protein farts Archives

Build Muscle While You Burn Fat: Is It Possible?

Q: I started using your 4X Mass Workout a few months ago, and I put in negative-accentuated [or X-centric] sets for each muscle at least once a week to help burn fat. I also adjusted my diet slightly, but nothing major. I swear I’m bigger as well as leaner now. Is it an illusion that I’ve put on a lot of muscle because I’m just more cut? I weigh about the same, but my abs are much sharper. I always hear that you can’t build muscle while you burn fat, but from my results, I’d have to disagree.

A: There have been studies with rats that had them gain muscle with weight-bearing exercise while on near-starvation diets. We’re not rats, of course, but we believe it’s possible for humans. We’ve seen it on many occasions…

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Quick Fat-to-Muscle High-Rep Hit

Q: I got your 4X e-book recently and have been experimenting with the TORQ [tension-overload repetition quantity] method you outline. It‘s amazing! I feel like I grew from one workout. I’m ready to get serious about dropping some fat for spring, and The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout looks excellent. Instead of the two ending sets of 15-20 reps, can I do two TORQ sets, say 30, 15, adding weight for the second set?

A: For the uninitiated, The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Workout incorporates pyramids, X-centric (negative-accentuated) sets, and then two high-rep sets on a contracted-position exercise to finish for growth hormone release…

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Get More Muscle Detail

Q: I’ve been on one your four-days-a-week Heavy/Light Program, and I’ve put on lots of size. I’m big, but I’m not ripped. I’m ready to get cut, so should I just stay on that program and add cardio? I’d like to try something new, but I don’t want to lose size. I just want to add more muscle detail.

A: First, you need to clean up your diet. If you don’t have a fast metabolism, which it sounds like you don’t, you’ll also need to start doing some cardio if you want to see more muscle detail; however, if you’ve been following our newsletters for a while, you know there are ways you can change your weight workout so that you burn more fat during recovery (and you won’t need as much cardio)…

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Transformation Photos: Girls vs. Guys

Q: I’m a man in my late 30s, but I’m very motivated by Becky Holman’s before and after photos and her story. Is the training program she used okay for men to use?

A: Absolutely. Men and women should both strive to build muscle, and that’s what her program does. Women won’t get bulky muscles no matter how hard they train because they don’t have the hormonal profile for that to happen. It’s a testosterone thing—and as you can see in the transformation photos below, Becky (Steve’s wife, who was in her early 40s below) doesn’t have a lot of testosterone…

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Build muscle, burn fat, get jacked: the #1 key

Q: I need to get leaner, and I think I’d better start now if I want abs by springtime. I know I need to diet, but I don’t want to lose muscle. What’s the best way to build muscle and burn fat?

A: Many will say that you will lose muscle if you reduce your calories enough to burn fat, but we disagree…

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The Dumbest Thing You can do if you want Extreme Muscle Mass

We’re not going to beat around the bush. The dumbest thing you can do if you want extreme mass is to believe there’s only one way to build muscle. You know, a stubborn narrow mind that is set on “this way is the only way.” For example…

Do you train each muscle group with a number of sets once a week? It’s a popular trend in bodybuilding—chest on Monday, legs on Tuesday, arms on Wednesday and so on. That can work—for a while. Then you adapt… [Read more…]

To Squat or Not

Q: I’ve read a lot of your stuff over the years, especially when you had your daily training blog, so I have to ask: What’s the deal with squats? You’ve said before that they always injure you due to spine compression, and you’ll never do them again. But then I see them as the first quad exercise on leg day in some of your routines. You’re contradicting yourselves.

A: Not a contradiction; just another discovery. The way we used to do squats—building up to heavy weights over a number of sets with longer rests—produced more injuries than we care to remember. It was usually our lower backs that got jacked. As we found out the hard way over the years, having 350 pounds jamming down on your spine for even a few sets can do lots of cumulative damage. We’re living proof… [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…]