlifting, ronnie coleman, size side effect, strength, strength building, strength side effect

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 95: Lee Haney Relaxed Mass Perfection

Lee Haney, outside in the sun in a "relaxed" pose looking huge and ripped

This is a great photo of Lee Haney at his peak, standing relaxed outside. Absolutely flawless mass. Imagine him holding a leash with a poodle at the end. Like a moving sculpture in a Speedo out walking his dog. LOL… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: art zeller, bodybuilding zen, density training, fast-twitch, growth threshold, injuries, Lee Haney, mr. olympia, perfect physique, powerlifting, slow-twitch, stimulate don't annihilate, stx method, vince gironda

Look Like a Bodybuilder

Jonathan Lawson's back, before and after

Q: I’m a powerlifter, but I want a better physique. I’m not sure how. I’ve got some muscle, but I sure don’t look like a bodybuilder. What should I do? I’m thinking I just need more isolated exercises for each muscle, like pushdowns for triceps. If I keep pushing heavy weights on all those exercises, I’ll look more like a bodybuilder, right? Do any of your e-books address my problem?

A: You gave a clue to one of the big reasons so many trainees make slow-to-no muscle gains: They’re brainwashed into believing that heavy training exclusively is what builds mass. That’s simply not true… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 2a fibers, arnold, athletic-aesthetic physique, bodybuilder, bodybuilding, brad pitt, carbs, dual-capacity fibers, fast-twitch fibers, lean, look like a bodybuilder, muscle density, muscle gains, perfect physique, physique, power-density, powerlifter, powerlifting, tension time

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 20: Lee Haney

Lee Haney - famous lat-spread pose in NY by Neveux

The photo of Lee Haney below was taken by our friend and former Iron Man owner/photographer Michael Neveux. It’s iconic to say the least, and Mike was one of the best bodybuilding photographers of all time. But back to Haney… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4x mass workout, after-40 muscle-size manual, bad gas, bodybuilding zen, danny padilla, density training, free pro-x10, free probiotics, free supplements, goals, Lee Haney, Michael Neveux, middle age, mike neveux, Mr. O, mr. olympia, physique, powerlifting, pro-x10, probiotics, protein farts, stimulate, vince gironda

The Truth About Getting Stronger to Grow Bigger?

Jonathan squatting, dark room

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…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bodybuilders, bodybuilding, density, fatigue, fix my shoulder pain, fix your shoulder pain, getting stronger, grow bigger, heavy/light, ifbb pro, iron man magazine, johnnie jackson, low reps, muscle growth, muscle size, muscle strength, no more shoulder pain, peary rader, physique, Power, powerlifters, powerlifting, pro bodybuilder, rick kaselj, shoulder pain, size, steroids, strength, super-size crash course, tension time

Bench press? Try this for new eye-popping SIZE (chest, arms, and more)

Bench press - Bench press? Try this for new eye-popping SIZE (chest, arms, and more)

Q: Bench press seems to be the “measure of a man” even today. I’ve always sucked at it, but never really hurt for chest development. I prefer the decline alternative, just like you guys, but I also observe that many military guys have good chest development, many with pushups alone. How do you build a good chest if you suck at bench pressing?

A: Funny you should mention pushups. Steve has found that to be a great exercise to end his chest routine with—and he sucks at bench presses, too. Injuring his shoulder bench pressing powerlifting style in his 20s didn’t help matters. And it still hurts him… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4x mass workout, 4x sequence, 4x style, bench press, big exercises, chest, chest routine, chest workout, hormones, hypertrophic, hypertrophy, modified pre-ex, powerlifting, pre-ex 3x, pushups, sarcoplasm, sarcoplasmic expansion, size, target muscle, testosterone, Truth About Testosterone

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