Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout Archives

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…]

Your 3 BIG Paths to More Muscle Mass

Q: I’m making amazing gains using the Basic Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout, [which is only one Ultimate Exercise for each muscle]. My workouts take about 40 minutes, which is fantastic, and I really feel both the Power and Density sets on each exercise. My only concern is that I’m not getting all the muscle growth possible because I’m not using full Positions of Flexion. I’ve got most of your e-books, and you base your best programs on POF [three exercises for each muscle—midrange, stretch, contracted]. Am I getting the most growth possible using only one Ultimate Exercise for each muscle?

A: Well, almost. Scientists contend that force generation is the number-one max-mass trigger. Fortunately, you’re using the best exercise for optimal force production—the key big compound move—for each muscle. In other words, most of the Ultimate Exercises are big multi-joint exercises that put the target muscle in its best ergonomic position for maximum leverage—and you begin each with a Power pyramid to amplify force. You’re obviously covering that get-big pathway exceptionally well, but we fully understand the want for even more muscle mass. [Read more…]

Moment of Bodybuilding Zen 8: Jim Haislop, Mr. America

Jim Haislop won the Mr. America in 1968. His incredible symmetry, proportion, and size had many bodybuilding experts proclaiming him one of the best bodybuilders ever, even better than Steve Reeves and Reg Park.

When he competed at 5’11”, he weighed in at around 210 pounds with a 32” waist and true 19” arms…

[Read more…]

Arm Immensity with Ultimate Density

Q: I’m on The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout [pages 25-28 of that e-program], and I look and feel much bigger already. Thank you! My problem is that on some of the last isolated exercises I lose touch with the muscle, like on concentration curls for biceps. Arms have always been a problem area for me. Should I do a second double-drop Density set for that exercise?

A: Interesting that you should mention concentration curls, as we’ve found that getting the best Density effect on the contracted-position exercise for many muscles, like biceps, works best with a cable move.

What? Aren’t free weights best because they have more negative resistance due to zero weight-stack drag? Well, free weights are usually best for the big midrange exercises that trigger the max-force mass-building component—like presses and rows…

[Read more…]

6 Ways to Get Bigger Right Now

Q: I just want to get bigger as quickly as possible? I’d settle for looking like your before pictures at the X-Rep site. I’m working out four days a week on a basic routine with mostly compound exercises. Do you have any tips on ways to get bigger right now?

A: It takes time to pack on mass; however, most trainees can do better than they’re doing and double or perhaps triple their progress. Here are 6 ways to get bigger “right now.”

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High-Rep Overload for Muscle Growth—How Much Is Too Much

Q: I’m intrigued by the Super TORQ ultra-high-rep approach. But I’m also making great gains with your standard 3-exercise Positions of Flexion training. Can I use his method on one of the three exercises for each bodypart in the POF routine, or would that be too much?

A: If you’ve read the interview with Doug Brignole in The Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0 and checked out his program there, you can see that he only does ONE key exercise for each target muscle with that extreme high-rep approach…

[Read more…]

TORQ Your Abs to Whittle Your Middle

Q: Do you guys ever use Super TORQ (50-40-30-20-10) on abs? I’m using your Positions of Flexion, so I do incline knee-ups and full-range crunches. But I can’t get anywhere near 50 reps on incline kneeups. Should I just skip them?

A: Yes, Super TORQ is great for abs! No, you should not skip knee-ups…

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High-End Hypertrophy Progression: Blow Up Big Time

Q: I got the Power-Density Mass Workout 2.0 and was motivated by [Mr. America] Doug Brignole’s interview and how he uses only one exercise for each muscle. I notice he adds weight over five sets so his reps fall—but I’m with you and think 50 reps is a bit much—and boring. My question is, if I use your TORQ method [30-20-15] on two or three exercise per bodypart, should I add weight over those three sets?

A: You can—it really depends on the exercise. When we do TORQ on an isolation move, like machine flyes for chest, we do NOT add weight…

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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…]

Ultra-Higher-Rep Isolation for New Mass Creation?

Q: I tried Arnold’s method of using a high-rep set to end my major exercises, like bench presses, (Ultimate Power-Density Mass Workout e-book, Chapter 1). But I’m just too fatigued to feel the target muscle on that last set. After reading about Doug Brignole’s 50-40-30-20-10 method in Chapter 4, I was thinking about using that on an isolation exercise to feel the target muscle better, like crossovers for chest after bench. Is that a good idea?

A: It could be, but you left a lot of variables out. For example, how experienced are you? That amount of work may be too much. How many days per week are you training each muscle? If it’s once, that amount of volume may work well, if it’s twice, maybe not.

[Read more…]