static holds Archives

Five Pounds of New Muscle Fast

Q: I’ve been reading about the fascia-expansion supersets, and it makes a lot of sense. A friend of mine is using it, and he’s added five pounds of new muscle fast—in a month! He looks more ripped too, with veins everywhere. I want to try it, but I train after work at my gym, and it’s pretty crowded. I don’t think I can superset. Should I just give up on the idea of fascia expansion for now?

A: In our X-Rep Update #1 e-book we provide a solution. The key to fascia expansion and building new muscle fast is a big-pump exercise followed by a full-stretch movement. That allows you to stretch the muscle encasement, the fascia, due to elongating the muscle after it’s full of blood… [Read more…]

Convert New Muscle Strength to Serious Muscle Size

Q: I’ve been using the Power Pyramid Program (Chapter 2 in the Freak-Physique Stretch-Overload Workout e-book) for six weeks. I’m getting incredibly strong, but I’ve only gained about four pounds of muscle. I realize it’s a muscle strength workout with a size side effect, but now I’m ready to use my new strength to go for major muscle mass. I also want to get leaner. I’m 5’10” and weigh 200 pounds with 14 percent bodyfat. What type of routine should I follow? I really like using Positions of Flexion in the Power Pyramid Program. Can I just alter that routine somehow for my new goals?

A: Ah, so now that you’re strong like an ox, you want to get even bigger with some leanness to boot. Sounds good, and it can and will happen. You just need to take your new power in a slightly different direction—still using the multi-angular attack of POF, but altered so you pack on the most muscle size—complete development from origin to insertion.

[Read more…]

The Perfect Rest Time for Packing on Muscle Mass

Q: I’m an avid reader of your e-books as well as your website. I’ve been experimenting recently with a heavy set to failure (approximately 10 reps), adding X-Rep partials to the end. Then I do a second X-Only set, often with added weight. This is an excellent trigger for growth, especially if you warm up using the DXO [Double-X Overload] technique. On the warmup set, I do anywhere from four to five X Reps between [full-range] reps, and the burn is incredible! That [combination] has had such a strong effect on my body, that I now have some stretch marks appearing. I’m definitely getting much more muscular while dropping fat. Another thing I’ve been experimenting with is shortening the stroke of X Reps, to the point where I’m almost doing a static hold. I just pulse out very small partial reps. Which brings me to static holds. Research shows subjects adding a few pounds of muscle after only one workout, but that workout was followed by two weeks of rest. Surely two weeks off between workouts is ridiculous. I was wondering how you stand on recovery time and static holds?

A: Thanks for the feedback and your confidence in our methods. We discuss a lot of what you’re discovering and experimenting with in our X-Rep Update #1 e-book. Former Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler used a lot of X-Only sets, as we discuss in Chapter 5, Mr. O’s Wild X-O Workouts. Notice Cutler’s short stroke on this exercise…

[Read more…]

Study: Pounds of Muscle After One Workout (Yes, One Workout)

Q: In the “X Factor” interview at X-Rep.com, Jonathan says you guys tried a static contraction at the end of isolation exercises with only mediocre size results. But I just got the X-Rep Update #1 e-book, and you’re recommending them. Why have you found static holds more effective now than in the past?

A: When we first used static contraction many years ago, we did them on contracted-position exercises, like leg extensions, holding the flexed position for as long as we could after full-range exhaustion. That’s a hold after a number of regular reps. We got good gains, but later that hold at the end of a set evolved to X Reps on the big midrange exercises instead of isolation moves, and that worked much better at building bigger, fuller muscles.

[Read more…]

Three-Pound Muscle Gain After Only One Workout?!

Q: In your X-Rep Update #1 e-book you discuss a study that produced a three-pound muscle gain after only one workout with static-contraction sets. Do you think that’s true, that much muscle after only one workout? And if so, should I do most of my sets just holding the weight statically?

A: The researchers used the most sophisticated body-composition-measuring device available at the time, known as a BodPod, so we have no reason to doubt their results. Subjects did a full-body workout that consisted mostly of one static-contraction set for each muscle and then rested for 14 days. Most gained muscle, and one subject packed on an amazing three pounds of muscle from that one workout, but…

[Read more…]

Muscle-Building Tips, Tricks, and Pics

Q: The X-Rep workout program I’m using from the X-Rep Update #1 e-book is amazing. I added a couple pounds of muscle after only two weeks, and I swear I’m seeing new cuts and striations I’ve never seen on me before. Do you notice more size and detail when you use the fascia-expansion techniques?

A: Standard POF protocol is the midrange exercise, followed by the stretch exercise, followed by the contracted exercise. For example, bench presses (midrange), dumbbell flyes (stretch), and cable flyes (contracted). Merely switching the order of the last two exercises provides more of a stretching effect on the muscle-fiber encasements, which allows for more growth to occur…

[Read more…]

Transformation Photos: Girls vs. Guys

Q: I’m a man in my late 30s, but I’m very motivated by Becky Holman’s before and after photos and her story. Is the training program she used okay for men to use?

A: Absolutely. Men and women should both strive to build muscle, and that’s what her program does. Women won’t get bulky muscles no matter how hard they train because they don’t have the hormonal profile for that to happen. It’s a testosterone thing—and as you can see in the transformation photos below, Becky (Steve’s wife, who was in her early 40s below) doesn’t have a lot of testosterone…

[Read more…]

One Quick Tip to Pack on Muscle Mass Fast (it hurts, but it works!)

Q: I just got the Size Surge 2.0 e-book (thanks for the great price). It’s excellent, but you don’t mention X Reps much. I know you said when Jonathan got his great results with the original Size Surge program, you hadn’t developed X-es yet. I’ve built a lot of mass with that technique, so should I include X Reps in either phase?

A: For the uninitiated, X Reps are short eight-inch partials at the end of a full-range set. We’ll give you an alternate end-of-set mass move in a moment, but first, here’s a quick explanation of X Reps… [Read more…]

Low-Rep Muscle-Mass Lowdown

Q: What’s your opinion of low-rep sets, like singles, doubles, and triples? Will they help me build more muscle?

A: Low reps are more for developing strength, but indirectly they can help you add size. We say indirectly because low-rep sets help you develop neuromuscular efficiency, or better nerve force. Eventually, that can help you activate more muscle fibers on your higher-rep muscle-building sets…

However, there are safer ways to build neuromuscular efficiency—like end-of-set X Reps and/or end-of-set static holds (StatX)…

For example, on decline bench presses say you hit full-range exhaustion at around rep nine. Lower to the semi-stretch point near the bottom of the stroke and pulse with eight-inch partial reps. If you can’t do any on your own, have your partner help you with three to five normal-speed X Reps…

If you don’t have a partner, slowly lower your last rep, using a six-second negative, and stop at the semistretch point, just above the turnaround, and hold for as long as possible. Obviously, you need a Smith machine for declines so you can rack the bar in the low position after your StatX. For squats, be sure you’re in a power rack with safety pins set properly.

We’re not big fans of low-rep sets because we’re not powerlifters; we try to leave our egos at the gym door. Several years ago, our egos got the best of us, and we just had to squat 500 pounds. We both finally did it for a few reps—but our legs didn’t look bigger or better. That’s not the worst of it. We accrued so much spine-compression damage that to this day both of us have back problems. We feel like dumb-asses for that lack of common sense…

Remember, you need to be injury-free to train consistently and intensely to make the best muscle gains possible. That’s why we suggest you use X Reps and/or StatX instead of dangerous low-rep sets. Five reps on a set is as low as we ever recommend—and that’s rare. You don’t need low reps to build maximum muscle, as Jonathan’s results show…

Note: For more on X Reps and StatX training, see The X-traordinary X-Rep Workout e-book.

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

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

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Tips for Solo Training and BIG Gaining

Q: I agree with your progressive-overload theory, gradually making workouts more intense. You suggest adding a few forced reps every couple weeks in the first phase of the Size Surge program. But I train alone and can’t do forced reps. How can I make the workouts progressively more intense for solo training?

A: For those who missed it, we suggested this progression for the 3-days-a-week workouts in phase 1 of the Size Surge program: [Read more…]

Boost Testosterone… With Cardio?!

Boost Testosterone…
With Cardio?!