squats Archives - Page 2 of 3

More Mass, No Squats

Q: I recently read your Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout. Very insightful info. I learned so much and am applying it in the gym with unreal results. My workouts are 10 times better and also a lot shorter. Thank you! One question: In the Basic Power-Density Workout you have squats as one choice for the ultimate quad exercise. I’ve always heard that you have to squat to grow, so that’s what I’m using. But I seem to remember reading at some point that you guys don’t do free-bar squats. How come?

A: The number-one reason we don’t do them at the moment is past injuries—and, no, you don’t have to do heavy, spine-compressing free-bar squats to grow. Let us explain… [Read more…]

Reverse 10×10 Mass Workout

Q: I’ve been intrigued by the recent 10×10 newsletters and jumped in to give it a try. In your learned opinion, if one were to perform a reverse 10×10 using that technique with the maximum weight possible in decreasing amounts throughout the 10 sets, would it constitute overtraining and negate the activation of the type-2A muscle fibers’ endurance component? I was thinking you would get at both the “power” AND the “endurance” functions of the type 2As better this way. I would only use each big Ultimate Exercise for every bodypart [as outlined in the 10×10 e-program].

A: A reverse 10×10 pyramid means you reduce the weight on each set. And you do each of those 10 sets of 10 reps to exhaustion. First, that’s 10-all-out-sets approach is a very different animal than standard 10×10 style, which is taking a weight you can do 20 with, but you only do 10, rest 30 seconds, do 10 more, and so on till you complete 10 sets—first sets are easy, last few are brutal. [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…]

The I-Hate-Squats Workout

Q: I’m so frustrated. I constantly hear and read bodybuilders saying that you have to do free-bar squats to get big. You even put squats as the Ultimate Exercise for quads in your Ultimate Mass Workout e-book. It’s supposedly the best quad exercise and also stimulates overall mass gains. But I always get hurt when I squat heavy. My lower back craters, and I’m tired of it. Can’t I just use leg presses instead?

A: Some trainees simply aren’t built for free-bar squats. Because of leverage factors—usually long legs, the upper body pitches forward, which can put the lower back at risk. Heavy weights also compress the vertebrae. (Is it really beneficial to have 500 pounds sitting on your shoulders pushing down on your spine? Hmm.)

[Read more…]

More Muscle Mass With a Fat-Loss Blast

Q: I’ve added a lot of muscle using Pre-Ex 3X and modified pre-ex. I must commend you for coming up with it. One problem I have is with leg extensions. They hurt my knees when I do them first. Funny that squats don’t hurt me. Leg extensions are the only quad isolator. What should I do first instead?

A: We didn’t come up with pre-exhaustion. That honor goes to the late Bob Kennedy, publisher of MuscleMag…

[Read more…]

Start Your Workouts With This

Q: I’m excited! I was looking for a 3-days-per-week program to use over the winter, and I think I’ve devised a great one. I’ll use the split-positions Phase 1 workout you outline in The Ultimate Super-Size Crash Course [Chapter 6], but I’ll start each workout with either squats or deadlifts. I remember you saying how that can increase overall mass gains. What do you think?

A: That sounds like a great winter size-building program to put to the test. For the uninitiated, the program split is simple: [Read more…]

Anabolic Primer: One Move Gets You Huge

Q: I’ve been using the POF-Power/Super-TORQ Mass Workout [in the Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0 e-book]. My mass gains have shot up significantly over the past several weeks. Alternating heavy POF work with Super TORQ [high-rep work on only one exercise] is producing the best growth response in years. My question is about the optional deadlifts that begin the Friday workout. Doing 8-10 reps hurts my back, so I’m thinking about using only one 15-to-20-rep set instead. Is that okay, or should I just train through the pain?

A: First, never “train through the pain” of injury. More on your lower back in a moment. Let’s address the question of reps… [Read more…]

Freaky Mass-Maker Workout

Q: I’m using the Anabolic Reload Mass Workout and really feel the high-rep set first on the big exercises, like bench presses. I’m only 30, but I’m wondering if a few weeks down the road I should try using stretch-exercise-first workout in Chapter 8 [The Over-40 STX Workout] to get some new freaky mass?.

A: New research says absolutely. Not only will that high-rep stretch set first help you activate more fast-twitch fibers on the heavier sets that follow, it will also trigger a unique layer of muscle mass… [Read more…]

Are squats destroying your knees? (quick-fix video)

In the Ultimate Mass Workout, the official X-Rep manual, we identify squatting-type moves as the best quad builders…

Plus, higher-rep squats have been shown to boost metabolic and anabolic drive, rapidly accelerating muscle gains—10 to 20 solid pounds in only a month. You get new growth all over, even in your arms and torso. [Read more…]

3 wicked mass tactics for new size (pain to gain)

Q: I like the idea of training quads by doing front squats supersetted with back squats. My quads get almost a pre-ex effect from the strict fronts, then my glutes get better leverage on the backs to drive my quads for more growth. But I’m not very strong on fronts and can get a lot of reps when I immediately go to back squats after. Should I just do high reps on the back squats—say 6 on the fronts and 12-15 on the backs? [Read more…]