Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation
Q: What’s your opinion of rest/pause training, the way Mike Mentzer used to do it? I’ve read that he did heavy singles with six to 10 seconds between sets, and he did only four of those rest/pause singles for each exercise.
A: We discuss Mike Mentzer and his rest/pause training in Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building (starting on page 38). His technique was as follows… [Read more…]
Q: I notice that you guys often use a double-drop set on the last one when you do TORQ. I love that muscle maker variation, and it appears it’s gotten me bigger in the past few weeks. Do you have any other ways to vary that method?
A: To refresh memories, TORQ is tension-overload repetition quantity… [Read more…]
Q: I’m ready to start the Mass F/X Program in 3D Muscle Building. I like it because it’s your updated version of the Size Surge Phase 1 program, training only three days a week, with sarcoplasmic work, not just all heavy. But can I use the X-centric method in that program? I really like that tactic. I used it to reshape my physique, building 10 pounds of muscle while losing fat at the same time. Where should I put the X-centric work?
A: For the uninitiated, X-centric work is lifting in one second and lowering in six seconds. That means if you do eight reps, you get almost a full minute of hypertrophic tension time, something most bodybuilders never do… [Read more…]
Q: I have the Size Surge e-book and just picked up the 3D Muscle Building e-book. In 3D there’s a different version of the phase 1 Size Surge workouts [SS Mass F/X Program, pages 81-84 in 3D]. It has rest/pause and drop sets. Should I use that as phase 1 or Jonathan’s straight-set version in the Size Surge e-book?
A: The Mass F/X Program in the 3D e-book is the same 3-days-per-week phase 1 that Jonathan used, but with a few twists: You do a max-Force-generating mass workout for a bodypart, then at the second workout for that bodypart, you do an eXtended-tension-style workout. That gives you the power-density mass-building combination we’re always harping on… [Read more…]
Q: I’ve noticed in a lot of your e-book routines that you often recommend just two work sets for an exercise Why? Should I do more? I’ve read that most bodybuilders do four or five sets per exercise.
A: As Arthur Jones, the creator of Nautilus machines said: “You can train hard or you can train long, but you can’t do both.” Short and hard or long and not so hard both work. Despite what some die-hard high-intensity trainers say, gradually increasing volume is a form of overload that can result in more muscle—if you don’t overdo intensity. It’s a balancing act. Us? Regardless of whether it’s one of our low-set workouts or high tension time workouts, we’re about
Q: I’ve been following your newsletters and noticed you guys talking about rest/pause not too long ago. Can you explain the technique a little more and the reasoning behind it?
A: Rest/pause is basically taking a very short break after you hit exhaustion on a set, and then repping out again with the same weight. The brief rest/pause allows the lactic acid to clear somewhat from the muscle and the nervous system and ATP to regenerate to a degree as well.
[Read more…]Q: What’s better, rest/pause or drop sets, and what’s the difference? I mean, I know what they are; you rest about 10 seconds between rest/pause sets using the same weight, but with drop sets you
A: We’ve found that rest/pause is best for exercises that use max force as their key growth component (midrange and stretch movements). It’s a great way to add a little more volume and force overload without too much extra time in the gym. The short rest of 10-15 seconds allows ATP and nerve pathways to regenerate somewhat so you can continue the force-overload assault.
[Read more…]Q: I want to thank you for the great programs and excellent tips, like X-Reps. My background is in Olympic
A: You didn’t really ask a question, but we just wanted to commend you on being brave enough to give all-4X training—every other week—a try.
So many trainees are stuck in the must-always-train-heavy-to-grow mentality that they miss out on significant muscle-size stimulation. It’s probably the key reason most complain about such slow gains. Plus, they get injured much more often.
[Read more…]Q: I have your new ebooks, Anabolic Reload and Stretch Overload. Both are great, and the simple rest/pause add-on for progression has already helped me add new mass. But I overtrain easily, so I can’t keep adding those. Is there anything else I can do to keep my muscle growth moving forward without more volume?
A: First, bodybuilding is called “progressive-resistance” training because adding weight and/or reps to your exercises can increase muscle size… [Read more…]
Q: I’ve been on the Anabolic Reload workout for two weeks and feel considerably bigger. I was wondering if it’s okay to gradually increase volume with drop sets instead of rest/pause? I get a better pump with drop sets and I saw a study that found drop sets very effective for building mass, so you can volumize for muscle size.
A: We saw that 2017 study as well. It was by one of our favorite researchers, Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., and the conclusion was… [Read more…]
