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A Muscle’s Unique Mass Response, Part 1

Arnold in a tank top flexing his triceps

Recent studies seem to place stretch-loading and stretch exercises at the top of the mass-building food chain… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: blood-flow restriction, contracted position, European Journal of Sports Science, fiber recruitment, hypoxia, mass building, muscle building, research study, stretch loading

Stretch Best for Mass? Maybe Not…

Flexed and extremely striated triceps

You’ve no doubt seen all the studies showing that stretch-loading builds muscle mass significantly faster than contraction emphasis… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: contracted position, European Journal of Sports Science, research study, stretch loading, stretch position

Forgotten Factor in Fast Mass Gains, part 2

Jonathan doing a rear double biceps pose outside

The new meta-analysis by Robinson, et al. (2023) on volume for hypertrophy is interesting. Those researchers determined that 12 ALL-OUT sets a week per muscle is a good top end for hypertrophy for most trainees… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: fast mass, hardgainers, hypertrophy, mass gaining, muscle gaining, research study

Your Best # of Sets for Mass—new study, part 2

Steve with a belly vs. smooth and muscular vs. cut

In the last training newsletter, I looked at a new meta-analysis that determined the best number of sets per week and optimal intensity for hypertrophy… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: age, failure, hypertrophy, mass building, muscle building, recovery, research study

Mass Mantra #6

Steve doing incline curls

The new study on stretch-partial-rep sets producing more growth than full-range reps and contraction-partial reps, brings up a question… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Chris Beardsley, hypertrophy, isometric hold, mass mantra, research study

Stretch Partials for More Mass (new study)

Illustration of leg extensions in the contracted position

Quite a coincidence. As I began writing this series on stretch overload, a new study appeared on the subject.

It was one I was hoping would eventually be done—although the trainees weren’t exactly to my specifications. The study… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: European Journal of Sports Science, muscle adaptions, partial reps, partials, research study, stretch exercise, stretch partials, stretch-overload

Mass Mantra #5

Jonathan doing dumbbell pullovers in the stretch position

With today’s quote, I want to stay in the realm of stretch overload for superior muscle growth… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Dr. Jose Antonio, mass mantra, muscle growth, research study, stretch

More Mass With Drop Sets? (new meta-analysis research)

Jonathan doing dumbbell curls (3 shots)

Q: I’m torn between using standard training with 2 minutes between sets or drop-set-style training with 10 to 20 seconds between sets like you follow [in the Old Man, Young Muscle workouts]. Is there a definitive answer as to which is better for mass? [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Brad Schoenfeld, drop sets, muscular adaption, research study

New Study on Mass-Training Frequency

Arnold flexing his biceps

One of the more popular “advanced” methods is to train each muscle only once a week. That’s a more recent idea, as… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: anabolic steroids, Neves, research study, steroids, study, training frequency

Frequency, Intensity and Muscle Immensity (Study)

Steve doing heavy barbell curls

Hypertrophy researcher Chris Beardsley has said that a muscle recovers after only 48 hours—but as Mr. America/Mr. Universe Doug Brignole noted, that doesn’t include the supercompensation “growth” phase, which occurs after damage is repaired… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Brad Schoenfeld, Chris Beardsley, hypertrophy, intensity, research study, supercompensation, training frequency

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