• X Shop
  • Checkout

X-REP.COM

Dedicated to Your Physical Transformation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • X Shop
  • X Files
    • Latest Articles
    • FAQ
    • Ezine Archive
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
  • Gallery
  • Subscribe

Mass Mantra #26

Steve in a most muscular pose and a side casual pose in April 2023

Here’s a quote from one of the most respected hypertrophy researchers today, Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D.… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: Brad Schoenfeld, efficient gaining, hypertrophy, muscle gains, older bodybuilder, strength gains

The Truth About Muscle Growth, Part 1

Mike Mentzer doing leaning lateral raises

The goal is to trigger hypertrophy at every workout. So you should grow before your next one.

True—in a perfect world. Pro bodybuilder Mike Mentzer thought that was possible after he retired and began training people…

He said that if his clients didn’t get stronger, and therefore bigger, at each workout, something was wrong. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: hypertrophy, mike mentzer, muscle gains, muscle growth, strength gains

Only One Key Exercise for Mass?

Jonathan Lawson doing incline dumbbell flyes

Q: I’ve been following your newsletters. Interesting ideas. One question I have is that you talk about emphasizing the ideal exercise for mass for each target muscle, but then say that you follow it with a less efficient one. Why not just do the ideal exercise only for all sets and then move to the next muscle?

A: We’ve found that different exercises can have unique mass-building effects—and research backs that up… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: animal study, best exercise, ideal exercise, key exercise, mass building, muscel fiber recruitment, muscle hypertrophy, muscle size, Steven J. Fleck Ph.D, strength gains, William J. Kraemer Ph.D

Bench Press Power

Heavy bench press

Q: I’m using the Size Surge program, and it’s absolutely fantastic. My only complaint is that I want my bench press power to go up faster. I’m not sure that the two work sets on the bench are enough to make that happen. What would you suggest?

A: Two work sets can be enough. During Jonathan’s original 10-week cycle, his bench went from 200 x 10 to 290 x 6. But to be fair, he was regaining some size and strength that he’d had previously. Still a spectacular increase. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bench press, bench press power, chest workout, eat stop eat, endurance, get ripped, mass gains, pecs, size side effect, Size Surge, strength gains, type 2a muscle fibers

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…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 4x mass training, 4x mass workout, actin, bodybuilders, Charles Poliquin, gains, hardgainers, home protection, hypertrophy, low reps, mass building, mike mentzer, mike westerdal, myofibrillar expansion, myofibrils, myosin, powerlifters, pre-exhaustion, pre-fatigue, protect your family, sarcoplasm, sarcoplasmic expansion, self-defense, short rests, size gains, strength gains

Muscle Mass Multiplier: Training on a Tricycle

Q: I love the Power/Rep Range/Shock POF program [on pages 103-114 in the 3D Muscle Building e-book]. I’m making excellent gains with it, mostly in strength. I’m more of a small-framed guy at 5’10, 175 pounds. I read your discussion on the study that showed low reps don’t do much for hardgainer types like me, so I’m wondering if I would get more size by deleting the Power week. Should I just do RR/S, alternating between the Rep Range and Shock workouts?

A: If all you’re after is a muscle mass multiplier for more size, with smaller increases in strength, that may be an option; however, you sound pretty stoked about all the new strength gains you’re getting (we got incredible strength gains on that program too!). We’d suggest you keep the Power week—just don’t do it as often. More specifics on that in a moment from the creator, Eric Broser. First, let’s review the P/RR/S protocol for those who aren’t familiar with it…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 3d pof, eric broser, fast-twitch, fiber activation, fiber recruitment, gains, hardgainers, high glycolytic, high oxidative, hypertrophic, intensity, mass multiplier, max-force generation, muscle burn, muscle mass, nerve-to-muscle connection, neuromuscular efficiency, p/rr/s, POF, positions of flexion, Power, power/rep range/shock, rep range, shock, straight sets, strength, strength gains, tension time, tension times, testosterone, tricycle

Arnold’s Winter Training Routine

Arnold doing cheat curls - Arnold's Winter Mass-Packing Workout

Q: I want to get strong over the winter. I heard that that’s what Arnold used to do. I know that if I get strong, I will eventually get bigger, which was how the Oak did it. What’s the best workout for that?

A: First let’s get some insight into Arnold’s winter training routine. Former IRON MAN Publisher John Balik was there, often training with Arnold, and this is what he had to say about it: [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 3d pof, 3d power pyramid, arnold, arnold schwarzenegger, arnold's winter training routine, best workout, boost testosterone, gains, get bigger, hiit, iron man, john balik, john balik photo, mass building, muscle growht, p/rr/s, POF, positions of flexion, Power, power-pyramid, power/rep range/shock, pyramiding, rep range, shock, strength gains, stretch overload, testosterone, the oak, winter, winter training, winter workout, winter workouts, X Reps

:: Get the latest news and specials :: Sign Up for our Ezine!

Shopping Cart

Number of items in cart: 0

  • Your cart is empty.
  • Total: $0.00
  • Checkout

Copyright © 2023 · X-Rep.com