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Multi-Joint Mass-Building Synergy?

Q: In Old Man, Young Muscle you discuss muscle synergy during compound [multi-joint] exercises like squats. Most of the ideal exercises are isolation. I’m a big believer in the synergistic mass-building power of those big exercises, and in past Postions-of-Flexion workouts, you usually started body parts with a big “midrange” exercise. Is it detrimental to still favor compound exercises first? [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: multi-joint exercises, muscle synergy, positions of flexion, synergy

Energy, Synergy, and Mass Intensity

Mike Mentzer on stage at the Olmpia (left) and doing a double biceps pose outdoors (right)

One of the thickest bodybuilders of yesteryear, before drug use went totally off the rails, was Mike Mentzer.

His last contest was the 1980 Mr. Olympia, the controversial comeback win for Arnold in Australia. Mentzer placed fifth, which triggered his retirement and a swim through the pool of madness for a few years. The photo on the left is from that contest. [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: energy, energy drain, heavy duty, intensity, John Little, mike mentzer, muscle synergy, steroids, synergy

Muscle Isolation vs. Synergy Energy

Steve demonstrating dumbbell squats

I’ve mentioned the friend I began training with back when we were 14 and continued through high school. Bill was thinner than I was, so he eventually figured out that bodybuilding wasn’t for him. instead, he transitioned to mountain biking and rock climbing… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: bodybuilding, functional training, isolation, synergy

5 Critical Keys to More Muscle Mass

Jonathan Lawson muscular - Step Back to Move Your Muscle Mass Forward

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…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: change to gain, continuous tension, fatigue, heavy training, hypertrophic, hypertrophic tension time, keys to more muscle mass, muscle fatigue, muscular fatigue, myofibrils, sarcoplasm, stretch, synergy, tension time

Ultimate Mass Finisher: One Extra Growth Set

Undergrip pulldowns

Q: Your Positions-of-Flexion mass training has added 7 pounds of muscle to my body in two months! I’ve been using my favorite variations, like modified Pre-Ex and Pre-Ex 3X when possible. Change to gain, as you guys say. Great stuff. What about adding a ultimate mass finisher set? Is that something I should do to increase my size gains?

A: Yes, and we’ll give you one of the best ultimate mass finisher techniques we’ve discovered. But first a quick review—to build the suspense… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: belly fat burn, growth, innervation, modified pre-ex, occlusion, POF, positions of flexion, pre-ex 3x, size building, stretch overload, synergy, ultimate mass finisher

Synergize for Muscle Size

Q: First, your e-books are all fantastic. I have almost every one. I’m a bit old-school, so I print out the routines and put them in a 3-ring binder so I can thumb through and find the right routine one when I want a new routine. I’m a very big supporter of full-range Positions of Flexion. It makes total sense and has built lots of muscle for me. I’ve noticed that on some triceps routines you use close-grip bench presses as the big midrange move, while on others you pick decline extensions. Close-grip benches allow you to synergize better with other muscles, so shouldn’t that always be the big triceps midrange exercise?

A: Thanks for supporting our cause and your confidence in our programs. That’s a great idea, by the way—keeping all the workouts in a binder.

To answer your question, [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: full-range positions of flexion, muscle size, muscle synergy, new routine, old-school, synergize, synergy, Truth About Testosterone

Triple-Threat Approach to Massive Muscle Growth

Q: I’m a big believer in your Positions-of-Flexion workouts. I have gotten more growth with that [3-exercise approach] than with anything I’ve tried. One exercise I often have a problem with is incline curls [the stretch move for biceps]. Is there a substitute?

A: Thanks for the POF props. A lot of trainees find the simplified 3-way full-range approach a logical way to more size and muscle fullness. It’s an efficient method for picking exercises to train a muscle completely with just a few exercises. You get muscle synergy, stretch overload, continuous tension/occlusion, and anabolic hormone release as well as full-range fiber activation…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: arm workout, belly fat burn, biceps routine, biceps workout, fat loss, fiber activation, full-range, incline curls, massive muscle growth, muscle fullness, muscle growth, muscle size, muscle synergy, POF, positions of flexion, stretch overload, synergy, weight loss

3 Simple Changes to Get You Growing

Jonathan Lawson curling - 3 Simple Changes to Get You Growing

You know our mantra: You can trigger bigger gains with one small change. But let’s multiply that for even more mass. We’ve got 3 simple things to get you growing immediately… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 10-week Size Surge, 20 pounds in 10 weeks, 3 simple changes, after-40, anabolic, anabolic after 40, anabolic primer, animal study, blood-flow, change to gain, frequency, full-range, growth hormone, innervation, international journal of sports medicine, journal of strength conditioning research, mass gains, muscle activation, muscle growth, power-density mass workout, rep cadence, rep speed, rep tempo, semi-stretch, Size Surge, slow negatives, stretch overload, synergy, testosterone, training frequency, Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout, warmups, x-traordinary arms

New Size On Your Tri’s: The Big Finish

Jonathan doing bench dips

Q: In Positions-of-Flexion mass training, how do you identify dips and bench dips for triceps? Are they midrange, stretch, or contracted?

A: While both parallel-bar dips and bench dips have synergy, or muscle teamwork, which is generally a midrange quality, we classify both types of dip as contracted-position exercises. In other words, we like either as a BIG finisher to put more size on your tri’s… [Read more…]

Filed Under: X Files Tagged With: 3d muscle building, 4X, 4x mass method, big finisher, cable pushouts, dips, muscle gains, muscle tension, occlusion, POF, positions of flexion, synergy, testosterone, triceps, triceps routine

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