ripped muscle Archives

Metabolic Mass Move: Get High for Muscle Size

Q: I’ve been reading a lot about high-rep leg work, specifically squats. How it can add 20 pounds of muscle in six weeks. Do you think high-rep squats are worth the effort? I know they are tough, but if I get bigger faster, I’m in. Plus, I train at home and have limited weight anyway, so that would save me from buying more plates.

A: We were in touch with a bodybuilder who packed on an amazing 50 pounds of muscle in just over a year’s time. And he attributes a lot of that to adding a high-rep set of squats to his leg day (his full story was in an old issue of IRON MAN)… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 41: Shawn Ray

Shawn Ray is often referred to as the uncrowned Mr. Olympia, taking second in that contest twice: ’94 and ’96. His physique was almost flawless as this classic pose shows… [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 39: Frank Zane’s Abs

Frank Zane wasn’t the biggest bodybuilder of his era by any stretch. He competed and won the Mr. Olympia weighing around 190 at 5’9”. And 40 years later, his physique is still considered an ultimate ideal by the majority who lift… [Read more…]

Fast or Slow to Grow? Here’s 2 Get-Big Tactics

Q: I had your original 10-Week Size Surge book from many years ago and just picked up the Size Surge 2.0 e-book. Thanks for revising it to include 4X training! I’m 45 now with a lot of joint damage from heavy “lifting,” if you want to call it that. So your [moderate-weight] 4X method is perfect and has me making new muscle gains. Thank you! My question concerns the “finisher” set you recommend in one of the workouts. Do you think pure-negative or negative-accentuated sets are better?

A: For the uninitiated, the Size Surge 2.0 e-book has a few new workouts compared to the original, including an alternate Phase 2 routine that’s Positions of Flexion with a few heavy sets, 4X work, AND a one-exercise mass finisher using an intensity method… [Read more…]

New Muscle Size With Speed and Progression

Q: I am almost 50 and making incredible gains with the 4X method. I was reading that top trainer Charles Glass believes new muscle growth can be created with this style, thickening new fibers as well as expanding the sarcoplasm. However, he says you should still go “heavy” every so often. Every time I do that, my joints ache for days. Should I just put up with it and pile on the poundage every couple of weeks?

A: If you like going mega heavy, do it—but you’ll suffer the consequences. Glass says to train heavy every so often in order to keep the type 2B power fibers growing… [Read more…]

V-handle Pulldowns

Q: In the BASIC Power-Density Mass Workout you have V-handle pulldowns as the only lat exercise. I know you I.D. that as the Ultimate Exercise for lats in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, but those hurt my forearm. Can I do regular [pronated-grip] chins instead?

A: Yes, but you won’t be able to do both Power and Density for chins—unless you’re freakishly strong on that exercise…

We suggest chins for Power and regular pulldowns for Density, like this…

Chins, (pyramid) 3 x 9, 7, 5-6
Pulldowns, (4X) 4 x 10

Of course, if you’re a freak, you can go ahead and do a 4X sequence on chins after your power sets. But most trainees will need less than bodyweight, so pulldowns is the answer. Power plus Density for muscle immensity.

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

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

Ripped Muscle Now: Harvard Research

Harvard researcher Dr. Dimitrios Stamou discovered an enzyme that eats bodyfat. It’s helping women and men lose up to 21 pounds on average in less than 28 days.

Plus, it can help bodybuilders get freaky ripped faster than ever (see the pic of the 69-year-old who is shredded at the link below).

Remember, when you’re leaner, you look bigger than ever… And best of all, your body can MAKE this fat-blasting enzyme by eating these specific foods… and they taste GREAT.

Our colleague, the man who owned the gym that Lou Ferrigno trained at in “Pumping Iron,” turned us onto this. He’s using it himself to shed fat faster than ever, and he’s in his 50s. Get the details and see his photo HERE.

Ultimate Exercise for Shoulder Size

Q: Maybe I missed it since I’m a relatively new subscriber to your newsletter, but what is the Ultimate Exercise for shoulder size; wide-grip dumbbell upright rows or dumbbell presses?

A: We first identified each Ultimate Exercise for every major bodypart in our first e-book, The Ultimate Mass Workout. There’s a comprehensive chapter on each one, why they are best, and also a few complete programs with just those moves—like V-handle chins for lats… [Read more…]

2 Tips for Unstoppable Arm Size

Q: I want to experiment with 10×10 on arms to see if I can get another inch of growth. Would you suggest 10×10 combined with Positions of Flexion, or just 10×10 alone on one exercise? One exercise just doesn’t seem like enough angles are worked to hit all the fibers.

A: There are two ways you can approach 10×10 for unstoppable arm size. The first is using 10×10 on one biceps and one triceps exercise at your one arm workout each week. The key to getting the most growth is the bodypart split. For example… [Read more…]

More Outer Quad Sweep

Q: I need more outer quad sweep. A guy at the gym told me to use a narrow stance on squats, but that feels a bit unnatural to me. Will that actually help build the outer quads?

A: We asked our colleague and research maven Jerry Brainum about developing outer quad sweep before. Here’s what he had to say… [Read more…]