sarcoplasm Archives - Page 2 of 4

Overtrained? Try This for Instant Muscle Gains—No Layoff Necessary

Q: I’m starting to drag at the gym, and I don’t look forward to my workouts anymore. I’m starting to think I’m overtrained. I haven’t grown in a while, but I DON’T want to take a layoff. Even backing off to low-effort workouts sounds like a bad idea because I don’t want to lose my gains. What should I do?

A: Boy, does that sound familiar. We always tell trainees that they need a break to regenerate and keep the growth process rolling, but they never take one (and neither do we—bad). That’s an easy way to end up overtrained. [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…]

Research: Grow More Muscle With Simplified 2-Way Workouts

Q: You guys have opened my eyes to new ways to grow muscle. Your explanation of the myofibrils (force generation) and sarcoplasm (energy fluid) and how they both contribute to size is excellent. To build both of those fast, I want a simple, no-bells-and-whistles heavy-light program. What would you suggest?

A: Ah, the no-frills approach. It’s always good to go back to basics every so often, focusing on the force-generating myofibrils with a heavy workout and sarcoplasmic expansion with lighter DENSITY at the next… [Read more…]

5 Critical Keys to More Muscle Mass

Q: I understand that heavy weight isn’t important for maximum muscle growth. Can you tell me what I should include in my workouts to build the most mass possible in the shortest time. I want to get bigger.

A: Well, “heavy” weights are important, but “heavy” is relative to YOU—and dependent on muscle fatigue. You may struggle with 20 pounds in a certain exercise at the END of a bodypart workout. So that 20 pounds is “heavy” for you on that exercise at that moment… [Read more…]

Density Overload: The Trick for More Muscle Growth

Q: In the Size Surge 2.0 e-book, Phase 1 is all heavy sets. I don’t have any joint problems, but I love moderate-weight 4X training. I’ve gained over 5 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks with it. I don’t want to give it up completely now, but I do want to go on the 10-week Size Surge program. Can I use the same combination approach in Phase 1 that you outline in the new Phase 2 chapters; that is, heavy work on the big exercises and 4X on the more isolated ones?

A: We understand your concern about all-heavy training all the time. Lots of trainees (including us) have suddenly packed on more mass with a dose of moderate-weight, growth-threshold 4X—or even 10×10. That’s because training all-heavy for too long NEGLECTS sarcoplasmic expansion… [Read more…]

Power-Pump: Combo to Grow More Muscle

Q: I recently went from training heavy on everything to [moderate-weight] 4X. I’m convinced that it’s genius. I gained four pounds in two weeks. My question is, What do you think of doing the first set heavy with low reps, then do a 3X after? That should get both size factors, right?

A: That’s a great variation. Of course, it’ll take a bit longer because you have to do some warmup sets. Then you do your heavy set, followed by a 3X sequence. We have a similar power-pump style of strategy in The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout…

In the Basic Workout, you do one exercise per bodypart. For example, for midback you do this: [Read more…]

Quick Mass Tip: Double Down to Blow Up BIG

You already know that some type of overload is necessary for growth-fiber thickening. That’s called myofibrillar size.

The strands in the muscle fiber enlarge, giving you bigger muscles. Heavier loads can produce that…

[Read more…]

Low Reps Plus Short Rests for Mass-Building Success?

Q: I’ve always gotten pretty good size and strength gains from heavy weights and using the six-to-eight-rep range. Could I be more myofibrillar dominant? And, if so, do you think I would benefit more by doing 4X mass training with lower reps, say 4×6, but still with short rests so that my sarcoplasm gets growth benefits as well?

A: Great question! For new readers, the myofibrils are the force-generating actin and myosin strands in the muscle fibers. If you have more of those than usual, you would be considered myofibrillar dominant. A good example of that is Mike Mentzer, who was squatting over 500 pounds at age 16…

[Read more…]

Power, Density, Intensity: Combo to Grow

Q: I got your X-centric Mass Workout. Motivating info, and I messed around with some X-centric variations in my last workouts. Enjoying the new muscle soreness. I want to start using the Direct/Indirect X-centric Mass Workout [outlined in that e-book]. It has a standard heavy pyramid on the big exercises, last set X-centric. What do you think of using downward progression 4X instead with the last set X-centric?

A: For those who don’t have the X-centric Mass Workout e-book, the workout being referred to is Positions of Flexion, with a pyramid + X-centric set on the midrange exercise, a straight set or two on the stretch move, and a 4X sequence on the contracted-position exercise.

For example, for middle-lower chest it’s…

[Read more…]

Small Bones, Big Arms

Q: I’ve been training like a madman for six months, but my arms haven’t budged. I’m getting stronger, and I do see more veins on my biceps, but my arms are still skinny. A guy at the gym told me it’s because I have small bones. My wrists are under 7 inches around, and he said I can’t expect much size with small wrists. Is that true?

A: Um, in a word, NO. It’s not true. The size of your wrist has nothing to do with where your biceps and triceps attach, how much muscle-fiber density your muscles have, or your ability to pack on muscle mass.

[Read more…]