ultimate exercise Archives - Page 2 of 2

Get More Pumped!

Q: I’m using the Basic X-traordinary X-Rep Workout and making pretty good gains. I love that the workouts are quick and that I only use the Ultimate Exercise for each bodypart. My problem is that I think my gains could be even better because I’m not getting a big pump in some bodyparts. I do the density drop set on the Ultimate Exercise at the end, but most muscles just don’t pump like they should. Can I add an exercise to get more pumped? I have time.

A: That’s a common problem because everyone has muscles with low nerve force and/or fewer fast-twitch fibers. That makes getting a pump in those bodyparts more difficult, especially using only a big compound exercise. There are a number of things you can do, such as 10×10 style to end instead of a drop set, but we’ll give you something less time-consuming… [Read more…]

Two Moves for More Mass

Q: I just got your X-traordinary X-Rep Workout ebook, printed out the basic routine and took it to the gym. Deep pump and a fast workout. I notice that for some bodyparts you have one big exercise for both the power work and density finish. For others, you have a different exercise for the drop-set finisher. Why didn’t you use two exercises, [one for power and one for density], for every bodypart? It makes sense that you’d train the muscle more completely with two exercises instead of only one.

A: For the most part, it depends on the complexity of the muscle. For example, your deltoid has three heads. While an overhead press trains all of them, it primarily targets the front head with only minor emphasis on the other two. [Read more…]

Shoulder Size—Try This New Pressing Exercise

Q: In The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, you identify the Ultimate Exercise for delts as dumbbell upright rows. I’ve always read that overhead presses are best for building massive shoulders. Almost everyone I talk to says to press for delt size. Can you explain your thinking?

A: Our thinking was that any type of overhead press over-emphasizes the front-delt heads. Jonathan has overpowering front delts, so presses hit his side-delt heads even less than most trainees; however, a recent experiment has us revising our thought process somewhat. [Read more…]

Key Muscle-Size Exercise for Shocking Shoulders

Q: I have limited time to train, so I try to use the best exercise for each bodypart. Your Ultimate Mass Workout e-book has been priceless in that regard, and I’m using a version of the basic program you outline with the Ultimate Exercise for each bodypart. Most are right on, but I have a problem with my shoulders. They’re not responding to dumbbell upright rows [the Ultimate Exercise for delts discussed in Chapter 6]. Is there another exercise I can use?

A: First, check your form. You should be starting with the dumbbells almost at arm’s length with your palms facing your thighs and the inner ‘bells touching. That creates a pull on the medial-delt heads in the important semi-stretch position. As you pull the dumbbells up, your hands should move out so that at the top of the stroke they are outside of your outer chest and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. [Read more…]